20 Apr

 

April 2023

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 16 Day 110 \ Ave. Sky Cover 5% \ Visibility 28 miles Flagstaff Today 61° \24°  Wind 11mph \ Gusts 20mph 
Air Quality: Moderate \ High Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 4252mi \ Nearest Lightning 875mi
Apr. Averages for Flagstaff: 60° \ 27° \3 Days of moisture
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

 

Weekly Observations

3/22-4/20  Consider Christianity Week
                          International Phace Syndrome Awareness Week
                          National Cleaning Week

15-22     International Dark Sky Week

15-21     Money Smart Week

              National Volunteer Week

16-22     Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week

              Chemists Celebrate Earth Week

              National Paperboard Packaging Week

              National Pet ID Week  

              Numismatic Week (National Coin Week)

16-23      Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week

17-21     Undergraduate Research Week

     National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week

18-24     Cleaning For A Reason Week

     Consumer Awareness Week

     Police Officers Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty

19-23    International Mariachi Week

20-23    Fiddler's Frolic

Daily Observations

4/20 Day
Chinese Language Day Link
Food Day
Get to Know Your Customers Day
High Five Day Link 
International Cli-Fi Day
Look-Alike Day
Lima Bean Respect Day
National Cheddar Fries Day Link
National D.A.R.E. Day Link   
National Pot Smokers Day or National Weed Day Link  Link

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day
Teach Your Children To Save Day
Volunteer Recognition Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Spring = Wind. Otherwise, a good day.

For all the states passing anti-abortion laws, the new laws should include that the state is required to provide assistance to any woman denied an abortion and that should include services to the child until the child is either 18 or 21.  In addition, an abortion should be always be available if the woman’s life in in danger, is due to rape, or the child will be born with an issue that will quickly lead to death of the infant.

National Geographic has a new mini-series…Secrets of the Elephant…starts Friday evening. I saw some previews and already have the DVR set to record the mini-series. The previews were enticing. Check it out.

When a journalist makes an incorrect statement in a story, the publisher admits the error and issues a retraction. How long should we wait for Fox News’ retraction regarding their election denial rhetoric…to keep up with professional journalists?

Enjoy…

 

Toys Remembered…NEW

Slinky

As the famous jingle goes: “What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slink-ity sound? A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing! Everyone knows it's Slinky.” But did you know the beloved toy was created by accident?

In 1943, while stationed at a Philadelphia shipyard, U.S. Naval engineer Richard T. James was searching for a way to use springs to help sensitive equipment hold up in turbulent seas. One day, Richard knocked a spring off a shelf and watched as it gracefully “stepped” from a stack of books to a table and then to the floor, where it landed upright. James told the story to his wife, Betty, who wondered if the industrial spring could be transformed into a toy. 

Richard soon took that idea and designed a machine to coil 80-feet of wire into a 2-inch spiral, which Betty named “Slinky,” inspired by the flowing movement and distinct sound of the spring in motion.

The toy was introduced during the 1945 Christmas season at a Gimbels department store in Philadelphia. Priced at $1, the Slinky was an immediate hit, with 400 Slinkys selling out in just 90 minutes. 

Moon Facts…

The Moon probably broke off of Earth.

Scientists have long theorized that the Moon is actually a piece of planet Earth that broke off billions of years ago after a massive collision with another celestial body. Modern chemical analysis and physics theory seem to support the idea.

State Names Origins…

Arizona
There are competing theories as to how the Grand Canyon State got its name. Some scholars believe it originated with the native Pima people, who called the region Al Shon (meaning “place of little spring”), a term that was later adopted by Spanish explorers as Arizonac. Other historians believe the name originated with explorers from the Spanish Basque region, specifically the phrase artiz onak which translates to “the good oak tree.” The latter theory is especially apt, given Arizona is home to species of oak trees that are native to the Sonoran Desert region. These trees remain leafy for most of the year and add an element of unique natural beauty to the state’s desert environment.

Historical Events

  v 1836 – The US Congress created the Wisconsin Territory.
v 1898 – President William McKinley signed a joint resolution to Congress for a declaration of war against Spain, beginning the Spanish–American War.
v 1946 – The League of Nations officially dissolved, giving most of its power to the United Nations.

Birthdays Today

@94 – Lionel Hampton, American vibraphone player, pianist, bandleader(d. 2002)
@92 – Mother Angelica (Rita Antoinette Rizzo), American nun, broadcaster (d. 2016)
“Simply believing in the existence of God is not exactly what I would call a commitment. After all, even the devil believes that God exists. Believing has to change the way we live.”– Mother Angelica
86 – George Takei, American actor
“If you have to make laws to hurt a group of people just to prove your morals and faith, then you have no true morals or faith to prove.”– George Takei
82 – Ryan O’Neal, American actor
@77 – Harold Lloyd, American comedic actor, producer (d. 1971; prostate cancer)
74 – Veronica Cartwright, English-American actress
59 – Crispin Glover, American character actor
@56 – Adolf Hitler, Austrian born politician, Führer of Nazi Germany (d. 1945; suicide)
@54 – Luther Vandross, American singer-songwriter, producer (d. 2005; heart attack)
“I’m not the type of writer that has 400 songs in a suitcase someplace on the shelf. I’m sort of a rise-to-the-occasion-type of a writer, so when I know I’m going to record, I get in the mood to write.”– Luther Vandross
53 – Shemar Moore, actor
51 – Carmen Electra, American model and actress
“One of the big misconceptions about me is that I walk around in mini-skirts and high heels twenty-four seven and go to the gym in heels.”– Carmen Electra
40 – Miranda Kerr, Australian model
34 – Carlos Valdes, Colombian American actor
25 – Felix Mallard, Australian-American actor