Tuesday

Week 2 of 2010: 12 days so far this year…353 days remain

►Provocative Quote  

"Too much of a good thing is wonderful."

~Mae West, actress

►Free Ramblings     
The madness may never end. Today I heard that Fox News, commonly known as Faux News, has added a new occasional commentator. They are adding Sara Palin to their stellar lineup that claims to bring us all ‘fair and balanced’ news. This move should get her off all the other channels, and since I watch Faux News about 10 seconds a year, I won’t hear her babbling anymore. The term ‘fair and balanced’ has taken on a whole new meaning since Faux added it to its promos.

I’m still having a hard time with the new book Game Change. I watched one of the authors talking about the book. It won’t be out until tomorrow, and I might get it on my iPod when it becomes available. So far, it sounds like a book that believes no matter how much we change, we remain the same. Backroom politics isn’t filled with cigar smoke anymore, but sounds like everything else that used to take place in those backrooms continues. Sad commentary on our political system. I remember “The Making of A President” by White on the 1960 campaign. I wonder this new book will also become a classic?

It was a balmy 11° last night and warmed way up there to 41°. The 15mph didn’t make it very pleasant today. It was warm enough for me to wash the dirt off the sliding glass door to the deck. It seems to get dirty faster than the other windows. Can’t really figure out why, just something that happens.

►Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE 
“Ask not for an easy life...ask for the strength to face the elements, to weather the storms; to be the might for the right and the weak, to be the voice for those who cannot speak, to see one's dreams to fruition with dignity, integrity, and grace.”

~Giac Nguyen

►Side Show Stories
North Yorkshire, England: It seems patrons at the highest-altitude pub in Britain said heavy snowfall left them stranded at the bar for three days while awaiting rescue by snowplows.

Workers and patrons at the Tan Hill Inn said about 30 people were trapped inside the pub by a white-out snowstorm New Year’s Day and remained stuck in the snow for three days at the business, which is located 1,732 feet above sea level.

“Morale’s been high — people realized they wouldn’t be trapped forever,” said Mike Carter, 44, assistant manager of the pub. “They’ve peeled carrots and potatoes and helped make dinner.”

Many of the trapped customers were members of Leeds University’s Cross Country Club. “We were meant to go the next day,” club member Nathan Martin, 26, said. Luckily none of us was in a rush to get home! It’s been good.There’s been a quiz every night which has kept us going.”

►Random Fact .

To take lumps out of a bag of sugar, place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

§ Interesting Statistics

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

~39% of unemployed Americans take a nap.

~31% of employed Americans take a nap.

§ 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

Universal Letter Writing Week: 8-14

Cuckoo Dancing Week: 11-17 [honoring Laurel and Hardy]

§ 12 January Observances—US/UN/World

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day—has little to do with cannibalism, but has something to do with a day for gazing at hunks.

§12 January Observances—by country

Tanzania : Zanzibar Revolution Day [since 1964]

India- National Youth Day Swami Vivekananda's birthday [key figure in bringing Vedanta and Yoga to Europe and America]

§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1984…It was a struggle for quite a few years to restore some of the Great Pyramids in Egypt. However, when pyramid restores began to use the method of interlocking blocks as the ancient Egyptians did the project progress quite a bit more smoothly. The decision to revert back to the historic Egyptian building practices was more than likely inspired by the fact that the modern-day brick-and-mortar method did not hold up against water damage. Therefore, just a few years after the repaired work done on the Sphinx in 1981 new “old methods” of construction were practiced.

§Who was born on this day?

     ~ The Arts

Kirstie Alley in 1951 - actress

Edmund Burke in 1729 - British author (Philosophy & Inquiry)

Melanie Jayne Chisholm in 1974 - "Sporty Spice"

"The Amazing" Kreskin in 1935 - mentalist/telepath

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III in 1951 Cape -conservative radio & television host

Jack London in 1876 - writer/socialist (Call of the Wild)

Ray Manzarek in 1943 - rock pianist (Doors)

Howard Stern in 1954 - syndicated/satellite radio talk-show host

Tex Ritter in 1906 Texas, country singer

Ray Teal in 1902 - actor (Sheriff Roy Coffee-Bonanza)

Glenn Yarborough in 1930 - singer (Limeliters)

Henny Youngman in 1906 (England) - comedian (Take my wife please...)

     ~Athletics

Joe Frazier in 1944 - heavyweight champion boxer

Drew Pearson in 1951 - NFL all-pro receiver

Dominique Wilkins in 1960 - NBA forward (Atlanta Hawks)

     ~Business, Education, Politics

A P(ieter) W Botha in 1916 Orange Free State, President of South Africa

Edmund Burke in 1729 - statesman, philosopher: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

John Hancock in 1737 - patriot (1st to sign Declaration of Independence)

John Winthrop in 1588 - 1st Governor (Massachusetts Bay Colony)

     ~Science/Religion

Paul H Müller in 1899 - Swiss chemist (DDT-Nobel 1948)

Jean Baptiste van Helmont in 1580 - Belgian chemist, (found boiling point temperature)

§Who Died on this day?

Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1517 Spanish conquistador/admiral, beheaded @ 41

Agatha Christie in 1976 mystery writer (10 Little Indians), @ 85

Ernie Kovacs in 1962 comedian (Ernie Kovacs Show), auto crash @ 42

Walt Morey in 1992 US children's book writer (Gentle Ben), @ 84

§What happened on this day?

1755…Tsarina Elisabeth establishes 1st Russian University

1773…1st US public museum established (Charleston SC)

1864…The NAVAJOs have been ordered to move to the Bosque Redondo Reservation in New Mexico. Many who decide not to go move to the Canyon de Chelly. Kit Carson has been directed to force the NAVAJOs to move or to be killed as "hostiles". Carson and Captain Pfeiffer advance to the canyon. On this date, Carson enters the west end of the canyon. They encounter a band of NAVAJOs, and kill 11 of them. While in the canyon, Carson will order the burning of the NAVAJOs' food and cherished peach trees

1896…1st X-ray photo in US (Dr Henry Smith, Davidson NC)

1915…House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women the right to vote

1928 …Vladimir Horowitz debuted as a soloist with the New York Philharmonicat Carnegie Hall in New York City

1948…Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast

1949…The Chicago-based children’s show, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, made its nationaldebut on NBC-TV.

1965…"Hullabaloo" premieres on NBC-TV

1966…"Batman" with Adam West & Burt Ward premieres on ABC TV

1971…"All in the Family" premieres on CBS featuring 1st toilet flush on TV .

►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. imputation of deceit (9,7):

2. soggy domesticated animal (3,3):

3. any which way (6-7):

4. inapt policeman (8,6):

5. hamburger (6,5):

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ANSWERS

1. imputation of deceit (9,7): bamboozle accusal

2. soggy domesticated animal (3,3): wet pet

3. any which way (6-7): helter skelter

4. inapt policeman (8,6): improper copper

5. hamburger (6,5): ground round