Wednesday Sept. 1

This is Week 35 of 2010►Day 244 with 121 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Once a teacher, always a teacher. It’s the first day of the month and time to look ahead to see what the month has in store. Each and every month just about anyone or any group with a cause select a month to make people aware of their cause. I always like to list the causes I am aware of, just to give them a little more attention. They are listed in the Calendar Information below. I am sure there are more, but these are the ones I know about.

Obama gave his ‘end of combat’ speech tonight. It was short and sweet. Somehow I don’t feel like the war is over. We all studied Mesopotamia in elementary school. It was known as the ‘fertile land’. We learned that it was the ‘cradle of civilization.’ That empire has been invaded many times. Each invader left the country in shambles and each time the people of the area rebuilt. We are no different. Someday, I hope within my lifetime, foreigners will be able to visit Iraq and learn about its greatness throughout history. Some of the news organizations have had journalists walking the streets of Iraq in the past few weeks. While the damage from the war is apparent, the locals are rebuilding. The war has done damage that will take generations to rebuild. Innocent families have lost many relatives in bombings and raids—from all military in the war. Our country, just like all countries of the world, will not ever give us full details on the number of innocents were killed. I recall my father talking about how, during the war [WWII] the military taught them that the ‘only good Jap was a dead Jap’. I’m sure it has been hard for today’s soldiers to determine if a person walking by them is an innocent or a terrorist. Now that the combat troops are out, I hope the locals will be able to figure out a peace they can live with. It will be several generations before any Iraqi government can be a threat to any of the world powers. The country has very sporadic electricity, few schools that hold classes on a regular basis, and few if any family units exist that have not been devastated by the war. Most elementary aged students have known nothing but war in their lives. High school aged students know little but war. As in every society, the children are the future for Iraq. I only hope that they can find a way to figure out what is ahead is up to them.

The City Council listened to lots of people last night about selling drinking water to a recreation site. It had been touted as the ‘end all’ meeting to make a decision. Hey, it’s Flagstaff. The meeting was loud, emotional, and lots of people got their say. It lasted until almost midnight—way past most of the council’s bed time. Only the local gadfly had to be asked---told to leave the meeting. Comments had a time limit, but not everyone had to meet the time limit. The council, in all its wisdom, decided not to decide. It was not a good idea, according to them, to make a decision at such a late hour. Maybe. They will meet again to make the decision, but also decided not to decide when that would be. The snowmaking thing will not increase the size of the ski area, it will just assist nature in having snow on its 32 trails and 4 lifts. Breckenridge in Colorado has 150 trails and 30 lifts. That is a ski town. Purgatory just outside Durango, Colorado has 85 trails and 9 lifts. Many of the business people here describe skiing in Flagstaff as a ski destination. After listening to the problems of Snowbowl for more than 30 years, it is time to recognize that visitation will not increase with more snow on the tiny mountain. It may increase the number of days the trails are open, but will not bring skiers to Flagstaff. We do not have the infrastructure for a ski resort. The road to the ski area is treacherous after a storm. The ski lines are basically empty during the week, and when the snow is good, the lines are long. The owners can’t expand the trails or add more lifts. They just want to have long lines on more days.

Flagstaff was very nice today. We had no wind. Imagine that. My deck made it to 74° making it a good day for a walk. We dropped to 43° last night, so fall is certainly in the air. My early morning [7am] walk was in long pants—the first time since May. I can still wear my Tevas, but my toes did get a little chilly. Flag is beautiful in the fall, and I guess it’s time to start realizing that fall is almost here.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism: Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1923 Earthquake strikes Tokyo & Yokohama, kills 106,000

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION in Science

§The idea of the atom was first introduced by Leucippus of Miletus around 450 B.C.. Leucippus and his pupil, Democritus, theorized that all matter was composed of atoms, or bits of matter too small to be seen. The word "atom" comes from a Greek word, "atomos", meaning uncuttable.

§In 2004, on the island of Flores in Indonesia, a team of Australian and Indonesian researchers discovered the remains of a hobbit-sized human,one that stood no more than a meter tall.

§Atoms are most tightly packed in a solid.

§At 4,160 miles (6,693 kilometers), the Nile is the longest river in the world.

§Although it was a long-held belief that the Stegosaurus had three brains: One in its head, one in its back, and one in its tail, recent studies have shown that these extra "brains" were actually energy stores for muscles.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers: Geography

$100-Formerly Formosa

$200-Dutch is still an official language in what is now called Suriname

$300-8th most populous country in the world, this "Bengal Nation" was once East Pakistan

$-400First colony since 1776 to break from Britain without consent, it is now Zimbabwe

$500-About 1/3 of Africa's Pygmy population lives in what was once Belgian Congo

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

KERNERSVILLE, N.C. - A North Carolina collector is auctioning "The Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger's toilet on eBay with an asking price of $1 million. Rick Kohl of Kernersville-based webuytreasure.com said he might be open to accepting a smaller sum for the commode, which was taken from a New Hampshire home the notoriously reclusive author moved out of in the mid-1980s, the Charlotte News & Observer reported Thursday. "I bet it's worth $100,000," Kohl said. "Come on, it's J.D. Salinger's throne! We're talking 'Catcher in the Rye' here!" The auction runs for about 2 1/2 weeks.

A LITTLE LAUGH

At the school where my mother worked, the two first-grade teachers were Miss Paine and Mrs. Hacking. One morning the mother of a student called in the middle of a flu epidemic to excuse her daughter from school.

"Is she in Paine or Hacking?" the school secretary asked.

"She feels fine," said the confused mom. "We have company, and I'm keeping her home."

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

A man with no drivers license went the wrong way and turned left at a corner with a "no left" sign. A policewomen saw him but didn't do anything. Why?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Solar Flare Mystery: Click Here To See!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ S E P T E M B E R      M O N T H L Y      O B S E R V A N C E S ¤

§September gets its name from Latin [septem] which means seven as in the Roman calendar it was the seventh month. Charlemagne’s calendar called it ‘harvest month’; the Anglo-Saxon called it Gerstmonath (barley month); and in Switzerland it is called Herbstmonat (harvest month). The birthstone is the sapphire—for clear thinking. The flowers are the forget-me-not, aster, and morning glory.

§AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Month--Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Month--Apple Month

§Baby Safety Month--Backpack Safety America Month--Be Kind To Editors & Writers Month

§Childrens' Good Manners Month--Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Link--College Savings Month

§Fall Hat Month

§Go Wild During California Wild Rice Month--Great American Low-Cholesterol, Low-fat Pizza Bake Month--Gynecology Cancer Awareness Month

§Healthy Aging Month

§International People Skills Month--International Self-Awareness Month--International Strategic Thinking Month

§Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month--Library Card Sign-up Month

§National:

Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month--Mold Awareness Month-- Chicken Month-- Childhood Injury Prevention Month-- DNA, Genomics & Stem Cell Education Month--Coupon Month--Head Lice Prevention Month-- Hispanic Heritage Month--Honey Month--Mushroom Month--Organic Harvest Month Link--Osteopathic Medicine Month Link--Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (Gov't)--Prime Beef Month Link--Sickle Cell Month--Piano Month--Preparedness Month--Prostate Cancer Awareness Month--Rice Month-- Skin Care Awareness Month

§One-on-One Month--Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

§Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month--Pleasure Your Mate Month

§Reunion Planning Month

§Self Improvement Month--Shameless Promotion Month--Sports and Home Eye Health & Safety Month--Subliminal Communications Month

§Update Your Resume Month

§Women's Friendship Month--World Animal Remembrance Month

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

-9/4: Minority Enterprise Development Week

1-8: International Enthusiasm Week: Self-University Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

Building and Code Staff Appreciation Day

Calendar Adjustment Day: used to make the adjustment from Gregorian to Julian Calendar

Emma M. Nutt Day: to honor 1st female telephone operator

National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day

Toy Tips Executive Toy Test Day: A day for adults to buy a toy and try it out.

Brunei: Revelation of the Koran

Lybia, Egypt : Revolution Day (1969)

Malaysia:  National Day

Mexico: Presidental Message Day/Opening of congress

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1910...Casey Jones...Billy Murray & American Quartet

1930...Little White Lies...Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians

1940...I'll Never Smile Again...Tommy Dorsey

1950...Goodnight Irene...Gordon Jenkins & the Weavers Click Here to Hear!

1960...It's Now or Never...Elvis Presley Click Here to Hear!

1970...War...Edwin Starr Click Here to Hear!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Edgar Rice Burroughs, novelist (Tarzan, Mars Saga) …born 1875…Chicago, IL

Gloria Estefan, 53, singer…born Havana, Cuba

Barry Gibb, 64, singer (with the Bee Gees, “Staying Alive”), song-writer…born Manchester, England

Lydia Sigourney, religious author (How to Be Happy) …born 1791…Norwich, CT

Conway Twitty [Harold Lloyd Jenkins], country singer (Hello Darlin') …born 1933…Friars Point, MS

Boxcar Willie (Lecil Martin), ‘The Singing Hobo’: songwriter, singer…born.1931 …Ellis County, TX

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Yvonne De Carlo , actress (10 Commandments, Munsters) …born 1922…Vancouver BC

George Maharis (Maharias), 82, actor: Route 66…born Astoria, NY

Lily Tomlin, 71, actress, comedienne…born Detroit, MI

╬ ATHLETICS

James "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, heavyweight champion boxer…born 1866 …San Francisco, CA

Timothy Duane (Tim) Hardaway, 44, former basketball player(Warriors, Heat, Magic, Nuggets, Pacers)…born Chicago, IL

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Elizabeth Harrison, educator (Natl Congress of Parents & Teachers) …born 1849 …Athens, GA

Alan Dershowitz, 72, attorney, author…born Brooklyn, NY

╬ POLITICS

Sir Roger David Casement, martyr (IRA) …born 1864… Dublin, Ireland

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Dr. Phil McGraw, 60, psychologist, author, television personality (“The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Dr. Phil”)…born Vinita, OK

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Jacques Cartier, French explorer, plague @ 65 in 1557

William Clark, 2nd lt of Lewis & Clark Expedition, @ 68 in 1838

Louis XIV, King of France (1643-1715), @ 76 in 1715

Henry "Scoop" Jackson, (Sen-WA), aortic aneurysm @ 71 in 1983

Ethel Waters, actress (Beulah)/singer (Stormy Weather), @ 76 in 1977

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1975 Gunsmoke goes off the air

╬ ATHLETICS

1890 1st baseball tripleheader-Boston vs Pittsburgh

1906 Joseph Harris (Boston) & Jack Coombs (A's) pitch complete 24 inning game

1972 Bobby Fischer (US) defeats Boris Spassky (USSR) for world chess title

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1859 The Pullman sleeping car was placed into service.

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1640 A treaty agreement cover land cessions between the Mohegan and Connecticut will be reached today.

1866 Manuelito and twenty-three of his Navajo followers surrender to the army at Fort Wingate.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1799 Bank of Manhattan Company opens in NYC (forerunner to Chase Manhattan)

1807 Aaron Burr acquitted of charges of plotting to set up an empire

╬ POLITICS (International)

  69 Traditional date of the destruction of Jerusalem

1666 Great London Fire begins in Pudding Lane. 80% of London is destroyed

1914 St Petersburg, Russia changes name to Petrograd

1939 The beginning of World War II; the invasion of Poland by Nazi troops and planes.

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1859 RC Carrington & R Hodgson make 1st observation of solar flare

1865 Joseph Lister performs 1st antiseptic surgery

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

Formerly Formosa: What is Taiwan?

Dutch is still an official language in what is now called Suriname: What is Dutch Guiana?

8th most populous country in the world, this "Bengal Nation" was once East Pakistan: What is Bangladesh?

First colony since 1776 to break from Britain without consent, it is now Zimbabwe: What is Rhodesia?

About 1/3 of Africa's Pygmy population lives in what was once Belgian Congo: What is Zaire?

↔ 2

The man was walking.

↔ PICTURE

A bicycle cargo rack

TODAY’S NATIONAL PARK PHOTO SHOTS

Grand Canyon, Arizona, the 17th National Park as of February 26, 1919: The Grand Canyon, carved out by the Colorado River, is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 1 mile (1.6 km) deep, and up to 15 miles (24 km) wide. Millions of years of exposure has formed colorful layers of the Colorado Plateau in mesas and canyon walls.

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