February 2nd - Today is the 33rd day of the year, with only 332 days remaining in 2006.

February Flowers - Violet, Primrose
February Birthstone - Amethyst (Sincerity)

Groundhog Day
On February 2, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob - in front of thousands of followers from all over the world - to predict the weather for the rest of winter. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2, he speaks to the Groundhog Club president in "Groundhogese"(a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world.

The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May..." Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob was made on February 2, 1887.

So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog.


"Universal Time" (UT) which is sometimes referred to, now colloquially, as "Greenwich Mean Time" (GMT)
NEW MOON - Jan 29   2:15 p.m.
FIRST QUARTER - Feb 5   6:28 a.m.
FULL MOON - Feb 13   4:44 a.m.
LAST QUARTER - Feb 21   7:17 a.m.


TOP REASONS TO CELEBRATE GROUNDHOG DAY
11. It's on nearly every calendar.
10. It helps relieve Cabin Fever.
9.  Spring or not, it's still six weeks till St. Urho's Day.
8.  Forecast is no less reliable that the National Weather Service.
7.  At least one of them critters is bound to see things your way.
6.  Valentine's Day is too depressing for nerds.
5.  Unlike the Easter Bunny, he keeps his dirty paws outside.
4.  As they used to say on the radio, "The Shadow Knows!"
3.  It's fun to say "Punxsutawney."
2.  If a rodent can bring us an early spring, more power to him.
1.  In Canada, either way they come out ahead.


ACTING -
1937 Tom Smothers, NY NY, comedian (Smother Brother Show, Serial)
1942 Bo Hopkins, Greenville SC, actor (Dynasty, Doc Elliot, Rockford Files)
1947 Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett, Corpus Christi TX, actress (Charlie's Angels, Burning Bed)
1949 Brent Spiner, Houston TX, actor (Data-Star Trek: The Next Generation)
1954 1954 Christie Brinkley, Monroe MI, model/actress (Sports Illustrated 1979-1981, Vacation)
1962 Michael T Weiss, Chicago IL, actor (Jarad-The Pretender)

ARTISTIC -
1882 James Joyce, Dublin Ireland, novelist/poet (Dubliners, Ulysses, Finnigan's Wake) [D: 01/13/41]
1923 James Dickey, Atlanta GA, poet/novelist (Deliverance) [D: 01/19/97]

HISTORIC -
1861 Solomon R Guggenheim, Philadelphia PA, philanthropist [1949]

MUSIC -
1927 Stan Getz, Philadelphia PA, jazz musician (The Girl from Ipanema) [06/06/91]
1942 Graham Nash, Blackpool England, rocker (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young-Southern Cross, Hollies)
1946 Howard Bellamy, Darby FL, vocalist (Bellamy Brothers-Let Your Love Flow)

SCIENCE -
1859 Havelock Ellis, Croydon Surrey, physician/sexologist (Psychology of Sex) [D: 07/08/39]

SPORTS -
1895 George Halas, Chicago IL, player/coach/owner (Bears) Hall of Fame 1963 [D: 10/31/83]
1919 Allie Reynolds, Bethany OK, AL pitcher (Yankees) All-Star x5 / World Series x6 [D: 12/26/94]
1923 Fred "Red" Schoendienst, Germantown IL, player/manager (Cardinals 65-76) Hall of Fame 1989


1653 New Amsterdam (later renamed New York City) is incorporated.
1848 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed ending the war; US acquires Texas, California, New Mexico & Arizona for $15 million.
1876 The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs of Major League Baseball is formed.
1901 Female Army Nurse Corps established as a permanent organization
1925 Dog sleds reach Nome, Alaska with diphtheria serum, inspiring the Iditarod race.
1932 Al Capone sent to prison (Atlanta GA).
1940 Frank Sinatra debuts with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra in Indianapolis.
1944 Allied troops first set foot on Japanese territory.
1962 8 of 9 planets align for first time in 400 years.
1967 Formation of the American Basketball Association is announced.
1975 US female Figure Skating championship won by Dorothy Hamill.
1992 IRS and Willie Nelson settle on $9 million tax bill (of $16.7 million).
MORE EVENTS

SOURCE: Earth Calendar
Candlemas - Liechtenstein
Candlemas, Presentation of the Lord - Switzerland
Día de la Candelaría - Mexico
Festa de Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes Porto Allegre - Brazil
Fiesta de la Virgen de Candelaria - Bolivia
Groundhog Day - Canada, United States of America
Kyndelsmässodagen - Sweden
Virgen de la Candelaria, Puno - Peru
+ + + + + + + + + +
Candlemas Christianity - Paganism
Vasanta Panchami / Saraswati Puja - Hinduism


PORCINE PRODUCTS
Pig farmers have never done well in the United States. Most Americans prefer beef to pork. Hamburger is an American favorite but contains no ham.

The porcine raisers were hopeful to see a significant increase in their business after the scares about health over beef, but most of the benefits had gone to the poultry and fish industries, Sale of ham and bacon remained virtually unchanged.

Because of this, The National Porcine Association hired a major Madison Avenue advertising firm to boost sale of pork products. They decided on an intensive campaign to saturate magazines television and radio with ads urging people to eat pork patties.

The campaign was given an extra boost when Congress was convinced to designate the second of February as the day when every family would be urged to eat pork sausage.

That day would be celebrated nationally, of course, as Ground Hog Day. (By Stan Kegel)


The trouble with weather forecasting is that it's right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it. - Patrick Young


GROUNDHOG'S DAY: A holiday for sausage makers. - Joseph Leff

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