HOLY MACKEREL: 1952 A regular feature of Sunday funny papers debuted. Peanuts was seen above the fold in newspapers across the U.S. The Charles Schulz creation became the most successful syndicated comic strip in history.
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MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
Our retirement group had a good lunch. Mary is happy to be back from Phx. Mike, not so much as he came back to find many NAU buildings he oversees were badly flooded during our deep freeze. Cheryl had a good time in California. Her weight loss has kicked in. The docs tell her that the weight loss comes in stair steps. Loss, adjust, loss. Many of the patients who get this surgery are morbidly obese and l lose, plateau, … Cheryl started far from that so her weight loss just took time to start. She feels good, says it is easier because food doesn’t taste that good. Hmmm, didn’t realize the stomach was connected to the taste buds. She says that food doesn’t taste bad, just not good. She also bought a new ride—a Toyota 4-door pick up in jet black. A beautiful ride. She kept her Rav and will be selling her older pick up. She said it was hard to explain to Wms people why a single woman needed two vehicles and now with three the town will just think she is eccentric. I shared pics of my niece and nephew-in-laws. They agree that both Chase and Skylar are very cute. Kids are always cute at their ages—especially in pictures.
OK then, our new congress is seated. Our rep, Paul Gosar, has been FBing all day. I am beginning to understand the FB thing for politicians. During the election cycle, they post—or have someone post—almost hourly. Since the November election our new rep hasn’t posted squat. Now that he is in DC, the posts started again. I must say his FB rhetoric sounds really good. “I want to listen to the people”, “I want to cut spending”, “I want to balance our budget”, … . He has yet to say WHAT spending he will cut. He has yet to say HOW he will balance the budget. Sadly, he has said that he is against Obamacare. As a dentist, one would think that he understands to problems with the current system. He hasn’t said how he will improve Healthcare for those of us in his district. My friend Martha had another friend who suggested a chiropractor to her. Martha has a good chiropractor right now, but decided to make an appointment with her friend’s chiropractor. She called and made an appointment. The receptionist asked what insurance she had. She said Medicare. She was told that Dr. X doesn’t accept Medicare patients and that it is $55 for an adjustment. Isn’t that discrimination against the elderly? Martha thinks so, and so do I. Finding a good medical person in this small town is not easy. Here in Flg I have heard that some doctors are not accepting new patients. I get that. Some doctors don’t accept certain insurances—some of the smaller companies that no one has ever heard of. Every doctor I have visited here bills their patients through some centralized bill system. If I try to pay a doctor more than the co-pay, the receptionist has to call the billing company to get the amount owed. I’m sure this is because a small town doctor finds it easier to pay someone else to deal with the billing so they can deal with patients. So maybe it’s this chiropractor’s billing service that isn’t allowing Medicare. Yes, every insurance company has their own forms, their own requirements, their own payment schedule. It is a lot of paperwork. My dentist bills from his office. The receptionist has three four inch binders on her desk that has dental plans in the state. She is new and when I had my teeth cleaned she had to pull out one of the books to see how much I owed. My BCBS dental coverage is basically worthless, but does give me a break on cleaning and X-rays. I dread getting my bills from the numerous ‘specialists’ I have seen over my throat trimming. So far neither the lab nor the doctor has gotten any money from my pocket, but I am sure their bills will start arriving soon. I am actually more concerned about my out of pocket cost than I am about the trimming. I like to know up front some kind of figure. The doctor’s don’t see it that way. The hospital doesn’t see it that way, and the labs don’t see it that way. The scary part is that I’m sure that which insurance I have determines what I am charged. An odd way to run a business.
Watch the news on immigration. AZ’s legislature will introduce a bill on its first day of business that will no longer allow babies of illegal aliens to be automatically given citizenship when born in AZ. Senate President Pearce, the leader of SB1070, has stated that he expects the bill to be passed and then end up in the Supreme Court. His issue is that 14th Amendment was only for Negroes who had been denied citizenship before it was passed. We must remember that Pearce is the father of a man who was shot by an illegal immigrant back in the 70’s. His agenda is to get rid of all illegals because one illegal shot his son—an on-duty Mesa Cop. His son did survive and from what I can find, did not suffer any permanent injuries. He never mentions this when he talks about the bills, but truly believes that every illegal immigrant is evil and needs to git outta our state. Way to many listen to him.
Note: Tomorrow is my ‘trimming’ surgery, so this blog will return either Fri or Sat.
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∞ JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(Super-Jeopardy Answers) from 1990 THE MIDDLE AGES
…answers at bottom…
•During the 10th & 11th centuries, the king of France ruled only a narrow strip of land around this city
•They were trade organizations that fixed wages & set quality standards
•This king of England lost territories, was excommunicated & was forced to accept the Magna Carta
•In the 13th C. the Franciscan friars wore gray, while the Friars founded by this saint wore black
•Pope Stephen II gave him the title patrician, but most people know Pepin III by this nickname
UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM-- LONDONDERRY, N.H.
A New Hampshire man rushing to get his pregnant wife to the hospital says he was given a state police escort, and then a speeding ticket.
John Coughlin says he'll fight the ticket, but the state police say it was deserved.
Coughlin hit a speed of 102 mph on Sept. 18 as he rushed to a Manchester hospital with his wife.
When a trooper tried to stop them, the Coughlins called 911 and said the baby was coming. The trooper then turned the pursuit into a hospital escort. WMUR-TV says baby Kyle was born six minutes after they reached the hospital.
The trooper congratulated Coughlin on the birth of his son and then handed him a ticket. State Police Major Russell Conte says the trooper did the right thing, contending Coughlin put his wife, unborn child, himself and the public at risk.
SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION— Postage Stamps
→An undersea post office was established in 1939 as part of a scientific facility on the sea bed off the Bahamas. They used a special oval postmark that was inscribed "SEA FLOOR/BAHAMAS."
→Great Britain is the only country which issues stamps without its name printed on them. The profile of the monarch appears instead.
→When stamps were first issued, they had no gum on the back. If paste was not available, mailers sometimes pinned or even sewed stamps to envelopes.
A LITTLE LAUGH
An elderly gentleman was reading his recovery-room record at the hospital where I work. He looked quite concerned at one notation.
"I know I was in a bit of a muddle, but I didn't realize I was that bad," he said to me apologetically. "I hope I didn't offend anyone."
He was greatly relieved when I explained the acronym in question meant "Short Of Breath" and not what he thought.
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS—Mass Participation
→The longest contra line was achieved by 2,208 participants at the Riga Technical University of Latvia, in Latvia, on 25 October 2008.
→A total of 20 members from the Paraclub Flevo of Lelystad, The Netherlands, jumped from a ballon simultaneously at 2,000 m (6,500 ft) over Markelo, The Netherlands, on May 10, 2003.
→The largest human mobile was made up of 105 people from Target Cranes, The Stunt Company, Bellville Fire Dept. and the Fire Brigade of Boland Mun, in the grounds of Horizon House, Stellenbosch, South Africa on 3 November 2007. The lowest point of the mobile was 98 meters above the ground.
→The largest Irish dance involved 10,036 participants at the Dublin Irish Festival organized by the City of Dublin in Dublin, Ohio, USA on August 4, 2007.
→The record for the largest tea party is 32,681 participants and was achieved by Dainik Bhaskar (India) for the City of Indore, at Nehru Stadium, in Indore, India, on 24 February 2008.
FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
♫ T O P T V T H E M E S O N G S OF ALL TIME♫
Click on Song Title to see and hear
"Here's the story" that we can all finish. The Brady Bunch theme is one of the most instantly identifiable songs ever, and a hard one to resist singing along to. This beloved sitcom about a way too good to be true family was perfectly set up in a theme song that told you everything you needed to know about the secret origin of those lovable Bradys
"A dimension of sight, a dimension of sound…" Rod Serling's voiceover had its variations throughout the years, but the eerie music beneath it always retained the same feeling that let you know something bizarre was about to occur
From the opening of "It's time to play the music" to the many endings of Gonzo attempting to play an instrument, this catchy and upbeat theme song captures the fun spirit of The Muppet Show. The sequence succinctly introduces not only the cabaret style format of the program (albeit with Muppets), but also the green-skinned host, a multitude of singing and dancing monsters, the band, and the show's two persistent hecklers -- all while staying fast and fun
The venerable Mike Post, perhaps one of the Lord/Gods of television theme music, crafted the recognizable instrumental for Steven Bochco's critically acclaimed cop drama. Beginning with the chaotic rush of sirens the song quickly dips into somber, contemplative terrain thanks to happily melancholic piano. It provides the perfect sonic dichotomy to what the show was all about: the rigors of police work and the human drama that lurks underneath.
"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful ship…" Just hearing these lyrics brings back memories of impossible coconut machines and guest star cameos. Gilligan's Island was never really a great show, the humor was predictable and the plot holes were big enough to drive a truck through. But oddly enough the opening theme song was good enough to make you forget anything that was going to come after it, and embrace the characters and the farfetched plots. In fact the theme song sets up the show well enough that it actually immortalizes the characters and the fate of The Minnow that was just supposed to be a three hour tour
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DAYBOOK INFORMATION
‡…THIS WEEK…‡
Celebration of Life Week: Diet Resolution Week: Silent Record Week: 1-7
National Lose Weight/Feel Great Week: 1-8
Someday We'll Laugh About This Week: 2-8
New Year's Resolutions Week: 3-9
Women's Self Empowerment Week: 5-9
‡…TODAY IS…‡
Carnival Season: from Epiphany to Shrove Tuesday in Roman Catholic Countries
Celtic world: Little Christmas (Irish: Nollaig Bheag, Scottish Gaelic Nollaig Bheag ) Women hold parties and celebrate while men do household chores.
Christian: Epiphany
Christian: Three Kings Day ("The Adoration of the Magi" or "The Manifestation of God." the arrival day of the Three Kings (or wise men/magi): Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.)
Italy: La Befana (Italian equivalent of St. Nicholas: Old lady delivers presents to children)
Iraq: Armed Forces Day
US: New Mexico: Admission Day (47th state: Original motto was ‘Land of Sunshine’ but FL protested and was changed to ‘Land of Enchantment’)
‡…Today’s Births…‡
• AUTHORS
1859 Samuel Alexander English philosopher (Moral order & progress)
1883 Khalil Gibran Lebanonese mystic poet (The Prophet, Broken Wings)
1878 Carl Sandburg US, poet/biographer of Lincoln (The People, Yes)
John Singleton, 42, director, screenwriter (Shaft, Boyz N the Hood)
• ATHLETES
Louis Leo (Lou) Holtz, 73, former football coach
Nancy Lopez, 53, Hall of Fame golfer
• BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1896 Abram N Pritzker US businessman (Hyatt Hotels, McCall's magazine)
1799 Jedediah Strong Smith US fur trader/explorer
• ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS/…)
Rowan Atkinson, 55, actor (“Mr Bean,” “Blackadder”)
Bonnie Franklin, 66, actress (“One Day at a Time
1880 Tom Mix silent screen cowboy actor (Dick Turpin)
1914 Danny Thomas (Amos Jacobs) comedian (Danny Thomas Show)
1913 Loretta Young (Gretchen Michaela Young) actress (Farmer's Daughter, Stranger)
• POLITICIANS
1882 Samuel Rayburn (Representative- TX), speaker of the House (1940-57)
• SCIENCE & RELIGION
1412 Joan of Arc martyr
1745 Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier aeronaut (1st pioneer balloonist/brother of Joseph-Michel/co-inventor of calorimeter, hydraulic ram, and process for producing vellum)
Reverend Sun Myung Moon, 91, evangelist (Unification Church-Moonies)
1799 Jedediah Smith explorer: helped to create Oregon Trail
Earl Scruggs, 86, musician
‡…Today’s Obituaries…‡
1950 Isaiah Bowman geographer/co-founder (Geographical Review), @71
1993 John B "Dizzy" Gillespe blues trumpeter, cancer @ 75
1978 John D MacArthur US insurance billionaire, @ 80
1994 Morty the Moose (Northern Exposure), @ 6 [ave. life of moose in captivity is 7yrs; in the wild 14 yrs)
1994 Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. Speaker of the house, cancer @ 81
1919 Theodore Roosevelt 26th President (1901-09), heart attack in sleep @60
‡…Today’s Events…‡
• ARTS
1957 Elvis Presley makes his 7th & final appearance on Ed Sullivan Show
1963 "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" with Marlin Perkins begins on NBC
1973 "Schoolhouse Rock" premieres on ABC-TV with Multiplication Rock
1975 "Wheel Of Fortune" debuts on NBC-TV
• ATHLETICS
1896 1st US women's 6-day bicycle race starts, Madison Square Garden
1976 Ted Turner purchases Atlanta Braves for reported $12 million
1994 Nancy Kerrigan, a favorite to win the women’s U.S. Figure Skating Championship, was assaulted after she finished a practice session in Detroit.
• BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1639 Virginia is 1st colony to order surplus crops (tobacco) destroyed
• INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1864 To force the Navajos to move to the Bosque Redondo Encampment, the Army gets Kit Carson to mount an expedition against the Navajos in the Canyon de Chelly. Captain Albert Pfeiffer, and a small force, leaves Fort Canby on this date to meet Carson at the canyon. Carson is called "rope thrower" by the Indians.
1975 Mattie Grinnell, 108 years old, the last full-blooded Mandan dies in Twin Buttes, North Dakota.
• POLITICS (US)
1941 FDR's "4 Freedoms" speech (speech, worship, from want & from fear)
1978 1st postage stamp copyrighted by US (Carl Sandburg stamp)
• POLITICS (International)
1497 Jews are expelled from Graz (Syria)
1535 City of Lima Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro
1540 King Henry VIII of England married his 4th wife, Anne of Cleves
1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army draws to Glasgow
1936 Barbara Hanley became Canada's 1st woman mayor (Webbwood, Ontario)
• SCIENCE & RELIGION
1838 Samuel Morse made 1st public demonstration of telegraph
1898 1st telephone message from a submerged submarine, by Simon Lake
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ANSWERS
∞ JEOPARDY
•During the 10th & 11th centuries, the king of France ruled only a narrow strip of land around this city
What is Paris?
•They were trade organizations that fixed wages & set quality standards
What are ‘guilds’?
•This king of England lost territories, was excommunicated & was forced to accept the Magna Carta
Who was John?
•In the 13th C. the Franciscan friars wore gray, while the Friars founded by this saint wore black
Who was St. Dominic?
•Pope Stephen II gave him the title patrician, but most people know Pepin III by this nickname
Who was Pepin the Short?
THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY
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