Mar 18

FYI: Click on any blue text for a link to more information!

Today’s  Historical  Highlights

1325 - According to legend, Tenochtitlan is founded on this date. The event is depicted on the Mexican coat of arms.

1818 - Congress approves 1st pensions for government service

1850 - Henry Wells & William Fargo forms American Express in Buffalo

1881 - Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth opens (Madison Square Garden)

1919 - Order of DeMolay forms in Kansas City

1931 - 1st electric shavers go on sale in US (Schick)

1959 - President Dwight D Eisenhower signs Hawaii statehood bill

1970 - -25) US Postal begins strike Mail service paralyzed by 1st major postal strike

1989 - In Egypt, a 4,400-year-old mummy is found in the Pyramid of Cheops

♪Happy Birthday To: ♪                     

 

Free Rambling Thoughts   

The promised win really arrived. The University and two community colleges have cancelled classes for Monday in expectation of the big storm.  Knowing Flagstaff, this seems a little premature. I guess since this is the end of spring break for them, they figure by closing early, some students will not return during the storm…well, in case they don’t know it…many of the students attend from out of state and those who live in state along with staff have gone to Mexico or someplace out of state for break…and in today’s wonderful world of travel…reservations can’t be changed or cost and arm and a leg to do it.
 

For St. Patrick’s Day I had Corned Beef and Cabbage with soda bread…very nice. I was going to forego it this year, but when I got up I had a hankering for it, so off to the store. Glad I did.

Game   Center   (answers at the end of post)

Brain Game

NPR Sunday Puzzle

The theme today is "cow." Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with "C-O" and the second word starts with "W." For example, if the clue is "person who can fix a hard drive in 10 minutes," the answer would be, "computer whiz."

1.      Former conflict between Communist countries and the west:

2.      Volumes that all the plays and poems of Shakespeare for example:

3.      Person who works for Letterman or Jon Stewart:

4.      Music genre for Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks:

5.      Woman who serves drinks before dinner:

6.      A term made up of two or more parts—like highway or football:

7.      A gun carried in one’s pocket for example:

8.      Vehicle that carried people across the west:

9.      Edgar Allen Poe poem with The ___:

10.   A hard hat wearer:

11.   The FTC for example:

12.   Brand of non dairy dessert topping:

13.   Material for electrical circuits:

14.   A person who takes a prize for a competition:

Wuzzles  What concept or phrase do these suggest?

Lifestyle  Substance     

Planet Earth—

Found on You Tube         

Jacques de Molay

Harper’s Index         

Percentage increase in the sales of luxury goods within the US in the past year: 7.3

Joke-of-the-day

Yesterday scientists revealed that beer contains small traces of female hormones.To prove their theory, the scientists fed 100 men 12 pints of beer and observed that 100% of them gained weight, talked excessively without making sense, became emotional, and couldn’t drive.No further testing is planned.

Rules of Thumb   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

A pineapple is ripe if you can easily pull a stem leaf out.

Somewhat Useless Information   

Dana Plato, who would later become famous for the role of Kimberley Drummond on "Diff'rent Strokes," was originally offered the role of Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist. Due to its shoestring budget, the prop department for Halloween(1978) had to use the cheapest mask that they could find in the costume store: a William Shatner mask, from The Devil's Rain(1975). They later spray-painted the face white, teased out the hair, and reshaped the eyeholes. The book that Jack writes in The Shining contains only the one sentence ("All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy") repeated over and over. Director Stanley Kubrick had each page individually typed.
When Halloween was being written, the original title was The Babysitter Murders.

Yeah, It Really Happened                 

SANDWHICH, MA - A Cape Cod urologist is offering a free pizza to men who are seeking vasectomies in March, officials said. The Urology Associates of Cape Cod is running TV commercials offering a free pizza with a vasectomy, the Cape Cod (MA) Times reported Thursday. March Madness is also tied into the deal as a way of enticing men to undergo the procedure, which requires men to sit on the couch and rest for a few days. The ads feature an attractive woman playing with a basketball and a voice over that asks: "Hey guys! Want to watch the college basketball tournament guilt-free?" Then, the free pizza with a vasectomy offer is presented. "You know you've been thinking about a vasectomy, anyway. Now's the time to get it done," the voice over says. Urology Associates of Cape Cod administrator Evan Cohen said March is the busiest time of year for vasectomies for his practice, with perhaps 45 to 60 being performed. He said he hopes the pizza promotion -- a free one-topping pizza from Surf's Up Pizza and Seafood in Sandwich -- drums up some extra business. "It does actually come with one topping. Maybe you can put some meatballs on it," joked Cohen.

Calendar Information        

…Happening This Week:

3-18

Iditarod Race

12-18

International Brain Awareness Week

Wildlife Week

13-19

Campfire USA Birthday Week

16-18

American Crossword Puzzle Weekend

Sherlock Holmes Weekend

Today Is                                                                      

Awkward Moments Day

Forgive Mom and Dad Day

Goddess of Fertility Day

National Biodiesel Day

Supreme Sacrifice Day recognizes the ultimate sacrifice made by some for the good of others

Aruba: Flag Day

Today’s Other Events                                                             

Before 1000CE

37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius' will and proclaims Caligula emperor

> 

1200’s

1229 - German emperor Frederick II crowns himself king of Jerusalem

1300’s

1314 - Jacques de Molay, the 23rd and the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, is burned at the stake

> 

1600’s

1608 - Susenyos is formally crowned Emperor of Ethiopia

> 

1800’s

1813 - David Melville, Newport, RI, patents apparatus for making coal gas

1834 - Six farm laborers from Tolpuddle, Dorset, England are sentenced to be transported to Australia for forming a trade union

1865 - Congress of Confederate States of American adjourns for last time

1870 - 1st US National Wildlife Preserve (Lake Meritt in Oakland California)

1871 - Indians make several sorties on a government wagon trail, near Fort Dodge, in southwestern Kansas. Three citizens are killed, while 5 Indians are wounded in the fighting.

1877 - More Indians visit Col.Nelson Miles, the see if he will negotiate on surrender terms. Miles informs the large group of Chiefs, his terms have not changed, with the exception that they can surrender at an alternative agency than originally stated. Miles also informs them he will wait no longer for a reply. If the Indians do not surrender soon, his troops will be deployed against them soon. Little Hawk, Crazy Horse's uncle agrees to bring the Indians into Miles' camp or one of the agencies. Nine important Indians remain with Miles as hostages, as a sign of good faith.

1892 - Lord Stanley presents silver challenge cup for hockey (Stanley Cup)

1895 - 200 blacks leave Savannah, Ga for Liberia

1899 - Phoebe, a moon of Saturn is discovered by Pickering

1900’s

1902 - Enrico Caruso becomes 1st well-known performer to make a record

1909 - Einar Dessau of Denmark makes 1st ham broadcast

1922 - Mohandas K Gandhi sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment

1922 - The first public celebration of Bat mitzvah, for the daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, is held in New York City

1942 - 2 black players, Jackie Robinson & Nate Moreland, request a tryout with the Chicago White Sox, they are allowed to work out

1944 - Nazi Germany occupies Hungary

1948 - Philips begin experimental TV broadcasting

1952 - 1st plastic lens for cataract patients fitted (Phila)

1958 - Dodgers announces mascot/clown Emmett Kelly will not perform in 1958

1963 - Supreme Court's Miranda Decision; defendants must have lawyers

1974 - Most Arab oil producing nations end embargo against US

1977 - US restricts citizens from visiting Cuba, Vietnam, N Korea & Cambodia

1982 - Singer Teddy Pendergrass' spinal cord severed in a car accident

1992 - Leona Helmsley sentence to 4 years for tax evasion

2000’s

2003 - FBI agents raid the corporate headquarters of HealthSouth Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama on suspicion of massive corporate fraud led by the company's top executives.

2003 - British Sign Language is recognized as an official British language.

2005 - Terri Schiavo's feeding tube is removed at the request of her husband.

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 80’s

F[rederik] W[illem] de Klerk, president South Africa (1989-94) is 80

In their 70’s

Charley Pride, country singer (Sweet Country) is 74

In their 60’s

Kevin Dobson, actor (Kojak, Knots Landing, Shannon) is 69

John Hartman, rock drummer (Doobie Brothers) is 62

Michael Reagan, talk show host, Ronald's son is 66

> 

In their 40’s

Bonnie Blair, speed skater (Oly-5 gold/brz-88, 92, 94) is 48

Dane Cook, comedian and actor is 40

Queen Latifah, rap singer/actress is 42

Vanessa Williams, American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model and actress is 49

Remembered for being born on this day

Edgar Cayce, American psychic (d. 1945) in 1877

Chiang Ching-huo, son of Chinese pres Chiang Kai-shek/pres (1978-88) in 1910

Grover Cleveland, [Stephen], 22nd/24th Pres (1885-89, 93-97) in 1837

[Arthur] Neville Chamberlain, British PM (C, 1937-40) in 1869

William Randal Cremer, English politician and pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1828

Peter Graves, actor (James Phelps-Mission Impossible) in 1925

William H. Johnson, African-American artist of the Harlem Renaissance in 1901

Wilfred Owen, English anti-war poet (Anthem for Doomed Youth) in 1893

Wilson Pickett, R&B singer (Funky Broadway) in 1941

George Plimpton, sports writer (Paper Lion) in 1927

John Updike, poet/novelist (Rabbit Run) in 1932

Today’s Obits                                                           

Bill Beutel, American journalist dies at 76 in 2006

John Chapman, [Johnny Appleseed], American pioneer agronomist dies suddenly at 70 in 1845

William C. Durant, American automobile pioneer dies at 86 in 1947

Farouk I, last King of Egypt (1936-52), dies of obesity at 45 in 1965

Fess Parker, American actor dies at 86 in 2010

John Phillips, American musician (The Mamas and the Papas) dies of heart failure at 65 in 2001

Robert Walpole, 1st English premier (1722-42), dies at 68 in 1745

Answers                                                                                                                                            

Brain Game

NPR Sunday Puzzle

1.      Former conflict between Communist countries and the west:

a.      cold war

2.      Volumes that all the plays and poems of Shakespeare for example:

a.      complete (collective)works

3.      Person who works for Letterman or Jon Stewart:

a.      comedy writer

4.      Music genre for Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks:

a.      country western

5.      Woman who serves drinks before dinner:

a.      cocktail waitress

6.      A term made up of two or more parts—like highway or football:

a.      compound word

7.      A gun carried in one’s pocket for example:

a.      concealed weapon

8.      Vehicle that carried people across the west:

a.      Conestoga wagon, covered wagon

9.      Edgar Allen Poe poem with The ___:

a.      Conqueror Worm

10.   A hard hat wearer:

a.      construction worker

11.   The FTC for example:

a.      consumer watchdog

12.   Brand of non dairy dessert topping:

a.      Cool Whip

13.   Material for electrical circuits:

a.      copper wire

14.   A person who takes a prize for a competition:

a.      contest winner

Wuzzle

Mutiny on the high seas

Upright piano

Quick adlibs

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  ☺