That's Absurd

Every region has its legendary beast, and in Alaska, it's the Alascattalo. This mythical beast is part moose, part walrus, with a flipper for a tail. It is the champion of the absurd, because "absurding" epitomizes the unique Alaskan sense of humor.

It seems that in Alaska, they very much value the ability to answer a tourist's obviously stupid question with an even more absurd answer.

That is why they celebrate it on the first Sunday after the 3rd Saturday in November -- because if you ask when it is, that is the absurd answer.

So today, if you get asked a really silly or absurd question, try to give a straight faced absurd answer. Who knows, you might get to go to Alaska some day, and be able to do some "absurding" yourself.


Today is:

Alascattalo Day (Alaskan Humor Festival)

Christ the King - Christian

Go for a Ride Day

Independence Day, Lebanon

National Roast Turkey Day

National Stop the Violence Day

Start Your Own Country Day

St. Cecilia's Day (patron of music, composers, musicians)

Ydalir (Celebration of the wintertime god of skiing and archery, Ullr)


Birthdays Today:

Scarlett Johansson, 1984
Scott Robinson, 1979
Mariel Hemingway, 1961
Jamie Lee Curtis, 1958
Billie Jean King, 1943
Robert Vaughn, 1932
Rodney Dangerfield, 1921
Benjamin Britten, 1913
Hoagy Carmichael, 1899
Charles de Gaulle, 1890
George Eliot (Mary A. Evans), 1819
Abigail Adams, 1744


Today in History:

The first Duke of all Brittany, Nominoe defeats the Frankish king Charles the Bald at the Battle of Ballon near Redon, 845
Spain delegates "New Laws" against slavery in America, 1542
Off the coast of North Carolina, British pirate Edward Teach (best known as "Blackbeard") is killed in battle with a boarding party led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard, 1718
Peregrine Williamson of Baltimore patents a steel pen, 1809
Victoria Street Cable Tram route begins in Melbourne, Australia, 1886
1st snowmobile patent granted to Carl Eliason of Sayner Wisconsin, 1927
Gasoline pump patented that computes quantity & price delivered, 1932
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" first heard on Eddie Cantor's show, 1934