Oct 27

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Oct. 27, 2019 Week: 44  Day: 300

86004:   H 69° \ L 36° \ Average Sky Cover: 5% 

Nearest active fire:  129mi.  Nearest lightning:  1477mi

Wind:   6mph\Gusts:  15mph  Visibility: 10 mi

Record High: 75°[2008]   Record Low: 10°[1970]

Oct. Averages: 63°\32° ( 4 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

Where is all the knowledge

we lost with information?

T. S. Eliot

Random Tidbits

Sugar is one of the world's oldest ingredients. The people of New Guinea were most likely the first to domesticate sugar cane around 8000 B.C.

Sugar is everywhere. It is the building blocks of carbohydrates, the most abundant type of organic molecules in living things. Researchers note that sugar is not necessarily a health problem, but the amount of sugar we consume is.

Sugar threatens more than thin waistlines. It has also been associated with several conditions and diseases, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis, acne, heart disease, depression, thrush/yeast infections, and cancer.

Observances This Week

21-27

Freedom of Speech Week  Link    

23-31

Red Ribbon Week Link  

24-30

Disarmament Week

24-31

Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week

25-11/11

World Origami Days

25-31

International Magic Week

27-11/2

Give Wildlife a Brake! Week Link
Kids Care Week

Observances for Today

American Beer Day

Black Cat Day Link
Cranky Co-workers Day
Diwali [Hindu Celebration] Link
Mother-In-Law Day
National Potato Day

National Tell a Story Day-in UK

Navy Day  Link
Reformation Sunday
Visit A Cemetery Day 
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage Link
World Priest Day

My Rambling Thoughts

A nice fall day.  I was busy this morning getting ready for our discussion group tonight on AI…Artificial Intelligence. The articles discuss how AI is improving lives and not something that will just destroy the workforce. The keys seem to be using AI to work with humans, not replace them and to educate all humans on the advantages of AI. Should be an interesting discussion tonight.

It’s Homecoming weekend here. That means another ‘Tequila Sunrise’ celebration. NAU students go to local downtown bars that open before sunrise, to get drunk and wander downtown and back to campus. Due to the increased cost of police enforcement, drunks urinating and defecating in alleys and on sidewalks…this ‘tradition’ needs to end. It’s been around since the 1970’s and I didn’t understand it then, still don’t. I never participated. The Homecoming parade used to go through downtown, but was moved backed to be on campus only after ADOT wouldn’t let them close down the main drag of downtown. After the parade moved, I had hoped that Tequila Sunrise would too, but no such luck.

I listened to some of the eulogies for Elijah Cummings last night. Turns out I knew very little about this amazing Congressman. He was a very kind man who was spent his life improving the human condition.

I also read an article about the difference between a ‘whistleblower’ and a ‘leaker’. The main difference between the two is that whistleblowers release information that shows wrongdoing. They have a right and responsibility to report this information. Leakers, however, release sensitive or classified information unlawfully, and often to the press, possibly for their own personal or political agenda—not necessarily for public good or policy.   Interesting for sure.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of this page

Arnold Schwarzenegger has a long one.

Michael J. Fox has a short one.

Madonna does not use hers.

Bill Clinton always uses his.

The Pope never uses his.

What is it?

Historical Events

312 - Constantine the Great saw the Vision of the Cross. "In this sign, you shall conquer"

1275 - Amsterdam, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was founded.

1904 - The first underground New York City Subway line opened.

1922 In Italy, Liberal Luigi Facta resigns in the face of threats from Mussolini that 'either the Government will be given to us or we will seize it by marching on Rome'

1954 President Eisenhower offers aid to South Vietnam Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm

1955 - Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean was released. It premiered the night before, at the Astor Theater in New York.

1961 - NASA tested the first Saturn I rocket in Mission Saturn-Apollo 1.

1964 - Ronald Reagan delivered his "A Time for Choosing" speech on behalf of Republican presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater.

1966 - It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown aired for the first time (on CBS)

1973 - #1 Hit: Gladys Knight & the Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia

1990 - #1 Hit: Janet Jackson - Black Cat

1997 - Stock markets around the world crashed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 554.26 points (7.18%) to 7,161.15.

2005 Riots begin in Paris after the deaths of two Muslim teenagers.

2012 Thousands demonstrate in Madrid against proposed budget cuts

2017 Catalan parliament meets and unilaterally declares independence from Spain

2018 Gunman shoots and kills 11 people and injures six at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in an anti-Semitic attack

Birthdays Today

John Cleese, actor, comedian (80)

Leif Erickson

William Wycliffe Anderson, actor (Westerns)

(d. 1986 @74; cancer)

Roberto Benigni, Italian actor (Life is Beautiful) (67)

Matt Drudge, political commentator (53)

Kelly Osbourne, TV host, Ozzie’s daughter (35)

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, singer, songwriter

(d. 1995 @23; murdered)

Puzzle answer:

Surname