This is why the rest of the world hates us.

Good morning and welcome to the new normal. The Federal government shutdown will leave about 800,000 federal workers without a paycheck, starting today.  But thanks to the 27th Amendement, even in a shutdown, Congressional members still get paid (thank god, Ted Cruz pledges  his  salary to charity with the government shut down.)

And don't get sick, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will have to halt a critical seasonal influenza program that monitors the spread of the flu.


October is the tenth month of the year and its name is therefore derived from Octo, the Latin word for eight (as Nadya Suleman well knows.) October is sometimes preceded by September and occasionally followed by November.

There are 31 days in October, many of which are Wednesdays. (Wednesday is the fourth day of the week and its name is therefore derived from Wednes, the Latin word for hump.)



October is National Chiropractic Month, Auto Battery Safety Month, Medical Librarians Month, Crime Prevention Month, National Pizza Month, Stamp Collecting Month, and Sarcastic Awareness Month. It also Dental Hygiene Month (hey Halloween is at the end of the month.)



As a result of U.N. resolutions passed four years ago, October is no longer Anal leakage Month (now in September) or International Bicycle Seat Sniffer Appreciation Month (now in February).

There are 30 shopping days left until Halloween, 85 shopping days left until Christmas (shop accordingly.)


October 1, 1955 -
The Honeymooners half hour episodes premiered on this date.



Audrey Meadows was the only cast member to receive residual payments for the show for her entire life. This was a result of her shrewd manager, who predicted the prospect of a "rerun" even in the early stages of television, before precedent was set for it. As a part of her contract, she was told to stipulate that if the show were to air in subsequent time slots in the future, she would be paid royalties.


October 1, 1962 -
Johnny Carson hosts his first Tonight Show with Joan Crawford as his guest, on this date. On his first show, Carson was introduced by Groucho Marx; Johnny's first words, reacting to applause as he walked onstage for the first time: "Boy, you would think it was Vice President Nixon."

Although no footage is known to remain of Carson's first broadcast as host of The Tonight Show on this date, photographs taken that night do survive, as does an audio recording of Carson's first monologue. One of his first jokes upon starting the show was to pretend to panic and say, "I want my Na-Na!"


October 1, 1968 -
Night of the Living Dead premiered in Pittsburgh on this date.



When the writers decided to base the film on zombies, they brainstormed about what would be the most shocking thing for the zombies to do to people and decided on cannibalism.


Today in History :
October 1, 1843 -
The London newspaper, the News of the World, printed its first edition on this date.



The paper was one of the first published for London's literate working commuters, featuring sensational, shocking news and coverage of criminal activities.



Today, it is one of the world's oldest newspapers and the second highest-selling newspaper in the UK.


October 1, 1847 -
Maria Mitchell, a distant relative of Benjamin Franklin, using a telescope, discovered "Miss Mitchell's Comet" (Comet 1847 VI, modern designation is C/1847 T1) on this date. Some years previously, King Frederick VI of Denmark had established gold medal prizes to each discoverer of a "telescopic comet" (too faint to be seen with the naked eye). The prize was to be awarded to the "first discoverer" of each such comet (note that comets are often independently discovered by more than one person). She duly won one of these prizes, and this gave her worldwide fame, since the only previous woman to discover a comet had been Caroline Herschel. She was also asked by her Nantucket neighbors to stop peeking into their bedrooms at night.

There was a temporary question of priority because Francesco de Vico had independently discovered the same comet two days later, but had reported it first; however, this was resolved in Mitchell's favor. The prize was awarded in 1848 by the new king Frederick VII.



She was the first professional woman astronomer in the United States, noted for her discovery that sunspots are whirling vertical cavities and not, as previously thought, clouds.


October 1, 1890 -
The Yosemite National Park and the Yellowstone National Park were established by the U.S. Congress on this date.



Both parks had a total of 7.5 million visitors last year.


October 1, 1903 -
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the home team Boston Pilgrims (Red Sox), 7-3, in the first World Series game.

Boston, however, went on to win the series, five games to three.


October 1, 1908 -
Rabid Anti-semite and American Isolationist Henry Ford puts the Model T car on the market at a price of $825 on this date.

Ford sold over 10,000 cars in the first year of production. (Remember that when you want to put a Ford into your future.)


October 1, 1946 -
Mensa International was founded on this date. 

Started in the United Kingdom, Mensa is a non-profit organization for the world's highest IQ testers.


October 1, 1949 -
The People's Republic of China was formed with Mao Zedong as its head with its capital at Beiping (Peiping), which was renamed Beijing (Peking).



I will make no other comment other than Happy National Day. I've already pissed off a large segment of the world with some of my other comments about China.


October 1, 1971 -
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida opened 42 years ago on this date.



Epicot Center opened on this date in 1982.



Here's an odd fact to throw out - since the parks opening, over 1.5 million pairs of sunglasses have been turned into the Walt Disney World Lost and Found Department.


October 1, 1975 -
The Thrilla in Manila was the third and final famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World, fought in Manila, Philippines on this date.



Muhammad Ali TKOs Joe Frazier in 15 for heavyweight boxing title .


Also - on a personal note, Happy Anniversary Cara and Matt.



And so it goes.