Good morning.

It’s a beautiful Sunday ahead for Whitewater: sunny, with a high of eighty-one, and winds from the northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

I posted earlier (see, Happy Memorial Day 2012) on a film about the Honor Flight program to take veterans to Washington, D.C. for a visit in recognition of their service. The premiere of a film about the program is this Saturday, August 11th at Miller Park. There’s good news about that premiere: it’s sure to be a huge success, with only two-thousand tickets still left:

Stars and Stripes Honor Flight was aiming big with plans for its Field of Honor event on Saturday — meant to bring together thousands of veterans as well as feature the world premiere of the organization’s documentary — but news of the ticket sales are making the event even bigger.

With 30,393 tickets sold as of late Friday afternoon, the event is on par to beat the Guiness Book of World Records for a movie premiere attendance — which is currently at 27,022 for a soccer film in Brazil, according to a press release from the group.

Tickets are available by phone (414-902-4000) or on the Web or visiting brewers.com/fieldofhonor.

On this day in 1963, America, Britain, and the Soviet Union signed a treaty “banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space and underwater.”

The Wisconsin Historical Society records this day in 1825 as one of peaceful discussion:

1825 – Council Held at Fort Crawford
On this date a great council of Native Americans and white settlers began atPrairie du Chien. For days prior to the event, canoe-loads of attendees converged from all directions and included members of the Sioux, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Iowa, Sauk, and Fox tribes. The purpose of this gathering was to promote peace among the tribes and to establish boundaries for their territorial claims. [Source: The History of Wisconsin, Vol.I: From Exploration to Statehood, by Alice Smith, p. 122]

Google’s daily puzzle asks about construction safety: “The first U.S. construction site that required workers to wear a particular safety item was the Hoover Dam. What was the safety item and which site was the second to require it?”

Good morning.

Whitewater’s Saturday will be hot and sunny, with a high of ninety-three (but with a chance of afternoon thundershowers, too).

On this day in 1914, Britain declared war on Germany.

The Wisconsin Historical Society records that on this day in 1862,

War Department Order Prompts Riot
On this date the War Department issued General Order No.99, requesting by draft 300,000 troops to reinforce the Union armies in the Civil War. This action reinforced public sentiment against the draft and prompted the citizens in Port Washington, Ozaukee County to riot in protest.

If you’ve never seen pygmy goats at play, a single mouse-click can change all that:

Google’s daily puzzle asks about history, language, and stamps: “How would you say “postage stamp” in the native language of the woman who first appeared on one in the U.S.?” more >>

Good morning.

Whitewater’s end of the week will be sunny and hot, with a high of ninety.

On this day in 1958, the USS Nautilus, America’s first nuclear-powered submarine, completed a voyage beneath the polar ice cap:

Google’s daily puzzle asks about the history of mathematics: “Two brilliant 17th-century mathematicians developed the theory of probability, but one man was better at calculus. Which one?”

Good morning.

Whitewater has a twenty percent chance of thunderstorms today, with a high temperature of ninety-one.

At 4 PM today, the Community Development Authority’s Housing Loan Committee meets.  At 6 PM, there will be a meeting of Whitewater’s Landmarks Commission.

On this day in 1923, Pres. Harding died while visiting California; Calvin Coolidge became America’s thirtieth president.

On this day in 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait:

On this day in 1832, the end of the Black Hawk War:

1832 – Black Hawk War Ends
On this date the defeat of Black Hawk and his followers at the Battle of Bad Axe, ended the Black Hawk War. Black Hawk led the American troops northward while the rest of the Indians constructed rafts and canoes to facilitate an escape over the Mississippi river. The plan was successful initially but eventually General Atkinson realized the ruse. In the battle, women, children and the elderly hid behind rocks and logs and American soldiers often could not or did not differentiate between warriors and the women and children. Atkinson sent Wabasha and his Sioux warriors, enemies of the Sauk, after the approximately 150 members of the British Band that made it to the Western bank of the Mississippi. The Sauk, “escaped the best they could, and dispersed“, but only 22 women and children were spared. Black Hawk escaped, but the Battle of Bad Axe marked the end of the war. [Source: Along the Black Hawk Trail by William F. Stark, p.142-153]

Via Wisconsin Historical Society.

Google’s daily puzzle asks about a famous bridge: “How much would you have paid to cross the longest suspension bridge in the U.S. when it first opened?”

Good morning.

Whitewater’s Wednesday will be sunny and hot, with a high of ninety-one.

The Tech Park Board meets at 8 AM this morning.

From LiveScience.com, for the Olympic Games, here’s a video on the physics of diving:

On this day in 1832,

Black Hawk’s Escape Across Mississippi Blocked

On this date the armed steamboat the Warrior reached the British Band on the Mississippi where they hoped to cross the river and escape the American troops. After being guided by a Sioux Indian, the ship which held an artillery piece, dropped anchor, making the Sauk escape virtually impossible. Black Hawk attempted to surrender to the Warrior, waving a white cloth, but the crew either did not understand or did not accept the message. The ship and its men opened fire, killing a number of unprepared Indians. [Source: Along the Black Hawk Trail by William F. Stark, p. 140-141]

Google’s daily puzzle asks about a place and the consequences of being there: “Your friend from the Rooftop of the World has more of what vasodilator than you do?”