»Week 22 of 2010: 153 days this year… 212 days remain≈
» Something To Think About
You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.
--Marquis De Vauvenargues, French essayist
» Random Fact
Efforts to protect our skin from the sun go all the way back to ancient times. Ancient Egyptians considered light skin more attractive than dark skin, but found it difficult to maintain in Egypt's hot and sunny environment. Recently translated papyri and tomb walls reveal the ingredients of potions used to ward off a tan and heal damaged skin.
¤ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 2000 ►The government of Zimbabwe has issued the latest list of 800 plus farms earmarked for forcible seizure by the government who will devide them up between landless peasants.
» Free Ramblings
I still have problems adjusting to 3 day weekends—even after almost 4 years of retirement. Today, Tuesday, has really felt like Monday all day. As I was checking my ‘schedule’ I still felt that this was Monday. I hope I catch up with the day before Friday. If I don’t figures this out, I may miss some appointments, car repair tomorrow, Dr. check-ups and lunch on Thursday.
Tonight is the City Council meeting. The Council is addressing a secret internal memo that questions our Mayor’s ethics in a trip to DC last year. It was leaked by a councilman who just happened to be running for mayor. The council heard about the memo a few weeks before the election, but the city attorney said to wait until after the election to discuss it, as it was obviously politically motivated. So tonight we hear from lots of people. Before that starts, at the last meeting the Council voted to sue AZ for SB 1070. An hour into the meeting people are only giving their opinions of the plan—the pro-1070 people are warning of Armageddon, the anti-1070 people are just repeating what they said last time. I hope they get to the ‘memo issue’ soon. Again I am glad that these meetings are streamed live, so I can see government in action without having to be sitting in a hot crowded room. Non-elected Gov Brewer has been making the news and political rounds in DC and made it to CNN today. She has been asking to meet with Obama for several weeks, and is getting a meeting sometime this week. She has said that no matter what Obama suggests regarding 1070, she will not back down. No wonder the President is having trouble finding time to meet with her. Again, Obama is proving that he believes in dialogue with anyone. I wish our President lots of luck. I don’t think this will be a meeting with a couple of bottles of beer.
I am paying close attention to Gaza Strip drama. More so than I would have, had I not visited several Muslim nations. I am reminded that Egypt has one of the main border entry sites into the Gaza. Tension is high there and with other parts of the world. Words and actions are often reported with bias. To add to that even a report that is almost free of bias is going to be interpreted by many individuals with bias. The Muslims of the world will be watching the US response, especially by the President. I can only hope that the US comments on this issue will ease the tensions and not make our working relation with the Muslims throughout the world more difficult. When an ancient homeland is at stake, there is seldom a win-win situation. One only needs to look at the problems the US has and continues to have with the many Native populations.
We had a decent weather day, and with clean office windows, I could see it when I wasn’t outside. We made it to 75° and only had a little wind storm late this afternoon. I spent part of the day checking for plants, but a new supply hadn’t arrived and many others had picked through them during the holiday. So later in the week, new plants will arrive to our little mountain town and I will be there ready to buy. Flagstaff is enjoying a nice early summer, even without moisture falling from the sky. Bring on the monsoon a little early this year.
» Puzzle 1
I am feared by many people; but scramble my letters and I become hated.
What am I?
» A Quick Smile…
When hiring new staff at the public library, I always ask applicants what sort of supervision they'd be most comfortable with.
One genius answered, "I've always thought Superman's X-ray vision would be cool."
» Side Show Stories
Daily Telegraph: The local government of Bolton, England, responding in March to a citizen's report of a discarded mattress on the side of a road, sent an official to assess the scene. He wrote a work order for four men (a driver, an assistant and two supervisors) and a 1.7-ton construction vehicle, and the pickup was scheduled for the following week, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph. (When a Bolton councilman saw the schedule, he, with the help of a friend, drove a council van to the scene and hauled the mattress to a dump site.
» Puzzle 2: Brain Food
I never was, am always to be,
No one ever saw me, nor ever will,
And yet I am the confidence of all
To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball.
What am I?
» Something you might enjoy…
In 2005, YouTube changed the internet forever. It is now available in 22 languages. Check out this one…
These bloopers have been around for a while, but still bring a laugh. Click HERE!
» Calendar Information
¤ Today’s Number One Songs in…
For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.
"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
1939: Beer Barrel Polka; Will Glahe
1949: Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend); Vaughn Monroe
1959: The Battle of New Orleans; Johnny Horton
1969: Get Back; The Beatles
1979: Hot Stuff; Donna Summer
1999: Livin' La Vida Loca; Ricky Martin
¤ Observance Weeks in June
thru 5th Black Singles Parent Week
¤ Today’s Observances—US/UN/World
Leave the Office Early Day
National ‘Bubba’ Day
National Running Day
National Rocky Road Day
National Tailors Day
Yell "Fudge" at the Cobras in North America Day
¤ Today’s Observances—by country
Bhutan: Coronation Day
Iceland: Seaman's Day
Isabel Province, Solomon Islands: Isabel Province Day
Italy: Festa della Repubblica, commemorates the birth of the Repubblica Italiana and the end of the monarchy (since 1946)
Tunisia: Youth Day
North Korea: Children's Day
West Germany : Republic (Constitution) Day
¤ Today’s Births
Artists, Writers, and Composers
Thomas Hardy England, poet/novelist (Mayor of Casterbridge), born in 1840 Dorset, England
Marvin Hamlisch, 66, composer (Oscars for The Sting, The Way We Were; Tony for A Chorus Line), born New York, NY
Athletes
John Weissmuller (Johann Peter Weißmüller) actor (Tarzan)/100m swimmer (Olympic-gold-1924, 28), born in 1904 Banat region of, Austria-Hungary
Entertainers
Dana Carvey, 55, comedian, actor (Wayne’s World, “Saturday Night Live”), born Missoula, MT
Hedda Hopper (Elda Furry) gossip columnist (From Under My Hat), born in 1890 Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
Stacy Keach, Jr, 69, actor (Conduct Unbecoming, “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer”), born Savannah, GA
Sally Kellerman, 74, actress (M*A*S*H, Back to School), born Long Beach, CA
Jerry Mathers, 62, actor (“Leave It to Beaver”), born Sioux City, IA
Milo O’Shea, 84, actor (The Purple Rose of Cairo), born Dublin, Ireland
Business, Education Persons
--
Political Persons
Henry VIII King of England, born in 1491 Greenwich Palace
Marquis de Sade (Comte Donatien Alphonse Francois de Sade),1st known sadist, writer (Justine), born in 1740 Condé palace, Paris
Scientists /Religious Persons
Charles ‘Pete’ Conrad Jr., NASA astronaut, born in 1930 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
¤ Today’s Happenings
In The Arts
1981 ►Barbara Walters asks Katharine Hepburn what kind of tree she would be
In Athletics
1935 ►Babe Ruth, retires ending his Major League playing career after 22 seasons, 10 World Series and 714 home runs.
In Business or Education
1835 ►P.T. Barnum & his circus begin 1st tour of US
1931 ►Ten people were killed in France during the testing of a new suspension bridge that was built
In Politics
1851 ►1st US alcohol prohibition law enacted (Maine)
1886 ►Grover Cleveland is 1st to wed during presidency (Frances Folsom)
1899 ►Black Americans observed day of fasting to protest lynchings
1924 ►US citizenship granted to all American Indians
1933 ►President Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the first swimming pool to bebuilt inside the White House.
1953 ►The coronation of 27-year-old Queen Elizabeth II was broadcast.
In Science/ Religion
1910 ►Pygmies discovered in Dutch New Guinea
¤ Today’s Obits
Lou Gehrig Yankee great, ALS @37 in 1941
Rex Harrison actor (My Fair Lady), cancer @ 82 in 1990
Jim Hutton actor (Ellery Queen), liver cancer @ 45 in 1979
Sammy Kaye orch leader (Sammy Kaye Show), @ 77 in 1987
» ANSWERS to Puzzle 1
Death
» ANSWERS to Brain Food
Tomorrow
» PIC of the Day
I have always been fascinated with ‘sky’ pictures. While traveling I always try to take pictures of clouds, sunrise, sunset, panoramas with mostly sky. These pics are not mine, but it’s nice to learn that others are also fascinated by the sky. During the month of June I’ll be doing ‘sun rays’.
