Here are a few more November Holidays that you
might want to celebrate.
November 13th brings us 'World Kindness Day' founded in 1998
by an organization called the World Kindness Movement, this
international holiday encourages everyone to look deep into their
hearts past religion, race, and other differences to do something
nice for their neighbors and/or humankind.
This followed on November
15th with 'Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day'. It was
probably started as a way to make room to stock up on Thanksgiving
goodies. November 15th also shares the spotlight with 'I love to
Write Day'. I will refrain from writing about the things I
find growing in my refrigerator.
Nov 6, 2012
Nov 2, 2012
Prescient President
Our 13th president, Millard Fillmore
refused an honorary degree from the University of Oxford on the
basis that he was not classically educated and so could not read the
diploma, written in Latin. He said, “No man should accept a degree
he cannot read.”
He is contrasted with James Garfield, who could write Latin with his left hand while simultaneously writing Greek with his right.
He is contrasted with James Garfield, who could write Latin with his left hand while simultaneously writing Greek with his right.
Electrically Charged
Thomas Edison publicly electrocuted
dogs and cats in order to demonstrate to people how AC electricity
was more dangerous than DC. He even once electrocuted an elephant in
order to kill it. The elephant had previously trampled and killed a
few people and a method was needed to put her to death, so Edison
agreed to do it using AC electricity as a publicity stunt.
Edison is also credited with inventing the electric chair to be used on those sentenced to death, although, it was invented by employees of Edison, Harold Brown and Arthur Kennelly.
Thomas Edison held 1093 patents in the United States. One of his sons, Theodore Edison, who died in 1992 held 80 patents in his lifetime.
Edison is also credited with inventing the electric chair to be used on those sentenced to death, although, it was invented by employees of Edison, Harold Brown and Arthur Kennelly.
Thomas Edison held 1093 patents in the United States. One of his sons, Theodore Edison, who died in 1992 held 80 patents in his lifetime.
Hawaiaan Punch
Hawaiian Punch was originally supposed to be
used as an ice cream topping. it was originally called 'Leo’s
Hawaiian Punch'.
The recipe for the confectionery was created by Tom Yates, A.W. Leo, and Ralph Harrison in a garage in Fullerton, California in 1934. They started out by selling the tropical fruit flavored ice cream topping to local restaurants, stores, and ice cream makers.
Over the next decade as the syrup’s popularity spread, people started using it not just as an ice cream topping, but also mixing the syrup with water to make a tropical drink. By 1946, this was a common practice. In 1946 Reuben P. Hughes and other investors purchased the company and began offering it in the drink forms most commonly associated with it today. In 1955 it became a national selling brand.
The name Hawaiian Punch came from several of the original recipe ingredients, which included apple, apricot, guava, orange, papaya, passion fruit, and pineapple, being imported from Hawaii. Hawaiian Punch is currently owned by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.
The recipe for the confectionery was created by Tom Yates, A.W. Leo, and Ralph Harrison in a garage in Fullerton, California in 1934. They started out by selling the tropical fruit flavored ice cream topping to local restaurants, stores, and ice cream makers.
Over the next decade as the syrup’s popularity spread, people started using it not just as an ice cream topping, but also mixing the syrup with water to make a tropical drink. By 1946, this was a common practice. In 1946 Reuben P. Hughes and other investors purchased the company and began offering it in the drink forms most commonly associated with it today. In 1955 it became a national selling brand.
The name Hawaiian Punch came from several of the original recipe ingredients, which included apple, apricot, guava, orange, papaya, passion fruit, and pineapple, being imported from Hawaii. Hawaiian Punch is currently owned by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.
Oct 30, 2012
Abigail Adams
She was the first Second Lady and the second
First Lady. She was the wife of John Adams, who was the first Vice
President and second President of the US.
She said something to remember around election time, "Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons."
She said something to remember around election time, "Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons."
Voting Tuesday
Between 1788 and 1845, states decided their
own voting dates. In 1792, a law was passed mandating that state
elections be held within a 34-day period before December, so most
elections took place in November. By November the harvest was
finished but winter had not begun, so it made for a good time to
vote.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, communication was slow, so results took weeks to announce, but with the advent of the railroad and telegraph, Congress decided it was time to standardize a date.
Monday was out, because it would require people to travel to the polls by buggy on the Sunday Sabbath. Wednesday was not an option, because it was market day, and farmers would not be able to make it to the polls. So it was decided that Tuesday would be the day that Americans would vote in elections.
In 1845, Congress passed a law that presidential elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, communication was slow, so results took weeks to announce, but with the advent of the railroad and telegraph, Congress decided it was time to standardize a date.
Monday was out, because it would require people to travel to the polls by buggy on the Sunday Sabbath. Wednesday was not an option, because it was market day, and farmers would not be able to make it to the polls. So it was decided that Tuesday would be the day that Americans would vote in elections.
In 1845, Congress passed a law that presidential elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Baseball Record
Joel Youngblood was the only major league
baseball player to get hits for two different teams in two different
cities on the same day. On April 4, 1982, he hit a single that drove
in two runs for the New York Mets at Shea Stadium against the
Chicago Cubs. He was traded to the Montreal Expos and flew to
Philadelphia in time to get a hit in the 7th inning at Veterans
Stadium.
Poll, Polled, Polling, Polls
The word comes from the German
Poller, meaning head. Modern use seems to have evolved from
'counting heads'. Poll has many definitions:
Noun,
Noun,
1. The casting and registering of votes in an
election.
2. The number of votes cast or recorded.
3. The place where votes are cast and
registered. Often used in the plural polls.
4. A survey of the public or of a sample of
public opinion to acquire information.
5. The head, especially the top or back of the
head where hair grows.
6. The blunt or broad end of a tool such as a
hammer or ax.
polled, polling, polls Verb,
1. To receive a given number of votes.
2. To receive or record the votes of: polling a jury.
3. To cast a vote or ballot.
4. To question in a survey; canvass.
5. To trim or cut off the hair, wool, branches, or horns of: polled the sheep; polled the trees.
Sometimes, when the polls do not go their way, people feel like they have been clipped.
polled, polling, polls Verb,
1. To receive a given number of votes.
2. To receive or record the votes of: polling a jury.
3. To cast a vote or ballot.
4. To question in a survey; canvass.
5. To trim or cut off the hair, wool, branches, or horns of: polled the sheep; polled the trees.
Sometimes, when the polls do not go their way, people feel like they have been clipped.
Oct 26, 2012
Happy Friday
You look at where you are going and where you are and it never makes
sense, but then you look back and a pattern emerges.
It makes much sense when you have a history of having Happy Fridays!
It makes much sense when you have a history of having Happy Fridays!
Jack O' Lantern
This was originally one of the numerous
names given to ignis fatuus (Medieval Latin for “foolish fire”),
another of which is “Will O’ the Wisps”, basically the odd light
that can occasionally be seen over marshes, swamps, etc.
When you see someone carrying a lantern in a distance at night you see is a man, but you can’t make out who exactly it is, he is literally “man with a lantern”, a.k.a. “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack O’ Lantern.” This was also commonly used for a nickname for night watchmen.
“Jack O’ Lantern” first popped up in the mid-17th century in East Anglia, UK and spread from there through parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland. The name likely originally derived from the practice of calling men generically “Dick, Jack, Tom, etc.” In particular, men who were lower class, were often called generically “Jack” beginning around the 14th century in England.
How this name made the jump to referring to carved pumpkins with lights inside, it has its origins in the Celtic practice of hollowing out and carving faces into turnips and other vegetables during Samuin (a festival where many of the traditions of Halloween come from). After carving the vegetables, they placed candles inside and put them in windows or carried the make-shift lanterns with them as they walked to ward off evil spirits.
In Britain, pranksters would make these types of carved lanterns to scare people on the road or children would carry them around during Hallowmas while begging for soul cakes.
When you see someone carrying a lantern in a distance at night you see is a man, but you can’t make out who exactly it is, he is literally “man with a lantern”, a.k.a. “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack O’ Lantern.” This was also commonly used for a nickname for night watchmen.
“Jack O’ Lantern” first popped up in the mid-17th century in East Anglia, UK and spread from there through parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland. The name likely originally derived from the practice of calling men generically “Dick, Jack, Tom, etc.” In particular, men who were lower class, were often called generically “Jack” beginning around the 14th century in England.
How this name made the jump to referring to carved pumpkins with lights inside, it has its origins in the Celtic practice of hollowing out and carving faces into turnips and other vegetables during Samuin (a festival where many of the traditions of Halloween come from). After carving the vegetables, they placed candles inside and put them in windows or carried the make-shift lanterns with them as they walked to ward off evil spirits.
In Britain, pranksters would make these types of carved lanterns to scare people on the road or children would carry them around during Hallowmas while begging for soul cakes.
Milk Duds
They really are duds. The Milk Duds name
came about because the original idea was to have a perfectly round
piece. Since this was to be impossible to do at the time, the word
'dud' was used. Each piece was a dud, because it was not round.
In 1928, Milton J. Holloway took over F. Hoffman & Company of Chicago, the original manufacturer of Milk Duds chocolate covered caramels. The brand passed through many other hands in subsequent years and is now owned by Hershey.
In 1928, Milton J. Holloway took over F. Hoffman & Company of Chicago, the original manufacturer of Milk Duds chocolate covered caramels. The brand passed through many other hands in subsequent years and is now owned by Hershey.
Marx Brothers Name Origins
The five Marx brothers got their
nicknames during a poker game. The Marx family comedy act was made
up of Julius, Adolph, Leonard, Milton, and Herbert Marx. The five
characters became better known as Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Gummo, and
Zeppo. Four of the five were given their new names in 1915.
The boys were involved in a poker game with monologist Art Fisher. It was a popular fad around this time to give everyone a nickname that ended in “o”. Common nicknames were “Jingo” or “Bongo” or “Ringo, etc.
In this poker game, Fisher was dealing out the cards to the four Marx brothers and he gave them each their nicknames as he dealt. “First, here’s a card for ‘Harpo’.” Adolph Marx played the harp.
“Here’s one for ‘Chicko’.” Leonard Marx was a notorious ladies’ man and, in those days, women and girls were often referred to as “chickens”. Later the slang term became “chicks.” Supposedly, a typesetter accidentally left the “k” in “Chico” out in one town the brothers were performing in, and his name became “Chico.”
Next was Julius, “And here’s a card for Groucho.” The name derived from Julius’ not-so-friendly demeanor. Julius denied this for most of his life.
The fourth was Milton, “And here’s a card for Gummo”, Fisher said. This one has two popular theories behind it. The one the family (except Harpo) is because Milton often wore gumshoes (rubber soled shoes), hence “Gummo.” The alternate from Harpo is that Gummo was sneaky and would creep up on people like a gumshoe detective. Gumshoe detectives received their name for the same reason, rubber sole shoes.
A few years later, the youngest of the five brothers entered the act, replacing older brother Gummo. Herbert Marx became “Zeppo.” Harpo said Zeppo was named in honor of a wild monkey who played on the bars and ran around named “Zippo”. Groucho said in 1972 that Zeppo was named after the Zeppelin airships.
The boys were involved in a poker game with monologist Art Fisher. It was a popular fad around this time to give everyone a nickname that ended in “o”. Common nicknames were “Jingo” or “Bongo” or “Ringo, etc.
In this poker game, Fisher was dealing out the cards to the four Marx brothers and he gave them each their nicknames as he dealt. “First, here’s a card for ‘Harpo’.” Adolph Marx played the harp.
“Here’s one for ‘Chicko’.” Leonard Marx was a notorious ladies’ man and, in those days, women and girls were often referred to as “chickens”. Later the slang term became “chicks.” Supposedly, a typesetter accidentally left the “k” in “Chico” out in one town the brothers were performing in, and his name became “Chico.”
Next was Julius, “And here’s a card for Groucho.” The name derived from Julius’ not-so-friendly demeanor. Julius denied this for most of his life.
The fourth was Milton, “And here’s a card for Gummo”, Fisher said. This one has two popular theories behind it. The one the family (except Harpo) is because Milton often wore gumshoes (rubber soled shoes), hence “Gummo.” The alternate from Harpo is that Gummo was sneaky and would creep up on people like a gumshoe detective. Gumshoe detectives received their name for the same reason, rubber sole shoes.
A few years later, the youngest of the five brothers entered the act, replacing older brother Gummo. Herbert Marx became “Zeppo.” Harpo said Zeppo was named in honor of a wild monkey who played on the bars and ran around named “Zippo”. Groucho said in 1972 that Zeppo was named after the Zeppelin airships.
What's in a Name, Grawlix
That is the name we give to a
sequence of typographical symbols used to represent a non-specific,
profane word or phrase. That is no #@$%*! It is true.
The term was coined in 1964 by American cartoonist Mort Walker, who is best known as the creator of the Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois cartoons.
He also created and named an international set of symbols used in comics around the world and called it Symbolia. A few examples:
briffits: clouds of dust indicating that a character left in a rush
plewds: drops of sweat indicating that a character is hot or stressed
squeans: asterisks with an empty center indicating drunkenness or dizziness
The term was coined in 1964 by American cartoonist Mort Walker, who is best known as the creator of the Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois cartoons.
He also created and named an international set of symbols used in comics around the world and called it Symbolia. A few examples:
briffits: clouds of dust indicating that a character left in a rush
plewds: drops of sweat indicating that a character is hot or stressed
squeans: asterisks with an empty center indicating drunkenness or dizziness
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