12-6-14

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Almanac: Week: 49 \ Day: 340 
December Averages: 44°\17°
86004 Today: H 48°\L 30°
Ave. humidity: 88%     Average Sky Cover: 75%
Wind ave:   7mph\Gusts:  13mph
Ave. High: 44° Record High:  62° (1977)
Ave. Low: 18° Record Low:  -6° (1951)

Holiday Observances Today:
Constitution Day (Spain-1978)
Independence Day (Finland-1917-from Russia)
¤ ¤
Bartender Appreciation Day
Earmuff Day or Chester Greenwood Day
Miners' Day
Mitten Tree Day
National Pawnbrokers Day
Put on your own Shoes Day
Skywarn Recognition Day
St. Nicholas Day
Observances This Week:
1-7
Cookie Cutter Week 
International Coelenterate Biology Week 
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week 
3-9

Clerc-Gallaudet Week
• • • • • • •
Quote of the Day



Historical Highlights for Today
1534 - Quito, Ecuador, founded by Spanish
1732 - 1st play in American colonies acted by professional players, NYC
1745 - Bonnie Prince Charlies army retreats to Scotland
1768 - 1st edition of "Encyclopedia Brittanica" published (Scotland)
1790 - The U.S. Congress moves from New York City to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1849 - Harriet Tubman escapes from slavery in Maryland for the 2nd and final time
1862 - US President Lincoln orders hanging of 39 Santee Sioux
1865 - 13th Amendment of the US Constitution is ratified, abolishing slavery
1876 - City of Anaheim incorporated for 2nd time
1876 - US Electoral College picks Rep Hayes as pres (although Tilden won)
1877 - Washington Post publishes 1st edition
1897 - London becomes the world's first city to host licenced taxicabs
1922 - 1st constitution of Irish Free State comes into operation
1923 - 1st US Presidential address broadcast on radio by President Coolidge
1933 - Ban on James Joyce' "Ulysses" in US lifted
1947 - The Everglades National Park in Florida is dedicated
1955 - NY psychologist Joyce Brothers won "$64,000 Question" on boxing
1956 - Nelson Mandela & 156 others arrested for political activities in S Africa
1964 - "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" 1st airs on TV
1973 - Gerald Ford sworn-in as 1st unelected VP, succeeds Spiro T Agnew
1988 - Nelson Mandela is transferred to Victor Vester Prison, Capetown
2012 - 7 people are killed and 770 injured during Egyptian protests
2012 - A 243 million year old Nyasasaurus fossil is discovered in Tanzania
• • • • • • •
  Birthdays Today:
How many can you identify? Answers below in Birthday’s Today
 Returns tomorrow

My Rambling Thoughts
We continue to have above average temps. I know this because I don’t remember a December when I could go out and about with only a light jacket. Amazing.  It stayed cloudy much of the day, but no more moisture.
Did my weekly grocery shopping this morning so I am set with fresh things to eat. Nice.
I sure hope all these demonstrations bring some real change to our judicial system. There are so many things that need to be changed very soon. I see that a special prosecutor should be appointed anytime a police officer is being investigated. Also, training for police so that there is some distinction between petty crimes and violent crimes on the use of deadly force. Cultural training for all officers. The legislators need to look at the 3 strikes rule that sounds good, but it putting many behind bars for extended periods for non-violent crimes. Legislators need to look at mandatory sentences or there needs to be a public relations campaign to tell Americans what crimes carry mandatory sentencing so that Americans realize what gets so many put behind bars for non-violent crimes. Finally the privatized prisons that abound. Private companies build them and in order to make money have to keep them nearly full, so surprise, they are busy lobbying for harsher penalties and more penalties on crimes that, when I was growing up, were usually a fine.
• • • • • • •
Brain Teasers
(answers at the end of post)
What phrase is represented below? 

NME NME NME 
NME I Am NME 
NME NME NME

           
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today



           
OK Then…


• • • • • • •
Paraphernalia 4 the Brain:     
Actor Facts…
¤ Sean Connery turned down the role of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings because he didn't understand the script.
¤ Nicole Kidman is scared of butterflies.

December Holiday Facts
*Christmas-Christian
¤ The world’s largest Christmas stocking measured 106 feet and 9 inches (32.56 m) long and 49 feet and 1 inch (14.97 m) wide. It weighed as much as five reindeer and held almost 1,000 presents. It was made by the Children’s Society in London on December 14, 2007.
¤ Christmas trees have been sold in the U.S. since 1850.

*Hanukkah-Jewish
Hanukah foods
Fried foods are traditional during Hanukkah, in remembrance of the sacred oil. Popular fried foods are Latkes (potato pancakes) and Sufganiyot (sweet jelly- filled doughnuts).

*Kwanza-African-American
A Universal Message
Kwanzaa is rooted in African culture, however, people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds are welcomed to join in the celebration. 

*12 Days of Christmas
Four Calling Birds
The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.

Flagstaff, AZ History…
100 YEARS AGO
Charles M. Brooks, in charge of the building the new cement bridge over Canyon Diablo was in town this week saying that the preliminary work is progressing satisfactorily and his is looking for more men.
           
Flagstaff’s Iconic 50…
Hotel Monte Vista Sign
The Hotel Monte Vista is a famous hotel located one block north of U.S. Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona. The hotel was built in 1926 and is a centerpiece of the historic downtown district. The hotel contains 50 rooms and suites on four floors.
The Monte Vista Lounge, or "Monte V" as it is known, is a popular bar and entertainment venue. Catering to long time drinkers and cultured Flagstaffians. Though a popular bar, it’s "dive bar" scene secludes it from the "Maloney's Crowd" of college students, as the folks at the Monte Vista have poor taste in music. The lounge is well stocked and contains a small stage for live music performances. Modern conveniences include indoor restrooms and electricity. It is also rumored to be haunted.

Harper’s Index…
Percentage of liberal Americans who would prefer a large house to a ‘walkable’ community: 32             
Of conservative Americans: 69

Rules of Thumb…
PRIORITIES WHEN LOST
When lost, most people worry about what they are going to eat. You can last a long time without eating and for most people in typical "lost" situations, they will be found fairly quickly. First priority is shelter, then water.     

Unusual Fact of the Day…
According to a 2012 New York Times story, 1% of Americans still get on the Internet with an AOL dial-up connection.
• • • • • • •
Joke-of-the-day
Dolphins are so intelligent that within a few weeks of captivity they can train a man to stand on the edge of their pool and throw them fish three times a day.
           
Yep, It Really Happened
The 65-year-old artist and inventor has developed a range of pills aimed at making people's flatulence smell sweeter; like chocolate or roses. Christian Poincheval says the pills are made of 100 percent natural ingredients and have been approved by health authorities. 
For this year's festive season he has added a new product to the range which he has titled "The Father Christmas fart pill that gives your farts the scent of chocolate."
Mr. Poincheval said he came up with the idea for the pills one evening when he was enjoying a hearty meal with some friends. 
"Our farts were so smelly we were nearly suffocated. Something had to be done," he said. 
So he began researching natural ingredients that would reduce flatulence and after months of experimentation came up with the recipe for his pills. 
He has been selling the pills since 2006 and says he sells several hundred a month. 


Somewhat Useless Information
¤ Two years ago, thousands of files containing sensitive information from the Nassau County police department were shredded and used as confetti during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
¤ Back in the 1920s, the city didn't have a plan for deflating parade balloons, so after the parade ended, the balloons were simply released into the sky and would often float for up to a week. Offers of $100 rewards were stitched into the insides of the balloon for anyone that returned them. The practice of releasing balloons ended in 1933, after one of the balloons wrapped around an airplane's wing and sent it into a tailspin.
¤ Between 1942 and 1945, the parade balloons were recycled into 650 pounds of rubber and donated to the war effort. 
¤ In the history of the Macy's Parade, there have been several mishaps with parade balloons, though perhaps none as significant as the one involving Kathleen Caronna after a Cat in the Hat balloon knocked over a lamppost that fell down on top of Caronna's head, sending her into a coma. After she woke up, she sued for $395 million, but settled for an undisclosed amount.
¤ In 2011, producers Scott Glassgold and Raymond Brothers closed a deal for the rights to turn the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade into a feature film that would have included balloons springing to life. However, that movie has not yet come to fruition.
¤ The microphones used by performers during the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade are almost always non-functioning.    

• • • • • • •
Today’s Events through History
1866 - Chicago water supply tunnel 3,227 m into Lake Michigan completed
1904 - Theodore Roosevelt confirms Monroe-doctrine (Roosevelt Corollary)
1969 - 300,000 attend Altamont California, rock concert feature Rolling Stones
2001 - Canadian province of Newfoundland is renamed Newfoundland & Labrador
• • • • • • •
Birthday’s Today
Kenneth Copeland, American televangelist is 77
JoBeth Williams, actress (Kramer vs Kramer, Poltergeist) is 66

Remembered for being born today
 Gabriel Duvall, Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court [1752-1844]
Joyce Kilmer, poet (Trees), [1886-1918]
Ira Gershwin, lyricist ('S Wonderful, I Got Rhythm) [1896-1983]
Agnes Moorehead, actress (Endora-Bewitched) [1900-1974]
Dave Brubeck, jazz pianist/composer (Gates of Justice), [1920-2012]
• • • • • • •
Historical Obits Today
Frances Beauvier, actress (Aunt Bee, Mayberry), 1989, @86
Jefferson Davis, Pres of Confederate States, 1889, @81
Werner Klemperer, German-born actor (Col. Klink), 2000, @80
Saint Nicholas, Greek Bishop who became the model for Santa Claus, 343, @73
[Alvin] Pete Rozelle, NFL commissioner, brain cancer, 1996, @70
Lead Belly, [Huddie William Ledbetter], blues singer, ALS, 1949, @61
Roy Orbison, singer (Pretty Woman), heart attack, 1988, @52
• • • • • • •

Brain Teasers Answers
I am surrounded by enemies.
• • • • • • •
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 contains mistakes and sadly once 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.