May 17

 

 
Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 21 Day: 137 \ Ave. sky cover: 5% \ Visibility: 10 miles Flagstaff Today 79° \41° 
Wind: 9mph \ Gusts: 21mph
Low Moderate High Extreme risk of fire \ Nearest active fire: 12mi \ nearest Lightning: 385mi
May Averages for Flagstaff: 68° \ 34°  (3 days of moisture)

 

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

15-21   EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Week Link   International Heritage Breeds Week International New Friends, Old Friends Week National Eosinophil Awareness Week Link   National Medical Transcription Week Link National Transportation Week National Unicycle Week Police Week World Trade Week

16-22  American Craft Beer Week Link  International Coaching Week  Link National Bike to Work Week  Link   National Foul Ball Week PGA Championship   Link

17-28 Cannes Film Festival

Daily Observations

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Another nice sunny day. Love our small town.

60 Minutes did a great story on Bellingcat last night. The digital database company got it name from an old story about Belling the Cat…about always knowing where the cat was roaming by putting a bell around its neck. The company finds photos on social media and traces them back to their origin. By doing this they have been able to find the Russian missiles used in the Ukrainian war. They track the photos, make a timeline, produce the data, then turn them over to government authorities. These data bases will be invaluable in war crime trials.

Navajo tradition says that you do not go outside during any eclipse. You are to stay inside, fast, and pray during the event. Last night, after a mostly cloudless day, clouds rolled in and blocked any local view of the lunar eclipse.

The Suns Game 7 was last night in Phoenix…during the eclipse. The Suns, who have been playing well in these playoffs lost by 30 points. Wonder if the eclipse had anything to do with their horrific loss?

Watching the news yesterday was depressing. There were 4 shooting over the weekend with many casualties. There must be a way to stop these evil persons.  No person should be shot in this country while doing normal everyday activities. This has to be stopped.

Favorite Memes

	I'll pass.

 

State Trivia

Vermont: it has the smallest state capital in the US

With a population of just under 8,000 in 2019, Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the US. In comparison, the most populous state capital, Phoenix in Arizona, boasts around 1.5 million residents. It is also the only state capital that doesn't have a McDonald's.

Virginia: Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the world

Once the capital of Virginia and one of America's most important cities, Williamsburg has been turned into a living and breathing museum that's so large it could fit in the world's largest museum, the Louvre, 20 times over with a bit of room to spare. The historic 18th-century area has over 40 historic sites, including the Governor's Palace, a courthouse and several workshops. There are also four historic taverns and two art museums.

Washington: six out of every 10 apples consumed in the US was grown here

The nation's top apple-producing state, Washington has recognized the apple as one of its official state symbols. And the state has every record to show for its love of this juicy fruit. For example, there are about 175,000 acres of apple orchards in the state and on average 128 million boxes of apples are grown every year – that equals around 2.3 million tons of apples.

Paraprosdokians

Winston Churchill paraprosdokians

v 16. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

v 17. There's a fine line between cuddling and...holding someone down so they can't get away.

v 18. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

v 19. You're never too old to learn something stupid.

Historical Events

Ø    1756 – Seven Years’ War formally began when Great Britain declared war on France.
Ø    1792 – The New York Stock Exchange was formed.
Ø    1875 – Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby.
Ø    1890 – Comic Cuts, the first British weekly comic paper, was published in London by Alfred Northcliffe.
Ø    1900 – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, was first published in the United States.
Ø    1954 – The US Supreme Court declared a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools.
Ø    1965 – Written in 1955, the FBI Laboratory, after a formal investigation that began in 1964, declared the lyrics of Louie Louie to be officially ‘Unintelligible at any speed.’
Ø    1973 – Televised hearings regarding the Watergate Scandal begin in the United States Senate.
Ø    2004 – The first legal same-sex marriages in the US were performed in the state of Massachusetts.

Birthdays Today

@87 – Maureen O’Sullivan, Irish-American actress (d. 1998)

80 – Taj Mahal [Henry St. Claire Fredericks Jr.], American blues singer-songwriter, musician

66 – Sugar Ray Leonard, American boxer

@65 – Bob Saget, American comedic actor and television host (d.2022; fall)

@61 – Bill Paxton, American character actor (d. 2017; stroke)

61 – Enya [Enya Patricia Brennan], Irish singer-songwriter

60 – Craig Ferguson, Scottish-American comedian, actor, talk show host

37 – Derek Hough, American actor, dancer

34 – Nikki Reed, American actress

32 – Ross Butler, actor