Fool Us Once …
April 1, 2008 6:57 am > MAUI TODAY, > Maui Yesterdays |
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April Fools Day
HAWAIIAN WORD OF THE DAY — Hupo: Simpleton PIDGIN WORD OF THE DAY— Giaman: Joker HAWAIIAN PROVERB OF THE DAY — “A fly isn’t made to depart by children.” HAOLE SAYING OF THE DAY — “A fool would rather be deceived than disturbed.” (Anon)
WEB SURF SPOT OF THE WEEK — Maui Culinary Academy - Class Act WEB VIDEO OF THE WEEK — Iraq War Veterans Speak Out PODCAST OF THE WEEK — Tekzilla.com BLOG OF THE WEEK — Daily.Mahalo.com
April Fool’s Day: Before the 16th century the start of the new year was observed on April first throughout Europe. It was celebrated in much the same way as it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night. In 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world — the Gregorian Calendar still used today – which the new year to January 1st. Some revelers hadn’t heard, or didn’t believe the change of date and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1st. Others played tricks on them calling them “April fools.”
April 1st, 1946: A massive earthquake in the Aleutian Islands sends tsunamis around the Pacific Rim, eventually killing 146 people in the Hawaiian islands. Most of those died in Hilo, on the Big Island, but Maui had its share of disaster when 7 people died in Maliko Gulch. Total damage was $26 million.
There is a small story in the “why” most of these people died, and it has to do with today, April Fools.
Legend has it that in fact a warning went out to Hawaiian residents that Alaska had had an earthquake, and that tsunamis were coming. Thousands of people didn’t believe the notice, thinking that it was an April Fools’Day prank. On Maui, in the very low elevation Maliko Gulch east of Paia, some people stayed put, until it was too late.
HISTORICAL EVENTS ON THIS DAY — April 1st
- 1789: The U.S. House of Representatives holds its first full meeting in New York City
- 1867: Dr. Joseph Lister sets eleven compound fractures using the antiseptic techniques he developed
- 1929: The yo-yo is introduced by its inventor, Louis Marx
- 1933: Nazi Germany begins persecution of citizens of the Jewish faith by boycotting Jewish businesses
- 1941: The US Navy takes over Treasure Island (in San Francisco Bay)
- 1952: The “Big Bang” theory of the Universe’s creation is proposed in the “Physical Review” by Alpher, Bethe & Gamow
- 1960: The first weather satellite, TIROS I is launched to improve weather forecasting
- 1973: John & Yoko form a new country with no laws or boundaries, called Nutopia, its national anthem is silence
- 1982: The U.S. formally transfers the Canal Zone to Panama
- 1984: Popular singer Marvin Gaye is shot to death by his father in Los Angeles
- 1986: World oil prices dip below $10 a barrel
- 1987: In his first speech on the subject, President Reagon declares that AIDS is “public health enemy No. 1”
- 1998: U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright dismisses Paula Jones’ lawsuit against President Clintonms
- 1999: A New Jersey man is arrested, charged with originating the “Melissa” e-mail virus
- 2001: Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is arrested on corruption charges
BORN ON THIS DAY — April 1st
- 1578: William Harvey, physician, discovered blood circulation
- 1815: Count Otto Von Bismarck, German chancellor
- 1815: Otto Von Bismarck, Germany, chancellor (1866-90) (193 years ago)
- 1873: 69 Sergey Rachmaninoff, Russian composer and piano virtuoso
- 1875: Edgar Wallace, novelist/playwright/journalist
- 1883: Lon Chaney, actor
- 1886: Wallace Beery, actor
- 1905: Clara “Mother” Hale, social worker
- 1928: George Grizzard, actor
- 1932: Debbie Reynolds, actress
- 1939: Ali MacGraw, actress
- 1953: Barry Sonnenfeld, director
- 1961: Mark White, rock guitarist
- 1965: Peter O’Toole, rocker
- 1980: Bijou Phillips, singer, actress
