Photo-Finish Friday -- Which Way Did It Go?

Midna, wondering which way that toy went.  At not quite 4 weeks old, sometimes the toy is faster than the eye.

Photo-Finish Friday is the brainchild of Leah at The Goat's Lunch Pail.



Today is:

Battle of San Jacinto Day -- Nicaragua

Big E -- West Springfield, MA, US (one of New England's largest fairs; through the 30th)

Cochabamba Day -- Cochabamba, Bolivia

Eat a Hoagie Day

Eleven Days of Global Unity -- Day 4, Economic Justice (sponsored by We, the World)

Feast of the Triumph of the Cross/Elevation of the Life Giving Cross/Holy Cross Day -- Christian

Festivals and Matsuri of Japan -- several throughout Japan, today and for the next several, most as harvest festivals or traditional horseback archery rituals)
       including the O Sannomiya Autumn Festival, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Festival, Tono Matsuri, Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri, Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Reitasai, Yachi Donga Festival, and Furusato Hyappei Festival

Goroka Show -- Papua New Guinea (a cultural festival and showcase of many clan and tribe customs; through Sunday)

Harrogate Autumn Flower Show -- Harrowgate, England (Britains finest blooms show off; through Sunday)

Hug a Crabby Stranger Day -- okay, as long as i don't end up on the evening news

King Turkey Day -- Worthington, MN, US (includes a turkey race; through tomorrow)

National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day

Nutting Day -- British Isles tradition, the hazelnuts are supposed to be perfectly ripe on this day

Pilgrimage to the Black Madonna of Einsiedeln -- Switzerland

Southeastern Tribes Festival -- Cherokee, NC, US (Native Americans from the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Choctaw tribes present demonstrations of their traditions including dance, crafts,, and food; through tomorrow)

St. Notburga's Day (Patron of agricultural workers, husbandmen, peasants, restaurant servers)

Telluride Blues and Brews Festival -- Telluride, CO, US (nationally touring bands and microbreweries make for a fun weekend; through Sunday)

Unclear Ideas Display -- Fairy Calendar (Imps celebration)

Wo-Zha-Wa Days Fall Festival -- Wisconsin Dells, WI (fall festival; through Sunday)


Birthdays Today:

Wendy Thomas, 1961 (Namesake of Wendy's Hamburgers)
Sam Neill, 1947
Joey Heatherton, 1944
Nicol Williamson, 1938
Walter Koenig, 1936
Harve Presnell, 1933
Clayton Moore, 1914
Ivan Pallov, 1849



Today in History:

Domitian becomes emperor of Rome upon the death of his brother Titus, 81
Harun al-Rashid beomes Abbasid Caliph upon the death of his brother, al-Hadi, 786
The first lighthouse in the US, in Boston, is lit, 1716
George Frederick Handel finishes "Messiah" oratorio, after working on it non-stop for 23 days, 1741
Napoleon occupies Moscow; fires begin that will not be fully extinguished for 5 days, 1812
Francis Scott Key witnesses the battle which inspires him to write "The Defense of Fort McHenry", later retitled "The Star Spangled Banner", 1814
George K Anderson of Memphis, Tennessee patents typewriter ribbon, 1886
President of the United States William McKinley dies after an assassination attempt on September 6, and is succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt, 1901
Groundbreaking for the United Nations headquarters in New York City, 1948
The Soviet probe Luna 2 crashes onto the Moon, becoming the first man-made object to reach it, 1959
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is founded, 1960
The first American saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, is canonized by Pope Paul VI, 1975
President-elect of Lebanon, Bachir Gemayel, is assassinated, 1982
Joe Kittinger becomes the first person to fly a hot air balloon alone across the Atlantic Ocean, 1984
The Toronto Blue Jays set a record for the most home runs in a single game, belting 10 of them, 1987
Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga join the United Nations, 1999
Historic National Prayer Service held at Washington National Cathedral for victims of the September 11 attacks; a similar service is held in Canada on Parliament Hill, the largest vigil ever held in the nation's capital, 2001
In a referendum, Estonia approves joining the European Union, 2003