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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.
- 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 ☺
