Mon 5-17

≈Week 20 of 2010: days this year… days remain≈  

≈ Something To Think About

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

~Robin Williams

≈ Random Fact    

The original Pentathlon, the ancient Olympic games included the discus, the javelin, foot racing, long jumping, and wrestling.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1620 ►1st merry-go-round seen at a fair (Philippapolis, Turkey)

≈ Free Ramblings      

Sadly I read today that Navajo comic Vincent Craig has passed away. He was just 59 and suffered from stomach cancer. His humor was priceless. He grew up on the rez, attended boarding school and was able to share his experiences with Navajo humor. He made lots of personal appearances around the rez and I was lucky enough to see him several times at various schools. Kids and adults alike enjoyed his songs and jokes. He also created “Mutton Man” for the Navajo Times. He will be missed.

Spring has finally sprung here in Flagstaff. We have had a really great weekend of sunshine, warmth, and little wind. So nice. It is actually enjoyable to be outside. I read the Sunday paper on the deck, something I haven’t done for a long, long time. I am looking forward to many more days of this kind of weather. It’s time to get out the ol’ Ipod and start doing some serious walking again. During the winter I felt like these days were never going to return. My deck had so many feet of snow on it much of the winter, I wasn’t even sure it would ever all melt. But those days are gone, spring has returned and all will be well for the next months.

Being retired and living during the BP oil spill is scary. For those who don’t follow it that closely, this is Day 27. Being retired, I have the time to hear lots of different viewpoints as to what is actually happening. Today some scientists have discovered a plume of oil that is near the bottom of the ocean that is the size of Manhattan. Until today, all we have heard about was the oil that was making it to the surface Every five days the oil on the surface is equal to the Valdez spill—so we have a surface spill five times the size Valdez and still growing every day. The deep ocean plume is potentially more dangerous than the one on the surface. It was not reassuring a few days ago when the arrogant BP leader reminded us that the “Gulf Ocean” is really big and when looking at it that way, the spill is “tiny”. President Obama even admitted that he was angry over the responses to our Congress from all the businesses involved in this disaster. Obama is not known for showing his anger or even stating that he is angry. The BP has yet to find a solution, so the oil keeps coming. This has turned into one of those disaster scenarios that will someday make a movie. It’s like the asteroid heading for earth. It’s like the huge volcano that is going to destroy LA or NYC. It’s like the all the scenarios rolled into one big mess. Each day, when I listen to the news, I hope that the one super scientist who knows what needs to be done has stepped up. That will mean the movie is about half over. So far, I am waiting for that hero and at the end of the day, I wonder when that hero will show up. Until then, I realize that the movie is still just past the opening credits. What are we going to tell the next generation about our need for cheap fuel at any cost?

As I already said, it was a beautiful day today. We made it to 70° and was a great day to be outside. No movies for me today. No cleaning for me today. Just a day outside—walking, sitting on the deck, and enjoying the reason I chose to live in Flagstaff.

≈ A Quick Smile…    

An old cowboy sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. As he sat sipping his drink, a young woman sat down next to him.

She turned to the cowboy as asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"

He replied, "Well I've spent my whole life breaking colts, working cows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves, bailing hay, doctoring calves, cleaning the barn, fixing flats, working on tractors, and feeding my dogs, so I guess I am a cowboy."

She said, "I am a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, I think about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think about women when I eat. It seems that everything makes me think of women."

The two sat sipping in silence. A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the cowboy.

He turned and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"

The old cowboy replied, "I always thought I was a cowboy, but I just learned I'm a lesbian."

≈ Puzzle 1    

A different fruit (a total of twelve) is buried in every one of the following lines.

Example: A word is considered 'buried' when it can be read like P A R I S in the sentence "Grand-pa(pa ris)es at seven every morning."

Can you 12 of them?

Ah! If I get my good ship home/I'll find a tempting spot,

Where mayhap pleasant flowers will bloom,/And there I'll shape a charming cot.

Where bees sip nectar in each flower,/And Philomel on hawthorn rests,

I'll shape a rustic, sun-kissed bower -/A bower meet for angel guests.

Then she who lives and loves with me,/Sing our days of calm repose,

Sole monarch of the flowers will be -For Myra is indeed a rose.

≈ Side Show Stories    

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Il - Suburban Chicago police said a man invented a story of a carjacking when his drug dealer failed to return it on time. Police allege that Chorise Stewart, 38, of Olympia Fields, loaned his car to a drug dealer from Chicago Heights in exchange for two rocks of crack cocaine at 7 p.m. Monday and called police at 11:59 p.m. when the 19-year-old failed to return the 2002 Toyota Corolla at the scheduled time, the Chicago South Town Star reported Thursday. Stewart told officers he was carjacked by two men with guns. However, police said the story began to unravel when the drug dealer was found with the car at 1:03 a.m. Tuesday and taken to the Chicago Heights Police Department. "He was saying, 'Do I do bad things, do I sell drugs? Yes I do, but I didn't car jack anybody,'" Chicago Heights police Sgt. Tom Rogers said. He said no charges were filed against the 19-year-old but Stewart was arrested and charged with false report of a stolen car. His bail was set at $40,000 Wednesday.

≈ Puzzle 2: Brain Food  

Can you guess what this riddle is describing?

What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

≈ Calendar Information    

• Observance Weeks in May•

16-22

National Dog Bite Prevention Week

National New Friends, Old Friends Week

National Transportation Week

World Trade Week

17-23

EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Week

National Effectiveness Week

National Bike to Work Week

National Medical Transcription Week

National Backyard Games Week

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Pack Rat Day

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia aka IDAHO

World Hypertension Day

World Information Society Day

World Telecommunications Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Argentina: Navy Day

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Liberation Day

Cuba : Agrarian Reform/Peasant Day

Ireland: National Famine Memorial Day

Nauru: Constitution Day

Norway: Independence Day/Constitution Day (Nasjonaldagen ) (from Sweden,1814)

• One Hit Wonders…

These singers/bands only had one big hit…remember any of them?

Norman Greenbaum with Spirit in the Sky 1970

The Penguins with  Earth Angel 1955

Mountain with Mississippi Queen 1970

Blue Swede with  Hooked on a Feeling 1974

Barry Mann with Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) 1961

The Fendermen with Mule Skinner Blues 1960

Iron Butterfly with In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 1968

Thurston Harris with Little Bitty Pretty One 1957

Brewer & Shipley with One Toke Over the Line 1971

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1846 ►Saxophone is patents by Antoine Joseph Sax

In Athletics

1983 ►Stanley Cup: New York Islanders sweep Edmonton Oilers in 4 games

In Business or Education

1792 ►Some two dozen merchants and brokers agreed to establish what is now known as the New York Stock Exchange.

1883 ►Buffalo Bill Cody's 1st wild west show premieres in Omaha

1954 ►The United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Brown v. Board of Education , ruling that racial segregation in public educational facilities is unconstitutional.

In Politics

1544 ►Scottish Earl Matthew van Lennox signs secret treaty with Henry VIII

1733 ►England passes Molasses Act, putting high tariffs on rum & molasses imported to the colonies from a country other than British possessions

1756 ►Britain declares war on France (7 Years' or French & Indian War)

1932 ►Congress changes the name "Porto Rico" to "Puerto Rico"

1984 ►President Reagan has again been denied by the house in his continued requests for the manufacturer of Chemical Weapons , this is the third time his request has been denied by the house.

In Science/ Religion

1673 ►Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joilet begin their expedition from the "Straights of Michilimackinac." Eventually, they explore much of the Mississippi River.

1804 ►Lewis & Clark begin exploration of the Louisiana Purchase

1845 ►Rubber band patents

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

David Victor Sim ,54, Canadian comic bookwriter and artist: creator of Cerebus the Aardvark born in Hamilton,Ontario

Athletes

Mia Hamm, 38, Hall of Fame soccer player, born Selma, AL

Ray Charles (Sugar Ray) Leonard, 54, former boxer, born Washington, DC

Daniel Ricardo ‘Danny’ Manning, 44, NBA forward/center (Suns), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Entertainers

Craig Ferguson, 48, comedian, actor (“The Drew Carey Show”), television personality (“The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”), born Glasgow, Scotland

Dennis Hopper, 74, actor (Speed, Easy Rider, Giant), born Dodge City, KS

Maureen O'Sullivan, 1911, actress, born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland

Bob Saget, 54, actor (“Full House”), host (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”), born Philadelphia, PA

Taj Mahal (Henry St. Claire Fredericks) 68 , singer/songwriter, born in New York NY

Business, Education Persons

Horace Elgin Dodge, 1868, American automobile manufacturer, born in Niles, MI

Political Persons

Archibald Cox, 1912, 1st Watergate special prosecutor, born in Plainfield, New Jersey

Scientists /Religious Persons

Edward Jenner, 1749, physician, discovered vaccination, born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire England

Joseph Norman Lockyer, 1836, discovered Helium/founded Nature magazine, born in Rugby, Warwickshire, England

• Today’s Obits •

John C. Breckinridge, 1875, 14th Vice President of the United States, cirrhosis @ 54
Herbert David Croly, 1930 ,US founder (New Republic), stroke @ 61

John Deere, 1886, American blacksmith and manufacturer, @ 82
Lawrence Welk, 1992, conductor/accordionist (Lawrence Welk Show), @ 89

≈ ANSWERS to Puzzle 1    

Ah! I(f I g)et my good ship home/I'll fin(d a te)mpting spot,

Where mayh(ap ple)asant flowers will bloom,/And there I'll sha(pe a ch)arming cot.

Where bees sip (nectar in e)ach flower,/And Philo(mel on) hawthorn rests,

I'll sha(pe a r)ustic, sun-kissed bower -/A bower meet f(or ange)l guests.

Then she wh(o live)s and loves with me,/Sin(g our d)ays of calm repose,

So(le mon)arch of the flowers will be -/For My(ra is in)deed a rose.

≈ ANSWERS to Brain Food  

A towel

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