Ø TODAY’s “Geez”:
· 758 - Abbasid Arabs and Uyghur Turks arrive simultaneously at Chang'an, the Tang Chinese capital, in order to offer tribute to the imperial court. The Arabs and Turks bicker and fight over diplomatic prominence at the gate, in order to present tribute before the other. A settlement is reached when both are allowed to enter at the same time, but through two different gates to the palace
· 1594 - Philip II recognized the rights and privileges of the local nobles and chieftains in the Philippines, which paves way to the creation of the Principalía (i.e., elite ruling class of native nobility in Spanish Philippines)
· 2008 - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an official historic apology to Canada's First Nations in regard to a residential school abuse in which children were isolated from their homes, families and cultures for a century
Ø Free Rambling Thoughts…
A nice day in Flag. I was able to run errands before the weekend traffic started. Then I was able to spend some time on my deck. Very nice.
HS graduation in Flagstaff was yesterday. So it makes sense that tonight volunteers are running a Grad Night Party that is drug and alcohol free. Wait, shouldn’t it have been last night? Oh well, good luck to all the Grads…you are going to need it.
The weekend is finally starting to look like summer. Day temps in the low 80’s and nights in the high 40’s. No strong winds are forecast. I looked back today and by this time last year, all the windows were open 24/7. I haven’t had to do that yet.
At the luncheon the other day, the presenter was a skier from CO. He told me A-Basin, a ski area about an hour from Denver was still open. I checked today and he was right. It still has a 67” base. Open weekends. That is amazing. No wonder they say Lake Powell will be its fullest in a decade. Good for Skiers and thank you Colorado. The fire news down here is a little better, the big fire is now 5% contained after two days of less wind. They are doing lots of back burns now, which is a good sign. Firefighters have only lost 29 homes with more than 5000 threatened. Amazing work. This is the second largest fire in AZ’s history. The 5 largest fires in AZ have burned since 2000. We are in a decades long drought and every year is scary from May until the monsoons. Sadly all the big fires were human caused and destroyed millions of beautiful trees, animals, and views.
Ø Trivia Quiz…(answers at the end of post)
1. Who is the narrator of Farewell My Lovely and The Big Sleep?
2. In which decade of the 20th century was Ellen Barkin born?
3. Who played Whitney Houston's manager in the Bodyguard?
4. Which musical featured the song Shall We Dance?
5. Little Walter is associated with which instrument?
6. Andrew Carnegie developed the iron and steel industry in which city?
7. Who is the actress aunt of Alessandra Mussolini?
8. The Panama Canal Zone was returned to Panama during which president's administration?
9. In a long-running TV series, who had a boss called Dr. Gillespie?
10. Which single did Martika take to NO 1 in the 80s?
11. In which country did English born US citizen Charlie Chaplin die?
12. Which jockey rode Affirmed to the Triple Crown in 1978 aged 18?
Ø Zoom-ed in Picture…Can you Identify what this is? (Answer at end of post)
Ø Hmmmmm…
· Pounds of antibiotics produced in the US in 2009 consumed by animals raised for human consumption: 28,808,023
Ø Somewhat Useless Information…
· New aluminum cans that are manufactured from used beverage containers use 95% less energy than producing them from virgin materials.
· Each year, Americans throw out enough plastic film to shrink-wrap the entire state of Texas.
Ø Yeah, It Really Happened…
EVERETT, WA — Officers at a Seattle-area police department have found themselves in a flap with some unusual suspects: an angry flock of birds.
Crows have been attacking police in the parking lot of an Everett Police Department precinct station. They've been swooping down and dive-bombing the officers as they walk to and from their cars.
Lt. Bob Johns said he recently was flanked by the aggressive birds and "got zinged."
"They're like velociraptors," Johns said.
One officer used his siren to try to scare away the crows, but it didn't work. The birds responded by decorating his car with droppings, The Daily Herald reported.
State Fish and Wildlife Department biologist Ruth Milner said the birds are simply protecting baby crows that have been kicked out of the nest and are learning to fly. Adult crows are quite protective of their young — a common trait among larger birds and birds of prey.
"All they're doing is defending their nest," Milner said.
She noted crows also can recognize people's individual features. And they hold grudges.
"If your cops have done something that (the crows) perceive as a threat, they could be keying in on them because they're all wearing the same kind of uniform," Milner said.
Ø Guffaw…or at least smile…
An Antartian was running back and forth from his computer and his mailbox.
Then the mailman came up to him and asked him what he was doing.
He replied, "My dumb computer keeps saying 'you've got mail'."
Ø Searchin’ “You Tube” I found…
What it Takes to be Number One by Vince Lombardi
Ø Daybook Information…
…Happening This Week:
4-11
· International Clothesline Week
· National Headache Awareness Week
· National Sun Safety Week
· National Tire Safety Week
· (World) Dystonia Awareness Week
6-12
· National Automotive Service Professionals Week
· National Business Etiquette Week
· World Menopause Week
10-17
· Superman Week
· Nursing Assistants Week
Ø TODAY IS
· Belmont Stakes
· Corn on the Cob Day
· King Kamehameha Day
· National Hug Holiday
· The Wicket World of Croquet Day
Ø Today’s Events:
… IN ARTS
1892 - The Limelight Department, one of the world's first film studios, is officially established in Melbourne, Australia
1937 - Marx Brothers' "A Day At The Races" released
1953 - "Amos 'n Andy," TV Comedy, also radio from '29; last aired on CBS
1959 - Postmaster General bans D H Lawrence's book, Lady Chatterley's Lover (overruled by US Court of Appeals in Mar 1960)
… IN ATHLETICS
1950 - Ben Hogan wins US Open golf tournament
1955 - Le Mans race car accident kills 83 spectators (race continues)
1992 - US Olympic baseball team plays 1st exhibition game, beat Venezuela 20-0
… IN BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1578 - England grants Sir Humphrey Gilbert a patent to explore & colonize US
1859 - Comstock silver load discovered near Virginia City, Nevada
1870 - 1st-stone Amstel Brewery opens in Amsterdam
1935 - Inventor Edwin Armstrong gives the first public demonstration of FM broadcasting in the United States, at Alpine, New Jersey
1963 - Gov Wallace tries to prevent blacks registering at U of Alabama
… FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1752: Today, while at a conference with British authorities, Chief Shingas will be named sachem or king of the Delewares by Tanacharison of the Iroquois. The Delawares were subjugated by the Iroquois.
… IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned, according to calculations by Eratosthenes
1509 - King Henry VIII marries wife #1 Catharina of Aragon
1921 - Brazil adopts women suffrage
1987 - Margaret Thatcher is 1st British PM in 160 years to win 3rd consecutive term
1988 - Freedomfest - Mandela addresses Wembley Stadium London
… IN SCIENCE & RELIGION
1644 - Florentine scientist describe invention of barometer
1742 - Benjamin Franklin invents his Franklin stove
1770 - Capt James Cook discovers Great Barrier Reef off Australia
1793 - 1st American stove patent is granted to Robert Haeterick
1895 - Charles E Duryea patents a gas-driven automobile
1936 - Presbyterian Church of America founded at Philadelphia
1944 - 1st Serbian Orthodox cathedral in US, Cathedral of St Sava, NYC
1975 - 1st oil pumped from North Sea oilfield
… IN US POLITICS
1837 - The Broad Street Riot occur in Boston, fueled by ethnic tensions between English-Americans and Irish-Americans
1838 - Iowa Territory is organized
1947 - WW II sugar rationing finally ended in US (began May 28, 1942)
… ARTISTS: AUTHORS: COMPOSERS…
1907 - Anton D Hildebrand, children's book writer (Man in the Moon)
1572 - Ben Jonson, England, playwright/poet (Volpone, Alchemist)
…ATHLETES
1913 - Vince Lombardi, NFL coach (Green Bay Packers)
Joe Montana, NFL quarterback (SF 49ers) turns 55
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
Adrienne Barbeau, actor turns 66
Michael Cacoyannis, director (Zorba the Greek, Trojan Women) turns 89
Chad Everett turns 75
Shia LaBeouf, actor, turns 25
Hugh Laurie, actor (House) turns 52
Gene Wilder, American actor turns 78
… ENTREPRENEUR & EDUCATORS
▬
…POLITICIANS
1696 - Francis Edward James Keith, Scottish soldier and Prussian field marshal
Henry Cisneros, first Hispanic to serve as mayor of a major U.S. city (San Antonio), later Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton Administration turns 64
…SCIENTISTS / THEOLOGISTS
1867 - Charles Fabry, discoverer (ozone layer in upper atmosphere)
Today’s Obits:
2003 - David Brinkley, American television reporter dies at 83
1911 - James Curtis Hepburn, American missionary and linguist dies at 96
1488 - James III, king of Scotland, dies in battle at 36
1999 - DeForest Kelley, American actor [Dr.McCoy—Star Trek] dies at 79
1969 - John L Lewis, formed (Congress of Industrial Org), dies at 89
1560 - Mary of Lorraine [Marie de Guise], pro-French Regent of Scotland mother of Mary Queen of Scots, dies of dropsy at 44
1985 - Karen Ann Quinlan, comatose patient, dies at 31
1993 - Ray Sharkey, actor (Wiseguy, No Mercy, Body Rock), dies of AIDs at 40
1828 - Dugald Stewart, Scot philosopher (Scottish common sense), dies at 74
1979 - John Wayne, actor (Green Berets, True Grit), dies at 72
Ø ANSWERS:
Trivia Quiz
1. Who is the narrator of Farewell My Lovely and The Big Sleep?
……………Philip Marlowe
2. In which decade of the 20th century was Ellen Barkin born?
……………1950s
3. Who played Whitney Houston's manager in the Bodyguard?
……………Gary Kemp
4. Which musical featured the song Shall We Dance?
…………… The King and I
5. Little Walter is associated with which instrument?
…………… Harmonica
6. Andrew Carnegie developed the iron and steel industry in which city?
…………… Pittsburgh
7. Who is the actress aunt of Alessandra Mussolini?
…………… Sophia Loren
8. The Panama Canal Zone was returned to Panama during which president's administration?
…………… Carter
9. In a long-running TV series, who had a boss called Dr. Gillespie?
…………… Dr. Kildare
10. Which single did Martika take to NO 1 in the 80s?
…………… Toy Soldiers
11. In which country did English born US citizen Charlie Chaplin die?
…………… Switzerland
12. Which jockey rode Affirmed to the Triple Crown in 1978 aged 18?
…………… Steve Cauthen
Close Up Picture
Ø …AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW
