5-31-13

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Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 22/ Day: 151   Today: H 75°…L 39°

Wind: ave:   13mph; Gusts:  31mph  Ave. humidity:  50%

*Averages: H  73° L 37° Records: H 88°(2002)…L 18°(1918)

Quote of the Day

Today’s Historical Highlights

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

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

1st jazz record released (Dark Town Strutter’s Ball)…1917

1st Taxis began running in NYC…1907

Cape of Good Hope becomes part of Union of South Africa…1910

Confederation Bridge opens, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New 

     Brunswick…1997

Dick Dale invents "surf music" with "Let's Go Trippin"…1958

Egypt formally ends its 31 year state of emergency…2012

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

Madison Square Garden opens…1879

R.M.S. Titanic launched…1911

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

Seinfeld starring Jerry Seinfeld, debuts on NBC as Seinfeld Chronicles…1990

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

♫  Today’s Birthdays: ♫   

How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays

  

My Free Rambling Thoughts   

Busy day…again. Had my eyes checked and am getting new glasses.  Some big changes in the last 2 years since I got new glasses…the joy of getting old…er. Discovered that buying glasses is a real pain as there are now so many choices in lens types, add-ons, and of course frames. I had decided I would shop around, but went to where I got the last glasses and found some I liked so just bought them. Should be getting them in about a week.

 

The story of the Phoenix lady who was arrested in Mexico for smuggling marijuana on a bus is certainly top news here in AZ. She is a Spanish speaking Mormon who went to an aunt’s funeral. We have daily reports on her, her family, and what is happening. Sen McCain is talking to officials daily since her arrest. Sen Flake is ‘monitoring’ the situation. As the story evolves it is looking more and more like she was set up to be arrested. Arresting officers have not shown up to court dates; there is videotape of her getting on the bus without any suspicious packages. Without some more evidence, she will have to be set free or destroy US/Mexico relations. Somehow, I still feel there is more to the story than we are being told.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)

Brain Teasers

Ryan and Craig were identical twins born in Seattle in 1961. Ryan was born before Craig, but according to their birth certificates, Craig was older than Ryan. How come?

Lifestyle  Substance:     

Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

• Darktown Strutters Ball - Original Dixieland Jazz Band

• Dick Dale - Let's Go Trippin'

• Top 5 Clint Eastwood Moments

Hmmmm

He who hesitates is probably right.

Ok, then?

Harper’s Index    

Year by which the US is projected to become the world’s largest producer of oil: 2017

Picture of the Day: Recent Canadian Cruise

 

Unusual Fact of the Day

Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. President to be born in a hospital.

Joke-of-the-day

A spouse is someone who'll stand by you through all the trouble you wouldn't have had if you'd stayed single.  

Rules of Thumb:   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

BUILDING A DOG KENNEL

 A kennel should be two times the length of the dog you are building it for. Measure the dog from its nose to the tip of its tail.   

Yeah, It Really Happened

NEW YORK - New York police said they have arrested a pint-sized 15-year-old who younger boys said mugged them, demanding $1 bills. The suspect allegedly approached younger boys in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn and asked for $1. If the boys refused, the teen would brandish a razor blade to demand a dollar be handed over, the New York Post reported Saturday. Police said most of the alleged attempted muggings were unsuccessful. The teen allegedly made off with $12 in one incident, while a boy turned over his wallet in another. The suspect was apprehended at the Carroll Street subway station and the victims identified him at the police station.

Somewhat Useless Information   

• Originally, hot dogs were pork sausage links served in buns sold in Frankfurt, Germany, appropriately called frankfurters. They evolved to include both pork and beef when they moved to Vienna, Italy and were re-named wieners.

• German immigrants brought the modern day hot dog to the shores of America where it again transformed to become the "hot dog".

• The most expensive hot dog is sold by Serendipity 3 in New York City and is called the "Haute Dog". Grilled with white truffle oil and topped with duck foie gras and truffle butter, this hot dog costs a whopping $69.

• Hot dogs have been sold at baseball games almost since the beginning of baseball and some parks sell their very own version including Fenway Franks in Boston and Dodger Dogs in LA.

• According to the National Sausage and Hot Dog Council, the most commonly used condiment is mustard which is the topping preferred by 32% of Americans. The second place finisher, with 23% of the vote is ketchup and chili takes the third place spot with 17% of the vote.

• Although most hot dogs are made from pork and/or beef, recent health concerns around the nutritional content of traditional versions encouraged producers to provide healthier alternatives. Hot dogs made from chicken or turkey are available in most grocery stores, and many meatless alternatives that are made from vegetables or soy products are also widely available.

Calendar Information        

Happening This Week:

25-31

·        Black Single Parents Week

·        Hurricane Preparedness Week

Today Is                                                                      

·        Heat Awareness Safety Day

·        National Macaroon Day

·        What You Think Upon Grows Day

·        World No-Tobacco Day

·        Union of South Africa: Republic Day-1961 -  leaves Commonwealth

Today’s Events through History  

"Archie" comic strip 1st broadcast on radio…1943

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

Astor Hotel opens in NYC, it later becomes the Waldorf-Astoria…1837

Massachusetts Bay Colony annexes Maine colony…1634

Province of Pennsylvania bans all theater productions…1759

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

Trans Alaska oil pipeline completed…1977

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…1796

US copyright law enacted…1790

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 80’s

Clint Eastwood, actor (Dirty Harry)/mayor (Carmel, California) is 83

In their 70’s

Sharon Gless, actress (Chris Cagney-Cagney & Lacey) is 70

Joe Namath, PA, NFL QB (NY Jets), $400,000 man (1969 Superbowl) is 70

In their 60’s

Tom Berenger, actor (Big Chill, Someone to Watch Over Me) is 64

Gregory Harrison, actor (Trapper John, Logan's Run) is 63

In their 50’s

Lea Thompson, actress (Back to the Future, Caroline In The City) is 52

In their 40’s

Brooke Shields, actress, model is 48

In their 30’s

Colin Farrell, Dublin, Irish actor (In Bruges, Minority Report) is 37

Remembered for being born today

Fred Allen, Cambridge Mass, comedian (Fred Allen Radio Show) [1894-1954]

Don Ameche, Kenosha WI, actor (Cocoon, Trading Places) [1908-1993]

Alexander Cruden, compiler of a concordance to King James Bible [1699-1770]

Jim Hutton, Binghamton NY, actor (Ellery Queen) [1934-1979]f

Henry M "Scoop" Jackson, (Sen-D-Wash) [1912-1983]

Johnny Paycheck, singer (Take This Job & Shove It) [1938-2003]

Norman Vincent Peale, Ohio, clergyman (Power of Positive Thinking) [1898-1963]

Walt Whitman, West Hills, NY, poet (Leaves of Grass) [1819-1892]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           

Jack Dempsey, former heavyweight boxing champ/actor…1982…at 86

Adolf Eichmann, Nazi war criminal…hanged…1962…at 56

Arlene Francis [Arline Francis Kazanjian], television personality…2001…at 93

Joseph Grimaldi, greatest clown (king of pantomime)…alcoholism…1837…at 57

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

Answer: Brain Teasers

Ryan and Craig were born in the fall on the day that the clocks are set back one hour. Ryan was born at 1:45am. Craig was born 30 minutes later. Since the clocks were set back at 2am, Craig's official time of birth was 1:15am.

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  §