Today's Puzzle
A Kangaroo Word is a word that contains another word with the same meaning.
Example: The Kangaroo Word "encourage" contains the word "urge" which means encourage.
"urge" is called the Joey Word.
Find the Joey Words from this list of Kangaroo Words
exists, fabrication, destruction, isolated, precipitation, supremacist
What Happened On
Surveillance photo of Vicki Weaver the day before she was killed
Surveillance photo of Vicki Weaver the day before she was killed
Ruby Ridge
August 21, 1992
While attempting to apprehend Randy Weaver for failing to appear in court on a weapons charge, U.S. marshals encounter Weaver, friend Kevin Harris, and Weaver's 14-year-old son Sammy and his dog. The marshals shot and killed the dog prompting a gun battle that ended in the death of Sammy who was shot in the back and the U.S. marshal who was shot by Harris. The following day, while preparing Sammy's body for burial, an FBI sharpshooter opened fire wounding Weaver and killing Weaver's wife who was holding the door open when he ran back to his cabin. She was holding their infant daughter at the time. Weaver, his remaining children, and Harris later surrendered. Harris was acquitted of all charges, and Weaver was acquitted of all charges except for the original arms charges. He was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 18 months in prison, but was credited with time served. Timothy McVeigh would cite this and the Waco Disaster as his reason for the Oklahoma City Bombing.
Riace Bronze Warriors
August 21, 1972
The first of two ancient full-size Greek bronze statues dating from about 460-420 B.C. are recovered from under the sea near Riace, Calabria, in southern Italy. The other was recovered two days later. The statues had been accidentally discovered by a diver a week earlier when he saw a hand sticking out from the sea floor and thought it was dead body. They are two of the few surviving full-size ancient Greek bronzes, most of which were melted down in later times.
Their teeth are made with silver and their lips and nipples are made of copper, with one of the statues having eyes of calcite.
Although their origin is unknown, it is believed they may have been lost when a Roman ship sank while transporting the statues from Greece.
The statues are now on display at the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the nearby city of Reggio Calabria.
Mona Lisa Stolen
August 21, 1911
Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting is stolen from the Louvre in Paris. The famous artist Pablo Picasso was implicated in the theft, but was eventually exonerated. The thief turned out to be Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia who stole the painting by entering the building during regular hours, hiding in a broom closet, and then walking out with the painting hidden under his coat. The theft was not discovered until the following day. Peruggia was an Italian patriot who believed Leonardo's painting should have been returned to an Italian museum. After having kept the Mona Lisa in his apartment for two years, Peruggia was caught when he attempted to sell it to the director of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Peruggia served six months in prison for the crime and was hailed for his patriotism in Italy.
This Government Cannot Endure Half-Slave and Half-Free
August 21, 1858
Abraham Lincoln in a debate with Stephen A. Douglas, again states "This government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free." Lincoln had first used the famous quote two months earlier after accepting the Illinois Republican Party's nomination as that state's U.S. senator.
President Bush
August 21, 2006
When asked what Iraq had to do with the 9/11 Attacks, U.S. President George W. Bush answered, "Nothing, except for it's part of -- and nobody has ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a -- the lesson of September the 11th is, take threats before they fully materialize, Ken. Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq."
Mars Observer Lost
August 21, 1993
NASA loses contact with the $813 million Mars Observer. The spacecraft had been scheduled to arrive on Mars on the 24th. It is believed that a fuel line ruptured causing it to lose power. The most probable cause of the failure was a rupture of the fuel pressurization side of the spacecraft's propulsion system causing the spacecraft to spin and to erode the electrical circuits.
1,700 People Killed by Toxic Gases
August 21, 1986
Toxic gases kill 1,700 people in Cameroon. The gases were from a volcanic lake.
Hawaii
August 21, 1959
Hawaii becomes the 50th U.S. state.
American Bar Association
August 21, 1878
American Bar Association is founded.
Civil War
August 21, 1863
450 Confederate raiders attack Lawrence, Kansas killing 150 civilians and destroying the town. The leader of the group had previously been denied a commission in the Confederate Army because of barbaric methods.
Birthdays
Wilt Chamberlain
Born August 21, 1936 d. 1999
American basketball Hall of Famer. Considered the greatest defensive player in history, and holder of numerous pro basketball records, including most points in a game (100 in 1962). He also played with the Harlem Globetrotters (1958-59).
Photo Credit: National Portrait Gallery
Photo Credit: National Portrait Gallery
Christopher Robin of Winnie-the-Pooh
Christopher Robin Milne
Born August 21, 1920 d. 1996
British bookseller, author. He and his stuffed animals were the inspiration of his father A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books (1926-27). On his first birthday, he received an Alpha Farnell teddy bear, which became the inspiration for the Winnie-the-Pooh character. His other toys provided the inspiration for Eeyore and Piglet.
Stephen Hillenburg
Born August 21, 1961 d. 2018
American Emmy-winning cartoonist, marine biologist. Creator of SpongeBob SquarePants (1999). The SpongeBob characters started out as a comic book Hillenburg created to teach marine biology to his students. He died of complications from ALS.
Arthur Herman Bremer
Born August 21, 1950
American criminal, He shot Alabama Governor George Wallace (1972).
Jackie DeShannon
Born August 21, 1941
American singer, songwriter. Music: Put A Little Love in Your Heart (1969, #4) and wrote Bette Davis Eyes (1975, #1 for Kim Carnes).
Clarence Williams III
Born August 21, 1939 d. 2021
American actor. TV: The Mod Squad (1968-73, Linc Hayes) and Twin Peaks (1990). Film: Purple Rain (1984, Prince's father).
Kenny Rogers
Born August 21, 1938 d. 2020
American Grammy-winning singer. Music: Lucille (1977, #1), The Gambler (1978), Lady (1980, #1), and Islands in the Stream (1983, #1).
Photo Credit: Nationaal Archief
Photo Credit: Nationaal Archief
Princess Margaret
Born August 21, 1930 d. 2002
Countess of Snowdon and sister of Queen Elizabeth II.
Isadore "Friz" Freling
Born August 21, 1906 d. 1995
Oscar-Emmy winning animator. His works include Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Pink Panther, Sylvester and Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, Yosemite Sam, and Krazy Kat.
Count Basie (William Basie)
Born August 21, 1904 d. 1984
American jazz pianist, bandleader. Music: One O'Clock Jump, Swingin' the Blues, and Tickle Toe.
Blossom Rock (Blossom MacDonald)
Born August 21, 1895 d. 1978
American actress. TV: The Addams Family (1964-66, Grandmama).
William IV
Born August 21, 1765 d. 1837
King of England (1830-37).
William Murdoch
Born August 21, 1754 d. 1839
Scottish inventor. Invented the oscillating steam engine (c1784). He also made the first practical use of gas lighting (1802).
Afonso VI
Born August 21, 1643 d. 1683
King of Portugal (1656-67). He was deposed by his brother and driven into exile.
Philip II
Born August 21, 1165 d. 1223
King of France (1180-1223) and responsible for building the Louvre in Paris.
Deaths
John Amos with Esther Rolle in Good Times
John Amos with Esther Rolle in Good Times
John Amos (John Allen Amos Jr.)
Died August 21, 2024 b. 1939
American actor. Known for his portrayal of patriarch James Evans on the TV show Good Times (1974-76). He claims he was kicked off the television show Good Times because he didn't agree with the shucking and jiving of his character's son J.J. Evans. Amos, at age 34 when the show began, was only eight years older than the actor who played his oldest son and 19 years younger than the actress who played his wife.
Amos signed as a free agent with the American Football League's Denver Broncos, but was released on the second day of training camp. He went on to play in the United Football League, the Continental Football League, and the Atlantic Coast Football League.
TV: Good Times (1974-76, James Evans, Sr.), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-73, Gordy Howard the weatherman), Roots (1977, adult Kunta Kinte), and The West Wing (1999-2004, Admiral Percy Fitzwallace). Film: The World's Greatest Athlete (1973) and Coming to America (1988, Cleo McDowell).
Robert Moog (Robert Arthur Moog)
Died August 21, 2005 b. 1934
American inventor. He created the Moog synthesizer (1964), the first widely-used electronic musical instrument.
Leon Trotsky (Lev Davidovich Bronstein)
Died August 21, 1940 b. 1879
Russian revolutionary leader. He and Vladimir Lenin organized the October Revolution. He was assassinated in Mexico City by Ramón Mercader, a suspected agent of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Trotksy had been expelled from the Soviet Union in 1927.
Quote: "The end may justify the means, as long as there is something that justifies the end."
He took the name Trotsky from the German word trotz, for "defiance."
Trotsky also appeared in the American silent film My Official Wife (1916) using the name Mr. Brown.
Casey at the Bat
Ernest Thayer
Died August 21, 1940 b. 1863
American journalist. Author of the poem Casey at the Bat (1888), which has become one of the best-known poems in American literature.
The original 1888 version:
The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
the score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
a sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
they thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that –
they'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
and the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake,
so upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
for there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
and Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;
and when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
there was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
it rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
it knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
for Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
there was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
no stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
and Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
and it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
he stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
he signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
but Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said: "Strike two."
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and Echo answered fraud;
but one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
and they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
he pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
and now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
the band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
and somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
but there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.
The Blood Countess
Countess Elizabeth Báthory of Hungary
Died August 21, 1614 b. 1560
Hungarian noblewoman, serial killer. Known as "The Blood Countess". According to legend, she killed over 600 virgins so that she could bathe in their blood. She is listed by Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer in history.
Phil (left) and Don Everly
Phil (left) and Don Everly
Don Everly
Died August 21, 2021 b. 1937
American Hall of Fame singer. Performing as duo with his brother Phil Everly, they combined rock and roll, country, and pop, becoming pioneers of country rock. They were inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986) and the Country Music Hall of Fame in (2001).
Music: Bye Bye Love (1957, #1), Wake Up Little Susie (1957), and Gone, Gone, Gone (1965).
Tatiana Troyanos
Died August 21, 1993 b. 1938
American mezzo-soprano singer, known for her roles as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro.
Benigno Aquino Jr.
Died August 21, 1983 b. 1932
Philippine politician, dissident. He was assassinated at the Manila airport upon returning to the Philippines.
Sir Jacob Epstein
Died August 21, 1959 b. 1880
British sculpture. Known for his controversial sculptures, including Venus (1917) and Adam (1939).
Mary Mapes Dodge
Died August 21, 1905 b. 1831
American author. Writings: Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates (1865).
Sir Benjamin Thompson
Died August 21, 1814 b. 1753
American-born British scientist. He proved that heat was not a form of liquid matter. He is also improved stoves and is credited with inventing thermal underwear.