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Flag Today 50°/21° Week 50 Day 343 Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Wind 7 mph Gusts 12 mph Gentle Breeze Active Fire: 351 miles away Risk
of fire: Moderate High Nearest
Lightning: 1518 miles away Dec. Averages: Temps: 45°\18° Moisture: 5 Days |
Weekly Observations
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3-10 Clerc-Gallaudet Week |
4-24 Andisop (Meterological
Fiddling) Link |
Daily Observations
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AFL-CIO Day Link (1886) |
Toilet Paper Appreciation Day Link (Note:
December 8, 1857 was when it was first sold in the US by Joseph C. Gayetty.
The other observance is on August 26 when Scott first sold toilet paper on a
roll on August 26, 1871 fourteen years later as Toilet Paper Day.) |
Today’s Seasonal Quote
Today’s Meme
Thoughts for the day
A nice weather day.
Syria is sure in the news. One of our
former discussion group members did her Master’s in Syria long ago. She left
long before the decades long civil war. She had some great stories about the people
of Syria from her time there. I hope things work out well for the Syrians of
today.
Interesting that both Trump and Musk
are at the ceremony to open Notre Dame cathedral. The Theme song ‘Movin’ on Up’
from the Jeffersons TV show keeps popping into my head.
Trivia Time
Christmas Traditions
Mistletoe
Mistletoe has been associated with fertility and
vitality since ancient times, when Celtic Druids saw it as such because it
blossomed even during the most frigid winters; the association stuck over the
centuries.
It’s easy to see how fertility and kissing can be linked, but
no one is quite sure how smooching under the shrub (actually, it’s a parasitic
plant) became a common Christmas pastime. We do know the tradition was popular
with English servants in the 18th century, then quickly spread to those they
served. The archaic custom once allowed men to steal a kiss from any woman
standing beneath; if she refused, they were doomed with bad luck.
Random Thoughts…
Never underestimate the power of very
stupid people in large groups.
In all science fiction, humans are the one race whose goal is to get along with every other race. In non-fiction, humans can’t even get along with themselves.
I wish some popstar would popularize wearing
mismatched socks. It would save me so much time when I’m folding laundry
to not have to pair then up and in the mornings when I can only find one sock
of the pair I want to wear.
In 1972, D.Hampton of the Falcons vowed to hit 1000 yds
rushing before the end of the season. Very last game, with a few seconds to
play, he hits 1k, receives a standing ovation, and is given the game ball. In
the next play, he was tackled for a loss and ended the season with 995 yards.
Ancient Roman Life
Ancient Meals and Methods
Ancient Roman cuisine was a mix of cereals, vegetables,
fruits, and legumes tailored to societal status. Commoners mainly consumed
staples like bread, beans, lentils, peas, and vegetables. Meat, a luxury for
the wealthy, included hares, snails, and birds, with beef less favored. Seafood
was diverse, reflecting Rome’s expansion and trade. Cooking primarily involved
boiling and frying, particularly in olive oil, with sauces and spices enhancing
flavors. Garum, a fermented fish sauce, was particularly popular.
Wine was central to Roman dining, often diluted with water.
Posca, watered-down wine with spices, was common among soldiers and the lower
classes. Fruits like apples, figs, and grapes were integral and often
preserved. The diet evolved over time, incorporating new ingredients as Rome
expanded.
Historic Events
1765 – Eli Whitney was born in Westboro,
Massachusetts. Whitney invented the cotton gin and developed the concept of
mass-production of interchangeable parts, which enabled the industrial
revolution.
1854 – Pope Pius IX proclaimed that the
Immaculate Conception, was Roman Catholic dogma, stating that Mary was
conceived without ‘original sin.’
1941 – Almost everyone in the US
Congress voted to go to war with Japan. Montana’s Jeanette Rankin was the only
person to vote against it.
1941 – The Chinese government announced
that they would back the allies, the United States and Great Britain against
Germany, Italy, and Japan.
1982 – Sophie’s Choice, starring Meryl
Streep, opened in theaters.
1983 – England’s House of Lords voted
to allow cameras to broadcast live television proceedings from its chamber.
1993 – The North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, Mexico, and the United States, was signed
into law by President Bill Clinton.
1994 – A new element (#111) was created,
named unununium, symbol ‘Uuu’
Birthdays
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Ann Coulter, 63, American author |
@85 – William C. Durant, American businessman, founder of
General Motors and Chevrolet (d. 1947)
@44 – Mary, Queen of Scots (d. 1587; executed)
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…The End for today…
