Sunday

Week 2 of 2010: 10 days so far this year…355 days remain

►Provocative Quote

"Some rise by sin and some by virtue fall."

~ (Act II, Scene I) Measure by Measure—Shakespeare

►Free Ramblings

I was really lazy today, don’t know why. But I sure enjoy these kinds of days. I figure I didn’t have very many for a lot of years and now I deserve one every once in a while. I watched a couple of old movies, checked in on the football games, and just relaxed.

Gas Prices seem to be a little weird in Flagstaff. The lowest price I have seen is @2.54, but yesterday I saw a high of 2.80. I don’t get why anyone would buy gas at 2.80 when it is 2.54 less than 2 miles away. Back in the day, my dad did have a favorite ‘filling station’. The old guy who ran it knew a lot about cars, would always check your oil, remind you when an inspection sticker was due, wash your windows, and fill the car with gas. Sometimes his gas was a penny or two higher than the competition, but my dad always stuck with the guy. That I understood. There all no more ‘filling stations’, nobody pumps your gas, nobody checks your oil, nobody washes your windows. You don’t even have to see a human when you get gas today. From my point of view, all the stations today just sell gasoline. So why not find the least expensive? There must be some reason these more expensive places stay in business, but it is not from selling gas to me.

To set the record straight: over the past few days several conservative members of Congress have said that the 9-11 attack happened on the Democrat’s watch. It didn’t. Way many in Congress think that 1. People forget the facts, 2. People will believe anything if it is said enough times.

While I was watching movies, Flag seems to have had a decent day. It dropped to a frigid 3° last night, but warmed up to a nice 49° late in the day.

When I got up this morning it was only 10° which may have led to my desire to stay inside all day, in front of the fireplace and TV, and just be lazy.

►Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE

“You can't change your past, and your future has not happened. Focus your energy on enjoying the moment you are living right now.”

~Rod Williams--Musician

►Side Show Stories

SOUTHAMPTON, England - British firefighters called to a hospital said they spent 30 minutes using a metal grinder to free a man's penis from a steel pipe. The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service crew said they were called to England's Southampton General Hospital Tuesday morning to use the 4 1/2-inch grinder to cut through the pipe without damaging the man's sex organ, The Sun reported. Hospital staff said they were unable to remove the pipe without assistance because the blood flow in the man's penis had become restricted and caused him to become aroused. Doctors said the man's penis was bruised and swollen after the operation but he did not suffer any serious or permanent injuries. Firefighters said the man declined to explain how his penis had become stuck in the pipe. "It was a very delicate operation that required a very steady hand and the crew was worried about things getting too hot during the cutting," a Fire and Rescue spokesman said. "It's certainly an unusual call-out and I'm sure the man won't be getting into that situation again."

►Random Fact

Egypt is home to the earliest archeological evidence of cheese making, found in tomb murals that date back to 2000 BC. These cheeses were likely to have been very sour and salty (lots of salt was needed to preserve the cheese in the hot, arid climate) and similar to a cottage cheese or feta in texture.

§ Interesting Statistics

*Note: I realize that statistics can be made to say just about anything.

~In March, 2008 only 17% of people from 21 nations surveyed said they trusted President Bush to ‘do the right thing’ in world affairs

~In the first 6 months in office, Bush used the word ‘evil’ 18 times in speeches; Obama used it 14 times.

§ January Month Long Observances

Birthstone: Garnet …Flower: Carnation

Book Blitz Month * Bath Safety Month * Birth Defects Month * California Dried Plum Digestive Month * Celebration of Life Month * Cervical Cancer Screening Month * Financial Wellness Month * High Tech Month * International Creativity Month * International Quality of Life Month * International Wayfinding Month * International Wealth Mentality Month * National Be On-Purpose Month * National Bird Feeding Month * National Clean Up Your Computer Month * National Get Organized Month * National Glaucoma Awareness Month * National Hot Tea Month * National Mail Order Gardening Month * National Mentoring Month * National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month * National Poverty in America Awareness Month * National Radon Action Month * National Skating Month * National Soup Month * National Volunteer Blood Donor Month * Oatmeal Month * Rising Star Month * Self-help Group Awareness Month * Senior Women’s Travel Month * Shape Up US Month * Thyroid Awareness Month

§ Observance Weeks in January

Women's Self Empowerment Week: 4-10

Universal Letter Writing Week: 8-14

§ 10 January Observances—US/UN/World

International Diet Day

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day

Peculiar People Day

Stephen Foster Day

United Nations Day

►10 January Observances—by country

None found

► Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1969 - The final issue of The Saturday Evening Post appeared after 147 years of publication

►Who was born on this day?

     ~ The Arts

Pat Benatar [Andrezejewski] in 1953 - singer (Hit Me With Your Best Shot)

Ray Bolger (Raymond Wallace Bulcao) in 1904 - dancer, actor: The Wizard of Oz

Jim Croce in 1943 - singer/songwriter (Time in a Bottle, Bad Bad Leroy Brown)

Gisele MacKenzie (Gisèle Marie-Louise Marguerite LaFlèche) in 1927 Winnipeg Manitoba, singer/actress

Sal Mineo in 1939 - actor (Exodus, Rebel Without a Cause)

Rod Stewart in 1945 - singer (Maggie Mae, Da Ya Think I'm Sexy)

     ~Athletics

George Foreman in 1949 - world heavyweight boxing champ

Hollis Thomas in 1974 - defensive tackle (Eagles)

Bill Toomey in 1939 - U.S. Decathlon Olympic Gold Medalist

     ~Business, Education, Politics

Ethan Allen in 1738 - Revolutionary War fighter (led the Green Mountain Boys)

~Science/Religion

George Washington Carver in 1864 - agricultural scientist (estimate date - actual birthdate unknown)

►Who Died on this day?

Richard Boone in 1981 - actor (Paladin-Have Gun Will Travel), cancer @ 63

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in 1971 - French fashion designer, @ 87

Buffalo Bill [William Frederick] Cody in 1917 - army scout & Indian fighter, @ 71

Samuel Colt in 1862 inventor (6 shot revolver), natural causes @ 47

Harry Sinclair Lewis in 1951 - US writer (Nobel 1930), advanced alcoholism @ 65

Carolus Linnæus in 1778 - Swedish botanist/explorer/"Father of Taxonomy", @ 70

Paul Lynde in 1982 - comedian/actor (Uncle Arthur-Bewitched; center square), heart attack @ 55

►What happened on this day?

1776…"Common Sense" by Thomas Paine, published

1870…John D Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil

1878…US Senate proposes female suffrage

1879…President Rutherford Hayes, by Executive Order, adds to the Gila River Reserve in Pima Agency. This reserve was established February 28, 1859. The order also add to the Pima and Maricopa Indian Reservation. This second part of this order will be canceled on June 14, 1879.

1911…1st photo in US taken from an airplane, San Diego

1944…Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill of Rights) is passed by Congress

1949…RCA introduces the first vinyl record (45 rpm) and Columbia releases the first vinyl record at 33.3 rpm. Previous recordings were on wax discs

1964 US version of "That Was The Week That Was" premieres

1967…PBS (the National Educational TV) begins as a 70 station network

►Rhyme & Reason Puzzle
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. burial sight for the scoundrel (5,5):
2. help with the linear measurement (8, 10):
3. fuel basin (4,4):
4. a dull blade; or uneven kerf? (3,4):
5. cause persistent annoyance to a lower joint (6,5):
* Bonus: pseudo- sandwich meat:
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ANSWERS
1. burial sight for the scoundrel (5,5): knave grave:
2. help with the linear measurement (8, 10): distance assistance
3. fuel basin (4,4): coal bowl
4. a dull blade; or uneven kerf? (3,4): saw flaw
5. cause persistent annoyance to a lower joint (6,5): rankle ankle
*Bonus: pseudo- sandwich meat--Sham Spam