Lanterns, Miracles & Murders

February 21, 2008 > MAUI TODAY, Maui Curmudgeon No Comments
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Day 52 of 2008
314 days left in this year
HAWAIIAN WORD OF THE DAY — Ho‘olaule‘a: Festival
PIDGIN WORD OF THE DAY— Singsing: Festival
HAWAIIAN PROVERB OF THE DAY — “Gone lamp-trimming til tired.“

WEB SURF SPOT OF THE WEEK — No Mo’ Plastic Bag
 WEB VIDEO OF THE WEEK — Shift Happens
PODCAST OF THE WEEK — TWiT.TV
 UPCOMING EVENTS — Feb. 22: “Give Peace a Dance”

Chinese LanternsTODAY: Chinese Lantern Festival
The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is the Chinese Lantern Festival because it  is the first night of the year to see a full moon.  According to the Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls) creating a joyful atmosphere. 

Miracles & Murders
Just a small note on the recent tragic deaths from the storms that socked the mainland: It’s more than wonderful that the baby who got thrown 300 feet in a tornado has survived. Fantastic. But you can’t call the incident a miracle, or even worse, “a miracle from god,” unless you also admit that your god murdered the 2-year-old boy down the street with the same storm. Unless, of course, you’re a hypocrite.

The storm was horrible —  some people lived, some people died – it’s random and meaningless and that’s life. Grow up and face the truth.

– Maui Curmudgeon

HISTORICAL EVENTS ON THIS DAY — February 21st

  • 1804: The first locomotive engine runs for first time (in Wales) 
  • 1828: The first Native American newspaper in the U.S., the “Cherokee Phoenix,” begins weekly publication (Georgia) 
  • 1864: The first U.S. Catholic parish church for African Americans is dedicated (Baltimore)  
  • 1885: The Washington Monument is dedicated (Washington DC) 
  • 1887: Oregon becomes the first U.S. state to designate Labor Day as a holiday 
  • 1925: The first issue of “New Yorker” magazine is published 
  • 1972: Richard Nixon becomes the first U.S. president to visit China
  • 1975: Republicans all - former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman, are sentenced to 2½ to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up 
  • 1981: Japan launches Hinotori satellite to study solar flares  
  • 1981: NASA launches Comstar D-4 
  • 1988: Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart confesses to his congregation in Baton Rouge, LA that he is guilty of an unspecified sin, and states he is leaving the pulpit temporarily (reports link Swaggart to an admitted prostitute, Debra Murphree) 
  • 1995: Steve Fossett, a Chicago stockbroker, becomes the 1st person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon

BORN ON THIS DAY — February 21st

  • 1801: John Henry Newman, cardinal/churchman/author  
  • 1893: Andrés Segovia, classical guitarist
  • 1903: Anaïs Nin,  novelist  
  • 1925: Sam Peckinpah, film director 
  • 1927: Erma Bombeck, humorist  
  • 1933: Nina Simone,  singer/pianist
  • 1936: Barbara Jordan, Rep (D-TX)
  • 1940: John Lewis, Rep (D-Georgia)
  • 1943: David Geffin,  record producer
  • 1949: Jerry Harrison, rock keyboardist 
  • 1952: J J Brunel, rocker
  • 1953: William Petersen, actor
  • 1955: Kelsey Gramme,actor
  • 1958: Jake Steinfeld, exercise expert
  • 1958: Mary-Chapin Carpenter, singer/songwriter/guitarist
  • 1961: Ranking Roger, rock vocalist 
  • 1963: William Baldwin,  actor 
  • 1968: Todd Ferich, computer language expert
  • 1970: Eric Wilson, rocker
  • 1979: Jennifer Love Hewitt,  actress  
  • 1987: Ellen Page, actress (Juno)