Saturday July 10

This is Week 27 of 2010, Day 191 with 174 days left. It is Day 82 of the BP Mess.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Yeah weekend! Boo traffic. I had to go out twice today, due to poor planning. This morning there was a little more traffic than usual, but not bad. This afternoon, the traffic was horrendous. I really like where I live. I don’t like getting out of the neighborhood when there is heavy traffic. There is no way out without getting onto Hwy 89. Except for our townhouses the entire neighborhood is a manufactured home community. We are backed right up to the forest. When 89 is busy turning north is impossible, but I hardly ever have to go that way. Turning right is not easy either. 89 is the main artery to the rez, Page, and numerous developments in the Doney Park area. It’s amazing how many vehicles use the road. After finally getting on to 89 it was bumper to bumper to the freeway—about 2 miles. I needed to get to the grocery store near downtown. The traffic wasn’t much better even after the freeway. Getting home was a little easier but still got caught at every single light. Finally, turning into the development was just as difficult as getting out. Better planning has to be on my agenda, especially when I know there is traffic.

For the past thirty plus years, the governors of the US border states have met annually with the governors of the Mexican border states. They meet to discuss a wide variety of issues. They discuss technology, education, agriculture, wildlife, health, and water issues. Also on the agenda is how to get more Mexican citizens to spend more money in the US and how to get more American citizens to spend more money in Mexico. Both sides want to make the visiting tourists to have a good experience. Well, this year’s conference was set to be in AZ. Some of the Mexican governors had expressed concern about coming to AZ after 1070 goes into effect. Our non-elected governor responded in her usual political mode and cancelled the conference. She did not contact the other US governors about alternatives. She did not contact the Mexican governors about alternatives. She just cancelled the conference. And people still believe that SB1070 is not a racist bill. By not even meeting with these leaders, she is setting up AZ for failure. Time will tell if the conference will be held somewhere else. Time will tell if our non elected governor will attend the conference in some other state. Childish behavior. To add more wood to the border fire, the state treasurer, a Republican, was running against Brewer in a primary. Today he announced he is withdrawing from the primary and throwing his full support to Brewer “in her fight against Obama.” Six months ago the primary was expected to be a run away for the Treasurer.

My first trip today was across town on the freeway. Most of the drive was in a light rain shower. It didn’t rain at my place; it didn’t rain once I got off the freeway. So I still have hope for the monsoons, even though there was no rain on the way home. It has been cloudy most of the day. It has been humid—43% and it has been very warm—83°. The monsoons have to almost here. They must be waiting for an engraved invitation.

HOLY MACKEREL: On this date in 1962 ►Telstar, 1st geosynchronous communications satellite, launched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuA-fqKCiAE

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Daniel Defoe: The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

A human brain weighs about three pounds.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

What does this represent?

Ag Ag Ag Ag Ag

Ag CIRRUS Ag

Ag Ag Ag Ag Ag

Ag Ag Ag Ag Ag

Ag CUMULUS Ag

Ag Ag Ag Ag Ag

Ag Ag Ag Ag Ag

Ag STRATUS Ag

Ag Ag Ag Ag Ag

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

OLIVER, British Columbia - Volunteer firefighters in a Canadian town found themselves in hot water for quenching their thirst with beer they rescued from a fire they extinguished. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Tuesday the entire fire department in Oliver, British Columbia -- more than 30 members -- were suspended for two weeks after it was determined they drank at least one of the six beer kegs they removed from a burning hotel in May. Initially, just two volunteer firefighters were suspended and the chief took a leave of absence. But Mayor Pat Hampson said a closer look revealed a wider problem.

"The fire department approached us and said, 'Look, we've made a stupid mistake here, and we feel we should all take responsibility for it, even the members who aren't at the incident,' just to show solidarity amongst themselves," he said. The suspensions will be staggered, so to speak, so the town isn't left without fire protection.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A lawyer walks into his client's death row cell and says, "I've got good news, and bad news for you.. " The prisoner says. " Okay. What's the bad news? " "The bad news is that the Governor won't issue a stay of your execution...you go to the chair at 7 PM tonight." "Oh, that's horrible. What possibly could be the good news?"

"The good news is that I got your voltage reduced!"

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

Name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

FOUND ON YOU TUBE

Mr. Wizard made science for girls and boys: Click Here to see an old show!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what common object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

4-10: Freedom Week AND Be Nice To New Jersey Week

10-12: International Chicken Wing Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Clerihew Day: The birthday of Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875-1956), inventor of the clerihew, has been designated "Clerihew Day" by the man's many followers. The clerihew, a wholly frivolous poetic form, is a four-line verse adhering to the rhyme scheme AABB. The first line consists of a personal name, while those that follow traditionally are, or purport to be, biographical in nature. Little, if any, attention is paid to meter.

Don't Step On A Bee Day

Hop A Park Day

Teddy Bears' Picnic Day

Wyoming: Statehood Day (1890)

Albania: Army Day

Bahamas: Independence Day (1973)

Mauritania: Armed Forces Day (under French rule until 1960-part of Senagal)

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Music, Maestro, Please: Tommy Dorsey in 1938

Woody Wood-Pecker: Kay Kyser in 1948

Purple People Eater: Sheb Wooley in 1958

This Guy's in Love with You: Herb Alpert in 1968

Shadow Dancing: Andy Gibb in 1978

The Flame: Cheap Trick in 1988

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Saul Bellow, novelist (Nobel 1976-Mr Samler's Planet) born in 1915 Quebec

Earl Hamner Jr., 87, writer: Palm Springs Weekend, Spencer’s Mountain, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story; creator: Falcon Crest; executive producer, narrator: The Waltons born in Schuyler, VA

Ima Hogg, art patron/founder of the Houston Symphony born in 1882 Mineola, TX

James (Abbott McNeill) Whistler, artist: Whistler’s Mother born in 1834 in Lowell, MA

+++

Nick Adams, actor (Johnny Yuma-The Rebel) born in 1931 Nanticoke PA

Ron Glass, 65, actor (“Barney Miller,” voice on “Rugrats”), born Evansville, IN

Arlo Guthrie, 63, singer (“The City of New Orleans,” “Alice’s Restaurant”), born Brooklyn, NY

Fred Gwynne, actor (Car 54 Where Are You, Munsters) born in 1926 NYC

Jessica Simpson, 30, singer, actress (Dukes of Hazzard), born Abilene, TX

…Athletics

Arthur Ashe, tennis pro (1968 US Open) born in 1943 Richmond VA

Jake LaMotta, middleweight boxing champ (1949-51) (Raging Bull) born in 1921 Bronx, NY

…Business & Education

David Brinkley, NBC News anchor (Huntley-Brinkley) born in 1920 Wilmington NC

Adolphus Busch, brewer: founder of Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest beer brewery born in 1839 Kastel, a district ofWiesbaden in the Grand Duchy of Hesse (Now Germany)

Donald Jeffrey Herbert Kemske Mr. Wizard, science teacher, actor: born in 1917 Waconia, MN

…Politics

Sir William Blackstone, jurist (Blackstone's Commentaries) born in 1723 London, England

David Norman Dinkins, 83, former and first black mayor of New York City (D), born Trenton, NJ

…Science / Religion

John Calvin, Protestant religious reformer/theologian born in 1509 Noyon , France

► Obituaries today ◄

Bridget Bishop, first Salem witch hung in 1692

Mel Blanc, voice of cartoon characters (Bugs Bunny), @ 81 in 1989

Arthur Fiedler, orch leader (Boston Pops), @ 84 in 1979

Johann Galle, discoverer of Neptune with telescope, @ 97 in 1910

Clement Clarke Moore, writer ('Twas the Night Before Xmas), @ 83 in 1863

Kevin O'Higgins (Caoimhín Críostóir Ó hUigín), Irish Free State VP, assassinated @ 35 in 1927

Gerome Ragal, author (Hair), cancer @ 48 in 1991

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1866 ►Edison P. Clark of Northampton, MA patented his indelible pencil.

…Athletics

1982 ►Miguel Vasquez makes 1st public quadruple somersault on trapeze

…Business & Education

1892 ►1st concrete-paved street built (Bellefountaine, Ohio)

1925 ►John T. Scopes, a science teacher in Tennessee, was charged with violating the state's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach evolution in Tennessee schools.

…Indigenous People

1854 ►According to their Indian Agent, 200 Sacs and Foxes, are attacked by a force of 1500 Comanches, Kiowas, Osage, and Apaches near Smoky Hill, 100 miles west of Fort Riley, in central Kansas

…Politics (US)

1917 ►Emma Goldman imprisoned for obstructing the draft

1929 ►US issues newer, smaller-sized paper currency

1934 ►1st sitting US president to visit South America, FDR in Colombia

…Politics (outside US)

1940 ►Winston Churchill made many memorable speeches in World War II but one of the sentences that is his famous speech where he used the words "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", referring to the allied pilots who fought against the German pilots in the Battle of Britain

…Science / Religion

1938 ►Aviator Howard Hughes makes a record flight around the world

1987 ►The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior is sunk when French agents plant a bomb on the hull of the boat

1998 ►The Diocese of Dallas agreed to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

Every cloud has a silver lining. Cirrus, cumulus, and stratus are types of clouds. Ag is the chemical symbol for silver.

…2

Yesterday, today, tomorrow

…Photo

Green Olive on a toothpick

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Amazing Shawdows

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