Hours and Hours

"Hi, mom!"  Bigger Girl has been mostly absent, between work and school, but her finals are over and she's actually coming home occasionally.

It's good to see you! i said.

"Guess what!  Vera helped me order a new computer, and for our $400 budget she got me a rebuilt Lenovo with a spare battery and a warranty!  And Miss Lizzie and I are going to take PepperJack to get his heartworm preventive shot on Saturday, and my friends are making a movie and because my summer semester is over I have time to help them!"

That's great, i said.  What's this movie about?

"It's going to be a horror flick, about a guy who is psychologically tormented by a monster that appears to him as dozens and dozens of women's hands reaching for him.  You know what that means, right?"

What? i asked.

"It means I need to get all of my female friends together so that we can film the scenes where he sees the hands!  They need all my friends, as many as we can get together."

That ought to be interesting, will you bribe them all to come? i asked.

"Yes, I'll feed them, and that will get them!  It's an advantage to have starving college students as friends!"

Not all of them are students, though, i noted.

"No, but close enough, all in that age.  Oh, and Miss Lizzie has loaned Vera an air mattress so she won't have to sleep on the hard cot that hurts her back so much!  She says that as soon as her veterans disability comes through, she wants to buy a bed.  She is only 24 and walks with a cane, she really needs a good bed.  And rehab for her knee so she can get trained as a mechanic.  She doesn't want to stay on disability long, just long enough to recover and get training so she can work."

That's the best way, i noted, then added, So, now that your summer class is over, what are your plans?

"Well, work each day for a couple of more weeks, but other than that, I'm free!  I have hours and hours each day to just do what I want!  Oh, and I want to spend some of those hours doing the chores I haven't been getting to while i've been working and studying."

Sounds great, i said.

"Hours and hours!" she was gloating as she wandered upstairs.

She's going to enjoy them.




Today is

Always Live Better Than Yesterday Day

Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival -- Davenport, IA, US (fifteen bands at 3 venues and a great time for all; through Sunday)

Blessing of the Waters -- Whitstable, Kent, England (ceremony dating back to 1657, this event is held to appease the cruel seas and give thanks for its bounty; held during the community's annual Oyster Festival)

Brat Days -- Sheboygan, WI, US (celebrating bratwurst and more; through Sunday)

Cotton Candy Day

Emancipation Day -- Bermuda (first day of the Cup Match)

Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola -- (Founder of the Jesuits, especially revered in Spain; Patron of retreats, soldiers, and the Society of Jesus which he founded; Basque country; Bilbao, Spain; Bizkaia, Spain; Gipuzkoa, Spain; Guipuscoa, Spain; Guipúzcoa, Spain; Spiritual Exercises (by Pope Pius XI); Vizcaya, Spain)

First Sermon of Lord Buddha -- Bhutan

Hachinohe Sansha Taisai -- Hachinohe City, Japan (one of the most elaborate neputa festivals, through Aug. 4)

International Ranger Day -- the International Ranger Federation wants us to honor wildlife rangers around the world, and remember those killed in the line of duty

Jump for Jellybeans Day

Ka Hae Hawai'i Day -- Hawai'i (State Flag Day)

Lammas Eve / Lughnassad Eve

Lithasblot -- Norse harvest festival with a "blot", or offering, to the gods, celebrated through tomorrow

Loki and Sigyn's Day - Asatru / Norse Pagan (aka Devoted Couples Day)

Make Homemade Ice Cream and Invite the Neighbors Over Day -- summer's almost over, make the most of the days we have left!

Moby Dick Marathon -- aboard the last US wooden whaler, the Charles W. Morgan, Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT, US (through tomorrow, from noon to noon, a marathon reading of Moby Dick in honor of Melville's birthday)

Mountain Dance and Folk Festival -- Asheville, NC, US (celebrating the cultural heritage of the southern Appalachian Mountains; through Saturday)

Mutts' Day -- because mutts deserve a day as much as purebreds do!

National Chili Dog Day

National Raspberry Cake Day

Rockhound Gemboree -- Bancroft, ON, Canada (expeditions to prime mineral locations as well as dealers, demonstrations, swapping, and the chance for rockhounds to have a great time; through Sunday)

Satchmo Summerfest -- New Orleans, LA, US (because one jazz festival in this city is never enough; through Sunday)

St. Germanus' Day (Patron of Auxerre, France)

St. Joseph of Arimathea's Day -- Eastern Orthodox Church (Patron of funeral directors)

Uncommon Instruments Day -- go find a few new musical instruments you didn't know about, you might become a fan


Birthdays Today

Eric Lively, 1981
Dean Cain, 1966
J.K. Rowling, 1965
Jim Corr, 1964
Wesley Snipes, 1962
Bill Berry, 1958
Michael Biehn, 1956
Barry Van Dyke, 1951
Evonne Goolagong, 1951
Gary Lewis, 1946
Geraldine Chaplin, 1944
Susan Flannery, 1943
France Nuyen, 1939
Ted Cassidy, 1932
Don Murray, 1929
Curt Gowdy, 1919
Milton Friedman, 1912


Debuting/Premiering Today:

The Living Daylights(Film), 1987
"The Shadow"(Radio), 1930


Today in History

Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian's forces, but most of his army subsequently deserts, leading to his suicide, BC30
The oldest recorded eruption of Mt. Fuji, 781
Thessalonica falls to the Arabs, who destroy the city, 904
The Jews are expelled from Spain when the Alhambra Decree takes effect, 1492
On his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, Christopher Columbus
becomes the first European to discover the island of Trinidad, 1498
Aurangzeb is proclaimed Moghul emperor of India, 1658
The Treaty of Breda ends the Second Anglo-Dutch War, 1667
Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet, but is pelted with flowers, 1703
The U.S. Second Continental Congress passes a resolution that the services of Marquis de Lafayette  "be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connexions, he have the rank and commission of major-general of the United States," 1777
First U.S. patent is issued to inventor Samuel Hopkins for a potash process, 1790
Christchurch, New Zealand is chartered as a city, 1856
The first narrow gauge mainline railway in the world opens at Grandchester, Australia, 1865
The radio mystery program The Shadow is aired for the first time, 1930
Archaeologists discover engraved gold and silver plates from King Darius in Persepolis, 1938
First ascent of K2, by an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio, 1954
At Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, the first All-Star Game tie in major league baseball history occurs when the game is stopped in the 9th inning because of rain, 1961
The last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the Royal Navy, 1970
Apollo 15 astronauts become the first to ride in a lunar rover, 1971
NASA releases the famous Face on Mars photo, 1976
A rare, class F4 tornado rips through Edmonton, Alberta, killing 27 people and causing $330 million in damage, 1987
Georgia joins the United Nations, 1992
Fidel Castro hands over power temporarily to brother Raúl Castro, 2006
Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland, and the longest-running British Army operation ever, comes to an end, 2007
U.S. Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps wins a record 19th Olympic medal, with gold in the 4x200metres freestyle relay, 2012

Almost Wordless Wednesday: They Went There

Now, i've seen some crazy signs in south Louisiana, but even i had to stop and look twice at this one.

Right on a highway, there it was.  Yes, i know they are trying to get people thinking about their health.  But really, this?

Trying to get people to get colon cancer screening.

There has to be a better way to word this.


Today is:

Chincoteague Pony Round Up / Pony Swim -- Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, VA, US (through tomorrow)

Dia del Amigo -- Paraguay

Father-in-Law Day -- unsponsored and unclaimed, but fathers-in-law deserve respect, too

Feast of the Throne -- Morocco; Western Sahara

Festival of Fortuna Huiusque Diei -- Ancient Roman Calendar ("Fortune of the Present Day")

Friendship Day/International Day of Friendship -- UN

Halifax International Busker Festival -- Halifax, NS, Canada (with  action packed, mind blowing shows from around the globe; through August 4)

Herbal Ballooning -- Fairy Calendar

Independence Day -- Vanuatu(1980)

Kronia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (festival of Kronos as god of the harvest; date approximate)

Maine Lobster Festival -- Rockland, ME, US (more fun than a lobster can shake a tail at; through Sunday)

Martyr's Day -- South Sudan

National Cheesecake Day

National Support Public Education Day -- Change.org wants this to be an official day for support of US public education systems

Paperback Day -- anniversary of the 1935 publication of Penguin #1, Arial, A Life of Shelley, by Andre Maurois in London, the first successful series of paperback books

Sumiyoshi Matsuri -- Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Osaka, Japan (Osaka's last major summer festival, through Aug. 1)

Sts. Abdon and Sennen's Day (Patrons of barrel makers and coopers; the ashes of ferns cut and burned on this day will keep away insects and unwanted guests)

Teej Festival -- HR, India (a woman's festival, celebrating marriage and the uniting of Shiva and Parvati; through tomorrow)


Anniversaries Today:

Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, marries Michael Tindall, 2011


Birthdays Today:

Hope Solo, 1981
Jaime Pressly, 1977
Misty May-Treanor, 1977
Hilary Swank, 1974
Tom Green, 1971
Simon Baker, 1969
Vivica A. Fox, 1964
Lisa Kudrow, 1963
Alton Brown, 1962
Laurence Fishburne, 1961
Kate Bush, 1958
Delta Burke, 1956
Ken Olin, 1954
Jean Reno, 1948
Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1947
William Atherton, 1947
David Sanborn, 1945
Paul Anka, 1941
Peter Bogdanovich, 1939
Buddy Guy, 1936
Allan Huber “Bud” Selig, 1934
Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, 1933
Thomas Sowell, 1930
Sid Krofft, 1929
Christine McGuire, 1926
Henry W. Bloch, 1922
Henry Spencer Moore, 1898
Casey Stengel, 1891
Henry Ford, 1863
Thorstein Bunde Veblen, 1857
Georg Wilhelm von Siemens, 1855
Emily Bronte, 1818


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Santa Barbara"(TV), 1984
"Flowers and Trees"(Disney short, first in Technicolor), 1932"Death Valley Days"(Radio), 1930




Today in History

City of Baghdad is founded, 762
The First Defenestration of Prague, 1419
Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras during his fourth voyage, 1502
At Ticonderoga (now Crown Point, New York), Samuel de Champlain shoots and kills two Iroquois chiefs, which set the tone for French-Iroquois relations for the next one hundred years, 1608
In Jamestown, Virginia, the first European style representative assembly in the Americas, the House of Burgesses, convenes for the first time, 1619
An earthquake in Naples, Italy kills 10,000 people, 1629
Baltimore, Maryland is founded, 1729
Bartolomeo Rastrelli presents the newly-built Catherine Palace to Empress Elizabeth and her courtiers, 1756
First ascent of Grand Combin, one of the highest summits in the Alps,1859
Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone tribe signs the Treaty of Box Elder, agreeing to stop the harassment of emigrant trails in southern Idaho and northern Utah, 1863
In Montevideo, Uruguay wins the first Football World Cup, 1930
Premiere of Walt Disney's Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon short to use Technicolor and the first Academy Award winning cartoon short, 1932
A joint resolution of the U.S. Congress is signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, authorizing In God We Trust as the U.S. national motto, 1956
US President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Social Security Act of 1965 into law, establishing Medicare and Medicaid, 1965
David Scott and James Irwin on Apollo Lunar Module module, Falcon, land with first Lunar Rover on the moon, 1971
Six Royal Canadian Army Cadets are killed and fifty-four injured in an accidental grenade blast at CFB Valcartier Cadet Camp, 1974
Jimmy Hoffa disappears, 1975
In Mexico, the last 'old style' Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line, 2003
Israel and Palestinian officials agree to resume negotiations for a peace agreement, 2013

Sometimes i wonder about that boy.

"Hey, mom, did you see Young Jacob's new wheels?" #2 Son asked.

Knowing that Young Jacob currently has a Tacoma truck and a Subaru of some sort, both not running, i wondered what in the world he was doing with new wheels.  He's supposed to be fixing the old ones.

No, i simply answered, i have not.

"Come see!  He got a sweet deal on a moped!"

Walking outside, i was greeted with this:

Not my idea of a moped.

That, i said, looks more like a motorcycle.

"No, it's just a moped," #2 Son said.  "And he got a deal on it, only $1,200!"

And he bought this while he's trying to save up and fix two vehicles because? i asked.

"Because he needed something he could use now!" #2 Son answered.

Logic only a wheel loving boy could use.

It worries me enough that Young Jacob drives at all, ever since he had a seizure behind the wheel two years ago.  It worries me more that he's now on a bike, which has no protection at all.  Yes, he always wears a helmet, i saw it sitting on the dining room table when he came over.  To me, that hardly makes up for the danger, but i guess that's why they like it.

Sometimes i wonder what these boys are thinking, but i have to admit, it's cool looking, motorcycle or moped or whatever it is.



Today is

Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day (Buy your cheese that will be sacrificed on Cheese Sacrifice Day, and no, I never have found out why there is a Cheese Sacrifice Day anyway or to whom you are supposed to sacrifice it.)*

Chicken Wings Day -- Buffalo, NY, US (they want it to be a national day, and maybe someday it will be)

Eid al Fitr -- Islam (celebration of the end of Ramadan; began sundown yesterday, runs through sundown on the 11th, although local dating and official government observances may vary)

Feast of St. Martha, Virgin, Dragon Charmer, Sister of Lazarus (Patron of butlers, cooks, dieticians, domestic servants, homemakers, hotel keepers, housemaids, housewives, inkeepers, laundry workers, maids, manservants, servants, servers, single laywomen, travellers; Villajoyosa, Spain, which village she saved on her feast day by sending a flash flood to wash away the Moorish invaders in 1538)

Fiesta de Santa Maria Ribarteme (a/k/a Festival of Near Death Experiences) -- As Neves, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain (festival of Mary in which those who have come back from near death are carried to the shrine in open coffins, or walk there clad in shrouds)

International Tiger Day

NASA Day -- marking the day President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law, creating NASA

National Anthem Day -- Romania

National Lasagna Day

National Thai Language Day -- Thailand (Wan Phasa Thai Haeng Chat)

Photograph Your Children When They're Not Looking Day -- get a good, candid shot to enjoy

Rain Day Festival -- Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (yes, it has rained at 113 out of the 140 observances of this festival on this date)

Runic Half-Month Thorn begins (defense)

St. Lazarus' Day -- date given in the Martyrologium Romanum; celebrated on Lazarus Saturday by most Eastern Churches and on Dec. 17 in most Western Churches

St. Olaf's (Olav) Day (Norway's Viking king; pPtron of carvers, difficult marriages, kings; Norway)related observances
     Olavsokadagur -- Faroe Islands (opening of Logting, or Parliament; a National Day, on the Feast Day of St. Olav)
     Oslok Eve -- Norway (celebrating the valiant death of their hero on this evening at the battle at Stiklestadt in 1030)
     sometimes associated with Thor's Day among the Norse and Thunor of the Anglo-Saxons

Territory Day -- Wallis and Futuna

*"A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be oversophisticated. Yet it remains cheese, milk's leap toward immortality." Clifton Fadiman


Anniversaries Today

Andy Taylor marries Tracey Wilson, 1982
Charles, Prince of Wales, marries Lady Diana Spencer, 1981
Mary, Queen of Scots, marries Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, 1565


Birthdays Today

Danger Mouse, 1977
Josh Radnor, 1974
Wanya Morris, 1973
Wil Wheaton, 1972
Julian McMahon, 1968
Martina McBride, 1966
Alexandra Paul, 1963
Patty Scialfa, 1956
Ken Burns, 1953
Tim Gunn, 1953
Marilyn Quayle, 1949
David Warner, 1941
Peter Jennings, 1938
Elizabeth Dole, 1936
Paul Taylor, 1930
Chester Bomar Himes, 1909
Melvin Belli, 1907
Clara Bow, 1905
Dag Hammarskjold, 1905
Stanley Kunitz, 1905
Benito Mussolini, 1883
Newton Booth Tarkington, 1869
Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, 1861
Alexis de Tocqueville, 1805


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Friday Night Videos"(TV), 1983
Help(Film), 1965
"Steamboat Willie"(Animated short, first appearance of Mickey Mouse), 1928


Today in History

King Olaf II fights and dies trying to regain his Norwegian throne from the Danes, 1030
James VI is crowned King of Scotland at Stirling, 1567
English naval forces under command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake defeat the Spanish Armada off the coast of Gravelines, France, 1588
John Graves Simcoe decides to build a fort and settlement at Toronto, having sailed into the bay there, 1793
Inauguration of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, 1836
In Tipperary, an unsuccessful nationalist revolt against British rule is put down by police, 1848
The First Hague Convention is signed, 1899
Sir Robert Baden Powell sets up the Brownsea Island Scout camp in Poole Harbour on the south coast of England; this is regarded as the foundation of the Scouting movement, 1907
The International Atomic Energy Agency is established, 1957
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and President of France François Mitterrand sign the agreement to build a tunnel under the English Channel, 1987
The film Cry Freedom is seized by South African authorities, 1988
Astronomers announce the discovery of Eris, the largest dwarf planet in the solar system, 2005
South Sudan becomes the 54th member of the African Union, 2011
Scientists reveal new research identifying a mechanism by which Earth-warming carbon is pulled deep into the Southern Ocean, and locked away, and scientists claim this process may be threatened by climate change, 2012

Awww Monday: Yes, I Know It!

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus.  Everyone could use some cute to start the week, so post a picture that makes us say, "Awww!" and link up!

Dansig says, "Yes, I know I'm good looking!"

Awww, aren't I handsome!

In other news, Dansig's owner, or "daddy" (yes, i have "grandcats"!), #2 Son, has his first physical therapy session today, and will get the surgical dressing off of his hand.


Today is

Buffalo Soldiers Day -- US (as designated by Congress)http://www.answers.com/topic/buffalo-soldiers-commemorations

Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval a/k/a Expulsion of the Acadians Day -- Canada

Eid al Fitr -- Islam (celebration of the end of Ramadan; begins at sundown, and runs through sundown on the 31st, but local dates and official government observances may vary)

Experimental Aircraft Association Airventure -- Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, WI, US (world's largest sport aviation event, through Sunday)
        
Festival of Hedjihotep -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (goddess of weaving; date approximate)

Hurricane Supplication Day -- US Virgin Islands (churches hold special services to pray against hurricanes hitting the islands this season)

Imp-Handling Conference -- Fairy Calendar

Independence Day -- Peru(1821)

Liberation Day / Anniversary of the Fall of Fascism -- San Marino

Nagasaki Peiron Senshuken -- Nagasaki, Japan (two day dragon boat racing festival begun in the 17th century)

National Milk Chocolate Day

Olavsokuaftan (Olavsoka Eve) and the Olai Festival -- Faroe Islands (St. Olav's Eve, the night before the opening of Parliament and the festival of St. Olav; through tomorrow)

Soma-Nomaoi -- Haramachi City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (three day wild horse chase which recreates a battle from over 1,000 years ago)

St. Arduinus of Trepino's Day (Patron of Trepino, Italy)

Terry Fox Day -- born in Winnipeg on this date in 1958, he raised $24 million for cancer research by running over 3,000 miles on an artificial leg before his death in 1981 at age 23

World Hepatitis Day -- International


Anniversaries Today

Henry VIII marries Catherine Howard, 1540
The first Singing Telegram is delivered, 1933


Birthdays Today

Lori Loughlin, 1964
Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox, 1958
Hugo Chavez, 1954
Sally Struthers, 1948
Linda Kelsey, 1946
Jim Davis, 1945
Rick Wright, 1945
Bill Bradley, 1943
Phil Proctor, 1040
Darryl Hickman, 1931
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, 1929
Jacques Piccard, 1922
Earl Tupper, 1907
Rudy Vallee, 1901
Joe E. Brown, 1892
Beatrix Potter, 1866
Thomas Heyward, Jr., 1746


Today in History

Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of treason, 1540
Bermuda is first settled by Europeans, survivors of the English ship Sea Venture en route to Virginia, 1609
Maximilien Robespierre is executed by guillotine in Paris during the French Revolution, 1794
Welsh settlers arrive at Chubut in Argentina, 1865
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, guaranteeing due process and establishing citizenship for African Americans is certified, 1868
First flight of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1935
The Metropolitan Police Flying Squad foils a bullion robbery in the "Battle of London Airport", 1948
The Tangshan earthquake measuring between 7.8 and 8.2 moment magnitude flattens Tangshan, the People's Republic of China, killing 242,769 and injuring 164,851, 1976
Andorra joins the United Nations, 1993
Australian Ian Thorpe becomes the first swimmer to win six gold medals at a single World Championships, 2001
The Provisional Irish Republican Army calls an end to its thirty year long armed campaign in Northern Ireland, 2005
The U-550, a sunken German U-Boat, is discovered off the cost of Massachusetts, 2012

Silly Sunday: Anniversary Musings

Silly Sunday is hosted by Sandee, of Comedy Plus.  Silly Sunday is the place to come for laughs to start the week off right.

It's easy to participate, just Laugh and Link Up!

Sweetie and i have been married for 29 years as of today.

Sometimes it seems like forever, and sometimes it seems like it's passed lickety-split.

Being married this long reminds me of a joke.

Boudreaux done gone into his favorite waterin' hole, an' order him a beer.  Den he jes' tell de barkeep to not stop, keep 'em comin'.

Once he get about t'ree beers in him, he start cryin' and cryin'.  By de fourth he be cryin' harder, and by de sixth, he jes' bawlin' his eyes out.

Fin'ly, de barkeep say, "Boudreaux, usu'ly I don' ax, 'cause some folk jes' don' like when people get nosy, but I gotta know, what you so upset about?"

"Today be my weddin' anniversary!" Boudreaux say, coughin' an' chokin' wit' tears.

"An' you be cryin' 'bout dat?" de barkeep say, amazed.  "Dat should be a good t'ing!"

Well Boudreaux, he cry harder dan before, and he say, "No!  You don' unnerstan'!  Twenty-five years ago today, Clothile's daddy put a shotgun to my head, and tole me dat we was goin' to de justice of de peace right den, and I was goin' marry his daughter, or he was gonna set de law on me for what we done, and I realize, if I'd a jes' let him set de law on me instead, today is de day I'd be gettin' outta jail for good behavior!"

Today is:

Auntie's Day® -- as begun by The Savvy Auntie, celebrating those who chose to take on the active role of being an Auntie

Barbie-in-a-blender Day -- while i get why we do it to Barbie, what did your blender do to deserve this?  originally thought of by Freeculture, to defend our rights to comment on cultural icons, whether they are trademarked/copyrighted or not

Bugs Bunny Day -- the "wascally wabbit" made his debut in A Wild Hare, released on this day in 1940

Day of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus -- date on the Julian Calendar, these are the legendary saints who, upon persecution by the Emperor Decius and being walled up in a cave to die as martyrs, instead slept for over 200 (in the Koran, yes, they are mentioned there, it is 300) years; based on an even more ancient legend and the prototypes of Rip Van Winkle; related observances
     National Sleepy Head Day -- Finland (the last person in the house to wake on this day is awakened with water, either thrown on him/her or the person is thrown into water; in honor of the story of the Saints of Ephesus)
     Seven Sleepers Day -- Ancient Latvian Calendar
     Siebenschlafer -- Germany (a weather prognostication day, if it rains today, there will be rain for seven weeks more)

Festival of Domhnach Chrom Dubh -- Ireland (Black Crom's Sunday, associated with the god Lugh and connected to the festival of Lammas; also connected to John Barleycorn, the personification of the grain, who is killed by being harvested at this time; many honor St. Patrick's Fast by making a pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick, where he fasted until he overcame the pagan deity Crom Cruach [Crom of the Reek])

Heyannir month commences -- Icelandic Calendar (Harvest Month, literally translates "Hay Working")

Hot August Nights -- Reno, NV, US (celebrate cars and music of the 50's and 60's at the largest  classic car and nostalgia event in the United States; through Saturday)

Iglesia Ni Cristo Day -- Philippines

International Bog Day

Ipip Festival -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (festival for working on the king's tomb; date approximate)

Jose Celso Barbosa Day -- Puerto Rico

Mi'kmaq Pilgrimage to St. Anne Mission -- Mi'kmaq First Nations of Canada and Maine

National Blunt Object Day -- this one is just weird, and no one wants to take the blame for starting it, either

National Creme Brulee Day

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day -- US

National Scotch Day

National Tree Day -- Australia

Over-The-Moon Night (Cows and Spoons) -- Fairy Calendar

Parent's Day -- US (information here)

Procession of the Penitents -- Veurne, Belgium (passion play dating back to the 15th century)

Ranggeln -- Mt. Hundstein, Germany (traditional form of wresting, called ranggeln, in honor of St. Jacob's Day [which most celebrate on July 25]; this particular festival harks back to the pre-Christian Lughnasadh celebrations, which went through Aug. 1 and contained athletic events)

St. Pantaleon's Day (Patron of bachelors, physicians, torture victims; against tuberculosis)

Take Your Houseplants For a Walk Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays, which claims doing this will orient them to their position on the earth and make them healthier (some websites mistakenly call it take your pants for a walk day!)

Valencia Fair Battle of the Flowers -- Valencia, Spain (conclusion and highlight of the Valencia Fair, with a parade and thousands of carnations thrown from floats, making a magical carpet of petals for all to enjoy)

Vardavar -- Armenia (continuation of an ancient pagan festival that encourages people to pull pranks, especially dousing everyone, friend and stranger, with water)

Victory Day -- North Korea

Walk on Stilts Day -- at your own risk always; sponsored by Bill "Stretch" Coleman, the Nine Foot Clown, who encourages everyone to walk on stilts to foster a chance to develop self-confidence, master balance and coordination, enjoy the challenge, and celebrate daring accomplishments at all ages

War Martyrs' and Invalids' Day -- Vietnam


Birthdays Today

Ashlyn Sanchez, 1996
Cheyenne Kimball, 1990
Courtney Kupets, 1986
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, 1977
Alex Rodriguez, 1975
Maya Rudolph, 1972
Triple H, 1969
Julian McMahon, 1968
Maureen McGovern, 1949
Peggy Fleming, 1948
Betty Thomas, 1947
Bobbie Gentry, 1944
James Victor, 1939
Gary Gygax, 1938
Jerry Van Dyke, 1931
Norman Lear, 1922
Leo Ernest Durocher, 1905
Joseph Bert "Joe" Tinker, 1880
José Celso Barbosa, 1857
Alexandre Dumas, fils, 1824
Queen Hatshepsut, BC1508


Today in History

Siward, Earl of Northumbria invades Scotland to support Malcolm Canmore against Macbeth of Scotland, who usurped the Scottish throne from Malcolm's father, King Duncan; Macbeth is defeated at Dunsinane, 1054
Jesuit priest Francis Xavier's ship reaches Japan, 1549
The English Parliament passes the second Navigation Act requiring that all goods bound for the American colonies have to be sent in English ships from English ports, 1663
A Royal Charter is granted to the Bank of England, 1694
The Russian Navy defeats the Swedes atthe Battle of Grengam, 1720
The first U.S. federal government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs, is established (later renamed Department of State), 1789
Robespierre is finally arrested, 1794
The Atlantic Cable is successfully completed, allowing transatlantic telegraph communication for the first time, 1866
Researchers at the University of Toronto led by biochemist Frederick Banting announce the discovery of the hormone insulin, 1921
The animated short A Wild Hare is released, introducing the character of Bugs Bunny, 1940
RMS Titanic, Inc. begins the first expedited salvaging of wreckage of the RMS Titanic, 1987
A pipe bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, GA, US, during the Summer Olympics, 1996
Photograph negatives purchased at a garage sale prove to be early works by photographer Ansel Adams, 2010

Odds and Ends

Because there really isn't a lot going on right now.

#2 Son is coming to terms with his short term disability.  Not only does he have to ask for help tying his shoes, he has noted that "I never thought it would be so hard to eat!"  He has trouble holding a fork, and is mostly wanting sandwiches.  He's also stopped taking the pain medicine already, saying it really doesn't hurt now.

Bigger Girl came home from work very excited because "We got new goats today!  By the way, I don't smell like goat, do I?  I'm going to Vera's to study, and I'm taking them dinner, and I don't want to go smelling like goat.  Although these are really nice goats, I would rather not smell like them!"

#1 Son's odd new work schedule has him off duty for almost a week.  He isn't really enjoying it, though, as he wants to stay busy.  He knows better than to tell me that he's bored, though, because I will most certainly find stuff for him to do!

Little Girl has noted with despair that she only has 3 weeks to get her sleep schedule straightened out before school will begin again.  All four of the kids take after their father and are night owls, preferring to stay up late and sleep in.  Unfortunately for them, the world is run by morning people, so she's started making herself go to bed by 10pm.  She's not happy about it, though.

Our friend Young Jacob has a new set of wheels -- two wheels, to be exact.  The crazy guy went and bought a fancy moped (that's what he calls it, it looks like a motorcycle to me, though).  He said, "Well, work on my Tacoma isn't going so well, and I needed a way to get around, and this was cheap."

Yeah, $1,200 cheap.  For that, he could have fixed the Tacoma!

Also, the brake light came on again in the van, even though it had been checked out.  As soon as it did, i headed over to the shop, and pulled right up to one of the bays.

"What's up?" Kevin asked when he saw me jump out without shutting the engine.

That pesky light is on again, and i'm not going to shut the engine, so you can hook up your machine and get the code, and maybe we can get to the bottom of this! i said.

They got to the bottom of it, all right.  Wheel bearings on both sides were giving out, which could have caused the wheels to fall off while driving.  That has been repaired, to the tune of $900.  The Jalopy strikes again!

The good news is that it seems to have fixed both the brake light and the ABS light that wouldn't shut off, even though nothing's wrong with the ABS.  Time will tell, i guess.

And today, i am working.  It seems an acquaintance needs a new housekeeper, and heard through the grapevine that i am available.  If it goes well, that would be a good thing, to have another steady client.  You can't count on people who just need a one time cleaning for a party or event or whatever to keep business going, although i won't turn those down.



Today is

Afrma Fancy Rat & Mouse Display -- Riverside, CA, US

All or Nothing Day -- no history on this one, but it's supposed to be the day you decide to live as if it's going to be your last!

Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous -- Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT, US (pre-1963 power and sailing yachts, river parade, and Rum Runners Rendezvous celebration; through tomorrow)

Aunt and Uncle Day -- originally proposed on this day in 2005 by Florida State Senator Tony Hill; if you have aunts and uncles you love, why not give them a call today

Carousel Day -- Johnson City, NY, US (Kids won't want to miss all the fun at this family event, and grown-ups, come be a kid again for a day!)

Dia de la Rebeldia -- Cuba (Revolution Anniversary)

Festival of Hathor -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Festival of Sleipnir -- Norse Pagan (date approximate, honored Odin's eight-legged horse, Sleipnir)

Geneva Arts Fair -- Geneva, IL, US (a juried event that is becoming one of the top such events in the US; through tomorrow)

Green Corn Ceremony -- Native Americans (thanksgiving for the maize harvest; these are celebrated by many tribes in many different ways and are not generally scheduled as they depend on how the corn grows; some have with rites including a Thanksgiving Prayer, Confession Chant, and Feather Dance; the Santa Ana Pueblo holds an annual Corn Festival on this date each year that is open to the public)

Groovy Chicken Day -- don't ask, just enjoy

Hanover Dutch Festival -- Hanover, PA, US (celebrating the area and it's heritage)

Independence Day -- Liberia(1847); Maldives(1965)

Kargil Vijay Diwas -- India (Kargil Victory Day)

National Coffee Milkshake Day

National Dance Day -- US (begun by Nigel Lythgoe, now a congressionally recognized day to encourage dance education and physical fitness, so go out and bust a move on a Saturday night, but don't bust you, please)

National Day of the Cowboy -- US  (celebrating the heritage, and those who still work as cowboys/cowgirls today)

One Voice Day -- readings around the world of the Universal Peace Covenant, sponsored by the School of Metaphysics

Otaru Tide Festival -- Otaru Wharf, Otaru City, Japan (one of Japan's biggest sea festivals, through the 28th)

"Paddle for Perthes" Disease Awareness Day -- to promote awareness of the children's condition called Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

Racial Desegregation Day -- date in 1944 the US Army ordered training camp facilities desegregated, and the date in 1948 President Truman signed the order integrating the US armed forces

Shab-e-Qadar -- Bangladesh (Night of Destiny)

St. Anne's Day (traditional name given to the mother of Mary; Patron of broommakers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, childless people, equestrians, expectant mothers, grandmothers, grandparents, homemakers, horse men, horse women, housewives, lace makers, lace workers, lost articles, miners, mothers, old-clothes dealers, poor people, pregnancy, pregnant women, riders, seamstresses, stablemen, turners, women in labour; Canada; France; Micmaqs; over 20 cities around the world; against poverty and sterility)

St. Joachim's Day (traditional name given to the father of Mary; Patron of fathers, grandfathers, grandparents; Adjuntas, Puerto Rico)

Sumidagawa River Fireworks Festival -- Tokyo, Japan (one of Japan's largest fireworks festivals)

Taylor Horsefest -- Taylor, ND, US (big enough to be fun, small enough to get you lots of time with the stars of the show, the horses! through tomorrow)

Whitstable Oyster Festival -- Whitstable, Kent, England (celebrating the areas famed and protected oysters, Ostrea edulis; through August 1)

Wonderful Drinks Day -- Fairy Calendar

World Congress of Esperanto -- Buenos Aires, Argentina; through next Saturday


Anniversaries Today

Signing of the American's With Disabilities Act, 1990
New York becomes the 11th US State, 1788
The United States Postal Service is founded, 1775


Birthdays Today

Taylor Momsen, 1993
Kate Beckinsale, 1973
Jeremy Piven, 1964
Sandra Bullock, 1964
Kevin Spacey, 1959
Angela Hewitt, 1958
Dorothy Hamill, 1956
Susan George, 1950
Roger Taylor, 1949
Helen Mirren, 1945
Mick Jagger, 1943
Dobie Gray, 1940
Stanley Kubrick, 1928
Blake Edwards, 1922
Jason Robards, Jr., 1922
Vivian Vance, 1912
Gracie Allen, 1902
Aldous Huxley, 1894
Carl Jung, 1875
George Bernard Shaw, 1856
George Catlin, 1796


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Alice In Wonderland(Animated film), 1951
The Babe Ruth Story(Film), 1948
"The Bob Howard Show"(TV), 1948
"Young Widder Brown"(Radio), 1938


Today in History

The first recorded women's cricket match took place near Guildford, England, 1745
The birth of what would later become the United States Post Office Department is established by the Second Continental Congress, 1775
The Surrey Iron Railway, often considered the world's first public railway, opens in south London, 1803
In California, the poet and American West outlaw calling himself "Black Bart" makes his last clean getaway, 1878
Premiere of Richard Wagner's Parsifal at Bayreuth, 1882
Publication of the Unua Libro, founding the Esperanto movement, 1887
United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation), 1908*
King Edward VIII, in one of his few official duties before he abdicated the throne, officially unveiled the Canadian National Vimy Memoria, 1936
The Labour Party wins the United Kingdom general election of July 5 by a landslide, removing Winston Churchill from power, 1945
U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act into United States law creating the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Security Council, 1947
U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981 desegregating the military of the United States, 1948
Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks, thus beginning the Cuban Revolution, 1953
Syncom 2, the world's first geosynchronous satellite, is launched from Cape Canaveral on a Delta B booster, 1963
The National Assembly of Quebec imposes the use of French as the official language of the provincial government, 1977
A federal grand jury indicts Cornell University student Robert T. Morris, Jr. for releasing the Morris worm, thus becoming the first person to be prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 1989
Mumbai, India receives 99.5cm of rain (39.17 inches) within 24 hours, bringing the city to a halt for over 2 days, 2005
Over 92,000 classified documents detailing incidents related to the war in Afghanistan are released by Wikileaks in the largest leak in U.S military history, 2010
President of France, Francois Holland finalizes a deal with Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara to forgive $4.7 billion dollars in debt incurred by the Ivory Coast when it was a French Colonial Power, 2012


*Yes, the grand-nephew of Napoleon I started the FBI -- I'm not sure why that seems so odd to me.

Feline Friday: They did what!!!

Feline Friday was started by Steve, The Burnt Food Dude, and i'm going to believe it's because he likes cats.

It's fun and easy to do Feline Friday, just post a cat picture and link up!

Heads are turning at the cat shelter with the news.

Wait!  They did what?!

The cat shelter has had some trouble lately with two things -- ringworm, and upper respiratory infections.

Cats were coming down with one or the other or both like crazy, and even the volunteers and staff were starting to get ringworm, in spite of taking precautions.  Bleaching the whole place has slowed it some, but it always crops back up.

It's gotten so bad, they've taken drastic action.  The place is shut down, all the cats have been removed to be treated for ringworm whether they have it or not and monitored for respiratory symptoms, and there are ozone machines going in the building for a full 48 hours to kill off EVERYTHING. 

It's expensive, but apparently it works and works well.  So they've gone this route, and are hoping this gives a fresh start.


Today is

Aberdeen International Youth Festival -- Aberdeen, Scotland (talented young people in all areas of performing arts and from around the world participate; through Aug. 2)

Antique Power and Steam Exhibition -- Burton, OH, US (over 100 antique engines show they can still cut the mustard -- or saw the logs, thresh the grain, etc.; through Sunday)

Act Like A Caveman Day -- internet generated, just to be fun, especially if your neighbors think you are crazy anyway

Arcadia Daze -- Arcadia, NY, US (lots of family friendly fun in this scenic village; through Sunday)

Bayreuther Festspiele -- Bayreuth, Germany (Wagner festival, through Aug. 28)

Be Adamant About Something Day -- it's good practice

Commonwealth Constitution Day -- Puerto Rico

Culinarian's Day -- another one here because of the internet, but a good excuse to let your inner chef go wild, and enjoy the results

Dodge City Days -- Dodge City, KS, US (a celebration of Western heritage, this year's theme is "Saddle Up and Enjoy the Ride; through Aug. 4)

Ebernoe Horn Fair -- Sussex, England (ancient horn fairs were pagan fertility rites, now just a fun time for all)

Emperor Haile Selassi I birthday -- Rastafari

Eve of the Hathor Festival -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)

Farm Heritage Days -- American Farm Heritage Museum, near St. Louis, MO, US (celebrating America's farm heritage; through Sunday)

Festival of the Knee-Knockers -- Fairy Calendar

Furrinalia -- Ancient Etruscan Calendar (Furrina, goddess of the sacred grove and spring on Janniculum hill)
      also Ancient Roman Calendar (to honor those who searched for underground water sources)

Gilroy Garlic Festival -- Gilroy, California (the part of the world that grows more of our garlic than anywhere else, where you can almost marinate a steak just by hanging it on the clothesline in the breeze, celebrates the stinky rose; through Sunday)

Gold Discovery Days -- Custer, SD, US (bed races and pancake breakfast, children's fair and more; through Sunday)

Guanacaste Day -- Costa Rica

Guayaquil Day -- Guayaquil, Ecuador

Ilyap'a -- Ancient Inca Calendar (festival of the lightning god; date approximate)

Iowa Storytelling Festival -- Clear Lake, IA, US (come listen to professional and amateur storytellers in the scenic lakeside setting, and including a story exchange for novice storytellers; through tomorrow)

Jumatul Bidah/Jumat-ul Wida -- Bangladesh; JK, UK, & UP, India

Langholm Common Riding -- Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (a traditional riding of the bounds, with lots of celebrating, begins 5am and ends 9:30pm)

Lieksa Brass Week -- Lieksa, Finland (the world's finest brass music in various styles by international class musicians; through August 2nd)

Lumberjack Day -- for no reason that i can fathom, but there it is; not as famous as the one in September, which has its own website

Mutomboko Ceremony -- Luapula Province, Zambia (among the Lunda of the Kazembe kingdom, a rich celebration of African cultural heritage, traditional dances and music, and sponsored by the Royal Family; through tomorrow)

National Hot Fudge Sundae Day

Republic Day -- Tunisia

Schools Tree Day -- Australia (because National Tree Day is always a Sunday, the schools participate in planting trees the Friday before)

St. Christopher's Day (Patron of archers, automobile drivers/motorists, bachelors, boatmen, bookbinders, busdrivers, cab drivers,epileptics, fruit dealers, fullers, gardeners, lorry drivers, mariners, market carriers, porters, sailors, taxi drivers, transportation/transporation workers, travellers, truck drivers/truckers, watermen; Baden, Germany; Barga, Italy; Brunswick, Germany; Fubine, Italy; Havana, Cuba; Mecklenburg, Germany; Rab, Croatia, St. Christopher's Island; Saint Kitts; Toses, Girona, Calalonia, Spain ;for a holy death; against bad dreams, epilepsy, floods, hailstorms, lightning, pestilence, storms, sudden death, toothache)

St. James' Day (The Apostle, brother of St. John and son of Zebedee, the first Apostle martyred; Patron of apothecaries/druggists/pharmacists, arthritis sufferers, blacksmiths, equestrians and horsemen, furriers, knights, laborers, pilgrims, soldiers, tanners, veterinarians; Altopascio, Lucca, Italy; Antigua, Guatemala; Bangued, Philippines; Brentino Belluno, Italy; Caltagirone, Italy; Cassine, Italy; Chile; Cicala, Catanzaro, Italy; Comitini, Italy; Compostela, Spain; Galicia, Spain; Gavi, Italy; Guatemala; Hettstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Jemez Indian Pueblo; Loiza, Puerto Rico; Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Montreal, Canada; Nicaragua; Pistoia, Italy; Rivarolo Canavese, Italy; Sahuayo, Mexico; Seattle, Washington; Spain; Tesuque Indian Pueblo; against arthritis and rheumatism; sometimes called Jacob, the Latinized version of his name, also Iago and Jaques in Romance languages) related observances
     Dia Nacional de Galicia -- Galicia, Spain (National Day of Galicia, a/k/a Apostole Santiago, St. James the Apostle's Day)
     The Pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela -- Galicia, Spain (one of the world's largest pilgrimages still, to the church that has the supposed relics of St. James, culminates on the Saint's feast day)
     Loiza Aldea Fiesta -- Puerto Rico

System Administrator Appreciation Day -- the day to thank your system administrator for keeping your computer up and running

Talk in an Elevator Day

UFO Days -- Elmwood, Wisconsin, US (Wisconsin's UFO capital, visit the petting zoo, shop at the community wide thrift sale, take part in the fun run, softball games, medallion hunts, bed races, and dances; watch the crowning of Miss Elmwood, the tractorcade, the car and truck show, the nightly fireworks, and stage bands; let the kids have a ball in the greased pig race and kiddie water fight; enjoy the Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast and the bake sale; and no need to miss church Sunday morning, bring a lawn chair for the ecumenical service so you don't miss a moment of the fun and excitement! through Sunday)

Video Games Day -- yet another one, this on the founding of the "U.S. National Video Game Team"


Birthdays Today

James Lafferty, 1985
Brad Renfro, 1982
Louise Brown, 1978
Matt LeBlanc, 1967
Illeana Douglas, 1965
Iman, 1965
Walter Payton, 1954
Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond, 1941
Barbara Harris, 1935
Midge Decter, 1927
Estelle Getty, 1923
Jack Gilford, 1907
Walter Brennan, 1894
Maxfield Parrish, 1870


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"A Chorus Line"(Musical), 1975
"You Can't Hurry Love"(Single release), 1966


Today in History

Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler, 285
Constantine I is proclaimed Roman emperor by his troops, 306
The Edict of Pistres of Charles the Bald orders defensive measures against the Vikings, 864
Sebastián de Belalcázar, on his search for El Dorado, founds the city of Santiago de Cali, Colombia, 1536
Don Diego de Losada founds the city of Santiago de Leon de Caracas, modern-day Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, 1567
Henry IV of France publicly converts from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, 1593
James VI of Scotland is crowned James I of England, bringing the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into personal union; political union would occur later, 1603
Ignacio de Maya founds the Real Santiago de las Sabinas, now known as Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León, México, 1693
British governor Charles Lawrence and the Nova Scotia Council order the deportation of the Acadians; thousands of Acadians are sent to the British Colonies in America, France and England, and some later move to Louisiana, while others resettle in New Brunswick, 1755
Horatio Nelson loses more than 300 men and his right arm during the failed conquest attempt of Tenerife (Spain), 1797
Costa Rica annexes Guanacaste from Nicaragua, 1824
The first commercial use of an electric telegraph is successfully demonstrated by William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone between Euston and Camden Town in London, 1837
The Japanese daimyo begin returning their land holdings to the emperor as part of the Meiji Restoration reforms, 1869
Kikunae Ikeda of the Tokyo Imperial University discovers that a key ingredient in Konbu soup stock is monosodium glutamate (MSG), and patents a process for manufacturing it, 1908
Sir Thomas Whyte introduces the first income tax in Canada as a "temporary" measure, 1917
The first transatlantic two-way radio broadcast takes place, 1920
Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS) is established, 1925
At Club 500 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis stage their first show as a comedy team, 1946
Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria collides with the MS Stockholm in heavy fog and sinks the next day, killing 51, 1956
The Republic of Tunisia is proclaimed, 1957
Louise Brown, the world's first "test tube baby" is born, 1978
Israel and Jordan sign the Washington Declaration, which formally ends the state of war that had existed between the nations since 1948, 1994
K.R. Narayanan is sworn-in as India's 10th president and the first Dalit— formerly called "untouchable"— to hold this office, 1997
Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde supersonic passenger jet, F-BTSC, crashes just after takeoff from Paris killing all 109 aboard and 4 on the ground, 2000
Pratibha Patil is sworn in as India's first woman president, 2007
Wikileaks publishes classified documents about the War in Afghanistan, one of the largest leaks in U.S. military history, 2010
Scientists in Britain identify the mechanism causing human allergy to cats; they believe a general cure for the condition could be available in the next five years, 2013

We Took A Video!

#2 Son and i arrived for his surgery yesterday at 9:30am with me having already dropped Sweetie off at work, put a load of laundry on the line, finished all the prep work for dinner, and leaving the van to get the brakes checked and the oil changed.

Everything went so well that the doctor didn't have to cut into his hand and insert a plate, and he's disappointed because he was looking forward to having metal in his body.  The bone shifted back into place so fast that the doctor inserted two pins and was done in under 15 minutes!

Meanwhile, he remembers nothing much after the anesthesiologist came in and gave him the "happy shot."  It knocked him slap out, even though it's only supposed to make you relax.  He doesn't remember the arm numbing medication being put in -- it was a nerve block that made his whole arm numb, like a dead weight, for about 12 hours.  That means they don't have to do a general anesthesia, which is a good thing.

Upon awakening, he kept arguing that they couldn't have done the surgery yet, he didn't remember it.  When he was told i was going to help him get dressed, he said he could handle that and fell promptly back to sleep.  After i gently got the arm of his shirt over the surgical dressing and over his head, he woke up long enough to get his other arm through.  Once i got his pants on him -- he never removed his underwear, so his privacy wasn't compromised, just a bit of his dignity because no 18-year-old wants his mom to see him in his boxers, but oh, well -- he woke up and asked how he had gotten dressed.

"Your mom dressed you, and you helped,"  the nurse said.  Then she joked, "We took a video, you were singing a song about the baby rabbits in the woods, and we've already posted it to YouTube!"

"Great!" he answered, and dropped back to sleep again.

"When you get home, go to bed, and be very careful with your arm until the feeling comes back in it.  You have to keep it in the sling so you don't accidentally hurt it while it is numb, but the best thing you can do is go to sleep," the nurse instructed.

"Not going to sleep when I get home!" he slurred.  "I have people to see and things to do!"  Then he fell back asleep before we could get him in the wheelchair.

"Sure you do!" the nurse grinned at me over his limp form.

He did sleep when he got home, and i went and got him lunch when he asked.   He would take a bite, fall asleep, wake up and eat more.  By the time he really woke up, it was later in the afternoon.  Sweetie had gotten a ride to the shop and picked up the van.  The oil was changed, the brakes are fine, the fluid was a little low, no leaks.

Now his only problem is he can't unbutton his pants by himself when he needs to go to the loo, because he can't get the removable brace off of his not quite so hurt hand with the other in a full surgical dressing.  It's okay, he's going to learn a bit of humility until the dressing comes off, on Monday.

And we promise, no video, just a few jokes.



Today is

Amelia Earhart Day

Berne SWiss Festival -- Berne, NE, US (Swiss food, dancing, yodeling, a stein-toss, and lots more family fun; through Saturday)

Calgary Folk Music Festival -- Calgary, AB, Canada (one of Calgary's biggest and most fun festivals ;through Sunday)

Children's Day -- Vanuatu

Comic-Con International -- San Diego, CA, US (through Sunday)

Cousins Day -- because cousins are wonderful people to have around! sponsored by Claudia Evart of New York City, who must have had great cousins

Festival of St. Eloi -- French Basque

Great Texas Mosquito Festival -- Clute, Texas, US (Annual salute to the fact that if you can't beat 'em, and when it's mosquitoes, you can't, you might as well celebrate 'em.  There's something for all ages, including the Skeeter Beaters Baby Crawl, a Mosquito calling contest, and a Mr. & Mrs. Mosquito Legs Contest, plus games, rides, carnival food, and more; through Saturday)

Jakaba Diena -- Ancient Latvian Calendar (beginning of St. James' [Jacob] Festival, whose day is tomorrow; the beginning of hay harvest)

Jilwalla Jinks' Jamboree -- Fairy Calendar

Lumberjack World Championships -- Hayward, WI, US (the world's greatest lumberjacks face off in the "Olympics of the Forest"; through Saturday)

National Drive Through Day -- but only if you won't pass out from the heat when you roll down the window! on the founding date of Jack-in-the-Box, the first drive through burger chain

National Tequila Day -- celebrate North America's first native-born distilled spirit

Phyang Tse-dup Festival -- Ladakh, India (Buddhist festival, through tomorrow)

Pioneer Day -- Mormon Christian

Pop a Wheelie Day -- before, not after, the tequila, please; a hospital visit is no fun

Public Opinion Day -- the first public opinion poll was published this date in 1824!

Quilt Odyssey 2014 -- Hershey, PA, US (national quilt competition, through Sunday)

Simon Bolivar Day -- Ecuador; Venezuela

Sts. Boris and Gleb's Day (Patrons of princes; Moscow, Russia)

St. Christina the Astonishing's Day (Patron of all with mental handicaps, disorders, or illnesses, and mental health care workers, psychiatrists and therapists; against insanity and mental disorders)

St. Christina of Bolsena's Day (Patron of archers, mariners, millers)

Tell an Old Joke Day

Tenjin Matsuri -- Tenmangu Jinja, Osaka, Japan (one of Japan's 3 major festivals, through tomorrow)


Anniversary Today:

Richard Moll marries Susan Brown, 1993


Birthdays Today

Bindi Irwin, 1998
Dhani Lennevald, 1984
Anna Paquin, 1982
Summer Glau, 1981
Rose Byrne, 1979
Eric Szmanda, 1975
Jennifer Lopez, 1969
Kristin Chenoweth, 1968
Kadeem Hardison, 1965
Barry Bonds, 1964
Julie A. Krone, 1963
Lynda Carter, 1951
Michael Richards, 1949
Peter Serkin, 1947
Robert Hays, 1947
Chris Sarandon, 1942
Ruth Buzzi, 1936
Pat Oliphant, 1935
Billy Taylor, 1921
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, 1900
Chief Dan George, 1899
Amelia Earhart, 1897
Oswald Chambers, 1874
Alexandre Dumas, pere, 1802
Simon Bolivar, 1783
John Newton, 1725 (wrote Amazing Grace)


Debuting/Premiering Today:

The Fellowship of the Ring(Publication date), 1954


Today in History

Death in Kyoto, Japan, of Kamo no Chomei (b. 1155), Japanese author, poet (waka) and essayist, critic of Japanese vernacular poetry and major figure of Japanese poetics, 1216
Citizens of Leeuwarden, Netherlands strike against a ban on foreign beer, 1487
Jacques Cartier plants a cross on the Gaspé Peninsula and takes possession of the territory in the name of Francis I of France, 1534
Mary, Queen of Scots, is forced to abdicate and replaced by her 1-year-old son James VI, 1567
Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founds the trading post at Fort Pontchartrain, which later becomes the city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701
A Spanish treasure fleet of 10 ships under Admiral Ubilla leaves Havana, Cuba for Spain; on the 31st, all ships will be lost and come to be known as the !715 Treasure Fleet, 1715
Slavery is abolished in Chile, 1823
The first opinion poll was carried out in Delaware, USA, 1824
Benjamin Bonneville leads the first wagon train across the Rocky Mountains by using Wyoming's South Pass, 1832
After 17 months of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley, resulting in the establishment of Salt Lake City, 1847
The first tramway opened in England, 1861
Tennessee becomes the first U.S. State to be readmitted to the Union following the American Civil War, 1866
Captain Matthew Webb, who was the first person to swim the English Channel, drowned while trying to swim the rapids above Niagara Falls, 1883
O. Henry is released from prison in Austin, Texas after serving three years for embezzlement from a bank, 1901
Hiram Bingham III re-discovers Machu Picchu, "the Lost City of the Incas", 1911
The passenger ship S.S. Eastland capsizes while tied to a dock in the Chicago River. A total of 844 passengers and crew are killed in the largest loss of life disaster from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes, 1915
The first insulin treatment is carried out, on a six-year-old girl, at St Guy's Hospital, London, 1925
The Kellogg-Briand Pact, renouncing war as an instrument of foreign policy, goes into effect, 1929*
The dust bowl heat wave reaches its peak, sending temperatures to 109°F (44°C) in Chicago and 104°F (40°C) in Milwaukee, 1935
During an official state visit to Canada, French President Charles de Gaulle declares to a crowd of over 100,000 in Montreal: Vive le Québec libre! ("Long live free Quebec!"), 1967
The Quietly Confident Quartet of Australia wins the Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay at the Moscow Olympics, the only time the United States has not won the event at Olympic level, 1980
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the last Tsar of Bulgaria when he was a child, is sworn in as Prime Minister of Bulgaria, becoming the first monarch in history to regain political power through democratic election to a different office, 2001
Lance Armstrong wins his 7th consecutive Tour de France, 2005
Over half of the country of Peru enters a state of emergency as a result of unusually cold weather, 2011
The scientific theory of supersymmetry is challenged after experiments with the Large Hadron Collider yield an incredibly rare particle decay event, 2013


*Nice try, fellas.

Musical Doctors

Not really, but it felt like it.  A call to the primary doc who had diagnosed #2 Son's bronchitis ended up being phone tag until we got an appointment with an orthopedic doc for Tuesday afternoon.

Why are the appointments always at 4pm?  Just in time for the worst traffic.

The news for #2 Son was not what he wanted.  He is left handed, so that hand hit harder and got most of the damage.

The right hand is splinted, and will be just fine in a few weeks.

The left hand is having surgery today to put in a plate and screws.  It seems that even though the mini-ER doc did a great job with the reduction, these types of fractures usually don't stay, no matter how tight you splint it.  So if he wants full use of that hand with no lingering hitches in the form of lumps that make it hard to grasp things, we do surgery.  It would be no good for him to have trouble picking up heavy pans off of the stove with his dominant hand because of a lump of bone that healed funny, not if he's going to be a chef.

If all goes well, physical therapy starts Monday, and he can go back to work, on light duty, after that.

He is not happy, he's going to be missing out on a week's pay, but that's what happens when you hit a metal door.

The plan for today then is to take Sweetie to work, take my van in to have the brakes checked -- oh, did i mention the brake light came on while we were going to the doctor on Tuesday afternoon?  It doesn't rain, it monsoons around here.

While the brakes are being checked by Kevin and Lenny and the crew, one of those nice people will give me a ride back to the house so i can take #2 Son in for surgery, then when he is done, i'll run him home and then pick up Sweetie.

The van we will get when we can, but that is the tentative plan.  As we all know, though, the best laid plans...

Lots of prayers and good thoughts would be appreciated, mostly praying that i don't strangle a certain child or lose what little is left of my mind.  And that said child heals up, too.



Today is

Birthday of Emperor Haili Selassi I -- Rastafari

Bregenzer Festspiele (Bregenz Festival) -- Bregenz, Austria (an amazing performing arts festival, through August 25)

Flag Day -- Abkhazia

Gorgeous Grandma Day -- a day to celebrate those who age, date, and mate in style!

Hot Enough For Ya Day -- sponsored by Wellcat Holidays as the only day on which you may utter these words; any other day, and you will get high fived on the back of the head!;)

Lailat al Kadr (Lailat al Qadr) -- Islam (Night of Destiny; began at sundown yesterday, through sundown tonight, although local observances may vary and governmental days off vary from country to country)

Mayan Sun Festival -- honoring Ahau Kin, the sun god, date approximate

National Vanilla Ice Cream Day

Neptunalia and Salcia -- Ancient Roman Calendar (god and goddess of the ocean and wide seas, celebrates Neptune in his role as god of irrigation)

Oregon Brewers Festival -- Portland, OR, US (81 microbreweries from across the nation showcase their best, including rare, hard-to-find, and exotic beers; through Sunday)

Private Eye Day -- internet generated

Remembrance Day -- Papua New Guinea

Renaissance Day -- Oman (celebrates the accession of Qaboos bin Said Al Said, 14th Sultan of Oman)

Revolution Day -- Egypt

St. Apollinaris' Day (Patron against epilepsy, gout; of Aachen, Germany; Burtscheid, Germany; Düsseldorf, Germany; Ravenna, Italy; Remagen, Germany)

St. Bridget of Sweden's Day (Patron of widows; Europe; Sweden)

St. Phocas the Gardener's Day (Patron of agricultural workers, boatmen, farm workers, farmers, field hands, gardeners, husbandmen, mariners, market-gardeners,sailors, watermen)

Sumarauki -- Iceland (their calendar's extra days added to take into account the "drift" of the calendar from the moon phases)

Warei Shrine Summer Festival -- Warei Shrine, Uwajima City, Japan (through tomorrow, includes "bull-sumo", a non fatal type of bull fighting, where the bulls try to push each other out of the ring)


Anniversaries Today

Prince Andrew, Duke of York marries Sarah Ferguson, 1986
Coronation of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, 1999


Birthdays Today

Daniel Radcliffe, 1989
Michelle Williams, 1980
Omar Epps, 1975
Nomar Garciapara, 1973
Marlon Wayans, 1972
Charisma Carpenter, 1970
Philip Seymour Hoffman, 1967
Eriq La Salle, 1962
Woody Harrelson, 1961
Lamont "ShowBoat" Robinson, 1961
Edie McClurg, 1951
Belinda Montgomery, 1950
Don Imus, 1940
Nicholas Gage, 1939
Ronny Cox, 1938
Anthony M. Kennedy, 1936
Don Drysdale, 1936
Bert Convy, 1933
Arata Isozaki, 1931
Gloria DeHaven, 1925
Amalia Rodrigues, 1920
Harold "Pee Wee" Reese, 1918
Arthur Treacher, 1894
Haile Selassie I, 1892
Raymond Chandler, 1888
Samuel Augustus Maverick, 1803


Debuting/Premiering Today:

"They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha! Ha!"(Single release), 1966
"The Gene Autry Show"(TV), 1950


Today in History

William Austin Burt patents the Typographer, a precursor to the typewriter, 1829
The Province of Canada is created by the Act of Union, 1840
The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, the world's oldest international sport federation, is founded, 1881
The Ford Motor Company sells its first car, 1903
Fox Film buys the patents of the Movietone sound system for recording sound onto film, 1926
Telstar  relays the first publicly transmitted, live trans-Atlantic television program, featuring Walter Cronkite, 1962
The International Whaling Commission decides to end commercial whaling within 4 years, 1982 *
Air Canada Flight 143 runs out of fuel and makes a deadstick landing at Gimli, Manitoba, 1983
Comet Hale-Bopp is discovered, 1995
Cape Verde becomes the 153rd member of the World Trade Organization, 2008
Patent law disputes between Samsung and Apple deadlock as the dispute addresses valuation of each other's patents, 2012


*Don't I wish that had worked!

Just Another Monday?

Just another Monday?

No, i don't think so.

At least, it started as one.  Then #2 Son called as i was trying to get a couple of quick errands done.

"Mom, I'm sick, can you come pick me up from work?"

Sure, be there in a few, i said, and i was.

He didn't look very good, and when he asked to go to the doctor, i knew it wasn't good.

A quick call got him an appointment for 4pm, so we went home and i got a few other things done.  Not enough, but a few.

He had a slight fever when we got there, and the doctor said it had probably been higher earlier in the day.  Bronchitis, some pleurisy, needs an antibiotic and cough medicine with codeine, and something OTC for the excess mucus, please stay away from work until your fever has been gone 24 hours.

Back home, i thought i could relax and finally get a few things done, but i was wrong.

About an hour later i heard a thumping.  Apparently he was feeling a bit better, so #1 Son and #2 Son were messing around.  They were faking punches, being silly, and got in a contest.

The thumping was #2 Son hitting the door with his fists.  The metal door.  Very hard.  The door won.

Back to the doctor, actually the mini emergency room/after hours clinic, where they take care of non-life threatening illness and injury, to take the pressure off of the big ER.  Not one but two broken bones, one in each hand.  What they call "boxer's fractures," where the blow lands on the pinkie knuckle first, and the pinkie bone in the hand, just under the knuckle, breaks.

The left side, his dominant hand, was bad enough that the bone had to be set.  The right one was just broken and barely moved at all, so they expect it to grow back fine, although he will have a lump.

His care was excellent, and at one point the nurse was being silly and flirting with him and the doctor making jokes.  They asked him how many punches he threw, and he said, "I'll have to count the dents in the door to know!"

One tech, looking at his hands, swathed up to the elbows with only a couple of fingers to use on each hand said, "Dude, I don't want to be too crass, but how are you going to wipe yourself?"

Very carefully! i piped up, and we all had to laugh.

So now his hands are mostly immobilized and he's on pain meds, and we get to see the orthopedist, although there's really not much more to do but just let the bones knit. 

And i think he's going to be away from work for a bit longer than until that fever is gone.


Today is

Annie Oakley Days Festival -- Greenville, OH, US (keeping alive the legacy of "Little Miss Sure Shot" with a shooting contest today as well as a pilgrimage to her grave, then tomorrow starts the Melodrama performances, ugly boot contest, Family Fun Games, and more; through Sunday)

Aphrodisia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (bathing festival of Aphrodite and Peitho [Persuasion]; through tomorrow)

Festival of Boredom and Reverie -- Fairy Calendar

Hammock Day -- don't know who came up with this one, but at the height of the dog days, it seems appropriate; on some sites listed as Summer Leisure Day

International Childbirth Education Awareness Day -- can't find confirmation on this, but if you're going to have a kid, it's not a bad idea to get educated about what to expect!

King Father's Birthday -- Swaziland

Lailat al Kadr (Lailat al Qadr) -- Islam (Night of Destiny; begins at sundown, through sundown tomorrow, although local observances may vary)

National Penuche Fudge Day

Pi Approximation Day/Casual Pi Day (22nd day of month 7; 22/7 is the approximation of Pi)

Ratcatcher's Day -- celebrated by the British dating of the Pied Piper story; celebrated June 26 in Hamelin, Germany

Revolution Day -- The Gambia

Soma-Nomaoi Festival -- Haramachi City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (Wild-Horse Chasing, a four day festival in which a thousand horsemen, clad in ancient armor, compete for possession of three shrine flags, and along the Hibarigahara Plain, men clad in white costumes attempt to catch wild horses)

Spooner's Day (Spoonerism -- Named for William Archibald Spooner, English cleric and scholar who once fussed at a student because "You hissed my mystery lesson," told a groom it was "kisstomery to cuss the bride," and once accidentally referred to Queen Victoria as "the queer old Dean.")

St. Mary Magdalene's Day (Patron of apothecaries, contemplative life and contemplatives, converts, druggists, glove makers, hairdressers and hair stylists, penitent sinners, penitent women, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumeries and perfumers, pharmacists, reformed prostitutes, tanners, women; Anguiano, Spain; Atrani, Salerno, Italy; Casamicciola, Italy; Elantxobe, Spain; Foglizzo, Italy; La Magdaleine, Italy; against sexual temptation) 
   Stilt Dance Day -- Anguiano, Spain (a special stilt dance performed on the Feast of the city's patron, St. Mary Magdalen)


Birthdays Today:

George Alexander Louis Windsor, His Royal Highness Prince of Cambridge, 2013
Madison Pettis, 1998
Selena Gomez, 1992
Scott Dixon, 1980
Daniel Jones, 1973
Rufus Wainwright, 1973
Irene Bedard, 1967
Rhys Ifans, 1967
Shawn Michaels, 1965
David Spade, 1964
John Leguizamo, 1964
Rob Estes, 1963
Keith Sweat, 1961
Willem Dafoe, 1955
Alan Menken, 1949
Albert Brooks, 1947
Don Henley, 1947
Danny Glover, 1946
Estelle Bennett, 1944
Bobby Sherman, 1943
Kay Bailey Hutchison, 1943
Alex Trebek, 1940
Terrence Stamp, 1939
Louise Fletcher, 1934
Oscar De la Renta, 1932
Orson Bean, 1928
Bob Dole, 1923
Amy Vanderbilt, 1908
Alexander Calder, 1898
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1890
William Archibald Spooner, 1844
Gregor Johann Mendel, 1822 (Note:  some sources say July 20)


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Plan 9 From Outer Space(Film), 1959


Today in History

King Edward I of England and his longbowmen defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons outside the town of Falkirk, 1298
The Swiss decisively defeat the Imperial army of Emperor Maximilian I in the Battle of Dornach, 1499
A second group of English settlers arrive on Roanoke Island off North Carolina to re-establish the deserted colony, 1587
Alexander Mackenzie reaches the Pacific Ocean becoming the first Euro-American to complete a transcontinental crossing of Canada, 1793
In the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rear Admiral Nelson is wounded in the arm, and part of it is amputated, 1797
Death of Josef Strauss, Austrian composer, 1870
First ever motorized racing event is held in France between the cities of Paris and Rouen. The race is won by comte Jules-Albert de Dion, 1894
Wiley Post becomes the first person to fly solo around the world traveling 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes, 1933
Dezik and Tzygan become the first of Russia's Space Dogs, making a sub-orbital flight, which they both survived, 1951
Japan completes its last reparation to the Philippines for war crimes committed during WWII, 1976
Martial law in Poland is officially revoked, 1983
The second Blue Water Bridge opens between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario, 1997
The Stonehenge World Heritage Site announces the discovery of a possible new henge, the biggest discovery at a major monument in over 50 years, 2010
Norway is the victim of twin terror attacks, on government buildings in Oslo and a youth camp at Utoya, 2011
Scientific studies reveal that dolphins have unique names for one another, much like humans do, 2013

Awww Monday: Everybody Wants To Be a Cat

Awww Monday is hosted by Sandee, at Comedy Plus.  It's easy to do, just post a picture that makes you say, "Awww!"  After all, there's nothing like some cute to start the work week!

When you can enjoy life this much, wouldn't you want to be a cat?

Mikey is totally relaxed!

#1  Son's cat Mikey shows how it is done!



Today is

Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera / Munoz-Rivera Day -- Puerto Rico (obs.)

Coldest Day Ever -- the lowest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth was -89.2 *C (-128.6 *F; 184.0 *K) at the Soviet Vostok Station in Antarctica on this day in 1983

Feast of Damo -- Ancient Greek Calendar (keeper of secrets of philosophy; daughter of Greek sages, Pythagoras and Theano, date approximate)

Global Hug Your Kids Day

Hemingway Birthday Celebration -- Hemingway Museum, Oak Park, IL, US

Independence Day / National Day -- Belgium(1830)

Kazanskaya -- Russia (Feast of Our Lady of Kazan)

La Guelaguetza a/k/a Los Lunes del Cerro -- Oaxaca, Mexico (folk dance, music and costumes, an extension of the celebrations of the Lady of Carmel, which used to be the feast of Xilonen, goddess of tender corn; now celebrated on two consecutive Mondays)

Lakota Sun Dance -- Lakota Native Americans (festival of the sun god Wi, with offerings to Maka (mother earth) and Haokah (father sky), both aspects of Creator Tukaskanskan; dating approximate, as outsiders are usually no longer allowed at these multi-day ceremonies)

Liberation Day -- Guam (1944; from Japan)

Lucaria -- Ancient Roman Calendar ("Feast of Clearings", with prayers said as land was cleared for planting)

National Get Out of the Doghouse Day -- the day to work out any troubles with people you care about, so that you "get out of the doghouse"

National Junk Food Day

No Pet Store Puppies Day -- ASPCA sponsored this on this date last year, and while i can't find a confirmation of another campaign, you can still Take The Pledge to not shop at any pet store that sells puppies, because they are almost certainly from puppy mills

Nova Scotia Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival -- Bible Hill, NS, Canada (Canada's longest running bluegrass festival and a great event for the whole family; through Sunday)

President's Day -- Botswana

Racial Harmony Day -- Singapore

Sapporo Summer Festival -- Odori Park, Sapporo, Japan (through Aug. 20, the park becomes a beer garden)

Schoelcher Day -- French West Indies; Martinique (Schoelcher worked for abolition)

St. Lawrence of Brindisi's Day (Patron of Brindisi, Italy)

St. Praxedes' Day (Patron of single laywomen)

Touch Hammer's Birthday Bargain Day -- Fairy Calendar

Tug-Of-War Tournament Day -- if you have a problem with someone today, solve it with an old fashioned tug-of-war!

Umi No Hi -- Japan (Ocean Day / Marine Day)


Birthdays Today

Hatty Jones, 1988
Josh Hartnett, 1978
Justin Bartha, 1978
Lance Guest, 1960
Matt Mulhern, 1960
Jon Lovitz, 1957
Michael Connelly, 1956
Robin Williams, 1951
Garry Trudeau, 1949
Cat Stevens, 1948
Kenneth Starr, 1946
Tony Scott, 1944
Edward Herrmann, 1943
Janet Reno, 1938
Norman Jewison, 1926
Don Knotts, 1924
Kay Starr, 1922
Isaac Stern, 1920
Marshall McLuhan, 1911
Ernest Hemingway, 1899
John Joseph "Johnny" Evers, 1881


Today in History

Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, BCE 356
A tsunami devastates the city of Alexandria, Egypt, 365
The first landing of French troops on the coast during the French invasion of the Isle of Wight, 1545
Twenty-four-year-old Scottish physician and explorer Mungo Park became the first European to see the Niger River, the third longest river in Africa, 1796
In the market square of Springfield, Missouri, Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in what is regarded as the first true western showdown, 1865
At Adair, Iowa, Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang pull off the first successful train robbery in the American Old West, 1873
Louis Rigolly, a Frenchman, becomes the first man to break the 100 mph (161 km/h) barrier on land, driving a 15-liter Gobron-Brille in Ostend, Belgium, 1904
In Dayton, Tennessee, high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in class and fined $100, 1925
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon, during the Apollo 11 mission, 1969
After 11 years of construction, the Aswan High Dam in Egypt is completed, 1970
The world's lowest temperature is recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at -82.9*C (-129*F), 1983
The fully restored USS Constitution (aka "Old Ironsides") celebrates her 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116 years, 1997
NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135, 2011