On September 9, 1850, California became the 31st state.  Prior to this, it was the territory of Mexico.  It was during this period that Swiss immigrant John Augustus Sutter came to settle in Mexican California.  He was granted 50,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley.  Here, he hoped to start a colony. Sutter developed an empire… Read More »

An msn.com article titled 14 American Customs That Are Considered Rude In Other Countries1 was a bit of an eye opener.  Here are just a few of the most surprising ones. Personal space.  We Americans like our personal space.  There’s nothing worse than the person who wants to get right in your face to talk… Read More »

Today is National Sanctity of Life Day, typically recognized on the third Sunday of January by presidential proclamation from President Ronald Reagan in 1984. According to the Sanctity of Human Life webpage, the total number of abortions in the U.S. from the time it was legalized in 1973 until 2020 was over 63.6 million babies.  In… Read More »

Are you a hugger?  Living in the frigid north – and I’m not talking about the temperatures outside – chances are good that it’s not one of your favorite activities.  You might tolerate it but would seldom initiate it.  Well, here’s fair warning.  Today is National Hugging Day.  Prepare yourself! When I met my Kentucky-bred… Read More »

Today is Inauguration Day.  Inauguration Day occurs every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if January 20 falls on a Sunday). The inauguration ceremony takes place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC.1  Today, the 45th President of the United States will become the 47th President of the United States.  Donald J.… Read More »

In 2020, we were constantly being encouraged to “trust the science.”  That phrase stuck in our throats like a chicken bone!  It was painful and impossible to swallow for those of faith and common sense.  Much of that trustworthy science that was shoved down our throats has since been debunked without so much as an… Read More »

Yesterday was the 96th birthday of an American icon.  Known as Braccio di Ferro (“Iron Arm”) in Italy, Karl Alfred in Sweden, and Skipper Skraek (“Terror of the Sea”) in Denmark, we know him simply as Popeye.  His full name is Popeye the Sailor Man.  It was on this day in 1929 that Popeye made his first appearance… Read More »

Oops!  My bad.  Sorry!  Sometimes, a response like that doesn’t cut it.  That’s certainly the case if you just dropped a bomb on a country.  Accidental?  Yes.  However, damage is done that can’t be repaired.  Such is the case in Spain on this day in 1966. It was the era of the Cold War.  American… Read More »

Today is an interesting National Calendar Day.  It’s National Without A Scalpel Day.  The idea is to celebrate medical treatments that do not require the surgeon’s scalpel and stitches, staples, or surgical glue to correct the problem. Having surgery one month ago today, I can get into celebrating medical options that don’t require cutting.  There… Read More »

Do you enjoy wearing hats?  If so, this is a fun day for you because today is National Hat Day.  Hats come in many styles from ball caps, top hats, beanies, stocking caps, fedora, cloche, bonnet, beret, cowboy, top hat, or helmet.  Whatever your favorite, why not pull it out today and wear it as… Read More »