Today is:
- MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY (3rd MONDAY IN JANUARY) — The nation pauses to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The third Monday in January is dedicated as a day of service to celebrate the civil rights leader’s life and impact. He was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968. The holiday was first observed as a federal holiday 25 years ago.
- NATIONAL PEKING DUCK DAY
- NATIONAL ‘WINNIE THE POOH’ DAY
- NATIONAL THESAURUS DAY
They make smartphones and smart homes. How do you feel about a smart toilet? Toilet and bath manufacturer Toto unveiled a concept at C.E.S. last week – a toilet that can assess your health by examining what you leave behind. Ok, that’s a little creepy. Yep, based on your ‘business,’ the toilet’s sensors will track your mental and physical health, transmit the data to an app, then offer suggestions on how to eat healthier or alert you if it detects a possible illness. Still a little creepy. No date yet on when the wellness toilet will be available.
As it turns out, there may actually be some magic in those magic mushrooms after all. Researchers at the University of British Columbia are studying how the psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms can help treat obesity. The drug psilocybin (sigh-luh-sigh-bin) has been shown to alter neural pathways in the brain that can help people shift their mindsets. The scientists hope the trippy drug can also be used for effective weight-loss purposes. Previous studies suggest that psilocybin is also effective in treating anxiety and depression.
If you’re planning on filing your tax returns early, you’ll have to wait a few weeks. On Friday the I.R.S. said they won’t start accepting 2020 individual tax returns until February 12th. The agency says they need more time to program and test their computer systems after Congress passed a tax relief law last month. The late start date also means you should expect late returns. The April 15th tax deadline, which was extended last year, remains unchanged this year.
The shelter where President-elect Joe Biden adopted his dog threw an “indoguration” to celebrate the pooch’s imminent arrival at the White House. It was all held over Zoom. Recording artist Josh Groban joined the virtual event, singing a version of “(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window.” He adapted just for Major, a now 3-year-old German Shepherd. Major is the first shelter dog to ever to live in the White House.
