10-2-11


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

TODAY’s “Geez”                                                                                            .
  • 1870 - Italy annexes Rome & Papal States; Rome made Italian capital
  • 1916 - San Diego Zoo founded
  • 1944 - Nazis crush Warsaw Uprising killing 250,000 people
  • 1950 - Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz first published
  • 1974 - Hank Aaron's 733rd career HR on his last NL at bat
  • 1991 - Steffi Graf becomes the youngest woman to win 500 pro tennis matches

 ♪♪ HaPpY  BiRtHdAy to♪♪                                                                   .                     

Free Rambling Thoughts                                                                              .
The day started out very nice, then the rain began pouring. Rained on and off most of the afternoon and evening. Who said our monsoon was over?

For some reason, today’s rain made me lazy. Usually overcast skies and moisture invigorate me, but today, I just sat around and played on the computer and watched TV. Not a bad day, just a lazy one.

Politics in AZ has always been strange. I’m sure we have the record for non-elected governors. Now the President of the Senate is being recalled. He’s the SB1070 and other stop immigration bills. There are two candidates, maybe three in the recall. All are conservatives. Pearce, in incumbent is on the ballot. Jerry Lewis (no not THE Jerry Lewis) is on the ballot. The third candidate is Olivia Cortes. She has been labeled as a ‘sham’ candidate by many. Olivia is a naturalized citizen, she is LDS, she is a registered Republican. In the past she has been a Pearce supporter. Her campaign slogan is “¡Si,Se Peuda!” which loosely translates to “Yes we can”. She has been taken to court. She claims that she collected her own petition signatures, but many of the petitions bare Pearce relative’s names as collectors. She says she is paying for her entire campaign, but can’t show any forms of who is paying for her signs or her web site. She has not yet had any press conferences or press interviews, a campaign headquarters or any public statements. The court will decide on Monday is she can remain a candidate.  The argument is that Pearce or his supporters are paying for everything because they believe her Spanish surname and her slogan will take votes away from the Democratic candidate and they don’t want her to win, just take votes away from Jerry Lewis. One publication says she is better at hiding from the press than Howard Hughes. I don’t live in Mesa so can’t vote, but it sure is enjoyable to watch the election campaign.

Trivia Quiz…(answers at the end of post)                                                 .
1.      How many countries are in the UN?
2.      Which breed of dog is noted for its spotted coat?
3.      American Falls and Horseshoe Falls are better known as?
4.      What race is known as "The most exciting two minutes in sports"?
5.      Who was at 17 Burton Street London on April 21st 1926?
6.      Whose nickname was the Wizard of Menlo Park?
7.      Paul Baumer is the major character in which novel?
8.      Who invented dynamite?
9.      What is the capital of Austria?
10.   What animal's diet is made up almost entirely of eucalypt leaves?

Wuzzles…What concept or phrase does this suggest?                           .

Hmmmmm                                                                                                       .
Amount of ‘blood’ money reportedly paid to the families of two Pakistani killed by a CIA contractor in January: “$2,340,000

Somewhat Useless Information                                                                  .
  • During the 1970s several computer engineers working at various research institutions came up with the idea of using telecommunications technologies to link their computers together. This effort, the forefather of the modern Internet, was known as the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).
  • In 1981, Osborne Computer introduced the world's first portable computer -- the Osborne I. Weighing almost 24 pounds, the Osborne I wasn't very portable by today's standards, but it was light enough to carry and could fit under an airplane seat. The Osborne I, which sold for $1,795 (2010US$-4,249.24, came with a 5-inch display, modem port, two 5 1/4 floppy drives, battery pack, and 64 kilobytes of memory.
  • According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "computer" was first used to describe a mechanical calculating device in 1897. Although the word existed previously, it had been used to describe "a person who computes or performs calculations."
  • Introduced in 1971, the Kenbak-1 is generally considered to be the world's first personal computer. Designed by John V. Blankenbaker, the Kenbak-1 included 256 bytes of memory, ran at an operating speed of about 1MHz, and sold for $750 (2010US$-3,991.86)

 Yeah, It Really Happened                                                                              .            
ATLANTA - The Georgia Institute of Technology said it has spent more than $100,000 replacing the letter "T" on various signs after repeated thefts. Undergraduate President Elle Creel said stealing the "T" from Tech Tower is a tradition stretching back to the 1960s, but it has recently spread to taking the "T" from signs all over campus, including stadium signs and library book return boxes, WAGA-TV, Atlanta, reported Wednesday. The student government is encouraging thieves to return the pilfered letters with its "Keep the T in Tech" campaign, which is allowing those who take the letters to return them Wednesday with no questions asked. "They can come by our student government office all day. We are also going to have the Rambling Wreck our mascot. You can come by Skiles Walkway and drop off the T in the wreck. There will be no questions asked. We don't care why you stole the T or when. We just want to know where you got it so we can restore it to its rightful place," Creel said.

Guffaw…or at least smile                                                                               .
A man walks into the psychiatrist’s office with a zucchini up his nose, a cucumber in his left ear, and a breadstick in his right ear. He says, “What is wrong with me?
The psychiatrist replies, “You are not eating properly.”

Searchin’ “You Tube” I found                                                                        .     


Daybook Information                                                                                    .
…Happening This Week:
1-2
Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend
1-9
Albuquerque International Balloon Festival 
Universal Children's Week
2-8
Great Books Week 
National Newspaper WeekMental Illness Awareness WeekMystery Series WeekNational Carry A Tune WeekNuclear Medicine Week

TODAY IS                                                                                                         .
  • Change A Light Day
  • Country Inn, Bed-and-Breakfast Day
  • Guardian Angels Day
  • International Day of Non-violence
  • Name Your Car Day
  • National Custodial Workers Day
  • Phileas Fogg's Wager Day
  • Techie's Day
  • World Communion Day
  • World Farm Animals Day

~*~
  • Guinea--Independence Day (1958 from France)

Today’s Events                                                                                                .
ARTS
1895 - 1st cartoon comic strip is printed in a newspaper The Yellow Kid 
1955 - "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" premieres
1959 - Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" premieres 
1961 - "Ben Casey" premieres 
ATHLETICS
1909 - 1st rugby match (Twickenham)
1938 - Indian Bob Feller strikes out record 18 Tigers (Chester Laabs 5 times)
1968 - Bob Gibson sets a World Series record of 17 strikeouts
1988 - 24th Olympic games close at Seoul, Korea
2009 - Rio de Janeiro is elected the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
BUSINESS
--
EDUCATION
--
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1685: An agreement is reached today for the Delaware Indians to cede some lands to Pennsylvania.
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
1263 - The battle of Largs fought between Norwegians and Scots
1535 - Jacques Cartier discovers Mount Royal (Montreal)
2006 - Five school girls are murdered by Charles Carl Roberts in a shooting at an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania before Roberts commits suicide
RELIGION
1871 - Brigham Young, Mormon leader, arrested for bigamy
SCIENCE
1889 - In Colorado, Nicholas Creede strikes it rich in silver during the last great silver boom of the American Old West
1956 - 1st atomic power clock exhibited-NYC
1984 - 3 cosmonauts return after a record 237 days in orbit
US POLITICS
1656 - US colony Connecticut passes law against Quakers
1789 - George Washington transmits the proposed Constitutional amendments (The United States Bill of Rights) to the States for ratification
1919 - Pres Woodrow Wilson has a stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed
1967 - Thurgood Marshall sworn in as 1st black Supreme Court Justice

Today’s Birthdays                                                                                          .
ARTISTS:  (AUTHORS, COMPOSERS,…)
--
ATHLETES
Steve McLaughlin, NFL kicker (Atlanta Falcons) turns 40
ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
1895 - Bud Abbott, comedian (Abbott & Costello)
-Lorraine Bracco, actor (Soporanos) is 56
1948 - Chris LeDoux, country singer (Ridin' for a Fall ; This Cowboy's Hat)
1890 - Groucho Marx, [Julius], comedian (Marx Bros, You Bet Your Life)
1928 - George Emmett McFarland,  actor (Spanky-Our Gang/Little Rascals)
- Don McLean, singer/songwriter (American Pie, Vincent) turns 66
-Rex Reed, movie critic/actor (Myra Breckinridge) is 73
-Kelly Ripa, TV Host is 41
-Sting, singer (The Police) is 60
ENTREPRENEURS & EDUCATORS
--
POLITICIAL FIGURES
1452 - King Richard III, of England (1483-85)

1800 - Nat Turner, leader of major slave rebellion (1831)
SCIENTISTS & THEOLOGISTS
1871 - Martha Brookes Hutcheson, American landscape architect

Today’s Obits                                                                                                  .
1998 - Gene Autry, American singer, actor, and entrepreneur dies at 91
1803 - Samuel Adams, US revolutionary (Boston Massacre-Tea Party), dies at 81
1973 - Paul Hartman, actor (Bert-Petticoat Junction), dies at 84
1985 - Rock Hudson, actor (MacMillian & Wife), dies of AIDS at 59
1962 - Frank Lovejoy, actor (Man Against Crime, Meet McGraw), dies of heart attack at 50
1993 - Henry Ringling North, circus owner (Ringling Bros Circus), dies at 83
1973 - Paavo "Flying Finn" Nurmi, who won 6 Olympic gold medals, dies at 76
2005 - Nipsey Russell, American comedian dies at 87

ANSWERS                                                                                                        .    
Trivia Quiz
1.      How many countries are in the UN?
a.      192--The United Nations began in 1945 as a replacement for the League of Nations. It's headquarters are located in New York City. It's goal is provide a neutral ground where countries can air their grievances and to help stop wars. The UN has six official languages; Spanish, Russian, French, English, Chinese and Arabic.
2.      Which breed of dog is noted for its spotted coat?
a.      Dalmatian--The Dalmatian is thought to be one of the first breeds of dogs that was deliberately bred for certain characteristics. These dogs have been painted running next to chariots, and have been used throughout history as hunters and bird dogs. They later became associated with firehouses. One reason for this was their ability to get along with horses.
3.      American Falls and Horseshoe Falls are better known as?
a.      Niagara Falls--This famous waterfall is located on the border between Canada and the US. The name Niagara Falls comes from the Iroquois meaning Thunder of Waters. It is believed that the first European to visit the falls was Samuel de Champlain in the year 1604. Sam Patch was the first person recorded to go over the falls and survive in 1829. Since that time numerous people have attempted to conquer the falls, by either walking across the falls on a tightrope or by going over them in a barrel. The first person to take a barrel over the falls was Annie Edson Taylor in 1901.
4.      What race is known as "The most exciting two minutes in sports"?
a.      The Kentucky Derby--The very first Derby was run on May 17th in 1875. The first horse to win the derby was Aristides ridden by Oliver Lewis. The Derby is run every year on the first Saturday in May at the now famous Churchill Downs. Although the derby has varied in length it is now one and a quarter miles and is also known as the 'Run for the Roses".
5.      Who was at 17 Burton Street London on April 21st 1926?
a.      Queen Elizabeth II--Queen Elizabeth's coronation took place on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey. She and her husband Prince Phillip have four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. During World War II the Queen served in the military as a member of the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. Her main duty was driving military trucks, and her rank was No. 230873 Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor. She is the Queen of 16 countries.
6.      Whose nickname was the Wizard of Menlo Park?
a.      Thomas Edison--On February 11, 1847 in Milan Ohio one of the greatest inventors of all time was born, Thomas Edison. Among his inventions are the long lasting light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture camera and the stock ticker. Edison was disappointed in 'talking films' as he said actors did not 'act' enough and he was deaf.
7.      Paul Baumer is the major character in which novel?
a.      All Quiet on the Western Front--This novel was written by Erich Maria Remarque and was published in 1929. It is a book that describes the terrible life of a German foot soldier. In 1930 this novel was made into an Oscar winning movie. It won for both best picture and best director. The film was remade again in 1979.
8.      Who invented dynamite?
a.      Alfred Nobel--Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, Sweden on October 21st 1833. He was as armaments manufacturer, a chemist, an engineer and an innovator. Upon his death he left his fortune to fund the Nobel Prizes. Each year prizes are given throughout the world to men and woman for contributions to peace, literature, medicine, chemistry and physics.
9.      What is the capital of Austria?
a.      Vienna--This city located on the Danube river began as a Celtic settlement in about 500 BC. It is now the largest city in Austria with a population of 1.7 million people. The modern city of Vienna is broken up into 23 districts. It is famed for its balls. It hosts over 200 each year, many of which are held in the palaces of Vienna. The city also lays claim to having the world's oldest zoo.
10.   What animal's diet is made up almost entirely of eucalypt leaves?
a.      Koala Bear--This marsupial is found only in southern Australia. The name koala comes from the aboriginal language Dharuk and translates to mean 'doesn't drink'. The koala have opposable thumbs and like humans have actual fingerprints. Due to it's lush coat the koala was almost hunted into extinction during the early 20th century. Thanks to protection measures the species is now listed as near threatened and its numbers in Australia are estimated at between 80,000 and 100,000.
Wuzzle
The beginning of the semester
In black and white

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] the dates may not be totally accurate.
§     AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW     §

No comments:

Post a Comment

Followers

Total Pageviews

Blog Archive

About Me

My photo
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.