"Mom, when a person is dead, why do we refer to them as 'the late'?" Bigger Girl asked.
My first thought was, i have no idea, after all, they will never be late for anything again. They won't be on time, either, when you look at it that way.
"Mom, do you know how insane Columbus was? He was really a lousy leader who sparked civil war and would never believe he wasn't in the Orient when he was over here! I mean, the guy changed the course of world history, and he was nuts! How does that happen?" #2 Son is taking world history, and has his own ideas about some things.
How, indeed. Then again, as i pointed out, many of the people who have changed the course of history were either mildly nuts or straight out certifiable. How they do what they do is beyond me.
"Mom, why do the kittens love playing with this old hockey mask so much? They love to drag it around by the broken strap, and fight each other over it." Little Girl is very observant of animal behavior; her friends don't nickname her "Wolf" for nothing.
Sweetheart, i answered, if you can figure that out, you will make a great living as a pet psychiatrist.
"Honey, do we have any 'good' cereal?" When Sweetie asks that, it is finally something that i can answer, by simply handing him a box of Froot Loops.
Play to your strengths, i guess.
Today is:
Air Force Day -- Pakistan
Arcola Broom Corn Festival -- Arcola, IL, US (includes a parade; through Sunday)
Dri-jerbal -- Marshall Islands (Labor Day)
Feel the Love Day
Grandma Moses Day
Great Canadian Beer Festival -- Victoria, BC, Canada (through tomorrow)
Independence Day -- Brazil
Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival -- West Bend, WI, US (while we don't usually associate Wisconsin, of all places, with jazz, these people put on a first class show with nationally recognized entertainers; through tomorrow)
Lazy Moms Day -- a day for mom to be lazy, and let the kids do the housework!
Lusaka Peace Agreement Day -- Mozambique
Mushroom Festival -- Kennett Square, PA, US (food, fun, and fungi in the Mushroom Capital of the World; through tomorrow)
National Acorn Squash Day
National Napoleon Day (the dessert, not the general)
National Threatened Species Day -- Australia
Neither Snow Nor Rain Day -- celebrates the opening of the US Post Office in NYC on this day in 1914, which building has the famous inscription on it
Norwalk Seaport Oyster Festival -- Norwalk, CT, US (vintage ships, crafters, entertainment, oysters, and a Kids' Cove; through Sunday)
Ohio River Sternwheel Festival -- Marietta, OH, US (a three day riverfront extravaganza)
Popeye Picnic -- Chester, IL, US (celebrate everyone's favorite cartoon sailor in the town where his creator, E.C. Segar, was born; through Sunday)
Puyallup Fair -- Puyallup, WA, US (one of the top ten fairs in attendance in the world; through the 23rd)
Salami Day -- sponsored by salamiday.com
St. Cloud's Day (a/k/a Clodoald the Confessor; Patron of nail makers; St. Cloud, Minnesota)
St. Regina's Day (Patron of poor people, shepherdesses, torture victims)
Turn A Cartwheel in Public Day -- the internet has it out for us
Victory Day -- Mozambique
Welsh Fairies Bonnet-Hurling Competition -- Fairy Calendar
Anniversary Today:
Sergey Brin and Larry Page incorporate Google, 1998
Birthdays Today:
Gloria Gaynor, 1949
Richard Roundtree, 1942
Cuneyt Arkin, 1937
John Phillip Law, 1937
Buddy Holly, 1936
Don Messick, 1927
Peter Lawford, 1923
Anthony Quayle, 1913
Elia Kazan, 1909
Michael E. DeBakey, 1908
Grandma Moses, 1860
Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533
Today in History:
Traditionally, the solar eclipse date that marks the birth of Heracles of Thebes (Latin Hercules), BC1251
The Roman army under Titus occupies and plunders Jerusalem, 70
In the world's first submarine attack, the American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe's flagship HMS Eagle in New York Harbor, 1776
The "Troy Post" of NY first uses "Uncle Sam" to refer to the US, 1813
Last hold-up of Jesse James, 1881
Edith Eleanor McLean becomes the first baby in the US to be put in an incubator for premature infants, 1888
The Boxer Rebellion in China officially ends with the signing of the Boxer Protocol, 1901
Eugene Lefebvre (1878–1909), while test piloting a new French-built Wright biplane, crashes at Juvisy, France when his controls jam. Lefebvre dies, becoming the first 'pilot' in the world to lose his life in a powered heavier-than-air craft, 1909
The first day of the first Miss America Pageant is held in Atlantic City, NJ, 1921
Philo T. Farnsworth demonstrates the first use of television in San Francisco, 1927
The last surviving member of the thylacine species, Benjamin, dies alone in her cage at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania, 1936
Integration begins in Washington, D.c. and Baltimore, MD public schools, 1954
Desmond Tutu becomes the first black man to lead the Anglican Church in South Africa, 1986
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocks Athens, rupturing a previously unknown fault, 1999
Hurricane Ivan, a Category 5 hurricane, hits Grenada, killing 39 and damaging 90% of its buildings, 2004
The first presidential election is held in Egypt, 2005
My yearly PSA.
Wednesday, i had an appointment for my every 3 months check of my thyroid. (Yes, it was supposed to be August, and i had it scheduled for the last week of that month, and we had a little intruder named Isaac. So i'm late, so sue me.)
While there, for my August/September blood draw, i get the orders for the yearly Glamor Shots for the twins (i.e., my mammogram).
Since there was no line, and they allow walk ins, i walked in, and i even had the results by that afternoon -- my doctor's nurse called me and gave me the all clear.
My yearly PSA is to remind all the women out there who are "of a certain age" to remember to go get your twins their Glamor Shots, too, in addition to doing a monthly self exam.
And gentlemen, remember your areas of concern; get that prostate exam yearly, and learn young to do a self exam to watch out for testicular cancer.
These tests can save your life.
Now i have done my good PSA deed for the year, and i will return to my usual nonsense tomorrow.
Today is:
Armed Forces Day -- Sao Tome and Principe
Defense Day -- Pakistan
Ear and Trumpter Contests for Mice -- Fairy Calendar
Festa Della Rificolona -- Florence, Italy (one of Florences oldest and most colorful celebrations; through tomorrow)
Fiesta de Santa Fe -- Santa Fe, New Mexico (includes burning of the Zozobra - Old Man Gloom effigy -- as part of the oldest fiesta in the US; through Sunday)
Flag Day -- Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
Jeune Genevois -- Geneva, Switzerland (Genevan fast, dates back to the 16th century; now a flower and garden show also)
Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Festival -- Estes Park, CO, US (wonderful celebration of the heritage of the Highlands and Ireland; through Sunday)
National Coffee Ice Cream Day -- Sweetie swears the best ever was at Howard Johnson Restaurants back in the day
Read A Book Day -- can't find the history on it, but enjoy!
Sacrifice to Hera Thelchinia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)
Somhlolo Day -- Swaziland (Independence Day)
St. Magnus of Fussen's Day (Patron of crops; against caterpillars, hail, lightning, reptiles, vermin)
Stillbirth Remembrance Day -- Canada (some Provinces); US
Toronto International Film Festival -- Toronto, ON, CA (through the 16th)
Unification Day -- Bulgaria
United Tribes International Pow-Wow -- Bismark, ND, US (over 70 Native American Tribes represented at the major cultural event; through Sunday)
Birthdays Today:
Jeff Foxworthy, 1958
Jane Curtin, 1947
Swoosie Kurtz, 1944
Jo Anne Worley, 1937
Joseph P. Kennedy, 1888
Jane Addams, 1860
Marquis de Lafayette, 1757
Today in History:
The Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world, 1522
The Spanish "Silver Fleet" disappears off the Florida Keys, 1622
Founding of Salem, Massachussetts, 1628
The first US lighthouse is built in Boston, 1716
Hurricane hits Martinique and Guadalupe, hundreds of ships sink and thousands die on land and at sea, 1776
Thomas Blanchard patents the lathe, 1819
Oberlin Collegiate Institute of Ohio becomes co-ed, with 4 women and 30 men in attendance, 1837
Louisa Ann Swain of Laramie, Wyoming becomes the first woman in the United States to cast a vote legally after 1807, 1870
Juliana becomes Queen of the Netherlands, 1948
Canada's first television station, CBFT-TV, opens in Montreal, 1952
Nine Israeli athletes are killed during a rescue attempt after being kidnapped at the Munich Olympic Games; two had died during the kidnapping the day before, 1972
The Soviet Union recognizes the independence of the Baltic states:
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and restores the name St. Petersburg to Russia's second largest city, 1991
Cal Ripken Jr of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking a record that stood for 56 years, 1995
Diana, Princess of Wales is laid to rest in front of a television audience of more than 2.5 billion, 1997
When a Tuesday decides to masquerade as a Monday, you get a day like i had.
It began with a headache. It continued with a prescription snafu at the CVS -- they will not quit the auto renewal of one script, and it's causing them to try to fill it too soon. No amount of arguing gets them to take care of it.
Then several phone calls all at the same time, about the upcoming visit of friends and shuffling of kittens, and then having to get my computer tech, really just the geeky kid from church, to come over. Battle traffic to go get him and take him back (it's not his day to have the car). One computer is going to have to be wiped and restarted, we can't get all of the stuff off of it. One of those "pay us to protect your computer" things. Nope, i'll pay him to get rid of you instead.
This was followed by #2 Son getting sick all over the place, and Little Girl running a temp. No school, like they didn't get out of it last week because of the storm.
More calls and texts, more kittens to pick up. Six of our current crew will be going to new foster homes this Saturday. We will have 4 still on the bottle, and then two bigger fosters that there is no other foster home for, i hope they get adopted soon. The babies are fine, the teenagers tear things up.
Just before i left to pick up the two new ones, wouldn't you know, our electricity went out. We get through a hurricane, but not a nice, sunny day. Our neighbors still have power, but some people up the street don't, and one of them heard a loud bang before it went off. Probably a substation, and we will have to wait until they get everyone who lost power from the storm back up before they will deal with it. Thank the Almighty and Grandpa for the generator.
Oh, and Bigger Girl, on her first day of classes, was told she was in the wrong classroom at one class and shuffled to another. Now, it turns out, she should have stayed there. She will have to drop the other class and pick up this one, which is fine. It's the same class number and subject, just that she will be with a different teacher. She's still frustrated about it, though, that they moved everyone from that classroom that first day, but she was supposed to stay there.
For now, i just hope the rest of the week goes better.
Today is:
Be Late For Something Day -- sponsored by the Procrastinators' Club of America, Inc. (if they can get around to mentioning it in their newsletter, of course)
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta's Day
Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee -- New Centerville, PA, US (steam engines, threshing the old fashioned ways, and fun; through Sunday)
Fight Procrastination Day -- the first Wednesday of September yearly; anyone else feeling a bit ironic today?
Genesia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (a day of the dead; date approximate)
Hassaku-sai -- Matsuo-taisha Shrine, Kyoto, Japan (rituals to ask the gods for mild weather, good harvests and safe homes)
Jupiter Stator Festival -- Ancient Roman Calendar (commemorates that Jupiter helped Romulus to stop the Sabine invasion under Titus Tatius)
Jury Rights Day -- marking the decision by a jury, in 1670, to not convict William Penn of laws which they considered unjust which would have prohibited him from the practice and preaching of his religion to a peaceably assembled congregation; this decision became part of the basis for the First Amendment to the Constitution of the US
National Cheese Pizza Day
Peach Days Celebration -- Brigham City, UT, US (delicious peaches and family fun; through Saturday)
St. Laurence Gustiani's Day (First Patriarch of Venice)
Sts. Zechariah and Elisabeth's Day -- Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches
The Masters -- Spruce Meadows, Calgary, AB, Canada (The international horse show jumping competitions; through the 11th)
Teacher's Day -- India
Wag and Carrot Fancying Day -- Fairy Calendar
Birthdays Today:
Cathy Guisewite, 1950
Raquel Welch, 1940
Carol Lawrence, 1934
Bob Newhart, 1929
Arthur C. Nielsen, 1923
John Cage, 1912
Darryl F. Zanuck, 1902
Jesse James, 1847
Johann Christian Bach, 1735
Today in History:
Peter the Great of Russia imposes a tax on beards, in an attempt to Westernize his people, 1698
The First Continental Congress is assembled in Philadelphia, 1774
The French National Convention initiates the Reign of Terror, 1793
Napoleon surrenders Malta to Great Britain, 1800
Sam Houston is elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas, 1836
The First Opium war begins in China, 1839
James Glaisher, pioneering meteorologist and Henry Tracey Coxwell break world record for altitude whilst collecting data in their balloon, 1862
Sioux Chief Crazy Horse is killed, 1877
The First Labor Day Parade is held in NYC, 1882
The first gasoline pump is delivered to a gasoline dealer in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, 1885
The first legal forward pass in American football is thrown by Bradbury Robinson of St. Louis University to teammate Jack Schneider in a 22–0 victory over Carroll College (Wisconsin), 1906
The French Upper Volta is broken apart between Ivory Coast, French Sudan, and Niger, 1932
The first conference of the Non Aligned Countries is held in Belgrade, 1961
A Palestinian terrorist group called "Black September" attack and take hostage 11 Israel athletes at the Munich Olympic Games. 2 die in the attack and 9 die the following day, 1972
Voyager 1 is launched after a brief delay, 1977
The St. Gotthard Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel, 1980
The current international treaty defending indigenous peoples, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989, came into force, 1991
Tuvalu joins the UN, 2000
So, we all know to update our security. We know to keep our computers antivirus and malware defenses current. We know to install all of those numerous, pesky updates.
It's getting harder and harder for a hacker to make a dishonest day's living. So what is he/she to do, now that exploiting the OS and browser is harder?
Go after the third-party-plug-ins, like Java.
So they are, by the bushel load. And apparently, if you don't update Java, or even if you do, the bad guys are so far ahead of the game that it's going to take Java forever to catch up.
A lot of us don't use Java for much any more, so on another website, where i read about this, i decided to disable it for protection.
Then i got on Blogger, and found out that you have to turn it back on.
This means that uninstalling Java would make me unable to blog here. Not something i want to dispense with.
Now, i doubt that i'm of much interest to most of these bad guys -- i'm not doing payroll after all, or raking in big bucks. But the idea of losing all the data on my computer because i forgot to update Java, or it still had an old version hanging around, is unsettling.
In fact, even just having to have it now gives me the creeps.
So i blog with trepidation, now, even though i updated Java and removed the older version.
Today is:
Animals' Day -- Curacao
Another Look Unlimited Day -- sponsored by Envira Myntyl, a day to look around and see what you don't need and can donate to charity, to lessen the flow to landfills
Ceremony of Transformation through Anubis -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
Concordia Fall Festival -- Concordia, MO (celebrating agriculture and the German heritage of the area; through Saturday)
Eat An Extra Dessert Day -- internet generated, you have the WWW permission to indulge today
Immigrant's Day -- Argentina
Ludi Romani -- Ancient Roman Calendar (through the 19th; a festival to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, also called Circensian games)
National Macadamia Nut Day
Newspaper Carrier Day -- US (anniversary of Benjamin Day, publisher of the New York Sun, hiring Barney Flaherty as the first newspaper carrier in 1833)
Play Days -- sponsored by the HUMOR Project, add humor to your life; through Saturday
South Carolina Apple Festival -- Westminster, SC, US (through Saturday)
St. Ida of Herzfeld's Day (Patron of brides, widows)
St. Rose of Viterbo's Festival -- Viterbo, Italy (actual feast day of the saint is March 6)
Anniversaries Today:
Ford Motor Company introduces The Edsel, 1957
The comic strip Beetle Baily is introduced, 1950
The first Beatrix Potter story featuring Peter Rabbit is published, 1902
Birthdays Today:
Beyonce Knowles, 1981
Mitzi Gaynor, 1930
Dick York, 1928
Paul Harvey, 1918
Henry Ford II, 1917
Richard Wright, 1908
Nigel Bruce, 1895
François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand, 1768
Today in History:
Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman emperor in the West, is formally deposed, 476
Edmund Halley, English astronomer, first observes the comet that now bears his name, 1682
The City of Los Angeles is founded in Bahia de las Fumas (Valley of Smokes), 1781
Robert Fulton begins operating his steamboat, 1807
Barney Flahery, age 10, is hired to be the first newsboy, by the NY Sun, 1833
Although he had demonstrated their use before, the first major lighting with electricity comes online as 400 bulbs are lit in offices on Spruce, Wall, Nassau, and Pearl streets in lower Manhattan by Thomas Edison, 1882
The last major US-Indian war ends with the surrender of Apache Chief Geronimo, 1886
George Eastman patents the first roll-film camera and registers the trademark name "Kodak", 1888
Beatrix Potter first tells the story of Peter Rabbit, 1893
Comic strip "Beetle Bailey" first appears, 1950
The Ford Motor Company introduces the Edsel, 1957
Mark Spitz becomes the first competitor to win seven medals at a single Olympic Games, 1972
Google is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two students at Stanford University, 1998
A 7.1 earthquake strikes the South Island of New Zealand, causing widespread damage, 2010
Beginning today, i am counting down the days until my friends come.
Four years ago, a friend invited a group of people to come visit her in Albuquerque. Several of us took her up on the offer, and it was a wonderful and blessed time, meeting In Real Life people who, up until then, had only been names.
The year after, Grace, whom i met on that first trip, offered to host everyone. It was so much fun.
Last year, it was the trip to the Eagle's Aerie to visit Eagle and Mr. Eagle. Another trip i wouldn't have missed for the world.
Now, it's my turn. As many of them as can are coming to visit, eat, see swamps, Cajun dance, eat, visit New Orleans, eat, maybe visit a plantation, and eat some more.
And i only have two weeks to finish the plans and get this place straightened up. No, not the boy's bedrooms. Those are hopeless. They will have to be condemned by the fire marshal someday.
The rest of the house, though, despite kittens, will have to at least be worth having visitors.
Yes, i know we are all on a website for the housekeeping challenged. Yes, i know they are coming to see me, not this house.
It doesn't matter, though, there are some things that have to be done before they come.
Let the labor of love begin.
Oh, and if anyone reading this wants to come, feel free. Send me an email, and i'll give you details. We gonna pass a good time!
*********************************************************************************
Labor Day, shmabor day!
What a dumb day!
You hire some jerk,
Then send him away,
To celebrate work,
By playing all day!
Garfield the Cat
While i may not agree with his assessment of the importance of Labor Day, Garfield is right in that this weekend has become a time for play, as evidenced by the following celebrations that always occur on this weekend around the US*:
Benton Neighbor Day -- Benton, MO
Britt Draft Horse Show -- Britt, IA
Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival -- Seattle, WA
Cal FArley's Boys Ranch Rodeo -- Boys Ranch, TX
Central City Rock 'n' Roll Cruise-in & Concert -- Central City, KY
Cleveland National Air Show -- Cleveland, OH
Clothesline Fair -- Prairie Grove, AR
Colombia River Cross Channel Swim -- Hood River, OR
Colorado Balloon Classic -- Colorado Springs, CO
Commonwheel Labor Day Weekend ARts and Crafts Festival -- Manitou Springs, CO
Daniel Boone Pioneer Days -- Winchester, KY
Eastern Idaho State Fair -- Blackfoot, ID
Fort Bridger Rendezvous -- Fort Bridger, WY
Great Bathtub Race -- Nome, AK
Great Grove Bed Race -- Coconut Grove, FL
Harvest Wine Celebration -- Livermore, CA
Hog Capital of the World Festival -- Kewanee, IL
Hoisington Celebration -- Hoisington, KS
Iroquois Arts Festival -- Howes Cave, NY
Johnson City Field Days -- Johnson City, NY
Jubilee Days Festival -- Zion, IL
Lifelight Outdoor Music Festival -- Worthing, SD
Mackinac Bridge Walk -- St. Ignace, MI
National Championship Chuckwagon Races -- Clinton, AR
National Hard Crab Derby and Fair -- Crisfield, MD
Oatmeal Festival -- Bertram/Oatmeal, TX
Odyssey - A Greek Festival -- Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, Orange, CT
On the Waterfront -- Rockford, IL
Oregon Trail Rodeo -- Hastings, NE
Payson Golden Onion Days -- Payson, UT
Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Colonial Festival -- Greensburg, PA
Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival -- Independence, MO
Scandinavian Fest -- Budd Lake, NJ
Sta-Bil Nationals Championship Lawn Mower Race -- Delaware, OH
Snake River Duck Race -- Nome, AK
Taste of Colorado -- Denver, CO
Taste of Madison -- Madison, WI
Totah Festival -- Farmington, NM
Waikiki Roughwater Swim -- Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, HI
West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival -- Clarksburg, WV
Westfest Czech Heritage Festival -- West, TX
Wisconsin State Cow-Chip Throw -- Prairie du Sac, WI
Woodstock Fair -- Woodstock, CT
World Championship Barbecue Goat Cook-Off and Arts & Crafts Fair -- Brady, TX
*Please note that some of these are Labor Day only, but many more begin the Thursday, Friday, or Saturday prior.
*****************************************************************************
Today is:
Armed Forces Day -- Taiwan
Cromwell's Day -- The Cromwell Association holds a service at his statue on his death date
Day to Mourn All Manifestations of Sexism -- in honor of passage of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Day of Universal Alarm -- Fairy Calendar (no one remembers what to be alarmed about, which is what is so alarming, at least to the Fairies)
Feast of San Marino and the Republic -- San Marino
Flag Day -- Australia
Labor Day/Labour Day -- Bermuda; Canada; Palau; U.S. and Territories
Macchina di Santa Rosa -- Viterbo, Italy (St. Rose, patron of the city, celebration begins this evening at 9pm sharp)
Merchant Navy Remembrance Day -- Canada
National Stearman Fly-In Days -- Galesburg, IL, US (the largest gathering of Stearman bi-planes in the world, with flying, seminars, and exhibits; through Saturday)
National Welsh Rarebit Day
Skyscraper Day -- birth anniversary of Louis H. Sullivan in 1856, architect credited with some of the first skyscrapers
St. Giles Fair -- Oxford, England (dates back to 17th century; through tomorrow)
St. Gregory the Great's Day (Inventor of Gregorian Chant; Patron of choir boys, educators, masons, musicians, papacy, Popes, schoolchildren, singers, stone masons, stonecutters, students, teachers; England; Kercem, Malta; Legazpi, Philippines; Montone, Italy; San Gregorio nelle Alpi, Italy; West Indes; against gout and plague)
St. Marinus' Day (Patron and founder of San Marino; also Patron of bachelors, deacons, and falsely accused people)
Tokehega Day -- Tokalau
Umhlanga -- Swaziland (Reed Dance Public Holiday, culmination of the Reed Dance Celebration begun last week)
Birthdays Today:
Charlie Sheen, 1965
Mort Walker, 1923
Kitty Carlisle Hart, 1914
Alan Ladd, 1913
Uncle Sam, 1813 (Image first used this date.)
Anna, Duchess of Bedford, 1783 (in 1840, she began the tradition of afternoon tea)
Nicolo Amati, 1596
Today in History:
Sextus Pompeius, son of Pompey, is defeated in the Battle of Naulochus by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, admiral of Octavian, which ends the resistance to the Second Triumvirate, BC36
Saint Marinus founds San Marino, one of the smallest nations in the world and the world's oldest republic still in existence, 301
Consecration of Pope Gregory the Great, 590
King Richard I (the Lionheart) crowned, and 30 Jews are massacred as part of the celebration, 1189
Richard Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England, 1658
The first large group of Swiss and German colonists reach the shores of North and South Carolina areas, 1709
The Flag of the United States is flown in battle for the first time, 1777
Signing of the Treaty of Paris, end of the US Revolutionary War, 1783
John Dalton, English scientist begins using symbols to represent different atomic elements, 1803
The first daily newspaper, a "penny paper", that actually succeeded, The Sun (New York), begins publication, as well as employing the first paper boys, 1833
Outbreak of the Greek revolution against the autocratic rule of King Otto, 1843
William, Prince of Albania, leaves the country after six months because of opposition to his rule, 1914
Sir Malcolm Campbell reaches a speed of 304.331 miles per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, becoming the first person to drive an automobile over 300 mph, 1935
68th and final transport of Dutch Jews, including Anne Frank and her family/friends, leaves for Auschwitz, 1944
Wally Gator premiers, 1962
Dagen H in Sweden: traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight, 1967
The Viking 2 spacecraft lands at Utopia Planitia on Mars, 1976
Russia and the People's Republic of China agree not to target each other with nuclear weapons, 1994
An 87-automobile pile-up happens on Highway 401 freeway just East of Windsor, Ontario, Canada after an unusually thick fog from Lake St. Clair, 1999
Iran's Parliament approves the first woman minister in 30 years, confirming the appointment of Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi as Minister of Health, 2009
Yes, i have to.
Saturday awakened with a headache, a balky computer (took 5 restarts and over an hour just to read email), and fielding so many phone calls at the same time i forgot how many people i talked to.
Yes, Grandma is coming up. Never mind, no, she isn't. Check the kids out of the hotel, she and Grandpa will spend days working at their house and nights at my brother's house until their generator is fixed.
Oh, the generator is fixed. Okay, so brother will come and bring us tickets for the game. No, he won't. He can't get up here.
Yes, he will try to come on the back roads. Oh, help, he's not sure he can get there, can i meet him half way, in the middle of nowhere, to get our tickets.
Do i even want to? At this point, no.
Sweetie is at work, come get his car so he won't have to worry about getting it home after the game, since we aren't allowed to drive to that area to get it once the roads shut down. No, leave it, we may not get to the game and he will have to have a ride home.
Grandpa wants programs from the game, if we can't go, make arrangements to have someone else buy them.
Is everything complicated enough yet?
Over an hour late, we finally get our tickets and make it to the game. The home team won, but with a mostly lackluster performance and lots of penalties. That's fine in the season opener, but it later games, the habits formed by such play will betray them and they will have their hindquarters handed to them on a silver platter if they are not careful.
My kids are not happy with me talking like that. It's what i try to ingrain into them, and as kids they don't like it, but they will once they grow old enough to understand. Making a habit of striving to be effective and therefore achieving excellence will serve you well in the long run. Making a habit of being sloppy when you think "it doesn't count" means that when it does count, you won't have your good habits already formed and behind you to back you up.
Anyway, it was late when i finally got home to find Kida the Mosquito had sneaked into our bedroom and baptized our bed again. Feed the kittens, change the sheets, and to bed, finally.
Sunday with The Mouth should be easier.
Today is:
Bison-Ten-Yell Day -- celebrating the imaginary Bison-Ten-Yell, inventor of 10 battle yells now used as American football signals
Celtic Tree Month Muin (Vine) begins
Coughing and Spluttering Convention -- Fairy Calendar
Feast of Osiris -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (date approximate)
Giostra del Saracino -- Arezzo, Italy (tilting contest dating back to the 13th century, with knights in armor)
Harvest Wine Celebration -- Livermore, CA, US (open-house visits to 43 wineries; through tomorrow)
Historical Regatta -- Venice, Italy (competition among two-oar racing gondolas, preceded by Venetian ceremonial boats)
Independence Day -- Transdniestria
National Blueberry Popsicle Day
National Day -- Vietnam
Running of the Sheep -- Reed Point, MT (matched only by the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, hundreds of sturdy Montana bred woolies charge down the six blocks of the main street in town, plus there is a parade!)
Sacrifice to Hekate and Artemis -- Ancient Greek Calendar (date approximate)
Sedantag -- Germany
St. Agricola of Avignon's Day (Patron of rain -- for or against, whichever you need! -- of good weather and storks; Avignon, France; against misfortune and plague epidemics)
VJ Day -- Surrender Ceremony took place on this date aboard the USS Missouri
Anniversary Today:
Beginning of the Marathon Runs during the Persian War, Sept. 2-9, 490BC
Birthdays Today:
Lennox Lewis, 1965
Keanu Reeves, 1964
Jimmy Connors, 1952
Mark Harmon, 1951
Christa McAuliffe, 1948
Terry Bradshaw, 1948
Cleveland Amory, 1917
Lili'uokalani, 1838
Today in History:
Cicero's first Philippic (oratorical attack) on Marc Antony, BC44
Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion, BC44
Octavian's troops win the Battle of Actium which ends the Final war of the Roman Republic, BC31
The Great Fire of London breaks out and burns for three days; it ends with 8 dead and 13,000 houses destroyed, 1666
Great Britain adopts the Gregorian calendar, nearly two centuries later than most of Western Europe, 1752
US Treasury Dept. is established by Congress, 1789
The solar super storm continues to affect electrical telegraph service, 1859
Theodore Roosevelt adivses the US to "Speak softly, and carry a big stick." 1901
President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam becomes the first foreign head of state to make a state visit to Australia, 1957
The Principality of Sealand is established, ruled by Prince Paddy Roy Bates, 1967
Swissair Flight 111 crashes near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia; all 229 people on board are killed, 1998
Pope Benedict hosts an eco-festival, "Save Creation Day," in Loreto, Italy, to encourage Catholics to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, 2007
"Hey, Mom, guess what happened at the hotel!"
Knowing #2 Son, there was no telling.
"I heard something around 4:00 this morning, so I looked out, and got pictures of frat boys running through the parking lot in their underwear!"
Just so long as you don't join them, Son.
Yes, the kids are staying at the hotel until Grandma can get up here, unless her generator gets fixed first.
Meanwhile, clean-up and phone calls and more phone calls, and errands for Grandpa, and cleaning the cat shelter, and i need something to take my mind off of it all.
How does a tractor end a romance? It writes a John Deere letter.
Ever wonder, looking at your tax bill, if taxation without representation would have been cheaper?
Our new hospital's maternity ward is so high tech they are now delivering the babies cordless!
Headline: Energizer Bunny Arrested -- Charged with Battery
World's most popular wine: "I don't like Brussels Sprouts, Mommy!"
Why didn't the turkey cross the road? He wasn't chicken.
Happy Saturday, Everyone!
Today is:
Banti Meskerem -- Eritrea (Revolution Day)
Bonnat Pig Fair -- Bonnat, France
Braemar Royal Highland Gathering -- Braemar, Scotland (one of the largest gatherings and Highland Games, celebrated for the last 900 years)
Building and Code Staff Appreciation Day
Chicken Boy's Day -- the mascot of the now defunct restaurant by that name, the 22 foot statue of a boy with a chicken's head was saved from destruction and is now a pop icon in L.A. on Route 66
Constitution Day/National Day -- Slovakia
Day of Knowledge -- Estonia (an official Flag Day); Russia
Disaster Prevention Day/Kanto Earthquake Memorial Day -- Japan
Ecclesiastical Year begins -- Orthodox Christian
Festival of Children -- Costa Mesa, CA (weekends through Sept.; a community-wide charity outreach with over 100 stage and hands-on activities through the month)
Festival of Juno Regina and Jupiter Liber -- Ancient Roman Calendar
Hassaku Oshi-tsuki -- Tsuma, Oki Island, Japan (bull sumo, with bulls pushing each other out of the ring)
Independence Day -- Uzbekistan
International Bacon Day -- good day for a double decker BLT with grilled onions and Swiss cheese
Japanese Festival -- St. Louis, MO (celebrating the history, culture, and people of Japan at the Missouri Botanical Garden; through Monday)
National Cherry Popover Day
National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day -- the day to celebrate the amazing words in the English language that do not rhyme with any other words
Nutt Day -- for Emma M. Nutt, the first female telephone operator
Oyster Season begins
Partridge's Day -- patridge hunting season begins in UK
Presidential Message Day -- Mexico
Random Acts of Kindness Day -- New Zealand
Sing A Silly Song in Bed Day -- now, this one has no real rhyme or reason
Sneeze-Wobbling Festival -- Fairy Calendar
St. Fiacre's Day -- Ireland and France (the rest of the church celebrates this Patron of gardeners on August 30)
St. Gideon the Judge's Day (Patron of Saint-Gedeon-de-Beauce, Canada)
St. Giles' Day (Patron of the beggars, blacksmiths, breast feeding, cancer patients, disabled/handicapped people, epileptics, forests, hermits, horses, lepers, mentally ill people, noctiphobics, paupers and the poor, rams, spur makers, woods; Edinburgh, Scotland; Toifa, Italy; against breast cancer, epilepsy, fear of the night, insanity, leprosy, mental illness, noctiphobia, sterility)
St. Simeon Stylites' Day -- Eastern Orthodox Christian
Teacher's Day -- Singapore
Wattle Day -- Australia
Birthdays Today:
Gloria Estefan, 1957
Dr. Phil McGraw, 1950
Barry Gibb, 1946
Lily Tomlin, 1939
Seiji Ozawa, 1935
Conway Twitty, 1933
"Boxcar" Willie, 1931
Rocky Marciano, 1923
Yvonne DeCarlo, 1922
Vittorio Gassman, 1922
Edgar Rice Burroughts, 1875
Englebert Humperdinck. 1854 (composer, esp of opera Hansel and Gretel)
Johann Pachelbel, 1653
Today in History:
Rabbi Moses Ben Nachman establishes a Jewish community in Jerusalem, 1267
Adi Granth, now known as Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhs, was first installed at Harmandir Sahib, 1601
The first yacht race is held, between England's King Charles I and his brother James, 1661
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa forms in California, 1772
Juno, one of the largest main belt asteroids, is discovered by German astronomer Karl Ludwig Harding, 1804
Narcissa Whitman, one of the first white women to settle west of the
Rocky Mountains, arrives at Walla Walla, Washington, 1836
The first Pullman sleeping car is put into service, 1859
The Solar Superstorm/Carrington Event: a huge solar sunspot and solar flare storm that disrupted telegraphy and allowed the Aurora Borealis to be seen as far south as the Caribbean occurs, 1859
Joseph Lister performs the first antiseptic surgery, 1865
Robert T. Freeman becomes the first African American to graduate from the Harvard Dental School, 1867
The first underground rapid transit system in North America, the Boston Subway, opens, 1897
One of the first science fiction films ever, A Trip To The Moon, opens in France, 1902
Alberta and Saskatchewan become the 8th and 9th Canadian provinces, 1905
Martha, the last passenger pigeon, dies at the Cincinnati Zoo, 1914
The United States, Australia and New Zealand sign a mutual defense pact, called the ANZUS Treaty, 1951
In Reykjavík, Iceland, American Bobby Fischer beats Russian Boris Spassky and becomes the world chess champion, 1972
Canada adopts the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as part of its Constitution, 1982
A joint French-American expedition locates the wreckage of the RMS Titanic, 1985
Luxembourg becomes the first nation to complete the transition to all digital tv broadcasting, 2006
