Don Wilson (above) continues to record with The Ventures, but 
retired from touring at the end of 2015. With Nokie Edwards’
death in 2018, Wilson is now the lone surviving member of the
original group.

The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band, formed in
1958 in Tacoma, Washington, by Don Wilson (center) and Bob
Bogle (right) (January 16, 1934 – June 14, 2009). While their
popularity in the United States waned in the 1970s, the group
remains especially revered in Japan, where they tour regularly
to this day. The classic lineup of the band consisted of Wilson
(rhythm guitar), Bogle (initially lead guitar, switched to bass),
Nokie Edwards (front) ((May 9, 1935 – March 12, 2018) initially
bass, switched to lead guitar), and Mel Taylor (drums)
(September 24, 1933 – August 11, 1996).

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Peter Green (Peter Allen Greenbaum)
(October 29, 1946 – July 25, 2020)

According to a family statement released on Saturday, the English
singer-guitarist Peter Green died in his sleep. He was co-founder
of Fleetwood Mac. 

An early line-up of Fleetwood Mac (L-R): Peter Green, John McVie, Jeremy Spencer, Mick Fleetwood and Danny Kirwan.

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From left to right: Sir Hugh Beaver, the first Guinness World Records book, Ross and Norris McWhirter, Norris McWhirte today.

On August 27, 1955, the first edition of “The Guinness Book of Records” is published in Great Britain; it quickly proves to be a hit. Now known as the “Guinness World Records” book, the annual publication features a wide
range of feats related to humans and animals.

The inspiration for the record book can be traced to November 1951, when
Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness Brewery (founded in
Dublin in 1759), was on a hunting trip in Ireland. After failing to shoot a
golden plover, Beaver and the members of his hunting party debated
whether the creature was Europe’s fastest game bird but were unable
to locate a book with the answer.

Thinking that patrons of Britain’s pubs would enjoy a record book which
could be used to settle friendly disagreements, Beaver decided to have
one produced. He hired twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter, the
founders of a London-based agency that provided facts and statistics
to newspapers and advertisers.

The fastest game bird is the golden plover (below), in case you were
wondering!

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Henry Bloch in 1945 with the Army Air
Corps as a navigator on B-17 bombers.

Henry Wollman Bloch (July 30, 1922 – April 23, 2019)

 
Henry Bloch (right) with brother Richard.

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TIM MAGUIRE

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Cleveland on this day in 1886. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 152
feet tall. It was originally known as "Liberty Enlightening the World."

William Henry Gates III is 63 years old today.

Business magnate, investor, author, philanthropist, humanitarian, and
principal founder of Microsoft Corporation. During his career at Microsoft,
Gates held the positions of chairman, CEO and chief software architect,
while also being the largest individual shareholder until May 2014. He
stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014 and assumed
a new post as technology adviser to support the newly appointed CEO
Satya Nadella.

Julia Fiona Roberts is 51 years young today.

Julia Roberts gained fame after starring in Pretty Woman 1990 and went
on to win an Oscar for her leading role in Erin Brockovich in 2000.

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