Friday

The death squad rhetoric just won’t go away. Even more amazing is that many of those trying to scare everybody actually pushed and voted for similar legislation within the last five years. This health care debate is little to do with our health care system and everything to do with revenge. Obama and the democrats want reform and change. They are not in power so they want those in power to look as bad as possible. End of Life discussions are good, if my side talks about them, but they are ‘death squads’ if the other side does the same thing.

As a Federal career bureaucrat, I understand looking at worst case scenarios and then having policy to prevent them from happening. Many times we were, I must confess, a little paranoid about certain things. But the idea that the government of our country will determine who gets health care and who doesn’t is over the top. The current system seems to be doing that already—those with money have the ability to get good care, those without it, don’t. I know way too many elderly who had to get rid of everything to qualify for Medicaid when a catastrophic event changed their health care needs. Not only did the event change their lives, the idea that their legacy had to be sold off to qualify was worse.

Another nice quiet, warm, dry day here in Flagstaff. We only got to 77° and had a slight breeze. Made sitting on the deck very enjoyable. It looks like the weekend will about the same. I’m ready to enjoy this beauty.

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Random Facts…

A shark can detect one part of blood in 100 million parts of water.
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.

Crazy Stuff In The News…

YORK, England - A British grandmother said she is not to blame for losing her engagement ring -- it was snatched by a hungry piglet with a taste for diamonds. Anne Moon, who has worn the ring since her now-husband gave it to her 30 years ago, said she was petting a 10-week-old Kune Kune piglet at the Easingwold Maize Maze Farm, near York, England, when the swine used its mouth to slip off her beloved jewel, The Sun reported Tuesday.
"I've never been in such close contact with a pig before so I put my hand out flat to let it have a sniff," she said. "It just clamped its teeth around the ring and wouldn't let go. When I found the diamond was gone, I couldn't believe it. If the pig wasn't so dirty I think we would have put him in the back of the car and taken him home."
Farmer Paul Caygill, 46, said he has been sifting through the piglet's droppings, but so far has found no trace of the precious ring. "I've been looking through the poo to try and find the ring," he said. Caygill said he hopes Moon doesn't have too much trouble convincing the insurance company to believe her story. "It's got to be one of the more unusual claims someone could put in for," he said.

Month long events in August

Edinburgh Festival is an internationally famous arts festival that takes place during August National Immunization Awareness Month… National Psoriasis Awareness Month… Women's Small Business Month... National Back to School month…American Adventures Month…Golf Month…National Inventor’s Month…National Win with Civility Month…What will be your legacy Month

Week of Aug 14…

Mae West Week

15 Aug…

227 days so far this year…138 days remain in 2009
Best Friends Day
National Homeless Animal Day
National Relaxation Day
Sandcastle and Sculpture Day
*Egypt: Flooding of the Nile Day
*Korea: Gwangbokjeol –S. Korea: Victory over Japan N. Korea: Liberation of the Fatherland Day—from Japan
*Costa Rica: Mother’s Day

BIRTHS ON THIS DAY…

1688….. Frederick-William I king of Prussia (1713-1740)

1769….. Napoleon Bonaparte
1771….. Sir Walter Scott Scotland, novelist/poet

1803….. Sir James Douglas father of British Columbia
1879….. Ethel Barrymore Phila, actress
1888….. T.E. Lawrence Tremadoc Wales, soldier/writer (aka Lawrence of Arabia)
1898….. Lillian Carter Pres Carter's mom

1904….. Bill Baird Grand Is Nebr, puppeteer (Kukla Fran & Ollie, Muppet Show)
1912….. Julia Child Pasadena Calif, chef
1923….. Rose Marie NYC, actress (Sally Rogers-Dick Van Dyke Show)
1925….. Mike Connors Fresno Calif, actor (Joe Mannix-Mannix)
1946….. Jimmy Webb Elk City Okla, songwriter (MacArthur Park, Up Up & Away)
1950….. Princess Anne England (daughter of Queen Elizabeth II)
1924….. Phyllis Schlafly antifeminist; author
1944….. Linda Ellerbee journalist, TV co-host
1972….. Ben Affleck actor/director

Events on this day…

1057….. Macbeth, King of Scotland, slain by son of King Duncan

1534….. Saint Ignatius of Loyola founds the Jesuits, a Roman Catholic order of men, in Paris.

1620….. Mayflower sets sail from Southampton with 102 Pilgrims

1748….. United Lutheran Church of US organized

1870….. Transcontinental Railway actually completed

1910….. President Theodore Roosevelt conferred with King George and asserted that Home Rule in Ireland would be beneficial. Roosevelt offered Great Britain support for its ongoing problems with Ireland.
1911….. Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, OH introduced Crisco hydrogenated shortening
1914….. Panama Canal opens (under cost)
1935….. Humorist Will Rogers and aviator Wiley Post are killed when their plane crashes in Alaska.
1969….. The Woodstock Music Festival opens with 500,000 rock music fans going to this Peace and Harmony Music Festival the groups who performed includes some of the greatest performers of late 60s pop music .
1994….. The terrorist Illich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal, is captured in Khartoum, Sudan, by French intelligence agents
1998….. Apple computers who have been having a hard time over with last 3 years with poor sales and financial problems are launching a new concept in home computers the iMac.


Word Ends Puzzle:

In each of these puzzles, a word starts and ends with the same letter. Can you figure out what the word is?

Example: _fric_ Solution: Africa
It’s the weekend…only seven words today…new puzzle starts tomorrow

1. __elfles_
2. _aun_
3. _itera_
4. _ivi_
5. _us_
6. _oofe_
7. _useu_
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Answers:
1. selfless
2. taunt
3. literal
4. civic
5. hush
6. roofer
7. museum


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