National Parks Service 98th Anniversary – TODAY!

The National Parks Service marks its 98th anniversary today. All of the parks will be celebrating by offering FREE ADMISSION!  Get out there and visit your national parks!

From the NPS website:

It’s our birthday, and we hope you’ll visit a national park and help us celebrate! On August 25, 2014 the National Park Service turns 98 years old. We are waiving entrance fees and inviting everyone to join in the festivities taking place coast-to-coast.

Our big day, August 25, is a free-entrance day, so head to any of the country’s 401 national parks and take in the scenery, learn a little history, or simply enjoy the great outdoors.

Ninety-eight may sound old, but we’re young at heart and celebrating with everyone who shares our youthful exuberance! Parks across the country are offering loads of fun activities. Take the kids on a caving adventure, bike ride, kayak tour, hike, or island safari. Catch a campfire talk, make a painting, or witness a living history demonstration. Search the events calendar to find out what’s happening at a park near you! You can help the kids earn a free Junior Ranger badge at almost any park—just ask at the visitor center.

You can find out more about the National Park Service – and find a National Park near you – on their website HERE.

You can sign the NPS birthday card HERE.

Happy 70th, Smokey the Bear!

On this day in history – August 9, 1944 – Smoky the Bear made his debut appearance.  The first poster featuring the iconic jeans wearing bear was illustrated by Albert Staehle. In it Smokey sports both his modest (yet durable) pants choice as well as the well recognized campaign hat that is still worn by National Park Service personnel to this day. He is show pouring a bucket of water on a campfire, with a message below the image reading, “Smoky says – Care will prevent 9 out of 10 forest fires!”

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Happy 224th Anniversary, United States Coast Guard!

The United States Coast Guard was created as the “Revenue Marine” by an act of Congress on August 4, 1790 at the request of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.  Not only is this branch of the military the oldest seagoing service of the United States, but also the only branch that has a racing stripe.

Yeah, I know the U.S. Navy lists it’s founding as 1775 – when the Continental Navy was formed – but we should all remember that the Continental Navy was disbanded in 1785, and the United States Navy wasn’t founded until 1794.

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Happy 125th Birthday, Orange County!

Congratulations on your quasi … quenti … quadralater … err, Happy Quasquicentennial!

Yep, the county I was born in and grew up in is now way old.  Way, way old.  Here’s a bit of a look back at Orange County, California:

On this date back in 1889 Orange County was officially formed

In celebration of this event, the Orange County Board of Supervisors has approved “OC125” – the official name for the observance.

The territory known as the California Republic officially became the State of California, the 31st state in the United States of America, on September 9, 1850.

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Cessna Aircraft introduces a diesel Turbo Skyhawk: the JT-A

Now Cessna Aircraft has two diesel-engine aircraft in its single-engine line. The company displayed a Cessna 172 Turbo Skyhawk JT-A at EAA AirVenture and said that certification is expected “soon” for the Cessna 182 Turbo Skylane JT-A.

The Skyhawk JT-A is powered by a 155-horsepower Continental CD-155 diesel engine that is claimed to extend the aircraft’s range to 1,012 nautical miles, a 58-percent jump over the standard Skyhawk, and to increase speed to 131 knots true airspeed while burning 25 percent less fuel. It will be offered as an option in 2015.

The engine is already certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency for retrofit to newer Skyhawks under a supplemental type certificate.

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