Sunday August 1

This is Week 31 of 2010►Day 215 with 152 days left.

It is Day 104 of the BP Mess. Day 16 with Small(?) leaks

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Gotta leave it to the politicians. Our non-elected governor is appealing the hold on SB1070 but she is also considering changing the controversial parts so it will not be overturned. Saner brains are on the appeals court—she asked for an expedited hearing, which usually means extraordinary circumstances where something really bad will happen if the hearing isn’t held quickly. The court said the status quo has been fine for years and AZ will just have to wait in line like everybody else. Her ‘changes’ have not been given to the public, but should be politically interesting—she has to keep the very far right on her side so she can be really elected in November and she has to calm the right and center right to get their votes. She and Senator Pearce have turned out state into a legal circus and she is walking a very high tightrope with no net. Everyone is breathlessly watching as she attempts this dangerous stunt. For me, I just hope she walks back to the stand and climbs down the ladder.

Cardinal’s camp has returned to Flagstaff. Daily workouts can be watched for free. Always an autograph time before they leave the field. The Cardinals have been coming to Flagstaff ever since they came to Arizona. It’s good for tourist business; it’s good for the players to be in reasonable temperatures; everyone seems to gain from their visit. Even our very wet monsoon season didn’t keep the crowds away from practice today. The Phoenix sportscasters are always surprised by the crowds that show up. Every year they start off camp talking about how many fans show up. I know that part of it is to build fan pride, but I also think these guys feel like they have been sent to the Outback when they drive up from Phoenix. The drive up here is a little desolate for urban people—lots of miles of I-17 are just beautiful desert with no cities and few towns and very few exits. We have a very good venue for their practice and the townsfolk and university-folk do offer the visitors lots of hospitality. Go Cards!

I was reminded today one thing I had forgotten about the monsoons. We have been in a drought for over a decade. Our pinons have been infested with the bark beetle and due to the lack of water can’t fight them off. Pinons have been dying at a rapid rate. The only solution is water, and lots of it. So while our everyday rain is causing havoc for those in the flood/burn area, it is really helping the forest fight off the beetle. We had another day with a good amount of rain at my place. We were a very nice 74° and had rain on and off most of the day. The 88% humidity wasn’t that bad as we had a slight breeze throughout the day. I didn’t take a walk today since I knew it would start raining as soon as I got away from the house. Tomorrow looks good for a nice long early morning walk.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Betty Williams (co-recipient with Mairead Corrigan of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for her work as a cofounder of Community of Peace People): There's no use talking about the problem unless you

talk about the solution.

HOLY MACKEREL:1794 Whiskey Rebellion begins 

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about RATS

>The first albino rats to be bred in captivity were born to a single albino rat captured in a graveyard in England by Queen Victoria's royal rat catcher Jack Black.

>Some rat species can grow to enormous sizes like the Gambian Pouch Rat whose largest specimens can reach around eight pounds.

>Domestic female rats and their wild counterparts can successfully breed as early as six weeks of age and produce one litter of 1-20+ offspring a month until they are 1 1/2-2 years of age.

>A rat's teeth are always yellow upon maturity (a rodent characteristic) and don't stop growing until the animal's death.

>Rats have terrible eyesight and therefore are rarely seen in the middle of rooms or clearings where their whiskers aren't touching the perimeter of a landmark or wall.

>Rats use their tail to control their body temperature because they cannot sweat.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

A number that can be written in capital letters made up of straight lines only - for instance, 9 - is called a straight number. If the value is equal to the number of lines that comprise it, it is called straight and true or 'orthonymic'. Can you find one? NINE has 11 straight lines.

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

MOUNT PLEASANT, MI. - A Michigan couple's wedding in the shoe section of a TJ Maxx store was the clothing chain's first ever in-store ceremony, company officials said. Drew Ellis, a reporter for the Mount Pleasant (Mich.) Morning Sun, married former reporter Lisa Satayut in the shoe section Saturday while customers shopped in other areas of the store, the Morning Sun reported. The store widened the size 8 shoe aisle, the bride's chosen location for the wedding, and provided white chairs with red bows and a vine-covered arch for the occasion. Sonya Cosentini, a spokeswoman for TJ Maxx's Boston corporate offices, said officials were delighted by Satayut's e-mail asking for the unconventional wedding facility. "This is very exciting," she said. "We never had a wedding in a TJ Maxx store before."

A LITTLE LAUGH

A little boy went up to his father and asked: 'Dad, where did my intelligence come from?'

The father replied. 'Well, son, you must have got it from your mother, cause I still have mine.'

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

I am in Paris but I am not in France, among my siblings I am the thinnest, Who am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Whales breaching in open ocean: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Monthly Observances and information ♦

§ August's birthstone is the peridot or onyx. Its birth flower is the gladiolus or poppy, meaning beauty, strength of character, love, marriage and family.

§ Originally named Sextilis in Latin, because it was the sixth month in the original ten-month Roman calendar

§ In Afrikaans, the month is called augustus; In Arabic, the month is called أغسطس ʾUġusṭuṣ or آب ʾĀb; usage varies from place to place and person to person; In Chinese, the month is known as 八月 meaning, simply, "eighth month"; in French, the month is called août (pronounced "OOT" or just "OO") derived from the Latin augustus; In Indonesian, the month is known as Agustus; in Irish, August is known as Lúnasa, a modern rendition of Lughnasadh, from the god Lugh; in Thai, the month is called Sing-ha-kom representing the Singha (lion); In Welsh, the month is called Awst

§Some of Ireland's most famous battles have been fought in this month.

Month Long Obervances: American Adventures Month☼American Indian Heritage Month☼Audio Book Appreciation Month☼Black Business Month☼Cataract Awareness Month☼Edinburgh Festival Month☼Get Ready for Kindergarten Month☼Golf Month☼Happiness Happens Month☼Motorsports Awareness Month☼ National Goat Cheese Month☼National Immunization Awareness Month☼National Inventor's Month☼National Panini Month☼National Water Quality Month☼National Win With Civility Month☼Neurosurgery Outreach Month☼Psoriasis Awareness Month☼What Will Be Your Legacy Month☼

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

1-7: World Breastfeeding Week…Simplify Your Life Week…National Clown Week…National Fraud Awareness Week…Single Working Women's Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

Friendship Day

Lughnasa: Celtic: beginning of harvest season

National Minority Donor Awareness Day

National Raspberry Cream Pie Day

Respect For Parents

Rounds Resounding Day

Sister's Day

US Air Force Day

World Scout Day, since 1907, when Robert Baden-Powell began scouting

World Wide Web Day

Colorado: Statehood Day (38th state in 1876)

Angola: Armed Forces Day

British West Indies: Slavery Abolition Act 1833 which ended the slavery in the British Empire

Botswana: August Holiday

China PR : Army Day

Guyana: Commonwealth Day

Iran: 12th Imam's Birthday

Lebanon: Armed Forces Day

Nicaragua: Fiesta Day

Scotland: Lammas Day, term day

Switzerland : Confederation Day (1291)

Trinidad & Tobago, St Lucia: Emancipation Day/Caribbean Day

Zaire : Parents Day

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

Dancing with Tears in My Eyes Nat Shilkret 1930

I'll Never Smile Again Tommy Dorsey 1940

Mona Lisa Nat "King" Cole  1950 Click Here to Hear It

I'm Sorry Brenda Lee  1960 Click Hear to Hear It

(They Long to Be) Close to You The Carpenters  1970

Magic Olivia Newton-John  1980 Click Here to Hear It

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Francis Scott Key, composer (Star-Spangled Banner)—born in 1779 Frederick county, Md

Herman Melville, US, author (Moby Dick, Billy Budd)—born in 1819 New York City, NY

Robert James Waller, 71, author: The Bridges of Madison County, Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend; professor of economics, business management--born in Rockford, Iowa

Tom Wilson, 79, cartoonist (“Ziggy”)--born Grant Town, WV

~~~

Coolio (Artis Ivey Jr.), 47, rapper: LPs: It Takes a Thief, Gangsta’s Paradise, My Soul—born in Monessen, PA: Early fans called him ”Coolio Igleseas”.

Dom DeLuise, 77, comedian, actor (Cannonball Run)--born Brooklyn, NY

Jerry Garcia, SF, rocker (Grateful Dead-Uncle Joe's Band)—born in 1942 San Francisco, CA

• Athletics

Cliff Branch, 62, football: Univ Of CO; Oakland Raiders wide receiver: Super Bowl XI, XV; LA Raiders: Super Bowl XVIII—born in Houston, TX

Nwankwo Kanu, 34, soccer player--born Owerri, Nigeria

• Business & Education

Yves Saint Laurent, (Henry Mathieu)fashion designer—born in 1936 Oran, French Algeria

• Politics

Claudius (Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus), 4th Roman emperor—born in 10 BC Lugdunum, Gaul

• Science/Religion

William Clark, explorer: Lewis and Clark Expedition—born in 1770 Caroline County, VA

Maria Mitchell, 1st American woman astronomer—born in 1818 Nantucket, MA

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

Julian "Cannonball" Alderly, sax player, dies of a stroke @ 47 in 1975

Trinidad Silva, actor; Hill St Blues, auto accident @ 38 in 1988

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1944 13-year-old Anne Frank made the last entry in her diary

• Athletics

1716 1st sculling race (London Bridge to Chelsea)

1936 Adolph Hitler opens Berlin Olympic Games

• Business & Education

1893 Henry Perky and William Ford of Watertown, NY patent shredded wheat.

1972 1st article exposing Wategate scandal (Bernstein-Woodward) 1981 MTV premiers at 12:01 AM

• Indigenous People

1735 According to some sources, an agreement covering "amity and commerce" is reached by representatives of the British in New York, and Western Abenaki, Housatonic, Mohegan and Scaghticoke Indians.

1739 Several Shawnee Chiefs sign a peace treaty with British Pennsylvania authorities not to become allies with any other country. The British agree to enforce previous treaties banning the sale of rum to the Indians.

• Politics (US)

1619 1st black Americans (20) land at Jamestown, Virginia

1789 US Customs begins enforcing Tariff Act

1794 Whiskey Rebellion begins

1916 Hawaii National Park established

• Politics (International)

1831 London Bridge opens

1946 Pres Truman establishes Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

1953 Calif introduces sales tax (for education)

• Science / Religion

1774 Priestly discovers oxygen

1957 1st commercial building heated by Sun (Albuquerque NM)

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

TWENTY NINE has 29 lines.

↔ 2

The letter "I"

↔ Picture

A drinking fountain

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Sculls on the river in Boston, MA

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Saturday July 31

This is Week 30 of 2010►Day 212 with 153 days left.

It is Day 103 of the BP Mess. Day 15 with no leaks--NOT

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Kudos to the Clintons. Their daughter is getting married. Good for her. She has certainly been in the spotlight over the years, but the Clintons held fast to keeping her out of the press as much as possible. They are doing the same for the extravaganza. Not surprising, she has always been daddy’s little girl. Not surprising he is spending a small fortune on his only child’s wedding. Not surprising, the press is off limits. It is a family event and should remain that way. This could not have been an easy job. Mom is the Secretary of State, Dad is a former president. That alone leads to a few extra people—secret service—at the wedding. Good luck to all of them.

I was out and about when the monsoon hit. Roads downtown flooded. Highway 89 was closed—again. Homes were in danger in the area downstream from the fire—again. One car was swept into a wash in downtown Flagstaff. The infamous underpass downtown flooded and was closed for several hours. In my area, we did get a lot of rain, but no flooding. I was driving to the grocery store when I saw a flash of light out the side of my eye and instantly heard the crash of thunder. It was close but the power didn’t go out, I saw no fire, nor did I hear any emergency vehicles. I’m still curious as to where it hit. The rain was just starting as I headed into Safeway. I could hear the rain hitting the roof. By the time I had finished my shopping, the rain had almost stopped, so I was able to stay fairly dry—but I did keep my eyes scanning when I was outside, guess I thought I could get out of the way if I saw some lightning coming. Over the years, several people have been hit by lightning here in Flagstaff. I recalled one at the golf course and another on the NAU campus. I knew I should be inside, but also had to get my groceries inside.

I am disappointed by our local paper’s coverage of local news. A few days ago a man died under possible suspicious circumstances near the railroad tracks. He was finally identified after several days. Turns out, he was one of my former students from TC. When the local paper ran the story that identified him, they couldn’t help but mention he was a ‘street-level alcoholic well known to police’. They couldn’t help but mention that he had numerous arrests for public intoxication, petty shoplifting, similar violations. That is always sad to read about someone I knew. Today the paper listed his obituary. The first article had failed to mention that he had worked for the Flagstaff school district for 10 years and currently had his own janitorial business. I guess that part wasn’t ‘news’ for the readers in Flagstaff. I believe that had he not been Native, the first article would have had some of that information. Our local paper is part of the media that keeps stereotypes as part of the news. Those readers who didn’t know him will probably recall that a drunken Indian died near the tracks. I’m not saying he didn’t have problems or that they should not have printed that part. I think they could have mentioned that he ran a business in Flagstaff and that his small business was part of the Flagstaff community.

I am so naïve at certain times. I was happy to add to the top of my blog that the oil was no longer leaking into the Gulf. I was thinking about the blog for tomorrow as we start a new month, and was ready to drop the whole oil spill day count from the top of the blog. Then I listened to the news. It turns out that two things have been happening recently. BP turned off its underwater camera that was our only views of the leaking oil. They have been off for four days. [Naïve me thought we weren’t seeing those feeds because there was no more leaking.]Today a reporter asked why the cameras were off. The voice of the government response, Thad Allan, said he didn’t know. About three hours later the cameras were back on. When the cameras came back on line, there is oil leaking into the Gulf. Admittedly it is not a lot, it is nothing like we had seen for over 90 days. However, while BP has been claiming that their plan worked and temporarily stopped the oil, they simply lied. They cut it way back, but they didn’t stop it. Even the newly appointed CEO, the American, is downplaying the destruction the oil has caused and says it is time scale back the cleanup. He is saying that the current leak is not a big deal. I wasn’t surprised when independent oil specialists said the small leaks are a problem when it comes to cutting off the well with the relief well. The increased pressure needed to close the well head could destroy the well head before the relief well does its job. I have to wonder when or rather if the leak will be permanently stopped before BP stops its lies. I also heard today that BP, formerly known as British Petroleum, is thinking of changing its name again. Hmmm. Yeah, that will help.

As I mentioned, we had rain today. That kept us a cool 77° as our high. That high only lasted a few minutes as the rain dropped the temperature fairly quickly. We were in the low 70’s most of the day and that was nice to go with the 88% humidity.

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Upton Sinclair: It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1938 NY Yanks suspend Jake Powell, after he said on Chicago radio he'd "hit every colored person in Chicago over the head with a club"

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about Watermelon

>Watermelon is thought to have originated in the Kalahari Desert of Africa. The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt and is depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics on walls of their ancient buildings. Watermelons were often placed in the burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.

>Southern food historian, John Egerton, believes watermelon made its way to the United States with African slaves as he states in his book, "Southern Food."

>The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1796 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.

>In some Mediterranean countries, the taste of watermelon is paired with the salty taste of feta cheese.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

Below you will find 15 well-known seven letter words, with only their endings remaining. Can you determine the words?

....rem

....oct

....pso

....dma

....edo

....rre

....sfy

....ott

....hma

....dpa

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

ST. PETERSBURG, FL— A Florida inmate has filed a lawsuit seeking $500,000 in damages from three men who caught him red-handed with a stolen bicycle, claiming they roughed him up, according to a newspaper report. Michael Dupree is serving a 12-year sentence for burglary and cocaine possession stemming from a 2007 break-in of a van in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Dupree allegedly stole the bicycle locked inside and was apprehended after the owner, Anthony McKoy, saw him with the bike down the street, the St. Petersburg Times reported. Dupree, who was homeless at the time, according to a police report, claimed McKoy and two others pointed a gun at him, handcuffed him and placed a knee painfully in his back. In his suit, which he filed on his own without the help of an attorney, Dupree said that the take-down "resulted in permanent disabilities and psychological disorders which the Plaintiff continues to suffer."

After being served with the suit, McKoy said: "I thought it was a joke. I'm the victim."

"It's laughable. It's a waste of taxpayer money," he told the St. Petersburg Times. "What gall. I guess time in prison just makes you go crazy."

A LITTLE LAUGH

Last night, my Red Hat friends andI went to a Ladies Night Club.One of the girls wanted to impress the rest of us, so she pulled out a $10 bill.When themale dancer came over to us,my friend licked the $10 bill and stuck it to his butt cheek!

Not to be outdone, another friend pulls out a $20 bill.She called theguy back, licks the $20 bill, and sticks it to his other butt cheek.

In another attempt to impress the rest of us, my third friend pulls out a $50 bill and calls the guy over,and licks the $50 bill.I'm worried about the way things are going,but fortunately, she just stuck it to one of his butt cheeks again.

Seeing the way things are going, the guy races over to me! Now every-one's attention is focused on me, and the guy is egging me onto try to top the $50.. My brain was churning as I reached for my wallet.

What could I do?

The woman in me took over!

I got out my ATM card, swiped it down the crack of his butt, grabbed the eighty bucks, and left!!!

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

As I was walking on the London Bridge I met a man from Spain. He tipped his cap an drew his cane, in this riddle I told you his name.

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Bill Clinton plays the Sax Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

25-31National Salad Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Mexico : Day of National Mourning (1811-Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla)

Gilroy, California : Garlic Festival

Hawaii: Ka Hae Hawaiʻi Day, a Flag Day.

Malaysia: Heroes' Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Moon Love Glenn Miller  1939

Some Enchanted Evening Perry Como  1949

Lonely Boy Paul Anka  1959

In the Year 2525  Zager & Evans  1969

Bad Girls Donna Summer  1979

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Joanne "Jo" Murray Rowling (J.K. Rowling), 45, author (the Harry Potter series), Yate, Gloucestershire, England

Bill (William) Todman, game show producer: Goodson-Todman Productions, born in 1918 New York City

+++

Dean Cain, 44, actor (“Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”), born Mount Clemens, MI

Geraldine Chaplin, 66, actress (Nashville, Roseland, Chaplin), born Santa Monica, CA

Gary Lewis, 64, singer (& the Playboys), born New York, NY

Wesley Snipes, 48, actor (Blade, US Marshals, Jungle Fever, White Men Can’t Jump), born Orlando, FL

Barry Van Dyke, 51, actor (Lt Dillon-Battlestar Galactica) , born in Atlanta, GA

…Athletics

Curt Gowdy, sportscaster (ABC) , born in 1919 Green River, WY

Evonne Goolagong, 59, former tennis player, born Griffith, Australia

Sandra "Sweetness" Hodge, 48, basketball player (Harlem Globetrotters) , born in Clinton, MS

…Business & Education

Milton Friedman, economist (Nobel 1976) , born in 1912 Brooklyn, NY

S.S. (Sebastian Spering) Kresge, merchant: S.S. Kresge’s five & dime stores [now Kmart] , born in 1867 Bald Mountain, PA

Elmo Roper, pollster (Roper Poll) , born in 1900 Hebron, NE

…Politics

William Bennett, 63, US Secretary of Education (1985-88)/drug czar , born in Brooklyn, NY

…Science/Religion

John Ericsson, invented screw propeller, built USS Monitor , born in 1803 Långbanshyttan, Värmland, Sweden

► Obituaries today ◄

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Mexican hero priest, executed by Spanish @ 58 in 1811

St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of Society of Jesus, ‘Roman Fever’—malaria @ 65 in 1556

Andrew Johnson, 17th pres, stroke @ 66 in 1875

Robert Taft, (Sen-R-Oh) (Mr Republican), cancer @ 63 in 1953

Jim Reeves, Country singer.(He'll Have to Go, Four Walls) Plane crash @ 41 in 1964

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1845 The French Army introduced the saxophone to its military band. 1966 Alabamans burn Beatle products due to John Lennon's anti-Jesus remark

…Athletics

1981 42 day old, 2nd major league baseball strike ends

1990 Nolan Ryan becomes the 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games

…Business & Education

1928  MGM’s Leo the lion roared for the first time

…Indigenous People

1763 Captain James Dalyell, and 280 soldiers attack Pontiac's village at 2:30 am this morning. Pontiac is informed of Dalyell's plans, so he sets up an ambush at the Parent's Creek bridge with 400 Indians. When Dalyell's troops approach the bridge, the Indians attack. Twenty soldiers, including Dalyell, and seven Indians are killed in the fighting. The creek, near Detroit, is now called Bloody Run.

1779 General John Sullivan leads an expedition in retaliation against the Iroquois’ actions in the Wyoming Valley Massacre.

…Politics (US)

1777 Marquis de Lafayette, 19, made major-general of Continental Army

1790 1st US patent granted, to Samuel Hopkins for a potash process

1912 US government prohibits movies & photos of prize fights (censorship)

1953 Dept of Health, Education & Welfare created

1960 Elijah Muhammad, leader of Nation of Islam, calls for a black state

1972 Thomas Eagleton, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, withdrew from the ticket

…Politics (outside US)

1498 Christopher Columbus discovers island of Trinidad

1925 Unemployment Insurance Act passed in England

…Science / Religion

1971 The first men to ride in a vehicle on the moon did so on this day in the LRV (lunar rover vehicle). This example of a lunar dune buggy carried Apollo 15 astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin for five miles on the lunar surface.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

Theorem, concoct, calypso, grandma, torpedo, bizarre, satisfy, boycott, drachma, grandpa.

…2

Andrew

…Photo

A large-caliber bullet

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

J. K. Rowling

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Friday July 30

This is Week 30 of 2010►Day 211 with 154 days left.

It is Day 102 of the BP Mess. 14 days with no leaks.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

AZ stays in the news. While many in America were watching President Obama on The View, we in AZ got to watch some of Obama and a whole bunch of arrests in Phoenix. While the station stated we didn’t miss any of Obama, I doubt it. Anyway, a group of protesters—some from in state, others from out of state—blocked traffic in downtown Phoenix as SB1070 took effect. The police stepped in and arrested the protesters. No incidents of violence. Then another group demonstrated at the county jail and again, police moved in and more arrests. These cops were in riot gear and had those clear shields. Again, no violence. These protests had been planned and sanctioned for today as SB1070 became law. The law was gutted by a Federal judge, but other parts did take effect. People with real facts—law enforcement, border patrol, and border city governments are now coming out with real facts. Most discouraging is that at least 160 illegals have died this year in the desert. None were murdered. None were killed though violence—all died of dehydration or hyperthermia—getting too hot or drowning. I have heard lots of rhetoric about how the illegals are taking jobs away from Americans. I know there is a thriving underground employment culture. Many contractors use laborers for cleanup and they are paid, in cash at the end of the day. Homeowners use these people to clean yards, mow lawns, maybe even clean houses and be the nanny. They pay these workers in cash and never report it to the IRS. This underground economy has thrived all my life, and probably long before that. These jobs are not jobs I ever wanted. I hear that employers hire illegals and give them checks. I never understood how this could happen. For example, I don’t think Super 8 or Hilton are going to pay people with checks unless they are also taking money from their check for taxes and social security. I finally learned how this might happen. The 1040 form asks for either your SS number or your tax id number. Well, turns out, if you don’t qualify for a SS number—being a citizen--you can get a tax id number. This means that you will have money deducted from your check for taxes and social security, but you are not eligible to ever collect SS on that number. Somewhere around two to six billion dollars a year is paid into SS by people with tax id numbers who will never be able to collect. This sounds like a good deal for those eligible for SS. These people also pay taxes at the same rate as every citizen if they file a 1040. It they don’t file, the government doesn’t send them any refunds so the state and Feds keep all that tax money. A few of these people may be getting higher paying, more white collar type jobs. When all of America gets the real facts about illegals, the tide will turn. We need immigration reform and the sooner the better.

A sad story about working for the Feds. When I was first hired I was young. During my career I had three ‘training instructors’ in my classroom. They were used as substitutes when needed but spent many days in my room. They made much less money than teachers, and some made less money than long-time aides. All three were in desperate need of employment when hired. At the time, they were told that they would not be paying into the retirement system and that their employment didn’t count toward retirement years. Two of the three were later hired into positions that were in the retirement system. One was a TI for about 3 years before moving into the system, another moved into the system after 2 years. The third left the bureau after about 5 years. The two who stayed really stayed. One became a librarian, the other became a counselor. At about 25 years of employment, they started thinking about retirement. A few years later they both applied for retirement. That’s when they found out that first few years really didn’t count. Devastating. I know, they were told at their employment status when hired, they were young, they were hungry, they needed any job. Not too many 20-somethings are even thinking about retirement. When you join the Federal System you are told many things and sign many papers. Not too many new employees read all that paperwork. One stayed and worked until fully eligible, the other took less than full retirement. I was the lucky supervisor who had to explain all this. These were two of the hardest managerial days I had. The one who stayed to full retirement just asked for everything in writing and moved on. The other asked for everything in writing and began writing and filing paperwork. I understood both of their actions, but for the one who filed paperwork, as the most recent supervisor, I became the one who had to spend hours on the phone with HR; I was the one who had to fax many documents to Albuquerque. This went on for two plus years and was just part of the job. In the end, when that employee finally took early retirement, I know that he still believed I was the one responsible for not allowing him to retire with full benefits. Employers, especially those in large companies, are very seasoned and have years of experience. New employees seldom have a chance to fully understand the big picture. So I can’t see any employer with more than 10 employees risking everything to hire anyone under-the-table for a job that lasts more than a couple of days. Reform in dealing with the underground economy is needed. I voted for YES WE CAN when it comes to reform in many areas. I am disappointed it hasn’t happened more quickly. The institutions have been around for decades and they can’t be reformed in just 20 months—but they can be reformed.

Our lunch group celebrated Mary’s birthday today. Her birthday was July 4, but she just got back from time in Oregon. The waiter even gave us free baklava for her birthday. Really good baklava. She had a great time. Her reunion with her grade school friends was great. She attended a Catholic school and her class was basically together from K-8. Of the thirty plus who showed up, all but two were atheists now. Some went from the priesthood or convent to atheism. Others just dropped out of the whole Christian belief system. They had also found a few of the nuns who were their teachers. Most were in their late 70’s or older. None of the nuns they found were still nuns. All the former teachers found an excuse not to attend this 50 year reunion. Mary was shocked by both parts of the story. She had gotten divorced years ago and moved to the Lutheran church. It does sound like they had a great time catching up, mostly trying to figure out who people were before they saw the name tags. Great memories for her.

We did have some thunderstorms and a flash flood warning, but I didn’t hear of any houses being flooded. We had clouds on and off, so it only got to 79° with 65% humidity. While I was watching Jeopardy late this afternoon, I had trouble following it because of the constant top banner that ran through the entire show—except the commercials—telling me that Phoenix was expecting a big thunderstorm and flash flooding. Each banner restarted with that emergency beeping sound blast. Phoenix did get a lot of rain this afternoon and will probably be on the national news tonight or tomorrow. Life in AZ is never boring.

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Edward R. Murrow: This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1975 – Jimmy Hoffa disappears from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, at about 2:30 p.m. He is never seen or heard from again.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about Monopoly

>Parker Brothers rejected the MONOPOLY game when it was first presented to them in 1933, citing 52 fundamental playing flaws.

>Over 5,120,000,000 little green houses have been “constructed” since the game was introduced in 1935.

>The character locked behind the bars is called Jake the Jailbird. Officer Edgar Mallory sent him to jail.

>In 1972, the Atlantic City Commissioner of Public Works threatened to change the names of the real Baltic and Mediterranean Avenues, but public outcry vetoed the bill.

>The game is published in 27 languages, including Croatian and licensed in more than 81 countries. Thai edition of Monopoly is the newest edition, introduced at the Toys R Us store in Bangkok, in December 2005.

>Parker Brothers once sent an armored car with one million dollars of game money to a marathon game in Pittsburgh that had run out of funds.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

If: SAFE + STAY + SOON + SKIP = STOP

then: PINK + PORE + PUSH + PLOT = ==?==

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

TERRELL, TX — A rural east Texas man has been reunited with his long-lost gun more than two decades after it was stolen. Kauffman County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Pat Laney says Bruce Garner received his H&R nine-shot revolver at an upbeat property hearing Thursday morning. According to the Sheriff's Office, burglars took the gun from Garner's home in Terrell soon after he moved there in June 1989. Terrell is about 30 miles east of Dallas. The thieves were never caught. But deputies found the firearm at a pawn shop and traced it to Garner.

Garner says he's astounded that he was able to get his favorite dispatch gun back. The 59-year-old leathersmith says he once used it to hunt and trap to make money.

A LITTLE LAUGH

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl, "Will you marry me?"

The girl said, "NO!"

And the guy lived happily ever after and went fishing, hunting, played golf, drank booze, and farted whenever he wanted. THE END

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

What name makes the long e sound but doesn't have an e?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Kookie clip from 77 Sunset Strip: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

25-31 National Salad Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Cheesecake Day

Father-In-Law Day

National Talk in An Elevator Day

System Administrator Appreciation Day

Paddle for Perthes Disease Awareness Day” childhood disease of breaking bones

Cuba : Day of Martyrs of the Revolution

France : Marseillaise Day (1792)

Thailand : Asalha Puja

Virginia : Crater Day (1864)

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Music, Maestro, Please Tommy Dorsey  1938

Woody Wood-Pecker Kay Kyser  1948

Poor Little Fool Ricky Nelson  1958

Hello, I Love You The Doors  1968

Miss You The Rolling Stones  1978

Roll with It Steve Winwood  1988

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Peter Bogdanovich, 71, producer, director (The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon), actor, born Kingston, NY

Emily Bronte, England, novelist (Wuthering Heights), born in 1818 Thornton, West Yorkshire, England

+++

Paul Anka, 69, singer, songwriter, born Ottawa, ON, Canada

Edd Byrnes (Breitenberger), 77, actor (Kookie: “77 Sunset Strip,” Darby’s Rangers), born New York, NY

Delta Burke, 54, actress (“Designing Women”), former Miss Florida, born Orlando, FL

Laurence Fishburne, 49, actor (Matrix films, Akeelah and the Bee, Boyz N the Hood, What’s Love Got to Do with It?; Tony for Two Trains Running; “CSI”), born Augusta, GA

Lisa Kudrow, 47, actress (“Friends,” Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion), born Encino, CA

Hilary Swank, 36, actress (Oscars for Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby), born Lincoln, NE

…Athletics

Bill Cartwright, 53, basketball player (NY Knicks), born in Lodi, CA

Allan Huber “Bud” Selig, 76, Commissioner of Baseball, born Milwaukee, WI

Charles Dillon ‘Casey’ Stengel, NY Yankee (1949-60) & 1st NY Met manager, born in 1890 Kansas City, MO

…Business & Education

Henry Ford, auto maker (Ford), born in 1863 Dearborn Township, MI

…Politics

Anita Faye Hill, 54, law professor, born on an Oklahoma farm

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 63, Governor of California (R), bodybuilder, actor (The Terminator, Twins, True Lies), born Graz, Austria

Patricia Schroeder, 70, Rep-D-Colo, born in Portland, OR

…Science/Religion

--

► Obituaries today ◄

Lynn Fontanne, Broadway's premier actresses, @ 95 in 1983

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1928 George Eastman demonstrates 1st color movie

…Athletics

1930 Montevideo, Uruguay wins the first Football World Cup.

1932 10th modern Olympic games open in Los Angeles

1968 Ron Hansen, of the Washington Senators, made the first unassisted triple play in the major leagues in 41 years.

…Business & Education

1836 1st English newspaper published in Hawaii

…Indigenous People

1609 Samuel de Champlain, two Frenchmen, and sixty Algonquin and Huron Indians, attack 200 Mohawks near Ticonderoga, in New York. Champlain has some firearms, and they prove devastating. The Mohawks quit the battle.

1825 The "Belantse-etoa or Minitaree" conclude a treaty (7 Stat., 261.) at the LowerMandan Village. Nine chiefs and sixteen warriors sign the document.

…Politics (US)

1619 House of Burgesses Virginia formed, 1st elective US governing body

1863 Pres Lincoln issues "eye-for-eye" order to shoot a rebel prisoner for every black prisoner shot

1909 US Army accepts delivery of 1st military airplane

1942 FDR signs bill creating women's Navy auxiliary agency (WAVES)

1956 US motto "In God We Trust" authorized

1965 LBJ signs Medicare bill, which went into effect following year

1967 Race riot in Milwaukee (4 killed)

…Politics (outside US)

1811 Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, leader of the Mexican insurgency, is executed by the Spanish in Chihuahua, Mexico.

…Science / Religion

1733 Society of Freemasons opens 1st American lodge in Boston

1898 Scientific American carried the first magazine automobile ad. The Winton Motor Car Company of Cleveland, OH invited readers to “Dispense with a Horse.”

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

POST: using the first letter of the first word, second letter of the second word, etc.

…2

Indy or just about any person’s name that ends with a ‘y’ and doesn’t have an e in it: Tony, Billy, Mary…

…Photo

Egg Cartons

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

U.S. Navy WAVES, Woman Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service 1942

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Thursday July 29

This is Week 30 of 2010►Day 210 with 155 days left.

It is Day 101 of the BP Mess. Day 13 of no leaks

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

The rain last night continued most of the night. Luckily it was a fairly gentle rain so was able to soak in.

The Federal District Court stopped SB1070’s most controversial sections from going into effect. Now the appeals process will start. This will now be going on for years.

I went to a dinner on some of my investments. These particular ones are doing very well, paying out about 10%. Wish the others were doing that well.

It rained on and off this afternoon and this evening. Most of it was gentle. It was nice with a high of 79°.

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: It is within the power of writers and artists to do ch more: to defeat the lie!

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

>At the hight of inflation in Germany in the early 1920s, one American dollar was equal to 4.2 trillion German marks.

>The largest part of the $15 million needed to buy Louisiana from Napoleon was lent to the U.S. by English, Dutch, and French bankers.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

What is represented by this BrainBat? BALLBBALLABALLSBALLKBALLEBALLTBALL

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

WESTMINSTER, Md. — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for stealing a spider from a public library. Carroll County Circuit Judge J. Barry Hughes sentenced 27-year-old Randy Humple of Westminster Monday.

Staff at the Westminster library called police May 19 after they discovered Chili Rose, a Chilean Rose tarantula at the information desk, had disappeared. Witnesses told authorities they saw Humple with the spider and that he bragged about swiping it.

Hughes also sentenced Humple to four years in prison for violating his probation in a 2007 assault case. Humple told the judge he knows he's done some stupid things and he wants to serve his sentence.

The judge said that while what Humple did may have been "stupid on one level," it was also "criminal on another level."

A LITTLE LAUGH

My friend was late for a meeting and was speeding on the freeway. A state policeman pulled her over. He was a little grouchy when he asked for her paperwork so she thought she would make lite of the situation.As she handed her paperwork over she said "I guess this means I will not be attending the policeman's ball"" The state policeman said " I'll have you know that state policeman have no balls" He quickly realized what he said, handed her back her paperwork, went to his car and drove off!!!!

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

I'm used a lot. I'm older than a computer. I have a lot of fiber. I can be colorful. What am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

NASA launch—from the cockpit: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

25-31 National Salad Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Lasagna Day

National Chili Dog Day

Rain Day

Norway : Olsok Eve Festival (1030)

Thailand: National Thai Language Day

Romania: National Anthem Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Peg O' My Heart The Harmonicats in 1947

Teddy Bear Elvis Presley in 1957

Light My Fire The Doors in 1967

I Just Want to Be Your Everything Andy Gibb in 1977

Shakedown Bob Seger in 1987

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Melvin Belli, ‘King of Torts’: attorney: represented Mae West, Errol Flynn, Muhammad Ali, Jack Ruby, Tammy Fae Bakker; author: Everybody’s Guide to the Law, born in 1907

Ken Burns, 57, Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, director: The Civil War [1990-91]; Baseball, Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, Frank Lloyd Wright

+++

Robert Fuller, 77, actor (Laramie, Wagon Train) , born in Troy NY

Robert Horton, 86, actor (Kings Row, Wagon Train, Arena) , born in LA, CA

Martina McBride, 44, country singer, born Sharon, KS

…Athletics

Fernando González, 30, tennis player, born Santiago, Chile

…Business & Education

Peter Jennings, Toronto Canada, news anchor (ABC Evening News) , born in 1938

…Politics

Alexis de Tocqueville, statesman/writer (Democracy in America) , born in 1805

Elizabeth Hanford Dole, 74, former US Senator (R, North Carolina); former president, American Red Cross; former Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Labor, born Salisbury, NC

Benito Mussolini [Il Duce], Fascist Italian dictator (1922-43) , born in 1883

Alica Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, 1st wife of Theodore Roosevelt, born in 1861

…Science/Religion

[Gregory Efimovich] Rasputin, the mad Russian monk, born in 1871

► Obituaries today ◄

Cass Elliot, singer of Mamas & Papas chokes @ 30 in 1974

Raymond Massey, actor, pneumonia @ 86 in 1983

David Niven. actor (Rugues), @ 73 in 1983

Richard Simon. cofounder of Simon & Shuster, dies

Vincent Van Gogh. dies in Auvers, France in 1890

Fred Waring. orch leader (Fred Waring Show), @ 84 in 1984

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1928 Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" is released

…Athletics

1874 Major Walter Clopton Wingfield of England received a patent for the lawn-tennis court.

1899 1st motorcycle race, Manhattan Beach, NY

…Business & Education

1773 1st schoolhouse west of Allegheny Mtns completed, Schoenbrunn, OH

1786 1st newspaper published west of Alleghenies, Pitts Gazette

…Indigenous People

1706 Spaniard Juan de Uribarri is leading twenty soldiers, twelve settlers and 200 Indian allies from Santa Fe to rescue a band of enslaved Indians held by the Cuartelejo Apaches in what is now eastern Colorado. They cross the Arkansas River near present day Pueblo, Colorado.

1837 Henry Dodge, representing the United States, and the Chippewa Indians sign a treaty (7 Stat., 536.) at St. Peters, Wisconsin. The Chippewas trade large land holdings for $9,500 immediately, $19,000 worth of supplies, and a release from their debts.

…Politics (US)

1975 Ford became 1st US pres to visit Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz

…Politics (outside US)

1858 1st commercial treaty between US & Japan signed

1981 Prince Charles of England weds Lady Diana Spencer

…Science / Religion

1958 Pres Eisenhower signs NASA & Space Act

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

Basket Balls.

...2

I am paper!

…Photo

A gas stovetop

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Auschwitz

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Wednesday July 28

This is Week 30 of 2010►Day 209 with 156 days left.

It is Day 99 of the BP Mess. Day 12 with no leaks.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Media and politicians in all their infinite wisdom are headed for our state. Not for its beauty, not for its lifestyle. Only because of SB1070 which is set to go into effect on Thursday. Our non elected governor is ready. She expected the judge to rule this afternoon and had 14 Homeland Security SUV’s at the capitol building. I sure hope she informed the illegals not to cross while all those vehicles and agents were in Phoenix instead of protecting the border.

The Bureau school employees are heading back to work. I am so happy I am retired and don’t have to spend all those days on test scores, in-services, and other stuff that does so little to improve kids.

I was reminded of my rez education today. The Navajo talk about several kinds of rain. One is the male rain—hard, driving, usually big drops and lightning and thunder. One is female rain—quiet, slow falling rain that has time to soak in. We had a female rain this afternoon. It was so nice. I’m a little worried about the flood victims, as the rain lasted quite a while and had time to soak in but the flood area is very saturated and I doubt if much can soak in. We have had a light grey sky for about two hours and our neighborhood is beautiful. Ponderosas look so strong against that sky.

It was 77° for our high, and with only 35% humidity, it was a nice day. I added to my walk this morning, and went about 2 miles. The forest is so nice early in the day. With the forest at my back door, I could enjoy it as I watched the sun climb across the sky. I wasn’t out until about 7:30 this morning, so it wasn’t a sunrise walk. I did seem some small animals—rabbits, squirrels, and birds. Deeper into the forest I did see some old deer tracks, but no deer.

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Ahmed Habib, Iraqi journalist: Keep your dreams closer to the fire of your heart than to the brilliance of the mind.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1933 The singing telegram was introduced on this day. The first person to receive a singing telegram was singer Rudy Vallee, in honor of his 32nd birthday.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

>Douglas MacArthur's mother use to send fawning letters to his army superiors suggesting that it was time for her son to be promoted to general.

>Stalin's son was captured during WWII, but Stalin rejected the German offer of prisoner exchange. His son Jacob died in a prison camp.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

You have a barrel, filled to the top with water, which weighs 150 pounds. What can you add to the barrel in order to make it lighter?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

SAN FRANCISCO - Police in San Francisco said a mugger was arrested after stealing an iPhone while it was being used to demonstrate new GPS tracking software. David Kahn, chief executive officer of Covia Labs, said he gave his iPhone to an intern to walk around the block while he was demonstrating the real-time GPS tracking software Monday to potential clients at K/F Communications, the San Jose Mercury

News reported. "We kind of noticed while that was happening, boy, she was really starting to move pretty fast and she wasn't heading back toward the place," he said.

"Moments later she comes bursting into the office and said she'd just been mugged." Kahn said he used the software to track the thief's movements while the intern called 911.

"It was pretty exciting to realize what was going on and wondering if he had noticed," Kahn said. "Obviously if he had turned off the phone, that would have been it." Police said they recovered the phone and arrested Horatio Toure, 31, on suspicion of grand theft and possession of stolen property about 9 minutes after the incident.

A LITTLE LAUGH

There were two good ol' boys from the South, who love to fish, and they wanted to do some ice fishing. They'd heard about it up in Canada, so they took off up there. The lake was frozen nicely. They stopped just before they got to the lake at a little bait shop and got all their tackle.

One of them said, "We're gonna need an ice pick." So they got that, and they took off.

In about two hours, one of them was back at the shop and said, "We're gonna need another dozen ice picks."

Well, the fellow in the shop wanted to ask some questions, but money is money, so he didn't. He sold him the picks, and the old boy left. In about an hour, he was back. Said, "We're gonna need all the ice picks you've got!"

The bait man couldn't stand it any longer. "By the way," he asked, "how are you fellows doing?"

"Not very well at all," he said. "We ain't even got the boat in the water yet."

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

You see me not but you know I am there. You can lose me or catch me without much care. Smell good or smell bad I am…

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Winnie Mandela’s story: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

25-31: National Salad Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

National Milk Chocolate Day

Joseph Lee Day-honors playgrounds (1937)

Volunteers of America founders day (1859)

Bermuda: Adm George Somers Day (1609)

San Marino: Fall of Facism Day (1943)

Peru: Independence Day, from Spain by General San Martin 1821

Faroe Islands in Norwegian Sea: Ólavsøka Eve (to honor St. Olaf)

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

It's a Sin to Tell a Lie Fats Waller in 1936

Surrender Perry Como in 1946

I Want You, I Need You, I Love You Elvis Presley in 1956

Wild Thing The Troggs in 1966

Kiss and Say Goodbye The Manhattans in 1976

Glory of Love Peter Cetera in 1986

Macarena [Bayside Boys Mix] Los Del Rio in 1996

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Jim Davis, 65, cartoonist (“Garfield”), born Marion, IN

Helen Beatrix Potter, children's author (Tale of Peter Rabbit) , born in 1866 London, England

+++

Joe E Brown, comedian, born in 1892 Holgate, OH

Sally Struthers, 62, actress (“All in the Family”), born Portland, OR

Rudy (Hubert Prior) Vallee, singer, born in 1901 Island Pond, VT

…Athletics

Vida Blue, 61, major-league pitcher (Cy Young & AL MVP 1971) , born in Mansfield, LA

…Business & Education

Earl S Tupper, invented Tupperware, born in 1907 Berlin, NH

…Politics

William Warren (Bill) Bradley, 67, former US Senator, Hall of Fame basketball player, born Crystal City, MO

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, 1st lady, born in 1929 Southampton, NY

…Science/Religion

Ballington Booth, founded Volunteers of America, born in 1859 Brighouse, England (parents founded Salvation Army)

► Obituaries today ◄

Johann Sebastian Bach, German composer (Art of the Fugue), stroke @ 65 in 1750

Cyrano de Bergerac, French dramatist/novelist, unknown disease @ 36 in 1655

Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII's chief minister, executed @ 55 in 1540

Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre, Fr revolutionary guillotined @ 36 in 1794

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1951 Walt Disney's "Alice In Wonderland" released

…Athletics

1933 NFL divides into 2, 5 team divisions

1984 23rd modern Olympic games open in Los Angeles

…Business & Education

1586 Sir Thomas Harriot introduces potatoes to Europe

1866 Metric system becomes a legal measurement system in US

1977 1st oil flow through the Alaska pipeline

…Indigenous People

1862 Fort Bowie is established in the Apache Pass, in southeastern Arizona, by members of Brigadier General James Charlatan's California volunteers.

…Politics (US)

1868 14th Amendment ratified, citizenship to ex-slaves

1896 City of Miami incorporated

1931 Congress makes "The Star-Spangled Banner" our 2nd national anthem

1932 Pres Hoover evicts bonus marchers from their encampment

1959 Hawaii's 1st US election sends 1st Asian-Americans to Congress

…Politics (outside US)

1988 Winnie Mandella's home in Soweto, South Africa destroyed by arson

…Science / Religion

1851 Total solar eclipse captured on a daguerreotype photograph

1865 The American Dental Association proposed its first code of ethics.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

Holes!

…2

Air

…Photo

USB port on computer

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Hvannhagi is a beautiful, uninhibited place north of Tvøroyri on the east coast of Suðuroy, Faroe Islands

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Tuesday July 27

This is Week 30 of 2010►Day 208 with 157 days left.

It is Day 98 of the BP Mess. Day 11 with no leaks.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

So BP is going to make an American its CEO and the Crazy Brit is headed for Russia’s BP offices. Hmmm. Don’t think I would want the CEO job. Maybe BP is just showing that they are multi-national. Somehow I don’t think so. Certainly the American should be able to explain things better to Americans than the Brit. What is odd to me is that everyone involved with ‘safety’ in BP is keeping their jobs. Somehow, changing the head will not change the body. Somehow those billions of gallons of oil that leaked have now ‘disappeared’. Hello??? Just because it has stopped rising to the surface doesn’t mean it is gone. Mother Nature has been busy trying to make things better and that is good. This seems to show that humans do not know what they are doing when it comes to off shore deep well drilling. Many seem to be holding on to the hope that the ‘ocean’ has cleaned itself, and this is not a big deal. That would be great. If that has happened, are we now to believe that ‘next time’ it will work the same way? I hope that somebody actually figures out where all that oil went before another well is drilled.

The news has had lots of information about “Wikileaks”. They have posted almost 100,000 documents regarding ‘secret’ American intelligence about the Afghan War. I needed to more about the website. Background: ‘wiki-anything’ simply deals with a website that allows viewers to edit the content live. I learned long ago that any ‘wiki’ site should be viewed with some understanding that information found there is not necessarily factual. Anyone can write something and put it on a wiki site. Sometimes, others will correct errors in information, sometimes not. A ‘wiki’ site is only there to express information—true, false, sort of true, or sort of false. Wikipedia is one of the most popular ‘wiki’ sites. I use Wikipedia for some of my information—and when I read something that just doesn’t sound right, I check it with other on line encyclopedias. So this afternoon I took some time to learn more about ‘wikileaks’. It is a Swedish website. It has no connection with Wikipedia. It started out as a whistleblower website, where anyone can blow that whistle on anything. They say they were started by a group of Chinese dissidents, International journalists, and mathematicians from the US, UK, Taiwan and South Africa. According to its site its "primary interest is in exposing oppressive regimes in Asia, the former Soviet bloc, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, but we also expect to be of assistance to people of all regions who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their governments and corporations." All posts can be anonymous.

With the recent posts on Wikileaks almost everyone is calling foul. It is putting our troops in danger in Afghanistan. It is threatening our relations with all other nations, as Top Secret no longer means Top Secret. It is showing Americans that war is horrific. It is showing that our ‘friends’ are sometimes only that way because we give them money. Only time will tell how all this plays out. Technology has certainly changed the way we all see the world. After my career with the Federal Government I know that technology has never been its strong suit. Thanks to some future thinkers, it took very little time and a lot of money to get every BIA school onto the Internet. It was possible to get all the students on the web, while it was not possible to get the administrators on the web. What? Yeah, the Cobell lawsuit on trust money kept the Bureau administrators from using the web. About two months ago that time consuming legal battle was settled and Ms Cobell won her case. Finally. Well, not exactly, this week the House refused to appropriate the necessary funding to pay the litigants. So now that battle is back on.

Flagstaff had a huge thunderstorm today. Luckily it was mainly in Flagstaff and did not cause additional flooding in the fire area. The local paper says that some areas got about 2” of rain during the storm. Yeah, that much rain in such a short time would cause street flooding. They were quick to post that the Peaks did not get that much rain and that the area recently hurt by flooding, did not get anywhere near that much. I ran some errands early this morning and got home just before the rain started. There was street flooding on both sides of town—east and west. It was cool this morning so I took a 2 mile walk about 8am. Then I headed out to run errands. This storm brought lots of lightning and thunder, and thankfully I didn’t lose my electricity. Of course the computer and TV were off during the storm. All I need now is a power surge to blow out all my electronics. I have good surge suppressors on everything, but can’t be too careful.

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1947 Yogi Berri starts record 148 game errorless streak

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about farming

>Today's American farmer feeds about 155 people worldwide. In 1960, that number was 25.8.

>Soybeans are an important ingredient for the production of crayons. In fact, one acre of soybeans can produce 82,368 crayons.

>One pound of wool can make 10 miles of yarn. There are 150 yards (450 feet) of wool yarn in a baseball.

>Turkeys originated in North and Central America, and evidence indicates that they have been around for more than 10 million years. Mature turkeys have more than 3,500 feathers.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

Can you find an anagram of PROBATIONS?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

HOLIDAY, FL - Authorities in Florida said a woman arrested for allegedly growing a marijuana plant told deputies she only kept the plant because it was "cute." The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said a deputy passing by the Holiday, Fla., home of Jacqueline Moore, 55, Tuesday noticed a 2-foot-tall uprooted marijuana plant by the curb and asked Moore about it, the St. Petersburg (FL) Times reported Thursday. Moore told the deputy she does not smoke marijuana and she received the plant as a "baby plant" from a neighbor a few months ago. The deputy quoted Moore as saying she kept the plant because it was "cute" and she put it on the curb with the trash because it was growing too big. Moore was arrested and charged with cultivation of marijuana. She was taken to the Land O'Lakes jail with bail set at $2,000.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle. For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire. No further studies are expected.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

Lucy's mom has 5 children; Tom, Max, Mary, Faye. What is the name of the last child?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Korean War Memorial Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

25-31 National Salad Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

Barbie-in-a-blender Day

Take Your Houseplant For A Walk Day

Walk on Stilts Day

Finland: National Sleepy Head Day

Philippines: Iglesia Ni Cristo Day: founding of Church of Christ

Puerto Rico: José Celso Barbosa Day: founder of Federalist Party and advocate of statehood

North Korea: Victory Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Johnny Mercer in 1945

Rock Around the Clock Bill Haley & His Comets in 1955

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction The Rolling Stones in 1965

One of These Nights The Eagles in 1975

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Thomas Campbell, Scottish poet, born in 1777 Glasgow, Scotland

Norman Lear, 88, television scriptwriter, producer (“All in the Family,” “Maude”), born New Haven, CT

+++

Bobbie Gentry, 68, singer, songwriter (“Ode to Billie Joe”), born Roberta Streeter at Chicasaw County, MS

Maureen McGovern, 61, singer, actress, born Youngstown, OH

Nick Reynolds, folk singer: group: The Kingston Trio, born in 1933 San Diego, CA

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, 33, actor (August Rush, Match Point, Elvis, “The Tudors”), born County Dublin, Ireland

Jerry Van Dyke, 79, actor (“Coach,” “Teen Angel”), born Danville, IL

Kennan Wynn, actor (Dr Strangelove, Absent Minded Professor) , born in 1916, New York, NY

…Athletics

Peggy Gale Fleming, 62, Olympic gold medal figure skater, sports-caster, born San Jose, CA

Leo Durocher, baseball manager (Dodgers, Giants), born in 1906 West Springfield, MA

Dennis Ralston, 68, tennis: youngest Wimbledon champ [age 17] , born in Bakersfield, CA

Alex Rodriguez, 35, baseball player, born New York, NY

…Business & Education

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…Politics

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…Science/Religion

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 38, first Malaysian in space, born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

► Obituaries today ◄

Montgomery Blair, lawyer (Dred Scot V Sandford), @ 70 in 1883

Bobby Day, rocker (Rockin' Robin), cancer 2 60 in 1990

James Mason, actor, heart attack @ 75 in 1984

► Events ◄

…The Arts

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…Athletics

1924 8th Olympic games closes in Paris

1947 Yogi Berri starts record 148 game errorless streak

…Business & Education

1586 Sir Walter Raleigh brings 1st tobacco to England from Virginia

…Indigenous People

1757 Ottawa warriors, and a few French soldiers attack a group of twenty-two barges commanded by British Lieutenant Colonel John Parker on Lake George in New York. The British forces have 160 men killed, and almost 150 men captured. Only two of the barges escape the fighting.

…Politics (US)

1919 Chicago race riot (15 whites & 23 blacks killed, 500 injured)

1995 The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. opened to the public

…Politics (outside US)

1689 Jacobite Scottish Highlanders defeat royal force at Killiecrankie

1694 Bank of England chartered

1953 The armistice agreement that ended the Korean War was signed at Panmunjon, Korea.

…Science / Religion

1501 Copernicus formally installed as canon of Frauenberg Cathedral

1775 Benjamin Church began his service as the first Surgeon General of the Continental Army.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

Absorption

…2

Lucy!

…Photo

A letter opener

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

River Garry Pass of Killiecrankie Perth and Kinross, Scotland

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