Stories: Old West & Beyond 08/20/24
“Celebrate the life you had, not the life you could’ve had.” —Irvin “Magic” Johnson
-0-
Good Morning. It’s Tuesday, August 20, 2024—a day when multi-flavors are celebrated. Today is National Bacon Lover’s Day . . . National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day . . . and National Lemonade Day.
-0-
STORY MENU
Old West Saloons . . . Cowboy social life . . . Campaign gimmicks . . . the first Social Security check . . . Myths . . . Robots with ping-pong paddles . . . Relax with sounds of nature.
-0-
WILD WEST
— Hospitality isn't something you would find in all Old West saloons. Some were downright cold, dark, and unfriendly. Many of them stayed open 24 hours a day to accommodate the public. “Booze & Batwings.”
— The saloon played an important role in cowboy social life.
-0-
FIVE STORIES FROM HERE & THERE
1—SLOGANS
—What do buttons, cigars, and macaroni & cheese have in common? They’ve been used as gimmicks in presidential publicity campaigns since the 1900s.
-0-
2—IDA MAY FULLER
—A few days ago marked the anniversary of the Social Security Act, signed into law on August 14, 1935. The first recipient—Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont—received nearly 1,000 times the amount she paid into the system. Her first monthly retirement check was $22.54.
-0-
3—MYTHS
—You might be surprised that the lyrics of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” aren’t about West Virginia. WHAT!? Yep. But this is just one of several state stereotypes.
-0-
4—TECHNOLOGY
—Researchers have designed the first-ever robotic system capable of human-level performance in ping-pong—with videos that prove it.
-0-
5—RELAXATION
—Here is a relaxing tool that takes you on a nature trip worldwide—but in sound. Click on a map to listen to different nature sounds.
AUCTION
One of the most debated moments in Major League Baseball history in New York Yankee Babe Ruth’s career occurred in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.
That moment was when Ruth stepped to the plate in the 5th inning, gestured his bat toward the outfield, and smashed one of his 714 home runs—now known as “The Called Shot.”
The jersey he wore while hitting the home run is headed to action in three days and could sell for as much as $30 million, making it the priciest sports memorabilia in history.
REFLECTION
“A home without books is a body without soul.” - Cicero