Celts II

I spent a couple of hours at the Celtic Festival today. Southwest Skye Pipe and Drum Band played. For those of you unfamiliar with Celtic Festivals, they are a lot of fun. I’m not really into the games, but others seem to enjoy them. There are lots of Clan booths, with information about that clan’s history. Each clan has a whole bureaucracy of officers, local—national—and worldwide. There are several booths with various beers, other booths for whiskey tasting, and lots of vendors who travel the circuit of festivals selling their wares. There are also Celtic Dancers, Celtic Music that is not the bag pipes, Singers, and on and on. For me the best part is when the various bands wander the crowds playing great music. The ‘Massed Bands’ is also very impressive when all the bands and individual bagpipers join in to march through the events. They are followed by the various Clan members with banners. Amazing how everyone there is a wee bit Celt for the day.

The education world lost a great writer today when Frank McCourt passed at 78. “Angela’s Ashes” brought the Irish-American the most fame, but “Teacher Man”, about his teaching career, was my favorite. He told great stories of working in the bureaucracy of the NYC School System. He had a hard life, but kept his insight and humor throughout the book. He said he didn’t want a funeral service and said “I don't want funeral services or memorials. Let them scatter my ashes over the Shannon and pollute the river.” RIP

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Random Fact

You're born with 300 bones, but when you get to be an adult, you only have 206.

July is…

…Air Conditioning Appreciation Month…Blueberries Month…Cell Phone Courtesy Month…Family Reunion Month…Herbal/Prescription Awareness Month…Nat’l Doghouse Repair Month…Nat’l Grilling, Nat’l Hot Dog, Nat’l Horseradish, and Nat’l Ice Cream Month…Smart Irrigation Month…Social Wellness Month…Tour de France Month…Women’s Motorcycle Month…

Week of July 19
Captive Nations Week
National Independent Retailers Week

July 20—201 days so far this year…166 days remain in 2009

National Get Out of the Doghouse Day
National Hug Your Kid Day
National Lollipop Day
*Scotland: Glasgow Fair Begins
*Columbia: Independence Day [1810 from Spain]
*Argentina: Dia del Amigo [Friendship Day]

BIRTHS ON THIS DAY…
1591
Anne Hutchinson American religious reformer
1919
Sir Edmund Hillary one of 1st 2 men to scale Mt Everest
1924
Thomas Berger US, novelist (Vital Parts, Little Big Man)
1933
Nelson Doubleday publisher (Doubleday)/owner (NY Mets)
1938
-Diana Rigg Doncaster England, actress (Emma Peel)
-Natalie Wood [Natasha Nikolaevna Gurdin], SF, (Gypsy, Rebel Without a Cause)
1947
Carlos Santana Mexico, musician

IT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY…
1773
Scottish settlers arrive at Pictou, Nova Scotia (Canada)
1872
Mahlon Loomis receives patent for wireless ... the radio is born
1881
Sioux Indian leader Sitting Bull, surrenders to federal troops
1949
Israel's 19 month war of independence ends
1951
King Abdullah of Jordan was assassinated in Jerusalem by a Palestinian nationalist.
1956
The UK and U.S.A. withdraw offers of aid for creation of the Aswan high dam in response to President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt forming closer relationships with the Soviet Union.
1969
1st men on Moon, Neil Armstrong & Edwin Aldrin, Apollo 11
1995
Native Canadian Indians are blocking roads, threatening sit-ins and challenging government authorities , and many believe it is only a matter of time before bloodshed happens. They are angry that Government Departments are bypassing the Chiefs and going to local bands to negotiate treaty rights because they are not as strong.
1996
26th Olympic Summer games opens in Atlanta, Georgia


Word Puzzle from NPR Sunday Puzzler…1987

The answer to the first clue in each pair is a word with the vowels O and A [in that order] somewhere inside. Switch the O and A to A and O and you’ll get a new word that answers he second clue.

EX: The “Rubaiyat” poet / Another name for Cupid
Answers: Omar / Amor

1. A score in soccer / Lockup in England
2. Spanish greeting / Angel’s accessory
3. Musical instrument / Gas used in florescent tubes
4. Word before ‘nova’ / Certain opera singer
5. First name in late-night talk / Body of principles
6. South Seas kingdom / Sensuous dance
7. Composition of many a South Seas island / Song
8. Dazzling pictures [2 words] / To the left, to a sailor
9. Mel Gibson to Danny Glover in “Lethal Weapon” / Kind of oil
10. Certain numerical rating / start of a play [2 words]
• Bonus: ???

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Answers:
1. Goal / gaol
2. Hola / halo
3. Organ / argon
4. Bosses / basso
5. Conan / canon
6. Tonga / tango
7. Coral / carol
8. Op art / aport
9. Co-star / castor
10. Octane / act one
* Bonus: ???
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