«« « « » » » »
MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
It was friggin’ cold today. While the Phoenix stations were complaining about ‘freezing’ temps—that’s below 32°, those of us in Flag were frozen solid. How cold was it? Starbucks was serving coffee on a stick! The politicians had their hands in their OWN pockets! The kids had to stay inside all weekend. Parents are now organizing a "teacher appreciation day". When I turned on the shower - I got hail! The mercury in the thermometer was just - GONE! Well it was only -3°, but the 25mph winds dropped that down to about -18°. I tried to start my car a couple of times, and that was a wasted effort. I think it must be time to get a new battery, but won’t know until I have someone jump me to see if that will help it start. Thankfully I didn’t have to go anywhere today and even if the vehicle had started, I would have just driven it around a little to recharge the battery. Being outside was frigid cold. My nose was dripping when I walked the 200 yards to the mailbox. By the time I got back to the house, it was running constantly and some of it was freezing on my chin. I only remember one other time it was this cold and that was when I was in South Dakota. Tonight and tomorrow will be just as cold. Others are suffering a lot more than I am—especially in the mid-west. Hope they are able to stay home, stay warm and stay safe.
It was friggin’ cold today. While the Phoenix stations were complaining about ‘freezing’ temps—that’s below 32°, those of us in Flag were frozen solid. How cold was it? Starbucks was serving coffee on a stick! The politicians had their hands in their OWN pockets! The kids had to stay inside all weekend. Parents are now organizing a "teacher appreciation day". When I turned on the shower - I got hail! The mercury in the thermometer was just - GONE! Well it was only -3°, but the 25mph winds dropped that down to about -18°. I tried to start my car a couple of times, and that was a wasted effort. I think it must be time to get a new battery, but won’t know until I have someone jump me to see if that will help it start. Thankfully I didn’t have to go anywhere today and even if the vehicle had started, I would have just driven it around a little to recharge the battery. Being outside was frigid cold. My nose was dripping when I walked the 200 yards to the mailbox. By the time I got back to the house, it was running constantly and some of it was freezing on my chin. I only remember one other time it was this cold and that was when I was in South Dakota. Tonight and tomorrow will be just as cold. Others are suffering a lot more than I am—especially in the mid-west. Hope they are able to stay home, stay warm and stay safe.
While all the American politicians are supporting Obama’s dealing with Egypt, it got a whole lot messier today. The first week was only Anti-Mubarak protesting. One day of the eight had violence. Cairo had the pro-Mubarak people demonstrating. The Anti people worked very hard to be sure there was no violence in the main gathering place. The Pro people didn’t do that. Horse riders, camel riders, Molotov cocktails, axes, machetes, are now present. The army seems to remain on the sidelines, not adding to or stopping any part of any demonstration. Reporters were attacked today—that is never a good sign. It has been reported that Pro demonstrators have always used violence whenever Anti demonstrations start up. That is where much of the fear has come from. The citizens have been taught that if you demonstrate against any government policy, the Pro government citizens will attack, beat, and possibly kill you. Mubarak said yesterday that he won’t run again, and then the Pro people showed up. Mubarak has said nothing today to stop the violence. No simple answers for sure.
As I was writing this blog, Egypt has really erupted into violence. The State Dept. just advised all Americans in Egypt should go to the airport without delay as soon as the night curfew is lifted.
«« « « » » » »
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
○ Protect doorknobs and hardware in the kitchen and bathroom when you’re painting by wrapping foil around them to catch dribbles. The foil molds to the shape of whatever it’s covering and stays firmly in place until the job is complete.
○ Cut up some garlic and the odor's still lingering on your hands? Pour alcohol-based mouthwash over them; air dry. Rinse with cold water.
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…American Idol Part II
○ Ryan Seacrest almost backed out on being Idol host. After his father haggled with Fox over the terms of his contract, the younger Seacrest changed his mind. Ryan didn't even sign the contract until just hours before the first episode's shoot.
○ California pastor Leesa Bellesi has watched over "Idol" hopefuls since Season 5, starting with Katharine McPhee. Leesa has even housed the families of some contestants (Syesha Mercado, Jason Castro, Kristy Lee Cook, Danny Gokey), and developed close friendships with religious contenders including Jordin Sparks, Chris Sligh, and Phil Stacey.
○ "Idol" was always supposed to have four judges, but at the 11th hour, a Los Angeles radio DJ named Stryker, who was hired to share the spotlight with Simon, Paula, and Randy, opted out--"citing what he would later term 'image concerns.'
PUZZLE: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire […answers at bottom…]
1. Which of the following is not a continent?
Poland Europe Asia Africa
2. What color is the big 'M' on McDonald's signs?
Ugly Blue Gold Green
3. If you mixed red and blue, what color would you get?
Green Hot Pink Black Purple
4. What is the name of Green Bay, Wisconsin's football team?
Browns Dolphins Steelers Packers
5. Which of the following months does not have 31 days?
March December May April
6. In the 2000 movie 'Titan A.E.,' what does 'A.E.' stand for?
Antagonizing Europe After Earth Advanced Enigma Alienated Earth
7. How many red stripes are on a U.S. flag?
11 6 7 13
8. What was President Grover Cleveland's first name?
Stephen Thomas Andrew Gary
9. What is the chemical symbol for neon?
Ne N No Hg
10. The Latin phrase 'sine qua non' means what when translated into English?
Indispensable A social blunder Let the buyer beware In wine there is truth
11. Which of the Ghostbusters had the last name 'Venkman'?
Peter Winston Egon Ray
12. Which of these planets is the largest?
Uranus Venus Neptune Earth
13. The 2001 movie 'Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within' was produced where?
Japan France Alaska Hawaii
14. What is the oldest Vedic book in the Hindu religion?
Ramayana Upanishads Rig-Veda Mahabharata
15. From 1978-2001, who won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament the most times?
Douglas Hoylman Trip Payne Jon Delfin David Rosen
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM…Los Angeles
A Chatsworth fifth-grader didn't want to shake his thing to any of that darn Justin Bieber music the kids are listening to these days, he just wanted to jam to the Christian rock hit "We Shine."
But Superior Elementary School officials reportedly denied the young man his performance on the grounds of too much Jesus. The student was specifically asked to "pick a song that does not say 'Jesus' so many times."
The parents of the young man are now pursuing legal action against Los Angeles Unified School District.
The family is being represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, an organization of Christian attorneys who advocate for religious freedom, the Daily News reported.
"What this boils down to is that our client, like other students, wanted to be allowed to (perform) to a song about love and dancing. Only in his song he talked about his love for Jesus," Matt Sharp, an Alliance Defense Fund attorney working on the case, told the Daily News.
According to the lawsuit, the boy auditioned before a panel of PTA members to land a place in the talent show, which is to be held Friday.
A few days after his Jan. 14 audition, the fifth-grader's parents were informed that their son would not be allowed to perform in the show because of the religious nature of the song he chose.
According to the lawsuit documents, Superior Elementary Principal Jerilyn Schubert said the dance routine was "offensive" and would violate the separation of church and state.
The General Counsel's Office for Los Angeles Unified said in a statement that it will not comment on pending litigation.
A LITTLE LAUGH…
A stock analyst and a Wall Street broker went to the racetrack. The broker suggested betting $12,000 on a certain horse. The analyst was skeptical; he had never been to the races before and wanted to understand the rules and look over all the horses before placing a wager.
"You're too cautious and detail-oriented," the broker criticized as he placed his large bet. His horse won and he raked in a bundle of money.
"What's your secret?" the analyst asked.
"It's simple," the broker explained. "I have two kids...ages two and six...so I add their ages together and bet on number nine."
"But two and six is eight, not nine!" protested the analyst.
"See!" the broker replied, "I told you you're too cautious and detail-oriented."
TOP 10 HISTORICAL FINDS…7. Tutankhamun’s Tomb (KV62) Cairo Museum
In November of 1922, British Egyptologist Howard Carter found one of the most intact tombs ever found in the Valley of the Kings. Carter and his employer, the fifth Lord of Carnarvon, had been searching for Tut since Theodore M. Davis found several funerary artifacts with his name on them in 1907. The tomb is believed to have been originally intended for someone else and was turned into a royal tomb because Tutankhamun died so young, some even believe that it was to be tomb of either Ankhesenamun, Nefertiti or Smenkhare. Tut’s tomb consists of a burial chamber, a treasury, an annex and an antechamber, which is entered by a stairway and a sloped corridor. It contained a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian objects including statues, model boats, chariots, and even two mummified foetuses which are considered to be his stillborn children.
Importance: Tutankhamun’s tomb was not the grandest tomb (in fact it was the smallest royal tomb to be found in theValley of the Kings) nor was he one of Egypt’s most powerful rulers, but his tomb is the most intact tomb ever found in the Valley of the Kings. This has given Egyptologists an understanding of the possessions deemed important enough for the King to bring with him to the afterlife. It also provides scholars a checklist of items that were missing at other burial sites throughout Egypt.
CLOSEUP PICTURE…
Can you identify this close up picture
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
♫ Rock Anthems ♫
Click on Song Title to see and hear
«« « « » » » »
DAYBOOK INFORMATION
¤…THIS WEEK…¤
Jan 24-Feb 4 ► Clean Out Your Inbox Week
Jan 30- Feb 5 ► Catholic Schools Week ♥ Meat Week ♥ Intimate Apparel Week
1-7 ► Children's Authors & Illustrators Week ♥ National Patient Recognition Week ♥ Solo Diners Eat Out Weekend ♥ Women's Heart Week
3-9 ► Boy Scout Anniversary Week
¤…TODAY IS…¤
Cordova Ice Worm Day
Chinese New Year: 2011 is the year of the rabbit
Four Chaplains Memorial Day: to honor the 4 chaplains who gave their life jackets to save soldiers in WWII
The Day The Music Died: : Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash
Setsubun – Japan: Bean Throwing Festival (to chase out evil spirits)
Mozambique: Heroes' Day
Islamic: Rabi'I ( begins at sundown: 3rd month of calendar; month Muhammad was born; beginning of spring )
Paraguay: Patron's Day/San Blas, patrón
Puerto Rico: Fiesta de San Blas, protector of harvest (316)
Today’s Births
○ AUTHORS/COMPOSERS/ARTISTs
1809 Felix Mendelssohn (Bartholdy) composer: Wedding March
1907 James A. Michener novelist: Tales of the South Pacific, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, Journey, Hawaii, Iberia, Centennial, Mexico
1894 Norman Rockwell artist: widely known for his realistic, homespun cover art for The Saturday Evening Post
1874 Gertrude Stein Pennsylvanian author (Autobiography of Alice B Toklas)
○ ATHLETES
Vlade Divac, 43, former basketball (Lakers, Hornets, Kings)
Robert Allen (Bob) Griese, 66, sportscaster, Hall of Fame football (Dolphins)
Francis Asbury (Fran) Tarkenton, 71, Hall of Fame football (Vikings, Giants)
○ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1904 Charlie "Pretty Boy" Floyd FBI Most Wanted criminal
1811 Horace Greeley journalist: founded and edited The New York Tribune: “Go west, young man!”
○ ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS/…)
1918 Joey Bishop [Gottlieb], Bronx, comedian/talk show host (Joey Bishop Show)
1938 Victor Buono actor: Beneath the Planet of the Apes, The Strangler, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, The Man from Atlantis
Shelley Berman, 85, comedian (“Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”)
Blythe Danner, 68, actress (Butterflies Are Free, Brighton Beach Memoirs)
Morgan Fairchild [Patsy McClenny], 61, actress (“Dallas,” “Falcon Crest,” “Flamingo Road”)
Nathan Lane, 55, actor (Tonys for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Producers; The Birdcage)
○ POLITICIANS
Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, 63, East Timorese politician, Nobel Peace laureate
○ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1821 Elizabeth Blackwell in Bristol England, 1st woman physician
Billy Meier, 74, Swiss ufologist (study of UFO’s)
Today’s Obituaries…
1991 Nancy Kulp actress (Jane Hathaway-Beverly Hillbillies), cancer @ 69
1996 Audrey Meadows actress (Alice-Honeymooners), lung cancer @ 69
1889 Belle Starr US female gangster, murdered @ 40
1924 Woodrow Wilson 28th President (1913-21), results of stroke @ 67
Today’s Events…
○ ARTS
1951 "Victor Borge Show" debuts on NBC TV
1953 J Fred Muggs, a chimp, becomes a regular on NBC's Today Show
○ ATHLETICS
1948 Dick Button becomes 1st world figure skating champion from US
1972 The first Winter Olympics in Asia were held at Sapporo, Japan.
2001 The XFL (Xtreme Football League) debuted
○ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1690 1st paper money in America issued (colony of Massachusetts)
1815 World's 1st commercial cheese factory established, in Switzerland
○ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1847 General Sterling Price reaches the fortified Taos Pueblo. Cannonade proves unfruitful, so Price retreats to the city of Taos.
○ POLITICS (US)
1743 Philadelphia establishes a "pesthouse" to quarantine immigrants
1864 Sherman's march through Georgia begins
1870 15th Amendment (Black suffrage) passed
1913 16th Amendment, federal income tax, ratified
1930 William Howard Taft, resigns as chief justice for health reasons
1947 1st black reporter in Congressional press gallery (Percival Prattis)
1993 Federal trial of 4 police officers charged with civil rights violations in videotaped beating of Rodney King begins in Los Angeles
○ POLITICS (International)
1740 Charles de Bourbon, King of Naples, invites Jews to return to Sicily
○ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1966 1st operational weather satellite, ESSA-1 launched (US)
1973 President Nixon signs Endangered Species Act into law
«« « « » » » »
ANSWERS
Millionaire ANSWERS…
1. Which of the following is not a continent? Poland
2. What color is the big 'M' on McDonald's signs? Gold
3. If you mixed red and blue, what color would you get? Purple
4. What is the name of Green Bay, Wisconsin's football team? Packers
5. Which of the following months does not have 31 days? April
6. In the 2000 movie 'Titan A.E.,' what does 'A.E.' stand for? After Earth
7. How many red stripes are on a U.S. flag? 7
8. What was President Grover Cleveland's first name? Stephen
9. What is the chemical symbol for neon? Ne
10. The Latin phrase 'sine qua non' means what when translated into English? Indispensable
11. Which of the Ghostbusters had the last name 'Venkman'? Peter
12. Which of these planets is the largest? Uranus
13. The 2001 movie 'Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within' was produced where? Hawaii
14. What is the oldest Vedic book in the Hindu religion? Rig-Veda
15. From 1978-2001, who won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament the most times? Douglas Hoylman
Close up Picture…
Blow Torch
« AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW »
