Saturday

332 days so far this year…33 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"A good man gone wrong is usually a bad man found out." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
Black Friday. I didn’t help out merchants today. I drove by a couple of stores but the parking lots were full and I didn’t really have to buy anything today. Just didn’t want to deal with the crowds. While yesterday’s paper was huge—filled with ads—there was nothing on sale today that I wanted, needed, or was worth the hassle.

It was a lazy day for me today. No real reason to be lazy, but enjoyable none the less. I caught up on some shows I had missed during my trip. I mopped a couple of floors. I fed the birds again but there just aren’t as many a month ago. Oh, right, they have migrated to warmer areas.
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± Good New from Values.com
Lan Yin "Eiko" Tsai, attired in a classy dress and pumps, is a standout among the spandex-clad crowd at New Jersey's City to Shore, a 150-mile bike ride that benefits multiple sclerosis research. Appearances, however, can be deceiving. The spry, petite 84-year old has been biking the event for the past 26 years, and this is her normal riding uniform.
Riding a vintage one-speed purple bicycle outfitted with a wire basket on the front that holds her possessions, Tsai certainly makes a memorable splash. But it is her spirit of volunteerism and determination, spanning over two decades, that makes her a venerable symbol of the event.
It all started when Tsai began to work in a hospital many years ago. A native of Taiwan, she was trained in Japan in the art of shiatsu massage. So while working at the hospital, "I started to put my hands where they hurt," she says. Tsai began regularly giving massages to cancer patients, until one day, about 26 years ago, she massaged a patient with MS. It was then and there that she first heard about the bike ride and decided to participate. Huffington Post

± Unusual News
HOW NOT TO WRITE A RESUME. These excerpts were compiled from actual resumes and have appeared in magazines and numerous online publications.
-"Was met with a string of broken promises and lies, as well as cockroaches."
-"Please call me after 5:30 because I am self-employed and my employer does not know I am looking for another job."
-"I was proud to win the Gregg Typting Award."
-"Physical disabilities include minor allergies to house cats and Mongolian sheep."
-"Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain operation."
-"They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn't work under those conditions."
-"I was working for my mom until she decided to move."
-"Work Experience: Dealing with customer conflicts that arouse."

± Random Fact
The official name of Rhode Island is “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”
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§ November Month Long Observances
Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month ~ American Diabetes Month ~ American Indian Heritage Month ~ Lung Cancer Awareness Month ~ Military Family Appreciation Month ~ National Adoption Month ~ National Homeless Youth Awareness Month ~ National Inspirational Role Models Month ~ National Novel Writing Month ~ Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month ~ Transgender Awareness Month ~ Vegan Month

§ Week of 24 November
Church / State Separation Week

§ 26 NOV Observances
Internat’l Aura Awareness Day
Eid al-Adha—Shiite Muslim Day honoring of Abraham and the sacrifice of his son.

-Albania : Independence Day from Turkey (1912)
-Mauritius : Independence Day from France (1960)
-UAE : Accession of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi
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~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1895 America's 1st auto race starts; 6 cars, 55 miles, winner averages 7 MPH. The race took almost 8 hours.

BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Henry Bacon in 1866 architect (Lincoln Memorial)
William Blake in 1757 English poet/painter (Songs of Innocence & Experience)
Berry Gordy Jr in 1929 record company owner (Motown)
R.B. Greaves in 1945 singer: Take a Letter Maria
Judd Nelson in 1959 actor
Paul Shaffer in 1949 orchestra leader (SNL, David Letterman)
Anna Nicole Smith in 1967 model. Playmate, Tabloid regular
Jon Stewart in 1962 Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor

~Athletics
Paul Warfield in 1942 NFL/WFL wide receiver (Cleveland, Miami, Memphis)

~Business / Education / Politics
Friedrich Engels in 1820 social philosopher; Marx's collaborator
Gary Hart (Gary Warren Hartpence) in 1936 U.S. Senator-CO; U.S. presidential candidate [1984]

~Science / Religion
John Bunyan England in 1628 cleric/author (Pilgrim's Progress)

In Remembrance~
Dwight Davis donator of the Davis cup, @ 66
Washington Irving American writer @ 76
Garry Moore American entertainer @ 78
James A Naismith creator of basketball @ 78
Rosalind Russell actress @ 69

Historical Events on this day
1520…Ferdinand Magellan begins crossing Pacific Ocean

1929…Adm Richard E Byrd makes 1st South Pole flight
1932…Groucho Marx performed on radio for the first time.
1942…Coffee rationing began in the United States, lasting through the end of World War II.
1943…FDR, Churchill & Stalin met at Tehran to map out strategy
1948…"Hopalong Cassidy" premiers on TV
1981…Alabama football coach Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant won his 315th victory to become college football’s all-time career victory leader.
1988…Picasso's "Acrobat & Harlequin" sells for $38.46 million
1995…President Clinton ends federal 55 mph speed limit that began in 1974

2001…Enron Corp. collapses--once the world's largest energy trader employing over 20,000 employees share price has now dropped below one dollar from a high of $90.00 per share
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§ Green Space
Complete the following expressions featuring the color green.
1. pale or sickly:
2. permission to proceed:
3. jealous:
4. member of the U.S. Army Special Services:
5. document allowing aliens to work legally in the U.S.:
6. they sing "Time of Your Life":
7. they launched a line of frozen foods in 1961:
8. 1996 serial novel by Stephen King:
9. great gardeners have one I'm told:
10. Lombardi's NFL team:
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ANSWERS
1. pale or sickly: green around the gills
2. permission to proceed: green light
3. jealous: green with envy
4. member of the U.S. Army Special Services: Green Beret
5. document allowing aliens to work legally in the U.S.: green card
6. they sing "Time of Your Life": Green Day
7. they launched a line of frozen foods in 1961: Green Giant
8. 1996 serial novel by Stephen King: The Green Mile
9. great gardeners have one I'm told: green thumb
10. Lombardi's NFL team: Green Bay Packers