Monday 6-28

This is Week 26 of 2010, Day 178 with 186 days left. It is Day 70 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

Fire Update: Low winds increased the containment to 55% today. Still burning. We are not getting the massive smoke anymore.

I made the final payment for my trip today. Now just have to get a flight to LAX and wait for September. I know it’s going to be a great trip. So excited. Guess I’ll start looking for local English papers on line to the places I’m going.

I did watch the Mexico/Argentina Soccer match. Argentina was amazing. Alas, Mexico lost badly, just like four years ago. USA lost to Ghana four years ago too. I haven’t figured out why all the teams in each bracket always play the same teams every four years in the World Cup but getting to the World Cup is almost as complicated as the game itself.

I set up my hummingbird feeders today and am hoping some will find their new food source. I know there are hummingbirds in Flagstaff, but they just never seem to find my deck. My deck is so nice as a place to relax. It always has a slight breeze. I spent much of the afternoon out there, just enjoying a nice Flagstaff summer. I enjoy days like this once in a while, where I have no cares, and can just enjoy the day.

We made it to 88°, but only had 11% humidity. The NWS says we had 22mph gusts, but I sure didn’t see or feel them.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1952 ►Police struck at the heart of the resistance to segregation by jailing the leaders of the movement for crossing forbidden race barriers the leaders included Nelson Mandela

My Quote For The Day

Joseph Campbell: “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

Somewhat Useless Information

Chase Field in Phoenix opened on March 31, 1998. Architects eliminated the threat of having fans sit for over three hours in Arizona's hot summer sun by designing a retractable roof over the entire stadium. The roof weighs over nine million pounds and takes just over four minutes to open or close.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

Can you decipher the following common phrase? L8AAAAPORVERYTANTD8

Unusual News Item

EVERETT, WA - Washington State authorities said a man who claimed car thieves stole his $33,000 silk necktie collection has been charged with insurance fraud. The Washington Insurance Commissioner's office said Carlton Wopperer, 49, is facing two counts of insurance fraud in Snohomish County Superior Court after he allegedly claimed three times a collection of 212 ties had been stolen from his vehicle, the Seattle Times reported Thursday. Wopperer received $16,900 from his insurance company in 2000 when he reported the theft of 212 ties, and received $33,370 in January 2009 when he claimed a collection of the same size had been taken from his vehicle. However, after submitting a claim six months later claiming the ties he purchased as replacements were stolen, investigators determined he had been buying ties and immediately returning them so he would have receipts to back up his theft claims. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler described the case as classic insurance fraud.

A Little Laff

While shopping in a food store, two nuns happened to pass by the beer cooler. One nun said to the other, "Wouldn't a nice cool beer or two taste wonderful on a hot summer evening?"

The second nun answered "Indeed it would Sister, but I wouldn't feel comfortable buying beer as I am certain that it would cause a scene at the check-out counter."

"I can handle that without a problem" she replied as she picked up a six-pack and headed for the check-out.

The cashier had a surprised look on his face when the two nuns arrived with a six-pack of beer. "We use beer for washing our hair" the nun said, "A shampoo, of sorts, if you will."

Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter, pulled out a package of pretzel sticks and placed them in the bag with the beer. He then looked the nun straight in the eye, smiled and said, "The curlers are on the house.."

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

I have hands that wave at you, though I never say goodbye.

It's cool for you to be with me, especially when I say, "HI."

What am I?

My You Tube Site of the Day

Quick view of Rubens’ paintings: Click Here!

Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

Get a grip.

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

28 -7/5: Fish Are Friends, Not Food! Week AND National Prevention of Eye Injuries Awareness

► Today’s Observances ◄

Paul Bunyan Day

Please Take My Children To Work Day

Malta : Mnarja Day-recreate customs of Middle Ages

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

The Gypsy The Ink Spots in 1946

The Wayward Wind Gogi Grant in 1956

Strangers in the Night Frank Sinatra in 1966

Silly Love Songs Paul McCartney & Wings in 1976

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Peter Paul Rubens, 1577, Siegen, Flemish Baroque painter, born in Siegen, Westphalia region of Germany

Richard Rodgers, 1902, composer (Rodgers & Hammerstein) , born in Hammels Station NY

+++

Kathy Bates, 62, actress (Oscar for Misery; Failure to Launch, Fried Green Tomatoes), born Memphis, TN

Mel Brooks, 82, actor, director (The Producers, Blazing Saddles), born Melvyn Kaminsky at New York, NY

John Cusack, 44, actor (High Fidelity, Say Anything, The Grifters, Bullets over Broadway), born Chicago, IL

Carl Levin, 76, US Senator (D, Michigan), born Detroit, MI

Gilda Radner, 1946, comedienne (SNL-Baba Wawa) , born in Detroit, MI

…Athletics

John Albert Elway, 50, Bronco Quarterback, born Port Angeles, WA

…Business & Education

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1712, French philosopher, born in Geneva, Switzerland

…Politics

Henry VIII, King of England, 1491, born in Greenwich Palace

…Science / Religion

Maria Goeppert Mayer, 1906, US atomic physicist (Nobel 1963) , born in Kattowitz, Upper Silesia (now Germany)

John Wesley ,1703, religious leader: founder of ‘Methodism’, born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England

► Obituaries today ◄

James Madison 4th US pres, @ 85 in 1836

Maria Mitchell 1st US woman astronomer, @ 71 in 1889

Archduke Ferdinand @ 51 & wife Sofia @ 46 of Austria assassinated (starts WW I) in 1914

Frank Sutton actor (Sgt Carter-Gomer Pyle USMC), heart attack @ 55 in 1974

Rod Serling writer/host (Twilight Zone, Night Gallery), heart attack during open heart surgery @ 60 in 1975

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1940 ►"Quiz Kids?" premiers on radio

1951 ►"Amos 'n' Andy" premiers on CBS TV

…Athletics

1971 Supreme Court overturns draft evasion conviction of Muhammad Ali

1997 ►Mike Tyson was disqualified after biting off part of Evander Holyfield's ear

…Business & Education

1770 ►Quakers open a school for blacks in Philadelphia

1918 ►1st flight between Hawaiian Islands

…Politics (US)

1894 ►Labor Day established as a federal employees holiday

1976 ►Women entered the Air Force Academy for the first time on this day

…Politics (outside US)

1919 ►Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles with the Allies, officially ending World War I.

…Science / Religion

1820 ►Tomato is proven nonpoisonous

Grey Matter Answers

…1

Late for a very important date! L8 A A A A VERY IN PORTANT D8

…2

An electric fan

Grey Matter Photo

door handle
Today’s Photo Shot

Borneo:

     ~~~~~     ~~~~~    

Sunday 6-27

This is Week 26 of 2010, Day 178 with 187 days left. It is Day 69 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

Fire Update: Over 900 firefighters are still at our fire. It has destroyed 15,000 acres of forest land. It continues to creep—their word—around the sacred peaks. Humidity rose to 28% in that area—though Flagstaff proper is 12%. The fire did get some moisture—only 0.007”, but every little bit helps. Right now the fire is in very rough terrain from 7000’-10050’. The Forest Service expects full containment on 2Jul. That is almost 2 weeks after hundreds had to be evacuated. The cost of the fire has risen to almost $6mil. There are at least 12 agencies fighting this fire—including the BIA. I know the Bureau has hot-shot teams around the country and I’m sure that’s who is there. All of this because of one unattended campfire in the forest. I sure hope they find those campers. One local brewery stepped up the reward by offering ‘free beer for life*’ to the person who identifies the idiot(s) that did this. [* They say restrictions apply. Several people are complaining that this is not an appropriate reward, no matter what the restrictions. Probably not, but if this finds the jerk(s), I’m fine with it.] The smoke in my area is almost gone. Our next big concern will be the 4th. Our non-elected Governor signed a bill that allows sparklers in AZ. Of course, with the forest closed, the forest is safer, but our bone dry area does not need sparklers or any fireworks to enjoy our country’s birthday. My area is full of kids, full of dry pine trees, and has a nice layer of dried pine needles throughout the complex. In my youth, in suburban Denver, we always had a 4th of July picnic in our backyard and we had sparklers, worms, and other fireworks after dark. Our area was green, with no dry trees. We stopped doing it when the American Legion did a huge fireworks display and program on a nearby college football field. We still did worms during the day and a few sparklers when we got home. Again, we were in a suburban area that was NOT dry. Dear Governor, we don’t need any more forest fires in our state. Too many people in our state—residents or visitors—are not very careful with fire. Why would you make it legal to burn down forests or towns to celebrate?

Our non-elected Governor was in the news with her ‘facts’ about immigration again today. According to her, most of the illegals coming to AZ are coming here to traffic drugs. She seems to be the only one on the planet that has the statistics she quoted, and she isn’t giving up her source. She belongs on FauxNews or a BP spokesman. Today a ‘reporter’ hired by BP did a one hour documentary of the Gulf. He flew over the area in a helicopter and never mentioned the devastation of the spill on the animals, the fishermen, the water life, or the shoreline. He babbled about how the oil industry is good for the Gulf and good for America.
The World Cup is over for the USA, falling to Ghana--just like four years ago. That doesn't mean the Cup is over. Lots of good games remain. The more I watch soccer, the more I wish America would get into the game. It is complicated, you need to be a good athlete to participate at this level, and it has fan support that surpasses any American sport. From what I have seen, that's our loss.

Great weather day today: 82° on the deck, a little breeze to keep the air moving, lots of birds stopped by for a few bites and a quick bath. They seem to have settled down a little since the fire began.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1990 ►Salman Rushdie, condemned to death by Iran, contributes $8600 to help their earthquake victims

My Quote For The Day

Sophocles: Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness

Somewhat Useless Information

The largest toy distributor in the world is McDonald's.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

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. Flat - Pump

2. Feather - Crate

3. Bet - Stop

4. Ear - Trip

5. Lopes – Shills

HINT: 1. Overweight; 2. Produce; 3. Ranking; 4. Pull apart; 5. Mounds

Unusual News Item

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL - A Florida woman accused of starting an office fire to get sent home early with pay pleaded guilty to criminal mischief. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said Michelle Perrino, 40, drew suspicion during a meeting of Bayonet Point Oxygen employees when she mentioned the May 12, 2009, fire had started in a filing cabinet before workers had been informed of the fire's origins, the St. Petersburg Times reported Thursday. Investigators said a friend of Perrino told them she had admitted to tripping the main circuit breaker and adjusting phones to block incoming calls in bids to go home early without sacrificing the day's pay. Perrino was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of probation. She was also ordered to pay Bayonet Point Oxygen $4,800 in restitution and banned from contacting the company or its employees.

A Little Laff

A cowboy and his wife had just got married and found a nice hotel for their wedding night. The man approached the front desk and asked for a room.

He said, 'We're on our honeymoon and we need a nice room with a good strong bed. The clerk winked, 'You want the 'Bridal'?'

The cowboy reflected on this for a moment and then replied, “Nope, I reckon not. I'll just hold onto her hair and ears until she gets used to it.”

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

What is it that, after you take away the whole, some still remains?

My You Tube Site of the Day

A choir sounding like rain...interesting
Click Here!
Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

It is rugged.

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

24-27: Watermelon Seed Spitting Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

National Columnists Day

Decide To Be Married Day

"Happy Birthday To You" Day

National HIV Testing Day

America's Kids Day

Descendants Day

Brazil: Mixed Race Day

Germany: Seven Sleepers Day or Siebenschläfertag: If it rains today, the next seven weeks or the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy.

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

"El Capitan March": Sousa's Band in 1895 Click Here to Hear It!

"A Little Bit of Heaven ('Shure, They Call It Ireland')": George MacFarlane in 1915
Click Here to Hear It!

Sentimental Journey: Les Brown in 1945

Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White: Perez Prado in 1955

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch): The Four Tops in 1965

Love Will Keep Us Together: The Captain & Tennille in 1975

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

J.J. Abrams, 44, television executive (“Lost”), film director (Star Trek, Mission Impossible III), born New York, NY

Mildred J. Hill, 1859, teacher, musician, composer [lyrics by her younger sister Patty Smith Hill]: Happy Birthday to You, originally: Good Morning to All, born in Louisville, KY

+++

Julia Duffy, 59, actress (“Newhart,” “Designing Women”), born St. Paul, MN

Bob Keeshan, 1927, aka Capt Kangaroo/Clarabelle (Good Morning Captain), born in Lynbrook, NY

May Irwin, 1862, US comedienne/singer (A Hot Time in the Old Town) , born in Whitby, Ontario, Canada

Tobey Maguire, 35, actor (Spider-Man films, Seabiscuit, The Cider House Rules), born Santa Monica, CA

John McIntire, 1907, actor (Naked City, Wagon Train, Virginian) , born in Spokane WA

…Athletics

Svetlana Kuznetsova, 25, tennis player, born Leningrad, USSR

Willie Mosconi, 1913, world champion pool player, born in Haddon Heights, NJ

…Business & Education

Charles Bronfman, 79, billionaire industrialist: Seagrams, Montreal Expos, born in Montreal

Helen Keller, 1880, blind-deaf author/lecturer, born in Tuscumbia, AL

…Politics

Bruce Edward Babbitt, 72, Gov. and AG-AZ, Sec of Interior, born in Los Angeles, CA

Emma Goldman, 1869, anarchist/publisher (Mother Earth) , born in Kaunas, Lithuania

Charles Stewart Parnell, 1846, Irish Protestant nationalist, born in County Wicklow, Ireland

H. Ross Perot, 80, philanthropist, businessman, former presidential candidate, born Texarkana, TX

…Science / Religion

Manikkavacakar, 862AD, Hindu saint, born in Vadhavoor, India

Ted Haggard, 54, disgraced American evangelical preacher, born in Yorktown, IN

► Obituaries today ◄

James Smithson, his will established Smithsonian Institute @ 65 in 1829

Joseph Smith, Mormon leader killed by a mob in Carthage IL @ 39, in 1844

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1966 ►1st sci-fi soap opera, "Dark Shadows," premiers

…Athletics

1988 ►Mike Tyson KOs Michael Spink in 91 seconds

…Business & Education

1693 ►1st woman's magazine "The Ladies' Mercury" published (London)

1833 ►Prudence Crandall, a white woman, arrested for conducting an academy for black females at Canterbury, CN

1922 ►Newberry Medal 1st presented for kids literature (Hendrik Van Loon)
2003 ►Registration begins for the Do Not Call List

…Politics (US)

1955 ►1st automobile seat belt legislation enacted (IL)

1969 ►Police raid the Stonewall Gay Bar in Greenwich Village, NY, about 400 to 1,000 patrons riot against the police, it lasts 3 days

Politics (outside US)

1980 ►O Canada Canada's becomes national anthem

…Science / Religion

1915 ►100ø F (38ø C), Fort Yukon, Alaska (state record)

1954 ►1st atomic power station opens (Obninsk, near Moscow, Russia)

1976 ►The world’s first recorded Ebola virus epidemic begins in Sudan

Grey Matter Answers

…1

1. Fat - Plump

2. Father - Create

3. Best - Top

4. Tear - Rip

5. Slopes - Hills

…2

The word "wholesome."

Grey Matter Photo

hand sander

Today’s Photo Shot

Sandpainting

     ~~~~~     ~~~~~    

Saturday 6-26

This is Week 25 of 2010, Day 177 with 188 days left. It is Day 68 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

I had a very interesting lunch today. One of my former bosses—Beverly, and the Business Manager—Shirlene were in town and we met at Wildflower. I hadn’t seen Beverly since two years before I retired, and hadn’t seen Shirlene since I retired. Beverly has retired, unretired, retired, and unretired. She is just finishing a 8 month job at Flag Dorm. Shirlene says she’ll retire “next year.” I couldn’t believe that Shirlene now has 5 grandkids in Phx. Beverly has three great-grandkids. Both were doing fine. They still talk ‘work’talk. We didn’t talk about work, but almost everything is about scheduling stuff around work. It’s hard to explain to those who still work, but for all you retirees, understand what I mean. I must say both piled praises on my work for the work I did with them. For all the various details I had, Shirlene must have mentioned at least four times my short detail as ELO—Superintendent—about two years before I retired. For that short time, I was her boss, but she and Beverly were both very instrumental in all my details. I must say, I was very careful about what I said about everything. Not really sure why, but it was the way of BIA. So cool that Beverly tracked me down through some emails from a mutual e-mailer. I did learn that a former Sped coordinator, Cheryl Sparks, had passed last week. She had been in the Bureau for years, and retired a few years ago. She had many health problems even back when she was working. I also learned that Kevin is retiring ‘next year.’ He was my neighbor in TC and before that I worked with him for many, many years when he was the Principal at Richfield Dorm. He began his ‘climb’ when he was in TC. Now he is a big wig and oversees all the Bureau schools west of the Mississippi except Navajo. He’s a good guy who always put students first in every decision he made. From what I could tell, he still does. Both Beverly and Shirlene were pumping for information on what I do now that I am retired. Both seem to have a little trepidation about staying busy or something. Beverly attended an indigenous conference in Malaysia a few years ago. One of her friends is indigenous from Canada so the two of them did a presentation on indigenous life in North America today. She gave me some great information for my trip. I always get more excited when talking to someone who has been where I am going. Shirlene’s husband went to summer school in Scotland—St. Andrew’s—a few years back. He liked it as much as I did. They are planning to go, when Shirlene retires.

Fire Update: We made it through another day with no new fire. Fire now at almost 15,000 acres, red-flag warning was in effect, but does not seem to have worsened the fire. Navajo Medicine Men are having a prayer service in a couple of weeks at Tusayan. I hope to be able to make it. The sacred mountain has been violated and this will be the time to put things back in harmony.

Flagstaff was a little cooler today, only 86°. I awakened to a grey sky and feared the worst. Fortunately it was rain clouds and not more smoke. We had a breeze and the 31mph gusts were scary for the fire. The firefighters expected bigger winds and seem to have been very prepared for this day. Thanks again. Our humidity hit 26% today and we had very light rain for about 2 minutes. It was the kind with tiny raindrops that do little but spot your vehicle windows. I’m not complaining, any moisture is needed and appreciated.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 2000 ►At a press conference in London Scientists from the Sanger Centre hand over the gift of the human genome partially funded by the Wellcome Trust to the world with 85% of the code written in DNA accurately sequenced and put in its proper order

My Quote For The Day

Harold Evans (British Journalist): Propaganda is persuading people to make up their minds while withholding some of the facts from them.

Somewhat Useless Information

In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

Every nation do I know, / But so rarely do I go

Anywhere, / Sometimes people / Come and stare,

Touch me here, /And poke me there, / Spin me round,

Then leave me alone / When what they sought, / They have found.

What am I?

Unusual News Item

VICTORVILLE, CA — Two women have been arrested following a parents' brawl that interrupted a Southern California kindergarten graduation ceremony, authorities said.

School officials placed Puesta del Sol Elementary in the desert town of Victorville on lockdown Wednesday morning after a fight broke out among a group of parents.

The San Bernardino County sheriff's department says witnesses told deputies several mothers were involved in an argument and it got physical in a field near the ceremony. Several men then jumped into the fray and the incident turned into a brawl.

A deputy later arrested two people on suspicion of being a disruptive presence at a school. Witnesses said they were the main instigators. In all, 20 adults were identified in the brawl. A school district official said there could be more arrests. No injuries were reported.

Side note: This used to be the home of the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum. It recently closed after moving to Branson, MO six years ago. Happy Trails, Roy and Dale.

The lyrics: Click Here!

The song: Click Here!

A Little Laff

A college teacher reminds her class of tomorrow's final exam. 'Now class, I won't tolerate any excuses for you not being here tomorrow. I might consider a nuclear attack or a serious personal injury, illness, or a death in your immediate family, but that's it, no other excuses whatsoever!' A smart-ass student in the back of the room raised his hand and asked, 'What would you say if tomorrow I said I was suffering from complete and utter sexual exhaustion?' The entire class is reduced to laughter and snickering. When silence was restored, the teacher smiled knowingly at the student, shook her head and sweetly said, 'Well, I guess you'd have to write the exam with your other hand.'

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

I fly, yet I have no wings. I cry, yet I have no eyes. Darkness follows me; lower light I never see.

My You Tube Site of the Day

The London Science Museum: Click Here!

Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

Left Over

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

20-26: Carpenter Ant Awareness Week and National Mosquito Control Awareness Week

24-27: Watermelon Seed Spitting Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

National Chocolate Pudding Day

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

ARRL (American Radio Relay League) Field Day—Ham Radio

Malagasy Republic & British Somaliland : Independence Day (1960)

Romania: Flag Day

Thailand: Sunthorn Phu Day (for poet born in 1736)

United Kingdom: Armed Forces Day, formerly Veterans' Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

I'll Be Seeing You: Bing Crosby in 1944

The Wayward Wind: Gogi Grant in 1956

A World Without Love: Peter & Gordon in 1964 Here it--Click Here!

Sundown: Gordon Lightfoot in 1974 Hear It, Click Here!

The Reflex: Duran Duran in 1984

► Born today ◄

The Arts

Pearl S Buck, 1892, author (Good Earth-Nobel 1938) , born in Hillsboro, West Virginia

Sidney (Coe) Howard, 1891, playwright: screen play: Gone with the Wind, born in Oakland, CA

Charlotte Zolotow, 95, author (The Moon Was the Best, Peter and the Pigeons), born Norfolk, VA

+++

Sean P. Hayes, 40, actor (“Will & Grace”), born Glen Ellyn, IL

Chris Isaak, 54, singer, musician, actor (“The Chris Isaak Show”), born Stockton, CA

Peter Lorre, 1904, actor (M, Casablanca, Beast with 5 Fingers) , born in Rózsahegy, Hungary

Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, 1933, Calif, actor (Happy Days, Karate Kid) , born in Isleton, California, had polio and lived in Internment camp during WWII

Chris O’Donnell, 40, actor (Scent of a Woman), born Winnetka, IL

…Athletics

Abner Doubleday, 1819, credited with inventing American baseball, born in Ballston Spa, NY

Derek Jeter, 36, baseball player, born Pequannock, NJ

Greg LeMond, 49, former cyclist, born Lakewood, CA

Babe (Mildred) Didrikson Zaharias, 1911,“The outstanding female athlete of the first half-century.” , born in Port Arthur, TX

…Business & Education

Colonel Tom Parker (Andreas van Kuijk), 1909, carnival barker, show business promoter: manager of Elvis Presley, born in Breda, Noord-Brabant,Netherlands

…Politics

Richard Neustadt, 1919, American political historian, born in Philadelphia

Violette Szabo, 1921, French WWII secret agent, born in Paris, France

…Science / Religion

Roy Plunkett, 1910, scientist: discovered polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as Teflon, born in New Carlisle, Ohio

► Obituaries today ◄

Roy Campanella, American baseball player @ 72 in 1993

Liz Claiborne, Belgian-born American fashion designer @ 78 in 2007

Strom Thurmond, U.S. Senator @ 101 in 2003

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1909 ►The Science Museum in London comes into existence as an independent entity.

…Athletics

1979 ►Muhammad Ali, one of the most famous fighters in history, retired from boxing

…Business & Education

1797 ►Charles Newbold patents 1st cast-iron plow

…Politics (US)

1827►After hearing of the false rumor of the release of 2 WINNEBAGO murder suspects to the CHIPPEWAs by whites, WINNEBAGO Chief Red Bird is ordered to fight by the tribal elders.

1919 ►1st issue of NY Daily News published

1934 ►W E B Du Bois resigns position at NAACP

1945 ►Delegates from 50 nations sign the United Nations Charter

1956 ►Congress passes the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act for the construction of 41,000 miles of Interstate Highways over a 20-year period

1975 ►Two FBI agents and a member of the American Indian Movement are killed in a shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota; Leonard Peltier is later convicted of the murders in a controversial trial.

…Politics (outside US)

1284 ►The Pied Piper exacted his revenge upon the German town of Hamelin

1848 ►1st pure food law enacted in US

1959 ►Queen Elizabeth & Pres Eisenhower open the St Lawrence Seaway

1963 ►Kennedy visits W Berlin "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner)

1978 ►Brittany separatists bomb Palace of Versailles in France

…Science / Religion

1900 ►Dr Walter Reed begins research that beats Yellow Fever

1990 ►The Arizona Republic reported it was 122 degrees in Phoenix, hot enough to cancel some flights at the airport

Grey Matter Answers

…1

A globe

…2

A cloud

Grey Matter Photo

wood chips

Today’s Photo Shot

Richard Garnet Millar, one of the guides in South Africa posted this picture of a dung beetle. Great Photographer.

   ~~~~~     ~~~~~    

Friday 6-25

This is Week 25 of 2010, Day 176 with 189 days left. It is Day 67 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

Fire Update: I was eating lunch with our retirement group when I noticed a new huge plume of smoke coming from our fire. Checked on my phone and quickly found it was a planned back burn. Sure glad the internet is always there. The fire is now at 14,300 acres of old forest, it is 40% contained, and the cost of fighting the fire is approaching $3 million. That doesn’t include the cost of lost tourism, lost business, or residents who moved to motels during the evacuation. I talked to my evacuated friends and they are home and doing fine. They stayed at a local motel, since it gave them handicapped access and a big bed. Maggie is doing well from her heart surgery but the handicapped access made it easier for her to get to the room, and to shower. Turns out that this was not their first evacuation from their various homes. They had to evacuate when in OK when it was feared a dam would break, again in CA for a fire, and once in Canada following a big rainstorm. I have never had to evacuate myself, but did have to evacuate a dorm one night when a flood was possible in Tuba. Evacuations are not a walk in the park—even with a plan. I’m glad everything has gone so well.

Cheryl is busy getting ready for her Alaskan cruise. So cool to take her two oldest grandkids on their first cruise. Sure hope she has a great time. Mary is heading for a memorial service for one of her husband’s closest friends. Then they are off to the Oregon coast for a family reunion. Mary went to catholic school K-12 with a close knit group of friends. They will also be having a 50 year reunion for graduation from one of the schools—Jr. High, I think. She has tracked down a bunch of the people, which is no easy task, and the reunion should be interesting to say the least.

A reminder about Obama’s moratorium on oil drilling in the Gulf. There are 3600 wells in the Gulf that are currently supplying oil to our country. The moratorium is only for 32 deep water drilling operations in the gulf. These are the home of future oil wells. Right now, they are just being drilled. The disaster has to do with drilling, not pumping oil. All the current drilling is being done by various companies. These drillers admitted to congress that the entire industry does have a boiler plate plan to deal with a drilling disaster. All the plans talk about how to deal with the walrus. Obama is not against oil wells. In fact, he isn’t even against drilling for oil. He simply is stopping all deep water drilling at only 32 sites until their safety procedures can be reviewed and problems fixed, a six month process. This is why the cost of gasoline hasn’t skyrocketed since the spill. Nothing has happened to the producing wells. So the judge that stopped the moratorium, the politicians who are cheering that the moratorium has ended, the media that shows all the stories of empty docks, stalled rigs, and workers are talking about 32 drilling operations. All those drilling operations use basically the same safety procedures. What will happen if the drilling continues and a couple more fail like the one everyone is dealing with right now?

We had a scorcher today. My deck showed 93° this afternoon. The NWS says we are at 10% humidity. Like they say, “It’s a dry heat.” The sky would have been a deep blue all day, had it not been for the huge plume of smoke on the NW quadrant of the sky. We sure need the monsoon.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1938 ►Problems with Native American Indian Businesses using The Swastika which is an Indian symbol of good luck and predates the modern world including the use of the swastika buy the Nazi Party in Germany is causing those Indian businesses to stop displaying the sign due to people believing it stands for the Nazis.

My Quote For The Day

Lord Chesterfield: Arbitrary power has seldom...been introduced in any country at once. It must be introduced by slow degrees, and as it were step by step.

Somewhat Useless Information

A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

What is unusual about this following long sentence?

Dennis, Nell, Edna, Leon, Nedra, Anita, Rolf, Nora, Alice, Carol, Leo, Jane, Reed, Dena, Dale, Basil, Rae, Penny, Lana, Dave, Denny, Lena, Ida, Bernadette, Ben, Ray, Lila, Nina, Jo, Ira, Mara, Sara, Mario, Jan, Ina, Lily, Arne, Bette, Dan, Reba, Diane, Lynn, Ed, Eva, Dana, Lynne, Pearl, Isabel, Ada, Ned, Dee, Rena, Joel, Lora, Cecil, Aaron, Flora, Tina, Arden, Noel and Ellen sinned.

Unusual News Item

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A South Carolina town is considering a measure that would add singing, whistling and hollering to a law banning annoying sounds on public streets.

The Sullivan Island Town Council's proposed law, which may be ratified in July, would make it illegal to sing, yell, shout, whistle, hoot or holler on public streets if it is annoying nearby people, particularly between the hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C., reported. Town Administrator Andy Benke said the wording of the proposed law came from an ordinance in North Charleston, S.C. The town code already bans crying, calling, shouting and using musical instruments if they are deemed annoying by people nearby.

A Little Laff

As we get older we sometimes begin to doubt our ability to "make a difference" in the world. It is at these times that our hopes are boosted by the remarkable achievements of other "seniors" who have found the courage to take on challenges that would make many many of us wither.

Harold Schlumberg is such a person, read his story: I've often been asked, "What do you old folks do now that you're retired? Well...I'm fortunate to have a chemical engineering background, and one of the things I enjoy most is turning beer, wine, and margaritas into urine."

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

As a whole, I am both safe and secure.

Behead me, and I become a place of meeting.

Behead me again, and I am the partner of ready.

Restore me, and I become the domain of beasts.

What am I?

My You Tube Site of the Day

It’s Log Cabin Day. Here are some authentic old cabins Click Here!

Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

Use this to make things smooth.

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

20-26: Carpenter Ant Awareness Week and National Mosquito Control Awareness Week

24-27: Watermelon Seed Spitting Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Log Cabin Day

National Catfish Day

Take Your Dog To Work Day

Gibraltar : Spring Bank Holiday

Mozambique : Independence Day (1975 from Portugal)

Virginia : Ratification Day (1788)

Philippines: Arbor Day

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Taking a Chance on Love Benny Goodman in 1943

The Song from Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart) Percy Faith in 1953

Sukiyaki Kyu Sakamoto in 1963

Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) George Harrison in 1973

Flashdance ... What a Feeling Irene Cara in 1983

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Robert Henri (Robert Henry Cozad ), 1865, US painter, leader of the Ashcan school (realistic portraits of poor NY neighborhoods), born in Cincinnati, OH

Rose O’Neill, 1874, illustrator, author, doll designer [Kewpie doll] , born in Wilkes-Barre, PA

George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair), 1903, satirist/author (Animal Farm, 1984), born in Motihari, Bihar, Bengal Presidency, British India

+++

Ricky Gervais, 49, actor, comedian (“The Office” [UK version]), born Reading, Berkshire, England

June Lockhart, 85, actress (“Lassie,” “Lost in Space”), born New York, NY

Sidney Lumet, 86, director (12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network), born Philadelphia, PA

George Michael, 47, singer (Wham!), born Radlett, England

Carly Simon, 65, singer (“You’re So Vain,” “Nobody Does It Better”), songwriter, born New York, NY

Jimmie Walker, 62, actor, comedian (“Good Times”), born New York, NY

…Athletics

Dikembe Mutombo, 44, basketball player, Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks, Rockets born Kinshasa, Zaire

…Business & Education

Lauren Bush, 26, American model & designer, born in Houston, TX

…Politics

Sonia Sotomayor, 56, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, born the Bronx, NY

…Science / Religion

J. Hans D. Jensen, 1907, German physicist, Nobel laureate, born in Hamburg Germany

► Obituaries today ◄

George Armstrong Custer, U.S. Army officer battlefield death @ 37 in 1876

Farrah Fawcett, American actress, cancer @ 62 in 2009

Michael Jackson, American singer, pop icon and humanitarian, OD @ 51 in 2009

Lester Maddox, American businessman, one-time segregationist and Governor of Georgia @ 88 in 2003

Stanford White, Architect, shot dead atop Madison Square Garden which he designed by Harry Thaw jealous husband of Evelyn Nesbit @ 53 in 1906

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1951 ►The first commercial color television show was transmitted by the Columbia Broadcasting System CBS

…Athletics

1983 ►Udo Beyer of East Germany sets record for shot put, 22.22 m

…Business & Education

1929 ►Pres Hoover authorizes building of Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam)

1947 ►The Diary of Anne Frank is published.

…Politics (US)

1844 ►John Tyler took Julia Gardiner as his bride, thus becoming the first U.S. President to marry while in office.

1876 ►Custer & 7th Cavalry wiped out by Sioux & Cheyenne at Little Big Horn

One side of the story: Click Here!

Another side of the story: Click Here!

1981 ►Supreme Court upholds male-only draft registration, constitutional

1989 ►1st US postmark dedicated to Lesbian & Gay Pride (Stonewall, NYC)

…Politics (outside US)

1943 ►Major General Dwight D. Eisenhower takes command as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe

…Science / Religion

1672 ►1st recorded monthly Quaker meeting in US held, Sandwich, Mass 1868 FL, AL, LA, GA, NC & SC readmitted to US

1953 ►86° F in Anchorage Alaska

1990 ►120° F in Phoenix Arizona

Grey Matter Answers

…1

It is one long palindrome! A palindrome is something that can be read the same backwards and forwards.

…2

A stable

Grey Matter Photo

a sander

Today’s Photo Shot

The Shultz fire is plaguing Flagstaff. Here is a quick timelapse of what happened.

Click Here!

     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     

Thursday 6-24

This is Week 25 of 2010, Day 175 with 190 days left. It is Day 66 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

Fire Update: The fire is a little over 14,000 acres. Residents have been allowed back to their homes. Wind gusts decreased today. Heat increased. Humidity dropped to 6%. No new fires. Mountain view for many is now a blackened mountain. Forest Service it will take over a century for the forest area to recover since Ponderosa is a slow growing tree. Many of the trees burned were probably 150+ years old. All this was lost in a couple of days because some careless human didn’t ensure that their campfire was dead out. That jerk is the last human on earth to see the beauty of the area. I sure hope they find the person and that s/he discovers the results of this carelessness. Maybe a century of community service in the forest will help. It’s been over 30 years since our last big fire near Flagstaff. That area is still very barren compared to what it was before the 70’s fire or compared to the unburned area.

Thank you, Mr. President for the swift action and leadership regarding General McChrystal. Even the far right Senators are on your side. A first for sure. I’m a little confused as to what actually happened. Obama accepted his resignation for the Afghanistan post. Is he still going to be a general somewhere else? Reading about his military career, I don’t see him at a desk job somewhere. He was a special ops soldier, right in the middle of the action—or creating the action. I have heard of and seen people mess up in their government job and then get reassigned. Others have messed up and left the government or taken retirement. I’m not familiar with the military resignation from an assignment. I can’t see him overseeing soldiers after this. I just wonder where he will land.

We made it to 88° on my deck. Water is quickly evaporating from my bird baths. There was a lot of early morning smoke in my area, but it dissipated by about 9am. There was little breeze so time on the deck was limited. It will be another couple of weeks before the our area is smoke free. The hardest part of this is knowing that our nearby forest continues to be destroyed.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1997 ►The United States Air Force released a report on the 1947 'Roswell Incident,' in which a flying disc had reportedly crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. The report, in response to witnesses that claimed to see the military recovering alien bodies, stated that the bodies were actually life-sized dummies.

My Quote For The Day

Thomas Dunfee, Professor of Wharton Business School: 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.

Somewhat Useless Information

Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous line in The Terminator 'I'll be back' was originally scripted as 'I'll come back'.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

Take away my first letter and I am a store.

Take away the second and people who look at me adore.

Put all my letters back and read me in reverse if you are able.

I am now cars suspended from an overhead cable.

Take a letter away and I become male sheep.

Did you get it, or did the letters you try to keep?

Unusual News Item

WAREHAM, MA - A Massachusetts man said he was raking his yard when he came across a long-sought item -- a wedding ring lost by a firefighter during a blaze 11 years ago. Bruce Treadwell of Wareham said he initially thought the ring he found recently was a toy, or belonged to a family member, but he soon remembered the years-long search for the wedding ring lost outside his home by Wareham Fire Chief Robert McDuffy, WHDH-TV, Boston, reported. "When I got on the phone with him he was so excited," Treadwell's wife, Judith, said of McDuffy. McDuffy said he and his wife of 25 years were delighted to have the ring back.

"Sure enough as soon as I got there, it was my ring," McDuffy said. "I was in disbelief because 10 years, it was in the ground." "We looked for it for years and years and years. I kept looking, every time I'd rake the lawn or mow the lawn, we kept looking for it," Bruce Treadwell said.

A Little Laff

Jacob, age 92, and Rebecca, age 89, are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding and on the way they pass a drugstore. Jacob suggests they go in. Jacob addresses the man behind the counter:

‘Are you the owner?’ The pharmacist answers yes.

Says Jacob: ‘We’re about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?’

Pharmacist: ‘Of course we do.’

Jacob: ‘How about medicine for circulation?’

Pharmacist: ‘All kinds.’

Jacob: ‘Medicine for rheumatism, scoliosis? ‘

Pharmacist: ‘Definitely.’

Jacob: ‘How about Viagra?’

Pharmacist: ‘Of course.’

Jacob: ‘Medicine for memory problems, arthritis, jaundice?’

Pharmacist: ‘Yes, a large variety. The works.’

Jacob: ‘What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for Parkinson’s disease?’

Pharmacist: ‘Absolutely.’

Jacob: ‘You sell wheelchairs and walkers?’

Pharmacist: ‘All speeds and sizes.’

Jacob says to the pharmacist: ‘We’d like to register here for our wedding gifts, please.

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

When I am filled, I can point the way;

When I am empty, Nothing moves me.

I have two skins, One without and one within.

What am I?

My You Tube Site of the Day

Clinton on UFO’s Click Here!

Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

It can turn off and on.

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

20-26: Carpenter Ant Awareness Week and National Mosquito Control Awareness Week

24-27: Watermelon Seed Spitting Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Museum Comes To Life Day

Celebration of the Senses

International Fairy Day

National Bomb Pop Day—the frozen summer treat

National Hand Shake Day

Europe : Midsummer Day

Peru : Countryman's Day/Day of the Indian/Dia del Indio

Scotland : Bannockburn Day (1314) Robert the Bruce defeats English—major turning point in independence for Scotland

Venezuala : Army Day/Carabobo Day (1821) Bolivar defeats Spanish for independence

Zaire : Constitution Day (1967)

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

Sleepy Lagoon: Harry James in 1942

Here in My Heart: Al Martino in 1952

I Can't Stop Loving You: Ray Charles in 1962

Candy Man: Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1972

Ebony and Ivory: Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder in 1982

I'll Be There: Mariah Carey in 1992

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Claude Chabrol, 80, filmmaker (La Femme Infidèle, The Cousins), born Sardent, France

Norman Cousins, 1912, editor (Saturday Review), born in Union City, NJ

Mick Fleetwood, 68, musician (drummer with Fleetwood Mac, “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop”), born Cornwall, England

Michele Lee, 68, actress (“Knots Landing”), born Los Angeles, CA

…Athletics

Billy Casper, 79, golf champion: Masters [1970], born in San Diego,CA

William Harrison ‘Jack’ Dempsey, 1895, heavyweight boxing champion (1919-26) (Manassa Mauler), born in Manassa, CO

Phyllis George, 61, former sportscaster, former Miss America, born Denton, TX

Sam Jones, 77, Basketball Hall of Famer: Boston Celtics, born in Wilmington, NC

…Business & Education

Gustavus Franklin Swift, 1839, founded Swift & Co, born in Sagamore, MA

…Politics

David Fraser McTaggart, 1932, cofounded Greenpeace, born in Vancouver, British Columbia

…Science / Religion

E I Du Pont, 1771, chemist/scientist (Du Pont), born in France

► Obituaries today ◄

Grover Cleveland, 22nd & 24th Pres, @ 71, in 1908

Jackie Gleason, actor (Honeymooners), @ 71 in 1987

► Events ◄

…The Arts

1949 ►"Hopalong Cassidy" becomes 1st network western (NBC)

…Athletics

1894 ►Decision to begin modern Olympics every 4 years

…Business & Education

1817 ►1st coffee planted in Hawaii on Kona coast

…Politics (US)

1861 ►Tennessee becomes 11th (& last) state to secede from US

1940 ►TV cameras were used for the first time in a political convention: Republicans

…Politics (outside US)

1441 ►Eton College founded by Henry VI

1497 ►John Cabot claims eastern Canada for England

1509 ►Henry VIII crowned King of England

1948: Berlin Airlift begins

…Science / Religion

1610 ►Membertou (MICMAC) becomes the 1st Indian Catholic.

Grey Matter Answers

…1

Smart! In order: mart, art, trams, rams

…2

A glove

Grey Matter Photo

TV
Today’s Photo Shot

Borneo: Click Here!
     ~~~~~     ~~~~~    

Wednesday 6-23

This is Week 25 of 2010, Day 174 with 191 days left. It is Day 65 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

Smoke, Fire, Politics. A big day in Flagstaff. Smoke continues to fill our Northern and Eastern sky. Smoke: Most of the day plumes of smoke were still coming from the fire. Planes ran fairly constantly throughout the day as the wind gusts dropped to 20+/-mph. By late afternoon the smoke had turned to a haze. I saw a satellite map of the smoke. It shows that the smoke is all the way to the Midwest. I’m talking Illinois. I’m sure people in there are not looking out over their corn and wheat fields and saying “That is smoke from AZ.” But the smoke has made it to the upper atmosphere and isn’t really ‘seen’ but the pollution is there. Fire: the big fire is up to 14,000 acres. It is not threatening homes and has started up the sacred San Francisco Peaks. Oddly, the top of the Peaks still have a little snow that is visible from Flagstaff. Seldom does one see a huge fire like this one, with snow visible above the fire. Those evacuated have been told they will probably be able to return home tomorrow, but smoke will be a problem and animals should not return yet. The evacuated area is still heavily patrolled and ID is needed to be in the area. The road to the Rez has reopened but may close again at any time due to smoke. We are told the fire will continue for at least another week. About 1000 firefighters are on the line and will only decrease as the fire becomes more contained. Politics: A public meeting was held last night and the first responder’s leadership was there. They gave good factual information in the hour + meeting. Our Mayor made her statement, in her own political style with a few jokes thrown in. While every other dais speaker was applauded, our Mayor was greeted with respectful silence. She is a good leader, but when she goes into her political mode, she just doesn’t have it. This afternoon our non-elected Governor flew up for a photo op and press conference. She thanked the county, city, and state people for their work. As an afterthought she later thanked the National government. Guess she doesn’t know that the Forest Service who is leading the entire battle is made up entirely of Federal employees. Obama called her today and told her that the Feds will continue their assistance and to let him know what she needs. She is still pissed because the President is not doing what she wants with the border issue. Anyway she got her photo op. I know that photo ops are part of politics, but that doesn’t mean I have to like them. I had to deal with that while I worked. Big Official shows up, meets with people, makes lots of promises, and is rushed out by his/her handlers. In all my years of working, only two top persons came to the school as a concerned leader to meet with the staff and community. Director Ed came to Pine Ridge, explained what was happening, why it happened, and how it was being fixed. He was very good. Superintendent Beverly came to Tonalea and also laid down the plan. I am grateful to them, but so many others, at so many other schools just came for the photo op or sound bite.

What is going on with McChrystal? I am not a fan of any war. I am not a fan of the killing in Afghanistan and Iraq. We have had many military leaders rise to our highest office. Some were good, others not as good. Through all of this country’s history our military has been led by a civilian Commander-In-Chief. We are not like other countries that are run by the military. Our president, to my knowledge, has never appeared in public in a military uniform while in office. (I’m not sure about George Washington). The military, in general, has usually been uncomfortable with a President who never served. However, they, for the most part keep their personal opinions to themselves. Those who can’t do that should leave the military. Top military cannot be allowed to second guess our Commander-in-Chief. McChrystal may be a great leader, but he has proven, twice now, that he is not a great General. Our military is trained to follow orders from above without question. I would probably not be able to do that, thus I am not in the military. Others who can’t should not be our military either. I am very concerned that if everyone in the military questioned their orders, more lives would be lost. History is filled with military leaders who did not follow their civilian elected leadership and who decided that a coup was the only answer. Obama has a tough decision tomorrow, and there certainly is not an easy win-win scenario.

Flagstaff, though all the smoke, was a pleasant 78°. The 11% humidity and the 25mph gusts of wind made it a lot better for firefighters. We still have no hope for moisture in the near future. No new fire is a good thing. Forest closing is a good thing. Moisture is the one good thing we still have to wait for.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1683 ►William Penn signs friendship treaty with Lenni Lenape Tribe in Pennsylvania; only treaty "not sworn to, nor broken"

My Quote For The Day

Confucius: The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.

Somewhat Useless Information

A snail can sleep for three years.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

H I J K L M N O

What object does this represent?

Unusual News Item

PHOENIX - An Arizona restaurant owner dreamed up a novelty meal to give customers a South African experience during the World Cup. But serving burgers made with African lion meat has generated protests.

Cameron Selogie says his Il Vinaio restaurant in Mesa has received a bomb threat and more than 150 e-mails from protesters. He says African lions are on the protected list, but not endangered.

The restaurant ordered 10 pounds of African lion meat from a USDA-regulated, free-range farm in Illinois, which Selogie says he researched to make sure they were humane. It's mixed with ground beef, and the restaurant says it's serving about 15 burgers a day.

USDA spokesman Jim Brownlee says lion meat is an uncommon dish, but he knew of no prohibitions against it.

A Little Laff

An elderly couple, both well into their 80s, go to a sex therapist's office.

The doctor asks, 'What can I do for you?'

The man says, 'Will you watch us have sexual intercourse?'

The doctor raises both eyebrows, but he is so amazed that such an elderly couple is asking for sexual advice that he agrees.

When the couple finishes, the doctor says, 'There's absolutely nothing wrong with the way you have intercourse..'

He thanks them for coming, he wishes them good luck, he charges them $50 and he says good bye.

The next week, the same couple returns and asks the sex therapist to watch again. The sex therapist is a bit puzzled, but agrees.

This happens several weeks in a row.

The couple makes an appointment, has intercourse with no problems, pays the doctor, then leave.

Finally, after 3 months of this routine, the doctor says, 'I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Just what are you trying to find out?'

The man says, 'We're not trying to find out anything.

She's married; so we can't go to her house.

I'm married; and we can't go to my house.

The Holiday Inn charges $98. The Hilton charges $139.

We do it here for $50, and Medicare pays $43 of it, leaving my net cost of $7.

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

What work is it that the faster you work, the longer it is before you're done, and the slower you work, the sooner you're finished?

My You Tube Site of the Day

A Wiley Post Song? Really! Click Here!

Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

They have numbers.

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

20-26: Carpenter Ant Awareness Week and National Mosquito Control Awareness Week

► Today’s Observances ◄

Let It Go Day

Public Service Day

Denmark : Midsummer Eve

Finland, Latvia, Scandinavia : Midsummer Eve/St John's Eve

Luxembourg : Official birthday of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Okinawa, Japan Rememberance Day (since 1945)

► Hit Songs on this date ◄

My Sister and I: Jimmy Dorsey in 1941

Too Young: Nat "King" Cole in 1951

Quarter to Three: Gary U.S. Bonds in 1961

It's Too Late/ I Feel the Earth Move: Carole King in 1971

Bette Davis Eyes: Kim Carnes in 1981

► Born today ◄

…The Arts

Jean (-Marie-Lucien-Pierre) Anouilh, 1910, playwright: Becket, Antigone, born in Cérisole near Bordeaux, France

June Carter Cash, 1929, country singer Maces Spring Va

Bert Convy, 1933, game show host, born in St. Louis

Bob Fosse, 1927, choreographer/director (Cabaret, Damn Yankees), born in Chicago

Randy Jackson, 54, musician, television personality (“American Idol”), born Baton Rouge, LA

Ted Shackelford, 64, actor (“Knots Landing,” “Dallas”), born Oklahoma City, OK

Louis Van Amstel, 38, professional dancer, television personality (“Dancing with the Stars”), born Amsterdam, Netherlands

…Athletics

Wilma Rudolph, 1940, Olympic Hall of Famer: Gold Medalist [3]: track & field sprints, born in Clarksville, TN

…Business & Education

--

…Politics

Duke of Windsor [Edward Patrick David], 1894, King Edward VIII of England briefly in 1936, born in White Lodge in Richmond, England

Clarence Thomas, 62, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, born Pinpoint, GA

…Science / Religion

Dr Howard T Engstrom, 1902, a designer of Univac computer, born in Boston

Alfred Kinsey, 1894, entomologist/sexologist (Kinsey Report), born in Hoboken, NJ

► Obituaries today ◄

Sanjay Gandhi, Son of Indira Gandhi air crash @ 34 in 1980

James Hall, Scottish geologist @ 71 in 1832

James Mill, Scottish philosopher and historian, @ 63 in 1836

► Events ◄

…The Arts

--

…Athletics

1904 ►The first American motorboat race got underway on the Hudson River in New York.

1968 ►74 are killed and 150 injured in a soccer stampede towards a closed exit in a Buenos Aires stadium.

1931 ►Wiley Post and Harold Gatty took off on a ’round-the-world airplane flight aboard theWinnie Mae.

…Business & Education

1810 ►John Jacob Astor organizes Pacific Fur Co (Astoria, Oregon)

1868 ►Christopher Latham Sholes patents "Type-writer"

1926 ►The College Board administers the first SAT exam.

…Politics (US)

1860 ►Congress establishes the Government Printing Office

1860 ►US Secret Service created

1938 ►Civil Aeronautics Authority (US) established

…Politics (outside US)

1314 ►First War of Scottish Independence: The Battle of Bannockburn, south of Stirling, begins.

1961 ►The Antarctic Treaty (guarantees that the continent of Antarctica would be used for peaceful, scientific purposes only), signed by twelve nations, took effect on this day.

…Science / Religion

1868 ►Christopher L. Sholes of Wisconsin patented his type-writer

1993 ►Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband’s penis with a butcher knife -- while he was sleeping.

Grey Matter Answers

…1

Water. H2O (H to O)

…2

Roasting meat on a spit.

Grey Matter Photo

yard sticks

Today’s Photo Shot

Today there are two videos…the first is gathering Ponderosa Pine Needles, the second is making a basket from the needles. Who knew? Not me.

Video One Click Here!

Video Two Click Here!

     ~~~~~     ~~~~~    

Tuesday 6-22

This is Week 25 of 2010, Day 173 with 192 days left. It is Day 63 of the BP Mess.

Free Rambling Thoughts

Our main fire has grown to 10,000 acres today. Two more subdivisions have been evacuated. The wind continues. Thanks to the great firefighters, hot shot crews, and all other first responders there have been no homes lost. These people are real heroes. The local university, the mayor, and the local paper are keeping us all up to date with excellent on-line coverage. Seldom are they giving good news, but all the news comes out very professionally. Amazing, still, how technology has improved our small mountain town communication process. Since this is Nat’l news, I got lots of email and txts from people I know around the country. All concerned after watching our mountain burn. To make matters worse, the humidity has dropped to 7% and the wind continues to gust around 40-50 mph at various places where the fire actually is. Big planes with all their fire retardant have been grounded at various times due to the wind. My place is in the flight path to the fire, so I know every helicopter and every plane that flies. They were busy late last night when the wind finally died down.

Since the Fires of Flagstaff have taken up most of my news watching, I have not been keeping up with the Gulf mess. Last year I thought the bad guys were the Wall Street brokers and banks for messing with our money. (Just read today that US banks charged $38.9 Billion in overdraft fees in 2009). So they certainly are not on the side of the customer. On top of that almost pure profit, they are not loaning money either. Now the bad guys are the oil companies. NASA has a program—Project Omega—that takes waste water, puts algae in it in a big plastic bag and over time, clean and drinkable water comes out. They are doing the development for long space flights. Big Oil is pressuring Congress to not fund this technology. Several say they have a better way that needs government funding. For some reason I don’t believe them. It seems that the business model has one, and only one bottom line—profit. So unfortunate that Education has taken on this model. The only ‘profit’ in education has become ‘test scores’. Our children do not fit into a balance sheet. Neither does our higher ed students. Our country needs critical thinkers, not people who do well on multiple choice tests.

It was 80° away from the fire. The smoke made it hard to spend a lot of time outside.

Holy Mackerel: On this date in 1942 ►V-Mail, or Victory-Mail, was sent for the first time. V-Mail used a special paper for letter writing during WWII. It was designed to reduce cargo space taken up by mail sent to and from members of the armed services. The letters written on this special paper were opened at the post office, censored and reduced in size by photography. One roll of film contained 1,500 letters.

My Quote For The Day

Mark Twain: When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.

Somewhat Useless Information

The Titanic was the first ship to use the SOS signal.

Grey Matter Puzzle 1

Can you take three letters away from a four-letter word and manage to have it mean the same thing?

Hint: It’s a number

Unusual News Item

VICTORIA, British Columbia - Canadian police said a rowdy French sailor who drunkenly shed his clothes in public twice was turned over to his commanding officer. Victoria police said there were few problems among the 5,000 sailors visiting the city for the Canadian Navy's centennial, but one French sailor had a bit too much to drink and took off his uniform in the lobby of a hotel, CanWest News Service reported. Deputy Police Chief John Ducker said officers escorted the sailor back to his ship where he again slipped out of his clothing while waiting to board. Ducker said the ship's captain was standing behind him during the second incident. "The punishment a sailor would get from his commanding officer is much worse than anything we can do," police spokesman Sgt. Grant Hamilton said.

A Little Laff

A husband and wife were involved in a petty argument, both of them unwilling to admit they might be in error.

"I'll admit I'm wrong," the wife told her husband in a conciliatory attempt, "if you'll admit I'm right."

He agreed and, like a gentleman, insisted she go first.

"I'm wrong," she said.

With a twinkle in his eye, he responded, "You're right!"

Grey Matter Puzzle 2

Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling

In mystic force and magic spelling

Celestial sprites elucidate

All my own striving can't relate

My You Tube Site of the Day

Lots of people showed up at Stonehenge for the solstice. Click HERE!

Grey Matter Picture--This is a close up of what common object?

One person allowed.

Some Calendar Info

► Weekly Observances ◄

20-26: Carpenter Ant Awareness Week and National Mosquito Control Awareness Week

► Today’s Observances  ◄

Perigan Spring Tides

Stupid Guy Thing Day

National Columnists Day

Congo : Army Day

Croatia: Anti-Fascist Struggle Day

El Salvador : School Teacher's Day/D¡a del Maestro

Haiti : Sovereignty Day/President's Day

Virgin Islands : Organic Act Day (1954)

Yemen PDR : Corrective Move Day

► Hit Songs on this date  ◄

Tuxedo Junction: Glenn Miller in 1940

'The Third Man' Theme’: Anton Karas in 1950

Everybody's Somebody's Fool: Connie Francis in 1960

The Love You Save: The Jackson 5 in 1970

► Born today

…The Arts

Dan Brown, 46, author (The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons), born Exeter, NH

Paul Frees, 1920, animation voice (Bullwinkle) , born in Chicago

Don Henley, 63, drummer/singer (Eagles) , born in Gilmer, TX

Michael Todd (Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen), 1909, producer: Oklahoma!, Around the World in 80 Days , born in Minneapolis

Billy Wilder, 1906, movie director (Some Like It Hot, Apartment, Stalag 17) , born in Sucha Beskidzka, Austria-Hungary (now Poland)

+++

Amy Brenneman, 46, actress (“Judging Amy”), born Glastonbury, CT

Carson Daly, 37, host (“MTV Live,” “Last Call with Carson Daly”), born Santa Monica, CA

Kris Kristofferson, 74, singer, actor (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, A Star Is Born), born Brownsville, TX

Freddie Prinze (Preutzel), 1954, comedian/actor (Chico & the Man) , born in NYC

Todd Rundgren, 62, singer (Something/Anything), producer, born Upper Darby, PA

Meryl Streep, 61, actress (Doubt, The Devil Wears Prada, Oscars for Kramer vs Kramer and Sophie’s Choice), born Summit, NJ

Lindsay Wagner, 61, actress (“The Bionic Woman,” The Paper Chase), born Los Angeles, CA

…Athletics

Clyde Austin Drexler, 48, basketball coach and former player, born Houston, TX

"Pistol" Pete Maravich, 1948, NBA star (Atlanta Hawks) , born in Aliquippa, PA

…Business & Education

Bill Blass, 1922, fashion designer (Nancy Reagan) , born in Ft Wayne, IN

Ed Bradley, 1941, CBS news correspondant (60 Minutes) , born in Philadelphia

John Dillinger, 1903, one of America's Most Wanted, born in Indianapolis

…Politics

Dianne Feinstein, 77, US Senator (D, California), born San Francisco, CA

…Science / Religion

Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1907, aviator/author (Gift from the Sea) , born in Englewood, NJ

► Obituaries today  ◄

Fred Astaire actor/dancer, @ 88 in 1987

Dennis Day Jack Benny Show singer, Lou Gehrig’s disease @ 71 in 1988
Judy Garland singer/actress, overdose @ 47 in 1969
David O Selznick Gone With the Wind's producer, @ 63 in 1965

► Events  ◄

…The Arts

1969 ►Aretha Franklin arrested in Detroit for creating a disturbance

…Athletics

1938 ►In front of 80,000 people at Yankee Stadium Joe Louis knocked out the great German White Hope Max Schmeling in two minutes and four seconds.

1959 ►Eddie Lubanski bowls 2 consecutive perfect games

…Business & Education

1851 ►Fire destroys part of SF

…Politics (US)

1944 ►FDR signs "GI Bill of Rights" (Servicemen's Readjustment Act)

1964 ►The United States Supreme Court voted that Henry Miller’s controversial book, Tropic of Cancer, could not be banned.

1970 ►President Nixon signed a bill to lower the voting age to 18 for all federal, state and local elections

…Politics (outside US)

1611 ►Henry Hudson & son set adrift in Hudson Bay by mutineers

1675 ►Royal Greenwich Observatory established in England by Charles II

…Science / Religion

1874 ►Dr Andrew T Sill, of Macon, Missouri, finds science of osteopathy

1991 ►Underwater volcano, Mount Didicas, erupts in Phillipines

Grey Matter Answers

…1

Five, if you take away F, I, and E, it leaves V which is the Roman numeral for five.

…2

The number PI, the digits of which are illustrated by the length of each word in the riddle.

Grey Matter Photo

Mr. Klotz's sander

Today’s Photo Shot

Pictures of our fire from Google search Click HERE!
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