Sep 18

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Sep. 18, 2019 Week: 38  Day: 261

86004:   H 71° \ L 47° \ Average Sky Cover: 25% 

Nearest wildfire:  80mi.  Nearest lightning:  135mi

Wind:   21mph\Gusts:  38mph  Visibility: 10 mi

Record High: 86°[1956]   Record Low: 27°[2006]

Sep Averages: 74°\42° (5 days with rain)

Today’s Quote

Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.

Sophocles

Random Tidbits

There is a school in Tracy, California named Millennium High School. They're mascot is the Falcon. Yes, they are the Millennium Falcons.

The Pledge of Allegiance was originally conceived by a Christian Socialist, and was then adopted by a flag company as a marketing scheme to sell flags to schools.

Observances This Week

10-19

Palindrome Week 9-10-19…9-19-19

15-21

Balance Awareness Week Link   
Build A Better Image Week 
Child Passenger Safety Week Link  
International Clean Hands Week
Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week Link
National Farm & Ranch Safety and Health Week
National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Week
National Indoor Plant Week 
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week 
National Security Officer Appreciation Week  
National Singles Week 
Pollution Prevention Week Link
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week  

16-22

National Love Your Files Week Link 
National Postdoc Appreciation Week Link

17-23

Constitution Week

18-22

National Guitar Flat-Picking Days Link
Hummingbird Celebration: Link

Observances for Today

Air Force Birthday
Chiropractic Founders Day Link
Hug A Greeting Card Writer Day
International Day Against DRM  Link
National Ceiling Fan Day Link
National Cheeseburger Day Link  Link
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day Link
National Play-Dough Day

National Rehabilitation Day
National Respect Day Link
National School Backpack Awareness Day  Link 
Rice Krispie Treat Day

World Water Monitoring Day Link Link

My Rambling Thoughts

A tad too windy for my today. Thankfully I don’t get the sand I lived with on the Rez.

So Cory is in front of the committee again…He ain’t saying much but at least he showed up. Way too much grandstanding on both side today. I so wish they would just ask a question and let the guy answer.  This particular hearing is not about finding anything new, it’s all about grandstanding. I’m watching to hear something new, but my head is about to explode.

I should have made some plans for today, but it is Tuesday and I just wanted to be around my clean house. Should have not turned on the TV, but a friend kept texting me about the hearings, so I had to watch to respond. Haha.

Focus is in Scotland. Ellie and crew seem to be having a great time. Thanks to Ann for posting pics and the adventure continues. I really enjoyed Scotland. Bob and I went to a pub one early evening. We sat at a table and enjoyed the music. Around 8p the band took a break. We had talked with them during an earlier break. Nice people. The band leader came to our table and said ‘…if anyone tells you to move, just tell them you are with the band…’. At the end of the break, the place was packed with more trying to get in. Sure enough, a bouncer came to our table and ask us to move. We said we were with the band. He apologized and we stayed until the next break, enjoying the music and the brews. A great evening I will never forget. The next day we were in another small town, and asked the bartender where we could find some Scottish music CD’s in town. He sent us to the local record shop and music store. The guy suggested the ‘Red Hot Chili Pipers’, a band that had just been in this town for a bagpipe competition. He pulled out a new CD, opened it and put it in a small boom box that was sitting next to the musical instruments he sold. The first song was  “We will Rock You’on the friggin Bagpipes. The second song was ‘Eye of the Tiger’  on the bagpipes. I was ready to buy it, but the guy went back and got me a new, unopened one. He said he would never sell a non-sealed CD. I reminded him I was standing there when he opened it for me to hear. Didn’t matter, I got the unopened one. I still enjoy listening to it.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of this page

First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?

Highlight the black box to see the hint

Hard riddles get you used to thinking about metaphors and concepts. Not this one; keep it simple and literal to get to the solution. But ask yourself who or what the “you” is.

Historical Events

844 (Earthquake) Damasus, Syria

1793 - George Washington laid the cornerstone for the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

1848 - Baseball rule a 1st baseman can tag base for out instead of the runner

1850 - Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of escaped slaves to their owners.

1851 - The first edition of The New York Daily Times (now The New York Times) was published.

1927 - With 18 radio stations in the US, The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) went on the air.

1947 The Central Intelligence Agency officially comes into existence after being established by President Truman in July

1961 - #1 Hit: Bobby Vee - Take Good Care of My Baby

1964 - The Addams Family debuted on ABC.

1965 - Get Smart and I Dream of Jeannie premiered on NBC

1970 - Jimi Hendrix (age 27) died in London.

1975 - Patty Hearst was captured by FBI agents and indicted.

1976 - #1 Hit: Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music

1978 - WKRP in Cincinnati premiered on CBS

1997 Ted Turner gives $1 billion to the United Nations, creating the public charity, the United Nations Foundation

1999 - #1 Hit: TLC - Unpretty

2001 First mailing of anthrax letters from Trenton, New Jersey in the 2001 anthrax attacks.

2010 - #1 Hit: Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

2016 Earliest known fishooks at 23,000 years old discovered on Okinawa Island, Japan, findings published in PNAS journal

2017 Hurricane Maria passes over the Caribbean island of Dominica as a category 5 hurricane, destroying 90% of structures and killing 27

2018 China announces new $60 billion tariffs on US imports, a day after the US imposes $200 billion worth of new tariffs on Chinese goods

2018 South Africa's Constitutional court legalizes cannabis use by adults in private places

Birthdays Today

Robert Blake [Michael Gubitosi], TV actor (Baretta) (86)

Jack Warden, character actor (d. 2006 @85)

Greta Garbo, Swedish/American actor (d. 1990 @84)

Fred Willard, actor, comedian (80)

Frankie Avalon, actor, singer (80)

Ben Carson, HUD Sec., Dr. (68)

Holly Robinson Peete, actor (55)

James Gandolfini (d. 2013 @51; heart attack)

Aisha Tyler, actor, TV host (49)

Lance Armstrong, disgraced cyclist (48)

Jada Pinket Smith, actress (48)

Ronaldo, soccer player (43)

Puzzle answer:

A fishhook