Ridley's Believe It Or Not August 5 History Work Like A Dog Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—August 5, 2015 Trust your Hump Day is proving to be a great one and you are anxiously awaiting the circus coming to town in Ohio at the Republican debate featuring the Donald and the 16 dwarfs and as always, I hope you enjoy Wednesday’s holidays and observances,  factoids of interest, a music video by Gilbert O’Sullivan, a relevant quote from Mitch Abom, looking forward to enjoying a dozen oysters on the shell, blessed with a positive attitude and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. Work Like a Dog Day—since we are in the Dog Days of August, highly appropriate to celebrate those who at work give it their all for their company and for their family’s financial security often sadly at great physical and emotional cost.                                                    

       2. National Underware Day—celebrated since 2003 that article of clothing that your mother always wanted to be clean in case you were unlucky enough to be in an accident and had to go to an emergency ward.                                                         

       3. 1972 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1972 on a six week run in that position Alone Again (Naturally) by the Gilbert O’Sullivan, noted Irish singer of the 70’s.  Here is a link to Gilbert O’Sullivan Alone Again (Naturally): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_P-v1BVQn8

      4. National Oyster Day—celebrating a tasty mollusk whether baked, fried, in soup or just raw on the half shell with lemon juice and a tab of horseradish.  

      5. Serial Entrepreneurs Day—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1967 of one of Stanford’s successful entrepreneurs, Reid Hoffman, internet entrepreneur who founded SocialNet.cin and a co-founder of LinkedIn and invested in numerous startups like Facebook.

On this day in:                                           

       a. 1861 in order to finance the Civil War, the U.S. instituted an income tax of 3% on incomes over $800  and probably for the first time in history and, probably in an act  never to be repeated again, rescinded the income tax in 1872.  

       b. 1884 on Bedsoe Island (renamed Liberty Island) the cornerstone for the Statute of Liberty was laid.

       c. 1914 in a moment memorialized by Google today, the first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio.   

       d. 1957 American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark debuted nationally on ABC.   

       e. 1981 President Ronald Reagan fired 11,359 air traffic controllers for ignoring his order to return to work.  

Reflections on the those who cross the line from working like a dog and become workaholics: “I used to be a classic workaholic, and after seeing how little work and career really mean when you reach the end of your life, I put a new emphasis on things I believe count more. These things include: family, friends, being part of a community, and appreciating the little joys of the average day.” Mitch Abom, noted American best selling author with over 35 million books sold. Very astute observation especially when mourners see only a hearse  heading from a funeral to the gravesite, not a convoy of U-Hauls. 

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© August 5, 2015, Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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