January 25 is Opposite Day.

Since January 25th is not Opposite Day, you will not have fun doing anything that is opposite of what you’d normally do because opposite day is a day to not change anything.
Today is Opposite Day, a day set aside to have fun saying and doing everything the opposite of what you’d normally say or do.

Now, be careful. Opposite Day can be very confusing. For example, “It’s Opposite Day” is not a valid excuse to drive down the wrong side of the road backwards. The police don’t care about Opposite Day and they will throw the book at you. However, spending the day in jail is probably opposite of what you had in mind when you got up today,  so it’s up to you. I wouldn’t recommend it.

For an example of a good Opposite Day activity,, go on social media and thank everyone for their well thought and considerate posts. Or, for many of you, driving courteously without your head buried in your phone would be a good way to spend Opposite Day. (You might even find out you enjoy it, and do it every day.. Especially when you’re on the bridge!)

Be careful celebrating Opposite Day with your spouse. A compliment can turn ugly in a hurry. Simply saying “You look nice today” on Opposite Day can result in divorce, so tread lightly.

Really, Opposite Day sounds like it was invented by a very sadistic individual.
Have fun!  …Or not.

Today in history: January 25: The First Winter Olympics

In 1924 the first Winter Olympic Games opened on this date in Chamonix, France. Medals were awarded in 16 different events in 5 sports, and the first medal was won by American speed skater Charles Jewtraw in the 500 meter race.
Winter sports were always limited by season when the Olympic games were held, although figure skating and Ice Hockey had been played in previous Olympics. This created a couple of unique situations that would never be repeated. The Canadian Ice Hockey team and figure skater Gillis Grafstrom were in position to defend Summer Olympic gold they had won in 1920 in the Winter Games. Both were successful.
The Canadian Ice Hockey team finished the qualifying round with 3 wins over Switzerland, Sweden, and Czechoslovakia. They scored 85 goals and didn’t give up a single point. They easily won the Gold, and went on to win 6 of the next 7 Olympic Ice Hockey gold medals.

Weird Fact: Lawnchair Larry

Larry Walters was just a regular guy. A truck driver living in suburban San Pedro California.  Larry had always dreamed of flying, but poor eyesight prevented him from ever getting a pilot’s license.
One day in July 1982, Larry took to the skies in his home made flying machine he had dubbed Inspiration 1. The term “Flying Machine” may be giving too much credit to the design. Inspiration 1 consisted of a regular lawn chair with 45 8 foot weather balloons tied to it.
Larry bought the balloons and a helium tank from a toy supplier. Larry packed sandwiches, a camera, a CB radio, and a pellet gun into his knapsack. He then put on a parachute, and strapped himself into the chair. He filled the balloons and when friends cut loose the straps holding the chair down, quickly  lifted off from his back patio.
.The chair rapidly climbed to over 16,000 feet. The rise was much quicker than he had anticipated, but Larry was afraid to shoot out the balloons for fear of tipping the balance and falling. Larry began to drift, and soon found himself in federal airspace. He slowly drifted over the city of Long beach and into the approach corridor for Long Beach International airport. He was spotted by two commercial airliners.

Larry contacted a Citizens Band radio monitor group known as REACT and told them of his location, and asked them to inform the proper authorities he was an unauthorized launch, and that he was OK. After 45 minutes in the air, Larry shot out two of the balloons, and then accidentally dropped the pellet gun overboard. He drifted downward slowly and eventually ended up with the hanging cables of the 2 shot out balloons tangling in power lines and causing a blackout in Long Beach for nearly a half hour. Larry climbed down safely, and was immediately arrested. Regional safety inspector Neal Savoy was reported to have said, “We know he broke some part of the Federal Aviation Act, and as soon as we decide which part it is, some type of charge will be filed. If he had a pilot’s license, we’d suspend that, but he doesn’t.”

Walters initially was fined $4,000 for violations under U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations, including operating an aircraft within an airport traffic area “without establishing and maintaining two-way communications with the control tower.” Walters appealed, and the fine was reduced to $1,500.  A charge of operating a “civil aircraft for which there is not currently in effect an airworthiness certificate” was dropped, as it was not applicable to his class of aircraft.
Just after landing, Walters spoke to the press, saying, “It was something I had to do. I had this dream for twenty years, and if I hadn’t done it, I think I would have ended up in the funny farm.”