Good morning, whitewater.

The second month of the year begins for us with partly cloudy skies and a high of thirty-seven. Sunrise is 7:08 and sunset 5:08, for 9h 59m 26s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 46.9% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1861, Texas secedes from the Union:

Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union when a state convention votes 166 to 8 in favor of the measure.

The Texans who voted to leave the Union did so over the objections of their governor, Sam Houston. A staunch Unionist, Houston’s election in 1859 as governor seemed to indicate that Texas did not share the rising secessionist sentiments of the other Southern states.

However, events swayed many Texans to the secessionist cause. John Brown’s raid on the federal armory atHarper’s Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in October 1859 had raised the specter of a major slave insurrection, and the ascendant Republican Party made many Texans uneasy about continuing in the Union. After Abraham Lincoln’s election to the presidency in November 1860, pressure mounted on Houston to call a convention so that Texas could consider secession. He did so reluctantly in January 1861, and sat in silence on February 1 as the convention voted overwhelmingly in favor of secession. Houston grumbled that Texans were “stilling the voice of reason,” and he predicted an “ignoble defeat” for the South. Houston refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy and was replaced in March 1861 by his lieutenant governor.

On this day in 1860, Ma and Pa are married:

On this date Charles Ingalls and Caroline Quiner were married in Concord, Wisconsin. They were the parents of noted Wisconsinite Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the “Little House” series. [Source: Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum]

Here’s a 48-piece puzzle from JigZone, entitled Pot Brushes, to begin the week:

Good morning, Whitewater.

Saturday in town will be partly cloudy and mild, with a high of forty-one. Sunrise is 7:01 and sunset 7:05, for 9h 54m 42s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 64.5% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1948, a violent fanatic assassinates Gandhi:

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was assassinated in the garden of the former Birla House (now Gandhi Smriti) at 5:17 pm on 30 January 1948. Accompanied by his grandnieces, Gandhi was on his way to address a prayer meeting, when his assassin,Nathuram Godse, fired three bullets from a Beretta 9 mm pistol into his chest at point-blank range.^[143] Godse was a Hindu nationalist with links to the extremist Hindu Mahasabha, who held Gandhi guilty of favouring Pakistan and strongly opposed the doctrine of nonviolence.^[144] Godse and his co-conspirator were tried and executed in 1949. Gandhi’s memorial … bears the epigraph … which may be translated as “Oh God”. These are widely believed to be Gandhi’s last words after he was shot, though the veracity of this statement has been disputed.^[145] Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation through radio:^[146]

Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country.—Jawaharlal Nehru’s address to Gandhi^[147]

Gandhi’s death was mourned nationwide. Over two million people joined the five-mile long funeral procession that took over five hours to reach Raj Ghat from Birla house, where he was assassinated. Gandhi’s body was transported on a weapons carrier, whose chassis was dismantled overnight to allow a high-floor to be installed so that people could catch a glimpse of his body. The engine of the vehicle was not used; instead four drag-ropes manned by 50 people each pulled the vehicle.^[148] All Indian-owned establishments in London remained closed in mourning as thousands of people from all faiths and denominations and Indians from all over Britain converged at India House in London.^[149]

Good morning, Whitewater.

Our work week ends with partly cloudy skies and a high of thirty. Sunrise is 7:11 and sunset 5:04, for 9h 52m 23s of daytime.  The moon is a waning gibbous with 73.6% of its visible disk illuminated.

“The Raven” is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talkingraven‘s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man’s slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student,^[1][2] is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word “Nevermore”. The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.

Poe claimed to have written the poem very logically and methodically, intending to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes, as he explained in his 1846 follow-up essay, “The Philosophy of Composition“. The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in the novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of ‘Eighty by Charles Dickens.^[3] Poe borrows the complex rhythm and meter of Elizabeth Barrett’spoem “Lady Geraldine’s Courtship”, and makes use of internal rhyme as well as alliteration throughout.

“The Raven” was first attributed to Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. Its publication made Poe widely popular in his lifetime, although it did not bring him much financial success. The poem was soon reprinted, parodied, and illustrated. Critical opinion is divided as to the poem’s literary status, but it nevertheless remains one of the most famous poems ever written.^[4]

Here’s the Friday puzzle from JigZone, entitled Tulip Inside :

Good morning, Whitewater.

Thursday in town will be cloudy but relatively mild, with a high of thirty-six. Sunrise is 7:12 and sunset 5:02, for 9h 50m 05s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 81.6% of its visible disk illuminated.

There are several public meetings in the city today: Downtown Whitewater, Inc. (8 AM), CDA Seed Capital Screening Committee (4 PM), a CDA Board (5 PM), and for the Zoning Board of Appeals (6 PM).

On this day in 1959, the Packers make a now-legendary choice:

1959 – Lombardi Named Packers Coach

On this date Vince Lombardi was named head coach of the Packers. He had been the offensive backfield coach of the New York Giants for the previous five seasons. Lombardi went on to coach the Packers for nine years, winning five NFL Championships and victories in Super Bowls I and II. [Source:Packers.com]

Thursday from JigZone, there’s a 48-piece cut puzzle entitled, Number Cube: