GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY THREAD WELCOME.TO JANUARY 1ST THROUGH JANUARY 31ST 2026

[Gemmie]

Tommy the cat

‘Hero’ cat apparently dials 911 to help owner

Police aren't sure how else to explain it. But when an officer walked into an apartment Thursday night to answer a 911 call, an orange-and-tan striped cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. The cat's owner, Gary Rosheisen, was on the ground near his bed having fallen out of his...

www.nbcnews.com

I say it stuck. Cats are a lot smarter than some people think. (I could have left off that last word - 'think').

From your article:

Rosheisen got the cat three years ago to help lower his blood pressure. He tried to train him to call 911, unsure if the training ever stuck.

 

[tricia]

​

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY THREAD TUESDAY, JANUARY 13TH, 2026​

Weird History – January 13​

1547 – England gets its first book ban (kind of)
King Henry VIII banned certain religious books… after he had already authorized many of them. Classic Henry: approve it, regret it, punish everyone.

1842 – Dr. William Brydon becomes the “sole survivor”
After a disastrous British retreat from Kabul, Dr. Brydon staggered into Jalalabad on a dying horse. He was believed to be the only survivor of a 16,000-person force.
Later discovered: a few captives survived — but at the time, this traumatized the British Empire.

1898 – Émile Zola is convicted for telling the truth
French author Émile Zola was found guilty of libel for exposing government corruption in the Dreyfus Affair.
His crime? Publishing facts.
His punishment? Prison or exile.

1920 – New York City requires permits for public laughter (briefly proposed)
A city council proposal attempted to regulate “excessive noise,” including loud laughter in public places.
Thankfully, it didn’t last.

1930 – Mickey Mouse makes his comic-strip debut
Mickey had already been animated, but January 13 marked his first appearance in newspaper comics, launching him into full global domination.

1964 – Surgeon General warns cigarettes may kill you
The first official U.S. Surgeon General’s report linking smoking to cancer is released.
Tobacco companies: “We dispute this.”
Science: “No, you don’t.”

1982 – A plane crashes… and people survive being blown into the Potomac
Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into Washington, D.C.’s icy Potomac River.
One man repeatedly passed a rescue line to others instead of saving himself — and died.
His identity was unknown for decades.

1999 – Michael Jordan announces his retirement (again)
This was retirement #2.
Spoiler: it didn’t stick.

2012 – The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster
A massive luxury cruise ship struck rocks off Italy after the captain allegedly did a “salute” maneuver near shore.
The ship partially capsized.
The captain abandoned ship early and was later convicted.

---

Bonus Weirdness

• January 13 has an unusually high number of maritime disasters
• Several famous “truth tellers” were punished on this day
• Multiple “this is the end” moments… that absolutely were not the end

---

 

[Megnut]

​

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY THREAD TUESDAY, JANUARY 13TH, 2026​

Weird History – January 13​

1547 – England gets its first book ban (kind of)
King Henry VIII banned certain religious books… after he had already authorized many of them. Classic Henry: approve it, regret it, punish everyone.

1842 – Dr. William Brydon becomes the “sole survivor”
After a disastrous British retreat from Kabul, Dr. Brydon staggered into Jalalabad on a dying horse. He was believed to be the only survivor of a 16,000-person force.
Later discovered: a few captives survived — but at the time, this traumatized the British Empire.

1898 – Émile Zola is convicted for telling the truth
French author Émile Zola was found guilty of libel for exposing government corruption in the Dreyfus Affair.
His crime? Publishing facts.
His punishment? Prison or exile.

1920 – New York City requires permits for public laughter (briefly proposed)
A city council proposal attempted to regulate “excessive noise,” including loud laughter in public places.
Thankfully, it didn’t last.

1930 – Mickey Mouse makes his comic-strip debut
Mickey had already been animated, but January 13 marked his first appearance in newspaper comics, launching him into full global domination.

1964 – Surgeon General warns cigarettes may kill you
The first official U.S. Surgeon General’s report linking smoking to cancer is released.
Tobacco companies: “We dispute this.”
Science: “No, you don’t.”

1982 – A plane crashes… and people survive being blown into the Potomac
Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into Washington, D.C.’s icy Potomac River.
One man repeatedly passed a rescue line to others instead of saving himself — and died.
His identity was unknown for decades.

1999 – Michael Jordan announces his retirement (again)
This was retirement #2.
Spoiler: it didn’t stick.

2012 – The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster
A massive luxury cruise ship struck rocks off Italy after the captain allegedly did a “salute” maneuver near shore.
The ship partially capsized.
The captain abandoned ship early and was later convicted.

---

Bonus Weirdness

• January 13 has an unusually high number of maritime disasters
• Several famous “truth tellers” were punished on this day
• Multiple “this is the end” moments… that absolutely were not the end

---

Remembering Air Florida Flight 90 hero, Arland Williams Jr., Citadel Class of 1957 - The Citadel Today

For months...we knew him only as the unknown hero. When the challenge came, Arland D. Williams Jr., Class of 1957, was ready.

today.citadel.edu

 

[shonyakay]

Little Amber Hagerman was abducted from an abandoned grocery store parking lot in Arlington Texas 30 years ago today. She was kept alive by her abductor for up to 48 hours after her abduction. Her nude body, except for a sock on one foot, was found in a drainage creek 4 days after she was abducted. Her throat had been cut more than once.

Her killer has never been caught. May 2026 be the year Amber's killer is finally brought to justice.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Remembering Air Florida Flight 90 hero, Arland Williams Jr., Citadel Class of 1957 - The Citadel Today

For months...we knew him only as the unknown hero. When the challenge came, Arland D. Williams Jr., Class of 1957, was ready.

today.citadel.edu

Thanks so much for sharing this....
I did not remember this one at alla.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Stop me if you've already seen this: American Woodcock - Stayin' Alive

I had a boyfriend back in the 70s...he was a good hunter, fisherman . He was good at a lot of things!!!! ha

Anyway, one day while hunting bird, he shot a woodcock and we ate it.
It was the most delectable foul I have ever had in my life.
Once, and never again.... but always a memory.

I say that sometimes... the best finds are the hardest to find...
Woodcock and Morel mushrooms.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I was really saddened hearing of the death of Bob Weir.....
What a heart throb back in the day... and remained a heart throb for decades.
And just so talented.
It is amazing how rock and roll artists stay so good at their work so long into their life.

Bob Weir - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Megnut]

5m. Riveting.

 

[Megnut]

Forty Years Later, a Daughter Recalls Her Father’s Heroism

 

[Dotta]

Dropped to say Hi

Is today the 13th???
Ooops!

To avoid bad luck....

Down the memory lane

 

[Gators North]

One of my all-time favorites, Mr. Bean!

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

Happy 14th of January.

Dr Harold Shipman, believed to be Britain's most prolific Serial Killer, was born today in 1946.

Harold Shipman - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yesterday I received my little plastic doodad that pierces open the foil and pushes the pills into a little container.

And it works! Better than I thought it would.
When I first tried it, I used it on the foil side and it didn't work but today I came to my senses and thought oh right, it's the pill side that you push through.

And Voila!! Success! And hopefully no more cut fingers and no more pills shooting out and going under the fridge and elsewhere.

 

[Gemmie]

Happy 14th of January.

Dr Harold Shipman, believed to be Britain's most prolific Serial Killer, was born today in 1946.

Harold Shipman - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Too bad you didn't post yesterday about it being the day he died. That's a much more important anniversary than the day an like this was born IMO.

 

[tricia]

Little Amber Hagerman was abducted from an abandoned grocery store parking lot in Arlington Texas 30 years ago today. She was kept alive by her abductor for up to 48 hours after her abduction. Her nude body, except for a sock on one foot, was found in a drainage creek 4 days after she was abducted. Her throat had been cut more than once.

Her killer has never been caught. May 2026 be the year Amber's killer is finally brought to justice.

View attachment 636929

WOW I can't believe it has been 30 years.

 

[tricia]

OMG I SUCK AT PUTTING UP THE DATES. MY APOLOGIES BUT HERE WE GO...

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY THREAD WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14TH 2026​

Weird & Funny​

• 1892 – The first public demonstration of a moving picture camera was held in New Jersey. People reportedly ducked, screamed, or stared in confusion, convinced the images were somehow alive.
• 1954 – Actress Marilyn Monroe married baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. The marriage lasted only nine months and became one of Hollywood’s most famously doomed romances.
• 1967 – The Human Be-In took place in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, marking a major moment in counterculture history. Thousands gathered for peace, music, and drugs, confusing local authorities who had no idea how to police a sit-in with LSD.

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Dark​

• 1907 – An earthquake struck Jamaica, killing more than 800 people and nearly destroying Kingston. Fires burned uncontrollably afterward, making survival even worse.
• 1943 – Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill opened the Casablanca Conference, quietly shaping the end of World War II while millions continued to die on the front lines.
• 1986 – The first confirmed case of what would later be called mad cow disease was officially identified, eventually leading to mass cattle slaughter and widespread fear about food safety.

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Darkly Absurd​

• 1978 – A Soviet satellite carrying nuclear material crashed back to Earth in Canada, scattering radioactive debris across the wilderness. The cleanup operation was called “Morning Light,” which is an oddly cheerful name for a nuclear mess.
• 1990 – The U.S. government quietly raised the alert level before launching Operation Desert Storm. Most Americans found out from television graphics and theme music, turning war into a nightly broadcast event.

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One That Just Feels Wrong​

• 2004 – A man in Thailand survived being struck by lightning seven times over his lifetime. Statistically impossible. Practically cursed.

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Extra Creepy​

• 1898 – Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, died on this day. His writings have since been reexamined for unsettling themes, distorted logic, obsession with childhood, and dreamlike menace that feels far less whimsical when viewed through a modern lens.
• 1973 – Elvis Presley performed Aloha from Hawaii, the first concert broadcast live by satellite worldwide. Millions watched without realizing it marked the beginning of his steep physical decline, turning the event into an eerie global farewell-in-progress.

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Crimes & Political Darkness​

• 2011 – Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled Tunisia after weeks of unrest, ending a 23-year authoritarian rule. Secret police files, torture allegations, and mass surveillance records emerged afterward, revealing how deeply citizens had been monitored for decades.
• 1943 – While leaders met at the Casablanca Conference, Allied governments quietly finalized strategies that knowingly extended bombing campaigns over civilian populations, accepting massive non-combatant death as a strategic necessity.

---

Disasters That Aged Poorly​

• 1907 – The Kingston earthquake didn’t just level buildings; ruptured gas lines sparked fires that burned for days. Survivors reported hearing people trapped under rubble calling for help long after rescue efforts had stopped.
• 1978 – Cleanup crews searching for radioactive debris from the crashed Soviet satellite in northern Canada found fragments glowing faintly in the snow at night, an image straight out of science-fiction horror.

---

Bizarre & Unsettling Deaths​

• Medieval Europe (multiple recorded cases, January 14 executions) – Historical court records note several executions scheduled on this date specifically because it followed religious fasting days, under the belief that an “emptied body” would suffer more. Justice, at the time, was intentionally designed to maximize pain.
• 2004 – A Thai man confirmed to have survived being struck by lightning multiple times died years later of natural causes. Locals believed death had been “looking for him” and finally lost interest.

---

There you go. Extra weird and creepy​

 

[Gemmie]

Extra Creepy​

• 1898 – Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, died on this day. His writings have since been reexamined for unsettling themes, distorted logic, obsession with childhood, and dreamlike menace that feels far less whimsical when viewed through a modern lens.

OT but I watched Alice Through the Looking Glass a few nights ago and it had some of the most beautiful cinemaphotography, and architectural & costume designs. I can totally enjoy a movie just for its visual aspects. I don't always need a good plot. Not that I'm saying this didn't have a good plot... rather, that I simply can watch a movie just to enjoy it visually (most people want/need a good plot).

Here is my favorite outfit that Alice (Mia) wore. And look at the Gingerbread on that house!

The fantasy backdrops and production design are magical, no element was overlooked in the film’s immersive world, including the costumes. They are to die for; The entire film is basically a haute couture runway show.
Alice’s look is intricate with a mandarin collar, embroidered purple, green and orange fabric, and stunning small details like velvet buttons running down the sleeves. The mastermind behind the look, and all of the film’s fanciful costumes, is none other than veteran costume designer Colleen Atwood.

Colleen Atwood is definitely a costume queen. She’s won two more golden statuettes for her work on Memoirs of a Geisha and the musical film Chicago. She’s designed costumes for almost every Tim Burton film, including Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish and the upcoming Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The 68-year-old is also the brain behind the costumes for the upcoming Harry Potter film: Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. Atwood doesn’t limit her designs to the big screen either: She’s created costumes for television series Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl.

Now, she’s back in fantastical Wonderland serving up some more lavish looks worthy of Lewis Carrol himself. “My job is fascinating because I have the opportunity to create new worlds from different times and perspectives,” Atwood said in a statement released by Disney.

Who Designed Alice's Colorful Dress In 'Through The Looking Glass'? She's A Total Pro

Time is not running out; you can still catch Alice’s latest adventure in Wonderland on the big screen. Alice Through the Looking Glass is in theaters now and it is just as psychedelic and whimsical as it’s predecessor. The fantasy backdrops and…

www.romper.com

 

[Gemmie]

Yesterday I received my little plastic doodad that pierces open the foil and pushes the pills into a little container.

And it works! Better than I thought it would.
When I first tried it, I used it on the foil side and it didn't work but today I came to my senses and thought oh right, it's the pill side that you push through.

And Voila!! Success! And hopefully no more cut fingers and no more pills shooting out and going under the fridge and elsewhere.

They make doodads for that? I always used my thumb. lol

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I always used either my thumb or pointy til I received a quite deep cut from the foil.
Plus the pills used to shoot out and go under the fridge, under the stove, or down the sink hole.

 

[Gators North]

I always used either my thumb or pointy til I received a quite deep cut from the foil.
Plus the pills used to shoot out and go under the fridge, under the stove, or down the sink hole.

And in my house of many cats, I HAVE to find those pills before one of the cats gets his or her grubby little paws on them.