Wednesday July 21

This is Week 29 of 2010►Day 202 with 163 days left.

It is Day 93 of the BP Mess.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I got up this morning ready for the day. My computer would not turn on. I took it to a computer repair shop on the other side of town. After 45 minutes of free diagnostic testing, I learned that the motherboard had moved to some other plane. I had been having trouble with that computer for several weeks. When it shut down, it took forever and I got lots of error messages. Most of the programs in the background wouldn’t shut down automatically. Anyway the guy said that was the motherboard in trouble. The warranty had expired and a new motherboard would have cost way too much, and who knows what would go wrong next. So it was off to Sam’s for a new computer. I found one to meet my needs, and spent about three hours setting up new one, loading software, setting up shortcuts, etc. Tomorrow I will take the documents and pictures off the old hard drive. Then comes the challenge to learn the new Windows Operating System. I’ve been using XP so the change won’t be too difficult. It is amazing how we get used to using one computer. Some of the common things I did on XP are now different; we are never too old to learn. This one has a new keyboard, which is just enough different to feel strange. The best thing about the new computer is that is starts real fast. I know that won’t last long, but it will be nice for a while.

The Iroquois Lacrosse Team has been in the news and not for inventing the game. The British, holding the world lacrosse championships will not recognize their Iroquois Passports. They, like all Native Tribes in the US consider themselves a sovereign nation. The British will not honor their passports so they didn’t play. This reminds me of the Oglala Nation trying to get their own automobile license plates. South Dakota refused to allow it. Finally, the Feds stepped in and tribal members can get a tribal plate. Many talk about how the tribes are sovereign nations, until that nation does something locals might not like. The same thing happened when some tribes started gambling establishments. Britain claims that the passport does not meet the necessary security standards. The games are over now, the Iroquois didn’t play, but they won by standing up for their nation.

I didn’t get any rain, but the news says that the burn area got a lot, and many areas are flooded. The pictures look pretty bad for the residents of the area—lots of waves of water heading down the streets and very close to houses. Sadly, it appears that a young girl drowned in the area. So sad and everyone hopes they find that careless camper.

Without any rain here, but with rain so close, it is still very humind—62%. My deck was 85°and there was basically no breeze.

MY QUOTE FOR THE DAY

John Lennon: Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1861 ►1st major battle of Civil War

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

In the seventh month of fetal life the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys, are about the same size as the kidneys. At birth they are slightly smaller, and they continue to shrink throughout life. By the time a person reaches old age, the adrenals are so small they can hardly be seen.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1

Can you find something which has keys that open no locks, with space but no room, and allows you to enter but not to go in?

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia's top Islamic body declared Tuesday that Muslims can drink civet coffee — the world's most expensive coffee, which is extracted from the dung of civet cats.

A preacher recently suggested the beverage might not be "halal" — or religiously approved — because its provenance makes it unclean. But after a long discussion Tuesday, the influential Indonesian Ulema Council said that the coffee, known locally as Kopi Luwak, could be consumed as long as the beans were washed.

Kopi Luwak, which takes it name from the Indonesian word for civets, is made from hard beans that have been eaten by the nocturnal critters and then fermented in their stomachs before being pooped out and roasted. Civet cats are mongoose-like animals.

The coffee is highly prized for its smooth flavor and bitterless aftertaste, sometimes fetching well over $200 a pound online.

"Kopi Luwak can be declared 'halal' after passing through a washing process," said Maruf Amien, acting head of the council. "Producing, selling and drinking it is allowed."

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, Kopi Luwak is produced in the main Java island, Sumatra and Sulawesi. It is also found under different names elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Only 1,000 pounds are said to be produced annually worldwide.

The Ulema Council has often issued fatwas, or edicts, including several controversial rulings against smoking and yoga. Its edicts are not legally binding, but many devout Muslims abide by them.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A guy comes home completely drunk one night. He lurches through the door and is met by his scowling wife, who is most definitely not happy. "Where in tarnation have you been all night?" she demands.

"At this fantastic new bar," he says. "The Golden Saloon. Everything there is golden. It's got huge golden doors, a golden floor, the works - heck, even the urinal's gold!"

The wife still doesn't believe his story, and the next day checks the phone book, finding a place across town called the Golden Saloon. She calls up the place to check her husband's story.

"Is this the Golden Saloon?" she asks when the bartender answers the phone.

"Yes it is," bartender answers.

"Do you have huge golden doors?"

"Sure do." "Do you have golden floors?"

"Most certainly do."

"What about golden urinals?"

There's a long pause, then the woman hears the bartender yelling, "Hey, Duke, I think I got a lead on the guy that peed in your saxophone last night!"

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2

Returns tomorrow

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Cat Stevens’ Song: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

► Weekly Observances ◄

15-21: Rabbit Week: to raise awareness of rabbits as pets

18-25: Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) Education & Awareness Week

………..Captive Nations Week

………..National Independent Retailers Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Legal Drinking Age Day

Belgium : Independence Day (1831 from Netherlands)

Bhutan : 3rd King of Bhutan's Death

Bolivia : Martyr's Day

Guam : Liberation Day (1944)

Singapore:Racial Harmony Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Stairway to the Stars-> Glenn Miller in 1939

Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend) -> Vaughn Monroe in 1949

Lonely Boy-> Paul Anka in 1959

In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) -> Zager & Evans in 1969

Bad Girls-> Donna Summer in 1979

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Ernest Hemingway, writer (Nobel 1954) born in 1899 Oak Park, IL

Isaac Stern, violinist (debut SF Symph) born in 1920 Kremenetz, Russia

Cat Stevens (born Stephen Demetri Georgiou; chosen Muslim name is Yusuf Islam), 62, singer, songwriter, London, England

Garry Trudeau, 61, political cartoonist (“Doonesbury”), born New York, NY

+++

Josh Hartnett, 32, actor (Pearl Harbor, Halloween H2O), born San Francisco, CA

Jon Lovitz, 53, actor (A League of Their Own, “NewsRadio”), born Tarzana, CA

Jesse Donald "Don" Knotts, actor (Andy Griffith Show, 3's Company) born in 1924 Morgantown WV

Robin Williams, 58, comedian, actor (“Mork and Mindy,” Mrs Doubtfire, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting), born Chicago, IL

…Athletics

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… Business & Education

Paul Julius Baron von Reuter, founded Reuters news service, born in 1816 Kassel, Germany

…Politics

Frances Folsom Cleveland, 1st lady born in 1864 Buffalo, NY

Janet Reno, 72, former US Attorney General (Clinton administration), born Miami, FL

► Obituaries today ◄

Robert Burns, Scottish poet, rheumatic heart condition @37 in 1796

James Fixx, runner & author, heart attack @ 43 in 1984

Dave Garroway, TV host (Today Show), suicide @ 69 in 1982

Basil Rathbone, Johannesburg S African actor, dies at 75 in NYC, NY in 1967

Bernard Spooner, US inventor of bulletproof jacket, in 1957

► Events ◄

…The Arts

--

…Athletics

--

…Business & Education

--

…Indigenous People

1806 ►Crow Indians steal twenty-four of Lewis and Clark’s horses.

1832 ►General James Henry's forces defeat Black Hawk and his followers in the "Battle of Wisconsin Heights." According to military records, Black Hawk loses sixty-eight warriors; however, Black Hawk says he only loses six men.

…Politics (US)

1846 ►Mormons found 1st English settlement in CA (San Joaquin Valley)

1861 ►1st major battle of Civil War ends (Bull Run), Va-South wins

1930 ►US Veterans Administration established

…Politics (outside US)

1588 ►English fleet defeats Spanish armada

…Science / Religion

1976 ►1st outbreak of "Legionnaire's Disease" kills 29 in Philadelphia

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

…1

A keyboard

…2

Returns tomorrow

…Photo

s-video connector on computer

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

New York City
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