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Sherman A1

(38,958 posts) Fri Feb 12, 2016, 04:47 AM Feb 2016

Daily Holidays - February 12

National Plum Pudding Day

Plum Pudding Day is dedicated to a mouthwatering treat that, surprisingly enough, contains no plums! In the 17th century when it was first created, plums were referred to as raisins or any other type of dried fruits. Plum pudding (aka Christmas pudding) is a steamed or boiled pudding usually served during the holiday season. Plum pudding is composed of nutmeg, raisins, nuts, apples, cinnamon, dates, and many other ingredients. In England, it is tradition to have every person a household simultaneously hold onto the wooden spoon together to help stir the batter. As they stir it they also have to make a wish! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/plum-pudding-day/

Lost Penny Day When you think about it, pennies are a real nuisance. They’re small and seemingly almost worthless, and despite putting them safely in your wallet or purse, they always seem to wind up blocking the filter on your washing machine, slipping down the sides of the cushions on your favourite armchair, or getting sucked up the vacuum cleaner. Nevertheless, on one special day each year we can take the time to gather up those ever-wandering coins and finally do something more useful with them that we usually do by donating them to a charity of our choice. Lost Penny Day is the perfect day to take a moment to recognize that despite the fact that pennies may not seem like they are worth much, they can still be found and used to help those in need to whom each and every penny counts and adds up. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/lost-penny-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/february12.html

3 replies

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Daily Holidays - February 12 (Original Post) Sherman A1 Feb 2016 OP

Hi, my name is Penny. I am lost. bigwillq Feb 2016 #1

It's Lincoln's birthday: femmocrat Feb 2016 #2

Eliminating the penny has come up here before D Gary Grady Mar 2016 #3

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)

1. Hi, my name is Penny. I am lost.

Reply to Sherman A1 (Original post)

Fri Feb 12, 2016, 08:12 AM

Feb 2016

femmocrat

(28,394 posts)

2. It's Lincoln's birthday:

Reply to Sherman A1 (Original post)

Fri Feb 12, 2016, 09:28 AM

Feb 2016

Last edited Fri Feb 12, 2016, 10:03 AM - Edit history (1)

And we revere him so greatly that we put his image on this "worthless" coin:

D Gary Grady

(133 posts)

3. Eliminating the penny has come up here before

Reply to Sherman A1 (Original post)

Thu Mar 10, 2016, 10:00 PM

Mar 2016

Last edited Thu Mar 17, 2016, 12:27 AM - Edit history (1)

One relatively recent thread is here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027396678

A lot of people defend the penny with irrational arguments, contending for example that businesses will somehow arrange for rounding to hurt the poor. In reality, of course, since people rarely buy single items it would be close to impossible for businesses to arrange that. Customers, on the other hand, could generally make rounding work in their favor, if they thought it would be worth their time. (It wouldn't.)

A nickel today is worth what a penny was in the 1960s, and in the 1960s we didn't feel a need for a coin worth 1/5 of a cent. In fact, the U.S. did at one time have a half-cent coin, but we dropped it i 1857 when its value sank too low. At the time it was worth about 15 cents in today's money, and a penny was worth about 30 cents. (See Wikipedia.)

On the other hand, when I lived in Iceland in 1973-74 they still had the 10 aura piece in circulation, which at the time was worth a small fraction of a US cent and looked like a tiny baby dime. It was the only thing I ever saw Icelanders litter.

I think Britain also keeps the penny around for no particular reason, and also has coins worth 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pence and 1 and 2 pounds, all in regular circulation, so cash register drawers need more places for different values of coins. There are 5-pound coins as well, though I don't think I've ever seen one circulating. At least the Brits have had the good sense to stop issuing paper notes worth less than five pounds.

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