DIANE'S CORNER ...

Celebrate World Whale Day

Giants of the ocean are celebrated on World Whale Day, which aims to raise awareness of these magnificent creatures. The annual holiday was founded in Maui, Hawaii, in 1980, to honor humpback whales, which swim off its coast. It’s the main showcase of the Maui Whale Festival.

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Every year, crowds flock to the island to join in the free all-day event, organized by the Pacific Whale Foundation. The fun starts with a parade including floats, costumed characters and children’s events, plus music from Hawaiian and international stars.

However, you don’t have to visit Maui to mark this special day. Whales need support from wildlife lovers everywhere to meet conservation threats such as loss of habitat and pollution, so a perfect way to celebrate the day would be to take part in a fundraising event wherever you live. You’ll have a whale of a time and aid a great cause!

Keep warm with this cowl!

Word of the Day

snowbird

noun [snoh-burd]

Informal. a person who vacations in or moves to a warmer climate during cold weather.

How is snowbird used?

I don’t know if I can be a snowbird every year... But I’m going to try, even if it’s only for a week or two: for more winter sunrises, for more sunlight, and even for more — why not? — joyful crying.JEN A. MILLER, "HOW I BECAME A 37-YEAR-OLD SNOWBIRD," NEW YORK TIMES, FEBRUARY 23, 20

Pigeon toed?

Idiom of the Day

Better Safe Than Sorry

It's better to proceed in a safe manner than to proceed and be sorry you took that action. Something that you say which means it is best not to take risks even if it seems boring or hard work to be careful.

Example Usage: "Should I take my umbrella today?" Answer: "Yes, I think you should - better safe than sorry!"

"Do I have to wear my seat belt, we are only driving around the corner?" Answer: "Yes, better safe than sorry"

This Day in History

1857 - The National Deaf Mute College was incorporated in Washington, DC. It was the first school in the world for advanced education of the deaf. The school was later renamed Gallaudet College.

1858 - The first ironing board was patented by William Vandenburg and James Harvey.

1883 - "Ladies Home Journal" began publication.

1923 - Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen. The next day he entered the chamber with several invited guests. He had originally found the tomb on November 4, 1922.

1932 - The first fruit tree patent was issued to James E. Markham for a peach tree which ripens later than other varieties.

1937 - Wallace H. Carothers received a patent for nylon. Carothers was a research chemist for Du Pont.

1946 - The first commercially designed helicopter was tested in Connecticut.

1948 - NBC-TV began airing its first nightly newscast, "The Camel Newsreel Theatre", which consisted of Fox Movietone newsreels.

1968 - In the U.S., the first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated in Haleyville, AL.

1972 - Ricky Nelson began his first British tour.

1999 - "Rolling Stones Day" was declared in Minnesota.

2005 - The NHL announced the cancellation of the 2004-2005 season due to a labor dispute. It was the first time a major sports league in North America lost an entire season to a labor dispute.

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, February 16

Passionate and loving yet independent, you are not always easily understood. Your life is changeful in part because of a deep inner need to reinvent yourself from time to time. You possess inner vision and can be quite spiritual. Learning to believe in yourself but also to put faith in the universe rather than attempting to over-control your life are keys to your success. When inspired, you are hard-working and determined. Famous people born today:

1921 Vera-Ellen [Westmeier Rohe], American actress and dancer (Big Leaguer, On the Town), born in Norwood, Ohio (d. 1981)

1942 Kim Jong-il, Supreme Leader of North Korea (1994-2011), born in Vyatskoye, Soviet Union [disputed birth place and birth date, 1941] (d. 2011)

1959 John McEnroe, American tennis player (US Open 1979-81, 84 / Wimbledon 1981, 83, 84), born in Wiesbaden, Germany

READERS INFO

1.

1948 -
Gerard Kuiper discovered Uranus's moon Miranda while working at the McDonald Observatory in Texas. Miranda is one of the 27 known moons of Uranus. In 1986, Voyager 2, a space probe making a flyby of Uranus, captured close-up images of Miranda's southern hemisphere.

2.

1953 -

Ted Williams safely crash-landed his F9F Panther jet while serving in the Marines during the Korean War. Williams had been on a mission when the hydraulics and electrical systems of his airplane were damaged by enemy fire. Williams flew his damaged plane to a U.S. airfield and performed a wheels-up landing. Williams survived the crash with only minor scrapes, but the plane was heavily damaged. At the time of his military service, Williams was a famous major league baseball player.

3.

San Jose Jazz Winter Fest 2019

Feb 14 - 27, 2019 | San Jose, CA

Cafe Stritch and Other Locations in Downtown San Jose|374 S 1st St

San Jose Jazz Winter Fest is a concert series that focuses on emerging jazz artists who are exploring the genre in new and innovative ways. In addition to the musical performances, the fest emphasizes the importance of education and features master classes with industry professionals. The event strives to create a platform for young artists to showcase their work and progress the genre further. Check the San Jose Jazz Winter Fest website for performance dates and venues.

further information: San Jose Jazz Winter Fest 2019

4.

Whiskey Flat Days 2019

Feb 15 - 18, 2019 | Lake Isabella, CA

California’s Whiskey Flat Days is a long-standing Southern California tradition and one of the most popular festivals in the area. The festival invites guests to step back in time to the days of the Wild West with attractions like a rodeo, parade, carnival rides, a Wild West encampment, line dancing, gold panning, wood carving, staged gunfights and frog jumping contests. There’s also live music, an art show, games and activities for kids and much more!

further information: Whiskey Flat Days | The Kern Lodge

Pictures of the day

An image of Queen Christina of Sweden (1626–1689) on a 10-ducat coin from the German state of Erfurt. The only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, Christina became queen at the age of six, upon her father's death at the Battle of Lützen in 1632. She abdicated in 1654 when she converted to Roman Catholicism, becoming a symbol of the Counter-Reformation. Her image appeared on Erfurt coinage as a result of the state's occupation by Swedish forces between 1631 and 1648, during the Thirty Years War. Seven gold coins are known to exist bearing the effigy of Queen Christina: a unique 1649 5-ducat, and six 1645 10-ducat specimens.

RIP Mars Opportunity Rover.

Designed For 90 Days, It Lasted 14 Years