Today is Sunday, April 1.  Happy Easter!  There are only 213 days until Halloween.  The candy should be on sale once Easter has passed.  Today we remember the birthdays of Frank Josef Haydn, Lon Chaney and Ali MacGraw.  On this day in 1748 the ruins of Pompeii were found, in 1826 Samuel Mory patented the internal combustion engine and in 1982 the US formally transferred the Canal Zone to Panama.  In Burma it is Bank Holiday, in San Marino it is National Day and in the US it is Easter, National Sourdough Bread Day and April Fools Day.

Since this is now the month of April, let me give you your breakdown of the month’s information.  April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.  It’s name is derived from the Latin word aperitif, which means to open.  It is considered that April is the month of the growing season and when trees and flowers begin to “open.”  This month plays host to April Fools Day.  On this day practical jokes are played on the unwary.  This tradition seems to have originated in France where New Years Day was celebrated during Medieval times on the first of April.  It was changed back to January 1 in 1582.  Many people in rural areas did not make the change for several years.  The city dwellers thought them fools and it became the fashion to take advantage of the provincials on this date.

April has been designated National Poetry Month, Jazz Appreciation Month and Be Vigilant Against Child Abuse Month.  It is also Teacher Appreciation Month and Cancer Control Month.  People who are born in this month have the birthstone of diamond.  The birth flower is the daisy or the sweet pea.  That should take care of your trivia folder for the month.

As I said earlier, today is Easter, the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Many of the rituals surrounding its celebration have pagan origin including hiding Easter eggs.  Eggs are a symbol of fertility and new life.  Up to this point I am with you regarding the eggs and Easter.  Where I have the problem is how do the eggs connect to rabbits, specifically the Easter Bunny.  Further, why does the Easter Bunny have to be dressed up in a vest and hop around distributing colored eggs.  Other questions I have are why are the eggs colored and why do they have to be hidden?

There have been a number of people who have tried to give a rational explanation to this whole thing, but generally, no one has given me an explanation that I can truly buy into.  I will not bore you with the explanations since I don’t find them credible.  Frankly, I am sure that chocolate manufacturers and the makers of diabetes medications had something to do with it.  In any event, I will wish you a Happy Easter and hope that you have a great day.

I have been noticing the outfits that people are wearing nowadays and I cannot help but wonder where their heads are when they get dressed.  I saw one girl who was dressed all in camouflage clothing.  She was not in the military, at least I don’t think so because they normally don’t wear heels with camo in the military.  I was tempted to tell her that I could still see her, but I wasn’t sure she would see or get the humor.  I look at people who walk around wearing skinny jeans and wonder what made them think they looked good.  If you are already skinny, you need to wear a nice tapered pair of jeans.  Skinny ones make you look like a pair of sticks in denim.  If you are normal build or heavier, skinny jeans look like you grabbed someone else’s pants by mistake.

I also wonder about the new look in women’s clothing with the shoulders missing.  I cannot help but wonder why you would want to have your shoulders exposed like that.  I would love for someone to explain to me what the purpose of that design is.  Was it created to allow women to show off their tattoos?  It seems like every style of blouse, sweater, and dress has that cut out done on the sleeves.  While I really do not understand the fashion, I suppose it is okay for kids and young women.  It becomes an issue for me when I see it on women in their 70’s and 80’s.  I suppose there is no reason why they can’t wear the blouses, but there is nothing really attractive about bony shoulders, wrinkly skin and brown age spots.  I am sorry ladies, but really, that style is not for you.  Please put on a sweater.

The only other thing I wonder about is some of the people I see wearing jeans.  I have always thought that jeans were casual wear.  You wear them when you are trying to relax.  I recently saw a guy wearing jeans and a starched dress shirt, buttoned all the way up to the top.  He was not relaxed.  The other thing I have a problem with is guys who wear jeans and dress shoes.  Buy a pair of sneakers or casual shoes.  Wingtips do not go with jeans!

This week our fact tells us that gin is a mild diuretic which helps the body get rid of excessive fluid.  I intend to get rid of a lot of excessive fluid this summer, with the help of some ice and tonic water.

Today is Sunday, March 25 and there are only 275 days until Christmas.  I don’t mean to make you panic, but 275 days will go by quickly.  Today we remember the birthdays of Henry II, John Gutzon Borglum and Jeff Healey.  On this day in 0031 it was the first Easter, according to calendar maker Dionysius Exiguus, in 1634 Lord Baltimore founded the Catholic colony of Maryland and in 1966 the US Supreme Court ruled that the “poll tax” was unconstitutional.  In Greece it is Independence Day, in Maryland it is Maryland Day and in the US it is National Lobster Newburg Day and National Tolkien Reading Day.

As you may know, I reside in New Jersey.  These past few weeks have been a real introduction to winter for Barbara, who moved here from South Carolina last year.  Over a period of about three weeks we were hit with four major storms that dumped well over 20 inches (unofficial totals) on our area.  There is some discussion about whether or not winter storms really have names, but they have been gaining popularity in some areas.  The four storms that hit us were Quinn, Riley, Skylar and Toby.  That sounds more like a kindergarten class list … but I digress.

It was nice to sit and look out the window and watch the snow fall.  Nicer knowing that someone else was going to clean it up and I would not have to risk a heart attack doing it myself.  We were fortunate that we only had a minor power outage that lasted just a few minutes.  It wasn’t enough to create any worry about food spoiling, but enough that I had to reset the clocks on appliances.  As I listened to the news reports, I was amazed at the number of people who were without power.

Driving around after the storms, I could see why power was lost.  Many of the power lines have trees growing very close or have branches growing through them.  Even I can figure out that if those branches go down, the power will go out.  Why is it that the people who run the utility companies haven’t worked that out yet?  I would imagine that, after the first storm, someone would have figured out what was causing the problem and gotten it fixed.  Maybe instead of sitting in their offices, shrugging their shoulders, they could have gone out and looked at what was happening and drawn some conclusions.  I also imagine there are any number of landscaping companies that would have been willing to have the job of cutting those branches down.

Another thing that I found amazing was how the rest of the world stopped doing anything so that TV news programs could concentrate on finding 10 different ways to tell us about a storm that we could see with our own eyes.  Besides that, the people who really needed to know what was going on had no power and couldn’t watch the news anyway, but I am digressing again.  As I was saying, I am amazed by the amount of redundancy that goes into reporting this kind of story.  One station that I watch started their news broadcast an hour early with a special report to tell us about the storm that was hitting the area.  At the end of that hour that said, “That concludes our special storm broadcast.  The News at 5 is next.”

The News at 5 began by telling us that we were having a storm and then spent the next hour going over the same things we had just been listening to for an hour.  The only differences were that there was a little more accumulation and it was getting darker where the various live reporters were.  The film clips were all the same, the interviews were the same, etc., etc.  There was nothing new.  My state banned commercial traffic on the four major interstates that run through, but there were still truck accidents.  While one reporter was out showing a truck jackknifed on one of those roads, other trucks were speeding by.  Apparently they didn’t get the word that they weren’t supposed to be there, or the snow was too heavy for them to read the electronic signs.

We were lucky with this last storm.  The previous one was recent enough that people hadn’t used up all the milk, bread and water they bought for that one, so the lines at the store were not as bad.  The cleanup in our complex was started before midnight and by the time I got up the next day, everything was cleared.  We used our solar snow removal system to clear Barbara’s car and help dry up the driveway and sidewalks.

Because of the sun and warmer temperatures, most of what came down the other day is gone, but now the ground is mushy.  I just hope things dry up in time for the Fourth of July, so we can enjoy the fireworks without sinking into the ground.

This week our fact tells us that in Kirkland, Illinois a law forbids bees to fly over the village or though any of its streets.  I am going out on a limb here and guess that enforcement of this law is difficult.  First of all, are they using the term bee as a generic one that includes anything that buzzes and stings or is there a specific bee that they are after?  Is there a special “Bee Squad” that goes around attempting to enforce this law?  

“Hey, Roger, did you get that last one that came by?”

“Yeah, but I had to let it go.  It was a wasp”

“What does religious affiliation have to do with it?”

“Not that kind of wasp.  A flying one that isn’t a bee or yellow jacket.”

“This is all too confusing.  I hope my transfer to reptiles comes through soon.”

Have a good week and don’t forget to move your calendar ahead one month next Saturday night.

Today is Sunday, March 18 and there are only 148 days until National Prosecco Day and National Filet Mignon Day, so get a couple bottles chilled and get the grill ready.  Today we remember the birthdays of Raphael, Charley Pride and Queen Latifah.  On this day in 1543 Hernando de Soto observed the first recorded flood in America (Mississippi River), in 1673 Lord Berkley sold his half of New Jersey to the Quakers and in 1966 Scott Paper began selling paper dresses for $1.  In Aruba and Haiti it is Flag Day, in Ireland it is Sheelah’s Day and in the US it is National Awkward Moment Day, National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day and National Sloppy Joe Day.

I know many of you are wondering what or who Sheelah is and why does she have a day.  Here is what I have been able to find.  Even the Irish aren't exactly sure who Sheelah was.  Some say she was St. Patrick's wife; some say his mother.  But one thing that they all seem to agree on is how this day should be celebrated: by drinking whiskey.  The shamrock worn on St. Patrick's Day is supposed to be worn on the following day as well, until it is "drowned" in the last glass of the evening.  Many of the articles I found say she was St Patrick’s wife.  The one thing they all agree on is that the day involves drinking more whiskey, so bottoms up!

I recently read an article that stated that a person suffered from “hippophobia.”  I assumed that the person was afraid of hippos, but looked it up just to be sure.  In fact it means that the person has a fear of horses.  Several things came to mind when I discovered this.  The first was why ”hippo” if it is about horses?  The second was why can’t you just say someone has a fear of horses?  I started looking and found that there is a rather long list of phobias.  For example, there is “didaskaleinophobia” which is a fear of school.  My fear would be that they would ask me to spell that word.  Another is “pogonophobia,” a fear of beards.

“Honey, if we are going to continue dating, you are going to have to shave off your beard.”

“Why?  I like my beard.  It took me a long time to get it the way I want it.”

“I understand that, but I have pogonophobia.”

“I’m so sorry.  I didn’t know.  What is that?”

“A fear of beards.”

“How about if I just promise that it won’t hurt you?”

Some other fears are “epistolophobia,” the fear of correspondence, “homichlophobia,” the fear of fog, “eisoptrophobia,” the fear of mirrors and “harpaxophobia,” the fear of robbers.  The problem with all of these phobias is that you cannot tell what they mean by hearing or seeing the word.  If someone told you that they had “nelophobia,” your first response would be to ask what that meant.  They would then explain that they had a fear of glass.  I would think it would have been simpler to say that they had a fear of glass.  It is easier to understand, skips the middle man and gets right to the actual problem.

If you are looking to impress a person, you can say that you have “apiphobia” and they will be somewhat solicitous and ask you what that is.  You will explain that it is a fear of bees.  They will say, “I know!  I hate those damn things, too!”  Then they will ask why you didn’t just say that in the first place.  The fear that got me was “hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia” – the fear of long words.  I could go on but I fear that I have exhausted the subject and, yes, I looked it up and there is no specific phobia for running a subject into the ground.

Recently I have been doing some cooking and baking, doing things I have never done before.  One example is making Irish Soda Bread.  The recipe calls for making an “X” on the top of the loaf before baking.  I have seen this bread in stores and bakeries all over the place and the “X” always looks nice and neat and you can see exactly what it is.  I cut the “X” in mine and when it came out of the oven it looked like something had been dropped on top of the bread while it baked.  Another issue was when we tried to do a prime rib roast.  We followed the directions in the recipe, even though some of it sounded a little strange.

The recipe said to preheat the oven to 500 F and cook the meat for five minutes per pound, we did it for six just to be sure.  Then it said that once the time was done, turn the oven off and let it sit, undisturbed, in the oven for two hours.  Sounds simple enough; however, it didn’t work.  I sensed there was a problem when, after the two hours, I went to remove the pan and could handle it without a mitt.  I was right.  The outside was cooked nicely, the inside could have been bandaged and sent back out to pasture.  It took some work and the help of our microwave, but we eventually got the meat on the table.  In the future, we will just take everyone out for a prime rib dinner.  That will be easier and there will be less mess to clean up afterward.

This week our fact tells us that when Heinz ketchup leaves the bottle, it travels at a rate of 25 miles per year.  I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.  I suppose that would tell you that it is thick and rich and that is a good thing.  It would also tell you that you better have plenty of time to pour it.  You should also start pouring before your food is served, that way it won’t get cold waiting for the ketchup to come out.  Of course that does not take into account the squeeze bottles they use now.  Those bottles put the ketchup out at about 100 miles a second, it comes out in a large, uncontrollable blob and is accompanied by a sound that makes everyone else in the diner turn and look at you disdainfully.  You point to the ketchup bottle and they nod, but you know they are thinking, “Yeah, right, the old ketchup bottle trick.”

Today is Sunday, March 11 and there are only 21 until Easter.  In this area, we are hoping the snow will melt in time for Easter egg hunts.  It is difficult to hide colored eggs on white snow.  Plus, it will be easy to see the footprints from where the people hiding the eggs walked.  Today we remember the birthdays of Torquato Tasso, Robert Treat Paine and Bobby McFerrin.  On this day in 1302 it was Romeo and Juliet’s wedding day, according to Shakespeare, in 1789 Benjamin Banneker along with Pierre L’Enfant began to lay out Washington, DC and in 1953 an American B-47 accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb on South Carolina, but the bomb didn’t go off due to six safety catches.  In Mauritius it is Maha Shivaratree and in the US it is National Johnny Appleseed Day, National Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day, National Worship Tools Day and Daylight Savings begins.  For those of you who need an excuse, tomorrow is National Napping Day – the Day After the Return of Daylight Savings Day.

I have covered this in the past, but always feel the need to rehash the information regarding Daylight Savings Time.  Here is a timeline of Daylight Savings Time in the US:

1784 - The idea of daylight saving is first conceived by Benjamin Franklin.

1914-1918 - Britain goes on DLS during World War I.

March 19, 1918 - The Standard Time Act establishes time zones and daylight saving. Daylight saving is repealed in 1919, but continues to be recognized in certain areas of the United States.

1945-1966 - There is no federal law regarding Daylight Saving Time.

1966 - The Uniform Time Act of 1966 establishes the system of uniform Daylight Savings Time throughout the United States. The dates are the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. States can exempt themselves from participation.

1974-1975 - Congress extends DLS in order to save energy during the energy crisis.

1986-2006 - Daylight Savings Time begins on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October.

August 8, 2005 - President George W. Bush signs the Energy Policy Act of 2005 into law. Part of the act will extend Daylight Savings Time starting in 2007, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

What makes this all the more interesting is that while most people want to do away with DST, Florida wants to move in the opposite direction: permanent daylight savings time.  The Florida Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday, three weeks after the state’s House of Representatives, and sent it to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature or veto.  The problem? Florida doesn’t have the authority to adopt daylight savings time year-round.  The Federal government controls the nation’s time zones, as well as the start and end dates of daylight savings time. States can choose to exempt themselves from daylight savings time — Arizona and Hawaii do — but nothing in federal law allows them to exempt themselves from standard time.  So, stand by while we watch this one play out.  

Okay, I think we have covered that as far as we need to.  But I will point out one other issue that is a problem caused by DST.  I am a lover of watches.  I will not give the exact number that I own, but let’s say it is a number much larger than the average person owns.  Because I also tend to be OCD (or CDO so that it is in alphabetical order as my brother points out), this time change creates a bit of a problem for me.  I cannot simply change each watch as I use it, for two reasons.  One is because I need to have them all correct at the same time.  The other reason is because I will not always remember which ones I changed and which ones I didn’t so that would just create confusion that I really don’t need.

Let me tell you what I go through twice a year because of these time changes.  First, I have to take out my watches and lay them out on a table.  Next I have to wait until the sweep hand on each watch reaches 12 so that I can pull out the stem to set the time.  Once I have all the watches stopped, I have to set the correct time on them, allowing enough time to get them all set and ready, usually setting them a couple minutes ahead of the actual time so that they are all coordinated.  Finally, I have to wait for the correct time to show on my phone and then push all the stems back in so that the change has been taken care of.  Now I think we are done with this topic.

As you are aware, St Patrick’s day is next Saturday.  Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland.  While there’s nothing particularly Irish about shamrock-shaped cookies or green-frosted cupcakes, you might be surprised to learn that the traditional St. Paddy’s meal—corned beef and cabbage—is no more authentic. Like many aspects of St. Patrick’s Day, the dish came about when Irish-Americans transformed and reinterpreted a tradition imported from the Emerald Isle.

The wave of immigrants brought their own food traditions, including soda bread and Irish stew. Pork was the preferred meat, since it was cheap in Ireland.  But in the United States, pork was prohibitively expensive for most newly arrived Irish families, so they began cooking beef.  Members of the Irish working class in New York City frequented Jewish delis and lunch carts, and it was there that they first tasted corned beef. Cured and cooked much like Irish bacon, it was seen as a tasty and cheaper alternative to pork.  And while potatoes were certainly available in the United States, cabbage offered a more cost-effective alternative to cash-strapped Irish families.  So, if you want a truly Irish St Patrick’s Day meal enjoy a nice pork loin and some Yukon Gold potatoes.

This week, our fact once again causes me to wish there were explanations attached to these laws.  In Atlanta, GA it is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp.  I find it hard to believe that this was an ongoing problem that required a regulation prohibiting it.  Were giraffes, at one time, a favored pet in Atlanta and people started tying them to poles and forgetting them?  I would think that tying them to a pole would be better than letting them roam free, but that’s just me.

Don’t forget to nap tomorrow and have a happy St Patrick’s Day!

Today is Sunday, March 11 and there are only 21 until Easter.  In this area, we are hoping the snow will melt in time for Easter egg hunts.  It is difficult to hide colored eggs on white snow.  Plus, it will be easy to see the footprints from where the people hiding the eggs walked.  Today we remember the birthdays of Torquato Tasso, Robert Treat Paine and Bobby McFerrin.  On this day in 1302 it was Romeo and Juliet’s wedding day, according to Shakespeare, in 1789 Benjamin Banneker along with Pierre L’Enfant began to lay out Washington, DC and in 1953 an American B-47 accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb on South Carolina, but the bomb didn’t go off due to six safety catches.  In Mauritius it is Maha Shivaratree and in the US it is National Johnny Appleseed Day, National Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day, National Worship Tools Day and Daylight Savings begins.  For those of you who need an excuse, tomorrow is National Napping Day – the Day After the Return of Daylight Savings Day.

I have covered this in the past, but always feel the need to rehash the information regarding Daylight Savings Time.  Here is a timeline of Daylight Savings Time in the US:

1784 - The idea of daylight saving is first conceived by Benjamin Franklin.

1914-1918 - Britain goes on DLS during World War I.

March 19, 1918 - The Standard Time Act establishes time zones and daylight saving. Daylight saving is repealed in 1919, but continues to be recognized in certain areas of the United States.

1945-1966 - There is no federal law regarding Daylight Saving Time.

1966 - The Uniform Time Act of 1966 establishes the system of uniform Daylight Savings Time throughout the United States. The dates are the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. States can exempt themselves from participation.

1974-1975 - Congress extends DLS in order to save energy during the energy crisis.

1986-2006 - Daylight Savings Time begins on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October.

August 8, 2005 - President George W. Bush signs the Energy Policy Act of 2005 into law. Part of the act will extend Daylight Savings Time starting in 2007, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

What makes this all the more interesting is that while most people want to do away with DST, Florida wants to move in the opposite direction: permanent daylight savings time.  The Florida Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday, three weeks after the state’s House of Representatives, and sent it to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature or veto.  The problem? Florida doesn’t have the authority to adopt daylight savings time year-round.  The Federal government controls the nation’s time zones, as well as the start and end dates of daylight savings time. States can choose to exempt themselves from daylight savings time — Arizona and Hawaii do — but nothing in federal law allows them to exempt themselves from standard time.  So, stand by while we watch this one play out.  

Okay, I think we have covered that as far as we need to.  But I will point out one other issue that is a problem caused by DST.  I am a lover of watches.  I will not give the exact number that I own, but let’s say it is a number much larger than the average person owns.  Because I also tend to be OCD (or CDO so that it is in alphabetical order as my brother points out), this time change creates a bit of a problem for me.  I cannot simply change each watch as I use it, for two reasons.  One is because I need to have them all correct at the same time.  The other reason is because I will not always remember which ones I changed and which ones I didn’t so that would just create confusion that I really don’t need.

Let me tell you what I go through twice a year because of these time changes.  First, I have to take out my watches and lay them out on a table.  Next I have to wait until the sweep hand on each watch reaches 12 so that I can pull out the stem to set the time.  Once I have all the watches stopped, I have to set the correct time on them, allowing enough time to get them all set and ready, usually setting them a couple minutes ahead of the actual time so that they are all coordinated.  Finally, I have to wait for the correct time to show on my phone and then push all the stems back in so that the change has been taken care of.  Now I think we are done with this topic.

As you are aware, St Patrick’s day is next Saturday.  Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland.  While there’s nothing particularly Irish about shamrock-shaped cookies or green-frosted cupcakes, you might be surprised to learn that the traditional St. Paddy’s meal—corned beef and cabbage—is no more authentic. Like many aspects of St. Patrick’s Day, the dish came about when Irish-Americans transformed and reinterpreted a tradition imported from the Emerald Isle.

The wave of immigrants brought their own food traditions, including soda bread and Irish stew. Pork was the preferred meat, since it was cheap in Ireland.  But in the United States, pork was prohibitively expensive for most newly arrived Irish families, so they began cooking beef.  Members of the Irish working class in New York City frequented Jewish delis and lunch carts, and it was there that they first tasted corned beef. Cured and cooked much like Irish bacon, it was seen as a tasty and cheaper alternative to pork.  And while potatoes were certainly available in the United States, cabbage offered a more cost-effective alternative to cash-strapped Irish families.  So, if you want a truly Irish St Patrick’s Day meal enjoy a nice pork loin and some Yukon Gold potatoes.

This week, our fact once again causes me to wish there were explanations attached to these laws.  In Atlanta, GA it is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp.  I find it hard to believe that this was an ongoing problem that required a regulation prohibiting it.  Were giraffes, at one time, a favored pet in Atlanta and people started tying them to poles and forgetting them?  I would think that tying them to a pole would be better than letting them roam free, but that’s just me.

Don’t forget to nap tomorrow and have a happy St Patrick’s Day!