My tie today honors the recent birthday of Charles Hutton (1737-1823), a British mathematician who invented contour mapping in 1774. He was working to calculate the volume of Schiehallion, a mountain in Scotland, as part of an experiment to determine the average density of the earth. His maps showing the relative ground elevations formed the basis for topographical maps like the one featured on my tie -- surveying the Camel Hump Knob region in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Sevierville, TN.
Today is also the birthday of our son-by-inclusion David Haskins, and it's National Tell A Joke Day. The National Day Calendar offers no rationale for this celebration, but gives this sample: What happened to the comedian on August 16 during National Tell A Joke Day? Everyone stole his punchlines!
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