Tuesday

9 February 2010--Week 6 of 2010: 38 days this year…325 remain

» Quote Times Two «

"Of all forms of caution, caution in love is the most fatal." ~unknown

“I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.” ~Mother Teresa (1910-1997); Founder of the Missionaries of Charity

» Free Ramblings «

I am getting very tired of cloudy days and snow. I know, the forest needs the moisture. I know the water table needs the moisture. I like snow. I just don’t like it every friggin’ day. Sometimes we get huge flakes, sometimes tiny flakes. Sometimes it is mixed with rain. Sometimes it is fluffy powder, other times it is wet and sticky. It may come in four feet, or in six inches, or in two inches, or just enough to wet the sidewalk. Lately it has not been enough to make driving dangerous, or to keep one at home. It just snows. I can look out my office window and see blue sky then fifteen minutes later I can’t even see the trees because it is snowing so hard. Then in a few minutes, back to no snow. It has been sunny and snowy on and off all day. Never a lot of wind, just blue sky then whiteout. What does one wear when going outside? Today I had a routine doctor appointment at 8:30. It was 17°. I had a layer of ice, not frost, on the windshield. I cleared it off and headed out. I was out of the Drs. Office by 9:00. The sun was shining, I didn’t need my heavy jacket, it was about 30° with a clear sky. I stopped at the grocery store. When I came out it was snowing and my heavy jacket was in the car. This type of weather continued all day. Maybe I’m just not able to handle change. Anyway, this kind of weather will continue most of this week. I hope I don’t lose my mind.

I enjoy Facebook. I learned that a former colleague is running for State office. He commented that his ‘handlers’ may be putting up a facebook page. What? His ‘handlers’? I live in a different district, so can’t vote either way. I guess this is part of politics in 2010. But the term just hits me the wrong way. I want someone who will fight for me in Phoenix, not someone who has handlers. A handler is one that directs someone or something. Like at the AKC Dog Show?

I learned that the Mayor of our town likes my Facebook status—at least sometimes. When I commented that I wouldn’t believe the train noise would be gone until I didn’t hear it anymore, I got no response from her post. When I posted a clever comment on the Saints win, she marked that she liked it. How cool is that? Stop the presses, the Mayor reads my Facebook posts and she takes that extra millisecond to click on ‘like’. But wait, who doesn’t like the Saint’s win? I think I will start responding to her many, many posts. Maybe she will ‘like’ or add a comment to something a little more substantial than the Saints win.

I must say I have trouble understanding the ‘like’ choice on Facebook. I get it when someone posts something like “My grandson just took his first steps.” I quickly hit ‘like’ and to me that means that I like the fact that the kid walked. Then there are the news posts. NPR posts that Obama’s speech was a success. I click like because I’m glad that our President’s speech was successful. Then NPR posts that “Rep. Murtha, D. PA, dies at 77”. I have to wonder why 12 people like this. Do they like the fact that NPR told us? Do they like that a Democrat died? Do they like that Murtha died? What about all the Haiti Disaster Posts? If I click ‘like’ does that mean that I like knowing the latest news? That I like that so many people died? That I like that more people didn’t die? Facebook doesn’t have a ‘dislike’ button, but in the news story cases that wouldn’t work either. So, until Facebook comes up some better choices, I will not respond with ‘like’, and wonder about the people who do respond. I will hold off, hoping that Facebook realizes that multi-dimensional posts just can’t be made so one dimensional.

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics open on Feb 12.

Did you know…

There are 16 categories at this Olympics:

3. Biathlon: Shooting and skiing have been around as early as 2000BC to put food on the table. In the 16th century Scandinavian armies began using shooting and skiing against enemies. The Men’s Biathlon first appeared in the 1960 Squaw Valley games and the Women’s Biathlon started in Albertville in 1992. In 2010 there will be 5 separate events for men, and 5 for women.

There are 220 athletes participating—US has 9; Great Britain has 1.

»Side Show Stories—«

STUART, Fla. - Police in Florida said a man who found $3,100 cash in the frame of a picture he pulled from a dumpster in his apartment complex may be able to keep the money. Warren Bendix of Stuart told police he pulled a framed picture of a space shuttle from the trash while he was dumpster diving at Sierra Condominium Apartments, where he lives, at about 1:45 p.m. Bendix said he took the photo home to change the frame and discovered 24 $100 bills and 35 $20 bills hidden behind the picture. Sgt. Marty Jacobson, a police spokesman, said Bendix turned the money over to officers. "If there isn't a legitimate claim to the property, he can claim it," Jacobson said. "We want to give a legitimate owner an opportunity to claim it if it's theirs."

»Random Fact«

In the game Monopoly, the properties are named after streets in Atlantic City.

» Puzzle «

In each of these puzzles, there are two double blanks. Fill in the blanks with the same pair of letters to complete an English word. For example, use the letter-pair ac in b_ _ckp_ _k to make the word backpack.

1 d _ _ tingu _ _ h

2 _ _ s _ _ de

3 _ _ od _ _ rk

» 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 ☼

Boy Scout Anniversary Week: 3-9

Dump Your Significant Jerk Week: 6-12—It takes a full week?

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week: 7-14

International Coaching Week: 7-13

Jell-O Week: 7-13

Just Say No to Powerpoints Week: 7-13

Publicity for Profit Week: 7-13

Rejection Risk Awareness Week: 7-14—for those who get rejected by someone

Freelance Writers Appreciation Week: 8-13

Love Makes the World Go Round; But, Laughter Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy Week: 8-14

World Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week: 8-14

International Flirting Week: 8-14

☼ 9 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

Read in the Bathtub Day

Toothache Day

☼9 February Observances—by country ☼

Wales: St. Teilo (Latin: Teliaus; also Eliud) Day: founded 1st church in Llandaff

☼ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1922…Snow on Mauna Loa, Hawaii

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Brendan Behan, in 1923, (Ireland), author/poet (Hostage)

Amy Lowell, in 1874, US, critic/Imagist poet (Patterns, Sword Blades & Poppy Seed)

Alice Walker, 66, author (The Color Purple)

Vasili A Zjukovski, in 1783, Russian folk poet/translator (Homer)

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

(Waldo) Brian Donlevy, in 1901, (Ireland), actor

Mia Farrow, (Maria de Lourdes Villers), 65, actress (“Peyton Place,” Rosemary’s Baby)

Carole King (Klein), 68, singer, songwriter

Gypsy Rose Lee (Rose Hovick), 1914, actress, dancer, stripper

Judith Light, 61, actress (“Ugly Betty,” “One Life to Live,” “Who’s the Boss?”)

Carmen Miranda [Maria do Carmo Miranda Da Cunha], in 1909, (Portugal), vocalist/actress (Copacabana)

Roger Mudd, 82, journalist

Joe Pesci, 67, actor (Raging Bull, Goodfellas, My Cousin Vinny)

Smokey Robinson, in 1940, rocker (& The Miracles)

Shakira (Isabelle Mebarak Ripoll), 33, singer, (Colombia)

Charles Shaughnessy, 55, actor (“The Nanny”) (England)

(James) Travis Tritt, 47, country and western singer

Ernest Tubb, in 1914, guitarist/singer

     »Athletes

Vladimir Guerrero (Nizao Bani), 34, baseball player, (Dominican Republic)

Lennox Lewis, 45, (England), Super heavyweight boxer (Olympics-gold-1988)

     »Business, Education, Politics

William Henry Harrison, in 1773, (Whigs) 9th President

(David) Dean Rusk, in 1909, US Secretary of State

Samuel Jones Tilden, in 1814, philanthropist for New York Public Library

     »Science/Religion

Ulrich Walter, 56, German Federal Republic, cosmonaut

Andrew N Meltzoff, 60, developmental psychologist

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Feodor M Dostoevski, in 1881, Russian novelist (Crime & Punishment), @ 59

Bill Haley, in 1981, vocalist (Rock Around Clock), heart attack @ 55

[George] Gabby Hayes, in 1969, actor @ 83

John Hooper, in 1555, deprived Bishop of Gloucester, burnt for heresy @ about 57

Princess Margaret, in 2002, sister of Queen Elizabeth II of England, stroke @ 71

Sophie Tucker (Sonia Kalish), in 1966, Russian/US singer/actress (My Yiddish Mama), @ 79
David Wayne [Wayne McMeekan], in 1995, US actor, @ 81

☼What happened on this day? ☼

     » The Arts

1997 Fox cartoon series "Simpsons" airs 167th episode the longest-running animated series in cartoon history

     »Athletics

1895…Volleyball invented by W G Morgan in Massachusetts

1932…America entered the 2-man bobsled competition for the first time at the Olympic Winter Games held at Lake Placid, NY.

1964…9th Winter Olympics games close at Innsbruck, Austria

2002…XIX Winter Olympics opens in Salt Lake City UT

     »Business, Education, Politics

1674…English re-conquer New York from Netherlands

1822…American Indian Society organizes

1867…Nebraska becomes 37th US state

1886…President Cleveland declares a state of emergency in Seattle because of anti-Chinese violence

1909…1st federal legislation prohibiting narcotics (opium)

1943…FDR orders minimal 48 hour work week in war industry

1943…The Battle of Guadalcanal ends with US victory

1950…Senator Joseph McCarthy charges State Dept infested with 205 communists

     »Science/Religion

1863…Fire extinguisher patented by Alanson Crane

1969…The Boeing 747 flew its inaugural flight this day

1996…The legendary Russian Chess Grandmaster Kasparov loses his first chess game ever to IBM's chess computer Deep Blue

» Number One Songs in…

1944…Pistol Packin’ Mama - Al Dexte

1952…Slowpoke - Pee Wee King

1960…Teen Angel - Mark Dinning

1968…Green Tambourine - The Lemon Pipers

1976…50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon

1984…Karma Chameleon - Culture Club

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

1 distinguish

2 cascade

3 woodwork