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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
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…§
