Saturday August 14

This is Week 32 of 2010►Day 226 with 139 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I am quickly getting to the TMI place about SB1070. (TMI=too much information). Today we learned that the senator who introduced the bill has accepted thousands from two different private prison lobbies. Let’s see, he first introduced a bill in 2003 to allow some prisons in AZ to be privatized. That bill passed, he sponsored and passed a few more, then last week he introduced a bill to privatize all prisons in AZ. He introduced SB1070 that puts illegals in AZ prisons until the Feds take over. That could be thousands of new inmates and lots of new private prisons.

Side Note: The three escapees who are on a killing spree around the US were in one of the privatized prisons here. The girlfriend/1st cousin of one of the guys parked her car at the fence of the prison…in the dirt…and threw a pair of wire cutters over to the group. When they actually escaped, they went through an unlocked door that should have been locked; when they cut the fence and alarm sounded but no one at the prison checked to see why…the guards just turned it off. The guards didn’t know the 3 inmates were missing for seven hours, and then didn’t notify the local sheriff for another two hours. Two have been recaptured but the lovers seem to be nowhere to be found, only their bloody trail remains. Somehow I don’t think I want convicted criminals in a private prison.

Our political system in AZ is badly broken. We need a whole bunch of people in the legislature who have a vision to improve AZ. Everyone we have now seems to be interested in getting reelected and cutting spending in education, privatizing prisons, cutting taxes for the rich, blaming illegals for all our woes, and helping any group that provides them with money.

I ran a few errands today, and it was really nice. Before taking off I took a nice walk. I left the house about 6:30 and got back about 8:00. It was really nice. I walked though our part of the urban trail system. Not a lot of people out but it was cool—like not hot, and the grasses, weeds, and sunflowers were also enjoying the morning sun. At 7:30 I saw one dedicated city employee out weed-whacking away. Somehow my ipod was only playing great walking music and the time flew by. We had a dry day and made it to 83°. As I left the house it was about 55°. Great day.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Sometimes we fail to hear or heed these voices of freedom because to us the privilege of our freedom is such an old, old story.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1935 Social Security Act became law

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about the number 13

~Many Christians have long believed that Friday was unlucky because it was the day of the week when Jesus was crucified. The number 13 was believed to bring bad luck because there were 13 people at The Last Supper.

~Thirteen was also a sinister number in Norse mythology. Loki, one of the most evil of the Norse gods, went uninvited to a party for 12 at Valhalla, a banquet hall of the gods. As a result, he caused the death of Balder, the god of light, joy, and reconciliation.

~On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrests of Jaques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templars and sixty of his senior knights in Paris. Thousands of others were arrested around the country. Most of the Templars were eventually executed and their sympathizers condemned Friday the 13th as an evil day.

~In the 18th century, the HMS Friday was launched on Friday the 13th. It was never heard from again. Since then, ships are not usually launched on that date

~It is considered especially unlucky to have 13 people at the table during a meal, such as in Agatha Christie's mystery novel, Thirteen at Dinner. During the 1880s, a men's group that felt superstition was an unhealthy influence on public life held Thirteen Club dinners.

~President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Questions: 3 letter words

A fedora, homburg or derby

Quixote or Drysdale

Opposite of flow, tides do it

Where things are nipped in, or Lou's partner

Some people have a quick one, which beats a ½ one

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A crate of Scotch whisky that was trapped in Antarctic ice for a century was finally opened Friday — but the heritage dram won't be tasted by whisky lovers because it's being preserved for its historical significance.

The crate, recovered from the Antarctic hut of renowned explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton after it was found there in 2006, has been thawed very slowly in recent weeks at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island.

The crate was painstakingly opened to reveal 11 bottles of Mackinlay's Scotch whisky, wrapped in paper and straw to protect them from the rigors of a rough trip to Antarctica for Shackleton's 1907 Nimrod expedition.

Though the crate was frozen solid when it was retrieved earlier this year, the whisky inside could be heard sloshing around in the bottles. Antarctica's minus 22 Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius) temperature was not enough to freeze the liquor, dating from 1896 or 1897 and described as being in remarkably good condition.

This Scotch is unlikely ever to be tasted, but master blenders will examine samples of it to see if they can replicate the brew. The original recipe for the Scotch no longer exists.

Once samples have been extracted and sent to Scottish distiller Whyte and Mackay, which took over Mackinlay's distillery many years ago, the 11 bottles will be returned to their home — under the floorboards of Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds on Ross Island, near Antarctica's McMurdo Sound.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A man goes to consult a specialist about his medical problem. After the visit the man asks, "How much do I owe you?"

"My fee is five hundred dollars," replies the physician.

"Five hundred dollars? That's impossible. No one charges that much!"

"In your case," the doctor replies, "I suppose I could adjust my fee to three hundred."

"Three hundred dollars? For one visit? Ridiculous."

"Well, then, could you afford two hundred?"

"Who has that kind of money?"

"Look, replies the doctor," growing irritated, "Just give me a hundred and get out of my office, okay?"

"I can give you fifty," says the man. "Take it or leave it."

"I don't understand you," says the doctor. "Why did you come to the most expensive doctor in New York if you have no money?"

"Listen, Doctor," says the patient, "When it comes to my health, nothing is too expensive!"

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

I am so fragile that even the sound of your voice can break me. What am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

VJ Day: in German: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

8-14: Assistance Dog Week

…Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week

…National Resurrect Romance Week

10-16: Elvis Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

National Creamsicle Day

National Navajo Code Talkers Day

National Garage Sale Day

Sandcastle & Sculpture Day

V-J Day: Victory in Japan

Arkansas: World War II Memorial Day (1945)

Bahrain: Independence Day (1971)

Chicago: Bud Billiken Day-honors children (1923)

Indonesia: Pramuka Day: to honor the largest scouting program in the world (means ‘young people willing to walk’)

Liechtenstein: Prince Franz-Joseph Day

Massachusetts: Liberty Tree Day (1765)

Pakistan-1947 and Bahrain-1971 : Independence Day

Portugal: Independence Day (1385)

Rhode Island and Michigan: V-J Day (1945)

US: Atlantic Charter Day; US & UK agree on war aims (1941)

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling Chauncey Olcott 1913

Love Is the Sweetest Thing Ray Noble 1933

You'll Never Know Dick Haymes 1943

Vaya con Dios (May God Be with You) Les Paul & Mary Ford 1953

Fingertips (Part II) Little Stevie Wonder 1963

The Morning After Maureen McGovern 1973

Every Breath You Take The Police 1983

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Russell Baker, 85, journalist, author, television host (“Masterpiece Theatre”), born Loudoun County, VA

David Crosby, 69, singer (Crosby, Stills & Nash), songwriter, born Los Angeles, CA

John Galsworthy, Nobel Prize-winning author [1932]; The Forsyte Saga…born in 1867… Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England

Gary Larson, 60, cartoonist (“The Far Side”), born Tacoma, WA

Danielle Steel, 63, author (Vanished, Wanderlust), born New York, NY

Ernest Thayer, writer: Casey at the Bat…born in 1868…Lawrence, MA

~~~

Catherine Bell, 42, actress (“JAG”), born London, England

Halle Berry, 42, actress (Die Another Day, X-Men, Oscar for Monster’s Ball), born Cleveland, OH

Antonio Fargas, 64, actor (Shaft, Hugggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch), born the Bronx, NY

Alice Ghostly, actress (Ezmerelda,Bewitched: Bernice, Designing Women) …born in 1926…Eve, MO

Steve Martin, 65, comedian, actor (Shopgirl, LA Story, Roxanne, Parenthood), novelist, born Waco, TX

Susan Saint James(Susan Jane Miller), 64, actress (“MacMillan and Wife,” “Kate and Allie”), born Long Beach, CA

• Athletics

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr, 51, Hall of Fame basketball player, born Lansing, MI

Joyce Kazmierski, 65, golf: LPGA Tour pro…born in Michigan

• Business & Education

John Ringling North, circus director…born in 1903…Baraboo, WI

Sir (Issac) James Pitman, educator/publisher(Pitman Publishing/phonetic speller(Pitman Shorthand, ITA)…born in 1901…Bath, England

• Politics

Lynne Cheney, 69, wife of Dick Cheney, 46th vice president of the US, born Casper, WY

• Science/Religion

Meriwether Lewis, capt of Lewis & Clark Expedition…born in 1774… Charlottsville VA

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

Mary Ritter, Beard American historian, @ 82 in 1958

David Farragut, American officer of the United States Navy, stroke @ 69

Enzo Ferrari, sportscar manufacturer (Ferrari), @ 90 in 1988

Pee Wee Reese, American baseball player @ 81 in 1991

William Randolph Hearst, newspaper publisher @ 88 in 1951

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1846 Henry David Thoreau jailed for tax resistance

• Athletics

1932 10th Olympic Games at Los Angeles closes

• Business & Education

1873 The first issue of Field and Stream magazine was published

• Indigenous People

1559 Tristan de Luna y Arellano has been appointed to establish Spanish settlements on Pensacola Bay by the Spanish Viceroy in Mexico. His expedition of thirteen ships, several priests, 500 soldiers, and 1000 settlers arrive in Pensacola Bay, in Florida. Much of the expedition is killed or starves because of a hurricane which strikes the area a few days later.

1842 Seminole War ends; Indians removed from Florida to Oklahoma

• Politics (US)

1848 Oregon Territory created

1908 Race riot in Springfield Illinois

1912 2,500 US marines invade Nicaragua; US remains until

• Politics (International)

1947 India granted independence within British Commonwealth

1973 US bombs Cambodia

• Science / Religion

1806 Lewis and Clark first reach a Minnetaree and Mandan village.

1888 Oliver B. Shallenberger of Rochester, PA received a patent (#388,003) for the electric meter

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

A fedora, homburg or derby: what is a hat?

Quixote or Drysdale: who is Don?

Opposite of flow, tides do it: What is ebb?

Where things are nipped in, or Lou's partner: What is bud?

Some people have a quick one, which beats a ½ one: What is a wit?

↔ 2

Silence

↔ Picture

A pinwheel toy

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Circus Poster

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