Jan 28

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Jan. 28, 2020 Week: 1  Day: 28

86004:   H 45° \ L 20° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Nearest lightning:  3539mi.; Nearest active fire:  345mi.  

Wind:   8mph\Gusts:  12mph  Visibility: 10 mi

Record High: °[]   Record Low: °[]

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

Today’s Einstein Quote

One thing I have learned in my long-life; that all our science, measured against reality is primitive and childlike—at yet it the most precious thing we have.

Random Tidbits

A sushi chef traditionally could work in a restaurant only after training for 10 years. However, modern sushi chiefs can start working after just 2 years of training.

Sushi is commonly thought of as an aphrodisiac because two common sushi fish, salmon and mackerel, are high in omega-3s, which are fatty acids that aid in sex-hormone production. Additionally, tuna is a source of selenium, which helps increase a male's sperm count.

Observations This Week

Sundance Film Festival: 23-2/2

US Nationals Snow Sculpting Days: 25-2/2

Catholic Schools Week: 26-2/1

Clean Out Your Inbox Week: 26-31

Meat Week: 26-2/1

National School Choice Week:  26-2/1 

Tax Identity Theft Week: 26-30

National Medical Group Practice Week: 27-2/1

Observations for Today

Data Privacy Day Link  Link
Fun at Work Day

National Blueberry Pancake Day

National Kazoo Day Link
National Pediatrician Day
National Plan For A Vacation Day  Link 
Rubber Ducky Day  Link  Link 
Thank A Plugin Developer Day Link

My Rambling Thoughts

Another day of lawyers on all the major news stations, talking about how this mess is a waste of everyone’s time. It’s all part of the process, so I’m watching.

I’m thankful that I took the Trans-Siberian Rail trip before the virus was known. Focus Travel Club went to the Winter Palace and the Great Wall. Tourists there today can’t do that. I sure hope that the World’s scientists find a way to stop this virus very soon.

President Trump did another first. He stood and spoke at the ‘March for Life” in DC recently. Other Presidents have spoken by satellite or telephone to the crowds. This is a hot-button issue as the reason for the March is to stop all abortions in the US. Over the years, crowds as large as 400K have been at the March. As a happily adopted male who was born before Roe v Wade, I have some feelings about abortion.  I am ecstatic that my birth-mother did not attempt an illegal abortion when she discovered her pregnancy. Some outdated laws did not allow me to talk to my birth-mother about her decision to have me and then give me up for adoption.  When the laws changed, I did not do any searching. During my teaching career I met many students who were raised by great parents. I also met parents who did not want their child(ren) and made that clear to the child(ren). I met single mothers who refused to talk about the father of the child to the child. I met more than enough grandparents who were raising their daughter’s children because she couldn’t. Sometimes that was because of drugs, sometimes it was about finding a job, sometimes it was just to continue partying until she got pregnant again. Children were very damaged by the above behaviors. Many were able to overcome these distractions and have happy lives and families of their own. Others were not able to overcome these distractions and became alcoholics or committed suicide before 25. A very few followed in their mother’s behavior. Every woman today should have a choice when a pregnancy occurs. If she cannot care for a child, she can always ‘pawn it off’ to a relative or put it in the adoption system…now that system allows for legal open and closed adoptions. She should also have the choice of abortion. It should not be a scarlet letter on the woman for life. I hope that the anti-abortion advocates will work to change the laws of adoption to make it easier. I hope the anti-abortion advocates will walk their talk and adopt children already in the system. I do want a vocal minority, with a mission they are not part of, to set US law. If a woman has an unexpected pregnancy, no one and no law should tell her she has to abort the fetus. Nor should anyone or any law prevent her from getting a legal abortion.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25?

Historical Events

1807 - London's Pall Mall became the first street of any city to be illuminated by gaslight.

1813 - Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was first published.

1915 - An act of the US Congress created the United States Coast Guard as a branch of the United States Armed Forces.

1934 - The first ski tow rope in the US, built by Robert Royce, was used for the first time in Woodstock, Vermont

1953 - J. Fred Muggs (a chimp) joined NBC's Today Show

1958 - The Lego Company patented the design of its Lego bricks.

1979 - CBS News Sunday Morning debuts with original host Charles Kuralt.

1986 - Space Shuttle Challenger 10 exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing astronauts Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik and schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.

1988 Canada's Supreme court declares anti-abortion law unconstitutional

1998 Michelangelo's "Christ & the Woman of Samaria" sold for $7.4 million

2011 Hundreds of thousands of protesters fill the Egyptian's streets against the Hosni Mubarak's regime in demonstrations referred to as the "Friday of Anger"

2017 US President Donald Trump and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull have a contentious phone call over deal for US to take 1,250 refugees

2019 US Justice Department charges Chinese firm Huawei with bank and wire fraud

Birthdays Today

84- Alan Alda, actor

80- Carlos Slim, Mexican entrepreneur, philanthropist

@66- Robert McClure, Irish explorer (NW Passage) (d. 1873)

@44- Jackson Pollock, artist (d. 1956; auto accident)

39- Elijah Wood, actor

Puzzle Answer:

Once. After you subtract 5 from 25 you are left with 20.