3-31-11 Thursday


TODAY’s HOLY MACKEREL: 1992 UN Security Council voted to ban flights & arms sales to Libya 
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MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

AZ is back in National news in a bad way. Turns out the Fiesta Bowl Committee has been doing lots of questionable activities. This could have them lose their standing in Bowl Games by the BCS rules. The Fiesta Bowl has tax exempt status which comes with rules. As a BCS member there are also rules. Follow the rules and millions of $$$ come to the area in year after year. Every 4 years the area gets about 4x’s the amount of money when they hold the National Championship. To be fair, all three bowl committees in the US have problems—Fiesta just seems to be the worst offender. Lots of firings today and lots of scrambling in Tempe. The report is almost 300 pages, so it will take some time to figure out how bad it is. The report is covering 2000-2010. The CEO has admitted giving tickets and trips to elected representatives in AZ so they can learn about the ‘college football championship culture’. Mr. Russell Pearce, the legislative leader in SB1070, is a major recipient of the ‘perks’ from the Fiesta Bowl Committee. One can’t be a non-profit and give ‘perks’ to legislators. If the BSC decides that the Fiesta Bowl will no longer be in the mix, there are plenty of cities in-waiting. Of course this will really hurt the state tourist industry, the businesses that serve the thousands of tourists who come to Tempe for the Bowl game, and anyone connected to the Bowl. For years the Bowl struggled with games at ASU stadium, New Year’s Eve games, and only a local parade. Then they made the big time. Now all that money and work is in the hands of others. Whether a sports fan or not, this will have a huge effect on Arizona’s economy and thus every citizen’s well-being in one way or another.
Friday, April 1st, will be my tax day. I will take everything in and get it back a few days later. I figure that is a appropriate day to begin the paperwork.
I have found that my humidifier does assist in my sleep and does make my bedroom more comfortable. The problem is the noise while it is running. I have looked around and still haven’t found one that is really quiet without spending several hundred dollars. I’m trying something new tonight…I turned on the humidifier about 5pm.  I will let it run on high until I got to bed about 11pm. I’ll see if that raises the humidity enough and yet lets me sleep undisturbed by the noise. It’s worth a try. They say that it is humid enough when the windows begin to get wet. That still hasn’t happened, so I guess this area is really dry.
Sea World returned a whale to it’s ‘show’ today, only 14 months after the whale killed a trainer. Stupid.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT…

~Grapes are loaded with skin-firming alpha hydroxy acids, just like many wrinkle cream! Mash up 3 green grapes and dab the juice on your skin, concentrating on areas around your eyes, mouth and forehead. Leave it on for 5 minutes, then rinse.
~To quickly clean a bathroom floor without having to mop or sweep, use a lint roller to pick up hair and other small debris. You'll be able to lift hard-to-see dirt particles in a confined area more easily than with a broom or vacuum.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…

In 1995, Professor Jonathan Reese discovered that mutations of the gene MC1R on chromosome 16 were responsible for red hair (known as the “ginger gene”). The gene mutation responsible for red hair in humans probably arose 20,000-40,000 years ago.
***
Red hair is a recessive trait, which means that a child must inherit one red hair gene from each parent. Recessive traits often come in pairs, and redheads are more likely than other people to be left handed.
***
According to legend, the first redhead was Prince Idon of Mu who, upon discovering Atlantis, was imprinted with the island’s stunning red sunset and leaves in the form of red hair and freckles so future generations would be reminded of Atlantis’ first sunset.
PUZZLE:   Trivia Quiz […answers at bottom…]
1. 'We've Only Just Begun' was background music advertising what?
2. Who wrote the opera 'Madam Butterfly'?
3. The song 'You'll Never Walk Alone' came from which 1945 musical show?
4. John Henry Deutchendorf is better known as who?
5. Syd Barett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason are members of what group?
6. The Detours changed their name to The High Numbers and then to what?
7. What profession did Handel originally study?
8. The Shadows' first record went straight to number 1. What was it?
9. Who sold the most albums in a single day?
10. What Rolling Stone album cover had a zipper on the side?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM:

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — People might have thought they were part of a recipe when a northern New Jersey bakery blew its top and shot a cloud of flour over cars and buildings.
Acting Englewood Fire Chief Gerald Marion says a pipe became loose at the top of the La Esperanza Bakery silo as flour was being pumped into the building on Tuesday.
Some people thought there was an explosion as flour filled the air and coated several adjacent buildings.
A spokesman for the bakery told The Record newspaper it lost probably less than 10 bags of flour from the 20,000 pounds that were being delivered.
The pipe has been resealed.

A LITTLE LAUGH:

Trying to do my share for the environment, I set up a trash basket at my church and posted above it this suggestion: "Empty water bottles here."
I should have been a little more specific, because when I went to check it later, I didn't find any bottles in it. But it was full of water.

Top 10 Pixar Movies:

10. Wall-E (2008)
9. A Bug’s Life (1998)
8. Cars (2006)
7. Monsters Inc (2001)
6. Ratatouille (2007)
5. The Incredibles (2004)
4. Toy Story (1995)
3. Shark Tale (2004)
2. Finding Nemo (2003)
1. Up (2009)

CLOSEUP PICTURE: Can you identify this close up picture?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’:

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Click on Song Title to see and hear it.
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DAYBOOK INFORMATION

THIS WEEK
--
TODAY IS
Bunsen Burner Day
National Clams On The Half Shell Day
National "She's Funny That Way" Day
Mule Day
- - -
Malta: Republic Day/National Day (1974) 
US: CA, TX, AZ, CO, MI, NM, UT, and W: César Chávez Day 
…AUTHORS/COMPOSERS/ARTISTS
1596 René Descartes French philosopher (he thought, therefore he was) 
1809 Edward Fitzgerald author: translated Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat
1732 Franz Joseph Haydn Austrian composer, helped develop classical style 
…ATHLETES
Pavel Bure, 40, former hockey player
Gordon (Gordie) Howe, 83, Hall of Fame hockey player
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1927 Cesar Chavez labor leader: started the National Farm Workers Association, organizing migrant farm workers
1929 Liz Claiborne fashion designer
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS)
Herb Alpert, 76, musician (Tijuana Brass)
Richard Chamberlain, 76, actor (“Dr. Kildare,” Shogun)
William Daniels, 84, actor (Emmy for “St. Elsewhere”; “Boy Meets World”)
1928 Lefty (William Orville) Frizzell
Country Music Hall of Famer
Al Gore, 63, 45th VP (1993–2001), environmental activist, author, documentary filmmaker
John Jakes, 79, author (North and South, the Kent Family Chronicles)
James Earl (Jimmy) Johnson, 73, Hall of Fame football player
Shirley Jones, 77, actress (Oscar for Elmer Gantry; “The Partridge Family”) Gabe Kaplan, 65, actor (“Welcome Back, Kotter”)
1922 Richard (Paul) Kiley Emmy Award-winning actor: The Thorn Birds [1983]
Edward Francis (Ed) Marinaro, 61, actor (“Hill Street Blues,” “Sisters”)
Rhea Perlman, 63, actress (“Cheers,” Carpool)
Christopher Walken, 68, actor (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, The Deer Hunter)
…POLITICIANS
David Steel, 73, Scottish politician
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
1965 Jean-Christophe Lafaille, French mountaineer
Today’s Obits:
1631 John Donne Metaphysical poet, stomach cancer (?) @ 59
1995 Selena [Quintanilla Perez] Mexican Grammy winning singer, killed by  fan @ 24 
1913 John Pierpont Morgan US banker/CEO (US Steel Corp), @ 75 
1931 Knute Rockne football player/coach, plane crash @ 43
Today’s Events:
…ARTS
1945 Tennessee Williams' "Glass Menagerie" premieres in New York NY
1982 Rock group Doobie Brothers split up 
1988 Pulitzer prize awarded to Toni Morrison for "Beloved" 
1990 "Carol & Company" starring Carol Burnett premieres on NBC-TV 
…ATHLETICS
1909 Baseball rules players who jump contracts are suspended for 5 years 
1995 1st game at Coors Stadium Denver(replacement Rockies 4 Yankees 1) 
1997 59th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Arizona beats Kentucky 84-79 (OT) 
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1880 1st town completely illuminated by electric lighting (Wabash IN) 
1918 Daylight saving time went into effect throughout the United States for the first time.
1923 1st dance marathon-NYC-Alma Cummings sets record of 27 hours 
1932 Ford publicly unveils its V-8 engine 
…INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1877 Parts of the White Mountain - San Carlos Reservation in Arizona will be restored to public domain.
…POLITICS (International)
1889 300 meter Eiffel Tower officially opens (commemorates French Revolution) 
1959 Dalai Lama fled China & was granted political asylum in India 
1971 South Africa national debt hits 5.45 billion 
1996 Radio Canada International's final shortwave broadcast 
…POLITICS (US)
1850 US population hits 23,191,876 (Black population: 3,638,808 (15.7%))
1868 Chinese Embassy arrives aboard steamship China 
1948 Congress passes Marshall Aid Act to rehabilitate war-torn Europe 
1953 Department of Health, Education & Welfare established 
1954 US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs CO, established 
1980 President Jimmy Carter deregulates banking industry 
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
1651 Great earthquake at Cuzco Peru 
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ANSWERS:

Quiz
1. 'We've Only Just Begun' was background music advertising what?
Bank
2. Who wrote the opera 'Madam Butterfly'?
Puccini
3. The song 'You'll Never Walk Alone' came from which 1945 musical show?
Carousel
4. John Henry Deutchendorf is better known as who?
John Denver
5. Syd Barett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason are members of what group?
Pink Floyd
6. The Detours changed their name to The High Numbers and then to what?
The Who
7. What profession did Handel originally study?
The Law
8. The Shadows' first record went straight to number 1. What was it?
Apache
9. Who sold the most albums in a single day?
Elvis, 20 million sold the day after he died.
10. What Rolling Stone album cover had a zipper on the side?
Sticky Fingers 
Close Up Picture
Fire Station Sign
________AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW________

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Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.