4/7/2013

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Flagstaff Almanac:  Week: 15/ Day: 97   Today: H 65°…L 36°

Wind: ave:   14mph; Gusts:  36mph  Ave. humidity:  38%

*Averages: H  55° L 26° Records: H 75°(1989)…L 4°(1922)

Quote of the Day

Today’s Historical Highlights

1st black to appear on US stamp (Booker T Washington)…1940

Dag Hammarskjoeld of Sweden elected 2nd UN general-secretary…1953

Gen Andrew Jackson conquers St Marks Fla from Seminole…1818

Internet's symbolic birth date: publication of RFC 1…1969

Mississippi Territory organized…1798

Prohibition ends, Utah becomes 38th state to ratify 21st Amendment…1933

Supreme Court strikes down laws prohibiting private possession of obscene material…1969

Texas Oil Company (Texaco) forms…1902

U.S. troops capture Baghdad; Saddam Hussein's regime falls two days later…2003

World Health Organization forms by UN…1948

♪  ♪   Happy Birthday To: ♪. ♪   

How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays

Free Rambling Thoughts   

What a great spring day…lots of time outside.

 

It needs to be remembered about N. Korea…every year S. Korea and the US have ‘exercises’ at this time of year…the differences this year: the ‘exercises’ used military equipment [planes] that haven’t been used in the past, N. Korea has a new leader. Sad to say that the new equipment of the ‘exercises’ is what started this whole thing. I am not a fan of N. Korea, but can understand why they are upset. It is up to the people of N. Korea to do something about this mess.

 

Not happy with CVS pharmacy. I called in some script refills yesterday. When I went to pick them up, one wasn’t ready because it ‘had just come in on the truck’. They told me to come back in an hour and half. I went in today and they said the med they didn’t have still wasn’t there. After using my ‘stern’ voice the pharmacist took another patient’s order and put my name on it so I could have it. I let the pharmacist know that this was the second time in three visits that this had happened. Not sure what will happen, but called the national office and have to call back during their business hours…we’ll see. She did tell me she would call the other customer and tell her that the med she ordered was not available till Monday afternoon. I felt bad, but didn’t want to make a third trip.

 

Our American system works so slowly. Today’s rally for ‘the time is now’ for immigration reform is stating the obvious. We are a country of immigrants, except for the Natives who were here first. We need to make a better path to citizenship. The ‘Idle no More’ campaign for Native rights is also stating the obvious. ‘Marriage Equality’ needs to be made law. ‘Adoption Rights’ are calling for access to the original birth certificate…something not available to most adoptees…the only group in the US that can’t see the original one. It is time that the US starts walking the walk instead of just talking the talk…in today’s world of technology the whole world knows that we talk the talk of freedom and equal rights as our cornerstones, but they also know that for so many Americans, it is nothing more than talk. I know we are closer than any other nation on earth, but that doesn’t mean we don’t keep working on making it better.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)

Brain Teasers

The following word pairs are anagrams which can be combined to form the name of an animal or insect. Try to figure it out.

1.Log, Rail 2.Lone, Tape 3.Cot, Soup 4.Moral, Dial

Lifestyle  Substance:     

Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

• "Daffodils" read by Jeremy Irons

• The Art of El Greco

• Texaco Commercial

Origins of Phrases

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Meaning

The proverb has a literal meaning, although the 'weakest link' referred to is figurative and usually applies to a person or technical feature rather than the link of an actual chain.

Origin

We are most likely these days to come across the phrase 'the weakest link' in reference to the popular TV quiz show of that name, which originated in the UK, hosted by Anne Robinson, and was later syndicated for use in many other countries. The show, which relies on the demonstration of the abysmal lack of general knowledge by many of the participating contestants, is an example of the many 'humiliation television' shows of the early 21st century and is a sad spectacle.

It is clearly a literal fact that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The conversion of that notion into a figurative phrase was established in the language by the 18th century. Thomas Reid's Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, 1786, included this line:

"In every chain of reasoning, the evidence of the last conclusion can be no greater than that of the weakest link of the chain, whatever may be the strength of the rest."

Ok, then?

Harper’s Index    

Estimated number of gallons of raw sewage spilled of the coast of Tijuana following an August pipeline break: $5,000,000

Picture of the Day: Rainforest Medicines

Unusual Fact of the Day

A group of rhinos is called a "crash."

Joke-of-the-day

Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "why is the bride dressed in white?"

"Because white is the color of happiness," her mother explained. "And today is the happiest day in her life."

The child thought about this for a moment. "So why is the groom wearing black?"  

Rules of Thumb:   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

CHOOSING A CROSS-COUNTRY SKI

You can size a cross-country ski by standing with one arm held straight in the air. A ski is the right length for you if it reaches from the floor to the palm of your hand.    

Yeah, It Really Happened

 WILMINGTON, Del. - Delaware website Nameberry said baby names attracting increased interest during the year so far include Marnie, Nelly, Bruce and Thor. Nameberry's list of 13 names garnering significantly higher views during the first three months of the year include Marnie, Marlowe, Christian and Nellie, NBC News reported Friday. The list also included Bruce, Mavis, Wilder and Finnigan. The site said interest in Thor, the Norse god of thunder, was likely inspired by Chris Hemsworth's portrayal in "Thor" and "The Avengers," while Severine's popularity was likely boosted by the Berenice Marlohe's character in "Skyfall." The list was rounded out by Phaedra, Mingus and Linnea.

Somewhat Useless Information   

• In 1865, several veterans of the Confederate Army formed a private social club in Pulaski, Tennessee, called the Ku Klux Klan.

• In 1892, Italy raised the minimum age for marriage for girls - to 12.

• In 1947, Toys for Tots started making the holidays a little happier for children by organizing its first Christmas toy drive for needy youngsters.

• In 1965, Congress authorized the Secret Service to protect former presidents and their spouses for their lifetime, unless they decline the protection. Recently, Congress limited the protection of former presidents and their spouses (elected after January 1, 1997) to 10 years after leaving office. President Clinton, who was elected in 1996, will be the last president to receive lifelong protection from the Secret Service.

• In England and the American colonies they year 1752 only had 354 days. In that year, the type of calendar was changed, and 11 days were lost.

Calendar Information        

Happening This Week:

4-10

Testicular Cancer Awareness Week*Hate Week

6-8
Just Pray No! Worldwide Weekend of Prayer and Fasting
7-13

National Animal Control Appreciation Week

National Blue Ribbon Week
National Public Health Week

National Week of the Ocean
National Window Safety Week
American Indian Awareness Week

Today Is                                                                      

International Beaver Day
International Snailpapers Day: rejoicing print newspapers
Metric System Day
National Beer Day
No Housework Day
Tangible Karma Day 
World Health Organization Day 

Today’s Events through History  

"South Pacific" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 1928 performances…1949

1st settlement in Ohio, at Marietta…1788

Forest fire burns 900 acres & kills 2 (San Luis Obispo California)…1926

Guttenberg bible sold for $2,000,000 in NYC…1978

Louis van Bourbon becomes prince-bishop of Luik…1456

Oldest human skeleton, aged 80,000 years, discovered in Egypt…1983

Russia announced it would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan…1988

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 80’s

Daniel Ellsberg, whistleblower (Pentagon Papers)/patriot is 82

James Garner, Norman Oklahoma, actor (Rockford Files, Bret Maverick) is 84

Wayne Rogers, actor (M*A*S*H, House Calls) is 80

In their 70’s

 [Edmund G] Jerry Brown Jr, (Gov-D-Cal, 1974-..) is 75

David Frost, Tenterdon England, TV host is 74

In their 60’s

Janis Ian, [Janis Eddy Fink], lesbian/folk rocker (At 17) is 62

In their 50’s

Jackie Chan, martial art actor (Rumble in the Bronx) is 59

Tony Dorsett, NFL running back (Dallas Cowboys, Heisman Trophy) is 59

In their 40’s

Russell Crowe, Australian/New Zealand actor (A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator) is 49

Remembered for being born today

Billie Holiday, [Eleanora Fagan], Balt, singer (Aint Nobodys Business) [1915-1959]

Ravi Shankar, Varanasi, British India, musician (the Pandit), [1920-2012]

Walter Winchell, newscaster/columnist (Untouchables) [1897-1972]

William Wordsworth, England, poet laureate (Prelude) [1770-1850]

Francis Xavier, saint/Jesuit missionary to India, Malaya, & Japan [1506-1552]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           

John Agar, actor…2002…at 81  

Dave Arneson, Co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons…cancer…2009…at 61

Phineas T Barnum, US circus promoter (B & Bailey)…1891…at 80

El Greco [Doménikos Theotokópoulos], Greek-born artist working in Spain…1614…at 73ish

Barry Nelson, actor, 1^st James Bond [on TV]…2007…at 89  

Mike Wallace [Myron], American media personality…2012…at 93

Answer: Brain Teasers

1.Gorilla. 2.Antelope. 3.Octopus. 4.Armadillo.

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  §