Arthur C. Clarke’s Birthday: Cue “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” Next year is 2021. Why the hell don’t we have colonies on the Moon? Cue something inane and modern.
Boston Tea Party Day: The American attempt to make the ocean a teapot. They failed, became a nation of coffee drinkers, and the rest is history—which almost none of them learn. The mistakes Britain made back then are essentially similar to the mistakes the US is making now, both domestically and internationally. However, I suspect that among this group, I’m carrying tea to China.
Stupid Toy Day: “It went zip when it moved/ Pop when it stopped/ whirred when it stood still/ I never knew just what it was/ and I guess I never will.†” Then it was declared a child safety hazard and they took it away. I don’t know how to define “stupid,” but I know it when I see it: toys that are so “safe” and “appropriate” that a child cannot use his or her imagination, and certainly won’t learn responsible behavior. Stupid toys are designed by adults who have lost their inner child. †"The Marvelous Toy" by Tom Paxton.
National Chocolate Covered Anything Day: I think they mean “anything edible,” but I wouldn’t bet on it. I recall a science fiction story from my misspent youth (playing with unsafe and inappropriate toys, learning to be responsible with them) that involved chocolate covered manhole covers—really chewy centers … It has been said that chocolate makes anything better, and I have said so myself. However, I suspect there are exceptions: Chocolate covered Brussels sprouts, for example, or okra dipped in chocolate. However, De gustibus non disputandem est. Now where did I leave the chocolate-dipped habeñeros …?
Today is:
Arthur C. Clarke’s Birthday: Cue “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” Next year is 2021. Why the hell don’t we have colonies on the Moon? Cue something inane and modern.
Boston Tea Party Day: The American attempt to make the ocean a teapot. They failed, became a nation of coffee drinkers, and the rest is history—which almost none of them learn. The mistakes Britain made back then are essentially similar to the mistakes the US is making now, both domestically and internationally. However, I suspect that among this group, I’m carrying tea to China.
Stupid Toy Day: “It went zip when it moved/ Pop when it stopped/ whirred when it stood still/ I never knew just what it was/ and I guess I never will.†” Then it was declared a child safety hazard and they took it away. I don’t know how to define “stupid,” but I know it when I see it: toys that are so “safe” and “appropriate” that a child cannot use his or her imagination, and certainly won’t learn responsible behavior. Stupid toys are designed by adults who have lost their inner child. †"The Marvelous Toy" by Tom Paxton.
National Chocolate Covered Anything Day: I think they mean “anything edible,” but I wouldn’t bet on it. I recall a science fiction story from my misspent youth (playing with unsafe and inappropriate toys, learning to be responsible with them) that involved chocolate covered manhole covers—really chewy centers … It has been said that chocolate makes anything better, and I have said so myself. However, I suspect there are exceptions: Chocolate covered Brussels sprouts, for example, or okra dipped in chocolate. However, De gustibus non disputandem est. Now where did I leave the chocolate-dipped habeñeros …?