What sweet feelings does it’s scent transmute?
Whence this perfume floating everywhere?
Don’t you know, it’s that dear forbidden fruit.
It’s that time of year again – Time to sing one of my favorite songs ever… The Lusty Month of May. (Preference goes to the version sung by the divine Julie Andrews, of course.)
Happy May Day, people.
We can take some comfort in the fact that we’ve made SOME progress on the sexism front in the last 100 years. Not that much, since the only female Presidential candidate we’ve ever had has men telling her to iron their shirts, but at least women can ask ask men out on dates more than once every four freaking years.
Isn’t it surprising to see stuff like this and realize how bad things used to be?
A few year back, I blogged about finding Anti-Women’s Suffrage buttons on eBay, and how they were being bought by museums and universities for huge amounts of money. But seeing the postcards and texts were huge eye-openers, not because people’s attitudes have changed all that much, just that they’ve gotten more subtle/less open about their messages.
According to the AP, Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow for the first time in several years.
Punxsutawney Phil predicts early spring
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — A new pair of hands pulled Punxsutawney Phil from his stump this year, so it was only fitting that the groundhog offered a new prediction.Phil did not see his shadow on Friday, which, according to German folklore, means folks can expect an early spring instead of six more weeks of winter.
Since 1886, Phil has seen his shadow 96 times, hasn’t seen it 15 times and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The last time Phil failed to see his shadow was in 1999.More than 15,000 revelers milled about in a misty snow waiting for the prediction, as fireworks exploded overhead and the “Pennsylvania Polka” and other music blared in the background.
A couple of Stephanie’s friends got engaged at the Pennsylvania festival, and are getting married today.
I was unaware of this until now, but January 8th through the 12th is National De-Lurking Week on ye old internets-blog-web-sphere-tubey thingy.
That means if you’re reading this post but you never comment on the site, you’re supposed to drop by to say hi. This means you. Yeah, I see you, right there.
Hey, it’s International Literacy Day, according to a UN resolution. I know we don’t take those very seriously here in Amurika, but literacy is important! You too could grow up to get in a readin’ contest with Karl Rove.
Is Our Children Learning?
But in all seriousness:
International Literacy Day takes place on September 8 every year to raise awareness and concern for literacy problems that exist within our own local communities as well as globally. International Literacy Day was founded by proclamation of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, in 1966 “to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights.” International Literacy Day brings ownership of the challenges of illiteracy back home to local communities where literacy begins, one person at a time.
Apparently Hell, Michigan is going to have fun with tomorrow’s date, planning some fun town celebrations, but not all town residents are amused.
Elsewhere, Topor Indy notes a variety of other people’s plans (USA Today article) for the “satanic” holiday that is the day of my birth, the 38th anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s death, and the 62nd anniversary of D-Day, among other events.
Apparently, it’s also National Yo-Yo Day.
The world’s odds of surviving the day: 100,000 to 1, according to an online bookmaker.
No word on what the town of Heck, Michigan feels about all of this.
Crap — I missed CSS Naked Day, which was yesterday. Oh well. It’s the day when you take all the CSS design out of your site, for one day.
My [link deprecated: https://commonplacebook.com/testing.shtm] new site design test pages are CSS Naked, mostly, sort of.
According to Cliff Ardall, a seasonal-affective disorders scientist in Cardiff, Wales, January 23rd is the Gloomiest Day of the Year. The factors are weather (overcast skies), finances (people receive their Christmas bills around this time), and breaking New Years resolutions (I bought a book yesterday).
According to the American Pie Council, January 23rd is National Pie Day. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going with the pie. Pie for everyone!!!!
It’s Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday.
The story goes that, as Franklin left the Constitutional Convention in 1787, he was approached by a Mrs. Powell, who asked him, “What have you given us, Dr. Franklin?”
“A republic,” he replied, “if you can keep it.”
With Alito, looks like that’s pretty much gone, now.
Celebrate while you still can, folks. In a few years this holiday will disappear and we’ll all be required to be Baptists.
Religious Freedom Day
Each year, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day, and calls upon Americans to “observe this day through appropriate events and activities in homes, schools, and places of worship.” The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.
The goal of ReligiousFreedomDay.com is to promote and protect students’ religious expression rights by informing educators, parents, and students about these liberties.