Saturday 3-20

♣ 20 March 2010~~Week 11 of 2010: 79 days this year…286 remain ♣
♣ Two Quotes to think about…Today ♣
We live by admiration, hope and love.
-- William Wordsworth
Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness.
--Sophocles
♣Spring Equinox Special ♣
On March 20, 2010, at precisely 4:32 P.M. AZ time (March 20, 17:32 Universal Time), the Sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox. Translated literally, equinox means "equal night." Because the Sun is positioned above the equator, day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinoxes. These moments occur because of the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth's axis. Because of the tilt, we receive the Sun's rays most directly in the summer. In the winter, when we are tilted away from the Sun, the rays pass through the atmosphere at a greater slant, bringing lower temperatures.

The spring equinox date is significant in Christianity because Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. It is also probably no coincidence that early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox. The first day of spring also marks the beginning of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The celebration lasts 13 days and is rooted in the 3,000-year-old tradition of Zorastrianism.
♣ Free Ramblings ♣
Tonight was our Great Discussions group. We discussed the current and twentieth century Persian Gulf. It is such a complicated issue four really good articles and a three hour discussion only touches the surface of this iceberg. Our discussion was led by a member who lived in the Persian Gulf for several years and works with Persian Gulf students at NAU. This is certainly a very complicated issue that can’t be solved quickly. One issue I hadn’t considered was the Bush campaign in Iraq was at least partially based on the theory that anti-American hatred prevailed throughout most of the Persian Gulf and that the Taliban and Al-Qaida beliefs were permeating the entire area. Many have said that the Saudi’s are our friends. It appears that is not true, but the Saudi’s don’t fight with us because we don’t interfere with their repressive monarchy. Historically, but certainly not morally, we have allowed their kingdom to function. Historically, but certainly not morally, we have decided other countries in the region should move closer to our beliefs and if they don’t, we put sanctions on their people and if that doesn’t work we invade. Our discussions, while heated at times, are so valuable.

Our Flag weather was very unpredictable today. At 6:30, it really looked like we might have another snow storm. Turned out that was not in the cards. It warmed up to about 55° and turned into a nice day. Living in Arizona, one never knows what the weather will be. I know that many say that about their local weather, but here, it is true. LOL
♣Random Fact: ♣
Forest fires move faster uphill than downhill.
♣Side Show Stories—♣
GLASGOW, Scotland - A Scottish charity says it is holding classes on proper sleep habits for teenagers in a bid to boost the students' energy during the school day. Jane Ansell, director of charity Sleep Scotland, said the classes are being offered at Glasgow schools and officials hope the trial run will help develop a program to be offered at schools across the country, The Daily Telegraph reported. Ansell said sleep deprivation has been linked to increased risks of depression and obesity. "You wouldn't send somebody to school without having the right amount of food, so why would you send them without enough sleep?" she said. The charity said the teenagers are being taught to avoid TV late at night and keep to a strict schedule allowing for at least nine hours of sleep per night.
♣ A quick smile ♣
At a wedding ceremony that I was performing, I raised my hand to give the final blessing.
The bride misunderstood my gesture and surprised me with a high-five.
Not wanting to exclude the groom, I offered him a high-five, too.
I was finally able to get my blessing in, amid the laughter of the guests.
♣ Puzzle ♣
Each of these phrases is the anagram of a recent celebrity. Rearrange the letters to identify the celeb.
1 Friendly Jeers
2 Enforce Madly
3 Presbyterians
4 Inane Bronco
♣ Calendar Information ♣
• March’s Month Long Observances •
BIRTHSTONE: aquamarine and bloodstone (courage) FLOWER: Narcissus [daffodil, jonquil] (vanity)
National Cheerleading Safety Month • National Clean Up Your IRS Act Month • National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month • National Craft Month • National Ethics Awareness Month •National Eye Donor Month • National Frozen Food Month • National Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month •National Kidney Month• National Nutrition Month • National Social Work Month • National Umbrella Month • National Women's History Month • Optimism Month • Play The Recorder Month • Poison Prevention Awareness Month • Red Cross Month • Save Your Vision Month • Sing With Your Child Month • Small Press Month •Spiritual Wellness Month • Women's History Month • Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month • Youth Art Month
• Observance Weeks in March•
6-21
•Iditarod Race
14-20
•Campfire USA Birthday Week •National Poison Prevention Week •Nat’l Agriculture Week •Nat’l Animal Poison Prevention Week
14-21
•National Toad Hollow Week
15-21
•Act Happy Week •American Chocolate Week •International Brain Awareness Week •Wellderly Week: To recognize Senior Citizens who don’t act their age
16-22
•National Inhalant and Poisons Awareness Week
19-27
National Bubble (blowers) Week
• 18 March Observances—US/UN/World •
Great American Meat Out Day since 1985
Kiss Your Fiancé Day
National Jump Out! Day: get out your jump rope and exercise
Proposal Day
National Agriculture Day
National Quilting Day
Snowman Burning Day
Vernal Equinox (Spring)
Won't You Be My Neighbor Day
Corn Dog Day
Maple Syrup Day
•18 March Observances—by country •
Canada: Festival Of Extraterrestrial Abductions Day
Iran : Oil Nationalization Day since 1951
Tunisia : Independence Day (1956 from France)
International Day of the Francophonie: to recognize the French language and culture around the world
International Astrology Day
Japan: Shunbun no Hi: national holiday in to welcome spring
World Storytelling Day, a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling.
♣ Number One Songs in…
1951►If - Perry Como
1959►Venus - Frankie Avalon
1967►Penny Lane - The Beatles
1975►Black Water - The Doobie Brothers
1983►Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1852►Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" published (Boston) 
• Born on this day •
…The Arts
Authors, Artists and Composers
Eugen Herrigel, 1885, (Germany) philosopher/early pioneer of Zen in Europe
Spike Lee, 53, director, producer, writer, actor
Carl Reiner, 88, actor (“The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Your Show of Shows”), writer, director
Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV
Jack Barry, 1918, game show emcee (Joker's Wild)
Holly Hunter, 52, actress
William Hurt, 60, actor (The Accidental Tourist, Broadcast News)
Werner Klemperer, 1920, (Cologne Germany) actor (Colonel Klink-Hogan's Heroes)
Hal (Harold Lipshitz) Linden, 79, actor (“Barney Miller”)
Ozzie (Oswald George) Nelson,1906, bandleader, actor
Sir Michael Redgrave, 1908, (Bristol England), actor
…Athletes
Robert Gordon (Bobby) Orr, 62, Hall of Fame hockey player
Patrick James (Pat) Riley, 65, basketball coach and former player
…Business, Education
Ned Buntline ( Edward Zane Carroll Judson), 1823, American publisher of dime novels
…Politics
John D Erlichman, 1925, Politician (Watergate conspirator)
Brian Mulroney, 71, Canadian statesman and 18th prime minister of Canada
…Science/Religion
Mr [Fred McFeely] Rogers, 1928, minister, children's television host (Mr Roger's Neighborhood)
B.F. (Burrhus Frederic) Skinner, 1904, psychologist: behaviorism
•Today’s Obits •
Sir Issac Newton, 1727, English physicist/astronomer, @ 84
Lajos Kossuth, 1894, Hungarian freedom fighter/president (1849) @ 91
Giuseppe [Joe] Zangara, 1933, electrocuted for assassination attempt on FDR @ 33
Dr Andrew E Douglass, 1962, Dendrochronologer (Study of Tree Rings) @ 96
Sidney Kingsley, 1995, US playwright (Pulitzer prize 1934), @ 88
•What Happened on this Day •
…The Arts
1852►Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" published (Boston)
1935►"Your Hit Parade" made its debut on radio
…Athletics
--
…Business, Education.
1602►United Dutch East Indian Company (VOC) forms
1886►1st AC power plant in US begins commercial operation, Massachusetts
1891►The first computing scale company was incorporated in Dayton, OH
1954►1st newspaper vending machine used (Columbia Pennsylvania)
…Politics
1864►800 NAVAJOs, mostly women, children and old men, begin the 300 mile march to Fort Sumner and the Bosque Redondo Reservation, in east-central New Mexico. The group would pick up 146 additional NAVAJOs during the march. A powerful snow storm strikes the ill-equipped marchers during the trip. By the time they reach the new reservation, 110 NAVAJOs will have perished.
1942►General MacArthur vows, "I shall return"
…Science/Religion
1987►The Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of ( azidothymidine ) AZT, a drug shown to prolong the lives of some AIDS patients.
♣ANSWERS to puzzle ♣
1 Jerry Seinfeld: Friendly Jeers
2. Corey Feldman: Enforce Madly
3. Britney Spears: Presbyterians
4. Conan O'Brien: Inane Bronco
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