RISE AND SHINE MY FRAGILE FRIENDS! WHAT SILLY NONSENSE ARE WE OFFENDED BY TODAY?
When I get bored, I call Best Western Hotels and when they answer; “Best Western,” I say “High Noon with Gary Cooper” and hang up.
Trivia #1: Where is the main campus of Mercer University and what is the school’s nickname?
Trivia #2: Since 1940, which MLB pitcher had the lowest ERA in a season (1.123) with 200+ innings pitched? – Bob Gibson, Greg Maddux, Leroy Matlock, Max Manning, Luis Tiant, Satchel Paige, Ric Accardi
On this date: November 14, 1666, English writer Samuel Pepys writes the first report of a blood transfusion (between dogs) in his diary
November 14, 1732, First professional librarian in north America, Louis Timothee, hired in Philadelphia
November 14, 1834, William Thomson, later scientist Lord Kelvin, enters Glasgow University at just 10 yrs 4 months
November 14, 1856, American Gail Borden is issued a patent for technology related to his invention of condensed milk
November 14, 1922, BBC begins daily radio broadcasts from the 2LO transmitter at Marconi House
November 14, 1965, US government sends 90,000 soldiers to Vietnam
November 14, 1993, Puerto Rico votes against becoming the 51st US state
November 14, 2018, Astronomers announce the discovery of a Super-Earth planet (3.2 times bigger than Earth) orbiting the red dwarf Barnard’s Star, 6 light-years away – I’m sure…
November 14, 2022. Earliest evidence of fire used to cook by humans found in study of fish remains 780,000 years ago at Gesher Benot Ya’aqov in northern Israel
Monday marked the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmond Fitzgerald. a tragedy on Lake Superior that claimed the lives of 29 men. In the days following the calamity, songwriter Gordon Lightfoot read about it in Newsweek and immediately put his God-given gifts to their highest and best use. Once the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking was confirmed, the rector at Mariner’s Church in Detroit rang its bell 29 times to honor the life of each member of her crew. Of this mournful and lonely labor, Lightfoot elegiacally sang “the church bell chimed ‘till it rang 29 times” in his ballad. This lyrical salute was not forgotten by the stalwart Anglican congregation. Every anniversary, Mariners’ Church rings its bell 29 as a memorial to the crew. After Lightfoot’s death in May 2023, the bell was rung a 30th time, the last peal to honor the songwriter who used his gifts to ensure their fathers, sons, brothers and husbands would never be forgotten.
I’m very much a traditionist, however… The New England Patriots debuted their “Nor’easter” uniforms last night as part of the NFL’s “Rivalries” program for their game against the New York Jets. The Patriots wore “Storm Blue” color jerseys with white helmets and pants. There were six stars on the uniform to signify six New England states and a unique “NE” logo on the shoulder of the uniform, featuring nautical lettering and compass points. The uniform had features a fan wouldn’t be able to see by the naked eye. There was a hidden message inside the collar. On red fabric, the words “We Are All Patriots” were stitched into white lettering. Now that’s pretty cool!
And… the Pats won their 8th straight!
Article I’ll skip: Travis Kelce’s ex expresses remorse as offensive tweets resurface
Record! Notre Dame junior guard Hannah Hildago turned in an epic performance with an NCAA-record 16 steals, in 28 minutes, and a school-record 44 points in the No. 18 Fighting Irish’s 85-58 victory on Wednesday night.
Good news: An experimental drug has shown promise in fighting a hard-to-treat form of bladder cancer known as BCG-unresponsive high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) is an immunotherapy drug that is often the first-line treatment for certain early-stage bladder cancers. The new drug, TAR-200 — which was evaluated in a trial sponsored and conducted by Janssen Research & Development, LLC, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson — may offer a less invasive alternative to bladder removal surgery.
Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: Last Sunday the New England Patriots scored three scrimmage touchdowns that each reached a speed of at least 20 mph, a feat that is tied for the most in a single game by any NFL team since Next Gen Stats began tracking in 2016.
What a couple of prime-time duds came out of the NFL last weekend. First, the Broncos beat the Raiders 10-7 on Thursday night, then the Eagles beat the Packers 10-7 on Monday night. Gross.
Speaking of the Thursday night game, only two times in the past 40 years has an NFL team had a game with: 10+ penalties, more penalties than points, more penalties than 1st downs, an entire quarter without a 1st down, under 100 rushing yards, under 150 net passing yards and a missed field goal. Both happened last Thursday night!!!
NASA is launching a satellite to say “sorry” to the aliens. They’re calling it Apollo G.
Trivia #1 answer: Where is the main campus of Mercer University and what is the school’s nickname? – It is located in Macon, GA – The Macon Bears
Trivia #2 answer: Since 1940, which MLB pitcher had the lowest ERA in a season (1.123) with 200+ innings pitched? – Bob Gibson, Greg Maddux, Leroy Matlock, Max Manning, Luis Tiant, Satchel Paige, Ric Accardi – Bob Gibson (1968)
R.I.P. Natalie Jean Moses (58) – A beautiful person who simply left us too early.
Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.
Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)
Happy National Seat Belt Day!
Adulthood hits hardest when a smell, a song, or a sunset takes you back to what’s gone.
Someone asked me to name two structures that hold water. I was like well, dam!
If you were subscribed here back in May, 2023, and paying attention, you’d recall this song first appearing in this post, just after ‘Old Gordo’ passed at the age of 84.
“In a rustic old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors’ Cathedral
The church bell chimed ’til it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early”
Gordon Lightfoot (The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald)
Ed's Head On Friday 