Memento Homo Quia Pulvis Es Et In Pulvere Reverteris

And so begins the forty days of prayer, fasting, contemplation and community service of Lent and not the Lentil season, which is marked by forty days of legume eating and gas passing (but that's another story.)

(Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.)



Tip of the day - You're not being help by trying to wipe the the smudge mark on your friend's forehead today


The fourth day of Chinese New Year is the Welcome Home Day to the God of the Stove.



The fourth day of the Chinese New Year is the day to welcome the kitchen God, the God of fortune and other gods. Families should stay home to prepare abundant fruits, burn incense, and light candles to welcome the gods.  According to folklore, it is a god-send-off day on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, and it is also a god welcoming day on the 4th day of the Chinese New Year. The gods are said to report his work in heaven commenting on human good and evil, until the 4th day of New Year to return back to earth – it's also known as "Jie Shen Day" (the day greeting god) too.  (This will be on the test.)


 It's National Tortellini Day



And it has something to do with Venus di Milo's belly button


February 13, 1932 -
The Our Gang short, Free Eats premiered on this date. This marked the introduction of George "Spanky" McFarland to the Our Gang comedies.

He and his brother Tommy auditioned for Our Gang in the Spring of 1931, with Spanky passing a screen test easily. Tommy also appeared in many Our Gang film in bit roles.


February 13th, 1966 -
The Rolling Stones returned for their third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on this date.







Their performances had been taped the day before.


February 13, 1972 -
Bob Fosse's film version of the musical Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey premiered on this date.



Liza Minnelli designed all her own hair and make-up with the help of her father, famed musical director Vincente Minnelli.


Today in History:

On February 13, 1542, Henry VIII of England's Vth wife, Catherine Howard, was executed for adultery on this date.



Given the track record of Henry's other wives, one would have figured out marrying Henry was not a career with a lot of advancement possibilities.


On February 13, 1883, German composer and posthumous Hitler idol Richard Wagner, best known for writing the soundtrack to Apocalypse Now, died on this date.





Almost exactly eleven years later (February 12, 1894), Hans von Bulow, German pianist and composer, and the first husband of Wagner's wife Cosima, also died on this date.


February 13, 1945 -
An estimated 135,000 people, mostly women and children, died in the firebombing of the 13th-century city of Dresden, a revenge bombing that had no real military justification, which had begun on this date.



Kurt Vonnegut was one of just seven American prisoners of war in Dresden to survive, in an underground meatpacking cellar known as Slaughterhouse Five.


February 13, 1950 -
 ... Jacques the Monkey! Jacques the Monkey!...






Peter Gabriel, singer, was born on this date.


February 13, 1953 -
Transsexual Christine (formerly George) Jorgenson arrived in New York with much fanfare on this date.



She had had sex change operations performed in Denmark by Dr. Christian Hamburger, becoming the first successful surgical transgender. Upon return, she becomes a cabaret actress
.


The excess parts of George goes on to become the other half of the famous East Germany TV Comedy Duo, Gunther and Smeckel.


February 13, 1959 -
Barbara Millicent Roberts, noted American Idol contestant, Ballerina, Fashion model, Movie producer, Movie star, Rock star, Radio City Music Hall Rockette, Aerobics instructor, Olympic gymnast, Olympic figure skater, Tennis star, WNBA basketball player, Dentist, Medical doctor, Nurse, Pediatrician, Surgeon, Veterinarian, United States Army officer,United States President, UNICEF Summit diplomat, Ambassador for world peace, Firefighter, Police officer, Canadian Mountie, Astronaut, Flight Attendant ( for both American Airlines & Pan Am ), NASCAR driver, Pilot, Cowgirl, Chef, Paleontologist, McDonald's Front Desk and Flight Attendent, etc. is introduced by Mattel in California on this date.



What have you done with your life? (There is some debate whether or not today or March 9th is actually her birthday.)


February 13, 1961 -
Henry Lawrence Garfield (Henry Rollins), singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, stand-up comedian, author, actor, activist and publisher, was born on this date.





And he will mess you up if you don't believe he is a sensitive soul.


And so it goes.