This is Week 44 of 2010►Day 304 with 61 days left.
Flagstaff Weather: H—58°; L—33°; RH—35%; sky—Mostly sunny and wind—25mph with 35mph gusts
QUOTEs FOR HALLOWEEN—
Where there is no imagination there is no horror. ~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.
Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story. ~Mason Cooley
Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night. ~Steve Almond
Eat, drink and be scary. ~Author Unknown
FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
Happy Halloween. This is a day when I usually have a lot of fun. This year it falls on Sunday, and that might cut down on the number of youngsters out and about. Doesn’t really matter as my front area will be fully decorated. I have a fog machine, a couple of monsters, and some great music. Whoever comes will have some fun.
I got up this morning and for some reason NPR was not broadcasting. There was a religious station that had bled over. I got on line and listened to my Saturday morning shows from the computer. They mentioned that the Jon Stewart/Steven Colbert rally was starting about 9am. Of course, we all know that the NPR big wigs told their reporters not to attend the rally as it might appear that that were biased to the left. That statement, and the firing of Juan Williams, shows that some of the top people at NPR are not left leaning, and in fact are pretty far right of center. Top management seems to live on the fear that a Republican congress could cut their funding. It’s hard to tell the percentage of direct funding of NPR comes from Congress—NPR says about 3%, while many naysayers say it’s closer to 40%. The Naysayers are including money from federal grants that go through a university, the amount of listener donations that are tax deductible, and any grants from corporations that that are claimed as a tax deduction. Whatever….the face of NPR as an unbiased news source are being challenged when top management at NPR plays the political games. I disagree with what Mr. Williams said, and I disagree with his firing. I believe that he has a right to say what he wants to and that if NPR management doesn’t like it, they can call him on the carpet, give him options and act on those options.
The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear was outstanding. They did a great show, hit on some real issues that are trying to tear apart America, and did it with class and comedy. One of the better lines was ‘We are in bad times right now, but not end times.’ Another highlight was bringing out Kareem Abdul Jabbar and introduce of as a Muslim. It was a great three hours of entertainment. It also reminds all of us that America is doing lots of good stuff everyday and that the news organizations on cable—left and right and center—build their audience on fear headlines. So do the network news stations. It’s time to stop believing any of the hype. Very positive message.
I’m still old fashioned…I vote on Election Day. Always have and probably always will. While I do have my opinions on many political stories, I live in America and I vote. That lets me speak my mind. If you haven’t voted early, be sure and do it on election day. If you don’t vote, don’t talk about politics.
HOLY MACKEREL: 1941▬Mount Rushmore was ‘completed’. Actually, the money ran out. Work on the monument, honoring Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt, had begun August 10, 1927. It was dedicated March 3, 1933 although work continued. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum died in 1941 and his son, Lincoln, continued the project until funds ran out on this day. Since then , no additional carving has been done, nor is any further work (other than maintenance) on the memorial planned.
JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(1984 games)(answers below)
$100- In 1984, there were only 70 of these head servants left in England
$200- Nobody wants to hear all of this camp song about decreasing containers of brew
$300- A stew of various meats, a jar of mixed flower petals, or an old "Jeopardy" category
$400- This president is said to be related to John Kennedy, Princess Di & F. Mitterand
$500- The place you most readily find "QWERTYUIOP"; you can spell it using only these letters
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—
→The United States once had the highest proportion of young adults with post-secondary degrees in the world. Today, the U.S. has fallen to 12th.
→Ten years ago, the United States was ranked number one in average wealth per adult. In 2010, the United States has fallen to seventh.
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM
BOULDER, CO - Police in Colorado said a 63-year-old man was apparently sleepwalking when he shot himself in the knee. Boulder police said Sanford Rothman, 63, called 911 and said he woke up to a loud bang and could not clearly recollect how he came to be shot in the left knee, The (Boulder) Daily Camera reported Thursday. Rothman was treated at Boulder Community Hospital and released. Police said it appears Rothman, who keeps his 9mm handgun next to his bed, accidentally shot himself while sleepwalking. Investigators said he was home alone at the time of the incident.
A LITTLE LAUGH
A soldier stationed on duty in the Far East was going to be discharged soon, and was planning on going home. Remembering his mother's accumulation of dishes and serving plates he decided she deserved something nicer than the cracked, mismatched array that she used at home. So he had an artisan in Japan make a special china service for him, 10 place settings, with serving pieces and ovenware and had it packaged and sent home.
The next month he was finally discharged and returned to what was to be a hero's welcome by the friends and family at a family dinner.
As they sat down to the dinner his mother had prepared, out came the old cracked, mismatched set of dishes.
"Mom," he said, "didn't you get the dishes I sent you from Japan?"
"Yes, dear, I did, and they are very nice."
"Then why aren't you using them?" he asked.
"Well," she said, "I'm saving them for a special occasion."
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
Some Mt. Rushmore History: Click Here to View!
GREY MATTER PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION
¤ Weekly Observances ¤
24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week
27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week
¤ Today’s Observances ¤
National Magic Day
Increase Your Psychic Powers Day
Books for Treats Day
Halloween
National Caramel Apple Day
National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
National UNICEF Day
Celts: Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere
Cornwall, United Kingdom: Allantide (for St. Arlan & now as Halloween)
Iran: Crown Prince's Birthday
MA: Youth Honor Day
NV: Admission Day (1864)
St Lucia, St Vincent: Thanksgiving Day
Slovenia: Reformation Day
¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤
1898...She Was Happy Till She Met You--Dan Quinn (original not available)
1908...Take Me Out to the Ball Game--Harry MacDonough & Haydn Quartet Click Here to View!
1918...Over There--Enrico CarusoClick Here to View!
1928...Sonny Boy--Al Jolson Click Here to View!
1938...Heart and Soul--Larry Clinton Click Here to View!
1948…Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore Click Here to View!
1958…It's All in the Game--Tommy Edwards Click Here to View!
1968…Hey Jude--The Beatles Click Here to View!
1978…You Needed Me--Anne Murray Click Here to View!
1988…Kokomo--The Beach Boys Click Here to View!
¤ Today’s Births ¤
╬ THE ARTS
Dick Francis,Welsh jockey/novelist (Whip Hand, High Stakes), born in 1920
Peter Jackson, 49, director (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong)
John Keats, English romantic poet (Ode to a Grecian Urn), born in 1795
Tom Paxton, 73, folk singer/songwriter (Forest Lawn)
Vanilla Ice [Robert Van Winkle], 43, rapper, actor
♦♦Actors♦♦
John (Franklin) Candy, comedian, actor: Second City, The Blues Brothers…, born in 1950
Dale Evans (Frances Octavia Smith), actress, singer, cowgirl (Roy Rogers Show), born in 1912
Barbara Bel Geddes, actress (Vertigo, Miss Ellie-Dallas, Caught), born in 1922
Michael Landon (Eugene Orowitz), actor (Bonanza, Highway to Heaven), born in 1937
David Ogden Stiers, 68, actor (“M*A*S*H,” North and South
Ethel Waters, actress (Beulah)/singer (Stormy Weather), born in 1896
╬ ATHLETICS
Frank Shorter. 63, marathon runner (Olympic-gold-1972)
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
Jane Pauley, 60, TV personality
Dan Rather, 79, journalist (former anchor “CBS Evening News”)
Hicks B Waldron, CEO (Avon), born in 1923
╬ POLITICS
Chiang Kai-shek, China, pres of Nationalist China, born in 1887
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
Michael Collins, 79, former astronaut
Sir George Hubert Wilkins, polar explorer (Flying the Arctic), born in 1888
¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤
Joseph Campbell, mythologist (Mythic Image), @ 83
Indira Gandhi, PM of India, assassinated by 2 of her Sikh bodyguards @ 66 in 1984
John Houseman, actor, dies of spinal cancer @ 86
William Parson, 3rd Earl of Rosse & maker of large telescopes, @65 in 1865
Erich Weiss, better known as magician Harry Houdini, peritonitis @ 52 in 1926
¤ Today’s Events ¤
╬ THE ARTS
1587▬Leiden University Library (Netherlands) opens its doors after its founding in 1575.
╬ ATHLETICS
1908▬ 4th Olympic games end in London
1988▬ 1st Monday Night NFL game in Indianapolis, Colts beat Denver 55-23
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1846▬ The Donner party became trapped in what is now known as Donner Pass in the Sierra Mountains
1956▬ Brooklyn, NY ends streetcar service
1999▬ EgyptAir Flight 990, en route to Cairo from New York, crashed off the coast of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. All 217 people on board died. Some American investigators suspected a relief co-pilot deliberately put the plane into a suicide dive, causing the crash.
╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1818▬According to the U.S.Army, today marks the end of First Seminole War
╬ POLITICS (US)
1864▬ Nevada admitted as 36th state
1868▬ Postmaster General Alexander Williams Randall approved a standard uniform for postal carriers.
1950▬ Collazo & Torresola attempt to kill Truman in Washington, DC
1968▬ President Johnson orders a halt to all bombing of North Vietnam
╬ POLITICS (International)
1922▬ Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) becomes premier of Italy
1956▬ Britain & France begin to bomb Egypt to reopen the Suez Canal
1973▬Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape. Three Provisional Irish Republican Army members escape from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, Republic of Ireland aboard a hijacked helicopter that lands in the exercise yard.
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1517▬ Luther posts 95 theses on Wittenberg church-Protestant Reformation
1815▬ Sir Humphrey Davy of London patents miner's safety lamp
1956▬ George J. Dufek of Admiral Robert Byrd’s expedition party became the first American to land by air at the South Pole.
1982▬ Pope John Paul II becomes 1st pontiff to visit Spain
GREY MATTER ANSWERS
↔ JEOPARDY
$100- In 1984, there were only 70 of these head servants left in England:
What are butlers?
$200- Nobody wants to hear all of this camp song about decreasing containers of brew:
What is ’99 bottles of beer on the wall’?
$300- A stew of various meats, a jar of mixed flower petals, or an old "Jeopardy" category:
What is potpourri?
$400- This president is said to be related to John Kennedy, Princess Di & F. Mitterand:
Who is Ronald Reagan?
$500- The place you most readily find "QWERTYUIOP"; you can spell it using only these letters: What is a typewriter?
↔ PICTURE
Ultraman, a toy action figure
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