Ridley's
Believe It Or Not—May 16, 2014: Hope all are getting ready to enjoy the
weekend and will enjoy these holidays, or celebrate in a culinary fashion,
found for today along with the factoids and quotes.
1. National Bike to Work Day—first observed in
1956 and promoting using bikes as means of commuting to burn more calories and
less fuel; today is especially a day for motorists to “share the road”.
2. NASCAR Day—celebrating not the daring exploits
of those epitomes of fuel guzzlers in auto racing, but rather the work of the
NASCAR Foundation and its numerous scholarship programs.
3. Endangered Species Day—promoting the need to
protect that unfortunately growing list of species that due to primarily human
activity are in danger of becoming extinct.
4. National
Defense Transportation Day—designated by Congress on this day in 1957 to
promote awareness and recognition of our transportation system in time of peace
and war—if you have driven the California highways recently or have heard that
the Federal Highway Trust Fund will run out of money this summer, this might
also be a day to express your concern to your elected officials.
5. National
Coquilles St. Jacques Day—seared scallops, topped with a mixture of
mushrooms, Gruyere cheese and breadcrumbs then into the oven until browned—do not
know about you but my mouth is watering and my conscience is pure as scallops
are not on the endangered species list—Enjoy!
On this day
in:
a. 1960 Theodore Maiman operated the first optical laser at the Hughes Research
Laboratories in Malibu, CA.
b. 1988 in a tell us something we do not already
know or suspect moment, the Surgeon General C. Evert Koop released a report
stating that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of
heroin and cocaine.
c. 2005 in a welcome to the 21st Century vote, Kuwait’s National
Assembly agreed 35-23 to permit women’s suffrage.
If
you ever thought Big Tobacco did not market to kids, think again: “Younger adult smokers have
been the critical factor in the growth and decline of every major brand and company
over the last 50 years. They will continue to be just as important to
brands/companies in the future for two simple reasons: The renewal of the
market stems almost entirely from 18-year-old smokers. No more than 5 percent of
smokers start after age 24.” Memo from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Diane Barrows,
2/29/1984 “Today’s teenager is tomorrow’s potential regular customer. . . The
smoking patterns of teenagers are particularly important to Philip Morris . . .
the share index is highest in the youngest group for all Marlboro and Virginia
Slims packings.” Philip Morris report from researcher Myron E. Johnston
Please enjoy
the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if
you like them, retweet and join almost 140 growing followers
and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and
entertaining poems on my blogs--click on links below. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for
poems on Mother’s Day; climbing into the
mountains to be nearer to God; the 2014 Boston Marathon; on the Mustangs going
to the Dance with a losing record; to honor Cindy Abbott, a half blind 54 year
old mother suffering from a rare disease who competed in last year's Iditarod
until forced out with a broken pelvis after 600 miles to join a great
collection of my poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy. Go to Rhymes
On The Newsworthy Times for poems on Sudan preparing to hang a pregnant
wife for marrying a Christian; Eleanor Clift’s assertion that Ambassador
Stevens wasn’t murdered only died from smoke inhalation; CA AB1965 allowing
dogs in outside dining areas; on ICE releasing convicted murderers and violent
felons onto our streets; celebs boycotting Beverly Hills Hotel due to Brunei
adopting Sharia law; Boko Haram’s jihadist war on school girls; Blues and Reds
uniting to force approval of Keystone XL to join numerous other comments on
news events always in rhyme of course.
©May 16,
2014 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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