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June 24, 2023
Midsummer Day 2023
    Midsummer Day
So we have another of those many celebrations arising from pagan roots within our midst. While the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year on June 20; Midsummer Day falls within the purview of the old Julian calendar where it was on the different date of June 24.

This is a time to celebrate what many feel is the best time of the year. In addition another aspect of the pagan derivation of Midsummer Day is the celebration of harvest and fertility as well as that summer solstice which remains the longest day of the year — but it also involves the celebration of life and love.

Traditions of Midsummer Day are primarily of Scandinavian origin like the countries of Sweden and Finland — and include song and dance the day before which is known as Midsummer Eve. There is also the jumping over bonfires, searching for the magic fern flower at midnight, and washing the face with morning dew to greet the midsummer sun.

The day also celebrates the memory of John the Baptist — whose birthday falls during this time. There is also Nightless Night which is characterized by a belief in witches, fairies, and elves who descend on Earth and pursue we humans.

Estonia refers to this day is known as Jaanipäev aka Jaan's Day and is celebrated on Midsummer Eve.

It's all very festive and social in it's various aspects and I would certainly enjoy the chance to participate one day should the opportunity arise.

Glad Midsommar!

Tags: people, places, holidays
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June 23, 2023
National Hydration Day 2023
drop of water    
Within the context of the human body the word "hydration" refers to the process of causing your tissues to absorb water. This is done primarily via a process called osmosis in conjunction with minerals and electrolytes whereby you intake water such that the concentration outside the cells exceeds that concentration inside the cells and the cell membranes attempt to equalize the gradient as required.

I am particularly concerned with water quality for purposes of hydration. I go so far as to steam distill my drinking water. My distiller is a stainless steel device and I make several gallons a day using it. The particulates I have discovered as a by product were rather disconcerting early on.

They begin as an oily appearing yellowish ash and it all accumulates as scale inside the boiler. I use white vinegar and citric acid to remove them to my immense satisfaction. I have a carbon post filter for the volatile organic compounds inherent to the process.

Today is National Hydration Day. It is observed in the United States each 23rd of June. It was originally created under the auspices of a company called SafeTGard to celebrate one coach Victor Hawkins who invented a special hydrating mouth guard for the health of his players on the field. This product is now commercially available from SafeTGard.

The increasing temperature and level of exertion are directly proportional to the need for more hydration. It is a way you may exercise yet avoid problems like heat stroke and dehydration though you may be in the sun for extended periods.

This day is to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining hydration ... particularly during times of physical exertion.

Happy National Hydration Day and keep yourself hydrated for better health.

Tags: health
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June 22, 2023
The left and other political predators
In the politics of our nation we have the left, the right, and the centrists aka "middle of the roaders".

The right are conservatives. Mostly law and order types who are good stewards of national resources. In the middle are the centrists. They attempt to support balancing social equality and a moderate hierarchy and oppose political change which would shift society strongly to the left or right. They seek some happy medium.

The left is a section advocating for greater social and economic equality with the accompanying socially liberal ideas aka "the liberal" or "progressive" aspect of the body politic. These people favor left-wing, liberal, or progressive ideologies and will make these known and attempt to force them on the nation as a whole.

In a word, they want to "rob from the worker and give to the shirker". They support willy nilly "minimum incomes for those who do not contribute to the tax base. They promote a socialist agenda even in the glaring evidence that such political systems universally fail. They don't care how badly a program damages the nation as long as it buys them votes.
Leftist Libtard
The leftists in the United States are called democrats and they seek to usurp the politics of our nation by changing the political landscape to a never ending stream of handouts called entitlements which they advertise as being freely available in other nations on billboards for illegal aliens to invade and migrate to our borders.

The leftist libtards do not consider where funding will come from in the absence of those with taxable incomes. They remain in this contrived fantasy enviornment which can never stand on it's own because it has no sociopolitical merits other than the accumulation of more lamers such as themselves. Their notion of giving cannot be sustained in the absence of fiscal responsibility which they do not appear to comprehend.

Then there is the moral decay they vehemently support along with their wish to indoctrinate school children into their false narrative and revised incorrect history. They further wish to defund law enforcement and push any and all scams onto the nation such as the Marxist BLM gimmick which was designed solely to enrich the organizational leadership. They did nothing for anyone aside from their own selfish personal gain.

Reality is a fleeting notion in their midst. It's almost as though these people live in some fantasy whereby they do as they wish without regard to the underlying meaning of what "is".

Then there is their support of the perverse notion that men can be women and women can be men has degraded the family and established a lack of trust between many and the government which may never be regained. They promote the stupid and seek to destroy the sensible in their pursuit of that control those votes of deviant persons will give them.

They are pro satanist immoral dolts with a idiotic world view similar to that which gave rise to the European Union and it's failing quest for world market dominance.

Those in opposition to the policies of the left are subjected to the wrath of the democratic party with all the damnation that goes with it, i.e., they will try to censor you. They will try to misrepresent your views at every turn. They will even try to injure, maim, and kill you if they think they can get away with it.

The left believes in big government and total control. They deny their penchant for totalitarianism — but people who understand their tactics and have seen the dirty pool they prefer to play cannot deny that this is a dastardly malevolent group pushing sick views which disregard science and propriety for votes and more control.

They seek to normalize criminality and decline to punish criminals in favor of putting them back on the streets to murder and rob others as much as possible. They seek to persecute their enemies with litigation all the while protecting their own from prosecution for the very same or even worse offenses. When you bring these transgressions of fairness, truth, and jurisprudence to them they simply deny their existence and continue on their chosen offense without batting an eye.

Probably the worst aspect of the left is their coersion of the main stream media. They have either paid off or otherwise enticed the majority of those stations people watch into doing their bidding and propagating their narrative on all things.

This narrative is a lie and the people are expected it to buy it without question. Our nation remains under duress and attack by the United States Democratic Party which should be terminated with extreme prejudice by any means necessary.

Boo !

US Flag Under Duress

Tags: politics
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June 21, 2023
National Seashell Day 2023
    clam with pearl
Over the years I've collected and lost a great many seashells as a function of living near the shoreline of various oceans as a Navy brat.

I've had a number of them of which I was particularly fond and they too became lost to posterity never to be seen again.

I like sea shells for their shape and color and it's obvious that I am not responsible enough to transport items of value around with me. So much of that which I have treasured has been lost over the years for the very same reason.

Some sea shells are both beautiful and valuable. It depends on the market and the item and I've been in shops selling shells priced in the range of several hundred dollars. I once found a large cowrie shell in the Bruneau sand dunes of Idaho which was likely an ancient artifact when I was in the second grade. I gave that to my second grade teacher, Mrs Ann Esther Stalker.

Today is both the first day of Summer and National Seashell Day. So each June 21st you are encouraged to travel to some nearby coast line and enjoy the shells left by creatures who use them and deposited by the surf. If you observe shells which are in use by animals for habitation you might enjoy looking at them momentarily then gently releasing them back into the ocean.

It's the conservation oriented thing to do — and in some jurisdictions a legal requirement for shells containing occupants !

National Seashell Day was first held under the auspices of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau on the first day of summer in 2016. It was a tourism gimmick to attract travelers to the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel.

Happy National Seashell Day (and first day of Summer) to you !

queen conch

Tags: places, things, world
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June 20, 2023
National Vanilla Milkshake Day 2023
Vanilla Milkshake from Zestos    
Mom likes a vanilla milkshake every now and then. I am personally partial to chocolate but she prefers vanilla.

We used to buy them at Zestos in Triangle City, West Columbia SC but she went and bought a high falutin mixer and now she spoons the ice cream into a tall glass and adds some half and half then whips it into a frenzy prior to drinking it down slowly.

If she ever indicated a wish to have another Zesto's milkshake I would certainly accommodate her.

Today is National Vanilla Milkshake Day. It happens each June 20 and is all about the original vanilla milkshake.

The beginnings of the milkshake are in the alcoholic beverage industry. It contained eggs and whiskey. It was described as a sturdy and healthy egg nog drink, that was served as a tonic and a drink.

Nowadays we typically forego the eggs and the booze.

The flavorings are varied and many as evidenced by my last pass by them at the Chef's Store on Jamil Road. They have a plethora of ice cream additives and I marvel at the varieties of chocolate syrup alone.

Time was you would go to a malt shop or a dinette counter for a milkshake. Nowadays you go to some fast food establishment or do like mom does and fashion your own.

Regardless, of how you procure them I hope you enjoy them periodically ... and a happy National Vanilla Milkshake Day to you.

Tags: things, places
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June 19, 2023
National Martini Day 2013
    martini with twist
I haven't had too many martinis over the years. I was quite the gin and tonic imbiber for a period of time. I suppose a martini may have become an interest in those days of bar hopping long ago. It's just that the social drinking did not correspond to the watering hole mentality I developed in and after the Navy. It's not a bad thing.

I did most of my drinking at home after my enlistment and settling into the technical instruction thing I did for 20 years. It was typically small amounts of very potent liquor to which I would add an ice cube or dash of water to tone it all down. Then I would ususally drink a shot quick — for effect more so than taste. I wasn't one to enjoy the taste of whisky like my daddy did.

The martini in pop culture also was somewhat of a repellant as well. Something about "shaken, not stirred" turned me right off. I always favored the dry drinks to those sweet monstrosities. I think it was due to a Southern Comfort whiskey overdose in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico — or perhaps it was scullery duty the following day.

So no wine, gin, and olive for me. "The Martinez" evolving to "The Martini" just didn't do it for me. However, I could sit around and drink others under the table when it was on the social agenda. Must have gotten that from dear old dad.

Today is National Martini Day. It happens each June 19th. I think it's a fine day to tie one on if you're so inclined. I believe I will continue to sit those hard knocking bar sessions out anymore.

My "need" to drink never existed. My "wish" to drink naturally waned with maturity.

Happy National Martini Day anyway !

Tags: people, places, things
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June 18, 2023
Father's Day 2023
The third Sunday in June is set aside for us to honor our fathers. Typically, this involves traveling to them and gift and card giving.

It's yet another Father's day since the passing of both my biological father and my stepfather.

They were both career military men. My biological father was an E-9 Navy Nuke Machinist Mate. My stepfather was an E-7 Air Force Master Sergeant.

Both of these men had distinguished careers in their own right and took me as their own. They both tried to set me straight on various matters over the ensuing years.

Neither of them were wimpy men and when their ends came they both went down hard.

I have benefited from both their life experiences and I still miss them to this day.

USA Flag folded for burial

My beloved Daddy
Jim Williamson, Jr
January 29, 1932 - December 4, 2001
MMCM
USN
Steam Propulsion
Nuclear Propulsion
                                         My beloved Stepfather
Johnny Henderson Pruett
May 30, 1933 - January 27, 2016
MSGT
USAF
Bronze Star
Meritorius Service Medal


Tags: people
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June 17, 2023
Happy Birthday Mama 2023
Happy Birthday Mama


A mother’s love is something that you can’t put into words. I hope you always know how much you mean to me.

Happy birthday, my dear mother. I’m the luckiest person to have a mom like you.

I love you !
 

Tags: people
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June 16, 2023
World Sea Turtle Day 2023
One of those things I've never seen is a sea turtle hatchling in the wild. It is one of those experience I would wish for had it been possible. My good wishes for all of nature simply did not accumulate the encounter and I feel that I am less for the lack of the experience.

Today is World Sea Turtle Day. It happens annually on June 16 which is the birthday of one Dr Archie Carr aka the “father of sea turtle biology". The day is an effort to raise awareness about those problems sea turtles have thriving in the pollution of so much of the ocean with plastics and chemicals.

Many of the species are facing extinction in the near future mostly because mankind appears to think they are the only things on the planet that matter.

  Nesting beaches are being invaded by tourists,
  artificial lighting confuses nesting female turtles attempting to lay eggs and
  hatchlings in particular attempting to get to the water after their two month incubation, natural predation,
  fishing gear entangles them with fatal results,
  there is a booming business in 'turtle meat' and again
  the pollution all stands in their way for survival.

Some times the turtles encounter trash and think it is food with disasterous consequence.

We should attempt to save these creatures from the sad endings for which their species are heading.

Think about the turtles on this World Sea Turtle Day and help if you can.

Sea Turtle hatchlings


Tags: things, world
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June 15, 2023
Nature Photography Day 2023
Ansel Adams    
When I think of nature photography my mind travels back to thoughts of Ansel Adams.

Ansel Adams was a photographer and environmentalist who originally hailed from San Francisco, California long before it became the woke tragedy of democrat government mismanagement everyone seeks to escape nowadays.

He was born February 20 1902 and passed April 22, 1984. He was from a wealthy family who lost it all and he was marked for life by an aftershock of the great earthquake and subsequent fire of 1906 ... when he was four years old.

He predated my general disdain for tree huggers and their deleterious effects on the economy by a long shot. During the course of his life he took many black and white photographs of nature and the American West. I am particularly fond of some of his work in Yellowstone and the Rocky Mountains as well as the Pueblo construction ruins around Colorado.

He even took a portrait of the snapperhead and second worse president of the United States EVER, one Jimmy Carter. Boo ! He was also an accomplished pianist who played a grand piano. Truly a man of multiple talents.


After a lifetime of photography and environmentalist work he succumbed to cardiovascular disease in Monterey California at the age of 82.

And still his landscapes of the American West stand in his stead as those national treasures he himself was as well.

Today is Nature Photography Day. It is celebrated each June 15 in an effort to promote both nature and photography.

I hope you can get out and take a few photographs. Do it for you. Do it for posterity. Do it for Ansel Adams.

Tags: people, places, things
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June 14, 2023
Flag Day in the USA 2023
As a former member of the Armed Services of the United States, I treat the national ensign with respect and decorum at all times. I also decline to accept those behaviors of others who would descrate the flag simply because the law may allow it.

The consequences may become deadly.

Flag Day 2023

It's Flag Day in the United States.

The day commemorates the Second Continental Congress’s adoption of the first US national flag on June 14, 1777.

Just in time for Independence Day some 20 days from now it is a fitting prodrome for those celebrations which accompany the Fourth of July.

Happy Flag Day to you.


The Star-Spangled Banner

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Francis Scott Key
See Also:

Flag Day 2021
Flag Day 2020
Flag Day 2019
Flag Day 2018

Tags: people, places, politics, world
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June 13, 2023
World Softball Day 2023
    softball equipment
My experience in sports has been rather limited. There is time for massive reading in the life of a systems analyst. There is time for practicing hardware repair and writing code segments effectively.

However, over the years this left little in the way of playing sports like softball, baseball, or any other ball or stick games as well.

This left me rather lacking in those skills and without the desire to sit and watch endless hours of ball and other gaming on television like so many of my peers.

Plus, I think I copped a 'tude early on when my father's primary interests were various ball games when he was around me as a child.

I rather think that the ball games were a hinderance in that relationship with my father I always hoped for yet never attained. Softball in particular was subject to my wrath because I thought of it as "pussified" baseball.

So today is World Softball Day. It happens each June 13 since 2005 in the US.

It is said that the day is about physical activity and I can certainly both understand and appreciate that. I was never empowered by the physical activity available through the playing of softball or other sports. Just because I wasn't big on those mainstream sports pursuits and such I think it's a wonderful idea to get out there and play them if you're so inclined.

Happy World Softball Day.

Tags: people, places, things
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June 12, 2023
Raggedy Ann and Andy Day 2023
Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy    
When I was a kid I was familiar with Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy, but never owned these dolls because the interest simply was not there.

I was a boychild and as such became preoccupied with riding bikes, playing army, and making super 8mm films with my friend Chris.

In actuality, I don't recall there ever having been a Raggedy Ann or Raggedy Andy present in the domicile during my childhood. Go figure. Plenty of others had them.

Today is Raggedy Ann and Andy Day.

It goes down each June 12 in tribute to the two cartoon and book characters that became a phenomenon with most other children in the US.

They were created by one Johnny Gruelle who was a newspaper cartoonist. He entered and won first prize in a comic drawing contest by the New York Herald in 1910.

The cartoon entry evolved from Raggedy Ann to include her brother, Raggedy Andy and they proceed to become the topics of books, cartoons, and such over time. The rest is attributed to both fame and history.

Tags: things
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June 11, 2023
National Children's Day 2023
I interact with a lot of children in my old age. All of the children of my siblings are grown with children of their own and it's amazing to see those similarities and contrasts in both their appearance and behaviors.

Today is National Children’s Day. It is held on the second Sunday of June in the US, making this year's celebration June 11.

The day is about the importance of children in society and those challenges faced daily during their raising.

children

With the advent of that abomination known as woke indoctrination by the stupid school systems we have our jobs cut out for us in the presence of steering the children down the correct path.

Woke ideology is not the correct path. The stupid should not be attempting to educate others. Woke ideology leads to children ignoring science and sociology for some nonexistent point in the collective imagination of fools like transsexuality and as such woke individuals need to be excluded absolutely for a superior, reality oriented world.

National Children’s Day has been observed here since the 1857 when it was established by one Rev Charles Leonard. The date has subsequently been subject to those inevitable changes people feel are necessary to impart on anything and everything.

The pinheaded United Nations may have "accepted" the day but they have always been a part of the problem with people in general and they are not to be trusted with anyone's children. Their healtcare arm is just as corrupt, incorrigible, and utterly faulty as the so-called "governance" body. They think they rule the planet but they do not.

So regardless of where you are on the evolutionary scale — be it some woke tard like all too many democrats and UN representatives to the more reserved conservatives who aren't out to take over the planet with unfeasible dullard fantasy orientations to the world ...

Happy National Children’s Day to you.
Get the US out of the UN

Tags: people, politics
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