"Mom, I've decided I'm not going to go skydiving someday like I had planned." Bigger Girl had just come in from her classes at the local community college.
Really, i mumbled as i searched for more Parmesan cheese in the pantry. Someone had, with the usual efficiency of our contains young people household, put the empty container back in the fridge.
"Yes," she continued. "I've decided to go base jumping instead. It's where you find a cliff and jump, and soar until it's time to open your parachute. It's more environmentally friendly because you don't have to waste the fuel on an airplane."
Well, i noted drily, as long as your insurance is paid up so i can bury you if the need arises, have fun!
"Mom, do you ever worry about me when I say I'm planning to do dangerous things like climb mountains and base jump?"
Why should i worry? i responded. First of all, you haven't done any of these things, and you aren't going to be doing them for a while To worry now would be useless. Also, none of us know when our time will come, any of us could end up in a bad accident on any given day, so why worry? Besides, i know you, if you do end up doing any of these things, you will make sure you get professional guidance and do them correctly, and if you die trying, you went out feet first, and happy.
"Yep, no regrets that way!" she said, then went on. "Our Public Speaking textbook says that most people either live their lives always looking at their past and regretting it, or living for the here and now and only to enjoy the present moment, or putting everything off and living for the future. I think that's wrong. I want to live in such a way that I am enjoying every moment in the here and now and making good use of these moments, so I will have a past worth remembering and so I can create a future worth living!"
And that, my dear, is why i don't have to worry.
Today is:
Car Keys and Small Change Day -- ???
Charro
Days Fiesta -- Brownsville, TX, US (international cooperation,
Brownsville and its sister city Matamoros, Mexico, put on a beautiful
celebration of the charro horsemen of Mexico, as well as dances,
parades, and a carnival; through Mar.7)
Dia de Andalucia -- Andalucia, Spain
DNA Day -- day in 1953 when Watson and Crick determined the double helix structure of DNA
Februalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (purification of Rome performed by citizens making sacrifices to the dead)
Floral Design Day -- a day to acknowledge this art form
Florida Strawberry Festival -- Plant City, FL, US (celebrating the winter strawberry harvest; through Mar. 10)
Kalevala Day -- Finland (Finnish Culture Day)
National Chili Day
National Chocolate Souffle' Day
National Science Day -- India
National Tooth Fairy Day - and/or August 22
Peace Memorial Day -- Taiwan
Public Sleeping Day -- this one even has a wikiHow page St. Hedwig of Poland's Day (Patron of queens)
St. Romanus' Day (Patron of the mentally ill; against drowning, insanity)
Teacher's Day -- Algeria; Bahrain; Egypt; Jordan; Libya; Morocco; Oman; Saudi Arabia; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; Yemen
Birthdays Today (Also includes Feb. 29 Birthdays following)
Robert Sean Leonard, 1969 Gilbert Gottfried, 1955 Bernadette, Peters, 1948 Brian Jones, 1942Mario Andretti, 1940 Tommy Tune, 1939 Gavin MacLeod, 1930 Charles Durning, 1923 Zero Mostel, 1915 Earl Scheib, 1907 Vincente Minnelli, 1903 Linus Pauling, 1901 Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, 1533
Antonio Sabato, Jr., 1972 Tony Robbins, 1960 Gretchen Christopher, 1940 Jack Lousma, 1936 Dinah Shore, 1916 Jimmy Dorsey, 1904 William Wellman, 1896 Herman Hollerith, 1860
Anniversaries Today:
University of Pittsburgh is chartered, 1787
Today in History:
Coronation
ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place, initiating
four centuries of the Han Dynasty's rule over China, BC202 The first edition of Henry Fieldings' "Tom Jones" is published, 1749 John Wesley charters the Methodist Church, 1784 The first commercial railroad in US, Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) is chartered, 1827 Robert Nelson, leader of the Patriotes, proclaims the independence of Lower Canada (today Québec), 1838 Regular
steamboat service from the west to the east coast of the United States
begins with the arrival of the SS California in San Francisco Bay, 4
months 22 days after leaving New York Harbor, 1849 The Bulgarian Exarchate is established by decree of Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz of the Ottoman Empire, 1870 The
American Telephone and Telegraph Company is incorporated in New York
State as the subsidiary of American Bell Telephone, 1885 The USS
Indiana, the lead ship of her class and the first battleship in the
United States Navy comparable to foreign battleships of the time, is
launched, 1893 Queen Ranavalona III, the last monarch of Madagascar, is deposed by a French military force, 1897 Egypt regains independence from Britain, but British troops remain, 1922 DuPont scientist Wallace Carothers invents Nylon, 1935 Basketball is televised for the first time, 1940 In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with the loss of 30,000 civilian lives, 1947 James
D. Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have
determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes
place on April 25 following publication in April Nature (pub. April 2),
1953 The first-ever color television sets using the NTSC standard are offered for sale to the general public, 1954 The United States and People's Republic of China sign the Shanghai Communiqué, 1972 Andalusia approves its statute of autonomy through a referendum, 1980 GRB
970228, a highly luminous flash of gamma rays, strikes the Earth for 80
seconds, providing early evidence that gamma-ray bursts occur well
beyond the Milky Way, 1997 First flight of RQ-4 Global Hawk, the
first unmanned aerial vehicle certified to file its own flight plans and
fly regularly in U.S. civilian airspace, 1998 Over 1 million
Taiwanese participating in the 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally form a
500-kilometre (300-mile) long human chain to commemorate the 228
Incident in 1947, 2004 Jupiter flyby of the New Horizons Pluto-observer spacecraft, 2007, proclaims the independence of Lower Canada (today Québec), 1838 Regular
steamboat service from the west to the east coast of the United States
begins with the arrival of the SS California in San Francisco Bay, 4
months 22 days after leaving New York Harbor, 1849 The Bulgarian Exarchate is established by decree of Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz of the Ottoman Empire, 1870 The
American Telephone and Telegraph Company is incorporated in New York
State as the subsidiary of American Bell Telephone, 1885 The USS
Indiana, the lead ship of her class and the first battleship in the
United States Navy comparable to foreign battleships of the time, is
launched, 1893 Queen Ranavalona III, the last monarch of Madagascar, is deposed by a French military force, 1897 Egypt regains independence from Britain, but British troops remain, 1922 DuPont scientist Wallace Carothers invents Nylon, 1935 Basketball is televised for the first time, 1940 In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with the loss of 30,000 civilian lives, 1947 James
D. Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have
determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes
place on April 25 following publication in April Nature (pub. April 2),
1953 The first-ever color television sets using the NTSC standard are offered for sale to the general public, 1954 The United States and People's Republic of China sign the Shanghai Communiqué, 1972 Andalusia approves its statute of autonomy through a referendum, 1980 GRB
970228, a highly luminous flash of gamma rays, strikes the Earth for 80
seconds, providing early evidence that gamma-ray bursts occur well
beyond the Milky Way, 1997 First flight of RQ-4 Global Hawk, the
first unmanned aerial vehicle certified to file its own flight plans and
fly regularly in U.S. civilian airspace, 1998 Over 1 million
Taiwanese participating in the 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally form a
500-kilometre (300-mile) long human chain to commemorate the 228
Incident in 1947, 2004 Jupiter flyby of the New Horizons Pluto-observer spacecraft, 2007
Those don't come along often, but when they do, there is only one cure.
More coffee.
#2 Son and i spent a futile hour trying to get him a work permit. Someone here in our part of south Louisiana decided that before teens can get a job, they have to get a work permit from their school.
If the child is in a small private school or home school, you have to go to the public school s/he would attend to get this precious slip of paper.
It cannot be denied to the teen who wants it, no matter the student's grades or participation in other activities. It is not filed with any state or local agency. It is simply a paperwork boondoggle meant to make us run around uselessly so we can say we did it, if anyone ever asks, which they don't.
It is especially useless when, as with Bigger Girl a couple of years ago, it is needed for a summer job. Yes, when school is out, and you are 17, or even if you graduated at 17 as some do, you still have to go get a work permit from school.
A permit, as i noted, that they cannot deny you, and which no one will ever see or bother with.
Thus, after going to two different schools and being given information, but no piece of paper, i needed more coffee.
"Everybody should believe something. I believe I'll have more coffee." Anonymous
Today is:
Day of Selene -- Ancient Greek Calendar (goddess of the moon, date approximate)
Equirria -- Ancient Roman Calendar (Cavalry Horse Festival)
Feast
of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows/Gabriel Possenti (Patron of
clerics, students, young people; Abruzzi, Italy; Catholic Action)
Inconvenience
Yourself Day -- enrich your life by looking for ways to make a positive impact on the world, even if it inconveniences you
Independence Day -- Dominican Republic(1844)
Majuba Day -- South Africa (celebration of the Boers victory at Majuba Hill)
National Kahlua Day
National
Strawberry Day -- no, i don't know why this isn't in June, when the
berries are best; maybe the person who put it here had too much Kahlua
No Brainer Day - this day is for me! created by Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith, "America's Premier Eventologist"
Polar Bear Day -- as declared by Polar Bears International
Read Five Pages in the Dictionary Day -- internet generated, and am i the only one who likes the idea?
Runic Half Month Tyr commences (cosmic pillar)
St. Galmier of Lyon's Day (Patron of locksmiths)
The Hop -- Fairy Calendar
Threepenny
Day -- Eton College, England (By the last will of two Provosts in the
16th century, each boy receives a threepenny piece on this day -- enough
to buy half a sheep back then.)
Birthdays Today:
Josh Groban, 1981 Chelsea Clinton, 1980 Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas, 1971 Mary Fran, 1943 Howard Hesseman, 1940 Ralph Nadar, 1934 Elizabeth Taylor, 1932 Joanne Woodward, 1930 Ariel Sharon, 1928 John Connally, 1917 John Steinbeck, 1902 Marian Anderson, 1897 David Sarnoff, 1891 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807 Constantine I, 272
Today in History:
The first Russian Embassy arrives in London, 1557 The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland, 1560 Yuan
Chonghuan is appointed Governor of Liaodong, after he led the Chinese
into a great victory against the Manchurians under Nurhaci, 1626 Jews are expelled from Austria by order of Leopold I, 1670 The Pacific island of New Britain is discovered, 1700 Poet
Lord Byron gives his first address as a member of the House of Lords,
in defense of Luddite violence against Industrialism in his home county
of Nottinghamshire, 1812 The Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti, 1844 Composer Robert Schumann is saved from a suicide attempt in Rhine, 1854 Russians shoot at Poles protesting Russian rule of Poland, 1861 The current flag of Japan is first adopted as the national flag for Japanese merchant ships, 1870 Charlotte E. Ray becomes the first African American woman to earn a law degree, from Howard University, 1872 Lord Kitchener opens Khartoum-El Obeid (Nyala) railway, 1912 Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discover carbon-14, 1940 The government of Italy asks for help to keep the Leaning Tower of Pisa from toppling over, 1964 The American Indian Movement occupies Wounded Knee, South Dakota, 1973 People magazine is published for the first time, 1974 U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces that "Kuwait is liberated", 1991 A Muslim mob kills 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya, 2002 The Shanghai Stock Exchange falls 9%, the largest drop in 10 years, 2007 Central Chile is hit with an 8.8 magnitude earthquake, 2010
Dr. C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General of the United States, has died at age 96.
He was a pioneer pediatric surgeon, an advocate of a tobacco free society, and a role model. Before he became Surgeon General, i had never paid much attention to that position. He was so passionate about educating people, empowering them to make good decisions for their health, that he changed how the role was perceived. He was the calm voice during the first storms of AIDS. As conservative as he was, he saw that abstinence was not going to be practiced by some people, and believed they therefore needed to be told how to stay healthy within their choices. Because of his passion for educating people, he touched the lives of millions. Thank you, Dr. Koop. Rest in Peace, you will be miseed.
Today is:
Ayyám-i-Há -- Baha'i (intercalary days, devoted to service and gift giving; through Mar. 1)
Dance of the Known Places -- Fairy Calendar
For
Pete's Sake Day -- Wellcat Holidays asks us, who is Pete, and why do
things for his sake? think about that as you celebrate this today
Intercalary Days -- Baha'i (through Mar. 1)
Levi Strauss Day -- his birth anniversary
Liberation Day -- Kuwait
National Personal Chef Day -- heaven knows we all have one of those; some websites list it today, some on July 16
National Pistachio Day
Rooks Nesting Day -- Olde England (12 days after Candlemas on the Julian Calendar)
Spay Day USA -- sponsored by the HSUS; Sit! Stay! Spay! Good Owner!
St. Alexander's Day (Patriarch of Alexandria)
St. Isabella of France's Day (Patron of the sick)
Tell a Fairy Tale Day -- shouldn't this have been two days ago, on Wilhelm Grimm's birth anniversary?
The Man In Black Day -- Johnny Cash's birth anniversary
Thriller Day -- Michael Jackson's album "Thriller" hit #1 today, and stayed there for 37 weeks
World Spay Day -- don't let your pets litter!
Birthdays Today:
Erykah Badu, 1972 Mark Dacascos, 1964 Michael Bolton, 1953 Johnny Cash, 1932 Fats Domino, 1928 Betty Hutton, 1921 Tony Randall, 1920 Jackie Gleason, 1916 Margaret Leighton, 1922 Tex Avery, 1908 Madeleine Carroll, 1906 William Frawley, 1887 Herbert Henry Dow, 1866 John Harvey Kellog, 1852 William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, 1846 Levi Strauss, 1829 Victor Hugo, 1802
Today in History:
Origin of the Epoch of Ptolemy's Nabonassar Era, BC747 An earthquake in Lisbon leaves 20,000-30,000 dead, 1531 Christiansborg Castle, Copenhagen burns down, 1794 The Bank of England issues its first banknotes, 1797 Vice-admiral William Bligh ends the siege of Fort Amsterdam, Willemstad, 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from Elba, 1815 In New York City a demonstration of the first pneumatic subway opens to the public, 1870 HMS Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, is launched at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, 1914 The Original Dixieland Jass Band records the first jazz record, for the Victor Talking Machine Company in New York, 1917 Robert
Watson-Watt carries out a demonstration near Daventry which leads
directly to the development of RADAR in the United Kingdom, 1935 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announces that his nation has an atomic bomb, 1952 Vincent Massey is sworn in as the first Canadian-born Governor-General of Canada, 1952 National Public Radio incorporates as a non-profit corporation, 1970 Egypt and Israel establish full diplomatic relations, 1980 The Sandinistas are defeated in Nicaraguan elections, 1990 On Baghdad Radio Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein announces the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait, 1991 In
New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World
Trade Center explodes, killing 6 and injuring over a thousand, 1993 The United Kingdom's oldest investment banking institute, Barings Bank, collapses, 1995 Mount Hekla in Iceland erupts, 2000 Republic of Macedonia President Boris Trajkovski is killed in a plane crash near Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2004
First, have the session call a congregational meeting.
Second, remind your husband. Twice. Have him tell you he forgot, all the way up to the last minute.
Drag him anyway, even if his father did tell him when he was a teen that he didn't have to go to such things. Remind him that, as a grown-up now, it's time to step up.
Third, be grateful that everyone there wants it over fast, also, and that they put on their "track shoes" and got it done in record time. Also, be grateful all the news is good this year.
Fourth, feed everyone well after, and provide entertainment. Nothing makes people happier to show up at a regular meeting than having an "eatin' meetin'" afterward!
Today is:
Amitabha Buddha Day -- Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhists
Dairokuten-no-Hadaka
Matsuri -- Chiba, Japan (around this date; one of Japan's "naked"
festivals, as participants wear only a loincloth as they wrestle in the
cold, wet mud, bringing luck to the community as they run through the
crowds smearing the lucky mud on the onlookers)
Dance of the Secret Places -- Fairy Calendar
Dag van de Revolutie -- Suriname (Day of Liberation and Innovation)
Februaristaking -- Netherlands (commemoration of a strike against the Nazis)
Festival of Ptah -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
Full Snow Moon -- sometimes also called the Full Hunger Moon, as the most snow falls this month and finding food is hardest Meaka Bochea -- Buddhist (celebration of the final sermon of Buddha) Navam Full Moon Poya Day -- Sri Lanka Spring Lantern Festival -- China (final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations) Tabodwe Full Moon -- Myanmar (month of Hta-Ma-Ne Feast, the harvest festival of Thanksgiving)
Houston
Livestock Show and Rodeo -- Houston, TX, US (since 1932, great rodeo
action and top-name entertainment; through Mar. 17)
Jenadriyah
National Festival -- Saudi Arabia (two week heritage and cultural
festival around this time of year, but i can't find exact dates)
Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)
Let's All Eat Right Day -- in honor of the birth of Adelle Davis in 1904, an early pioneer in good nutrition
National Chocolate Covered Peanuts Day -- some sites say any nuts will do, some specify peanuts; take your pick
National Clam Chowder Day -- not to be confused with New England Clam Chowder Day, back in January
National Day -- Kuwait
People's Revolution Day/People Power Day -- Philippines
Pistol Patent Day -- Samuel Colt received US Patent #138 for the first pistol on this day in 1836
Read
Me Week -- local and national celebrities, with community volunteers,
are encouraged to visit classrooms this week and read to children
www.bookem-kids.org
St. Walburga's Day (Patron of
boatmen/mariners/sailors/watermen, harvests; Antwerp, Belgium;
Eichstätt, Germany; Gronigen, Netherlands; Oudenarde, Belgium; Plymouth,
England; Zutphen, Netherlands; against coughs, dog bites, famine,
hydrophobia/rabies, mad dogs, plague, storms)
Soviet Occupation Day -- Georgia
Quiet Day -- can't find the history behind this one, but mommy wants one!
Birthdays Today:
Sean Astin, 1971 Carrot Top, 1965 Lee Evans, 1964 Ric Flair, 1949 George Harrison, 1943 Tom Courtenay, 1937 Bob Schieffer, 1937 Sally Jessy Raphael, 1935 Bobby Riggs, 1918 Anthony burgess, 1917 Jim Backus, 1913 Adelle Davis, 1904 Zeppo Marx, 1901 Meher Baba, 1894 Enrico Caruso, 1873 Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1841 Xuande, Emperor of China, 1398
Today in History:
The First Bank of the United States is chartered, 1791 The German Midiatisation is enacted, taking over 1,000 German sovereign states into about 40 larger entities, 1803 Samuel Colt patents the first revolving barrel multishot firearm, 1836 The first US electric printing press is patented by Thomas Davenport, 1837 Hiram
Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United
States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in the
U.S. Congress, 1870 The US Steel Corp. is organized under J P Morgan, 1901 The Stanley Cup: Ottawa Silver 7 sweep Toronto Marlboroughs in 2 games, 1904 Marie-Adélaïde, the eldest of six daughters of Guillaume IV, becomes the first reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, 1912 Oregon places a 1 cent per U.S. gallon tax on gasoline, becoming the first U.S. state to levy a gasoline tax, 1919 Diplomatic relations between Japan and the Soviet Union are established, 1925 Glacier Bay National Monument (now Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve) is established in Alaska, 1925 Francisco Franco becomes General of Spain, 1926 Charles
Jenkins Laboratories of Washington, D.C. becomes the first holder of a
television license from the Federal Radio Commission, 1928 The USS Ranger is launched. It is the first US Navy ship to be built solely as an aircraft carrier, 1933 In occupied Amsterdam, a general strike is declared in response to increasing anti-Jewish measures instituted by the Nazis, 1941 The first Pan American Games are held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1951 Cassius Clay defeats Sonny Liston, 1964 The
first unit of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, the first
commercial nuclear power station in Canada, goes online, 1971 President
Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines flees the nation after 20 years of
rule; Corazon Aquino becomes the first Filipino woman president, 1986 In
the Cave of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron, Baruch
Goldstein opens fire with an automatic rifle, killing 29 Palestinian worshipers and injuring 125 more, 1994 In the Irish general
election, the Fianna Fáil-led government suffered the worst defeat of a
sitting government since the formation of the Irish state, 2011
Saved, from the scrap heap, one DVD that was believed to be scratched beyond use.
The treatment began with a very fine microfiber cloth that does not scratch. It was a deep purple one that i got from FlyLady's FlyShop.
Then i grabbed the baking soda. After rinsing the disc to make sure there wasn't any dust or grit that would make things worse, i sprinkled on the baking soda and rubbed with the purple cloth. Rinse and repeat, 3 times.
When that was done, believe it or not, a coating of Turtle Wax car polish. Gently apply, leave until it is dry, and then equally gently wipe off starting at the center of the disc and wiping outward toward the edge.
All of us are happier now, Kung Fu Panda is back! ;)
Today is:
Amun in the Festival of Raising Heaven -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
Daytona 500 Race -- Daytona International Speed-way, Daytona Beach, FL, US
Dragobete -- Romania (lover's day, and the day birds choose a mate, also considered by locals as the first day of spring)
Edo Nagashibina -- Sumidagawa River, Japan (ritual to wish for children's good health by washing the sins of the body away)
FESTIMA
-- Mouhoun, Burkina Faso (Festival International des Masques et des
ARts de Dedougou/International Mask Festival, a multi-day African
heritage and cultural display; dates to be confirmed)
Flag Day -- Mexico
Giving of Shoes -- Fairy Calendar
Goa
Month begins -- Traditional Icelandic Calendar (month of the goddess
Goa, personified as the daughter of Old Man Winter; as last month
greeted her father well, greet her kindly, too, for an easy weather
month) Konudagur -- Housewife's Day (just as the first day last
month honored husbands, this month the wife is greeted with either
coffee or flowers)
Gregorian Calendar Day -- Gregory XIII
issued the Papal Bull requiring Roman Catholics to adopt his calendar
reform on this day; the effective date of adoption was to be Oct. 4,
1582
Iseseisvuspaev/Independence Day -- Estonia(1918)
National Artist Day -- Thailand
National Tortilla Chip Day
N'cwala -- Zambia (Thanksgiving festival, celebrated with traditional dance, music, and specially brewed beer)
Nylon Toothbrush Day -- the first ones went on sale this date in 1938
Purim -- Judaism (began sundown yesterday, through sundown today)
Regifugium -- Ancient Roman Calendar (flight of the king)
St. Æthelberht of Kent's Day (first Christian King of the Anglo-Saxons; some have his day listed tomorrow instead)
Tokyo Marathon 2013 -- Tokyo, Japan
Triodion begins -- Orthdox Christian
Anniversaries Today:
The American University is chartered by an act of the Congress of the United States of America, 1893 Western Washington University is established, 1899
Birthdays Today:
Billy Zane, 1966 Kristin Davis, 1965 Eddie Murray, 1956 Steven Jobs, 1955 Alain Prost, 1955 George Thorogood, 1950 Edward James Olmos, 1947 Joe Lieberman, 1942 James Farentino, 1938 Michel Legrand, 1932 Abe Vigoda, 1921 Chester W. Nimitz, 1885 Honus Wagner, 1874 Wilhelm Karl Grimm, 1786 Ibn Battutah, 1304 Emperor Toba of Japan, 1103
Today in History:
St. Francis of Assisi, age 26, receives his vocation in Portiuncula, Italy, 1208 In the first imperial coronation by a pope,Charles V is crowned by Clement V, 1530 Pope Gregory XIII, by decree, institutes what is now known as the Gregorian Calendar, correcting the older Julian Calendar, 1582 L'Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi, one of the first works recognized as an opera, receives its première performance, 1607 The London première of Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel, the first Italian opera written for the London stage, 1711 The US Supreme Court first declares a law unconstitutional (Marbury v Madison), 1803 London's Drury Lane Theatre burns to the ground, leaving owner Richard Brinsley Sheridan destitute, 1804 The
Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the first removal treaty in accordance
with the Indian Removal Act, is proclaimed. The Choctaws in Mississippi
cede land east of the river in exchange for payment and land in the
West, 1831 William Otis of Pennsylvania patents the steam shovel, 1839 The first parade to have floats is staged at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1868 Andrew Johnson becomes the first President of the United States to be impeached, 1868 The
SS Gothenburg hits the Great Barrier Reef and sinks off the Australian
east coast, killing approximately 100, including a number of high
profile civil servants and dignitaries, 1875 China and Russia sign the Sino-Russian Ili Treaty, 1881 Chicago is selected to host the Colombian Exposition, 1890 Rudolf Diesel receives a patent for the diesel engine, 1893 Hudson Motor Car Company is founded, 1909 National Public Radio is founded in the United States, 1970 The United States Olympic Hockey team completes their Miracle on Ice by defeating Finland 4-2 to win the gold medal, 1980 Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, 1981 A
special commission of the U.S. Congress releases a report that condemns
the practice of Japanese internment during World War II, 1983 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini offers a USD $3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie, 1989 The last occurrence of February 24 as a leap day in the European Union and for the Roman Catholic Church, 1996* Japan launches its fourth spy satellite, stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats such as North Korea, 2007 Fidel Castro retires as the President of Cuba after nearly fifty years, 2008 Final launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery, 2011
*The Romans counted Feb. 24 twice in leap years, instead of adding Feb. 29; that continued in many places until 1996
They have applied for a patent that shows they are working on a "smart watch." Wearable technology.
At this point, i'm not sure whether to just say "oh" or "ugh."
No, i do not have a smart phone; i do not need something else around that is smarter than i am, that's why i have kids.
Now they will be wanting us to wear the stuff.
Yes, i know there are a few such thing out there already, that track heart rate, blood pressure, food intake, whether you are sleeping, etc. Those things being health related, i can rather understand using them to keep you on track to restoring or maintaining health.
But this will probably be for entertainment purposes only, and don't we have enough of that?
What's a first-cousin-to-a-Luddite to do?
Well, for now, make lame jokes about Apple and its core, but beyond this? Heave a huge sigh and watch with bemusement as yet another gadget becomes something we "cannot live without."
And watch my 70-something mother play with her smartphone. She deserves one, though, she doesn't have kids at home any more.
Today is: American Birkebeiner Race -- Cable to Hayward, WI, US (largest and most prestigious cross-country ski marathon) Chinese
New Year Parade -- San Francisco, CA, US (North America's largest
Chinese community celebrates the Lunar New Year in style) Clam Chowder Cook-Off -- Santa Cruz, CA, US (if you love clam chowder of any variety, this is the place for you) Curling Is Cool Day -- embrace the Olympic sport the whole family can play; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays Defenders of the Motherland Day (formerly Red Army Day) -- Russia and some former Soviet Republics Homeland Defenders' Day -- Kyrguzstan Motherland Defenders' Day -- Transdniestria Desert Festival -- Jaisalmer, India (local culture, contests, and fun; through the 25th) Easy
Divorce Day -- marking the passage, in 1915, of the Nevada law granting
easy divorces after only a 6 month residency, the first such in the US FESPACO Film Festival -- Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (Panafrica's Film and TV Festival) International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day -- internet generated International Sword Swallowers Day Iwo Jima Day -- commemoration of the US flag raising Katsuyama
Sagicho -- Katsuyama, Japan (Chinese influenced fire festival held the
last weekend of every February; large stages are built and decorated,
then burned the next day) National Banana Bread Day National Day -- Brunei Open
That Bottle Night -- time to finally drink that bottle of wine you've
been saving for a special occasion; after all, the final Saturday in
February only comes once a year (sponsored by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John
Brecher of The Wall Street Journal) Parke County Maple Fair -- Rockville, IN, US (pancake meals, a Covered Bridge Art Assn. show, and more; this weekend and next) Pebbles Day -- Pebbles Flintstone was born this day around 10,000BC Purim -- Judaism (begins at sundown) Republic Day (Mashramani) -- Guyana Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen Tournament -- Japan; snowball fighting (yukigassen) at its best, through tomorrow St. Milburga of Shropshire's Day (Patron of birds) St. Polycarp of Smyrna's Day (Patron against dysentery and earache) St. Serenus the Gardener's Day (Patron of bachelors, falsely accused people) Swamp
Cabbage Festival -- LaBelle, FL, US (also called Hearts of Palm, gear
up for two days of food, entertainment, and family fun) Terminalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival for Terminus, god of land boundary markers) Birthdays Today: Michael Dell, 1965 Howard Jones, 1955 Patricia Richardson, 1951 John Sanford, 1944 Johnny Winter, 1944 Peter Fonda, 1939 Donna J. Stone, 1933 Paul Tibbets, 1915 Victor Fleming, 1889 W.E.B. DuBois, 1868 George Frederic Handel, 1685 Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, 1646 Samuel Pepys, 1633 Today in History: Emperor Diocletian orders the general persecution of Christians, 303 Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type, 1455 France begins its fifth "holy war" against the Huguenots, 1574 Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army, 1778 The first US raw-cotton-to-cloth mill is founded, in Waltham, Massachusetts, 1813 The first US pharmaceutical college is organized, the College of Apothecaries in Philidelphia, 1821 Santa Anna begins his siege of the Alamo, 1836 John Newman leaves the Anglican Church and is welcomed into the Roman Catholic Church, 1846 In Mexico, American troops under General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, 1847 Great
Britain formally recognises the independence of the Boers in the area
between the Orange and Vaal rivers, signing the Bloemfontein Convention
with the Orange Free State, 1854 The London Times publishes the world's first classified ad, 1886 Charles Martin Hall, assisted by his sister Julia Brainerd Hall, produced the first samples of man-made aluminum, 1886 The French/Italian Riviera is struck by an earthquake that leaves 2,000 dead, 1887 The Tootsie Roll is introduced by Leo Hirshfield, 1896 In
France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his "J'accuse" letter
accusing the government of anti-Semitism and wrongly jailing Alfred
Dreyfus, 1898 The Cuban state of Guantanamo is leased to the US, 1903 The US acquires control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million, 1904 The Rotary Club International is founded in Chicago, 1905 Russian Tsar Nicholas II dissolves the Diet of Finland, 1909 The US state of Nevada enacts a convenient divorce law, 1915 The February Revolution begins in Russia, 1917 Plutonium is first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, 1941 The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is founded, 1847 The first mass inoculation with the Salk vaccine begins in Pittsburgh, 1954 First meeting of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), 1955 The
United States Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to
buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach,
Missouri, 1983 Supernova 1987a is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 1987 A small fire occurs in the Russian Space station, Mir, 1997 An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31, 1999 Unknown
criminals pour more than 2.5 million liters of diesel oil and other
hydrocarbons into the river Lambro, in Northern Italy, causing an
environmental disaster, 2010
Two of the kittens we are currently bottle raising, with a third in the background.
Feline Friday was brought to my attention by Kathe W. at It's A Snap. If i can figure out how to link back to the originator of Feline Friday, i will.
Today is:
Abu Simbel Festival -- Egypt (one of the two days a
year when the light illuminates the statutes of Rameses, Ra and Amun in
the temple complex) Festival of the Perpendicular
Sun/Illumination of the Inner Sanctum of Ramses II's Abu Simbel Temple
-- Ancient Egyptian Calendar
Be Humble Day -- can't find the origin of this one, s/he wants to humbly remain anonymous
Call
Somebody "Boo Boo" Day -- apparently just to see what s/he will call
you back; be careful, this one started before anyone heard of Honey Boo
Boo and doesn't take that into account
Concordia/Caristia -- Ancient Roman Calendar, Festival of Goodwill
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Antioch -- Roman Catholic Church
Festival
au Desert -- Oursi, Burkina Faso (the final installment of most remote
music festival in the world, with lots of African music and traditions;
through the 22nd)
Handing Back of Goblin Orphans Day -- Fairy
Calendar (You know, the goblin orphans they adopted 2 days ago! No
fairy can tolerate a goblin longer than that.)
Heritage Day -- Yukon Territory, Canada
Independence Day -- Santa Lucia(1979)
International World Thinking Day -- a/k/a "B.-P. day" or "Founder's Day" -- World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Girl Guides Day -- UK
Lost
Dutchman Days -- Apache Junction, AZ, US (through Sunday; celebration
of the legend of the Superstition Mountains and the Lost Dutchman Mine)
National Margarita Day (How is that going to help with the thinking?)
Newport
Seafood and Wine Festival -- Newport, OR, US (featuring seafood and
wine from Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho; through Sunday)
St.
Margaret of Cortona's Day (Patron of falsely accued people, hoboes,
homeless people, mentally ill people, midwives, penitent women, people
ridiculed for their piety, reformed prostitutes, single laywomen,
teriaries, and tramps; against insanity, loss of parents, mental
illness, sexual temptation, and temptation)
Texas Cowboy Poetry
Gathering -- Sul Ross State University, Alpine, TX, US (annual gathering
of cowboys for poetry readings and music; through Sunday)
Walking
the Dog Day -- Can't find the originator of this one, but walk your
dog, or do your yoyo tricks, whichever works for you
Washington's Birthday -- US
Anniversaries Today:
Washington University in St. Louis is founded, 1853 Pennsylvania State University is founded in State College, Pennsylvania, 1955
Birthdays Today:
Drew Barrymore, 1975 Michael Chang, 1972 Lea Salonga, 1971 Clinton Kelly, 1969 Jeri Ryan, 1968 Vijay Singh, 1963 Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, 1962 Julius "Dr. J" Erving, 1950 Dan Millman, 1946 Sparky Anderson, 1934 Edward M. Kennedy, 1932 Robert Wadlow, 1918 John Mills, 1908 Sheldon Leonard, 1907 Robert Young, 1907 Luis Bunuel, 1900 Edna St. Vincent Millay, 1892 "Chico" Marx, 1891 Lady Baden-Powell, 1889 Lord Baden-Powell, 1857 Frederic Chopin, 1810 George Washington, 1732
Today in History:
Jews are expelled from Zurich, Switzerland, 1349 Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems is published, 1632 The English House of Lords rules that authors do not have perpetual copyright of their material, 1774 Jews are expelled from the outskirts of Warsaw, Poland, 1775 The first US ship to trade with China, the "Empress of China," sails from New York, 1784 The Last Invasion of Britain by the French begins near Fishguard, Wales, 1797 Spain signs the Adams-Onis Treaty, renouncing its claim to the Oregon territory and west Florida, 1819 Spain sells east Florida to the US, 1821 Edward
Payson Weston, "The Father of Modern Pedestrianism," who gave lectures
on the health benefits of walking, first comes into the public eye by
leaving on this date to walk to Lincoln's inauguration, a distance of
478 miles, 1861* Frank W. Woolworth opens the first US chain store, his "Woolworth's" 5 and 10 cent store, in Utica, NY, 1879 John Reid of Scotland establishes a 3 hole golf course near Yonkers, New York, thus introducing the game to the US, 1888 Hawaii becomes a US territory, 1900 Due to drought, the US side of Niagara Falls runs short of water, 1903 The Great White Fleet, the first US fleet to circumnavigate the globe, returns to Virginia, 1909 Calvin Coolidge gives the first US presidential radio address, 1924 Bert Hinkler successfully completes the first solo flight from England to Australia, 1928 Australian swimmer John Konrads sets 6 world records in two days, 1958 Lee Petty wins the first Daytona 500, 1959 Following
United States President Richard Nixon's visit to the People's Republic
of China, the two countries agree to establish liaison offices, 1973 In
Lake Placid, New York, the United States hockey team defeats the Soviet
Union hockey team 4-3, in what is considered to be one of the greatest
upsets in sports history, 1980 In Roslin, Scotland, scientists announce that an adult sheep named Dolly had been successfully cloned, 1997 An earthquake measuring 6.3 in magnitude strikes Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 181 people, 2011
*Yes, he got there in 10 days, in time for the inaugural ball!
Any time you long for the "good old days," you might want to check out these pictures someone posted from the Sears Catalog that is dated 1900. Peruse at your leisure the "Greatest Values Ever Known In Washing Machines," the fashions, and the patent medicines "guaranteed" to cure everything from morphine addiction to obesity. Especially fascinating is "Brown's Vegetable Cure for Female Weakness." Harken back to the latest in travel -- in wagons, horse not included. Remember the days when no one went anywhere without a hat. The "good old days" were fine, if you can live without the modern conveniences, which i admit i would much rather not do.
Today is:
Anniversary of His Majesty the King -- Bhutan
Anthesteria
-- Ancient Greek Calendar (three day Festival of Flowers, feast of the
dead, and drinking festival; date approximate)
Card Reading Day -- because greeting cards can be fun to just stop and read, can't they?
Day in Honor of Dr. W. H. Lini, Father of Independence -- Vanuatu
Feast
of the Feralia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (final day of the Parentalia,
with picnics in the graveyard that included libations to the departed)
International Mother Language Day -- UNESCO
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day -- some student programs at universities are set for this weekend
Montreal Hunting, Fishing, & Camping Show -- Montreal, Canada (weekend long celebration of the outdoors)
National
Conference on Education -- Los Angeles, CA, US (three day conference
sponsored by the American Assn. of School Administrators)
National Sticky Bun Day
Ottawa Boat and Sportsmen Show -- Ottawa, ON, Canada (weekend long celebration of all things outdoors)
Remember the Funniest Thing Your Kid Ever Did Day -- in honor of Erma Bombeck's birth anniversary
Sandino Day -- Nicaragua (assassination anniversary of Augusto César Sandino)
Shaheed
Dibosh -- Bangladesh (International Mother Language Day/Language
Martyr's Day, for those who died in the Bengali Language Movement in
1952)
St. Peter Damian's Day (Doctor of the Church)
Yukon
Sourdough Rendezvous -- Whitehorse, YT, Canada (mad trapper
competition, flour packing, beard growing contest, old-time fiddle show,
and more, with this year's theme being "The Magic and the Mystery";
through Sunday)
Anniversaries Today:
The Washington Monument is dedicated, 1885
Birthdays Today:
Charlotte Church, 1986 Jennifer Love Hewitt, 1979 Alan Trammell, 1958 Kelsey Grammer, 1955 Tyne Daly, 1946 Alan Rickman, 1946 David Geffen, 1943 John Lewis, 1940 Barbara Jordan, 1936 Rue McClanahan, 1935 Nina Simone, 1933 Roberto Gomez Bolanos, 1929 Erma Bombeck, 1927 Sam Peckinpah, 1925 Ann Sheridan, 1915 Anais Nin, 1903 Andres Segovia, 1893 Charles Scribner, 1821 John Henry Cardinal Newman, 1801 Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, 1794
Today in History:
England begins the trial against Joan of Arc, 1431 John
Wilkes is thrown out of the English House of Commons for his
pornographic poem "An Essay on Woman," a satire of Pope's "An Essay on
Man," 1764 Freedom of worship is established in France under its Constitution, 1795 The first locomotive, Richard Trevithick's, runs for the first time, in Wales, 1804 The first Native American Indian newspaper, the "Cherokee Phoenix", begins publication, 1828 The first known sewing machine in the US is patented by John Greenough of Washington, D.C., 1842 Sarah G Bagley of Lowell, Massachusetts becomes the first US woman telegrapher, 1846 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish the Communist Manifesto, 1848 The US Congress outlaws foreign currency as legal tender in the US, 1857 Edwin T. Holmes installs the first electric burglar alarm, in Boston, Massachusetts, 1858 The first Roman Catholic parish church for blacks in the US is dedicated, in Baltimore, Maryland, 1864 Lucy B. Hobbs becomes the first US woman to earn a DDS degree, 1866 Benjamin Disraeli replaces William Gladstone as English premier, 1874 The first telephone book is issued, to 50 subscribers in New Harbor, Connecticut, 1878 Oregon becomes the first US state to declare Labor Day a holiday, 1887 The North Carolina legislature adjourns for the day to mark the death of Frederick Douglass, 1895 Dr. Harvey Cushing, the first US neurosurgeon, performs his first operation, 1902 Gustav Mahler conducts his last concerto, 1911 The
Battle of Verdun (WWI) begins, will last until Dec. 18; over a quarter
of a million casualties, half a million injuries, 1916 The last
Carolina parakeet, Incas, dies in the Cincinnati Zoo, in the same cage
that had held Martha, the last passenger pigeon, 4 years earlier, 1918 The Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia adopts the country's first constitution, 1921 Great Britain grants Egypt independence, 1922 The first issue of "New Yorker" magazine is published, 1925 The first instant developing camera is demonstrated in NYC, by E H Land, 1947 The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolishes identity cards in the UK to "set the people free", 1952 Watson
and Crick discover the structure of the DNA molecule; according to
legend, they walk into the Eagle Pub in Cambridge and Crick announces
"We have found the secret of Life," 1953 The Peace symbol is designed and completed by Gerald Holtom, commissioned by Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, 1958 Malcolm X is assassinated, 1965 The Convention on Psychotropic Substances is signed at Vienna, 1971 The Soviet unmanned spaceship Luna 20 lands on the Moon, 1972 Former
United States Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House
aides H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are sentenced to prison, 1975 Steve
Fossett lands in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada becoming the first person
to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon, 1995
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
"Mom, you know what?"
With Bigger Girl, i never quite know, but i can often imagine. It's going to be something interesting.
"It's probably a good thing Romney didn't win the election. After all, this country isn't ready for a Second, Third, and Fourth Lady!" She was grinning ear to ear as she said this.
No, i'm certain we aren't ready for that, i noted. Then i asked her if she had learned anything interesting in school today.
"Yes," she answered. "I learned that one of my professors didn't like leftovers until she was in college. Then she says she had to eat them because she couldn't afford to throw away food."
That's not exactly what i meant, but it will do. And that lady wouldn't have done well at all in this family.
"Oh, and I exchanged phone numbers with Chris. He's part of Will's study group. Most of the girls are only interested in going to the mall. Or hunting. The guys are the ones I like to talk to. They have more diverse interests."
So, all in all, a good day.
"Yes, and now it's time to go study, I have another test tomorrow."
Ah, i remember the days when study was all i really had to worry about, and i miss them sometimes.
Today is:
Adopt a Goblin Orphan Day -- Fairy Calendar
Bicentenario de la Batalla de Salta -- Argentina (Bicentennial of the Battle of Salta)
Blessed Wulfric's Day
Cherry Pie Day
Festival
au Desert -- Oursi, Burkina Faso (the most remote music festival in the
world, with lots of African music and traditions; through the 22nd)
Flying
Car Day -- the Arrowmobile, the first flying car, patented this day in
1937 (and can you imagine, as bad as driving is, how many accidents we
would have if these people were flying around instead?)
Georgia National Rodeo -- Perry, GA (winners here qualify for the National Finals in December; through the 24th)
Hoodie
Hoo Day (Northern Hemisphere) -- at noon local time, citizens are
requested to go outside and yell "Hoodie-Hoo" to chase away winter and
call in spring; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays
Khajuraho Dance
Festival -- Khajuraho, India (annual gathering of Indian classical
dancers from across the country and abroad; through the 26th)
Lionel
Hampton International Jazz Festival -- University of Idaho, Moscow, ID,
US (students from elementary to college from all over the US
participate in student performances and attend concerts and clinics in
vocal and instrumental jazz performance; through Saturday)
Love Your Pet Day -- a day to pamper pets, like they don't get pampered enough
St Leo of Catania's Day (a/k/a Leo the Wonderworker, Patron of Rometta, Longi, and Sinagra, Sicily)
Toothpick Day -- first machine used to make them patented this day in 1872
World Day for Social Justice -- UN
Anniversary Today:
US Post Office, 1792 (George Washington signed the act which created it)
Birthdays Today:
Andrew Shue, 1967 Cindy Crawford, 1966 French Stewart, 1964 Charles Barkley, 1963 Patty Hearst, 1954 Gordon Brown, 1951 Ivana Trump, 1949 Jennifer O'Neill, 1948 Sandy Duncan, 1946 Buffy Sainte-Marie, 1941 Nancy wilson, 1937 Bobby Unser, 1934 Sidney Poitier, 1927 Robert Altman, 1925 Gloria Vanderbilt, 1924 Gale Gordon, 1906 Ansel Adams, 1902
Today in History:
Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland so King Christian I can pay his daughter's dowry, 1472 The first recorded wine auction is held, in London, 1673 The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington, 1792 Austria declares bankruptcy, 1811 Concepcion, Chile, is destroyed by an earthquake, 1835 The US Congress prohibits dueling in the District of Columbia, 1839 Luther Crowell patents a machine to manufacture paper bags, 1872 In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens, 1872 The first minor league baseball association is organized, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1887 King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra, 1913 A new volcano, Paricutin, erupts in a farmer's cornfield in Mexico, 1943 The
Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in
Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political
debate, 1959 While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first
American to orbit the earth, making three orbits in 4 hours, 55 minutes,
1962 Ranger 8 crashes into the moon after a successful mission of
photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts,
1965 The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization disbands, 1976 Texas industrialist Ross Perot's U.S. presidential campaign begins, 1992 Spain
becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of
the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a
substantial margin, but on a low turnout, 2005
Once again, Reader's Digest is filing for bankruptcy. Every time i read about another magazine or newspaper going out of business, cutting back on how often it publishes, or switching completely to online, it hurts my heart a little. The Digest will not go out of business now, but the whole future of print media is up in the air. Some of my favorite memories are of reading the newspaper as a child, especially the advice columns and the funnies. That's something the kids and i still do. We have a newspaper on the kitchen table each day, courtesy of my parents, who pass theirs along to us, and all of us stop at some point in the day to peruse it. When everyone is done reading, i take them and do the puzzles; i can't imagine not having them around. Yet it seems that, someday, it might really happen. Let's hope not. Now please excuse me while i go read the latest Digest. It has some great stories about terrible bosses that i want to laugh over.
Today is:
Armed Forces Day -- Mexico
Birthday of Minerva -- Ancient Roman Calendar
Birthday of Shivaji -- Maharashtra, India
Chaoflux -- Discordianism
Chief
Leschi Day -- US, especially Washington State (Native American chief
wrongly executed for murder on this date in 1958; fully exhonerated
2004)
Crackerjacks Prize Day -- the first prizes were added to the boxes of carmel popcorn this date in 1913
Flag Day -- Turkmenistan
Fly-By for Goblins and others -- Fairy Calendar
Musikahan Festival -- Tagum City, Phillipines (using music to help the victims of Typhoon Pablo; through Sunday)
National Chocolate Mint Day (because every day needs chocolate in some form)
Single-Tasking
Day -- encouraging you to do one thing at a time, and not feel guilty;
begun by Theresa Gabriel, who suggests it be on the 4th Tuesday of the
month, although other sites list other dates
Solar System Day -- birth anniversary of Copernicus
St. Conrad of Piacenza's Day -- (Patron against hernias)
Straw
Wrapper Appreciation Day -- an internet spread holiday to remind you of
how much fun it was as a kid to blow the wrappers off the straws
Temporary
Insanity Day -- anniversary of the first time someone successfully
pleaded temporary insanity in a court of law; Daniel Stickles, in 1859
Vassil Levski Day -- Bulgaria (Bulgaria's "Apostle of Freedome")
Birthdays Today:
Justine Bateman, 1966 Seal, 1963 Jeff Daniels, 1955 Margaux Hemingway, 1955 Smokey Robinson, 1940 Lee Marvin, 1924 Willam III, 1817 (last king of the Netherlands -- there have only been queens since) Nicolas Copernicus, 1473
Today in History:
Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus' defeats beats Clodius Albinus at Lyon, 197 Emperor Constantius II shuts down all pagan temples, 356 The
second Medieval Iconoclastic Controversy ends as a council in
Constantinople formally reinstates veneration of icons in the churches,
842 Jews of Tyrnau, Hungary (then Trnava, Czech) are expelled, 1539 The Peruvian stratovolcano Huaynaputina explodes in the most violent eruption in the recorded history of South America, 1600 Britain and the Netherlands sign the Peace of Westminster, and New Amsterdam formally becomes New York, 1674 British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands, and claims them in the name of King George III, 1819 The first practical coal burning locomotive in the US makes a trial run, in Pennsylvania, 1831 Tin-type camera is patented by Hamilton Smith of Gambier, Ohio, 1856 Daniel
E. Sickles is acquitted of the murder of his wife's lover, Phillip
Barton Key (son of Francis Scott Key), on the grounds of temporary
insanity, the first time this defense is successfully used, 1859 Tsar Alexander II abolishes serfdom in Russia, 1861 Thomas Edison patents the gramophone (phonograph), 1878 Kansas becomes the first US state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages, 1881 WK Kellog and Charles Bolin found the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Co., 1906 The first prize is inserted into a Cracker Jack box, 1913 Ed Wynn becomes the first talent to sign as a regular radio entertainer, 1922 Ezra Pound is awarded the first Bollingen Prize for poetry, 1949 Bill Keane's "Family Circus" comic strip makes its debut, 1960 Artificial heart recipient William J. Schroeder becomes the first such patient to leave hospital, 1985 The Soviet Union launches its Mir spacecraft, 1986 NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins to map the surface of Mars using its thermal emission imaging system, 2002
That's what Marvin the Martian used to say every time Bugs Bunny took his Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator. (Marvin, by the way, is one of my very favorite cartoon characters of all time.) This time, the delays involve Ol' Bessy, my aging, ailing laptop. She is getting slower and slower sometimes. Scans are taking a bit longer. My virus protection turned itself off, and i've had to re-download it because it wouldn't just update. Malwarebytes took over an hour to do a "quick" scan, and she is overheating again at times. Because i can't use the laptop much right now, i'm not sure when i'll be able to post more pictures of the kittens. It's taken this first-cousin-to-a-Luddite this long just to figure out how to use the laptop to do it, and so there will be a delay while i see if i can figure it out on the other computer. What she really needs, i've been told, is to be wiped clean and have Windows XP reloaded. The problem, of course, is that i don't have an XP disk to use to do that. And in other news, Young Jacob has been in a minor car accident. Someone in our neighborhood ran a stop sign and hit him. The man admitted his fault, and it was obvious to the Deputy that the other party was in the wrong. No injuries, thank Heaven, but Young Jacob will be needing a rental, or rides to work. Even without popping the hood he knew he needed a new bumper and radiator at least.
Today is:
Celtic Tree Month Nuin (Ash) begins
Clean
Out Your Cubby Holes Day -- internet generated, but if you have any
cubby holes, give them a look today, make sure nothing is in there you
don't want to see
Cold Day in H*ll -- snow fell in the Sahara today in 1979
Day
of Spenta Armaiti -- Zoroastrian (goddess of earth and fertility,
especially celebrated by women; originally on Esfand 5th, which
corresponds to 24 February, but is now celebrated on the 18th for
reasons i can't figure out)
Family Day -- AB, ON, SK, Canada
Festival of Women -- Persian (traditional, it has been kept even among those who are no longer Zoroastrian)
Fly-By for Fairies and Elves -- Fairy Calendar
Hadaka
Matsuri -- Inazawacho, Japan (thousands of loincloth-wearing men try to
touch the closely guarded Shin-otoko [a man chosen, stripped naked, and
shaved totally] as he is on his way to the shrine)
Independence Day -- Gambia(1965)
Islander Holiday -- PEI, Canada
Louis Riel Day -- MB, Canada
National Battery Day -- probably created by the battery manufacturers, but they won't claim it
National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day
Pluto
Day/Solar System Day -- the planet/planetoid was discovered on this day
in 1930, and then considered to "complete" the solar system
Rites of Tacita -- Ancient Roman Calendar (goddess of silence, rites to keep people from speaking out in anger)
Saidai-ji
Eyo -- Saidai-ji, Okayama Prefecture, Japan (Spectacular and
atmospheric naked festival dating back to the 14th century, in which up
to 10,000 loincloth-wearing [and sometimes drunk] men battle for sacred
wooden sticks [shingi] tossed into the air by priests.)
St. Bernadette of Lourdes' Day (in France; the remainder of the church celebrates her on 16 April)
St. Fra Angelico's Day (Patron of artists)
Tanigumi Odori -- Tanigumi-mura, Gifu Prefecture, Japan (dance festival)
Tara Puja -- Tibetan Buddhist
Thumb Appreciation Day
Anniversaries Today:
Ohio State University is chartered as the first US land-grant college, 1804
Birthdays Today:
Jillian Michaels, 1974 Molly Ringwald, 1968 Dr. Dre, 1965 Matt Dillon, 1964 Vanna White, 1957 John Travolta, 1954 John Hughes, 1950 Cybill Shedherd, 1950 Andrea Dromm, 1941 Yoko Ono, 1933 Milos Forman, 1932 Toni Morrison, 1931 Gahan Wilson, 1930 George Kennedy, 1925 Helen Gurley Brown, 1922 Bill Cullen, 1920 Jack Palance, 1920 Hans Asperger, 1906 Enzo Ferrari, 1898 George "The Gipper" Gipp, 1895 Boris Pasternak, 1890 Nikos Kazantzakis, 1883 Sholem Aleichem, 1859 Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1848 Ernst Mach, 1838 Count Alessandro Volta, 1745 Uesugi Kenshin, 1530 (Japanese samurai and warlord) Mary I Tudor, 1516 Saint Jadwiga of Poland, 1374
Today in History:
Origin of the Kali Yuga Epoch ("age of vice" or Dark Age) of the Hindu/Buddhist calendars, BC3102 Jerusalem is taken by Emperor Frederik II, 1229 Amda Seyon I, Emperor of Ethiopia, begins his campaigns in the southern Muslim regions, 1332 Henry Tudor (Henry VIII) created Prince of Wales, 1503 Zeeland falls to Dutch rebels, 1574 John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" is published, 1678 Fort Saint Lewis, Texas, is founded by Frenchmen under LaSalle at Matagorda Bay, the basis for France's claim to Texas, 1685 Quakers conduct their first formal protest of slavery in Germantown, Pennsylvania, 1688 The premiere of George Frideric Handel's oratorio, "Samson" takes place in London, 1743 Trinidad is surrendered to a British fleet under the command of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, 1797 The Detroit Boat Club (still in existence) forms, 1839 The first continuous filibuster in the US Senate begins, lasts until March 11, 1841 The first regular steamboat service to California begins, 1849 A direct telegraph link between Britain and New Zealand is established, 1876 Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is published, 1885 The Cave of Winds at Niagara Falls goes almost dry for the first time in 50 years, 1896 Winston Churchill makes his first speech in the British House of Commons, 1901 H. Cecil Booth patents a dust removing suction cleaner, 1901 The
first official flight with air mail takes place in Allahabad, British
India, when Henri Pequet delivers 6,500 letters to Naini (a distance of
about 10K), 1911 The US and Canada begin formal diplomatic relations,
with the appointment of Vincent Massey as the first Canadian ambassador
to the US, 1927 The first Academy Awards are announced, 1929 While studying photographs taken in January, Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto, 1930 The first Church of Scientology is established in Los Angeles, California, 1954 The Space Shuttle Enterprise test vehicle is carried on its maiden "flight" on top of a Boeing 747, 1977 Snow falls in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the only time in recorded history, 1979 Dan Jansen skates world record 1000m (1:12.43), 1994
Our weather has gotten cold again, and as the kittens get bigger, they don't want to stay in the carrier. They do want to stay warm, however. Thus:
Two calicoes, a tortoiseshell, a tabby, and a tuxedo, all huddled in front of a space heater on a Winnie-the-Pooh blanket. The tabby and tux are boys. Over the course of this week, i'll try to get individual pictures.
Speaking of huddled, Bigger Girl has informed me that in football, the huddle was invented by a school for the deaf. The players had to huddle up like that to use sign language to communicate the next play to one another without the other team being able to see the signs and read them. Amazing what trivia she can come up with.
Today is:
Burgbrenne -- Luxembourg (traditional burning of special bonfires on the first Sunday of Lent)
Day of Cancelled Expectations -- according to William Least Heat-Moon in his autobiography, Blue Highways
Daytona
500 Pole Day -- Daytona International Speed-way, Daytona Beach, FL, US
(qualifying, and eanring the right to lead the pack)
Dita e Pavaresise -- Kosovo (Independence Day)(2008)
Feast of Shezmu -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (god of the winepress; date approximate)
February 17 Revolution Day -- Libya
Hachinohe Enburi Matsuri -- Hachinohe, Japan (festival with prayers for a good harvest; through Wednesday)
Last day of Celtic Tree Month Luis (Rowan)
My
Way Day -- today, determine your identity all by yourself, apart from
what other people say you should be; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays
National Cafe Au Lait Day
National Indian Pudding Day
National PTA Founders Day -- US
Practice Your Free Throws Day -- spread around the internet by someone who really loves basketball
Quirinalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (a/k/a Feast of Fools)
Snow
Ice Cream Day -- internet generated; if you want to try it, and are
sure your snow is reasonably clean, add sugar, milk, a touch of vanilla,
and enjoy
St. Fortchern of Trim's Day (Patron of bell-founders)
Tanis Diena -- Ancient Latvain Calendar (To honor pigs)
Anniversaries Today:
Miami University is chartered by the State of Ohio, 1809
Birthdays Today:
Jerry O'Connell, 1974 Bryan White, 1974 Billie Joe Armstrong, 1972 Denise Richards, 1972 Michael Jordan, 1963 Rene Russo, 1954 Jim Brown, 1936 Alan Bates, 1934 Barry Humphries (Dame Edna Everage), 1934 Hal Holbrook, 1925 Arthur Kennedy, 1914 Red Barber, 1908 Dorothy Canfield Fisher, 1879 William Cadbury, 1867 Friedrich A Krupp, 1854 A. Montgomery Ward, 1844
Today in History:
Miles Standish is appointed the first commander of the Plymouth colony, 1621 The first volume of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" is published, 1776 The first ship passes through the Suez Canal, 1867 Women's suffragist Esther Morris is appointed the first female justice of the peace in the US, in South Pass City, Wyoming, 1870 Sardines are first canned, by Julius Wolff of Eastport, Maine, 1876 Madame Butterfly receives its première at La Scala in Milan, 1904 The first minimum wage law in the US takes effect, in Oregon, 1913 Johnny Weissmuller sets the 100-yard freestyle record (52.4 seconds), 1924 The first telecast of a sporting event in Japan, a baseball game, 1931 The first issue of "Newsweek" magazine is published, 1933 Vanguard 2 – The first weather satellite is launched to measure cloud-cover distribution, 1959 Sales of the Volkswagen Beetle exceed those of the Ford Model-T, 1972 Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match, 1996 Kosovo declares independence, 2008
Three days, 12 delivery routes, and 100 successful deliveries. Two returns, one popped balloon that got replaced and the delivery made anyway. My best holiday yet. Some people just can't catch a break; some of the people on the disabled cruise ship ended up on a bus back to Texas that also broke down. Ouch. Third and finally, between all of those deliveries i went for my annual physical. All is well, and i need to call back in 6 months to check my thyroid levels again, as well as schedule my mammogram, first ever DEXA scan, and first colonoscopy. Oh, joy. Oh, and i should have said, fourth, that i'm going to get a lot of rest this weekend (when i'm not bottle feeding the 5 kittens and cooking meals and doing laundry). Sometimes i have to quote the cartoon my mother keeps on her refrigerator. It's a picture of Calvin, from Calvin and Hobbes,and you can tell he is angry and frowning. It says, "G-d put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, i am so far behind, i will never die!" While i jokingly tell people i want to live to be 127 and still be the life of the party to the end, i'm now wondering if it's not going to take me that many years to get through my to do list. Well, better to wear out than rust out. Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!
Today is:
Akiyoshidai Yamayaki -- Akiyoshidai, Japan (dry grass on the mountain side is burned in this coming of spring ceremony)
Bonten Matsuri -- Miyoshi-jinja Shrine, Akita, Japan (two day festival to ask for good crops this year)
Camellia Festival 2013 -- Chiswick House and Gardens Trust, London, England (through Mar. 17)
Do a Grouch a Favor Day -- internet generated attempt to get us to either get the grouches on our side, or make us cynical
Festival au Desert -- Bamako, Mali (continuation of the most remote music festival in the world)
Galesburg
Historical Society Chocolate Festival -- Galesburg, IL, US (home made
and commercially made chocolates, all you can eat for the price of the
low admission fee; through tomorrow)
Ice Fishing Derby -- Fort Peck, MT, US (subject to cancellation if there is no ice)
Independence Day -- Lithuania (National Day/Restoration of Statehood)(1918)
Kyoto Protocol Day -- International (treaty on climate change; today is proposed as "Wear purple for Kyoto Day")
La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros and Tucson Rodeo -- Tucson, AZ, US (celebrating the Old West heritage; through the 24th)
Lemon Festival -- Menton, French Riviera (through Mar. 6)
National Almond Day
Respectable Tales of Kelp-Koli -- Fairy Calendar (5 minutes only)
Saidai-ji
Hadaka Matsuri -- Okayama Prefecture, Japan (Naked Festival, in which a
Shinto man strips, is completely shaved, then runs through town while
thousands of townsmen in loincloths try to touch him while guard's throw
cold water on them)
St. Juliana of Cumae's Day (Patron of the ill)
St. Onesimus' Day (runaway slave of Philemon, converted by Paul, of whom the Letter to Philemon was written)
Birthdays Today:
John McEnroe, 1959 LeVar Burton, 1957 Sonny Bono, 1935 Vera-Ellen, 1921 Patty Andrews, 1920 Jimmy Wakely, 1914 Hugh Beaumont, 1909 Richard McDonald, 1909 Edgar Bergan, 1903 Johann Strauss, 1866 Nichiren, 1222 Emperor Yingzong of China, 1032
Today in History:
9th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet, 374 Pope Gregory the Great issues a decree saying that "God bless you" is the correct response to a sneeze, 600 English king Charles I accepts Triennial Act, requiring the king to assemble Parliament at least once every 3 years, 1641 The first known check (cheque) is written, for 400 English Pounds Sterling (currently on display at Westminster Abbey), 1659 Kentucky passes a law permitting women to attend school under certain conditions, 1838* Weenen Massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus, 1838 American Charles Wilkes discovers Shackleton Ice Shelf, Antarctica, 1840 The Battle of Sobraon ends the First Sikh War in India, 1846 Studebaker Brothers wagon company, precursor of the automobile manufacturer, is established, 1852 The
French Government passes a law to set the A-note above middle C to a
frequency of 435 Hz, in an attempt to standardize the pitch, 1859 The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks forms, 1868 The "Ladies Home Journal" begins publishing, 1883 The first Chinese daily newspaper in the US, Chung Sai Yat Po, begins publication in San Francisco, 1900 The first US Esperanto Club organizes in Boston, 1905 The first synagogue in 425 years opens in Madrid, Spain, 1917 Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, 1923 The first patent is issued for a tree, to James Markham for a peach tree, 1932 Wallace H. Carothers receives a United States patent for nylon, 1937 Canadians
are granted Canadian citizenship after 80 years of being British
subjects. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King becomes the first
Canadian citizen, 1947 Britain abolishes the death penalty, 1956 Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1, 1959 In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service, 1968 The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago, Illinois), 1978 The
trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of being a Nazi guard dubbed "Ivan the
Terrible" in Treblinka extermination camp, starts in Jerusalem, 1987 The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia, 2005 The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army, 2006
*This
is the same US state that still has a law on its books requiring every
resident to take a bath at least once a year, whether the person needs it or not!
Friday, February 15, 2013
On our big day, i headed out to begin deliveries before 7am. By the time i was done, it was 7pm. Two items returned from my routes, one because there was no such address and we were given no contact number (remember my hints!), one because it was misrouted and ended up getting there after the person had left work. It had to be redelivered. Oh, and i am ashamed of myself; i popped a balloon by accident. At least i was able to run back, get another, and still get it to the lady, but for heaven's sake, i know better. Today is my last day, i will "bat cleanup," taking care of the ones that couldn't be delivered yesterday, for whatever reason. Then, i get a break until Mother's Day. Today is:
Candlemas -- on the Julian Calendar, and in the Orthodox Churches
Decimal Day -- UK (anniversary of the 1971 currency conversion to the decimal system)
Flag Day -- Canada (Maple Leaf adopted this date 1965)
Great
Back Yard Bird Count begins -- birdsource.org; a four day project for
anyone from across North America; count birds for a few minutes a day
today, or every day for the next four days, giving a real time idea of
where the birds are now
John Frum Day -- Tanna Island, Vanuatu
Kamakura Matsuri -- Yokote, Akita Prefecture, Japan (Snow Cave Festival; through tomorrow)
Kuromori Kabuki -- Kuromori, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan (traditional Kabuki, through the 17th)
Lupercalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (remembrance of the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus)
National
Date Festival -- Indio, CA, US (a most exotic county fair, the date
comes from the land of the Arabian Nights and this festival celebrates
all aspects of the theme; through the 24th)
National Gum Drop Day
Nice Carnival -- Nice, France (dating back to the 14th century, this celebration is one of France's best; through Mar. 6)
Nirvana Day -- Jain
Reenactment of the Battle of Olustee -- Olustee, FL, US (largest Civil War battle in Florida; through Sunday)
Remember the Maine Day -- US (remembrance of the Spanish War)
Singles Awareness Day -- although some celebrate on the 14th as an anti-Valentine's Day
Sretenje -- Serbia (National Day)
Stop
and Smell Your Compost Pile Day -- snort away the winter blues and
think about spring (but i think this one is just plain weird)
St. Sigfrid's Day (Patron of Sweden)
Susan B. Anthony Day -- US (birth anniversary)
Tokamachi Yukimatsuri -- Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan (snow fest and kimono festival; through Sunday)
Total Defense Day -- Singapore
Vasant Panchami / Saraswati Puja -- Hindu (celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge)
Wings
Over the Platte Spring Migration Celebration -- Grand Island, NE, US
(the world's largest concentration of sandhill cranes is celebrated
through next month)
Birthdays Today:
Renee O'Connor, 1971 Jane Child, 1967 Chris Farley, 1964 Matt Groening, 1954 Melissa Manchester, 1951 Jane Seymour, 1951 Claire Bloom, 1931 Harvey Korman, 1927 Miep Gees, 1909 Cesar Romero, 1907 John Barrymore, 1882 Elihu Root, 1824 Susan B. Anthony, 1820 Cyrus McCormick, 1809 Henry Engelhard Steinway, 1797 Galileo Galilei, 1564 Babur, 1483 (founder of Mughal dynasty in India) Claudius Drusus Germanicus Caesar Nero, 37
Today in History:
Philosopher Socrates is sentenced to death, BC399 Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia, 590 Ho-tse Shen-hui, Zen teacher, disputes the founder of Northern Ch'an line, 732 The city of St. Louis, Missouri, is founded by Pierre Laclade Ligue as a French trading post, 1764 The first US printed ballots are authorized, in Philadelphia, 1799 Sarah Roberts is barred from attending a white school in Boston, 1848 Great Ormond St Hospital for Sick Children, London, admits its first patient, 1852 A fire in Rotterdam, Netherlands, damages the Museum Boymans, 1864 American
President Rutherford B. Hayes signs a bill allowing female attorneys to
argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, 1879 Nine inches (23cm) of snow falls on New Orleans, Louisiana, 1898 The USS Maine sinks in Havana harbor, cause unknown-258 sailors die, 1898 The first Teddy Bear is introduced in America, made by Morris and Rose Michtom, 1903 Gerald
Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux begin excavations at Cave 1 of the
Qumran Caves, where they will eventually discover the first seven Dead
Sea Scrolls, 1949 The Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China sign a mutual defense treaty, 1950 Canada
and the United States agree to construct the Distant Early Warning
Line, a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic regions of
Canada and Alaska, 1954 A new red-and-white maple leaf design is adopted as the flag of Canada, replacing the old Canadian Red Ensign banner, 1965 The decimalisation of British coinage is completed on Decimal Day, 1971 The 1976 Constitution of Cuba is adopted by the national referendum, 1976 The drilling rig Ocean Ranger sinks during a storm off the coast of Newfoundland, killing 84 rig workers, 1982 The Soviet Union officially announces that all of its troops have left Afghanistan, 1989 At
the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China, a Long March 3 rocket,
carrying an Intelsat 708, crashes into a rural village after liftoff,
killing an unannounced number of people, 1996 First draft of the complete Human Genome is published in Nature, 2001 YouTube, the Internet site on which videos may be shared and viewed by others, is launched in the United States, 2005
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Day one deliveries went well, and i even got to bring flowers to a really good, old family friend. It was amusing, i saw the name on the manifests, and told them i knew that person, and told stories about her from years ago, and they put me on that route. At home, things didn't go quite so swimmingly, though. Someone let a cat into our bedroom that is not normally allowed in, and it decided to mark its territory on our bed. Thus i came home to dirty dishes (no one had washed up), and a bed to remake. It could be worse, i could have not had chili planned and almost ready for dinner. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
Today is: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Annual Meeting -- Washington, DC, US (a five day meeting of top
scientist; who knows what these people will come up with next, because
science is amazing!) Bird Mating Season begins -- according to legend, in honor of St. Valentine Blessing
of the Salmon Nets -- Norham, Northumberland, England & North
Shields, Northumbria, England (just before midnight, nets are blessed
and right after midnight, the first nets of the season are thrown out;
anything caught is presented to the officiating vicar) Day Sacred to Juno Lupa -- Ancient Roman Calendar (Juno of the Wolf) Feast
of Vali -- Asatru/Slavic Pagan (archer god, an Asatru answer to the
Valentine celebration, which is really a thinly disguised Lupercalia) Ferris Wheel Day -- birth anniversary of G.W.G. Ferris, Jr. Festival au Desert -- Segou, Mali (continuation of the most remote music festival in the world) Fjortende Februar -- Denmark (Danish lovers send each other snowdrop flowers.) International Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day International Quirkyalone Day -- a day to value your individuality, whether you are partnered or not League of Women Voter's Day -- US Liberation Day -- Afghanistan Library Lovers Day -- for those whose favorite companion is a great book Miami
International Boat Show -- Miami, FL, US (biggest boat show in the US,
and the main event for product introductions; through Monday) National Call In Single Day -- what a lot of men who feel pressured to be romantic on this day wish they could do, i'm sure! National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day National
Have-a-Heart Day -- to create awareness of the impact of our food
choices on the environment, world hunger, animal welfare and human
health—especially heart health National Organ Donor Day -- US, but no matter where you live, consider leaving instructions about this to your loved ones Nirvana Day -- Buddhist Race Relations Day -- originally on Lincoln's birth anniversary, now on the day promoting love Rafik Hairi Memorial Day -- Lebanon Read to Your Child Day -- to start their love of learning early (and do it daily!) Simplot
Games -- Holt Arena, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, US (Indoor
track and field for the top high school athletes from the US and Canada;
through Saturday) Sts. Cyril & Methodius' Day
(Patrons ecumenism, unity of Eastern and Western Churches; Bohemia;
Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Europe; Moravia; the Slavic peoples) Trifon Zarezan -- Bulgaria (Viticulturists' Day; since Thracian times, a day to celebrate Dionysus and wine) Valentine's
Day (St. Valentine of Rome, Patron of apiarists/beekeepers, betrothed
couples, greeting card manufacturers, greetings, happy marriages, love,
lovers, travellers, young people; Bussolengo, Italy; against epilepsy,
fainting, plague) Anniversaries Today: Oregon becomes the 33rd US state, 1859 Arizona becomes the 48th US state, 1912 Birthdays Today: Drew Bledsoe, 1972 Meg Tilly, 1960 Gregory Hines, 1946 Carl Bernstein, 1944 Michael Bloomberg, 1942 Florence Henderson, 1934 Vic Morrow, 1932 Hugh Downs, 1921 Mel Allen, 1913 Jimmy Hoffa, 1913 Jack Benny, 1894 George Washington Gale Ferris,Jr., 1859 Frederick Douglass, 1817 Today in History: The annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg make the first known mention of Lithuania, 1009 Approximately 2,000 Jews are burned to death by mobs or forcibly removed from the city of Strasbourg, 1349 Roman Catholic emperor Leopold I chases the Jews out of Vienna, 1670 The
United States Flag is formally recognized by a foreign naval vessel for
the first time, when French Admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la
Motte rendered a nine gun salute to USS Ranger, commanded by John Paul
Jones, 1778 James Cook is killed by Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii, 1779 John Jervis and Horatio Nelson lead the British Royal Navy to victory over a Spanish fleet in action near Gibraltar, 1797 The apple parer is patented by Moses Coats of Downington, Pennsylvania, 1803 US
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall declares that any act of the
US Congress that conflicts with the Constitution is void, 1803 The
original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, is formed in Kirtland, Ohio, 1835 In New York City, James Knox Polk becomes the first serving President of the United States to have his photograph taken, 1849 A.G.
Bell and Elisha Gray both apply for a patent for a telephone; Bell
first by only 2 hours, and is ruled the rightful inventor, 1876 The first trainload of California grown fruit, oranges, leaves L.A. for the east,1889 Voting machines are approved by the U.S. Congress for use in federal elections, 1899 The Soviet Union adopts the Gregorian calendar, 1918 The League of Women Voters is founded in Chicago, Illinois, 1920 The Bank of England is nationalized, 1946 ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled, 1946 The Knesset (Israeli parliament) convenes for the first time, 1949 Element 103, Lawrencium, is first synthesized at the University of California, 1961 The first of 24 satellites of the Global Positioning System are placed into orbit, 1989
