Today is Friday, October 14, 2011 

National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day

Today is National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day! Chocolate is one of the most popular flavors in the world and people will eat it on anything—strawberries, pretzels, peanuts, even bugs! This holiday honors anyone brave enough to try a bite of chocolate-covered insect.

For this exotic snack, the insects are roasted to perfection then coated in chocolate. Crickets and ants are the most popular variety, and most people think they taste like chocolate-covered popcorn. You can find an impressive selection online.

In some countries, like China and Thailand, chocolate-covered insects are a delicacy. In Southern Africa, caterpillars (without the chocolate!) are an important source of protein for the indigenous people.

Test your bravery on National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day, invite your friends over for a fear factor party, and sample this unusual 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

This week is Fire Prevention Week

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"I want money in order to buy time to get the things that money will not buy."

--Carl Sandburg 

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History
for October 141926 - The book "Winnie-the-Pooh," by A.A. Milne, made its debut.

1933 - Nazi Germany announced that it was withdrawing from the League of Nations.

1947 - Over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California, pilot Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1 rocket plane and became the first person to break the sound barrier.

1964 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent resistance to racial prejudice in America. He was the youngest person to receive the award.

1975 - "Rock & Roll All Night" was released by Kiss.

1987 - Jessica McClure, 18 months old, fell down an abandoned well in Midland, TX. The rescue took 58 hours.

1997 - The soundtrack to the film "Casablanca" was released for the first time.

Today is Thursday, October 13, 2011 

National Yorkshire Pudding Day

Celebrate National Yorkshire Pudding Day! Yorkshire pudding is an iconic British dish similar to a popover. The first recipes for the dish appeared in the 1700s, but the exact origin is unknown.

Yorkshire Pudding is made by combining flour, eggs, salt, milk, and pan drippings from prime rib or roast beef. It is most often served with roast beef or chicken, and, of course, lots of gravy.

Often considered the national dish of England, Yorkshire Pudding is still common today. Celebrate National Yorkshire Pudding Day and make a delicious homemade batch to enjoy with your family!

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

This week is Fire Prevention Week

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

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   "Everything you do in life, every choice you make, has a consequence. When you do things without thinkin', then you ain't makin' the choice. The choice is makin' you."Mark Steven Johnson

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for October 131775 - The U.S. Continental Congress ordered the construction of a naval fleet.

1792 - The cornerstone of the Executive Mansion was laid in Washington, DC. The building became known as the White House in 1818.

1854 - The state of Texas ratified a state constitution.

1943 - During World War II, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies and declared war on Germany.

1960 - The World Series ended on a home run for the first time. Bill Mazeroski's homerun allowed the Pirates to beat the Yankees.

1962 - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" opened on Broadway.

1967 - The first game of the new American Basketball Association was played.

1998 - The NBA canceled regular season games due to work stoppage, for first time in its 51-year history.

Today is Wednesday, October 12, 2011 

National Gumbo Day

It’s National Gumbo Day! Gumbo is a tasty stew-like dish that originated in Louisiana. The name comes from an African word for okra, which is the key ingredient used for thickening.

Similar to Louisiana itself, gumbo is an amalgamation of many cultures. Elements of the recipe can be linked to West African, Choctaw, and French cuisine. As a result, there are many variations of gumbo and to this day chefs argue over the true recipe. The first historical reference to gumbo appears in an 1803 document, which describes the menu at a gubernatorial reception in New Orleans.

Enjoy Louisiana's most famous dish served over brown or white rice, and celebrate National Gumbo Day!

Today is also World Egg Day & Sukkot

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

This week is Fire Prevention Week

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"To accomplish our destiny it is not enough to merely guard against road accidents. We must also cover before nightfall the distance assigned to each of us."

--Alexis Carrel 

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History
for October 121492 - Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, sighted Watling Island in the Bahamas. He believed that he had found Asia while attempting to find a Western ocean route to India.

1920 - Construction of the Holland Tunnel began. It opened on November 13, 1927. The tunnel links Jersey City, NJ and New York City, NY.

1933 - The U.S. Department of Justice acquired Alcatraz Island from the U.S. Army.

1938 - Filming of "The Wizard of Oz" began. 

Today is Tuesday, October 11, 2011 

National Coming Out Day

Today is National Coming Out Day! Observed every year on October 11, National Coming Out Day promotes civil awareness about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues and lifestyles. October 11 is the anniversary of the second March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which took place in 1987. Over half a million people participated in six days of demonstrations and activities. 

National Coming Out Day is celebrated in the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Participate in a local event, post a Facebook status, or wear a classic gay pride symbol to show your support!

Today is also National Sausage Pizza 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

This week is Fire Prevention Week

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

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

--Mahatma Ghandi

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for October 111881 - David Henderson Houston patented the first roll film for cameras.

1890 - The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in Washington, DC.

1939 - U.S. President Roosevelt was presented with a letter from Albert Einstein that urged him to develop the U.S. atomic program rapidly.

1968 - Apollo 7 was launched by the U.S. The first manned Apollo mission was the first in which live television broadcasts were received from orbit. Wally Schirra, Don Fulton Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham were the astronauts aboard.

1975 - "Saturday Night Live" was broadcast for the first time. George Carlin was the guest host.

1984 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) made his debut in the National Hockey League (NHL) against the Boston Bruins. He scored a goal on his first shot on his first NHL shift.

Today is October 10, 2011 

Columbus Day

Celebrate Columbus Day! In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail on a voyage to find a shorter trade route to Asia. He traveled west and accidentally landed in the Americas, spawning the era of European exploration in the New World.

The first celebration of his discovery did not take place until October 12, 1792—exactly 300 years after his landing. In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a national holiday, observed each year on the second Monday of October.

Take a moment today to learn something new about Christopher Columbus and commemorate his voyage to the New World. Happy Columbus Day!

Today is also National Cake Decorating Day & Universal Music Day & Canadian Thanksgiving & Family 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

This week is World Space Week & Fire Prevention Week

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"Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced."

--Soren Kierkegaard 

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History
for October 101887 - Thomas Edison organized the Edison Phonograph Company.

1938 - Nazi Germany completed its annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland.

1965 - The Red Baron made his first appearance in the "Peanuts" comic strip.

1970 - "Tears Of A Clown" was released by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

1977 - Joe Namath played the last game of his National Football League (NFL) career.

1979 - "The Rose," starring Bette Midler, premiered in Los Angeles, CA. 

Today is Sunday, October 9, 2011 

Leif Erikson Day

It’s Leif Erikson Day! Leif Erikson, the son of Erik the Red, was the first European to land in North America. According to The Sagas of Icelanders, a historical account from the 10th and 11th centuries, he established a Norse settlement in Newfoundland, Canada around the year 1001—more than 400 years before Christopher Columbus was born!

Leif Erikson was only twenty-four years old at the time of his voyage. After rescuing an Icelandic castaway and his crew he was nicknamed Leif the Lucky.

In 1964, the United States Congress declared October 9 Leif Erikson Day in honor of this historical Viking. Share your knowledge about Leif Erikson with others and celebrate his important role in the history of North America!

Today is also World Post 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

This week is World Space Week & Fire Prevention Week

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History
for October 91781 - The last major battle of the American Revolutionary War took place in Yorktown, VA. The American forces, led by George Washington, defeated the British troops under Lord Cornwallis.

1855 - Isaac Singer patented the sewing machine motor.

1872 - Aaron Montgomery started his mail order business with the delivery of the first mail order catalog. The firm later became Montgomery Wards.

1888 - The public was admitted to the Washington Monument for the first time.

1967 - Doc Severinsen replaced Skitch Henderson as musical director of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

1974 - Oskar Schindler died in Frankfurt, Germany. Schindler is credited with saving the lives of about 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust.

2000 - Brett Hull (Dallas Stars) scored his 611th NHL goal. The goal allowed him to pass his father, Bobby Hull, on the all time scoring list bringing him to number 9.
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"To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else."

--Emily Dickenson 

Today is Saturday, October 8, 2011 

National Fluffernutter Day

Today is National Fluffernutter Day! A Fluffernutter is a yummy sandwich made with bread, peanut butter, and marshmallow fluff. It is now a classic American treat enjoyed in school cafeterias, college dorms, and local diners nationwide.

Marshmallow candy can be traced back to ancient Egypt when people first began to harvest the marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis). During the 19th century, French pharmacists extracted the juice from marshmallow plants and heated it with egg whites and sugar, creating a marshmallow cream.

Then, in 1917, Archibald Query of Somerville, Massachusetts created the special formula for the marshmallow fluff we know and love today. The city of Somerville celebrates with the famous "What the Fluff" festival every year! 

How will you celebrate National Fluffernutter Day? Eating a Fluffernutter sandwich is a great way to start!

Today is also American Tag 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

This week is World Space Week

mages and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/
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"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

--Helen Keller 

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History
for October 81944 - "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" debuted on CBS radio.

1945 - U.S. President Truman announced that only Britain and Canada would be given the secret to the atomic bomb.

1956 - Donald James Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched the first perfect game in the history of the World Series.

1957 - Jerry Lee Lewis recorded the song "Great Balls Of Fire."

1971 - "Imagine" was recorded by John Lennon.