8-18-11


All Blue text is a link…be sure and click on it for more information!

     TODAY’s “Geez”:
¬ 1587 - 1st English child born in New World (Virginia Dare)
¬ 1909 - Mayor of Tokyo Yukio Ozaki presents Washington, D.C. with 2,000 cherry trees, which President Taft decides to plant near the Potomac River
¬ 1973 - Hank Aaron's record 1,378 extra base hit surpasses Stan Musial record
¬ 1958 - TV game show scandal investigation starts1964 - South Africa banned from Olympic Games because of apartheid policies

     Free Rambling Thoughts…
Only a few spits or rain around Flag today. I was out and about and almost had my car washed at Sam’s. I looked at the sky and decided against it. That was a good choice since by the time I had finished shopping, there were spits of rain that would have ruined my shiny vehicle. Any rain is appreciated in this drought.

I got a couple of pics from my sister-in-law who is busy ‘glamping’. It must be a NY thing. She and her girl friends are somewhere in Montana. Beautiful views. Then there is the ‘tent’. I only saw the bedroom, which had a Queen sized bed, lots of glam, and lighting that had to be electric, and yeah, a very contemporary floor covering.  I’m sure bugs won’t be an issue. What a great life.

I have an android smart phone. Once the screen goes black, you need a password to get back on. They had a ‘draw a pattern’ option which I have been using since I got the phone. Today I was watching a smart phone safety video from Kim Komando. She was talking about the importance of secure passwords, in case you lose your phone. I got that. Then she showed how to set a secure password on various phones. When she got to the android, she started with the pattern. Low and behold, she used the same pattern I was using. Turns out, according to her, it is the most common pattern used and is far from secure. Something about the way our brain works when coming up with a pattern to remember. So I changed my pattern. Of course it was so automatic; I had a hard time remembering the new one. I was locked out—after 5 tries—several times. That’s when I did the old Skinner thing. I locked and unlocked then locked and unlocked the pattern about 10 times, so my ol’ brain would remember the new pattern. Technology is great, but one never realizes how our brain reacts to all this stuff. I do use one difficult password for all my banking, and change it every few months. I use the same password for all my email accounts—it is labeled by the email computers as ‘strong’. It has nothing in common with my banking password. It is so frustrating that there are people out there who spend their lives trying to hack into various accounts. I get it when geeks try to do it, for the thrill of the win. I don’t get the criminals who do it for profit. Too many of my friends have had their free accounts hacked and then all their contacts keep getting emails to buy various pharmaceuticals that will ‘enhance’ their lives. If I wanted or needed that type of medication, I would go to my doctor. I certainly would not be buying it from an unsolicited email…where I don’t know what is in it, where it is made, or who is profiting from my ignorance.

     Trivia Quiz…(answers at the end of post)
1.      In WWII, what was called Operation Dynamo?
2.      Who created and introduced The Twilight Zone?
3.      Which toy was the brain child of Ole Kirk Christiansen of Denmark?
4.      The movie The Wizard of Oz was based on which children's fantasy?
5.      Which Roman numeral does Ted Danson have after his name?
6.      Which musical featured the song When I Marry Mr. Snow?
7.      In which US state was the J Paul Getty Museum founded?
8.      "Adopt, adapt, improve" was adopted as which group's motto?
9.      Who had a 60s No 1 duetting with Nino Tempo?
10.   What did the W C stand for in W C Fields' names?
11.   Osaka international airport is in which country?

     Zoom-ed in Picture…Can you Identify what this is? (Answer at end of post)

     Hmmmmm…
¬ Percentage of Canadians who support increasing their country’s military presence in the Arctic: 58

     Somewhat Useless Information…
¬ An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner's will.
¬ A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute.

     Yeah, It Really Happened…
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. - A New York state theme park Cinderella accepted a surprise proposal from her service member boy-friend when he popped the question while she was at work. Sarah Cordts, 21, who has played Cinderella at Six Flags' The Great Escape theme park in Queensbury for eight years, said she knew her boyfriend, U.S. Navy Lt. Russell Lidberg, 29, was visiting the park for Heroes Week, but he shocked her when he approached her with a glass slipper and an engagement ring, The (Glen Falls) Post-Star reported Monday.
"He got down on one knee, and pulled out the most beautiful, sparkling diamond ring, and said 'Cinderella, will you live happily ever after with me?'" Cordts said.
"And of course I said, 'Yes! A thousand times yes!'" Lidberg said he coordinated the proposal with Six Flags bosses, who gave Cordts the rest of her shift off to celebrate. The couple said they spent the remainder of the day walking around the park and receiving congratulations.

     Guffaw…or at least smile…
I am writing in response to your request for “additional information.” In block number 30 of the accident report form, I put “poor planning” as the cause for my accident. You said in your last letter that I should explain more fully. I trust that the following detail will be sufficient.
I am an amateur radio operator. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my new 80-foot antenna tower. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought about 300 lbs. of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry the now unneeded tools and materials down by hand, I decided to lower the items in a small barrel by using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the pole at the tip of the tower. Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the top of the tower and loaded the tools and materials into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 300 lbs. of tools.
You will note in block number 11 of the accident report form that I weigh 155 lbs. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40-foot level, I met the barrel coming down. This explains my fractured skull and broken clavicle.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly on the rope in spite of the pain. At about the same time however, the barrel hit the ground. The bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed 20 pounds.
I refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might guess, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40-foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations or my legs and lower body.
The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of tools, and fortunately only three vertebras were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind.
I let go of the rope…

     Searchin’ “You Tube” I found…
Glamping at The Resort at Paws Up , this is actually the same place where Laura is.

     Daybook Information…
…Happening This Week:
14-20: National Resurrect Romance Week / National Aviation Week
16-20Weird Contest Week / World Money Week

     TODAY IS
¬ Bad Poetry Day
¬ Birth Control Pills Day
¬ Cupcake Day
¬ Mail Order Catalog Day: 1872 - 1st mail-order catalog issued by A M Ward

     Today’s Events:
·        IN ARTS
1949 - Ralph Flanagan & his orch records "You're Breaking My Heart"
1958 - "Lolita," by Vladimir Nabokov, published
·        IN ATHLETICS
1931 - Lou Gehrig hitless in Detroit, his 1,000th consecutively played game
1946 - Golf Writers Association of America forms
1960 - Lew Burdette pitches to just 27 for a 1-0 no-hitter against Phillies
1982 - Pete Rose sets record with his 13,941st plate appearance
1983 - Samantha Druce, age 12y 119d is youngest woman to swim English Channel
·        IN BUSINESS
1817 - Gloucester, Mass, newspapers tells of wild sea serpent seen offshore
·        IN EDUCATION
1926 - Weather map televised for 1st time
1963 - James Meredith becomes 1st black graduate from U of Mississippi
·        FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1804 - Lewis and Clark meet with the Ottos to discuss the war with the Maha
1854 - Captain Jesse Walker attacks the Modocs on Tule Lake. Several minor engagements continue until the peace treaty is reached on September 4, 1854
1862 - Sioux Indians begin uprising in Minnesota (it is later crushed)
·        IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded, starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica
1940 - 71 German aircrafts shot down above England
1943 - Final convoy of Jews from Salonika Greece arrive at Auschwitz
·        IN RELIGION
--
·        IN SCIENCE
1686 - Cassini reports seeing a satellite orbiting Venus
1840 - Organization of American Society of Dental Surgeons founded (NY)
·        IN US POLITICS
1894 - Congress creates Bureau of Immigration

·        ARTISTS:  AUTHORS:  COMPOSERS
1450 - Marko Marulic/Marulus/Splichanin/Pechinich, Croatian poet
Roman Polanski director—in ‘hiding’ turns 78
·        ATHLETES
Roberto Clemente, US baseball outfielder (Pittsburgh Pirates) turns 77
Rafer Lewis Johnson, decathlete (Olympic-gold-1960) turns 76
·        ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
Frankie Avalon, rocker (Venus, Beach Blanket Bingo) turns 71
1905 - Greta Garbo, actress famed recluse
Dennis Leary actor turns 54
Edward Norton actor turns 42
Robert Redford actor, director turns 74
Christian Slater actor turns 42
1952 - Patrick Swayze, actor/dancer (Dirty Dancing, Ghost)
Malcolm Jamal Warner,  actor (Theodore-Cosby Show) turns 41
1930 - Grant Williams, actor (Hawaiian Eye, Incredible Shrinking Man)
1920 - Shelly Winters, American actress (A Place in the Sun, A Patch of Blue & Poseidon Adventure)
·        ENTREPRENEUR & EDUCATORS
1883 - Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, French fashion designer (Chanel)
1904 - [Francis] Max Factor, cosmetics manufacturer (Max Factor)
Bob Woodruff, American journalist, anchor, serious injury in Iraq turns 50
·        POLITICIANS
                  Rosalynn Smith Carter, 1st lady (1977-1981) turns 84
1919 - Walter J Hickel, (Gov-R-Alaska)/US Secretary of Interior (1969-71)
1917 - Casper Weinberger, US Secretary of Defense (1981-87)
·        SCIENTISTS / THEOLOGISTS
1774 - Meriwether Lewis, Captain (Lewis & Clark Expedition)
1778 - Fabian Gottlieb von Bellinghausen, 1st to circumnavigate Antarctica

     Today’s Obits:
1803 - James Beattie, Scottish poet/philosopher (Essay on Truth), dies at 67
1940 - Walter P. Chrysler, American automobile executive dies following stroke at 65
1227 - Genghis Khan, Mongol conqueror, dies at about 21 (many stories, no answers)
1992 - Christopher McCandless, subject of the book Into the Wild dies of starvation at 24
1919 - Joseph E. Seagram, Canadian distillery founder, philanthropist, dies at 78
1991 - Vaughn Shoemaker, US cartoonist (John Q Public, Pulitzer), dies at 89
1990 - B F Skinner, psychologist (Skinner Box), dies of Leukemia at 86

     ANSWERS:
Trivia Quiz

In WWII, what was called Operation Dynamo?
 Evacuation of Dunkirk
Who created and introduced The Twilight Zone?
 Rod Serling
Which toy was the brain child of Ole Kirk Christiansen of Denmark?
The movie The Wizard of Oz was based on which children's fantasy?
 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Which Roman numeral does Ted Danson have after his name?
 III
Which musical featured the song When I Marry Mr. Snow?
 Carousel
In which US state was the  J Paul Getty Museum founded?
 California
"Adopt, adapt, improve" was adopted as which group's motto?
 The Round Table
Who had a 60s No 1 duetting with Nino Tempo?
What did the W C stand for in W C Fields' names?
 William Claude
Osaka international airport is in which country?
Japan

Close Up Picture\
Juicer

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree. All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] may not be totally accurate.
     AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW    

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Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.