Today is Monday June 21, 2010

Summer Solstice

Today is certainly the day to enjoy some extra summer sunshine! It is the summer solstice, the longest day of daylight for people living in the northern hemisphere. In the Arctic Circle, there will be 24 hours of daylight, whereas in Antarctica there will be 24 hours of nighttime. As the earth spins on its axis around the sun, the summer solstice occurs when the earth's axial tilt is closest to the sun.

The worldwide interpretation of the summer solstice varies from culture to culture. Most countries however, recognize it as a symbol of fertility. Various festivals, gatherings, and rituals take place today worldwide. In Celtic and Slavic cultures, people used to celebrate with dancing and bonfires, believing that these rituals would help increase the sun's energy. In England, thousands of people gather every year at Stonehenge and Avebury at sunrise to welcome the summer solstice.

To celebrate today, grab your sun glasses and sun screen and head outside to enjoy the extra hours of daylight!

Today is also Go Skateboarding Day

June is Gay Pride Month & Great Outdoors Month

"Images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

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On this day in History:

	1788 - The U.S. Constitution went into effect when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. 1939 - Lou Gehrig quit baseball due to illness. 1942 - Ben Hogan recorded the lowest score (to that time) in a major golf tournament. Hogan shot a 271 for 72 holes in Chicago, IL. 1945 - Allied forces captured Okinawa, Japan. 1981 - "Raiders of the Lost Ark" opened.

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Quote of the Day:

"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."

--Helen Keller
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Today's Tip:

Skateboard as a Shelf

Purchase a pair of L-brackets (available at hardware stores) that are a little more than half as long as the skateboard's width. Screw the brackets into two studs in a wall, about 16 inches apart. Remove the trucks and the wheels from the skateboard—or leave them on if they aren't grungy and you want to hide the supports—and place the board atop the brackets.