What’s Happening Today?

VCR Day. VCR Day is a day to celebrate the Video Cassette Recorder (VCR). Over time, VCR's have been used to play back home movies and commercially made films and programs, as well as to record programming off of television. Prototypes and early versions of the VCR were made in the 1950's, but they cost thousands of dollars and were only used at large television networks. The Telcan, made it England in 1962, was the first home VCR, which cost what would be the equivalent of over $1,600 in 2014 US currency. It could only record for 20 minutes at a time and was exclusively in black and white.

Independence Day / Union Dissolution Day (Norway). It is marked in remembrance of the Norwegian parliament's 1905 declaration of dissolution of the union with Sweden, a personal union which had existed since 1814. The day is celebrated in Norway as the Independence Day and is an official flag flying day, and is observed with ordinary salute at Akershus Fortress.

What Happened Today?

1.    In 1929, Vatican City became a sovereign independent State. Vatican City is approx 110 acres with a population of around 800 and is ruled by the Bishop of Rome — the Pope. Vatican City also includes most of the area of St. Peter's Square. The Euro is the official currency of Vatican City with coins issued by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Vatican City State featuring the effigy on the current pope on all coins.

2.    In 1939, King George VI became the first British monarch to visit the United States when he and his wife, Elizabeth, visited New York City and Washington, D.C.

3.    In 1946, The United Kingdom's BBC returned to broadcasting its television service, which had been off air for seven years because of the Second World War.

Birthdays

1.    1931 – Okot p’Bitek (in the image), Ugandan poet and author.

2.    1980 – Sister Charity, Western Ugandan musician and TV personality.

Sources: Wikipedia, checkiday & bornglorious.com

Image: The East African