26 Jul

 

Flagstaff Today 82°: 47° Week 30 Day 207 Wind 11 mph Gusts 12 mph Active Fire: 54 miles away Risk of Fire: Extreme Nearest lightning: 268 miles away Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Jul Averages: Temps: 82°\51° Moisture: 8 Day

Weekly Observations

Tour de France: 5-27  Link                                                                            RAGBRAI: 19-26
National Moth Week: 19-27                                                                      
Captive Nations Week: 20-26                                Everybody Deserves A Massage Week: 20-26 Link 
National Independent Retailers Week: 20-26  Link            National Zoo Keeper Week: 20-26   Link 
Women in Baseball Week: 20-26                                                    National Tequila Week: 24-30  Link
Comic-con: 24-27 Link                                                                               Quilt Odyssey Week: 24-26
Comic Con International: 24-27                                                                Annie Oakley Days: 25-27 
Comi Great Texas Mosquitos Days: 24-26 Link                                   

Daily Observations

Armed Forces Unification Day
Aunts and Uncles Day  Link Link Link
Bagelfest Day  Link  
Federal Bureau of Investigation Day Link
International Day For The Conservation Of The Mangrove Ecosystem
National Day of the Cowboy  Link    Link
National Water Gun Fight Day Link 
Paddle for Perthes Disease Awareness Day
One Voice

Today’s Quotes                                                             

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

I took a nice long walk around the neighborhood. A very nice summer day.

Trumpeter Chuck Mangione passed at 84 years old. He sure gave the world some amazing music. He will be missed. Showman Hulk Hogan also passed at 71.

After using the Ocean Blue car wash, my vehicle looked like it just pulled out of the showroom. Very happy.

History Facts Americans Commonly Get Wrong

The US Flag

The design of the first Stars and Stripes flag is popularly attributed to Betsy Ross, who allegedly adapted a concept by George Washington. However, no solid evidence exists to confirm her involvement, with this story being introduced much later by her grandson, William Canby.

His claim stemmed from family anecdotes, and even he admitted to lacking proof to support it. A stronger case can be made for Francis Hopkinson, an influential figure who contributed to the creation of numerous national symbols, including the Great Seal and the first American currency.

Hopkinson even sought compensation for his flag design but was denied by the Treasury, which argued he was already earning a government salary during that time and had received assistance from unnamed individuals. Frustrated and met with repeated opposition, Hopkinson eventually abandoned his claim.

Literary Legends…

Henry James

Henry James is celebrated for his psychological depth and mastery of complex characters in novels such as The Portrait of a Lady. His keen observations of society and culture, often filtered through a transatlantic lens, offer a nuanced examination of human motivation and relationships. James’s literary innovations and subtle narrative style remain highly influential. His work and impact on modern criticism are continually explored by The Henry James Review.

Random Thoughts…

Returns tomorrow.

Historic Events

1519 Francisco Pizarro receives royal charter for the west coast of South America
1524 James V declared fit to govern by the Scottish Parliament at age 12
1533 Francisco Pizarro orders the death of the last Sapa Inca Emperor, Atahualpa
1656 Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn declares he is insolvent after living beyond his means and spending too much on artwork and rare items. Leads to the most experimental and exuberantly creative period of his career.
1775 US Continental Congress creates United States Post Office (U.S.P.O.) in Philadelphia under Benjamin Franklin

1835 First sugarcane plantation starts in Hawaii

1933 Joe DiMaggio ends 61-game hitting streak in Pacific Coast League
1945 US, Britain, and China demand the unconditional surrender of Japan during World War II in the Declaration of Potsdam
1947 US President Truman signs the National Security Act of 1947, establishing the Department of Defense, the CIA, the National Security Council, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff
1981 New York Mayor Ed Koch is given the Heimlich maneuver in a Chinese restaurant
1990 US President George H. W. Bush signs Americans With Disabilities Act
2017 US President Donald Trump announces a policy to ban transgender people from the military, overturning Obama-era changes
2024 Opening ceremony for the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris is held outside for the first time along the River Seine, with 85 boats carrying the athletes and performances by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion  

Birthdays

Returns tomorrow

…The End for today…