»Week 24 of 2010:169 days this year… 196 days remain:
Day 60 of the BP oil spill≈
» Something To Think About
Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
--John Wooden
» Random Fact
American Indians used to quench their thirsts by chewing the gum-like resin that forms on spruce trees when the bark is cut. Spruce became the first commercial chewing gum. The use of spruce continued until the 1850s when paraffin wax became the new popular base for chewing gum.
***
During WW2, US military personnel spread the popularity of chewing gum by trading it and giving it as gifts to people from Europe, Africa, Asia and around the world.
¤ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1730 ►7 CHEROKEE representatives will meet with King George II of England at Windsor Castle in London. They will acknowledge him as the sovereign of the CHEROKEE people.
» Free Ramblings
A busy day. Our retirement group had seven today. A little to big to have any good conversation, but Sue came up from Phx to see Jeannie and John and Mary joined us. Good to see all the non-regulars. Sue is going back to work next fall, she got her right-of-way issues fixed in Colorado so is saving again for her summer treat in the Rockies. Jeannie’s son wants to go to school in Phx, so thankfully, Jeannie is talking about going back to Tuba. That will be good for her. John and Maree are headed for a week in CA, and then Maree is off to a seminar in Anaheim. Amazingly the school is adding Spalding as a supplemental program. A few years back the entire staff was trained with the very expensive Spalding. Many teachers decided not to embrace it, and as pro-people left, so did Spalding. Revenge is a dish best served cold. While Spalding is not perfect, it sure makes sure that students learn a phonetic approach to learning new words. I always thought that Spalding failed at our school was because teachers had to learn phonics and many had never been seen phonics—actually phonemics for all the linguists--as a way to introduce language. I agree it is one of many ways, but it is an important tool. Good for the new administrators. Maree, still teaching is excited, Sue, Cheryl, and I held back our glee and snarky remarks as best we could. We all know that Education Policy is circular. I’m sure glad I’m out of that loop. The most difficult part of my job was listening to new administrators who had found a program that threw out everything we had done and had us start anew. Students can’t read if they don’t know how to spell so correct all spelling errors. Students should write, write, write, and spelling will come along. Students need to read orally all the time. Students do not need to read orally, but need to engage in conversation at every opportunity. Sorry book publishers, sorry program writers, good teachers need to incorporate a multitude of skills so that a child can draw from their knowledge in order to learn.
As soon as I got home, a friend from Tuba dropped by. Julius is headed for St. Louis next week. He needed to borrow a suit bag with all the pockets. He didn’t want a suitcase—well maybe he did, but didn’t want one with wheels. He seldom flies when he travels, and as a good boarding school graduate, uses a plastic bag when he travels by vehicle. Somehow he knew that a big sealed plastic bag probably wouldn’t make it through the airline system. LOL. He says that wheeled luggage is for the weak, infirmed, old people. Guess he has never had to trek a big international airport carrying everything after a long trip to get to the next plane. Turns out the hotel the BIE selected does not have a shuttle service and is two subway changes from the airport. Or it is a $75 taxi ride. So he will be renting a car on his dime. He will do fine.
The wind calmed down today so the 25mph gusts weren’t that bad for us. My deck made it to 83°. Sadly the fire near Williams grew to 3400 acres due to the wind. This area has always been filled with wildlife. Seldom can one drive around this area without seeing elk and deer in abundance. One can’t walk through the area without hearing and seeing hundreds of birds. It will be a long time before we find out how much wildlife has been lost. The Forest Service will have the figures, but they seldom make any news story. Sixty homes have been evacuated, and thankfully only a couple of out buildings have been lost. The cause has not yet been determined. We can still see the smoke from Flagstaff.
Eagle Rock Fire, Wms, AZ
» Puzzle 1
When you behead a word, you remove the first letter and still have a valid word. You will be given clues for the two words, longer word first.
Example: Begin -> Sour, acidic Answer: The words are Start and Tart.
1. Time past -> Leave
2. Street -> Event location
3. Ends "Our Father" -> Fathers
4. Shared an opinion -> Excessive desire for something
5. Misuses; harms -> Multi-passenger vehicles
6. Pursue lofty goal -> Pointed tower top
7. Sum total -> Climb on
8. Stay away from -> A gap; empty
» A Quick Smile…
An elderly woman was walking home from the supermarket. Her bag of groceries was especially heavy that day. When she saw Nathan Hale's Used Cars, she decided to stop and look at cars. As it happened, the owner himself approached her. He asked her what kind of car she wanted.
"Well," she said, "I can't remember the name exactly, but it has something to do with hate or anger." The owner was quick to reply, "Oh yes, you want a Plymouth Fury! We have a few. What color would you like?"
The woman reached into her shopping bag and pulled out an ear of corn. She striped down the shucks and said, "I want this color." Nathan replied, "Ma'am I'm sorry, but we don't have any in that color. How about a nice blue one?" "No son," she said, "I want this color."
"But ma'am, they didn't make that color! Maybe a cherry red one?" By this time, the old woman was mad and started throwing things at the owner. Another salesman noticed the disruption and asked the secretary what was going on. The secretary replied, "Apparently, Hale hath no Fury like the woman's corn!"
» Side Show Stories
HIGGANUM, Conn. - Connecticut State Police said a man they believe was on drugs mistook a home for a bed and breakfast and went to sleep in a bedroom. Police said a Higganum couple told them they were spending time with relatives in their home when a family member went inside and found a credit card on the stairs, The Hartford (Conn.) Courant reported. Investigators said they found Walker Bruce, 45, asleep in a bedroom. Bruce told them he had mistaken the house for a bed and breakfast and left his credit card on the stairs as payment. Police said Bruce appeared disoriented and is believed to have been under the influence of drugs. Bruce was charged with third-degree burglary and taken to Middlesex Clinic in Essex for examination.
» Puzzle 2: Brain Food
I give you a group of three. One is sitting down and will never get up. The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry. The third goes away and never returns. What are they?
» Something you might enjoy…
In 2005, YouTube changed the internet forever. It is now available in 22 languages. Check out this one…
Making Sushi looks easy: 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.
1946: The Gypsy; The Ink Spots
1956: The Wayward Wind; Gogi Grant Click HERE!
1966: Paint It Black; The Rolling Stones
1976: Silly Love Songs; Paul McCartney & Wings
1986: On My Own; Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
¤ Observance Weeks in June
13-19: National Flag Week
14-20: Men's Health Week and Universal Father's Week and Meet A Mate Week
¤ Today’s Observances—US/UN/World
Autistic Pride Day
International Panic Day
International Sushi Day
¤ Today’s Observances—by country
Egypt: Evacuation Day (1956 as Brits leave Suez)
United Kingdom: Waterloo Day (1815)
¤ Today’s Births
Artists, Writers, and Composers
Sammy Cahn, 1913, lyricist (3 Coins in a Fountain), born in NYC
Roger Ebert, 68, Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic, born Urbana, IL
Donald Keene, 88, literary critic, translator, educator, born New York, NY
Paul McCartney, 68, singer, songwriter (The Beatles, Wings), born Liverpool, England
Athletes
Lou Brock, 71, Hall of Fame baseball player (Cardinals outfielder), born El Dorado, AR
Entertainers
Bud (Clayton Johnson Heermance, Jr.) Collyer, 1908, radio: Superman; TV host: To Tell the Truth, Beat the Clock, Masquerade Party, born in NYC
Jeanette MacDonald, 1901, actress/singer, born in Philadelphia, PA
Kay Kyser, 1906, orchestra leader, born in Rocky Mount NC
E.G. (Edda/Everett Gunnar) Marshall, 1910, actor (Defenders), born in Owatonna, MN
Business, Education Persons
Red Adair, 1915, American oil well firefighter, born in Houston, TX
Political Persons
James Montgomery Flagg, 1877, illustrator "I want you" recruiting poster, born in Pelham Manor, New York
Scientists /Religious Persons
Jerome Karle, 1918, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate, born in NYC
¤ Today’s Happenings
In The Arts
1948 ►Columbia Records publicly unveiled its new long-playing phonograph record, the 33 1/3
In Athletics
1985 ►The Wimbledon tennis seeding-committee, unable to decide on a favorite, made Chris Evert Lloyd and Martina Navratilova co-number one seeds
In Business or Education
1892 ►Macadamia nuts 1st planted in Hawaii
1963 ►3,000 blacks boycott Boston public school
In Politics
1822 ►Part of US-Canadian boundary determined
1873 ►Susan B Anthony fined $100 for attempting to vote for President
In Science/ Religion
1983 ►Dr. Sally Ride became the first American woman in space
¤ Today’s Obits
Ethel Barrymore, actress, @ 79 in 1959
Samuel Butler, English poet @ 68 in 1680
John Cheever, American author @ 70 in 1982
» ANSWERS to Puzzle 1 1. Ago -> Go
2. Avenue -> Venue
3. Amen -> Men
4. Agreed -> Greed
5. Abuses -> Buses
6. Aspire -> Spire
7. Amount -> Mount
8. Avoid -> Void
» ANSWERS to Brain Food
A stove, fire, and smoke
» 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’.
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