February is Black History Month
Today is
Saint Valentine's Day
National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day
National Ferris Wheel Day
National Organ Donor Day
Harriet Wilson was the first African American of either gender to publish a novel on the North American continent.
1) The origins of (Saint) Valentine's Day are pretty murky. Here's one accounting that's kinda gory, not very Hallmark, Lace or Flowers!:
In the mid 200s AD, the church did not want their soldiers distracted, so they forbade them to marry, figuring that a husband and father would have more reason to desert, and not to serve to their fullest capacity. With that in mind, the Church banned all marriages for soldiers.
Enter Saint Valentine. He felt that lovers should have the right to marry, whether they were soldiers or not. So he performed secret weddings.
Unfortunately, his altruism did not pay off very well for him. He was caught, and imprisoned. While in prison, it is rumored that he healed the daughter of his jailer. He was eventually beheaded, but before his execution, he wrote a note to the girl he had healed, signing it, "from your Valentine."
2) The next Republican Primary contest will take place in South Carolina. There are 7 military bases, housing 62,000 troops in SC. 21% of 2012 GOP primary voters identified as Veterans. 83% of South Carolina Republican voters have a positive view of George W. Bush.
3) In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six gun cost $.12. So did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a "shot" of whiskey.
4) In the Americas, there is but a single species of carnivorous butterfly. Unlike other American butterflies whose larvae feed on plants, caterpillars of the Harvester Butterfly (Feniseca tarquinius) feed only on wooly aphids! Living wooly aphids!
5) Cuba has returned an inert Hellfire missile which was wrongly shipped there in 2014.
6) In Iowa and Wisconsin biomass from landfills is being used to create renewable energy.
7) 40 Billion Plastic Knives, Forks and Spoons are sent to landfills each year. They could be recycled, but they're not.
8) For the first time in his Presidential bid, Donald Trump finally managed to incur the wrath of a crowd of Republicans. Not for his unbridled bigotry, or open encouragement of violence at his rallies, nor for his potty mouth. No, nothing like that.
In last night's Republican Slugfest (I.e. "Debate") Trump got BOOED big time when he corrected Marco Rubio who was waxing on about how glad he was that Al Gore wasn't President during 9-11, and how Bush had "kept us safe".
Trump chimed in with (what was exactly on MY mind, too), "Safe? 9-11 HAPPENED on Bush' watch! How is that 'safe?"
The crowd absolutely freaked out. Went nuts! Roaring BOOS! At hearing a totally TRUE STATEMENT, they went ballistic!
Trump continued to try to defend his remark. But, the crowd wanted blood and never quieted down long enough to hear the explanation in his defense.
Republican are delusional. This is a narrative I've seen touted before - the fallacy that GW "kept us safe"...well, I guess he did keep us safe...AFTER 9-11, they mean. This is some batshit crazy logic.
But, sometimes, amid all the bigotry and hate-filled rhetoric, Trump utters a TRUTHISM!
Meanwhile, Jeb indignantly complained about Trump insulting his big brother, even saying that he thought that his poppy, George Herbert Walker Bush was "the greatest man alive". Geez, what a clown show!
But, the crowd's violent reaction against Trump does illustrate one thing ~ the fact that maybe, in some kinda backwards crazy ass way, Trump has skewered himself, and Jeb's older sibling, lil Georgie, can actually do somepin' for his baby bro, after all ~ unite the crowd in South Carolina against Big Bad Trump!
But, what do I know? They ALL live in Crazytown, and I try my best to stay outta there!!
9) My feeble attempt…
Tweeting's an art form
Like traditional Haiku.
Snippets! Well done, you.
[Sadly, the above is NOT my idea of a perfect Haiku. The first two lines came to me in the shower, when ruminating about how hard it can be to fit everything into a 140 Character Tweet, and the magical feeling that you get when the little number counter lands on 0, and how somehow, it feels like an art form.
I tried unsuccessfully to write the third line after my brainstorming shower, and I did even manage to stick to the Haiku formula of 17 syllables and three lines.
(First line ~ 5 syllables;
Second line ~ 7 syllables;
Third line ~ 5 syllables)
I got the syllables right, but the third line just doesn't match up to the quality of the first two. Can you improve on it?]
10) Vulnerable GOP Senator tweets wrong pic of Scalia
The campaign account for one of the most vulnerable Republican senators up for reelection this year accidentally tweeted a picture of a veteran stage actor while memorializing the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Saturday.
“Justice Scalia's death: a profound loss for America,” the campaign account for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) tweeted hours after news of the justice’s death in Texas.
Instead of a picture of the longtime jurist, Johnson's account accidentally included a photo of actor Edward Gero, who played Scalia in a play about his court opinions last year, called “The Originalist."
11) Oddly enough, there will be no autopsy for Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia. Before he has even been laid to rest, the bickering has started. Republicans are trying to build a case that it's too late in Obama's Presidency for him to have the right to nominate someone, however it has been done before. And I'm sure those same whiners would have no such opinion if the sitting President were a Republican. They would be just as self-righteously arguing the opposite viewpoint!
In fact, beloved GOP Icon, Ronnie Reagan appointed Justice Anthony Kennedy on Feb. 8, 1988. He had been nominated in November, so the process took around three months. The seat he filled was vacated in June of 1987. The first two candidates that Reagan nominated were not confirmed.
A Supreme Court confirmation generally takes about 67 days. The record is 108 days. There are 340 days left in President Obama's term. The Supreme Court hasn't been tilted in favor of the Democrats for over 40 years. Perhaps that's why this country has sunk into the crapper?
[Here's a thought: Trump says he wants to "Make America Great Again". Everyone cheers! Wait, what? Are they saying that they don't like it the way it is right now? It isn't "GREAT" right now? Hold on! Republicans control EVERYTHING! State Houses, State Senates, Governorships, Mayors, even School Districts! They write the laws you don't think are so great, and they appoint unelected lawmakers that you also don't like, who poison our children, take away rights and threaten our lives. They haven't ended crime. There's still a War on Drugs, while Opiates just surpassed Drunk Driving as Number #1 Cause of Accidental Death. Jobs don't pay enough to live on! Who do you think created this mess? Those in control, or the Democrats? Why do you want more of this same sort of pain? If America is NOT GREAT right now, that means, we need to get RID of the Republicans, not elect more! She gets down off her soapbox!]
There is another option, but it is doubtful that Obama will use it. He could make a "Recess Appointment" right NOW, but only while the Congress is magically on Recess for President's Day Holiday. This is very unusual.
It is rare that they don't always have someone keeping it open, so just such an opportunity like this never presents itself. But, then again, they didn't expect Justice Scalia's demise, or they would never have left their posts unguarded. It would be an outrageous move for Obama to appoint a Temporary Justice, in the next week, and the sad news is that that person would only serve until next January. But, it would be deliciously clever, and draw the lines of battle, if he were to make such a Constitutionally Legal, but audaciously bold recess appointment!
It is likely that this is the only chance he will get for the rest of his Presidency to be able to swing this maneuver.
Wikipedia says Dwight Eisenhower made THREE Supreme Court appointments when the Senate was in recess — Justices William Brennan, Potter Stewart, and Chief Justice Earl Warren.
12) HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Here are 5 Flirting Tips From Animals in the Wild.
"'Birds do it, bees do it,' according to the classic Cole Porter song about falling in love. But before that, birds, bees and other animals must successfully woo a potential mate. To do so, some employ very strange — yet very effective — flirting methods.
For example, when approached by a male, a female giraffe will urinate so he can sniff it and see if she’s in heat. 'Males cannot afford to waste time and energy trying to court a female who is already pregnant or not yet in estrus.'
When male scorpion flies flirt, they court death as well as females by bravely snatching dead insects from spider webs and then presenting them to their potential mates. This is ”the insect equivalent of a box of chocolates.'
Here are a few ways we humans can be inspired by the ways animals flirt, and use their methods to our own advantage. (However, urinating and giving gifts of dead stuff are definitely not recommended.)
I. Shake your tail feathers, so to speak.
Although birds like peacocks display their colorful feathers to attract mates, humans, of course, can’t do that. But we can do another thing birds do: dance.
Flamingos and prairie chickens do it. Blue-footed booby males show off their sexy turquoise feet by slowly lifting them up and down. If the female is interested, she does the same, in almost-perfect sync. As you can see, the tango is not necessarily the only dance of love.
II. Bestow your mate-to-be with a thoughtful gift.
Gifts from animals in the wild include everything from the gross (both male and female dung beetles make a big, rolling ball of – you guessed it – feces) to the endearing, like the stones presented by male Gentoo penguins to their desired mates (if the female accepts it, both penguins then collect more stones and build a nest together).
While chocolates and jewelry are nice, perhaps take a Gentoo clue and give your mate-to-be something more purposeful.
III. Smell nice.
Since ancient times, musk has been used in many fragrances. Originally obtained from the gland of a male musk deer (unfortunately, he had to be killed first; nowadays, the scent is synthetic), musk is known as an olfactory way to attract a female or male.
But what really attracts a mate are pheromones, chemicals that are naturally secreted from wild animals as well as humans, so there’s really no need to overdo it with store-bought cologne.
IV. Serenade the one you want to love.
Birds sing in the springtime to attract mates. “The intricacy and variety of song shows a potential mate the degree of maturity and intelligence,” reports the National Wildlife Federation.
Take this to heart, and perhaps avoid warbling something like, ‘Baby Got Back.’
V. Look your very best.
Yes, this is kind of a no-brainer, but most animals know they have to look good to get the male or female. Flamingos use natural oils to make their feathers appear pinker during mating season – the bird version of makeup.
During courtship, some birds even preen each other, but you should definitely ask first before you try, say, brushing the hair of your potential mate.”
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**Special Thanks to Star Kelley for all her help with the TILT!**
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*NOTE* - Please understand that I do not claim to be a “journalist”. I am only passing on bits of information, which others have researched, that drift through my awareness, on any given day. I watch, read and listen to any number of different news and entertainment sources, and it’s more than anyone could possibly intake and retain in a day, so I created this little daily “cheat sheet” for myself, so that I could remember all these oddball facts. Then I decided to share these tidbits, and thus was born the Daily TILT. I do this for fun. I hope you enjoy it.
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[Snarky comments by me are usually in brackets like this].
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**NOTE: I purposely do not include links or photos in the TILT. The idea is to not have one story be highlighted above all the others. And sometimes links can be stressful. I, myself, sometimes get conflicted when presented with too many choices, so I thought I'd save you the trouble of having to make any of those types of decisions for a few minutes, while you read the Photo and Link-Free TILT!
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***My Daily Sources are usually one of the following: Democracy Now, The Daily Kos, Thom Hartmann, care2, Mother Jones, David Pakman, Ring of Fire, Jim Hightower, Alternet, Bill Press, Wired UK, John Fugelsang, Lee Camp, The Huffington Post, The Daily Show, TYT Network, todayifoundout, Truthout, DIGG, Think Progress, Politico, Salon, Star Kelley, Friends of the Earth, Talk Media News, NRDC, Pirate Television, The Upworthiest, The Chase, The View, Soul Pancake, The Petition Site, Bioneers, TechKnow, The Daily Beast, PPP, YouTube and occasionally, MSNBC.
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As Thom Hartmann always says, "Democracy is NOT a spectator sport. TAG, you're it!"