Fri-New Years Day

1 day so far this year…364 days remain in 2010
►Provocative Quote
"The hardest thing to do is to disguise your feelings when sending a large crowd of visiting relatives home."
~Unknown

►Free Ramblings

Happy New Year To All. While 09 was not very bad for me, it was for many of my friends. I, for one, am glad to see it go. I sure hope the new decade brings sanity back to our country, our state, and our town.

What’s up with College Football. I want to return to the days of New Year’s Day Bowls…all football all day, and then it’s over. One of the big things in the first decade was to encourage kids and not prepare them for real life. Don’t let kids fail. Now almost any football player in a college can add a Bowl Game to his resume. This year there are 34 end of season bowls. Cities, towns, companies, all want to get the money. What parent and family wouldn’t travel across the country during the holidays to watch their son play in a Bowl? Travel dollars, hotel dollars, vendor dollars, advertising dollars. I just don’t get how playing in these bowls really enhance one’s resume: Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, R+L Carriers Bowl MAACO Bowl S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl, Meineke Car Care Bowl, Emerald Bowl, Gaylord Hotels Bowl, Music City EagleBank Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl, Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, Brut Bowl, Sun Insight Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl, Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, Papajohns.com Bowl, Valero Alamo Bowl, GMAC Bowl. I can see it now: “My football career included playing in the ’09 MAACO Bowl, where I was named MVP. Our Po-dunk University Badgers beat Po-dunk College Hogs 3-0. That experience prepared me to be become a good candidate for your Assistant Intern in Design and Production.”

Bring back the Big Bowls: Orange, Cotton, Sugar, Rose, Fiesta and dump the rest. I can live with the National Championship Game, but they sure need a better way of picking the two teams.

►Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
~Dolly Parton: Singer Songwriter, Actress, Author, Philanthropist
►Unusual News

Toronto, Canada - A gas station attendant had no trouble identifying a robber for police, even though the man had worn a pair of women's panties over his head as a disguise. The thief, who later admitted that his mind was clouded by intoxicants, had stuck his face through one of the leg-holes so he could see.

►Random Fact

The first time the New Year was celebrated on January 1st was in Rome in 153 B.C. The new year was moved from March to January because that was the beginning of the civil year, the month that the two newly elected Roman consuls—the highest officials in the Roman republic—began their one-year tenure.

§ January Trivial Pursuits

~2010 is the UN Year of Biodiversity

~On New Year's Day, people in certain countries gather on beaches and run into the water to celebrate the new year. Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States and Australia are the most popular countries for this.

~In Pennsylvania and Ohio, mostly in or near Pennsylvania "Dutch" (Deitch/German) areas, it is common to celebrate New Year's Day with a meal of pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes.

~In the Philippines, people light fireworks, loud firecrackers, booming sound system, bamboo canons as well as make a lot of noise with the belief that the noises would scare evil spirits away and prevent them from bringing bad luck to the coming new year.

~In New York City, the 11,875-pound (5,386-kg), 12-foot-diameter (3.7-m) Times Square Ball located high above Times Square is lowered starting at 11:59:00 p.m

~In Scotland, there are many special customs associated with the New Year. These are a part of the Scottish celebration Hogmanay, the Scots name for the New Year.

~In Russia the New Year is greeted by fireworks and drinking champagne. The New Year is considered a family celebration, with lavish dinner tables and gifts.

~In South Korea, the most popular way of celebrating New Year's Day is to travel to Jung dong jin, the place on the peninsula where the Sun can first be seen each day.

~In Wales, Calennig is celebrated, with celebrations attracting thousands of people in the capital, Cardiff.

~In Greece, families and relatives switch off the lights at midnight, then celebrate by cutting the "vassilopita" (Basil's pie) which usually contains one coin or equivalent, whoever wins expects luck for the whole year

§ December Month Long Observances

Birthstone: Garnet …Flower: Carnation

Book Blitz Month * Bath Safety Month * Birth Defects Month * California Dried Plum Digestive Month * Celebration of Life Month * Cervical Cancer Screening Month * Financial Wellness Month * High Tech Month * International Creativity Month * International Quality of Life Month * International Wayfinding Month * International Wealth Mentality Month * National Be On-Purpose Month * National Bird Feeding Month * National Clean Up Your Computer Month * National Get Organized Month * National Glaucoma Awareness Month * National Hot Tea Month * National Mail Order Gardening Month * National Mentoring Month * National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month * National Poverty in America Awareness Month * National Radon Action Month * National Skating Month * National Soup Month * National Volunteer Blood Donor Month * Oatmeal Month * Rising Star Month * Self-help Group Awareness Month * Senior Women’s Travel Month * Shape Up US Month * Thyroid Awareness Month

§ Observance Weeks in January
Kwanzaa: (26-1/1)
Celebration of Life Week: 1-7
Diet Resolution Week: 1-7
National Lose Weight/Feel Great Week: 1-8
§ 1 January Observances—US/UN/World
New Years Day
New Year's Dishonor List Day: Words removed from vocabulary due to overuse, misuse, or uselessness.
Every Horses’ Birthday—all US race horses become a year older today
Alabama : Mobile Carnival
Pasadena CA : Tournament of Roses Parade
Philadelphia : Mummers' Parade
§ 1 January Observances—by country
Cameroon : Independence Day (from France: 1960)
Cuba : Revolution Day
Greece: Saint Basil's Day—kindness and generosity to poor.
Haiti : Independence Day (from France: 1804)
Japan : New Year (year = AD + 660)
Mozambique : Universal Fraternity
Sudan : Independence Day (from UK:1956)
Western Samoa : Independence Day (from New Zealand: 1962)
Taiwan : Foundation of the Republic
► Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1847…Michigan is 1st state to abolish capital punishment
►Who was born on this day?
     ~ The Arts
Dana Andrews in 1909 actor
Javier Cugat [Mingall de Brue y Deulofeo] in 1900 Spain, bandleader (married Charo)
Tom Dugan Dublin Ireland, in 1889 actor (Circus Clown, Drag, Skyway)
E M Forster in 1879 London England, novelist (Howard's End, Passage to India)
Country Joe McDonald in 1942 rock guitarist/vocalist (& the Fish)
JD [Jerome David]Salinger in 1919 novelist
     ~Athletics
Jack Kiefer in 1940 PGA golfer
Derrick Thomas in 1967 NFL linebacker (Chiefs)
     ~Business, Education, Politics
J Edgar Hoover in 1895 Director of US FBI
Elizabeth Griscom (Betsy) Ross in 1752 flag maker
Barry Goldwater in 1909 (Senator -AZ/Presidential candidate (R) 1964)
Paul Revere in 1735 silversmith/US patriot
     ~Science/Religion

►Who Died on this day?
Hank Williams in 1953 country singer—heart failure/drugs/alcohol @ 29
Maurice A Chevalier in 1972 French actor (Can Can, Gigi), @ 83
Cesar Romero in 1994 US actor (Joker-Batman), @ 86
►What happened on this day?
404…Last gladiator competition in Rome
1651…Charles II Stuart crowned king of Scotland
1701…Great Britain & Ireland union is in effect, creating United Kingdom
1772…1st traveler's checks issued (London)
1788…Quakers in Pennsylvania emancipate their slaves
1805…Lewis & Clark attend a party with the local Indians.
1818…Official reopening of the White House
1847…Michigan is 1st state to abolish capital punishment
1853…1st practical fire engine (horse-drawn) in US enters service
1862…1st US income tax (3% of incomes > $600, 5% of incomes > $10,000)
1863…Emancipation Proclamation (ending slavery) issued by Lincoln
1880…Building of Panamá Canal, begins
1886…1st Tournament of Roses, Pasadena CA
1899…Cuba liberated from Spain by US (National Day) (US occupies till 1902)
1901…The Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed
1902…1st Rose Bowl game (Pasadena CA) (University of Michigan-49, Stanford-0)
1928…1st US air-conditioned office building opens, San Antonio
1934…Alcatraz officially becomes a federal prison
1934…Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (US bank guarantor) effective
1935 1st Sugar Bowl & 1st Orange Bowl
1948…1st color newsreel filmed, Pasadena CA
1958…European Economic Community (Common Market) starts operation
1977…1st woman formally ordained an Episcopal priest (Jacqueline Means)
2000…“Y2K Crisis” doesn’t materialize.

►Rhyme & Reason Puzzle
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. much of the movie Titanic was filmed on a ___ ___ (3,3):
2. giving refuge for a fugitive (9,6):
3. purchases a skyscraper (4,8):
4. concealed the cephalopod (3,5):
5. death notice appearing in first month (7,8):
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ANSWERS
1. much of the movie Titanic was filmed on a ___ ___ (3,3): wet set
2. giving refuge for a fugitive (9,6): providing hiding
3. purchases a skyscraper (4,8): buys highrise
4. concealed the cephalopod (3,5): hid squid
5. death notice appearing in first month (7,8): January obituary

Thursday

365 days so far this year…0 days remain in 2009 and in the first decade of the 21st century
►Provocative Quote
"He who you wakes up and finds himself a success hasn`t been asleep."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings

This decade is quickly drawing to a close. I’m ready to welcome in a new decade. When I was in Elementary School we used to try and guess what it would be like in 2000. We sure got some things wrong. We don’t have our own ‘car/plane’ that leads to know traffic problems. We don’t have robots running around doing the housework. We don’t have cities on the moon or any of the planets. We don’t even get to ‘vacation’ anywhere outside the planet. We are still fighting wars with our fellow man. We are unable to drop the notion of race as a category. We didn’t even think about computers. We thought the ‘transistor’ was incredible and would rule technology for our entire lives. We did get some things right. The main one being Dick Tracy’s Wristwatch communicator. As we leave the first decade, about 80% of Americans own a cell phone. Most of those cell phones do a whole lot more than dial a number.

That young ‘radicalized’ Muslim who tried to blow up the plane was a crazy. I’m sure glad I was not in a decision making role on Christmas Eve. The bombing did take place on the eve of one of Christianity’s most holy days. Monday morning conservative quarterbacks are raging on with ‘what if…’ politics. I am glad that Obama didn’t assume the worst. That’s what the terrorists like. It did take Bush three plane crashes before he grounded flights. It took him six days to decide that we all have to remove our shoes after the shoe bomber and at the time the shoe misfired, he didn’t stop any planes from flying. So many conservatives have such short memories.

My New Year’s Wish is that Obama be allowed to run this country. We need to unite behind our President. We elected him. We clearly stated we wanted change. No more Birthers. No more blatant racism, no more obscure or hidden racism. It is time to remember that united we stand, divided we fall. For the new decade, let us speak through our votes. Let’s go back to real boring news reports that are not filtered to fit a particular viewpoint. Those news readers and news commentators that must inject a particular point of view should have to have a banner running across the screen that states ‘this is commentary and should not be confused with news.’ For the radio guys, there should be a voice over every few minutes stating the same thing. Way too many watchers or listeners hear the drivel and think it is news.

One last thing I would like to see no more in the new decade: 99.9% of the reality shows. People don’t need their 15 minutes of fame by being on TV. Susan Boyle proved that and she continues to prove it.

We made it all the way to 27° today. It snowed on and off most of the day. It is not really building up that much. We got about 3” so far, and streets are clear. We dropped to 20° last night, so not much snow has melted. The weather people say we will see the sun tomorrow, but then, that’s what they said yesterday. Maybe they meant, “for about 12 hours today, it will be light outside and that light is from the sun…so you are seeing the sun’s light.” We sure didn’t see the ball of fire in the sky today. December 31st marks the second full moon of December 2009…a blue moon…thus the phrase “once in a blue moon.”
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± Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE

“Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success.”

~Louisa May Alcott Novelist
± Unusual News…

LONDON - British supermarkets say sales of premium toilet paper are spiking during the holiday season as people stock up on the soft stuff to impress guests. Store chain Sainsbury's said quilted, patterned and extra-thick toilet rolls accounted for 24 percent of overall toilet paper sales during the second week of November and increased to 35 percent during the second week of December, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday. Meanwhile, Asda said quilted toilet paper sales at its stores across Britain have increased by a factor of four in the past two weeks. Officials at the stores said they have also seen increases in sales of goods including Earl Grey tea and filter coffee at the expense of their cheaper counterparts on the shelves. "Embracing the inner 'snob' and 'keeping up with the Jones' syndrome is a trait often associated with the British," Asda spokeswoman Jennifer England said. "We've seen a distinct trend in shoppers trading up at this time of year."

± Random Fact

The earliest recording of a New Year celebration is believed to have been in Mesopotamia, c. 2000 B.C. and was celebrated around the time of the vernal equinox, in mid-March. The early Roman calendar designated March 1 as the New Year. The calendar had just ten months, beginning with March.

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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
It's About Time Week (25-31)
Kwanzaa: (26-1/1)
§ 31 December Observances
Unlucky Day
First Nights-- to foster the public's appreciation of visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality New Year's Eve program which provides a shared cultural experience, accessible and affordable to all.
Leap Second Time Adjustment Day
Make Up Your Mind Day
New Years Eve
No Interruptions Day
-Austria : Imperial Ball in Vienna
-Benin : Feed Yourself Day
-Republic of Congo : National Day (from France—1960)
-Indians at Mitla, Oaxaca : Noche de Pedimento/Wishing Night
-Japan : Omisoka Day/Grand Purification
-Lebanon : Evacuation Day (1946)
-Mauritania : People's Party Day
-Scotland : Hogmanay Day
-World : New Year's Eve/Watch Night

Kwanzaa: Today is Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1890…Ellis Island (New York NY) opens as a US immigration depot—Annie Moore, Irish girl, first to pass through.
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Rex Allen in 1922 Wilcox AZ, cowboy singer
John Denver [Henry John Deutschendorf Jr] in 1943 singer/ songwriter/actor
Diane von Furstenberg in 1946 fashion designer
Sir Anthony Hopkins in 1937 Academy Award-winning actor
Val [Edward] Kilmer in 1959 actor
Ben Kingsley (Krishna Bhanji) in 1943 actor (Ghandi)
Henri Matisse in 1869 impressionist painter (Odalisque)
Bebe Neuwirth in 1959 actress (Lilith-Cheers)
Odetta (Holmes Felious Gordon) in 1930 blues/folk singer, musician, songwriter
Jason Robards Sr in 1892 actor
Donna Summer in 1948 disco singer
     ~Athletics
Rocky Graziano in 1921 New York NY, boxer
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Charles Lord Cornwallis in 1738 solider/statesman "fire when ready Gridley"
Sidney Greenbaum in 1929 grammarian
George C Marshall in 1880 authored Marshall Plan (Nobel 1953)
[Bonnie Prince] Charles Edward Stuart in 1720 English pretender to throne
Simon Wiesenthal in 1908 Polish/Austrian Nazi hunter (Wiesenthal Center)
     ~Science/Religion
Robert G Aitken in 1864 US astronomer (Binary Stars)
§ In Remembrance
Roberto Clemente in 1972 Pittsburgh Pirate slugger, plane crash @ 38
Floyd Cramer in 1997 pianist (Nashville Sound), cancer @ 64
Rick Nelson singer/actor in 1985 (Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet), plane crash @ 45
§ Historical Events On This Day
1687…1st Huguenots depart France to Cape of Good Hope
1783…Import of African slaves banned by all of the Northern states
1879…Cornerstone laid for Honolulu's Iolani Palace (only royal palace in US)
1907…For the 1st time a ball drops at Times Square to signal the new year
1911…Marie Curie receives her 2nd Nobel Prize
1924…Edwin Hubble announces existence of distant galactic systems
1945…Ratification of UN Charter completed
1946…President Truman officially proclaims end of WWII
1961…1st performance of Beach Boys
1962…"Match Game" debuts on NBC with host Gene Rayburn
1981…CNN Headline News debuts
1999…Control of Panamá Canal reverts to Panamá
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. stray over there (6,6):
2. Southern sprite (5,4):
3. Southern sprite (5,4):
4. hamburger (6,5):
5. blithe drama (3,4):
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ANSWERS
1. stray over there (6,6): wander yonder
2. Southern sprite (5,4): Dixie Pixie
3. Southern sprite (5,4): cordate plate
4. hamburger (6,5): ground round
5. blithe drama (3,4): gay play

Wednesday

364 days so far this year…1 day remains in 2009 and in the first decade of the 21st century
►Provocative Quote
"The light of a hundred stars doesn't equal the light of the moon."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
What a decade the double aught has been. We have been changed. Some will say, more than any other decade in memory.
Here is a far from complete list of words and phrases we heard during this decade—sometimes too often:
iPod: “Let’s Roll”: “Yes We Can”: 9/11: Abu Ghraib: Armstrong Wins 7th: Bailout: Blogging: Supreme Court says Bush Beats Gore: Carbon Footprint: Chads: China Emerges: Climate Change: Dot com bubble bursts: Economy Skids: Evil: Embedded Reporters: Enron: Facebook v My Space: Gas Prices Set Record--again: Google becomes Superstar: HDTV: Green: Ground Zero: H1N1: You Tube: Jan Brewer: Health Care: Housing bubbles burst: Hubble: Gay Marriage: Janet Napolitano: Katrina: Landing on the Hudson: Michael Jackson: Illegals: Mars Rover: Obama Wins: Palin: Pluto demoted: Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Saddham Hussein: Texting: Sex Scandals in House, Senate and White House: Sexting: SmartPhone: Social Networking: Sotomayor: Steroids in Sports: Susan Boyle: Swine Flu: TARP: Truthiness: Tsunamis: Twitter: Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: WMD: Y2K

As we head for Twenty-ten or Two Thousand Ten, the world will continue to change. Words and phrases we have never heard will enter our vocabulary and daily life. Let’s hope the words of the second decade bring us all compassion, peace, and most of all—a better world.

I live in an area of Flagstaff that is officially called Christmas Tree Estates. It includes the 60+ unit townhouse complex and about twelve blocks of manufactured homes. The local paper reported that a murder took place here on Christmas Eve. The cops say it was a drug deal gone bad. Hmmm. Of course, the news media will not release the exact address so I just have to hope it wasn’t too close to my place. Usually the paper does print something like “in the 500 block of Elm…” I am getting very curious as to why the just printed the neighborhood instead of a street name. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but there has to be more to this murder than is being printed. I don’t recognize the name of the 20-something victim that was in the paper and they never printed the name of the ‘person of interest.’ So, in a small town, sometimes you just gotta be there at the right time to know what is going on.

Our high of 35° sure didn’t feel like that with the 25mph wind gusts. The 18° last night wasn’t any too warm either. We did see the sun for a little while this morning, then the snow started. While not a lot is sticking yet, it has been heavy tiny flakes at times. Tomorrow looks like more of the same. ╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣

± Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE
“Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
~George Bernard Shaw Playwright, Nobel Prize Winner
± Unusual News…
???
± Random Fact
The surface area of an average-sized brick is 79 cm squared.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
It's About Time Week (25-31)
Kwanzaa: (26-1/1)
§ 29 December Observances
Festival Of Enormous Changes At The Last Minute
National Bicarbonate Of Soda Day
Falling Needles Family Fest Day—gather friends and family around the tree and watch the needles fall. Then recycle the tree.
Kwanzaa: Today is Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
-Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador: Bank Holiday
-Iran : Birthday of Imam Reza(765)—a Shi’ite who attempted to unite with Sunnis.
-Philippines : Rizal Day (anniversary of José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda death in1896): Martyr during Spanish Occupation
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1986 : Canaries have been made redundant from British Coal Mines and are being replaced by modern carbon monoxide detectors.
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Skeeter Davis [Mary Penick] in 1931 singer (End of the World)
Bo Diddley (Otha Ellas Bates McDaniel) in 1928 rock 'n' roll pioneer
John Hartford in 1937 Grammy Award-winning songwriter: Gentle on My Mind John Hillerman in 1932 actor (Magnum PI)
[David] Davy Jones in 1945 singer/actor (Monkees)
Rudyard Kipling in 1865 (Bombay) author (Jungle Book, Gunga Din-Nobel 1907)
Matt Lauer in 1957 TV host
Jack Lord (John Joseph Patrick Ryan) in 1920 actor (Hawaii 5-0, Stoney Burke)
Michael Nesmith in 1942 rocker/actor (Monkees)
Bert Parks [Jacobson] in 1914 TV host (Miss America)
Del Shannon (Charles Westover) in 1939 singer: Runaway
[Noel] Paul Stookey in 1937 singer/musician/comedian (Peter, Paul, & Mary)
Tracey Ullman in 1959 comedienne singer/actress
     ~Athletics
Ben Johnson in 1961 100 meter runner, steroids
Sandy (Sanford Braun) Koufax in 1935 Dodger pitcher
(Eldrick)Tiger Woods in 1975 golfer
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Simon Guggenheim in 1867 philanthropist
Hideki Tojo in 1884 PM-Japan; WWII war criminal, hanged
     ~Science/Religion
Helge Ingstad in1899 Norwegian explorer
§ In Remembrance
Galeazzo Alessi Italian architect (Palazza Marino, Milan), in 1572 @ 60
Colonel Abijah Hammond owned large portion of Greenwich Village In 1832 @75
Ling-Ling 1st panda China gave US, in 1992 @ 23
Richard Rodgers composer (Rogers & Hammerstein) in 1979 @ 77
§ Historical Events On This Day
1731…1st US music concert (Peter Pelham's great room in Boston)
1817…1st coffee planted in Hawaii (Kona)
1853…Gadsden Purchase - 45,000 square miles (120,000 km) by Gila River from México for $10 million; Area is now southern Arizona & New Mexico
1873…American Metrological Society forms (New York NY) weights, measures & money
1879…Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" premieres
1906…Iran becomes a constitutional monarchy
1918…John E Hoover decides to be called J Edgar Hoover
1922…Vladimir Lenin the Russian revolutionary who created Leninism, an extension of Marxist theory proclaims the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
1940…California's 1st freeway (Arroyo Seco Parkway) opens
1963…"Let's Make A Deal" debuts on NBC-TV
1972…President Nixon halts bombing of North Vietnam & announces peace talks
1993…Vatican recognizes Israel and vice versa
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)

1. porcine journal (3,3) :
2. fright caused by a loud and strident sound (5,5):
3. conch toppled (5,4):
4. cherish the naval officer (5,9):
5. premiere boniface (8,4):
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ANSWERS
1. porcine journal (3,3) : Hog log
2. fright caused by a loud and strident sound (5,5): blare scare
3. conch toppled (5,4): shell fell
4. cherish the naval officer (5,9): adore commodore
5. premiere boniface (8,4): foremost host

Tuesday

363 days so far this year…2 days remain in 2009 and in the first decade of the 21st century
►Provocative Quote
"The minute a man is convinced that he is interesting, he isn`t."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I know I did. I left Flagstaff with a new blanket of snow—about 8”. The plane took off on time and I was off and running. After Phx, I got to Vegas. Had a three hour wait, because Chicago had bad weather. Instead of getting in at 6p, I got in at 9:30. A little tired, but glad to see the relatives. On Christmas Eve the eating began early and continued though Christmas Day. Spend Christmas Eve with my sister-in-laws sister, her husband and a three year old girl and a five year old boy. As Chase, the boy, said “We have to open presents on Christmas Eve so there will be enough room for Santa to leave his presents.” My sister-in-laws parents and aunt made sure I got presents too. Very kind and thoughtful to be remembered.

During the five days in Chicago, it rained, it snowed, I never saw the sun, and it was cold. Even when it wasn’t snowing or raining, the air was wet, which made if feel much colder than it was. We did go sledding with the little kids. Then the adults had a snow ball fight. A great time.

I figured getting back to AZ would be difficult. I had been though Chicago security last year. That year I went through what I thought was too invasive. So this year I thought I was ready. Got to the airport early, and prepared myself. The Security line was only about 10 minutes. I only had carry-on luggage. I received an eco friendly aluminum water bottle and a flashlight that had a long bendable part so you can see around corners. The bottle was on top in the bag and the flashlight was not. The flashlight was still in its packaging that could not be opened without a sharp object. I figured the bottle would freak them out. Nope, it was the flashlight. They had to open the bag, do the explosive wipe thing and basically empty the bag. However, the whole process took about 3 minutes, the TSA people were very courteous, kind, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent (boy scouts). I didn’t even get patted down or anything. I really think that somebody in DC has told TSA they need to respect the passengers. That’s very nice. At the Vegas gate, we met a very officious gate person. She stopped five people and took their luggage away because she visually determined it was too big. Several people were making connections and had not had a problem on the previous flight. Our flight had enough empty seats that there was plenty of room in the overheads. When passengers questioned her visual inspection as to size, she had a great answer: “I guess the other gate person didn’t do his/her job. I’m just doing mine.” Overall, the overzealous security was not as bad as I had expected. A good day of travel.
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± Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE
“You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough.”
~Joe E. Lewis Comedian, Singer
± Unusual Criminals…
Washington D.C. - A convict broke out of jail in Washington D.C., then a few days later accompanied his girlfriend to her trial for robbery. At lunch, he went out for a sandwich. She needed to see him, and thus had him paged.
Police officers recognized his name and arrested him as he returned to the courthouse in a car he had stolen over the lunch hour.
± Random Fact
Kansas state law requires pedestrians crossing the highways at night to wear tail lights.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
It's About Time Week (25-31)
Kwanzaa: (26-1/1)
§ 29 December Observances
Pepper Pot Day: Pepper Pot Day commemorates the creation of this thick spicy soup, served to the Continental Army during the cold, harsh winter of 1777-1778. George Washington asked his army's chef to prepare a meal for the army, that would both warm them, and boost their moral. The chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with some other ingredients, and created Pepper Pot soup, also known as "Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The hot, and somewhat spicy soup, was well received by the troops. It was called "the soup that won the war”.
National Chocolate Day
Tick Tock Day—to realize there is still time in 09 to get things done.
Texas: Admission Day (1945)
Kwanzaa: Today is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1862…Bowling ball invented
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Pablo Casals in 1876 cellist/conductor/composer
Ted Danson in 1947 (raised in Flagstaff) actor: Cheers
Marianne Faithfull in 1946 singer: As Tears Go By
Tom Jarriel in 1934 newscaster
Jude Law in 1972 actor
Mary Tyler Moore in 1936 Emmy Award-winning actress
Paula Poundstone in 1959 comedienne
Jon Voight in 1938 actor
     ~Athletics
James Darling in 1974 NFL Eagles
Tom Knight in 1974 Cardinals
Malcolm Seabron in 1972 NFL Oilers
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Archibald Alison in 1792 Scottish historian (History of Europe)
Tom Bradley in 1917 (Mayor-Los Angeles)
Andrew Johnson in 1808 17th President
William Ewart Gladstone in 1809 British PM
     ~Science/Religion
Charles Goodyear in 1800 inventor (vulcanization process for rubber)
Charles Macintosh in 1776 (Scotland) patented waterproof fabric
§ In Remembrance
Thomas Becket archbishop, assassinated by 4 knights of King Henry II in 1170 @ 52
[Maurice] Harold Macmillan British PM (1957-63), in 1986 @ 92
Spotted Elk (Heȟáka Glešká or Hupah Glešká) aka Big Foot Sioux Indian chief, dies in 1890 at Wounded Knee Massacre @ 64
§ Historical Events On This Day
1782…1st nautical almanac in US published by Samuel Stearns, Boston
1813…British burn Buffalo New York during the War of 1812
1848…President James Polk turned on the first gas light at the White House.
1851…1st Young Men's Christian Association chapter opened (Boston)
1867…1st telegraph ticker used by a brokerage house, Groesbeck & Company, New York
1913…1st movie serial, "Adventures of Kathlyn" premieres in Chicago IL
1937…Ireland adopts constitution (Irish Free State becomes Eire)
1948…US State Department announces work on placing objects into Earth orbit
1952…1st transistorized hearing aid offered for sale (Elmsford NY)
1967…Star Trek's "The Trouble With Tribbles" 1st airs
1972…Life magazine ceases publication
1975…A terrorist bomb is exploded in the main terminal of New York's LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people.
1982…Bob Marley postage stamp issued in Jamaica
1983…US announces withdrawal from UNESCO
1989…Wayne Gretzky & Martina Navratilova are named athletes of the decade by the Associated Press
1997…Hong Kong begins slaughtering all its chickens to prevent bird flu
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. Lassie's testimony (4,5):
2. stray over there (6,6):
3. make certain that all 52 cards are there (5,4):
4. infrared vision, or what carrots enhance? (5,5):
5. letter bucket (4,4):
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ANSWERS
1. Lassie's testimony (4,5): woof proof
2. stray over there (6,6): wander yonder
3. make certain that all 52 cards are there (5,4): check deck
4. infrared vision, or what carrots enhance? (5,5): night sight
5. letter bucket (4,4): mail pail

Wednesday

02 shopping days remain until Christmas
357 days so far this year…8 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"There is always someone worse off than yourself."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
Have a great Holiday Season. I’m packed and ready to go. Only problem is the snow. But I know I will make it. I’ll be back on the 28th or 29th with more stuff to read.

I saw Invictus today. I’m quite sure I was certainly more moved than many, since I have just returned from there. Mandela is a very powerful human being. What he accomplished in his homeland is unbelievable. The movie, through the metaphor of Rugby, unites a nation. His work is far from done, but he made movement that will be remembered for centruries. Here is the poem, written in 1857 by English Poet Wm Ernest Henley:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.


In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.


It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Tax update. I got to my appointment early, and the tax guy was there. We called CO tax office. He worked his way through the most complicated and slow speaking menu I have ever heard. Finally found the one we needed. Then the recorded voice talked about how state budget cuts had cut the tax office by 75% and wait time would be long. They also said that there would be just dead air. Guess the budget cut even cut out the music. We heard the plea to use the internet for your questions or continue to hold. It took about 15 minutes to get Dave—a real human—to pick up the phone. He had trouble typing in my account, but after three tries, he got it. Then he said that the office is understaffed due to budget cuts and that they are three to four months behind in working on problems like mine. He checked and they did have our letter, but only for 07 and not for 06 or 08. It was one friggin’ letter for all three. He said the that while the office was short staffed, the computer kept on sending out letters with, I guess, no human help. He gave us a 60 day extension before my account was turned over to collections. He said that might not be enough time, but that was all he could do. If I hadn’t heard from them in 60 days I should call back and get another extension. Failure to call, and wait to talk to a human would mean the account would go directly to collections. He also doubted that my case would be resolved in that timeframe since they are short staffed. Sure am glad I am retired and have the time to play the Bureaucratic Games.

Weather? In a Mountain Community? At Christmas time? I-40W closed about 4:30, stranding many headed home to Parks and Williams. Of course there will be snow. Of course travelers will have a difficult time. Of course friends will be called upon for help. Why should 2009 draw to a close with anything else? Last night was not that cold. I think the low was about 25° but my web source says it was 29°. Today was chilly—only made it to 34°. About 10am it was snowing with large flakes while the sun was trying really hard to break through the cloud cover. It snowed on and off most of the rest of the day. It started coming down fairly hard about 4pm. By 6pm we had a good 6” of snow. It continues to come down on and off. Sure hope the plane can make it out tomorrow morning.
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± Quotes from Values.com—HOPE
“The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days.”
~Robert Leighton Preacher, Bishop, Academic
± Unusual Snow Facts…
-The largest piece of ice to fall to earth was an ice block 6 meters (20 ft) across that fell in Scotland on 13 August 1849.
-The largest snowflakes in the world fell across Fort Keogh in Montana (USA) on 28 January 1887. Guinness Record: 15” in diameter.
-Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the only permanent snowcap within sight of the equator.
-A single snowstorm can drop 40 million tons of snow, carrying the energy equivalent to 120 atom bombs.
-The most measured snow produced in a single snowstorm is 4.8 meters (15.75ft) at Mt Shasta Ski Bowl, California (USA) between 13 and 19 February 1959.
± Random Fact
A 41-gun salute is the traditional salute to a royal birth in Great Britain.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 21 December Observances
Festivus—yeah the Seinfeld Holiday from TV
Roots Day: Celebrate Genealogy (Not associated with the TV movie or book)
-Egypt : Victory Day (Suez Crisis—1956 Fr & Br troops withdraw)
-Japan – The Emperor's Birthday – Birthday of Akihito, the current Emperor of Japan (b. 1933)
-Sweden – Birthday of Queen Silvia, an official flag day (b.1943)
-Oaxaca, Mexico – Noche de Rabanos ( Night of the Radishes) where Nativity is represented through artwork with radishes.
-HumanLight : for Secular humanism (American) – observed—“Vision of a Good Future”
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1938…Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West costume catches fire in filming of "Wizard of Oz"; she is severely burned and off the film for over one month
-And in 1944…A six foot Greek statue from 510 B.C. was found in good condition by a farmer who was plowing. It was hidden from German soldiers by putting it in an Athens museum.
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Bob Barker in 1923 TV host (Price is Right)
Ronald Bushy in 1945 rocker (Iron Butterfly-In A Gadda Da Vida)
José Greco in 1918 (Italy) flamenco dancer
Tim Hardin in 1941 singer (If I Were a Carpenter)
Floyd Kalber in 1924 newscaster: NBC-TV News
Susan Lucci in 1949 actress (All My Children)
Harriet Monroe in 1860 poet/editor of Poetry magazine
Samuel Smiles in 1812 Scottish author
     ~Athletics
Paul Hornung in 1935 football: Packers (the Golden Boy)
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Sir Richard Arkwright in 1732 inventor (spinning frame)
Jean-François Champollion in 1790 deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics
Zindzi Mandela in 1960 daughter of Nelson & Winnie Mandela
     ~Science/Religion
Joseph Smith Jr in 1805 founder of Mormonism
§ In Remembrance
Benito Lynch Irish/Argentine writer (Palo Verde), @ 66 in 1951
Charlie Ruggles actor (Ruggles, Aesop-Bullwinkle Show), @ 84 in 1970
James Vance & Raymond Belknap commit suicide, sparking their families to sue rock group Judas Priest for subliminal messages—case dismissed in 1985
Jack Webb actor (Joe Friday-Dragnet), heart attack @ 62 in 1982
§ Historical Events On This Day
1751…France sets plan to tax clergymen
1776…Thomas Paine writes "These are the times that try men's souls"
1779…Benedict Arnold court-martialed for improper conduct
1823…"Visit from St Nicholas" by C Moore published in Troy (New York) Sentinel
1852…1st Chinese theater in US, Celestial John, opens in San Francisco
1867…1st self-made millionairess (Sarah Breedlove-hair straightener)
1888…Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cuts off his left ear
1912…1st "Keystone Kops" film premiers
1912…Aswan Dam I in Nile begins operation
1920…Ireland divided into 2 parts, each with its own parliament
1922…BBC Radio began daily newscasts
1946…University of Tennessee refuses to play Duquesne University, because they may use a black player in their basketball game
1947…Bell Labs demonstrates the world’s first Transistor Radio
1961…Fidel Castro announces Cuba will release 1,113 prisoners from failed 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion for $62 million worth of food & medical supplies
1968…82 members of US intelligence ship 'Pueblo' released by North Korea
1987…Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, serving a life sentence for attempted assassination of President Gerald R Ford escapes from Alderson Prison
1997 … Carlos the Jackal, aka Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, was convicted in France of the murder of two French agents and a Lebanese informant in 1975
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. primitive nutrition (5,4):
2. any which way (6-7):
3. flagging automobile tooter (4,4):
4. followers of “Servant of the Bones” author (5,4):
5. small stain (4,5):
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ANSWERS
1. primitive nutrition (5,4): crude food
2. any which way (6-7): helter-skelter
3. flagging automobile tooter (4,4): worn horn
4. followers of “Servant of the Bones” author (5,4): Anne’s fans (Anne Rice)
5. small stain (4,5): mere smear

Tuesday

03 shopping days remain until Christmas
356 days so far this year…9 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"There`s at least one fool in every married couple."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
Happy Winter Solstice. As great as internet can be, sometimes it just adds to the chaos of the world. Turns out Winter Solstice is one of those times. A week or so ago I learned that Solstice is a precise moment throughout the world. It doesn’t ‘move’ with the time zones. The exact moment of the winter solstice is when the axial tilt of the earth is the farthest from the sun, making for the longest night and shortest day of the year. Well, all the scientists have carefully calculated this moment and published it. In 2009 it takes place at 1747 UTC. We old folks still know UTC as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). We Americans then have to convert that to a 12hr clock which is 5:47pm UTC. Then we have to count time zones to figure out when it happens in our location. I guess many people, including me, have trouble with this. Many web sites said that this year’s winter solstice at 10:47pm in the Mountain Time zone. Others said it would be at 10:47pm in the Eastern Time zone. Bottom line is that the solstice did happen today and it happened at 10:47AM here is Arizona. It’s just simple math. So, the shortest day/longest night happened. Now the sun will bring light to Arizona a few minutes earlier each day and take the light away a few minutes later each day. It has happened for many, many years and hopefully will happen for many more. The only problem with the solstice is that many of us can’t do simple math and may miss it, unless we have friends who can do the simple math. So enjoy!

I turned on my computer this morning to be greeted with a very disturbing weather forecast. Flagstaff will be getting 4”-8” on snow on Tuesday and Wednesday. We sure need the moisture, but I am flying out of Flagstaff at 7AM Wednesday. To get from Flagstaff to Chicago I have to go though Vegas. That will not be a problem. Just getting out of Flag may be the problem. I was thinking ahead when I decided to fly from Flag. If the plane doesn’t take off on time, the airline will do everything it can to get me to Chicago. If I were to drive to Phx, there is a good chance that the interstate will be awful. It is famous for closing for hours when people slide off. If that happened, the airline could care less that I missed the flight. In that case, I would be stuck trying to get another flight along with hundreds or maybe thousands of travelers and I would have no one helping me. So now I will just wait and see what happens, with my fingers crossed.

Today our retirement group got together in Williams for an afternoon of food, conversation, and gift exchange. Cheryl put on quite a feast with a great salad, potato/leek soup, and a very good dessert. We also made Pecan turtles. I don’t which was more fun, making the turtles or eating them. Turns out they are quite easy to make, if you know what you are doing. They are very very tasty. My bottles of South African Wine were a big hit too. I got a back massage thing that dispenses lotion…”a must have for singles” I was told. I tried it out tonight, and I agree. Our dry, cold winters play havoc on my skin and it is hard to get lotion on my back. So now I am set. The homemade mince meat cookies, some homemade fudge, and some more turtles will add joy and probably inches to my holiday fun. She even shared the recipes. A great way to kick Christmas week.

Tomorrow I am going to see Invictus and have lunch with another friend. Life is good. Then Wednesday I’m off to Chicago. Tomorrow will be my last blog until the 28th or 29th.

Last night was quite warm, for us at this time of year. We only dropped to 19°--so much better than single digits. Today was nice at 43° since there was hardly any breeze.
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± Quotes from Values.com—HOPE
“Happiness can be found in even the darkest of times, but only to those who remember to turn on the light.”
~Albus Dumbledoor Harry Potter Character
± Unusual News…
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - New Zealand authorities said a German tourist pleaded guilty to smuggling geckos and skinks in his underwear. Authorities said customs officers stopped Hans Kurt Kubusn, 58, Sunday at Christchurch International Airport and discovered 43 endangered geckos and skinks hidden in a package concealed in his underwear and another was hidden in a rolled sock in his luggage, Radio New Zealand reported Thursday. Investigators said Kubusn was attempting to smuggle the animals, native to New Zealand, back to Germany. Kubusn pleaded guilty in Christchurch District Court to five counts of trading in exploited species and two counts of hunting protected wildlife. He was released on bail and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 25.
± Random Fact
The elephant is the only animal with 4 knees.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 21 December Observances
National Date-Nut Bread Day
International Arbor Day
-Indonesia: Mother’s Day
-México : Day of National Mourning (José Maria Morelos) (1815)
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1958…"Chipmunk Song"—Please Christmas, Don’t Be Late reaches #1
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Abigail Adams in 1744 2nd first lady
Barbara Billingsley in 1922 actress (June-Leave it to Beaver)
Hoagy Carmichael in 1899 pianist/composer
George Eliot in 1819 Victorian novelist
Claudia A "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson in 1912 1st lady
Justin M'Carthy in 1830 Irish politician/novelist (Miss Misanthrope)
Jean-Baptiste Racine in 1639French dramatist (Andromaque)
Gene Rayburn in 1917 TV game show host
Diane Sawyer in 1945 newscaster
Dugald Stewart in 1753 Scottish philosopher
     ~Athletics
Billie Jean King in 1943 tennis pro
Steve (Steven Patrick) Garvey in 1948 baseball (Dodgers)
Connie (Cornelius Alexander) Mack (McGillicudy) in 1862 Hall of Fame baseball executive/manager (Philadelphia A's)
Dr Barbara Moore in 1903 (walked from Edinburgh to London in 1959; SF to NY in 86 days in 1960) Vegetarian & Breatharian
Jamel Williams in 1973 safety (Redskins)
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Mary of Lorraine in 1515 pro-French Regent of Scotland
Rene-Robert Cavelier La Salle in 1643 French explorer (Louisiana)
Charles de Gaulle in 1890 France Politician
Frank Kellogg in 1856 Secretary of State tried to outlaw war (Nobel 1929)
     ~Science/Religion
Wiley Post in 1899 aviation pioneer
§ In Remembrance
George Eliot Victorian novelist (Adam Bede), dies on 61st birthday
Francesca Saveria Cabrini US saint/patron of immigrant, @ 67 buried in Golden, CO
Daito Kokushi Zen founder of Daitokuji, @ 55
Ma Rainey (Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett Rainey) "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer/composer, heart attack @ 53
Darryl F Zanuck film producer (20th Century Fox), @ 77
Samuel Beckett Irish/French writer (Waiting for Godot, Molloy, Nobel 1969), @ 83
Don DeFore actor (George Baxter-Hazel), cardiac arrest @ 76
§ Historical Events On This Day
1731…Dutch people revolt against meat tax
1769…The SHAWNEE capture Daniel Boone.
1783…Washington resigns his military commission as US Army's commander-in-chief
1807…Congress passes Embargo Act, to force peace between Britain & France
1830…The State of Georgia prohibits whites from being on CHEROKEE land without a permit.
1877…"American Bicycling Journal" first published (Boston MA)
1882…1st string of Christmas tree lights created by Thomas Edison
1894…United States Golf Association is formed (New York NY)
1937…Lincoln Tunnel (New York NY) opens to traffic
1943…WEB Du Bois elected 1st black member, National Institute of Arts & Letters
1952…The first Corvette, a production-ready prototype, is completed, it is shipped to New York where it made its public debut at the GM Motorama
1983…Egyptian President Mubarak meets with PLO leader Yasser Arafat
1984…Bernhard Goetz shoots four black youths on a Manhattan subway
1990…Lech Walesa sworn in as Poland's 1st popularly elected president
1999…Movies opening in U.S. theatres: Angela’s Ashes, the drama based on the best-selling autobiography by Irish expatriate Frank McCourt
2001…Richard C. Reid, dubbed by the press as the shoe bomber, and now air travelers still have to remove their shoes. Thanks to Dick.
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)

1. moving with short side-to-side motions due to laughter (6,6)
2. cowhide leash (7,6):
3. (archaic) something outstandingly good is the (4,5):
4. criticism made without careful thought and aimed at an easy target (3-4):
5. crescent-shaped tool made from a malleable silver-white metal (6,6):
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1. moving with short side-to-side motions due to laughter (6,6): giggly wiggly
2. cowhide leash (7,6): leather tether
3. (archaic) something outstandingly good is the (4,5): Bees knees
4. criticism made without careful thought and aimed at an easy target (3-4): pot-shot
5. crescent-shaped tool made from a malleable silver-white metal (6,6): nickel sickle

Monday

04 shopping days remain until Christmas
355 days so far this year…10 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"There`s so much to say but your eyes keep interrupting me."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
Finished…done…weird. I usually don’t finish my holiday shopping until Christmas Eve Day. This year I finished early, at least for me. It sure feels strange. I’ll still wait until the 24th to start wrapping presents for my brother and his wife. Actually, wrapping isn’t the correct term. I have moved to nuttin’ but bags. Small bags, big bags, whatever. Stuff it in, stick some tissue in there, and like magic, it’s done. I never could cut the paper very well, or tear the tape the right length, or get the corners right, or get the ribbon right. I’ve used bags for hard to wrap presents for several years, but this year, it’s all gonna be bags. So much easier.

So the Senate will vote at 1am on Health Care. Then they will join the holiday rush to get back ‘home’. Sure looks like a photo op and press hype rather than a real mandate to change Health Care in our country. Guess that’s what politics has become. I sure hope that 2010 changes that. I won’t be holding my breath, but it sure would be nice to have some real leaders in DC who want to build a better country.

We had a good winter day. We made it up to 48° which is good. I woke up to a very cool 6° this morning, but the temp quickly climbed. There was very little breeze, snow melted even more. Things were nice. My brother did not fare so well in NYC. He woke up to over a foot of snow and sent some great pics of the view from his third story apt. It looked very Christmas-y. We have been debating the decision to go to Chicago on the 23rd. Should we have gone earlier? Well it’s good we didn’t. He would have been stuck in NY for sure. I would have been stuck in a Chicago hotel until they got there. The 23rd is not the best day to travel, but weather should not be our enemy. I’m getting anxious to be there.
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± Quotes from Values.com—HOPE
“Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good.” ~Vaclav Havel (Poet, Playwright, 1st President Of Czech Republic)
± Unusual News
The Shopping Criminal
It was Christmas and the judge was in a merry mood as he
asked the prisoner, "What are you charged with?"
"Doing my Christmas shopping early", replied the defendant.
"That's no offense", said the judge. "How early were you doing this shopping?"
"Before the store opened."
± Random Fact
Sing a song of sixpence dates back to at least the eighteenth century. The four and twenty blackbirds are most likely a reference to a common practice in the sixteenth-century in which large pies were baked then filled with live birds which would escape when the pie was cut.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 21 December Observances
Humbug Day—tired of the holidays?
Look At The Bright Side Day
Massachusetts: Forefathers Day—Landing @ Plymouth Rock (since 1769)
National Flashlight Day
National French Fried Shrimp Day
National Haiku Poetry Day
National Hamburger Day
Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day
Winter Solstice in Northern Hemisphere [10:47p MST]
World Peace Day
-Iran: Yalda—celebrates the birth of Mithra, Persian God of Light (born of Virgin Mother)
- Nepál : Independence Day/Unity Day (1923 from UK)
-Northern Europe: Yule—Pagan Germanic Winter Festival—now secular ╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1985…Bruce Springsteen’s album, “Born in the USA”, passed Michael Jackson’s Thriller to become the second longest-lasting LP in the top 10. It stayed there for 79 weeks. Only The Sound of Music, with Julie Andrews, lasted longer: 109 weeks.
§ Births On This Day 
     ~ The Arts
Phil Donahue in 1935 talk show host
Jane Fonda in 1937 politically active actress
Samuel L Jackson in 1948 actor
Jane Kaczmarek in 1955 TV actress (Malcolm in the Middle)
Ray Romano in 1957 TV actor, comedian
Kiefer Sutherland in 1966 - actor
Paul Winchell in 1922 ventriloquist
Frank Zappa in 1940 composer/musician/satirist
     ~Athletics
Chris Evert in 1954 tennis champion
Josh Gibson in 1911 pro baseball "Negro Babe Ruth" (800+ HR’s)
Walter Hagen in 1892 golf champion
Florence Griffith Joyner in 1959 runner (3 Olympics-gold-1988)
Joe Paterno in 1926 football coach: Penn State
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Benjamin Disraeli in 1804 (Tory) British PM
Joseph Stalin [Dzoegashvili] in 1879 Russian dictator; murdered 11 million
Kurt Waldheim 1918 U.N. Secretary-General
     ~Science/Religion
Thomas Becket in 1117 archbishop of Canterbury
Lewis H Morgan in 1818 US, ethnologist Systems of Consanguinity (blood lines)
Henrietta Szold in 1860 founder Hadassah (Women’s Zionist of America)
§ In Remembrance
F[rancis] Scott [Key] Fitzgerald author (Great Gatsby, Zelda) heart attack @ 44
George S Patton US general car accident @ 60
Margaret E Rey author Curious George series, @ 90
§ Historical Events On This Day
1620…103 Mayflower pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock
1784…John Jay becomes 1st US Secretary of State
1898…Scientists Pierre & Marie Curie discover radium
1913…1st crossword puzzle (with 32 clues) printed in New York World
1929…1st US group hospital insurance plan instituted, Dallas TX
1937…1st feature-length color & sound cartoon premieres (Disney's Snow White)
1944…Horse racing was banned in the United States until after World War II.
1946…Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" premieres
1948…State of Eire (formerly Irish Free State) declares its independence
1959…Tom Landry accepts coaching job with Dallas Cowboys (stays until 1988)
1968…David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash premiere together in California
1976…UN General Assembly passes a resolution declaring 1979-Year of Child
1979…Zimbabwe adopts constitution
1988…Pan Am Flight 103 the third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London's Heathrow International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport was destroyed by a terrorist bomb, and the remains landed in and around the town of Lockerbie, Scotland
1989…Vice-President Quayle sends out 30,000 Xmas cards with word beacon spelled ‘beakon’
1991…Soviet Union formally dissolves 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming Commonwealth of Independent States [Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.]
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)

1. having two problems (6,7):
2. Phys.Ed. type's timepiece (4,5):
3. newspaper review of trial proceedings (5,6):
4. how accurate should we be? (9,8):
5. see a South American country (4,4):
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ANSWERS
1. having two problems (6,7): double trouble
2. Phys.Ed. type's timepiece (4,5): jock clock
3. newspaper review of trial proceedings (5,6): court report
4. how accurate should we be? (9,8): precision decision
5. see a South American country (4,4): view Peru

Sunday

05 shopping days remain until Christmas
354 days so far this year…11 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"To criticize the incompetent is easy; it is more difficult, to criticize the competent."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
I had a lazy day today. My big excursion was to get a haircut before I head to Chicago. I guess I am just preparing my body for a very busy week.

Flag made it to 40° today, but the 28mph wind gusts made it feel a whole lot colder. No storms around here will hamper my travel, but it looks like NYC is in for a storm. Sure hope it doesn’t mess up my brother and his wife’s travel. It looks like we will all be OK for travel and will have a cold and wet Christmas in Chicago. Forecasts don’t show our departure weather, so guess I will just have to wonder for a few more days.
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± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
~Chinese Proverb
± Unusual News…
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. - Police in Tennessee said a horse rider participating in a Christmas parade was arrested when she drunkenly passed out atop the animal. Shelbyville police said they received a report during Saturday night's Christmas parade of an apparently inebriated woman "wearing a red coat who was riding on a white horse" in the parade, but officers could not locate the woman or her mount on the Shelbyville square, the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reported. Investigators said they found Patti Lynn Moore, 46, sleeping on top of her horse outside a North Cannon Boulevard motel about 15 minutes after receiving the report. Moore was arrested and charged with public intoxication. She was released after posting $500 bond.
± Random Fact
Humpty Dumpty was first printed in 1810. At the time, a humpty dumpty was a clumsy person, so the nursery rhyme was meant as a riddle. There is speculation that the nursery rhyme had an underlying meaning – in which Humpty Dumpty represents King Richard III of England and the wall his horse. Others have suggested that it refers to the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey at the hand of King Henry VIII.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 20 December Observances
International Human Solidarity Day
Mudd Day—The Physician who treated John Wilkes Booth
-Taiwan: Bank Holiday
-Macao: Macao Special Administrative Region Establishment Day since 1999.
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§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1928…Mail delivery by dog sled began -- in Lewiston, Maine.
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Robert Colomby in 1944 drummer (Blood Sweat & Tears)
Mohammad Fouad in 1961 Arab singer and actor
Uri Geller in 1946 psychic, clairvoyant, spoon-bender
Maude Gonne in 1865 Irish Freedom Fighter, muse of Wm Butler Yates, feminist, author, actress
John Hillerman in 1932 Emmy Award-winning actor: Magnum P.I
Sidney Hook in 1902 anticommunist pragmatist (Paradoxes of Freedom)
Alan Parsons in 1948 musician/producer/engineer (Alan Parsons Project)
Larry Willis in 1940 rock keyboardist (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
     ~Athletics
Jack Christiansen in 1928 NFL hall of famer (Lions)
Thomas Newberry in 1962 NFL (Steelers)
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Harvey S Firestone in 1868 Industrialist, tires
Nadine Gordimer in 1923 South African anti-apartheid novelist Nobel laureate
Charles Edward Stuart [Bonnie Prince Charlie/Young Pretender] in 1720
Dr Samuel A Mudd in 1833 convicted of giving medical aid to John Wilkes Booth
     ~Science/Religion
David Bohm in 1917 physicist, philosopher, and neuropsychologist
Jaroslav Heyrovský in 1890 Czech chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
§ In Remembrance
Nicolas Antoine French Protestant pastor converted to Judaism, executed for heresy @ 32
Bobby Darin (Walden Robert Cassotto) singer (Mack the Knife), heart failure @ 37
Richard J Daley Chicago mayor @ 74
John Galle Flemish engraver/printer, @ 76
James Hilton English author (Lost Horizon & Goodbye Mr. Chips) cancer @ 54
Dean Rusk US Secretary of State @ 85
Sacagawea Shoshone interpreter for Lewis & Clark, [historical records say @ 24; oral tradition say @ 96)
Carl Sagan scientist (Contact) MDS & pneumonia @ 62
John Steinbeck author (Grapes of Wrath, Nobel 1962) heart failure @ 66
Max Robinson 1st black network (ABC) TV anchor, AIDS @ 49
Artur Rubinstein pianist @ 95

§ Historical Events On This Day
1606…Virginia Company settlers leave London to establish Jamestown VA
1669…1st jury trial in US (Delaware)
1790…1st successful US cotton mill to spin yarn
1803…New Orleans becomes part of the United States [Louisiana Purchase].
1860…South Carolina votes 169-0 for Ordinance of Secession, 1st state to secede
1880…New York's Broadway lit by electricity, becomes known as "Great White Way"
1893…1st state anti-lynching statute approved, in Georgia
1920…Bob Hope becomes an American citizen
1945…Rationing of auto tires ends in US
1950…"Harvey", starring James Stewart, premieres in New York
1957…Elvis Presley receives his draft notice
1963…The Berlin Wall was opened for the first time. It remained open for the holiday season, but closed again on January 6, 1964. 4,000 people crossed over to visit relatives during this period.
1967…"The Graduate", starring Dustin Hoffman & Anne Bancroft, premieres
1974…Ethiopia becomes socialist one-party state
1999…The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same benefits and protections in the State of Vermont as wedded couples of the opposite sex.
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. sleep-count (7,6)
2. he does the dash December- April only (6,8)
3. Fairy queen's taxi (3,3)
4. shrill bark from a young dog (5,4)
5. street map of Spain's capital (6,4)
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ANSWERS
1. sleep-count (7,6) slumber number
2. he does the dash December- April only (6,8) winter sprinter
3. Fairy queen's taxi (3,3) Mab cab
4. shrill bark from a young dog (5,4) whelp yelp
5. street map of Spain's capital (6,4) Madrid grid

Saturday

06 shopping days remain until Christmas
353 days so far this year…12 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"To save one life is better than to build a seven story pagoda." ~Chinese Proverb
***Free Ramblings***
When I moved in three+ years ago, the deadbolt was hard to lock and unlock with a key. It is keyed to the main door lock, and I only lock it when I am gone for more than a day. Yesterday I came home from running some errands and it took about five minutes to get the main lock open. So this morning I called the maintenance man to get it fixed. Another advantage to leasing over owning. I sure don’t want to be locked out in the cold. So the guy shows up with the master key, assuming that I have done something wrong—like bend my key or something. Oddly, at least to him, his master key wouldn’t even go in to either lock without a lot of force. He took the deadbolt, decided that by some unknown force had the key become too big for the locks. So he was going to take the keys to the hardware store and get them filed down. He left. He was back in about thirty minutes. His story is that while he was driving to the hardware store, he remembered that a few years ago, he had a similar problem with a lock at his house. He used a spray graphite to fix the one at his home, so he went to his house, found the can and tried it. Magically it worked on the deadbolt. Then he came back to my place and sprayed the main lock. It now worked well too. He is a good ol’ boy, not the brightest candle on the cake, but enjoyable to watch. I always watch because I figure, if whatever he is fixing needs to be done again and it is not too much work, I will do it myself. Now about his story. I think he went to the hardware store and the guy there grabbed the can, sprayed it and made it work. The Hardware Guy didn’t buy the story that the key had mysteriously become larger. Then my guy bought the can and brought it over to fix my lock. Somehow his story, while plausible, just didn’t fit.

My good friend, Julius, called last night to tell me his mother had passed. Nina was 90, born three days before my own mother, and had been failing for several years. I knew she was in the hospital but on Monday they were talking about a nursing home here in Flagstaff. This has been a tough few months for Mr. T. He lost his biological mother a few months ago. She was 101 when she passed. He was raised by his father’s brother and his wife. His adopted dad passed many years ago, while Julius was still in Jr. High. Nina raised three daughters and Julius, by herself. Two of the kids graduated from college. All the family was able to be in Tuba before she passed. I think her passing is harder on the grandkids than the siblings. To make the situation more difficult, while Julius was at the mortuary, someone broke into his house and stole his stuff. They got his father’s hunting rifle, lots of hunting equipment, and some electronics. Ju and the cops tracked them about a mile and found some of the cases the stuff was in, but as of yet, none of the valuable stuff. Ju’s tracking even impressed the cops. They are going back to the area today, hoping the little bastards will return to the area where they dropped the cases in the bushes. The stuff is probably nearby, but it was dark and the cops and Ju just couldn’t see well enough. I went to all the pawn shops in Flag with pics. No luck yet. He doesn’t have the serial number so while it is easy to identify, without that, it is really hard to get it back, if it is found. Reminder to all: If you have any ‘stealable’ values, be sure you have the serial number someplace. Cops really won’t get excited, nor will pawn shops without it.

One last quick story about Mr. T. He was looking up the place where he had the gun repaired about ten years ago. He was hoping they might have the serial number. He was at school, after the kids left, I’m sure, doing a Google search. Seems the Bureau has blocked all the sites that sell or repair guns. Hmmm. I guess that is a good thing. Headlines of a government worker buying a weapon through the work computer and then going on a rampage might not bring good press.

Flag only dropped to 13° last night and made it to 45° today. Snow melts, streets remain wet. Businesses are still clearing their sidewalks along 89. It is this time of year that I’m glad I don’t have to walk in Flagstaff. Even though there is an ordinance that says your sidewalk has to be cleared soon after a storm, the only way they enforce it is when someone complains. Then, I hear, the property owner gets a warning at least the first time and maybe even the second time. I don’t even see the sidewalks along 89 unless it has snowed. Then I see pedestrians walking in the street. This is very dangerous for them and for traffic, but sometimes the pedestrian has few, if any, other choice. It is really too bad that our city can’t find a better solution.
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± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”
~Mohammed
± Unusual …
-How to Spell Hanukkah: Thankfully, the Old English "Cristes Maesse" settled into "Christmas" over 500 years ago. On the other hand, most people end up in a spelling train wreck when it comes to the Jewish Festival of Lights. The good news is, whether you spell it Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanukkah, Hanuka, or Channuka, you're probably right. Because of the linguistic differences between English and Hebrew, there is no "correct" English language spelling.
-Chanukah can fall anytime between the middle of November and beginning of January. The exact dates are decided according to the Jewish calendar, which is Lunar-based. The eight-day holiday starts on 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
-The term ‘Chanukah’ stands for dedication in Hebrew and recalls the Maccabees' rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, after they won the battle with the Greeks, for control over their holy site.
± Random Fact
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 18 December Observances
Oatmeal Muffin Day
Hawaii: Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's Birthday (1831)—Hawaiian Philantropist, last descendent of Kamehameha Royal Line
-Goa: Liberation day (1987 from India)
-Day for South-South Cooperation—UN Day for South American countries to help each other.
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§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1732…Benjamin Franklin (under the name Richard Saunders) begins publication of "Poor Richard's Almanack"

§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Jennifer Beals in 1963 actress: (Flashdance)
“Little” Jimmy Dickens in 1920 country singer (Grand Ole Opry)
Marianne Faithfull in 1946 (England) singer
Phil Ochs in 1940 anti-war folk singer (Joe Hill)
Tim Reid in 1944 comedian (Venus Flytrap-WKRP)
David Susskind in 1920 TV host
John Taylor in 1753 philosopher (Jeffersonian Democracy)
Cicely Tyson in 1933 actress
~Athletics
Kevin McHale in 1957 Basketball Hall of Famer: Celtics
Jake Plummer in 1974 quarterback (Cardinals)
Reggie White in 1961 football: Packers
~Business, Education, Politics
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev in 1906 President of the USSR
Henry Clay Frick in 1849 built world's largest coke & steel operation
Hermann Hirt in 1865 (Prussia) linguist (Indo-European Grammar)
Jeanne Kirkpatrick in 1926 US ambassador to UN
Hercules Robinson in 1824 (Ireland) South Africa Commissioner
Carter G Woodson in 1875 American historian (black studies)
~Science/Religion
Thomas Andrews in 1813 (Ireland) chemist/physicist (ozone)
John Kirk Barry in 1832 (Scotland) Dr/ explorer with David Livingstone
Sir William Parry in 1790 (England) Arctic
§ In Remembrance~
Alois Alzheimer German neurologist (first described Alzheimer's Disease), Heart Failure @ 51
Raymond Massey actor (Dr Gillespie-Dr Kildaire), @ 87
Marcello Mastroiani actor (8½) @ 72
Antonio Stradivari violin maker, @ 93
Nellie Taylor Ross 1st woman governor (Wyo), @ 101
Norman Thomas founder ACLU @ 84

§ Historical Events on this day
1686…Robinson Crusoe leaves his island after 28 years (as per Defoe)
1776…Thomas Paine published his 1st "American Crisis" essay, in which he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls"
1823…Georgia passes 1st US state birth registration law
1842…US recognizes independence of Hawaii
1843…Charles Dickens publishes "A Christmas Carol" in England
1871…Albert L Jones (New York NY), patents corrugated paper
1903…Williamsburg suspension bridge opens between Brooklyn & Manhattan
1918…Robert Ripley began his "Believe It or Not" column (New York Globe)
1919…American Meteorological Society found
1950…Tibet's Dalai Lama flees Chinese invasion
1971…Stanley Kubrick's X-rated "A Clockwork Orange" premieres
1979…Chrysler receives a $1.5 billion government loan to help put the company back on its feet
1984…UK signs agreement with China to return Hong Kong to China in 1997
1987…Gari Kasparov becomes world chess champion
1998…President Bill Clinton is impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice.
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. nudity justice (8,8)
2. scandalous crime concerning misleading modem measure (4,5)
3. gentle youth (4,5)
4. friendly servant (6,6)
5. public address concerning a fruit (5,6)
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1. nudity justice (8,8), bareness fairness
2. scandalous crime concerning misleading modem measure (4,5), baud fraud
3. gentle youth (4,5) mild child
4. friendly servant (6,6) genial menial
5. public address concerning a fruit (5,6) peach speech

Friday

07 shopping days remain until Christmas

352 days so far this year…13 days remain in 2009

***Provocative Quote***

"To laugh at men of sense is the privilege of fools." ~unknown

***Free Ramblings***

The holidays are approaching very quickly. The dentist put in my new cap, and I scheduled an appointment in January to get another. I also went to the tax man today. Not successful at all. The guy wasn’t there. I waited 45 minutes to see someone about how mad I was. Calls were made, my job is to relax and wait for them to call me back. I got home and filed a complaint regarding this situation. Of course, it took about an hour to find someone who would help me, but I think they know they really dropped the ball. I was told, that if I did owe taxes and/or penalties, HRBlock would pay the whole thing. So while I am tired of their run-arounds, things may work out better than I thought they would. My wait period is “a couple of days”. Great, they will probably call while I’m out of town. So taxes are now again, on the back burner, just simmering a while.

Funny, sad story: In one of my 800 calls I was transferred to a voice mail that said “Thank you for contacting blah, blah….we are not currently accepting calls. Please call back later.” Hmmm. I did get through to the local number today…the one that had a full mailbox for the last week. Today’s message was unbelievable. “Thank you for calling, blah, blah…our offices are closed. To make an appointment, please call 213-0095.” And then the call is ended by the machine. That would be great; except that IS the number I had just called. I don’t think this is what Henry and Richard had in mind when they started their tax business.

There is an interesting debate in the local paper. Last year the east side junction of Hwy 89 and I-40 was redesigned. The result is a huge catch basin just off 89. Locals decided it would be great for kids to use for sledding. The city council considered it. There is no parking in the residential area surrounding the site. There is no parking on the 4 lane highway either. They told the community it couldn’t be a snow sledding area. Then the city put up a fence so they couldn’t be held liable if someone got hurt, to prevent potential traffic accidents, and to ease the concerns of neighbors near this catch basin. Now young kids are writing letters to the paper complaining that it is a perfect spot to sled and the city should open it up. I can see the draw to the place. I blame the engineer who wasn’t able to see its winter potential and do a design that made it accessible or do a design that made it much less tempting. Oh that’s right, I live in a small town that has a hard time seeing beyond today.

Flagstaff dropped to a very cool 8° last night. We made it to 45° by this afternoon. The snow piles continue to melt. While there are clouds in the forecast, no snow is expected. This is good since I have several luncheons next week, and I will fly to the Windy City on Wednesday. Next big issue will be how to get to the local airport. It seems that the airport, which is about five miles from downtown and about 10 miles from my house, has limited parking. The newspaper is saying that the lot is full—not of traveler’s vehicles, but of people who park their for free during our snowy winter. Why they would park there is beyond me, but such is the case.

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± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“When a person is down in the world, an ounce of help is better than a pound of preaching.”
~Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton (Novelist, Playwright, Politician)

± Unusual Newspaper Ads…
-Girl wanted to assist magician in cutting-off-head illusion. Blue Cross and salary.
-For Sale. Three canaries of undermined sex.
-Get rid of aunts: Zap does the job in 24 hours.
-Christmas sale. Handmade gifts for the hard-to-find person.
± Random Fact
Jimmy Hoffa's middle name is/was, appropriately, Riddle.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Gluten-free Baking Week (Dec 12th-18th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 18 December Observances
International Migrants Day: to protect rights of all immigrants
Islamic New Year
National Roast A Suckling Pig Day
New Jersey: Ratification Day (1787)
-Niger: Republic Day (from France since 1958)
-Qatar: National Day (free from Bahrain since 1878)
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§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1912..The so called Piltdown Man thought to be the missing evolutionary link between ape and man is discovered in the Piltdown gravel pit in Sussex, England, by amateur archaeologist Charles Dawson. In 1953, at an international congress of paleontologists, the Piltdown Man was first openly called a fraud, and it has since been confirmed that it was indeed a fraud made up of skull parts from humans and an orangutan.

§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Christina Aguilera in 1980: singer
Tracy Byrd in 1966: country singer
Ossie Davis in 1917: actor/playwright
Betty (Ruth Elizabeth) Grable in 1916: Pinup; actress
Joseph Grimaldi in 1778: clown: ‘greatest clown in history’, ‘king of pantomime’: Joey the Clown
Katie Holmes in 1978: actress, Mrs. Tom Cruise
Leonard Maltin in 1950: movie critic
Brad Pitt in 1963: actor
Keith Richards in 1943: Rolling Stones
Saki (Hector Hugo Munro) in 1870: (Burma) author
Steven Spielberg in 1947: movie director
Kiefer Sutherland in 1966: actor
Casper Van Dien in 1968: actor
~Athletics
Don Beebe in 1964: NFL wide receiver (Packers-Superbowl XXXI)
Ty Cobb in 1886: Baseball batted .367, stole 892 bases (Tigers)
Hubie Green in 1946: PGA golfer
Charles Oakley in 1963: NBA: Bulls, Knicks
~Business, Education, Politics
Willy [Herbert Frahm] Brandt in 1913: German chancellor (Nobel 1971)
Robert Moses in 1888: power broker (built Long Island & NYC parks & roads)
~Science/Religion
Joseph John Thomson in 1856: (England) discovered electron (Nobel 1906)
Charles Wesley in 1707: co-founder of Methodist movement
§ In Remembrance~
John T "Legs" Diamond US gangster, murdered @ 35
Chris Farley comedian (SNL) heart attack/cocaine @ 33
Mark Goodson TV game show producer (Goodson-Toddman) @ 77
§ Historical Events on this day
1777…1st national Thanksgiving Day, commemorating Burgoyne's surrender
1787…New Jersey becomes 3rd state to ratify constitution
1839…1st celestial photograph (the moon) made in US by John Draper
1892…Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "Nutcracker Suite" premieres
1920…1st US postage stamps printed without the words United States or US
1936…Su-Lin, 1st giant panda to come to US from China, arrives in San Francisco
1956…"To Tell the Truth" debuts on CBS-TV
1957…The US first large scale civilian atomic power plant--in Pa.
1960…General Meeting of United Nations condemns Apartheid
1961…The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (Wimoweh for the purists) is a #1 hit single.
1966…Dr Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" airs for 1st time on CBS
1976…"Wonder Woman" debuts on ABC
1980…Vietnam adopts constitution
1985…UN Security Council unanimously condemns "acts of hostage-taking"
1987…Union Carbide Corporation was ordered to pay out $270 million in temporary relief to Indian victims of the 1994 disastrous gas leak which took 2,000 lives.
1996…TV industry executives agree to adopt a ratings system
1996…The Oakland, California school board passes a resolution officially declaring "Ebonics" a language or dialect

1999…Environmental activist Julia "Butterfly" Hill came down after spending two years living in a 180-foot-tall, 600-year-old California Redwood tree nicknamed (LUNA) for 738 days to prevent loggers of the Pacific Lumber Company from cutting it down. She agreed to vacate the tree when the Pacific Lumber Company agreed to preserve Luna and all trees within a 3-acre buffer zone.

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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. bad news, then the good (5,5):
2. spoil an even round at the links (3,3):
3. failure to point your toes after springing? (5,5):
4. percussionist one season per year (6,7)
5. 10 cent couplet (4,5):

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ANSWERS
1. bad news, then the good (5,5): worst first
2. spoil an even round at the links (3,3): mar par
3. failure to point your toes after springing? (5,5): vault fault
4. percussionist one season per year (6,7) summer drummer
5. 10 cent couplet (4,5): dime rhyme