7/9/13

FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!

Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 28/ Day: 190   Today: H 86°…L 57°

Wind: ave:   4mph; Gusts:  20mph  Ave. humidity:  60%

*

Average Low	Average High	Record Low	Record High
49°	82°	34° (1926)	94° (2003)

Quote of the Day

Today’s Historical Highlights

1st natural gas well in US is discovered…1815

African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The first chairman is 

     Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa…2002

Daniel Williams performs 1st successful open heart surgery without anesthesia…1893

Dick Clark's 1st appearance as host of American Bandstand…1956

Doughnut cutter patents by John Blondel…1872

Federation of Malaysia forms…1963

Mission of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is established for the Nacanish and 

     Nocogdoche Indians in what becomes Texas…1716

Mongol monarch Timur Lenk destroys Baghdad…1401

Pete Sampras wins his 13th Grand Slam tennis title at Wimbledon…2000

Uganda asks UN to condemn Israeli hostage rescue raid on Entebbe…1976

Unsuccessful expedition led by E.D Young sets search for Dr David Livingstone

     (Scottish missionary and explorer)…1867

World's largest circus tent catches fire at Ringling Brother's - Barnum & Bailey

     2nd performance, 168 die…1944

♫  Today’s Birthdays: ♫   

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

My Free Rambling Thoughts   

An interesting afternoon. My maintenance man showed up with a letter from the HOA. It seems my flower pots and my fountain are not in compliance with Rule 12. These additions are considered by the new board to be ‘unsightly’. They claim to even have pictures of this unsightly mess. Guess my neighbor who stopped by last week was right. The maintenance guy said that one other neighbor got a violation for having a small AZ Cardinals sticker in his front window. All other residents with anything in their front area also got letters. This group seems to be ‘overstepping’ since I have had the same flower pots in the front since I moved here some 7 years ago. I’ll be writing a letter after I calm down. United we stand and we will survive.

 

Lots of rain clouds around, but none dropped here at my place. Breeze did keep it less warm though.

 

OK, I’m officially tired of watching the Zimmerman trial. Not only is it on CNN throughout the day, the evening news on all channels gives us the highlights. Not so interesting to hear all the ‘experts’ commenting on all the testimony. I chose not to go to school to be a lawyer. It all boils down to what the jury hears and votes on…all the ‘experts’ also know that ‘anything can happen.’ I’ll find another channel for ‘noise’ during the day when I am home.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)

Brain Teasers

Below are words or phrases grouped in pairs. There is a different word that fits in the middle of each set that can be defined by both sides. Your task is to find those words.
Example:
Flower ________ Stood
Answer: Rose

1. Enclosure for animals - __________ - Writing instrument 2. Male sheep - __________ - Collide into something 3. To shove one thing inside another - __________ - A collection of misc. items 4. Not specific or definite - __________ - Military officer of very high rank

Lifestyle  Substance:     

Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

• William Shatner Interview Barbara Woodhouse Goes To Beverly Hills

• Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood-Summer Wine

• Ed Ames - My Cup Runneth Over

Hmmmm…Oxymorons

Normal deviation Nothing much Numb feeling

Ok, then?

Harper’s Index    

Percentage of ongoing deportations dismissed following Obama’s promise to ‘use discretion’ in immigration prosecutions: 4.8

Picture of the Day: Street Markets

Unusual Fact of the Day

The first known chain letter appeared in 1888 soliciting for dimes for the poor in Tennessee and promising God’s blessing in return.

Joke-of-the-day

A teacher in a political science class asked the students, "Who is the most powerful person in the US?"

A student answered, "The First Pet?"

The teacher then asked, "Why?"

The student explained, "Because, the president kneels before him, talks to him, listens to him, follows him, prefers him to office staff, looks after his well being before the voters', cancels/defers official duties in favor of him, and boards Air Force One first."

Rules of Thumb:   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

PLANTING A SEED

 When planting seed, don't cover it deeper than three times its diameter.   

Yeah, It Really Happened

According to police, the bizarre incident occurred about 11 p.m. as the fireworks displays wound down. Township police received multiple calls from residents who reported a man was driving a military vehicle and firing an automatic weapon at crowds of people.

When officers arrived, they discovered nobody was injured and they quickly located the vehicle, which turned out to be an antique World War II-era armor-plated vehicle with a replica 50-caliber machine gun mounted. The weapon had been modified to fire compressed gas and emit a bright flash and loud realistic gunfire sounds.

One person was arrested. Charges are pending. And dozens of pairs of underwear were changed.

Somewhat Useless Information   

• PEZ candy was first introduced in 1927 in Vienna, Austria as a breath mint for adults.

• The word PEZ was created using the first, middle and last letter in the German word for peppermint PfeffErminZ.

• The first PEZ dispensers were known as regulars and did not have character heads on them. They were marketed to adults as an alternative to smoking. Original dispensers have sold for more than $100 each.

• When making a single piece of PEZ Candy it takes 3,000 pounds of pressure to compress the sugar into the familiar brick shape of a PEZ Candy.

• The first national gathering of PEZ collectors was held on Saturday June 15, 1991 in Mentor, Ohio. Since then collector conventions have popped up all over the United States.

• "Feet" is the common term used to refer to the small tabs on the dispenser base to help it stand upright. They were first added to U.S. dispensers in 1987.

Calendar Information        

Happening This Week:

4-10

Freedom Week: 4-10 
7-13  
Be Nice To New Jersey Week
Creative Maladjustment Week
National Farriers Week
Nude Recreation Weekend

Today Is                                                                      

·        Bald In-Bald Out

·        National Sugar Cookie Day

^^

·        Baha'i: Martyrdom of The Bab

·        Islam: Ramadan begins

^^

·        Argentina: Independence Day (1816 from Spain)

·        Morocco: Youth Day

·        US: Alaska: Flag Day (1927 when only state flag designed by child 1^st raised)

Today’s Events through History  

Declaration of Independence is read to George Washington's troops (NY)…1776

Discovery of element 102 (Nobelium) announced…1957

French navigator Jacques Cartier returns to Saint-Malo from Canada…1536

Improved corncob pipe patents by Henry Tibbe, Washington, Mo…1878

South Sudan gains independence and secedes from Sudan…2011

Two bombs explode in Mecca, killing one pilgrim and wounding 16 others…1989

Voyager 2 flies past Jupiter…1979

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 80’s

Ed Ames, actor (Mingo-Daniel Boone), singer is 86

Donald Rumsfeld, politician (involved in Watergate) is 81

In their 70’s

Brian Dennehy, actor (Check is in the Mail, F/X, Cocoon, Ants) is 75

Richard Roundtree, New Rochelle NY, actor (Getting Even, Shaft) is 71

In their 60’s

Dean R[ay] Koontz, US, sci-fi author (Star Quest, Beastchild) is 68

OJ Simpson [Orenthal James], NFL running back, prisoner is 66

In their 50’s

Tom Hanks, actor (Bossom Buddies, Forrest Gump, Phila) is 57

Jimmy Smits, actor (Victor-LA Law, Running Scared, NYPD Blue) is 58

In their 40’s

Courtney Love, vocalist (Hole)/actress is 49

In their 30’s

Fred Savage, actor, director is 37

Remembered for being born today

Thomas Davenport, invented 1st commercial electric motor [1802-1851]

Vince Edwards, actor (Ben Casey, Matt Lincoln, Firehouse) [1928-1996]

Daniel Guggenheim, US (Guggenheim Museum) [1856-1930]

Lee Hazelwood, country singer/songwriter (Summer Wine, Jackson) [1929-2007]

Lord Lovat, [Simon Fraser], Scottish cattle breeder/leader of clan Fraser [1911-1995]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           

Eugen Fischer, Nazi physician ‘race hygiene’ theory…1967…at 93

Allen Ludden, TV show host (Password)…cancer…1981…at 61

Eric Sevareid, journalist…stomach cancer…1992…at 79

Rod Steiger, actor… pneumonia…2002…at 77

Zachary Taylor, 12th president…intestinal infection…1850 (in office)…at 65

Barbara Woodhouse, dog trainer…stroke…1998…at 78

Answer: Brain Teasers

1. Enclosure for animals - Pen - Writing instrument 2. Male sheep - Ram - Collide into something 3. To shove one thing inside another - Stuff - A collection of misc. items 4. Not specific or definite - General - Military officer of very high rank

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree.

All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] the dates may not be totally accurate.

§    And That Is All for Now  §

7/8/13

FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!

Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 28/ Day: 189   Today: H 82°…L 50°

Wind: ave:   14mph; Gusts:  21mph  Ave. humidity:  63%

*

Average Low	Average High	Record Low	Record High
49°	82°	32° (1955)	92° (2002)

Quote of the Day

Today’s Historical Highlights

1st Crusade: 15,000 starving Christian soldiers march in religious procession 

     around Jerusalem as its Muslim defenders look on…1099

500th anniversary Russian Orthodox Church celebrated in Moscow…1948

Congress authorizes registration of trademarks…1870

Harding becomes 1st sitting president to visit Alaska…1923

Hernán Cortés and army escape from Tenochtitlán (modern Mexico City)…1520 

NYC authorizes 1st police uniforms in American colonies…1693

Paris is founded…951

Public Works Administration becomes effective…1933

Sabra Starr finishes longest recorded belly dance (100 hrs)…1977

Senate confirms Sandra Day O'Conner to Supreme Court (99-0)…1981

Thor Heyerdahl & reed raft Ra II land in Barbados 57 days from Morocco…1969

US bans all monetary transactions with Cuba…1963

US State Dept issues 1st American passport…1796

♫  Today’s Birthdays: ♫   

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

My Free Rambling Thoughts   

Very nice Sunday…not too hot, not too windy, and the clouds kept things cool. Other parts of town got some rain, but alas, here in Christmas Tree Estates we got nada.

 

I’m still amazed that the plane was evacuated over 300 people so quickly….less than 90 seconds. When I’m on one of those planes it takes at least 15 minutes after the doors are opened at the gate. While I have found some flight crews less than enjoyable on long flights, I must say, they are well trained for emergencies…and that is sure a good thing to see. One Chinese lady talked about exiting the plane, holding her 4 year old son and her carry on through the hole left by the missing tail section. That must have been quite an experience. I have a morbid curiosity as to how the two teenagers died on the runway…assuming they had internal injuries from the crash.

 

 Our HOA is really going crazy. Now they have added signs on two of the towing parking signs on our side of the parking area that say ‘Guest Parking…unauthorized vehicles will be towed’. Are they going to knock on doors of all the units to see if the vehicle is a guest parker? We were never given ‘guest permits’ for our guests. Does that now mean that residents can’t park there…I assume that. The drama continues.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)

Brain Teasers

What phrase is represented below? 

Sigh_

Lifestyle  Substance:     

Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

• ERNEST BORGNINE TRIBUTE

• Peter Gunn first episode

• Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup

Hmmmm…Oxymorons

Military intelligence Minor crisis Modern history

Ok, then?

Harper’s Index    

Pew Research: Portion of the world’s countries in which Christians face religious harassment: 2/3

Picture of the Day: Street Markets

Unusual Fact of the Day

The “mystery flavor” Dum-Dum Pop is truly random. The Spangler Candy Company combines the last of their flavorings at the end of a production run to turn out lollipops of mixed (and mysterious) flavors.

Joke-of-the-day

Tech Support: "I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop."
Customer: "Ok."
Tech Support: "Did you get a pop-up menu?"Customer: "No."
Tech Support: "Ok. Right click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?"
Customer: "No."
Tech Support: "Ok, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?" Customer: "Sure, you told me to write 'click' and I wrote click'."

Rules of Thumb:   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

FLYING PAST A THUNDERSTORM

 If you're flying towards a stationary thunderstorm, pass it on the right - you'll get a tailwind.   

Yeah, It Really Happened

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio - An Ohio man has been charged with impersonating a diplomat from the Vatican while trying to buy a car, prosecutors said. Derek J. Bishop, 42, of Shaker Heights, has been charged with fictitious obligations, impersonating a diplomat and wire fraud, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio said Bishop used fake checks to buy a 2013 Nissan Armada for $54,098 from Ganley Nissan in Mayfield Heights. At the dealership, Bishop allegedly claimed he was a foreign diplomat of the Vatican/Postmaster General of the Divine Province in an attempt to avoid paying taxes on the car. Bishop allegedly claimed to be a Vatican diplomat while demanding his release from the Cuyahoga County Jail, his indictment states. Bishop pleaded not guilty Wednesday to all charges against him.

Somewhat Useless Information   

• 67 million pounds of pesticides and about 3 million tons of fertilizer are used annually on lawns in the US.

• A single share of Coca-Cola stock, purchased in 1919, when the company went public, would have been worth $92,500 in 1997.

• Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger bought the first Hummer manufactured for civilian use in 1992. The vehicle weighed in at 6,300 lbs and was 7 feet wide.

• Americans consume 29 billion, or 58 percent, of the 50 billion aspirin tablets which are taken worldwide each year.

• Americans spend more than $5 billion a year on cosmetics, toiletries, beauty parlors and barber shops.

• Americans spent over $360 million in 1982 to avoid having bad breath.

Calendar Information        

Happening This Week:

4-10

Freedom Week: 4-10 
7-13  
Be Nice To New Jersey Week
Creative Maladjustment Week
National Farriers Week
Nude Recreation Weekend

Today Is                                                                      

·        Math 2.0 Day: to get people interested in the ways they use math every day

·        International Town Criers Day

·        SCUD Day (Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama)

·        Video Games Day

Today’s Events through History  

Chippewa turn over huge tract of land in Ontario to the United Kingdom…1822

Demolition begins for UN HQ in NYC…1947

Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched; final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program…2011

US stops aid to Persia…1953

US troop withdrawal begins in Vietnam…1969

Wall Street Journal begins publishing…1889

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 60’s

Kim Darby, actor (True Grit, Enola Gay, Rich Man Poor Man) is 66

Anjelica Huston, actress (Prizzi's Honor, Alien) is 62

Wolfgang Puck, Austrian-born celebrity chef is 64

Jeffrey Tambor, actor (Jeffrey-Ropers, Larry Sanders) is 69

In their 50’s

Kevin Bacon, actor (Diner, Footloose, She's Having a Baby) is 55

Toby Keith, country music singer-songwriter is 52

Under 30

Jaden Smith, actor, rapper, dancer is 15

Remembered for being born today

Roone Arledge, head of sports broadcasting (ABC) [1931-2002]

Marty Feldman, comedian (Young Frankenstein) [1934-1982]

John D Rockefeller, US capitalist/founder (Standard Oil), [1839-1937]

Nelson A Rockefeller, (Gov-R-NY) 41st VP [1908-1979]

George W Romney, Gov-Mich)/US Secretary of HUD [1907-1995]

Craig Stevens, actor (Craig-Dallas, Peter Gunn) [1918-2000]

Ferdinand von Zeppelin, inventor (rigid dirigibles) [1838-1917]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           

Ernest Borgnine, American actor…2012…at 95

Grace Goodhue Coolidge, 1st lady (1923-29)…1957…at 78

Howard Duff, actor (Heist, Knots Landing)…heart attack…1990…at 76

Betty Ford, First Lady of the United States…2011…at 93

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English poet (Prometheus unbound)…drowns…1822…at 29

Kim Il Sung, president of North-Korea…1994…at 82

Answer: Brain Teasers

 No end in sight.

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree.

All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] the dates may not be totally accurate.

§    And That Is All for Now  §