June 1

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

Today’s  Historical  Highlights

1638: 1st earthquake recorded in US, at Plymouth, MA

1808: 1st US land-grant university founded-Ohio Univ, Athens, Ohio

1845: Homing pigeon completes 11,000 km trip (Namibia-London) in 55 days

1869: Voting machine patented (Thomas A Edison)

1877: US troops authorized to pursue bandits into Mexico

1934: A legal definition of "Indian" is made today

1961: FM multiplex stereo broadcasting 1st heard

2009: General Motors files for chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history

♪Happy Birthday To: ♪ 

Free Rambling Thoughts   

If anyone knows an area of this earth that can spare some humidity, please let me know. We could sure use a little bit. We have been in single digits for quite a while. I know the ‘you live in AZ and it is a dry heat’ which is correct. However, I also live in a National Forest and low humidity plays havoc on everything. My small fountain in the front yard, which is really just bubbling the water with a small pump in a small box (12”x12”) is using over a gallon of water a day.

Our retirement group had a great lunch at Olive Garden. We had a great waitress. We always ask for separate checks, and today we had an appetizer (stuffed mushrooms) and she even split the appetizer on the bill. She did get a big tip. Mary is getting excited about her volunteer work. She will work with one child from the time the child is removed from a home until the child leaves the system. Quite a commitment. She certainly has the necessary personality. She will meet with her child (or possibly all the siblings in a family) once a month. However, she will also have to interview potential foster parents and search out relatives to take the child. Sounds like a lot of responsibility and sometimes a lot of heartache. She has a career of teaching Blacks, Hispanics, and Natives and the Center was very excited with that.

I got some sad news today. One of my mentors from NAU, who taught me so much about teaching passed away. I hadn’t seen her for years, even though I did some Google searches. I knew she was old-er, but was shocked that she was 81. I do wish I had known that she was right here in Flagstaff. She had a very messy divorce years ago and left the University, and sort of just disappeared. I’ll be at her memorial service tomorrow.

Game   Center: (answers at the end of post)

Brain Game—A close up picture of what?

NPR Sunday Puzzle

This puzzle is a series of sentences. Each sentence conceals the name of a U.S. president in consecutive letters. For example: Have mom’s hairstyle redone. The answer would be Tyler, which is hidden inside, hairsTYLE Redone.

1.     The Lone Ranger was brainwashing Tonto:

2.     The two ships share a gangway:

3.     Dad planted an orchard in Georgia:

4.     Can Idaho overtake Nebraska?:

5.     Get rum and coke for everyone:

6.     It’s taken Ned years to improve:

7.     Flip the flapjacks onto the plate:

8.     Grandpa wants a crispier cereal:

9.     The dog ran the gauntlet:

10.  Whenever I am leaning over I start hurting again:

11.  Florida is big NASCAR territory:

12.  I ordered basic level andirons:

What is the word or phrase?

O TUFUU FOOTTO FOU

3x3 Word Boxes

The answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? Each answer is 3 letters.

1.    Good (French)
2.    Literary tribute
3.    Butterfly collector’s tool

Lifestyle  Substance     

Summer Songs of the 1960’s

I'm A Believer, The Monkees  1966 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (7 weeks)

Downtown, Petula Clark 1965 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (2 weeks)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens 1961 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (3 weeks)  

Turn! Turn! Turn!, The Byrds 1965 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (3 weeks)

Harper’s Index          

Returns Tomorrow

Found on You Tube 

Lewis & Clark- Great Journey West        

Planet Earth—

Joke-of-the-day

Three lunatics approach their Asylum doctor with a request for a weekend pass to the local city. "That's impossible says the doctor. You're all nuts. You'll get lost and never come back."
But, the lunatics wouldn't relent until finally, exasperated, the doctor says "OK! If you can answer a simple question I'll sign the pass."
He turns to the first lunatic and says "What's three times three?" The lunatic starts counting on his fingers "3, 7, 19, 38?. Is it 128?" The doctor shakes his head and turns to the next lunatic: "What's three times three?" The lunatic immediately shouts "WEDNESDAY!"
The doctor, beginning to get disgusted turns to the last lunatic: What's three times three?" The lunatic thinks for a moment and then asks for a pencil and a piece of paper. That provided, she writes for some time furiously, and finally looks up and says "Nine."
The doctor is amazed, but true to his word he begins filling out the pass. As he's writing he says "This is incredible, you've always been thoroughly insane. How'd you do it?"
The lunatic responds, "Oh, it was easy I divided 128 by Wednesday!"

Rules of Thumb   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

Choosing the right inflection and tone of voice is important when telling a joke. It's also important to eliminate all unnecessary conjunctions. When in doubt, do Tonto.

Yeah, It Really Happened

TOLEDO, Ohio - Authorities in Ohio said a man clad in a Darth Vader mask and black clothes robbed a bank with a semi-automatic pistol instead of a light saber and the Force. FBI Special Agent Stephen Anthony said the "Star Wars" villain went into the Huntington Bank on Monroe Street in Toledo just after 3 p.m. Wednesday, showed the pistol to tellers and demanded cash, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported Monday. The FBI said the Sith lord, who was wearing black sweats and is estimated to be 20 to 25 years old, fled on a BMX bike with an undisclosed amount of money.                 

Somewhat Useless Information   

You can use apple cider vinegar as a shampoo/conditioner replacement.

• After-Sun Exposure: Diluting 1-2 cups of apple cider vinegar in a warm bath

• After excessive sun exposure that may have yielded a sun burn apple cider vinager relieves symptoms and lessens the duration of a burn.

For AZ centennial celebration: town names

• Mammoth, AZ
a town in Pinal County, population is 2,167, founded c. 1872 as Mammoth Camp, serving the nearby Mammoth Mine., 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2), The racial makeup of the town was 61.92% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 1.53% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 31.90% from other races, and 4.03% from two or more races. 72.99% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.

• Many Farms, AZ
(Navajo: Dáʼákʼeh Halání), in Apache County, population is 1,548 , 8.2 square miles (21 km2), The farms became fully irrigated in 1937, The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.37% Native American, 7.82% White, 0.32%Black or African American, 0.13% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 3.04% from two or more races. 2.07% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.

• Marana, AZ
a town in Pima County, the population is 34,961, 120 sq mi (190.5 km2), Marana was named for the Spanish word maraña ("thicket") by 19th century railroad workers, Archaeologists have found about 4,200 years of continuous human settlement in the vicinity of Marana, the racial makeup of the town was 81.9% White, 4.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 5.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 9.7% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 21.7% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.

• Meadview, AZ
unincorporated community in Mohave County, It has roughly 1500 residents, founded in the 1960s as a retirement community.

Calendar Information        

June is

Adopt A Shelter Cat Month - Audio Book Appreciation Month
Black Music Month 
Cancer From The Sun Month - Caribbean-American Heritage Month –

    Cataract Awareness Month - Celibacy Awareness Month –

    Child Vision Awareness Month - Children's Awareness Month –

    Corn and Cucumber Month - Country Cooking Month 
Dairy Month - Dairy Alternative Month
Effective Communications Month –

    Entrepreneurs "Do It Yourself" Marketing Month
Fireworks Safety Month
Gay & Lesbian Pride Month - Great Outdoors Month
International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month –

     International Men's Month - International Surf Music Month 
June is Lane Courtesy Month - June is Perennial Gardening Month - 

   June is Turkey Lovers Month 

Lemon and Mango Month 
National Accordion Awareness Month - National Aphasia Awareness

     Month - National Bathroom Reading Month - National Camping Month - National Caribbean-American Heritage Month –

     National GLBT (Gay,Lesbian,Bisexual & Transgender) Awareness Month - National GLBT (Gay,Lesbian,Bisexual & Transgender) Book Month - National

     Candy Month - National Fruit and Veggies Month - National Ice

     Tea Month - National Migraine Awareness Month – National

     Rivers Month - National Rose Month - National Safety Month –

     National Smile Month - National Soul Food Month - National

     Steakhouse Month
Okra & Pluot and Aprium Month 
Pharmacists Declare War on Alcoholism Month - Potty Training

     Awareness Month - Professional Wellness Month
Rebuild Your Life Month
Skyscraper Month - Sports America Kids Month - Student Safety

     Month
Vision Research Month 
World Naked Bike Ride Month (Northern Hemisphere) - Women's Golf

     Month - World Infertility Month 

Happening This Week:

May 27-6/2

   Hurricane Preparedness Week

   Black Single Parents Week

Today Is                                                                       

Dare DayDonut Day
Heimlich Maneuver Day
Leave the Office Early Day
Milk Days
National Go Barefoot Day
Positive Power of Humor and Creativity Days
Say Something Nice Day
Stand For Children DayUS: KY: Admission Day—1792—15^th state

US: TN: Admission Day—1796—16th state

Today’s Other Events                                                             

Before 1000CE

4000 BC: Approximate domestication of the horse in the Eurasian steppes near Dereivka, central Ukraine

à

1200’s

1215: Beijing, then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Beijing

à

1400’s

1495: 1st written record of Scotch Whiskey appears in Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Friar John Cor is the distiller

1500’s

1533: Anne Boleyn crowned queen of England

1600’s

1657: 1st Quakers arrives in New Amsterdam (NY)

à

1800’s

1855: US adventurer Wm Walker conquers Nicaragua, reestablishes slavery

1861: US & Confederacy simultaneously stop mail interchange

1868: Treaty of Bosque Redondo is signed allowing the Navajos to return to their lands in Arizona and New Mexico

1880: 1st pay telephone installed

1888: California gets its 1st seismograph

1900’s

1905: Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition opens in Portland, Oregon

1911: 1st US group insurance policy written, Passaic, NJ

1933: Century of Progress world's fair opens in Chicago

1935: Driving test & license plates introduced in England

1938: Protective baseball helmets 1st worn by batters

1947: Photosensitive glass developed

1949: Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz wed for the second time

1966: 2,400 persons attend White House Conference on Civil Rights

1966: George Harrison is impressed by Ravi Shankar's concert in London

1969: Tobacco advertising is banned on Canadian radio & TV

1971: Ed Sullivan's final TV show on CBS

1974: The Heimlich maneuver for rescuing choking victims is published in the journal Emergency Medicine

1979: The first black-led government of Rhodesia in 90 years takes power

1980: 1st transmission of CNN, Cable News Network

1989: 62nd National Spelling Bee: Scott Isaacs wins spelling spoliator

1992: America West Arena opens in Phoenix

1995: 68th National Spell Bee: Justin Tyler Carroll wins spelling xanthosis

2000’s

2003: The People's Republic of China begins filling the reservoir behind the Three Gorges Dam

2007: Smoking is banned from United Kingdom's public places

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

Remembered for being born on this day

John Marshall Harlan, Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1833

Marilyn Monroe, [Norma Jean Mortenson], LA, actress (Some Like It Hot ) in 1926

Edmund Ignatius Rice, Irish founder of the Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers in 1762

Nelson Riddle, Oradell NJ, musical conductor (Batman, Frank Sinatra) in 1921

John W Van Duren, playwright (I Remember Mama) in 1901

Brigham Young, painter/religious leader (Mormon Church)/polygamist in 1801

In their 80’s

Andy Griffith, Mount Airy NC, actor (Andy Griffith Show, Matlock) is 86

In their 70’s

Pat Boone, Florida, singer/actor (April Love, Cross & Switchblade) is 78

Morgan Freeman, actor (Driving Miss Daisy, Glory), is75

à

In their 50’s

Lisa Hartman Black, Houston, singer/actress (Tabitha, Knots Landing) is 56

Diana Canova, West Palm Beach Fla, actress (Corrine-Soap) is 59

à

In their 30’s

Heidi Klum, German supermodel is 39

Today’s Obits                                                           

James Buchanan, 15th US president (1857-61), only bachelor President,dies in 1868 at 77

Ray Combs, TV host (Family Feud), commits suicide in 1996 at 40

Helen Keller, blind & deaf/author (Let us Have Faith), dies in 1968 at 87

Hank Ketcham, American cartoonist (Dennis the Menace) in 2001 at 81

Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer dies of brain cancer in 2008 at 71

Sahajanand Swami, believed to be an incarnation of god by his followers, leaves his mortal body in 1830 at 49

Answers                                                                                                                                            

Brain Game: Close Up Picture

What is the word or phrase?

Out of sorts

NPR Sunday Puzzle

1.     The Lone Ranger was brainwashing Tonto: Washington

2.     The two ships share a gangway: Reagan

3.     Dad planted an orchard in Georgia: Harding

4.     Can Idaho overtake Nebraska?: Hoover

5.     Get rum and coke for everyone: Truman

6.     It’s taken Ned years to improve: Kennedy

7.     Flip the flapjacks onto the plate: Jackson

8.     Grandpa wants a crispier cereal: Pierce

9.     The dog ran the gauntlet: Grant

10.  Whenever I am leaning over I start hurting again: Arthur

11.  Florida is big NASCAR territory: Carter

12.  I ordered basic level andirons: Cleveland

3x3 boxes

BON

ODE

NET

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  ☺

May 31

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

Today’s  Historical  Highlights

1790: US copyright law enacted

1879: Madison Square Garden opens

1884: Dr John Harvey Kellogg patents "flaked cereal"

1907: Taxis 1st began running in NYC

1913: 17th amendment (direct election of senators) declared ratified

1935: Quake kills 50,000 in Quetta Pakistan

♪Happy Birthday To: ♪ 

             Returns Tomorrow      

  Free Rambling Thoughts   

Another fine weather day in Flag…but still really low humidity.

Over the long weekend there were almost 40 tickets issued to people who had illegal campfires. There are signs everywhere…No Campfires. The sign does not say No Campfires* (*except for you)! I don’t get this. We all love the forest and we want to keep it intact. I get that camping without a campfire is less than desirable, but living year round in a burned out area is unacceptable. I hope they all get the maximum fine--$5K + one year in jail) It’s the price of being stupid.

I found a great article today on the internet machine. Here’s the chart showing the 10 languages with the most speakers in the world.  Kinda looks like MSL (Mandarin as a Second Language) will soon be quite popular.

Game   Center: (answers at the end of post)

Brain Game—A close up picture of what?

 returns tomorrow

NPR Sunday Puzzle

Returns tomorrow

What is the word or phrase?

nepaled

3x3 Word Boxes

The answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? Each answer is 3 letters.

1.      Family vehicle

2.     Tavern beverage

3.     Fresh or young

Lifestyle  Substance     

Summer Songs of the 1960’s

Respect, Aretha Franklin 1967 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (2 weeks)

Come Together, The Beatles 1969 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (1 week)

Theme From "A Summer Place", Percy Faith 1960 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (9 weeks)

Penny Lane, The Beatles 1967 Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1 (1 week)

Harper’s Index         

Maximum number of years in jail a new bill introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy proposes for the selling of fake Vermont maple syrup: 8

Found on You Tube 

       returns tomorrow

Planet Earth—

Joke-of-the-day

It was a stormy night. A guy was driving in some mountains and his car broke down. He stopped it by a tree and walked down the highway looking for help. A headlight started to approach him from behind. He turned back and noticed a car coming forth very slowly. He walked up to it, opened the door, and sat on the passenger's seat. Then he suddenly notices that there was no driver, but the car was moving! Before the guy could decide what to do, a sharp turn appeared a few meters before the car and it seemed that the car was going to go off the cliff. The guy trembled in fright, but a pale hand came in from the open window and turned the steering wheel! When the car finished turning around the curve, the hand withdrew. Every time there was a turn, the same hand would come in and guide the wheels of the car to safety. The guy could not believe all this. As soon as he saw the lights of some rest stop by the road he jumped off the car and ran into a bar, pale, wet, trembling, and telling everybody that he had a most creepy, supernatural experience. Then two young men dripping in mud came into the bar. One saw the guy and said, "Hey, that's the stupid fellow that got in our car while were pushing."

Rules of Thumb   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

In moderate whitewater, expect to average about four to five miles per hour if you paddle straight down river and don't stop to play.

Yeah, It Really Happened

Palm Beach, FL- A Florida man was arrested this week after three women told police he pulled a gun on them so he could cut into a McDonald's drive-through line.
The women said their car was side by side James Lee Cruz's vehicle at the fast-food restaurant in West Palm Beach, when he took out a gun and pointed it at them.In fear, the women backed up and allowed Cruz to pass them.The women then took down Cruz's license plate and called police as they followed him home. Cruz faces three counts of aggravated assault. Apparently Big Macs are much more irresistible now that McDonald's isn't using 'pink slime' anymore.             

Somewhat Useless Information   

• A tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year and can sequester 1 ton of carbon dioxide by the time it reaches 40 years old.

• One large tree can lift up to 100 gallons of water out of the ground and discharge it into the air in a day.

For AZ centennial celebration: town names

Returns tomorrow

Calendar Information        

…Happening This Week:

27-6/2

Hurricane Preparedness Week

Black Single Parents Week

Today Is                                                                      

Hug Your Cat Day

National Macaroon Day

What You Think Upon Grows Day

World No-Tobacco Day

Today’s Other Events                                                             

Before 1000CE

1279 BC: Rameses II (The Great) (19th dynasty) becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt

à

1600’s

1621: Sir Francis Bacon thrown into Tower of London for 1 night

1700’s

1759: The Province of Pennsylvania bans all theater productions

1796: The Treaty of the Seven Tribes of Canada is signed by three Chiefs at New York City. The tribes give up all claims to lands in New York, except six square miles in Saint Regis. They are paid 1233 pounds, six shillings, and eight pence now, and 213 pounds, six shillings, eight pence annually, if five more Chiefs show up and sign the treaty.

1800’s

1821: Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, 1st US Catholic cathedral, is dedicated in Baltimore

1868: 1st Memorial Day parade held in Ironton, Ohio

1870: Congress passes 1st Enforcement Act (rights of blacks)

1876: According to the San Diego Union, a San Diego California newspaper, there are disputes over land with the CAMPO Indians. "One Indian took refuge in the rocks . . . and continued firing. They soon discovered his whereabouts and silenced him, shooting him through the head, killing him instantly."

1900’s

1900: US troops arrive in Beijing, help put down Boxer Rebellion

1909: 1st NAACP conference (United Charities Building, NYC)

1941: 1st issue of "Parade" goes on sale

1941: German occupiers forbids Jews access to beach & swimming pools

1949: Charley Lupica begins stay on 4 foot square platform atop a 60' pole, vowing to stay until Indians clinch pennant. (They don't, & stays 117 days)

1955: Supreme Court orders school integration "with all deliberate speed"

1969: John Lennon & Yoko Ono record  "Give Peace a Chance"

1969: Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amore"

1990: 63rd National Spelling Bee: Amy Marie Dimak wins spelling fibranne

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

Remembered for being born on this day

Fred Allen, Cambridge Mass, comedian (Fred Allen Radio Show) in 1894

Don Ameche, Kenosha WI, actor (Cocoon, Trading Places) in 1908

Alexander Cruden, compiler of a concordance to King James Bible in 1699

Henry M "Scoop" Jackson, (Sen-D-Wash) in 1912

Johnny Paycheck, Greenfield OH, singer (Take This Job & Shove It) in 1941

Norman Vincent Peale, Ohio, clergyman (Power of Positive Thinking) in 1898

Walt Whitman, West Hills, NY, poet (Leaves of Grass) in 1819

In their 80’s

Clint Eastwood, actor (Dirty Harry)/mayor (Carmel, California) is 82

à

In their 60’s

Tom Berenger, actor (Big Chill, Someone to Watch Over Me) is 62 

Sharon Gless, actress (Chris Cagney-Cagney & Lacey) is 69

Gregory Harrison, Catalina California, actor (Trapper John, Logan's Run) is 62

Joe Namath, PA, NFL QB (NY Jets), $400,000 man (1969 Superbowl) is 69

In their 50’s

Lea Thompson, actress (Back to the Future, Caroline In The City) is 51

In their 40’s

Brooke Shields, model/actress (Blue Lagoon, Suddenly Susan) is 47

In their 30’s

Colin Farrell, Dublin, Irish actor (In Bruges, Minority Report) is 36

Today’s Obits                                                           

Elizabeth Blackwell, 1st woman physician, dies in 1910 at 89

Millvina Dean, last living survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster dies in 2009 at 97

Jack Dempsey, former heavyweight boxing champ/actor, dies in 1982 at 87

Arlene Francis, American television personality dies in 2001 at 93

Franz Joseph Haydn, Austrian composer (Jahreszeiten), dies in 1809 at 77

George Tiller, American abortion doctor assassinated in 2009 at 67

Answers                                                                                                                                            

Brain Game: Close Up Picture

 returns tomorrow

What is the word or phrase?

A friend in need

NPR Sunday Puzzle

RETURNS TOMORROW

3x3 boxes

VAN

ALE

NEW

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  ☺