Today is Friday, July 14th, 2023. Are you smarter than you were yesterday? Have you grown? Einstein said, “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” Writing this post is mostly where it happens for me because I get to spend time each day with the greatest minds who’ve ever lived. Our conversation is one way, but I do listen to them. More on that later. Today is Bastille Day, Collector Car Appreciation Day, International Non-Binary People Day, National Grand Marnier Day, National Mac and Cheese Day, National Tape Measure Day, Pandemonium Day, shark Awareness Day, and World Kebab Day. The history lesson for today begins in 1581 on this day when English Jesuit priest Edmund Campion was arrested for sedition in Anglican England. He was found guilty, hung, drawn and quartered. On this day in 1789 the French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille Prison in Paris. On this day in 1798 the 1st Federal tax on states was enacted to finance the military. Dwellings, land and slaves were subject to the tariff. On the same day the US Sedition Act was enacted prohibiting “false, scandalous & malicious” writing against the government. On this day in 1870 congress franted Mary Todd Lincoln a life pension in the amount of $3,000 a year. This is the day in 1933 that Germany began mandatory sterilization of people with hereditary illnesses. On this day in 1940 due to “beanball wars” Spalding introduced batting helmets with earflaps. On this day in 1973 Phil Everly stormed off the stage at Knott’s Berry Farm declaring an end to “The Everly Brothers”. This is the day in 1989 “When Harry Met Sally” was released. Back to conversations with smart people. Today let’s listen to the depression singer, songwriter Woody Guthrie has to say. He was born on this day in 1912. Woody said, “If we fix it so’s you can’t make money on war, we’ll all forget what we’re killing folks for.” “Take it easy, but take it.” “Anyone who used more than three chords is just showing off.” “You can’t write a good song about a whorehouse unless you’ve been in one.” Last one: “It’s round the world I’ve traveled; it’s round the world I’ve roamed; but I’ve yet to see an outlaw drive a family from its home.” Abide.
