Jan 4

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Jan. 4, 2020 Week: 1  Day:4

86004:   H 45° \ L 21° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Nearest lightning:  1297mi.; Nearest active fire:  309mi.  

Wind:   4mph\Gusts:  8mph  Visibility: 10 mi

Record High: 64°[1927]   Record Low: -22°[1971]

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

Today’s Quote

Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish.

Albert Einstein

Random Tidbits

The subtle difference between sparkling wine and champagne is... none. The only difference is that authentic 'champagne' comes from the Champagne region of France. But as far as alcohol content, production, etc... it's the exact same stuff.

"Sabrage" is a term for opening a champagne bottle with an actual sword. It is only done in certain ceremonial occasions and the wielder uses the blunt side of the sword. It was made famous by Napoleon and his army when they celebrated victories in battle.

Observations this Month

National Be On-Purpose Month
National Braille Literacy Month Link
National Clean Up Your Computer Month
National Codependency Awareness Month Link
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Mail Order Gardening Month
National Mentoring Month  Link
National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month
National Personal Trainer Awareness Month Link
National Polka Music Month Link  Link
National Poverty in America Awareness Month
National Radon Action Month
National Skating Month
National Soup Month Link
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month Link
National Stalking Awareness Month Link
National Sunday Supper Month  Link
National Volunteer Blood Donor Month Link

Observations This Week

Diet Resolution Week: 1-7

New Year's Resolutions Week: 1-8 

Silent Record Week: 1-7

Someday We'll Laugh About This Week: 2-8

Observations for Today

Dimpled Chad Day
National Play Outside Day Link 
National Spaghetti Day

Pop Music Chart Day
Tom Thumb Day
Trivia Day

World Braille Day  Link
World Hypnotism Day  Link

My Rambling Thoughts

Slowly warming up…snow is finally actually melting. Two- foot icicles still dripping, but hanging in there.

I am so tired of looking at my phone to see what day it is. Ever since I got back from Mexico, I can’t seem to remember what day it is. Thanks, iPhone for helping this old guy out.

I got a call from one of my college roommates this morning. It’s his 71^st birthday and I had posted a note on FB. He is doing fine, finally enjoying his retirement, doing some traveling. Nice to hear from him.

I emailed Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and Fry’s Grocery to see when I would be getting my W2 for 2019. I explained that I had only used the self-checkout all of 2019 and was hoping to get the W2 soon, and I included copies of receipts, so they would know I was serious. Strangely, no response yet. Guess I’ll give them to next week to respond.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

Which is correct, 9 and 5 is 13 or 9 plus 5 is 13?

Historical Events

1674 - In what is now Chicago, Father Jacques Marquette founded a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan to minister to the Illiniwek Indians.

1791 - The first edition of The Observer, the world's first Sunday newspaper, was published in London.

1847 Manuscripts of Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights" and Anne Brontë's "Agnes Grey" sent to publisher T.C. Newby (published December 1847)

1875 - New York City politician Boss Tweed escaped from prison.

1881 - The Los Angeles Times began publication.

1917 - "Shell Shock" was introduced as psychological trauma for war veterans.

1943 - Major League Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis announced that any club was free to employ black players.

1944 Ralph Bunche appointed 1st African American official in US State Department

1945 - The Senate approved the participation of the United States in the UN. The United Nations began several weeks earlier, on October 24, 1945.

1952 - Starting today, and over the course of the next several days, Smog (severe air pollution) killed over 4,000 people in London.

1954 - The first Burger King (Insta Burger King) opened in Miami, Florida, owned by James McLamore and David Edgerton.

1956 - The Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash) got together at Sun Studio. The recordings were released in 1981 and 1990.

1973 - NASA's Pioneer 10 reached Jupiter.

1980 - Led Zeppelin officially disbanded, following the death of drummer John Bonham on September 25th.

1991 - Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) ceased operations.

2007 The 110th United States Congress convenes and elects Nancy Pelosi as the 1st female Speaker of the House

 2009 - American Amanda Knox was convicted of murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Italy

Birthdays Today

@90 - Charles Keating, American lawyer and financier (died in 2014)

@84 - Sir Isaac Newton, Physicist (d. 1727)

84 - Freddy Cannon, American singer

83 - Max Baer, Jr., American actor

71 - Jeff Bridges, American actor

@66 - Samuel Butler, British writer: Erewhon

        (died in 1902)

56-- Marisa Tomei, American actress

54 - Fred Armisen, American actor and musician

51 - Jay Z

       Shawn Corey Carter, American rapper, producer, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records

47 - Tyra Banks, American model and producer

@39 - Dennis Wilson, American singer-songwriter, and drummer (died in 1983; drowned)

Puzzle Answer:

Neither, 9 and (plus) 5 is 14