Good morning.
Whitewater begins her work week with cloudy skies through mid morning, then clearing, and a high of eighty-nine.
Whitewater’s Planning Commission meets this evening at 6 PM.
On this day in 1776, America becomes the United States:
…the Continental Congress formally declares the name of the new nation to be the “United States” of America. This replaced the term “United Colonies,” which had been in general use.
In the Congressional declaration dated September 9, 1776, the delegates wrote, “That in all continental commissions, and other instruments, where, heretofore, the words ‘United Colonies’ have been used, the stile be altered for the future to the “United States.”
A resolution by Richard Henry Lee, which had been presented to Congress on June 7 and approved on July 2, 1776, issued the resolve, “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States….” As a result, John Adams thought July 2 would be celebrated as “the most memorable epoch in the history of America.” Instead, the day has been largely forgotten in favor of July 4, when Jefferson’s edited Declaration of Independence was adopted. That document also states, “That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES.” However, Lee began with the line, while Jefferson saved it for the middle of his closing paragraph.
By September, the Declaration of Independence had been drafted, signed, printed and sent to Great Britain. What Congress had declared to be true on paper in July was clearly the case in practice, as Patriot blood was spilled against the British on the battlefields of Boston, Montreal, Quebec and New York. Congress had created a country from a cluster of colonies and the nation’s new name reflected that reality.
On 9.9.1954, the residents of Janesville debate alcohol restrictions:
1954 – Janesville Residents Debate Liquor Laws
On this date Janesville residents participated in a public forum at the Janesville Public Library. The topic of discussion was whether Janesville should allow women to be served at the bar, in taverns. Residents also debated whether dancing should be allowed in taverns. Speaking to lift the bans was Erv Lacey, field director of the Tavern League of Wisconsin. Lacey noted that the law against women being served was discriminatory and contended that Janesville taverns lose business because of the laws. The Rev. Frank Dauner, pastor of United Brethren Church, said the strict prohibitions should remian intact because alcohol threatened public health, safety and peaceful domestic life. [Source: Janesville Gazette]
On the 9.6.2013 Friday Poll: Dog or… Chupacabra?!?, there’s a fairly decisive result: 57.69% say chupacabra, to 42.31% who say dog. No need for a recount: a clear majority of respondents say those blue-eyed quadrupeds are blood-sucking demons from beyond.
A noted cryptozoologist fortuitously saw the Friday post, and kindly passed along a link to http://chupacabrapictures.org/. Much appreciated, to be sure.
I’ll mix things up a bit by adding a daily trivia question from Scientific American online. (Clicking the question below takes you to the answer on the SciAm website.)
Here’s the question for today:
How far do Monarch butterflies travel a day, on average, during migration?