May 13

 

 
Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 20 Day: 133 \ Ave. sky cover: 5% \ Visibility: 10 miles Flagstaff Today 68° \26° 
Wind: 6mph \ Gusts: 11mph
High risk of fire \ Nearest active fire: 12mi \ nearest Lightning: 545mi
May Averages for Flagstaff: 68° \ 34°  (3 days of moisture)
 

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

6-15
National Public Gardens Week  Link

8-14  
Food Allergy Awareness Week  Link
National Nursing Home Week
National Return To Work Week  
National Women's Health Week 
Tick Awareness Week 

8-15
Reading is Fundamental Week  Link  
Salvation Army Week  
Salvation Army Week  
Work At Home Moms Week

9-13  
Economic Development Week  Link
National Etiquette Week

9-15 
National Hospital Week  Link
National Stuttering Awareness Week 

10-16
Universal Family Week

 

Daily Observations

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

So happy to report there is just a slight wind today and it should remain that way into next week.

I had lunch with Faith and Andy. Great food, good conversation.

I am shocked, horrified, grateful, and concerned with the recent release of the Dept. of Interior’s examination of 400+ government boarding schools here in the US. The study was from the 1860’s until 1969. I did not start working for the BIA until 1971. I have downloaded the 162-page report. The information is long overdue. Healing can’t begin until everyone knows what occurred.   The report details the events that led to horrors at many schools. Thank you to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland of Laguna for having this report done. It is difficult for all Americans to hear the information, and even more difficult for those of us who worked for the Bureau. The healing will begin when all the information is discovered, verified, and made public.

Also, The National Park Service is holding a meeting in late May discussion on what the future of the National Park System could look like with the inclusion of Indigenous voices and traditional ecological knowledge.

A second issue that needs to be made public and fixed…In 2021 there was an overdose death every 5 minutes. Most of the deaths involved fentanyl, usually laced into other drugs.  How can Congress just ignore figures like that. There is now a quick test to see if the fentanyl is in the drug…but many states will not approve the test, as it is labeled as ‘drug paraphernalia’. That is crazy!  

Favorite Memes

 


 

 



 

 

Safest Cities in the World

1. Tokyo, Japan

The bigger the city, the more dangerous it is? Not true for Tokyo. This city has a population of over 13 million and it’s still one of the safest cities on the planet. In terms of how well your cyber security is protected, Tokyo is ranked on top. This means identity theft is super rare and digital privacy is highly respected and protected. The low crime rates are probably related to the fact that the majority of the Tokyo residents are considered “upper-middle class.” What’s more? Tokyo boasts a world-famous nightlife scene which can be enjoyed worry-free!

2. Singapore

The number of violent crimes, theft, and level of police engagement is the lowest in the world in Singapore. If that doesn’t make you feel safe, we don’t know what will. In fact, Singapore reported a 135-day completely crime-free streak in 2017. The small island nation has close to 100,000 surveillance cameras positioned around the city, keeping citizens honest and majorly deterring those who are tempted to stray. Because of their super-safe environment, Singaporeans really trust each other. It’s not uncommon to see shops without windows, locks, or doors!

State Trivia

New Hampshire: Wolfeboro is the oldest summer resort in America

New England and especially New Hampshire have long been favorites for summer vacations, but no destination more so than Wolfeboro. Dubbed the oldest summer resort in America, Wolfeboro gained this title after Governor John Wentworth built his Lake Wentworth mansion here in 1768, making it the first summer country estate in northern New England. Over the years it became a popular destination, especially for families from Boston, and more recently Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, Kurt Vonnegut, Drew Barrymore and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy have all vacationed here.

New Jersey: it has the most horses in the US

You might have suspected that there are more diners in New Jersey than any other state, but did you know New Jersey also has the most horses? There are more horses per square mile here than any other state in the US. This also explains why the United States Equestrian Team is based in Gladstone, New Jersey.

New Mexico: it's the only state that has an official state question

"Red or Green?" was declared an official state symbol in 1996 thus becoming the first official state question in the country. But can you guess what it refers to? Wanting to recognize the importance of the chile industry in New Mexico, the New Mexico State Legislature decided to use a question asked in diners up and down the state every day. Referring to either red or green chile, the question actually has three possible answers. Reply "Christmas" and you'll get a mix of both.

New York: Empire State Building has its own zip code

The US postal code, or zip code, was first introduced to sort and deliver mail more efficiently and we're accustomed to zip codes indicating specific neighborhoods. However, New York City's Empire State Building has a zip code of its own – 10118 – and turns out it's not the only one. In total there are 42 buildings in Manhattan with a personal zip code, including MetLife Building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza and Chrysler Building.

North Carolina: Venus flytrap is native to the state

Feared by insects, admired by humans and cultivated around the world, a Venus flytrap looks like it belongs in a tropical jungle. However, it's only native to a small area of the coastal plain, mostly within a 75-mile (120km) radius within Wilmington. Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, the famous plant was designated the official state carnivorous plant in 2005.

North Dakota: the world's largest French fry feed is held here

An utterly irresistible event, if you ask us, the World's Largest French Fry Feed is a must-visit. Held annually (it was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19), it's the signature event of Potato Bowl USA – an American football battle between the two largest potato growing regions in the United States. The latest French Fry Feed record was broken in 2017, when 8,154 pounds of French fries were served to over 10,000 people.

Historical Events

Ø    1637 – The rounded table knife was created by Cardinal Richelieu in France.
Ø    1861 – The Great Comet of 1861 (C/1861 J1) was discovered, and it should return in 2063.
Ø    1890 – Nikola Tesla was issued a patent (#428,057) for an electric generator.
Ø    1917 – The first reported apparition of Our Lady of Fátima in Fátima, Portugal.
Ø    1607 – English in Virginia founded Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.
Ø    1939 – The first commercial FM radio station in the United States is launched in Bloomfield, Connecticut. The station later became WDRC-FM.
Ø    1950 – The first round of the Formula One World Championship was held at Silverstone.
Ø    1958 – Ben Carlin became the first person to circumnavigate the world by amphibious vehicle
Ø    1973 – Bobby Riggs beat Margaret Court in a $10,000 winner-take-all challenge tennis match. Billie Jean King played him on September 20, 1973, and won the second Battle of the Sexes.
Ø    1981 – Pope John Paul II was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca.
Ø    1985 – Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode ordered police to raid the MOVE headquarters, and a small bomb was detonated on top of 6221 Osage Avenue. Six adults and five children were killed in the fire that destroyed the entire block, along with 250 nearby homes.
Ø    1994 – Johnny Carson made his last television appearance on Late Show with David Letterman.

Birthdays Today

@86 – Bea Arthur, American actress and singer (d. 2009)

72 – Stevie Wonder, musician

@66 – Joe Louis [Joseph Louis Barrow], American boxer (d. 1981; cardiac arrest)

61 – Dennis Rodman, American basketball player

58 – Stephen Colbert, American comedian and talk show host

@49 – Mary Wells, American singer-songwriter (d. 1992; cancer)

36 – Lena Dunham, American actress

36 – Robert Pattison, Actor

@17 – Ritchie Valens, American singer-songwriter, guitarist (d. 1959; plane crash)

 

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Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.