CONNECT SELECT A wide selection of interesting and trending stories – rip ‘em, read ‘em and post ‘em! FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 TODAY IS… FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18… ROSH HASHANA – At sundown tonight, Jews around the world celebrate Rosh Hashanah (rosh ha-SHAH-na), the Jewish New Year (5781). The holiday is traditionally celebrated with religious services and special foods like apples and honey, which represent a “sweet” new year. AIR FORCE DAY – The Air Force became its own branch of the US military on September 18, 1947 (Yes, they had planes back then, smart ass!) NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY – What’s better than a burger?…A burger with some cheese! They think the cheeseburger was invented back in 1926, at a sandwich shop in Pasadena, California, but a trademark for the name was awarded to Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in 1935. NATIONAL HIV/AIDS AND AGING AWARENESS DAY – Highlighting the medical breakthroughs that allow more people with HIV to live longer. Today, an estimated 24 percent of HIV/AIDS patients are over 55, something doctors didn’t think was even possible a couple of decades ago. NATIONAL HUG YOUR BOSS DAY: (NOTE: DATE CHANGES ANNUALLY) – If you can get close enough to your boss without wanting to strangle them, today’s the day you’re encouraged to give them a hug - a virtual one, at least. 60 percent of American’s say they like their job because of the boss (that means 40 percent of bosses must really suck?!) NATIONAL FIRST LOVE DAY – This day was created to remind us of the butterflies we got the first time we fell in love, and where we are now (hopefully not bitter and divorced). NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY (marked on the Third Friday in September) – On the third Friday of September, we honor the members of the US Armed Forces who remain missing in action or prisoners of war. ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF CBS NEWS (1927) – CBS News launched 93 years ago today! By 1929, CBS started regular hourly radio broadcasts, and ‘Breaking News’ was born. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19… INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY – Shiver me timbers! Today you can talk like a pirate at work without someone threatening to make you walk the plank (maybe ask first if you’re a judge or a funeral director, or something). At the drive-thru, be sure to ask if they have change for a gold doubloon. Ahoy, matey! WORLD CLEANUP DAY – Activities traditionally include cleaning up local parks, waterways and forests in a bid to restore and protect nature. It’s estimated that 35 million volunteers in 130 countries will take part, making it one of the largest community based environmental campaigns in the world. NATIONAL GYMNASTICS DAY – Gymnastics has been a competitive sport for more than 2-thousand years. It started with the ancient Greeks - and back then, they did it naked (which didn’t allow for much in the way of…’jiggle suppression’). START OF OKTOBERFEST – Cue the Oompah-pah band! The German festival celebrates the autumn harvest …and beer. Lots and lots of beer. NATIONAL DANCE DAY – Throw on a beat, break out your best moves and dance like nobody’s watching! The day was created to promote body movement and a healthy lifestyle (but also ‘rump shaking’). LE MANS 24 HOURS – It’s billed as the 'the greatest endurance race in the world.’ The Le Mans 24 Hours begins without fans this morning due to the pandemic. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious automobile motorsport races in the world, and along with the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, forms the unofficial 'Triple Crown of Motorsport.’ ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN (1923) – The Hollywood Sign turns 97 today! It was built in 1923, but back then it said ‘Hollywoodland,’ and was actually an ad for a new housing development. Each letter is 45 feet tall. In the 30s, an actress famously killed herself by jumping off the ‘H’. By the 1970s, the sign was crumbling until Playboy publisher (and silk pajama-enthusiast) Hugh Hefner raised 250-thousand bucks to fix it. It’s been a beloved LA landmark ever since. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20… NATIONAL PEPPERONI PIZZA DAY – The most popular pizza topping in America deserves its own day! NATIONAL STRING CHEESE DAY – It’s the cheese with a-peel (get it?!). String cheese is usually made with mozzarella, and yes - it’s actually cheese (we hope). NATIONAL PUNCH DAY – Take your pick! You can celebrate all the tools used to poke holes. Maybe you just wanna hit something (or someone - but we don’t encourage that). Or perhaps you’ll most enjoy this day with a glass of your favorite punch (alcohol is optional, but highly recommended). o FUN FACT: Punch was created in the early 16-hundreds. It’s believed it was invented by English sailors traveling to India. Punch comes from the Hindi word ‘Panch,’ which means ‘five’. Originally, it was made with 5 ingredients: booze, sugar, lemon, water and tea. WIFE APPRECIATION DAY (celebrated on the Third Sunday in September) – ‘Happy wife, happy life’, right?! NATIONAL FRIED RICE DAY – It started as one of those meals made from leftovers, but has become a take-out favorite. Made with a combination of long grain rice, peas, carrots and onions, fried rice also requires eggs to bring it all together. Mix some with more veggies or proteins for a delicious meal. PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS – The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC (8pm ET). The virtual show takes place at LA’s Staples Center, which is a total waste because there won’t be an audience. No red carpet either, but ABC is planning some kind of virtual red carpet where celebs walk around their living rooms completely overdressed. TOUR DE FRANCE FINAL – The 107th Tour de France cycling race finishes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris today as part of the 21st and final stage. Colombia's Egan Bernal is the defending champion. The event was postponed from July due to the coronavirus pandemic. BIRTHDAYS: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18: JADA PINKETT SMITH, 49 – Actress/married to WILL SMITH. Broke out on TVs “A Different World” and has gone on to roles in “The Nutty Professor,” “The Matrix,” and “Gotham.” Hosts the Facebook Watch series “Red Table Talk” with her mother and her daughter. JAMES MARSDEN, 47 – Actor. Played Cyclops in the “X-Men” films. Also stars in HBOs WestWorld and appeared in “The Notebook,” “Superman Returns” and “Hairspray. LANCE ARMSTRONG, 49 – Seven-time Tour de France champion who was banned from cycling competitions for life by the United States Anti-Doping Agency in 2012. JASON SUDEIKAS (soo-DAY-kis), 45 – Comic actor and director who broke out on SNL, and has starred in “We’re the Millers,” Horrible Bosses,” and “Hall Pass.” Voiced the lead character in the “Angry Birds” films. BEN CARSON, 69 – The neurosurgeon-turned-politician now serves as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19: JIMMY FALLON, 46 – Host of the Tonight Show: The stand-up comedian broke out on SNL and hosted “Late Night” before taking over “The Tonight Show” on NBC. TRISHA YEARWOOD, 56 – Country singer and TV chef, who is also Mrs. Garth Brooks. JEREMY IRONS, 78 – British actor known for playing Alfred in “Justice League” and Simon in “Die Hard with a Vengeance.” Also voiced Scar in the animated movie “The Lion King.” TWIGGY, 71 – Model/Actress: She was the face of swinging sixties fashion and is considered one of the world’s first supermodels, way before anyone had even heard that term. KIM RICHARDS, 56 – Actress. Raise a glass of chardonnay…and then throw it in someone's face! She was a main cast member for five seasons on 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” She’s also a former child actress known for roles in “Nanny and the Professor” and “Escape to Witch Mountain.” SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: SOPHIA LOREN (luh-REN), 86 – Oscar-winning Italian actress and sex symbol. Voiced Mama Topolino in “Cars 2.” GEORGE R.R. MARTIN, 72 – Sci-fi novelist known for writing and producing “Game of Thrones.” ALANNAH CURRIE, 63 – Singer for the 80s pop band The Thompson Twins. KRISTEN JOHNSTON, 53 – Emmy-winning actress who starred in “Third Rock from the Sun,” and now plays Tammy on the CBS sitcom “Mom.” JON BERNTHAL, 44 – Actor who stars as Marvel’s “The Punisher.” Played Shane on “The Walking Dead.” PHILLIP PHILLIPS, 30 – Singer who won 11th season of “American Idol.” Had a hit with the song “Home.” JOHN TAVARES, 30 – Hockey player. The first overall draft pick in 2009 made a name for himself with the Islanders, before heading off to play for his favorite childhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. His new team and former team squared off in the Eastern Conference Finals. And Tavares and his new team are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals. TRENDING/ODD: TIKTOK USERS ARE STRAIGHTENING THEIR TEETH WITH NAIL FILES (00:20) You can always count on TikTok users to come up with the latest dumb thing: now they're using nail files to straighten their teeth! The amateur orthodontists are sanding down their uneven smiles, and real dentists are flipping out! They warn filing-down your teeth like that causes permanent damage to the enamel, and will probably end up making your teeth fall out. FLORIDA KID FORCED TO REMOVE HOOTERS MASK (00:21) An elementary school principal in Florida forced an 11 year-old-boy to take off his face mask because it said ‘Hooters’ all over it.