5-7-14


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Flagstaff Almanac: Day: 127  / Week: 19 
Today: L 32°H 54° Ave. humidity: 20%
    Wind: ave:   6mph; Gusts:  43mph  Red Flag
    Average High: 79° Record High:  96° (1970)
    Average Low: 41° Record Low:  22° (1955)
         
Quote of the Day


Today’s Historical Highlights

1429 - English siege of Orleans broken by Joan of Arc and the French army
1664 - Louis XIV of France inaugurates The Palace of Versailles.
1789 - 1st inauguration ball (for George Washington in NYC)
1800 - Indiana Territory organized
1864 - Battle of Wilderness ends (total losses: USA-17,666; CSA-7,500)
1914 - US Congress establishes mother's day
1915- Lusitania sunk by German U-Boats
1928 - The United Kingdom lowers age of women voters from 30 to 21
1928 - Pulitzer prize awarded to Thornton Wilder for (Bridge of San Luis Rey)
1952 - Concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is 1st published 
1962 - Pulitzer prize awarded to Theodore H White (Making of President 1960)
1970 - "Long & Winding Road" becomes Beatles' last American release
1973: According to the FBI, Wounded Knee occupation ends
1973 - Pulitzer prize awarded to Eudora Welty (Optimist's Daughter)
1975 - Pres Ford declares an end to "Vietnam Era"
1998 - Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for $40 billion USD
2007 - The tomb of Herod the Great is discovered.
2012 - Vladimir Putin sworn in for third six year term as President of Russia
2013 - Delaware becomes the 11th US State to legalize same-sex marriage

  Today’s Birthdays:   

How many can you identify? Answers in Today’s Birthdays below
My Free Rambling Thoughts   

Dentist visit was successful. For some reason I still don’t understand, though it was explained to me, when he deadened the 4th molar—next to my eye tooth, he only had to deaden that tooth and not do a ‘block’, meaning most of the mouth is deadened. Good news is that I didn’t have the dreaded drools nor did I fear chewing on the inside of my mouth by mistake. The hygienist is good, but for some reason today she had to make 3 temporary caps to get one to fit. Neither of us, nor the other hygienist, who made cap number 2, could figure out why it wasn’t working right. That meant a much longer time in the chair and a lot more trying to fit the cap. Mouth is a little sore, but not bad. Final crown will arrive in about the 21st. Only had to drop $900.

I got a call last night that neither my check nor my registration form for Ireland had arrived. Then at 6:30 this morning I got a call that the check had arrived, but the registration hadn’t. I re-emailed the paperwork and got a call about 9a that everything arrived. Not sure why the other email didn’t get there. Usually my AOL service will send a notice to me that the email was not delivered, but no such email ever arrived. I figure it got there and then got accidently deleted.

It was much cooler today, by about 15°. Then it got really windy. Not a good day to spend a lot of time outside.

When I got this new computer, I was very unhappy with Windows 8. Microsoft has made a whole bunch of update since then. Each one has made the OS much better. Now it is very easy to use Windows 8.1, just like it was with Windows 7. One thing that differs the Windows OS plan and the Mac OS system is that Windows puts stuff out and listens to its customers to slowly fix the issues. Windows 8 has been out about a year and it got horrible reviews, but now it is very good.  Mac is known for not releasing its OS system until it works great. Sure glad I got Windows 8 when I did as I would have not been a happy camper to wait a year for all these fixes.

 

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)

Brain Teasers

What phrase is represented below?
Nothing - No + Some

Lifestyle  Substance:     

Found on You Tube with some relevance to today
Totie Fields Live-Shopping

Dance Marathon Skit (With Robert Hegyes & Ruth Buzzi)




 
OK Then…
Harper’s Index 

Portion of the content streamed on Pornhub, the world’s largest pornography website, that is viewed on mobile devices: 1/2

Maximum number of dildos a Texan may legally own: 5

Unusual Fact of the Day

In 2004, researchers at King's College in London spent weeks examining dozens of horror movies before determining that Stanley Kubrick's The Shining was "the perfect scary film."

Number One Country in the world…  

Israel: Social Media
Social media dominates the online landscape these day. Even on this very site, you’ll see links to share this article on Facebook, Twitter and *stifles laughter* Google Plus. It’s unavoidable, but strangely, it’s not the US that uses social media the most. It’s Israel.

Though exact numbers are hard to pin down, Israeli citizens used social media almost twice as much as people in the US, which would make them the most avid users of social media on Earth. In fact, social media is such a problem that the Israeli government has had to crack down on soldiers using the service after a female soldier uploaded “racy pictures” of herself to her Facebook profile.

Largest Animals in the world…

The Largest Carnivore in the World: The Southern Elephant Seal
This seals’ size shows extreme sexual dimorphism, possibly the largest of any mammal, with the males typically five to six times heavier than the females. While the females average 400 to 900 kilograms (880 to 2,000 lb) and 2.6 to 3 meters (8.5 to 9.8 ft) long, the bulls average 2,200 to 4,000 kilograms (4,900 to 8,800 lb) and 4.5 to 5.8 meters (15 to 19 ft) long. The record-sized bull, shot in Possession Bay, South Georgia on February 28, 1913, measured 6.85 meters (22.5 ft) long and was estimated to weigh 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb).

Southern elephant seals dive repeatedly, each time for more than twenty minutes, to hunt their prey—squid and fish— at depths of 400 to 1,000 meters (1,300 to 3,300 ft). The documented diving records for the seals are nearly two hours for the duration, and more than 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in depth.

The diverse order Carnivora includes over 280 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word “carnivore” (often popularly applied to members of this group) can refer to any meat-eating organism. Carnivorans are the most diverse in size of any mammalian order, ranging from the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), at as little as 25 grams (0.88 oz) and 11 centimeters (4.3 in), to the polar bear and southern elephant seal.    

Joke-of-the-day

Once upon a time there was a famous sea captain. This captain was very successful at what he did; for years he guided merchant ships all over the world. Never did stormy seas or pirates get the best of him. He was admired by his crew and fellow captains. However, there was one thing different about this captain. Every morning he went through a strange ritual. He would lock himself in his quarters and open a small safe. In the safe was an envelope with a piece of paper inside. He would stare at the paper for a minute, and then lock it back up. Afterwards, he would go about his daily duties. For years this went on, and his crew became very curious. Was it a treasure map? Was it a letter from a long lost love? Everyone speculated about the contents of the strange envelope.
One day the captain died at sea. After laying the captain's body to rest, the first mate led the entire crew into the captain’s quarters. He opened the safe, got the envelope, and opened it and... The first mate turned pale and showed the paper to the others. Four words were on the paper; two lines with two words each:
Port Left
Starboard Right

Rules of Thumb:   

TALKING TO AN AMERICAN
If you are talking with an American whose legs are crossed and he wiggles his foot at what you say, he either disagrees with what you are saying, or he wants to add to it, or he wants to talk about something else.

Yeah, It Really Happened

WASHINGTON (UPI) - More than 147 million Americans live in counties featuring unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution -- that according the American Lung Association's 15th annual "State of the Air" report card. The new report looks at pollution data compiled from 2010 to 2012; last year's report covered data from 2009, 2010, and 2011. This year's air pollution report card was a mixed bag of good and bad news. The good news is: particle pollution around the country continues to improve. According to the report: "Thirteen of the 25 cities with the worst year-round particle pollution reached their lowest levels yet, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Bakersfield." Particle pollutants are tiny pieces of solid and liquid pollution suspended in the air, like soot, smoke, ash, cement dust, etc. Particulate exposure is associated with asthma, lung cancer and other types of heart disease and respiratory problems. The bad news is: ozone pollution is getting worse. As the report indicates, 22 of the 25 most ozone-polluted cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago, had more smog-filled days between 2011 and 2012, than it did between 2009 and 2010. Smog -- the result of a combination of coal smoke and vehicle emissions reacting with direct sunlight and ground-level ozone -- is powerful respiratory irritant that can also work to trap other types of American Lung Association. "However, this improvement represents only a partial victory. We know that warmer temperatures increase risk pollution over a city. "We are happy to report continued reduction of year-round particle pollution across the nation, thanks to cleaner diesel fleets and cleaner power plants," said Harold Wimmer, CEO of the for ozone pollution, so climate change sets the stage for tougher challenges to protect human health." 

Somewhat Useless Information   

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That occurred 50 years prior to the Battle of Puebla. It is celebrated on September 16.

The day is a bigger deal in the United States. In Mexico, the day is observed with political speeches and battle reenactments. Many of the actual celebration and battle re-enactment take place in Puebla.

The world's largest Cinco de Mayo celebration takes place in Los Angeles.

According to Smithsonian magazine, more than one person has claimed they invented the margarita. Carlos "Danny" Herrera reportedly developed the drink for an actress at his Tijuana-area restaurant in 1938.

Musical artists like War, Senses Fail and Liz Phair all have songs titled after the holiday.

 

Calendar Information        

This Week’s Observances:

1-7
Choose Privacy Week  

3-11
Dystonia Awareness Week
National Tourism Week

4-10
Be Kind To Animals Week
Children's Mental Health Week

Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week
Drinking Water Week 
Flexible Work Arrangement Week 
Goodwill Industries Week 
Kids Win Week

NAOSH Week 
National Alcohol & Drug Related Birth Defects Awareness Week
National Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week
National Correctional Officer's Week
National Family Week 
National Hug Holiday Week 
National Occupational Safety & Health Day 
 

National Pet Week

National Post Card Week
National Raisin Week 
North American Occupational Safety & Health Week  
PTA Teacher Appreciation Week 
Public Service Recognition Week 
 


5-11
Screen-Free Week
Spring Astronomy Week
Teacher Appreciation Week
Update Your References Week
National Wildflower Week
Spring Astronomy Week

6-12
National Nurses Day and Week      

Today Is  

Beaufort Scale Day
Bike To School Day 
Free Comic Book Day
International Tuba Day
Great American Grump Out
Join Hands Day
Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive
Mother Ocean Day
National Babysitters Day
National Barrier Awareness Day 

National Homebrew Day
National Roast Leg of Lamb Day
Occupational Safety & Health Day
Paste Up Day
School Nurse Day
Spring Astronomy Day
World Fair Trade Day

                                                         
Today’s Events through History  

1700 - William Penn began monthly meetings for Blacks advocating emancipation
1909 - Construction begins on first 100 houses in Ahuzat Bayit (Tel Aviv)
1934 - World's largest pearl (6.4 kg) found at Palawan, Philippines
1960 - USSR announces Francis Gary Powers confessed to being a CIA spy
1982 - IBM releases PC-DOS version 1.1
1993 - South Africa agrees to multi-racial elections

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

Pete Domenici, Republican senator from New Mexico is 82
Willard Scott, weatherman (Today) is 81

Remembered for being born today

1840-1893 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer (1812 Overture, Swan Lake),
1885-1969 - George "Gabby" Hayes, Western actor 
1919-1952 - Eva Peron-Duarte [Evita], Argentina, 1st lady/actress, (d. 1952)
1922-2006 - Darren McGavin, actor (Night Stalker)
1930-1978 - Totie Fields, American comedienne 
1950-2008 - Tim Russert, television journalist\host of Meet the Press
1933-2002 - Johnny Unitas, NFL QB (Balt Colts, San Diego); one of the greats
1934-2009 - Ben Smith, PGA golfer (Ralphs Senior Classic-4th)
1951-2012 - Robert Hegyes, NJ, actor (Welcome Back Kotter)
1931-2007 - Teresa Brewer, Toledo Ohio, singer (Put Another Nickel In)

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., American actor, 2000, @90
Eddie Rabbitt, American musician, lung cancer, 1998, @56
Alfred G Vanderbilt, US millionaire, aboard Lusitania, 1915, @37

Brain Teasers                                         

Making SOMETHING out of NOTHING

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  §

 

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Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.