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As we all know, February 14 is Saint Valentine’s Day, so I decided to do some research on it. At least St. Valentine’s Day is actually a church-sanctioned holiday, as Pope Gelasius deemed February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. Who would have expected problems with that?
#TodayInHistory
But the first problem arose when I found out that there were actually THREE Saints Valentine canonized by the Church of Rome, and no one is certain which one the Feast Day honors. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine, almost nothing is known... except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on February 14.
But one was most often selected as the object of the feast is the priest in Rome. Most scholars believe that this St. Valentine (of the holiday) was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270 A.D. Claudius II thought that unmarried men made better soldiers, so he made it a law that young men could not marry. Valentine took pity on the ostracized soldiers. He became an advocate of these young lovers and began to perform secret marriages. He was soon found out and jailed. Emperor Claudius attempted to convert Valentine to worshipping the Roman gods, but Valentine refused. Instead, he tried to convert Claudius to Christianity and Valentine was sentenced to be executed on... you guessed it... February 14, 270.
A legend within the legend has it that Valentine, while imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed "from your Valentine." These words have been repeated ad infinitum by lovers everywhere.
Even though the history of Valentine’s Day is unclear, it has become one of the most popular holidays among lovers, florists and sweets vendors. The common symbols of Valentine’s Day in this era are cupids, hearts, roses, teddy bears, and words of love and adoration. Children exchange valentine cards decorated with current comic and cartoon icons. Adults have continued this tradition of card giving, which makes this day, behind Christmas, the second largest card-sending holiday of the year.
By the way, in 1969, the Catholic Church revised its liturgical calendar, removing the feast days of saints whose historical origins were questionable. St. Valentine was one of the casualties.
If you and the one you love plan to celebrate this St. Valentine’s Day, or if you hope to find your Valentine, I wish you the best. <3
:o)
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss1 comment8 hours 3 minutes ago
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The Harlem Globetrotters were started in Chicago, not Harlem.
#DidYouKnow
#BlackHistoryMonth
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. Over the years they have played more than 20,000 exhibition games in 118 countries. Brother Bones' whistled version of "Sweet Georgia Brown" is the team's signature song. "Globie" has been their mascot since 1993.
There is no clear consensus as to the very beginnings of the Globetrotters. The official history contains several details which seem contradictory, such as the team being organized in 1926 in the Savoy Ballroom, which opened in 1927. What is clear is that the genesis of the Globetrotters took place on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois in the 1920s, where all the original players grew up. Most of the players also attended Wendell Phillips High School.
When the Savoy Ballroom opened in November 1927, one of the premier attractions was the Savoy Big Five, a basketball team that played exhibitions before dances. Hinckley, Illinois was home to the first Harlem Globetrotters game on January 7, 1927. In 1928, several players left the team in a dispute over bringing back other players who had left the team. That fall, several players led by Tommy Brookins formed a team called the "Globe Trotters" who toured Southern Illinois the following spring.
Abe Saperstein became involved with the team, though to exactly what extent is unclear. In any event, by 1929 Saperstein was touring Illinois and Iowa with his basketball team, called the "New York Harlem Globe Trotters". Saperstein decided to pick Harlem as their home city since Harlem was considered the center of African-American culture at the time, and an out-of-town team name would give the team more of a mystique.
The Globetrotters were initially a serious competitive team, and despite a flair for entertainment, they would only clown for the audience after establishing a safe lead in the game. In 1939, they accepted an invitation to participate in the World Professional Basketball Tournament, where they met the New York Rens in the semi-finals in the first big clash of the two greatest all-black professional basketball teams. The Rens defeated the Globetrotters and went on to win the Tournament, but in 1940 the Globetrotters avenged their loss by defeating the Rens in the quarterfinals and advancing to the championship game, where they beat the Chicago Bruins in overtime by a score of 37–36.
After four decades of existence, the Globetrotters finally played their first "home" game in Harlem in 1968.
If you’ve never seen the Harlem Globtrotters (or heard their theme song), watch this, you’re in for a treat:
http://youtu.be/0tbiFphWHc4
:o)
Monday, 13 February 2012 is:
Get a Different Name Day
Get a Different Name Day is for those who are not fond of the name given to them. At birth, we are given a first name, a middle name and a last name. It wasn't our choosing. Rather, our parents bestowed it upon us. If you like your name, good for you. If not, then today is for you. Take advantage of today to change your name.
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss13 comments1 day 6 hours ago
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Uncle_Pete snapped a picture
On 12 February 1946, African American United States Army veteran Isaac Woodard was severely beaten by a South Carolina police officer to the point where he lost his vision in both eyes. The incident later galvanized the Civil Rights Movement and partially inspired Orson Welles' film Touch of Evil.
#TodayInHistory
#BlackHistoryMonth
Isaac Woodard, Jr., (March 18, 1919 – September 23, 1992)
On February 12, 1946, U.S. Army Sergeant Isaac Woodard Jr. was on a Greyhound Lines bus traveling from Camp Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, where he was "mustered out" en route to his family in North Carolina. In Winnsboro, South Carolina, the bus came to a stop just outside of Augusta, and Woodard asked the bus driver if there was time for him to use a restroom. The driver grudgingly acceded to the request after an argument with Woodard. Once the stop was completed, Woodard returned to his seat without incident, and the bus departed.
The bus then stopped in Batesburg (now Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina). Though Woodard did not protest, the driver contacted the local police (including Chief of Police Linwood Shull), who forcibly removed Woodard from the bus. After demanding to see his discharge papers, a group of police officers, including Shull, took him to a nearby alleyway, where they beat him repeatedly with nightsticks. Woodard was then taken to the town jail and arrested for disorderly conduct, accused of drinking beer in the back of the bus with other soldiers.
While newspaper accounts of what transpired next vary, attorney and author Michael R. Gardner wrote, "In none of the papers is there any suggestion there was verbal or physical violence on the part of Sergeant Woodard. It’s quite unclear what really happened. What did happen with certainty is the next morning when the sun came up, Sergeant Isaac Woodard was blind for life." During the course of the night in jail, Shull blinded Woodard. Woodard also suffered partial amnesia as a result of the injuries.
In Woodard's own court testimony, he indicated that he was punched in the eyes several times on the way to the jail, and later repeatedly jabbed in his eyes with a Billy club. Despite newspaper accounts indicating that Woodard's eyes had been "gouged out", historical documents indicate that each bulb was ruptured irreparably in the socket.
The following morning, the police sent him before the local judge, who promptly found him guilty and fined him fifty dollars. He requested medical assistance, but it took two days for a doctor to be sent to him. Not knowing where he was and still suffering from amnesia, Woodard ended up in a hospital in Aiken, South Carolina, receiving substandard medical care.
Three weeks after he was reported missing by his relatives, he was discovered in the hospital. Woodard was immediately rushed to an Army hospital in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Though his memory had begun to recover by that time, doctors found both his corneas damaged beyond repair.
The picture above shows then 27 year old Isaac Woodard with his mother.
:o|
Sunday, 12 February 2012 is:
Abraham Lincoln's Birthday in the United States
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on 1 January 1863 that ended slavery in the U.S. forever, but as the story above proves, even 83 years later the hate lived on. *sigh*
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss4 comments2 days 7 hours ago
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Uncle_Pete snapped a picture
I Can’t Decide...
We’ve all had it happen. A song sticks in our head and we just can’t shake it. Most people cringe at the thought. Not me. I welcome it. While others can start to go insane after an hour or two, I can have songs in my head for periods of weeks, even months. All the while I embrace them. The latest song was a gift from my friend Dave in New Zealand. The song is I Can’t Decide by Scott Hoffman and Jason Sellards. If their names don’t ring a bell, that’s OK; you might know them better by their stage names: Babydaddy and Jake Shears of Scissors Sisters. In fact, I first heard a portion of I Can’t Decide in, of all places, a Doctor Who episode. The song contains the “F-bomb”, so they started it two-thirds in, well past the possibly offensive lyrics. (Here’s the scene: http://youtu.be/ptRxrH1rVK8)
Recently my friend Dave (@ddwagnz) was complaining about having I Can’t Decide stuck in his head (http://dailybooth.com/ddwagnz/22276542), and it transferred to mine. Thanks, Dave. Seriously, I really mean that. As of this writing, it’s been about a month into the mission and the song is stronger than ever. I’m becoming a bit obsessed by it even. I had to have the lyrics and guitar chords, but I didn’t like the ones I found online, so I actually purchased the sheet music from http://www.Musicnotes.com. They legally sell electronic copies of sheet music and they boast of having a library of 200,000 songs. Now all I have to do is practice it on my guitar, a task I’ll get to eventually. Getting the sheet music was the battle, and I won it. Now my procrastinator-self is kicking in and the music will sit on a corner of my desk for a while until I get up and go all the way to the living room and retrieve my guitar. I can wait; I still have the song in my head.
(o:
PS: If you’d like to hear the entire song (and risk transferring it to the ‘stuck-song’ section of your brain) you can find it here: http://youtu.be/OFKUnfwBPTU. You can also find it on Amazon.com and iTunes. It’s on Scissors Sister’s Ta Dah album.
PPS: A song that sticks in your head, and will not leave, no matter how much you try to get rid of it, actually has a proper name. It’s called an “Earworm”.
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Saturday, 11 February 2012 is:
National Foundation Day in Japan
It is also:
Make a Friend Day
Do you have enough friends? The answer should be no. No matter how many friends we have, more of them increase our wealth. That's because friends are one of life's valuable assets. Ya just can't have too many friends.
Make a Friend Day is a great opportunity to meet someone new, or do something to make a new friend. There must be a gazillion ways to make new friends. It often helps by smiling. Spend "Make a Friend Day" just being friendly, and by doing nice things for others.
Oh, by the way... I hope that you’ll be my friend!
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss14 comments3 days 8 hours ago
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On 10 February2009, the communication satellites Iridium 33 and Kosmos-2251 collide in orbit, destroying both.
#TodayInHistory
Kosmos-2251 was a Russian Strela-2M communications satellite. It was launched into Low Earth Orbit from Site 132/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 04:17 GMT on 16 June 1993.
Iridium 33 was a U.S. Iridium communications satellite, owned by Iridium Communications Inc. of McLean, Virginia. It was launched into low Earth orbit from Site 81/23 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 01:36 GMT on 14 September 1997.
At 16:56 GMT on 10 February 2009, Kosmos-2251 collided with Iridium 33 in the first major collision of two satellites in Earth orbit. The Iridium satellite, which was operational at the time of the collision, was destroyed, as was Kosmos-2251. NASA reported that a large amount of debris was produced by the collision. At the time of the collision, the satellites were over Russia.
:o)
Friday, 10 February 2012 is:
Umbrella Day
Umbrella Day is in honor of one of the world's most invaluable inventions. On a rainy day, we are sure glad that someone was smart enough to invent it. It's also increasingly popular to use umbrellas to shade ourselves from harmful UV radiation, and the heat of the sun.
Umbrellas come in all sorts of sizes, colors, shapes, and, designs. Businesses and organizations use them for advertising. The smallest umbrellas fit inside a purse or glove compartment. Golf umbrellas are popular sizes. Then, there are lawn and beach umbrellas. There's one (or two) made just for you.
Celebrate Umbrella Day in a couple of ways. First, make sure your umbrella is handy. Second, use it, or walk around with it. If you don't have an umbrella, isn't it time to get one?
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss3 comments4 days 7 hours ago
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On 9 February 1991, Lithuanians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union.
#TodayInHistory
In the aftermath of World War I, Lithuania's Act of Independence was signed on 16 February 1918, declaring the re-establishment of a sovereign state. Starting in 1940, Lithuania was occupied first by the Soviet Union and then by Nazi Germany. As World War II neared its end in 1944 and the Germans retreated, the Soviet Union reoccupied Lithuania.
On 11 March 1990, the year before the break-up of the Soviet Union, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare independence. An independence referendum was held in Lithuanian on 9 February 1991. It was approved by 74.9% of voters, with a turnout of 87.6%. It was approved by 93.2% of voters. The number of voters voting "yes" was 76.5% of all registered voters, far exceeding the threshold of 50%. Independence had been declared on 11 March 1990, and was achieved in August 1991.
Prior to the global financial crisis of 2007–2010, Lithuania had one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Lithuania is a member of NATO, the Council of Europe, and the European Union. Lithuania is also a full member of the Schengen Agreement. The United Nations Human Development Index lists Lithuania as a "Very High Human Development" country. In 2011, Lithuania hosted the European men's basketball championship, EuroBasket 2011, and the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting. (OSCE is the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.)
:o)
Thursday, 9 February 2012 is:
The Feast of Saint Maron in Lebanon
It is also:
Toothache Day?
Yes, Toothache Day. One can only ask why?!? There are a lot of bizarre days. Many celebrate funny or silly or strange events. But we wonder why someone would want to celebrate a toothache. Unfortunately, we have yet to uncover a website or any written documentation about this day.
We suggest you participate in this day by learning or reviewing the cause of toothaches and tooth decay. Pass this education along to your kids. If you have a toothache today, by all means call your dentist.
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss9 comments5 days 7 hours ago
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Uncle_Pete snapped a picture
On 8 February 1855, the Devil's Footprints mysteriously appeared in southern Devon, England.
#TodayInHistory
On the night of 7–8 February 1855 and one or two later nights, after a heavy snowfall, a series of hoof-like marks appeared in the snow. These footprints, most of which measured around four inches long, three inches across, between eight and sixteen inches apart and mostly in a single file, were reported from over thirty locations across Devon and a couple in Dorset. It was estimated that the total distance of the tracks amounted to between 40 and 100 miles. Houses, rivers, haystacks and other obstacles were travelled straight over, and footprints appeared on the tops of snow-covered roofs and high walls which lay in the footprints' path, as well as leading up to and exiting various drain pipes of as small as a four-inch diameter.
The area in which the prints appeared extended from Exmouth, up to Topsham, and across the Exe Estuary to Dawlish and Teignmouth. R.H. Busk, in an article published in Notes and Queries in 1890, stated that footprints also appeared further afield, as far south as Totnes and Torquay, and that there were other reports of the prints as far away as Weymouth (Dorset) and even Lincolnshire.
There were also attendant rumours about sightings of a "devil-like figure" in the Devon area during the scare. Many townspeople armed themselves and attempted to track down the beast responsible, without success.
:o)
Wednesday, 8 February 2012 is:
Culture Day in Slovenia
Tu B'Shevat a Jewish Religious Holiday
It is also:
Kite Flying Day
People have enjoyed flying kites for thousands of years. It’s an ever popular activity for children, and enjoyed by many adults. Ben Franklin was perhaps the most well-known kite flyer. He flew a kite in a thunderstorm and discovered electricity.
We are amazed that Kite Flying Day is held in the middle of winter. Chances are few people in the northern areas of the country will brave the snow and cold today to go outdoors and fly a kite.
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss12 comments6 days 6 hours ago
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On 7 February 1926, Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week, which later evolved into Black History Month.
#TodayInHistory
#BlackHistoryMonth
Black History had barely begun to be studied-or even documented-when the tradition originated. Although blacks have been in America at least as far back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the history books.
We owe the celebration of Black History Month, and more importantly, the study of Black History, to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Born to parents who were former slaves, he spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coal mines and enrolled in high school at age twenty. He graduated within two years and later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. The scholar was disturbed to find in his studies that history books largely ignored the Black American population-and when Blacks did figure into the picture, it was generally in ways that reflected the inferior social position they were assigned at the time.
Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the Black American population, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Douglass was born in February of 1819; the date was not recorded. Lincoln was born on 12 February 1809.
:o)
Tuesday, 7 February 2012 is:
Makha Bucha Day in Thailand
It is also:
Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day
Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day is the perfect opportunity to greet your neighbor with a big wave. But, to show your respect and appreciation on this very important day, you must wave with all of your fingers!
Without a doubt, this day was created to put a smile on your face, and upon your neighbors’. Its intent is to be friendly and create better relations. We believe you should also use the term "Neighbor" loosely. Go out and greet everyone today with a big five fingers wave. Don't forget to include a big, bright smile on your face!
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss4 comments1 week 7 hours ago
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Uncle_Pete snapped a picture
On February 6 1935, the popular board game Monopoly® went on sale for the first time.
#TodayInHistory
Monopoly Trivia:
The history of Monopoly can be traced back to 1904, when an American woman named Elizabeth (Lizzie) J. Magie Phillips created a game through which she hoped to be able to explain the single tax theory of Henry George (it was intended to illustrate the negative aspects of concentrating land in private monopolies). Her game, The Landlord's Game, was commercially published in 1924.
In 1941, the British Secret Service had John Waddington Ltd., the licensed manufacturer of the game outside the U.S., create a special edition for World War II prisoners of war held by the Nazis. Hidden inside these games were maps, compasses, real money, and other objects useful for escaping. They were distributed to prisoners by secret service-created fake charity groups.
Because of the lengthy court process and appeals, the legal status of Parker Brothers' trademarks on the game was not settled until the late 1970s. Ralph Anspach won a lawsuit over his game Anti-Monopoly on appeals in 1979, as the 9th District Court determined that the trademark Monopoly was generic, and therefore unenforceable.
:o)
Monday, 6 February 2012 is:
Waitangi Day in New Zealand
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840, in a marquee erected in the grounds of James Busby's house (now known as the Treaty house) at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. The Treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire, guaranteed Māori rights to their land and gave Māori the rights of British subjects. There are differences between the Māori and English language versions of the Treaty, and virtually since 1840 this has led to debate over exactly what was agreed to at Waitangi. Māori have generally seen the Treaty as a sacred pact, while for many years Pākehā (the Māori word for New Zealanders of predominantly European ancestry) ignored it. By the early twentieth century, however, some Pākehā were beginning to see the Treaty as their nation's founding document and a symbol of British humanitarianism. Unlike Māori, Pākehā have generally not seen the Treaty as a document with binding power over the country and its inhabitants. In 1877 Chief Justice James Prendergast declared it to be a 'legal nullity', a position it held until the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975, when it regained significant legal standing.
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss9 comments1 week 1 day ago
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Uncle_Pete snapped a picture
On 5 February 1994, Byron De La Beckwith was sent to prison for the murder of Medgar Evers, 30 years after the crime in Jackson, Mississippi.
#TodayInHistory
#BlackHistoryMonth
On 12 June 1963, Mississippi's NAACP field secretary, 37-year-old Medgar Evers, was murdered outside his home in Jackson, Mississippi. As a veteran, Evers was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Byron De La Beckwith, a white supremacist and Klansman from Greenwood, Mississippi, was tried twice in 1964, both trials resulting in hung juries. Thirty years later he was convicted of murdering Evers. De La Beckwith was given a life sentence without possibility of parole. He died on 21 January 2001 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. He was 80 years old.
:o|
Anniversary of St. Agatha and Liberation of San Marino in San Marino
Anniversary of the Constitution in Mexico
It is also the day of Super Bowl XLVI!
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American Football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. This game is held at a selected site, usually a city that hosts an NFL team. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather than the year in which it is held, with Super Bowl I being the 1966 season championship game. The upcoming game, Super Bowl XLVI, will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on February 5, 2012, to determine the champion of the 2011 season between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.
Questions? http://www.formspring.me/UnclePete
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss12 comments1 week 2 days ago
Pete is a 64 year old male from United States.
About
I was born and raised in Chicago. After 12 years in the US Army, I found a job in Lombard, west of Chicago.
Today I'm retired and enjoy life to the fullest. While working, I traveled a lot and met many wonderful people. Everyone I met wanted the same things that I did - to be happy, successful and accepted.
If I could have the perfect job, it would be as a Mattress Tester. It'd be great to get paid to sleep. (o:
You can reach me at:
(MSN) UnclePete@hotmail.com
(Skype) Pete072313
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Television
NCIS, CHAOS, Chuck, Psych, The Big Bang Theory, NCIS LA, The Mentalist (Psych Jr), Lie To Me, The Middle.
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Jeffery Deaver, Tami Hoag, Lawrence Block, John Locke, John Green, Warren Murphy, Scott Sigler, Anthony Horowitz, Sophie Kinsella, Stephen Chbosky and others.