Monday, August 4, 2008

Happy St. Sithney Day

(I have to figure out what happen to Sunday's posting)

Saint Sithney is the patron saint of mad dogs.

A Breton folk story, states that God asked Sithney to be the patron saint of girls seeking husbands, but Sithney said he would rather be the patron saint of mad dogs and get some rest. Make of this what you wish.

August 4 1693 -
Oh, great day in the morning (this day should be a great religious and national holiday), Blind Benedictine Dom Perignon invents champagne. He has been quoted as saying, ""Come quickly, brothers, I'm drinking stars!" upon tasting his accidental brew



August 4 1792 -


Percy Bysshe Shelley was born on this date. He died in a tragic boating accident before the age of 30, but he gave us many masterpieces, including "The Cloud," "To a Skylark," and "Prometheus Unbound." The fisheaten bodies were washed ashore at Viareggio, where, in the presence of his friend Lord Byron, he was burned on the beach - his heart was given to his wife, Mary Shelley, who carried it with her in a silken shroud everywhere she went for the rest of her life. All I can say is that I'm glad it was just his heart.



August 4 1892 -


Someone takes an axe and kills Lizzie Borden's millionaire parents. Andrew receives 10 whacks, and Abby 14. Lizzie is later tried for the murders, but acquitted.



August 4 1964 -
Vietcong torpedo boats launch an unprovoked attack against the U.S.S. Maddox, while the destroyer is patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin. Except that it's only a hoax. Regardless, the Congress responds by passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing President Johnson "to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression."



And so it goes.

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