Flagstaff Weather:
How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.
FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
I had a day of rest today. I didn’t feel like going out in the wind and chilly temps, and since I had no real reason to go anywhere, I didn’t. I caught up on some emails; I cleaned a little, read some magazines, and fed the birds. That was it. It is nice to have a day like this every so often.
As we move into the last days of 2010 many language people review the year to talk about how our language changed during the past year. The Global Language Monitor says these words had new prominence in our English vocabulary:
1. Spillcam — The BP Spillcam instantly beamed the immensity of the Gulf Spill around the world to the dismay of environmentalists, BP’s PR staff and the President.
2. Vuvuzela — Brightly colored plastic horns that first came to prominence at the South African World Cup.
3. The Narrative – Though used at least since The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1845, ‘The Narrative’ has recently been gaining traction in the political arena, virtually replacing the need for a party’s platform. (Cf. to ‘truthily’.)
4. Refudiate — Conflation of “refute” and “repudiate” (un)officially coined by Sarah Palin.
5. Guido and Guidette — Hey! All things Jersey are hot, capish? (Actually, capisci in standard Italian.)
6. Deficit – A growing and possibly intractable problem for the economies of most of the developed world.
7. Snowmagedden (and ‘Snowpocalypse’) — Portmanteau words linking ‘snow’ with ‘apocalypse’ and ‘armageddon’, used to describe the record snowfalls in the US East Coast and Northern Europe last winter.
8. 3-D – Three-dimensional (as in movies) is buffo box office this year, but 3-D is being used in new ways generally describing ‘robustness’ in products (such as toothpaste).
9. Shellacking – President Obama’s description of the ‘old-fashioned thumpin’ in George W. Bush’s words, that Democrats received in the 2010 US Mid-term elections.
10. Simplexity – The paradox of simplifying complex ideas in order to make them easier to understand, the process of which only adds to their complexity.
It is no wonder that well educated foreign guests have such a hard time understanding our ever changing language. As we enter a new decade there will be many more a comin’.
HOLY MACKEREL: 1922 Capt Cyril Turner (RAF) gave 1st skywriting exhibition (NYC). Turner spelled out "Hello USA. Call Vanderbilt 7200." 47,000 called
∞ JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(SuperJeopardy Answers) from 1990-CELEBRITIES
To avoid being confuse with B. Bel Geddes, she signs autographs as “J.R.'s Real Mother”
This founder of the National Review debuted as a harpsichordist with the Phoenix Symphony in 1989
This leading actress' first film with Michael Douglas was “Romancing the Stone”
She also played the offstage voice of Annie Sullivan's brother in the play “The Miracle Worker”
She said of “Laura”, “People remember me less for my acting job than as the girl in the portrait”
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—
Macy's employees staged the first parade in 1924 - it was so successful that they decided to make it an annual event.
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The first character balloon to make an appearance at the parade was Felix the Cat in 1927. In 1934 Macy's worked with Disney for the first time to create the original Mickey Mouse balloon.
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The only interruption in the parade's history was from 1942-44. Macy's gave their parade balloons to the war effort since rubber was so scarce.
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM
SAN CLEMENTE, CA - A California wave rider set a world record by surfing for 26 consecutive hours, his employer said. Surf gear maker Michael Figueroa said his employee, Bill Laity, 37, of San Clemente, broke the previous Guinness World Record of 24 hours by surfing for a full 26 consecutive hours off the Huntington Beach Pier with 5 minute breaks per hour, The Orange County (Calif.) Register reported Monday. Figueroa said Laity braved wind and rain during his attempt, which ended Sunday at 9:26 a.m. The attempt is being submitted to Guinness.
A LITTLE LAUGH
How not to become a member of senior management:
During a meeting, our bosses held a contest to name a new project. As members of the management team read through the entries, our CEO picked one out and asked, "Who knows what a phoenix is?"
A junior manager answered, "It's a bird in Harry Potter."
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
∞ UP CLOSE PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
CALENDAR INFORMATION
♦ Weekly Observances ♦
21-28: National Bible Week, National Family Week, National Game & Puzzle Week, National Teens Don't Text and Drive Week, Better Conversation Week, Church/State Separation Week
♦ Today’s Observances ♦
Pins And Needles Day: Originally to celebrate the opening of the pro-labor play “Pins and Needles” in 1937, now about being ‘anxious’
Advent: Western Christian Festival: Latin means ‘coming’: in preparation of birth of Jesus
Eid-Al-Adha: Islam Festival of Sacrifice—recalling Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael
Albania: Independence Day (1912 from Ottoman Empire)
Burundi: Republic Day (1966 as Tutsi PM overthrew monarchy): 4th poorest nation in world: ave. income: $401/yr
Chad: Republic Day (1996)
Mauritania: Independence Day (1960 from France)
Panama, Canal Zone: Independence Day (1821 from Spain; remained under Columbia)
US: Massachusetts: John F. Kennedy Day
♫ One Hit Wonders—1963 ♫
Click on Song Title to see and hear the original
♦Today’s Births♦
ARTS
1757 William Blake, English poet/painter (Songs of Innocence & Experience)
1628 John Bunyan, English cleric/author (Pilgrim's Progress)
1820 Friedrich Engels, German social philosopher; Marx's collaborator
Randy Newman, 67, singer, songwriter (“Short People”), composer (film scores for Ragtime, The Natural)
Paul Shaffer, 61, bandleader (“Late Night with David Letterman”), comedian
Jon Stewart, 48, writer, comedian (“The Daily Show”), born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz
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1923 Gloria Grahame, (Hallward), Academy Award-winning actress: The Bad and the Beautiful [1952]; Oklahoma!, It’s a Wonderful Life
S. Epatha Merkerson, 58, actress (“Law & Order,” Lackawanna Blues)
Judd Nelson, 51, actor (The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire, “Suddenly Susan”)
ATHLETICS
1942 - Paul Warfield, Pro Football Hall of Famer: Dolphins: Super Bowl: VI, VII, VIII; Browns
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1866 Henry Bacon, architect (Lincoln Memorial)
Berry Gordy, Jr, 81, record and motion picture executive (cofounder of Motown)
1967 - Anna Nicole Smith, model: Playboy Playmate [May 1992], Playmate of the Year [1993]; actress
POLITICS
Gary Hart, 72, former US Senator, former presidential candidate, born Gary Hartpence
SCIENCE & RELIGION
1908 Claude Levi-Strauss, Belgian social anthropologist (Structure Anthro) 1805 John Stephens, US archeologist; founded study of Central America
♦Today’s Obituaries♦
Dwight Davis, donator of the Davis cup, @ 66 in 1945
Choh Hao Li, bio-chemist prof (isolated growth hormones), @ 74 in 1987
James A Naismith, creator of basketball, hemorrhage @ 78 in 1939
Rosalind Russell, actress, breast cancer @ 69 in 1976
Shinran親鸞, founder of Japan's True Pure Land Buddhist sect, @ 89 in 1262
Wasfi Tal وصفي التل, Jordan's PM, assassinated by Black September in Cairo @ 52 in 1971
Queen Mother Wilhelmina of Netherlands, @ 82 in 1962
♦Today’s Events♦
ARTS
1932 Groucho Marx performed on radio for the first time
1948 "Hopalong Cassidy" premiers on TV
1988 Picasso's "Acrobat & Harlequin" sells for $38.46 million
ATHLETICS
1895 America's 1st auto race starts; 6 cars, 55 miles, winner averages 7 MPH
1925 Famed NHL goalie Georges Vezina collapses in a game & dies of TB 4months later
1981 Bear Bryant wins his 315th game to out distance Alonzo Stagg & become college football's winningest coach
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1942 Coffee rationing began in the United States, lasting through the end of World War II.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1729 The Natchez are very upset with the new commander at Fort Rosalie. Commander Etcheparre Chepart is incapable of command. The Natchez attack and destroy the fort, and begin a revolt in the area. Approximately 200 whites are killed in the attack on the fort, which begins today. This is called The Fourth War with the Natchez, by the French. Chepart is killed while hiding in his garden. Chepart has received a warning of the impending attack from Natchez Sun (Queen) Stung Arm; but, he refused to believe it.
1745 The old frontier settlement of Saratoga, New York is near modern Schuylerville. 220 Indians, and 400 French attack the settlement. Most of the town, and the fort, is burned, 100 settlers are captured, and another thirty are killed during the fighting.
POLITICS (US)
1853 Olympia established as capital of Washington Territory
1861 Confederate congress officially admits Missouri to the CSA
1963 U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announced in a televised address that Cape Canaveral would be renamed Cape Kennedy
POLITICS (International)
1795 US pays $800,000 & a frigate as tribute to Algiers & Tunis
1943 FDR, Churchill & Stalin met at Tehran to map out strategy
SCIENCE & RELIGION
1520 Ferdinand Magellan begins crossing Pacific Ocean
ANSWERS
∞ JEOPARDY
To avoid being confuse with B. Bel Geddes, she signs autographs as “J.R.'s Real Mother”
Who is Mary Martin?
This founder of the National Review debuted as a harpsichordist with the Phoenix Symphony in 1989
Who is William F. Buckley?
This leading actress' first film with Michael Douglas was “Romancing the Stone”
Who is Kathleen Turner?
She also played the offstage voice of Annie Sullivan's brother in the play “The Miracle Worker”
Who is Patty Duke?
She said of “Laura”, “People remember me less for my acting job than as the girl in the portrait”
Who is Gene Tierney?
∞ PICTURE
Center of a DVD case
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