I’ve said it many times before. There are certain “days” in history when nothing “interesting” seems to have happened. And there are other “days” when the history simply oozes out of every pore.
November 13 is one of those oozing days. I’ve selected a few events randomly, as I have at least one thought about each item.
1789 — Benjamin Franklin makes his famous “nothing is certain except death and taxes.”
The actual quote in full: “Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”
Ben was mostly right about this. The death of our physical bodies is imminent. It is closer now than it was just a minute ago. But taxes? Oh, we’ve seen plenty of people go without paying taxes. Yes, they have been assigned taxes, but no, they will not be likely to pay them. And so it goes. Most of them have bad hair. 
1861 — A letter is written by Reverend Mark R. Watkinson to the Treasury Department. In it, he petitions them to “recognize Almighty God” on American coins.
I would like to note it wasn’t until 1955 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the bill H.R. 619. This bill required that the inscription “In God We Trust” appear on all paper and coin currency.
But here is the thing. Not all Americans trust in a God. So. There is that.
1865 — P. T. Barnum’s New American museum opens in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It is still there. It opens at 11:00 a.m. today if you are interested. For years people adored the circus. And now we know what a cruel place it really was, mistreating, even killing animals, just to turn a buck. But now we are aware. I’m not sure if the museum addresses this fact.
1875 — The National Bowling Association was organized in NYC. This might be the best thing on this list. Brrooooklyyynnnn…..
1895 — The first shipment of canned pineapple came from Hawaii to the continental U.S. I bet it was Dole. I used to love canned pineapple when we were kids. It was a total treat, and we didn’t get it very often, but I’d eat it until my mouth got sore.
1933 — The first modern sit-down strike was staged by Hormel meat packers in Austin, Minnesota. Jay Catherwood Hormel boasted brazenly that his power over the Hormel workers was a “benevolent dictatorship.” I’m sure the working conditions were terrible, and I, for one, am glad they got things sorted out. For as a child, I loved Hormel potted meat on saltine crackers. But not as much as Underwood Deviled Ham. But way more than canned pineapple.
1940 — Walt Disney’s animated film “Fantasia,” premiered at the Broadway Theatre in New York City. Oh, those dancing hippos. I just can’t get enough of the dancing hippos.
1952 — False fingernails were first sold. Blech. If you wear them, I’m sorry. But for me, they are a big “blech.” I don’t even like polish on my nails. I can’t breathe when it’s on them. I must take in oxygen through my nails. Maybe I really am an alien, like my sisters told me when I was a kid.
1987 — The first condom commercial appeared on TV. It happened in England since. And now? Nothing is sacred in the way of TV ads. From bent carrots to long-term dangerous erections. Where will it end?
And speaking of ends, there is so much more that happened on this date, but today’s reflection has to end somewhere. It’s been oozing all over the place. 
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“I’m not dumb. I just have a command of thoroughly useless information.”
― Bill Watterson
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“What we find changes who we become.”
― Peter Morville
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“Cram them full of non-combustible data, chock them so damned full of ‘facts’ they feel stuffed, but absolutely ‘brilliant’ with information. Then they’ll feel they’re thinking, they’ll get a sense of motion without moving. And they’ll be happy, because facts of that sort don’t change. Don’t give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy.”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
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