Thursday

January 28, 2010--Week 4 of 2010: 28 days this year…337 remain

» Quote Times Two «                       .

"When seeking love give nothing, Having found love give all."~ unknown

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction and contemplate a wholesale change in thought and attitude." ~E.F. Schumacher, Economist

» Free Ramblings «                          .

"Well, gosh, we all had to bring our birth certificates to show we were who we said we were, and we were the age we said we were, to play football in youth sports," said Hayworth, who is currently challenging John McCain (R-AZ) in Arizona's Senate primary. "Shouldn't we know exactly that anyone who wants to run for public office is a natural born citizen of the United States, and is who they say they are?"—JD Haworth.

Hey, JD, read the US Constitution…the only two offices that require a natural born citizen are President and Vice President. It’s too bad that McCain’s rival is a friggin’ Birther. I’m sure that if someone calls JD on this quote, he will simply say that either he was misquoted, or that he meant something else. That’s his problem, he doesn’t know of what he speaks. JD’s run is becoming National fodder, since he is running in a primary against the most recent Presidential loser.

Obama is giving his State of the Union speech tonight. I’ll be listening. More on that, I’m sure tomorrow.

Today is Data Privacy Day. I must say we need to do more than just talk about it, but insure that it happens. With the overwhelming amount of data available through the internet, there has to be something to insure that the information is accurate. Part of this blog recalls births, deaths, and events that have occurred throughout history. I do this because being reminded of these things helps me keep my mind active. I also like recalling these tidbits, sometimes because I lived at that time, others I had learned sometime but kinda forgotten. Many times I learn something I didn’t ever know. I have searched out sites that give me the information to share. What continues to astound me is the number of mistakes that are out there. I realize that some information may not be readily verifiable, so I try hard to have at least two sites showing the information before I post it. If internet web masters can’t get simple dates right, what other information out there is totally wrong? That is something we have to ask every time we log on.

Flag had some heavy snow flurries for about an hour this morning. The weather service issued a bulletin saying to expect up to 8” of snow. The snow melted as it fell, the sky cleared. Hopefully we won’t get any more from this storm. My ice cave is still holding on, the icicles continue to grow. We still have plenty left from the last storm. One interesting observance today, while these heavy flurries were falling, our parking lot had a small river of water running down the middle of the road. Guess that means the snow is melting. It only dropped to 22° last night, so it warmed up to our high of 38° fairly early. This helped a little in melting the snow piles. Another 45 days like this, and our record snow fall will finally be melted.

»Side Show Stories—Darwin Awards 2010 «.

The Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool... by removing themselves from it.

Another more runner up…

When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

»Random Fact «                              .

A one-minute kiss burns 26 calories.

» Interesting Statistics «                   .

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

~ Between 1997 and 2003, there was a 25% increase in the number of businesses in AZ. Too bad that is the latest data.

» Puzzle «                                          .

A list of words is given. To solve the puzzle, think of a single word that goes with each to form a compound word or word pair that functions as a compound word. For example, if the given words are volley, field, and bearing, the the answer would be ball, because the word ball can be added to each of the other words to form volleyball, ball field, and ball bearing. Answers are at the end of blog.

1. butter, maid, run

2. hot, strong, arrow

3. sore, witness, buck

» Calendar Information «                  .     

☼ 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 ☼

Sundance Film Festival: 21-31

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week: 23-30

World Leprosy Week: 23-29

National Nurse Anesthetists Week: 24-30

National Medical Group Practice Week: 25-29

☼ 27 January Observances—US/UN/World ☼

National Kazoo Day

Clash Day

Rattlesnake Round-Up Day

☼27 January Observances—by country ☼

Rwanda : Democracy Day (1961)

US: Canada: 27 European Nations: Data Privacy Day—to raise awareness of the importance of data privacy

☼ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1918…US food administrator Hoover calls for "wheatless" & "meatless" days for war effort

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Alan Alda (Alphonso D’Abruzzo), 74, actor (Paper Lion, The Four Seasons, “M*A*S*H”), director

Sabine Baring-Gould, in 1834 , Anglican clergyman and author, "Onward, Christian Soldiers"

John Barclay in 1582, Scottish satirist/poet

Barbi Benton [Klein], 60, Playboy model/actress (Hee Haw)

Acker (Bernard) Bilk, 81, British clarinetist, composer: Stranger on the Shore

"Sidonie Gabrielle" Colette in 1873, novelist (Cheri, Gigi)

Sarah McLachlan, 42, Canadian singer

Claes Oldenburg, 81, Swedish artist, sculptor

Jackson Pollock in 1912 (Cody WY), abstract artist (Lavender Mist)

Artur Rubinstein in 1887, American pianist

Susan Sontag in 1933, essayist/novelist/film director

Elijah Wood, 29, actor (the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Ice Storm)
     »Athletics

Dwight Stone, 46, NFL receiver/running back (Panthers, Packers)

     »Business, Education, Politics

Henry VII, in 1457, 1st Tudor king of England

Nicolas Sarkozy, 55, President of France

Sir Henry Morton Stanley in 1841, explorer: leader of African expedition to find the missing missionary, David Livingstone: “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” said Mr. Stanley

    »Science/Religion

William Seward Burroughs in 1855, inventor (recording adding machine)

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Charlemagne in 0814, German emperor/Roman Emperor (800-814), @ 71

Henry VIII in 1547 King of England (1509-47), compiications of gout @ 55

Sir Francis Drake in 1595 English navigator/pirate, dysentery @ about 50

Peter I "the Great" Romanov in 1725 czar of Russia, gangrene @ 52

John Banner in 1973 actor (Schultz-Hogan's Heroes), hemorrhage @ 62 on birthday

Philip H Burton in 1995 Welsh producer/Richard Burton's teacher, @ 80

Jimmy Durante in 1980, comedian, @ 86

Challenger Astronauts in 1986: Gregory B. Jarvis, payload specialist @ 42; Christa McAuliffe teacher, @ 38; Ronald E McNair @ 36; Ellison S Onizuka, Major USAF @ 40; Dr Judith Arlene Resnik @37; Francis R Scobee, USAF/@ 47; Michael J Smith Commander USN @ 41

Jerry Siegel in 1996 comic book writer (Superman), @ 81

William Butler Yeats in 1939 Irish poet (Nobel), @ 73

☼What happened on this day? ☼

     » The Arts

1878…Yale Daily News published, 1st college daily newspaper

1902…The Carnegie Institution was established in Washington DC

1973…"Barnaby Jones" premieres on CBS TV

1978…"Fantasy Island" starring Ricardo Montalban premieres on ABC TV

     »Athletics

1934…1st US ski tow (rope) begins operation (Woodstock VT)

1958…Dodger catcher Roy Campanella is paralyzed in an automobile wreck

1969…Barbara Jo Rubin becomes 1st woman jockey to win in North America

1990…Super Bowl XXIV San Francisco 49ers beat Denver Broncos

     »Business, Education, Politics

1547…9-year-old Edward VI succeeds Henry VIII as king of England

1858…John Brown organized raid on Arsenal at Harper's Ferry

1899…American Social Science Association incorporated by Congress

1914…Beverly Hills, California, is incorporated

1928…Christopher Hornsrud chosen PM of Norway at age 101

1932…1st US state unemployment insurance act enacted-Wisconsin

1935…Iceland becomes 1st country to legalize abortion

1937…Testing of the Rolls Royce had begun; sale begins after WWII

1949…UN Security council condemns Dutch aggression in Indonesia

     »Science/Religion

1613…Galileo may have unknowingly viewed undiscovered planet Neptune

1807…London's Pall Mall is 1st street lit by gaslight

1986…25th Space Shuttle (51L)-Challenger 10 explodes 73 seconds after liftoff

» Number One Songs in…

1956…Memories are Made of This - Dean Martin

1964…There! I’ve Said It Again - Bobby Vinton

1972…American Pie - Don McLean

1980…Do that to Me One More Time - The Captain & Tennille

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

1. MILK: buttermilk, milkmaid, milk run

2. HEAD: hot head, headstrong, arrowhead

3. EYE: eyesore, eye witness, buckeye