On this day in history: In 1729, the city of Baltimore was founded in Maryland. In 1956, the phrase “In God We Trust” was adopted as the U.S. national motto. And in 2003, the last of 21,529,464 classic Volkswagen Beetles built since World War II rolls off the production line at Volkswagen’s plant in Puebla, Mexico.

Today Is National Cheesecake Day!
You know what to do, and invite a friend to join you!

The Evidence Suggesting Coffee Defies Deadly Diseases Keeps Piling Up – This article is from last summer, but the point is perhaps even more clear now, a year later.

How To Stop Wasting Money On Clothing – I have too many articles of clothing in my closet that serve no real purpose. Antonio’s advice here is solid. Take a look.

A Five-Minute Guide To Better Typography – I can really nerd out over this kind of stuff…

What A Dollar Gets You Around The World – While the text bubbles in this video have numerous grammatical mistakes, the information is intriguing.

On this day in history: In 1715, the first lighthouse in America was authorized for construction at Little Brewster Island, Massachusetts. In 1829, William Burt patented the typographer, which was the first typewriter. And in 1878, Black Bart robbed a Wells Fargo stagecoach in California. Wearing a flour sack over his head, the armed robber stole the small safe box with less than $400 and a passenger’s diamond ring and watch.

Today Is National Vanilla Ice Cream Day!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

The Best Coffee Brewing Set-Ups On Any Budget – You don’t have to spend a fortune to make great coffee. But if you have the budget, you can expand to add some pretty creative and incredible items to your coffee bar. Check this article out and see where you can start building a great coffee set-up.

How To Match Jeans With Anything – Some people think jeans can go with anything at all. And they can… if you have the right jeans. Check out this article for more information.

Underwater Photography Of The Year – Here are the winning images for 2018 in various categories of underwater photography. Some of these are stunning!

Darwin’s Bark Spider – This spider can build the world’s largest orb spider web, and uses the strongest silk to do so. It’s pretty fascinating.

On this day in history: In 1790, the District of Columbia, or Washington DC, was established as the permanent seat of the United States Government. In 1926, the first underwater color photographs appeared in National Geographic magazine. The pictures had been taken near the Florida Keys. In 1935, Oklahoma City became the first city in the U.S. to install parking meters. And in 1945, the United States detonated the first atomic bomb in a test at Alamogordo, NM.

Today Is National Get Out Of The Doghouse Day!
Do you need to send someone an apology?

The Best Coffee Grinders Under $100 – One of the biggest pitfalls many people make when it comes to coffee is grinding it incorrectly. Perhaps the best, or one of the best, investments you can make is to purchase a quality grinder. You’ll be surprised at how it changes things in your coffee. Here’s a guide to some of the best options.

Buying The Perfect Dress Shirt – One of the hardest things I have found is making sure I buy the most versatile wardrobe that I can. Everything needs to have a purpose, and should have more than one. But the hard part for me is dress shirts. I get tired of plain white or blue, but find that other varieties don’t work as well as they should with plenty of options. So here’s a guide to buying the perfect dress shirt.

How 16th-Century European Mapmakers Described The World’s Oceans – Describing the vast reaches of the oceans on this earth had to be a nearly impossible task for early mapmakers. This is a very interesting article.

The Subway Of Congress – Did you know that our Congressional leaders have their own subway system? It’s not big, but it’s pretty cool.

On this day in history: In 1808, the leather-splitting machine was patented by Samuel Parker. In the doughnut cutter was patented by John F. Blondel. In 1877, Alexander Graham Bell, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, Thomas Sanders and Thomas Watson formed the Bell Telephone Company. In 1878, the corncob pipe was patented by Henry Tibbe. And in 1941, British cryptologists break the secret code used by the German army called the Enigma Key.

Today Is National Sugar Cookie Day!
Is any cookie more iconic than the sugar cookie?

The Upside Down AeroPress Coffee Brewing Tutorial – I love the Aeropress, and if you don’t have one, you should (grab one from Amazon). But don’t use it like the directions tell you to. Your coffee will be much better if you invert it. So go get one, and then read this article for some of the best coffee you’ll ever brew.

How To Build An Interchangeable Wardrobe – One of the things that I have found to be true in my life is that I buy too many things that I don’t need or use as much as I should, especially when it comes to clothing. RMRS has a solid point when they show that a versatile wardrobe is best, for both use and budget.

Most Female And Male Occupations Since 1950 – Demographical studies intrigue me, and this study of males versus females in the workforce since 1950 is full of interesting information.

A Life In Numbers – This was an interesting little video with an excellent point at the end. However, I could live my entire life without the sports, and they forgot the coffee. Maybe it’s an even substitution…? Nah, I spend way more time than that on coffee.

On this day in history: In 1867, Lucien B. Smith patented the first barbed wire. In 1876, Lt. Col. Custer and the 210 men of U.S. 7th Cavalry were killed by Sioux and Cheyenne Indians at Little Big Horn in Montana. The event is known as “Custer’s Last Stand.” And in 1968, Bobby Bonds, of the San Francisco Giants, hit a grand-slam home run in his first game with the Giants. He was the first player to debut with a grand-slam.

Today Is National Leon Day!
Leon is Noel backwards, and it’s 6 months until Christmas!

5 Lies About Decaf You Probably Believe – I don’t drink a lot of decaffeinated coffee, but since I started roasting my own coffee, I have found that a high quality decaf doesn’t taste as bad as most people think. In fact, I have roasted several pounds of a Costa Rican decaf that is a fruity explosion of flavor in your mouth. But that stuff you buy at the grocery store? Get rid of it and find some better decaf. You’ll be glad you did.

Puzzling Gravestones – While I probably wouldn’t ever do this, it is kind of… puzzling.

A Man’s Introduction To Color – Most men I know are notoriously bad when it comes to matching their clothing. That’s because they do not understand color. Check out this explanation from RMRS, and step up your men’s fashion game!

View Of Earth – This was a live view of Earth from the International Space Station, posted on NASA’s Twitter. It’s a beautiful view!

Spring – Summer officially began last week, but around here there are still a lot of the signs of spring. We have some vines blooming down the road from our house that are beautiful. So here’s a time lapse video full of reminders of spring.

On this day in history: In 1621, the first duel in America took place in the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. In 1861, the first American fly-casting tournament was held in Utica, NY. In 1863, J. J. Richardson received a patent for the ratchet wrench. And in 1923, Checker Cab produced their first taxi at their manufacturing factory in Kalamazoo.

Today Is National Go Fishing Day!
It’s time for a family outing, and then a fish fry!

The 5 Best Coffee Websites – Want more info about coffee, and the coffee industry? Here are five great websites to check out.

10 Ways To Increase Your Confidence In 10 Minutes – Here are ten simple things you can do as a man to improve your confidence. And they work. They may be subtle, but the do make a difference.

The Amazing Dinosaur Found (Accidentally) By Miners In Canada – This was a very interesting article about a fossil found in Canada, in spite of the old earth viewpoint. “Known as a nodosaur, this armored plant-eater is the best preserved fossil of its kind ever found.”

The Grand Canyon – I love the Grand Canyon. I have been there numerous times, and one day hope to hike down into it. Until then, videos like this one will have to suffice. This one is exceptionally beautiful. I love the shots that show a fog-filled canyon.

Each year, in the United States, the last Monday of May is celebrated as Memorial Day, a day to remember the sacrifice of those who have given all for the sake of our country. Originally called Decoration Day, this observance began in 1868 as a day to decorate the graves of those who were killed in the Civil War. After World War I ended, these remembrances were expanded to include all those who fell in any American war.

Memorial Day was officially declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971, and placed on the last Monday in May each year. It is a day that many use to visit cemeteries and graveyards, honoring those who have served. Since it includes an additional day off for many Americans, other traditions have grown up around the weekend, including cookouts, float trips, and much more.

It is good to be reminded of the sacrifice that many have given to ensure our freedom. In honor of Memorial Day, here are a couple of statements made by past Presidents of the United States.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

“For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” — James A. Garfield

“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives.” — John Adams

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones defending the American Way.

If you are interested in finding out more about Memorial Day, here are a few resources:

• US Department of Veterans Affairs
• History.com
• Memorial Day website