Monday

15 February 2010--Week 7 of 2010: 46 days this year…319 remain

» Quote Times Two «

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.”~Harry Truman

"Misery loves company, but company does not reciprocate." ~Addison Mitzner, architect

» Free Ramblings «

There were sure some great events in the Olympics today. I am amazed at the variety of events. Who would ever put ski jumping and cross country skiing together for one event. Norway had this event at local carnivals in the 1800’s. It has been an Olympic sport since 1924. Athletes first do a ski jump—where judges look at distance and style. Then, based on these results, the skiers line up for 10K of cross country skiing. These two competitions are also separate events. Today’s’ race was hard fought and the US got a silver. It’s a great event putting two popular sports into one competition.

One of our county supervisors made headlines today. During our recent snow problems, the Navajo and Hopi had much worse problems. The isolation, the dirt roads, the lack of snow removal equipment, and the problems of getting hay to animals make any big snowstorm a call to many to help. All of these workers need to be fed. The supervisor used a charge card to pay a mere $2100 in meals. In these tough economic times, some are wondering why these meals were needed. I have been to many meetings and a few dinner meetings in Tuba. The dinner meetings allow for a much more relaxed atmosphere and I have found that many times good things can be accomplished. Anyone living or working on the Rez knows that wherever there is food, some will be taken home to family members who are not at the meal. What the supervisor did was within the guidelines of the card, and I’m sure, provided for a good meeting. I doubt if this would have been ‘news’ in Flagstaff, except that it was something that happened on the Rez. The headline, “Steaks on the House” certainly slanted the information. Guess we will see how much ‘news’ this really is.

It was a great day today. We made it to 45° and melted more of our snow. So glad I don’t have to deal with dirt roads this winter. It is so nice to have had several days of all day sunshine. I just hope this keeps up.

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics open on Feb 12.

Each Vancouver medal weighs 500 grams (17.6 oz). The Orca Whale is on the obverse, with the Vancouver logo, the sport, and the Official Name of the Games in English and French on the reverse. A total of 615 individually handcrafted medals are prepared for this Olympiad.

»Side Show Stories—«

WENATCHEE, Wash. - Officers at a jail in Washington state said they found tobacco and oxycodone pills hidden inside a cantaloupe meant for prisoners. Chelan County Regional Justice Center officers said workers at a Plaza Super Jet store in Wenatchee called the jail Monday and said security cameras recorded two women placing the melon with surplus food that had been sent to the facility's kitchen to be served to prisoners and detainees, the Wenatchee (Wash.) World reported Thursday. "It was like a pumpkin, with a noticeable cut around the top," jail administrator Phil Stanley said of the cantaloupe. "Somebody would have had to be a little bit more sneaky than they were." Stanley said officers found tobacco and a bag full of the powerful prescription painkiller oxycodone. Investigators do not expect to make any arrests in the case.

»Random Fact: «

February was selected as Black History Month as a way to honor of the birth of two men whose actions drastically altered the future of black Americans. Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. President who issued the Emancipation Proclamation was born on February 12th and Frederick Douglass, one of the nation's leading abolitionists was born on February 14th.

» Puzzle «

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has four X four sections.

1 wander (about)

2 inspiration of invention

3 Superman foiler

4 woman

» Calendar Information «

☼ February’s Month Long Observances ☼

Birthstone: Amethyst …Flower: Violet and Primrose

Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month^AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month^American Heart Month^Bake for Family Fun Month^Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month^Grapefruit Month^International Boost Self-Esteem Month^International Expect Success Month^Jobs in Golf Month^Library Lovers Month^Marijuana Awareness Month^National African American History Month^National Bird Feeding Month^National Black History Month^National Care About Your Indoor Air Month^National Cherry Month^National Condom Month^National Children's Dental Health Month^National Laugh-Friendly Month^National Mend A Broken Heart Month^National Parent Leadership Month^National Pet Dental Health Month^National Senior Independence Month^National Time Management Month^Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month^Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month^Relationship Wellness Month^Responsible Pet Owner's Month^Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month^Spiritual Teachers Month^Spunky Old Broads Month^ Sweet Potato Month^Wise Health Care Consumer Month^ Youth Leadership Month^

☼ Observance Weeks in February ☼

Celebration of Love Week: 10-16

Children of Alcoholics Week: 10-16

Random Acts of Kindness Week: 12-15—what? Only three days—that is just wrong.

Alzheimers and Dementia Awareness Week: 14-21

Love a Mench Week: 14-21

National Condom Week: 14-21

National Engineers Week: 14-20

National Pancake Week: 14-20

☼ 15 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

National Gum Drop Day

Lupercalia: Pre-Roman pastoral festival to rid the world of evil spirits

Orthodox Green Monday: Beginning of Lent

Susan B. Anthony Day

Shrove Monday: Monday before Ash Wednesday: Mardi Gras and Carnival begin

Battleship Day, Remember the Maine (1898)

US : Presidents' Day

☼14 February Observances—by country ☼

Canada: National Flag of Canada Day for flag adopted in 1965

Serbia: National Day since 1804 Revolution against Ottoman Empire

Singapore: Total Defense Day: to remind students of the 1942 takeover by Japanese

☼ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1971…The UK banks will reopen today as the British Government launches the changeover to the new decimal currency system across the country.

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Susan Brownmiller, 75, author, feminist (Against Our Will, Femininity

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

John Barrymore [Blythe], in 1882, actor

Claire Bloom, 79, actress

Chris Farley, in 1964, actor

Matt Groening, 56, cartoonist (“The Simpsons”)

Harvey Korman, in 1927, actor, comedian

Melissa Manchester, 59, singer (“Don’t Cry Out Loud”)

Kevin McCarthy, 96, actor (Invasion of the Body Snatchers)

Cesar Romero, in 1907, actor

Jane Seymour,[Joyce Frankenberg], England, 59, actress ( “Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman”)

      »Athletes

Graham Hill, in 1929, auto racer: Indianapolis 500 winner

     »Business, Education, Politics

Susan Brownell Anthony, in 1820, women's suffragette

Claudius Drusus Germanicus Caesar Nero, 37AD, emperor of Rome (54-68)

John Augustus Sutter, in 1803, Swiss/US colonist of California gold rush fame (New Helvetia CA, Sutter Mill)

Charles Lewis Tiffany, in 1812, jeweler

     »Science/Religion

Galileo Galilei, in 1564, (Italy), astronomer/physicist

Christopher Sholes, in 1819, inventor (typewriter)

Ernest H Shackleton, in 1874, (Kilkee Ireland), explorer (Antarctica)

Henry Engelhard Steinway, in 1797, piano maker (Steinway)

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Wally Cox, in 1973, actor (Mr Peepers, Hollywood Squares), heart attack @ 48

Nat King Cole, in 1965, singer (Unforgettable, Mona Lisa), cancer @ 45
Johann Gottlieb, in 1778, Gorner composer, @ 80
Ethel Merman, in 1984, singer/actress (Kid Million), in her sleep @ 76
Tommy Rettig, in 1996, actor (Jeff on Lassie)/computer programmer (Foxpro), heart attach @ 54
McLean Stevenson, in 1996, actor (MASH), cardiac arrest @ 66
Lewis Wallace, in 1905 US diplomat/writer (Ben Hur), @ 77
Thomas "Fats" Waller, in 1943, US jazz pianist (Hot Chocolate), pneumonia @ 38
☼What happened on this day? ☼

     » The Arts

1903…1st Teddy Bear introduced in America, made by Morris & Rose Michtom

1913…1st avant-garde art show in America opens in New York NY

1931…1st Dracula movie released

1950…Walt Disney's "Cinderella" released announced

     »Athletics

1916…New York Yankees buy Frank "Home Run" Baker from the Athletics for $37,500

1936…Sonja Henie, Norway, wins 3rd consecutive Olympics figure skating gold

1961…Entire US figure skating team of 18, dies in Belgian Sabena 707 crash

1976…12th Winter Olympics games close at Innsbruck, Austria

1990…Baseball owners lock out players

     »Business, Education, Politics

1764…St Louis founded as a French trading post by Pierre Laclade Ligue

1799…1st US printed ballots authorized

1848…Sarah Roberts barred from white school in Boston

1869…Charges of Treason against Jefferson Davis are dropped

1933…President-elect Franklin Roosevelt survives assassination attempt—Chicago mayor dies by same assassin

1955…1st plant to produce man-made diamonds

1989…Soviet troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan

     »Science/Religion

--

» Number One Songs in…

1950…Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Bing Crosby

1958…Get a Job - The Silhouettes

1966…Lightnin’ Strikes - Lou Christie

1982…Centerfold - The J. Geils Band

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

mill

idea

lead

lady