Wednesday

♣ 3 March 2010--Week 9 of 2010: 62 days this year…305 remain ♣

» Two Quotes to think about…Today «

"It is Fortune, not wisdom that rules man`s life."

~Cicero

“Equal laws protecting equal rights...the best guarantee of loyalty and love of country.” ~James Madison, (1751-1836); 4th U.S. President

» Free Ramblings «

I had MY final 2010 birthday lunch today. Still many more lunches are in store, but each time I will be celebrating someone else getting another year older. I am so lucky to have such good friends. Martha always finds unique and personal gifts. Today was no exception. I arrived at the chosen place, parked my vehicle and started to walk in. Martha was there bag piping away. Due to problems with delivery around Christmas, I had already been told I was getting my Christmas present at my birthday. So to start off, she played a Christmas tune, followed by Happy Birthday on the pipes. So cool. Then we went inside, minus the pipes and had a great lunch. Many may remember I had just returned from South Africa for Christmas 2009. She had gotten me three cute Christmas decorations…a hippo, an elephant, and a giraffe. They are just cute and will be on my tree for years to come.

Before I went to lunch, I did get my vehicle washed. I just couldn’t stand having a brown ride with a white chemical covering most of the lower half. Much better when it is clean.

I’ve been coming to Flagstaff for almost 40 years, and living here for almost four. One of the ‘big’ stories or controversies has been the train horns. Flag was a lumber town for many years and the train was the cheapest and easiest way to move all that lumber. It was also a great way to go east to Chicago or west to LA. The train tracks split downtown in half. Route 66, America’s highway, still runs right next to the tracks from the East side of town to the West side of town. Motel row, built in the heyday of 66 only has 66 between them and the train tracks. Over the years, there have been only a few motels in town that could truthfully advertise no train noise. Well, after years of battling, bitching, fighting, and a couple of lawsuits, the train whistles were silenced on March 1. One would think that this would help everyone living in Flagstaff. Tourist will no longer be awakened numerous times during the night to the train noise. Drivers on 66 will no longer be startled by the train whistle as the many trains approach one of the crossings. No longer will casual conversations in downtown, turn into shouting matches as the whistles blow. One would think this is a good thing. But alas, no. Many people have already written on Facebook, and on the online newspaper, that Flagstaff will sadly never be the same. These naysayers are lamenting their happy memories of hearing the train whistles, their excitement as kids of hearing the train whistle and running to the tracks to watch the train. For whatever reason, the days of getting excited about a train passing through our little town have long since been abandoned. In all the times I have heard and then seen the train, I can’t remember even one little kid, running toward the tracks with a big smile, a fishing pole in one hand and a piece of straw in their mouth. Flagstaff, thankfully, will never be the same. An additional benefit to the end of train whistles is that the three barking dogs that live behind me are now only barking when an ambulance or police car siren goes down 66. Inside my townhouse, I almost never heard the train, but those dogs always alerted me, if I was in one of the back rooms.

We had a nice day—high of 46° and a low of 23°, with almost no wind. There were a few gusts around 25mph, but they didn’t happen very often and the rest of the time it was very calm. I have to enjoy these days, as yet another storm on the horizon, promising us a good 4-6” of freshly fallen snow over the weekend. What did that darn ol’ ground hog say last month?

»Random Fact: «

In 1980, a Las Vegas hospital suspended workers for betting on when patients would die!

»Side Show Stories—«

A 1975 raid on the Royal Bank of Scotland in Rothesay degenerated into farce when, on the way in, the three would-be raiders got stuck in the bank's revolving doors and had to be helped free by the staff. Undeterred, they returned a few minutes later and announced that it was a robbery. The staff thought it was a practical joke and refused to pay up. While one of the men vaulted the counter and twisted his ankle on landing, the other two made their escape, only to get trapped in the revolving doors again.

§ Puzzle §

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has 5 X 5 sections.

1 unpopular poker play (HINT: C - - - -)

2 board game (HINT: - A - - -)

3 the previous generation (HINT: - - D - -)

4 fix (HINT: - - - N -)

5 late (HINT: - - - - Y)

§ Calendar Information §

• March’s Month Long Observances •

BIRTHSTONE: aquamarine and bloodstone (courage) FLOWER: Narcissus [daffodil, jonquil] (vanity)

National Cheerleading Safety Month • National Clean Up Your IRS Act Month • National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month • National Craft Month • National Ethics Awareness Month •National Eye Donor Month • National Frozen Food Month • National Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month •National Kidney Month• National Nutrition Month • National Social Work Month • National Umbrella Month • National Women's History Month • Optimism Month • Play The Recorder Month • Poison Prevention Awareness Month • Red Cross Month • Save Your Vision Month • Sing With Your Child Month • Small Press Month •Spiritual Wellness Month • Women's History Month • Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month • Youth Art Month

• Observance Weeks in March•

1-5: Newspaper in Education Week

1-7: National Cheerleading Week

     • National Ghostwriters Week

     • National Write A Letter of Appreciation Week

     • National Procrastination Week

     • Return The Borrowed Books Week

     • Universal Human Beings Week

     • Yo-Yo and Skill Toys Week

• 3 March Observances—US/UN/World •

Day of Prayer

I Want You To Be Happy Day

National Anthem Day (since 1931)

Peach Blossom Day

What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs? Day

Florida : Admission Day (1845)

Hawaii : Japanese Girl's Day

•3 March Observances—by country •

Australia: Labour Day

Bulgaria : Liberation from Ottoman Rule Day (1878)

Grenada : Partial Independence Day (1967)

Japan : Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival)

Malawi (Africa) : Martyrs' Day for those who died in the fight for Independence from UK

Morocco : National Day (1961)

Sudan : Unity Day (since 2009 when North and South united)

§ Number One Songs in…

1950...Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Bing Crosby

1958...Tequila - The Champs

1966...These Boots are Made for Walkin’ - Nancy Sinatra

1974...Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks

1982...Centerfold - The J. Geils Band

• Holy Mackerel: 1931…"Star Spangled Banner" officially becomes US national anthem

• Born on this day •

    …The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Ira Glass, 51, radio host (“This American Life”)

Allen Ginsberg, 1921, beat generation poet

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Jessica Biel, 28, actress (The Illusionist, “7th Heaven”)

Lew De Witt, 1938, singer (Statler Brothers-Flowers on the Wall)

James Doohan, 1920, actor: Montgomery “Scottie” Scott—Star Trek

David Faustino, 36, actor (“Married … With Children”)

Don Gibson, 1928, singer/writer (I can't Stop Loving You, Oh Lonesome Me)

Jean Harlow [Harlean Carpentier], 1911, Kansas 30s' sex goddess

Mike Pender, 1942 (Liverpool), vocalist/guitarist (Searchers-Needles & Pins)

     …Athletes

Jacqueline (Jackie) Joyner-Kersee, 48, Olympic gold medal heptathlete

Herschel Walker, 48, former football player

     …Business, Education

--

     …Politics

(Caroline) Lee Radziwill, 77, sister of the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

     …Science/Religion

Alexander Graham Bell, 1847, (Edinburgh Scotland) inventor (telephone)

George W Hill, 1838, US astronomer (Moon orbit)

George M Pullman, 1831, inventor (railway sleeping car)

•Today’s Obits •

Robert Hooke, 1703, scientific genius @ 68

Lou Costello, 1959, comedian (Abbott & Costello), heart attack @ 52

Alice Pearce, 1966, comedienne (Gladys Kravitz-Bewitched), cancer @ 52

William Frawley, 1966, actor (Fred Mertz-I Love Lucy), @ 89

Danny Kaye, 1987, comedian (Danny Kaye Show), @ 74

Arthur Murray, 1991, dance instructor, pneumonia @ 95

Albert Sabin, 1993, physician (oral polio vaccine), @ 86

Carlos Montoya, 1993, flamenco guitarist, @ 89

•What Happened on this Day •

     …The Arts

1873 – Censorship: The U.S. Congress enacts the Comstock Law, making it illegal to send any "obscene, lewd, or lascivious" books through the mail.

1875 – Georges Bizet's opera Carmen receives its première at the Opéra Comique of Paris.

     …Athletics

2009 – The Sri Lankan cricket team is attacked by terrorists while on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore for a Test match against Pakistan.

     …Business, Education

1634 - 1st tavern in Boston opens (Samuel Cole)

1885 - American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) incorporates

1887 - Anne Sullivan begins teaching 6 year old blind-deaf Helen Keller

1900 – US Steel Corporation organizes

1923 – Time magazine publishes 1st issue

     …Politics

1284 – The Statute of Rhuddlan incorporates the Principality of Wales into England.

1791 – 1st Internal Revenue Act (taxing distilled spirits & carriages)

1812–  US Congress passes 1st foreign aid bill (aids Venezuela earthquake vicitims)

1813 – Office of Surgeon General of the US army is established

1837 – Congress increases Supreme Court membership from 7 to 9

1863 – 1st US wartime military conscription bill enacted

1871 – Congress changes Indian tribes status from independent to dependent

1871 – Congress establishes the civil service system

1901 – Congress creates National Bureau of Standards, in Department of Commerce

1933 – Mount Rushmore dedicated

2002 – After about 200 years Switzerland became no longer “Neutral”. They became officially a part of the UN upon voters’ approval.

     …Science/Religion

1924 – The 1400-year-old Islamic caliphate is abolished when Caliph Abdul Mejid II of the Ottoman Empire is deposed. The last remnant of the old regime gives way to the reformedTurkey of Kemal Atatürk.

1938 – Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia.

§ANSWERS to puzzle §

C H E A T

H A L M A

E L D E R

A M E N D

T A R D Y

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

Tuesday

♣ 2 March 2010--Week 9 of 2010: 61 days this year…304 remain ♣

» Two Quotes to think about…Today «

"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:

soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."

~Ed Howdershelt (Author)

“There is no security on this earth; there is only opportunity.”

~Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964); American General and Field Marshal

» Free Ramblings «

New week, new month, gotta make some changes. It is time to get out my St. Patrick’s Day decorations for the windows and door. But first, I decided that this afternoon I would work on my entryway. I still have a snow bank on one side that is about five feet high, and one on the other side about four feet high. I also have a clear ice mound on the sidewalk, formed each day from the dripping off the porch roof. I took a spade, that’s a square ended shovel, and chopped through both sides till I got to the edge of the sidewalk. I was successful on the shorter pile, not so much on the higher pile. The higher pile, it turns out has several big large icebergs—from the roof clearing—that do not want to break up. The sidewalk is a little wider, but I have no idea how to get rid of the icebergs. I keep thinking about all those really cool Christmas pictures with the snow gently falling, people wrapped up in a sleigh, being pulled by horses through the beautiful scenery. I have to wonder why those photographers or painters or illustrators don’t show us in March, still trying to climb over and through the snow. Cheryl was telling us about a lady in Williams who is complaining because the Williams’ snow is so dirty. She wants to know why Williams doesn’t have the beautiful white snow like other places. I think it is just too many tourists.

Our city council, a paid and elected group, have been working on the ‘new’ budget since August. They will make their final vote in April. Turns out, to date, they are still talking about if any cuts are actually necessary. Sounds like next month they will prioritize any necessary cuts. I did budgets while I was in the Bureau. By the end of my career, the budget was a year round process. Sometimes we had to do three budgets—one with no increase in funding, one with a 10% cut in funding, and a third with a 20% cut. We never knew what congress was going to give us, and we had to be prepared. The 20% budget basically meant the janitor would stay on duty to protect the buildings—since about 93% of our budget was salaries. Here in Flagstaff the council knows that our incoming revenue has decreased drastically. Housing values have plummeted—dropping property taxes, and retail sales have dropped. New construction has virtually stopped. Our famous BBB tax has fallen about 20%. Flag was an early adopter of the Bed, Booze, Board (BBB) tax that increase the amount a visitor pays for a hotel and everyone pays a tax on the alcoholic drinks in bars and on food from a restaurant. At the time, many businesses raised the prices substantially and falsely blamed it on the BBB tax. Now the tourist dollars have fallen for more than a year with no end in sight. Our city leaders (?) just don’t get it. So Flag has another couple of months in la-la land before the reality of this recession finally understood.

Chile had a severe earthquake, about 500 times stronger than the one that hit Haiti. Chile has a much stronger economy and a better seeded government than Haiti. Building codes are stricter and require ‘earthquake’ resistant buildings. This means that there was a lot less damage than could have happened. However, since Chile is a richer country, they are looting. Unlike Haiti, which saw basically no looting, people in Chile are taking lots of things. Certainly I understand the grocery store looting—everyone needs food and help hasn’t arrived. I don’t get the looting of electronics stores—taking big screen TVs and other such stuff. The interviews with locals are also different. In Haiti few were crying and only wanted food, water, and doctors. In Chile, they are crying and begging for people help them find relatives. To me, thousands of miles away, I see the Chilean people less able to deal with the crisis than the Haitians. So sad for so many.

The weather guy says even though March is our biggest snow month, the next week will be nice. Tomorrow we are expected to reach 50°. That should melt some of my iceberg. We dropped to 17° last night, so it took quite some time to reach our high of 46° today. All in all, a good day.

»Random Fact: «

Lemons ripen after you pick them, but oranges do not.

»Side Show Stories—«

In 1998, a would-be Texas grocery store robber went to the trouble of disguising his face with a balaclava but forgot remove from his breast pocket a laminated badge which bore his name, place of employment and position within the company - an oversight spotted by at least a dozen witnesses.

§ Puzzle §

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has 5 X 5 sections.

1 Alexander (HINT: G - - - -)

2 musical form (HINT: - O - - -)

3 furnish (HINT: - - D - -)

4 clay hut (HINT: - - - B -)

5 dryer (HINT: - - - - L)

§ Calendar Information §

• March’s Month Long Observances •

BIRTHSTONE: aquamarine and bloodstone (courage) FLOWER: Narcissus [daffodil, jonquil] (vanity)

National Cheerleading Safety Month • National Clean Up Your IRS Act Month • National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month • National Craft Month • National Ethics Awareness Month •National Eye Donor Month • National Frozen Food Month • National Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month •National Kidney Month• National Nutrition Month • National Social Work Month • National Umbrella Month • National Women's History Month • Optimism Month • Play The Recorder Month • Poison Prevention Awareness Month • Red Cross Month • Save Your Vision Month • Sing With Your Child Month • Small Press Month •Spiritual Wellness Month • Women's History Month • Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month • Youth Art Month

• Observance Weeks in March•

1-5: Newspaper in Education Week

1-7: National Cheerleading Week

   • National Ghostwriters Week

   • National Write A Letter of Appreciation Week

   • National Procrastination Week

   • Return The Borrowed Books Week

   • Universal Human Beings Week

   • Yo-Yo and Skill Toys Week

• 1 March Observances—US/UN/World •

Namesake Day

NEA's Read Across America Day

Old Stuff Day

Texas: Independence Day (from Mexico in 1836)

•1 March Observances—by country •

Burma : Peasant's Day

Ethiopia : Battle of Aduwa Day (1896), 1st African Nation to defeat Colonial power (Italy)

Morocco: Independence Day (from France in 1956)

§ Number One Songs in…

1949…Far Away Places - Margaret Whiting

1957…Young Love - Tab Hunter

1965…I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail - Buck Owens

1973…Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack

1981…I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt

• Holy Mackerel: 1867…An act is passed today which will purchase a reserve for SAUK and FOX of 4.5 square miles.
• Born on this day •

     …The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Dr Seuss [Theodor Geisel], 1904, children's book author (Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hears a Who!)

John Irving, 68, author (Cider House Rules, The World According to Garp)

Tom Wolfe, 79, author, journalist (The Bonfire of the Vanities, The Right Stuff)

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Desi Arnaz, (Desiderio Alberto Arnez y De Acha III) 1917, (Santiago Cuba), singer/actor (Ricky Ricardo-I Love Lucy)

Jon Bon Jovi (John Bongiovi), 48, singer, songwriter, actor

Karen Carpenter,1950, vocalist/drummer (We've Only Just Begun)

Daniel Craig, 42, actor (Casino Royale, The Golden Compass, Munich)

Jennifer Jones (Phyllis Isley), 1919, actress (Oscar for The Song of Bernadette)

Chris Martin, 33, singer, songwriter (Coldplay)

Eddie Money[Mahoney] , 61, musician

Laraine Newman, 58, comedienne (“Saturday Night Live”)

     …Athletes

Reggie Bush, 25, football player (Saints)

Peter O'Sullevan, 1918, (Ireland), horse racing commentator

     …Business, Education

Willem Bruynzeel, 1901, Dutch timber-merchant

     …Politics

Russell D. Feingold, 57, US Senator (D, Wisconsin)

Mikhail Sergeyvich Gorbachev, 79, former Soviet political leader

Sam[uel] Houston, 1793, 1st president of Texas

Robert II the Steward,1316, King of Scotland (1371-90)

Ken Salazar, 55, current US Secretary of the Interior

     …Science/Religion

Edward Uhler Condon, 1902, atomic scientist (Manhattan Project)

•Today’s Obits •

Sandy Dennis, 1992, actress (Up the Down Staircase), cancer @ 54

Howard Carter, 1939, British archaeologist/Egyptologist (King Tut), lymphoma @ 65

David H Lawrence, 1930, poet/writer (Lady Chatterley's Lover), TB @ 44

Heinrich Olbers, 1840, German astronomer (discoverer of comets & asteroids), @ 81

Sir Michael Redgrave, 1985, actor/writer Parkinson's disease @ 77

Randolph Scott, 1987, actor (Fort Worth, Gung Ho, Jesse James), @ 89

Harry E Soref, 1957, inventor (padlock), @ 70

Dusty Springfield, 1999, singer, cancer @ 59

Horace [Horatio] Walpole, 1797, British horror writer, @ 79

•What Happened on this Day •

     …The Arts

1933…The Original King Kong movie has its world premiere in New York

     …Athletics

1874…Baseball batter's box is officially adopted

1962…Wilt ‘The Stilt’ Chamberlain scored 100 points and broke an NBA record

     …Business, Education

1983…Compact Disc recordings developed by Phillips & Sony introduced

     …Politics

1819…Territory of Arkansas organized

1861…Government Printing Office purchases 1st printing plant

1861…US Congress creates Dakota & Nevada Territories out of the Nebraska & Utah territories

1867…US Congress creates the Department of Education

1899…President McKinley signs bill creating Mount Rainier National Park

1925…Nationwide road numbering system & US shield marker adopted

1989…The NAVAJO Code Talker Monument is erected.

     …Science/Religion

1950…Silly Putty invented

§ANSWERS to puzzle §

GREAT

RONDO

ENDOW

ADOBE

TOWEL

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

Monday

♣ 1 March 2010--Week 9 of 2010: 60 days this year…305 remain ♣
§ Two Quotes to think about…Today §
"It`s clever, but is it art?"
~Rudyard Kipling: (1865-1936) author
“Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices, and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them.”
~Joshua Loth Leibman: (1907-1948); Rabbi, Author”
§ Free Ramblings §
March was named after the Roman God of War. March used to be the first month of the year and a good time for troops to gather and prepare for another military campaign. In Finland it is called ‘maaliskuu’ meaning earthly month—since snow usually disappears. In the Ukraine it is березень, meaning birch tree.

The US put up a valiant fight in the final Hockey game of the Olympics, drew the Canadians into overtime, but couldn’t pull it off. Still a great game. This has been a well televised Olympics and I have enjoyed every minute that I watched. Now that Olympics are over, it must be time for March Madness.

Thankfully, or not, our 8” of snow never materialized…only got about an inch or so of nice light powder here in Flagstaff. We made it to 42° today and last night only dropped to 30° so it was a fairly nice day today. Looks like March will be coming in like a lamb, so who knows what the month will bring in the way of snow.
Random Fact: «
Lobsters can live up to 50 years.
§Side Show Stories—§
In 1998, a guard was caught smuggling a wad of money in his underpants out of a bank in Atlanta when a tiny security-dye capsule exploded, blowing a hole in his trousers.
§ Puzzle §
Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has 5 X 5 sections.
1 complete environment (HINT: W - - - -)
2 not this one (HINT: - T - - -)
3 poetic device (HINT: - - Y - -)
4 assumption (HINT: - - - M -)
5 foreboding (HINT: - - - - D)
§ Calendar Information §
• March’s Month Long Observances •
BIRTHSTONE: aquamarine and bloodstone (courage) FLOWER: Narcissus [daffodil, jonquil] (vanity)
National Cheerleading Safety Month • National Clean Up Your IRS Act Month • National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month • National Craft Month • National Ethics Awareness Month •National Eye Donor Month • National Frozen Food Month • National Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month •National Kidney Month• National Nutrition Month • National Social Work Month • National Umbrella Month • National Women's History Month • Optimism Month • Play The Recorder Month • Poison Prevention Awareness Month • Red Cross Month • Save Your Vision Month • Sing With Your Child Month • Small Press Month •Spiritual Wellness Month • Women's History Month • Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month • Youth Art Month
• Observance Weeks in March•
1-5: Newspaper in Education Week
1-7: National Cheerleading Week
   • National Ghostwriters Week
   • National Write A Letter of Appreciation Week
   • National Procrastination Week
   • Return The Borrowed Books Week
   • Universal Human Beings Week
   • Yo-Yo and Skill Toys Week
• 1 March Observances—US/UN/World •
Beer Day borrowed from Iceland to celebrate in the US
Peace Corp Birthday
Pig Day
Plan a Solo Vacation Day
Re-fired, Not Retired Day
Share a Smile Day
Ohio 1803, Nebraska 1867 : Admission Day
•1 March Observances—by country •
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Independence Day from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992)
Iceland: Beer Day since 1989 prohibition
Panamá : Constitution Day (1946)
Paraguay : Heroes' Day/National Defense Day/Memorial Day
Scotland : Whuppity Scoorie Day: in Lanark, to welcome spring
South Korea : Independence Movement Day/Sam Il Chul (1919)
Spain : Pinzon Day: for 3 brothers who sailed with Columbus
Switzerland : Chalanda Marz/Coming of spring
UK-Wales: St. David’s Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant)
§ Number One Songs in…
1948…I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover - The Art Moonie Orchestra
1956…Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
1964…I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
1972…It’s Four in the Morning - Faron Young
• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1928…Paul Whiteman and his orchestra recorded Ol’ Man River for Victor Records. The featured vocalist on the track was 29-year-old Paul Robeson. The song became an American classic.
• Born on this day •
   …The Arts
Authors, Artists and Composers
Ion Creanga, 1837, Romanian fairy tale author (Amintiti the Copilarie)
Frédéric Chopin, 1810, Polish composer/pianist (Concerto in F Minor)
William Gaines, 1922, publisher: Mad magazine
William Dean Howells, 1837, US, novelist/critic/editor (Atlantic)
Robert Lowell, 1917, poet/pacifist (Lord Weary's Castle, Near the Ocean)
Judith Rossner, 1935, author (Looking for Mr Goodbar)
Richard (Purdy) Wilbur, 89, former poet laureate of the US
Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV
Catherine Bach, 56, actress (“The Dukes of Hazzard”)
Javier Bardem, 41, (Canary Islands, Spain) actor (Oscar for No Country for Old Men; Love in the Time of Cholera, Before Night Falls)
Harry Belafonte, 83, singer
Dirk Benedict, 66, actor (A-Team)
Robert Conrad, 75, actor (“The Wild Wild West”)
Roger Daltrey, 66, singer (The Who)
Timothy Daly, 54, actor (Diner, “Wings”)
George Eads, 43, actor (“CSI”)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar, 36, actor (“NYPD Blue,” “Saved by the Bell”)
Ron Howard, 56, director (Oscar for A Beautiful Mind; Cinderella Man, Apollo 13), actor
Sonny James, 81, singer (Young Love, Running Bear
Glenn Miller, 1904, bandleader
(James) David (Graham) Niven, 1910, Academy Award-winning actor
Dinah Shore, 1917, singer (See the USA in a Chevrolet)
Alan Thicke, 63, (Ontario, Canada) actor (“Growing Pains”), host (“Thicke of the Night”)
   …Athletes
Harry (Christopher) Caray (Carabina), 1920, baseball announcer (Cubs)
Chris Webber, 37, basketball player (Magic)
   …Business, Education
--
   …Politics
Lorenzo de' Medici, 1449, Italian statesman
Yitzhak Rabin,1922, Prime Minister of Israel, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
Suzanna Salter, 1860, 1st US female mayor (Argonia, KS/temperance leader
   …Science/Religion
Richard H. Price, 67, American physicist
Rashid Sunyaev, 67, Russian physicist
•Today’s Obits •
George Herbert, 1633, English poet, @ 39
Anna Paulowna Romanova, 1865, great monarch of Russia, @ 70
Jackie Coogan, 1984, actor (Uncle Fester-Addams Family), @ 69
Edwin H Land, 1991, inventor (Polaroid Camera), @ 81
Luis Kutner, 1993, US co-founder (Amnesty International), @ 84
Walter Kent, 1994, US composer (I'll Be Home for Christmas), @ 82
•What Happened on this Day •
   …The Arts
1941…"Captain America" appears in a comic book
1978…Charlie Chaplin's coffin was stolen from a Swiss cemetery
   …Athletics
--
   …Business, Education
1873…E. Remington and Sons of Ilion, NY began the manufacturing of the first practical typewriter.
1909…1st US university school of nursing established, University of Minnesota
1962…K-Mart opens
1996…New toll-free 888 area code introduced
   …Politics
1780…Pennsylvania becomes 1st US state to abolish slavery (for new-borns only)
1790…1st US census authorized
1913…Federal income tax takes effect (16th amendment)
1932…The Lindbergh baby is kidnapped when stolen from his crib at the family estate in Hopewell, New Jersey,
1936…The Hoover Dam ( Boulder Dam ) is completed and turned over to the U.S. government.
1937…1st permanent automobile license plates issued (Connecticut)
1954…4 Puerto Ricans open fire in US House of Representatives injuring 5 Representatives
1981…Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands begins a hunger strike at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland. He dies 65 days later
   …Science/Religion
1864…Louis Ducos du Hauron patents movie machine (never built)
1872…Yellowstone becomes world's 1st national park
1970…End of US commercial whale hunting
§ANSWERS to puzzle §
WORLD
OTHER
RHYME
LEMMA
DREAD
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Sunday

28 February 2010--Week 8 of 2010: 59 days this year…306 remain

» Quote Times Two «

"The heart is wiser than the intellect."

~J.G. Holland

“The wise person understands that his own happiness must include the happiness of others.”

~Dennis Weaver, (1924-2006); Actor

» Free Ramblings «

My body decided to have my last day as a 60 year old with a case of angioedema. This time, it was my tongue, not the whole tongue, just the right side. I took the pills, but they are slow in working this time, think I waited a little too long, not a danger, just takes longer to get the swelling down.

Back in the day there was ABC’s Wide World of Sports with the opening line “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition.” Jim McKay and the show are long gone. But the bar they set is very high. NBC televised their first Olympics in 1964 and have covered 12 Olympics. They certainly have had some blunders, like the PPV Red, White and Blue channels they had for one Olympics. They lost a ton of $$ ad angered a lot of viewers who couldn’t get it or wouldn’t pay the price. They did have an internet pay site where you could get more coverage, but I was happy with what was on the three channels. Tomorrow night is the closing ceremonies, and I must say, I have really enjoyed this year’s coverage. I have seen many thrills of victory from athletes spanning the globe. I have also seen a few agony of defeat events. All in all, I don’t keep up on the medal counts, but will remember some of the great finishes, the athletes who gave 110%, the athletes who showed outstanding sportsmanship in very difficult situations. For me, that’s what the Olympics has always been about.

Our ‘big’ storm hasn’t arrived yet. Maybe tonight. We got up to 45° with a heavy cloud cover this morning, then after a day of 25mph winds, it cleared up to give us a nice blue sky. They keep alerting me that I should expect about 8” of snow to come in tonight. However, the sky is clear right now, the full moon is amazing, and even I know that there has to be clouds and cold to make snow. I think this storm may be like the tsunami that fortunately didn’t make it to Hawaii. Chili is suffering but the Pacific’s Island nations seem to have been spared any tsunami devastation. Mary is heading for Hawaii on Wednesday for a week or so on the beach.

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics opened on Feb 12.

Counterfeit Olympic tickets to events have always been a problem. The Vancouver games’ tickets had 14 different anti-counterfeiting methods including holograms and color-shifting inks.

»Side Show Stories—«

Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. president, saved 77 people from drowning as a lifeguard in his youth at a riverside beach near Dixon, Illinois.

***

20th president of the United States James Garfield could write Greek with one hand while writing Latin with the other.

***

Abe Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, carried letters, bills, and notes in his notorious black, top-hat.

***

First U.S. president George Washington rejected a movement among army officers to make him king of the United States.

***

William Taft, 27th president of the United States, weighed more than 300 pounds and had a special over-sized bathtub installed in the White House.

***

The 38th president of the United States, Gerald Ford turned down offers to play professional football for the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions.

»Random Fact: «

The Eber Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical journal, states that inflammation should be treated with copper. Many Egyptian paintings depict their rulers and wealthy citizens wearing bracelets made of copper.

» Puzzle « New Puzzle Tomorrow

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has four X four sections.

1 incidental benefit (HINT: P - - -)

2 ardor inspired by passion (HINT: - L - -)

3 timed competition (HINT: - - C -)

4 joint example (HINT: - - - E)

» Calendar Information «

☼ February’s Month Long Observances ☼

Birthstone: Amethyst …Flower: Violet and Primrose

Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month^AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month^American Heart Month^Bake for Family Fun Month^Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month^Grapefruit Month^International Boost Self-Esteem Month^International Expect Success Month^Jobs in Golf Month^Library Lovers Month^Marijuana Awareness Month^National African American History Month^National Bird Feeding Month^National Black History Month^National Care About Your Indoor Air Month^National Cherry Month^National Condom Month^National Children's Dental Health Month^National Laugh-Friendly Month^National Mend A Broken Heart Month^National Parent Leadership Month^National Pet Dental Health Month^National Senior Independence Month^National Time Management Month^Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month^Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month^Relationship Wellness Month^Responsible Pet Owner's Month^Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month^Spiritual Teachers Month^Spunky Old Broads Month^ Sweet Potato Month^Wise Health Care Consumer Month^ Youth Leadership Month^

☼ Observance Weeks in February ☼

Telecommuter Appreciation Week: 24-3/6

American Crossword Puzzle Week: 26-28

Texas Cowboy Poetry Week: 26-28

☼ 26 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

Public Sleeping Day

Floral Design Day

International Sword Swallowers Day

National Tooth Fairy Day

☼26 February Observances—by country ☼

Taiwan: Peace Memorial Day, commemorating the 228 Incident: 10-30,000 massacred in anti-gov’t uprising

Finland : Kalevala Day (1835): epic poem of history of Finland

☼ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1954…American molecular biologists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick discover the double-helix structure of DNA

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Svetlana Allilueva, 84, daughter of Joseph Stalin, author (The Faraway Music)

John Tenniel, in 1820 (England), cartoonist/illustrator (Alice in Wonderland)

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Charles Blondin (Jean Francois Gravelet), in 1824, acrobat, aerialist: first to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope [June 30, 1859]

Charles Durning, 87, actor (Dog Day Afternoon, “Evening Shade”)

Zero Mostel (Samuel Joel Mostel), in 1915, actor

Bernadette Peters, 66, singer, actress (Dames at Sea, Annie Get Your Gun)

     »Athletes

Mario Gabrielle Andretti, 70, former auto racer

Jelena Janković, (Yugoslavia) 25, tennis player

     »Business, Education

Charlie Frazier, 61, BIA educator now happily retired
Mary Lyon, in 1797, educator: founded Mount Holyoke Seminary, now Mt. Holyoke College, one of the first permanent colleges for women

Bugsy Siegel, in 1906, gangster created casinos in Las Vegas
    »Politics

Clara Petacci, in 1912, Italian mistress of Benito Mussolini

     »Science/Religion

Thomas Newcomen, in 1663, English co-inventor (steam engine)

Smokey The Bear, 1928

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, in 1977, comedian (Jack Benny Show), @ 71

Mr Ed (Bamboo Harverster), in 1979, talking horse, @ 21

Henry James, in 1916, US/British writer (Bostonians), @ 72

Jim Thorpe, in 1953, decathlete (Olympics-gold-1912), @64

☼What Happened on this Day ☼

     » The Arts

1749…1st edition of Henry Fieldings' "Tom Jones" published

1940…Richard Wright's "Native Son" published

1983…The final episode of M*A*S*H, became the most-watched television episode in U.S. history, estimates at 106 million Americans.

     »Athletics

1940 – Basketball is televised for the first time (Fordham University vs. the University of Pittsburgh in Madison Square Garden)

»Business, Education

1970…Bicycles permitted to cross Golden Gate Bridge

1977…1st killer whale born in captivity (Marineland, Los Angeles CA)

     »Politics

1692…Salem witch hunt begins

1861…Territories of Nevada & Colorado created

1922…After 40 years of British rule following Great Britain seizing control of Egypt's government in 1882 over concerns for British interests including the Suez Canal. Great Britain announces a unilateral declaration of Egypt's independence.

1933…1st female in cabinet Francis Perkins appointed Secretary of Labor

1961…JFK names Henry Kissinger special advisor

1986…Olof Palme, the Swedish Prime Minister is shot dead and his wife Lisbeth wounded in a street ambush in central Stockholm.

1995…Denver International Airport opens

     »Science/Religion

1066…Westminster Abbey opens

1638…Scottish Presbyterians sign National Convenant, Greyfriars, Edinburgh

1993…Gun battle erupts at Waco TX between FBI & Branch Davidians

» Number One Songs in…

1947…For Sentimental Reasons - Nat King Cole

1955…Sincerely - McGuire Sisters

1963…Hey Paula - Paul & Paula

1971…Help Me Make It Through the Night - Sammi Smith

1979…Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? - Rod Stewart

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

P E R K

E L A N

R A C E

K N E E

Saturday

27 February 2010--Week 8 of 2010: 58 days this year…307 remain


» Free Ramblings «

This has been a busy day. First our retirement trio went to Riordan Mansion and then to lunch. Tonight our Great Decisions group meets to discuss the envoy role in international politics.

Since my retirement I have done quite a few historical tours. I enjoy learning about how it was back then. On that count, Riordan was a very professional, well organized, interesting tour of the family home that helped build Flagstaff at the beginning of the last century. The mansion is Arts and Crafts and has a ton of Stickley furniture. Two brothers built two 6,000 sq ft homes and attached them with a 1,000 sq ft romp room. The lumber business must have been very good back in the day for these Irish Catholics.

I have been on two tours where I left angry. The first was at Robben Island where I was angry what the minority had done to the majority. Today was the second time. According to our volunteer guide, the state parks that are closing is because of our legislature. I knew that, but what I didn’t know, is that all the state parks are funded by donations, endowments, gifts, and admission…no state tax money is involved. However our legislature found a legal way to take that money and put it into other programs. So the cash cow of funds to keep these places open has been destroyed. One of the Riordan Brothers, who started the plan to make the mansions a state park, put in his will that if the state closed the park for one year and one day, the home would revert back to the heirs. Really smart man. Of course over the last 100+ years the family has grown and moved and now, there is no patriarch or matriarch so many, many family members will each own a door knob. I can imagine the arguments that would follow.

I have to do some more investigating into this bizarre story, but knowing Arizona and its incompetent legislature I won’t be surprised when I find that it is true.

It has been nice weather day for February. We made it to 41° and a light jacket was enough for me on the tour, part of which was outside. It’s now the weekend, so of course, the clouds are coming in, the temperature is dropping, and snow is on the horizon and on the peaks. It won’t make it down the mountain until tomorrow. Thankfully, this is another California storm, so the temps won’t drop below the 20’s or high teens at night.

All other regular features will return tomorrow!!!

Friday

26 February 2010--Week 8 of 2010: 57 days this year…308 remain

» Quote Times Two «

"Let he who takes the plunge remember to return it by Tuesday."

~unknown

“Each contact with a human being is so rare, so precious, one should preserve it.”

~Anais Nin: (1903-1977); Author, Diarist

» Free Ramblings «

I’m a little confused. Years ago I wondered about the shows that are done daily at places like Sea World. To me is seemed strange to take these wild animals and anthropomorphize them for a show. One year we took our 8th graders behind the scenes at Sea World on a special tour. Before the tour I did some background work. I found that, back then Marlin Perkins, talked a lot about how these types of aquariums had so much more going on behind the scenes than what the general public saw. They have lots of scientists on staff who are studying just about everything of all the ‘residents’ of the aquarium. Today it’s Jack Hanna talking. Yesterday at Sea World, one of the most experience trainers was killed by an orca (killer whale) that has killed a human at least once before. He came out to talk about all the education and scientific knowledge places like Sea World provide. I know from experience that a lot is done behind the scenes. Yep, there is a but coming. The decision by Sea World to continue to let this particular orca continue to be part of their show seems very shortsighted…looking for the almighty dollar. I believe a better decision would be to remove this whale from the show and study it to maybe learn more about the why of this incident.

We have all heard or read stories about monkey-pets who lived like children in the family home, until one day…they became wild. Sometimes they injure people. We hear on the news that these cute little monkeys are WILD animals and such incidents are not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ they will happen. Duh. Why is the orca any different? Orcas have lived in the oceans for all time. They are not used to being in a tank, no matter how big that tank is. This particular orca would quickly die if released. I get that. But putting other humans at risk for a show seems just plain stupid.

I have always had problems with directions. I fail all the ‘position in space’ tests. Even in Flagstaff, if I am driving to an unfamiliar neighborhood I have to print out a map with the directions and even then I have been known to get misplaced—never lost, just in a place I wasn’t planning on going. So today I broke down and bought a GPS for my car. It is really amazing. I sat in the parking lot, hooked it up and it got me home with no problem. Tomorrow it will be put to the test as I am going to my Great Decisions Discussion group, and have only the address of a street I have never heard of.

A nice day here in Flagstaff. We made it to 43° and while there was 20mph wind, it didn’t make it difficult to be outside. More snow is due this weekend. Alas, will winter ever end?

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics opened on Feb 12.

Tickets to watch Curling run about $125 per game, Figure Skating tickets run about $425.

»Side Show Stories—«

In September 1992, robbers in Las Vegas held up a van thought to contain gambling chips, only to find that it was carrying potato chips instead.

»Random Fact: «

Almonds are part of the peach family.

» Puzzle «

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has four X four sections.

1 lie (HINT: F - - -)

2 decorative material (HINT: - A - -)

3 sore (HINT: - - H -)

4 humble in spirit or manner (HINT: - - - K)

» Calendar Information «

☼ February’s Month Long Observances ☼

Birthstone: Amethyst …Flower: Violet and Primrose

Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month^AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month^American Heart Month^Bake for Family Fun Month^Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month^Grapefruit Month^International Boost Self-Esteem Month^International Expect Success Month^Jobs in Golf Month^Library Lovers Month^Marijuana Awareness Month^National African American History Month^National Bird Feeding Month^National Black History Month^National Care About Your Indoor Air Month^National Cherry Month^National Condom Month^National Children's Dental Health Month^National Laugh-Friendly Month^National Mend A Broken Heart Month^National Parent Leadership Month^National Pet Dental Health Month^National Senior Independence Month^National Time Management Month^Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month^Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month^Relationship Wellness Month^Responsible Pet Owner's Month^Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month^Spiritual Teachers Month^Spunky Old Broads Month^ Sweet Potato Month^Wise Health Care Consumer Month^ Youth Leadership Month^

☼ Observance Weeks in February ☼

Build A Better Trade Show Image Week: 21-27

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: 21-27

Read Me Week: 22-26

Telecommuter Appreciation Week: 24-3/6

American Crossword Puzzle Week: 26-28--only 3 days? 5 across: 7 days

Texas Cowboy Poetry Week: 26-28

☼ 26 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

For Pete's Sake Day

Levi Strauss Day

National Personal Chef's Day

National Pistachio Day

☼26 February Observances—by country ☼

Liberation Day in Kuwait (1991)

☼ Holy Mackerel: 1531…Earthquake in Lisbon Portugal, kills 20,000

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Fats (Antoine) Domino, 82, pianist, songwriter, singer

Victor Hugo, in 1802, (France) author (Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables)

John George Nicolay, in 1832, author (Abe Lincoln's biographer)

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Michael Bolton, 56, rock vocalist

Johnny Cash, in 1932, guitarist, Grammy winning country singer

William F "Buffalo Bill" Cody, in 1846, showman,

William Frawley, in 1887, actor: I Love Lucy

Jackie (Herbert John) Gleason, in 1916, comedian, actor

Betty Hutton, in 1921, actress

Tony Randall (Leonard Rosenberg), in 1920, actor

Mitch Ryder(William S. Levise Jr.), 65, rocker (& the Detroit Wheels-Devil With the Blue Dress) frontiersman

     »Athletes

Bobby "Bingo" Smith, 64, NBA star (Cavaliers)

     »Business, Education

Levi Strauss, in 1829, creator of blue jeans

     »Politics

Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya, in 1861, Russian revolutionary, Lenin's wife

Ariel Sharon, 82, Israeli Prime Minister

     »Science/Religion

Herbert Henry Dow, in 1866, pioneer in US chemical industry (Dow Chemical)

☼Today’s Obits ☼

David Doyle, in 1997 actor, (Charlie's Angels), heart attack @ 67
Richard J Gatling, in 1903, US inventor (Gatling Gun), @ 84

Harry Lauder (Maclennan), in 1950, Scottish comic/singer, @ 75

☼What Happened on this Day ☼

     » The Arts

1917…The Original Dixieland Jazz Band records the first ever jazz record for the Victor Talking Machine Company in New York.

1970…National Public Radio incorporates as a non-profit corporation.

     »Athletics

1941…Cowboys' Amateur Association of America organized (California)

     »Business, Education

1797…Bank of England issues 1st £1-note

1870…1st NYC subway line opens (pneumatic powered)

1891…1st buffalo purchased for Golden Gate Park

1919…Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona

1929…President Calvin Coolidge establishes Grand Teton National Park

1933…Golden Gate Bridge ground-breaking ceremony held at Crissy Field

     »Politics

1993…2nd tallest building in world, NYC World Trade Center bombed, 7 die

     »Science/Religion

1732…1st mass celebrated in American Catholic church, (St Joseph's Church, Philadelphia)

1935…RADAR-Radio Detection & Ranging 1st demonstrated (Robert Watson-Watt)

» Number One Songs in…

1945…Accentuate the Positive - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters

1953…Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Perry Como

1961…North to Alaska - Johnny Horton

1969…Everyday People - Sly & The Family Stone

1977…Love Theme from "A Star is Born" (Evergreen) - Barbra Streisand

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

F L A M

L A C E

A C H E

M E E K

Thursday

25 February 2010--Week 8 of 2010: 56 days this year…309 remain

» Quote Times Two «

"Lend money to a bad debtor and he will hate you.”

~unknown

"Open the doors of opportunity to talent and virtue and they will do themselves justice.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882); Philosopher, Poet, Author, Essayist

» Free Ramblings «

Our little retirement group had our weekly lunch today. Our plan had been to eat, and the go to Riordan Mansion, to support its efforts in staying open. With all the news about Riordan in the paper, on TV, and on the radio none of realized that it was only open Thursday through Sunday. So we had a nice lunch and decided to try Riordan again on Friday. I recall visiting Riordan soon after it became a state park back in the early 80’s. At that time, only ½ of the mansion was available for tours as a family member still lived in the other side. Now I understand, the entire mansion is open for tours. Sadly, our non-elected governor has decided to close the park at the end of March. There are many in Flagstaff and around our state who are working long hours to find a way to keep the park open. We need to have our history available so that we can move forward.

I watched an hour long debate with our local mayoral candidates. For a small town, we sure have a lot of issues. One candidate said that people choose to live in Flagstaff and therefore we must recognize that this choice will cost us more for housing, more for food, more for gas, and more for just about everything. He sure isn’t getting my vote. He doesn’t seem to realize that Flagstaff is also the hub town for most of Northern Arizona. Why should people travel to this hub, knowing they will pay more for just about everything? It is a border town for the Rez, but I have learned since moving here, it also is a hub for Sedona, Williams, Winslow, and other non-reservation towns. This vote is only a primary, and I am sure that both Sara and Kara will be on the final ballot. It was sure worth the hour to watch the debate.

It was fairly nice today, except for the 30+ mph winds throughout the day. We made it to 41° and the wind chill only dropped that about five degrees. A new storm is headed our way, so the weekend will be snowy, again.

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics opened on Feb 12.

From 1924-2006 Norway had 98 gold medals at the Winter Olympics. So far at this Olympics they have added 6 golds. The US earned 78 golds in that time frame and have added 7 in this Olympics.

»Side Show Stories—«

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Catholic leaders in Connecticut said they are trying to fill confessionals during Lent by taking out billboards seeking sinners wanting to shake their guilt. Bishop William Lori of the Bridgeport Diocese said he took out a full-sized billboard urging Catholics to take advantage of the extended confessional hours being offered every Tuesday until the end of Lent, WFSB-TV, Bridgeport, reported Thursday. "I wouldn't call it commercializing. It's evangelizing. The church has always used whatever media to get the message out and it's a great message," Lori said. The bishop said many people are wary of confession. "They get scared. It's hard to admit our sins. Sometimes people wonder what the reaction will be on the other side of the screen, but it's really about love, mercy, compassion," he said.

»Random Fact: «

Antarctica has as much ice as the Atlantic Ocean has water.

» Puzzle «

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has four X four sections.

1 a three-handed card game (HINT: S - - -)

2 money, or a hardy cabbage (HINT: - A - -)

3 Ladd, or an obsolete term for "wolfhound" (HINT: - - A -)

4 serve (HINT: - - - D)

» Calendar Information «

☼ February’s Month Long Observances ☼

Birthstone: Amethyst …Flower: Violet and Primrose

Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month^AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month^American Heart Month^Bake for Family Fun Month^Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month^Grapefruit Month^International Boost Self-Esteem Month^International Expect Success Month^Jobs in Golf Month^Library Lovers Month^Marijuana Awareness Month^National African American History Month^National Bird Feeding Month^National Black History Month^National Care About Your Indoor Air Month^National Cherry Month^National Condom Month^National Children's Dental Health Month^National Laugh-Friendly Month^National Mend A Broken Heart Month^National Parent Leadership Month^National Pet Dental Health Month^National Senior Independence Month^National Time Management Month^Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month^Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month^Relationship Wellness Month^Responsible Pet Owner's Month^Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month^Spiritual Teachers Month^Spunky Old Broads Month^ Sweet Potato Month^Wise Health Care Consumer Month^ Youth Leadership Month^

☼ Observance Weeks in February ☼

Build A Better Trade Show Image Week: 21-27

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: 21-27

Read Me Week: 22-26

Telecommuter Appreciation Week: 24-3/6

☼ 24 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

National Chili Day

Pistol Patent Day (Samuel Colt)

☼24 February Observances—by country ☼

Kuwait : National Day

México : Coronado Day (1540)

Philippines: People Power Day

☼ Holy Mackerel: 1950.."Your Show of Shows" with Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca premieres :Writers include Mel Brooks, Neil Simon & Woody Allen

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Anthony Burgess, in 1917, essayist/novelist (A Clockwork Orange)

Larry Gelbart, 82, writer, producer (“M*A*S*H”)

Pierre Auguste Renoir, in 1841, French Impressionist painter/sculptor

Bob Schieffer, 73, television journalist

Bruno Traven, in 1882, German writer (Sierra Madre)

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Sean Astin, 39, actor (the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Rudy, Courage Under Fire)

Jim Backus, in 1913, actor (Mr Magoo, Thurston Howell III-Gilligan's Island)

Diane Baker, 72, actress (Silence of the Lambs)

Ric Flair (Fliehr), 61, former professional wrestler

Karen Grassle, 66, actress (“Little House on the Prairie”)

George Harrison, in 1943, rocker: Beatles

Tea Leoni, 44, actress (Jurassic Park III, Deep Impact, Flirting with Disaster)
[Herbert] Zeppo Marx, in 1901, comedian/actor (Marx Brothers)

Sally Jessy Raphael (Sally Lowenthal), 67, talk show host

Carrot Top [Scott Thompson], 45, comedian

     »Athletes

Robert Lorimer "Bobby" Riggs, in 1918, US tennis star

     »Business, Education

Charles Freer, in 1876, art collector; endowed Freer Gallery

     »Politics

José Francisco de San Martín, in 1778, liberated Argentina, Chile & Perú

     »Science/Religion

Howard Zahniser, in 1906, Father of the Wilderness Act

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Darren McGavin, in 2006, American actor @ 84
Thomas Moore, in 1852, Irish poet (Last Rose of Summer), stroke @ 53

George "Bugs" Moran, in1957, American gangster, in prison @ 64
Paul Julius von Reuter, in 1899, founder of the news agency (Reuters), @ 83
Thomas Lanier Tennessee Williams, in 1983, writer (Streetcar Named Desire), chokes on bottle cap @ 71
☼What Happened on this Day ☼

     » The Arts

1751…1st performing monkey exhibited in America, NYC (admission 1¢)

1949…Robert Mitchum is released from a Los Angeles prison farm at the end of his two-month sentence for marijuana possession

1984…Ironweed, by William P. Kennedy, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction

     »Athletics

1952…6th Winter Olympics games close at Oslo, Norway

1964…Cassius Clay, defeated Sonny Liston

     »Business, Education

1837…1st US electric printing press patented by Thomas Davenport

     »Politics

1540…Francisco Vásquez de Coronado searches for 7 cities of Cibola México

1793…1st cabinet meeting (At George Washington's home)

1875…Kiowa Indians under Lone Wolf (Guipago) surrender at Ft Sill

1925…Glacier Bay National Monument established in Alaska

1932…Immigrant Adolf Hitler gets German citizenship

     »Science/Religion

1836…Samuel Colt patents 1st revolving barrel multishot firearm

» Number One Songs in…

1944…Besame Mucho - The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen

1952…Cry - Johnnie Ray

1960…The Theme from "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith

1968…Love is Blue - Paul Mauriat

1976…50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon

1984…Jump - Van Halen

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

S K A T

K A L E

A L A N

T E N D

Wednesday

24 February 2010--Week 8 of 2010: 55 days this year…310 remain

» Quote Times Two «

"Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea."

~Henry Fielding : British Playwright and Novelist, 1707-1754

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”

~Sun Tzu: (544BC-496BC); Chinese General

» Free Ramblings «

My first ‘out n about’ day in a week or so. Weather was fantastic. Blue sky, no wind, a little chilly at 35° but very tolerable. Dentist trip took less than 30 minutes with a big hit on my bank account. After three crowns in as many months, I am now set for quite a while. I am still amazed that my insurance doesn’t pay anything on these trips. I thought that poor mouth health leads to many other medical problems and that the insurance company would want to help me stay healthy. I also know from experience with one tooth, that if the tooth does break, it is a lot more time and a whole lot more money to repair that. Oh well, doesn’t do any good to bitch about it. The insurance company doesn’t care and obviously congress can’t get it together.

One poor sport can ruin any athletic event. Of course, the Olympics, with all its athletes has to have at least one. Yep, it’s the Russian Figure Skater who received a silver—over an American Gold. He had been bragging since the Olympics started last week that he was bringing home the Gold. He started his sour grapes tirade just after the scores were posted. Today, on his website he posted a picture of himself with the Vancouver Platinum Medal. Huh…The only reason I mention this, is that Russia’s Putin, sent him a message that he, Putin, thought the skater had given the best performance of all the skaters. Putin has never been an Olympic judge, nor, to my knowledge is he a figure skater.

The 2014 Olympics will be in Sochi, Russia. Sochi is on the coast of the Black Sea and has been a resort since the time of Stalin. Its population is over 350,000. Indoor events will be held there. The outdoor events will be held in Krasnaya Polyana (Beautiful Red Glade) in the nearby Caucasus Mountains. As with many countries, there is a large population of aboriginals-- The Circassians (who call themselves "Adyghe"). Historically they were a warlike group with a very strict caste system. Today, many are Sunni Muslims.

I sure hope this poor sportsmanship / political involvement quiets down and blows over quickly…we don’t need to boycott another Olympics.

»* Winter Olympics* «

The Vancouver Olympics opened on Feb 12.

Biathlon is the only current Olympic Winter Games event in which the United States has never won a medal. In 2010 the US earned its first medals in Nordic Combined--two silvers.

»Side Show Stories—«

CAMBRIDGE, England - Doctors said the case of a British baby who learned to walk unaided at just 6 months is "extremely uncommon." Mary King, 30, and her husband David, 27, of Cambridge, England, said their first child, Xavier, amazed them when he began sitting up on his own at 3 months and only further shocked them when he stood up and started walking distances of up to 6 feet on his own in January, when he was 6 months old, The Daily Telegraph reported. "Xavier is more advanced than most babies his age. It was just amazing when he got up and started putting one leg in front of the other," King said. "The only problem now is that I can't leave him alone so have had to buy a play pen so he doesn't get into any mischief." Dr. Martin Ward Platt, consultant pediatrician at Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, England, said it is rare for babies to start walking so young. "To be quite so precocious with your walking is extremely uncommon, but... it will happen from time to time," he said. "For his parents, having to cope with a much more mobile child much earlier than expected simply brings forward the moment you need eyes in the back of your head."

»Random Fact: «

There is no evidence for what Shakespeare did between 1585 and 1592, the period when he moved to London and began his writing career. Thus, there is no record of how his career began or how quickly he rose to fame.

» Puzzle «

Word Boxes are like miniature crossword puzzles, except that each word is filled in across AND down the grid. That is, the answer to 1 across is the same word as the answer to 1 down; 2 across is the same as 2 down; etc. Can you solve these Word Boxes? To solve: draw a square that has four X four sections.

1 crossbow ammunition (HINT: B - - -)

2 do what you're told (HINT: - B - -)

3 jump (HINT: - - A -)

4 category (HINT: - - - E)

» Calendar Information «

☼ February’s Month Long Observances ☼

Birthstone: Amethyst …Flower: Violet and Primrose

Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month^AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month^American Heart Month^Bake for Family Fun Month^Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month^Grapefruit Month^International Boost Self-Esteem Month^International Expect Success Month^Jobs in Golf Month^Library Lovers Month^Marijuana Awareness Month^National African American History Month^National Bird Feeding Month^National Black History Month^National Care About Your Indoor Air Month^National Cherry Month^National Condom Month^National Children's Dental Health Month^National Laugh-Friendly Month^National Mend A Broken Heart Month^National Parent Leadership Month^National Pet Dental Health Month^National Senior Independence Month^National Time Management Month^Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month^Pull Your Sofa Off The Wall Month^Relationship Wellness Month^Responsible Pet Owner's Month^Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month^Spiritual Teachers Month^Spunky Old Broads Month^ Sweet Potato Month^Wise Health Care Consumer Month^ Youth Leadership Month^

☼ Observance Weeks in February ☼

Build A Better Trade Show Image Week: 21-27

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: 21-27

Read Me Week: 22-26

Telecommuter Appreciation Week: 24-3/6

☼ 24 February Observances—US/UN/World ☼

National Tortilla Chip Day

Inconvenience Yourself Day

Indiana : Vincennes Day-George Clark's defeat of British (1779)

☼24 February Observances—by country ☼

Cuba : Baire Uprising (1895)

Estonia : National Day (1920 from Russia)

Ghana : Liberation Day (1966)

México : Flag Day (1821)

Romania: Dragobete : Rite of Spring, for lovers, like Valentine’s Day

Thailand: National Artist Day (since 1985)

☼ Holy Mackerel: 1989…Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issues a fatwā (religious edict) and offers a USD $3 million bounty for the death of author Salman Rushdie who had written The Satanic Verses.

☼ Born on this day ☼

     » The Arts

Authors, Artists and Composers

Wilhelm Karl Grimm, in 1786, (Germany), story teller (Grimm's Fairy Tales)

George Harrison, in 1943, Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famer, former Beatle

Winslow Homer, in 1836, painter

Mark Lane, 83, lawyer, author (Rush to Judgment, Eyewitness Chicago), assassination buff

Entertainers in Cinema, Music, Theater, and TV

Barry Bostwick, 65, actor (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Spin City”)

James Farentino, 72, actor (“Dynasty,” “Cool Million,” The Story of a Woman).

Edward James Olmos, 63, actor (Stand and Deliver, “Battlestar Galactica”; Emmy for “Miami Vice”)

Abe Vigoda, 89, actor (“Barney Miller,” “Fish”)

Billy Zane, 44, actor (Titanic, The Phantom)

     »Athletes

Oscar de la Hoya, 37, boxer
Floyd Mayweather, Jr, 33, boxer

     »Business, Education

Steven Jobs, 55, founder of Apple computer company

     »Politics

Catherine I, in 1684, Empress of Russia

Joseph I. Lieberman, 68, US Senator (I, Connecticut)

Chester Nimitz, in 1885, U.S. Navy Admiral

Paula Zahn, 54, television journalist

     »Science/Religion

William Fairbank, in 1917, physicist (superconductivity)

☼Today’s Obits ☼

Tennessee Williams, in 1983, US playwright (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), @ 71

Johnnie Ray, in 1990, singer (Cry), liver failure @ 61

Malcolm Forbes, in 1990, CEO (Forbes Publishing), heart attack @ 70

Dinah Shore, in 1994, singer (Chevrolet), cancer @ 76

Henny Youngman, in 1998, comedian (Take my wife please), @ 92

☼What Happened on this Day ☼

     » The Arts

1998…Elton John knighted

     »Athletics

1924…Johnny Weissmuller wins his first gold medal in 100-meters freestyle in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

2002…XIX winter Olympics closes in Salt Lake City UT/Québec City

     »Business, Education

--

     »Politics

1541…Santiago, Chile founded by Pedro de Valvidia

1730…With both sides running out of ammunition, the French, and the Natchez Indians agree on a peace settlement.

1803…Supreme Court 1st rules a law unconstitutional (Marbury vs Madison)

1835…Siwinowe Kesibwi (Shawnee Sun) is 1st Indian language monthly magazine

1863…Arizona Territory created

1917…Russian revolution breaks out

1924…Mahatma Gandhi released from jail

1942… Voice of America begins broadcasting (in German)

1972…This was the day when President Nixon had visited the Great Wall of China

1974…Pakistan officially recognizes Bangladesh

     »Science/Religion

0303…1st official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued

1839…Steam shovel patented by William Otis, Philadelphia

1989…150-million-year-old fossil egg (oldest dinosaur embryo) found in Utah

» Number One Songs in…

1951…Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page

1959…Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price

1967…Kind of a Drag - The Buckinghams

1975…Best of My Love - The Eagles

» ANSWERS to puzzle «

B O L T...I checked it out and they are not called arrows, and are called bolts

O B E Y

L E A P

T Y P E