Wednesday October 20

This is Week 42 of 2010►Day 293 with 72 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Running errands today I had to take a detour. After misreading the paper, I had to drive to the airport on I-17 to get back on I-40, some 10 miles out of my way. Even GPS wouldn’t have helped. Oh well, it was a pleasant drive—and I wasn’t alone. The five cars in front of me and some behind me all took the airport exit, then right back on I-17 and back to I-40.

While on my errands I ran into Maggie, one of our discussion group. She looks great after her heart surgery and the flooding. I was concerned that they might leave Flagstaff, but are in the process of using the concrete flood barriers as the foundation for a new retaining wall and are redesigning their driveway so it won’t be remain an easy conduit for the water coming off the neighbor’s property. She was really upbeat, looking great after losing some weight, and still working hard with her grant business. Good news all the way around. Klaus, her husband, is visiting his 94 year old mother in Canada. I’m so glad they are doing so well, and we all look forward to our discussions which will start up in January.

Bullying has been around for a long time. We have known for decades that a bully has low self-esteem and tries to build self-esteem by picking on someone weaker. It happens in schools, it happens on the way to and from school. Kids are afraid to say anything for fear of greater retaliation. Many adults and many more children become bystanders to bullying. Many see it as part of the ‘growing up’ process. Bullying has really changed. Now there is cyber-bullying, where the bully posts their actions on the internet. They post lies. They post photos and videos. In today’s world, the bullying can easily become 24/7. Our schools are still not able to deal with the problem. As a teacher and as an administrator I had to deal with bullying of students and adults. Every child is different, and someone seems to always find a way to make a difference a bad thing. In Tuba, the non-Navajo kids were bullied by the Navajo kids. In Pine Ridge, the full bloods were bullied by the biracial. Any child who is taller, shorter, faster, slower, heavier, lighter, or different in any way is subjected to bullying. Some teachers bullied other teachers with gossip. Many times the bully came from a family with a bully mom or dad. Many times the bullied child came from a victim mom or victim dad. There has to be more than coming up with a punishment for the bully and telling the bullied child to ignore the bully’s words and report the bully’s actions. The past few weeks have taken a very dark turn. Several bullied youth have decided to end the bullying, once and for all—by ending their life. The laws are so out of date. So many still believe that it is just part of growing up. So many recall growing up and being bullied and surviving, or watching someone be bullied and doing nothing, or being on the sidelines when a friend was a bully or was being bullied. They don’t understand that bullying in 2010 is not the bullying they knew when growing up. I don’t have any real answers, but I do know that if someone doesn’t come up with some real programs, the bullying will continue and the bullied will continue to take their own lives. This is YWCA Week without Violence, National Character Counts Week, National School Bus Safety Week and Freedom From Bullies Week. That alone should say something. Lots of words, lots of awareness, but sadly, not very many answers.

It was cloudy all day in Flag. We did get a little rain during the night, but none today. Probably will come later. Lee, the Weatherman says to hold on to our hats and get out our raincoats for Wednesday night and all day Thursday. Our lunch group is headed to Cameron for lunch, so I hope there isn’t too much rain.

Flag…H—63°; L—36°; RH—44%; and 10mph breeze. Fall is certainly in the air.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Georg W. Hegel, German Philosopher (1770-1831)

What experience and history teach is this - that people and governments never have learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it.

Bonus Quote: Confucius: Study the past if you would define the future.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1774 The new Continental Congress, the governing body of America’s colonies, passed an order proclaiming that all citizens of the colonies “discountenance and discourage all horse racing and all kinds of gaming, cock fighting, exhibitions of shows, plays and other expensive diversions and entertainment.” Since this proclamation included acting, dancing, singing, and the playing of music, all forms of entertainment and all theatre productions ceased.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—Birthdays

→The earliest birthday parties were held because it was believed evil spirits were particularly attracted to people on their birthdays. To protect them from harm, friends and family would to come be with the birthday person and bring good thoughts and wishes. Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to ward off the evil spirits.

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→One theory about the origin of the birthday cake is that it originated with the Greeks, who baked round cakes representing the full moon for their moon goddess, Artemis. They placed candles on the cake to make it glow, like the moon.

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→The Germans are also credited with the first cakes and candles. They used a sweet, layered cake and they put a large candle in the center of the cake to represent "the light of life." Some people believe the smoke from extinguished candles carries their birthday wishes up to heaven. The Happy Birthday song was written in 1893 by two sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill, who were schoolteachers in Louisville, Kentucky. The tune was originally a morning greeting to their students entitled "Good Morning To All." The lyrics were copyrighted in 1935, 11 years before Patty's death, and the ownership has swapped hands in multi-million dollar deals ever since.

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→The birth stones tradition can be traced back to the first century. The stones were used in the breastplate of Jewish High Priests. The breast plate full of stones, symbolized 12 Israel tribes. Each stone was dedicated to one of the 12 months.

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→The tradition of sending birthday cards started in England about 100 years ago. Originally cards were often sent as an "apology" when a person couldn't visit somebody in person.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers (1984)—“Nick” names

$200-You can call me "merry" or you can call me "hairy" but you doesn't has to call me "Santa"

$400-When John Wayne always arrived with the cavalry

$600-Things are never "hoop" less for this Manhattan team

$800-He was Eddie Murphy's partner for 48 hours

$1000-Gambler who paid the "Brice" for marrying a famous Fanny

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

Miami-Police in South Florida say it'll be easy to identify the man suspected of serial iPhone thefts: He's the one with the "I'm Me" tattoo on his forehead.

Joseph Eric Williams, 19, is on the run from Broward sheriff's deputies, who were able to identify him by the tattoo.

Apparently, one of those "Hello. My name is" stickers wasn't stylish enough for Williams, who has robbed as many as 15 AT&T stores in the past two months, police say. He also has a teardrop and a money bag tattooed on his face.

Williams usually walks into the store, finds the iPhone display case and snatches out two or three phones before running out of the store, police say.

His crime spree started in Tamarac and Deerfield Beach, police say, but victims in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties have also identified Williams as the "I'm Me" iPhone thief.

Crimestoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to Williams' arrest

A LITTLE LAUGH

These two girlfriends are very close, allowing them to be totally honest with each other.

As one fidgeted in front of the mirror one evening before a date, she remarked, "I'm fat."

"No, you're not," the other scolded.

"My hair is awful."

"It looks just fine."

"I've never looked worse," she whined.

"Yes, you have," her friend replied.

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Bullying is a worldwide problem, here is a possible answer: Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

17-23: Food and Drug Interaction Education and Awareness Week ^ Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week ^ International Credit Union Week ^ Teen Read Week ^ National Chemistry Week ^ National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week ^ YWCA Week without Violence ^ National Character Counts Week ^ National Forest Products Week ^ National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ^ National School Bus Safety Week

18-24: Freedom From Bullies Week ^ Freedom of Speech Week ^ Medical Assistants Recognition Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Infertility Awareness Week ^ National Massage Therapy Week ^ National Businesswomen's Week

24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week

27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

National Brandied Fruit Day

Guatemala: Revolution Day/Dia de la Revolucion (1944)

Kenya: Kenyatta Day (for Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first President)

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1897...There's a Little Star Shining for You / Dan Quinn (Original Not Available) 

1907...Harrigan / Billy Murray Click Here to View!

1917...Over There / American Quartet Click Here to View!

1927...Charmaine! / Guy Lombardo (Original Not Available)

1937...That Old Feeling / Shep Fields (Original Not Available)

1947…Near You / Francis Craig Click Here to View!

1957…Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Presley Click Here to View!

1967…To Sir, with Love / Lulu Click Here to View! – opening movie credits

1977…You Light Up My Life / Debby Boone Click Here to View!

1987…Bad / Michael Jackson Click Here to View!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Danny Boyle, 54, filmmaker, director (Slumdog Millionaire, Train-spotting)

Art Buchwald, columnist/author (Have I Ever Lied to You), born in 1925

Frederic Dannay (Ellery Queen ), author: mystery series [w/Manfred B. Lee], born in 1905

Snoop Doggy Dogg (Cordozar Broadus), 39, rapper

Arlene Francis, radio/TV hostess, born in 1908

"Grandpa" Louis M Jones, country singer/banjoist (Hee Haw), born in 1930

Tom Petty, 57, singer, songwriter

♦♦♦♦♦♦

William Christopher, 78, actor (“M*A*S*H,” With Six You Get Egg-roll)

Earl Hindman, actor: Home Improvement

Martin Landau, actor (Mission Impossible, Space 1999, Tucker), born in 1934

Bela Lugosi (Blasko). actor: Dracula, born in 1882

Jerry Orbach, actor (Promises! Promises!, Dirty Dancing), born in 1935

╬ ATHLETICS

Keith Hernandez, 57, former baseball player, (Cardinals, Indians, Mets)

Mickey Mantle, NY Yankee, home run slugger (1956 Triple Crown), born in 1931

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Connie Chung, 46, news anchor (NBC, CBS)

John Dewey, philosopher, educational theorist/writer (Learn by doing), born in 1859

Richard W. Frazier, 59, CFO of TruDesign and my brother

╬ POLITICS

Bobby Seale, 74, political activist: cofounder: Black Panthers

Hilda Solis, 53, US Secretary of Labor

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Austin Flint, 19th century heart research pioneer, born in 1812

Sir Christopher Wren, astronomer/great architect, born in 1632

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Arthur Henderson, Scottish politician, Nobel Peace Prize for Geneva Disarmament Conference @ 72, in 1935

Herbert Hoover, 31st president of US, @ 90, in 1964

Burt Lancaster, American actor @ 81

Harlow Shapley, discoverer of the Sun's position in the galaxy @ 87 in 1972

Anne Sullivan, American teacher—Helen Keller, coma @ 70

Jane Wyatt, American actress @ 96 in 2006

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1955 “Day-O. Day-ay-ay-ay-o!” One of the most popular of the Harry Belafonte hits was recorded -- for RCA Victor

1977 3 members of rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd die in charter plane crash

╬ ATHLETICS

1891 1st International 6 day bike race (NY MSG) begins

1899 Columbia (US) beats Shamrock (England) in 11th America's Cup

1910 1st appearance of cork centered baseball in World Series (World Series #7)

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1817 1st Mississippi showboat leaves Nashville on maiden voyage

1973 OPEC oil embargo begins

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1774 Georgia Governor James Wright signs a treaty with the Creek Indians in Savannah. They agree to reestablish trade, which the Creeks want. The Creeks agree to give up some land along the Ocmulgee and Oconee Rivers, and to execute 2 Creek warriors accused of killing some settlers.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1803 US Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase

1944 US forces under Gen Douglas MacArthur return to the Philippines

1987 Subway gunman Bernhard Goetz sentenced to 6 months in jail

╬ POLITICS (International)

1600 Battle of Sekigahara sets Tokugawa clan as Japan's rulers (shoguns)

1818 49th parallel established as the border between US & Canada

1818 US & Britain agree to joint control of Oregon country

1930 British White Paper restricts Jews from buying Arab land

1963 S Africa begins trial of Nelson Mandela & 8 others on conspiracy

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1548 The city of Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace) was founded byCaptain Alonso de Mendoza by appointment of the king of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V.

1781 Patent of Toleration, providing limited freedom of worship, is approved in Habsburg Monarchy (Austria).

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1 Jeopardy

$200-You can call me "merry" or you can call me "hairy" but you doesn't has to call me "Santa": Who is St. Nicholas?

$400-When John Wayne always arrived with the cavalry: What is ‘a nick of time’?

$600-Things are never "hoop" less for this Manhattan team: Who are the NY Knicks?

$800-He was Eddie Murphy's partner for 48 hours: Who is Nick Nolte?

$1000-Gambler who paid the "Brice" for marrying a famous Fanny: Who is Nick Arnstein?

↔ PICTURE

Postage stamps—very cool ones at that!!!

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