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August 25, 2023
Ivan the Terrible was born in 1530
Ivan the Terrible    
Ivan IV Vasilyevich, aka Ivan the Terrible was the grand prince of Moscow and first tsar of Russia. He was born on August 15, 1530 in Kolomenskoye, Russia and died in Moscow on March 28, 1584 at age 53.

I had moments where I wondered just how he became known as "terrible" ... if it was a very deserved moniker or just something attached to him frivolously.

His father Vasil died when he was but 3 years old and his mother when he was 8. This in and of it self could cause a severe personality but to make things worse he was the object of power struggles between various contemporary members of the Shuisky and Belesky families — who were nobility out to self aggrandize and assume wealth and power for themselves.

So there was widespread murder and intrigue while Ivan and his brother Lurii were continually mistreated and used as pawns.

Two primary events have been identified in history which "sent him over the edge" so to speak.

The first was betrayal by his good friend Prince Kurbsky who defected to the Lituainians and participating in a defeat of Russia with Poland and Sweden. The second was the death of his wife whom he believed had been poisoned by his enemies. This belief was corroborated by lab tests done upon her bones in the 20th century.

So Ivan went from a reasonable ruler to a tyrant. When the ruling council found it impossible to maintain order they begged him to resume control. He did so under the conditions that he could seize the lands of those who had betrayed him and execute anyone he suspected of treason
.
Execution methods of the day included boiling alive, impalement, being roasted over an open fire or being torn limb from limb.

The use of the word "Terrible" in his nickname really wan't much of a misnomer. The actual Russian word meant "inspiring fear or terror; dangerous; powerful". Close enough for government work.

Be all of this as it may Ivan was terrible if you crossed him. I personally feel the title to be appropos.

Tags: people, places, politics, weapons
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August 24, 2023
National Knife Day 2023
I have a collection of knives. A few of them are used in food preparation. Those remaining are weapons acquired at various times during my lifetime. I have a set of hand made knives with deer horn handles and a 16 inch bowie knife I confiscated from a confronting adversary who thought he was all that. Seems that his noggin was no match for a direct strike from a mattock handle.

There are distinct characteristics between all my knives as well. I am not one to engage in knife fights as a rule. I also pack a .357 magnum loaded with hollow points for those more confrontational moments ... Never bring a knife to a gun fight.

Today is National Knife Day.

carving knife

It is observed each August 24 since around 2011 and is an homage of one of humanity's first tools. Being one who typically uses knives several times during the course of a typical day I am pretty much one with this observance.

The knife has been present since the stone age and the durability of these implements has increased over the eons. While you should celebrate the day with flashy displays of chopping and slicing accumen I prefer just to be more laid back and not get too froggy with public displays of wielding cutlery.

My knives are essential to certain duties I perform for myself such as food preparation and sometimes opening those difficult plastic clam packing thingies people like to sell their products in these days. Regardless, I hope you can appreciate the value a knife brings to your existence for those capabilities they provide. If you can't then I might have to cut ya.

Happy National Knife Day.

Tags: things, weapons
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August 23, 2023
Find Your Inner Nerd Day 2023
    nerd girl
Today is my sister's birthday. She is not a nerd. She can hold her own at a computer keyboard as required. Thusly, today is also Find Your Inner Nerd Day.

The idea originates in one "Beth Z" who engages public speaking, has authored various things, and is a self ascribed and proud denizen of Nerdvana that domain of perfect nerddom to which we all have aspired at one point or another ...

I'm not one to pursue that nerd that dwells within me. My career has pretty much shouted volumes toward that end and I have a lot of war stories and historical data to spare.

I don't subscribe to anything too nerdy because those technical pursuits in my CV say it all.

Also, the cutesy cutsey aspects of being a nerd hold little interest as well.

Maybe if I were younger. I started out in 1979 and therefore predate the personal computer by a number of years. I was immersed in minis until the micros hit the scene. Yet still while I engaged CP/M and the IBM-PC came out the following month.

Needless to say, you won't find me all gushingly praising microsoft because the brains in that organzation died with Paul Allen. Bill Gates bought an operatings system from which MS-DOS was developed.

For that reason in particular the entire microsoft line remains a low tech abomination for both the initiated as well as the technically savvy.

Tags: people, technology
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August 22, 2023
Norman Schwarzkopf Jr Birthday 2023
Norman Schwarzkopf    
Today is a posthumous anniversary of the birthday of General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr aka "Stormin Norman" who directed the campaign of shock and awe in the gulf war, kicked ass, and took names.

Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr was born August 22, 1934 in Trenton, New Jersey and died December 27, 2012 in Tampa, Florida after serving as a United States Army general.

He rose to commander of United States Central Command,and led all coalition forces in the Gulf War against Ba'athist Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

He was a driven military commander and could become easily angered. He was a highly decorated war hardened leader and we have not seen the likes of him due to the democrats stealing elections and installing their panty waist nothing administrations lead by the brigand Barack Obama and his criminal cohort Joseph Biden the head of a criminal family profiteering from his influence peddling sideline managed by his drug addict turd son.

The weakling Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley finds it offensive to be called what he is: woke. We find this with way too many of his subordinates because he cultivates the character flaw in our militiary. We need to eliminate the woke element and purge all LGBTQ from our military then cultivate a force which is again ready to defend the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. The biggest enemy of the United States is the dirty dealing law breaking democrat party and those underhanded pussies belonging thereto.
General Schwarzkopf retired shortly after the end of the war and engaged various endeavors of philantropic and political natures. He was considered an exceptional leader and military diplomat with a keen eye for dealing with the press. He passed from the complications of pneumonia after an illustrious career.

Tags: people, weapons, world
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August 21, 2023
National Senior Citizens Day 2023
    mammy

The elderly are somewhat under appreciated to the point that all to many are ignored by their closest family.

Though I myself are approaching that 'elderly' stage I still feel that I should look out for my mama.

After all, she looked out for me for oh so many years that I think it's only right that her needs should be attended to with vigor and appreciation for that which she gave to me over the years.

Today is National Senior Citizens Day. It is held each August 21 under the auspices of President Ronald Reagan's Proclamation 5847.

Any day is a good day to show that senior citizen in your life how significant they are to you.

You should take each and every opportunity to exhibit your affection and tell them how you feel with joy in your heart.

My mama lives with independence and dignity because of who she is and who looks after her.

That would be me.

It is an honor to serve my mother in her advancing years and I look forward to each and every moment toward that end.

Seeing to that which she requires is not a burden, but a privilege as far as I am concerned.

Happy National Senior Citizens Day
 

Tags: people, holidays
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August 20, 2023
National Mosquito Day 2023
mosquito    
The mosquito has been around longer than I have. They are predatory insects out for a meal of your blood.

They are attracted by carbon dioxide emissions such as that which you exhale.

Of late they have been assisted by misguided idiots like Bill Gates with more money than sense who says he's preventing the spread of malaria but is likely breeding them to transmit dengue fever and other maladies to humans in the name of population reduction.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is out to kill the bulk of the world population to save the rest of the planet for the other selfish globalists like their WEF friends and themselves. There is coming a day of reckoning. Genetically modified mosquitoes were recently released in the US for the first time from a biotech firm funded by Bill Gates.

No wonder France and India are out to get him on criminal charges. I hope they get him too.

Today National Mosquito Day.

It has it's beginnings in World Mosquito Day which was a vehicle to honor Sir Ronald Ross who proved in India that mosquitos transmit malaria for which he won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1902.

See Also:

World Mosquito Day 2020
World Mosquito Day
Dorchester County Morons Kill Millions of Honeybees
Zika, Money, and You

Tags: things, health
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August 19, 2023
International Bow Day 2023
    Iain Armitage portraying Young Sheldon
 

We've been watching the series Young Sheldon lately and I have noticed his propensity for the bow tie. He views it as an appropriate accessory and some of the situations involving them are extremely humorous.

When I was a child I had disdain for the bow tie. It is because of a teacher at Key West who always wore one and I thought it made him look dishonest and shifty. Then there was my cousin and his bow tie with matching tacky tuxdeo for his high school senior pictures. Truly a study in hayseed haute couture if ever I saw any ...

I suppose these feelings were unjustified, but the avoidance of bow ties has stuck with me for these reasons and I offer no apologies.

Today is International Bow Day. It is observed annually each August 19 and celebrates the bow tie as an accessory — so I would guess from this that it does hold popularity in some circles other than my own.

The day promotes the wearing of bows as if we didn't have enough fashion challenged poofs running around anyway. Luckily, I like what I like and there will never be a bow tie in my wardrobe for personal reasons. However, if it's an item you appreciate like our friend Young Sheldon then by all means, go for it.

I understand that the neck tie is simply an option and bow ties may be worn elsewhere than the neck region if that strikes your fancy. I'm afraid my fashion sense will not allow me to go there either. They come in a multitude of colors, styles and different fabrics. I hope you don't end up looking like the outrageous hick my cousin did in his high school senior layout. Shudders !

I suppose he simply cannot help the fact that he was born a yokel.
 

Tags: things, people
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August 18, 2023
Hawaiian Shirt Day 2023

Among the personal fashion faux pas I've observed in my travels is the dreaded 'Hawaiian Shirt'. The colorful so-called 'tropical designs' are a lot of tacky nonsense in my world of fashion sense.

AKA the "aloha shirt" the Hawaiian shirt, is a style of dress shirt which has it's beginnings in Hawaii.

My business attire consists of a rather lengthy shower follwed by long sleeve white shirt, appropriate trousers, hard leather shoes, and a matching belt. My casual attire is typically some dress shorts with a polo shirt and a pair of Sketchers or one of the several sets of wingtip brogues in my wardrobe. Those spheres in which I circulate are inappropriate for anything in a Hawaiian motif ... shirt or otherwise. I suppose that they have their appropriate venues such as a luau on some balmy Waikiki evening with the local delicacies punctuating that tropicalness of it all ...

They are collared and buttoned dress shirts, usually short-sleeved and made from printed fabric — traditionally worn untucked ...

But can be worn tucked into the waist of trousers.
 

Hawaiian Shirts


Today is Hawaiian Shirt Day.

It is typically celebrated on the third Friday in August so this year it falls on August 18. This observance marks the official day that Hawaii joined the U.S., making it the fiftieth state in the US. So if the flamboyance suits your personality by all means go out and buy yourself a closet full of Aloha Shirts. If you're a tad more conservative — such as I am you may abstain altogether.

Regardless, I hope you celebrate the day in the manner that you wish and if you're so inclined, a very happy Hawaiian Shirt Day to you !
 

Tags: things, places
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August 17, 2023
National I Love My Feet Day 2023
The day I found out I had metabolic syndrome X and was an adult onset diabetic I started remembering all of the foot related horror stories caused by a lack of diabetic foot care.

After a few years I thought it would be a good idea to embark on a regimen of regular examination, pedicure, and such in an effort to stave off amputations and other such scary sequela.

I started going to Mrs Goodfoot in Cayce, SC toward this end.

Mrs Goodfoot Logo

Nowadays I am told that my feet are exceptionally well for an old codger such as myself. There have been a few minor issues crop up but they were attended to and I have made an effort to be more foot aware as a result.

Today is National I Love My Feet Day.

It is observed each August 17 annually. It is a celebration of the importance of our feet to ambulation and posture and a reminder not to neglect our feet as a rule. The day is the brain child of one Carolyn Jenkins in May of 2015 and promotes the proper care for the feet in an effort to reduce the problems which may occur with them over time. Seeing how my feet take me where I need to go I am going to make a concerted effort to pursue as much health maintenance for them as possible.

Mrs Goodfoot was a great idea toward that end.

Happy National I Love My Feet Day !

Mrs Goodfoot Location

Mrs. GoodFoot
Nail Salon
917 Knox Abbott Drive
Cayce, SC, 29033
(803) 445-1493
See Also:

Salt Free Popcorn ... why bother
Feets

Tags: people, health
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August 16, 2023
National Tell a Joke Day 2023
The late great Robin Williams    
Two Hollywood stars ran into each other at the door of their psychiatrist’s office.

“Hello, there,” said one. “Are you coming or going?”

“If I knew that,” said the other, “I wouldn’t be here.”

The American Weekly
From Readers Digest Issue: November 1958
A joke is a word play that begins with an innocent setup then leads to a "punch line". Robin Williams was the consumate commedian and therefore well versed in all aspects of jokes and their presentation.

August 16 brings us National Tell a Joke Day. Whenever I think of jokes Robin Williams is sure to cross my mind.

Without jokes we likely would be even more boring than we are presently.

It's a day to lighten up and laugh. I for one do not laugh as much as I should because of my dismay over the ruination the democrats have brought upon the nation.

The world can always use a good joke. It helps to diminish that hopelessness due to the presence of a segment of the poputation gone stark raving mad.

Happy National Tell a Joke Day.

Tags: people, things
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August 15, 2023
National Relaxation Day 2023
    relaxation
Yeah, relaxation isn't something that comes very easily for me. Must be all keyed up over something ...

Maybe it's remnants of the PTSD of my high school years. Who knows ?

Stopping and smelling the roses isn't second nature in my personality. August 15 brings us National Relaxation Day.

I was headed straight for burnout from the beginning.

One Michigan child named Sean Moeller brought up the notion of this day in 1985 — when he was nine years old. From the mouths of babes.

So relieve that stress and unwind. Don't be like me and burn out at such a young age that your personality becomes a crispy critter. Yeah, I'm grumpy and keyed up all the time but I try to squeak by.

Happy National Relaxation Day and try to just say no to all those stressors which surround you.

Tags: people, health
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August 14, 2023
National Financial Awareness Day 2023
1 oz Krugerrand    

These are perilous financial times. The idiotic democrat president thinks he is going to control your bank accounts via central bank digital currency. Fortunately he is as stupid as he is ugly.

It's as if he and his party don't think us capable of thinking for ourselves and that we don't see how things are shaping up. As if allowing a pervert and his tranny "wife" to be elected to the White House weren't obamanations enough ...

Democrats think they may follow the nazi lead of Klaus Schwab and have their sinister way with the population. Good luck with that crass criminal unthinkinng morons. Your legacy will be that prosecution for which you're ALL headed. Your political party is morally bankrupt and headed for total oblivion by we who will not tolerate your illegal attempts to control the taxpayer.

Today is National Financial Awareness Day.

It's a day to ponder those ramifications of financial independence and make efforts to achieve that goal.

Savings comes before spending and you need to be aware of what your underhanded government is attempting to do to you. I used to have financial difficulties and then I started living within my means. I found that what I did tommorrow depended on what I did today. Sound financial principles can only lead to success in life.

Though I was a late bloomer in the world of finance I came around nicely.

Happy National Financial Awareness Day.
 

Tags: people, things, politics, ecommerce, world
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August 13, 2023
Melon Day 2023
    melons

I like to partake of a little melon now and then.

Lately we've been hitting the watermelons pretty hard because they are particularly ripe and flavorful.

The moisture laden fiber they impart to our digestive systems are an added benefit.

The aroma and taste and texture are the big draw, however.

Today is Melon Day.

The day originates in the central asian country of Turkmenistan under the auspices of one Saparmurat Niyazov, first president of the country.

They have developed some 400 varieties of melons for the rest of the world to enjoy.

It transpires on the second Sunday of August. That would place it at August 13 this year.

So it is a day to partake of the melons of your choice and I like to note the varieties and their differences even among those which are similar genetically.

Happy Melon Day to you !
 

Tags: food, health
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August 12, 2023
National Bowling Day 2023
bowling pins    
I once fancied myself a bowler. Only I wasn't very good at it.

My last attempt was with my good ole ex-friend Jerry Cook and his family at the AMF lanes on Broadriver Road.

I hit several strikes in a row over a couple of games in my very short lived career.

I also took my fair share of gutter balls and mediocre remaining pins after investing in a ball that was way too heavy.

Suffice it to say that when the league play ended so did I.

Today is National Bowling Day.

The game originates in antiquity and the scoring is not for the uninitiated. Luckily, most modern lanes provide automatic scoring after you enter the names of those playing.

I'd like to say I understand the point, but like so much else my feeble mind attempts to comprehend bowling is simply one of those endeavors which escapes me. I would also say it's great exercise, and it is — up to a point at which it becomes more unilaterally developmental.

Be all of this as it may I don't know if I'll ever hit the lanes again. It could happen ... I just doubt it.

Happy National Bowling Day to all you bowlers out there who were able to stick it out !

Tags: people, places, things
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