Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr. (January 20, 1923 – June 19, 2013), known professionally as Slim Whitman, was an American country music and western music singer/songwriter and instrumentalist known for his yodeling abilities and his smooth high octave falsetto. He sold in excess of 120 million records.
Whitman was born on January 20, 1923 in Tampa, Florida. He was married to Alma Christ from 1942 until her death in 2009. They had two children. Whitman died on June 19, 2013 in Orange Park, Florida from heart failure, aged 90.
Robert Fogel
Robert William Fogel (July 1, 1926 – June 11, 2013) was an American economic historian and scientist, and winner (with Douglass North) of the 1993 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
Fogel was born on July 1, 1926 in New York City, New York to Russian-Jewish parents. He was raised in Chicago, Illinois. Fogel graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1944. He studied at Cornell University, at Columbia University, and at Johns Hopkins University. Fogel died on June 11, 2013, at a health services center in Oak Park, Illinois of a short illness, aged 86.
Wilbert Awdry
The Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997), was an English Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast, and children's author. Simply known as the Reverend W. Awdry, he was the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, the central figure in his acclaimed "Railway Series".
Awdry was born on 15 June 1911 in Ampfield, Hampshire, England. He was raised in Box, Wiltshire, England. Awdry was educated at Marlborough House School, Sussex (1919–24), Dauntseys School, West Lavington, Wiltshire (1924–9); St Peter's Hall, Oxford (BA, 1932), and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.
He was married to Margaret Awdry from 1938 until her death in 1989. They had three children, Christopher Awdry, Hilary Fortnum and Veronica Chambers. Awdry died on 21 March 1997 in Rodborough, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England from natural causes, aged 85.
Eleanor Mondale
Eleanor Jane Mondale Poling (January 19, 1960 – September 17, 2011) was an American radio personality, television host, and actress.
Mondale was born on January 19, 1960 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Walter Mondale and to Joan Mondale. She studied at St. Lawrence University.
Mondale was married to Keith Van Horne from 1988 until they divorced in 1989. Then she was married to Greg Malban from 1991 until they divorced a few months later in 1991. Then she was married to Chan Poling from 2005 until her death in 2011. Mondale died on September 17, 2011 in Minnesota from brain cancer, aged 51.
Declaration of Arbroath
The Declaration of Arbroath is a declaration of Scottish independence, made in 1320. It was a letter sent to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April 1320. The declaration confirmed Scotland's status as a independent, sovereign state and defended Scotland's right to use military action when unjustly attacked. The letter was signed at Arbroath by eight earls and thirty-one barons.
When King Alexander III of Scotland died in 1086, his heir was his granddaughter Margaret, Maid of Norway. King Edward I of England negotiated to have his son, Edward II of England become her husband and share the crown of Scotland in 1289. But Margaret died on her way from Norway to Scotland in 1290. This began a period in Scotland called the First Interregnum (1290–1292). Scotland was without a monarch. Edward I stepped in to choose who would be king from among the candidates who had any claim to be king. He chose John of Scotland. But Edward treated the Scottish king badly. When King John tried to break free, Edward put him in prison, then allowed him to live in France. In 1296 Edward invaded Scotland with his army to take everything for himself. Scotland remained without a king until 1306 when Robert the Bruce declared himself king of Scotland defying Edward I. Just before doing this Robert the Bruce had been involved in a dispute with John Comyn. The two met before the altar in Greyfriars Church in Dumfries in 1306 and a fight broke out. John Comyn was killed and Robert the Bruce was crowned king three weeks later at Scone. Accused of murdering Comyn Bruce was excommunicated by the Pope. During the wars that followed the Scots won a major battle at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. In 1317 the pope called for a two year truce which Scotland ignored. For failing to listen to him he excommunicated all of Scotland.
The Declaration was part of a larger plan to show the Pope and others that Scotland was an independent kingdom and had a right to rule itself. The English king Edward I had written to the pope before confirming his right to rule Scotland. For his part the pope refused to accept Robert the Bruce as the king of Scotland.
Dated April 1320 the Declaration of Arbroath was a letter to Pope John XXII at Avignon from fifty leading men of Scotland. There were 39 names, (eight Scottish earls and thirty one barons), who signed the document with their seals. On strips on the bottom of the letter are seals and names of eleven more who signed. Bernard Linton, Chancellor of Scotland and Abbot of Arbroath is believed to be the author. It was written at the monastery of Arbroath in Scotland.
The letter began by reminding the pope of Scotland's conversion to Christianity by Saint Andrew. That under the protection of the church Scotland had lived in peace until King Edward I of England pretended to be their friend. He then invaded their country while it was without a king. The letter then told of the hardships they faced under English rule. Showing their resolution the letter stated:
The pope was impressed by the declaration and with the promise by the Scottish barons to support the pope's crusade. He encouraged Edward II to make peace with the Scots. The pope sent two delegates. The French king also wanted to see peace between England and Scotland and he sent two delegates. Peace talks went on until 1321 without the English recognizing Scottish independence.
The English convinced the pope it was the fault of the Scottish that there was no progress. The pope issued six rulings against the Scots stating all invaders of England would be excommunicated and re-issued the excommunication against Robert the Bruce.
Finally in October 1328 a peace treaty was agreed to between Scotland and England. Edward III gave up all claims on Scotland. The interdict on Scotland and the excommunication of its king were finally removed. The second part of the treaty agreed that the son of Robert the Bruce, David II of Scotland and the sister of Edward III of England would marry. The wedding took place on 12 July of 1338 when David II, then four years old married Joan of the Tower, aged six, at the church at Berwick, Scotland.
In 1998 The United States Congress resolved that the US Declaration of Independence has been modeled on the Declaration of Arbroath. It was further resolved that April 6th was from that day on officially National Tartan Day in commemoration of that famous document.
Dansband
Dansband (dance band) is a term in Swedish that describes a band that plays dansbandsmusik ("dance band music"). It is used for bands in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden that perform live music from stage, allowing the audience to dance partner dance. Famous Swedish bands have been Curt Haagers, Ingmar Nordströms, Matz Bladhs, Sten & Stanley, Sven-Ingvars, Thorleifs, Vikingarna and Wizex.
Such bands were very popular in Sweden by the mid 1970s. By the end of the same decade, the genre began to go through hard times, due to the arrival of disco music.
Division of Griffith