1-30-15

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Almanac: Week: 05 \ Day: 030 
January Averages: 43°\16°
86004 Today: H 51°\L 31°
Ave. humidity: 72%     Average Sky Cover: 80%
Wind ave:   4mph\Gusts:  16mph
Ave. High: 44° Record High:  66° (1971)
Ave. Low: 17° Record Low:  -19° (1979)

Observances Today:
Escape Day—step back and forget your problems
Fun at Work Day
Inane Answering Message Day
National Pre-school Fitness Day

Observances This Week:
25-31
Catholic Schools Week

Clean Out Your Inbox Week
Meat Week 
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week
National Medical Group Practice Week
National Nurse Anesthetists Week
World Leprosy Week 
28-31 
US National Snow Sculpting Week

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Quote of the Day 


Historical Highlights for Today
1487 - Bell chimes invented
1647 - Scots agree to sell King Charles I to English Parliament for £400
1800 - US population: 5,308,483; African American population 1,002,037 (18.9%)
1815 - Burned Library of Congress reestablished with Thomas Jefferson's 6500 vols
1826 - The Menai Suspension Bridge, world's first modern suspension bridge, connecting the Isle of Anglesey to the north West coast of Wales opens
1847 - Yerba Buena renamed San Francisco
1876 - Colorado River steamers ceased landing at La Paz, which was in the grip of a violent smallpox epidemic.
1931 - Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" premieres at Los Angeles Theater
1946 - 1st issue of Franklin Roosevelt dime
1948 - 5th Winter Olympic games open in St Moritz, Switzerland
1956 - KRMA TV channel 6 in Denver, CO (PBS) begins broadcasting
1961 - JFK asks for an Alliance for Progress & Peace Corps
1961 - KAET TV channel 8 in Phoenix, AZ (PBS) begins broadcasting
1962 - 2 members of Flying Wallendas' high-wire act killed in Detroit
1972 - 'Bloody Sunday': 27 unarmed civilians are shot (of whom 14 were killed) by the British Army during a civil rights march in Derry; this is the highest death toll from a single shooting incident during 'the Troubles'
1989 - The American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan closes
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  Birthdays Today:
How many can you identify? Answers below in Birthday’s Today


My Rambling Thoughts
Overcast day, trying to rain or snow or something—but unable to get any moisture down to the ground. Weatherman says rain is coming tonight. Rain in January at this altitude is unusual…as much rain as we have had this winter is very unusual.
Had a great Chinese lunch with my retirement group. Mary has gotten much better and even ate a meal, rather than soup she thought yesterday would be all she could eat. Cheryl had a quiet week. I had a quiet week. Good lunch.
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Brain Teasers
(answers at the end of post)
I'm called a man,
But I'll never have a wife.
I was given a body,
But not given life.
They made me a mouth,
But I wasn't given breath.
Water gives body,
And sun gives me death.
What am I?


Found on You Tube with some relevance to today
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Paraphernalia 4 the Brain:     
70’s Inventions…
1978
Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston invented the VisiCalc spreadshee.
The artificial heart Jarvik-7 invented by Robert K. Jarvik

Country Facts…
--In 2001, the island country of Niue featured Pikachu and other Pokemon on their currency.
--In Czech Republic, women are entitled to up to 4 years of paid maternity leave, increasing to 7 years if the child is disabled.

Easter Eggs…check it out…
Searching “Bacon Number *name*” in Google Search displays the bacon number of a famous actor. Searching “Bacon number Kevin Bacon” gives a result of 0.

Flagstaff, AZ History…
50 YEARS AGO
The County has received a gift of two parcels of land near the junction of Routes 180 and 64 from the developer of the Grand Canyon subdivision. The 21 acres are to be used for a park or other “worthy“ recreational purpose. Board Chairman Harold Huffer says there are no plans for this gift at this time.

Harper’s Index…
33
Number of teenagers who escaped through a hole in the fence in a Nachville juvenile detention center in Sept
2
Number still at large after 2 weeks

Rules of Thumb…
HOW TO STRING A YO-YO
Short strings help loops, and long strings are best for string tricks, but the belly button length string is the best compromise.

Unusual Fact of the Day…
Habitual singing causes the lungs to release leptin, a protein manufactured by the body’s fat cells that is involved in the regulation of appetite. This may partially explain why opera stars tend to lean toward the heavy end of the scale.
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Joke-of-the-day
It was dinner time on a British Airways flight from London to New York. As the flight attendant moved down the plane, she asked one of the passengers: “Would you like dinner?”
“What are my choices?” asked the passenger.
“Yes or No,” replied the attendant.
           
Yep, It Really Happened
SAN FRANCISCO (UPI)
The San Francisco Zoo is bringing Valentine's Day cheer to scorned ex-lovers by allowing them to adopt cockroaches and scorpions in the names of their exes. "This Valentine's Day, if you care enough to send the very best, you'll choose our charming Madagascar Hissing Cockroach package," the zoo said on its website. The zoo suggested the adoption package for the hissing cockroach, which grows to a size of 2-4 inches long and is believed to be the only hissing insect, is the perfect way to show "your favorite ex" that you have "moved on" with your life. The zoo also suggested jilted lovers consider adopting a giant hairy scorpion in the name of a "low-life ex." "So the latest affair didn't work out and given your ex's record-breaking ability to move on, you suspect foul play. Well, nothing soothes the sting like the adoption of a giant hairy scorpion in honor of your former beloved. It's no surprise, these invertebrates are aggressive, active, and alarmingly nocturnal. "Much like your low-life ex, they are usually found in and around low-elevation valleys where they dig elaborate burrows or 'caves.' Also just like you-know-who, when a suitable victim wanders by, the scorpion grabs the doomed creature with its pinchers and stings the prey. After the prey is immobilized, the scorpion tears the carcass apart with its pinchers and begins feeding. Charming. "Your Adopt-a-Giant Hairy Scorpion donation will be used to support these mysterious invertebrates and further the San Francisco Zoological Society's mission to connect people to wildlife, inspire caring for nature, and advance conservation action. We can't make any promises, but urban legend says that the gift of a scorpion adoption serves as permanent protection against future romantic stings. Let the healing begin." For those whose romantic lives have yet to go horribly wrong, the zoo is offering adoption packages for cuter animals including snow leopards, penguins and lemurs.       

Somewhat Useless Information
There have been a few states that never managed to make the cut and become incorporated into the United States we know today. Some of these state names were quite inventive and the dedicated residents who petitioned for them were very frustrated when the states never manifested.
Absaroka
It was named after the Absaroka Range of the Rocky Mountains, which claimed parts of South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. Residents of this area attempted to secede in 1939.


Deseret
Although you might assume as much, it was not named for the desert. It was actually named after a Mormon word meaning honeybee. Parts of modern day Nevada, Utah, Southern California, most of Arizona, and a portion of New Mexico were claimed by Mormon settlers escaping religious persecution in New York.

Franklin
This region was comprised of eight counties that originally belonged to North Carolina but are now eastern Tennessee. In fact, Franklin almost became the 14th State, only needing two more votes to reach the 2/3 majority vote needed for statehood. The larger state of Tennessee was formed instead.

Kanawha
This region later became the largest portion of the state of West Virginia, and included some of the far northwestern counties of Virginia. It came about during the crazy tensions of the Civil War. They voted to secede when Virginia joined the Confederate States of America. 

Lincoln
Another name used in multiple requests for a state. The original request was in Texas and would have consumed almost half of the state. The second came about in the early 1900s and included the Idaho Panhandle. Believe it or not, the idea was proposed again in 2005. 

Long Island
The region grew weary of the 'Boss' political system in New York and wanted to seek its freedom in 1869. This idea was revisited in the 1990s, but New York is unwilling to give up this diverse and economically sound portion of the state. 

Sequoyah
The name Sequoyah was requested by Native Americans and encompassed the majority of Oklahoma. This included a tract of land where the U.S. Government had relocated them. 

Superior
The Upper Peninsula, part of the state of Michigan, is only connected to the rest of the state by the Mackinac Bridge. It lies between Lake Superior, and Lake Michigan, hence the name. This one raises its head on a regular basis, especially when debating Michigan tax laws. Interestingly, the land area was originally part of the Wisconsin territory, but awarded to Michigan when the city of Toledo was absorbed by Ohio.

Texlahoma
Early in the 20th century, rural areas had terrible roads and cars were popular, making for dangerous driving. Since the politicians in the capitals were not listening to their complaints, forty-six counties in Texas and twenty-three in Oklahoma planned to secede and combine into a new state. 

Transylvania
The region included parts of Northern Tennessee and Southwestern Kentucky. It was originally purchased by the Transylvania Company from the Cherokee Indians, hence the unusual name.

Westsylvania
This was the second name for the failed Vandalia colony attempting to become the 14th state, in 1776. Pennsylvania, West Virginia and eastern Kentucky made up this area. Pennsylvania, having the most land to lose, made a law stating talk of secession to be an act of treason punishable by death. That dream quickly and quietly went away.

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Today’s Events through History
1781 - Articles of Confederation ratified by 13th state, Maryland
1790 - Lifeboat 1st tested at sea, by Mr Greathead, the inventor
1922 - World Law Day 1st celebrated
1948 - Mahatma Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse
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Birthday’s Today
Dorothy Malone, actress (Peyton Place) is 90
Gene Hackman, actor (Bonnie & Clyde) is 85
Tammy Grimes, actress\singer is 81
Vanessa Redgrave, actress (Blow-Up) is 78
Dick Cheney, Lincoln, Nebraska, 46th US Vice President is 74
Brett Butler, comedienne (Grace Under Fire) is 57
Christian Bale, Wales, actor (Empire of the Sun) is 41
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Remembered for being born today
Thomas Rolfe, only child of Pocahontas and John Rolfe 1615-1680@65ish
Franklin Roosevelt, 32nd US President 1882-1945@63
David Wayne, actor (Andromeda Strain) 1914-1995@81
John Ireland, actor (Rawhide) 1914-1992@78
Dick Martin, actor/comedian (Laugh-In) 1922-2008@86
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Historical Obits Today
Sidney Sheldon, author, playwright, and screenwriter, 2007, @89
Marcial Maciel, Mexican religious leader, 2008, @87
Betsy Ross [Elizabeth Griscom], seamstress 1836, @84
John McIntire, actor (Virginian, Psycho), 1991, @ 83
Mahatma Gandhi, India's political\spiritual leader, assassinated 1948, @78
Coretta Scott King, activist\wife of Martin Luther King Jr., 2006, cancer, 2006, @78
Orville Wright, US aviation pioneer, heart attack, 1948, @76
Ferdinand Porsche, German car inventor (Porsche), stroke, 1951, @75
Allan Welsh Dulles, US diplomat/director CIA, influenza, 1969, @75
Charles I, King of Great Britain (1625-49), beheaded for treason, 1649, @48
Osceola, chief of Seminole, malaria in jail, 1838, @34ish
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Brain Teasers Answers
A snowman
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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.