What Would Jimmy Do?

Happy Birthday to my most favorite grandson.
Locke, I hope you have the kind of birthday you deserve, with lots of presents, cake, ice cream. You make me proud every day. 
Love you lots!!!!
Poppi
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Last night is the night we “fell back” an hour. It was time for Daylight Saving Time to exit, so we can get back to Standard Time. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of moving the clocks forward one hour from Standard Time during the summer months and changing them back again in the fall. The general idea — that’s much disputed — is that changing the clocks allows us all to use natural daylight better. Moving the clocks forward one hour in the spring gives us more daylight during summer evenings, while moving the clocks back one hour in the fall gives us more daylight during winter mornings. 

Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Contrary to popular opinion, farmers did not/do not favor Daylight Saving Time — in fact, farmers were its strongest opponents, and as a group, stubbornly resisted the change from the beginning.

The current daylight saving period was established with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which went into effect in 2007. Most farmers’ organizations continue to lobby Congress against the practice. They prefer early daylight to tend to their fields and a standard time sunset for ending their work at a reasonable hour. 

So the argument goes on and like most things, no solution will ever please everyone. Lots of people have offered various solutions to the problem — depending on which side you’re on…
Maybe to make those unhappy with keeping Daylight Saving Time all year, we could try this… On the second Sunday of March change all schedules — church, business, schools, etc. ahead one hour. For example a business that opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM standard time would open at 7:00 AM standard time and close at 4:00 PM standard time. Then on the first Sunday of November they would revert to opening at 8:00 AM and closing at 5:00 PM.
Or, maybe we could….. oh never mind. Just be sure you set your clocks back an hour before you went to bed last night.
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Today is Will Rogers Day — well, not really, I guess, but it is his birthday. He was born on November 4, 1879 in what is now Oklahoma. About the only place that’s it’s really “Will Rogers Day,” is in Claremore, Oklahoma. Claremore kind of claims Will Rogers, and in fact he is probably it’s most famous resident. In 1938, Claremore opened the Will Rogers Memorial and has celebrated his birthday every year since. This year, like always, the Will Rogers Museum will host Will Rogers Days from November 1 through 4. The festivities include the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival, whiskey tasting, wreath laying, parade and birthday party.

Will Rogers was known as “American’s Cowboy Philosopher,” or maybe “The Cherokee Kid.” He was a trailblazing actor, radio personality, author, and public speaker who, still today, is regarded as “an unofficial ambassador for the United States.”

Will Rogers was a Cherokee Indian. He left home five years before his homeland became a state and was renamed Oklahoma. He later wrote, “We spoiled the best Territory in the World to make a State.” He’s noted for his famous quote, “My ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower, but they met the boat.”

In addition to his film career, Rogers was famous for his humor and concise phrases, like “I never met a man I didn’t like” and “A man that don’t love a horse, there is something the matter with him.” His writings were published in six books, over 3,600 newspaper columns and many magazine articles.

Will rogers died in 1935, at the age of 55, in a plane crash on the way to Alaska. The plane was piloted by Wiley Post — another Oklahoma native. 
Happy birthday Will.
— 30 —

We’ve all heard something to the effect, it’s just Murphy’s Law. Well, that got me to thinking — who the heck is this Murphy and how did he get his own law?
“Murphy’s Law” states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. So is this a real law, or only a superstition? 
In the UK, Murphy’s Law is more popularly known as Sod’s Law. A “poor sod” is a term that dates back to the Middle Ages and means “an unlucky fellow.” I found along with Sod’s Law listed a corollary called Finagle’s Law that says that bad things will always happen, perhaps especially to good people, at the most inconvenient times. 

But back to Murphy’s Law….. in 1948 the Air Force was working on a research project at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The project, codenamed MX981, involved high speed rockets and deceleration to determine their effects on humans. One of the experiments was to propel a rocket sled attached to a 1.9 mile track to speeds of 200 mph and hit the brakes to stop the sled in seconds. The team of data collectors was led by Capt. Edward Murphy. Murphy was a West Point graduate and World War II veteran . Murphy assigned an assistant to wire four electronic strain gauges, or transducers, to shoulder straps to measure the G-forces on various parts of the body. When the experiment was run, all the sensors came back with zero readings — no data. When the team investigated, they discovered that each sensor had been wired backward. Cant. Murphy, disgusted at the lack of attention to detail said, “If there’s any way these guys can do it wrong, they will.”

The overall commander of the MX981 project, Lt. Col John Stapp, told a reporter during an interview that when working on projects like this, his crew operated under “Murphy’s Law, if anything can go wrong, it will.” He was explaining that the Air Force anticipated possible failures, assuming a worst-case scenario, an to address those possibilities before they happened. 

Stapp actually coined many “laws” while working on aerospace tests. Before Murphy’s Law, his most well known was “Stapp’s Law,” which was similar to Murphy’s — “The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle.”
So Col. Stapp didn’t coin Murphy’s Law, but he was most instrumental in making it a popular expression, and it was eventually engraved on a plaque at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. 

Murphy wasn’t happy at the misinterpretation of his new “law.” Murphy intended the saying to be a way to approach experimentation with the utmost defense and preparedness for something to go wrong, in order to achieve the highest caliber of safety and success. 
Even today, Murphy’s Law is widely misunderstood and can be interpreted many ways.
But if we take a positive look at it, “anything” can be both the good and the bad.
Murphy’s Law can certainly be a catchphrase for open-minded preparedness. 
— 30 —

Happy Tenth Anniversary to Locke, Rory and Ellie’s parents — and — my favorite son and his wife.Happy Anniversary, Dave and Chassie.
Love you guys!!!!
— 30 —

Yesterday, the day after Halloween, was All Saints’ Day — it’s celebrated on November 1. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some others, it is observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Today is a day when all the saints are honored, especially those who do not have a day of their own. It’s also  a family day to honor the memory of family members by visiting the resting place of deceased relatives and lighting candle in remembrance. 

As the Roman Empire spread across Celt-occupied lands in the 1st century A.D., the Romand incorporated many of the Celtic traditions, including Samhain, from which the Halloween holiday developed. About 800 years later, the Roman Catholic Church further modified Samhain, and designated November 1 as All Saints’ Day.

All Saints’ Day isn’t the same as All Souls Day — Saints are those who are believed to have reached heaven. All Souls’ Day is dedicated to those who still have not reached heaven, and is celebrated today, November 2.

All Saints’ Day is often observed with a reading of the blessings listed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount — among the eight blessing, probably the best known is “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.”

Besides a day to commemorate the martyrdom of the saints in Heaven, it also serves an important day to bring people together….
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Welcome to November. November is often referred to as a transitional month — say goodbye to fall, because winter is coming. Louisa May Alcott, who wrote Little Women, put a line in that book that November is the most disagreeable month in the whole year. That may be true, but we seem to have turned it into a social month with community suppers and feasts of thanksgiving — and — the “election” month. 

The month gets its name from the Latin word novem, which means “nine, because November was the ninth month of the early Roman calendar. 
November’s full Moon is traditionally called the Beaver Moon because in the Colonial Era, this was the month to set beaver traps, before the swamps froze and beavers retired to their lodges, so the colonists could ensure a supply of warm winter furs. 
This month’s full Moon occurs on Monday, November 27.

The Anglo-Saxons knew November by two names — the first was Wind Month because the wind would start to chill the bones. It was also known a Blood Month, because the cattle went to slaughter in November.
In Finland, the word for November is Marraskuu, meaning the month of the dead. But the name is misleading — the reason for the name is because all the seasonal trees and plants lose their leaves or die in the month of November.
November is the only month that Shakespeare never mentioned in all of his plays and sonnets…. I don’t know why.
November is the month when we turn the clocks back and we get an extra hour of sleep. A lot of people aren’t happy about this practice and there is a growing consensus that changing the clocks twice isn’t necessary.

A significant event happened in the month of November in 1957. The first living creature launched into space wasn’t a human, but a dog. On November 3rd, 1957 Russia launched Sputnik II into space with Laika, a dog, on board. The sad part about the mission — even sadder if you’re a dog lover — is that the trip was one way.
Another sad, or tragic, event that occurred in November was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

November is probably best known, in the US at least, for Thanksgiving. Since 1621, the fourth Thursday in November has served as a holiday to gather with friends and family and give thanks for the blessings in our lives — and — eat turkey.
In addition to Thanksgiving, November has many special food days… November 3rd is Sandwich Day, November 6th is Nacho Day, the 14th is Pickle Day, the 28th is French Toast Day, and November 29th is Lemon Cream Pie Day.
November 11th is a very important day — we remember the veterans we have lost in past wars and thank the military of today for protecting out country.

In preparation for Christmas, I guess, two of the most popular toys were released in November — the board game Monopoly (1935) and the Easy-Bake Oven in 1963. 
And I should mention that the first x-ray machine was invented in Germany in November, 1895 and King Tut’s Tomb was discovered on November 4th, 1922.
As I mentioned earlier, November has become knows as election month in the US. Why November? The farmers. Not wanting to disturb the planting, growing, or harvest seasons, the month of November was chosen as the most logical month for everyone to be able to vote.

There’s no doubt that November is a special month — it ushers in the holiday season and encourages us to focus on our important core values….. and don’t forget to vote — it’s a privilege, not everyone has.
— 30 —

Here it is Halloween already. Halloween, traditionally called “All Hallows Eve,” is celebrated on the evening before the  Christian holy day of All Hallows’ Day, or as most of us know it, All Saints Day. All Saints Day is November 1, so Halloween is always on October 31. In England, saints or holy people were called “Hallowed,” therefore the name “All Hallows Day.” 

The holiday was once tied to farming and astronomy. It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, or the “darker half” of the year. The origin of Halloween can be traced to an ancient festival called Samhain (pronounced Sow-in, that rhymes with cow-in,) meaning summer’s end. This was a sacred festival celebrated by the ancient Celts and Druids in the British Isles and it marked the end of the harvest and the start of a new year.

The ancient Celts believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest during Samhain. That had positive benefits — it was an ideal time to consider the dead, communicate with the deceased, and also divine the future. Since Samhain was considered the death-night of the old year, it came to be associated with ghosts and graveyards. 

Halloween has lots of customs and practices associated with it — some are just innocent fun, but some deal with reminders of death and concepts of good and evil. 
Halloween was once known as “Nutcracker Night” in England — it was a time when the family gathered around the hearth to enjoy cider and nuts and apples.

You see Jack-O- Lanterns all over the place this time of the year — a tradition that comes from Ireland. The Irish used hollowed-out candlelit turnips carved with a demon’s face to frighten away evil spirits. The name “Jack-O-Lantern” comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who invited the Devil to have a drink with him but wouldn’t pay. Jack tricked the devil and made a deal in which the devil couldn’t claim his soul — but God didn’t want Jack in Heaven either. Now Jack is stuck roaming the Earth as an evil spirit with his lantern shining the way. 

The Irish carved scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placed them near doors or windows during Halloween Eve to frighten away Stingy Jack and evil spirits. When the Irish immigrants couldn’t find many turnips in the United States, they used pumpkins instead.

So get all that candy ready and be sure your doorbell is working — there’ll probably be lots of witches and goblins out tonight…..
— 30 —

Check your doorbell and be sure it’s working — it’ll get a workout tomorrow night. It’s Halloween and, of course, the night for trick or treaters. 

Trick or treating has been around since the time of the Celts 2,000 years ago. Halloween was then known as Samhain, or the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter — the darker part of the year. Trick or treating began as what was called “mumming” or dressing up as a ghost or demon and acting like a fool for food and drinks. That tradition lasted until the ninth century. 

After Christianity arrived in the Celtic lands, Christian customs mixed with old Pagan ones. November 2nd was known as “All Souls Day” back then and people would honor the dead with masquerades and bonfires. Some practiced “souling,” an early form trick or treating, where those without much money would visit the homes of the wealthy. The poor would ask for food in exchange for the promise they would pray for the wealthy family’s dead loved ones. 

In Scotland, children would go door to door just like children do today, only they would perform some kind of an act or trick in exchange for food. This was a practice known as “guising” — a trick for a treat.
The tradition that most resembled modern day trick or treating, originated in the UK in the early 1800s. Children would walk around their neighborhoods wearing masks and carrying effigies, or small sculptures. 

In the US, trick or treating was an annual tradition until World War II (it was suspended during the war because of sugar rations.) After the war, it became popular again, when lots of children came along during the “baby boom.”
The term “trick-or treat” was first referenced in print in 1927 in Canada.
A survey taken in 2006, found that over half of British homeowners turned off their lights and pretended not to be home on Halloween.
Store bought Halloween costumes were first sold in the 1930s, and Halloween is the third best known party holiday on the western calendar — behind New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl parties.
So from the Celtics to Shepherdstown, trick or treating has its origins in multiple cultures and the custom has had many contributing factors to make it what it is today.
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Claire came down this morning wearing a shirt that said “MABUHAY” over a picture and “Philippines” under the picture. That shirt is probably 50 years old. I hadn’t seen it in a long time…
I also hadn’t though about Mabuhay in a long time either. Mabuhay is an official Filipino word, and it’s probably one of the first words you’ll hear if you visit the Philippines. 

It’s one of those words like aloha, when you visit Hawaii — it can have multiple meanings….
The literal meaning, in English, is “live.” But in Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, mabuhay can mean many different things — like, “welcome,” “ to life,” “ live great,” or “hello.” And to the modern Filipino generation, it probably now means “live long and prosper,” “ have a great life,” or even “may the force be with you.”
Mabuhay is also used as a toast during celebrations — in which case it means “cheers!”
So Mabuhay is a pretty cool word — I’m sorry I forgot about it. I think I’ll start using it more….
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