Sunday 4-18

April 2010~~Week 17 of 2010: 108 days this year…257 days remain

‡ Something To Think About 

A politician thinks of the next election - a statesman, of the next generation.

--James Freeman Clarke

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1949 ►Republic of Ireland withdraws from British Commonwealth

‡ Free Ramblings   

We had one of our best Great Discussions last night. When I was in school, China was one of our enemies. I wasn’t really into international politics during my teaching career. I kept up with the news stories, but not the underlying changes that were happening. I was much more interested in national politics and regional politics. When I retired, I discovered that the US and China had made lots of economic deals over the years. The great articles and then a very good presentation at our meeting really clarified things for me. China’s government is much more interested in building its economic power that its military power. There are many oppressed people to do this. They have many environmental issues. They have a clear distinction between the government, the military, and the people. The government wants economic development and the development of a middle class. That is what will happen. The other interesting concept is that China’s government has a 20 year plan. Not exactly like the old communist 5 and 10 year plans, but more of a vision. It certainly concerns me that this vision tramples on human rights, is destroying cultures that have lasted thousands of years. Developing a middle class in any society is very messy. Certainly the US does not have a great track record in accomplishing that. I don’t know any culture that has developed a middle class without having to give up so much. One of the many lessons I took from our discussion was that China will not become a military threat to the US due to our current symbiotic relationship. I also found out that NAU’s Chinese student population is second to the Arabs in foreign students. Our small group did discuss Taiwan and came up with no better solution than any government or other organization has come up with. We did conclude, as have many world leaders, that the solution will only come from the Chinese and Taiwanese governments. It will not come from any outside governments making the decision.

NPR had a great story on the World Cup today. South Africa will be in the spotlight very soon. This story dealt with Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe, their leader. Sunday is their 30 year anniversary of independence. We only stepped into Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls and knowing a little about the country’s government I was glad we didn’t stay there. Mugabe has invited many countries to practice for the world cup in his country. To date, only N. Korea has accepted. Zimbabwe has a 95% unemployment rate. The currency is basically worthless. For $2 American one could buy a $1 million note from street vendors in Botswana. Their currency is so worthless there is not even an official exchange rate. They, like other neighbors of South Africa are trying very hard to gain economic and political points during the world cup. One positive note of Zimbabwe, the Walk with Lions in Botswana began with a government supported program in Zimbabwe and was so successful in reintroducing lions back into the wild, they expanded the program into Botswana.

I heard today that all those stranded travelers due to the Icelandic volcano are basically on their own. The airlines have said this is a natural disaster and their obligation to provide hotels and food is not covered. Sure hope those travelers have good travel insurance. Also the wounded soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq are being brought to DC—doubling their air travel time—because they can’t land in Germany. It now takes 18 hours on some southern route. What a mess Nature has wrought on us.

We had another great Spring day. Today we made it to 68° and it was very nice outside. The rain is supposed to be here Tuesday, with the snow arriving on Wednesday through Friday. Too early to tell how much will fall, how much will stick, and how much is just hype. I personally am hoping for 95% hype.

‡ A Quick Smile…   

The brillant lawyer F. E. Smith once defended a bus driver against claims that his negligence had caused injury to a young man's arm: "Will you please show us how high you can lift your arm now?" Smith asked the plaintiff.

The young man obediently raised his arm to shoulder level, his face contorted with apparent pain.

"Thank you," said Smith. "And now, please, will you show us how high you could lift it before the accident?"

The man's arm shot above his head.

‡ Random Fact   

Windmills always turn counter-clockwise; except for the windmills in Ireland. This could not be verified. I really tried. Some say it depends on which side you view the windmill from; another said it was because the Irish are just contrary. Another said it depends on which way the blades are turned. Could easily be an urban myth.

‡ Puzzle   

Heteronyms are words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. For example: Lead, pronounced LEED, means to guide. However, lead, pronounced LED, means a metallic element.

1. collection of published material; absorb nutrients

2. to bend over; bent

3. to accomplish; a musical note

‡ Side Show Stories   

PEORIA, Ill. - Students at an Illinois school created about 500 duct tape clothing items and accessories to be sold for a breast cancer research charity. The students at Hines Primary School in Peoria created duct tape items including shirts, vests, ties, hats, visors and purses for the May 6 Duct Tape Fashion Show, which will feature a sale of the items to benefit the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star reported Thursday.

"I think it is wonderful and heart-warming to see the solutions and things the children have found they can do to help," said Carolyn Nunn, assistant principal at the school and a breast cancer survivor who finished her treatments earlier this year. "They can't take away the cancer, but they can do things, like lend support in this way, or say kind words to show they care." Terry Spayer, the school's art teacher, designed the project with help from Pat Townsend, 66, a grandparent and volunteer with the Peoria Citizen Committee for Economic Opportunity.

‡ Calendar Information   

• Observance Weeks in April•

12-18

National Crime Victims Rights Week

14-18

International Whistler's Week

18-24

Administrative Professionals Week

Cleaning For A Reason Week

Coin Week

National Crime Victims Rights Week

National Volunteer Week

Sky Awareness Week

• 14 April Observances—US/UN/World •

International Jugglers Day

Adult Autism Day

Pet Owners Independence Day

Oklahoma : 89'ers Day rodeos commemorate opening of Oklahoma in 1889

World Amateur Radio Day

• 14 April Observances—by country •

Iran: Army Day

Zimbabwe : Independence Day (1980 from UK)

•Number One Songs in…

1948 ►Now is the Hour - Bing Crosby

1956 ►Heartbreak Hotel/I Was the One - Elvis Presley

1964 ►Can’t Buy Me Love - The Beatles

1972 ►The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack

1980 ►Call Me - Blondie

1988 ►Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car - Billy Ocean

• 14 April Happenings•

In The Arts

1939 ►Gene Autry records the popular song "Back in the Saddle Again.

1956 ►Academy Award winning American film and stage actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco

In Athletics

1923 ►Yankee Stadium, "The House that Ruth Built," opens.

In Business or Education

1925 ►World's fair opens in Chicago

1934 ►The first Laundromat opened -- in Fort Worth, TX

In Politics

1775 ►Paul Revere & William Dawes warn "the British are coming!"

1902 ►Denmark is 1st country to adopt fingerprinting to identify criminals

1927 ►Chiang Kai-shek forms anti-government in China

1942 ►"Stars & Stripes" paper for US armed forces starts

1949 ►Republic of Ireland withdraws from British Commonwealth

1954 ►Colonel Nasser seizes power & becomes PM of Egypt

1955 ►First use of the phrase “third world,” was by Indonesia’s President Sukarno in his opening speech at the Bandung Conference

1960 ►Tens of thousands of people joined the Aldermaston "ban the bomb" March organized by Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) that ended with a rally in Trafalgar Square

1982 ►Zimbabwe capital Salisbury renamed Harare

In Science/ Religion

1906 ►San Francisco Earthquake (one of the most significant earthquakes of all time) kills over 3000 people

1909 ►Joan of Arc declared a saint

• 14 April Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Stephen Longstreet, 1907, American writer (All or Nothing)

Leopold Stokowski, 1882, conductor: Philadelphia Orchestra

Athletes

Miguel Cabrera, 27, Venezuelan baseball player (Tigers)

Entertainers

America Ferrera, 26, actress (“Ugly Betty,” The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)
Barbara Hale, 89, actress (Della Street: “Perry Mason”)

Melissa Joan Hart, 34, actress (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”)

Hayley Mills, 64, actress (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap)

Rick Moranis, 56, actor, writer (Ghostbusters)

Conan O’Brien, 47, television host

Business, Education Leaders

Clarence S Darrow, 1857, defense attorney at the Scopes monkey trial

Political Leaders

Lucretia Borgia, 1480, murderess (poison)/daughter (Pope Alexander VI)

Princess Sayako, 41, Japan

Scientists /Religious Leaders

Joseph L. Goldstein, 70, American scientist, Nobel laureate, biochemistry

• 14 April Obits •

William King, 1853, US Vice President, TB, a month after his inauguration @ 67—shortest serving VP

Charles Ebbets, 1925, president (Brklyn Dodgers), heart failure @ 66—started rain checks for games

Albert Einstein, 1955, German/US physicist (E=MC²), aneurysm @ 76

‡ ANSWERS to puzzle   

1. Digest DYEjest- collection of published material; dieJEST- absorb nutrients

2. Bowed BAU-d- to bend over; BOH-d- bent

3. Do DOO- to accomplish; DOE- a musical note

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