The Press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of the government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people.
HOLY MACKEREL: 1943 Stalin deports all inhabitants of Kalmukkie, Russia--about 70,000 killed
FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
I had a really nice time with my brother’s in-laws last week. Laura’s sister has two kids—one seven, one three. The boy, 7, listened to his little sister when she said ‘cut my hair’. When we arrived Sky had flowing blond locks, but by the next day she had a very cute pixie cut. Sky’s mom couldn’t see the humor so we don’t have pics between the long and short hair. Too bad. My brother and I always opened our presents on Christmas morning. It was a very orderly process. Each person got a present, opened it, thanked the giver, if present, and waited for everyone to finish their first present. Then came the second, third… always with the wait. When we were young, Santa always left a couple of presents unwrapped. We went to Laura’s father’s house for a delicious early dinner and the opening of presents with adults and 8 kids. The kids could just not be slowed down as paper, ribbon, and presents were flying around the living room. It was total chaos for about 30 minutes. All the moms were trying to figure out who gave which child what. The kids certainly didn’t know and I’m sure some relatives will be getting very generic thank you notes. You know: “Thank you very much for the Christmas present. I really wanted it and will like it for months to come.” Hopefully everyone will just be happy to get a thank you note. The other thing I will say about my Chicago relatives, they love to eat. We had two big meals every day we were there at a different house. This was my third year and now I am really part of the family. It was kinda hard to leave, knowing I won’t see them again for a year.
I didn’t see the sun for a week and was really looking forward to AZ, to see the sun. I left the hotel at 3:00 this morning, got to Phoenix about 8a and Flag about 10a. Sadly neither Chicago, Phoenix, nor Flagstaff was going to let me see the sun. Flag kinda cleared this afternoon, but even then not very sunny. The positive part of this was that Chicago never got below 30° the whole time we were there. It did not get much warmer than 35°, but we just had light snow and very little wind, so I ain’t complainin’.
I learned to use my Android phone while in Chicago. It even has GPS with oral driving directions. I still have some more learning ahead, but now feel comfortable making calls, sending and receiving texts and emails, using the calendar, Facebook and playing a few games. My much younger brother said he want one, but my the end or the trip he said he also getting a ‘dumb’ cell phone too, just for phone calls. Ah, technology.
Richard & Laura are with friends in Mexico City for the New Year, and then in mid January he goes for a job interview in VietNam. He will be working out of either New York or Miami as he finds vendors for the high end furniture line. Speaking of high end, we went to an open house in Chicago at the home of a friend of Laura had gone to the Art Institute with. They both design furniture. It was a beautiful home, and they showed us four hickory chairs they had just received from a Georgia farmer who made chairs in his spare time (Folk Architecture?). Each chair had been much more expensive, but they got them for $750 each since they bought four. They were hickory chairs with a woven seat much like rattan. They were very nice…just not my price range…ever.
∞ JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(SuperJeopardy Answers) from 1990 MUSICAL THEATRE
§Last name shared by musical theatre greats Moss & Lawrence
§The original cast album of this Broadway musical features a rose & a mask on the cover
§The title character of this comical 1956 musical almost marries Apassionata Von Climax
§1-word title of the 1980 musical which featured the following:
When the pills the doctor gave you turn your cold to the grippe /When a stitch to save nine others comes apart with a rip /When the rats invade your attic and start leaving your ship /Follow my tip /Come away on a trip /Just join the circus...
§Gertrude Lawrence was the "lady" in the title of this 1941 musical about psychoanalysis
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM WIGAN, England
A British man participating in the World Pie Eating Championship set a world record by downing a saucer-sized meat pie in only 23.91 seconds. Organizers of the competition said Neil Collier, 42, bested the previous record of 35.86 seconds, set by former champion Barry Rigby, 37, at Tuesday's contest at Harry's Bar in Wigan, England, The Guardian reported Wednesday. "He just seemed to open his throat and down it went," organizer Tony Callaghan said. "He's from Bolton, mind, which is crying shame for a Wiganer to have to say, but he's certainly learned how to eat pies somewhere. Probably in Wigan." Official Iain Macauley said Collier narrowly avoided disqualification by starting to eat his pie only a fraction of a second after the starting signal was given.
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—
∞ Sports shooters, especially those who use indoor small-bore rifle ranges, risk lead absorption and intoxication.
∞ Recreational skiers can easily reach speeds of up to 40 mph, which can lead to injuries similar to those seen in car accidents.
A LITTLE LAUGH
Flashlights used by my National Guard unit can withstand almost anything. And to prove it, they come with a lifetime warranty.
Nevertheless, nothing is indestructible, which is why the warranty also cautions, "Void with shark bites, bear attacks and children under the age of five."
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
DAYBOOK INFORMATION
♦ THIS WEEK ♦
25-31It's About Time Week
26-1/1: Kwanzaa
♦ TODAY IS… ♦
National Chocolate Day
Card Playing Day
The 2nd Day of Kwanzaa
The 2nd day of a week long festival celebrating the African American people, their culture and their history. On the second day the black candle is again lit, as well as the farthest red candle on the left. This represents the 2nd principle of Kwanzaa – Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-goo-LEE-ah): Self-Determination
Iowa: Admission Day (1846: 29th state: The Hawkeye State)
Western Christianity: The fourth day of Christmas. (4 Calling Birds…for Mathew, Mark, Luke, John)
Nepál: King Birendra's Birthday
Canada, United Kingdom (except Scotland), Australia, New Zealand: Boxing Day: historical--to give to the poor; modern: to return gifts--both for 'boxing up items'
Thailand: King Taksin Memorial Day (1768-1782)
South Australia: Proclamation Day, celebration started on the day following Christmas. (since 1836: became British Province)
♫ Academy Awards Best Original Song ♫
Click on Song Title to see and hear
♦Today’s Births♦
ARTS
David Archuleta, 20, singer, television personality (“American Idol”)
John Legend, 32, R&B singer, born John Stephens
1924 Rod Serling writer/host (Twilight Zone, Night Gallery)
Edgar Winter, 64, singer, musician
►actors◄
1905 - Cliff Arquette (Charley Weaver) actor
Lou Jacobi, 97, actor (Irma La Douce)
Maggie Smith, 76, actress (Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, California Suite
Denzel Washington, 56, actor (The Hurricane, Malcolm X; Oscars for Training Day and Glory)
ATHLETICS
James Blake, 31, tennis player
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1895 Auguste and Louis Lumiere twin brothers opened 1st commercial cinema
POLITICS
1856 - Woodrow Wilson 28th U.S. President [1913-1921]: asked Congress to declare war on Germany [Apr 2, 1917]; president of Princeton University [1902-1910]; Governor of New Jersey [1911-1913]; married to Ellen Axson [three daughters], Edith Galt; nickname: Schoolmaster in Politics
SCIENCE & RELIGION
1828 Karl L Kahlbaum German psychiatrist (catatonie)
♦Today’s Obituaries♦
1945 Theodore Dreiser novelist (An American Tragedy), @ 74
1923 Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel engineer (Eiffel Tower), @ 91
1884 Gerben Colmjon Frisian linguist/publisher, @ 56
1694 Queen Mary II of England smallpox after 5 years of rule @ 32
1984 Sam Peckinpah director, cardiac arrest @ 59
♦Today’s Events♦
ARTS
1973 - Alexander Solzhenitsyn published first volume of his Gulag Archipelago in Paris.
1983 - The Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson drowned in Marina Del Ray, California
ATHLETICS
1905 Intercollegiate Athletic Association of US founded (becomes NCAA in 1910)
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1732 1st known ad for "Poor Richard's Almanack" (Pennsylvania Gazette)
1849 M Jolly-Bellin discovers dry-cleaning, he accidentally upset lamp containing turpentine & oil on his clothing & sees cleaning effect
1869 William Finley Semple of Mt. Vernon, Ohio patented “the combination of rubber with other articles adapted to the formation of an acceptablechewing gum.”
1877 John Stevens applies for a patent on his flour rolling mill
1895 World's 1st movie theater opens in Paris
1912 - The first municipally-owned street cars took to the streets of San Francisco, California.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1791 Cherokee Chief Bloody Fellow, and others, arrive in Philadelphia to meet with President Washington. The meeting will be delayed by Secretary of War Knox until the Cherokees have been outfitted in "more proper" clothing.
POLITICS (US)
1816 American Colonization Society organizes
POLITICS (International)
1065 Westminster Abbey opens in London
1850 Rangoon Burma destroyed by fire
1950 Chinese troops cross 38th Parallel, into South Korea
SCIENCE & RELIGION
1828 6.8 earthquake strikes Echigo Japan, 30,000 killed
ANSWERS
∞ JEOPARDY
§Last name shared by musical theatre greats Moss & Lawrence
What is Hart?
§The original cast album of this Broadway musical features a rose & a mask on the cover
What is ‘Phantom of the Opera’?
§The title character of this comical 1956 musical almost marries Apassionata Von Climax
What is ‘Lil Abner’?
§1-word title of the 1980 musical which featured the following:
What is ‘Barnum’?
§Gertrude Lawrence was the "lady" in the title of this 1941 musical about psychoanalysis
What is ‘Lady in the Dark’?
