Thursday

11 February 2010--Week 6 of 2010: 40 days this year…323 remain
» Quote Times Two «
"Nobody can be as agreeable as an uninvited guest."~Frank McKinney ‘Kin’ Hubbard, (1860-1930)-American humorist, cartoonist
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” ~Emily Brontë, (1818-1848); Novelist, Poet
» Free Ramblings «
SSDD: Same snow, different day. Not a lot was sticking, but it snowed on and off all day. Boring. High was 35° and the low was 25° with a slight wind. Very boring.
I just don’t get health insurance. You pay when you are well, you pay when you are sick. Near the end of last year, when I thought I had reached my deductible, I had a basal cell removed from my nose. In December I got a bill from the doctor for $400. I figured the insurance hadn’t been processed. Today I got another bill, for the same $400. I can’t believe my insurance didn’t cover more of the bill. The total bill was like $1500. I guess I should be happy they paid much of the bill, but I really expected them to pay more. A few years ago, I’m sure they would have. The more I read about health care issues, the madder I get. The insurance lobby realizes that change might happen. So they have been busy raising premiums—much faster than inflation, they have rewritten what they cover. They have increased deductibles and co-pays. They have no idea what will eventually happen with Health Care legislation, but they are going to be ready. No matter what happens, they have already put a good cushion for the worst case scenario. If something less that that happens, they will either make more profit, or they will eventually lower some premiums or deductibles. My guess is they will just hope we are all too dumb to do anything and they will continue to make big profits. Thank you to all those short sighted idiots who have blocked necessary changes. It will be hitting your pocketbook, just like mine.
»* Winter Olympics* «
The Vancouver Olympics open on Feb 12.
Did you know…
There are 16 categories at this Olympics:
5. Snowboarding: The first official snowboard competition was held in Colorado in 1981. Two snowboard events were introduced at the Nagano 1998 Winter Games — half pipe and individual giant slalom. Parallel giant slalom replaced individual giant slalom at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games and snowboard cross was introduced in 2006, at the Torino Olympic Winter Games. 2010 will have 3 Men’s and 3 Women’s events.
There are 190 athletes participating—US has 18 (aged 17-37 yrs old); Great Britain has 4 (aged 21-35); Ireland has 0; and South Africa has 0.
»Side Show Stories—«
Colorado Springs, CO: A Colorado man used his children to run interference with the police for him while he passed out drunk.
Colorado Springs Police said Joshua Algers, 28, was found passed out drunk in a McDonald's play area, because that's where people go in Colorado Springs to sleep off a hang over, and officers placed him under arrest upon learning there was a warrant out for his arrest.
Algers became aggressive when police called the mother of his children to come pick them up, and then instructed the kids to "bite the officers' faces off."
»Random Fact: Valentines Day«
Conversation hearts were invented in the 1860s by the brother of NECCO's founder. These first hearts had printed paper notes tucked inside. The lengthy, old-fashioned sayings included such wistful thoughts as "Please send a lock of your hair by return mail."
» Puzzle «
In each of these puzzles, there are two double blanks. Fill in the blanks with the same pair of letters to complete an English word. For example, use the letter-pair ac in b_ _ckp_ _k to make the word backpack.
1 c _ _ kb _ _ k
2 a _ _ mo _ _
3 _ _ at _ _
» Calendar Information «
☼ February’s Month Long Observances ☼
Birthstone: Amethyst …Flower: Violet and Primrose
Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month^AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month^American Heart Month^Bake for Family Fun Month^Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month^Grapefruit Month^International Boost Self-Esteem Month^International Expect Success Month^Jobs in Golf Month^Library Lovers Month^Marijuana Awareness Month^National African American History Month^National Bird Feeding Month^National Black History Month^National Care About Your Indoor Air Month^National Cherry Month^National Condom Month^National Children's Dental Health Month^National Laugh-Friendly Month^National Mend A Broken Heart Month^National Parent Leadership Month^National Pet Dental Health Month^National Senior Independence Month^National Time Management Month^Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month^Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month^Relationship Wellness Month^Responsible Pet Owner's Month^Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month^Spiritual Teachers Month^Spunky Old Broads Month^ Sweet Potato Month^Wise Health Care Consumer Month^ Youth Leadership Month^
☼ Observance Weeks in February ☼
Dump Your Significant Jerk Week: 6-12—It takes a full week?
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week: 7-14
International Coaching Week: 7-13
Jell-O Week: 7-13
Just Say No to Powerpoints Week: 7-13
Publicity for Profit Week: 7-13
Rejection Risk Awareness Week: 7-14—for those who get rejected by someone
Freelance Writers Appreciation Week: 8-13
Love Makes the World Go Round; But, Laughter Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy Week: 8-14
World Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week: 8-14
International Flirting Week: 8-14
Celebration of Love Week: 10-16
Children of Alcoholics Week: 10-16
☼ 11 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼
White Tee-Shirt Day: Originally White Shirt Day: to honor UAW workers who ended their sit-down in Flint, MI in 1937
Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day: A day to be more optimistic
Be Electrific Day: celebrating Tom Edison
Pro Sports Wives Day
National Shut-in Visitation Day
National Inventors Day
Satisfied Staying Single Day
Florida : Gasparilla Carnival-remembrance of pirates
Ft Myers FL : Pageant of Light (1884)
☼11 February Observances—by country ☼
Cameroon : Youth Day
Japan : Foundation Day (660 BC)-accession of Emperor Jimmu, their first
Liberia : Armed Forces Day
Mauritius : Chinese Spring Festival
☼ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1970…Variety reported this day that Walt Disney had secretly taken its Song of the South movieout of circulation back in 1958. Originally released in 1946, the live-action/animated flick featuring Brer Fox, Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, Uncle Remus and kids, Johnny and Ginny, won an Academy Award (1947) for the song, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. James Baskett won an Oscar for his Uncle Remus role.Variety said Song of the South was pulled because of ...racist attitudes reflected in the Negro roles in the film.
☼ Born on this day ☼
     » The Arts
Authors, Artists and Composers
Mary Quant, 76, fashion designer (Mod Look)
Sidney Sheldon, in 1917, author: Bloodline, The Doomsday Conspiracy, The Other Side of Midnight
Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV
Jennifer Aniston, 41, actress (“Friends,” The Good Girl)
Brandy Norwood, 31, singer, actress (“Cinderella,” “Moesha”)
Sheryl Crow, 48, singer, musician
Eva Gabor, in 1921, (Hungary), actress (Lisa-Green Acres)
Taylor Lautner, 18, actor (Twilight)
Tina Louise, 76, actress (“Gilligan’s Island)
Sergio Mendes, 69, (Brazil), musician, bandleader
John Mills, in 1889, dancer (Mills Brothers)
Leslie Nielsen, 88, actor (Naked Gun films, Airplane!, “Peyton Place”)
Robert George Bobby "Boris" Pickett, in 1940, rocker (Monster Mash)
Burt Reynolds, 74, actor (Hooper, Deliverance, Cannonball Run, “Evening Shade”)
     »Athletes
Max Baer [The Livermore Larruper], in 1909, heavyweight boxing champion (1934-35)/actor
Mary Docter, 49, 3000 meter speed skater (Olympics-1980, 84, 88, 92)
     »Business, Education, Politics
Lloyd Bentsen, in1921, politician (1988 Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee)
General Manuel Antonio Noriega, 76, Panamanian General/dictator
Sarah Palin, 46, 2008 candidate for vice president, former governor of Alaska (R)
     »Science/Religion
Thomas Alva Edison, in 1847, inventor (held 1200 patents)
Auguste Édouard Mariette, in 1821, French Egyptologist, (dug out Sphinx 12/16/42)
William Henry Fox Talbot , in 1800, photographic pioneer
☼Today’s Obits ☼
Lee J Cobb, in 1976, actor (12 Angry Men, On the Waterfront), @ 64
William Conrad, in 1994, actor (Cannon), heart attack @ 73
René Descartes, in 1650, philosopher "I think therefore I am", pneumonia @ 54
Al Dubin, in 1945, Swiss songwriter (Tiptoe Thru The Tulips), barbiturate poisoning @ 53
Lady Jane Grey, in 1554, deposed Queen of England, beheaded after 9 day rule @ 17
Patrice Lumumba, in 1961, 1st premier Congo, murdered @ 34
Don Porter, in 1997, actor (Gidget), @ 84
☼What happened on this day? ☼
     » The Arts
1941…1st Gold record presented (Glenn Miller-Chattanooga Choo Choo)
1942…"Archie" comic book debuts
     »Athletics
1928…2nd Winter Olympics games opens in St Moritz, Switzerland
1970…John Lennon pays £1,344 fines for 96 protesting the South African rugby team playing in Scotland
     »Business, Education, Politics
1573…1st European, Francis Drake sees the Pacific (from Panamá)
1766…Stamp Act declared unconstitutional in Virginia
1794…1st session of US Senate open to the public
1852…1st British public female toilet opens (Bedford Street London)
1878…1st weekly Weather report published in UK
1953…President Eisenhower refuses clemency appeal for Rosenberg couple
1963…CIA Domestic Operations Division created
1970…Japan becomes 4th nation to put a satellite (Osumi) in orbit
1975…The British Conservative Party has chosen it's first women leader, Margaret Thatcher
1979…Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took control of Iran
1990…Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years.
2006…Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a Harry Whittington
     »Science/Religion
1752…Pennsylvania Hospital, the 1st hospital in the US, opened with Ben Franklin’s help
1790…Society of Friends petitions Congress for abolition of slavery
1809…Robert Fulton patents the steamboat
1858 1st apparition of Mary to 14-year-old Bernadette of Lourdes France
1916…Emma Goldman arrested for lecturing on birth control
1929…Vatican City (world's smallest country) made an enclave of Rome
» Number One Songs in…
1946…Let It Snow - Vaughn Monroe
1954…Make Love to Me - Jo Stafford
1962…Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starliters
1970…Venus - The Shocking Blue
1978…Stayin’ Alive - Bee Gees
1986…That’s What Friends are For - Dionne & Friends
» ANSWERS to puzzle «
1 cookbook
2 anemone
3 orator