January 22nd - Today is the 22nd day of the year, with only 343 days remaining in 2006.

Macintosh Computer Birthday
The Macintosh computer was introduced to the world at large in a 1984 Superbowl commercial that built on the mystique of George Orwell's novel, "1984". This commercial has been called "the most spectacular TV spot of all time." The computer went on sale three days later (January 25th). It sold for $2,495.


"Universal Time" (UT) which is sometimes referred to, now colloquially, as "Greenwich Mean Time" (GMT)
LAST QUARTER - Jan 22   3:14 p.m.
NEW MOON - Jan 29   2:15 p.m.
FIRST QUARTER - Feb 5   6:28 a.m.
FULL MOON - Feb 13   4:44 a.m.


TOP 12 THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM SUPPORT
12. "Do you have a sledgehammer or a brick handy?''
11. "That's right, not even McGyver could fix it.''
10. "Sooo -- what are you wearing?''
9. "Duuuuuude! Bummer!''
8. "Looks like you're gonna need some new dilithium crystals, Cap'n.''
7. "Press 1 for Support. Press 2 if you're with '60 Minutes.' Press 3 if you're with the FTC.''
6. "We can fix this, but you're gonna need a butter knife, a roll of duct tape and a car battery.''
5. "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.''
4. "In layman's terms, we call that the Hindenburg Effect.''
3. "Hold on a second ... Mom! Timmy's hitting me!''
2. "OK, turn to Page 523 in your copy of 'Dianetics.' ''
1. "Please hold for Mr. Gates' attorney.''


ACTING -
1894 Matt McHugh, Connellsville PA, actor (Taxi, Freaks, Barbary Coast, Innocent Affair) [D: 02/22/71]
1909 Ann Sothern (Harriette Lake), Valley City ND, actress (My Mother the Car) [D: 03/15/2001]
1932 Piper Laurie, Detroit MI, actress (The Hustler, Carrie)
1934 Bill Bixby, SF CA, actor (Incredible Hulk, My Favorite Martian) [D: 11/21/93]
1940 John Hurt, Chesterfield England, actor (Elephant Man, Alien, Midnight Express)
1959 Linda Blair, St Louis MO, actress (Exorcist, Chained Heat, Savage St)
1965 Diane Lane, NYC, actress (Cotton Club, 6 Pack, Big Town)
1967 Olivia d'Abo, London England, actress (Wonder Years, Single Guy)

ARTISTIC -
1561 Sir Francis Bacon, London England, statesman/essayist (Novum Organum) [D: 04/09/1626]
1788 Lord (George Gordon Noel) Byron, London England, romantic poet (Don Juan) [D: 04/19/1824]
1802 Richard Upjohn, Shaftesbury England, gothic architect (Trinity Chapel, New York) [D: 08/16/1878]
1906 Robert E[rvin] Howard, Peaster TX, sci-fi author (Conan the Conqueror) [D: 06/11/36]
1937 Joseph Wambaugh, Jr., E Pittsburgh PA, author (The New Centurions, The Onion Field)

HISTORIC -
1907 Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, Galveston TX, aviator [D: 12/09/95]

MUSIC -
1931 Sam Cooke, Clarksdale MS, gospel/blues singer (You Send Me, Another Saturday Night, Twisting The Night Away) [D: 12/11/64]
1949 Steve Perry, Hanford CA, vocalist (Journey-Open Arms, Oh Sherry)
1952 Teddy Gentry, Fort Payne AL, country music star (Alabama-Mountain Music, Take Me Down)

SCIENCE -
1955 Thomas David Jones, Baltimore MD, PhD/Astronaut (STS 59, 68, 80, sk 98)

SPORTS -
1927 Joe Perry, Stevens AK, NFL (49ers/Colts) Hall of Fame 1969
1927 Lou Creekmur, Hopelawn NJ, NFL offensive tackle/guard (Lions) Hall of Fame 1996
1940 George Seifert, SF CA, NFL coach (49ers/Panthers) 5 Super Bowl championship teams


1857 National Association of Baseball Players founded, NY.
1939 Uranium atom first split, Columbia University.
1946 US President sets up CIA, Central Intelligence Agency.
1951 Fidel Castro ejected from a Winter League game after beaming a batter.
1959 USAF concludes less than 1% of UFO's are unknown objects.
1968 The TV sketch comedy Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In debuts on NBC.
1969 Billy Preston becomes the 5th Beatle.
1969 Roy Campanella and Stan Musial elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
1970 First commercial Boeing 747 flight (Pan Am), New York to London in 6½ hours.
1973 The Supreme Court of the United States delivers its decision in Roe vs. Wade striking down state laws restricting abortion during the first six months of pregnancy.
1990 17th American Music Award goes to Milli Vanilli.
2002 Kmart Corp becomes the largest retailer in American history to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
MORE EVENTS

SOURCE: Earth Calendar
St. Vincent & the Grenadines Day - St. Vincent & the Grenadines
St. Vincent's Day (Valencia) - Spain


DEAR JOHN LETTER
To my darling husband......
Dear John,

I am sending you this letter in a bogus software company envelope so that you will be sure to read it. Please forgive the deception, but I thought you should know what has been going on at home since your Macintosh computer entered our lives two years ago.

The children are doing well. Tommy is 7 now and is a bright, handsome boy. He has developed quite an interest in the arts. He drew a family portrait for a school project. All the figures were good, but yours was excellent! The chair and the back of your head are very realistic. You would be proud of him.

Little Jennifer turned 3 in September. She looks a lot like you did at that age. She is an attractive child and quite smart. She still remembers that you spent the whole afternoon with us on her birthday. What a grand day for Jen, despite the fact that it was stormy and the electricity was out.

I am also doing well. I went blonde about a year ago and was delighted to discover that it really is more fun. Lars--I mean Mr. Swenson, the department head, has taken an interest in my career and has become a good friend to us all. I have discovered that the household chores are much easier since I realized that you don't mind being vacuumed around, although that feather duster does make you sneeze. The house is in good shape. I had the living room painted last spring. I'm not sure if you noticed it. I made sure that the painters cut air holes in the drop cloth so you wouldn't smother. Well, dear, I must be going. Uncle Lars - Mr. Swenson, I mean, is taking us all on a ski trip and there is packing to do. I have hired a housekeeper to take care of thing while we are away. She'll keep things in order, fill your coffee cup, and bring your meals to your desk, -just the way you like it. I hope you and Macintosh have a lovely time while we are gone.

Tommy, Jen and I think of you often - try to remember us while your disks are booting.

Love, Mary.


A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. - Emo Philips


VENI, VIDI, GEEK: I came, I saw, I bought a computer. (WordFoolery)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

New subscribers are always welcome.
To receive your FREE Jest-A-Day Journal, sign-up here