Pass the Tea

Little Girl walked downstairs while getting ready for school, and was laughing.  She's usually rather quiet in the mornings, since she's not a morning person at all (i'm the only morning person in the house).

What's so funny? i asked.

"Well, yesterday, my friend Luke was playing with my phone during our lunch break at school.  He thinks flip phones are so cute, so he was playing with it, and he put his number in.  I told him if he did that, that I would send him terrible jokes in the middle of the night, and he didn't believe me.  So last night, when I woke up to go to the bathroom, I sent him a text that said, 'How does Moses make his tea? He-brews it!' and he just texted me back and says 'Stop! You're killing me!  I have to wake up to this!'"

Good one, i told her.

"That was funny," Bigger Girl said.  "Hey, mom, I'm going to go to the school early this morning to get my math lab stuff done, but I'll be back in a jiffy and I'll scoop the litter boxes then."

"How long is a jiffy?" Little Girl asked.

"Just a bit longer than three shakes of a lamb's tail!" Bigger Girl answered on her way out.

"Ha, ha," Little Girl said, heading back upstairs to grab her P.E. clothes.  

When she came back down, i asked, isn't Luke the friend who has missed a lot of school because he's got a chronic illness?

"Well, sort of a chronic illness.  Actually, he's had to have a lot of surgeries because of some birth defects.  They weren't sure when he was born if he was a boy or a girl, and he's had to have a lot of stuff done to correct all the problems, and a lot of the other kids won't hang with him, but I think he's cool.  Anyway, if he thinks that joke was bad, wait until I tell him the rest of my jokes.  Why shouldn't you write with a broken pencil?  It's pointless!  When is a fin not a fin?  When it's a dol-phin!  What do you call a book club that's been stuck on the same book for thousands of years?"

Church! i answered.  That one i know, you've told me before.

"Yes, and everyone I tell it to laughs."

With that, we laughed our way out of the door for school, as being late isn't a laughing matter.

 

Today is:

Children's Day -- India

Day of the Colombian Woman -- Colombia

Equorum Probatio -- Ancient Roman Empire (official cavalry parade of the equites)

International Girls Day -- for info, see confidencecoalition.org

Leftover Trading Day -- internet generated; trade your leftovers for the much more interesting ones in your neighbor's fridge

Loosen up, Lighten Up Day -- to remind us of the benefits of joy and laughter, begun by Stephanie West Allen of Denver, CO, US

National Spicy Guacamole Day -- as opposed to National Guacamole Day back in September

National Pickle Day/Pickle Appreciation Day

Nativity Fast begins a/k/a Winter Lent (through Dec 24) -- Orthodox Christian

Operating Room Nurse Day -- US, but feel free to celebrate those dedicated nurses around the world

Readjustment Movement's Day -- Guinea-Bissau

Spirit of NSA Day -- members of the National Speakers Association are encouraged to focus on giving back and mentoringhttp://nsaspeaker.org/

St. Dubricus' Day (the saint who crowned King Arthur)

St. Lawrence O'Toole's Day (Patron of the Archdiocese of Dublin, Ireland)

Works Getting Into Championships -- Fairy Calendar (Gremlins)

World Diabetes Day -- UN


Anniversaries Today:

Princess Anne of the UK marries Captain Mark Phillips, 1973


Birthdays Today:

D.B. Sweeney, 1961
Condoleezza Rice, 1954
Yanni, 1954
Prince Charles, 1948
King Hussein of Jordan, 1935
McLean Stevenson, 1929
Brian Keith, 1921
Veronica Lake, 1919
Barbara Hutton, 1912
Rosemary DeCamp, 1910
Joseph McCarthy, 1909
Dick Powell, 1904
Aaron Copland, 1900
Mamie Dowd Eisenhower, 1896
Jawaharlal Nehru, 1889
Claude Monet, 1840
Robert Fulton, 1765


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Murphy Brown, 1988


Today in History:

Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca empire, 1533
Samuel Pepys reports on the first blood transfusion (between dogs), 1666
Loius Timothee is hired in Philadelphia to be the first professional librarian in the US, 1732
Captain George Vancouver is the first Englishman to enter San Francisco Bay, 1792
John Mason debuts the first horse-drawn streetcar in NYC, with a route between Prince and 14th on 4th Ave., 1832
Herman Melville publishes "Moby Dick", 1851
The St. Andrews Golf Club, in Yonkers, NY, opens with 6 holes, 1888
New York World reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) began her attempt to surpass fictitious journey of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg by traveling around world in less than 80 days; She succeeded, finishing the trip in January in 72 days and 6 hours, 1889
Albert Einstein presents his quantum theory of light, 1908
The first airplane flight from the deck of a ship takes place in Norfolk, Virginia, 1910
The BBC begins radio service in the United Kingdom, 1922
The first regular UK singles chart published by the New Musical Express, 1952
NASA launches Apollo 12, the second manned mission to the surface of the Moon, 1969
After German reunification, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Poland sign a treaty confirming the Oder-Neisse line as the border between Germany and Poland, 1990
The last direct-current electrical distribution system in the United States is shut down in New York City by Con Edison, 2007

Did you know...

...that if you don't use corn syrup often, and you end up with a little left in the bottom of a bottle in the back of the pantry, and if that little bit is left there long enough, it becomes so hard it's almost impermeable to water?

Neither did i.

The water doesn't really dissolve it!

The other thing i didn't know was that it would get so hard you could barely stick a knife in it, and you could use the knife, once you jammed it in there, to lift the bottle.

Suspended like magic.

Honey doesn't do that.  If it crystalizes, just warm it up a bit, and it's fine.  This stuff becomes fossilized, like Twinkies, i guess.

This, i guess, means i need to get into the very back of the pantry closet more often and check that those things i use only every once in a while, are still good.

That's what i do with the refrigerator and freezer.  They get emptied out pretty regularly, so i can be sure there's no old bacon grazing on the moldy lettuce and that there isn't intelligent life developing in the leftovers behind the mayonnaise.

Those things that i buy to only use for one recipe, and then the rest sits forever, though, i need to get rid of or give to someone who uses it or maybe just cook more of that recipe until i use it up.

And no more corn syrup -- i don't trust any food that is supposed to pour and instead gets stiff.



Today is:

Ashura -- Islam (optional day of fasting, local observances may vary)

Ides of November -- Ancient Roman Calendar; also
     Epulum Iovis -- Festival of Feronia, Juno, Minerva, and Jupiter
     Fortuna Primigenia -- Fortune of the Firstborn

National Indian Pudding Day

National Reread Old Letters and Magazines Day -- internet generated sentimentality

Pushkar Camel Fair -- Pushkar, India (through the 17th; lots of fun for camels and their two legged friends)

Runic Half Month Nyd begins (necessity)

St. Brice of Tours' Day (Patron against stomach diseases)

St. Homobonus' Day (Patron of business people, cloth workers/garment workers/tailors, cobblers/shoemakers, merchants)

St. Stanislaus Kostka's Day (Patron of aspirants to the Oblates of Saint Joseph, last sacraments; against broken bones)

Tooth Collection Days begin -- Fairy Calendar

World Kindness Day -- promoting a more compassionate world, on the anniversary of the first  World Kindness Movement® conference
     Kindness Day UK


Anniversaries Today:
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated, 1982
The Holland Tunnel opens, 1927


Birthdays Today:

Monique Coleman, 1980
Jimmy Kimmel, 1967
Whoopi Goldberg, 1955
Chris Noth, 1954
Jean Seberg, 1938
Oskar Werner, 1922
Nathaniel Benchley, 1915
Louis Brandeis, 1856
Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850


Today in History:

English king Æthelred II orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St. Brice's Day massacre, 1002
Lady Jane Grey and Bishop Cranmer are accused of high treason, 1553
Patriot revolutionary forces under Col. Ethan Allen attack Montreal, Quebec, defended by British General Guy Carleton, 1775
Benjamin Franklin says, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” 1789
The first US anti-slavery party, the Liberty Party, convenes in New York, 1839
James Braid first sees a demonstration of animal magnetism, which leads him to study the subject and come up with what he later calls hypnosis, 1841
The Denny Party arrives at Alki Point, becoming the first settlers of what would become Seattle, Washington, 1851
The first shipment of canned pineapple leaves Hawai'i, 1895
French cyclist Paul Cornu flies the first helicopter, 1907
Russia completes development of the AK-47, one of the first proper assault rifles, 1947
A 150-mph tropical cyclone hits the densely populated Ganges Delta region of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), killing an estimated 500,000 people in one night. This is regarded as the 20th century's worst natural disaster, 1970
The Double Eagle V becomes the first hot air balloon to make it across the Pacific Ocean, 1981
Xavier Suarez is sworn in as Miami, Florida's first Cuban-born mayor, 1985
The High Court of Australia rules in Dietrich v The Queen that although there is no absolute right to have publicly funded counsel, in most circumstances a judge should grant any request for an adjournment or stay when an accused is unrepresented, 1992
In a referendum voters in Sweden decide to join the European Union, 1994
NASA announces that water has been discoved on the moon, 2009

Lovely Looney Bin

"Hey, mom, have you seen that picture of a sun that's about to go supernova that they took with one of those space telescopes?  It's amazing, and so beautiful!  Come look!"  Little Girl was eager to show the picture, and then continued.

"They focused a telescope on a dark area of space near the moon, and left it focused there for a long time and took pictures, and it turns out the area is full of almost more galaxies than they can count!"

"Then there are the pictures of galaxies colliding, have you ever seen those?" #1 Son walked in and added to the conversation.  "They swirl around each other and combine, and it's really neat looking."

"Did you know the Andromeda Galaxy is going to collide with ours someday?" Bigger Girl added.

So i heard, i noted.

"Yeah, but isn't it so many light years away that the light we are seeing from it is actually what was happening there a million or so years ago?" #1 Son asked.

That's my understanding, i said.

"And there's no way to get galaxy insurance," Bigger Girl grinned.  "No one would underwrite it!"

As we laughed, Little Girl continued.  "Have you heard about how many planets that may have life they are finding?"

"Yeah, there has to be at least bacteria out there somewhere, even if there isn't anything advanced.  There's no way there can't be," #1 Son said.

As long as i don't catch that bacteria, i grinned.

"And even if we never see it because it's so far away, there probably is intelligent life out there," #1 Son continued.  "We may never meet them."

There is, i said, and like Calvin told Hobbes, i believe they have proven their intelligence by never coming here.  Besides, as Asimov said, the intelligent life out there someday may end up being humans in generational ships that get so far out there they lose the ability to communicate back to us and become their own species.

"That makes sense," #1 Son said.  "After all, that Pioneer craft has finally left the solar system, or will leave it within a couple of months.  They are still debating that..  It's amazing that we can actually make things that can leave our solar system now>'

"What are we talking about now?" Sweetie walked in from work and asked, as he had just caught a little of the last statement.

"Intelligent life on other planets," Little Girl said.

"We need the intelligent life here, to figure out how to solve our problems, like what to do with all of our garbage," he said.

"Well, don't send it to Mars!" Bigger Girl exclaimed.

"How about we blast it to the sun to be incinerated?" he said. 

"Except it's too expensive now," Bigger Girl said.

"Well, I know what to do with mine!" Little Girl said.

"What's that?" Sweetie asked.

"Hold out your hand!" she said, and when he did, she put her orange peel into his hand and ran off laughing as he threw it back at her.  They ran and chased each other, throwing that peel back and forth until it finally ended up in the garbage can.

That's another odd conversation in my lovely looney bin.


Today is:

A&W Rootbeer Mug Day -- see if you can frost your mug like they did

Birth of Baha'u'llah -- Baha'i

Birth of Sun Yat-Sen, Doctors Day, and Cultural Renaissance Day -- Taiwan

Chicken Soup for the Soul Day -- "Changing the world, one story at a time."

Constitution Day -- Azerbaijan

Dia del Cartero -- Mexico (Postman's Day; postal carriers are shown appreciation with small gifts left in mailboxes)

Journee Nationale Maore -- Comoros (Admission to the UN Day)

Khalkeia -- Ancient Greek Calendar (festival of smiths, associated with Hephaists and Athena; date approximate)

National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day

National Youth Day -- East Timor

St. Emillian's Day (Patron of Spain, finding lost objects)

St. Josaphat's Day (Patron of Edmonton, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; Ukraine)

Tewa Buffalo Dance -- Native American Tewa of the Tesuque Pueblo rites on the feast day of their Patron, San Diego, to honor Mother Earth, Father Sky, the four directions, and the elements; through the 15th

Triple Crown of Surfing -- Oahu, HI, US (3 separate events, through Dec. 20)


Anniversaries Today:

The Arches National Park established, 1971
Ellis Island closes, 1954


Birthdays Today:

Anne Hathaway, 1982
Sammy Sosa, 1968
Michael Moorer, 1967
David Schwimmer, 1966
Nadia Comaneci, 1961
Neil Young, 1945
Al Michaels, 1944
Wallace Shawn, 1943
Grace Kelly, 1929
Jo Stafford, 1918
Sun Yat-sen, 1866
Auguste Rodin, 1840
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1815


Debuting/Premiering Today:

The first Sunday American-style football game is held in Philadelphia, 1933


Today in History:

Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days starting today, 764
Plymouth, England, becomes the first town incorporated by the English Parliament, 1439
Sir James Young Simpson, a British physician, is the first to use chloroform as an anaesthetic, 1847
Jules Leotard performs 1st Flying Trapeze circus act (Paris); he also designed garment that bears his name, 1859
World's Fair in Paris opens, 1900
The first movie stunt: man jumps into Hudson river from a burning balloon, 1910
Norway holds a referendum in favor of monarchy over republic, 1905
Robert Scott's diary & body are found in Antarctica, 1912
Austria becomes a republic, 1918
The first underwater tunnel, the Holland Tunnel connecting NY to NJ opens, 1927
The first photo of whatever is in Loch Ness is taken, 1933
Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia join the United Nations, 1956
Equatorial Guinea joins the United Nations, 1968
The Comoros joins the United Nations, 1975
The NASA space probe Voyager I makes its closest approach to Saturn and takes the first images of its rings, 1980
The Space Shuttle Columbia becomes the first time a manned spacecraft launched into space twice, 1981
Crown Prince Akihito is formally installed as Emperor Akihito of Japan, becoming the 125th Japanese monarch, 1990
Tim Berners-Lee publishes a formal proposal for the World Wide Web, 1990
Shanghai Transrapid sets up a new world speed record (501 kilometres per hour (311 mph)) for commercial railway systems, 2003
The Comparative Toxicogenomics Database is launched on the web and revolutionizes chemical-gene-disease information for research scientists, 2004

Divided

As i stand here trying to decide what to write about Veterans' Day that hasn't been written before, and much better than i could ever do it, i'm torn.

My mind keeps straying back, my eyes drawn to the images, of the typhoon.

Then i start remembering the hurricanes.

This area gets hit hard, but we have resources.  We go a few weeks without electricity, we live off of canned goods and use bottled water if we have to, and we go on, usually with insurance money to help us if we had a devastating loss.

The Philippinos were hit by a storm as big as, if not bigger than, anything that's ever hit the US, and they've lost more people than we ever have.  There's nothing left to rebuild in some places, and the looting has begun as people get desperate for water and food.

The typhoon isn't through, either -- it's heading toward the mainland, and has already started to batter Vietnam.

Then there's the new storm brewing that might take the exact same path.  We had people here who managed to escape with only minor damage to their homes from Hurricane Katrina, only to have Hurricane Rita follow three weeks later and finish the job.  It's looking to be the same scene there, only worse.

It's a day to honor and remember those who have served in the military, and i don't want to minimize it.

It's just hard for me to concentrate on that when the scenes in the news play to some of the worst memories i have.

While you are remembering veterans today, if you have time, and want to, remember the people who are suffering from devastating loss in the Philippines and Asia.  If you have resources to share, there are a good many groups already trying to bring aid.  (Be careful there.  Scum come out of the woodwork with stuff like this, trying to divert your hard earned money that you want to use to do good into their own pockets because they are slime that cannot properly earn their own living.  Give to charities you know and recognize, and on their websites that you type directly into the address bar on your browser, not from a link in an email.)



Today is:

Armistice Day/Poppy Day/Remembrance Day/Veterans Day

Bonza Bottler Day™

Canadian Western Agribition -- IPSCO Place, Regina, SK, Canada (Canada's premier agriculture showcase; through Saturday)

Constitution Day and King's Birthday -- Bhutan

Day of Remembrance of the Volhvs/Einherjar Feast -- Asatru/Slavic Pagan Calendar (Norse "Feast of the Fallen")

Death/Duty Day

Fasching/Karneval -- Germany; Netherlands (official beginning of next year's pre-lent celebration starts on 11/11 at 11:11, when the Council of Eleven, in colorful fools caps, meet to plan the upcoming festivities)

Four Ones Day -- it is 11/11, after all

Heir to the Throne Day -- Tuvalu (Prince of Wales birth anniversary celebration)

Hollantide Day a/k/a Hallow-tide -- Isle of Mann (season of All Saints, first day of Winter, celebrated in conjunction with Martintide, the Feast of St. Martin of Tours)

Independence Day -- Angola(1975); Poland(1918)

Independence of Cartagena City -- Colombia

Lacplesis -- Latvia (Remembrance Day)

Lunantishees Day -- Ireland (Fairies who guard the blackthorn trees, cutting a branch today, the old calendar's November 1, means bad luck.)

National Sundae Day

National Young Readers' Week -- US, sponsored by Pizza Hut's BookIt! Program and the Library of Congress

Old November Eve -- In the old calendar, this was actually All Hallows Eve

Origami Day -- Japan

Pepero Day -- South Korea (similar to a Valentine's Day, when couples exchange Pepero brand cookie sticks)

Pocky and Pretz Day -- Japan (see Pepero day, but substitute the Japanese brand cookie sticks)

Republic Day -- Maldives

Singles Day -- China (Guang Gun Jie, literally "bare sticks day", celebrating the single life on the calendar date that has the most 1's)

St. Martin's Day a/k/a St. Martin of Tours's Day (Western), Martinmas (Old England) (Patron of beggars, cavalry, equestrians, geese, horses, innkeepers, Pontifical Swiss Guards, quartermasters, reformed alcoholics, riders, soldiers, tailors, vintners/wine growers and makers; against alcoholism, impoverishment; highly celebrated through Sweden, Switzerland, and the island of St. Martin/St. Maarten and Patron of over 25 diocese, cities, and countries around the world)
     Beggar's Day -- Netherlands (children act as beggars on St. Martin's Day, similar to trick-or-treat in English speaking countries)
     Martinigians -- Sursee, Switzerland (a celebration of the day in front of Town Hall)
     St. Maarten Day -- Sint Maarten

St. Menas of Egypt's Day (Patron of falsely accused people, peddlers, traveling merchants)

Veterans of Foreign Wars Day -- Federated States of Micronesia

World Orphans Day -- originally an initiative of The Stars Foundation; cannot find a current sponsor, although there is a Facebook page for this day


Anniversaries Today:

Vietnam Women's Memorial is dedicated, 1993
Route 66 is established by the US Highway System, 1926
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery is dedicated, 1921
Washington becomes the 42nd US State, 1889


Birthdays Today:

Leonardo DiCaprio, 1974
Peta Wilson, 1970
Calista Flockhart, 1964
Demi Moore, 1962
Marc Summers, 1951
Bibi Andersson, 1935
Jonathan Winters, 1925
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., 1922
Alger Hiss, 1904
Pat O'Brien, 1899
George Patton, 1885
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, 1821
Abigail Smith Adams,1744


Debuting/Premiering Today:

First public performance of "God Bless America", 1938



Today in History:

The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Maxentius and Licinius to be Augusti, while rival contender Constantine I is declared Caesar of Britain and Gaul, 308
41 pilgrims land in Massachusetts, sign Mayflower Compact, 1620
Massachusetts passes 1st US compulsory school attendance law, 1647
Gottfried Leibniz demonstrates integral calculus for the first time to find the area under the graph of y = ƒ(x), 1675
The F.H.C. Society, also known as the Flat Hat Club, is formed at Raleigh Tavern, Williamsburg, Virginia, as the first college society in the US, 1750
Chrysanthemums are introduced into England from China, 1790
British and Canadian forces defeat a larger American force, causing the Americans to abandon their Saint Lawrence campaign, 1813
Mary Edward Walker, the 1st Army female surgeon, is awarded the Medal of Honor, 1865
The Victorian Aboriginal Protection Act is enacted in Australia, giving the government control of indigenous people's wages, their terms of employment, where they could live, and of their children, effectively leading to the Stolen Generations, 1869
The 11/11/11 cold wave: Many cities in the U.S. Midwest broke their record highs and lows on the same day as a strong cold front rolled through, 1911
The Tomb of the Unknowns is dedicated by US President Warren G. Harding at Arlington National Cemetery, 1921
Prime Minister Alexandros Papanastasiou proclaims the first recognized Greek Republic, 1924
U.S. Route 66 is established, 1926
Patent number US1781541 is awarded to Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd for their invention, the Einstein refrigerator, 1930
The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia is opened, 1934
Kuwait's National Assembly ratifies the Constitution of Kuwait, 1962
NASA launches Gemini 12, 1966
Antigua and Barbuda joins the United Nations, 1981
The General Synod of the Church of England votes to allow women to become priests, 1992
New Zealand Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is dedicated at the National War Memorial, Wellington, 2004
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveils the New Zealand War Memorial in London, United Kingdom, commemorating the loss of soldiers from the New Zealand Army and the British Army, 2006
The RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) sets sail on her final voyage to Dubai, 2008

Great Idea!

Many, many years ago, Boudreaux and his friends, Thibodeaux and Genereux, were going to go conduct some business over in Texas, and decided to travel by train.  They happened to get on the same train as three big shot Baton Rouge attorneys, who were also going to Texas on business.

The attorneys were making some loud remarks about the "uncouth" people traveling with them, and Boudreaux decided to show them how he liked to do things.  So he went over and asked the men how many tickets they had purchased for the trip.

"Well, look at this!  The Cajun can't even count!  What's wrong with you?  Can't you see there are three of us?  Of course, we have three tickets!" one of them derisively answered.

"We only got us one ticket!" Boudreaux announced.

"You better go get more tickets, then, or maybe we'll get to see your two friends get kicked off the train!" the man said, and his companions laughed.

"No, I only need one ticket.  This is how I do it," Boudreaux very patiently answered.  Then, as the time for the conductor to come by neared, he, Thibodeaux, and Genereaux jumped into the restroom and locked the door.

The conductor walked up to the locked restroom door and knocked.  "Ticket, please!" he said, and Boudreaux slid the ticket under the door.  The conductor took it and moved on, and a few minutes later, Boudreaux and his friends came out smiling broadly, to the chagrin of the three attorneys, who couldn't believe they had gotten away with it.

On the way back home, the same attorneys were done with their business and heading back home on the train with Boudreaux, Thibodeaux, and Genereaux.

"We only bought one ticket!" one of the attorneys told them with a grin, and Boudreaux just smiled.

"Boudreaux, what we gonna do?  We din't buy no ticket at all!" Thibodeaux said, and Boudreaux answered, "Don' worry, I got it!"

Sure enough, as the time neared that the conductor would be coming, the three attorneys jumped into one restroom and locked the door, and Boudreaux and his friends jumped into the other.  As soon as he was sure the other door was locked, Boudreaux came out, went over to the other restroom, knocked on the door, and yelled, "Ticket, please!"



Today is:

Area Code Day -- US (went into effect this day in 1951)

Day of Russian Militsiya -- Russia

Dia de la Tradicion -- Argentina (birth anniversary of Jose Hernandez)

Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Beacon Lighting -- Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors, MN, US (memorial for the Edmund Fitzgerald and all who have lost their lives in Great Lakes shipwrecks)

Father's Day -- Estonia; Finland; Iceland; Norway; Sweden

First Cry of Independence Day / Los Santos Uprising Day -- Panama (an official flag day)

Forget-Me-Not Day -- informal day to spend a bit of time with relatives you don't see often

Goddess of Reason's Day (Revolutionary France)

Guinness World Records' Day -- celebrating ordinary people who do extraordinary things, go try for a record! anniversary of the day in 1951 that Sir Hugh Beaver got the idea to create a book supplying answers to much debated questions, such as which game birds are the fastest fliers
     The Guinness World Records Book now holds the title of the best-selling copyrighted book of all time, and is one of the most frequently stolen books from US libraries!

Hari Pahlawan -- Indonesia (Heroes' Day/Warrior's Day)

Martini -- Ancient Latvian Calendar (beginning of winter festival that starts on Martinmas Eve)

Maputo Day -- Maputo, Mozambique

National Toothpaste Appreciation Day -- not official, but i'm sure the dentifrice industry loves this one

National Vanilla Cupcake Day

Sleep Dangerously Night -- internet generated, a night to switch sides of the bed with your spouse and see who falls out of bed first

Remembrance Sunday -- England

Snakes and Ladders Tournament -- Mirano, Italy (a real life size snakes and ladders game dating back to the Medici period)

St. Andrew Avellino's Day (Patron of apoplexics, for a holy death, stroke victims; Badlato, Naples, and Sicily, Italy; stroke victims; for a holy death; against apoplexy, strokes, and sudden death)

St. Martin's Eve -- Germany; Portugal (Martimas Eve)

Tree Festival Day -- Tunisia (equivalent to Arbor Day, as well as an agricultural festival)

USMC Day -- US (includes the Marine Corps Birthday Ball)

Wish-Spoiling Sports Day -- Fairy Calendar (Imps, Gremlins, and grumpy Goblins)


Anniversaries Today:

Establishment of Badlands National Park, SD, US, 1978
Establishment of the United States Marine Corps, 1775


Birthdays Today:

Ellen Pompeo, 1969
MacKenzie Phillips, 1959
Donna Fargo, 1949
Tim Rice, 1944
Russel Means, 1939
Roy Scheider, 1932
Richard Burton, 1925
Jane Froman, 1907
Claude Rains, 1889
Martin Luther, 1483


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Microsoft Windows, 1983
Sesame Street, 1969


Today in History:

Rene Descartes has the dreams that inspire his Meditations on First Philosophy, 1619
The Dutch formally cede New Netherlands to the English; it is renamed New York, 1674
France ends forced worship of God, substitute the Goddess of Reason, 1793
The US state of Kentucky outlaws dueling, 1801
Stanley presumes that he has met Livingston in Ujiji, Central Africa, 1871
The first Woman's Christian Temperance Union meeting is held in Boston, 1891
The first Gideon Bible is put in a hotel room, 1908
Hirohito ascends the throne as Emperor of Japan, 1928
The Hope Diamond is donated to the Smithsonian Institution by New York diamond merchant Harry Winston, 1958
The 729-foot-long freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks during a storm on Lake Superior, killing all 29 crew on board, 1975
A 106-car Canadian Pacific freight train carrying explosive and poisonous chemicals from Windsor, Ontario, Canada derails in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada just west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, causing a massive explosion and the largest peacetime evacuation in Canadian history and one of the largest in North American history, 1979
The communist regime of Bulgaria falls, 1989
The "Codex Leicester", the only Leonardo da Vinci manuscript owned in the United States and the only one in the world still in private hands, was sold at auction to Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who paid $30.8 million, 1994
Thousands of people people march toward the royal palace of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur to hand over a memorandum to the King demanding electoral reform, 2007

Who's a Sissy?

"Hi, mom!"  #2 Son came in and greeted me with the tone of voice that always leads me to ask the same thing.

Okay, Son, what is it, and how much is it going to cost me?  Of course, i grin when i ask this.

"Oh, it's nothing like that.  It's just that, well, you know SissyCat?"

Our SissyCat, that belongs to #1 Son, or the original SissyCat for whom she was named?

"The original.  The one who started a fight with a German shepherd and so now only has 3 legs and isn't as mean as she used to be.  Well, anyway, Sammi had to move out of her apartment, and until she can find a new one that takes cats she's living with her Grandmother, and her Grandmother won't let her have SissyCat over there, and could I keep her in my room for a few weeks?"

That depends upon the state of your room, and whether your Father approves.

Please note that i had no worries at all that Sweetie wouldn't approve.  He has no trouble with us cat sitting, and even enjoyed the times we cared for this SissyCat back when she had 4 legs and could be a mean pest.  This was mostly said because i still haven't found the magic combination of words and motivations that can get a 17-year-old boy to keep a room anything but barely fit for human habitation.

"Yeah, I'll get it cleaned up, and until I do, can she stay upstairs in Little Girl's room?  It will only take me a day to move her down to my room."

Only a day to clean your room?  It must not be as bad as i thought this time.

"Very funny.  So, can we please help Sammi and keep SissyCat for a while?"

Sure, i'll speak to your Father about it.  Just make sure you don't drop the cat in Little Girl's room and leave her there, she has a cat of her own and i don't believe Link will like it if her room is off limits to him for very long.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll get it done.  Thanks, mom, you're the best!"

No, i just happen to like that cat, even if she does need an attitude adjustment.  Or did, before the dog adjusted it for her.


Today is:

Allama Iqbal Day -- Pakistan

Chaos Never Dies Day -- internet generated, and just look in my closets if you want proof that we need this one

Couch Beachcombing Day -- internet generated; also called sofa diving, you will be amazed what you will find!

Dia de los Natitas -- La Paz, Bolivia (Day of the Skulls, when skulls are decorated and then offered cigarettes, coca leaves, and other items)

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena -- Madrid, Spain (Feast of the Virgin of the Almudena, Patroness of the City)

Flag Day -- Azerbaijan

Go to an Art Museum Today Day -- it's a good idea, whoever started this one

Herring King Festival -- Etaples, France (Hareng Roi, a festival worth seeing at least once in your life; through tomorrow)

Independence Day -- Cambodia (1953)

Lord Mayor's Day / Lord Mayor's Show -- London, England (traditional date and observed date in 2013; a traditional Show since 1215, when King John granted the people of London the right to elect their own mayor)

National Nibble Day -- as promoted by Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith

National Scrapple Day

Neon Sign Day -- Georges Claude received a patent for the neon sign on this day in 1911

Night of Nicnevin (Gyre-Carling), Daughter of Frenzy, Banshee -- Scots Pagan (date approximate)

Paul is Dead Day -- Beatle's Conspiracy Theorists, who claim Paul died this day in 1966 and was replaced by Billy Campbell

Pushkar Camel Fair -- Pushkar, India (for the camels, racing, fancy dress, changing owners, taking tourists on rides, and the chance to liven up this usually quiet town, and for the people, singing, dancing, exotic food, and watching the camels, as well as religious rituals at the time of the full moon; through the 17th)

Sadie Hawkins Day -- US (on the Saturday nearest Nov. 9, and based on the Li'l Abner comic, a day for women to ask out the man of their choice; also widely observed on Feb. 29 because of a law passed by Parliament of Scotland in 1288)

Schicksalstag -- Germany (Destiny Day or Fateful Day) anniversary of
     the execution of Robert Blum in 1848
     dethroning of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1918
     The Beer Hall Putsch in 1923
     Kristallnacht (Crystal Night, marks the beginning of the Holocaust), 1938
     the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989

St.Theodore the General's Day (Patron of soldiers; Brindisi, Italy; invoked for the recovery of lost objects)

Tag der Erfinder -- Austria; Germany; Switzerland (Inventor's Day; birth anniversary of Hedy Lamarr, who was an inventor as well as an actress)

Wish-Granting Championships -- Fairy Calendar (Sprites)

World Freedom Day -- US



Birthdays Today:

Chris Hericho, 1970
Lou Ferrigno, 1951
Tom Fogerty, 1941
Mary Travers, 1936
Carl Sagan, 1934
Dorothy Dandridge, 1923
Spiro Agnew, 1918
Hedy Lamarr, 1913
James William Fullbright, 1905
Ed Wynn, 1886
Benjamin Banneker, 1731 (first freeborn child of free African American parents)


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Wizard of Id, 1964
Omnibus, 1952


Today in History:

Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims, sentencing all Jews to slavery, 694
The Family de' Medici were expelled from Florence, 1494
Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower sight land at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1620
Hungarian parliament promises Protestants freedom of religion, 1681
The Rabbi Yehuda Hasid synagogue in Jerusalem is set afire by Arabs, 1720
Napoleon becomes dictator of France, 1799
The first US pharmacy college begins classes in Philadelphia, 1821
The NY Symphony Orchestra holds its first public performance, 1858
The first documented Canadian football game is held, at the University of Toronto, 1861
Ulyses Grant issues orders to bar Jews from serving under him, 1862
The Great Boston Fire destroys nearly 1,000 buildings, 1872
Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first US president to visit other countries during his tenure, visiting Puerto Rico and Panama, 1906
The Great Lakes Storm of 1913, the most destructive natural disaster ever to hit the lakes, destroys 19 ships and kills more than 250 people, 1913
Albert Einstein is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work with the photoelectric effect, 1921
Several U.S. states and parts of Canada are hit by a series of blackouts lasting up to 13 hours in the Northeast Blackout of 1965
First issue of Rolling Stone Magazine is published, 1967
Garry Kasparov 22, of the Soviet Union becomes the youngest World Chess Champion, 1985
The chemical element Darmstadtium is discovered, 1994
The Venus Express mission of the European Space Agency is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, 2005
The German Bundestag passes the controversial data retention bill mandating storage of citizens' telecommunications traffic data for six months without probable cause, 2007

Feline Friday: My Clean Laundry!

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

My clean laundry!  Or, as i should note, my formerly clean laundry.

Kittens, on the laundry, as it sits on the table to await folding.

My laundry, their comfortable sleeping spot.



Today is:

Abet and Aid Punsters Day -- promoted by Punsters Unlimited, which seems to know better than to host a website

Chhath Festival -- Nepal (Hindu/Vedic Festival of the sun god Surya)

Christkindl Markt -- Canton, OH (fine arts and crafts sale for the benefit of the Canton Museum of Art; through Sunday)

Colorado Country Christmas Gift Show -- Denver, CO, US (through Sunday)

Cook Something Bold & Pungent Day -- especially for those who have had to close up the house for winter, we need to create a beautiful aroma for the house; sponsored by Wellcat Holidays

Essence of Motown Literary Jam -- Detroit, MI, US (literary celebration, through Sunday)

Feast of the Four Crowned Martyrs (Patrons of cattle, masons, sculptors, stone cutters; against fever)

Festival of the Mania -- Ancient Roman Calendar (to placate the Manes)

Four Corner States Bluegrass Festival -- Wickenburg, AZ, US (an annual old-time fiddle, banjo, mandolin, flat-pick guitar championships, and general celebrations of bluegrass music; through Sunday)

Fuigo Matsuri -- Kyoto City, Japan (Bellows Festival, Shinto festival in honor of Inari, the kitchen hearth goddess)

I Hate to Cook Day -- internet generated, and probably started by someone who wanted an excuse to go out to dinner!

National Cappuccino Day

National Harvey Wallbanger Day

National Parents as Teachers Day -- US

Pohnpei Constitution Day -- Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

Saints, Doctors, Missionaries, and Martyr's Day -- Church of England

Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers of Heaven -- Eastern Orthodox Church

Waterfowl Festival -- Easton, MD, US (includes world class artworks, calling contests, retriever demonstrations, a wine-tasting, and more, to benefit wildlife conservation; through Sunday)

Wish-Granting Championships -- Fairy Calendar (Leprechauns)

World Urbanism Day/World Town Planning Day

X-Ray Discovery Day -- in 1895


Anniversaries Today:

Opening of the Louvre, 1793
Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women is founded, 1837 (considered by many to be the first true college for women in the US)
Montana becomes 41st US State, 1889


Birthdays Today:

Masashi Kishimoto, 1974
Parker Posey, 1968
Leif Garrett, 1961
Mary Hart, 1951
Bonnie Raitt, 1949
Morley Safer, 1931
Patti Page, 1927
Christiaan Barnard, 1922
Esther Rolle, 1920
Margaret Mitchell, 1900
Hermann Rorschach, 1884
Milton Bradley, 1836


Debuting/Premiering Today:

Days of our Lives, 1965


Today in History:

Emperor Theodosius declares Christianity to be the state religion, 392
Uprising against Piero de' Medici in Florence, Italy, 1494
First meeting of Montezuma and Hernando Cortez in Tenochtitlan, Mexico, 1519
The Bodleian Library at Oxford University is opened to the public, 1602
Benjamin Franklin opens the first US library, in Philadelphia, PA, 1731
Elijah Craig, of Bourbon, Kentucky, US, first distills Bourbon whiskey from corn, 1789
Sarah Bernhardt makes her US debut at NY's Booth Theater, 1880
The New Orleans general strike begins, uniting black and white American trade unionists in a successful four-day general strike action for the first time, 1892
Wilhelm Roentgen of Germany discovers X-rays, 1895
The New Testament Gospels are translated into Demotic Greek (as opposed to the Koine Greek of ancient texts), resulting in bloody clashes in Athens, 1901
The first Washington state elections in which women could vote take place, 1910
Operation Grapple X, Round C1: Britain conducts its first successful hydrogen bomb test over Kiritimati in the Pacific, 1957
Former Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke becomes the first African American elected to the United States Senate, 1966
Manolis Andronikos discovers the tomb of Philip II of Macedon (Alexander the Great's father), 1977
The UN Security Council demands that Saddam Hussein disarm or face serious consequences, 2002