February 14th - Today is the 45th day of the year, with only 320 days remaining in 2006.

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

Valentine's Day
This is the feast day of Saint Valentine, patron saint of lovers and romance. The first valentine card was probably sent by the Duke of Orleans while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415.


"Universal Time" (UT) which is sometimes referred to, now colloquially, as "Greenwich Mean Time" (GMT)
FULL MOON - Feb 13   4:44 a.m.
LAST QUARTER - Feb 21   7:17 a.m.
NEW MOON - Feb 28   0:32 a.m.
FIRST QUARTER - Mar 6   8:15 p.m.


The folks at American Greetings have compiled a list of lines to use when signing your valentine .... depending on your personality!
Bold - face it, you want me
Clever -IOUXOXO
Cosmic - Didn't we know each other in another time and place?
Dreamy - I never believed in love at first sight until you
Enchantress - A valentine spell has been cast on you!
Femme Fatale - You cannot escape. I have ways to make you mine.
Athletic - How about a little one-on-one?
Musical - Always a love song in my heart for you.
No-nonsense - What are you waiting for?
Old fashioned - My mother warned me about guys/girls like you.
Sarcastic - Hey! I signed the card. What else do you want?
Scientific - The chemistry between us is definitely affirmative.
Self-assured - Be my valentine. "NO" is not an option.
Silly - You're hotter than a jalapeno sandwich!
Wild Child - You are twisted and slightly dangerous. I like that in a person.
Worldly - Je t'aime! (translation from French "I love you")


ACTING -
1894 Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelski), Waukegan IL, "Oh! Rochester!" [D: 12/26/74]
1902 Thelma Ritter, Brooklyn NY, actress (Miracle on 34th Street) [D: 02/04/69]
1921 Hugh Downs, Akron OH, TV journalist (20/20, Concentration)
1927 Lois Maxwell, Kitchener Ontario, actress (Miss Moneypenny)
1929 Vic Morrow, Bronx NY, actor (Combat!, Twilight Zone the Movie) [D: 07/23/82]
1934 Florence Henderson, Dale IN, actress/singer (Carol-Brady Bunch)
1936 Andrew Prine, Jennings FL, actor (Andy-Wide Country, Dallas)
1946 Gregory Hines, NYC, actor/singer/dancer (The Cotton Club, White Nights) [D: 08/09/2003]
1960 Meg Tilly (Margaret Chan), Long Beach CA, actress (Big Chill, Agnes of God)

ARTISTIC -
1944 Carl Bernstein, Washington DC, Washington Post investigative reporter (Watergate)
1948 Raymond Joseph Teller, Philadelphia PA, magician (Penn & Teller)

HISTORIC -
1913 Jimmy Hoffa, Brazil IN, Teamsters leader who disappeared in 1975 [Disappeared: 07/30/75]
1940 First porpoise born in captivity in US (Marineland, Florida)

MUSIC -
1945 Vic Briggs, London England, rocker (Eric Burdon and the Animals-San Franciscan Nights)
1947 Tim Buckley, Washington DC, rocker/songwriter (Goodbye And Hello) [D: 06/29/75]

SCIENCE -
1838 Margaret Knight, York ME, inventor, "the female Thomas Edison" [D: 10/12/14]
1869 Charles Wilson, Glencorse Scotland, physicist (cloud chamber-Nobel 1927) [D: 11/15/59]
1917 Herbert A Hauptman, NYC, mathematician/crystallographer (Nobel 1985)

SPORTS -
1913 Mel Allen, Birmingham AL, sportscaster (voice of the New York Yankees) [D: 06/16/96]
1948 Pat O'Brien, Sioux Falls SD, commentator/TV host (The Insider, 20 yrs CBS Sports)
1960 James Edward Kelly, Pittsburgh PA, quarterback (Bills) Pro Bowls 86, 90, 91, 92/HoF 2002
1963 Jeff Dellenbach, Wausau WI, NFL center (Patriots, Packers-Superbowl XXXI)
1972 Drew Bledsoe, Ellensburg WA, quarterback (Cowboys, Patriot, Bills) World Sports Humanitarian HoF 2005


1803 Chief Justice John Marshall declares that any act of U.S. Congress which conflicts with the Constitution is void.
1848 In New York City, James Knox Polk becomes the first President of the United States to have his photograph taken.
1876 A G Bell and Elisha Gray apply separately for telephone patents. Supreme Court eventually rules Bell rightful inventor.
1899 Voting machines are approved by the U.S. Congress for use in federal elections.
1924 IBM Corporation founded by Thomas Watson.
1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven gangster rivals of Al Capone are murdered in Chicago, Illinois.
1946 ENIAC (for "Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer"), the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania.
1949 The Asbestos Strike begins in Canada. The strike marks the beginning of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec.
1962 First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy takes television viewers on a tour of the White House.
1966 Wilt Chamberlain breaks NBA career scoring record at 20,884 points.
1978 First "micro on a chip" patented by Texas Instruments.
1988 Bobby Allison at 50 becomes oldest driver to win Daytona 500.
MORE EVENTS

SOURCE: Earth Calendar
ADMISSION DAY ** Feb. 14, 1912 - Arizona (48th State)
ADMISSION DAY ** Feb. 14, 1859 - Oregon (33rd State)
St. Valentine's Day - Canada, Sweden, United States of America
Trifon Zarezan (Wine-grower's Day) - Bulgaria
Valentines Day - Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Japan, Switzerland


ST VALENTINE
Who was this Saint Valentine, anyway?

I've often wondered how patron saints are chosen. I sometimes imagine celestial arm-wrestling matches with the winners getting the best holidays, or maybe some saints just have better public relations people than others. In reality, a great deal of consideration is given when selecting a patron saint, and there are usually obvious connections between saints and their causes.

Take our friend Valentine, for instance. Around the year A.D. 270 in Rome, emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, fearing that married men would make inferior soldiers. Apparently approval ratings weren't quite as important in politics back then. Valentine, bishop of Interamna, invited couples to come see him and marry in secret.

Claudius, obviously not a romantic deep down inside, promptly told Valentine to renounce Christianity or face certain death. Valentine not only refused, but also tried to convert the emperor to Christianity. This so pleased Claudius that he had Valentine clubbed. Then stoned. Then beheaded. And you thought you were a martyr for love!

(Main Source: Panati's Extraordinary Origins Of Everyday Things By Charles Panati)


I got a Valentine's Day card from my girl. It said, 'Take my heart! Take my arms! Take my lips!' Which is just like her. Keeping the best part for herself. - Robert Orben


VALENTINE: Work of heart. (WordFoolery)

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