Jan 12

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Jan. 12, 2020 Week: 1  Day:12

86004:   H 37° \ L 12° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Nearest lightning:  1305mi.; Nearest active fire:  681mi.  

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

Record High: 59°[2002]   Record Low: -20°[1963]

Jan. Averages: 43°\16° (22” days with snow)

Today’s Einstein Quote

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

Random Tidbits

Bananas are curved because they grow towards the sun.

Bananas go through a process called “negative geotropism.” Instead of growing towards the ground, they start growing towards the sun.

The fruit grows against gravity, which gives the banana its familiar curved shape.

Observations This Week

Cuckoo Dancing Week: 11-17

National Mocktail Week: 12-18

Observations for Today

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day

Kiss A Ginger Day Link (Red Heads)
National Curried Chicken Day

National Glazed Doughnut Day

National Hot Tea Day
National Marzipan Day
 National Pharmacist Day

National Sunday Supper Day Link 

My Rambling Thoughts

It’s a chilly, windy, stay-inside type day. I spent the morning cleaning knick-knacks I inherited…including a brass piggy bank from my childhood and a snuff box with Queen Victoria’s picture, and several crystal candy dishes. They all shine now. More time than I expected to get into the nooks and crannies of each piece.

As the census is coming up, many minorities have some real trepidation about being counted. While it is well publicized that the count helps fund many programs for the minorities, the fear of identifying as a minority, or worse, an illegal, has many not planning on being counted. Trump added to the fear last year when he wanted the census to have a question about legality in the US. I agree that it would help all Americans if we knew how many legal and illegal immigrants were in the country. There is just no way right now to get that information. A few decades ago, the 1950’s, the Indian Agents on the Navajo Reservation were directed to take a census of the livestock on the reservation. The idea was to help the Navajo stop overgrazing that was leading to many more problems for the Navajo. The result was far from the initial idea. The Navajo basic economy was based on sheep. The more sheep one had, the richer one was. The government came in and set up grazing permits that would determine the number of sheep one could have. The rich became poorer and the poor became richer. Families today are still arguing over grazing permits and grazing land…all because of the 1950’s idea. Most minority groups have a long-held fear of ‘the government’. These fears are ignited every time ‘the government’ comes up with an idea that will change the status quo. The Right has long come up with ideas that have not helped our minority population and that fear will continue. Sad.   

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

It takes five cats five minutes to catch five mice. How long will it take for 100 cats to catch 100 mice?

Historical Events

1906 - Dow Jones closed over 100 for the 1st time.

1926 - Original Sam 'n' Henry premiered on WGN (Chicago) radio and later renamed Amos 'n' Andy in 1928.

1948 Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast

1959 American record company Motown is founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records

1962 Operation Ranch Hand begins, a US Air Force operation to spray South Vietnamese forests with defoliants such as Agent Orange

1963 - #1 Hit: Steve Lawrence - Go Away Little Girl

1965 - Hullabaloo premiered on NBC.

1966 - ABC's Batman television series premiered.

1967 - Dr. James Bedford was the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation. He is still frozen at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation.

1971 - All In The Family aired for the first time on CBS

1974 - #1 Hit: Steve Miller Band - The Joker

1988 - Dynasty debuted on ABC

1989 Ex-dictator of Uganda Idi Amin expelled from Zaire

1991 US Congress gives George H. W. Bush authority to wage war against Iraq

2001 - National Geographic Channel debuted American cable

2006 - A stampede during the Stoning of the Devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, killed at least 362 Muslim pilgrims.

2010 Earthquake devastates Haiti, killing approximately 160,000 and destroying the majority of the capital Port-au-Prince

2017 US President Barack Obama in surprise presentation awards Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Birthdays Today

@91-Henry Youngman, comedian

@87Ray Price, singer (d.2013)

87-Glenn Yarborough, singer

69-Kirstie Alley actor (1951)

69-Rush Limbaugh, talk show

@68- Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (heart attack)

68-Ricky Van Shelton, singer

@67-Joe Frazier heavy weight champ (d. 2011; liver cancer)

66-Howard Stern, talk show

@56-John Hancock

56-Jeff Bezos (Amazon)

@40-Jack London (born John Griffith Chaney) (dysentery)

Puzzle Answer:

It takes one cat five minutes to catch one mouse. If we have 100 cats, they will need also five minutes each to catch 100 mice.