Happy New Year 1-1-15

FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Almanac: Week: 52 \ Day:  1
December Averages: 44°\17°
86004 Today: H 23°\L 17° wind chill drops temps 10°
Ave. humidity: 95%     Average Sky Cover: 100%
Wind ave:   5mph\Gusts:  25mph
Ave. High: 42° Record High:  61° (1981)
Ave. Low: 16° Record Low:  -21° (1919)
 

Observances Today:
Independence Day- Cameroon- 1960-from France
Independence Day-Haiti- 1804- from France
Independence Day- Sudan- 1956-from Egype & UK
Independence Day-Yucatan-1846-from Mexico
<> 
Commitment Day
Copyright Law Day
Ellis Island Day
Euro Day-2002-12 countries with same currency
First Foot Day-Scotland- quaaltagh- 1st visitor in house brings good fortune
Global Family Day
Mummer's Parade
New Year’s Day
Polar Bear Plunge or Swim Day- (Cony Island NY)
Rose Bowl Game
Tournament of Roses Parade Day
Z Day
Observances This Week:
1-7
New Year's Resolutions Week
Celebration of Life Week 
Diet Resolution Week 
Silent Record Week


January Observances:
Adopt A Rescued Bird Month 

Bath Safety Month 
Be Kind to Food Servers Month
Birth Defects Month 
Book Blitz Month


California Dried Plum Digestive Month 
Celebration of Life Month
Cervical Health Awareness Month 


Financial Wellness Month


Get A Balanced Life Month
Get Organized Month


International Brain Teaser Month
International Change Your Stars Month 
International Child-Centered Divorce Awareness Month
International Creativity Month
International New Year’s Resolutions Month for Businesses
International Quality of Life Month
International Wayfinding Month
International Wealth Mentality Month


Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month 


National Be On-Purpose Month
National Braille Literacy Month 
National Clean Up Your Computer Month
National Codependency Awareness Month 
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Mail Order Gardening Month
National Mentoring Month  
National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month
National Personal Trainer Awareness Month 
National Polka Music Month 
National Poverty in America Awareness Month
National Radon Action Month
National Skating Month
National Soup Month 
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month 
National Stalking Awareness Month 
National Volunteer Blood Donor Month 


Oatmeal Month 


Rising Star Month 


Self-help Group Awareness Month
Self-Love Month
Shape Up US Month


Teen Driving Awareness Month
Train Your Dog Month 
Thyroid Awareness Month 


Unchain A Dog Month 


Walk Your Dog Month 
Worldwide Rising Star Month

« »
Quote of the Day
 

Historical Highlights for Today
- Origin of Christian Era
404 - Last gladiator competition in Rome
630 - The Prophet Muhammad sets out toward Mecca with the army that captures it bloodlessly
1600 - Scotland begins its numbered year on January 1 instead of 25 March
1758 - The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature establish the "starting point" for standardized species names across the animal kingdom. This naming system is based on the binomial nomenclature laid out in Carolus Linnaeus 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
1785 - "Daily Universal Register" (Times of London) publishes 1st issue
1788 - Quakers in Pennsylvania emancipate their slaves
1801 - The Irish Parliament votes to join the Kingdom of Great Britain, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
1818 - Official reopening of the White House
1818
- Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" is published anonymously by the small London publishing house of Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones

1842 - 1st illustrated weekly magazine in US publishes 1st issue, NYC
1852 - 1st US public bath opens, in NYC
1874 - New York City annexes the Bronx
1880 - Building of Panama Canal, begins
1881 - Dr John H Watson is introduced to Sherlock Holmes
1886 - 1st Tournament of Roses (Pasadena California)
1892 - Ellis Island becomes reception center for new immigrants
1896 - Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of x-rays
1898
 - Brooklyn merges with NY to form present City of NY

1950 - Ho Chi Minh begins offensive against French troops in Indo China
1960 - Johnny Cash plays first of many free concerts behind bars
1962 - United States Navy SEALs established.
1985 - US's 1st mandatory seat belt law goes into effect (NY) 
« »
  Birthdays Today:
How many can you identify? Answers below in Birthday’s Today
 

My Rambling Thoughts
Happy New Year to all. 2015 is going to be G-R-R-R-E-A-T!
I had the most outstanding Christmas week with my brother, his wife, and Micho-their Chihuahua. They have a hacienda in Subin, a small town of about 650 people. Christmas Eve we went to the local church, which is right next to their property. The Nativity Scene with children carrying in all the figures. Lots of Carols, then a procession outside right to the gate of my brother’s hacienda. Even had a lantern up in the sky. Then everyone returned to the church, touched and/or kissed the figurines as they re-entered the church. Then the kids went outside to break a piñata. Really nice. We went to lots of holiday get-togethers with their friends in Merida. Awesome people and great food and conversation. Clair, our flute playing friend was with us for two days. A totally amazing week.
The flight home took 21 hours, due to delays and a missed connection. Not pleasant but certainly bearable. My only rant is that I took four flights total. One flight was delayed for 45 minutes because there was no crew. Another was delayed an hour because a stewardess was missing…but my connection from Houston to Phoenix left on time…I missed it by less than one minute…and I was flying the same airline, and they knew  our Merida flight was delayed an hour because of fog. The airline knew where I was, and I even went sock-footed to the gate, so I wouldn’t waste time redressing after TSA. Still they left without me. It was like ‘oh well, we got your $$$ and we can rebook you—so be happy’.  
It has been snowing all day, sometimes hard, sometimes lightly. A beautiful winter wonderland…with about 6” of powder and still coming down. NICE!
« »
Brain Teasers
(answers at the end of post)
Below you will find five uncommon titles to five well-known Alfred Hitchcock movies. How many can you decipher?

1. Unstable Personality

2. The Pelicans, Crows, and Penguins

3. To Apprehend a Criminal

4. The Male Who Perceived Everything

5. Dizziness with a Sensation of Motion

           
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today




« »
Paraphernalia 4 the Brain:     
**NEW**50’s Inventions…
1950
The first credit card (Diners) invented by Ralph Schneider.

**NEW**Education Fact…
People with poor mathematical skills aren't necessarily bad at math because they are 'ungifted'. There is a phenomena called 'Math Anxiety' that makes people perform worse, sometimes leading to math avoidance, which leads to lesser knowledge and consequently more math anxiety.

Flagstaff, AZ History…
75 YEARS AGO
Hot school lunches will become available on the 1st of December. This is underwritten by the local Red Cross and is expected to cost about $65 per month. Mrs. Dan Miller, President of the coordinating council.
           
Flagstaff’s Iconic 50…
Mount Elden
…is located in central Coconino County northeast of Flagstaff, and takes its name from one of the region's earliest Anglo settlers, John Elden, who, along with his family, established a homestead on the mountain’s lower slopes and grazed sheep on the open grasslands below during the late 19th century.
The mountain’s exposed, rocky slopes are a dominant feature from almost any part of the city of Flagstaff, rising steeply nearly 2,400 feet (730 m) to an elevation of 9,301 feet (2,835 m). Much of the vegetation on the southern and southeastern slopes of the mountain was destroyed by the human caused Radio Fire in 1977 which burned 4,600 acres (1,900 ha).
Despite its rugged appearance, steep relief, and nearly 15 square miles (40 km2) of surface area, Mount Elden is easily accessible via an extensive, well-developed road and non-motorized trail system that is part of the Coconino National Forest.

Harper’s Index…
15:
Percentage by which a black drug misdemeanor defendant in Manhattan is more likely than a white one to be sent to prison
           
Rules of Thumb…
PLANTING OUTDOORS
When Irises bloom, put peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant outdoors.        

Unusual Fact of the Day…
Platform shoes didn’t just look ridiculous in the 1970s; they looked equally silly in 15th-century Europe when they were known as "chopines." The fashionable footwear was so toweringly high (up to 30 inches!) that ladies couldn’t walk around in them for fear of falling.
« »
Joke-of-the-day
Teacher to a student: "Can you think of a solution to end unemployment?"
"Yes, sir! I'd put all the men on one island and the women on another."
"And what would they be doing then?"
"Building boats!"    


Yep, It Really Happened
WHITLEY BAY, England (UPI)
A man who admitted stealing a tablet computer from a charity store and returning it eight days later because he couldn't get it to work was fined. Christopher Hooson, 33, was recorded by CCTV cameras taking the Android tablet from the window display at the Jonny Kennedy store in Whitley Bay, England. Store workers recognized him from the footage when he came back eight days later to return the tablet, which prosecutors said he was unable to work because he did not have the necessary "equipment." Prosecutor Lynne Russell said the tablet taken during the Nov. 11 theft was valued at about $78. "He was taken to the police station. He admitted taking the item. He said he saw it in the window and thought it would be cheap or free, as it was in a charity shop, so took it," Russell said. "He took it and realized it didn't work without further equipment, so returned it to the shop." Hooson initially told the court the theft was an accident. "I didn't intend to steal it. I forgot I had it in my bag, so I returned it when I noticed." Hooson, who admitted his version of events "sounds ridiculous," eventually admitted during questioning by District Judge Bernard Begley that his story was not true. "It's not very nice to steal from a charity shop. At least some sense eventually returned to you and you returned the item. However, it is a particularly mean offense," Begley said. Hooson was fined $117. He was also ordered to pay $132 in court costs and a $31 victim surcharge. A man who admitted stealing a tablet computer from a charity store and returning it eight days later because he couldn't get it to work was fined. Christopher Hooson, 33, was recorded by CCTV cameras taking the Android tablet from the window display at the Jonny Kennedy store in Whitley Bay, England. Store workers recognized him from the footage when he came back eight days later to return the tablet, which prosecutors said he was unable to work because he did not have the necessary "equipment." Prosecutor Lynne Russell said the tablet taken during the Nov. 11 theft was valued at about $78. "He was taken to the police station. He admitted taking the item. He said he saw it in the window and thought it would be cheap or free, as it was in a charity shop, so took it," Russell said. "He took it and realized it didn't work without further equipment, so returned it to the shop." Hooson initially told the court the theft was an accident. "I didn't intend to steal it. I forgot I had it in my bag, so I returned it when I noticed." Hooson, who admitted his version of events "sounds ridiculous," eventually admitted during questioning by District Judge Bernard Begley that his story was not true. "It's not very nice to steal from a charity shop. At least some sense eventually returned to you and you returned the item. However, it is a particularly mean offense," Begley said. Hooson was fined $117. He was also ordered to pay $132 in court costs and a $31 victim surcharge.     
**NEW** Gizmos
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (UPI)
Staring at electronic devices before bed could be ruining people's sleep, according to a new study. 
The devices, like iPhones or e-readers, emit a light that can confuses the body. "Electronic devices emit light that is short-wavelength-enriched light, which has a higher concentration of blue light -- with a peak around 450 nm -- than natural light," said Anne-Marie Chang, assistant professor of biobehavioral health, Penn State. "This is different from natural light in composition, having a greater impact on sleep and circadian rhythms." 
The researchers looked at 12 adults for two weeks and compared the nights they went to bed with a book to the nights they went to bed with an e-reader. They monitored melatonin levels, quality of sleep and how alert they felt when they woke up. They found when the participants used the e-readers before bed it took 10 minutes longer to fall asleep, and they fell into deep sleep for shorter periods of time during the night than when they didn't use an electronic device before bed. 
"Our most surprising finding was that individuals using the e-reader would be more tired and take longer to become alert the next morning," said Chang. "This has real consequences for daytime functioning, and these effects might be worse in the real world as opposed to the controlled environment we used." 
The study was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 


Somewhat Useless Information
<> The train in The Polar Express is based on the Pere Marquette 1225, a restored steam locomotive located in Owosso, Michigan. In fact, many of the sound effects of the film's train are recordings of the actual train. The Pere Marquette 1225 often runs between Owosso and nearby Chesaning for rides during festivals.
<> In Home Alone, the picture Kevin finds of "Buzz's girlfriend" was a picture of a boy made up to look like a girl. Director Chris Columbus thought it would be too cruel to make fun of a girl like that. The boy that was used in the photo was the art director's son.
<> In Elf, the character Ming Ming is played by Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie Parker in the classic holiday film A Christmas Story.
<> For the infamous A Christmas Story scene in which Flick's tongue sticks to the flagpole, a hidden suction tube was used to safely create the illusion that his tongue had frozen to the metal.
<> The airport greeting footage at the beginning and end of Love Actually is real. Richard Curtis had a team of cameramen film at Heathrow airport for a week, and whenever they saw something that would fit in they asked the people involved for permission to use the footage.
<> Thanks to Home Improvement and The Santa Clause Tim Allen had the No. 1 television series and movie at the box office for one week in November 1994. He also had the No. 1 book on the best seller list, entitled Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man.      

« »
Today’s Events through History
1893 - 1st US college extension courses for credit, Univ of Chicago
1902 - 1st Rose Bowl game (Pasadena, California) (U of Mich-49, Sanford-0)
1912 - The Republic of China is established
1916 - 1st football game in Rose Bowl (Washington State-Brown)
1925 - Norway's capital Christiania changes name to Oslo
1928 - 1st US air-conditioned office building opens, San Antonio
1935 - 1st Sugar Bowl & 1st Orange Bowl
1958 - European Economic Community (Common Market) starts operation
1968 - Evel Knievel fails in his attempt to jump Caesar's Palace Fountain
1970 - Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), an infantry regiment of the British Army, comes into existence
1972 - International Book Year begins
1975 - International Women's Year begins
1979 - International Year of the Child begins
1981 - International Year for the Disabled begins
1987 - International Year of Shelter for Homeless begins
1992 - International Space Year begins
1994 - International Year of Family
1999 - International Year of Elderly
« »
Birthday’s Today
Ty Hardin, actor (Riptide, Bronco) is 85
« »
Remembered for being born today
Edmund Burke, British author (Philosophy & Inquiry) 1729-1797 @68
Paul Revere, silversmith/US patriot (British are coming) 1735-1818 @83
Betsy Ross [Elizabeth Griscom], seamstress 1st American flag 1752-1836 @84
J. Edgar Hoover, 1st Director of the FBI  1895-1972 @77
Xavier Cugat, Barcelona Spain, bandleader 1900-1990 @90
Barry Goldwater, (Sen-R-Az,)/Pres candidate (R), 1909-1998 @89
Dana Andrews, actor (Battle of the Bulge, Laura), 1909-1992 @83
J[erome] D[avid] Salinger, novelist (Catcher in the Rye), 1919-2010-@91
Rocky Graziano, boxer (Middleweight champ) 1919-1990-@71
« »
Historical Obits Today
Helen Wills Moody, American tennis player (31 Grand Slams), 1998 @92
Cesar Romero, US actor (Joker-Batman), 1994, @86
Ray Walston, actor (My Favorite Martian) 2001 @86
Patti Page [Clara Ann Fowler], pop singer, 2013, @85
Maurice A Chevalier, French actor (Can Can, Gigi), 1972, @83
Shirley Chisholm, 1st African American Congresswoman\ presidential candidate, 2005, @80
Jacques Cartier, French explorer (Canada), typhus, 1557, @65
Hank Williams, country singer (Cold Cold Heart), hemorrhages, 1953, @29
« »

Brain Teasers Answers
1. Psycho
2. The Birds
3. To Catch a Thief
4. The Man Who Knew Too Much
5. Vertigo

« »
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 contains mistakes and sadly once 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…§


No comments:

Post a Comment

Followers

Total Pageviews

Blog Archive

About Me

My photo
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.