Jan 24

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Jan. 24, 2020 Week: 1  Day: 24

86004:   H 49° \ L 23° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Nearest lightning:  1059mi.; Nearest active fire:  482mi.  

Wind:   12mph\Gusts:  18mph  Visibility: 10 mi

Record High: 61°[1982]   Record Low: -15°[1964]

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

Today’s Einstein Quote

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Random Tidbits

It would be well into the sixteenth century before the Hindu-Arabic numbering system that we use today, with its concept of decimal places and the introduction of zero, came into general use in Europe, making counting boards obsolete.

Stress can make it difficult to lose weight. Stress can trigger cravings for carb-rich snack foods which tend to calm stress hormones. Stress hormones can also increase fat storage. In addition to physical exercise, relaxation techniques can help control weight.

Observations This Week

Week of Christian Unity: 18-25

International Snowmobile Safety and Awareness Week: 18-26

Healthy Weight Week: 19-25

Hunt For Happiness Week:  19-25

National Activity Professionals Week:  19-25 

National CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) Week: 19-25

National Handwriting Analysis Week:  19-25

Snow Care For Troops Awareness Week: 19-25

Sugar Awareness Week: 20-24

No Name Calling Week:  20-24

International Hoof-Care Week: 21-24  

Sundance Film Festival: 23-2/2

Observations for Today

Beer Can Day  Link  Link
Belly Laugh Day Link
Compliment Day

International Day of Education
Lobster Thermidor Day

Macintosh Computer Day

National Compliment Day
National Peanut Butter Day Link
Talk Like A Grizzled Prospector Day  Link
Women's Healthy Weight Day 

My Rambling Thoughts

It has been a busy week for me. All is good. Blood doctor wants another blood letting next week. PCP wants a stress test next month. Root Canal went well. All want pictures of my next adventure.

My PCP did a full physical today. Remember the old strip down and lay on the table. That’s what I got. All was good “for a male of your age”. Great. Then he asked me if I had been to China in the last year. Yep, but only Beijing and the railroad, adding not in the area of the new virus. Good.

Speaking of China, I have been following the news of the spread of the new virus. Today the ground zero city has stopped all public transportation. I was a little surprised that that city has a population of 11 million people. I can’t imagine my little town suddenly having no public transportation and everyone told to stay away from crowds, let alone what this does to a city that big. Frightening for sure.

I have not been happy about our cold temps this winter. They seem to be never ending. Then I saw the report from Florida about Iguanas. Since the temps have been cold…for Florida, falling into the 40’s at night it is causing problems for Iguanas. They normally live in trees, but the cold temps are putting the cold-blooded creatures to sleep. They are falling out of trees. Not dead, just ‘sleeping’ until it warms up. Turns out that Iguana meat is quite the delicacy, and some of these sleeping ones are being cut up for that meat. Gross. Turns out they are known as ‘Chicken of the Trees’ in some circles.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

My grandson is about as many days as my daughter in weeks, and my grandson is as many months as I am in years. Together we are 120 years. How old am I?

Historical Events

41 - Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated.

1848 - Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, Coloma, California by James W. Marshall.

1899 - The US patent (#618128) for a rubber 'safety heel' was issued to Humphrey O'Sullivan

1908 Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell publishes "Scouting for Boys" as a manual for self-instruction in outdoor skills and self-improvement. The book becomes the inspiration for the Scout Movement.

 1922 - The 'Eskimo Pie', an ice cream center covered in chocolate, was patented (#1404539) by Christian K. Nelson of Onawa, Iowa.

1935 - The 1st beer in a can - 'Krueger Cream Ale' is sold by the Kruger Brewing Company.

1950 - A microwave oven patent (#2495429) was issued to Percy LeBaron Spencer under the title 'Method of Treating Foodstuffs'.

1976 - #1 Hit: Diana Ross - Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)

1984 - The Apple Macintosh was released.

1986 Voyager 2 makes 1st fly-by of Uranus (81,593 km), finds new moons

1987 - #1 Hit: Billy Vera and the Beaters - At This Moment

1995- Live coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial began. Day-time network soap operas were pre-empted for almost nine months.

2003 - The United States Department of Homeland Security officially began operation.

2017 President Trump withdraws the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

2019 US government recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's President

2019 17 temperature records broken in South Australia including highest ever recorded for capital Adelaide at 46.6C

Puzzle Answer:

72. This makes the grandson 6 and the daughter 42. It can be solved by creating the following system of equations:

Let m be my age in years. If s is my son's age in years, then my son is 52s weeks old. If g is my grandson's age in years, then my grandson is 365g days old. Thus,365g = 52s.

Since my grandson is 12g months old,12g = m. Since my grandson, my son and I together are 120 years,

g + s + m = 120.

The above system of 3 equations in 3 unknowns (g, s and m) can be solved as follows.

m / 12 + 365 m / (52 x 12) + m = 120 or

52 m + 365 m + 624 m = 624 x 120 or

m = 624 x 120 / 1041 = 72.

So, I am 72 years old.