Long ago a baby cried,

a baby laughed,

a baby spoke,

a baby walked.

Suddenly, like a breathing wind,

the baby was gone.

Rock and Roll,

the Internet,

flashy clothes, hot friends,

all part of teenage years;

that quickly, like a breathing wind,

the teenager was gone.

College rocked,

beer parties, marijuana,

hot guys, hot girls,

part-time jobs,

and 21, now legal.

Suddenly, like a breathing wind,

the world awaits your struggle.

Forty hours a week,

a wife, two kids,

paying bills,

watching new lives flourish,

and now, thirty years seems so far away.

like a breathing wind, it’s forever gone.

Kids grown, with kids of their own;

you and your better half,

alone in a huge house.

Life starts, life ends,

life goes on constantly,

somewhere, so it seems,

but like a breathing wind,

age sweeps over us all.

Fall leaves skip over brown grass,

no one watching them drift

on a cold, wintry morning.

There, dug deep in the ground,

a granite stone with two names.

Like a breathing wind,

dust to dust,

and the cycle never ends.

I recently called an engineering friend of mine, asked what he was working on these days.

He replied that he was working on aqua-thermal treatment of ceramics, steel and aluminium under a container environment.

I was impressed until, upon further inquiry I realized he was washing dishes under his wife’s supervision.

(c)

source: Mainza.

28.05.2021 friyay

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w4hVE20MxRw

#ApplyEngineering.

It was a beautiful day to be walking home along a tree-lined road. Carlos hastily checked his watch; darkness was already falling, Soon, the only light will come from street lamps. Apart from Carlos, the road is empty … or so he thinks. Suddenly, he hears a strange, shrill voice coming from the darkness behind the trees.

Carlos froze. The hairs behind his neck stood up as he turned towards the source of the shrill voice. It came from behind the trees.

“Is anybody there…?” he asked into the void of the forest.

“Hello…”

There it was again. The echo of the voice rang like a siren in his ears. The cold voice seemed to beckon him, as if it was a hypnotising spell. Carlos quickened his pace, nervously trodding through the damp grass.

Squish, squish.

He could feel his heart thumping like a bird trying to escape its cage. Taking short quick breaths, Carlos silently dashed along the road.

“Hi there, have you come to play with me?” whispered the voice, now closer. In fact, Carlos thought he had felt someone breathing down his neck...

He took a deep breath, and turned around slowly, only to face… a little girl! Heaving a sigh of relief, Carlos examined the figure. She wore a red bow on her head, and seemed to be snuggling under her cyan jacket while staring up at him. He was baffled; what was a little girl doing alone on the road at dusk?

“Hello there, where are your parents?” questioned Carlos, ” And how did you get here?”

The little girl frowned. “Answer my question first!” she grumbled.

Carlos sighed. He promised the girl he would play with her after she told him where her parents were. ‘Such inconsiderate parents’, he thought, ‘leaving their kid wandering around the streets at night’. The girl introduced herself as Mia. She explained that she went for a picnic with her parents, and got lost when she went to play in the woods. Carlos felt a pang of sympathy for the girl and decided to walk her home. Maybe his mother would know what to do.

Mia and Carlos strolled along the dark road, with only the street lamps and stars to lead them. The cheerful chatter could be heard between the two, as Carlos chatted and told jokes to brighten the little girl’s spirits. Mia looked into his eyes while giggling softly. However, he noticed that the sparkle in her eyes looked so faded and lost despite her young age. It was almost as if the flaming spirit inside of her had been extinguished.

“Look, we’re here!” exclaimed Carlos, shrugging off his thoughts.

They had just arrived at his house, and his mother was walking to and fro at the entrance, clearly anxious. Mia smiled and thanked him for all his help, as he ushered her into the house.

“Carlos, there you are! I was worried sick, what took you so long?” scolded his mother, running to embrace him in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry mom,” apologised Carlos, “ I was walking home when I found this lost girl. Her name is Mia, and I was wondering if you could call the police station to help find her parents.” he explained, nudging Mia to greet his mother.

“Hello ma’am,” mumbled Mia, staying behind Carlos.

Carlos’ mother looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “Carlos, that’s funny, but you don’t need to make up a silly excuse for being late.”

Carlos was baffled, “What do you mean, mother? I found her alone in the woods, I couldn’t just leave her there” Carlos.

Now his mother was clearly irritated, “Carlos, don’t test me. Do you take me for a fool?”

Carlos was puzzled. He turned to Mia and pushed her forward. He told his mother to let Mia explain what happened, but instead his mother backed away. Mia giggled, much to his surprise.

“Play with me,”she abruptlu said cheerily.

“Stop it, Carlos,” his mother warned, “I know this is another one of your pranks, and you can stop now,” she stammered.

“She said she was lost mom, you of all people know I wouldn’t randomly bring strangers into the house!” argued Carlos, insulted that his mother would think he did such a thing.

“Play with me,” hissed Mia, now with a hint of anger.

His mother’s face turned pale. She whisked out her phone and snapped a picture of Carlos and Mia. Baffled, Carlos opened his mouth to ask a question, when his mother showed the photo to him. Carlos felt his blood run cold. He was unable to believe his eyes, and even rubbed them before glancing again at the picture.

“PLAY WITH ME!!!” shrieked Mia.

The picture showed a furious Carlos, but Mia did not show up in the photo. Speechless, he turned around and pointed while saying, “But she’s right over-”

There was no one there.

Suddenly, Carlos heard the same shrill voice in his ear, and shuddered as it coldly whispered, “You didn’t keep your promise…”

Back At Montie High School – 3:16 p.m.

The horn honked.

Ellie looked up, and was puzzled. She walked over to the Volvo. He mom wouldn’t be there to get here for a few more minutes.

“Hi, Mr. Manning. You decide to take me home, too? Where did you hide, Stevie?”

Now Ed had the puzzled look.

“I didn’t hide him anywhere.”

“Neat, Mr. Manning. You were just here a few minutes ago and picked him up and then took off.”

“You. Saw. Me?”

“Yes; as plain as I see you now.”

Another horn sounded.

“Oops, there’s my mom, gotta run. Tell Stevie, wherever he’s hiding, to not forget to call me tonight. Bye!”

Ed didn’t catch a thing she said. All he remembered is that he was already here and got Stevie.

Freddy!

He called Baker.

She picked up on the first ring.

“What’s going on, sweets.”

“Jan, are you at the office?”

“I’m about to be. I just pulled into the station’s parking-lot. Why?”

“We have a problem. A big problem. I’m on my way in.”

Baker’s Office – 3:22 p.m.

Ed raced up the steps and barged into Baker’s office.

“Has he called yet!”

“Has who called?”

“Freddy!”

“Why would Freddy want to call me….”, then she looked behind Ed. “Where is Stevie? Oh, my God, Ed! He has Stevie, doesn’t he!”

Ed explained how Freddy must have used his looks to fool Stevie into getting into the same make and colored Volvo.

Baker began to tremble.

“He has Stevie. Wh-wh-what are we going to do?”

“Remain calm for one thing. I don’t think he’ll hurt Stevie; as long as he knows he has a chance to get to you and me. My guess is that he wants us both.”

Baker dialed another two-digit number.

“Satchell, Baker. I need you in my office quick as you can. It’s Freddy. He has Stevie.”

“On my way.”

A five-minute drive from the courthouse normally; Satchell hit the siren and did a good ninety. Can we say two minutes?

Satchell listened to Ed as he explained things again.

“You’re right. I suspect he will call when he’s ready. This sounds like the final showdown. We finally have a shot of bringing him down.”

“I can get Walter to place sensors on ….”

Ed’s cell rang. He looked at the phone. Out-of-area.

“It’s him.”

On the second ring, Ed picked up.

“Manning.”

“Is this the same Edward Manning that married my sweet Janis, you overrated scum-bag. You need to listen to me, and not say a word.

“You are to leave where you are, which I suspect you are with sweet Janis at this moment, and follow the instructions I’m going to give you. You will have sixteen minutes to be at the exact location I tell you, or the Gimp dies.

“Follow Highway 60 until you get to Crescent and RR2116-A. That’s twenty miles away from where you are now.

“Is sweet Janis in tears? Poor, poor baby. Tell her for me, I will console her later. Until then, you better get moving, you fuck stick. Time’s a-wastin’.”

The call was terminated.

“I have to go right now. Crescent to RR2116-A, that’s all I know.”

Satchell called the shop on his phone.

“Walter, if you want to keep your job, you have thirty seconds to put a working tracking on Manning’s Volvo. Get it done!”

Baker grabbed Ed’s forearm.

“Ed, please, be careful.”

“Can do. Will do.”

“Love you, Ed.

“Ditto, Jan.”

They briefly kissed, and Ed was out the door.

Less than five minutes later, Baker’s cell rang.

Baker grabbed Satchell’s coat sleeve.

“You might call Walter back and get a tracker put on my car. I have a feeling it’s Freddy again.

Satchell did as she asked, when she said hello into her phone.

“Ah, my dear, sweet Janis. You have no idea how it makes my heart soar to hear your lilting voice. I get these little sensations that tingle along my spine. Or is it just an approaching orgasm I feel coming soon, when I will be so close to fucking you to death, before, and after you are dead.

“Do not say one-word, sweet Janis. Not one fucking word, or I will hang up, and cum inside your son’s ass, just like his daddy did to him all the time. And if he didn’t, he should have! Stevie would make a good bitch for some young hunks.

“But, I digress. When I am around you, I seem to lose my concentration. Now where was I—oh yes. I am sure that imbecile for a husband has told you where he is going. You are to go to the same place. Wait there for further instruction. Now, you can speak by saying, ‘Yes, my love, I will follow your instructions perfectly’. Say it bitch! Now!”

Baker swallowed twice. Shaking, but no longer out of fear, but of complete anger building within her.

“YES, my love, I will follow your instructions perfectly.”

“Could have been better, more emotion, but we haven’t the time. Sixteen minutes. Hurry.”

Baker was out of her chair like a rocket.

“I’ll have backup on the outer perimeter in place before he knows it.”

Baker was out of the office and down the steps before Satchell finished what he was saying.

Crescent & RR2116-A – 3:46 p.m.

Ed spun his car into a half-circle and braked.

Before he stepped out of the car, he scanned the area. Not much to see other than some scrub-bushes and a few old, weather-beaten oak trees. He checked his service revolver, his trusty Smith & Wesson, Colt .45.

All I want is one shot. One clean hit. Freddy’ll be twins when I’m done with him.

Ed stepped slowly from the car.

He heard one branch crack and started to turn, hand on the butt of his Colt, and then things faded down into that realm he didn’t want to go to. He felt the pain, but he was falling asleep, too. Pain and sleep. Strange bedfellows were his final thought.

Freddy searched his entire body and found two guns. He tied Ed up with duct tape, just as he did Stevie after he got him home and put in place. Ed wouldn’t be able to cry for help.

He dumped Ed in the truck of the Volvo. His Volvo.

Then, he took Ed’s car and drove it further down RRT2116-A until it was safely beyond a curve and unseen to human eyes.

Freddy resumed his position. Within minutes, sweet Janis will appear on the scene, and then it wouldn’t be long before the party could begin.

Another plan has gone well. Freddy loves perfection.

And, as expected, at 3:59, a red Hummer came onto the scene.

But there was no scene. No sign of Ed to indicate he had been here. Maybe Freddy gave him more instructions. Stepping out of her car, she slowly walked around the area. She did see some tire tracks leading further up the road.

She pulled out her .357 Magnum, short-barrel, and held it out in front of her, one hand on the grip, the other around the side to brace when it did fire. She had one finger poised lightly against the trigger.

She heard a noise just past a couple oak trees to her left next to some underbrush. Being cautious, she slowly side-stepped, not allowing to give her body away in case Freddy decided to shoot her right now. Anywhere but a head shot, and Baker would still have a chance to pop him a good one in the face.

As she stepped around several oak trees; she saw Ed slumped against one of them. He was unconscious. Putting her gun away, she ran over and knelt by his side. Cradling his head in her lap, she lightly jostled him.

“Ed? Ed! Talk to me, baby!” No response. She checked his pulse. Still alive.

She could see the eyes begin to flutter open, but they weren’t Ed’s eyes.

Before she could react, a searing, intense pain connected with the side of her head.

Ever since I saw it in the woods that day, walking behind my house, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It invades my dreams, and sometimes when I'm talking to somebody or doing something completely unrelated, it comes to me. Unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome.

That day, it was snowy, so I didn't at first see that owl. It was pure white with some black flecks, perched up in a tree. It turned its head when it heard me- that's what drew my attention to it, that sudden movement.

I froze in my tracks. Those eyes. I had never seen eyes like that before.

Wide, indigo orbs without visible pupils. White dots in irregular clusters were scattered throughout the owl's eyes, like galaxies.

It was blind- I knew it was blind somehow, but it stared right into me. I could see- those white clusters didn't just look like galaxies- they were galaxies.

Galaxies full of comets, asteroids, and planets. All in an instant, I saw the people, not unlike us, going about their lives with no idea that they lived on a tiny planet spinning in a galaxy nested in the eyes of a blind owl.

I didn't realize that I hadn't been breathing until the blind owl looked away from me and flew away, its wings cathing on the bare branches as it flew halfhazardly into the gray, winter sky.

I fell to my knees. Did they feel it when the owl flew, jolting and dipping?

Would I feel it? Was I right now, standing on a tiny planet spinning in the eye of a blind owl?

On that planet, were there more blind owls? And more and more, nested forever like Russian dolls?

Is all of eternity held in the eyes of a blind owl?

if we were having coffee, you’d probably tell me how “mature” i am. for drinking such an “adultish” drink such as this.

if we were having coffee, i’d probably be choking the drink down, wondering if i could ask for whipped cream and chocolate syrup and two tablespoons of sugar and milk chocolate chips and some sort of really sweet creamer and not have you scoff and tell me how “childish” i am and how i “need to learn to grow up.” if i ended up asking, i would probably laugh and say something like “oh, but i don’t want to grow up, not if it means i have to give up all this sugar” in response. you would laugh. you might tell your husband later that night, gushing about just how silly i am. i am so stinking silly, i would tell myself sarcastically before bursting into giggles, and then tears, curled up against the safety of my concrete floor and denim rug.

if we were having coffee, i would bring my stim toy and mess with it quietly beneath the table, where you could not see it. you do not need another reason to call me childish, now do you? even if it is only for my anxiety. my anxiety caused by this entire metaphorical situation. you would think me childish for needing the stimulation, and would laugh at me for having any anxieties whatsoever--because i am so very safe with you, aren’t i?

if we were having coffee, you’d probably ask me how i am. i’d say something along the lines of my being “fine” and laugh to myself, quietly, thinking of the image with text i sent to someone who i’d much rather be talking to than you.

if we were having coffee, i would ask how you were doing, too. and i would sit alone, nodding and smiling, pretending i am such an “adult” for understanding all of the things i shouldn’t need to understand. things like how your taxes are coming along and things like how your extremely-gross-novel-that-makes-me-want-to-vomit story that you’re reading is going. i would nod and ask questions at all the right times. i would make light jokes of the things you don’t really like, if only so that you might be happy about them later.

if we were having coffee, you’d probably ask me what i’ve been writing of late. i would not tell you of the multiple stories and ideas i’ve been baking in the oven that is my brain. i would not tell you of my poetry, either. you’d want to see the poems. and you’d wonder why i’d say no. and i would not have the heart, nor the courage, to say that i write so much about you and that i am angry at you and that i do not like the way you treat me and that i am trying, so very badly, to move on. to learn to say “no” to you. to learn, to learn, to learn. i would not say any of this. i would change the subject--to taxes, maybe.

if we were having coffee, i don’t know what i’d say to fill the space between the things i can’t say and the things i don’t have the heart, nor the courage, to say.

if we were having coffee, i would recall all the things you would say and i would store them up and stew on them, before hating myself for nine consecutive days afterwards. i would probably write twenty-three poems about it the day of and the day after. and i’d write so many in the days following. and i would feel more exhausted than i do at the moment, only thinking of even having coffee with you.

if we were having coffee, i would begin to hate the word “mature.”

During the Christmas holidays in the early to mid-90’s, I went to a Blockbuster Video store to rent a couple holiday movies with a woman I knew then.

Some guy dressed as Santa was talking to a clerk. As we walked past them, Santa said, “There go two lovely young ladies.”

I stopped, turned around and Santa did one of those grimacing things and I walked up to him and said, “For your mistake, Santa—you can make it up to me by having my dream car parked in front of my house Christmas day.”

He apologized profusely saying he would do his very best for me.

Back then, I had a bit of a long ponytail and that was why he mistook me for a girl.

Never did see a car come Christmas day.

And yeah, that's me about 25 years ago in the picture with a ponytail.

On our wedding day, we promised each other eternity. We would say to each other “One lifetime isn’t enough time for our love.” Now, as I look at her, I’m struggling to remember why I wanted so much to spend an eternity with her.

She was beautiful, certainly. And she had her good qualities, I suppose. But nothing was ever good enough for her. I could never spend enough time with her. I couldn’t spend enough money on her. Everything I did that took me away from her was treated like the worst possible crime I could commit.

I admit I could have been more patient, but I’ve never been a very patient man, and her nagging never ceased. I almost regret it now, but then, I really didn’t have a choice. I simply could not spend eternity with that woman. I know I did the right thing, taking fate into my own hands and bringing our “eternity” to an end.

Yes, it was the right decision. After all, with her, I wasn’t really living my life; I was living hers. Now, I can live my own life. I have so much to look forward to. What should I do first? I think –

What happened? There was black darkness, and then some sort of bright light. What is this place? Where am I?

Am I . . . dead? No. I can’t be. How could I be? How could I possible be –

Wait. Is that . . . No, it can’t be. How the –

She’s here. My wife, she’s . . . she’s here. Of course she is. We did say eternity, didn’t we?

Sunscreen Day

National Cellophane Tape Day

National Grape Popsicle Day

Talk about three things that aren’t even closely related, but hey, there’s only three again! So let me get to it!

National Grape Popsicle Day

Summer is almost here. Warmer weather means going to the beach, and when it gets too hot, it also means cooling off with a cold drink in a lot of cases.

In San Francisco, California, in 1905, 11-yr-old Frank Epperson was outside on his porch, mixing water with a white powdered flavoring to make soda. Upon going inside, he left it there on the porch with the stirring stick still in it. That night the temperature reached a record low and the following morning, Frank discovered the drink had frozen to the stick.

Years later, in 1922, Epperson introduced his treat at a fireman’s ball where it was a huge success. Then in 1923, he made and sold his frozen treat-on-a-stick at an amusement park in Alameda, California. Epperson applied for a patent in 1924 for his frozen confectionery, which he called “Epsicle” ice pop. He then renamed it “Popsicle“.

Popsicles are one of summertime’s favorite treats for kids of all ages. National Grape Popsicle Day honors one of the most popular flavors.

National Cellophane Tape Day

In the early 1920s, Richard Gurley Drew worked at the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, now known as 3M, which at the time made sandpaper. Drew delivered sandpaper samples to auto body shops and saw the frustration that car painters had when painting two-tone color cars. Surgical adhesive tape, library pastes, and homemade glues were used to hold newspapers on cars when painting, and as the papers were removed, sticking residues often remained, that ripped off some of the paint when they were peeled off.

Drew invented masking tape, and created it with crêpe paper, cabinetmaker’s glue, and glycerin. It adhered well to cars when painting, and also came off easily afterward without taking paint away. It was marketed as Scotch Masking Tape in 1925. The name “Scotch” stems from an ethnic stereotype that said Scottish people were stingy. Some stories claim that the tape didn’t adhere well at first, or didn’t have adhesive in the middle of it. The stories purport that Drew was told to go back to his “Scotch” bosses and to tell them to add more adhesive, or that they asked him why he was being so “Scotch” with the adhesive. It is unclear if Drew actually had these conversations, but nonetheless, the name stuck, as did the final version of the tape.

In 1929, Drew came up with the idea of using DuPont’s recently invented cellophane to make tape. Cellophane was moisture proof and was used to wrap baked goods and grocery items. He wanted to invent a tape made of cellophane that would seal cellophane packaging while blending in, so as to not be seen. The machinery that had been used for applying adhesive to masking tape didn’t work with the cellophane tape, and the glue that was used in masking tape didn’t look good on the transparent tape. New machines were made, and a new, clear adhesive made of oil, rubber, and resins helped create a successful clear cellophane tape. It was originally given the name Scotch Cellulose Tape and later became Scotch Transparent Tape. It was revealed and began being marketed on January 31, 1930, and its patent was published on May 27 of the same year. This is why Cellophane Tape Day is celebrated today.

At first, it did not seem that the new tape would be needed. DuPont had come up with a cellophane that could be sealed with heat, so the new tape was no longer needed to seal packages. The Great Depression also was beginning, which did not seem like the best time to begin marketing a new product. But in an era when being thrifty was a necessity, Scotch tapes’ wide range of applicability made it popular. It was perfect for making simple repairs around the house. It could be used to mend books, curtains, sheet music, clothing, fingernails, cracked eggs, cracked ceiling plaster, and for many other things. It eventually was used as an “anti-corrosive shield” in the Goodyear Blimps. As the company prospered and was one of the few that didn’t lay off workers during the Great Depression-they continued to innovate. A dispenser with a cutter blade was marketed in 1932, and in 1939 the now popular snail-shaped handheld tape dispenser was created.

Richard Gurley Drew is now in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Today many manufacturers make transparent adhesive tape out of cellophane, but most people still call it “Scotch tape.” It is believed that transparent tape is now used in 90 percent of homes.

Sunscreen Day

As I said earlier, summer is around the corner, and this means hotter weather, and it can also mean you need to protect your skin from the effects from UV rays from the sun, so you won’t get a serious sunburn like I did when I was a kid. And that’s a story for a later time (way later).

Ultraviolet rays from the sun is a serious risk to your health. With the steady depletion of the ozone layer above the earth, more and stronger UV rays get through.

Overexposure to the sun can cause a number of health problems. It can cause skin cancer, and sunspots. It can also result in premature aging of your skin.

Doctors and medical professionals advocate the use of sunscreen, to guard against health problems. They recommend a Skin Protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more. The higher the SPF value, the better the lotion is at protecting you against harmful UV rays. Sunscreens should be used for all outdoor activities, including swimming.

And yes, sun screens should be used on cloudy days. UV rays can penetrate through the clouds.

Sunscreen, also known as suntan lotion, sun screen, or sun block is usually a cream or spray that is applied to bare skin in order to protect it from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, and from sun burn.

Medical professionals recommend that people apply sunscreen to skin exposed to sunlight to prevent skin cancer.

There are many types of sunscreens available in the market these days - some only prevent sunburns while others prevent both sunburns and the Sun’s harmful UV rays from entering the skin. Use this unofficial, but important, holiday to understand which type of sunscreen to use when going out to enjoy the summer sun.

This may seem odd, but even though long-term exposure to UV rays is harmful to our bodies, the human body needs UV rays to form Vitamin D.

The first sun tan lotion was Coppertone, but who invented sun tan lotion. Not to worry, here is the answer.

Sunbathers lathering up with suntan lotion have a pharmacist to thank for the original Coppertone formula.

The first effective suntan lotion was developed around 1938 by a Swiss chemistry student named Franz Greiter, who got sunburned as he climbed Mount Piz Buin in the Alps, according to The New York Times.

However, pharmacist Benjamin Green came into the picture in 1944, when he served as an airman in World War II. Green used red veterinary petrolatum, or “red vet pet,” as a physical barrier from the sun to prevent ultraviolet rays from hitting his skin, according to The New York Times.

Coppertone’s history webpage said Green was a pharmacist from Miami, Florida, who sought to protect himself and his fellow soldiers from sunburn.

The New York Times described Green’s first sunscreen product as “heavy and unpleasant.”

After the war, however, Green developed a more pleasing product by adding cocoa butter and coconut oil to the red vet pet. This combination would later become Coppertone suntan lotion.

Meanwhile, in 1946, Greiter started to market his product, Piz Buin, named in honor of the mountain he was climbing when he first got the idea for suntan lotion. His invention had originally been known as Gletscher Crème (Glacier Cream).

A decade later, in 1956, Coppertone introduced its famous logo of a dog and a little girl in a bathing suit, also known as “The Little Miss Coppertone.” The New York Times reported the illustrator, Joyce Ballantyne, drew the little girl to look like her 3-year old daughter, Cheri.

Sun protection factor (SPF) was developed by Greiter in 1962, according to an article published in Photobiology. Greiter is also credited with having developed the first sunscreens that absorbed UVA and UVB light, as well as water-resistant sunscreens.

A 1978 FDA document noted overexposure to the sun can cause premature skin aging and skin cancer. This was also the first year the FDA began regulating sunscreen as OTC products.

“I never expected to see the day when girls get sunburn

in the places they now do.”—Will Rogers

More Strange Holidays Coming!

Their Native Tongue

The first Bible printed in America (the new Testament in 1661, and the full text in 1663) was not the King James version, nor was it written in English, French or German. It was written in the Massachusetts Indian dialect—Algonquin. “The Algonquin Bible” or “Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe up-Biblum God naneeswe Nukkone Testament kah wonk Wusku Testament”, as it is technically known, was later translated by John Eliot, a Puritan missionary and published in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The image is from a reprint of the year translated in 1663. I could find no suitable individual pages clear enough in order to read but I can tell you that on the left hand side it was English, and on the right hand side it was written in the original language.

On A Side Note: It wasn’t until the early 1990’s that women were allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor.