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reetings from Australia. 

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Carpe diem! (Seize the day!)

Pip Wilson

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Carpe diem! 29 Yesterday | Tomorrow | Search Open links in a New Window

Today is

It seems wrong that out of this bird,
Black, bold, a suggestion of dark
Places about it, there yet should come
Such rich music, as though the notes’
Ore were changed to a rare metal
At one touch of that bright bill.

A slow singer, but loading each phrase
With history’s overtones, love, joy
And grief learned by his dark tribe
In other orchards and passed on
Instinctively as they are now,
But fresh always with new tears.
RS Thomas (Ronald Stuart Thomas), Welsh poet, born on March 29, 1913; from 'A Welsh Testament'

All right, I was Welsh. Does it matter?
I spoke a tongue that was passed on
To me in the place I happened to be,
A place huddled between grey walls
Of cloud for at least half the year.
RS Thomas; ibid

You cannot find the centre
Where we dance, where we play,
Where life is still asleep
Under the closed flower,
Under the smooth shell
Of eggs in the cupped nest
That mock the faded blue
Of your remoter heaven.
RS Thomas; from 'Children's Song'

I have been all men known to history,
Wondering at the world and at time passing;
I have seen evil, and the light blessing
Innocent love under a spring sky.

I have been Merlin wandering in the woods
Of a far country, where the winds waken
Unnatural voices, my mind broken
By a sudden acquaintance with man’s rage.

I have known exile and a wild passion
Of longing changing to a cold ache.
King, beggar and fool, I have been all by turns,
Knowing the body’s sweetness, the mind’s treason;
Taliesin still, I show you a new world, risen,
Stubborn with beauty, out of the heart’s need.
RS Thomas; from 'Taliesin', a poem inspired by the subject and style of Taliesin

The two-party system has given this country the war of Lyndon Johnson, the Watergate of Nixon and the incompetence of Carter. Saying we should keep the two-party system simply because it is working is like saying the Titanic voyage was a success because a few people survived on life rafts.
Eugene Joseph 'Gene' McCarthy, American politician, born on March 29, 1916; Chicago Tribune (September 10, 1978)

Have you ever tried to split sawdust?
Eugene McCarthy; response to accusations that he had split the US Democratic Party by campaigning for president. NBC TV (October 23, 1969)

The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is inefficiency. An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty.
Eugene McCarthy; Time magazine (February 12, 1979)

There is only one thing to do – take it to the country!
Eugene McCarthy; on opposing the war in Vietnam, as quoted in The New York Times (December 11, 2005)

We do not need presidents who are bigger than the country, but rather ones who speak for it and support it.
Eugene McCarthy; ibid

I'm kind of an accidental instrument, really, through which I hope that the judgment and the will of this nation can be expressed.
Eugene McCarthy; ibid

Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important.
Eugene McCarthy; attrib.

In politics one may remain aloof and become irrelevant or get involved and get corrupted.
Eugene McCarthy; attrib.

Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.
Sam Walton, American businessman and entrepreneur , born on March 29, 1918; attrib.

There is only one boss, and that is the Customer, and he can fire everybody from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.
Sam Walton; attrib.

We're all working together; that's the secret. And we'll lower the cost of living for everyone, not just in America, but we'll give the world an opportunity to see what it's like to save and have a better lifestyle, a better life for all. We're proud of what we've accomplished; we've just begun.
Sam Walton; attrib.

In 2006 we launched A Handshake with Sam, seven moral principles that reflect sound business practices and responsible corporate behavior in the twenty-first century. Our mission is to persuade Wal-Mart to assume its leadership role as America's largest corporation and enact positive change. If Wal-Mart commits to these principles and assumes the moral responsibility we expect of our biggest and most important American corporation, it will have proven worthy of America's admiration.
Wal*Mart Watch mission statement

At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society permits more satirical comment than a repressive, so that if comedy is to function in some way as a safety release then it must obviously deal with these taboo areas. This is part of the responsibility we accord our licensed jesters, that nothing be excused the searching light of comedy. If anything can survive the probe of humour it is clearly of value, and conversely all groups who claim immunity from laughter are claiming special privileges which should not be granted.
Eric Idle, English comedian, born on March 29, 1943; attrib.

Whether children will find anything amusing in it only time will tell.
EB White, American  author, writing to his editor, Cass Canfield, about Charlotte's Web, on March 29, 1952

If some unemployed punk in New Jersey, can get a cassette to make love to Elle McPherson for $19.95, this virtual reality stuff is going to make crack look like Sanka.
Dennis Miller; Elle McPherson, supermodel, was born on March 29, 1964

March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (89^th in leap years), with 277 days remaining.
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Borrowed, or borrowing days, Scotland 

(Feb 12, 13 and 14, and Mar 29, 30, 31)

The last three days of March, old style, are called the Borrowing Days; for, as they are remarked to be unusually stormy, it is feigned that March had borrowed them from April, to extend the sphere of his rougher sway.
Sir Walter Scott, The Heart of Midlothian, Chapter 27 (footnote)

In Scotland, Ireland and some parts of England (such as Devon), the last three days of March are said to be 'borrowed from April', as is shown by the proverb in Ray's Collection: 'March borrows three days of April, and they are ill.' One old rhyme says:

March borrowed frae Aprile
Three days an' they were ill;
The first o' them was wind and weet,
The second o' them was snaw an' sleet,
The third o' them was sic a freeze,
That the birds' legs stack to the trees.

This rhyme from Scotland refers to the popular notion that the last three days of March, called Faoilteach, were borrowed by March from April. February also has its 'borrowed days', the 12^th, 13^th and 14^th, which are said to be borrowed from January. If these prove stormy, the year will be one of good weather; if fine, the year will be foul.

Another rhyme says,

March said to Aperill,
I see three hoggs* upon a hill,
And if you'll lend me dayes three,
I'll find a way to make them dee**.
The first o' them was wind and weet,
The second o' them was snaw and sleet,
The third o' them was sic a freeze,
It froze the birds' nebs to the trees:
When the three days were past and gane,
The three silly hoggs came hirpling hame***.

* Hogg, a sheep in its second year. Sir Walter Scott calls it "A young sheep before it has lost its first fleece."
** Die.
*** Hirpling hame, limping home.

This means that the last three days of March were borrowed by March from (the normally warmer) April, with a view to the destruction a number of lambs – a plan in which March did not succeed.

It's an old custom. In the Complaynt of Scotland (1548) is written:

There aftir i entrit in ane grene forest, to contempill the tender yong frutes of grene treis, becaus the borial blastis of the thre borouing dais of Marche hed chaissit fragrant flureise of evyrie frut-tree far athourt the fieldis.

The origin and meaning of this strange fable are unknown, though folklorist Waverly Fitzgerald writes that the bad reputation of these days comes from the ancient Romans.

 They believed they were dangerous days, fraught with taboos and the specter of bad weather.  Source

Irish tale

"According to the old story AN tSEAN-BHó RIABHACH, the old Brindled Cow, boasted that even the rigours of March could not kill her, whereupon March borrowed three days from April, and, using these with redoubled fury, killed and skinned the poor old cow. Henceforth the first three days of April traditionally bring very bad weather and are known as Laethanta na Riabhaiche, 'The Reehy Days,' 'the Borrowed (or Borrowing) Days', the 'Skinning Days' and other names. Some people reckoned the days in the Old Style, thus Amhlaoibh O Súilleabháin in 1827: 'This, the twelfth day of April, is the first of the three days of the old brindled cow, namely three days which the weather of Old March took from the beginning of Old April.' In parts of the north of Ireland the story was more elaborate, with nine borrowed days instead of three:

TRI LÁ LOMARTHA AN LOINN
TRI LÁ SGIUTHANTA AN CHLAIBHREÁIN,
AGUS TRI LÁ NA BÓ RIABHAIGHTE.

(Three days for fleecing the black-bird,
Three days of punishment for the stone-chatter,
And three days for the grey cow.)

'The first nine days of April are called the 'borrowing days'. The old legend relates that the black-bird, the stone-chatter, and the grey cow bid defiance to March after his days were over; and that, to punish their insolence, he begged of April nine of his days, three for each of them, for which he repaid nine of his own.' (Ulster Journal of Archaeology, 1861 -2)." 

Source: Encyclopaedia of the Celts

 

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Click stars for Universe today Cafe Diem! Our store Highly recommended: Folklore of World Holidays by Margaret Read MacDonald Against All Enemies: Inside the White House's War on Terror – What Really Happened The Case Against Wal-Mart The Passion Mel Gibson A Guide to the Passion A Short History of Nearly Everything The Pagan Prosperity The Triumph of the Moon Golden Bough Folklore classic Sabbat Entertaining The Pagan Book of Days Eight Sabbats for Witches Celebrate the Earth A Year of Holidays in the Pagan Tradition Wheel of the Year The Trouble with Islam A Calendar of Festivals The Five Biggest Lies Bush Told Us About Iraq Lady Godiva Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home, and Other Unexplained Powers of Animals Rupert Sheldrake The Book of Spells Spellcraft The Book of Saints The Encyclopedia of Saints Daily Everything   To support this project Search by keywords for books, music, computers, software, home and family products and much more.     Search for posters An Inconvenient Truth By Al Gore; DVD & book The Permaculture Home Garden By Linda Woodrow Ghost Plane A Question of Torture By Alfred McCoy Remotely Controlled: How Television Is Damaging Our Lives and What We Can Do About It What Would Jefferson Do? By Thom Hartmann How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World Pagan Christianity For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire By James Yee Crimes Against Nature : How George W Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy By Robert F Kennedy, Jr The Price of Loyalty The Torture Debate in America Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them Philippe Legrain Hello Laziness! By Corrine Maier The Great War for Civilisation By Robert Fisk A Question of Torture By Alfred McCoy When Corporations Rule the World Alternatives to Economic Globalization Feminism Without Borders The Skeptic's Dictionary Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them 365 Goddess Adventures in a TV Nation Michael Moore Drawing Down the Moon Globalization/Anti-Globalization More books, calendars, T-shirts, mugs, music, posters, etc at   Cafe Diem! Celtic Daily Prayer Dude, Where's My Country? Photo of the day Mother Earth Spirituality Rich Media, Poor Democracy Robert McChesney Shamanism 10 Reasons to Abolish the IMF & World Bank Click to promote  your blog or website  another excellent  way we do

Feast day of Ss Gladys and Gwynllyw (Woolos) – saintly Bonnie & Clyde Gladys, daughter of Brychan of Brecknock, was half of a Bonnie and Clyde team in 6th-Century Wales.  When Saint Gwynllyw asked for permission to marry her, Gladys's father refused, so Gwynllyw kidnapped the girl and Gwynllyw and Gladys started a violent life on the run. It was their son, St Cadoc who eventually convinced Gwynllyw and Gladys to give up their violent ways, and follow a religious calling. Thus, Gladys became a nun at and her man became a monk, both at Newport, Monmouthshire. Late in life they both became hermits in Wales.   Gwynllyw's conversion to Christianity, the legend tells us, came when he was told in a dream to search for a white ox with a black spot on its forehead, and in this place to build a church as an act of penitence.   Festival of Orixa Oxalá, Brazil  "Oxala (commonly known as Obatala) lives on the top of a mountain, and is the creator of people.  Because he got drunk on palm wine while making one of the batches, all people with birth defects fall under his special protection.  The legends say he is the only Orixa who knows where Olodumare is (Exu argues with that, but Exu argues just for the fun of it).  Exu and Oxala are very close.  Oxala is so cool an Orixa that he would never harm any of his children, so if one of them needs a spanking, Oxala sends Exu to do it.  There are few younger, more active paths, but Oxala generally comes down as an old man, sometimes so old and frail he can't walk. "The kindness that emminates [sic] from this Orixa is almost overwhelming.  He is sometimes called to calm an angry or dangerous Orixa at a Bembe.  All of the Orixa will defer to him.  At a Bembe he is generally asked for advice or a blessing, rather than the more direct concerns of wealth and sex.  If you have an addiction, however, this is an area in which he specializes, and he will be happy to help you rid yourself of it. "Technically, as the creator of people, Oxala 'owns all heads', so you can never make a mistake by giving him an offering (as long as Exu gets fed first)."   Source Akitu Festival, Sumeria (c. Mar 20 - 31) Galaxia, ancient Greece, Festival to Kybele (Cybele) Source: The Phoenix and Arabeth 1992 Calendar Feast day of Ss Armosgastes, Archinimus, and Saturus, martyrs Feast day of St Berthold Feast day of St Eustasius (Eustachius), abbot of Luxeu (Oxlip, Primula elatior, is today's plant, dedicated to this saint.) Feast day of St Firminus  Feast day of St Gundleus, a Welsh king Feast day of St Hugh of Vaucelles Feast day of St Jeanne Marie de Maille Feast day of Ss Jonas, Barachasius, and their companions, martyrs (Fumitory, Fumaria officinalis, is today's plant, dedicated to these saints.) Feast day of Feast day of St St Lasar Feast day of St Ludolph Feast day of St Mark, Bishop of Arethusa, in Syria Celebrated in East Anglia. Pennick, Nigel, The Pagan Book of Days, Destiny Books, Rochester, Vermont, USA, 1992, p. 54 Feast day of St Pastor Feast day of St Secundus Click for Eastern Orthodox liturgical days    Shop saints Youth Day, Taiwan   At the Scriptorium: The origins and folklore of April Fools' Day The origin and folklore of Easter       1790 John Tyler (d. 1862), 10th President of the United States (1841 - '45) whose best-known achievement was the annexation of the Republic of Texas 1826 Wilhelm Liebknecht (d. 1900), journalist and politician 1835 Gustav Zander (Gustaf Zander; d. June 17, 1920), Swedish physician, designer of exercise machines Biography (PDF file) 1869 Sir Edwin Lutyens, OM (d. January 1, 1944), British architect 1874 Lou Hoover (d. 1944), First Lady of the United States 1889 Warner Baxter (d. 1951), actor 1891 Yvan Goll (d. 1950), lyricist and dramatist 1895 Ernst Jünger (d. 1998), author 1899 Lavrenty Beria (d. 1953), Soviet Communist leader 1900 Sir John McEwen ('Black Jack' McEwen; d. November 20, 1980), leader of the Australian Country Party, and Deputy Prime Minister (caretaker Prime Minister of Australia for just three weeks following the presumed drowning of PM Harold Holt) 1901 Andrija Maurovic (d. 1981), Croatian illustrator 1902 Marcel Aymé (d. 1967), narrator and dramatist, humorist and satirist 1902 William Walton (d. 1983), composer 1908 Arthur O'Connell (d. 1981), actor 1911 Brigitte Horney (d. 1988), actress 1912 Hanna Reitsch (d. 1979), German aviator 1913 RS Thomas (Ronald Stuart Thomas; d. 2000), Welsh poet and Anglican clergyman (best-known Welsh poet of his day), noted for his nationalism, spirituality and deep dislike of the Anglicization of Wales 1916 Eugene McCarthy (Eugene Joseph 'Gene' McCarthy; d. December 10, 2005), Progressive American politician and long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for President on an anti-Vietnam War platform. In 1968, McCarthy ran against incumbent President Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, with the intention of influencing the federal government – then controlled by Democrats – to curtail its involvement in the Vietnam War. A number of antiwar college students and other activists from around the county travelled to New Hampshire to support McCarthy's campaign. Some antiwar students who had the long-haired appearance of hippies chose to cut their long hair and shave off their beards, in order to campaign for McCarthy door-to-door, a phenomenon that led to the informal slogan "Get clean for Gene".   1918 Sam Walton (Samuel Walton; d. 1992), US businessman who founded two American retailers (Wal-Mart and Sam's Club) The Wal-Mart effect According to Charles Fishman, author of the 2006 book 'The Wal-Mart Effect' (which is not overly critical of the mega-corporation), 90 per cent of Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart store, and 100 million Americans shop at Wal-Mart once a week. There's an interesting article on Criticisms of Wal-Mart at Wikipedia. There's also a number of books that are critical of Wal-Mart, such as The Case Against Wal-Mart, How Wal-Mart is Destroying America and the World and The Bully of Bentonville. Also of related interest is David C Korten's bestseller, When Corporations Rule the World. This case involves a woman who sued Wal-Mart for an injury sustained at work and lost. The reason she lost is that she signed a paper saying she would only go to doctors recommended by Wal-Mart. The doctors Wal-Mart recommended said there was nothing wrong with her although she was experiencing black outs, severe neck pain and migraines – none of which she had before the injury. So she went to another doctor – not a Wal-Mart doctor – who told her she had a severe injury to her neck and the spinal column in her neck. He had her treated and, although some of the symptoms persisted, she felt much better. She then sued Wal-Mart for the cost of the treatments. She lost her case because of that paper she signed saying she would only go to Wal-Mart doctors – who weren't helping her at all. But the judges said that was the law. Wal*Mart Watch    WakeUp WalMart    WalMart: The High Cost of Low Price    More   1918 Pearl Bailey (d. 1990), singer, actress 1931 Aleksei Gubarev, cosmonaut 1932 Toni Lamond, Australian actress and singer 1940 Ray Davis (d. July 5, 2005), musician (P-Funk) 1943 Eric Idle, actor, writer, composer (Monty Python's Flying Circus) "The story goes that during the first week in Tunisia Idle was sitting in an Arab restaurant one evening, minding his own business, when a waiter spilled some soup on him. "Before any of us could react," recalls Producer John Goldstone, "he just picked up the soup, called the Manager over, and complained." One of the Pythons recalls the time when Idle finished a scene and promptly took a nap. "When he feels like doing something he just goes ahead and does it," laughs Terry Vance Gilliam shaking his head ruefully. – John Cleese"   Source 1943 Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, aka Vangelis, new age musician) 1943 John Major, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1946 Billy Thorpe, AM (d. February 28, 2007), Australian rock musician, singer (Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs) ('Poison Ivy'; 'Most People I Know [Think That I'm Crazy]'; 'It's Almost Summer') Billy Thorpe: The legend    Discography 1950 Bud Cort, actor 1957 Christopher Lambert, British actor (Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes; Highlander) 1959 Perry Farrell, musician (Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros) 1960 Marina Sirtis, actress (Star Trek: The Next Generation) 1964 Elle Macpherson, Australian model 1968 Lucy Lawless, New Zealand actress (Xena: Warrior Princess), singer   Phew!! Have a rest before the big This day in history section Send a free e-card greeting for today's celebrations to a loved one Do you forget birthdays and anniversaries? Schedule your cards to be sent during the coming year. 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