23 April 2010~~Week 17 of 2010: 113 days this year… 252 days remain
‡ Something To Think About
If you do a good job for others, you heal yourself at the same time, because a dose of joy is a spiritual cure.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (German Lutheran Pastor)
• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1953 ►KTAR (now KPNX) TV channel 12 in Phoenix AZ (NBC) begins broadcasting
‡ Free Ramblings
Flagstaff is in the middle of a mystery. Very few are talking. The mystery—where in the world is the Asst. City Editor of the local paper? All that has been put out to the public is that he left for work on Monday, but never arrived. He has not been seen or heard from since. This information was released by a Phoenix news site and the local paper—where he works-- put nothing on its web site. I learned of this last night on Facebook. Today’s print edition of the Daily Sun had a Police Log story but no photo and the same information from the Phx site.. Finally this afternoon the local police released a photo of Larry and a photo of his vehicle. Facebook is keeping us up to date. It did come over the NAU news station last night, and tonight they ran the picture. This all is very strange. He has been in the Flagstaff News scene for years. The newspaper must realize that this silence is only making it more difficult to find him. They run lots of ‘missing persons’ stories in the Police Log. Most have a photo and some kind of story—‘last seen leaving home after argument with…”, or ‘on medication for…”, or ‘may appear agitated…’. Seldom does a man in his mid 40’s simply disappear. As far as I am concerned, this lack of information is not helping Larry or his family. Rumors in Flagstaff are running repent: on an undercover story, left his wife, uses drugs, fight with boss, kidnapped, and on and on. The truth will come out and many in Flag are hoping it has a good outcome. Larry has provided us with great in-depth news and many people hope, whatever is happening that he is safe.
Our non-elected governor has not signed or vetoed that immigration bill that remains in the National News. She isn’t talking about the bill. She did come out today to say that she is putting a couple of truckloads of money to make the border safer and asking Obama to do the same. On the noon news we learned that about 1500 high school students walked out of 5 high schools in Phoenix and marched to the capital building. Their message was simple: veto SB 1050. All peaceful, and from what we were told, started by one simple Twitter message. Some of the students walked 10+ miles along busy streets to get to the rally. The police were on the route, and thankfully there were no incidents. Protests continue and the Veto group always outnumbers the Sign group. I learned early this morning that our non-elected governor’s Facebook page was running 100-1 in favor of her signing the bill. I asked her to be my friend so I could comment. She hasn’t accepted my request yet, so I can’t give her my opinion on that page. She probably was too busy today to see my request…yeah, like she actually reads Facebook.
Today’s weather in Flag was as strange as the above news stories. More wind. More snow. A little sunshine. A 30-minute ‘white-out’ about 4pm. Blue sky and very bright sunlight about 4:30 on the snow that had just fallen. We were far from warm with a high 38° and the 30mph winds made it feel even colder.
‡ A Quick Smile…
A group of foreign dignitaries is visiting Israel. At the end of the tour, they are taken to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They look at the tomb and read the following inscription:
ABRAHAM SCHWARTZ BORN 5694 DIED 5733 A GOOD MAN AND A GREAT FURRIER.
The visitors are incredulous. They ask the guide, "How can this be an unknown soldier if the grave has his name?"
Their host responds, "Sure, as a soldier he was unknown, but as a furrier -- he was the best!"
‡ Random Fact
Between 1901-1909, Theodore Roosevelt is the "conservation president." During his administration, more than 225 million acres of land became part of the U.S. Forest Service, and approximately 50 wildlife refuges and 150 national forests were created.
‡ Puzzle
Heteronyms are words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. For example: Lead, pronounced LEED, means to guide. However, lead, pronounced LED, means a metallic element.
1. pastime; remake
2. one who sews; place for human waste
3. to divide into groups; not joined together
‡ Side Show Stories
NEW YORK - A New York library said George Washington, the first president of the United States, owes $300,000 in late fees for two books he never returned. The New York Society Library said President Washington visited the facility Oct. 5, 1789, and borrowed international relations treatise "Law of Nations" and Vol. 12 of the British Parliament transcript series "Commons Debates," the New York Daily News reported Monday. Officials said the books, which were due Nov. 2 of that same year, have been compiling late fees of a few pennies a day ever since.
"We're not actively pursuing the overdue fines," head librarian Mark Bartlett joked. "But we would be very happy if we were able to get the books back."
‡ Calendar Information
• Observance Weeks in April•
18-24
Administrative Professionals Week
Cleaning For A Reason Week
Coin Week
National Crime Victims Rights Week
National Volunteer Week
Sky Awareness Week
19-25
Astronomy Week
Consumer Awareness Week
Fish Fry Week
National Inspirational News Week
Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week
National Paperboard Packaging Week
National Window Safety Week
Turnoff Week
23-25
National Dream Hotline: Call to have your dreams interpreted. Sponsored by the School of Metaphysics in MO
National & Global Youth Service Days
National Dance Week
National Pie Week
• 23 April Observances—US/UN/World •
Read Me Day: the message of every book
Talk Like Shakespeare Day
World Book & Copyright Day
World Laboratory Animal Day
• 23 April Observances—by country •
Bermuda : Peppercorn Day
Canada: Book Day
Conch Republic, Key West, Florida: Independence Day (Florida Tourist thing)
Spain: Castile and León Day (since 1521—identifies two regions of Spain)
Turkey : National Sovereignty Day/Children's Day
•Number One Songs in…
1926 I'm Sitting on Top of the World Al Jolson
1946 I'm a Big Girl Now Sammy Kaye
1956 Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley
1966 (You're My) Soul and Inspiration The Righteous Brothers
1976 Disco Lady Johnnie Taylor
1996 Because You Loved Me Celine Dion
• 23 April Happenings•
In The Arts
1984 ►Singer Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his father at age 45.
In Athletics
1921 ►Charles Paddock set a record time in the 300-meter track event by posting a time of 33.2 seconds
1963 ►Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds got his first hit in the major leagues.
In Business or Education
1985 ►The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, GA, made a showy, glitzy announcement--New Coke. Lasted less than 6 months.
In Politics
1014 ►King Brian Boru of Ireland beats Danes at Battle of Clontarf
1701 ►William Penn will sign a treaty of friendship at Philadelphia with representatives of the SUSQUAHANNA, SHAWNEE, GANAWESE, and the IROQUOIS. All parties will agree to act peaceably with each other. The treaty will be known as the "Articles of Agreement".
1900 ►1st known occurrence of word "hillbillie" (New York Journal)
1918 ►National Urban League forms
1968 ►1st decimal coins issued in Britain (5 & 10 pence)
In Science/ Religion
1348 ►1st English order of knighthood founded (Order of the Garter)
1962 ►1st US satellite to reach the moon launched
1984 ►AIDS-virus identified (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
• 23 April Births •
Artists, Writers, and Composers
Margaret Kennedy, 1896, novelist: The Constant Nymph
Michael Moore, 56, author, film-maker
William Shakespeare, 1564, Stratford-on-Avon England, bard
Athletes
Bud Wilkinson, 1916, college football coach (Oklahoma)
Entertainers
Valerie Bertinelli, 50, actress (“One Day at a Time)
John Cena, 33, professional wrestler
Sandra Dee [Alexandra Zuck], 1944, actress (Gidget)
Joyce Dewitt, 61, actress (“Three’s Company”)
Jan Hooks, 53, actress (“Saturday Night Live,” “Designing Women”)
Lee Majors, 70, actor (“The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Fall Guy”)
Roy Orbison, 1936, rocker (Oh Pretty Woman, Only The Lonely)
Dev Patel, 20, actor (Slumdog Millionaire), born Harrow, England
Ray Peterson, 1935, singer: Tell Laura I Love Her
Duncan Renaldo, 1904, Spain, actor (Cisco Kid)
Herve Villechaize, 1943, France, "Da Plane! Da Plane!" (Fantasy Island)
Business, Education Leaders
--
Political Leaders
Shirley Temple Black, 82, former ambassador to Ghana, child actress
James Buchanan, 1791, 15th U.S. President
Bernadette Devlin (McAliskey), 63, Irish civil rights leader
Stephen Arnold Douglas [Little Giant], 1813, US Senator (Lincoln debates)
Timothy McVeigh, 1968, American terrorist
Scientists /Religious Leaders
Virgil I [Gus] Grissom, 1926, astronaut (Liberty Bell 7, Gemini 3)
• 23 April Obits •
Howard Cosell, 1995, sportscaster (Monday Night Football), @ 77
Buster Crabbe, 1983, US swimmer (Olympics-gold-1932)/actor, heart attack @ 76
Otto Preminger, 1986, director (Advise & Consent, Anatomy of Murder), @ 79
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedram, 1616, Spanish writer (Don Quixote), @ 69
William Shakespeare, 1616, English author, on his 52nd birthday
Pamela Lyndon Travers, 1996, writer (Mary Poppins), @ 96
William Wordsworth, 1850, poet, @ 80
‡ ANSWERS to puzzle
1. Recreation rek-ree-Ashun- pastime; REEcreeAshun- remake
2. Sewer SOwer- one who sews; SOOwer- place for human waste
3. Separate SEPerATE- to divide into groups; SEPret- not joined together
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