Tuesday

5 days so far this year…360 days remain in 2010
►Provocative Quote
"The attacker must vanquish; the defender need only survive."
~unknown
►Free Ramblings
The country I learned about today: it has a 40% unemployment rate, it currently has 23 million people but has the highest birth rate in the world with women having an average of six children, it is about the size of California, it is a Presidential republic with a bicameral legislature, almost 20% of the population lives on less than $1.75US/day, the current country, divided for centuries, became united in the 1990’s, 46% of the population is under 15 years old and 2.7% is over 65, almost 175,000 refugees have moved in—leaving their native country’s turmoil, there are 3 doctors/10,000 people and 6.1 hospital beds per 10,000 people with a life expectancy of 63.7 years, and while compulsory education is the law, the literacy rate is 35% for females and 67% for males.
As we close down our Embassy in Yemen, I realized that I knew nothing about the country and probably could not find it on a map of Africa. It is no wonder that Yemen is another hide out and a recruiting stronghold for terrorists. Youth are always looking for something better, especially when they are living in poverty. Promises sound so good. Action sounds better. It is very easy to paint a world of black and white, with no grays. It is much easier to get youth to fight for a better world for themselves and their families. Yemaen has all the necessary criteria.
As the US and other countries attempt to destroy terrorists in one or two countries, of course the terrorists are going to look for greener pastures. They are terrorist, not idiots. Our foreign policy makers need to stop being shocked when terrorist cells pop up in poverty stricken countries; we need to be there first offering education, and support. The Underwear Bomber, living in the US, born in Nigeria, and trained in Yemen, has shown us again, that youth can sure be vulnerable to radical teachings.
I ran into an old friend today. We had a nice visit in the aisle at Target. His daughter was on a T-ball team I coached back in the 70’s. She is visiting from Mexico. She and her husband moved there last year. They have a house about 45 min from Mexico City. Turns out, it is violent and scary down there just like the newspapers say. She says daytime is fine, but can’t go out after dark. Her in-laws live there and are not in good health, thus their move from the Sunnyside neighborhood to a more dangerous place. Dad is still working for Coco County as a Youth Detention Officer. He is 57 and eligible to retire. He figures the cuts in our state budget will force him out and he will get a better deal. Good luck with that.
Flagstaff had good weather today. We made it to 48° under a clear sky and little breeze. A good day to be out and about. Last night remained in the double digits—only dropped to 16°. Spring must be just around the corner.
►Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
~Ernestine Ulmer - Writer
►Unusual News
WARREN, Mich. - Police in Michigan said a man with a 5-inch knife lodged in his chest walked into a restaurant, called 911, ordered coffee and sat down to wait for paramedics. Warren police said the 52-year-old man told the 911 operator he had been stabbed in Warren and walked half a mile to Bray's Hamburgers in Hazel Park to use the telephone, WDIV-TV, Detroit, reported Tuesday. Restaurant employees said the man then sat down and ordered a coffee while waiting for the ambulance. "It was like out of a movie," said George Mirdita, an employee at the restaurant. "It kind of freaked us all out here. Then, the customers realized it and they were all turning their heads in disgust." Police said the man, who told officers he was stabbed by a mugger for refusing to hand over money, was treated for his injury and is expected to make a full recovery.
►Random Fact
Jellyfish are 94-98% water
§ Interesting Statistics
*Note: I realize that statistics can be made to say just about anything.
~19% more US households planted gardens in 2009 than in 2008.
~62% of gardeners say the economic situation figured into their planting.
§ January Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Garnet …Flower: Carnation
Book Blitz Month * Bath Safety Month * Birth Defects Month * California Dried Plum Digestive Month * Celebration of Life Month * Cervical Cancer Screening Month * Financial Wellness Month * High Tech Month * International Creativity Month * International Quality of Life Month * International Wayfinding Month * International Wealth Mentality Month * National Be On-Purpose Month * National Bird Feeding Month * National Clean Up Your Computer Month * National Get Organized Month * National Glaucoma Awareness Month * National Hot Tea Month * National Mail Order Gardening Month * National Mentoring Month * National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month * National Poverty in America Awareness Month * National Radon Action Month * National Skating Month * National Soup Month * National Volunteer Blood Donor Month * Oatmeal Month * Rising Star Month * Self-help Group Awareness Month * Senior Women’s Travel Month * Shape Up US Month * Thyroid Awareness Month
§ Observance Weeks in January
Celebration of Life Week: 1-7
Diet Resolution Week: 1-7
National Lose Weight/Feel Great Week: 1-8
Someday We'll Laugh About This Week: 2-9
Home Office Safety and Security Week: 3-9
Women's Self Empowerment Week: 4-10
§ 5 January Observances—US/UN/World
International Migratory Bird Day (since 1905)
Bean Day: to celebrate the bean in your diet
§ 5 January Observances—by country
Glastonbury, Somerset England: Glastonbury Thorn Day According to tradition, following the crucifixion of Jesus, St Joseph of Arimathea was driven from his home and began a journey of conversion. He traveled to Glastonbury in an attempt to bring Christianity to the Britons. Joseph was the owner of the tomb in which Jesus Christ's body lay from Good Friday till the third day, Easter.
Upon their arrival and tired from the journey, he and his 12 companions laid down to rest. As he did so, he thrust his staff into the hill. When he woke up, the staff had taken root and begun to grow. It flowers every Christmas and every spring. This became the site of the Glastonbury Abbey.
It is said that the original thorn was cut down by a Puritan soldier in 1653 and was blinded when struck in the eye by a splinter.
► Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1825---Alexandre Dumas pare fights his 1st duel; his pants fall down
►Who was born on this day?
     ~ The Arts
Robert L Bernstein in 1923 - publisher (Random House
Jeanne Dixon in 1918 - psychic (Gift of Prophecy)
Robert Duvall in 1931 - Academy Award-winning actor
Diane Keaton in 1946 - actress
Marilyn Manson [Brian Hugh Warner] in 1969 - singer/musician
George Reeves [George Lescher Bessolo], in 1914 - actor (Superman)
     ~Athletics
Walter Davis in 1931 - running high jumper (Olympics-gold-1952)
Alex (Alexander) English in 1954 - Basketball Hall of Fame (Bucks, Pacers, Nuggets, Mavericks)
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Stephen Decatur in 1779 - U.S. naval officer: “Our country right or wrong.”
Walter Fritz Mondale in 1928 - 42nd Vice President
Zebulon Montgomery Pike in 1779 - explorer (Pike's Peak)
     ~Science/Religion
DeWitt B Brace in 1859 - inventor (spectrophotometer) measures light waves
Joseph Erlanger in 1874 - doctor (shock therapy-Nobel 1944)
Kathleen Kenyon in 1906 - 1st person to place date on remains of Jericho
►Who Died on this day?
Sonny Bono in 1998 (Representative-CA)/singer - skiing @ 62
Max Born German/British physicist in 1970 (Nobel 1954), @ 87
George Washington Carver in 1943 agricultural scientist @ 81
Hans Conried in 1982 actor (Bullwinkle Show, Make Room for Daddy) –heart disease @ 64
Calvin Coolidge in 1933 30th President – heart attack @ 60
"Pistol Pete" Mavarich in 1988 NBA- heart attack @ 40
St John Nepomucene Neumann in 1860 1st male US saint, stroke @ 48
Thomas P "Tip" O'Neill in 1994 Speaker of House @ 81
►What happened on this day?
1776---Assembly of New Hampshire adopts its 1st state constitution
1834---Kiowa Indians record this as the night the stars fell
1852---One in a series of treaties with California Indians is signed today at Temecula. The treaty is to set aside land and to protect the San Luis Rey Indians from Europeans.
1896---German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen's discovers x-rays
1905---National Association of Audubon Society incorporates
1919---National Socialist Party (Nazi) forms as German Farmers Party
1933---Work is started on The Golden Gate Bridge across the San Francisco Bay
1940---The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) got its very first demonstration of FM radio.
1945---Kamikaze or Suicide Bombers begin attacks At Okinawa, they sank 30 ships and killed almost 5,000 Americans.
1968---Dr Benjamin Spock indicted for conspiring to violate draft law
1975---The Broadway premiere of The Wiz
1993--The Liberian registered tanker MV Braer carrying 85,000 tons of crude oil has run aground in hurricane force winds off the Shetland Islands and large amounts of crude oil are spilling into the North Sea which could cause an ecological disaster in the area.
►Rhyme & Reason Puzzle
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. a hug during the close on-field football conference (6,6):
2. inept (5,3):
3. regal head-dress for the circus funny man (5,5):
4. colleague-anxiety (4,4):
5. altitude of the flying toy (4,6):
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ANSWERS
1. a hug during the close on-field football conference (6,6): huddle cuddle
2. inept (5,3): skill nil
3. regal head-dress for the circus funny man (5,5): clown crown
4. colleague-anxiety (4,4): peer fear
5. altitude of the flying toy (4,6): kite height