Thursday

344 days so far this year…21 days remain in 2009
15 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
"If at first you don't succeed, you're doing about average." ~Unknown
***Free Ramblings***
Over time, one forgets what a blizzard really is, if you don’t have them very often. It’s been a decade since Flagstaff had a real blizzard. I must say, the city has done a very good job in keeping the streets open and passable. It took about 30 minutes for me to dig out my vehicle this morning. The snowplow guy had left quite a pile between my vehicle and the drive around. The snow shovel guys had thrown the 2+ feet of snow on the sidewalks into the area between parked cars. Thanks to them, I could only get one door open—the passenger side. This meant that my ol’ body had to bend, twist, and move like a teenager to get from the passenger seat to the driver seat. I was very happy that I had 4WD/low so my digging was not as bad as it could have been. I put the Xterra into 4WD/low and pulled right out. Then I drove in and out about 5 times to widen my area. Much easier than I had thought it would be. It was a tough day for many others. Many parts of the Rez go hit hard with rain & or snow. Travel on dirt roads is hard enough when it is dry. The only thing that makes those roads passable right now is frozen sand. Once it thaws, best stay home. A friend lost his dog when the dog ran into the road and the driver couldn’t stop fast enough. Another friend called to say that her annual Christmas Cookie Party set for Saturday had to be cancelled because she has had a bad case of acid reflux something for five weeks. The doctor can’t seem to find a source or a medication that stops it. She did manage to bake the cookies, but isn’t up to the party thing, so the local Food Bank will be getting some great homemade cookies tomorrow. Another friend was taking care of her friend’s cat. The path to the front door was not a path at all, just two and half foot crunchy drifts. My friend tried unsuccessfully to make it to the front door. I’m a tad younger and don’t have her problems with walking—especially in snow. The cat got fed with little problem, once I got to the front door. Nice kitty was very happy to see me, as much as a cat can be happy to see a human. S/he was much happier to get fresh food. Tomorrow I will venture out to run some errands on the other side of town.

I had to call the local paper to get it delivered. I fully understood not getting it yesterday, but couldn’t figure out why it didn’t come today. They thanked me for being so nice about it, and had the paper delivered about two hours after I called. I’m glad I got it, as it had a lot about snow in Flagstaff. I’ve been around Flagstaff since 1971. This is the most snow Flagstaff has gotten in one day since 1987. The all time record for one day still stands at the 31” from Dec. 30, 1915. I’m sure glad that record didn’t get broken. As with all winter storms, the snow comes, it piles up, it slows us down, eventually it melts and another storm brings us more. The moisture from each storm, especially in this drought, is greatly needed so we don’t complain too much.
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± Quotes from Values.com—Confidence
“Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things.” ~Dogen Zenji, Buddhist Monk

± Unusual News
PRESTON, England - A former employee at a British grocery store apologized for videotaped shenanigans including licking raw chickens. Adeel Ayub, 60, apologized for his actions in the videos, which were taken before he left the company in 2006, after supermarket chain Asda said it was investigating his actions at the Preston, England, store, the Lancaster Evening Post reported Monday. The videos include footage of Ayub licking raw chickens that were returned to shelves, urinating into a trash bin, destroying awards earned by the store, slashing coworkers' clothing and setting off fire extinguishers. "I know there is no excuse for my atrocious behavior and I am truly sorry for what I did back then. I express my profound apologies to Asda and to its staff and customers," Ayub said. Police said they are reviewing CCTV footage from the Asda store.

± Random Facts
Maine is the only state in the United States whose name is one syllable. It is the only state that shares its border with only one other state.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month

§ Week of 10 December
Human Rights Week

§ 10 December Observances
UN Human Rights Day (since 1948)
International Animal Rights Day (since 1998)
---Mississippi : Admission Day (1817)
---Wyoming : Wyoming Day (women's suffrage) (1869)
-Khmer Republic : Rights of Man Day
-Stockholm, Sweden : Nobel Prize presentation Day (since 1901)
-Thailand : Constitution Day (1932)
-Zanzibar: Independence Day (1963)
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~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1953…With an investment of $7,600, Hugh Hefner published the first Playboy magazine

BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Dan Blocker in 1929 actor (Tiny-Cimarron City, Hoss-Bonanza
Tim Considine in 1941 actor (Mike-My 3 Sons, Spin of Spin & Marty)
Susan Dey in 1952 actress The Partridge Family
Emily Dickinson in 1830 poet
Fionnula Flanagan in 1941 actress (Rich Man Poor Man)
Harold Gould (Harold V. Goldstein) in 1923 actor Mary Tyler Moore, Golden Girls )
Chet Huntley in 1911 newscaster
Tommy Kirk in 1941 actor (Old Yeller, Mousketeer)
Dorothy Lamour (Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton) in 1914 actress: Road to Singapore
George MacDonald in 1824 sci-fi author (Lilith, Princess & Curdie)
Otto Neurath in 1882 Australian/British philosopher (Foundation of Social Sciences)
Mary Norton in 1903 author: children’s books: Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Borrowers
Jack Scalia in 1953 actor/director
Chad Stuart in 1943 duo: Chad & Jeremy
~Athletics
Mark Aguirre in 1959 NBA forward (Detroit Pistons)
Rusty LaRue in 1973 NBA guard (Chicago Bulls)
Bryant Stith in 1970 NBA guard (Denver Nuggets)
~Business / Education / Politics
Zachariah Chandler in 1813 merchant/politician (founder of Republican Party)
Melvil[le Louis K] Dewey in 1851 Dewey Decimal System for libraries
~Science / Religion
Ada Byron (Lovelace) in 1815 considered 1st computer programmer
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet in 1787 pioneer of educating the deaf

In Remembrance~
Alfred Nobel Nobel Prize ceremony @ 63
Red Cloud Sioux Indian chief, @ 87
Otis Redding singer (Dock of Bay), plane crash @ 26
Fulton J Sheen archbishop/religious broadcaster @ 84
Freeman "Amos" Gosden (Amos 'n' Andy), @ 83

Historical Events on this day
1520…Martin Luther publicly burned papal edict
1690…Massachusetts Bay becomes 1st American colonial government to borrow money
1745…Bonnie Prince Charlies army draws into Manchester
1799…Metric system established in France
1898…Spanish-American War ends; US acquires Philippines, Puerto Rico & Guam
1901…1st Nobel Peace Prizes (to Jean Henri Dunant, Frederic Passy)
1926…2nd part of Hitler's Mein Kampf published
1927…Grand Ole Opry makes its 1st radio broadcast
1958…The first domestic passenger jet powered aircraft flight took place in the United States as a National Airlines Boeing 707 flew 111 passengers from New York City to Miami.
1971…William H. Rehnquist was confirmed by the Senate, 68-26, as U.S. Supreme Court Justice
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§ Double Play
In order to make sense of the letters below, you need to add a letter at the start of the expression, divide the string of letters, and insert the same letter again. The result will be an alliterative familiar phrase of two words.

Take "eachall" an example, add a 'b' before the 'e', divide the expression between the 'h' and 'a' and add the 'b' again. The result is BEACH BALL.

1. assedia
2. eltuckle
3. hestavity
4. udiomplifier
5. iboast
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Hint: 1-m, 2-b, 3-c, 4-a, 5-r
Scroll down for answers
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ANSWERS
1. mass media
2. belt buckle
3. chest cavity
4. audio amplifier
5. rib roast