Check this out... apparently some ship lost a cargo bay full of Doritos and either didn't know it or didn't care. It ended up washing ashore down on the Outer Banks of North Carloina. And the best part? All of them are still good thanks to the airtight freshness seal. Yum!
First, there's the Lady of the hour with a delicioso Birthday Tiramisu...
How dumb does McDonalds think we really are? Apparently, they think we're really messed up or something. Don't believe me - click here.
According to the Associated Press - the cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is on the rise again.
For those who don't know French - the title of today's post is "Give thanks around the world."
The concept behind the US of A's Thanksgiving ceremony celebration is similar to many around the world. Such as the August Moon Festival in China, Tet Trung Thu in Vietnam, Succoth in Judaism, Kwanzaa in Africa, Pongal in India and Chusok in Korea. The only difference in the festivals is date, rituals and customs - but the idea behind it remains the same, to thank the creator for a huge andfruitful harvest.
So here are just a few Thanksgiving celebrations from around the world and now you can say you learned something today:
In China- The Chinese celebrate August Moon festival that falls on the 15th day of 8th lunar month of their calendar. Chinese believe that the moon is roundest and brightest on this day. Below the heavenly moonlight, lovers speak out their heart to each other. It is also known as Women Festival. Conventionally women are considered similes to warm and compassionate virtues and have the gift of fertility, just like Mother Earth. Unlike the famous pumpkin pie, the Chinese delicacies consist of moon-cake. Friends and relatives convey their regard to each other by gifting moon cake.
In Rome - The Roman harvest festival known as Cerelia was celebrated in the honor of the deity Ceres (Goddess of Corn). Their festival commenced on October 4th and it was a custom to first produced fruits, grains and animals to the Goddess. Music, parades and sports extended the glee of the ceremony.
In Brazil- The Brazilian thanksgiving is quite contemporary compared to American thanksgiving. When the Ambassador of Brazil visited U.S. at the invitation of National Cathedral of Washington, D.C., he was enamored by the concept and brought it to his homeland. In southern Brazil, it is a sort of expressing gratitude to Almighty for an enormous harvest. Though acclaimed for its Carnival celebrations they cannot be undermined in other festivities.
In Korea - The celebration falls on 15th of August, which is known as Chu-Sok (meaning "fall evening"). It begins on 14th night and continues for three days. Koreans make a dish called 'Songpyon' unique for that occasion consisting of rice, beans, sesame seeds and chestnuts. Before having the food, the family gathers beneath the moonlight, in remembrance of their ancestors and forefathers. The children dress in long-prescribed dress dancing in circle with an inherent desire of their blessing.
Okay guys, it's time once again to gear up and vote. It's not a "big" election, but it means a lot to two turkeys out there.
You see, according to Wikipedia... Since 1947, or possibly earlier, the National Turkey Federation has presented the President of the United States with one live turkey and two dressed turkeys. The live turkey is pardoned and lives out the rest of its days on a peaceful farm. While it is commonly held that this tradition began with President Harry Truman in 1947, the Truman Library has been unable to find any evidence for this. Still others claim that that the tradition dates back to Lincoln pardoning his son's pet turkey. Both stories have been quoted in more recent presidential speeches. In more recent years, two turkeys have been pardoned, in case the original turkey becomes unavailable for presidential pardoning
What does that have to do with voting? No, you don't get to vote whether or not the turkey gets pardoned or killed... (Sorry to disappoint)
Since 2003 the public has been invited to vote for the two turkeys' names. In 2005, they were named Marshmallow and Yam (who went on to live at Disneyland - lucky birds); 2004's turkeys were named Biscuit and Gravy; in 2003, Stars and Stripes.
And so this year, I want you too to get a gobble, err... voice, in what the turkeys are named. Just click on the link below and be sure to choose your favorite...
By the way, for those too lazy to click - your choices would have been...
1. Ben and Franklin
For those out there who don't know me, let me tell you a well-known fact about myself - I LOVE Washington D.C. It's one of the most fascinating places on earth to me. And no matter how many times I go, I'll never be bored. I do love it.
So today as I was reading through past events on this date I came across the fact that back in 1982 the Vietnam Memorial was dedicated up in D.C. Not a coincidence, I'm sure, that it falls right around Veterans Day.
Anyway, so I did a little Wikipedia research and found out the following about the memorial:
The Memorial Wall is made up of three black granite walls 246 feet, 9 inches long, designed by Maya Ying Lin. The walls are sunk into the ground, with the top flush with the earth behind them. At the highest tip, they are 10.1 feet high, and they taper to a height of eight inches at their extremities. Granite for the wall came from Bangalore, India and was deliberately chosen because of its reflective quality. All cutting and fabrication was done in Barre, Vermont. When a visitor looks upon the wall, his or her reflection can be seen simultaneously with the engraved names, which is meant to symbolically bring the past and present together. One wall points toward the Washington Monument, the other in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial. Each wall has 72 panels, 70 listing names (numbered 1E through 70E and 70W through 1W) and 2 very small blank panels at the extremities. There is a pathway along the base of the Wall, where visitors may walk, read the names, make a pencil rubbing of a particular name, or pray. Some people leave sentimental items there for their deceased loved ones, which are stored at the Museum and Archeological Regional Storage Facility, with the exception of miniature American flags. 
Inscribed on the wall with the Optima typeface are the names of servicemen who either died or remained classified as missing in action when the wall was constructed in 1982. They are listed in chronological order, starting at the apex on panel 1E in 1959, moving day by day to the end of the eastern wall at panel 70E, which ends on May 25, 1968, starting again at panel 70W at the end of the western wall which completes the list for May 25, 1968, and returning to the apex at panel 1W in 1975. Symbolically, this is described as "wound that is closed and healing." Information about rank, unit, and decorations are not given. The wall listed 58,159 names when it was completed in 1993; as of 2005, when the most recent four names were added, there are 58,249 names, including 8 women. Approximately 1,200 of these are listed as missing (MIAs, POWs, and others), denoted with a cross; the confirmed dead are marked with a diamond. If the missing return alive, the cross is circumscribed by a circle, (although this has never occurred as of August 2005); if their death is confirmed, a diamond is superimposed over the cross. According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund "there is no definitive answer to exactly how many, but there could be as many as 38 names of personnel who survived, but through clerical errors, were added to the list of fatalities provided by the Department of Defense."
I know - that's a lot of facts to digest - but it barely even describes how the wall looks when you're there in front of it. Many people hated the design when it was unveiled and still feel it looks oddly out of place or "like a giant gash in the ground," but the fact remains that it's a place for civilians and veterans alike to go and reflect on the sacrifices made by those who served.
Even those who don't feel gun-ho patriotic or agree with current military involvement, it's a place of respect and should be appreciate for what it represents.
So there's your history lesson for today. And if you want to learn more about it - like the Woman's Memorial and the Three Soldiers (both part of the memorial that aren't part of the wall) go to Wikipedia's page about the site and learn a little more. It's pretty neat.
It was today way back in 1969 that Sesame Street was put on the map with the National Education Television Network series of the same name (it moved to PBS later that year). Today, it's said that over 75 million Americans have watched the show as children.
According to Wikipedia, more than 4,100 episode have been shot in its 36 seasons. The original series has been televised in 120 countries, and more than 20 international versions have been produced, not including dubbed versions. The series has received 109 Emmys, more than any other television series
So here's to Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar, Slimy the worm, Elmo, Grover, Count von Count, Cookie Monster, Prairie Dawn and Aloysius Snuffleupagus - better know as Snuffy. Happy birthday guys! You're looking younger than ever.
And since Thanksgiving is coming right up... and since we're on the topic of Sesame Street... I found the cartoon below and thought it was fitting. Enjoy my twisted humor...
Today's the littlest Hinckley's Birthday. He's turning a whopping 11 years old.
Happy Birthday, Samuel!
And for the birthday boy, here are some birthday facts:
So, today is election day. It's today that we as regular citizens make our voices heard. Now's your chance - if you don't like what the government, at any level, is doing - tell them by casting your vote.
How people are unaware there's an election going on is beyond me, but there are some. I'm guessing they've been living under rocks or are all deaf and blind. But anyway, they too get to vote.
So for fun, I took a dive into the Internet and found some quote about voting and exercising our right to vote. Apparently, there are quite a few skeptics of our system, but hey - at least there's a system and we get a say in it. However, some of the quotes, if you think about them or a moment, hold some level of truth.
So enjoy the quotes and be sure to get out there and make your voice heard.
"Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few." ~ George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903)
"Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody." ~ Franklin P. Adams, Nods and Becks, 1944
"The idea of an election is much more interesting to me than the election itself...The act of voting is in itself the defining moment." ~ Jeff Melvoin, Northern Exposure, Democracy in America, 1992
"An honest election, under democracy, is an act of innocence which does not take place more than once in the history of a given nation." ~ Jose Marie Gil Robles, speech in Madrid, 1933
"The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid." ~ Art Spander
"Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right." ~ H. L. Mencken
"Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half." ~ Gore Vidal
"Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want." ~ Anna Lappe
"When the political columnists say 'Every thinking man' they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to 'Every intelligent voter' they mean everybody who is going to vote for them." ~ Franklin P. Adams, Nods and Becks (1944)
"A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user." ~ Theodore Roosevelt
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." ~ Sir Winston Churchill
"Photographers do this for a living, every single day -- they point their lenses toward every single corner of our world and somehow make the mundane mesmerizing through their artistic eye. It's all a matter of being aware of your surroundings and realizing that there are some really amazing and interesting things to look at, even if it may just be something so simple as a wall being covered up by paint." Ward Jenkins
"I have often thought that if photography were difficult in the true sense of the term -- meaning that the creation of a simple photograph would entail as much time and effort as the production of a good watercolor or etching -- there would be a vast improvement in total output. The sheer ease with which we can produce a superficial image often leads to creative disaster." ~Ansel Adams
My sweetheart had a big test this morning. So, to help him see why he wanted to be a doctor and in turn take all these tests in the first place, I thought I'd post some medical funnies.
"A moment, and its glory was no more. The sun went down beneath the long dark lines of hill and cloud which piled up in the west an airy city, wall heaped on wall, and battlement on battlement; the light was all withdrawn; the shining church turned cold and dark; the stream forgot to smile; the birds were silent; and the gloom of winter dwelt on everything." ~Charles Dickens
Well, I'm officially sick of it getting dark and cold by 6 p.m. everyday.Can you believe Christmas is only 52 days away? How much of your shopping is left to do?
Really, all of it? Yeah, me too. I've still got 4 other family birthdays between now and then too.
First, how about this lovely Moai Statue tissue box holder. Sexy, right? It'd go well with just about any decor and add a fun little element into anyone's home.
And for those holiday lovers around you - who doesn't love snowmen? So cute and adorable. But something's got to keep us warm... so why not this cute snowman lighter? Great for those winter fires - just be sure to keep the cute little guy away from open flames.
And for the refined lady in your life, how about getting her the all-new Armadillo handbag? It's a stuffed fabric, so it's not the real deal, but imagine how many heads will turn looking at that stylish purse! Or, if you must, here is the real deal - a authentic vintage Armadillo purse. So classy you want to say "Yee-Haw," ladies!
