Thursday

25 February 2010--Week 8 of 2010: 56 days this year…309 remain

» Quote Times Two «

"Lend money to a bad debtor and he will hate you.”

~unknown

"Open the doors of opportunity to talent and virtue and they will do themselves justice.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882); Philosopher, Poet, Author, Essayist

» Free Ramblings «

Our little retirement group had our weekly lunch today. Our plan had been to eat, and the go to Riordan Mansion, to support its efforts in staying open. With all the news about Riordan in the paper, on TV, and on the radio none of realized that it was only open Thursday through Sunday. So we had a nice lunch and decided to try Riordan again on Friday. I recall visiting Riordan soon after it became a state park back in the early 80’s. At that time, only ½ of the mansion was available for tours as a family member still lived in the other side. Now I understand, the entire mansion is open for tours. Sadly, our non-elected governor has decided to close the park at the end of March. There are many in Flagstaff and around our state who are working long hours to find a way to keep the park open. We need to have our history available so that we can move forward.

I watched an hour long debate with our local mayoral candidates. For a small town, we sure have a lot of issues. One candidate said that people choose to live in Flagstaff and therefore we must recognize that this choice will cost us more for housing, more for food, more for gas, and more for just about everything. He sure isn’t getting my vote. He doesn’t seem to realize that Flagstaff is also the hub town for most of Northern Arizona. Why should people travel to this hub, knowing they will pay more for just about everything? It is a border town for the Rez, but I have learned since moving here, it also is a hub for Sedona, Williams, Winslow, and other non-reservation towns. This vote is only a primary, and I am sure that both Sara and Kara will be on the final ballot. It was sure worth the hour to watch the debate.

It was fairly nice today, except for the 30+ mph winds throughout the day. We made it to 41° and the wind chill only dropped that about five degrees. A new storm is headed our way, so the weekend will be snowy, again.

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics opened on Feb 12.

From 1924-2006 Norway had 98 gold medals at the Winter Olympics. So far at this Olympics they have added 6 golds. The US earned 78 golds in that time frame and have added 7 in this Olympics.

»Side Show Stories—«

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Catholic leaders in Connecticut said they are trying to fill confessionals during Lent by taking out billboards seeking sinners wanting to shake their guilt. Bishop William Lori of the Bridgeport Diocese said he took out a full-sized billboard urging Catholics to take advantage of the extended confessional hours being offered every Tuesday until the end of Lent, WFSB-TV, Bridgeport, reported Thursday. "I wouldn't call it commercializing. It's evangelizing. The church has always used whatever media to get the message out and it's a great message," Lori said. The bishop said many people are wary of confession. "They get scared. It's hard to admit our sins. Sometimes people wonder what the reaction will be on the other side of the screen, but it's really about love, mercy, compassion," he said.

»Random Fact: «

Antarctica has as much ice as the Atlantic Ocean has water.

» 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 a three-handed card game (HINT: S - - -)

2 money, or a hardy cabbage (HINT: - A - -)

3 Ladd, or an obsolete term for "wolfhound" (HINT: - - A -)

4 serve (HINT: - - - D)

» 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 ☼

Build A Better Trade Show Image Week: 21-27

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: 21-27

Read Me Week: 22-26

Telecommuter Appreciation Week: 24-3/6

☼ 24 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

National Chili Day

Pistol Patent Day (Samuel Colt)

☼24 February Observances—by country ☼

Kuwait : National Day

México : Coronado Day (1540)

Philippines: People Power Day

☼ Holy Mackerel: 1950.."Your Show of Shows" with Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca premieres :Writers include Mel Brooks, Neil Simon & Woody Allen

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Anthony Burgess, in 1917, essayist/novelist (A Clockwork Orange)

Larry Gelbart, 82, writer, producer (“M*A*S*H”)

Pierre Auguste Renoir, in 1841, French Impressionist painter/sculptor

Bob Schieffer, 73, television journalist

Bruno Traven, in 1882, German writer (Sierra Madre)

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Sean Astin, 39, actor (the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Rudy, Courage Under Fire)

Jim Backus, in 1913, actor (Mr Magoo, Thurston Howell III-Gilligan's Island)

Diane Baker, 72, actress (Silence of the Lambs)

Ric Flair (Fliehr), 61, former professional wrestler

Karen Grassle, 66, actress (“Little House on the Prairie”)

George Harrison, in 1943, rocker: Beatles

Tea Leoni, 44, actress (Jurassic Park III, Deep Impact, Flirting with Disaster)
[Herbert] Zeppo Marx, in 1901, comedian/actor (Marx Brothers)

Sally Jessy Raphael (Sally Lowenthal), 67, talk show host

Carrot Top [Scott Thompson], 45, comedian

     »Athletes

Robert Lorimer "Bobby" Riggs, in 1918, US tennis star

     »Business, Education

Charles Freer, in 1876, art collector; endowed Freer Gallery

     »Politics

José Francisco de San Martín, in 1778, liberated Argentina, Chile & Perú

     »Science/Religion

Howard Zahniser, in 1906, Father of the Wilderness Act

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Darren McGavin, in 2006, American actor @ 84
Thomas Moore, in 1852, Irish poet (Last Rose of Summer), stroke @ 53

George "Bugs" Moran, in1957, American gangster, in prison @ 64
Paul Julius von Reuter, in 1899, founder of the news agency (Reuters), @ 83
Thomas Lanier Tennessee Williams, in 1983, writer (Streetcar Named Desire), chokes on bottle cap @ 71
☼What Happened on this Day ☼

     » The Arts

1751…1st performing monkey exhibited in America, NYC (admission 1¢)

1949…Robert Mitchum is released from a Los Angeles prison farm at the end of his two-month sentence for marijuana possession

1984…Ironweed, by William P. Kennedy, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction

     »Athletics

1952…6th Winter Olympics games close at Oslo, Norway

1964…Cassius Clay, defeated Sonny Liston

     »Business, Education

1837…1st US electric printing press patented by Thomas Davenport

     »Politics

1540…Francisco Vásquez de Coronado searches for 7 cities of Cibola México

1793…1st cabinet meeting (At George Washington's home)

1875…Kiowa Indians under Lone Wolf (Guipago) surrender at Ft Sill

1925…Glacier Bay National Monument established in Alaska

1932…Immigrant Adolf Hitler gets German citizenship

     »Science/Religion

1836…Samuel Colt patents 1st revolving barrel multishot firearm

» Number One Songs in…

1944…Besame Mucho - The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen

1952…Cry - Johnnie Ray

1960…The Theme from "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith

1968…Love is Blue - Paul Mauriat

1976…50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon

1984…Jump - Van Halen

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

S K A T

K A L E

A L A N

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