The earth has rotated into the sunshine of August 4 2020. Weather wise, we’re back to normal. No new Atlantic disturbances to watch. Everything else seems to be as it was when I went to sleep yesterday. We are a day closer to the vaccine that will allow us to return to normal, or at least a new normal. Can’t come soon enough for me. But that’s still off in the distance and today is Hooray for Kids Day, National Night Out, Single Working Women’s Day, U.S. Coast Guard Day, National White Wine Day and my pick, National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Everybody’s favorite flavored cookie. Now to history. On this day in 1789 the National Constituent Assembly established by the French Revolution, meets and issues the first decrees that abolish centuries of feudalism in France. The root cause of the French Revolution was a poor economy and lack of food for the working class. This is the day in 1862 that the US government collects its 1st income tax. Before income taxes, the government got it’s revenue by taxing imported goods (tariffs). This is the day in 1944 Anne Frank arrested in Amsterdam by German Security Police following a tip-off from an informer who was never identified. Anne and her family were sent to Auschwitz. On this day in 1956 Elvis Presley releases “Hound Dog”. Today is Louis Armstrong’s birthday. He started his life in 1901. He said, “I never want to be anything more than I am; what I don’t have, I don’t need.” That’s what “Abide” is all about. This is the day in 1875 that the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen stopped living. He said, “Enjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead.” I agree. And that what I’m now going to do. Abide.
