January 7

Dustin Neil Diamond was born January 7, 1977 .He is an American actor, musician, director, and stand-up comedian best known for his role as Samuel "Screech" Powers in the television shows Saved by the Bell, Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class.

Life and career

Diamond was born on January 7, 1977, in San Jose, California. His father taught digital electronics for a computer-processing firm and his mother was a computer operator for Pacific Bell. He attended Zion Lutheran School.^[

Diamond began acting as a child. He became known for playing nerdy Samuel "Screech" Powers on the television show Saved by the Bell, a role he played for close to thirteen years from its beginning as Good Morning, Miss Bliss (1988–89) through its final incarnation, Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1994–2000). Continuing the series into college, Saved by the Bell: The College Years shows most of the cast transplanted into not only the same college, but also the same college dormitory, where Screech continued his typical misadventures. The College Years was canceled after one season. Diamond returned to Bayside High as Principal Belding's assistant in The New Class episodes, remaining with the show until its cancellation.

January 6

Epiphany in United States

Quick Facts

Many people in the United States annually observe Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day, on January 6. It is a Christian observance and a public holiday in the US Virgin Islands.

Local names

Name	Language
Epiphany	English
Epifanía	Spanish

Alternative names

Name	Language
Three Kings' Day	English
Día los Reyes Magos	Spanish

Epiphany 2012

Friday, January 6, 2012

Epiphany 2013

Sunday, January 6, 2013
List of dates for other years

Epiphany, commonly known as Three Kings’ Day in the United States, is on January 6. It celebrates the three wise men’s visit to baby Jesus and also remembers his baptism, according to the Christian Bible’s events. The United States (US) Virgin Islands observe the day as a public holiday.

Many Christians in the United States remember the three wise men's (or kings' ) visit to infant Jesus on Epiphany. ©iStockphoto.com/Jim Jurica

What do people do?

People from the US Virgin Islands celebrate Three Kings’ Day to emphasis and maintain their Latin American heritage and culture, especially on the island of St Croix where the day features parades, bands, food, music, and other types of entertainment. Although it is not a public holiday in other parts of the United States, many Christians take part in Epiphany activities such as:

• Star processionals on the Sunday closest to January 6 for church services
• Parties or get-togethers to clean up homes after the festive season and put away Christmas decorations.
• Treasure hunts to find a figure of the Christ child.
• Epiphany luncheons, parties and celebrations among churchgoers.
• And Sunday school activities for children that focus on Epiphany, such as creating the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem. 

Epiphany marks the beginning of the Mardi Gras season in Louisiana. It is customary to bake king cakes during this time of the year. These cakes may include a small trinket (such as a baby doll) inside. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket receives various privileges or obligations. For example, they may be requested to provide the next king cake. The interval between Epiphany and Mardi Gras is sometimes known as “king cake season”.

Public life

Epiphany is a public holiday in the US Virgin Islands so shops, government offices and businesses are closed. Some businesses may close early the day before the holiday. It is not a federal public holiday in the rest of the United States.

Background

Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian feasts. It was celebrated since the end of the second century, before the Christmas holiday was established. It is commonly known as Twelfth Night, Twelfth Day, or the Feast of Epiphany. It means “manifestation” or “showing forth”. It is also called Theophany (“manifestation of God”), especially by Eastern Christians. Epiphany also refers to the church season that follows the day.
It commemorates the first two occasions on which Jesus’ divinity, according to Christian belief, was manifested: when the three kings visited infant Jesus in Bethlehem, and when John the Baptist baptized him in the River Jordan. The Roman Catholic and Protestant churches emphasize the visit of the Magi when they celebrate the Epiphany. The Eastern Orthodox churches focus on Jesus’ baptism.

Symbols

Various paintings, artworks and sketches show the three wise men and Jesus. Some paintings artworks show the three wise men on the way to Bethlehem or adoring baby Jesus. The kings are important because their visit illustrates that Jesus was the king of all kings who came for the Jews and the Gentiles.
The star that guides the wise men to Christ also symbolizes Epiphany, as well as the three gifts they gave to Jesus: gold (fit for a king); frankincense (used to worship at a temple); and myrrh (used for embalming, as well as a salve for irritations such as diaper rash). Other paintings depict the story of Jesus’ baptism. Many Orthodox churches consider Jesus’ baptism to be the first step towards the crucifixion. The liturgical color for the Epiphany season is white.

January 5

National Bird Day

Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013

Why National Bird Day?

• The beauty, songs, and flight of birds have long been sources of human inspiration.
• Today, nearly 12 percent of the world's 9,800 bird species may face extinction within the next century, including nearly one-third of the world's 330 parrot species.
• Birds are sentinel species whose plight serves as barometer of ecosystem health and alert system for detecting global environmental ills.
• Many of the world's parrots and songbirds are threatened with extinction due to pressures from the illegal pet trade, disease, and habitat loss.
• Public awareness and education about the physical and behavioral needs of birds can go far in improving the welfare of the millions of birds kept in captivity.
• The survival and well-being of the world's birds depends upon public education and support for conservation.

January 4

The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. Formed in 2001, the group signed to Reprise Records the same year and rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third album, Lies for the Liars, in May 2007. Shallow Believer, an EP that featured most of the band's B-sides, was released in February 2008. They spent 2008 working on their fourth studio album, Artwork, which was released on August 31, 2009. A fifth album, titled Vulnerable, was released in March 2012 through the independent label Hopeless Records. Albums by the used have achieved gold and platinum statuses in more than six countries worldwide. By 2008, they had sold over 3 million records worldwide.

Patty Loveless is an American country music singer. Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first (self-titled) album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and Bluegrass genres. Loveless was born in Pikeville, Kentucky, and was raised in Elkhorn City, Kentucky and Louisville, Kentucky and rose to stardom thanks to her blend of honky tonk and country-rock, not to mention a plaintive, emotional ballad style. Her late-1980s records were generally quite popular, earning her comparisons to Patsy Cline, but most critics agreed that she truly came into her own as an artist in the early 1990s. To date, Loveless has charted more than forty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including five Number Ones. In addition, she has recorded fourteen studio albums (not counting compilations); in the United States, four of these albums have been certified platinum, while two have been certified gold. She has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1988. Loveless is also a distant cousin of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle. She has been married twice, first to Terry Lovelace (1976–1986), from whom her professional name "Loveless" is derived, and to Emory Gordy, Jr. (1989–present), who is also her producer.

Grace Bumbry an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano for many years. She was a member of a pioneering generation of singers who followed Marian Anderson (including Leontyne Price, Martina Arroyo, Shirley Verrett and Reri Grist) in the world of classical music and paved the way for future African American opera and classical singers. Bumbry's voice was rich and sizable, possessing a wide range, and was capable of producing a very distinctive plangent tone. In her prime, she also possessed good agility and bel canto technique (see for example her renditions of the 'Veil Song' from Verdi's Don Carlo in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as her Ernani from the Chicago Lyric Opera in 1984). She was particularly noted for her fiery temperament and dramatic intensity on stage. More recently, she has also become known as a recitalist and interpreter of lieder, and as a teacher. From the late 1980s on, she seemed to concentrate her career in Europe, rather than in the US. A longtime resident of Switzerland, she now makes her home in Salzburg, Austria

Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach. He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. He currently holds the NFL record for most career wins with 347. Shula only had two losing seasons in his 36-year career of coaching in the NFL. He has been head coach for a record six Super Bowls. In his first, he set the record for the longest period to be shut out (not scoring until 3:19 remaining). His next Super Bowl he set the record for the lowest points by any team (with only one field goal). The very next year he turned that all around during his perfect season, breaking his record of longest period with a shut out, this time with him on the winning side (not giving up any points until 2:07 remaining). As of 2012, Shula's perfect NFL season remains unmatched, and his three Super Bowl records and total NFL wins remain unbroken.

William Egan Colby spent a career in intelligence for the United States, culminating in holding the post of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) from September 1973 to January 1976. During World War II Colby served with the Office of Strategic Services. After the war he joined the newly created Central Intelligence Agency. Before and during the Vietnam War, Colby served as Chief of Station in Saigon, Chief of the CIA's Far East Division, and head of the Civil Operations and Rural Development effort, as well as overseeing the Phoenix Program. After Vietnam, Colby became Director of Central Intelligence and during his tenure, under intense pressure from the US Congress and the media, adopted a policy of relative openness about U.S. intelligence activities to the Senate Church Committee and House Pike Committee. Colby served as DCI under President Richard Nixon and President Gerald Ford and was replaced by future President George H. W. Bush on January 30, 1976.

January 3

Michael York is an American professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). York was drafted in the 6th round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers.  During his time playing for the Rangers, York played on a line with Theoren Fleury and Eric Lindros. This was nicknamed the "FLY" line, getting its name from the first initial of each player on it.  In 2002, York was a member of the silver medal winning Team USA in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and played in the 52nd National Hockey League All-Star Game as a member of the North American team.  He was later dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenceman Tom Poti, who had become a target of fans for his perceived indifference. In Edmonton, York became an integral part of the team, playing on the top two lines and also on the penalty kill, where for a time he formed a formidable duo with Todd Marchant.  On July 11, 2008, he signed a contract with HC Sibir Novosibirsk, However opted out on July 25, after he signed a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. He was born in Peekskill, New York, moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia, when he was 12 years old, and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art. After appearing in the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon series, Gibson went on to direct and star in the Academy Award-winning Braveheart. In 2004, he directed and produced The Passion of the Christ, a film portraying the last hours in the life of Jesus.

Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. is founder and chairman of Lamont Digital Systems, which provides video and data services to hundreds of college campuses across the country, and in 2010 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Connecticut. On May 22, 2010, Lamont received more than fifteen percent of the vote at the state Democratic convention, and appeared on the Democratic primary ballot in the August 10, 2010 race for governor. He lost the primary to Dannel Malloy. Lamont was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in the Connecticut United States Senate election held on November 7, 2006. He faced incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman, who ran as the nominee of the Connecticut for Lieberman party, as well as Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger, in a three-way general election in November, having defeated Lieberman 51.8%-48.2% among the enrolled Democrats voting in a primary election on August 8, 2006. In the election, Lamont lost to Lieberman - Lieberman won 50% of the vote while Lamont won 40%, with 10% voting for Schlesinger and 0.5% voting for Green Party candidate Ralph Ferrucci.

James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he works as a commentator on NXT, interim commentator on Raw, and as a talent relations consultant. Ross was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest commentators in wrestling history. He is known affectionately by wrestling fans as "Good Ol' JR". Outside of professional wrestling, Ross has developed his own brand of barbecue sauces and cookbooks.

Nell Rankin was an American operatic mezzo-soprano. Although a successful opera singer internationally, she spent most of her career at the Metropolitan Opera where she worked from 1951-1976. Rankin was particularly admired for her portrayals of Amneris in Verdi's Aida and the title role in Bizet's Carmen. Opera News said, "Her full, generous tone and bold phrasing, especially in the Italian repertory, were unique among American mezzos of her generation.

January 2

Robert "Bob" Marshall was an American forester, writer and wilderness activist. The son of wealthy constitutional lawyer and conservationist Louis Marshall, Bob Marshall developed a love for the outdoors as a young child. A consummate hiker and climber, he visited the Adirondack Mountains frequently during his youth, ultimately becoming one of the first Adirondack Forty-Sixers. He also traveled to the Alaskan wilderness and wrote numerous articles and publications, including the bestselling 1933 book Arctic Village.

Barry Morris Goldwater was a businessman and five-term United States Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr. Conservative". Goldwater is the politician most often credited for sparking the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s. He also had a substantial impact on the libertarian movement.

Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. His works have been published in all ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System (although his only work in the 100s—which covers philosophy and psychology—was a foreword for The Humanist Way).

Christine Lavin is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music. She has recorded numerous solo albums, and has also recorded with other female folk artists under the name Four Bitchin' Babes. She has also put together several compilation albums of contemporary folk artists, including her latest JUST ONE ANGEL, 22 singer/songwriters singing Christmas/Hanukah/Solstice/New Year's songs including actor Jeff Daniels, Grammy-winners Janis Ian and Julie Gold, and the Guitar Man Of Central Park David Ippolito.

 
Brian "Boosh" Boucher (pronounced Boo-shay) (born January 2, 1977) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was traded with draft picks to the Phoenix Coyotes on June 12, 2002, for Michal Handzuš and Robert Esche. While with Phoenix, he broke the modern-day NHL record for the longest shutout streak by a goalie, going unscored upon for 332 minutes, or 5 and a half games. On February 1, 2006, Phoenix traded him to the Calgary Flames along with Mike Leclerc in exchange for Steven Reinprecht and Philippe Sauvé. Boucher began the 2006–07 NHL season with the Chicago Blackhawks. On February 27, 2007, Boucher was picked-up on waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Boucher arrived hours prior to the Blue Jackets-Colorado Avalanche game that evening. During the game, he wore Ty Conklin's #35 sweater. On March 3, 2007, Boucher made his Blue Jackets debut against his former team the Phoenix Coyotes. His first game was a successful 4–3 win. On July 23, 2007, Boucher signed with the Philadelphia Flyers AHL affiliate, Philadelphia Phantoms. After playing most of the 2007–08 season with the Phantoms, Boucher signed a one-year contract with the San Jose Sharks on February 26, 2008. On June 25, 2008, stating how much he liked the San Jose atmosphere, he signed one-year contract with the Sharks worth US$650,000. He recorded consecutive shutouts in each of his first two games of the 2008–09 NHL season for the Sharks, before finally allowing a goal in his third game. Boucher has a wife Melissa and has 2 children; son Tyler, born January 2003, and daughter Brianna, born December 2004. He attended Mount St. Charles Academy in high school.

Kirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player who plays for the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He has also been a member of the USA National Team. Growing up in Sioux City, Iowa, Hinrich was exposed to basketball at an early age. His father, Jim, coached him from the third grade through high school. As a high school senior, Hinrich was named the 1999 Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball, along with future college teammate and roommate Nick Collison. Hinrich originally committed to play basketball at Iowa State but when the coach at the time, Tim Floyd, took the head coaching position for the NBA's Chicago Bulls, Hinrich changed his mind and decided to attend the University of Kansas.^[ While playing college basketball for Kansas, Hinrich helped his team reach the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament in 2002 and the championship game against the Carmelo Anthony-led Syracuse University in 2003. Hinrich played all four years at Kansas before being drafted into the NBA. He is often referred to as "Captain Kirk" because he was voted as team captain for the Bulls for four consecutive years. Hinrich is the Bulls' all-time leader in three point field goals. After seven seasons with the Bulls, he was traded to the Washington Wizards on June 8, 2010. He then was traded to the Atlanta Hawks on February 23, 2011. In 2012, he re-signed with the Bulls.

January 1

Global Family Day, (One Day of Peace and Sharing) is celebrated every January 1 in the United States and around the world as a global day of peace and sharing. It is a day where individuals and families share food with friends (especially the needy), make personal pledges of nonviolence, and spread a message of peace and sharing by ringing bells or beating a drum in hopes of making society and the world a safer place to live. Global Family Day grew out of the United Nations Millennium celebration, "One Day In Peace."

Originally supported in the United States by Linda Grover, the original idea itself is difficult to pin down because many grassroots efforts around the world had independently sprung up to target this date as a day for peace and had worked separately to prevail on local governments and the U.N. to establish such a day. These efforts included a 1996 children's book "One Day In Peace, January 1, 2000" by Steve Diamond and Robert Alan Silverstein, which was translated into 22 languages. [1] As a result, nearly 140 nations were poised to respond to the November 1997 declaration of the U.N. General Assembly that the first year of the new millennium should launch an "International Decade for the Culture of Peace & Nonviolence for the Children of the World" which would be ushered in by "One Day of Peace." Finally, in November 1999, the U.N. issued a formal invitation for world participation. As the independent grassroots organizations around the world joined the effort, one notable outcome was a special ceremony initiated by Gerry Eitner between Israeli andPalestinian families, at a refugee camp in Nablus.

Later that year, the United States Congress followed the U.N. initiative and unanimously voted to establish the first day of every year as a special time of peace and sharing. (S.Con.Res. 138). In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly established this Observance as a recurring annual event, also recommending that all Member states recognize the new holiday (UNGA Res. 56/2) To date, more than 20 heads of state and many ambassadors have endorsed what has now become known as Global Family Day.