My Daily Bread Crumbs 07 Mar 2022

The unofficial holiday recognizes the day in 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the technology that would later become the telephone and changed the world of communications.

Patent Date

On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for “transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically.” Three days later, on March 10, Bell uttered the famous words "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" into a transmitter. His assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in the next room, heard the words clearly and thus, the first telephone was created.

In commemoration of the day he was granted the patent, Bell’s fans around the world celebrate March 7 as Alexander Graham Bell Day. It is a day recognized by an official act of the legislature in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Prolific Inventor

In addition to the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell is also credited with being the inventor of the metal detector and he is known for developing the Hydrodome, a watercraft that set a world marine speed record in 1919.

How to Celebrate?

Learn more about the science and technology behind the telephone and the cell phone.
Visit your local telecommunications museum.
Every time you call a friend or text someone send a silent thank you to Bell. Without him, we would still be using pigeons to send messages.

Did You Know…

…that Bell was one of the founding members of the National Geographic Society?

***

Carol was pregnant with her first child, and her husband was about to leave on a two-week business trip. When Carol went to her doctor appointment, she had some questions.

"My husband wants me to ask you something—" Carol began.

The doctor interrupted her. "I get asked that question all the time," he said in a reassuring tone. "Sex is fine until late in the pregnancy."

"No, that's not it!" an embarrassed Carol confessed. "My husband wants to know if I can still mow the lawn."

***

Needing to shed a few pounds, my husband and I went on a diet that had specific recipes for each meal of the day. I followed the instructions closely, dividing the finished recipe in half for our individual plates. We felt terrific and thought the diet was wonderful—we never felt hungry!

But when we realized we were gaining weight, not losing it, I checked the recipes again. There, in fine print, was "Serves 6."

***

I worked at a boarding kennel where people leave their dogs and cats while on vacation. One morning I had taken a cat out of his cage, and after playing with him and replenishing his food and water, I put him back in. A few minutes later, I was surprised to see the feline at my feet, since the cage doors lock automatically when they’re shut.

I couldn’t figure out how the cat escaped, until I bent down to pick him up and spied his nametag: “Houdini.”