July 2 Friday

This is Week 26 of 2010, Day 183 with 182 days left. It is Day 74 of the BP Mess.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

While my brother was in Mexico sitting in the hospital, his wife found a great reproduction of a Mayan vessel that was used for offerings in Teotihuacan—the largest city in Pre-Columbian Mexico. It means ‘birthplace of the gods’ or ‘place of those who have the road of the gods’. It was quite a surprise when the UPS guy delivered it. The black, round vessel is about 6” across. It has a very simple and pure design. Strangely it seems to be calling for an offering to be put in it. I guess I’ll do some research to see what kind of offerings were placed in this amazing bowl.

I got some pictures from a friend in Florida. She is the retired teacher from Tuba who does daily documentations of ‘her’ beach for a national environmental group. She had sent pictures of her ocean view before the spill. Back then the beach was that famous sugar white sand with occasional pieces of ‘bubble’ kelp. I’m sure the residents were always cleaning up that nasty kelp that looked bad on the beach. Well now, the sand looks more like the rez sand than white sand. So sad. The tar balls are not only more prevalent than the former kelp, the sand itself has actually changed color. I asked her how deep the color change is, but haven’t gotten an answer yet. I would never want to live on a beach. While photos of pristine beaches are great, I also know that way too many days are spent indoors because of strong wind, driving rain, and other weather conditions like hurricanes. I do enjoy time on a beach when the weather is good, and a dip in the ocean is invigorating—just don’t need to live close to one.

Speaking of the oil spill, I am so tired of the lies. All I want is to plug that dang hole. Today BP said that the dispersant they are using is no more dangerous to the environment than dishwashing liquid. My only question—then why doesn’t my dishwashing soap have the skull and crossbones on the label—like the dispersant?

I got one of those forwarded emails today. It was to warn me that Supreme Court nominee Kagan is going to ban books if she is put on the court. Of course there was not a single fact, quote, or anything to back this up. Included there was a plea from the Tea Party Patriots to donate money, tell all my friends, and to do my part to save America. I sure hope no one blindly sends money to people who have no credibility.

Flag was nice today. My deck was 85° but as usual, the breeze kept the deck nice. Still no hummingbirds have feasted on my feeders. I changed the nectar again today and I continue to have hope that they will find their way to enjoy what I have to offer.

HOLY MACKEREL: On this date in 1988 ►Michael Jackson became the first artist to have five number one singles from one album

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Sun Tzu: To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

Captain Cook lost 41 of his 98 crew to scurvy (a lack of vitamin C) on his first voyage to the South Pacific in 1768. By 1795 the importance of eating citrus was realized, and lemon juice was issued on all British Navy ships.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

What does this represent? NOXQQIVIT

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Police in Minnesota said a 15-year-old girl cited for stealing 44 pairs of panties from a store told officers she was in need of clean underwear. St. Paul police said the teenager, who was caught June 19 after leaving a Kmart store with a tote bag loaded with underpants she didn't pay for, asked officers if they "expect me to wear dirty underwear," the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reported. Investigators said 31 of the briefs were priced at $4.99 each and 13 were $3.99 each. The girl was cited for misdemeanor theft, police said.

A LITTLE LAUGH

While on a road trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant, and resumed their trip. When leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table and she didn't miss them until they had been driving for about forty minutes.

By then, to add to the aggravation, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around in order to return to the restaurant to retrieve her glasses.

All the way back, the elderly husband became the classic grouchy old man. He fussed and complained, and scolded his wife relentlessly during the entire return drive. The more he chided her, the more agitated he became. He just wouldn't let up for a single minute.

To her relief, they finally arrived at the restaurant. As the woman got out of the car, and hurried inside to retrieve her glasses, the old geezer yelled to her, "While you're in there, you might as well get my hat and the credit card."

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

I can be cracked, I can be made. I can be told, I can be played. What am I?

FOUND ON YOU TUBE

Mecca: National Geographic view during Hajj Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what common object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

28 -7/5: Fish Are Friends, Not Food! Week AND National Prevention of Eye Injuries Awareness

1-6 National Unassisted Homebirth Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Visitation Of The Virgin Mary Day

I Forgot Day

International Chicken Wing Day

Curaçao (off coast of Venezuela)(: Netherlands Antilles: Flag Day

Italy: Corso de Palio, horse-race

Norway: King's Birthday

Zambia: Unity Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Dancing with Tears in My Eyes: Nat Shilkret in 1930

The Woodpecker Song: Glenn Miller in 1940

'The Third Man' Theme: Anton Karas in 1950

Everybody's Somebody's Fool: Connie Francis in 1960

The Love You Save: The Jackson 5 in 1970

Coming Up (Live at Glasgow): Paul McCartney in 1980

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Hermann Hesse, 1877, novelist/poet (Steppenwolf, Nobel 1946), born in Calw in Württemberg, Germany

+++

Walter Brennan, 1894, actor (Real McCoys), born in Swampscott MA

Ken Curtis, 1916, actor (Ripcord, Festus-Gunsmoke), born in Lamar, CO

Polly Holliday, 73, actress (“Alice,” “Home Improvement”), born Jasper, AL

Lindsay Lohan, 24, actress (Freaky Friday, Mean Girls), born New York, NY

Dan Rowan, 1922, comedian (Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in), born on a carnival train near Beggs OK

Ashley Tisdale, 25, Disney actress, singer, born West Deal, NJ

…Athletics

Jose Canseco, 46, , Oakland As, born in Regla, Cuba

Richard Petty, 73, race car driver, born Level Cross, NC

…Business & Education

Lucy Baines Johnson, 63, daughter of 36th U.S. President Lyndon and Ladybird Johnson, born in Austin, TX

Imelda Marcos, 81, widow of exiled Philippines leader, born in Manila, Philippines

Dave Thomas, 1932, fast-food founder: Wendy’s, born in Atlantic City, NJ

…Politics

Thurgood Marshall, 1908, 1st black Supreme Court justice (1967-91), born in Baltimore, MD

Patrice Lumumba, 1925, Zaire, revolutionary, born in Onalua in the Katakokombe region of the Kasai province of the Belgian Congo

Vicente Fox Quesada, 68, former President of Mexico, born Mexico City

…Science / Religion

Wendy B Lawrence, 51, USN Lt Commander/astronaut, born in Jacksonville, FL

► Obituaries today ◄

Nostradamus, French astrologer/physician/prophet dropsy @ 63 in 1566

James Garfield, 20th President, assassinated by "job-seeker" @ 50 in 1882

Ernest Hemingway, shot himself to death in Ketchum Idaho @ 62 in 1961

Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling Stones, drowns @ 27 in 1969

Lee Remick, actress, @ 55 from cancer in 1991

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1939 ►The Aldrich Family debuted on radio

1955 ►"Lawrence Welk Show" premiers on ABC

…Athletics

1921 ►1st million dollar gate ($1.7m) boxing match (Dempsey KOs Carpentier)

1927 ►1st American to win Wimbledon in 20 years (Helen Wills Moody career of 8 wins @ Wimbledon)

…Business & Education

1862 ►Lincoln signs act granting land for state agricultural colleges

1992 ►The one millionth Chevrolet Corvette America's first sports car came off of the assembly line in Bowling Green

…Politics (US)

1964 ►Pres Johnson signs Civil Rights Act

1979 ►The Susan B. Anthony dollar became available at banks

…Politics (outside US)

1787 ►de Sade shouts from Bastille that prisoners are being slaughtered

1976 ►Formal reunification of North & South Vietnam

…Science / Religion

1850 ►The gas mask was patented

1937 ►Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan disappear over Pacific Ocean

1990 ►1,426 people were crushed or suffocated to death in a long tunnel during a stampede of religious pilgrims in a pedestrian tunnel in Mecca

2002 ►Steve Fossett became the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world landing the Spirit of Freedom

…Indigenous People

 695 ►Maya Smoke Imix, king of Copán, Honduras is buried

1885 ►Canada's North-west Insurrection ends with surrender of Big Bear

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

No excuse for it. [NO = No XQQ = x q's = excuse IV = Roman numeral for 4 = for IT = it]

…2

A joke

…Photo

LuxaryTax Space on Original Monopoly Game

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

The Beauty of Flagstaff

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