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MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
Do I ever feel under educated about vehicles. It cost me about $20 for find out I don’t know squat about changing a battery. My insurance pays for the tow. I had to pay the dealership $22.50 to tell me I was not the brightest candle on the cake. Turns out, the battery posts had plastic caps over the terminals. I didn’t remove them. The guy tried really hard not to laugh, but he was cracking up inside. I asked about the key, locking up the entire car, etc. He said that from my phone call, they were prepared for a worst case scenario. In order for the vehicle to completely lock up the battery would have had to be removed by cutting the cables to the battery or shorting out the system when I tried to jump it. Simply removing the battery the normal way wouldn’t do it. Good news. He also said that each key does have a chip in it. All newer cars with that black plastic cover around the key have chip, no matter what auto producer makes it. On very rare occasions the chip can go bad. If it does go bad, the car won’t start. He said he didn’t want me to come in, hear that it was the worst case scenario and not have all the keys for the vehicle. The dealership also gave me a ride back to my house at no charge when I dropped it off, and washed it after they ‘fixed’ it. If I had gone to a car wash, that would have been $10 so my lesson is not nearly as painful in the pocket book as it seems. Still pretty painful psychologically.
Our retirement group had lunch at a New Orleans BBQ place here in town. It is a nice little hole in the wall restaurant in East Flag and has great ribs and great sandwiches. Mary picked me up, since my car wasn’t ready until after lunch. Cheryl is still losing weight and is learning how to eat the right food…turns out that no matter how good the ribs sounded, they weren’t a good choice. Her stomach started acting up soon after a few bites. We cut the lunch short so she could go home. I got an email from her a couple of hours later and she was fine. Mary is busy getting recipes for Super Bowl Sunday. She and Mike are spending the day at home. Her daughter, living in Chicago, suggested breaded baked pickles and breaded baked zucchini. Hmmm, not at my house. Mary’s grandson is having a great time with all the snow in Chicago. No one has gone to work for a few days and their parking area has six foot drifts which the two year old loves to ‘flop’ into. Kids and snow are a lot of fun.
Lots more surgery paperwork was in my mailbox today. I’ll deal with it tomorrow. I also got my ID necklace. Feels a little funny to be wearing it but a necessary part of getting old-er. Actually it is a pretty cool idea for an emergency.
Cable News used to mean CNN—the Cable News Network. Times have changed. While not that many people watch cable news, it is still a source of news for many Americans. One network has been leading the cable news battle for the past six years. That channel is FCN—Fox Cable News. About 2.3 million watch their prime time news while 1.3 watch their other shows. CNN now has about 1.9 million in prime time and .67 million at other times. These are frightening statistics for all of America. Many of the Fox commentaries and news stories are proven by all the other networks (CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and HLN) to be Faux. The disheartening part of all this is that even after the story is proven false, Fox continues to talk about it. A good example is the Obamacare Death Panels. If one only watches Faux News the disproven stories remain factual. Now FNC is publicizing that what is happening in Egypt is part of some world-wide ‘take over the world’ Muslim goal and being financed by liberal Americans. It is one thing for Americans with free speech to listen, prove to themselves that this is not factual. It is another thing when foreign news organizations replay the Fox stories for their audience. While I travel I like to watch some local news—when it is in English. I watched a few highlights of the Olympics while in Scotland and it opened my eyes. That station was following Scottish and UK athletes with very little about Americans. When a UK athlete won, it was news; when an American athlete won, it might be mentioned—if a UK athlete was also in the event. My fear is that when a Fox News story that is proven false, ends up on local country TV, they think that is how America really is. At this time, no one needs to hear that Americans are sponsoring the Egyptian crisis on the side of the Anti-Mubarak group—unless it is proven factual. As of now, it is only loud mouthed Fox that is saying this and they seem to be unable to name any American or any American group that is involved. They just make generalizations about ‘Socialist Liberals’ doing this…but don’t name them. I hope that the world is not watching Faux News for information about the US.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT…○ Want to keep your cut flowers for a longer period of time? Take 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix in a quart of water. Use this water in your flower vase. It should extend the life of your flowers for a few days longer! And, before you place the flowers in the vase, be sure to cut each stem at the bottom at an angle.
○ Candle wax on your carpet? Don't fret...just put ice cubes into a metal pan. Place it right on top of the candle wax until the wax is frozen solid. With a small hammer, hit the wax to break it up. Pick up the pieces. Then apply dry-cleaning solvent on a clean cloth to remove any leftover residue.
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION… Al Capone
○ Al Capone was first buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago's far South Side between the graves of his father, Gabriele, and brother, Frank, but in March of 1950 the remains of all three were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery on the far West Side.
○ Although Capone ordered dozens of deaths and even killed with his own hands, he often treated people fairly and generously. He was the first to open soup kitchens after the 1929 stock market crash and he ordered merchants to give clothes and food to the needy at his expense.
○ Capone was arrested in 1926 for killing three people, but spent only one night in jail because there was insufficient evidence to connect him with the murders. When Capone finally served his first prison term in May of 1929, it was simply for carrying a gun.
PUZZLE: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire […answers at bottom…]
1. The external device that moves a computer's cursor is named after which rodent?
hamster rat mouse squirrel
2. Which of these is not a James Bond movie?
Diamonds Are Forever Shanghai Noon Goldfinger You Only Live Twice
3. The Pope was called the Roman Catholic bishop of which city by Henry VIII?
Rome London Moscow Athens
4. Who wrote the 'Star Spangled Banner'?
George Gershwin Irving Berlin Francis Scott Key Oscar Hammerstein
5. For which of these games is a deck of cards required?
Backgammon Roulette Craps Blackjack
6. An obstetrician specializes in which area?
Plastic Surgery Transplants Fractures Childbirth
7. Which of these historical figures gave his name to a famous boot?
Nelson Wellington Hannibal Napoleon
8. Which of these is a 'quadruped'?
Person over 40 Cow Rectangle Car
9. Who co-wrote 'We are the World' with Michael Jackson?
Bruce Springsteen Lionel Richie Michael Bolton Neil Diamond
10. What is the Haggadah?
The first known synagogue The story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt
The mound on which the Rosetta Stone rests A sacred cup used during the Passover sedar
11. Which of these celebrities was not a member of the Mickey Mouse Club?
Christina Aguilera Britney Spears Jennifer Joy McGill Liv Tyler
12. What are the two official languages of the Olympic Movement?
German and English French and Spanish French and Italian French and English
13. Which nut flavors Amaretto liqueur?
Walnut Hazelnut Almond Coconut
14. In skiing, what does NASTAR stand for?
Northeastern Slalom Report National Standard Race Noted Skiing Resort Natural Slope Rating
15. Which of these is not a character in 'The Glass Menagerie'?
Amanda Laura Tim Jim
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM… Conneticut
The problem started when Robert Michelson called 911 at 8 p.m. on Thursday and asked how much trouble he could get into by growing one marijuana plant, police said.
The dispatcher said he could get arrested.
Michelson replied “thank you” and hung up, police said.
But, he’d made the call from his own home — 192 Waterville Road in Farmington — so it did not take long for police to find him and discover for themselves that the 21-year-old man was growing marijuana, police said.
Michelson admitted to spending a lot of money online to buy everything he needed to grow marijuana, including the seeds, police said.
Narcotics officers found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia designed for growing and smoking marijuana.
Michelson was released on $5,000 bond. As he left the police station, he gave the dispatchers two middle fingers.
“Presumably for doing such a good job,” police said.
A LITTLE LAUGH…
The banana loaf I was making was in the oven when my 16-year-old came into the kitchen where the family had gathered.
"That bread smells about done don't you think, Mom?" he asked.
I told him I had set the timer and it was fine.
A little later he repeated his suggestion. "Mom, I really think that loaf is done. Maybe you should check it."
Always quick to come to my defense, my 13-year-old son said, "Eddie, Mom's been burning that banana bread for 20 years now. I think she knows when to take it out."
TOP 10 HISTORICAL FINDS…5. The Lascaux Cave
A vast cave complex in southwestern France, Lascaux is best known for its many Paleolithic cave paintings. The Lascaux Cave was discovered by four teenagers, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Georges Agnel and Simon Coencas on September 12, 1940. There are nearly 2000 figures of animals, humans and abstract signs inside the cave. The animals that were painted include stags, cattle, bisons, felines, a bird, a rhinoceros and a bear. Lascaux doesn’t seem to have been occupied but rather visited periodically just for the purposes of painting. In 1948 Lascaux was opened to the public but the amount of daily visitors to the cave were changing the atmosphere inside the cave so it was closed in 1963 and 20 years later an exact replica, Lascaux II was opened. Today the cave is under attack by a series of molds, fungi and bacteria threatening to erase this priceless work of Prehistoric art.
Importance: The Lascaux Cave is not only the largest Prehistoric cave in France, but the most well preserved. One of the paintings called “The Crossed Bison” shows the skill of the cave painters to capture realism. The ability to use perspective was not used again until the 15th century. From these paintings we can also determine what type of animals were available and important to the painters.
CLOSEUP PICTURE…
Can you identify this close up picture
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
♫ Rock Anthems ♫
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DAYBOOK INFORMATION
¤…THIS WEEK…¤
Jan 30- Feb 5 ► Catholic Schools Week ♥ Meat Week ♥ Intimate Apparel Week
1-7 ► Children's Authors & Illustrators Week ♥ National Patient Recognition Week ♥ Solo Diners Eat Out Weekend ♥ Women's Heart Week
3-9 ► Boy Scout Anniversary Week
4-6 ► International Snow Sculpting Week
¤…TODAY IS…¤
Disaster Day ♥ Ice Cream For Breakfast Day ♥ MOBIUS Awards Day ♥ Move Hollywood & Broadway to Lebanon, PA Day ♥ Weatherman's [Weatherperson's] Day ♥ World Nutella Day
Burundi: Unity Day (since 1992)
Finland: Runeberg Day (1804: Finnish idealistic poet)
Japan: Japanese Martyrs Day (26 martyrs-1597)
México: Constitution Day (1857 & 1917)
Pakistan: Kashmir Day to honor Kashmir in land dispute with India
San Marino: Liberation Day (since 1739)
Tanzania: Birth of the Afro Shirazi Party
Today’s Births
○ AUTHORS/COMPOSERS
Christopher Guest, 63, writer, comedian (Emmy for writing “Lily Tomlin;” Spinal Tap, Best in Show)
Bernard Kalb, 89, news reporter, commentator
1833 John Watkinson founder of British Chess Magazine (oldest chess magazine)
○ ATHLETES
Henry Louis (Hank) Aaron, 77, Hall of Fame baseball player, baseball executive, 755 career home-run hitter
Cristiano Ronaldo, 26, soccer player
Roger Thomas Staubach, 69, Hall of Fame football player
○ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1840 John Boyd Dunlop Scottish developer (pneumatic rubber tire)
1840 Hiram Stevens Maxim inventor (automatic single-barrel rifle)
○ ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS/…)
1919 Red Buttons [Aaron Chwatt], comedian/actor (Sayonara, Poseidon Adventure)
1906 John Carradine actor (Grapes of Wrath, Howling)
Zsa Zsa Gabor [Zsa Sari], 94, actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, 49, actress (Miami Blues, Rush, Backdraft)
○ POLITICIANS
1900 Adlai E Stevenson (Governor-IL), presidential candidate (D) (1952, 1956)
○ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1744 John Jeffries colonial physician/meteorologist
1799 John Lindley English botanist (Elements of Botany)
Today’s Obituaries…
1881 Thomas Carlyle historian/essayist, @ 85
1991 Dean Jagger US actor (Mr Novak, Rawhide, Oscar), @ 87
1995 Doug McClure US rodeo rider/actor (Trampas-Virginian), lung cancer @ 59
1802: Orono Penobscot Chief: converted to catholicism, fought in the French and Indian wars against the British, fought on the American side during the Revolutionary War, @ 108
1944 Robert E Park sociologist (human ecology, marginal man), @ 79
1961 Anthony G de Rothschild British philanthropist, @ 73
Today’s Events…
○ ARTS
1861 Kinematoscope patented by Coleman Sellers, Philadelphia PA
1870 1st motion picture shown to a theater audience, Philadelphia
1922 Reader's Digest magazine 1st published
1953 Walt Disney’s film, Peter Pan, opened at the Roxy Theatre in New York City
1967 "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" premieres on CBS (later ABC, NBC)
1973 Comic strip "Hagar The Horrible" debuts
1994 "Where On Earth Is Carmen San Diego" debuts on Fox TV
○ ATHLETICS
1956 7th Winter Olympics games close at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
1972 Bob Douglas became the first black man elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame
○ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1825 Hannah Lord Montague of New York creates 1st detachable shirt collar
1846 "Oregon Spectator" is 1st newspaper to be published on the West Coast
1901 Pierpont Morgan forms US Steel Corp
○ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1692 Canadians, and Indians will attack the southern Maine town of York. Almost 50 settlers will be killed, and, at least, another 70 will become captives.
○ POLITICS (US)
1945 US troops under General Douglas MacArthur enter Manila
1972 US airlines begin mandatory inspection of passengers & baggage
○ POLITICS (International)
1944 358 RAF-bombers attack Stettin
1983 Former Nazi Gestapo official Klaus Barbie brought to trial
○ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1887 Snow falls on San Francisco
1936 National Wildlife Federation forms
1962 Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn within 16º
1981 Largest Jell-O made (9,246 gallons of watermelon-flavor) in Brisbane
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ANSWERS
Millionaire ANSWERS…
1. The external device that moves a computer's cursor is named after which rodent? mouse
2. Which of these is not a James Bond movie? Shanghai Noon
3. The Pope was called the Roman Catholic bishop of which city by Henry VIII? Rome
4. Who wrote the 'Star Spangled Banner'? Francis Scott Key
5. For which of these games is a deck of cards required? Blackjack
6. An obstetrician specializes in which area? Childbirth
7. Which of these historical figures gave his name to a famous boot? Wellington
8. Which of these is a 'quadruped'? Cow
9. Who co-wrote 'We are the World' with Michael Jackson? Lionel Richie
10. What is the Haggadah? The story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt
11. Which of these celebrities was not a member of the Mickey Mouse Club? Liv Tyler
12. What are the two official languages of the Olympic Movement? French and English
13. Which nut flavors Amaretto liqueur? Almond
14. In skiing, what does NASTAR stand for? National Standard Race
15. Which of these is not a character in 'The Glass Menagerie'? Tim
Close up Picture…
Celery
« AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW »
