Fri 5-14

≈Week 19 of 2010: 134 days this year… 231 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About  

Masculinity ought to be defined in terms of relationships, and taught in terms of capacity to love and be loved.

--Joe Ehrmann, NFL Pro Bowl 1978; Minister

≈ Random Fact    

Crocodiles swallow stones to help them dive deeper.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1880 ►Lemhi Chief Tendoy and several others sign an agreement to leave the Lemhi Reservation in Idaho. The agree to go to Fort Hall. It will be nine years before Congress approves the agreement. The Lemhi will not actually move until 1909

≈ Free Ramblings    

Ah, for many of my friends, it’s the end of the school year. For those I know in Flagstaff it is a tough time as many aren’t getting contracts for next year until we pass a new tax. According to the board, the 1% tax will save their jobs, without it, they will be cut. Some won’t know until July if they have a job. Scary times. The end of the year also brings retirements. Three are retiring from Tuba. They are having a dinner at Cameron next week and one is also having a lunch in Flagstaff. Not sure how to do this. The Cameron dinner would be nice, but do I bring a gift for all three or for just two and wait till Flagstaff to do that one? Decisions, Decisions. Of the three retiring, one will live in Flagstaff, one in Camp Verde, and one down near Phoenix. Two are Navajo, one Anglo. I know that they will do real well in retirement. From my point of view, at least one of the three ‘retired’ quite a few years ago.

People who travel are used to going to places they haven’t been before. They are used to finding things are done differently in other places. When traveling in the south, I learned to always taste my iced tea before adding sweetener. They serve regular and sweet tea and sometimes the waitress just gives you sweet tea if you don’t specify. Adding a packet of sweetener to a glass of sweet tea makes is undrinkable. People and groups around the US are boycotting AZ for our immigration law. I was surprised today when a high school in suburban Chicago cancelled a student basketball team trip to our fair state. The players and their families had raised the money for the trip to play in a tournament. At the same school this year another group parents had raised money for their children to China. The reason for not coming to Arizona? “The school cannot guarantee the player’s safety.” It is very strange to me that the school did not worry about international travel safety, but cruising along Route 66 is not safe. Actually they would fly, but there is road connecting Arizona to Chicago. People who don’t travel will believe just about anything.

Not a bad day weather wise here in Flagstaff. Not a great day for sure, but not that bad. We made it to 56° and only had light winds. It did get a little cloudy this afternoon, but no rain.

≈ A Quick Smile…    

A jeweler standing behind the counter of his shop after hours was astounded to see a suspicious looking man in a black ski mask come hurling headfirst through the window.

"What on earth are you up to? What happened?!" he demanded.

"I'm terribly sorry," said the man, "I forgot to let go of the brick."

≈ Puzzle    

You grasp my handle and give me a push.

I rotate and roll, doing my job.

You put pressure on me,

and I cause division.

Then you enjoy the fruits of my labor, while I lie, cast aside, feeling cheesy and red of face.

≈ Side Show Stories    

NEWPORT, England - British police said a man dressed as Snoopy attempted to break a family member out of prison but went to the wrong facility. Authorities said the man and an accomplice tried to break down a door May 1 at the Isle of Wight's Albany site, near Newport, England, and threw concrete missiles at prison officers' cars when the attempt failed, The Sun reported Monday.

Police said two men, ages 43 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and detained under the Mental Health Act. It was unclear which of them was dressed as the "Peanuts" comic strip dog. Investigators said the relative they planned to spring was at a different facility. "It's not every day you see a giant cartoon dog going on the rampage after trying to break into a prison," a source with Her Majesty's Prison Service told The Sun. "They weren't exactly inconspicuous -- but it was taken seriously because they appeared to have a gun. They caused a real commotion and it was only later they were found to be armed with a water pistol."

≈ Calendar Information    

• Observance Weeks in May•

8-16

National Tourism Week

9-15

National Nursing Home Week ↔ National Police Week ↔ National Return To Work Week

National Women's Health Week ↔ Reading is Fun Week ↔ Salute to Moms 35+ Week

10-16

National Etiquette Week ↔ Salvation Army Week ↔ Universal Family Week

Children's Book Week ↔ National Stuttering Awareness Week

13-16

Grand Prix de Monaco

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Mike, The Headless Chicken Day

National Chicken Dance Day or National Dance Like A Chicken Day

The Stars and Stripes Forever Day

Underground America Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Burma: Water Festival (since 416: pour water on others to purify for new year)

El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Venezuela : Pan American Day/Día de las Américas

Liberia: National Unification Day

Malawi: Hastings Banda's Birthday (leader of Independence movement)

• Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

1946 ►Prisoner of Love; Perry Como

1956 ►Heartbreak Hotel; Elvis Presley

1966 ►Monday, Monday; The Mamas & the Papas

1976 ►Boogie Fever; The Sylvers

1986 ►Greatest Love of All; Whitney Houston

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1841 ►Edgar Allen Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue", published

1859 ►Charles Dickens' "A Tale Of Two Cities" published

1939 ►John Steinbeck novel "The Grapes of Wrath" published

In Athletics

1862 ►Adolphe Nicole of Switzerland patented the chronograph -- a timepiece that allows for split-second timing of sporting events.

1904 ►The Olympic Games opened in St. Louis, MO—1st Olympic games in US

In Business or Education

1860 ►1st Pony Express rider arrives in San Francisco CA from St Joseph MO

In Politics

1607 ►Three very small ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, sailed across the ocean blue from Plymouth, England to a place the ship’s crew and passengers called Jamestown

1614 ►Pocahontas, daughter of chief Powhatan, marries planter John Rolfe

1853 ►Harriet Tubman began her Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape

1910 ►President William Howard Taft begins tradition of throwing out ball on opening day

1944 ►1st Jews transported from Athens arrive at Auschwitz

1964 ►Following US refusal to help finance building the Aswan Dam, President Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev mark the beginning of the project by diverting the Nile. Later US will finish dam

In Science/ Religion

1611 ►Word "telescope" is 1st used (Prince Federico Cesi)

1902 ►Marie & Pierre Curie isolate the radioactive element radium

1986 ►Desmond Tutu elected Anglican archbishop of Capetown

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Thomas Gainsborough, 1727, artist: The Blue Boy, born Sudbury, Suffolk, England

George Lucas, 66, filmmaker (Star Wars films), born Modesto, CA

Robert Zemeckis, 58, director (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future), born Chicago, IL

Athletes

Dick (Richard Dalton) Howser, 1936, baseball: Athletics [all-star: 1961], Indians, Yankees; manager: Yankees, Royals, born Miami, FL

Dave (David Eugene) LaRoche, 62, baseball pitcher: Angels [all-star: 1977], Twins, Cubs, Indians [all-star: 1976], Yankees [World Series: 1981], born Colorado Springs, CO

Pete Rose, 69, baseball player/manager (Reds) born Cincinnati OH

Entertainers

Cate Blanchett, 41, actress (Oscar for The Aviator; I’m Not There, Elizabeth, Babel), born Melbourne, Australia

David Byrne, 58, singer, composer, born Dumbarton, Scotland

Bobby Darin (Walden Robert Cassotto), 1936, Grammy Award-winning singer: Mack the Knife; Splish Splash, Dream Lover, You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby, If I Were a Carpenter, born Bronx, NY

Richard Deacon, 1921, actor: The Dick Van Dyke Show, born Philadelphia, PA

Meg Foster, 62, actress born Reading, PA

Steve Martin, 65, writer/actor born Waco TX

Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal, 1941, actor, born Los Angeles, CA

Rod Steiger, 1925, actor West, born Hampton, NY

Ronan Tynan, 50, opera singer (The Irish Tenors), born Dublin, Ireland

Business, Education Persons

Junius S Morgan, 1813, merchant/philanthropist (Metropolitan Museum of Art) born Holyoke, MA

Anne Mansfield Sullivan, 1866, educated Helen Keller, born Agawam, MA

Political Persons

Robert Mugabe, 82, President (Zimbabwe, 1988- ), born Salisbury,Southern Rhodesia

Scientists /Religious Persons

Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, 1686, temperature measurement scales, born Danzig, Germany

• Today’s Obits •

Rachel L Carson, 1964, US biologist/author (Silent spring), heart attack/cancer @ 56

Burl Ives, 1995, folk singer/actor (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), @ 85

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle    

A pizza cutter.

   ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈  

Thurs 5-13

≈Week 19 of 2010: 133 days this year… 232 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About  

To fight fear, act. To increase fear–wait, put off postpone.

--David Joseph Schwartz, Motivational speaker

≈ Random Fact    

Each year, the average American family uses about 18,000 gallons of water just to do its laundry.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1873 ►Ludwig M. Wolf of Avon, CT patented the sewing machine lampholder. Up to that time, those who could afford it had hired pygmies from their local Lampholders-R-Us company to hold their sewing machine lamps. Those who could not afford that service had to sew with one hand while holding the lamp with the other. LOL

≈ Free Ramblings   

During the past few months I have not been afraid to show my disappointment with our non-elected governor here in AZ. I guess she isn’t all bad. Yesterday she vetoed two bills. One would have allowed motorcycle drivers to move up between cars at a stop light and to allow them to pass vehicles in the same lane while driving. The other bill would have allowed manufacture of incandescent light bulbs after the date a Federal law prohibits their manufacture. See our non-elected governor is not completely bonkers. I will certainly sleep better tonight.

This morning I met with my financial advisor to finish up what we started last week. I have a small percentage of my money in Mutual Funds. I learned that fund I was in had some very toxic stuff in it. Mutual Funds buy lots of different stuff and some goes up, some goes down. The strength of these is to have more ups than downs. My particular fund has been around for years and paid well. It is still paying decently in the dynamic time. Here is the secret that Mutual Fund makers don’t want us to know…thanks to a decrease in regulation since the 80’s…the fund can carry on its books a company that no longer exists and it can do it for a long time. They carry the company as though it were still there, and have a value before the collapse of a year ago. If they drop the company from the fund, they have to show a loss. Depending on how much of that fund is in a defunct company it could make the whole fund fall into negative gain numbers. My particular fund had about 8% in Countrywide. That company doesn’t exist anymore. It is worth Zero, zilch, nada, nuttin’. The fund can legally carry that company until 2012. The fund can’t slowly write off the fund—a little each year. If they drop any part of the company from their books, the whole thing drops.

I am not a believer in 2012 being the end of the world—the Mayan Calendar thing. Yes the calendar ends in Dec. 2012, but today’s Mayan elders say that it does not mean the world will end anymore than throwing out my current AZ Highways calendar on Jan 1 will change the world. However, those with Mutual Funds should do some checking into what percentage of that fund is carrying businesses that no longer exist. The year 2012 is when every fund will have to drop their non-existent companies from their books and show the loss. Two last things: When my financial advisor discovered Countrywide was still in the fund it took six weeks for the fund to get back to her about this dirty little secret. On her first three calls she was told that they would look into it and get back to her. The fourth call explained that all this is legal. And the current financial system is not the system of our parents; it’s not even the system we were placing our hard earned money into to prepare for our life after retirement. In many situations it is a train, in the tunnel, and the light at the end of the tunnel probably is a larger and faster oncoming train.

Our wind yesterday was bad. I-40 was closed for almost 10 hours due to dust. Several big rigs were tipped over while parked on the side of the highway. The National News talked about hurricane force winds out there on I-40. Today was much better. We stayed cool, only making it to 52°. There was a little wind and the gusts were about 35mph. The good news from that is that we got two rainstorms this afternoon. It was nice to just watch the rain fall straight down and make puddles.

≈ A Quick Smile…    

We visited our newly married daughter, who was preparing her first Thanksgiving dinner. I noticed the turkey thawing in the kitchen sink with a dish drainer inverted over the bird.

I asked why a drainer covered the turkey.

Our daughter turned to my wife and said, "Mom, you always did it that way."

"Yes," my wife replied, "but you don't have a cat!"

≈ Puzzle    

In a country, there are over 100 streets. Street 1 is named First Street, street 2 is named Second Street, and so on and so forth.

A traveler decides to walk through all these streets in the country. He could find all the streets except Street 62. No matter how hard he tried, he could not find it.

He later found that the locals had given the street another name.

What is the name?

≈ Side Show Stories    

LAND O'LAKES, Fla. - A Florida high school senior who has worn the same pair of Nike Shox since he was a freshman said he plans to graduate in the shoes to collect on a bet. Ben Hedblom, 17, who is preparing to graduate from Land O'Lakes High School, said he made a wager as a freshman with Spanish teacher Adrian Antonini that he would wear the same shoes through graduation day, The St. Petersburg Times reported Monday. Hedblom said the wager stated the loser would shave his head and eyebrows. The teacher left the school after that year, but Hedblom said he continued to wear the shoes because he felt it was important to stay true to his word. The Times said it was able to track down Antonini, who was interviewing for a coaching job in Texas. He said he is considering shaving his head on Web cam. Hedblom said he hopes school officials will put his shoes in the school trophy case after he graduates.

≈ Calendar Information    

• Observance Weeks in May•

8-16

National Tourism Week

9-15

National Nursing Home Week ↔ National Police Week ↔ National Return To Work Week

National Women's Health Week ↔ Reading is Fun Week ↔ Salute to Moms 35+ Week

10-16

National Etiquette Week ↔ Salvation Army Week ↔ Universal Family Week

Children's Book Week ↔ National Stuttering Awareness Week

13-16

Grand Prix de Monaco

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Leprechaun Day: a day dedicated them in Ireland and around the world.

Frog Jumping Day: Mark Twain’s "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", first published as "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog"

Root Canal Appreciation Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Fiji: Rotuma Day: To celebrate islands cession to UK in 1881

• Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

1935 ►What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You); Guy Lombardo

1945 ►My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time; Les Brown

1955 ►Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White; Perez Prado

1965 ►Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter; Herman's Hermits

1975 ►He Don't Love You (Like I Love You); Tony Orlando & Dawn

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1938 ►"When the Saints Go Marching In" was recorded by Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra.

In Athletics

1950 ►The first round of the Formula One World Championship is held at Silverstone.

In Business or Education

1637 ►Cardinal Richelieu of France creates the table knife

1821 ►Samuel Rust of New York city patented the first practical printing press built in the U.S.

1950 ►Diner's Club issues its 1st credit cards

1958 ►The trade mark Velcro is registered.1991 ►Apple releases Macintosh System 7.0

In Politics

1540 ►Hernando de Soto leaves Cofitachequi. He takes the "Lady of Cofitachequi" with him, against her will. 1568 ►Mary Queen of Scots is defeated by English at battle of Langside

1614 ►The Viceroy of Mexico finds Spanish Explorer Juan de Oñate guilty of atrocities against the Indians of New Mexico. As a part of his punishment, he is banned from entering New Mexico again.

1865 ►South Brownsville TX (Palmito Ranch) Final engagement of Civil War PVT John J Williams of 34th Indiana is last man killed

1888 ►Brazil abolishes slavery

1989 ►Large groups of students occupy Tiananmen Square and begin a hunger strike.

In Science/ Religion

1643 ►Heavy earthquake strikes Santiago Chile; kills 1/3 of population

1917 ►1st appearance of Mary to 3 shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal

1981 ►Pope John Paul II shot in failed assasination attempt

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Stephen Colbert, 46, writer, comedian (“The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report”), born: Charlestown, SC

Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan, 1842, composer (Gilbert & Sullivan) born: London England

Athletes

Joseph Louis Barrow: Joe Louis, 1914, world heavyweight boxing champion, born: La Fayette, AL

Dennis Rodman, 49, basketball (Pistons, Bulls, Spurs, Lakers, Mavericks), born: Trenton, NJ

Entertainers

Bea (Beatrice) Arthur (Bernice Frankel), 1922, actress: The Golden Girls, Maude, born: NYC, NY

Peter Gabriel, 1950, rocker, born: London England

Harvey Keitel, 71, actor (Mean Streets, Blue Collar, Bugsy, The Piano), born: Brooklyn, NY

Robert Pattinson, 24, actor (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Twilight), born: London, England

Ritchie Valens (Richard Steven Valenzuela), 1941, singer: Donna, La Bamba, born: Pacoima, San Fernando Valley, CA

Stevie Wonder (Steveland Morris Hardaway), 60, singer, musician 19 Grammy Awards; born: Saginaw, MI,

Business, Education Persons

Peter Henry Emerson, 1856, 1st to promote photography as an independent art, born: Havana Cuba

Henry William (Baron) Stiegel, 1729, early American glassmaker, born: Cologne, Germany

Political Persons

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden,31, born: Stockholm

Scientists /Religious Persons

Nandor Fodor, 1895, Hungarian-born psychologist and parapsychologist ; born: Berengszasz, Hungary

Jim Jones, 1931, American cult leader; born: Randolph County, OH

• Today’s Obits •

Robert II the Steward, 1390, King of Scotland @ 74

Sholem Aleichem, 1916, yiddish writer (Fiddler on the Roof); poor health from earlier TB @ 57

Gary Cooper, 1961, 2 time Academy award winning actor (High Noon), cancer @ 60

Dan Blocker, 1972, actor (Hoss-Bonanza), following surgery @ 41

Bob Wills, 1975, actor, King of Western Swing, pneumonia @ 69

Selma Diamond, 1985, actress/comedienne (Selma-Night Court), cancer @ 64

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle    

Minute street. This is because Street 62 is named Sixty Second Street, and Sixty Seconds = 1 Minute, hence Street 62 is also called Minute Street..

   ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈  

Wed 5-12

≈Week 19 of 2010: 132 days this year… 233 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About 

A company that fails to take steps to produce a climate conducive to positive work-related ethical attitudes may create a vacuum in which employees so predisposed may foster a frontier-style, everyone for themselves mentality.

--Thomas Dunfee, Professor of Wharton Business School

≈ Random Fact       

Just one in three consumers pays off his or her credit card bill every month.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1879►When the US tried to forcibly remove the Poncas from their homeland in Nebraska to an Oklahoma reservation, their chief, Standing Bear, brought suit to prevent it. The US claimed that Standing Bear could not bring suit because as a Native American he had no legal standing in US law. In Standing Bear v George Crook at US District Court, Judge J. Dundy ruled on this day that “an Indian is a PERSON within the meaning of the laws of the United States.” This landmark decision was appealed by the US to the Supreme Court, which dismissed it. Standing Bear was not forced to move his tribe, but other Native Americans were unable to use the decision to their advantage in other disputes with the US.

≈ Free Ramblings    

Being a bureaucrat for much of my professional career, I am very familiar with finger pointing, covering one’s own ass and the ass of the Bureau, and trying to smile while doing it. The horrific oil mess in the Gulf is a lesson for those who aren’t familiar with the process. Everything BP has done so far has failed, and failed pretty badly. They obviously did not have a plan for a worst case scenario—or even a plan for a bad scenario. They seem to just figure that they could drill a hole in the earth’s crust and the oil will just come out into their pipes and everyone will be better off with our own oil. A cement box didn’t work. Hair in panty hose didn’t work. Golf balls and chunks of rubber tires hasn’t worked yet. I caught a little of the senate hearings today. BP leaders said they weren’t to blame, but it was the company that built the thing that did the drilling. Those guys said it was Haliburton’s fault because they were hired for safety. Haliburton—Dick Cheney’s old company and already a household word from the Middle East mess said they had to work within the parameters of BP. This is a typical bureaucratic ploy—blame the other guy, move the spotlight off you and your company. I really don’t see how any law can fix this cultural event. How can bureaucrats write a law that will stop other bureaucrats from following one of the basic premises of a bureaucracy? We don’t have a Harry Truman in Congress. We don’t have a Harry Truman in big business. In the 21st century no one is going to say “The Buck Stops Here”. All those Americans who are losing their livelihood, all those living creatures that are dying, and all those who can no longer enjoy a day at a beach may never be able to recoup their loss because this oil spill just happened and no one will man up and take the blame.

Alternative energy is the battle cry that is coming around again. Living in a wind belt—Northern Arizona, I used to think that wind energy would be a great alternative. A few years ago I traveled much of the US from Flagstaff to Arkansas. On that trip we passed numerous huge wind farms. There were these huge wind turbines, lined up in rows, slowly turning around and around. It appeared that under windy conditions, they turned faster than in less windy conditions. Since that trip, every time I see an article or hear someone on the radio talking about wind power I perk up and listen. What I have learned is that wind power may create more problems than one expects. The biggest problem is migration of flying animals. Many birds and many varieties of bats are not expecting these turbines. As result, during migration they are killed and found in large numbers on the ground. No scientist has figured out a successful way to warn these flying creatures of the impending doom. It seems that every technology has a downside and when looking for quick solutions it is not always the best for the planet.

We learned today in our local paper that the majority of illegal immigrants in the US are people who have extended their visits and have expired visas. Our visa system is so antequated and understaffed that the government doesn't even know for sure that most of the people with expired visas are even in the US. Turns out that filling out that form when you enter or leave our borders may not make it to the correct data encoderr. And most of these illegals have a high education and are working in low paying jobs out of their field becasue their visa expired. It's time for our nation to get educated about immigration, legal and illegal immigrants, and figure out why we live in fear.

Wind continues to be our way of life here. A steady wind of 20mph and gusts to 40mph kept our high at 49°. I had planned to do some grocery shopping, but decided against it as wind takes all the fun out of any dreary task.

≈ A Quick Smile…    

Out in space two alien forms are speaking with each other.

The first spaceman says, "The dominant life forms on the earth planet have developed satellite-based weapons."

The second alien, who looks exactly like the first, asks, "Are they an emerging intelligence?"

The first spaceman says, "I don't think so...They have them aimed at themselves."

≈ Puzzle   

Take the given words, and by moving a single letter from one word to the other, make a pair of synonyms, or near synonyms. For example, given: Boast - Hip, move the 's' from 'Boast' to 'Hip' creating two synonyms: Boat - Ship.

1. East - Up

2. West - Oak

3. Blog - Ranch

4. Over - Plaint

5. Outage - Ranger

≈ Side Show Stories    

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. - A Colorado man who claimed he was trying to defend himself from a mugger when he shot himself in the groin has been convicted of illegal discharge of a firearm. Investigators said there was no evidence to substantiate David Leroy Blurton's self-defense claim and jurors convicted the 50-year-old on Wednesday. The shooting happened at the parking lot of a grocery store in Dillon, Colo., in May 2009. Prosecutors say Blurton had been drinking.

Jurors also convicted Blurton of "prohibited use of a weapon — drunk with a gun" and reckless endangerment. Prosecutors said they will request that Blurton be sentenced to probation.

Blurton maintained that someone hit him in the back of the head and he was trying to defend himself.

≈ Calendar Information    

• Observance Weeks in May•

6-12

National Nurses Day and Week

8-16

National Tourism Week

9-15

National Nursing Home Week

National Police Week

National Return To Work Week

National Women's Health Week

Reading is Fun Week

Salute to Moms 35+ Week

10-16

National Etiquette Week

Salvation Army Week

Universal Family Week

Children's Book Week

National Stuttering Awareness Week

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Limerick Day

Donate A Day's Wages To Charity

International Nurses Day, commemorating the birthday of Florence Nightingale in 1820.

National Nutty Fudge Day

National School Nurse Day

National Hospital Day (1921)

National Night Shift Workers Day

National Third Shift Workers Day

Receptionists Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Abbotsbury Dorsetshire England : Garland Day: originally children made flower garlands and took them out into the fishing areas and dropped them in the sea. Since WWI children parade around town and leave the garlans at war memorials

Finland : Snellman Day (1806): Johan Vilhelm Snellman teacher, statesman, journalist and philosopher who worked for Finnish to become the Nat’l language.

Khmer Republic : Constitution Day (1972)

• Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

1944 ►I Love You; Bing Crosby

1954 ►Wanted; Perry Como

1964 ►My Guy; Mary Wells

1974 ►The Streak; Ray Stevens

1984 ►Hello; Lionel Richie

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1932 ►Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in 'Mickey's Revue' by Walt Disney

In Athletics

1970 ►Ernie Banks hits his 500th home run

In Business or Education

1777 ►1st ice cream advertisement (Philip Lenzi-New York Gazette)

1792 ►Toilet that flushes itself at regular intervals is patented

In Politics

1310 ►Fifty-four Knights Templars were burned at the stake as heretics in France.

1858 ►Comanche Chief Iron Jacket (Po-hebitsquash) is killed in a fight with Texas Rangers on the Canadian River.

1928 ►Mussolini ends woman's rights in Italy

1932 ►Body of kidnapped son of Charles Lindbergh is found in Hopewell NJ

1937 ►King George VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

1949 ►After blocking all road traffic into West Berlin for 11 months after diplomatic meetings around the world the Soviet Union has lifted the blockade of road and rail links.

1967 ►H Rap Brown replaces Stokely Carmichael as chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

In Science/ Religion

1978 ►From the And You Thought We Had This Straightened Out By Now file: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that it would alternate men’s and women’s names in the naming of hurricanes

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Burt Bacharach, 81, composer (“Walk on By,” “Close to You,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” many film scores), born in Kansas City, MO

Leslie Charteris, 1907, English/US detective writer (Enter the Saint) born in Singapore to Chinese Mother and English Father

Edward Lear, 1812, landscape painter, (Complete Nonsense Book), limericks born in Holloway, England

Athletes

Lawrence "Yogi" Berra, 1925, Yankee catcher/coach/manager, Mets, Astros born in St. Louis, MO

Bob Goldham, 82, hockey: NHL: Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Red Wings born in Georgetown, Ontario

Tony Hawk, 41, skateboarder, born in Carlsbad, CA

Entertainers

Stephen Baldwin, 44, actor (The Usual Suspects), born in Mass-apequa, NY

Bruce Boxleitner, 59, actor (How the West Was Won, “Scarecrow and Mrs King”), born in Elgin, IL

George Carlin, 1937, comedian (7 words you can't say on television, AM & FM, Carwash) born in Bronx NY

Emilio Estevez, 48, actor (The Breakfast Club, Repo Man), born in New York, N

Katharine Hepburn 1907, actress (African Queen, Adam's Rib, On Golden Pond) born in Hartford CT

Jocko Marcellino, 60, rocker (Sha Na Na) born in Quincy, MA

Steve Winwood, 62, musician, singer, born in Birmingham, England

Business, Education Leaders

Howard K Smith, 1914, TV newsman (ABC, Moderated Kennedy-Nixon debate) born in Los Angeles CA

Tom Snyder, 1936, broadcast journalist born in Milwaukie, WI

Political Leaders

Otto Frank, 1889, father of Anne Frank born in Frankfurt, Germany

Scientists /Religious Leaders

Justus Freiherr von Liebig, 1803, chemist (agricultural chemicals) born in Darmstadt, Germany

• Today’s Obits •

Dick Calkins, 1962, co-author (Buck Rogers), @ 67

Robert Reed, 1992, actor (Brady Bunch), AIDs @ 59

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle    

1. Eat – Sup

2. Wet - Soak

3. Log - Branch

4. Overt - Plain

5. Outrage - Anger

   ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈  

Tues 5-11

≈Week 19 of 2010: 131 days this year… 234 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About     

Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty.

~ Jacob Bronowski

≈ Random Fact    

While Tequila holds a long and storied place in Mexican and Mexican-American celebratory traditions, the margarita didn’t even exist in 1862 (Battle of Puebla)! While tequila, ice, lime, and sugar all existed in 1862, they weren’t brought together in the form of a margarita until about 1930.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1934 ►A huge dust storm is spotted moving from the Midwest. The dust storm was 1,500 miles long, 900 miles across and two miles high, covering almost one-third of the country.

≈ Free Ramblings    

Yet another windy day. This sure seems to be one of the windiest springs we have had in quite a while. Luckily it is not a cold wind. I was checking out the Navajo Times—the newspaper of the Navajo Nation. I was reminded that Navajo tradition does talk about wind. The wind comes and cleans the earth, blows away all the evil so that harmony can return to the world. Hmmm. That is it. AZ has been out of harmony since our non-elected governor took office. We have seen AZ hurled into the spotlight. Immigrants and native born people with brown skin will soon have to carry papers to show they are here legally. AZ will not allow sexual reproduction of humans and mermaids—even in a test tube. AZ will re-allow individuals to celebrate with fireworks which will probably set the whole dry desert and forests on fire. The list goes on and on. So maybe the Navajo have it right—again. The wind is simply trying to remove all the evil from the state and allow us to live in harmony.

We are still under a red flag warning until tomorrow night. We only got to 59° today. I did run a few errands this morning. This would have been a lot easier if there were not steady winds of 25 and gusts to 50. Each day of wind dries out the forest. I did water the outside plants, and I’m not sure one of my container bushes made it through the winter. It was buried under the snow from December until a few weeks ago. I thought it would bounce right back but it still is brown and dry and doesn’t seem to have any spring growth. I forget what it is, but I do know that it was supposed to be winter hardy. I’ll give it a couple of more weeks before I make a decision as to what to do with it.

≈ A Quick Smile…    

As the owner of an old clunker, I was used to dealing with a variety of car breakdowns. One day at the supermarket, just after I had filled my trunk with groceries, I noticed a stream of fluid pouring out of the bottom of the car. I knew I had to get home before the car was once again out of action.

When I arrived I asked my husband to take a look at the problem. Expecting the worst, I braced myself for his diagnosis. When he came back in, he was smiling. "It's apple juice," he

said.

≈ Puzzle    

Can you decipher the musical instruments represented below?

1. P O

2. BA BA

3. ECLART

4. @ # $ %

≈ Side Show Stories   

WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Wisconsin police said they are searching for a suspected car thief who led police on multiple high speed chases while dressed in drag. Wauwatosa police said a motorcycle officer pulled over a speeding vehicle Friday and asked the driver, a man dressed in women's clothing and makeup, for identification, WauwatosaNOW.com reported

Thursday. The officer said the driver, who seemed nervous, did not have identification and sped off when asked who owned the car. Police said the officer chased the car for about a minute, but stopped for the safety of other motorists when the man sped to speeds of 100 mph.

Investigators said they ran the license plate and found the car had been stolen two weeks earlier in Brookfield, Wis. Brookfield police said the suspect, a 20-year-old Milwaukee man, has been linked to several car thefts and ensuing high speed chases. They said the suspect always wears women's clothing and makeup.

≈ Calendar Information    

• Observance Weeks in May•

6-12

National Nurses Day and Week

8-16

National Tourism Week

9-15

National Nursing Home Week

National Police Week

National Return To Work Week

National Women's Health Week

Reading is Fun Week

Salute to Moms 35+ Week

10-16

National Etiquette Week

Salvation Army Week

Universal Family Week

Children's Book Week

National Stuttering Awareness Week

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Eat What You Want Day

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Minnesota : Admission Day (1858)

World : International Mother's Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Laos : Constitution Day (1947)

Nisga'a Nation: Nisga'a Day, celebration of the effective date of the Nisga'a Final Agreement. (signed in 1999, between British Columbia and Nisga’a—indigenous first nation in Canada)

• Today’s Number One Songs in…  

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~ Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

1942 ►Tangerine; Jimmy Dorsey

1952 ►Blue Tango; Leroy Anderson

1962 ►Soldier Boy; The Shirelles

1972 ►The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face; Roberta Flack

1982 ►Ebony and Ivory; Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1924 ►Pulitzer Prize awarded to Robert Frost (New Hampshire)

1927 ►The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded

1969 ►Monty Python comedy troupe forms

In Athletics

1981 ►Heavyweight boxing challenger Gerry Cooney left former champ Ken Norton on the ropes and unconscious after 54 seconds of the first round

In Business or Education

1752 ►1st US fire insurance policy issued (Philadelphia)

1947 ►BF Goodrich manufactures 1st tubeless tire, Akron OH

1949 ►1st Polaroid camera sold $89.95 (NYC)

In Politics

1792 ►Columbia River named by US Captain Robert Gray

1862 ►After a standoff with the Union ironclad Monitor on Mar 9, the Confederate ironclad Merrimac was destroyed by the Confederate navy on May 11. In the wake of advancing Union troops in the Peninsular Campaign, the South was forced to destroy the valuable vessel to prevent its capture by Union forces.

1910 ►Glacier National Park in Montana was created by an act of Congress.

1953 ►Winston Churchill criticizes John Foster Dulles domino theory

1965 ►Ellis Island added to Statue of Liberty National monument

1969 ►“Hamburger Hill” battle over a 10-day period, often engaging in bloody hand-to-hand combat with the North Vietnamese began today.

1978 ►Margaret A Brewer is 1st female general in the US Marine Corps

In Science/ Religion

1751 ►1st US hospital founded (Pennsylvania Hospital)

1916 ►Einstein's Theory of General Relativity presented

1997 ►IBM's The Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov to win a six-game chess match

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Irving Berlin [Isadore Balin], 1888, composer (White Xmas), born in Temum Siberia

Salvadore (Felipe Jacinto) Dalí (y Domenech), 1904, surrealist artist , born in Figueras Spain

Athletes

Matt Leinart, 27, football player, born in Santa Ana, CA

Entertainers

Ira Aldridge, 1807, Great 19th century black Shakespearian actor (Othello) born in NYC

Foster Brooks, 1912, comedian, actor born in Louiville, KY

Eric Burdon, 69,rock vocalist (Animals), born in Walker-on-Tyne England

Martha Graham, 1894, modern dancer born in Pittsburg, PA

Doug McClure, 1935, actor (Virginian, Roots), born in Glendale CA

Denver Pyle, 1920, actor (Uncle Jessie: Dukes of Hazzard), born in Bethune CO

Dame Margaret Rutherford, 1892, actress (Murder Most Foul) born in Balham London England

Mort Sahl, 83, comedian/political satirist/beatnik, born in Montréal Canada

Phil Silvers, 1912, comedian (Sergeant Bilko-Phil Silvers Show), born in Brooklyn NY

Business, Education Leaders

Chang & Eng Bunker, 1811, Chinese Siamese twins

Political Leaders

Charles Warren Fairbanks, 1852, 26th US Vice President born in Unionville, OH 

Louis Farrakhan, 77, Nation of Islam leader, born in New York, NY

Scientists /Religious Leaders

Robert Jarvik, 64, physician, inventor of artificial heart that went into Barney Clark born in Midland, MI

Ottmar Mergenthaler, 1854, inventor (linotype), born in Hachtel Germany

• Today’s Obits •

Lester Raymond Flatt musician (Flatt & Scruggs-Ballad of Jed Clampett), @ 64 in 1979

Chester Gould cartoonist (Dick Tracy), @ 84 in 1985

Carlos Herrera drink inventor (Margarita), @ 90 in 1992

John Herschel cataloguer of southern hemisphere stars, @ 79 in 1871

Bob Marley reggae singer, brain & lung cancer @ 36 in 1981

Elizabeth McDonald inventor (Spic & Span), @ 98 in 1992

John D Rockefeller Jr philanthropist, @ 86 in 1960

Edward H Thompson US archaeologist (Mayan civilization), @ 78 in 1935

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle    

1. Piano (P and O)

2. Tuba (Two BA)

3. Clarinet (CLAR in ET)

4. Cymbals (Symbols)

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Monday 5-10

≈Week 19 of 2010: 130 days this year… 235 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About 

That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.

--Henry David Thoreau

≈ Random Fact   

New Zealand kiwis lay the largest eggs with respect to their body size of any bird.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1267 ►Vienna's church orders all Jews to wear a distinctive garb

≈ Free Ramblings   

Arizona has always been a kind of Wild West State. Over the years it has certainly helped our tourist industry. Arizona has lots of land that many see as a good place to build. Our population continues to grow rapidly. These make it understandable that many understand why we have such a high crime rate. As we hear how illegal immigrants are causing our high crime rate, this is not the case. According to the Wall Street Journal, Arizona’s violent crime is the lowest it has been since 1980, property crime has dropped 28% since 1980. Illegal immigrants have come in from Mexico at much higher rates between 1980 and 2010. What is really hurting AZ is the illegal drug trafficking. Drug runners do not come into the US to stay, they are called mules. They bring in the drugs, drop off the drugs, and then go back to Mexico for more. As long as American legals continue to purchase illegal drugs, the mules will continue to bring them. From my view, all the hype about how the illegals are destroying AZ is just that, hype to allow laws that discriminate. As time passes with SB1070, everyone will be able to see that this bill will not solve any of our problems. With the many boycotts already in the works and more expected, SB1070 is hurting Arizona more than it will ever be able to help.

Just when it looked like the fire near Flagstaff was being contained, the winds returned. Steady winds of about 30mph and gust to 50mph have people in the area very concerned. Most of the state is under a Red Flag Warning until tomorrow. That means that fire can start very easily and spread even more quickly. Flag’s 600 acre fire is the biggest, but two others in the far south are also burning. The spring rains put lots of new growth out there, the spring winds dried that new growth very quickly. Now much of the state forests are tinderboxes.

≈ A Quick Smile…   

My husband was telling me about a news item he heard on National Public Radio about how the U.S. military is enlisting honeybees to find land mines. The insects are trained to react to the scent of TNT, then are fitted with transmitters and sent out to search for underground explosives. "When they smell TNT," my husband explained, "the insects hover over the area and the military tracks them to the site to safely eliminate the land mine."

"Gee," I remarked, "it gives a whole new meaning to the slogan 'Bee all that you can bee!'"

≈ Puzzle   

Retronyms are terms renamed after something similar but newer has come into being. For example AM radio was just called ‘radio’ before the introduction of FM radio.

1. Margarine become a big seller. Many advertising gurus used lots of clever phrases to have consumers think it was the predecessor. The original added an adjective to let everyone know there product was the one from cows.

2. People were drinking it since it became available inside one’s residence. The adjective had to be added to differentiate it from the more costly bottled type.

3. Telling time, any time, has made portable time keeping machines a good business. When time pieces were available to wear on one’s arm, and adjective had to be added to the older type.

≈ Side Show Stories   

BRISBANE, Australia - An Australian homeowner said workmen mistakenly began digging a swimming pool in his garden and fled once they discovered the $17,700 mistake. Peter

Collard of Brisbane, who is trying to sell the house, said he received a call from his real estate agent saying he should rush home because two men were digging in his yard, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday. "The first I heard of it was when my agent rang me and said: 'There's someone digging your yard up. You'd better rush home,'" Collard said. "I rushed home to find this huge mess and about $20,000 (U.S. $17,700) worth of damage." "These guys obviously knew there was something up and took off," he said. Susan Grantham of Queensland state police said the men loaded their backhoe onto a dump truck and left the scene without explanation. "They just picked everything up and were gone," she said. Collard said his insurance is not covering the damage and appealed to neighbors to come forward if they recently arranged to have a pool dug in their yards.

≈ Calendar Information

• Observance Weeks in May•

6-12

National Nurses Day and Week

8-16

National Tourism Week

9-15

National Nursing Home Week

National Police Week

National Return To Work Week

National Women's Health Week

Reading is Fun Week

Salute to Moms 35+ Week

10-16

National Etiquette Week

Salvation Army Week

Universal Family Week

Children's Book Week

National Stuttering Awareness Week

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Clean Up Your Room Day

Lupus Day

Windmill Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Hong Kong : Tin Hau's Day: Patron Saint of fishermen

North & South Carolina : Confederate Memorial Day (1868)

Thailand : Ploughing Ceremony

Federated States of Micronesia: Constitution Day

• Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1951 ►How High the Moon; Les Paul & Mary Ford

1961 ►Runaway; Del Shannon

1971 ►Joy to the World; Three Dog Night

1981 ►Bette Davis Eyes; Kim Carnes

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1824 ►The National Gallery in London opens to the public.

In Athletics

1997 ►Chicago Cubs turn baseballs 68th triple play (vs San Fransisco Giants)

In Business or Education

1869 ►Golden Spike driven, completes Promontory Point UT-Transcontinental RR

In Politics

1775 ►Green Mountain Boys capture Fort Ticonderoga NY-American Revolution

1832 ►Settlers start construction of what is called Fort Blue Mounds, near modern Madison, Wisconsin, the fort is built to protect the settlers from attacks by the Winnebagos.
1864 ►Cherokee Stand Watie is promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the Confederate army. He is the first Indian to reach that rank. He will also be the last Confederate General to surrender at the end of the Civil War.

1924 ►J Edgar Hoover appointed head of the FBI

1941 ►Adolf Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to broker a peace deal with UK and Germany. Fails

1998 ►Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and other members of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the republican IRA, vote to accept the Good Friday peace agreement.

In Science/ Religion

1752 ►Benjamin Franklins 1st tests the lightning rod

1930 ►The Adler Planetarium opened to the public in Chicago, IL.

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

David O Selznick, 1902, Pittsburgh PA, producer (Gone With the Wind)

Athletes

Ken (Allen Kent) Berry, 1941, baseball: White Sox [all-star: 1967], Angels, Brewers, Indians

Ara Raoul Parseghian, 87, former football coach and sportscaster

Pat Summerall, 1930, football: New York Giants kicker; TV sportscaster

Entertainers

Fred Astaire (Austerlitz) ,1899, dancer, actor

Bono Vox [Paul Hauson], 50, singer (U2), humanitarian activist, Dublin Ireland Mother Maybelle Carter (Addington), 1909, musician

Fats Domino, 81, rocker (Blueberry Hill)

Donovan (Leitch), 64, singer: Mellow Yellow, Sunshine Superman

Gary Owens, 74, Radio Hall of Famer; TV announcer, actor: Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in

Nancy Walker (Ann Myrtle Swoyer), 1921, Philadelphia PA, Bounty ads/actress (Rhoda, McMillan & Wife)

Business, Education Leaders

Montgomery Blair, 1813, Franklin County KY, lawyer (Dred Scot v Sandford)

Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, 1850, Glasgow Scotland, yachtsman/tea magnate (Lipton Tea)

Political Leaders

John Wilkes Booth, 1838, assassin of Abraham Lincoln

Scientists /Religious Leaders

J.D. Bernal, 1901, British crystallographer

• Today’s Obits •

Joan Crawford, 1977, actress, pancreatic cancer @ 69

John Wesley Hyatt, 1920, inventor/plastics pioneer, @ 83

Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, 1863, Confederate General (Civil War), wounds received at Chancellorsville @ 39

Paul Revere, 1818, American patriot, @ 84

Joanie Weston, 1997, roller derby queen (Bay Bombers), brain disease @ 61

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle   

1. real butter

2. tap water

3. pocket watch

  ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ 

Mother's Day 5-9

≈Week 20 of 2010: 129 days this year… 236 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About 

May those who love us, love us. And those who hate us, may God turn their hearts. And if he doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.

~ Celtic Proverb

≈ Random Fact    

The Highland Games ‘caber’ is usually made from a cypress tree.

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1965 ► Vladimir Horowitz played his first public concert in 12 years at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The audience applauded the piano virtuoso with a standing ovation that lasted for 30 minutes.

≈ Free Ramblings    

Today was the Prescott Highland Games. I left about 5:30am and got home about 8:00pm. It was a great day of music, games, and beautiful weather. Martha, her friend Irene, and I traveled there. Southwest Skye Pipe and Drums were the host band. This is my fourth games with Martha and the band. I’m getting to know them much better. Their progress over the past two years has been nothing short of amazing. They have always been a good band. Their professionalism as a band has grown so much. I think the really amazing thing, besides a 19 year old pipe major, is that they always have fun. That fun is contagious and the audience really enjoys it. I watched a sheep dog herd sheep and make them go where the master wanted them to go. Those familiar with sheep know this is not easy. Then I watched a sheep dog herd ducks. Obviously there aren’t a lot of calls for duck herders. It is an interesting activity to watch—even though a little frivolous. I also watched some caber throwers—men and women. Throwing a tree so that it lands in a specific direction is not easy and not for the physically weak. Still, after reading the scoring process, this sport is much more than tossing a tree. I always find athletic competition interesting. Sometimes it’s the action, sometimes it’s the skill, and sometimes it is the rules. Caber throwing is certainly the scoring rules. Pick up a 15’-25’ tree by the narrow end, throw it so that the largest end is closest to you, and pointing to the 6:00 clock position from where you are standing. The closer the tree is to that position, the more points. Anyway, the day was a great break from Flagstaff.

We were in the mid-80’s down there with a cooling breeze. It was a sun block day for sure. Flagstaff must have been nice too with a high of 71° and only 20mph gusts.

≈ A Quick Smile…    

A Scotsman was invited for a visit to the home of his Canadian friend. Soon after the Scotsman arrived, he glanced out the window to see a huge beast just outside. He pointed, and asked his Canadian friend, "Och, lad, what's that?"

The Canadian replied, "Oh, that's a moose."

The Scotsman stared in disbelief, and replied, "That's a moose?! Well, how big are yer cats around here?"

≈ Puzzle    

Retronyms are terms renamed after something similar but newer has come into being. For example AM radio was just called ‘radio’ before the introduction of FM radio.

1. When a new brand of soda was released, the original needed to add an adj to reassure soda drinkers that the original was still available.

2. As car engines became more powerful and complex, new fuels began to sell. The original fuel had to add an adj so consumers with older cars could easily identify their fuel.

3. When new gear boxes were available on vehicles, the original needed to be differentiated from the newer ‘automatic.’

≈ Side Show Stories    

Ashville, NC: SWANNANOA — A Celtic church? In Swannanoa? It's got to be some sort of New Age, pagan place, right? Wrong.

St. Andrews Celtic Church is much more of an age-old church, a church that traces its history back to AD 36, when the Apostle Phillip and others landed in what is now France. By the following year, this original strain of Christianity had arrived in the British Isles, and spread among the Celts.

The prayers and creed used in the service predate the Council of Nicea, held in AD 325, and have an ancient flavor that is not found in many other churches. St. Andrews is one of only three related Celtic Churches in the U.S. The others are in New York state and Texas.

So — a Celtic Church in Swannanoa? Sure, but it's not some sort of off-the-wall religion, it's Christianity boiled down to its basics: love, compassion, community and Christ.

≈ Calendar Information    

• Observance Weeks in May•

2-8

Be Kind To Animals Week

National Correctional Officer's Week

Children's Mental Health Week

Drinking Water Week

Flexible Work Arrangement Week

Kids Win Week

3-9

Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week

Intimate Apparel Market Week

Work At Home Moms Week

6-12

National Nurses Day and Week

8-16

National Tourism Week

9-15

National Nursing Home Week

National Police Week

National Return To Work Week

National Women's Health Week

Reading is Fun Week

Salute to Moms 35+ Week

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Mother's Day

Mothers At The Wall Day: Special Mother’s Day Ceremony at Viet Nam Wall

Rural Life Sunday Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Channel Island : Liberation Day

Poland, USSR : Victory Day [in World War II]

• Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1940 ►Tuxedo Junction; Glenn Miller

1950 ►'The Third Man' Theme; Anton Karas

1960 ►Stuck on You; Elvis Presley

1970 ►American Woman/No Sugar Tonight; The Guess Who

1980 ►Call Me; Blondie

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1754 ►1st newspaper cartoon in America-divided snake "Join or die"

1946 ►1st hour long entertainment TV show, "NBC's Hour Glass" premieres

1992 ►Final episode of "Golden Girls" airs on NBC-TV

In Athletics

1896 ►1st horseless carriage show in London (featured 10 models)

1932 ►Piccadilly Circus, 1st lit by electricity

In Business or Education

--

In Politics

1735 ►The first debate on "The Walking Purchase" takes place in Pennsbury. Thomas Penn and James Logan meet with DelawareChiefs, including Nutimus and Tedyuscung.

1944 ►Jimmie Davis becomes the Governor of Louisiana. He wrote the song "You Are My Sunshine."

1989 ►Vice President Dan Quayle says in United Negro College Fund speech: "What a waste it is to lose one's mind" instead of "a mind is terrible thing to waste"

1994 ►South Africa's newly elected parliament chose an Unopposed Nelson Mandela to be the country's first black president.

In Science/ Religion

1960 ►The Food and Drug Administration approved the first pill for contraceptive use in Birth Control , called Envoid.

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

Richard Adams, 90, author (Day Gone By)

Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1860, Scotland, novelist (Margaret Ogilvy, Peter Pan, The Little Minister)

Billy Joel, 61, singer, composer

Athletes

Dorothy Hyman, 69, England, sprinter (Olympics-silver-60)

Fred Markham, 53, 1st man to pedal a bike 65 mph

Entertainers

Candice Bergen, 64, actress

Albert Finney, 74, actor

Glenda Jackson, 73, actress

Business, Education Leaders

Henry J. (John) Kaiser, 1882, industrialist: ship builder; auto manufacturer: Jeep; aviation, aluminum, steel, magnesium; founder of Hawaii Kai residential neighborhood in Honolulu

Mike Wallace, 92, television journalist

Political Leaders

John Brown, 1800, abolitionist; led attack on Harpers Ferry

Scientists /Religious Leaders

--

• Today’s Obits •

Joseph Mallaby Dent, 1926, publisher, @ 77

Harold Gray, 1968, US comic strip artist (Little Orphan Annie), @ 74

Marion Lorne, 1968, actress (Aunt Clara-Bewitched), @ 81

A[lbert] A[braham] Michelson, 1931, US physicist (1907 Nobel), @ 78

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle    

1. classic coke

2. regular gasoline

3. manual transmission

   ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈  

Sat 5-8

≈Week 19 of 2010: 128 days this year… 237 days remain≈

≈ Something To Think About 

Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty.

~ Jacob Bronowski

≈ Random Fact   

A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!

• Holy Mackerel: On this day in

≈ Free Ramblings   

Note to self: When there are 50+mph winds, forget trying to weld a tank in the middle of a forested area. As simple as that sounds, this is what caused the 500+ acre wild fire just north of Flagstaff. The wind has died down and it looks like the fire that never should have occurred is now under control. Hundreds of people were needlessly frightened. Many forest creatures died. Thousands of dollars in resources were used. Luckily no humans were injured, no houses were lost. Coconino County First Responders, just like those in NYC, prevented what have could have been devastating. We sure dodged the bullet on this fire. It sure seems to me that those attending welding school would be taught that all those flying sparks that require the welder to wear protective gear, including that dark glass hood, would be told straight out that those sparks can easily cause a fire. But then, I am a teacher, and haven’t been told why it was necessary to forgo safety to fix a tank at that moment.

Our retirement group spent the afternoon in Williams. Cheryl’s birthday is tomorrow so Mary and I took her out to lunch. Williams, at least downtown, is like walking back in time. A nice walk but don’t think I could live there. Main Street still has angle-in parking combined with parallel parking. Main Street is made up of a slew of home style restaurants, a few local car and farm equipment shops, and more trinket shops than any three towns need. Williams is proud that they were the last town in America to be connected to the Interstate—after all, the two lane Route 66 had always been good enough for everyone. I must say, traveling back to that time is enjoyable. As we had our lunch in a nice little restaurant decorated with various sized fancy plates all over the walls, we could also watch people walk by. People would stop and talk to their neighbor right on Main Street. Some would stand next to a vehicle and talk endlessly with the driver sitting in the vehicle at the angle in parking. One lady was sitting on a cement wall across Main Street with a schnauzer on a leash. Cheryl has a schnauzer, and commented to Mary and I how cute the dog was. Suddenly we were in a conversation with the lady. We were across the street and not talking that loudly! She didn’t know us, but smiled and started talking about how rambunctious he could be. As we walked along Main Street, it was really like a movie set without cameras. Opie and Sheriff Taylor could have walked around any corner with their fishing poles and never received a second look. On the other hand, a bell could have rung from somewhere and all the residents could have started walking zombie like toward the edge of town. Away from Main Street, the town is much more modern—like the late 80’s. Cheryl likes the town, but admits she only goes to Main Street when visitors come. As we returned to Flagstaff, our little mountain town seems like a huge Metropolis. Williams was incorporated in 1901, is about 40 sq miles, and has about 3800 people. Flagstaff was incorporated in 1894, is about 60 sq miles, and has about 63,000 people. It is good to visit a real small town, especially when you and all your friends think you live in a small town. Tuba City is about 10 sq miles and has a population of about 9500 people.

It was much less windy today—15mph wind with gusts to 30mph. We climbed to 69° and while I spent the afternoon in Williams, Flag was really nice this morning. Fortunately for us, the smoke from the nearby fire hasn’t settled into our low lying areas. I guess there is some barrier that is keeping the smoke away. That’s fine with me.

≈ A Quick Smile…   

A crew of highway maintenance workers were sent to repair some road signs that vandals had knocked down in a forested area. The first one they put back up was a symbol warning of a deer crossing.

As they moved down the road to repair the next sign, one member, of the crew looked back and spotted a deer running across the highway. She turned to a co-worker and said, "I wonder how long he's been waiting to cross?"

≈ Puzzle   

Retronyms are terms renamed after something similar but newer has come into being. For example AM radio was just called ‘radio’ before the introduction of FM radio. Identify these retronyms

1. A musical instrument where strings are plucked, an adjective had to be added when a similar instrument with solid state circuitry became popular

2. Used to tell time for centuries, an adjective had to be added when the hands were dropped and time was told only using numbers.

3. This cleanser was made at home for a long time. Then it was sold in cake form. When a liquid form of the cleanser became popular, a new adjective had to be added.

≈ Side Show Stories   

Bonita Springs, FL: 43-year-old Laslo Mujzer was charged with petty theft after a shopper at the Coastland Center mall reported him for allegedly taking change from an outdoor fountain.

The money in the fountain is intended for the Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, but apparently Laslo didn't have quite enough for his morning latte.

≈ Calendar Information   

• Observance Weeks in May•

1-7

Bread Pudding Recipe Exchange Week

2-8

Be Kind To Animals Week

National Correctional Officer's Week

Children's Mental Health Week

Drinking Water Week

Flexible Work Arrangement Week

Kids Win Week

3-9

Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week

Intimate Apparel Market Week

Work At Home Moms Week

6-12

National Nurses Day and Week

8-16

National Tourism Week

• Today’s Observances—US/UN/World •

Birthmother's Day

International Migratory Bird Day

Have A Coke Day

Letter Carrier's Food Drive Day

Missouri : Harry S Truman's Birthday (1884)

Mother Ocean Day

National Babysitter's Day

National Miniature Golf Day

National Train Day

No Socks Day

V E Day

World Red Cross Day

• Today’s Observances—by country •

Helston, England : Furry Day: Street Dancing Festival

México : Hidalgo Day

Norway : Liberation Day

Ribe, Denmark : Stork Day: Gifts from the stork are given to children—chocolate, fruits, pencils

• Today’s Number One Songs in…

For anyone interested, all these songs are available on iTunes.

1948 Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me) Peggy Lee

1958 All I Have to Do Is Dream The Everly Brothers

1968 Honey Bobby Goldsboro

1978 If I Can't Have You Yvonne Elliman

• Today’s Happenings•

In The Arts

1984 ►Joanie (Erin Moran) and Chachi (Scott Baio) got married on Happy Days!

In Athletics

1967 ►Muhammad Ali is indicted for refusing induction in US Army

1984 ►USSR announces it will not participate in Los Angeles Summer Olympics

In Business or Education

1886 ►Atlanta pharmacist (Jacob's Pharmacy) Dr John Styth Pemberton invents Coca Cola

1962 ►London trolley buses go out of service

In Politics

1792 ►US establishes military draft

1794 ►US Post Office established

1820 ►The Mi’kmaq Acadia First Nation reserve of Gold River is established in Nova Scotia.

1858 ►John Brown holds antislavery convention

In Science/ Religion

1944 ►1st eye bank opens (NYC)

1980 ►World Health Organization announced smallpox had been eradicated

• Today’s Births •

Artists, Writers, and Composers

David Attenborough, 84, author, naturalist (Life on Earth, Trials of Life)

Peter Benchley, 1940, New York NY, novelist (Jaws, The Deep)

Oscar Hammerstein, 1848, playwright, producer

Thomas Pynchon, 73, author (Vineland, V, Gravity’s Rainbow)

Sloan Wilson, 1920, novelist (Man in the Gray Flannel Suit)

Athletes

Sonny Liston, 1934, US heavyweight boxing champ

Entertainers

Melissa Gilbert, 46, actress (“Little House on the Prairie,” The Miracle Worker)

Louis Moreau Gottschalk, 1829, 1st internationally recognized US pianist

Enrique Iglesias, 35, singer

Ricky (Eric Hilliard) Nelson, 1940, actor: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

Don Rickles, 84, comedian, actor

Toni Tennille, 67, singer (Captain & Tennille)

Business, Education Leaders

Thomas Hancock, 1786, founded British rubber industry

Political Leaders

Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla, 1753, father of Mexican independence

Harry S Truman, 1884, Lamar MO, 33rd US President

Scientists /Religious Leaders

Fulton J Sheen, 1895, TV bishop

• Today’s Obits •

Gustave Flaubert, 1880, French writer (Salammbô; Madame Bovary), stroke @ 59

John Stuart Mill, 1873, great Empiricist philosopher, @ 66

Edmond O'Brien, 1985, actor (Sam Benedict), Alzheimer's @ 69

George Peppard, 1994, actor (Breakfast at Tiffanys, A-Team), dies at 65

≈ ANSWERS to puzzle   

1. Acoustic guitar Before the invention of the solid-body electric guitar, all guitars amplified the sound of a plucked string with a resonating hollow body.

2. Analog (or analogue) watch Before the advent of the digital watch, all watches had faces and hands. After the advent of the digital watch, watches with faces and hands became known as analog watches.

3. Bar soap The common cake of soap used in the tub or shower was familiarly called "soap" or "bath soap"; the term "bar soap" arose with the advent of soaps in liquid and gel form.

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