Thursday 4-29

≈Week 18 of 2010: 119 days this year… 246 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About 
Tom grinned. "It don't take no nerve to do somepin when there ain't nothin' else you can do."
--Chapter 18 “Grapes of Wrath”, John Steinbeck--1939
≈ Random Fact 
44% of kids watch television before they go to sleep.
• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1707 ►English/Scottish parliament accept Act of Union, to form Great Britain
≈ Free Ramblings 
I have an amazing lunch today. Back in the day, I coached a T-ball team. One of my players is now a mother of two and half kids. I hired her mom at the boarding school years ago. The mom is a city raised Navajo who had a Mexican husband. The daughter married a Mexican National about 12 years ago. He is now has dual citizenship. We have seen each other on and off as she grew up. Her family moved to Mexico last year to care for the sick in-laws. She came back for about two weeks because her 98 year old Navajo Grandma had passed. They now live in a town of 120,000 about 45 minutes from Los Mochis, in Chihuahua. (One of my favorite memories of Mexico is in that area.) She had great stories of her life in Mexico, where she speaks Spanish as a foreigner. The family is coming back to the US in July so their baby is born in the US…just in case he wants to become president someday. His two sisters were born here too. I guess there were some good laughs at the border crossing. She and her oldest daughter—9 years old—rode a bus from their home to the border. At the border, everyone gets off, walks through the crossing and gets back on the bus. The daughter begged her mom to let her walk through by herself, carrying her own passport. Mom was right behind her when she handed the border agent her passport. He looked at it, stamped it, and asked her if the next lady in line was her mom. The little girl looked at her mom, and said, “No, I’m traveling alone today.” Mom said it took some fast talking and extra time due to that comment. I was able to remind Mom that this was a ‘like mother, like daughter’ story. She, of course, didn’t think she was ever that independent. So great to see success stories of kids I have worked with.
I am glad I live in Flagstaff, even with our 50mph winds today. Just outside Flag, heading east, the interstate is always being closed due to the wind. Today I found out why. I-40 goes through a dry lake bed, one that has been dry for a long, long, long time. Tucker Flats becomes a tributary of the Little Colorado when we have a wet season. Last time that happened was in the early 1980’s. The deposit of silt left back then still blows across the highway whenever there is a windy day. Today visibility was down to 100’. This 20 mile stretch of I-40 reminds me of most of the reservation. The rez’s only highways are two lanes and 65mph.I don’t remember a time when they have been closed by blowing sand. I remember many times when visibility was about 100’, we just slowed down, turned on our lights and drove on. So glad those sandstorms are behind me. While the Flag winds do make it harder to drive and make walking difficult; we can see where we are going and not sandpit our skin.
All this wind didn’t stop us from getting to 65° today, and last night’s hard winds kept the temperature from dropping below 48°…this was the warmest low for the date since 1970. And the wind continues…
The assistant city editor has been found in California. Still no details as to why he didn’t show up for his job/career last week with the local newspaper. The paper just said ‘his family flew to California to be with him.’ Another mystery as all we knew was that he and his wife lived in Flagstaff and had no children. Those who enjoyed his in depth reporting and those who know him are relieved that he is OK. Still wondering what triggered this whole chain of events.
≈ A Quick Smile… 
Trying to do my share for the environment, I set up a trash basket at my church and posted above it this suggestion: "Empty water bottles here."
I should have been a little more specific, because when I went to check it later, I didn't find any bottles in it. But it was full of water.
≈ Puzzle 
The number next to the acronym helps solve what the acronym means... e.g. 365 DIAY = 365 days in a year, and 366 DIALY = 366 days in a leap year.
1. 6 ITBB(LC)
2. 7 BFSB
3. 8 LOAO
≈ Side Show Stories 
BOSTON - Boston police said two women attacked a man with their fists, feet, purses and a plate of pasta because he neglected to hold an elevator door for them. Investigators said Kenyana McQuay, 27, and Waltia Funches, 28, told officers Mohammed Warsame "didn't hold the elevator door open as they walked into the building" so "they had to use their fists, their bags and their feet to teach him a lesson," the Boston Herald reported Monday. Police said Warsame was also covered in pasta from a plate of noodles the women dumped on him. He told police he tried to fend them off by throwing bottles of water. The police report described the suspects as "extremely agitated," "uncooperative" and "verbally abusive toward officers."
McQuay and Funches were both issued summonses to appear in Roxbury District Court to face assault and battery charges.
≈ Calendar Information 
• Observance Weeks in April•
24-30
National Scoop The Poop Week
• 26 April Observances—US/UN/World •
International Dance Day—since 1982—thought UNESCO
Poem in Your Pocket Day
National Shrimp Scampi Day
• 26 April Observances—by country •
Iran: National Persian Gulf Day (from 1700’s when Iran defeated Portugal for the area)
Japan : Emperor Hirohito's Birthday—since 1926 when he became 124th Emperor of Japan) (since 1989: Greenery Day after his death)
Japan: Shōwa Day, traditionally the start of the Golden Week holiday period.
•Number One Songs in…
For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.
1945 ►My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time; Les Brown
1955 ►Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White; Perez Prado
1965 ►Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter; Herman's Hermits
1975 ►He Don't Love You (Like I Love You); Tony Orlando & Dawn
1985 ►We Are the World; USA for Africa
• 26 April Happenings•
In The Arts
--
In Athletics
1961 ►ABC's "Wide World of Sports, debuts
1986 ►Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens strikes out 20 Seattle Mariners
In Business or Education
1852 ►1st edition of Peter Roget's Thesaurus published
1986 ►800,000 books destroyed by fire in Los Angeles Central Library
In Politics
1661 ►Chinese Ming dynasty occupies Taiwan
1945 ►1st food drop by RAF above nazi-occupied Holland (operation Manna)
1945 ►Dachau concentration camp was liberated today
1990 ►Wrecking cranes began tearing down Berlin Wall at Brandenburg Gate
1992 ►Jury acquits Los Angeles police officers of beating Rodney King, riots begin
2004 ►The National World War II Memorial between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument a monument to the 16 million U.S. men and women who served during World War II opened to the public
In Science/ Religion
1813 ►Rubber is patented
• 26 April Births •
Artists, Writers, and Composers
John Arbuthnot, 1667, Scottish writer (Alexander Pope)
Fred Zinnemann, 1907, Academy Award-winning director: High Noon [1952], From Here to Eternity [1953], A Man for All Seasons [1966]
Athletes
Andre Kirk Agassi, 40, former tennis player
[Ralph] Dale Earnhardt, 1951, NASCAR driver/"The Intimidator"
John[ny Laurence] Miller, 63, golfer
Reggie Miller, 45, NBA player (Indiana Pacers); announcer
Entertainers
Duane Allen, 67, country singer (Oak Ridge Boys-Elvira)
Daniel Day-Lewis, 53, actor (Oscars for My Left Foot and There Will Be Blood
(Anthony James) Lonnie Donegan, 1931, folk singer, musician: guitar, banjo: Rock Island Line, Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour [On the Bedpost Overnight]
Duke [Edward Kennedy] Ellington, 1899, bandleader (Take the A Train, It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing))
Celeste Holm, 91, Academy Award-winning actress
Rod [Marvin] McKuen, 77, singer/composer
Michelle Pfeiffer, 52, actress
Eve Plumb, 52, actress (Jan: “The Brady Bunch”)
Jerry Seinfeld, 56, comedian, actor
[Thomasina] Tammi Terrell [Montgomery], 1945, singer (Ain't No Mountain High Enough)
Uma Thurman, 40, actress
Business, Education Leaders
William Randolph Hearst, 1863, publisher (San Francisco Examiner, Seattle P-I)
Political Leaders
--
Scientists /Religious Leaders
Harold C Urey, 1893, physicist (discovered Deuterium, Nobel 1934)
• 26 April Obits •
Frankie Lymon, 1968, rocker (& Teenagers), drug overdose @ 25
Marvin Gaye, 1984, rocker, shot by his father @ 45
≈ ANSWERS to puzzle
1. 6 ITBB(LC) = Impossible things before breakfast (Lewis Carroll)
2. 7 BFSB = 7 brides for seven brothers
3. 8 LOAO = 8 Legs on an octopus
  ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ 

Wednesday 4-28

≈Week 18 of 2010: 118 days this year… 247 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About

The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it.

~John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath--Chapter 5 (1st published in 1939)

≈ Random Fact   

Orcas (killer whales), when traveling in groups, breathe in unison

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1947 ►Thor Heyerdahl & "Kon-Tiki" sail from Peru to Polynesia  

≈ Free Ramblings   

Every big issue gets their 15 minutes of fame. I really thought AZ had its decades ago when our governor and legislature would not make MKL a state holiday. After losing a super bowl bid and over $100 million in tourist dollars, the governor finally saw the light of day and approved the holiday. Millions had to be lost in the tourist business before the day became a holiday. The current 15 minutes is going to cost us millions more. One big difference is that this time, the state needs every dollar it can find. Tourism dollars and AZ’s trade with Mexico are two big chunks of money. Many groups and individuals are calling for a tourist boycott. Mexico, the country to our south, has issued a tourist warning that travel to Arizona is difficult. Something about always carry your papers and expect to be stopped for no real reason and that hours may be lost to straighten out the paperwork. Those of us who have traveled outside the US know that it is always important to have your papers in order. Few will travel to a place where you are warned that the state police might stop you for no reason. I just hope that our 15 minutes ends soon with a repeal of this law. I have to say, non-elected Governor Brewer made her stand clear in this statement: “I have come under fire from President Obama, Mayor Phil Gordon, the liberal east coast media, Al Sharpton and others who want us to back down from securing our borders. Rest assured, we will not back down until our borders are secure.”

Yesterday that horrific oil slick was the size of Manhattan Island; today it’s the size of W. Va. It is now bigger than the Exxon Valdez oil slick. We may never know what caused the explosion that started the slick. We certainly won’t forget the problems it is bringing. As nothing is working to stop mother earth from sending an infinite amount of the sweet oil [less sulfur and better to make gasoline] into the ocean, now they are talking about burning parts of the slick. The foul fumes are believed to be less harmful to all than letting the slick grow and reach land. This reminds me of an old movie, where all the drillers were covered with black gold when they hit a gusher. Capping that gusher was difficult and dirty, but after it was capped, everyone grabbed a bottle of liquor, took a swig, and sang a song. Capping the current gusher, that is 5000’ under water may be a lot more difficult. Where are all the ‘Drill Baby Drill’ people today? Turns out there really aren’t any laws that say the drillers have to have a safety protocol in place, just in case the rig sinks, leaving the hole wide open and spewing. All them those tree huggers seem to have gotten this one right. Maybe they are on to something.

I had my first hay fever/allergy attack in years. I woke up about 3am with a runny nose and stuffed up head. My nose ran most of the rest of the night. When I got up, it continued. Most of the day I was stuffed up, but the wind came and cleared the air and my sinus. I had heard that this was a bad year for pollen…now I believe it. Hopefully this has nothing to do with my stopping the Singular a few weeks ago. While I wasn’t taking it for allergies, the stopping may or may not have something to do with today’s attack.

Our expected wind arrived about 4pm this afternoon in its full fury. I was so hoping that it would just miss our area. No such luck. The only good thing is that we are having a beautiful sunset. We made it to 69° before the wind arrived. The wind dropped out temperature about 10° in about 30 minutes. The wind continued but the temperature drop stopped.

≈ A Quick Smile…   

Dad is from the old school, where you keep your money under the mattress—only he kept his in the underwear drawer. One day I bought my dad an unusual personal safe—a can of spray

paint with a false bottom—so he could keep his money in the workshop. Later I asked Mom if he was using it.

"Oh, yes," she replied, "he put his money in it the same day."

"No burglar would think to look on the work shelf!" I gloated.

"They won't have to," my mom replied. "He keeps the paint can in his underwear drawer."

≈ Puzzle   

The number next to the acronym helps solve what the acronym means... e.g. 365 DIAY = 365 days in a year, and 366 DIALY = 366 days in a leap year.

1. 10 MIAC

2. 11 PIAFT

3. 12 POAJ

≈ Side Show Stories   

Philadelphia police say Matthew Clemmens, 21, intentionally vomited on a man and his 11-year-old daughter at a Phillies game last week. He was apparently upset after one of his fellow rowdy fans got the boot from the game, shoved a couple of fingers down his throat and hurled on the man and his daughter.

He also punched the man in the face, according to the Associated Press... who turned out to be a police captain.

≈ Calendar Information   

• Observance Weeks in April•

24-30

National Scoop The Poop Week

• 26 April Observances—US/UN/World •

31 Cent Scoop Night: at Baskin Robbins

Great Poetry Reading Day

Kiss-Your-Mate Day

Worker’s Memorial Day: To remember all workers who died while working or from work-related disease

Maryland : Ratification Day (1788)

• 26 April Observances—by country •

Barbados: National Heroes Day

•Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1944 ►It's Love-Love-Love; Guy Lombardo

1954 ►Wanted; Perry Como

1964 ►Can't Buy Me Love; The Beatles

1974 ►The Loco-Motion; Grand Funk

1984 ►Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now); Phil Collins

1994 ►Bump N' Grind; R. Kelly

• 26 April Happenings•

In The Arts

1940 ►Pennsylvania 6-5000, the classic Glenn Miller signature song, was recorded

1968 ►"Hair" opens at Biltmore Theater NYC for 1750 performances

In Athletics

1962 ►The fourth American runner to break the four-minute mile was Jim Grelle.

1967 ►Muhammad Ali refuses induction into army & stripped of boxing title

1993 ►Zambian plane crashes at Libreville Gabon, 30 soccer players die

In Business or Education

1855 ►1st veterinary college in US incorporated in Boston

1937 ►1st animated cartoon electric sign displayed (New York NY)

In Politics

1788 ►Maryland becomes the 7th state to ratify the constitution

1925 ►Kurd rebels surrender to Turkish army

1975 ►Last Americans evacuated from Saigon

2004 ►The first photos of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal were shown on CBS' "60 Minutes II."

In Science/ Religion

1686 ►1st volume of Isaac Newton's "Principia" published

1932 ►Yellow fever vaccine for humans announced

• 26 April Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Robert Anderson, 1917, playwright: Tea and Sympathy, Sand Pebbles

Nelle Harper Lee, 84, author (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Ian Rankin, 50, author (Black and Blue, The Hanging Garden), born Cardenden, Fife, Scotland

Athletes

John Daly, 44, golfer

Mark Harris, 40, wide receiver (San Francisco 49ers)

Entertainers

Jessica Alba, 29, actress

Lionel Barrymore (Blythe), 1878, Academy Award-winning actor

Ann-Margret, 69, actress

Penelope Cruz, 36, actress

Carolyn Jones, 1929, actress: The Addams Family

Jay Leno, 60, television talk show host

Sidney Toler, 1874, actor: Charlie Chan movies

Business, Education Leaders

--

Political Leaders

Saddam Hussein [At-Takriti], 1937, President of Iraq

James Monroe, 1758, 5th US President

Scientists /Religious Leaders

K. Barry Sharpless, 69, American chemist, Nobel laureate

Eugene M. Shoemaker, 1928, American planetary scientist, much of his work done in Flagstaff: in 1999 some of his ashes were left on the moon.

• 26 April Obits •

Benito Mussolini, 1945, Fascist leader (Italy), captured, tried, & shot @ 61

Jim Valvano, 1993, basketball coach (North Carolina State), cancer @ 47

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle    

1. 10 MIAC = 10 millimeters in a centimeter

2. 11 PIAFT=11 Players in a football team

3. 12 POAJ = 12 People/Peers on a jury

  ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ 

Tuesday 4-27

≈Week 18 of 2010: days this year… days remain≈
≈ Something To Think About 
All the problems we face in the United States today can be traced to an unenlightened immigration policy on the part of the American Indian.
~Pat Paulsen
≈ Random Fact 
Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song “Happy Birthday”
• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1971 ►Eight members of the Welsh Language Society ( The Society wishes to preserve the Welsh Language and part of that was to include all signs in Wales to be bilingual ) they are accused of conspiring to damage, remove or destroy English language road signs in Wales.
≈ Free Ramblings 
I have never liked statistics. I learned early in my post graduate work that one could easily distort the stats. Partial distortion comes from the way the question is asked, and partial distortion comes from the choices given. Then there are the elaborate mathematical formulas that are used to determine results. In today’s world one hears poll results every day. Like so many, I hear the results and make a mental note about where I stand. I have heard on the news for the last few days that a recent Rasmussen Poll stated that 70% of Arizonians were glad our non-elected governor had signed SB 1070. Since AZ has about a 30% Hispanic/Latino population and since the poll was kept being repeated endlessly, I had to know more about it. First, while Rasmussen is a respected polling organization, it is also been shown to have more conservative leanings and several news organizations will not use their results. There is a some statisticians who believe their phone poll methodology is not the best way to get accurate results. That said, I tried to find the exact questions and possible responses. I couldn’t find that data. I did find out that 77% of Republicans in AZ, 63% of un-affiliated, and there was an even split of Democrats on the measure. Also I found that 58% of all those polled in AZ were concerned that this measure will lead to a violation of civil rights. That number included 29% who were very concerned. 18% of those polled were not concerned at all. The last thing I learned is that, according to Rasmussen, 60% of a nationwide poll favored local police stopping and verifying immigration status. Major immigration reform must come. While Arizona is in the limelight right now, our new law is certainly bringing the immigration issue back on the front burner. That may be a good thing, in the long run. If nothing else, it shows me that lots of work needs to be done to educate the population on what is going on in immigration.
We had another great day in Flagstaff. We got to 68° so shorts and Tevas were the dress of the day. So nice to have a few nice days. Tomorrow will bring us 40mph steady winds with gusts to 60 mph. Whoopee! We are told all this wind will bring us…wait for it….yep, you are right…more snow. Ah the joys of living at 7000 feet in the spring.
≈ A Quick Smile… 
After I took a job at a small publishing house, the first books I was assigned to edit were all on the topic of dieting.
"Isn't the market flooded with these types of books?" I asked another editor. "How do we expect to turn a profit?"
"Don't worry," he assured me. "These books appeal to a wide audience."
≈ Puzzle 
The number next to the acronym helps solve what the acronym means... e.g. 365 DIAY = 365 days in a year, and 366 DIALY = 366 days in a leap year.
1. 6 OOAHADOTO
2. 7 COTR
3. 8 MAM
≈ Side Show Stories   
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A Riverside County man was arrested for allegedly stealing dozens of fire hydrants to sell for scrap. The man, 45, was arrested Wednesday and remained jailed on Friday. Authorities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties say they suspect the man stole 45 hydrants. They believe he posed as a repairman, shut off the water, unbolted the 80- to 100-pound hydrants and hauled them away in broad daylight.
≈ Calendar Information
• Observance Weeks in April•
24-30
National Scoop The Poop Week
• 27 April Observances—US/UN/World •
Tell A Story Day
Matanzas Mule Day: 1st naval action of Spanish American War. Death toll: 1 mule
Morse Code Day
National Teach Your Children To Save Day
World Graphic Design Day
• 27 April Observances—by country •
Austria : 2nd Republic Day (1945)
Finland: National War Veterans' Day
Sierra Leone: Independence Day (from UK, 1961)
Slovenia: Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces (1941 to fight German, Italian, Hungarian troops)
South Africa: Freedom Day: since 1994—1st free elections after end of apartheid.
Togo: Independence Day (from France, 1960)
•Number One Songs in…
For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.
1941 ►Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy); Jimmy Dorsey
1951 ►How High the Moon; Les Paul & Mary Ford
1961 ►Runaway; Del Shannon
1971 ►Joy to the World; Three Dog Night
• 27 April Happenings•
In The Arts
1954 ►The Movie White Christmas featuring the songs of Irving Berlin, including the Title Song White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, opens at Radio City Music Hall.
In Athletics
1953 ►Wrestler Freddie Blassie coins the term "Pencil neck geek"
1983 ►Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros broke Walter Johnson’s strikeout record. He struck out the3,509th batter of his career.
In Business or Education
1865 ►Cornell University (Ithaca NY) is chartered
In Politics
1763 ►Today, Pontiac will hold a council with a large group of OTTAWA, WYNADOT, and POTAWATOMI Indians. He will tell them of his plans to attack Fort Detroit. He will extol the virtues of returning to the old Indian ways, before the coming of the Europeans.
1877 ►President Rutherford Hayes removes Federal troops from Louisiana, Reconstruction ends
1937 ►US Social Security system makes its 1st benefit payment
1938 ►Geraldine Apponyi was the first American woman to become a Queen. She married King Zog of Albania.
1941 ►Nazis take and occupy Athens in Greece
1977 ►Bloody riots in Soweto South Africa
In Science/ Religion
4977 -BC ►Johannes Kepler's date for creation of universe
1958 ►Scientists around the world are asking politicians to stop nuclear bomb tests including the Nobel Prize Winner Dr Albert Schweitzer.
1967 ►Expo '67 opens in Montréal
• 27 April Births •
Artists, Writers, and Composers
Walter Lantz, 1900, animator (Woody Woodpecker's creator)
Athletes
Rogers Hornsby, 1896, 2nd baseman (Cardinals)
Chuck Knox, 78, football coach: Rams, Bills, Seahawks
Jim Ryun, 63, middle distance runner
Entertainers
Judy Carne, 71, Northhampton England, comedienne (Laugh-in)
Sandy Dennis, 1937, actress
Sheena Easton, 51, singer (“Morning Train”), born Sheena Shirley Orr at Bellshill, Scotland
Casey Kasem, 78, radio, television host (“America’s Top 40”
Jack Klugman, 88, actor (“The Odd Couple,” “Quincy, ME”)
Business, Education Leaders
Edward Gibbon, 1737, historian, author: History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Political Leaders
Ulysses S. Grant, 1822, 18th U.S. President
Coretta Scott King, 1927, civil rights leader
Scientists /Religious Leaders
Samuel Finley Breece Morse, 1791, US painter/inventor (telegraph)
Edward Whymper, 1840 ,1st to climb Matterhorn (1865)
• 27 April Obits •
Alexander I, 1124,king of Scotland, natural causes @ 46
Ken Curtis, 1991, actor (Festus: Gunsmoke), @ 74
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1882, US poet (Representive Men), @ 78
Ferdinand Magellan, 1521, world traveler, killed by Filipino natives @ 50
Edward R Murrow, 1965, newscaster (Person to Person), cancer @ 57
Zebulon M Pike, 1813, US explorer (Pike's Peak), in battle in Toronto @ 34
≈ ANSWERS to puzzle 
1. 6 OOAHADOTO =6 Of One And A Half A Dozen Of The Other
2. 7 COTR = 7 Colors of the rainbow
3. 8 MAM = 8 MAIDS A MILKING
  ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ 

Monday 4-26

≈Week 18 of 2010: 116 days this year… 249 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About 

Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.

~Henry Van Dyke

≈ Random Fact   

Snickers is the best selling chocolate worldwide, raking in over $2 billion annually

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1937 ►The publisher of LIFE magazine just about passed out when he looked at his just-off-the-press publication and noticed that someone had forgotten to put the word “LIFE” in the upper left-hand corner! It was the only time that LIFE was nameless. Since hundreds of thousands of copies were already printed, the magazine hit the streets with no name on the cover! The reason? A picture of a rooster would have had an obscured comb if the logotype had been used in the upper left-hand corner as usual.

≈ Free Ramblings   

My brother and his wife are back from the big Annual North Carolina Designer Furniture Week. Laura had a private showing of her designs. Baker Furniture is very happy that she is one of their contracted designers. She does amazing things with her talent. Over the past few years she has been offered many opportunities to be on design shows on the various cable networks. Her designs are not for the budget minded and are not going to be for sale at your local furniture store. For anyone interested in seeing her inspired designs simply Google: Laura Kirar. You will not that like a fine restaurant, there are no prices. So why haven’t they done TV? It turns out that the designers don’t get paid that much and have to block out two or three months of time to the filming. The perk is exposure. Laura does great presentations, and would be great on TV. At present, few if any of her clients don’t do anything as pedestrian as watching TV. The design business is very creative, very exciting, and one hell of a lot of work. Her designs don’t just suddenly appear on a computer screen, nor do they suddenly become real pieces of art. She has to follow each piece from conception to final product. Her designs provide such great pleasure to their owners; it is worth all the work.

Education v Brainwashing…why do so many Americans believe that the Muslim faith is out to destroy America. Why do so many Middle Eastern Muslims believe the US is out to destroy their faith? Turns out, it has to do with education. Few Americans know anything about the Muslim faith. Few Middle Easterners know anything about America. So when either group hears someone who claims to know, that person is believed. Even if they do not know. In a recent study in Afghanistan, the majority in a college classroom believed that the CIA paid radicals for 9-11 so the US would have a reason to invade their country. These students also believed that the US goal is to destroy their religion. As with almost everything in this world, education is the answer. How to educate, without brainwashing, is the challenge. Sending Americans to the Muslim counties or sending Muslims from the Middle East to the US will help. The problem is that when they return to their homeland, many non-traveling locals will believe that have just sold out or have changed so much they are no longer believable. Somehow we have to find a solution. It happens on both sides.

Another nice, warm, spring day here in Flagstaff. We climbed to 68° fairly early and remained nice all day and into the evening. There was little wind and a great day to be outside. The kids were out in force most of the day, riding bikes, chasing each other around, and having a good time. Even moms with their toddlers found time to play a little today. I really hope this is the beginning of real spring…with no more windy cold days. I also want peace throughout the world and that will happen before mid-April is the end of snow in Flagstaff. Our next snow is due Wednesday, preceded by a windy Tuesday.

≈ A Quick Smile…   

She had been thinking about coloring her hair. One day while going through a magazine, she came across an ad for a hair coloring product featuring a beautiful young model with hair a shade that she liked.

Wanting a second opinion, she asked her husband, "How do you think this color would look on a face with a few wrinkles?"

He looked at the picture, crumbled it up, straightened it out and studied it again. "Just great, hon."

≈ NEW Puzzle   

The number next to the acronym helps solve what the acronym means... e.g. 365 DIAY = 365 days in a year, and 366 DIALY = 366 days in a leap year.

1. 9 PITSS

2. 10 YIAD

3. 11 PIAFT

4. 12 MIAY

≈ Side Show Stories

CHICAGO - Authorities in Illinois are searching for two women charged with stealing a woman's money under the pretense of cleansing it of evil spirits. Cook County authorities indicted Laura Santini, 61, and her daughter, Rosann, 35, on felony theft charges this week for scamming a Park Ridge woman out of $62,000, the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday. "They basically were able to convince the victim that some money she had gotten was cursed money and that somehow that curse had transferred to other money that she had," Chicago police Detective Milorad Sofrenovic said. "They told her that in order to be able to remove this curse, they needed to take this money physically to a shrine in Indiana and with prayers drive the curse from the money." Sofrenovic said the woman realized she had been scammed when she saw a "for rent" sign on the women's Chicago home. He said the women have not been seen in more than a year.

≈ Calendar Information   

• Observance Weeks in April•

24-30

National Scoop The Poop Week

26 to 5/2

Safe Kids Week—since 1988—to teach kids how to be safe

• 26 April Observances—US/UN/World •

Richter Scale Day—know how strong that earthquake was

National Pretzel Day: Publicity for the $550 million business

Bob Wills Day: King of Western Swing, born in Turkey, Texas

Hug An Australian Day

International Marconi Day: for the radio guy

World Intellectual Property Day

• 26 April Observances—by country •

Colombia:Vallenato Legend Festival: Music festival featuring the accordian

Guinea-Bissau, West Africa: Municipal Holiday

Tanzania : Union Day (1964)

•Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1940 ►In the Mood; Glenn Miller

1950 ►'The Third Man' Theme; Anton Karas

1960 ►Stuck on You; Elvis Presley

1970 ►ABC; The Jackson 5

1980 ►Call Me; Blondie

• 26 April Happenings•

In The Arts

1932 ►Ed Wynn was heard on radio’s Texaco Star Theater for the first time.

In Athletics

1961 ►Roger Maris hits 1st of 61 homers in 1961

1988 ►NBA approves addition of 3rd referee in the 1988-89 season

1995 ►Coors Field, opens in Denver, Rockies beat Mets 11-9 in 14 innings

In Business or Education

1906 ►1st motion pictures shown in Hawaii

2002 ► An expelled student ( Robert Steinhäuser ) went on a shooting rampage at the Johann Gutenberg Gymnasium in Erfurt, Germany, killing 13 teachers, two students and a police officer

In Politics

1906 ►A law is passed which grants the President to pick the CHEROKEE Chief.

1913 ►Sun Yet San calls for revolt against President Yuan Shikai in China

1941 ►Potatoes rationed in Holland

1994 ►1st multi-racial election in South Africa begins [3 days] Dr Nomaza Paintin in New Zealand is 1st black South African to vote

2000 ►Vermont Gov. Howard Dean signed the nation's first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.

In Science/ Religion

1478 ►Easter is celebrated for the first time

1514 ►Copernicus makes his 1st observations of Saturn

1986 ►At 1:23 a.m. in Pripyat in the Ukraine when the Chernobyl atomic power station exploded.

• 26 April Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Jet Li, 47, former martial arts champion, actor (The Forbidden Kingdom, Hero, Kiss of the Dragon), , born Li Lian Jie in Beijing, China

Athletes

Donna De Varona, 63, Olympic Hall of Famer: 400-meter individual swimming medley

Ryan Yarborough, 1971, NFL wide receiver (Ravens, Jets)

Entertainers

Gracie Allen, 1906, Mrs George Burns, comedienne

William "Count" Basie, 1904, jazz pianist

Carol Burnett, 74, actress. comedienne

Duane Eddy, 72, musician

Kevin James, 45, actor (“The King of Queens”)

Boyd Matson, 63, TV host/correspondent (National Geographic Explorer)
Ma Rainey [Gertrude Pridgett], 1886, "Mother of the Blues", blues singer

Bobby Rydell, 68, singer (“Wild One,” “Volare”)

Tom Welling, 33, actor (“Smallville”)

Business, Education Leaders

I[eoh] M[ing] Pei, 1917, in Canton China, architect (1961 Brunner Prize)

Erminnie Adelle Platt, 1836, ethnologist (Iriquois-English Dictionary)

Political Leaders

Esek Hopkins, 1718, 1st commander-in-chief (US Navy)

Scientists /Religious Leaders

John James Audubon, 1785, in Haiti, bird watcher/artist

Frederick Law Olmsted, 1822, architect/writer (designed Central Park)

Charles Francis Richter, 1900, seismologist: invented the Richter scale

• 26 April Obits •

Lucille Ball, 1989, comedienne/actress (I Love Lucy), massive heart attack @ 78

William "Count" Basie, 1984, jazz piano great, dies on 80th birthday

John Wilkes Booth, 1865, assassin, shot @ 27

[William] Broderick Crawford, 1986, actor (Highway Patrol), @ 74

Gypsy Rose Lee [Rose Louise Hovick], 1970, stripper/actress cancer @ 56

Charles J Sax, 1865, Belgian inventor (saxophone), @ 74

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle   

1. 9 PITSS =9 Planets in the solar system

2. 10 YIAD = 10 years in a decade

3. 11 PIAFT =11 Players in a football team

4. 12 MIAY = 12 months in a year

  ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ 

Sunday 4-25

25 April 2010~~Week 18 of 2010: 115 days this year… 250 days remain

‡ Something To Think About 

If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1967 ►Colorado Governor John Love signed the first law legalizing abortion in the United States.

‡ Free Ramblings   

I remember laughing a few years back when a lady from Albuquerque, NM called Atlanta, Georgia to get tickets for the upcoming Olympics. It made International news because she was told that she had to call her country’s Embassy to get tickets. That poor operator didn’t know that New Mexico was part of the United States. Well, no one is laughing in AZ, now that AZ has decided that it is above Federal Law. First was the bill that said any candidate for President of the United States will have to provide the AZ Secretary of State with proof they are an American citizen. Failure to do so will mean the name is not on the ballot. Guess the legislature didn’t read the US Constitution. Now our local police must arrest anyone they think is an illegal alien. Immigration reform is needed, no doubt about that. For an individual state to take on that clearly Federal responsibility is costly. Costly as we lose tourists—just like we did when the legislature would not approve an MLK holiday after two being approved by the voters in two separate elections. Costly for the state in the number of lawsuits that will be filed and lost for this stupid law. Costly to the citizens as local law enforcement to determine citizenship—rather than stopping crime. Costly to the many legal immigrants who how to be sure they always have their immigration papers on them. If a legal immigrant doesn’t have the proper paperwork on their person, they can be arrested, fined $5,000, and get six months in our already full county jails. The bill doesn’t provide money for training, increased officers, or increased jail cells. That is now the city’s or county’s responsibility. The state is broke, the cities are broke, and the counties are broke. Since the state is broke, they simply pass a law that has to be paid for by the city or county governments in our state.

Many Hispanics have been in Arizona for many generations. Until we became a state in 1912, much of AZ had been part of Mexico. Many of these families have worked hard to be sure their children know their heritage, their language, and their beliefs. Now this is going to be a problem for those children. They are American citizens—born and raised, just like their parents and grandparents, and back even farther. They may speak English with an accent. They may dress differently. Now, if stopped for an illegal lane change, they must prove they are citizens or be arrested. I have a few legal Hispanic friends. If we are traveling somewhere and get stopped, the person has to prove citizenship. If s/he can’t do that, I go to jail too. How racist to have to ask a friend, before traveling, if they have their papers. I hope this law is quickly proven unconstitutional so we can all go back to living without fear in our state. Finally, I know quite a few full blooded Natives who have Spanish-sounding surnames. They too, will probably have to prove citizenship or go to jail.

It is hard to believe it was snowing yesterday. Today our thermometer climbed to 65° and it was a great day to be outside. I have been feeding the birds with seed and suet the entire winter. I have two seed feeders and two suet cages. Yesterday I noticed a squirrel climbing around in the tree. I don’t know if this is the same squirrel I had last year, but a squirrel, none the less. I had to position the feeders so the squirrel couldn’t get to them. Squirrels care very clever when it come to getting food. They can hang upside down, reach astounding lengths, and do a sneak attack from above, below or on any side of the food source. This morning I was out checking the feeders and both suet cages were hanging open and empty. Both had almost new cakes in the cages. Looking on the ground below I saw one of the cakes. Squirrels!!! Greedy, hungry, destructive little rodents. What I can’t figure out is what happened to the other suet cake? What animal would take the whole cake and haul it away without breaking it up? There is no trail of crumbs, one cake intact, the other vanished. I’m pretty sure it isn’t kids, because they to would have broken it up a little. Another mystery in Flagstaff. For those of you still interested, no new news on our missing asst. city editor. Nothing on line or in the paper. Strange, and the mystery continues.

‡ A Quick Smile…   

My job is in the Aerospace Industry, and it's always been a challenge to explain just what kind of work I do.

At one gathering, I tried several unsuccessful attempted explanations before deciding to be as generic as possible. When the subject came up while I was talking with a group of guys, I replied simply, "Defense Contractor."

The men nodded, and as the conversation went on, I silently declared victory to myself. Then, one of them turned to me and asked, "So, what do you put up mainly? Chain-link?"

‡ Random Facts   

1970’s: Love Canal, New York, chemical companies could legally dump their waste products into the canal scientists found that the drinking water contained excessive levels of 82 industrial chemicals, 7 of which were thought to cause cancer.

1979: the worst accident in U.S. nuclear-reactor history occurred at the Three Mile Island power station, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

1984: an explosion in the Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, India, released a deadly gas, methyl isocyanate, which is used to make pesticides—2500 killed and 100,000 injured.

1986: the reactor blew at the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, ripping open the core, blowing the roof off the building, starting more than 30 fires, and allowing radioactive material to leak into the air.

1989: 11.2 million gallons of crude oil spilled into Prince William Sound from the tanker Exxon Valdez

2005: in Jilin City, China, a series of explosions in a petrochemical plant killed six people, injured at least 70, and forced over 10,000 residents to evacuate.

‡ Puzzle   

Heteronyms are words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. For example: Lead, pronounced LEED, means to guide. However, lead, pronounced LED, means a metallic element.

1. a line; a fight

2. to injure; coiled up

3. to deny; garbage

‡ Side Show Stories   

GURGAON, India - A retired British couple in India say they are being persecuted by neighbors complaining about the donkey sanctuary they created at their home. Residents of Gurgaon said Bob Harrison, 67, and his wife, Jean, 69, are harming their neighborhood with the smells and sounds from the donkeys on their property, The Daily Telegraph (Britain) reported Thursday. "The neighbors have complained to the municipal commissioner about the noise and the smell and they say it's attracting the pigs. But there is a leaking sewage pipe at the back of the houses and the pigs love it," Bob Harrison said. The Harrisons, who said they are trying to find new homes for the four donkeys on their property before they vacation in Britain for the summer, said they believe their neighbors are persecuting them for being British. The municipal commissioner's office said it is offering the Harrisons a nearby plot of land to build a new donkey shelter away from their neighbors.

‡ Calendar Information   

• Observance Weeks in April•

19-25

Astronomy Week

Consumer Awareness Week

Fish Fry Week

National Inspirational News Week

Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week

National Paperboard Packaging Week

National Window Safety Week

Turnoff Week

23-25

National Dream Hotline: Call to have your dreams interpreted. Sponsored by the School of Metaphysics in MO

National & Global Youth Service Days

National Dance Week

National Pie Week

24-30

National Scoop The Poop Week

• 25 April Observances—US/UN/World •

National Zucchini Bread Day

DNA Day-since 2003 when the double helix was discovered

20-Something Service Day: only for the young 

Malaria Awareness Day

National Pet Parent's Day for those who have recognize pets are part of the family

Mother, Father Deaf Day to recognize the contribution of deaf parents to their hearing children

Red Hat Society Day

• 25 April Observances—by country •

Australia, Nauru, New Zealand, Solomon Is, Tonga, W Samoa : ANZAC Day (1915 for WWI heros)

Azores : Portugal's Day (1974)

Egypt: Sinai's Liberation Day (1979)

Faroe Islands: (near Netherlands) Flag Day

Italy : Liberation Day

Portugal : Revolution Day (1974)

Swaziland : Flag Day

•Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1940 ►In the Mood; Glenn Miller

1950 ►'The Third Man' Theme; Anton Karas

1960 ►Stuck on You; Elvis Presley

1970 ►ABC; The Jackson 5

1980 ►Call Me; Blondie

• 25 April Happenings•

In The Arts

1939 ►DC Comics publishes its second major superhero in Detective Comics #27; he is Batman, one of the most popular comic book superheroes of all time.

In Athletics

1981 ►Seattle Mariners manager Maury Wills is suspended for 2 games after ordering Seattle's grounds crew to enlarge batter's boxes by one foot

In Business or Education

1859 ►Ground broken for Suez Canal

In Politics

1792 ►Guillotine 1st used, executes highwayman Nicolas J Pelletier

1862 ►Battle of New Orleans LA - US Admiral Farragut occupies New Orleans

1898 ►US declares war on Spain over Cuba

1901 ►New York becomes 1st state requiring auto license plates ($1 fee)

1933 ►US & Canada drop Gold Standard

1935 ►An immense fire ruined Oregon's state capitol Building in Salem

1959 ►The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to traffic

In Science/ Religion

1684 ►Patent granted for the thimble

1938 ►1st use of seeing eye dog

1990 ►Hubble space telescope is placed into orbit by shuttle Discovery

1994 ►14" of snow in Southern California

• 25 April Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

J. Anthony Lukas, 1933, Pulitzer Prize-winning author: Common Ground: A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families

Flannery O'Connor, 1925, short story writer

Athletes

Meadow George “Meadowlark” Lemon III, 78, Hall of Fame basketball player

Walt Wesley, 65, NBA star (Cavaliers, Bucks, Lakers)

Entertainers

Hank Azaria, 46, actor (“Huff,” The Birdcage, many voices on “The Simpsons”)

Ella Fitzgerald, 1918, jazz singer

Al Pacino, 70, actor (Oscar for Scent of a Woman; Dog Day Afternoon, Godfather movies)

Talia Shire, 64, actress (the Godfather movies, the Rocky movies)

Renee Zellweger, 41, actress (Oscar for Cold Mountain; Miss Potter, Chicago, Bridget Jones’s Diary)

Business, Education Leaders

Edward R. (Roscoe) Murrow, 1908, newsman: You are There, Person to Person; former head U.S. Information Agency

Political Leaders

William J. Brennan Jr., 1906, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court: authored more than 1,200 opinions, including many landmarks: free press [New York Times v. Sullivan], women’s rights [Frontiero v. Richardson], reapportionment [Baker v. Carr], civil rights [Cooper v. Aaron, Green v. County School Board]

Oliver Cromwell, 1599, Puritan lord protector of England

Jon Kyl, 68, US Senator (R, Arizona)

Scientists /Religious Leaders

Charles Ferdinand Dowd, 1825, US, standardized time zones

Guglielmo Marconi, 1874, ‘Father of Radio’: inventor: 1909 Nobel Laureate in Physics: wireless telegraphy [the transmission of Morse Code over electromagnetic energy]

• 25 April Obits •

George Sanders, 1972, actor (Mr Freeze-Batman, Ivanhoe), suicide @ 65

Art Fleming, 1995, game show host (Jeopardy), @ 74

Ginger Rogers, 1995, actress/dancer (Top Hat, Stage Door), @ 83

John Lorne Campbell, 1996, folklorist, @ 90

‡ ANSWERS to puzzle   

1. Row ROH- a line; ROUW- a fight

2. Wound WOOND- to injure; WOWND- coiled up

3. Refuse reFUSE- to deny; REFFyoos- garbage

   ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡   

Saturday 4-24

24 April 2010~~Week 17 of 2010: 114 days this year… 251 days remain

‡ Something To Think About

First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.

--Dietrich Bonhoeffer—Luthern Minister hanged in Nazi Germany

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1984 ►Apple released the Apple IIc portable computer costing $1,295

‡ Free Ramblings

Tonight is another Great Decisions Group. We meet about 10 times a year, and have decided to try and finish up by May so we can send in our comments on this year’s topics. Keeps me hoppin’. Tonight is on the Great Recession and its implications. I must say, I read the five articles and after the first couple of paragraphs of each one it was just blah, blah, blah. I’m hoping the rest of the group will be a little less bored, and able to understand this stuff in plain ol’ English. I do know all the words in the articles and don’t need a dictionary to read it, but it is just plain boring.

Our retirement group met at a little restaurant on the South Side of Flag. Great food. Good conversation. So many unique individuals wander around South San Francisco St. It’s almost like a step back into the late 1960’s. Living on the East side, I forget that this part of Flagstaff even exists. It’s nice to see. The owner of the restaurant is a friend of Mary’s and she treated us very well. They don’t have a big lunch crowd but it was steady with people in and out.

I listened to non-elected Governor Brewer as she signed SB1070. Not in the mood. Trouble is already brewing and she is just living on another planet.

We are still in Winter-Spring with snow coming and going every few hours. We only got to 42° but it was not a nice day outside.

‡ A Quick Smile…

According to my mother, she and Dad decided to start a family soon after he became an officer in the Air Force. When months went by without success, they consulted the base physician, who chose to examine Mom right then and there.

"Please disrobe," he told her.

"With him in the room??" she yelled, pointing to my father.

Turning to Dad, the doctor said, "Captain, I think I found the problem."

‡ Random Fact

In 1962, Silent Spring by aquatic biologist Rachel Carson exposes the harm caused by insecticides such as DDT. The book leads to the development of safer insecticides and to a ban on the sale of DDT within the United States. More significantly, it heightens the awareness of ordinary people, who demand new legislation aimed at protecting the environment—a word that enters common parlance around this time.

‡ Puzzle

Heteronyms are words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. For example: Lead, pronounced LEED, means to guide. However, lead, pronounced LED, means a metallic element.

1. to shut; near

2. to show a movie; a task

3. to put it down again, such as a carpet; a race by teams; to pass along, such as information

‡ Side Show Stories

JAYWICK, England - A British man banned from driving for four years for drunkenly driving a battery-powered Barbie toy car admitted he had acted like "a twit." Paul Hutton, 40, said he found the toy car, designed for 3-to-5-year-olds, abandoned about a year ago and he has been working on it at his Jaywick, England, home for about a year with his 17-year-old son, the Colchester Gazette reported.

Hutton said he had been drinking while working on the toy the day of his arrest and decided to take it for a spin. "The police pulled up and asked if I was all right," Hutton said. "I'd had a few drinks but I felt fine. I hadn't spoken to anyone all day -- then I found out I couldn't talk. "I was very surprised to get done for drink-driving, but I was a twit to say the least," he said. Hutton was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge. His driver's license was suspended for three years. The Barbie car runs on a 12-volt battery and has a top speed of about 4 mph.

‡ Calendar Information

• Observance Weeks in April•

18-24

Administrative Professionals Week

Cleaning For A Reason Week

Coin Week

National Crime Victims Rights Week

National Volunteer Week

Sky Awareness Week

19-25

Astronomy Week

Consumer Awareness Week

Fish Fry Week

National Inspirational News Week

Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week

National Paperboard Packaging Week

National Window Safety Week

Turnoff Week

23-25

National Dream Hotline: Call to have your dreams interpreted. Sponsored by the School of Metaphysics in MO

National & Global Youth Service Days

National Dance Week

National Pie Week

24-30

National Scoop The Poop Week

• 24 April Observances—US/UN/World •

National Pigs In A Blanket Day

Astronomy Day

Bulldogs are Beautiful Day

Interstate Mullet Toss Days

National Go Birding Day

National Rebuilding Day Sense of Smell Day

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day

• 24 April Observances—by country •

Armenia : Armenian Martyrs' Day (1915)

Australia: Kapyong Day, a day of remembrance for Korean War veteran

The Gambia: Republic Day

Niger: Concord Day, commemorating the 1995 peace accord ending the Tuareg Rebellion

Nepal: Democracy Day, commemorating the reinstitution of parliament in 2006

•Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1948► Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me); Peggy Lee

1958► Witch Doctor; David Seville [The Chipmunks]

1968► Honey; Bobby Goldsboro

1978► Night Fever; The Bee Gees

1988► Where Do Broken Hearts Go; Whitney Houston

• 24 April Happenings•

In The Arts

--

In Athletics

1974 ►NFL grants franchise to Tampa Bay Bucaneers

In Business or Education

1704 ►"Boston News-Letter", 1st successful newspaper in US, is established

1865 ►Fire alarm & police telegraph system put into operation (San Francisco)

1888 ►Eastman Kodak forms

1985 ►There were a reported 832,602 millionaires in the United States on this day

In Politics

1754 ►DELAWARE Chief Teedyuscung will lead a group of 70 Christian Indians out of the village of Gnadenhuetten today. They will leave to live in the village of Wyoming, Pennsylvania.

1800 ►Library of Congress is established with $5,000 allocation

1833 ►Patent granted for 1st soda fountain to Jacob Evert & George Dulty

1897 ►1st reporter, William Price (Washington Star), is assigned to White House

1898 ►Spain declares war on the United States after rejecting America's ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba

1916 ►The Easter uprising begins when some 1,600 militant Irish republicans who are members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood seize several key sites in Dublin

1968 ►Students at Columbia University in New York City begin a week long occupation of several campus buildings

In Science/ Religion

1990 ►The Space Shuttle Discovery launched the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit.

• 24 April Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Robert Penn Warren, 1905, 1st US poet laureate (All the King's Men)

Athletes

Vince Ferragamo, 54, NFL/CFL quarterback (Los Angeles Rams, Montréal Alouettes)

Entertainers

Cedric the Entertainer, 46, comedian, actor (Street Kings, Barber-shop, Be Cool), born Cedric Kyle

Kelly Clarkson, 28, singer

Shirley MacLaine, 76, author, actress (Oscar for Terms of Endearment; The Turning Point, Being There)

Michael O’Keefe, 55, actor

Barbra Streisand, 68, singer, actress (Oscar for Funny Girl; The Way We Were, Yentl), director (Prince of Tides)

Business, Education Leaders

Robert Bailey Thomas, 1766, founder, editor: The Farmer’s Almanac

Political Leaders

Richard M. Daley, 68, Mayor of Chicago

Scientists /Religious Leaders

John Graunt, 1620, statistician, founder of science of demography

• 24 April Obits •

Vladimir M Komarov, 1967, cosmonaut (Voshkod I), is 1st to die in space, aboard Soyuz 1 @ 40

Wallis Warfield Simpson (Duchess of Windsor) ,1986, dies @ 90

Pat Paulsen, 1997, comedian (Smothers Brothers Show), cancer @ 69

‡ ANSWERS to puzzle

1. Close CLOZE- to shut; CLOS- near

2. Project proJEKT- to show a movie; PRAHjekt- a task

3. Relay reeLAY- to put it down again, such as a carpet; REElay- a race by teams; rihLAY- to pass along, such as information

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

Friday 4-23

23 April 2010~~Week 17 of 2010: 113 days this year… 252 days remain

‡ Something To Think About 

If you do a good job for others, you heal yourself at the same time, because a dose of joy is a spiritual cure.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (German Lutheran Pastor)

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1953 ►KTAR (now KPNX) TV channel 12 in Phoenix AZ (NBC) begins broadcasting

‡ Free Ramblings    

Flagstaff is in the middle of a mystery. Very few are talking. The mystery—where in the world is the Asst. City Editor of the local paper? All that has been put out to the public is that he left for work on Monday, but never arrived. He has not been seen or heard from since. This information was released by a Phoenix news site and the local paper—where he works-- put nothing on its web site. I learned of this last night on Facebook. Today’s print edition of the Daily Sun had a Police Log story but no photo and the same information from the Phx site.. Finally this afternoon the local police released a photo of Larry and a photo of his vehicle. Facebook is keeping us up to date. It did come over the NAU news station last night, and tonight they ran the picture. This all is very strange. He has been in the Flagstaff News scene for years. The newspaper must realize that this silence is only making it more difficult to find him. They run lots of ‘missing persons’ stories in the Police Log. Most have a photo and some kind of story—‘last seen leaving home after argument with…”, or ‘on medication for…”, or ‘may appear agitated…’. Seldom does a man in his mid 40’s simply disappear. As far as I am concerned, this lack of information is not helping Larry or his family. Rumors in Flagstaff are running repent: on an undercover story, left his wife, uses drugs, fight with boss, kidnapped, and on and on. The truth will come out and many in Flag are hoping it has a good outcome. Larry has provided us with great in-depth news and many people hope, whatever is happening that he is safe.

Our non-elected governor has not signed or vetoed that immigration bill that remains in the National News. She isn’t talking about the bill. She did come out today to say that she is putting a couple of truckloads of money to make the border safer and asking Obama to do the same. On the noon news we learned that about 1500 high school students walked out of 5 high schools in Phoenix and marched to the capital building. Their message was simple: veto SB 1050. All peaceful, and from what we were told, started by one simple Twitter message. Some of the students walked 10+ miles along busy streets to get to the rally. The police were on the route, and thankfully there were no incidents. Protests continue and the Veto group always outnumbers the Sign group. I learned early this morning that our non-elected governor’s Facebook page was running 100-1 in favor of her signing the bill. I asked her to be my friend so I could comment. She hasn’t accepted my request yet, so I can’t give her my opinion on that page. She probably was too busy today to see my request…yeah, like she actually reads Facebook.

Today’s weather in Flag was as strange as the above news stories. More wind. More snow. A little sunshine. A 30-minute ‘white-out’ about 4pm. Blue sky and very bright sunlight about 4:30 on the snow that had just fallen. We were far from warm with a high 38° and the 30mph winds made it feel even colder.

‡ A Quick Smile…   

A group of foreign dignitaries is visiting Israel. At the end of the tour, they are taken to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They look at the tomb and read the following inscription:

ABRAHAM SCHWARTZ BORN 5694 DIED 5733 A GOOD MAN AND A GREAT FURRIER.

The visitors are incredulous. They ask the guide, "How can this be an unknown soldier if the grave has his name?"

Their host responds, "Sure, as a soldier he was unknown, but as a furrier -- he was the best!"

‡ Random Fact   

Between 1901-1909, Theodore Roosevelt is the "conservation president." During his administration, more than 225 million acres of land became part of the U.S. Forest Service, and approximately 50 wildlife refuges and 150 national forests were created.

‡ Puzzle    

Heteronyms are words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. For example: Lead, pronounced LEED, means to guide. However, lead, pronounced LED, means a metallic element.

1. pastime; remake

2. one who sews; place for human waste

3. to divide into groups; not joined together

‡ Side Show Stories   

NEW YORK - A New York library said George Washington, the first president of the United States, owes $300,000 in late fees for two books he never returned. The New York Society Library said President Washington visited the facility Oct. 5, 1789, and borrowed international relations treatise "Law of Nations" and Vol. 12 of the British Parliament transcript series "Commons Debates," the New York Daily News reported Monday. Officials said the books, which were due Nov. 2 of that same year, have been compiling late fees of a few pennies a day ever since.

"We're not actively pursuing the overdue fines," head librarian Mark Bartlett joked. "But we would be very happy if we were able to get the books back."

‡ Calendar Information   

• Observance Weeks in April•

18-24

Administrative Professionals Week

Cleaning For A Reason Week

Coin Week

National Crime Victims Rights Week

National Volunteer Week

Sky Awareness Week

19-25

Astronomy Week

Consumer Awareness Week

Fish Fry Week

National Inspirational News Week

Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week

National Paperboard Packaging Week

National Window Safety Week

Turnoff Week

23-25

National Dream Hotline: Call to have your dreams interpreted. Sponsored by the School of Metaphysics in MO

National & Global Youth Service Days

National Dance Week

National Pie Week

• 23 April Observances—US/UN/World •

Read Me Day: the message of every book

Talk Like Shakespeare Day

World Book & Copyright Day

World Laboratory Animal Day

• 23 April Observances—by country •

Bermuda : Peppercorn Day

Canada: Book Day

Conch Republic, Key West, Florida: Independence Day (Florida Tourist thing)

Spain: Castile and León Day (since 1521—identifies two regions of Spain)

Turkey : National Sovereignty Day/Children's Day

•Number One Songs in…

1926 I'm Sitting on Top of the World Al Jolson

1946 I'm a Big Girl Now Sammy Kaye

1956 Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley

1966 (You're My) Soul and Inspiration The Righteous Brothers

1976 Disco Lady Johnnie Taylor

1996 Because You Loved Me Celine Dion

• 23 April Happenings•

In The Arts

1984 ►Singer Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his father at age 45.

In Athletics

1921 ►Charles Paddock set a record time in the 300-meter track event by posting a time of 33.2 seconds

1963 ►Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds got his first hit in the major leagues.

In Business or Education

1985 ►The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, GA, made a showy, glitzy announcement--New Coke. Lasted less than 6 months.

In Politics

1014 ►King Brian Boru of Ireland beats Danes at Battle of Clontarf

1701 ►William Penn will sign a treaty of friendship at Philadelphia with representatives of the SUSQUAHANNA, SHAWNEE, GANAWESE, and the IROQUOIS. All parties will agree to act peaceably with each other. The treaty will be known as the "Articles of Agreement".

1900 ►1st known occurrence of word "hillbillie" (New York Journal)

1918 ►National Urban League forms

1968 ►1st decimal coins issued in Britain (5 & 10 pence)

In Science/ Religion

1348 ►1st English order of knighthood founded (Order of the Garter)

1962 ►1st US satellite to reach the moon launched

1984 ►AIDS-virus identified (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

• 23 April Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Margaret Kennedy, 1896, novelist: The Constant Nymph

Michael Moore, 56, author, film-maker

William Shakespeare, 1564, Stratford-on-Avon England, bard

Athletes

Bud Wilkinson, 1916, college football coach (Oklahoma)

Entertainers

Valerie Bertinelli, 50, actress (“One Day at a Time)

John Cena, 33, professional wrestler

Sandra Dee [Alexandra Zuck], 1944, actress (Gidget)

Joyce Dewitt, 61, actress (“Three’s Company”)

Jan Hooks, 53, actress (“Saturday Night Live,” “Designing Women”)

Lee Majors, 70, actor (“The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Fall Guy”)

Roy Orbison, 1936, rocker (Oh Pretty Woman, Only The Lonely)

Dev Patel, 20, actor (Slumdog Millionaire), born Harrow, England

Ray Peterson, 1935, singer: Tell Laura I Love Her

Duncan Renaldo, 1904, Spain, actor (Cisco Kid)

Herve Villechaize, 1943, France, "Da Plane! Da Plane!" (Fantasy Island)

Business, Education Leaders

--

Political Leaders

Shirley Temple Black, 82, former ambassador to Ghana, child actress

James Buchanan, 1791, 15th U.S. President

Bernadette Devlin (McAliskey), 63, Irish civil rights leader

Stephen Arnold Douglas [Little Giant], 1813, US Senator (Lincoln debates)

Timothy McVeigh, 1968, American terrorist

Scientists /Religious Leaders

Virgil I [Gus] Grissom, 1926, astronaut (Liberty Bell 7, Gemini 3)

• 23 April Obits •

Howard Cosell, 1995, sportscaster (Monday Night Football), @ 77

Buster Crabbe, 1983, US swimmer (Olympics-gold-1932)/actor, heart attack @ 76

Otto Preminger, 1986, director (Advise & Consent, Anatomy of Murder), @ 79

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedram, 1616, Spanish writer (Don Quixote), @ 69

William Shakespeare, 1616, English author, on his 52nd birthday

Pamela Lyndon Travers, 1996, writer (Mary Poppins), @ 96

William Wordsworth, 1850, poet, @ 80

‡ ANSWERS to puzzle   

1. Recreation rek-ree-Ashun- pastime; REEcreeAshun- remake

2. Sewer SOwer- one who sews; SOOwer- place for human waste

3. Separate SEPerATE- to divide into groups; SEPret- not joined together

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