Mar 17

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Mar. 17, 2020 Week: 12 Day: 77

86004: H 60° \ L 34° \ Average Sky Cover: 50%

Nearest lightning: 681mi.; Nearest active fire: 1387mi.

Wind: 5mph\Gusts: 8mph Visibility: 10 mi

Record High: 73°[2007] Record Low: 3°[1991]

Mar. Averages: 53°\19° (6 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

"Now sweetly lies old Ireland Emerald green beyond the foam."

May the blessings of each day

Be the blessings you need most.

Life is like a cup of tea,

it's all in how you make it!

We cannot share this sorrow

If we haven't grieved a while.

Nor can we feel another's joy

Until we've learned to smile.

Random Tidbits

Although it is part of the French military, it is the only unit of the military that does not swear allegiance to France, but to the Foreign Legion itself.

Some Americans disagreed with the United States' initial refusal to enter WWI and so they joined the French Foreign Legion or the British or Canadian army. A group of U.S. pilots formed the Lafayette Escadrille, which was part of the French air force and became one of the top fighting units on the Western Front.

Observations This Week

Orthodox Lent: 2-4/10Turkey Vultures Return to the Living Sign: 11-17
American Chocolate Week: 15-21  Link
National Animal Poison Prevention Week: 15-21 Link Link
National Inhalant and Poisons Awareness Week: 15-21 Link Link
World Folktales & Fables Week: 15-21
Act Happy Week: 16-22
National Fix A Leak Week: 16-22 Link
International Brain Awareness Week: 16-22  Link
International Teach Music Week: 16-22
Native American Awareness Week: 16-20  Link
Shakespeare Week: 16-22  (Link)
Wellderly Week: 16-22 (3rd Mon-Sun Week)

Observations for Today

Campfire DayCorned Beef and Cabbage Day

Saint Patrick's Day Link
Submarine Day

World Social Work Day  Link

My Rambling Thoughts

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all the Irish, and those who wish they were.

A friend stopped by Saturday evening and we ended up watching Netflix until 2a. Spent the day yesterday resting up.

Today our retirement group decided to stop meeting every week until this Corona Virus thing gets cleared up. We are all over 70 and have various old-er age issues that might compromise our immune system. Better safe than sorry, and we all still have phones.

I have decided to go to the e-edition of my local paper. I will certainly miss the paper edition, but they are part of a huge conglomerate that really doesn't help me. I made 4 phone calls on 4 different days to end the vacation hold on my paper. I never got a copy. This morning I called and told the guy I was getting very upset as each other person said they had canceled the hold. He then informed me that my subscription was past due and that's why they couldn't deliver the paper. I asked to speak to his supervisor, since I never got a bill. Five hours later I am still waiting for the call back. Then I went to the website for my paper, and it said my subscription was good until 4-9-2020. Last year I paid about $200 for the year, the guy said a new subscription would be $350 for a year. Enough is enough.

I am so grateful to the many healthcare workers who continue to show up to help the sick. I heard today on NPR that retired doctors and nurses have been called to see if they will return to work as the epidemic continues. Many others have simply contacted their previous employer to see if they are needed. Very cool.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17th. It is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland as well as the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Laborador.

St. Patrick's Day was a religious holiday, dedicated the Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, until 1903 when it became public by the Bank Holiday Act fo 1903. The Irish Memeber of Parliment, James O'Mara, later introduced a law that all pubs be, wait for it, closed on March 17th. Surprisingly, this law stuck around until the 1970's, when people finally realized that St. Patrick's Day is all about drinking, drinking, drinking.

Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick was born around the end of the fourth century A.D. in Britain. Although his father was a Christian deacon, their family was not a very religous one. At 16, Saint Patrick was taken into slavery by a group of Irish thieves who took over his home village. During his time in captivity, he spent a lot of time alone and in this time turned to God, becoming more religious. After six years, Saint Patrick escaped and went to Gaul where he studied in a monestary for 12-15 years. After being ordinated as a priest, Saint Patrick was sent to Ireland to be a minister as well as conver the non-Christian Irish. His mission lasted for 30 years.

The Parade

The first St. Patrick's Day Parade was actually held in New York City in 1962. It consisted of Irish soldiers serving in the English military marching the streets of the city. "Each year, nearly three million people line the one-and-a-half mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades including between 10,000 to 20,000 participants." - The History Channel

Traditions

The traditional meal of Saint Patrick's Day is corned beef, boiled potatoes and mashed cabbage, as well is Guiness Beer.

The shamrock is a special part of the holiday; in ancient Ireland it symbolized the rebirth of spring. Since then, the shamrock has become a symbol of Irish nationalism and pride. It is also said that Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to demonstrate the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The color green is associated with the holiday for a few, obvious reasons. The first is because of the shamrock, which the Irish hold close to their culture. Also, green is on the national Irish flag, where is represents all the green pastures of the country.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

You have a 3-gallon jug and a 5-gallon jug. You need to measure out exactly 7 gallons of water. How can you do it?

Historical Events

461 - Saint Patrick died in Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland.

1762 - The first parade Saint Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland) was held by Irish soldiers serving in the British army in New York City.

1885 - The medical report of the deformities of Joseph Carey Merrick - The 'Elephant Man' - was presented to the Pathological Society of London by Dr. Frederick Treves.

1947 - First flight of the B-45 Tornado strategic bomber.

1958 - The United States launched the Vanguard 1 satellite.

1969 Golda Meir becomes Israel's 4th PM

1973 Queen Elizabeth II opens new London Bridge

1973 -After it was released, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon album stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for 736 weeks, the most consecutive number of weeks any album was ever on the chart.

1980 - The Supreme Court concerning whether a patent could be issued for a genetically-engineered bacterium in the case of Diamond vs. Chakrabarty. On June 16th, they decided yes, it could be patented.

1901 - 11 years after his suicide, 71 paintings by Vincent van Gogh were shown at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris.

1958 - The US launched the Vanguard I satellite, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

1992 - A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa was passed 68.7% to 31.2%.

2005 - Broadway Show - Spamalot (Musical) March 17, 2005

2019 Brazilian President Jair Bonsonaro arrives in the US for face-to-face meetings with Donald Trump

Birthdays Today

69-Kurt Russell, actor

65-Gary Sinese, actor and patriot

@60-Shemp Howard [Samuel Horwitz], comedic actor (d. 1955; heart attack)

56-Rob Lowe, actor

47-Mia Hamm, soccer player

@45-Nat King Cole [Nathaniel Adams Coles], singer (d. 1965; cancer)

Puzzle Answer:

Fill the 5-gallon jug, pour it into the 3-gallon jug until the 3 gallon is full, and leaving 2 gallons in the 5-gallon jug. Now pour the 3-gallon jug out. Pour the remaining 2 gallons from the 5 gallon into the empty 3-gallon jug. Now fill the 5 gallon from the faucet. You now have exactly 7 gallons.