Persons who have been homeless carry within them a certain philosophy of life which makes them apprehensive about ownership.
– Jerzy Kosinski
– Jerzy Kosinski
Homelessness is a serious problem, even in what we perhaps foolishly refer to as ‘first world countries’, and Housing Day was established as part of a movement to combat it all over the world. In the US alone there are 643,000 homeless people, and 200,000 in Canada according to a 2008 study, and in many locations homelessness is treated as a criminal problem. Housing Day works to help change this perception, and to provide a home for those who are currently suffering from homelessness.
Housing Day first appeared in 1998 with the determination to establish homelessness as a national disaster. The mayors of the largest cities in Canada, included Toronto mayor Mel Lastman, a declaration was adopted from the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee to formally recognize homelessness not as a criminal issue, but as the national disaster and threat to the people of Canada it truly is. Like every person in the world, every Canadian has a right to a safe home.
There is a common misconception that the majority of the homeless population are those who simply don’t want to work, an idea that has been debunked by statistics. In the US 25% of those who are homeless are those who suffer from mental illness of one variety or another, 13% are those fleeing domestic violence in their homes, choosing life on the streets versus living with their abusers.
Tragically, 12% of them are veterans of their armed forces, largely abandoned by the system once they leave active duty. Even more tragically, of those who live on the streets, 238,000 of them are members of family, many of whom live homeless together either on the road, or in places where those without residences gather, including shelters.
When you wake up in the morning and look at the roof over your head, the first thing you can do is recognize your good fortune and appreciate the life you live and the fact that you have a warm house to come home to each night. Then you can look into your community and see how much homelessness affects where you live, you may be surprised to find that even in smaller communities there are those who have to sleep on the streets each night, or take up residence in shelters. Look into organizations in your community on Housing Day, and see what you can do to make a difference in your neighborhood.
thanks for the funny pics, Helen |
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (adjective) So shocked or astonished as to be rendered speechless. | ||
| Synonyms: | dumbfounded, flabbergasted, stupefied, thunderstruck | ||
| Usage: | He stood dumbstruck in the doorway as the party goers yelled "Surprise!" in unison. | ||
Idiom of the Day
in fee— law (specifically of land) In absolute legal ownership or subjection. |
History
The Day of Two Noons: US and Canada Adopt Standard Time Zones (1883)
| Before the adoption of time zones, clocks in the US and Canada were set according to the position of the sun overhead, meaning that time varied according to location. For the rail industry, this presented a logistical nightmare, and so many railroads kept their own time, further complicating matters. Standardization solved everything. On "The Day of Two Noons," train stations reset their clocks according to newly adopted time standards. |
Asa Gray (1810)
 Considered one of the most important botanists in American history, Gray laid the foundation for the study of plants in North America. He made botanical expeditions to the western US, established Harvard University's botany department, and wrote prodigiously on the subject of plants, producing several classic, still-valued textbooks. Charles Darwin was such an admirer of Gray's work that he shared his theory of natural selection with Gray before publishing it. |
Bizarre Lava-Covered Planet Is Surrounded by Air That Could Support Life
You are alive right now and able to read this article in part because of Earth's plush atmosphere, a blanket about 60 miles thick. Its most plentiful ingredient is nitrogen, its most beloved oxygen, its most concerning carbon dioxide, and a smattering of other gases.READ MORE:
This bizarre lava-covered planet has an atmosphere that could support life
1477 - William Caxton produced "Dictes or Sayings of the Philosophers," which was the first book to be printed in England.
1820 - Captain Nathaniel Palmer became the first American to sight the continent of Antarctica.
1865 - Samuel L. Clemens published "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" under the pen name "Mark Twain" in the New York "Saturday Press."
1928 - The first successful sound-synchronized animated cartoon premiered in New York. It was Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie," starring Mickey Mouse.
1951 - Chuck Connors (Los Angeles Angels) became the first player to oppose the major league draft. Connors later became the star of the television show "The Rifleman."
1959 - William Wyler's "Ben-Hur" premiered at Loew's Theater in New York City's Times Square.
1966 - Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles Dodgers) announced his retirement from major league baseball.
1966 - U.S. Roman Catholic bishops did away with the rule against eating meat on Fridays.
1969 - Apollo 12 astronauts Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr. and Alan L. Bean landed on the lunar surface during the second manned mission to the moon.
1990 - Paul McCartney's birth certificate sold for $18,000 in an auction.
If You Were Born Today, November 18
You are passionate and loving, and very dedicated to those you love. Your sense of drama is large, and you are extremely perceptive. Love and companionship are especially important to you. Your motivation on the job is often fuelled by your sense of fulfillment in your personal life. If you are feeling loved and wanted, your productivity is at its peak, and vice versa. You easily absorb the emotions of others and the atmosphere of your environment. Famous people born today: Margaret Atwood, Linda Evans, Elizabeth Perkins, Kim Wilde, Owen Wilson.
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TONIGHT'S CELESTIAL EVENT ... New Moon
The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 11:42 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
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INTERESTING FACTS
“That’s what she said” is thought to have been around since the 1970s with the earliest documented case of the phrase showing up on Saturday Night Live, spoken by Chevy Chase in a weekend update skit in 1975, which also happened to be the first season of SNL. “That’s what she said” was later hugely popularized thanks to Wayne’s World skits on Saturday Night Live and later usage in the movie “Wayne’s World”. The British also have their own version of that statement which has been around for much longer (over a century), "said the actress to the Bishop". You can read more about how that phrase came about here: The British Equivalent of “That’s What She Said”
"Dick" once popularly meant an assertion, announcement, or declaration, such as "I do dick Mr. Beauregard... you are my hero!" Similarly, someone's 'dying dick' meant something completely different in the Middle Ages as it would now, namely their 'dying declaration'.
People with the name Robert are also called Bob via much the same process as people who are named Richard being called Dick. Namely Robert -> Rob and then the rhyming nickname Bob. Similarly, this is also how we get Bill from William, William -> Will rhyming then to Bill. The nickname Hodge is derived this same way from Roger: Roger -> Rodge -> Hodge. Polly likewise comes from the name Molly... the list goes on and on and on.
While you won't typically hear people calling Richards 'Hicks' anymore, this nickname did give rise to 'Hudde'. This in turn gave us 'Hudson' around the late 13th century, which of course is now a somewhat common surname. Speaking of Hudsons, Katy Perry’s real name is Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson. She created the stage name “Katy Perry” so as not to be confused with Kate Hudson. Before she did this, she did release an album under her real name, with the album called “Katy Hudson”. The album flopped. It wasn’t until she signed with Capitol Music Group in 2007 that she adopted the stage name Katy Perry.
ANGRY LENNON LETTER SOLD
LAST YEAR AT AUCTION
An angry letter from John Lennon to Paul and Linda McCartney written shortly after the Beatles’ breakup was sold at auction for nearly $30,000. The two-page typed draft , with handwritten annotations by Lennon, was sold by Boston-based RR Auction. RR says the letter is believed to have been written in 1971 in response to criticism Lennon received from Linda McCartney about his decision to not publicly announce his departure from the band. The profanity-filled and sometimes rambling letter reads: “Do you really think most of today’s art came about because of the Beatles? I don’t believe you’re that insane — Paul — do you believe that? When you stop believing it you might wake up!” The letter was sold to a collector in Dallas who requested anonymity.
(John Winston Lennon)
(October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980)
Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach is a painting completed by Peder Severin Krøyer (1851–1909), one of the most notable members of the Danish artistic community known as the Skagen Painters, in 1893. Considered one of Krøyer's masterpieces, it shows his friend Anna Ancher and his wife Marie walking along the beach. It is now held in the Skagens Museum in Skagen, Denmark.
GREAT EGRET IN BREEDING COLORS
The photo was taken at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, Florida. This is a man made wetlands with a boardwalk, created by the local water company to act as a water filter. There are many species of birds and wildlife that live there as their habits. This photo was taken shortly after the peak breeding season.
thanks, Jennifer
knit
thanks, Dawn
knit
knit
knit, Christment ornament
thanks, Rosa
crochet
thanks, Marge
Saugatuck Winter pattern by Drew Emborsky
crochet
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Chicken Towel Topper
Your country kitchen will be complete when you add this Chicken Towel Topper stitched using worsted-weight yarn and a coordinating kitchen towel. Size:...
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Preview by Yahoo
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crochet
crochet, Christmas ornament
thanks, Shelley
thanks, Helen
thanks, Carol
Cacao Brownie Bites
CRAFTS
thanks, Sonja
PUZZLE
Cat Looking Back Jigsaw Puzzle
| ales brake deception discussion final frown | grid inform island jargon laugh lyrics | meets method mourn near other | peace picture pond private register restraint sawn season short stadium | start stone sunshine think trace traffic world worth |
SUDOKU ... medium
solution:
QUOTE
CLEVER
Mind-Blowing Comparisons Between
Old and New Technology
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