- 159th Day of 2012 / 207Remaining
- 13 Days Until Summer Begins
- Sunrise:5:48
- Sunset:8:31
- 14 Hours 43 Minutes of Daylight
- Moon Rise:11:26pm
- Moon Set:9:24am
- Moon’s Phase: 85 %
- The Next Full Moon
- June 3 @ 11:51am
- Full Buck Moon
- Full Thunder Moon
- Full Hay Moon
July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month’s Moon was the Full Hay Moon.
- Tides
- High:12:52am/2:55pm
- Low:7:49am/8:06pm
- Rainfall (measured July 1 – June 30)
- This Year:15.80
- Last Year:28.51
- Normal To Date:23.69
- Annual Seasonal Average: 23.80
- Holidays
- Boone Day-Kentucky
- National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
- Betamax Day
- National Day-Malta
- Shavuot-Judaism (begins at sundown)
- Revolution Day-Chad
- On This Day In …
- 1692 --- A massive earthquake devastates the infamous town of Port Royal in Jamaica, killing thousands. The strong tremors, soil liquefaction and a tsunami brought on by the earthquake combined to destroy the entire town. Port Royal was built on a small island off the coast of Jamaica in the harbor across from present-day Kingston. Many of the buildings where the 6,500 residents lived and worked were constructed right over the water. In the 17th century, Port Royal was known throughout the New World as a headquarters for piracy, smuggling and debauchery. It was described as "most wicked and sinful city in the world" and "one of the lewdest in the Christian world." Earthquakes in the area were not uncommon, but were usually rather small. In 1688, a tremor had toppled three homes. But four years later, late in the morning on June 7, three powerful quakes struck Jamaica. A large tsunami hit soon after, putting half of Port Royal under 40 feet of water. The HMS Swan was carried from the harbor and deposited on top of a building on the island. It turned out to be a refuge for survivors. Residents also soon discovered that the island of Port Royal was not made of bedrock. The relatively loosely packed soil turned almost to liquid during the quake. Many buildings literally sank into the ground. In the aftermath, virtually every building in the city was uninhabitable, including two forts. Corpses from the cemetery floated in the harbor alongside recent victims of the disaster. On the main island, Spanish Town was also demolished. Even the north side of the island experienced great tragedy. Fifty people were killed in a landslide. In all, about 3,000 people lost their lives on June 7. There was little respite in the aftermath--widespread looting began that evening and thousands more died in the following weeks due to sickness and injury. Aftershocks discouraged the survivors from rebuilding Port Royal. Instead, the city of Kingston was built and remains to this day the largest city in Jamaica.
- 1776 --- Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduces a resolution for independence to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia; John Adams seconds the motion. Lee's resolution declared: "That these United Colonies are, and of right out to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; that measures should be immediately taken for procuring the assistance of foreign powers, and a Confederation be formed to bind the colonies more closely together." During the ensuing debates, it became clear that New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and South Carolina were as yet unwilling to declare independence, but would likely be ready to vote in favor of a break with England in due course. Thus, Congress agreed to delay the vote on the Lee Resolution until July 1. In the intervening period, Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration of independence. Its members were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson, well-known to be the best writer of the group, was selected to be the primary author of the document, which was presented to Congress for review on June 28, 1776.
- 1892 --- Homer Plessy was arrested when he refused to leave a whites-only train car in New Orleans. The case led to the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark "separate but equal" decision in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896.
- 1892 --- The first pinch-hitter in baseball was used in a game. “Now pinch hitting: Dirty Jack Doyle.” John Joseph ‘Jack’ Doyle played in a game between the Cleveland Spiders and Ward’s Wonders of Brooklyn, NY.
- 1921 --- The Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association is formed. It is now known as Land O'Lakes.
- 1928 --- The first Plymouth rolled off the assembly line.
- 1932 --- Over 7,000 war veterans marched on Washington, DC, demanding their bonuses.
- 1942 --- The Battle of Midway ended. The sea and air battle lasted 4 days. Japan lost four carriers, a cruiser, and 292 aircraft, and suffered 2,500 casualties. The U.S. lost the Yorktown, the destroyer USS Hammann, 145 aircraft, and suffered 307 casualties.
- 1955 --- The $64,000 Question, a summer replacement show, with host Hal March, premiered on this day. The first show became the most watched and talked about program on TV. Contestants had to answer 10 questions correctly beginning at $64 and doubling the amount with each correct answer upward to the $4,000 category. Getting this far got you a return trip to the show the following week. The consolation prize for an incorrect answer, after reaching the $8,000 plateau, was a new Cadillac. At this level, you got a free trip to the Revlon isolation booth where you literally sweated your way from $8,000 to $16,000 to $32,000, and finally, the big one. An expert was permitted to accompany the contestant at the $64,000 mark. If neither of them could answer the question correctly, the contestant received a consolation prize of $4,000. Questions were compiled by Dr. Bergen Evans. This, the first of the big-money TV shows, attracted guests with unusual interests. Some of the better-remembered were Gino Prato, a Bronx, New York shoemaker who used his knowledge of opera to win $32,000, Jockey Billy Pearson, an art expert and one of the first to win $64,000, and psychologist Joyce Brothers, an expert in boxing, who won big not only in cash, but in her new career as media personality. The biggest winner was 11-year-old Robert Strom, who won $192,000 (The $64,000 Question had added three new plateaus and several spin-off quiz shows: The $64,000 Challenge and The Big Surprise). On November 2, 1958 we witnessed the demise of The $64,000 Question as the quiz-show-rigging scandal ended this type of show.
- 1966 --- Ronald Reagan is elected governor of California on this day in 1966. Reagan's tenure as the Golden State's governor gave him credibility as a political leader, paving the way for his victory in the 1980 presidential election. Reagan was born in Illinois and worked as a construction worker, lifeguard and radio announcer before becoming an actor. His first stint at political leadership was as president of the Screen Actors' Guild from 1947 to 1952. Originally a Democrat, Reagan had grown dissatisfied with New Deal policies and in 1960 switched to the Republican Party. Reagan then started putting his Hollywood fame to work campaigning for Republican candidates. Eventually, Reagan's charisma and popularity as an actor and a rousing speech he delivered in support of presidential candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964 convinced the California Republican Party to back him for governor in 1966.
- 1969 --- The rock group Blind Faith made its British debut at a free concert at London’s Hyde Park. Over 100,000 fans attended what was called “the most remarkable gathering of young people ever seen in England.” The group was composed of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Stevie Winwood and Rick Grech.
- 1975 --- Sony introduced the first videocassette recorder. It sold for $995 and eventually disappeared as consumers preferred VHS-format VCRs, introduced later.
- 1997 --- A presidential commission approved a report concluding that cloning a human being was "morally unacceptable," but that research using cells of humans and animals should be allowed.
- Birthdays
- Paul Gauguin
- Dean Martin
- Dave Navarro
- Prince
- Liam Neeson
- Tom Jones
- Jenny Jones
- Jessica Tandy
- Johnny Clegg
- Beau Brummell
- Elizabeth Bowen