Friday 6-11

»Week 23 of 2010: 162 days this year...203 days remain:
Day 53 of the BP Oil Spill

» Something To Think About  

You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it.

--John Updike

» Random Fact    

A turkey can run at 20 mph.

¤ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1987 ►Margaret Thatcher wins general election after another landslide victory over the Labour Party—1st time in 160 years for PM to be elected 3 times in a row

» Free Ramblings    

What the hell is going on in AZ? Many of us are aware of SB1070 and are against it. Many in this state are behind it. Now we learn that many of the pro-1970 rallies have been infiltrated by various hate groups. These hate groups are against any immigration—legal and illegal. The Southern Poverty Law Center says there is twice the number of hate groups operating in AZ today than there were a decade ago. Many who attend these rallies may not be ‘haters’ but they are hearing from members of hate groups. The head guy from FAIR, who actually wrote the bill for AZ is considered a member of a hate group by SPLC. Our governor, our legislature, and many of our citizens are being used to spread the message of hate. No matter where you stand on immigration, remember, this country was built by immigrants. Thanks to Ancestory.com and other sites, every non-full blood Native American can trace their family to an arrival on the shore. Many came legally, many did not. Those who were brought from Africa to work the fields as slaves may or may not have been ‘legal’, but back then, they were not counted as whole human beings. Immigration is and always has been a problem. Those in power always want to control those not in power. Quotas have always been one of our ‘legal’ way of deciding who will be good for the country and who won’t be. It is time to look at the big picture. We do need to know who is here. We don’t need to make people wait up to 20 years to get here legally. As a young child I was involved in a couple of immigration issues. First, one of my dad’s Army buddies was stationed in England when the war ended. Long story short, his English girl friend got pregnant. Robert came home and started working on getting Marjorie over here. By the time it was over, Julian, their son, was two. My parents had to stand up for Bob and Marjorie so she could become an American citizen. It was a big deal. My grandparents rented the basement of their large home in the 50’s. Somehow, they got on a list that provided Eastern European families housing. These families were refugees from the communist take-over. Each family had a sponsoring family in Denver. Over the years, there were five or six different couples who rented. They had trouble communicating, trouble learning the American culture, but they all succeeded. Finally our neighbors sponsored a German couple who eventually got their citizenship and bought the house of their sponsors. They became good friends and I was the one who suggested the names for their twin boys. Years later, Lilo brought her sister over. The sister had a hard time adjusting to American values and after being here several years, waiting to get her citizenship, got hooked up with a bad crowd. Sadly, the sister was murdered a few months before she got her citizenship.

While I realize this is a small sample and is totally anecdotal, I can’t shake it from my thought process. All these people came to the US for a better life. They had to accept the harsh reality that living in America was not easy. More importantly they learned that much of what they had been told in their home country about the glory of America was something that had to be worked for and it was hard work. I find it hard to believe that the immigrants of today are not coming here for a better life. Most will succeed and make our country richer, a few will fail. I sure hope the hate groups that are aligning with the pro-1070 folks don’t become more powerful.

PAC 10 is going to be PAC 11, or maybe more. I’m excited, living here in AZ and still having loyalty to my alma mater, University of Colorado. When I was at CU we were in the Big 8, which later become the Big 12. If too many other teams join the old PAC 10, as is expected, the Big 12 may be no more. This new alignment will allow me to see a lot more CU games, maybe some in person down at ASU. Go Buffs. Much of this major realignment of teams across the country is for the money the Universities receive for TV rights. I’m not real happy about that, but this change will be good for the many CU fans in AZ. Our local Lumberjacks never get TV time, except away games on the local cable channel. No big bucks there. I usually attend one game a year for NAU. The university is remodeling the Skydome—our indoor field, and I will probably attend a few more games when the Skydome reopens—just to see what they have done. For the first few years after the Dome opened, I attended most home games, the NAU team was never that good, and after getting my Masters, I really cut back on games.

We had our weekly lunch today. Cheryl had a great visit with her son, daughter-in-law and grandkids last weekend. She is about 6 hours from them so she can go just about any time she the mood hits her. She had some really cute school pictures. Digital photography has really improved the school picture business. This photographer did full body shots with a great background. Technology does make some things easier. I was also happy to find out that both Cheryl and Mary are having problems with AOL. My freeze ups and inability always open email on the first try are obviously not my computer. AOL used to be the leader in email technology. They got too big and forgot about their customers. I am ready to drop my AOL accounts but will give them a little more time before I do that.

Flag was really breezy today. I was awakened several times by the wind blowing though my open bedroom window. Finally about 4am I was fed up with waking up and closed the window. That was too late, and I have been tired all day. It only got to 79° which was nice, if I didn’t mind the 20mph steady wind with gusts up to 35mph. The good part of this—the wind is blowing in some moisture. Sure would be nice it it was the beginning of the monsoons—which aren’t due until July. A light shower every afternoon would sure be nice.

» Puzzle 1  

When do you start on red and stop on green?

» A Quick Smile…    

A man and his wife are sitting in the living room and he says to her, "Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

"OK," says his wife as she gets up and unplugs the TV.

» Side Show Stories    

NAPERVILLE, Il: - An Illinois student accused of throwing condoms filled with vomit at a college security officer said the liquid was actually a mixture of ketchup and water. Tyler Wilfley, 19, a student at North Central College, was charged with battery and disorderly conduct for allegedly lobbing the liquid-filled condoms at the security officer from a parking deck in Naperville at about 2 a.m. May 28, the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald reported Tuesday.

Police said at least two "vomit-filled condoms" were thrown at the officer during the incident, splashing their contents on his car and clothing. Police "thought it was vomit because it had a foul odor, but in reality it was ketchup and water," Wilfley told the Daily Herald. "I didn't throw it at the officer, either. It was thrown at the hood of the car and ended up splashing him in the process." North Central spokesman Ted Slowik said officials will schedule a disciplinary hearing for Wilfley allegedly "violating the college's conduct policies."

» Puzzle 2: Brain Food  

If a man carried my burden, / He would break his back.

I am not rich, / But I leave silver in my track.

What am I?

» Something you might enjoy…  

In 2005, YouTube changed the internet forever. It is now available in 22 languages. Check out this one…

John Wayne’s Tribute to America  Click HERE!

» Calendar Information    

¤ Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

1949: Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)-- Vaughn Monroe Click Here to hear Orignial!

1959: The Battle of New Orleans-- Johnny Horton Click Here!

1969: Get Back-- The Beatles

1979: Hot Stuff-- Donna Summer

1989: I'll Be Loving You (Forever)-- New Kids on the Block

¤ Observance Weeks in June

6-12: National Headache Awareness Week

10-17: Superman Week and Nursing Assistants Week

¤ Today’s Observances—US/UN/World

Corn on the Cob Day

National Hug Holiday

National Impressionists Day

King Kamehameha Day--Hawaii

¤ Today’s Observances—by country

Nova Scotia, Canada: Davis Day (To honor Wm Davis, killed in 1925) now to honor all miners who have died on the job in Nova Scotia.

¤ Today’s Births

   Artists, Writers, and Composers

Frank O. King, "Gasoline Alley" cartoonist, born in 1883 Cashton, WI

Richard Strauss, composer (Till Eulenspiegel), born in 1864 Munchen Germany

   Athletes

Vincent Thomas Lombardi NFL coach (Green Bay Packers), born in 1913 Brooklyn , NY

Joseph C. (Joe) Montana, Jr, 54, former sportscaster and Hall of Fame football player (49ers, Chiefs), born New Eagle, PA

Risë Stevens (Risë Steenberg), mezzo-soprano: New York Metropolitan Opera, born in 1913 NYC

Jackie Stewart, 71, former auto racer, born Dunbartonshire, Scotland

   Entertainers

Tab Hunter (Arthur Andrew Kelm), 79, actor, born in NYC

Hugh Laurie, 51, actor (“House,” “Jeeves & Wooster”), born Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

Gene Wilder (Jerome Silberman), 71, actor (The Producers, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein), director, born Milwaukee, WI

   Business, Education Persons

Lawrence (Edmund) Spivak, TV host: Meet the Press, born in 1900 Brooklyn, NY

   Political Persons

Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, leader of English women's movement, born in 1847 Aldeburgh, Suffolk

Jeannette Rankin, 1st woman elected to US Congress (from Montana), born in 1880 Missoula, MT

   Scientists /Religious Persons

Jacques-Yves Cousteau, oceanic explorer / photographer aboard Calypso, born in 1910 Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Gironde, France

Maurice Paul Auguste Charles Fabry, found ozone layer in upper atmosphere, born in 1867 Marseille, France

¤ Today’s Happenings

   In The Arts

1937 ►Marx Brothers' "A Day At The Races" released

1982 ►Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial opened.

1993 ►Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park opened

   In Athletics

1919 ►Sir Barton becomes 1st horse to win the Triple Crown

1977 ►Seattle Slew wins Triple Crown

In Business or Education

1977 ►Main Street Electrical Parade premiers in Disneyland and Disney World

   In Politics

1770 ►Capt Cook runs aground on Australian Great Barrier Reef

1859 ►Comstock silver load discovered near Virginia City, Nevada

1896 ►US Assay Office in Deadwood, South Dakota authorized

1939 ►The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon; later known as the Queen Mother) of Great Britain were in America to visit with President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1963 ►Gov Wallace tries to prevent blacks registering at U of Alabama

1990 ►UN appoints Olivia Newton-John environmental ambassador

In Science/ Religion

1936 ►Presbyterian Church of America founded at Philadelphia

1944 ►1st Serbian Orthodox cathedral in US, Cathedral of St Sava, NYC

2009 ►The World Health Organization declares H1N1 influenza strain, commonly referred to as "swine flu", as a global pandemic

¤ Today’s Obits

Quang Duc, Buddhist monk, immolates himself on a street in Saigon @ 66 in 1963

Frank Laubach, founded internat’l reading through phonetics program (Each One, Teach One), @ 86 in 1970

John Wayne, actor, dies of cancer @ 72 in 1979

Karen Ann Quinlan, right to die patient @ 31 in 1985

» ANSWERS to Puzzle 1    

When you are eating a watermelon.

» ANSWERS to Brain Food  

A snail

» PIC of the Day  

I have always been fascinated with ‘sky’ pictures. While traveling I always try to take pictures of clouds, sunrise, sunset, panoramas with mostly sky. These pics are not mine, but it’s nice to learn that others are also fascinated by the sky. During the month of June I’ll be doing ‘sun rays’.

Not sure where this was taken: Click Here!

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