Today is Monday, October 31, 2011 

Halloween

Today is Halloween! Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, can be traced back to an ancient Celtic pagan festival called “Samhain,” which was celebrated over 2,000 years ago. The Celtic calendar began on November 1, and the Celts believed that as the old year faded and the new year emerged, the boundaries between the living and the dead became unstable. On the night of October 31 the spirits of the deceased could walk the earth and provoke sickness or damage crops. To combat these evil spirits and ward off wandering ghosts, the Celts built huge bonfires, left bowls of food outside their homes, and wore costumes and masks.

Although there are still plenty of ghosts and ghouls, Halloween has evolved into a secular, family-friendly event. One quarter of all the candy sold in the United States is purchased for Halloween, and over 40 million children trick-or-treat in their neighborhood each year. Want a quick and easy way to celebrate? Send free eCards for Halloween to all your family and friends! Happy Halloween!

Today is also National Caramel Apple Day


October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History for October 311868 - Postmaster General Alexander Williams Randall approved a standard uniform for postal carriers. 1922 - Benito Mussolini became prime minister of Italy. 1940 - The British air victory in the Battle of Britain prevented Germany from invading Britain. 1941 - 14 years of work was completed on Mount Rushmore. At the time the 60-foot busts of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were finished. 1952 - The U.S. detonated its first hydrogen bomb. 1968 - U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a halt to all U.S. bombing of North Vietnam.

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"The words 'I am...' are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you’re claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you." 

--A.L. Kitselman 

Today is Friday, October 28, 2011 

Frankenstein Friday

Today is Frankenstein Friday! Celebrated each year on the last Friday of October, Frankenstein Friday pays homage to one of the greatest gothic stories of all time. In 1818, Mary Shelley wrote a novel about a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein who discovers how to give life to inanimate bodies. He creates a monster that pursues him to the ends of the earth and eventually destroys everything he holds dear.

People often mistakenly use the name “Frankenstein” to refer to the hideous monster (famously played by Boris Karloff in the 1931 film), but Victor Frankenstein never gives his creation a name. Read a chapter from the book, send a free ecard monster to your friends, or create a mad scientist Halloween costume to celebrate Frankenstein Friday!

Today is also Wild Foods Day & Global Champagne Day

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History for October 281636 - Harvard College was founded in Massachusetts. The original name was Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was the first school of higher education in America. 1886 - The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by U.S. President Cleveland. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 152 feet tall. 1904 - The St. Louis Police Department became the first to use fingerprinting. 1949 - U.S. President Harry Truman swore in Eugenie Moore Anderson as the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. Anderson was the first woman to hold the post of ambassador. 1956 - Elvis Presley's song "Love Me Tender" became the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit. He became the first artist to follow himself into the No. 1 position. The song "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" had been the No. 1 song for 11 weeks. 1962 - Soviet leader Nikita Khrushev informed the U.S. that he had ordered the dismantling of Soviet missile bases in Cuba. 1965 - The Gateway Arch along the waterfront in St. Louis, MO, was completed

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"Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have got it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known."

--Garrison Keillor

Today is Thursday, October 27, 2011 

American Beer Day

Today is American Beer Day! Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in the United States, where over 1,400 breweries produce more than 6 billion gallons annually. Breweries across America include large, well-known brands, regional beers, and increasingly popular craft breweries.

American beer is produced in a variety of styles, but the most popular is a pale lager. Other common styles include brown ale, IPA, porter, and stout. Fun fact: Americans drink more than 50 billion pints of beer each year—enough to fill 1 out of every 25 residential in-ground pools in the U.S.!

Celebrate American Beer Day with a nice, cold pint of your favorite American beer, a trip to the local brewery in your area, or a beer-themed free ecard!

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History for October 271787 - The first of the Federalist Papers were published in the New York Independent. The series of 85 essays, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, were published under the pen name "Publius." 1904 - The New York subway system officially opened. It was the first rapid-transit subway system in America. 1947 - "You Bet Your Life," the radio show starring Grouch Marx, premiered on ABC. It was later shown on NBC television. 1954 - The first Walt Disney television show "Disneyland" premiered on ABC. 1960 - Ben E. King records his first solo songs, "Spanish Harlem" and "Stand by Me." 1998 - The reunion episode "CHiPs '99" aired for the first time on the cable network TNT.

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"Why not let people differ about their answers to the great mysteries of the Universe? Let each seek one's own way to the highest, to one's own sense of supreme loyalty in life, one's ideal of life. Let each philosophy, each world-view bring forth its truth and beauty to a larger perspective, that people may grow in vision, stature and dedication."--Algernon Black 

Today is Wednesday, October 26, 2011 

Today is Diwali!

Today is Diwali! Diwali, or Deepavali, is a religious holiday observed by Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain cultures. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, the triumph of light over darkness, and the renewal of life.

Today is Diwali! Diwali, or Deepavali, is a religious holiday observed by Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain cultures. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, the triumph of light over dark

To celebrate the five days of Diwali, people decorate their homes with lights (often using small oil lamps called diyas), watch fireworks, wear new clothes, and distribute gifts to friends and family members. It is also a time for prayer and religious rituals.

Join in the festivities and wish your friends “Shubh Diwali!” with a free ecard for Diwali! 

Today is also National Pumpkin day!

October is National Past Month & National Dessert Month & National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-A-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

• History                                               for October 26 1774 - The First Continental Congress of the U.S. adjourned in Philadelphia.  1825 - The Erie Canal opened in upstate New York. The 363-mile canal connected Lake Erie and the Hudson River at a cost of $7,602,000.  1905 - Norway gained independence from Sweden.  1949 - U.S. President Harry Truman raised the minimum wage from 40 to 75 cents an hour.  1951 - Winston Churchill became the prime minister of Great Britain.  1975 - Anwar Sadat became the first Egyptian president to officially visit to the United States.  1990 - Wayne Gretzky became the first NHL player to reach 2,000 points.  1994 - Roseanne Barr appeared on her TV show "Roseanne" dressed as Prince.

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"Life, for all its agonies of despair and loss and guilt, is exciting and beautiful, amusing and artful and endearing, full of liking and love, at times a poem and a high adventure, at times noble and at times very gay; and whatever (if anything) is to come after it -- we shall not have this life again." 

--Rose Macaulay 

Today is Tuesday, October 25, 2011 

National Greasy Foods Day

It’s National Greasy Foods Day! Although it might not be the healthiest choice out there, everyone loves the taste of greasy food. From pizza and nachos to burgers and French fries, it's nearly impossible to ignore this guilty pleasure.

Did you know that fried chicken is the most ordered meal in sit-down restaurants in the U.S.? Even if it’s just for today, allow yourself to indulge in a little greasy good to celebrate National Greasy Food Day! 

Today is also Good and Plenty Day

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month & National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History for October 251415 - England won the Battle of Agincourt over France during the Hundred Years' War. Almost 6000 Frenchmen were killed while fewer than 400 were lost by the English. 1812 - During the War of 1812, the U.S. frigate United States captured the British vessel Macedonian. 1955 - The microwave oven, for home use, was introduced by The Tappan Company. 1962 - American author John Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. 2000 - AT&T Corp. announced that it would restructure into a family of four separately traded companies (consumer, business, broadband and wireless).

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."

--Aldous Huxley 

Today is Monday, October 24, 2011 

National Bologna Day

Today is National Bologna Day! Bologna is a lunchtime favorite for sandwich lovers across the country. Although this American sausage is spelled bologna, it is commonly pronounced "baloney." In some parts of the country it is also referred to as “jumbo.”

Bologna can be made with beef, pork, chicken, or turkey. It is cooked and smoked with a wonderful bouquet of spices that add to its delicious flavor. There are many different variations including German bologna and Kosher bologna.

Did you know that Americans eat 800 million pounds of bologna annually? Add a slice or two to your sandwich today to celebrate National Bologna Day!

Today is also Good and Plenty Day

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month & National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History
for October 241901 - Daredevil Anna Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel. She was 63 years old.

1929 - In The U.S., investors dumped more than 13 million shares on the stock market. The day is known as "Black Thursday."

1939 - Nylon stockings were sold to the public for the first time in Wilmington, DE.

1945 - The United Nations (UN) was formally established less than a month after the end of World War II.

1963 - The Beatles left Great Britain for their first tour outside of their homeland.

1992 - The Toronto Blue Jays became the first non-U.S. team to win the World Series.

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"I began to have an idea of my life, not as the slow shaping of achievement to fit my preconceived purposes, but as the gradual discovery and growth of a purpose which I did not know."

--Joanna Field

Today is Friday, October 21, 2011 

National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day

It’s National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! During the autumn months, festive pumpkin-flavored treats are everywhere. You can find all sorts of goodies like pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin beer, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, and, of course, pumpkin cheesecake.

Pumpkin cheesecake is traditionally made with a graham cracker crust and a pumpkin purée cheesecake filling. Did you know that cheesecakes were popular in Greece as early as 2000 BC? Today there are hundreds of variations all over the world.

Find out if your local bakery is serving pumpkin cheesecake! Pay homage to a fall favorite and enjoy a slice of pumpkin cheesecake in honor of National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day.

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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for October 211797 - "Old Ironsides," the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution, was launched in Boston's harbor.

1917 - The first U.S. soldiers entered combat during World War I near Nancy, France.

1944 - During World War II, the German city of Aachen was captured by U.S. troops.

1958 - Buddy Holly recorded his last studio session. Holly and the Crickets recorded "True Love Ways," "Moondreams," "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," and "Raining in my Heart."

1961 - Bob Dylan recorded "Bob Dylan," his first album. He was 20 years old when he did the recording for Columbia Records. The cost to produce the session was $400.

1980 - The Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series.

1998 - The New York Yankees set a major league baseball record of 125 victories for the regular and postseason combined

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"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

--Walter Bagehot

Today is Thursday, October 20, 2011 

National Brandied Fruit Day

Happy National Brandied Fruit Day! Brandied fruit is a scrumptious treat that is easy to make and can be enjoyed anytime of the year. Storing fruits in brandy is a simple way to preserve the wonderful tastes of the harvest season without the hassle of canning.

To make your own brandied fruit, all you need is ripened fruit, sugar, and brandy (the higher the quality, the better). Wash the fruit, peel off any skin, and slice if necessary. Fill half a container with brandy and add the fruit. For each cup of fruit you add, stir in 1/6 cup of sugar. Make sure all the fruit is submerged in the mixture, cover the container, and store it in a dark place. You can continue to add fruit at any time. Your brandied fruit will be cured after a couple of months.

Serve a spoonful of brandied fruit over ice cream, with a dollop of whipped cream, or as a scrumptious breakfast side dish!

Today is also Simchat Torah

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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for October 201803 - The U.S. Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.

1930 - "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" debuted on NBC radio.

1944 - During World War II, the Yugoslav cities of Belgrade and Dubrovnik were liberated.

1957 - Walter Cronkite began hosting "The 20th Century." The show aired until January 4, 1970.

1960 - The Elvis Presley film "G.I. Blues" premiered.

1961 - Bob Dylan's self-titled debut album was recorded.

1995 - Britain, France and the U.S. announced a treaty that banned atomic blasts in the South Pacific. 

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"It is really about time that age was accepted as part of life too....We are afraid of growing old. And many of us spend more than half our waking hours trying to camouflage our age....There is nothing more beautiful than an unadorned old face with the lines that tell a story, a story of a life that has been lived with some fullness."

--Helen Hayes 

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Tips for a Safe and Spooktacular Halloween!

Halloween is the beginning of an exciting and festive holiday season, which should be full of treats. Below are some safety tips you should remember so you don't get tricked!                                

With Halloween falling on a Sunday this year, many children will be out walking while it is dark, making it harder for drivers to see them. We recommend these safety tips for parents:

• Accompany children on their Halloween route.
• Walk on sidewalks and cross the street safely.
• Carry a flashlight or glow stick to be visible.
• Apply reflective tape to the front and back of the costume so your child will be visible to cars.
• Use face make-up instead of a mask so children can see easily.
• Make sure to stay at the door of a home and never go inside.

Today is Wednesday, October 19, 2011 

National Seafood Bisque Day

It’s National Seafood Bisque Day! Seafood bisque is a delightfully rich and creamy soup made with lobster, crab, shrimp, or crayfish. It is often seasoned with wine or cognac and a savory bouquet of spices. In a traditional bisque recipe, the soup is thickened with a fine purée of crustacean shells! Early recipes also occasionally called for pigeon instead of shellfish.

Some culinary historians believe that the word “bisque” comes from the French “bis cuites,” meaning “twice cooked.” Bisque is heated twice—first in the stock and again in the cream. Others believe that the origin of this word is related to the Bay of Biscay. Dishes from Biscay traditionally include spices similar to those in bisque.

To celebrate National Seafood Bisque Day, try making your own seafood bisque! Serve it with a freshly baked baguette for a decadent treat. 

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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"You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world."

--Sheila Graham

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History
for October 191765 - In the U.S., The Stamp Act Congress met and drew up a declaration of rights and liberties.

1812 - Napoleon's French forces began their retreat out of Russia after a month of chasing the retreating Russian army.

1951 - U.S. President Truman singed an act officially ending the state of war with Germany.

1977 - The Concorde made its first landing in New York City.

1997 - On stage at the Grand Ole Opry, Vince Gill honored John Denver. Gill played "Take Me Home, Country Roads.

Today is Tuesday, October 18, 2011 

National Chocolate Cupcake Day

It’s National Chocolate Cupcake Day! Chocolate cupcakes are a delightful treat served at gourmet bakeries and kitchen tables across the country.

Cupcakes first emerged during the 19th century in the United States. There are two theories about how they got their name. One claims that the miniature cakes were originally baked in cups. The other suggests that the name comes from the recipe, which was measured out by the cup—one cup butter, two cups sugar, three cups flour, four eggs, one cup milk, one spoonful baking soda.

Cupcakes are now made with a variety of flavors, ingredients, and decorations, but simple chocolate cupcakes remain a perennial favorite. Bake, frost, and decorate a batch today to celebrate National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History
for October 181867 - The U.S. took formal possession of Alaska from Russia. The land was purchased for $7 million dollars (2 cents per acre).

1943 - The first broadcast of "Perry Mason" was presented on CBS Radio. The show went to TV in 1957.

1950 - Connie Mack announced that he was going to retire after 50 seasons as the manager of the Philadelphia Athletics.

1967 - "How I Won the War," starring John Lennon, premiered in London.

1971 - After 34 years the final issue of "Look" magazine was published.

1977 - Reggie Jackson tied Babe Ruth's record for hitting three homeruns in a single World Series game. Jackson was only the second player to achieve this
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Tom Nolan

"In the absences of a decent time machine, fiction remains the most sturdy vehicle for visiting other eras."  

   

Today is Monday, October 17, 2011 

National Boss's Day

Today is National Boss’s Day! Send your boss free ecards to show your appreciation. Boss’s Day recognizes all those in a supervisory role that demonstrate kindness, fairness, and understanding.

Boss's Day dates back to 1958 when State Farm Insurance employee Patricia Bays Haroski registered the date with the government. Haroski wanted to honor her father (who was also her boss!) for all the advice he gave to her and her siblings throughout their careers. She chose his birthday as the date for this special holiday!

Not sure how to celebrate? Send a free Boss’s Day eCard, ask your fellow employees to chip in for a bouquet of flowers, or take your boss to lunch to show your appreciation. 

Today is also National Pasta Day

October is National Pasta Month & National Dessert Month &National Chili Month & National Roller Skating Month & Adopt-a-Dog Month & National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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History
for October 171777 - American troops defeated British forces in Saratoga, NY. It was the turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

1888 - The first issue of "National Geographic Magazine" was released at newsstands.

1917 - The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was formed.

1967 - The musical "Hair" premiered at New York's Public Theatre. The show ran for 1,758 performances.

1994 - Israel and Jordan initialed a draft peace treaty.

2000 - Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche) achieved his 448th victory as a goalie in the NHL. Roy passed Terry Sawchuck to become the record holder for career victories.
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"You don’t just luck into things as much as you’d like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it’s friendships or opportunities."

--Barbara Bush