11 Aug

 

Flagstaff Today 88°: 52° Week 33 Day 223 Wind 6 mph Gusts 16 mph Active Fire: 82 miles away Risk of Fire: Extreme Nearest lightning: 157 miles away Air Quality: Moderate Partly Cloudy Sunshine Aug. Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture: 9 Day

Weekly Observations

Elvis Week: 8-16 Link Assistance Dog Week: 10-16

Safe + Sound Week: 11-17 Link National Resurrect Romance Week: 10-16 Weird Contest Week: 10-16

Daily Observations

Global Kinetic Sand Day  Link Ingersoll Day Link Middle Child Day National Align Your Teeth Day  Link Link Link National Hip Hop Day Link National Sons and Daughters Day

Popsicle Day Link Presidential Joke Day Raspberry Bombe Day Son and Daughter Day World Steelpan Day

Today’s Quotes                                                             

 

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

Hopefully the clouds will bring us some moisture.

I find it ironic that Trump and Putin are meeting in Alaska, formerly controlled by Russia, to discuss what Russia will do in Ukraine.

The AZ Cardinals beat the KC Chiefs in a pre-season opener. Now awaiting the Broncos preseason.

Myths from Medieval Times

Society Was Layered

In between the nobles and peasants, medieval life had various rungs on the social ladder — even if it was extraordinarily difficult for any one person to elevate themselves to another status.

A medieval middle class emerged, consisting mostly of merchants, artisans, and tradespeople — essentially the small business owners of their time. It's also worth noting that the clergy had a far greater influence over day-to-day life at the time.

Accomplishments Wrongly Attributed to Famous People

The Dystopian Masterpiece

Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We precedes George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Set in a society where every action is monitored, the novel follows D-503, a man who rebels against the oppressive state with the help of I-330, his romantic interest.

The rebellion fails, and D-503 undergoes a procedure to squash his dissent. Orwell openly reviewed We and expressed its influence on his work. Although Zamyatin’s masterpiece is less cited today, its vision of control and resistance laid the groundwork for the development of the dystopian genre.

Random Thoughts…

Richard Burton – Real Name: Richard Jenkins

The word OK looks like a sideways person. I’ve said OK my whole life and never noticed him.

A group of Foxes is called a Leash or Skulk or Earth or Lead or Troop.

Learning English is hard but it can be taught through tough thorough thought though.

The word ‘night’ is a shortened version of ‘no light’. #ireadthatonline

A salesman gives you a deal. A great salesman makes you think you got a good deal.

Historic Events

Click here for 11 Aug history

Birthdays

75 – Steve Wozniak, American computer scientist, and programmer, co-founded Apple Inc. 71 – Joe Jackson, English singer-songwriter 58 – Joe Rogan, American actor, comedian, television host 42 – Chris Hemsworth, Australian actor

@80 – Richard Mead, English physician, astrologer (d. 1754) @79 – Alex Haley, American historian and author (d. 1992; heart attack) @74 – Eric Carmen, American singer-songwriter (d. 2024; in his sleep) @73 – Jerry Falwell, American minister, television host (d. 2007; cardiac arrhythmia) @71 – Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea), American wrestler (d. 2025; heart attack) @69 – Don Freeman, American author, illustrator (d. 1978)

…The End for today…

           

10 Aug

 

Flagstaff Today 90°: 51° Week 33 Day 222 Wind 6 mph Gusts 15 mph Active Fire: 82 miles away Risk of Fire: Extreme Nearest lightning: 350 miles away Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Aug. Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture: 9 Day

Weekly Observations

Sturgis Rally: 1-10 Link  National Bargain Hunting Week: 4-10  Elvis Week: 8-16 Link

Assistance Dog Week: 10-16 National Resurrect Romance Week: 10-16 Weird Contest Week: 10-16

Daily Observations

Agent Orange Awareness Day Link Bagel Day  Link  Global Sleep Under The Stars Night  Lazy Day Nat’l Duran Duran Appreciation Day National Shapewear Day Link

Paul Bunyan Day Link Link  Skyscraper Appreciation Day  Link Smithsonian Day S'mores Day Link The Spirit of '45 Day Link    World Lion Day

Today’s Quotes                                                             

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

It’s Saturday, so I changed linens and did some grocery shopping.

There have been 6 IRS heads since Trump took office. Hmmm.

Trump is suggesting he should have a say in the upcoming Olympics in LA. This is a bad move. The Olympics is about the athletes and has no room for politicians.

I remember studying ‘gerrymandering’ from Miss Steinmeyer, my 9^th grade Civics teacher. Both parties have used it thinking it will help their party win more votes. Our constitution expects the people to vote for the candidates of their choice. A few years ago, Arizona set up a nonpartisan board to draw the voting districts. It is much better than having politicians draw those lines. It’s too bad that many states have not adopted this procedure. I doubt the political mess right now wouldn’t be happening with nonpartisan boards. I believe that the founders would be horrified to see how gerrymandering is destroying our trust in our democracy.

Myths from Medieval Times

Peasants Worked Less Than We Do

The modern perception of Medieval peasants is that they worked constantly from day to night. In reality, peasants had less vigorous work schedules than we do today. History professor Julier Schor said that the tempo of Middle Age life was slow, with workers even stopping to take naps.

Thirteenth-century laborers often had 25 weeks off every year. In contrast, the average American has 16 days off annually. Although the work was still demanding, English peasants had around 1/3 of the year off, including religious holidays.

Accomplishments Wrongly Attributed to Famous People

Al Capone's Downfall

The end of Al Capone’s criminal empire has often been romanticized through the efforts of Elliot Ness and his Untouchables. Still, Revenue Investigator Frank Wilson, prosecutor George E.Q. Johnson, and Judge James Wilkerson did the real work.

Capone wasn’t convicted for his violent crimes but instead fell to charges of tax evasion. Wilson uncovered crucial evidence in a gang ledger, allowing Johnson to press charges. Although Capone initially agreed to a plea deal, Judge Wilkerson refused it and opted for a trial.

Capone even attempted to bribe jurors, but Wilkerson switched the jury at the last minute, ensuring a fair verdict. The final blow came when the judge sentenced Capone to 11 years in prison, the longest term for tax evasion in US history.

Random Thoughts…

A group of Fungi is called a colony.

A clean tie attracts the soup of the day.

The Caesar Salad was invented in Tijuana, Mexico in the 1920s.

The entire cast was male on the set of 1982’s “The Thing”.

Blackbeard (the Pirate) – Real Name: Edward Teach

The French word for “cheese” is “Fromage.” Cheese is made by aging milk. Cheese comes “from age.”

A group of Cockroaches is called an Intrusion.

A pentad is a five year period. A decade is ten years long.

Historic Events

Click here for 10 Aug history

Birthdays

83 – Betsey Johnson, American fashion designer 78 – Ian Anderson, Scottish-English singer-songwriter 75 – Patti Austin, American singer-songwriter 66 – Rosanna Arquette, American actress 65 – Antonio Banderas, Spanish actor 63 – Suzanne Collins, American author 60 – Claudia Christian, American actress 54 – Justin Theroux, American actor 53 – Angie Harmon, American actress 46 – JoAnna Garcia, American actress 28 – Kylie Jenner, American television personality

@90 – John W. Galbreath, American businessman, philanthropist, founded Darby Dan Farm (d. 1988) @90 – Herbert Hoover, American politician, 31st President of the United States (d. 1964) @87 – Al Alberts, American pop singer, and composer, The Four Aces (d. 2009) @83 – Jay Cooke, American financier, founded Jay Cooke & Company (d. 1905) @82 – Tom Laughlin, American actor, director, producer, screenwriter (d. 2013) @82 – Eddie Fisher, American singer, actor (d. 2010)   @81 – Jimmy Dean, American singer, actor, businessman, founder of Jimmy Dean Food Company (d. 2010) @80 – Norma Shearer, Canadian-American actress (d. 1983) @80 – Jack Haley, American actor, singer (d. 1979)   @78 – Ronnie Spector, American singer (d. 2022; cancer) @78 – Charles Darrow, American game designer, created Monopoly (d. 1967) @58 – William Willett, English inventor, founded British Summer Time (d. 1915; influenza)

…The End for today…

           

9 Aug

 

Flagstaff Today 90°: 57° Week 32 Day 221 Wind 6 mph Gusts 18 mph Active Fire: 62 miles away Risk of Fire: Extreme Nearest lightning: 636 miles away Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Aug. Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture: 9 Day

Weekly Observations

Sturgis Rally: 1-10 Link  National Button Week: 3-9 Link  Nat’l Exercise W/Your Child Week: 3-9 Link  Single Working Women's Week: 3-9 Knights of Columbus Family Week:   3-9 National Farmers' Market Week:  3-9 Link  National Health Center Week: 3-9 Link  Internat’l Assistance Dog Week:  3-9 Link

Stop on Red Week:  3-9 Link  National Bargain Hunting Week: 4-10  Old Fiddler Days: 4-9 Link National Hobo Week: 7-9 Link Elvis Week: 8-16 Link

Daily Observations

Book Lovers Day  Link International Coworking Day Link International Day of The World's Indigenous People Middle Child Day  National Bowling Day Link

National Garage Sale Day Rice Pudding Day Smokey Bear's Birthday Veep Day The Wicket World of Croquet Day Link

Today’s Quotes                                                             

 

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

A nice hot summer day with a breeze to cool things off a little.

I’m looking forward to a nice quiet weekend.

I am so happy to report that my health is doing very well. I have more energy, and the weight loss has been spectacular. Thank goodness I have excellent doctors and great insurance to get through this latest issue.

Myths from Medieval Times

Knights Were The Opposite Of Chivalrous

Knights were not as chivalrous as the average person assumes. According to Jennifer Goodman Wollock, a medieval studies professor, they were "hired thugs." In fact, the chivalrous code was designed to keep knights in check.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, knights were known as being hot-headed and inclined to violence. The concept of a "chivalrous knight" only appears in fiction. Many of these stories were not written by knights themselves, but poets and clergymen who invented a romanticized view of knights in the Middle Ages.

Accomplishments Wrongly Attributed to Famous People

The Light Bulb

Thomas Edison is often credited with inventing the light bulb, but Heinrich Göbel built a functioning prototype nearly 25 years earlier. Göbel used carbonized bamboo filament, which closely resembled the materials later used in Edison’s improved version.

While Göbel never patented his design, Edison refined the technology, creating a commercially viable bulb with more extended durability. Edison’s success stemmed from effective marketing and mass production, making his version widely accessible.

Legal disputes emerged when Göbel’s supporters claimed Edison copied his work, but courts ruled in Edison’s favor due to the lack of formal patent records. Although Göbel contributed to early developments, Edison’s improvements solidified the widespread adoption of the light bulb.

Random Thoughts…

We put a man on the moon before we put wheels on suitcases. What else are we missing out on?

Abrams’s Advice: When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.

“Mahatma” is a Sanskrit honorific, like “Saint”, and not the first name of *Mohandas* Gandhi.

The first fried dill pickle ever sold was at the Duchess Drive-In in Atkins, Arkansas, in 1963.

Lillian Gish – Real Name: Lillian Guiche

Historic Events

Click here for 9 Aug history

Birthdays

81 – Sam Elliott, American actor 78 – Barbara Mason, American R&B/soul singer-songwriter 68 – Melanie Griffith, American actress 67 – Amanda Bearse, American comedic actress 66 – Michael Kors (Karl Anderson Jr.), American fashion designer 61 – Hoda Kotb, American journalist and television personality 57 – Eric Bana, Australian actor 56 – McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol), American director, producer 55 – Chris Cuomo, American lawyer, journalist 49 – Jessica Capshaw, American actress

@96 – P. L. Travers, Australian-English author (d. 1996) @86 – Daniel Keyes, American short story writer, novelist (d. 2014) @70 – Ken Norton, American boxer (d. 2013; series of strokes)   @48 – Whitney Houston, American singer-songwriter and actress (d. 2012; OD drowning)

…The End for today…