~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
August 7th, 2012

★~  Today’s Quote: “Darkness reigns at the foot of the lighthouse” Japanese Proverb

★~ National Lighthouse Day:

The rocky ledge runs far out into the sea
And on its outer point, some miles away,
The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Lighthouse”

For centuries, lighthouses have served as beacons of light, guiding ships safely to harbor through storms, fog, or dark of night. In 1789, Congress approved an Act “for the establishment and support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys, and public piers.” This piece of legislation commissioned the first Federal lighthouse, which was constructed at the entrance of Chesapeake Bay. Two hundred years later, Congress designated August 7th as National Lighthouse Day to commemorate this important moment in history and to celebrate these beautiful structures. A little lighthouse trivia: Tallest U.S. lighthouse – Cape Hatteras, NC (191 ft.), Oldest U.S. Lighthouse in Service – Sandy Hook, NJ  (1764), First U.S. Lighthouse to Use Electricity – Statue of Liberty (1886)

★~ Sea Serpent Day:

Who is your favorite Sea Serpent? Some say they are simple mythological serpents that have fascinated sailors for centuries while others believe these enormous reptilian like creatures are lurking just believe the ocean surface ready to lunge with there razor razor sharp teeth. Most scientists believe that reported sightings of sea serpents are really giant oarfish, which can reach a length of 55 feet. Sounds like a sea serpent to me!  Why not watch a classic sear monster movie today: 20,0000 Leagues Under the Sea, Deep RIsing, The Abyss or you could make a sea serpent snack! 

★~ Raspberry & Cream Day:

A simple dish of Raspberries and cream…perfect for morning brunch, or a light after dinner dessert. Or you could enjoy a Raspberries and Cream cocktail! 

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1782- Purple Heart Anniversary: At Newburgh, NY, General George Washington ordered the creation of a Badge of Military Merit. The badge consisted of a purple cloth heart with silver braided edge. Only three are known to have been awarded during the Revolutionary War. The award was reinstituted on the bicentennial of Washington’s birth, Feb 22, 1932, and recognizes those wounded in action.

♥~ 1888 – Theophilus Van Kannel of Philadelphia went around and around with the U.S. Patent Office for a time, but, finally, got a patent for the revolving door.

♥~ 1927 – The Peace Bridge, between the U.S. and Canada, was dedicated during ceremonies attended by the Prince of Wales and Vice President Charles Dawes. The bridge was dedicated to 100 years of friendship between the U.S. and Canada, the longest standing friendship between two countries with a shared border.

♥~ 1974 –  World Trade Center Tightwalk., French juggler and street performer Philippe Petit made an illegal tightrope walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, 1,350 feet above the plaza. He and his crew spent months planning the “coup” and smuggling materials into the buildings. Petit crossed eight times in 45 minutes and faced charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. The 2008 Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire chronicled this “artistic crime of the century.”

♥~ 1975 – The Rolling Stones received a gold album for Made in the Shade

♥~ 2007 – Barry Bonds smashed his record-breaking 756th home run. He had tied Hank Aaron’s record on August 4. The ball was later auctioned to fashion designer Marc Ecko for a record $752,467, which included a 20% buyer’s premium.

★~Born Today:

♥ ~ 1886 –  William Boyd (Bill) McKechnie, Baseball Hall of Fame manager, is generally recognized as one of the greatest strategic managers in history. He took three National League teams to the pennant, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1928 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1939 and 1940. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. Died at Bradenton, FL, Oct 29, 1965.

♥~ 1903 – Rudolf Ising Academy Award-winning cartoonist: Milky Way [1948]; w/Hugh Harmon: Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, 1st talkie cartoon synchronizing soundtrack dialogue with on-screen action; died July 18, 1992

♥~ 1942 – Garrison Keillor – Beloved public radio personality  Best known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion, Keillor is an accomplished author, storyteller and humorist.

♥~ 1942 –  B.J. (Billy Joe) Thomas singer: Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, Hooked on a Feeling, [Hey Won’t You Play] Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, I Just Can’t Help Believing, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry

★~ Did You Know:

Have you noticed the colorful markings sported by the athletes at the Summer Olympics? I first noticed them on the synchronized swimmers’ backs and wondered why the athletes were accessorizing with tape. I thought you might be curious too, so I asked the El Morno team to do a little research.

The answer is that it is Kinesio tape, which is almost as cool as duct tape! It’s colorful, adhesive, stretchy, and hypoallergenic. Made of cotton fiber, the tape has an acrylic heat-activated backing and can stay attached for up to five days. When adhered, the tape lifts the upper layers of the skin away from the muscle, relieving pressure and pain in the affected area.

It was developed by Japanese Dr. Kenzo Kase more than 30 years ago, but when it was worn by Olympic athletes during the Beijing Olympic, its popularity soared; since 2008, sales of the tape have jumped 300 percent. David Beckham, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong have all reportedly used it.

Properly applying the tape takes technique and training. Most Olympic trainers at the London games have learned to apply the tape correctly and many believe it works. Scientists, however, are dubious. According to Reuters, a recent report in the journal Sports Medicine found “little quality evidence to support the use of Kinesio tape over other types of elastic taping in the management or prevention of sports injuries.” But Kevin Anderson, managing director of Kinesio, United Kingdom, says the research just needs time to catch up to the sports phenomenon. “There’s nothing magical in the tape,” Anderson tells Reuters, “it certainly can’t improve your performance or make you Superman.” But it does help relieve pain and swelling for the athletes.

Kinesio tape can be bought on Amazon for about $10. And now you know.

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Running fast and furious this morno. Our young guest has fallen in love with Lake Michigan and requested we spend his last day in Chicago at the beach. I had planned a trip to the Sears tower (and bought tickets — plan and watch God laugh), but you won’t hear me beach. I figured if we got an early enough start, we could soar to the highest heights and dive to the deepest depths . . . and on that note, see ya later alligators!

Odd Loves Company!