John Ford

On March 31, 1973, John Ford was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Nixon. This guy was a real American hero. Not only did he direct some of the greatest films Hollywood has ever made, he was also a war hero. Though he was already a famous Hollywood director, he joined the navy during WWII. He filmed the Battle of Midway from atop a primary Japanese target and was hit by flying concrete. He was later hit in the arm by shrapnel which tore a hole through the arm. He served in the Pacific, North Africa, and Normandy. He later held the rank of rear admiral in the U.S. Naval Reserve. When handed the medal, he accepted with the words, "God bless America."

If you've never seen any of his films, try "The Searchers" with John Wayne. They don't make them like that any more.

Eraser

On March 30, 1981 President Ronald Reagan became the only president to survive an assassination attempt. Upon being wheeled into the operating room he asked the doctor, "I hope you're a Republican!"

On this date in 1858, Hyman Lipman of Philadelphia patented the first pencil with a attached eraser. Now that is something we should remember.

Sacrifice

On March 29, 1943, President Roosevelt and the United States government began rationing meat and cheese among other items. Roosevelt stressed that all Americans had to sacrifice in order to wim the war. It was a matter of fairness. I wonder how willing Americans would be today to adhere to a rationing program.

Today is John Tyler's 219th birthday. In case you don't know, he was the 10th president and half of the "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" campaign.

On March 29, 1999 the Dow Jones closed over 10,000 for the first time.

Dramatic change in life expectancy

If you were born in the United States in the year 1900 you could expect a life span of 47.3 years; 46.3 for a male and 48.3 for a female. Just 100 years later the life expectancy was 78.1; 75.4 for a male and 80.7 for a female.

I Am

I am part of the sun as my eye is part of me. That I am part of the earth my feet know perfectly, and my blood is part of the sea. There is not any of me that is alone and absolute except my mind, and we shall find that the mind has no existence by itself, it is only the glitter of the sun on the surface of the water.

D.H. Lawrence

Dr. Jonas Salk

I remember lining up outside Lamberton Elementary School and being given a small cup with some pink liquid inside. I swallowed it down. I don't really remember anything else. What was it? I remember giving small change to the March of Dimes. What was it?

On March 26, 1953 Dr. Jonas Salk announced to the world that he had successfully tested a polio vaccine. He first vaccinated himself and his family to show that it was safe. Dr. Salk never patented his discovery. He could have become rich but said, "There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?" America had taken on this task and won.

Polio has been virtually eliminated around the world.

Fast diet

Want to lose weight quickly?

Your weight is the result of two forces, one pulling you down and one flinging you up. At the exact North Pole there is no rotation, so the flinging force is zero. The rotation at the equator is at its maximum. Therefore you will weigh less at the equator than at the North Pole! Fast diet.

A 200 pound person will weigh 2.5 ounces less at the equator.