Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Gavel Information ~ Taco Casserole ~ National Random Acts of Kindness Day

  

Good 21º frozen morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we topped at 48º.

 

 

Picture of the Day....architecture failure......

 

 

Interesting about a gavel..........

 

 

A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a presiding officer. It is often struck against a sound block, a striking surface typically also made of hardwood, to enhance its sounding qualities. According to tradition, Vice President of the United States John Adams used a gavel as a call to order in the first U.S. Senate in New York in 1789. Since then, it has remained customary to tap the gavel against a lectern or desk to indicate the opening and closing of proceedings and, in the United States, to indicate that a judge’s decision is final. It is also used to keep the meeting itself calm and orderly.

 

 

In Medieval England, the word gavel could refer to a tribute or rent payment made with something other than cash. These agreements were set in English land-court with the sound of a gavel, a word which may come from the Old English: gafol (meaning "tribute"). Gavel would be prefixed to any non-monetary payment given to a lord (for example: gavel-malt) and can be found as a prefix to other terms such as gavelkind, a system of partible inheritance formerly found in parts of the UK and Ireland. A gavel may also have referred to a kind of mason's tool, a setting maul that came into use as a way to maintain order in meetings.

 

A gavel may be used in meetings of a deliberative assembly. According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, the gavel may be used to signify a recess or an adjournment. It may also be used to signify when a member makes a slight breach of the rules.

Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure states that, in addition to an optional light tap after a vote, there are three other uses of a gavel:

• To attract attention and call a meeting to order. In most organizations, two taps raise and one tap seats the assembly; in others, two taps raise and three taps seat it.
• To maintain order and restore it when breached in the course of the proceedings. (Tap the gavel once, but vigorously).
• To be handed over to successors in office or to officiating officers as ceremonials, etc. (Always extend the holding end).

Improper uses include banging the gavel in an attempt to drown out a disorderly member. In this situation, the chair should give one vigorous tap at a time at intervals. Also, the chair should not lean on the gavel, juggle or toy with it, or use it to challenge or threaten or to emphasize remarks.

 

The chair should not be "gaveling through" a measure by cutting off members and quickly putting a question to a vote before any member can get the floor (in this connection, the chair should not use the gavel to improperly signify the end of consideration of a question). The expression passing the gavel signifies an orderly succession from one chair to another.

 

In addition to the use above during business meetings, organizations may use the gavel during their ceremonies and may specify the number of taps of the gavel corresponding to different actions.

 

^{The gavel is used in courts of law in the United States and, by metonymy, is used there to represent the entire judiciary system, especially of judgeship. On the other hand, in the Commonwealth of Nations and Republic of Ireland, gavels have never been used by judges, despite many American-influenced TV programs depicting them. An exception is the Inner London Crown Court, where clerks use a gavel to alert parties in court of the entrance of the judge into the courtroom.}

 

The unique gavel of the United States Senate has an hourglass shape and no handle. In 1954, the gavel that had been in use since at least 1834 (and possibly since 1789) broke when Vice President Richard Nixon used it during a heated debate on nuclear energy, despite silver plates that were added to strengthen it two years prior in 1952. The Senate was unable to obtain a piece of ivory large enough to replace the gavel, so they appealed to the Indian embassy. Later that year, India's Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan visited the Senate and presented a replica of the original gavel to Nixon. In response to widespread awareness of elephant poaching and illegal ivory trades, a white marble gavel has been in use since at least 2021.

 

The gavel of the House of Representatives, by contrast, is plain wood with a handle and is used more often and more forcefully than in the Senate. It has been broken and replaced many times. The instrument is so associated with the Speaker of the House that the word gavel itself has become a metonym for the post.

 

 

 

Taco Casserole....

 

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

1 pkg McCormick's Taco Seasoning Mix

2 cans tomato sauce

3 cups elbow, or other shapes, macaroni... cooked and cooled

8 oz sour cream

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided in half

1 small can sliced black olives

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef and onion, drain. Stir in seasoning mix and tomato sauce. Bring to boil and remove from heat.

 

In a bowl combine cooked macaroni, sour cream, 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, and sliced olives.

 

Spoon macaroni mixture into 9x13 baking dish. Top with beef mixture and cheeses.

 

Bake uncovered at 350º for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serves 6.

 

Options can include diced green chilies, and or Mexican cheese mix. For hotter... sliced jalapeños. And, substitute a can of spicy salsa for a can of the tomato sauce.

 

 

 

 

Historically this date..........

1924 – In Miami, Florida, Johnny Weissmuller sets a new world record in the 100 meters freestyle swimming competition with a time of 57.4 seconds.

1974 – Robert K. Preston, a disgruntled U.S. Army private, buzzes the White House in a stolen helicopter.

2006 – A massive mudslide occurs in Southern Leyte, Philippines; the official death toll is set at 1,126.

2008 – Kosovo declares independence.

2011 – Libyan protests begin. In Bahrain, security forces launched a deadly Pre-dawn raid on protesters in Pearl Roundabout in Manama, the day is locally known as Bloody Thursday.

 

And births this date include....

1925 – Hal Holbrook, American actor (d.2021)

 

1939 – Mary Ann Mobley, American actress and beauty queen (d.2014)

.... can you say "plas-teak"??

1945 – Zina Bethune, American actress (d. 2012)

... strange thing that happened ... where/how she died.

1954 – Rene Russo, American actress

 

1956 – Richard Karn, American actor

 

1962 – Lou Diamond Phillips, American actor

 

1963 – Larry the Cable Guy, American comedian and actor

 

1971 – Denise Richards, American actress

 

1981 – Paris Hilton, American actress and heiress

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Friday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Each year on February 17th, National Random Acts of Kindness Day grows in popularity. It is celebrated by individuals, groups, and organizations nationwide to encourage acts of kindness.

The movement of Random Acts of Kindness inspires people every day. As a favorite celebration for many, people everywhere are enjoying doing these acts of kindness. Not only do the acts of kindness bring joy to the receiver, but they spread positive reactions to the giver, too!    

Our research found that the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Week. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is an internationally recognized non-profit organization founded upon the powerful belief in kindness and dedicated to providing resources and tools that encourage acts of kindness.

In New Zealand, where this day originated, Random Acts of Kindness Day is celebrated on September 1st. However, it is also recognized by some on other days throughout the year. Nevertheless, doing random acts of kindness is something that can be done every day of the year.

A Few Quotes of Kindness:

• “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” (Mark Twain)
• “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” (Aesop)
• “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” (Scott Adams)
• “Kind words and actions can seem so small, but their effects are truly endless.” (Author Unknown)

HOW O OBSERVE T

• Pay for the coffee or meal of the person in front of you in line.
• Leave a kind note for someone, no explanation is needed.
• Share words of encouragement. You never know who might need them.
• Put your skills to work for someone in need. For example, offer to create a résumé for someone seeking a new job.
• Drop off a load of groceries at the local food pantry.
• Mail a “thinking of you” card to someone you’ve not to talk to in a while.
• Order a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to anyone in the hospital. That means, call the florist and tell them to pick a hospital or nursing home and deliver flowers to the person the front desk thinks needs it the most. It could be a sick child, an elderly person with no family, or a college student down on their luck.
• Send a thank-you note to the local fire department, police departments, or any military personnel.
• Just smile.

NATIONAL RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS DAY HISTORY

Josh de Jong of New Zealand founded National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

Kindness FAQ

Q. What is the most important element of being kind?
A. There are many elements to kindness such as patience, honesty, and being a good listener. However, one of the most important characteristics of a kind person is that when they do something for someone, they don’t expect anything in return.

Q. Can kindness be learned?
A. Yes. While some people seem to be born with a kindness gene, others develop the ability to show kindness later in life. So, kindness can be innate and learned.

Q. How do I teach my children kindness?
A. One way to teach children kindness is to demonstrate it in your daily life. Let them see you showing kindness to others. Include them when you volunteer or help a neighbor, and acknowledge their acts of kindness. You don’t have to reward them, but you can let them know you thought what they did was kind.