Jul 1

 

 

 

Jul 1, 2021   Week: 27    Day: 182

Visibility: 7 miles Ave. Sky Cover: 70%

Local: H 67°\ L 49°

Wind:  3mph/ Gusts:  8mph

Low Risk of Fire:  Active fire:  22mi Nearest Lightning: 1mi.

Jul Averages: 820°/52° (9 days w/moisture)

 

Today’s Quote

 

 

 

Random Tidbits

 

When the full moon coincides with a total lunar eclipse, it appears red. In this phenomenon known as the red moon, the only light seen is refracted through the earth's shadow. This light looks red for the same reason that the sunset looks red, due to Rayleigh scattering of the bluer light.

The full moon has been thought to cause insanity and even more famously, lycantrophy. One of the most popular beliefs was that a man or woman could turn into a werewolf if he or she, on a certain Wednesday or Friday, slept outside on a summer night with the full moon shining directly on his or her face.

 

True Things

 

-- The Independent reported on May 13 that a new BBC documentary has revealed that dolphins chew on and pass around puffer fish in an apparent effort to get "high." Puffer fish release a nerve toxin when provoked; large doses of it can be deadly, but small amounts can produce a narcotic effect. Dolphins, having partaken of just the right amount, appear to enter a trancelike state. Rob Pilley, a zoologist who worked as a producer on the series, said the dolphins "began acting most peculiarly, hanging around with their noses at the surface as if fascinated by their own reflection. It was the most extraordinary thing to see." [The Independent, 5/13/2021]

 

Idioms Origins

 

Drinkability

People had been drinking beer since Mesopotamia, 6-8000 years ago. In the 1960s, there was a lot of beer competition in America, and Budweiser fine-tuned the word and marketed the ‘drinkability’ of Budweiser.

 

Monthly Observations

 

Air-Conditioning Appreciation Days (7/3 to 8/15)  Link Alopecia Month for Women Bereaved Parents Awareness Month Bioterrorism/Disaster Education & Awareness Month Cell Phone Courtesy Month  Link Dog Days (7/3 to 8/11)   Link Eye Injury Prevention Month Link (Note: There is also one in October.)

 

Weekly Observations

 

Tour de France Link	Thru 7/18
National Prevention of Eye Injuries Awareness	Thru 7/4
Windjammer Days Link	Thru 7/3
National Tire Safety Week Link	Thru 7/4
Bean and Bacon Days: Link  National Tom Sawyer Days Link  (aka Fence Painting Days)	1-5
Beer Pong Days  Link	1-4
National Unassisted Homebirth Week	1-7

 

Today’s Observations

 

American Zoo Day-since 1874 Canada Day / Dominion Day  Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day Devotion to Duty Day Estee Lauder Day International Chicken Wing Day International Joke Day Medicare's Birthday National Gingersnap Day National GSA Employee Day National Postal Worker Day  Link Resolution Renewal Day (To renew your broken New Year's Resolution.) Second half of the New Year Day U.S. Postage Stamp Day Zip Code Day

 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

 

In Navajo: July is Ya’iishjaashtsoh, means Planting of the Late Crops

Finally. a real monsoon downpour, complete with lightning and thunder. Moisture is greatly appreciated. It lasted about 30 minutes. No complaints.

Fires are still burning but each of the 5 major fires are being more contained every day.

Serena and one other had to drop out of Wimbledon, due to a fall. Questions coming out about maintenance of the court. Sad.

Today marks the 8^th anniversary of the loss of 19 firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hotshot Crew, near Prescott, AZ. Such a loss.

I can’t believe that Bill Cosby is free. Our justice system needs some major reform.

With the Delta virus expanding, and the number of humans that have not been vaccinated in our area, I am back to wearing a mask at stores. Damn.

Gov DeSantis of Florida is in trouble for suggesting that a Trump rally in Sarasota about 200 miles from the collapse. Trump and his followers seem to have not an iota of empathy. Sad.

Before redistricting from the 2010 census, Paul Gosar was my representative in Congress. Since the redistricting, he ‘moved’ into a much more conservative district and has been reelected numerous times. He is in the National news again for hooking up a White Nationalist group for a fundraiser. Several of his relatives believe he should resign or be kicked out of Congress. Crazy for sure.

 

2 New Puzzles Everyday

Answer: bottom of the page

 

Egg             Egg  HAM

stand I

 

 

Historical Events

 

1770 – Lexell’s Comet passed closer to the Earth than any other comet in recorded history.

1819 – Johann Georg Tralles discovered the Great Comet of 1819, (C/1819 N1). It was the first comet analyzed using polarimetry, by François Arago.

1874 – The Sholes and Glidden typewriter, the first commercially successful typewriter, went on sale.

1881 – The world’s first international telephone call was made between St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, and Calais, Maine, United States.

1898 – The Battle of San Juan Hill was fought in Santiago de Cuba. (Spanish-American War)

1903 – The first Tour de France bicycle race began.

1908 – SOS was adopted as the international distress signal. Three dits, three dahs, and three dits – SOS is the only nine-element signal in Morse code.

1963 – ZIP codes were introduced for US mail.

1971 – The Post Office Department (1792 – 1971) became the United States Postal Service

1972 – The first Gay Pride march in England took place.

1976 – The Apple I was released.

1979 – Sony introduced the Walkman (in Japan).

1980 – O Canada officially became the national anthem of Canada.

2007 – Smoking in England was banned in all public indoor spaces.

2007 – The Concert for Diana was held at the new Wembley Stadium in London and broadcast in 140 countries, on which would have been her 46th birthday.

2013 Demonstrations occur across Egypt with 15 million people calling for the resignation of their President, Mohammed Morsi

2015 US and Cuba announce agreement to re-open embassies and establish full diplomatic ties

2018 Mexican General election: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador elected President of Mexico

2018 Nationwide protests over Trump administration immigration policies in the US

 

Birthdays Today

 

@104 – Olivia de Havilland, British-American actress (d. 2020)

@97 – Estée Lauder [Josephine Esther Mentzer], businesswoman, co-founded the Estée Lauder Companies (d. 2004)

87 – Jamie Farr, American actor

85 – Wally Amos, American entrepreneur and founder of Famous Amos

@80 – Thomas Green Clemson, politician, educator, founded Clemson University (d. 1888)

80 – Twyla Tharp, American dancer and choreographer

76 – Debbie Harry, American singer-songwriter and actress

75 – Karen Black, American actress (died in 2013)

@71 – George Sand [Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin], French novelist (d. 1876)

71 – David Duke, American white supremacist

69 – Dan Aykroyd, Canadian actor and screenwriter

59 -- Andre Braugher, actor

54 – Pamela Anderson, Canadian-American model and actress

@36 – Diana, Princess of Wales (d. 1997; auto accident)

 

Puzzles Answer

 

Green Eggs and Ham                                                        I understand

 

Jun 30

 

 

 

Jun 30, 2021   Week: 27    Day: 181

Visibility: 10 miles Ave. Sky Cover: 40%

Local: H 75°\ L 50°

Wind:  8mph/ Gusts:  4mph

Low EXTREME Risk of Fire:  Active fire:  24mi Nearest Lightning: 12mi.

Jun Averages: 70°/42° (1 day w/moisture)

 

Today’s Quote

 

Random Tidbits

 

The moon is never really full. The disk of the moon can only appear 100 percent sunlit from Earth when it is diametrically opposite to the sun in the sky. But that, of course, is impossible because at that moment the moon would be positioned in the middle of the Earth's shadow and in total lunar eclipse. In fact, in any month where there is no eclipse, there should be an ever-so-slight sliver of darkness visible somewhere on the lunar limb throughout those hours when the moon is passing through "full" phase; close inspection will usually reveal that moon is not fully illuminated but is indeed gibbous or slightly out of roundness.

 

True Things

 

Weird Animals

-- In Victoria, British Columbia, photographer Tony Austin was out for a nature walk on May 31 when he ran across an inexplicable sight: A murder of crows had landed close by, and one was sort of flopping around in the dirt. "It would sort of ... hop into the air and ... then hop back onto the gravel," Austin said. As Austin grew nearer, he saw that the bird was covered with ants. He was concerned for the bird's welfare, but when he posted a picture on a Facebook page for bird enthusiasts, he was relieved, NPR reported. The crow was "anting" -- spreading ants on its feathers and wings. Experts aren't clear about why birds do this; it may be related to cleanliness or to share the ants' defensive secretions of fungicides, miticides and insecticides. [NPR, 6/7/2021]

 

Idioms Origins

 

Dependability

An advertising guy named Theodore MacManus started working for Dodge Cars in 1914.

Cars were new, lots of things often went wrong with new technology, but he read positive letters that came from Dodge Owners, and they used the ‘dependable a lot.

Based on that, he invented the word ‘Dependability’.

 

Weekly Observations

 

Tour de France Link	26- 7/18
National Prevention of Eye Injuries Awareness	27 -7/4
Windjammer Days Link	27-7/3
National Tire Safety Week Link	28-7/4

 

Today’s Observations

 

Asteroid Day California Avocado Day Link Disabled Veterans Day Link Ice Cream Soda Day Leap Second Time Adjustment Day Meteor Watch Day National Mai Tai Day National Outfit Of The Day Day Link  National Parchment Cooking Day Link  NOW (National Organization For Women) Day Social Media Day Link

 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

 

First Monsoon today. Not a lot of rain but everything counts. I had to remember that the wipers on my ride would remove the falling rain. For over a year I have only used the wipers to clear the pollen from the windshield before I started driving. Happy to find out they also work while I am driving.

I was hoping the Suns would end this part of the finals with a win. It wasn’t in the cards. Their loss should excite them to play better.

It sure is looking like the Condo Association was lax in repairs prior to the building collapse in Florida. They are throwing around a $5million price tag that condo owners would have paid to fix the building. I also heard a figure of $100,000 per unit to fix the infrastructure to the building. That is a nice chunk of money that most residents would have had a hard time paying. I can see the letter now:

Dear Resident of Condo # 615,

Over the past few years, we have kept your Condo fees low. We will be raising your condo fee to fix some infrastructure issues we have been avoiding to repair. Your previous monthly fee was $125/month. Your new monthly fee, beginning in July 2021, will be $$20,000/month until the repairs are paid for. We expect that to be in Dec. 2022. Thank you for choosing these condos for your home.

Your elected Condo President

Climate change is getting real. The weatherman is running out of adjectives to explain the current heat waves around the US. Words like ‘historic’, ‘unpresidented’, ‘unheard of..’, ‘never before seen’ are being overused. For a while it was the South West area, now it is the North East and North West. I sympathize with those in the new heat wave, at least the heat wave last month in the south west was a ‘dry’ heat.

 

2 New Puzzles Everyday

Answer: bottom of the page

 

ARREST UR

WEAR UNDER

 

 

Historical Events

 

1805 – The Michigan Territory was organized

1831 – A patent for a platform scale was issued to brothers Erastus and Thaddeus S. Fairbanks of St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

1859 – Jean-Francois Gravelet, known as Emile Blondin, became the first daredevil to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

1860 – The 1860 Oxford evolution debate (Huxley-Wilberforce debate or the Wilberforce-Huxley debate) at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History took place.

1886 – The United States Division of Forestry was recognized and established by an Act of Congress

1894 – The Tower Bridge across the River Thames in London was officially opened.

1905 – Albert Einstein sends the article On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, in which he introduces special relativity, for publication in Annalen der Physik.

1906 – The United States Congress passes the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act.

1908 – The Tunguska Event happened near Lake Baikal, Russia. Destroying 830 square miles in Eastern Siberian Taiga. It was probably a big meteor. Or was it?

1921 – President Warren G. Harding appointed former President William Howard Taft as Chief Justice of the United States.

1953 – The first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan.

1966 – The National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded.

1971 – Ohio ratifies the 26th Amendment to the US Constitution, reducing the voting age to 18, putting the amendment into effect.

1972 – The first leap second was added to the UTC time system.

1987 – Iran-Contra hearings aired during daytime television, pre-empting most programming.

2019 – Donald Trump became the first sitting American President to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the Demilitarized Zone (North Korea).

 

Birthdays Today

 

@92 – Lena Horne, American singer (d. 2010)

65 – David Alan Grier, American comedic actor

@62 – Harry Blackstone Jr., magician, author (d. 1997; pancreatic cancer)

62 – Vincent D’Onofrio, American character actor

55 – Mike Tyson, American boxer

36 – Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer

35 – Alicia Fox, American wrestler and model

 

Puzzles Answer

 

You‘re under arrest                                                         long underwear