12-14-11


FYI: Blue text is a link… click on any blue text for more information!  13

Todays Geez
  • 1542 - Princess Mary Stuart becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland
  • 1656 - Artificial pearls 1st manufactured by M Jacquin in Paris made of gypsum pellets covered with fish scales
  • 1849 - 1st chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert (Boston)
  • 1901 - 1st table tennis tournament is held (London Royal Aquarium)
  • 1915 - Jack Johnson is 1st black world heavyweight boxing champion
  • 1927 - Iraq gains independence from Britain, but British troops remain
  • 1944 - Congress establishes rank of General of Army (5-star General)
  • 1947 - The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is founded in Daytona Beach
  • 1977 - "Saturday Night Fever,"starring John Travolta, premieres in NYC
  • 1984 - Sportscaster Howard Cosell retires from Monday Night Football 


♪♪ Happy Birthday To:♪♪                        
 
Free Rambling Thoughts   
I’ve got about a foot of snow outside, and it’s still coming down. Thought it was over when the sun broke through and then a totally blue sky. But alas, within 30 minutes it was overcast and snowing again. I decided it was time to really clean my kitchen and bathroom floors. I broke out the floor stripper, and let it do its thing. Then, cleaned all that wax off, steam mopped the floors and put two coats of wax on each floor. Bright an’ shiny for a little while anyway.  

Cheryl called this morning and Williams has more snow than we do. She decided to reschedule our lunch on Thursday until the roads are better. That was fine with me as I-40 is never any fun with snow….too many big rigs and people who don’t know how to drive. There are always lots of slide offs, jackknifing, and some rollovers on that road if it is icy. Since she would be doing a lot of cooking ahead of time, it was a smart move.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (answers at the end of post)
Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase with AT in the middle. The letter A ends the first word of the phrase, and the letter T begins the second word. For the clue, "trying out of something while changes are still being made," the answer would be "beta test."
1.     Area in the western Atlantic where ships disappear:
2.     Area sxplored by Lewis and Clark
3.     Sausage, pepperoni, anchovies:
4.     In school it might carry food for a lunch:
5.     Very thinly sliced piece of bread named after an opera singer:
6.     Atlanta school for engineers:
7.     American league team that played at the HH Humphrey Metrodome:
8.     Teenage mutants from comics and movies:
9.     On clocks its four hours behind NY and Washington DC:
10.  Female country singer with the #1 album ‘Come On Over”:
11.  Best actress winner for My Cousin Vinny:
12.  For Howard’s End:
13.  Inventor who specialized in electromagnetism:
14.  Legal affairs correspondent for NPR:
15.  Toll road that runs from east of Philly to west of Pittsburgh:

Wuzzles  What concept or phrase do these suggest?
   
Rules of Thumb   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
  • People are willing to drive for 30 minutes to get to a regional shopping center.

Hmmmmm           
  • Incidents of suspected mortgage fraud in 2010: 70,472

Somewhat Useless Information   
  • At birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infant's body weight.
  • The average person in the United States uses from 80-100 gallons of water per day. Flushing the toilet actually takes up the largest amount of this water.
  • Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it.
  • The earth is a closed system, similar to a terrarium, meaning that it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed on the earth millions of years ago is still present today.
  • Roughly 70 percent of an adult's body is made up of water.
  • The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

Yeah, It Really Happened                 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — It didn't take special training for workers in South Dakota to spot the fake $20 bills that were being passed off as real money this week. Police say the phony bills were simply low-tech color photocopies.
Sioux Falls police spokesman Sam Clemens says the reason someone was able to get away with passing off about $200 worth of the bills is that he wrapped the phony ones inside of a real one, then rushed out the door before employees could stop him.
The bills were used at more than a half-dozen businesses before police arrested a suspect — inside a hotel room he allegedly paid for, in part, with a fake bill.
The man is being held in jail. The Secret Service will determine if he'll face federal charges.
A Laff or at least smile     
A New Yorker was forced to take a day off from work to appear for a minor traffic summons. He grew increasingly restless as he waited hour after endless hour for his case to be heard.
When his name was called late in the afternoon, he stood before the judge, only to hear that court would be adjourned for the rest of the afternoon and he would have to return the next day.
"What for?!?!?" he snapped at the judge.
His honor, equally irked by a tedious day and sharp query, roared out loud: "Twenty dollars contempt of court! That's why!"
Then, noticing the man checking his wallet, the judge relented:
"That's all right. You don't have to pay now."
The young man replied, "I know. But I'm just seeing if I have enough for two more words."
Found on YouTube          

Daybook Information        
Happening This Week:
10-17
  • Human Rights Week 
Today Is                                                                       
  • Monkey Day
  • DNA Day [1967: DNA created in test tube]
  • National Bouillabaisse Day

___
  • US: Alabama Admission Day (1819: 22nd state)

Today’s Events                                                              
Arts
1969 - Jackson Five made their 1st appearance on "Ed Sullivan Show"  
Athletes
1920 - Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title
1953 - Brooklyn Dodgers sign pitcher Sandy Koufax
1997 - Phoenix Coyote Mike Gartner is 5th NHLer to score 700 goals
Business
1896 - Glasgow Underground Railway is opened by the Glasgow District Subway Company
Education
1889 - American Academy of Political & Social Science organized, Phila
Indigenous People
1703 - A small militia from the Carolinas, of 50 men led by Colonel James Moore, and almost 1,000 Creek, attack the Apalachee village of Ayubale, near modern day Tallahassee. After a 9 hour battle the Carolina-Creek allies are victorious. The Apalachee were allied with the Spanish. Upon hearing of the battle, Spanish soldiers would march from a nearby fort to counterattack on January 15, 1704. Moore's force would defeat the Spanish, as well. According to Moore's records, over 200 of the pro-Spanish Indians would die in the fighting.
1742 - Settlers have finally moved into the valley of Virginia. Indians from the north have attacked several settlements and Catawba villages in the area. A European militia is formed to find the war party.In what would be the first significant engagement in the valley, the Indians and the militia would fight on the North Fork of the Potomac River. Numerous Indians, and 8 settlers, including Captain John McDowell, will die in the fighting.
Politics [International]
1941 - Premier Winston Churchill travels to US on board HMS Duke of York
1977 - Egypt & Israel reps gather in Cairo for 1st formal peace conference
1988 - Spanish General strike to protest austerity measures
Politics [US]
1782 - Charleston, SC evacuated by British
1793 - 1st state road authorized, Frankfort, Ky to Cincinnati
2003 - President George W. Bush announces the capture of Saddam Hussein
2008 - President George W. Bush made his fourth and final (planned) trip to Iraq as president and almost got struck by two shoes thrown at him by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi during a farewell conference in Baghdad
Religion
--
Science
1287 - Zuider Zee seawall collapses with loss of 50,000 lives
1798 - David Wilkinson of Rhode Island patents a nut & bolt machine
1962 - Mariner 2 makes 1st US fly-by of another planet (Venus)
2004 - The Millau viaduct, the highest bridge in the world, in France is officially opened

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Artists: [Authors, Composers]
1919 - Shirley Jackson, US, writer (Road Through the Wall)
1917 - June Taylor, American choreographer
Athletes
Ruth Fuchs, German DR, javelin thrower (Oly-2 gold-72, 76) is 65
Billy Koch, baseball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-96) is 37
Johnny Mcwilliams, tight end (Arizona Cardinals) is 39
Entertainers [Actors, Singers…]
1912 - Morey Amsterdam, comedian (Buddy-Dick Van Dyke Show)
1902 - Frances Bavier, actress (Aunt Bea-Andy Griffith Show)
1914 - Dan Dailey, dancer/actor (Gov Drinkwater-Governor & JJ)
Patty Duke, actor is 65
Vanessa Hudgens, actor, singer is 23
1911 - Spike Jones, composer (In a Secluded Rendesvous)
1932 - Charlie "Silver Fox" Rich, vocalist (Behind Closed Doors)
Entrepreneurs & Educators
1775 - Philander Chase, American founder of Kenyon College
1794 - Erastus Corning, American businessman and politician 
1922 - Don Hewitt, CBS news executive producer (60 Minutes)
Political Figures
1896 - James H Doolittle, USAF General (Raid on Tokyo 1942)
1895 - King George VI of the United Kingdom 
1829 - John Mercer Langston, 1st black to hold US political office: Rep: VA
1897 - Margaret Chase Smith, (Rep/Sen-Maine)
Scientists & Theologians
Robert Alan Ridley Parker, PhD/astronaut (STS 9, STS 35) is 75

Today’s Obits                                                           
1861 - Albert, prince consort of Engld/husband of Queen Victoria, dies of typhoid fever at 42
1964 - William Bendix, actor (Life of Riley), dies of pneumonia at 58
1998 - Norman Fell, American actor (Three’s Company) dies at 74
1920 - George Gipp, [win one for the Gipper]Notre Dame football player dies of streptococcal throat infection at 25
1542 – James V, king of Scotland (1513-42), dies of nervous collapse and fever at 30
1997 - Stubby Kaye, actor (Guys & Dolls, Sweet Charity), dies at 79
1993 - Myrna Loy, [Williams], US actress (Jazz Singer), dies at 88
1985 - Roger Maris, HR hitter (61 in 61, NY Yankees), dies of cancer at 51
1974 - Walter Lippmann, US journalist (One of Dynasty), dies at 85
1989 - Jock Mahoney, actor (Dallas, Cow Town, Range Rider), dies of stroke at 70
1715 - Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury dies at 79
1975 - Arthur Treacher, TV announcer (Merv Griffin Show), dies at 81
1476 - Vlad III the Impaler assassinated  at 45
1963 - Dinah Washington, singer [What Difference A Day Makes], dies of sleeping pill overdose at 39
1799 - George Washington, 1st president USA (1789-97), dies of quinsy at 66
Answers                                                                                                                                            
NPR Sunday Puzzle
1.     Area in the western Atlantic where ships disappear: Bermuda Triangle
2.     Area sxplored by Lewis and Clark: Louisiana territory
3.     Sausage, pepperoni, anchovies: pizza topping
4.     In school it might carry food for a lunch: cafeteria tray
5.     Very thinly sliced piece of bread named after an opera singer: Melba toast
6.     Atlanta school for engineers: Georgia Tech
7.     American league team that played at the HH Humphrey Metro Dome: Minnesota Twins
8.     Teenage mutant from comics and movies: Ninja Turtles
9.     On clocks its four hours behind NY and Washington DC: Alaska Time
10.  Female country singer with the #1 album ‘Come On Over”: Shania Twain
11.  Best actress winner for My Cousin Vinny: Marisa Tomei
12.  For Howard’s End: Emma Thompson
13.  Inventor who specialized in electromagnetism: Nikola Tesla
14.  Legal affairs correspondent for NPR: Nina Totenberg
15.  Toll road that runs from east of Philly to west of Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania Turnpike   

Wuzzle
  • Head over heels in love
  • Missing you
  • Tear drops

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree.
All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] the dates may not be totally accurate.
§     And That Is 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.