This is Week 25 of 2010, Day 174 with 191 days left. It is Day 65 of the BP Mess.
Free Rambling Thoughts
Smoke, Fire, Politics. A big day in Flagstaff. Smoke continues to fill our Northern and Eastern sky. Smoke: Most of the day plumes of smoke were still coming from the fire. Planes ran fairly constantly throughout the day as the wind gusts dropped to 20+/-mph. By late afternoon the smoke had turned to a haze. I saw a satellite map of the smoke. It shows that the smoke is all the way to the Midwest. I’m talking Illinois. I’m sure people in there are not looking out over their corn and wheat fields and saying “That is smoke from AZ.” But the smoke has made it to the upper atmosphere and isn’t really ‘seen’ but the pollution is there. Fire: the big fire is up to 14,000 acres. It is not threatening homes and has started up the sacred San Francisco Peaks. Oddly, the top of the Peaks still have a little snow that is visible from Flagstaff. Seldom does one see a huge fire like this one, with snow visible above the fire. Those evacuated have been told they will probably be able to return home tomorrow, but smoke will be a problem and animals should not return yet. The evacuated area is still heavily patrolled and ID is needed to be in the area. The road to the Rez has reopened but may close again at any time due to smoke. We are told the fire will continue for at least another week. About 1000 firefighters are on the line and will only decrease as the fire becomes more contained. Politics: A public meeting was held last night and the first responder’s leadership was there. They gave good factual information in the hour + meeting. Our Mayor made her statement, in her own political style with a few jokes thrown in. While every other dais speaker was applauded, our Mayor was greeted with respectful silence. She is a good leader, but when she goes into her political mode, she just doesn’t have it. This afternoon our non-elected Governor flew up for a photo op and press conference. She thanked the county, city, and state people for their work. As an afterthought she later thanked the National government. Guess she doesn’t know that the Forest Service who is leading the entire battle is made up entirely of Federal employees. Obama called her today and told her that the Feds will continue their assistance and to let him know what she needs. She is still pissed because the President is not doing what she wants with the border issue. Anyway she got her photo op. I know that photo ops are part of politics, but that doesn’t mean I have to like them. I had to deal with that while I worked. Big Official shows up, meets with people, makes lots of promises, and is rushed out by his/her handlers. In all my years of working, only two top persons came to the school as a concerned leader to meet with the staff and community. Director Ed came to Pine Ridge, explained what was happening, why it happened, and how it was being fixed. He was very good. Superintendent Beverly came to Tonalea and also laid down the plan. I am grateful to them, but so many others, at so many other schools just came for the photo op or sound bite.
What is going on with McChrystal? I am not a fan of any war. I am not a fan of the killing in Afghanistan and Iraq. We have had many military leaders rise to our highest office. Some were good, others not as good. Through all of this country’s history our military has been led by a civilian Commander-In-Chief. We are not like other countries that are run by the military. Our president, to my knowledge, has never appeared in public in a military uniform while in office. (I’m not sure about George Washington). The military, in general, has usually been uncomfortable with a President who never served. However, they, for the most part keep their personal opinions to themselves. Those who can’t do that should leave the military. Top military cannot be allowed to second guess our Commander-in-Chief. McChrystal may be a great leader, but he has proven, twice now, that he is not a great General. Our military is trained to follow orders from above without question. I would probably not be able to do that, thus I am not in the military. Others who can’t should not be our military either. I am very concerned that if everyone in the military questioned their orders, more lives would be lost. History is filled with military leaders who did not follow their civilian elected leadership and who decided that a coup was the only answer. Obama has a tough decision tomorrow, and there certainly is not an easy win-win scenario.
Flagstaff, though all the smoke, was a pleasant 78°. The 11% humidity and the 25mph gusts of wind made it a lot better for firefighters. We still have no hope for moisture in the near future. No new fire is a good thing. Forest closing is a good thing. Moisture is the one good thing we still have to wait for.
Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1683 ►William Penn signs friendship treaty with Lenni Lenape Tribe in Pennsylvania; only treaty "not sworn to, nor broken"
My Quote For The Day
Confucius: The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Somewhat Useless Information
A snail can sleep for three years.
Grey Matter Puzzle 1
H I J K L M N O
What object does this represent?
Unusual News Item
PHOENIX - An Arizona restaurant owner dreamed up a novelty meal to give customers a South African experience during the World Cup. But serving burgers made with African lion meat has generated protests.
Cameron Selogie says his Il Vinaio restaurant in Mesa has received a bomb threat and more than 150 e-mails from protesters. He says African lions are on the protected list, but not endangered.
The restaurant ordered 10 pounds of African lion meat from a USDA-regulated, free-range farm in Illinois, which Selogie says he researched to make sure they were humane. It's mixed with ground beef, and the restaurant says it's serving about 15 burgers a day.
USDA spokesman Jim Brownlee says lion meat is an uncommon dish, but he knew of no prohibitions against it.
A Little Laff
An elderly couple, both well into their 80s, go to a sex therapist's office.
The doctor asks, 'What can I do for you?'
The man says, 'Will you watch us have sexual intercourse?'
The doctor raises both eyebrows, but he is so amazed that such an elderly couple is asking for sexual advice that he agrees.
When the couple finishes, the doctor says, 'There's absolutely nothing wrong with the way you have intercourse..'
He thanks them for coming, he wishes them good luck, he charges them $50 and he says good bye.
The next week, the same couple returns and asks the sex therapist to watch again. The sex therapist is a bit puzzled, but agrees.
This happens several weeks in a row.
The couple makes an appointment, has intercourse with no problems, pays the doctor, then leave.
Finally, after 3 months of this routine, the doctor says, 'I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Just what are you trying to find out?'
The man says, 'We're not trying to find out anything.
She's married; so we can't go to her house.
I'm married; and we can't go to my house.
The Holiday Inn charges $98. The Hilton charges $139.
We do it here for $50, and Medicare pays $43 of it, leaving my net cost of $7.
Grey Matter Puzzle 2
What work is it that the faster you work, the longer it is before you're done, and the slower you work, the sooner you're finished?
My You Tube Site of the Day
A Wiley Post Song? Really! Click Here!
Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?
They have numbers.
Some Calendar Info
► Weekly Observances ◄
20-26: Carpenter Ant Awareness Week and National Mosquito Control Awareness Week
► Today’s Observances ◄
Let It Go Day
Public Service Day
Denmark : Midsummer Eve
Finland, Latvia, Scandinavia : Midsummer Eve/St John's Eve
Luxembourg : Official birthday of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Okinawa, Japan Rememberance Day (since 1945)
► Hit Songs on this date ◄
My Sister and I: Jimmy Dorsey in 1941
Too Young: Nat "King" Cole in 1951
Quarter to Three: Gary U.S. Bonds in 1961
It's Too Late/ I Feel the Earth Move: Carole King in 1971
Bette Davis Eyes: Kim Carnes in 1981
► Born today ◄
…The Arts
Jean (-Marie-Lucien-Pierre) Anouilh, 1910, playwright: Becket, Antigone, born in Cérisole near Bordeaux, France
June Carter Cash, 1929, country singer Maces Spring Va
Bert Convy, 1933, game show host, born in St. Louis
Bob Fosse, 1927, choreographer/director (Cabaret, Damn Yankees), born in Chicago
Randy Jackson, 54, musician, television personality (“American Idol”), born Baton Rouge, LA
Ted Shackelford, 64, actor (“Knots Landing,” “Dallas”), born Oklahoma City, OK
Louis Van Amstel, 38, professional dancer, television personality (“Dancing with the Stars”), born Amsterdam, Netherlands
…Athletics
Wilma Rudolph, 1940, Olympic Hall of Famer: Gold Medalist [3]: track & field sprints, born in Clarksville, TN
…Business & Education
--
…Politics
Duke of Windsor [Edward Patrick David], 1894, King Edward VIII of England briefly in 1936, born in White Lodge in Richmond, England
Clarence Thomas, 62, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, born Pinpoint, GA
…Science / Religion
Dr Howard T Engstrom, 1902, a designer of Univac computer, born in Boston
Alfred Kinsey, 1894, entomologist/sexologist (Kinsey Report), born in Hoboken, NJ
► Obituaries today ◄
Sanjay Gandhi, Son of Indira Gandhi air crash @ 34 in 1980
James Hall, Scottish geologist @ 71 in 1832
James Mill, Scottish philosopher and historian, @ 63 in 1836
► Events ◄
…The Arts
--
…Athletics
1904 ►The first American motorboat race got underway on the Hudson River in New York.
1968 ►74 are killed and 150 injured in a soccer stampede towards a closed exit in a Buenos Aires stadium.
1931 ►Wiley Post and Harold Gatty took off on a ’round-the-world airplane flight aboard theWinnie Mae.
…Business & Education
1810 ►John Jacob Astor organizes Pacific Fur Co (Astoria, Oregon)
1868 ►Christopher Latham Sholes patents "Type-writer"
1926 ►The College Board administers the first SAT exam.
…Politics (US)
1860 ►Congress establishes the Government Printing Office
1860 ►US Secret Service created
1938 ►Civil Aeronautics Authority (US) established
…Politics (outside US)
1314 ►First War of Scottish Independence: The Battle of Bannockburn, south of Stirling, begins.
1961 ►The Antarctic Treaty (guarantees that the continent of Antarctica would be used for peaceful, scientific purposes only), signed by twelve nations, took effect on this day.
…Science / Religion
1868 ►Christopher L. Sholes of Wisconsin patented his type-writer
1993 ►Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband’s penis with a butcher knife -- while he was sleeping.
Grey Matter Answers
…1
Water. H2O (H to O)
…2
Roasting meat on a spit.
Grey Matter Photo
yard sticks
Today’s Photo Shot
Today there are two videos…the first is gathering Ponderosa Pine Needles, the second is making a basket from the needles. Who knew? Not me.
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