It is now the 5th day of August 2021. We’ve never been here before. I occasionally need to remind myself that I’m flying through space on a big round ball of rock and dirt with a thin breathable atmosphere at a speed of 490,000 miles an hour. It helps me to put things in perspective. Today is Green Peppers Day, National Underwear Day, Work Like A Dog Day, National IPA Day and my pick, National Oyster Day. Like them raw, deep fried and char grilled. Yum. In 1583 on this day, Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for the British crown and established the first English colony in North America. On this day in 1861 the US Army abolished flogging. Think about that. Also on this day in 1861 President Lincoln signed the first US personal Income Tax into law (3% of incomes over $800). This is the day in 1864 during the battle of Mobile Bay, that Rear Admiral Farragut yelled, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” On this day in 1914 the 1st electric traffic light was installed on the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1966 on this day, Martin Luther King Jr. was stoned during a Chicago march. This is the day in 1934 that Wendell Berry was born. Wendell is a novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer. I’ll end this post with some of his wisdom. “People are fed by the food industry, which pays no attention to health, and are treated by the health industry, which pays no attention to food.” “Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.” And “It is no more possible to live in the future than it is to live in the past. If life is not now, it is never.” Pretty smart guy. Have an excellent day. You only get one shot at August 5th, 2021. Abide.
