12-28-11



FYI: Blue text is a link… click on any blue text for more information!

Today’s  Historical  Highlights         
  • 1832 - John Calhoun becomes 1st VP to resign (differences with Pres Jackson)
  • 1846 - Iowa becomes 29th state
  • 1895 - World's 1st movie theater opens in Paris
  • 1942 - Robert Sullivan becomes 1st pilot to fly Atlantic 100 times
  • 1945 - Congress officially recognizes "Pledge of Allegiance"
  • 1975 - "Hail Mary Pass"-Cowboys beat Vikings 17-14 on last second pass



Happy Birthday To:                      
 
Free Rambling Thoughts   
Sure hope everyone is having or has had a great holiday time.
I had a great break in Chicago…no flight problems, no snow, sunshine every day. Certainly not the usual Chicago Holiday event. My sister-in-law and her family are so kind to me. We played with a three year old and a seven year old, had three opening presents events, I gave each little kid a toy and as an afterthought, a slinky. Amazingly the slinky-s were the biggest hit at the first party, and somehow made it to every other party too. The three year old told everybody I gave the best presents. Hardly true, but sure a hit. We also took the kids ice skating at Millennium Park downtown. While there we visited ‘the bean’ . I had seen it at night, but in the daytime it is really amazing. All in all it was a great trip. Now to get ready for Mexico next week.

Lifestyle  Substance  (any answers at the end of post)
NPR Sunday Puzzle
Each answer is a familiar word that starts with A-D and is an anagram of the given letters. For example, given the "pat," the answer would be "adapt."
1.     Led:
2.     Tim:
3.     Nor:
4.     Juts:
5.     Riot:
6.     Frit:
7.     Manta:
8.     Learn:
9.     Serve:
10.  Nether:
11.  Shimon:
12.  Octave:
13.  Balmier:
14.  Dilation:
15.  Event timers:

Wuzzles  What concept or phrase do these suggest?
   
Rules of Thumb   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
  • People who wear their hair short will generally need a haircut within a week after their hair looks perfect.


Harpers Index         
  • Minimum percentage of US electricity that is consumed by marijuana growers: 1


Yeah, It Really Happened                 
MIDLAND PARK, N.J. - A Midland Park, N.J., police officer was arrested for drunken driving after consuming alcohol during a state police class on DWI arrests, authorities say. During the Thursday class taught by the New Jersey State Police, Midland Park police officer Joseph B. Gaeta was given measured amounts of alcohol to test its effect on his physical abilities, the Midland Park Suburban News reported. After the class, Gaeta was driven home by another officer, Wyckoff police Chief Benjamin Fox said.
Once home, Gaeta, 31, got on his four-wheel all-terrain vehicle and began driving on a residential street, which authorities said is illegal. Gaeta was attempting to make a turn when he lost control of the ATV and flipped it. Fox said Gaeta sustained serious facial injures for which he was hospitalized. He had surgery Saturday. Gaeta, who had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13 percent, was charged with driving while intoxicated and given several other citations related to the illegal operation of an all-terrain vehicle.
"I've honestly never run across a situation like this in 43 years," said Midland Park police Chief John Casson. "I'm not sure at what point his status [with the department] could change."

Joke-of-the-day
One day an employee came in to work with both of his ears bandaged.
When his boss asked him what happened, he explained:
"Yesterday I was ironing a shirt when the phone rang and I accidentally answered the iron instead of the phone!"
"Well," the boss said, "that explains one ear, but what  about the other?"
"They called back!"

New! Old-er people in the News
ROYAL PALM BEACH: A 73-year-old man attacked an 81-year-old man with a pricing gun Sunday inside the Belvedere Road Wal-Mart, according to an arrest report.
Dennis O'Brien and John Esposito began arguing, and O'Brien swung at Esposito with the tool in his right hand, the report says. Esposito sustained a swollen left eye and cuts on his nose and mouth.
Esposito said he and O'Brien work at the Wal-Mart. He would not discuss the nature of their argument. Wal-Mart officials also would not comment.
O'Brien told a sheriff's deputy he acted in self-defense, but security tape showed O'Brien raising his hand first, striking Esposito in the face and then pushing him to the ground, according to the report.
Officials booked O'Brien into the Palm Beach County Jail on aggravated battery charges. He was released Monday on $3,000 bond.

Somewhat Useless Information   
  • Did you know that celebrating the New Year is a tradition that dates back nearly 4000 years? If you had lived in Mesopotamia and Babylon 4,000 years ago (2000 B.C.), you probably would have celebrated the new year in mid-March, at the time of the Vernal (Spring) Equinox. If, however, you were an Egyptian, your new year began with the Autumnal Equinox and the flooding of the Nile. If you were Greek, the Winter Solstice began your new year celebrations. 
Bonus
  • Today's Time Square New Year's Eve Ball was designed by Waterford Crystal. The Ball is a geodesic sphere, 11,875-pounds and 12-foot in diameter. The ball is lowered starting at 11:59:00pm and reaching the bottom of its tower 60 seconds.



Found on You Tube          

Westminster Abbey


Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
25-31
It's About Time Week 
26-1/1
Kwanzaa
  • 26 The principle of Umoja (unity) speaks to our need to develop and sustain a sense of oneness, righteous and rightful togetherness in the small and large circles and significantrelations of our lives, from family and friendship to community and the cosmos
  • 27 The principle of  Kujichagulia (Self Determination) instructs us to assert ourselves in self-defining and dignity-affirming ways in the world;  and  to create the miracles, monuments and meaningful relationships and achievements we want in our lives.
  • 28 The principle of  Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) teaches us that we must build the good and sustainable communities, societies and world we all  want and deserve to live in and leave to those after us.


Today Is                                                                       
  • Card Playing Day
  • National Chocolate Day


Today’s Other Events                                                             
1000’s
1065 - Westminster Abbey opens in London

1600’s
1614 - Sperm whale beached at Noordwijk

1700’s
1732 - 1st known ad for "Poor Richard's Almanack" (Pennsylvania Gazette)
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 Cherokee have been outfitted in "more proper" clothing. The eventual meeting would lead to an addenda to the Holston Treaty which will be signed on February 17,1792.
1835: 2nd Seminole War: Wiley Thompson, Seminole Agent, Lt.Constantine Smyth, and Erastus Rogers, are killed by anti-removal Seminole at Fort King, near present day Ocala in the northcentral part of Florida. Major Francis L.Dade's company of troops are marching from Fort Brooke on Tampa Bay, to Fort King. Near the Little Withlacoochee River, near present day Bushnell. They will be attacked by 180 Seminole. Of a total of 112 soldiers, only 3 will survive. Chief Micanopy is credited by many as firing the first shot which killed Major Dade. Chief Jumper killed Dade's adjutant. Only 3 Seminole will be killed. Osceola led the Seminole on several skirmishes this day. Today will be considered the start of the Second Seminole War by the U.S. Army.

1800’s
1828 - 6.8 earthquake strikes Echigo Japan, 30,000 killed
1867 - United States claims Midway Island, the first territory annexed outside Continental limits
1869 - William Finley Semple of Mount Vernon, Ohio, patents chewing gum
1895 - The Lumiere brothers, 19th century film makers, held their first commercial screening
1897 - Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac," premieres in Paris

1900’s
1902 - Trans-Pacific cable links Hawaii to US
1905 - Intercollegiate Athletic Association of US founded (becomes NCAA in 1910)
1906 - Ecuador adopts its constitution
1928 - Last recording of Ma Rainey, "Mother of the Blues," made
1944 - Leonard Bernstein's musical "On the Town," premieres in NYC
1956 - Miss Frances [Horwich], last Ding Dong School on NBC-TV
1961 - Tennessee Williams' "Night of the Iguana," premieres in NYC
1963 - Merle Haggard 1st appearance on country chart with "Sing a Sad Song"
1964 - Principal filming of "Dr Zhivago," begins
1976 - Winnie Mandela banished in South Africa
1981 - The first American test-tube baby, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, is born in Norfolk, Virginia
1991 - Irene the Icon of Greek Orthodox church returns after being stolen
1991 - Ted Turner is named Time Magazine Man of Year

2000’s
2000 - U.S. retail giant Montgomery Ward announces it is going out of business after 128 years
2005 - A U.S. immigration judge orders John Demjanjuk deported to Ukraine for crimes against humanity committed during World War II

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
In their 30’s
John Legend, American musician is 33
Joe Manganiello, actor is 35
Seth Meyers, American actor, SNL is 38
Sienna Miller, actor, is 30

In their 50’s
Joe Diffie, country singer/guitarist (Pick Up Man ) is 53
Denzel Washington, actor (Dr Chandler-St Elsewhere and so much more) is 57

In their 60’s
Edgar Winter, rocker (They Only Come Out at Night) is 65

In their 70’s
Maggie Smith, actor is 77

In their 80’s
Stan Lee, comics artist/creator (Spiderman, Incredible Hulk) is 89
Martin Milner, actor (Route 66, Adam 12, Life of Riley) is 84

Remembered for being born on this day
1835 - Archibald Geikie, British geologist
1856 - [Thomas] Woodrow Wilson, (28 pres-1912-21, Nobel 1919)
1905 - Cliff Arquette, comedian (Charlie Weaver)
1911 - Sam Levenson, NYC, humorist (Sam Levenson Show, Masquerade Party)
1924 - Rod Serling, Syracuse NY, writer/host (Twilight Zone, Night Gallery)

Today’s Obits                                                           
Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani Prime Minister assassinated at 54 in 2007
Clarence Day, writer (Life with Father), dies at 61 in 1935
William Demarest, actor (My 3 Sons), dies in Palm Springs at 91 in 1983
Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, engineer (Eiffel Tower), dies at 91 in 1923
Clayton Moore, American actor, Lone Ranger, dies at 85 in 1999
Jerry Orbach, American actor dies of prostate cancer at 69 in 2004
Sam Peckinpah, director, dies of cardiac arrest at 59 in 1983
Béla Schick, Hung/US children's physician (Scarlet Fever), dies at 90 in 1967
Susan Sontag, American writer dies of leukemia at71 in 2004
Dennis Wilson, drummer/singer (Beach Boys), drowns at 39 in 1983
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, 1st lady (1915-21), dies at 89 in 1961
Answers                                                                                                                                            
NPR Sunday Puzzle
1.     Led: addle
2.     Tim: admit
3.     Nor: adorn
4.     Juts: adjust
5.     Riot: adroit
6.     Frit: adrift
7.     Manta: adamant
8.     Learn: adrenal
9.     Serve: adverse
10.  Nether: adherent
11.  Shimon: admonish
12.  Octave: advocate
13.  Balmier: admirable
14.  Dilation: additional
15.  Event timers: advertisement

Wuzzle
Twisted mind
A contract in writing
Turnip greens

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 Is 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.