TODAY’S QUOTE—W.T. Ellis
It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
It has either been raining or snowing all day. The wind has been as high as 25mph.
Our retirement group got together at a fancy restaurant—a converted old-town home with eating in small rooms. I gave those daily tear off each day calendars and got some great homemade cookies and candy and a redi-med inhaler that is guaranteed to work to clear out junk in your nose. Very cool. Cheryl is not losing weight as quickly as she had hoped but is hangin’ in there till her January appointment. She is heading for Cal-I-four-ney-ah on Tuesday. Mary is volunteering at a kindergarten to help out a church member is who going crazy with 20+ kindergarteners and no aide. Her grandkids are coming to Flag on Saturday and they are doing the ‘Polar Express’ to Grand Canyon on Sunday evening. It is a Santa Clause ride with a ‘Polar Express’ theme. All passengers take the ride in PJ’s as they listen to the story and while come of the crew act it out. If nothing else, the car ride for Mary, Mike, the parents and the twins—in PJ’s should be interesting. Sure hope they don’t have to stop for a bathroom break, gas, or have car problems. Maybe the driver will change in the train station restroom. She will be heading to Phoenix for Christmas sometime next week.
I am still confused. In 100 words or less can anyone tell me exactly why we are sending our youth to Afghanistan? Next task, in 100 words or less, why are we not leaving until 2014 at the earliest? If we knew that the populace of Afghanistan had asked for our help, I would get it. They didn’t. If the elected government of Afghanistan had asked for our help, I would get that. They didn’t. Our young military continue to die every day. This year—2010—has had the highest number of lost Americans. I saw a US map today of the towns where a soldier has been killed or severely wounded—not talking about a bullet in the arm, talking about losing a limb. There were over 36,000 dots—1500 dead, the rest severely wounded. The men and women who return wounded have their entire lives ahead of them without an arm, a leg, or TBI. For many, death would have been a whole lot less painful. If I could put a face on the enemy; if I could understand their mindset; if I thought that the vast majority of the populace wanted democracy; I could understand. Since two generations of Afghans have lived their entire life in war, they seem to have become dependent of war. It is all they know so they don’t want it to end. 2014 will become 2016 and each withdrawal date will simply be moved a couple of years ahead. Mark Z, the FB guy was in 6th grade when we sent our first troops to Afghanistan. It’s time to tell Afghanistan, get your people to take over cause the US is leaving Jan 1, 2011. And then we need to leave.
HOLY MACKEREL: 1936 Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen & dummy Charlie McCarthy, make their radio debut on Rudy Vallee’s Royal Gelatin Hour
∞ JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(SuperJeopardy Answers) from 1990 SMITHS
◄The Pilgrims used the maps & books of this founder of Virginia, but did not accept his services
◄This former ABC News anchor played himself in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" & "The Candidate"
◄This New York Daily News columnist once said that gossip is "news in a red satin dress"
◄Much of this British poet's works dealt with death including her most famous, "Not Waving, But Drowning"
◄She wrote over 70 one-act plays but is best known for her first novel, "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn"
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—Snow
Snowflakes can range in size from just a fraction of an inch to much longer. In 1887, a fifteen inch snowflake was recorded in Ft. Keough, Montana.
►◄
The largest amount of snow recorded in one year was 1,140 inches. It was recorded in Mt. Baker ski area in Washington in 1998-1999. That is about 95 feet of snow in one year!
►◄
Every year an average of 105 snowstorms occur in the continental united states. A typical storm will have a snow-producing lifetime of two to five days and will bring snow to portions of several states.
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sheldon Gonzales said he was asleep on his couch Tuesday night when he was suddenly "awakened by a burning sensation in the crotch of his pants," according to a report from the Broward Sheriff's Office.
Standing over Gonzales was girlfriend Berlinda Dixon-Newbold, cigarette lighter in hand.
Gonzales quickly realized the bottom of his shirt, which was lying over his crotch, was on fire. He was able to put out the small blaze with his hands, police said.
When Gonzales tried to leave, Dixon-Newbold confronted him at the door, and a "heated argument" broke out. A neighbor called police, who showed up and arrested the 38-year-old woman for aggravated assault.
Dixon-Newbold was being held on $6,500 bail.
A LITTLE LAUGH
Yesterday I was at my local COSTCO buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Jake, the Wonder Dog and was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think I had an elephant? So since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a Perfect Diet and that the way that it works is, to load your pants pockets with Purina Nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)
Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care, because the dog food poisoned me . I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff a poodle's ass and a car hit me.
I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard.
Costco won't let me shop there anymore.
Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
DAYBOOK INFORMATION
♦ THIS WEEK ♦
10-17: Human Rights Week
14-28: Halcyon Days: The seven days where there are no winter storms
16-24: Posadas: Christmas celebration in Mexico
17-23: Saturnalia: Ancient Roman Festival to the God Saturn. Eat, drink, be merry—role reversals of slaves and masters.
♦ TODAY IS… ♦
Underdog Day
National Maple Syrup Day
Wright Brothers Day
Bhutan: National Day (ascension of 1st king)
Colombia: Independence Day (1819)
United States: International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
Venezuela: Bolivar Day (1830)
♫ Academy Awards Best Original Song ♫
Click on Song Title to see and hear
♦Today’s Births♦
ARTS
1942 Paul Butterfield musician: group: Paul Butterfield Blues Band: East-West
1903 Erskine P Caldwell author (Tobacco Road, God's Little Acre)
1894 Arthur Fiedler conductor (Boston Pops)
1807 John Greenleaf Whittier poet: Barbara Frietchie, Maud Miller, Snowbound; Quaker: devoted to the abolitionist cause in U.S
► ◄ Actors
Christopher Cazenove, 65, actor (Zulu Dawn, Eye of the Needle)
Bernard Hill, 66, actor (The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Great Expectations, Titanic)
1927 Richard Long, actor (Professor-Nanny & the Professor)
ATHLETICS
Leo (Leonardo Lazaro Alfonso) ‘Chico’ Cardenas, 72, baseball: (Reds, Angels, Indians, Rangers)
Chase Utley, 32, baseball (Phillies)
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1930 Bob Guccione publisher
1929 William Safire journalist, author: Words of Wisdom, Coming to Terms
POLITICS
1874 William Lyon Mackenzie King (L), 10th Canadian PM (1921-30, 1935-48)
SCIENCE & RELIGION
1797 Joseph Henry scientist/inventor/pioneer of electromagnetism
1824 John Kerr System physicist (electro-visually Kerr-effect)
1908 Willard Frank Libby inventor (carbon-14 "atomic clock" (Nobel 1960))
♦Today’s Obituaries♦
1830 Simon Bolivar President of Colombia, TB @ 47
♦Today’s Events♦
ARTS
1843 - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was published in London and immediately sold out.
1969
ATHLETICS
1984 John McEnroe and Peter Fleming lost a doubles tennis match in the Davis Cup competition for the first time in 14 matches.
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1791 NYC traffic regulation creates 1st 1-way street
1875 Violent bread riots in Montréal
1900 New Ellis Island Immigration station completed costing $1.5 million
1965 Largest newspaper-Sunday New York Times at 946 pages (50¢)
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1890 Sitting Bull and the police killed during his arrest are buried with honor.
POLITICS (US)
1821 Kentucky abolishes debtor’s prisons
1852 1st Hawaiian cavalry organized
1895 Anti-Saloon League of America formed, Washington DC
1944 US Army announces end of excluding Japanese-Americans from West Coast; Japanese-Americans are released from detention camps
1975 Lynette Fromme is sentenced to life for attempt on President Ford's life
POLITICS (International)
1745 Bonnie Prince Charles army retreats to Scotland
1949 Burma recognizes People's Republic of China
1996 Kofi Atta Annan was named seventh secretary-general of the United Nations
SCIENCE & RELIGION
1526 Pope Clemens VII publishes degree Cum ad zero - forms Inquisition
1728 Congregation Shearith Israel of New York purchases a lot on Mill Street in lower Manhattan, to build New York's 1st synagogue
1900 1st prize of 100,000 francs offered for communications with extraterrestrials. Martians excluded-considered too easy
1903 The first successful powered airplane flight took place near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
ANSWERS
∞ JEOPARDY
◄The Pilgrims used the maps & books of this founder of Virginia, but did not accept his services
Who was Captain John Smith?
◄This former ABC News anchor played himself in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" & "The Candidate"
Who was Howard K Smith?
◄This New York Daily News columnist once said that gossip is "news in a red satin dress"
Who was Liz Smith?
◄Much of this British poet's works dealt with death including her most famous, "Not Waving, But Drowning"
Who was Stevie Smith?
◄She wrote over 70 one-act plays but is best known for her first novel, "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn"
Who was Betty Smith?
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