Sunday August 15

This is Week 33 of 2010►Day 227 with 138 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

What a great Saturday. I went for a forest walk about 6:30 this morning. The quiet and calm forest is a great way to start the day. I really need to take either my phone or my camera on these walks. I’m lucky to get out the door with the iPod. This morning I did see the remnants of a party from last night. I know that quite a few homeless spend the night in the forest during this nice weather. That is not a problem. I am discouraged that they choose to leave their cans and bottles strewn around. I never head into the forest until the sun has been up for quite a while as the party people do take off at sunrise. I’m sure they stash their stuff around, but I don’t look for it, and it certainly is not out in the open. This morning part of the trail reminded me of the hobo stories I grew up with. I’m sure there were markers throughout telling others where there is a safe place to meet, and where it isn’t safe. I think I will avoid the forest area on weekends…too depressing to see the mess. I’m not sure who cleans it up, but during the week, there is seldom any trash.

I was glad to hear Obama come out yesterday with his freedom of religion comments about the Mosque in NYC. I’m sure the far right will turn it into more fodder for the ‘fact’ that he is a Muslim in disguise. And I just thought he was to stand and protect the US Constitution. As we all know, many of the founders came here to get away from religious persecution. This is no time to start any persecution because a few who believe in Islam have chosen to pick and choose the parts of the Quran they will follow. Don’t get me wrong, the people who planned, the people who carried out any of the killings around the world in the name of Islam need to be found and punished. Let’s not put all Muslims into a nice little box and label it ‘terrorist’

I read several articles yesterday about American Muslims. There is a great deal of discussion going on by the Imams regarding this year’s Ramadan. This month, based on the lunar cycle, is Ramadan. It starts when there is no moon and ends when the first sliver of the new moon appears. For this entire month Muslims around the world fast all day and pray more than usual. As soon as the sun sets, they can feast. When that sliver of moon appears, there are great festivities. Some celebrate for three days; others celebrate on the first weekend. Families gather together. Presents are exchanged. Everyone looks for a good year ahead. This year Ramadan will end on Sept. 9 or 10, or 11. Since it the local Imam who announces the end, no one knows for sure when he will announce it. It has been that way since its inception. American Muslims are concerned, justifiably, that non believers who see the celebration, the cheering, the exchanging of gifts as an affront to America. Many American Muslims also do not want to celebrate anything so close to 9-11 as it also changed their lives—and not for the better. Local law enforcement has been notified. Educational programs are being delivered to non Muslims. Some Imams are suggesting that celebration be very low key. I won’t be in the US at the end of Ramadan, but will be in another Muslim country. While I was working, we always did something on 9-11 at the school. It was always voluntary and very low key—after all we were working with children. Since I retired, Flagstaff has always had some kind of remembrance at a local park. I was always there. I’m wondering what our group will do that day and what will be happening in the local community we are in whenever Ramadan ends.

Football Preseason started today. The Cards didn’t do that well until the last few minutes, then they came alive and won. They have been in Flag for the past few weeks and return on Monday for more camp. This win will pump up Flag fans for sure. Better find a jersey.

Flagstaff was really nice today. I guess I am getting used to the warm weather, as it was 87° on the deck, there was no wind, but wasn’t really hot. There was even 35% humidity and still I didn’t feel that hot. The birds did spend a lot of time in the bird bath.

QUOTEs FOR THE DAY--Football

Vince Lombardi: Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

Merle Kessler: Football players, like prostitutes, are in the business of ruining their bodies for the pleasure of strangers.

Eugene J. McCarthy: Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it's important.

John Heisman: When in doubt, punt!

Barry Sanders: Maybe a good rule in life is never become too important to do your own laundry.

Elbert Hubbard: College football is a sport that bears the same relation to education that bullfighting does to agriculture.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1911 Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, OH introduced Crisco hydrogenated shortening

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about candy

~ Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

~ The Baby Ruth candy bar was actually named after Grover Cleveland's baby daughter, Ruth.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers--Biology

Genus Rana; frequent victim of biology class dissections

L.B.J.'s hound dog or Darwin's ship

The basic unit of life; 3 billion die every minute in your body

It puts the green in greenery

Deoxyribonucleic acid

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

FAYETTEVILLE, NC— Court is no laughing matter as far as one North Carolina judge is concerned. A Fayetteville man who was waiting for his case to be heard Friday drew the ire of Judge Toni King after starting to laugh in a Cumberland County courtroom. Authorities said King asked 47-year-old Johnny Montgomery why he was laughing, but the man refused to say.

King ordered Montgomery to jail on a misdemeanor charge. As deputies were preparing to take Montgomery to jail, they searched him and found more than 3 grams of crack cocaine.

Montgomery was charged with felony drug possession. Authorities said he was being processed Friday evening and does not yet have a court date nor an attorney.

A LITTLE LAUGH

Congress received a call asking the meaning of the phrase "without recourse." He consulted a legal dictionary and furnished this definition, "Said of a signer of a document when he takes no responsibility for the face of the document."

"Thank you," said the voice at the other end of the wire. "I have an autographed photograph of Coolidge. It's signed, "Without recourse, Calvin Coolidge."

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

I’m sometimes full, but I never overflow. What am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

The capture of Carlos the Jackal: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

10-16: Elvis Week

15-21: National Aviation Week

……….Weird Contest Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

National Failures Day

National Relaxation Day

Chad and Congo(from France-1960), India-(from UK-1947) : Independence Day

Costa Rica: Mother's Day

Egypt and Coptic Church: The first day of Flooding of the Nile, a commemoration of the belief that the star Sirius would appear when the Nile River flooded.

Grenada, Liechtenstein, Corsica: National Day

Laos: Memorial Day

Korea: Gwangbokjeol, "Liberation Day" (South Korea), Jogukhaebangui nal, "Fatherland Liberation Day" (North Korea)

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis Billy Murray 1904

By the Beautiful Sea Heidelberg Quintet 1914 Here the Original Version Click Here!

Swinging on a Star Bing Crosby 1944 Click Here to Hear!

Sh-Boom The Crew-Cuts 1954

Everybody Loves Somebody Dean Martin 1964

The Night Chicago Died Paper Lace 1974 Click Here to Hear!

Ghostbusters Ray Parker, Jr. 1984

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Sir Walter Scott, novelist/poet (Lady of Lake) …born 1771…Edinburgh, Scotland

~~~

Ben Affleck, 38, actor (Hollywoodland, The Sum of All Fears, Pearl Harbor), director (Gone Baby Gone), born Berkeley, CA

Mike Connors (Krekor Ohanian), 85, actor (Joe Mannix-Mannix) …born Fresno CA

Joe Jonas, 21, singer (The Jonas Brothers), actor (“J.O.N.A.S.”), born Casa Grande, AZ

Rose Marie Mazetta, 87, actress (Sally Rogers-Dick Van Dyke Show) …born NYC,NY

Debra Messing, 42, actress (“Will & Grace”), born Brooklyn, NY

• Athletics

Brendan Hansen, 29, American swimmer…born Havertown, PA

• Business & Education

Julia Child, chef (French Chef) …born 1912…Pasadena, CA

Linda Ellerbee, 66, journalist, born Bryan, TX

• Politics

Princess Anne(Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise), 60, Princess Royal of the UK, horsewoman, born London, England

Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor…born 1769… Ajaccio, Corsica

Stephen G. Breyer, 72, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, born San Francisco, CA

Sir James Douglas, father of British Columbia…born 1803… Demerara (now part of Guyana)

Vernon Jordan, Jr, 75, civil rights leader, born Atlanta, GA

Phyllis Schlafly, 86, right-winger/Eagle Forum president…born St Louis, MO

Maxine Waters, 72, American politician…born St. Louis, MO

• Science/Religion

Oscar Romero (Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez), Roman Catholic priest, Bishop…born 1917…San Miguel, El Salvador

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

Wiley Post, aviator, @ 37

& Will Rogers, 56, cowboy, comedian, humorist @ , killed in plane crash in Alaska in 1935

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1939 "Wizard of Oz" premiers at Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood

1969 The Woodstock Music and Art Festival opens.

1991 750,000 attend Paul Simon's free concert in Central Park

• Athletics

1987 US beats Cuba in the Pan-Am baseball

• Business & Education

1914 A male servant of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright sets fire to the living quarters of the architect's Wisconsin home, Taliesin, murders seven people and burns the living quarters to the ground.

1948 CBS-TV inaugurated the first nightly news broadcast, with anchorman Douglas Edwards

• Indigenous People

1514 Spanish Bishop Bartoleme de las Casas releases the Indians he holds as serfs in Hispaniola.

• Politics (US)

1748 United Lutheran Church of US organized

1858 Regular mail to the Pacific coast begins

• Politics (International)

1057 Macbeth, King of Scotland, slain by son of King Duncan

1519 Panama City founded

1620 Mayflower sets sail from Southampton with 102 Pilgrims

1914 Panama Canal opens (under cost)

1994 Llich Ramirez Sanchez, the terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal was captured in Sudan, taken to Paris and jailed.

• Science / Religion

1848 M. Waldo Hanchett of Syracuse, NY patented the dental chair.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

Genus Rana; frequent victim of biology class dissections: what is frog?

L.B.J.'s hound dog or Darwin's ship: What is beagle?

The basic unit of life; 3 billion die every minute in your body: What is a cell?

It puts the green in greenery: what is chlorophyll?

Deoxyribonucleic acid: What is DNA?

↔ 2

The Moon

↔ Picture

An avacado

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Falling Water: Frank Lloyd Wright

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Saturday August 14

This is Week 32 of 2010►Day 226 with 139 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I am quickly getting to the TMI place about SB1070. (TMI=too much information). Today we learned that the senator who introduced the bill has accepted thousands from two different private prison lobbies. Let’s see, he first introduced a bill in 2003 to allow some prisons in AZ to be privatized. That bill passed, he sponsored and passed a few more, then last week he introduced a bill to privatize all prisons in AZ. He introduced SB1070 that puts illegals in AZ prisons until the Feds take over. That could be thousands of new inmates and lots of new private prisons.

Side Note: The three escapees who are on a killing spree around the US were in one of the privatized prisons here. The girlfriend/1st cousin of one of the guys parked her car at the fence of the prison…in the dirt…and threw a pair of wire cutters over to the group. When they actually escaped, they went through an unlocked door that should have been locked; when they cut the fence and alarm sounded but no one at the prison checked to see why…the guards just turned it off. The guards didn’t know the 3 inmates were missing for seven hours, and then didn’t notify the local sheriff for another two hours. Two have been recaptured but the lovers seem to be nowhere to be found, only their bloody trail remains. Somehow I don’t think I want convicted criminals in a private prison.

Our political system in AZ is badly broken. We need a whole bunch of people in the legislature who have a vision to improve AZ. Everyone we have now seems to be interested in getting reelected and cutting spending in education, privatizing prisons, cutting taxes for the rich, blaming illegals for all our woes, and helping any group that provides them with money.

I ran a few errands today, and it was really nice. Before taking off I took a nice walk. I left the house about 6:30 and got back about 8:00. It was really nice. I walked though our part of the urban trail system. Not a lot of people out but it was cool—like not hot, and the grasses, weeds, and sunflowers were also enjoying the morning sun. At 7:30 I saw one dedicated city employee out weed-whacking away. Somehow my ipod was only playing great walking music and the time flew by. We had a dry day and made it to 83°. As I left the house it was about 55°. Great day.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Sometimes we fail to hear or heed these voices of freedom because to us the privilege of our freedom is such an old, old story.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1935 Social Security Act became law

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about the number 13

~Many Christians have long believed that Friday was unlucky because it was the day of the week when Jesus was crucified. The number 13 was believed to bring bad luck because there were 13 people at The Last Supper.

~Thirteen was also a sinister number in Norse mythology. Loki, one of the most evil of the Norse gods, went uninvited to a party for 12 at Valhalla, a banquet hall of the gods. As a result, he caused the death of Balder, the god of light, joy, and reconciliation.

~On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrests of Jaques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templars and sixty of his senior knights in Paris. Thousands of others were arrested around the country. Most of the Templars were eventually executed and their sympathizers condemned Friday the 13th as an evil day.

~In the 18th century, the HMS Friday was launched on Friday the 13th. It was never heard from again. Since then, ships are not usually launched on that date

~It is considered especially unlucky to have 13 people at the table during a meal, such as in Agatha Christie's mystery novel, Thirteen at Dinner. During the 1880s, a men's group that felt superstition was an unhealthy influence on public life held Thirteen Club dinners.

~President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Questions: 3 letter words

A fedora, homburg or derby

Quixote or Drysdale

Opposite of flow, tides do it

Where things are nipped in, or Lou's partner

Some people have a quick one, which beats a ½ one

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A crate of Scotch whisky that was trapped in Antarctic ice for a century was finally opened Friday — but the heritage dram won't be tasted by whisky lovers because it's being preserved for its historical significance.

The crate, recovered from the Antarctic hut of renowned explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton after it was found there in 2006, has been thawed very slowly in recent weeks at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island.

The crate was painstakingly opened to reveal 11 bottles of Mackinlay's Scotch whisky, wrapped in paper and straw to protect them from the rigors of a rough trip to Antarctica for Shackleton's 1907 Nimrod expedition.

Though the crate was frozen solid when it was retrieved earlier this year, the whisky inside could be heard sloshing around in the bottles. Antarctica's minus 22 Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius) temperature was not enough to freeze the liquor, dating from 1896 or 1897 and described as being in remarkably good condition.

This Scotch is unlikely ever to be tasted, but master blenders will examine samples of it to see if they can replicate the brew. The original recipe for the Scotch no longer exists.

Once samples have been extracted and sent to Scottish distiller Whyte and Mackay, which took over Mackinlay's distillery many years ago, the 11 bottles will be returned to their home — under the floorboards of Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds on Ross Island, near Antarctica's McMurdo Sound.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A man goes to consult a specialist about his medical problem. After the visit the man asks, "How much do I owe you?"

"My fee is five hundred dollars," replies the physician.

"Five hundred dollars? That's impossible. No one charges that much!"

"In your case," the doctor replies, "I suppose I could adjust my fee to three hundred."

"Three hundred dollars? For one visit? Ridiculous."

"Well, then, could you afford two hundred?"

"Who has that kind of money?"

"Look, replies the doctor," growing irritated, "Just give me a hundred and get out of my office, okay?"

"I can give you fifty," says the man. "Take it or leave it."

"I don't understand you," says the doctor. "Why did you come to the most expensive doctor in New York if you have no money?"

"Listen, Doctor," says the patient, "When it comes to my health, nothing is too expensive!"

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

I am so fragile that even the sound of your voice can break me. What am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

VJ Day: in German: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

8-14: Assistance Dog Week

…Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week

…National Resurrect Romance Week

10-16: Elvis Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

National Creamsicle Day

National Navajo Code Talkers Day

National Garage Sale Day

Sandcastle & Sculpture Day

V-J Day: Victory in Japan

Arkansas: World War II Memorial Day (1945)

Bahrain: Independence Day (1971)

Chicago: Bud Billiken Day-honors children (1923)

Indonesia: Pramuka Day: to honor the largest scouting program in the world (means ‘young people willing to walk’)

Liechtenstein: Prince Franz-Joseph Day

Massachusetts: Liberty Tree Day (1765)

Pakistan-1947 and Bahrain-1971 : Independence Day

Portugal: Independence Day (1385)

Rhode Island and Michigan: V-J Day (1945)

US: Atlantic Charter Day; US & UK agree on war aims (1941)

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling Chauncey Olcott 1913

Love Is the Sweetest Thing Ray Noble 1933

You'll Never Know Dick Haymes 1943

Vaya con Dios (May God Be with You) Les Paul & Mary Ford 1953

Fingertips (Part II) Little Stevie Wonder 1963

The Morning After Maureen McGovern 1973

Every Breath You Take The Police 1983

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Russell Baker, 85, journalist, author, television host (“Masterpiece Theatre”), born Loudoun County, VA

David Crosby, 69, singer (Crosby, Stills & Nash), songwriter, born Los Angeles, CA

John Galsworthy, Nobel Prize-winning author [1932]; The Forsyte Saga…born in 1867… Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England

Gary Larson, 60, cartoonist (“The Far Side”), born Tacoma, WA

Danielle Steel, 63, author (Vanished, Wanderlust), born New York, NY

Ernest Thayer, writer: Casey at the Bat…born in 1868…Lawrence, MA

~~~

Catherine Bell, 42, actress (“JAG”), born London, England

Halle Berry, 42, actress (Die Another Day, X-Men, Oscar for Monster’s Ball), born Cleveland, OH

Antonio Fargas, 64, actor (Shaft, Hugggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch), born the Bronx, NY

Alice Ghostly, actress (Ezmerelda,Bewitched: Bernice, Designing Women) …born in 1926…Eve, MO

Steve Martin, 65, comedian, actor (Shopgirl, LA Story, Roxanne, Parenthood), novelist, born Waco, TX

Susan Saint James(Susan Jane Miller), 64, actress (“MacMillan and Wife,” “Kate and Allie”), born Long Beach, CA

• Athletics

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr, 51, Hall of Fame basketball player, born Lansing, MI

Joyce Kazmierski, 65, golf: LPGA Tour pro…born in Michigan

• Business & Education

John Ringling North, circus director…born in 1903…Baraboo, WI

Sir (Issac) James Pitman, educator/publisher(Pitman Publishing/phonetic speller(Pitman Shorthand, ITA)…born in 1901…Bath, England

• Politics

Lynne Cheney, 69, wife of Dick Cheney, 46th vice president of the US, born Casper, WY

• Science/Religion

Meriwether Lewis, capt of Lewis & Clark Expedition…born in 1774… Charlottsville VA

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

Mary Ritter, Beard American historian, @ 82 in 1958

David Farragut, American officer of the United States Navy, stroke @ 69

Enzo Ferrari, sportscar manufacturer (Ferrari), @ 90 in 1988

Pee Wee Reese, American baseball player @ 81 in 1991

William Randolph Hearst, newspaper publisher @ 88 in 1951

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1846 Henry David Thoreau jailed for tax resistance

• Athletics

1932 10th Olympic Games at Los Angeles closes

• Business & Education

1873 The first issue of Field and Stream magazine was published

• Indigenous People

1559 Tristan de Luna y Arellano has been appointed to establish Spanish settlements on Pensacola Bay by the Spanish Viceroy in Mexico. His expedition of thirteen ships, several priests, 500 soldiers, and 1000 settlers arrive in Pensacola Bay, in Florida. Much of the expedition is killed or starves because of a hurricane which strikes the area a few days later.

1842 Seminole War ends; Indians removed from Florida to Oklahoma

• Politics (US)

1848 Oregon Territory created

1908 Race riot in Springfield Illinois

1912 2,500 US marines invade Nicaragua; US remains until

• Politics (International)

1947 India granted independence within British Commonwealth

1973 US bombs Cambodia

• Science / Religion

1806 Lewis and Clark first reach a Minnetaree and Mandan village.

1888 Oliver B. Shallenberger of Rochester, PA received a patent (#388,003) for the electric meter

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

A fedora, homburg or derby: what is a hat?

Quixote or Drysdale: who is Don?

Opposite of flow, tides do it: What is ebb?

Where things are nipped in, or Lou's partner: What is bud?

Some people have a quick one, which beats a ½ one: What is a wit?

↔ 2

Silence

↔ Picture

A pinwheel toy

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Circus Poster

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Friday August 13

This is Week 32 of 2010►Day 225 with 140 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I went to the mural signing this morning. It was a small group, but very cool. Our mayor must have been too busy, hmmm. Native American Mural, mayor doesn’t come, but she has time to tell us where she eats every time she goes out. I’m a little upset that she didn’t show. Still it was nice. The guy in charge of selecting Redwing’s design was there from some committee, and he did a great job of explaining all the parts of the mural and had the audience mesmerized. I had trouble understanding why it was part of a centennial thing in Flagstaff. Well, the centennial thing comes from the date that AZ became a state, in 1912. Flagstaff was founded July 4, 1876. We in Flagstaff like to start the state’s centennial celebration early.

After the signing our retirement group walked to a nearby new restaurant. It is the old Flagstaff sawmill, right next to the train station. Great food, fascinating building, and good service. Downtown Flag is full of nice small restaurants and is starting to look and feel like LoDo—the lower downtown historic district of Denver. The biggest difference—LoDo made cheap, easy parking a must. Parking is still a problem downtown and our city council doesn’t seem to be able to have a vision to improve it. Flag wants tourists to spend lots of money, but only makes it easy for those who travel by train. The airport is out of town, the bus station is not near downtown, and there is no parking for RV’s. We do have a good bus system, but it doesn’t go to the airport, and I doubt that tourists would expect that when they come to our town. Anyway, downtown Flag is a great place to visit, with lots to do, and now there is a beautiful mural for all to enjoy.

After I got home, my doorbell rang. A 20-something guy was trying to sell something. He was looking for parents with newborns to teenagers. He spoke with a heavy Scottish accent. He said he was from Edinburgh and was studying at Glasgow University. I never did figure out why he was in Flagstaff. He asked me if I could understand him, as a few people had told him he was hard to understand. I told him I could understand him fine, and that I had been in Scotland a few years ago. We talked for about ten minutes about his great country. I couldn’t help him with his sales thing, but did enjoy the conversation.

Flagstaff was really nice—a common thing recently. Still no rain. It’s looking like the monsoons are over. It was very warm today, 83° with no breeze, and only a few clouds. We did have a huge billowy cloud near the peaks that sure looked like it would bring rain, but it didn’t.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Andy Rooney: Nothing in fine print is ever good news.

HOLY MACKEREL:1948 Satchel Paige at 42 pitches his 1st major league complete game 

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Questions: Wild West

One of its newspapers was appropriately called "The Epitaph"

She once shot a cigarette from the mouth of the German crown prince

In 650,000 miles the mail was lost only once

Brothers Virgil & Morgan were shot here, but Wyatt Earp emerged unscathed

It ran 2,000 miles, from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

BELLEVUE, WA — Paying bills usually stinks, but gas bills from a utility in Washington state will include something truly odorous this month: the stench of rotten eggs.

As part of a safety campaign, Puget Sound Energy is including a scratch-and-sniff pamphlet with its billing statements to remind customers of what leaking gas smells like.

Natural gas is odorless, but providers add a chemical to the gas that has a distinctive, sulfur-like aroma similar to rotten eggs so leaks can be detected.

Bellevue, WA-based PSE serves nearly 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A woman, her husband, and their three rambunctious young sons were in their car waiting at a traffic. The woman glanced over at the car next them, noticing a blissfully happy mother with her baby daughter.

Looking at her husband she said, "As soon as I lose my weight from the last baby, I want to try for a daughter."

The husband reached up to the dash, grabbed an open box of snacks, and said, "Here, have a cookie."

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

I have a ring but no finger what am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Some believe that Left Handers received brain damage going through the birth canal, others believe that left handers should be forced to become right handers, some cultures believe left handers are evil, others believe it is dirty to eat with your left hand. We are a minority, for sure, here are some famous left handers…if you are really into this, it has three parts, just click away: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

8-14: Assistance Dog Week

…Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week

…National Resurrect Romance Week

10-16: Elvis Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

Blame Someone Else Day

Friday the 13th- (Only one in 2010!)

International Left Hander's Day

Kool-Aid Day

Tunisia: Women's Day commemorates the enacting of Tunisian Code of Personal Status in 1956

Laos: Lao Issara (Day of the Free Laos)

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home Arthur Collins 1902

In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town Ted Lewis 1932

Jingle Jangle Jingle Kay Kyser 1942

Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart Vera Lynn 1952

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do Neil Sedaka 1962

Alone Again (Naturally) Gilbert O'Sullivan 1972

Eye of the Tiger Survivor 1982

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Johann Christoph Denner inventor (clarinet)…born in 1655… Leipzig, Germany

Dan Fogelberg, singer Run for the Roses…born in 1951…Peoria, IL

Alfred Hitchcock, director (Psycho, Birds, Rear Window) …born in 1899…London, England

Don Ho (Donald Tai Loy Ho; 何大來 ), singer: Tiny Bubbles; Waikiki entertainer …born in 1930…Honolulu, Hawaii

~~~

Danny Bonaduce, 51, radio personality, actor (“The Partridge Family”)…born Broomall, PA

Neville Brand, actor (Cahill, US Marshal) …born in 1921… Griswold, IA

Pat Harrington, Jr, 81, actor, comedian (“The Jack Paar Show,” “One Day at a Time”)…born Newark, NY

Bert Lahr (Irving Lahrheim), actor: The Wizard of Oz…born in 1895…Manhattan, NYC

Kevin Tighe, 66, actor (“Emergency,”)…born Los Angeles, CA

• Athletics

Bobby Clarke, 61, Hockey Hall of Famer: Philadelphia Flyers…born Flin Flon, Manitoba, CAN

Ben Hogan, golf champion: Masters [1951, 1953], U.S. Open [1948, 1950, 1951, 1953], British Open [1953], PGA [1946, 1948] …born in 1912… Stephenville, TX

• Business & Education

Annie Oakley(Phoebe Anne Oakley Mozee), frontierswoman (Buffalo Bill's Wild West) …born in 1860… Woodland (now Willowdell), OH, or Drake OH

• Politics

Fidel Castro, 83, former president of Cuba (1959–2008)…born Mayari, Oriente Province, Cuba

Lucy Stone, pioneered women's rights…born in 1818… West Brookfield, MA

• Science/Religion

John Logie Baird, inventor (father of TV) …born in 1888… Dunbartonshire, Scotland

Rex Humbard, television evangelist …born in 1919…Little Rock, AR

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

Joe E Ross, comedian (Toody-Car 54, Phil Silvers Show), @ 77 in 1982

Jack Ryan, inventor (Barbie Doll, Hot Wheels) and designer of the Sparrow and Hawk missiles, ex of Zsa Zsa Gabor, stroke @ 65 in 1991

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1924 The first country music record to sell one million copies reached that point on this day. It was The Prisoner’s Song, recorded by Vernon Dalhart (Click Here to Hear the Original)

• Athletics

1934 Cartoonist Al Capp began his famous comic strip, Li’l Abner

1990 Soul singer/songwriter Curtis Mayfield (Superfly, Freddie’s Dead) was paralyzed from the neck down after a lighting tower fell on him at a concert in Brooklyn

2008 Michael Phelps sets the Olympic record for most the gold medals won by an individual in Olympic history with his win in the men's 200m butterfly.

• Business & Education

1889 William Gray of Hartford, CT patented the coin-operated telephone

1907 1st taxicab (NYC)

• Indigenous People

1521 Spanish conquerors captured Mexico City from Aztecs

1645 For several years, the Dutch, and the local Indian tribes near New Amsterdam and Pavonia, have been fighting. Hackensack Chief Oratamin negotiates a peace between the warring parties. It is another ten years before another major conflict erupted.

• Politics (US)

1784 The Continental Congress met for the final time in Annapolis, Maryland.

1961 Construction on Berlin Wall begins in East Germany (Dark day)

• Politics (International)

1536 Buddhist monks from Kyōto'sEnryaku Temple set fire to 21 Nichiren temples throughout Kyoto in the Tenbun Hokke Disturbance

1954 Radio Pakistan broadcasts the National Anthem of Pakistan for the first time.

1978 150 Palestinians in Beirut are killed in a terrorist attack during the Second Phase of the Lebanese Civil War.

2004 156 Congolese Tutsi refugees massacred at the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi.

• Science / Religion

3114 BC According to the Lounsbury correlation, the start of the Maya calendar.

1642 Christiaan Huygens discovers Martian south polar cap

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

One of its newspapers was appropriately called "The Epitaph": What is Tombstone?

She once shot a cigarette from the mouth of the German crown prince: Who is Annie Oakley?

In 650,000 miles the mail was lost only once: What is the Pony Express?

Brothers Virgil & Morgan were shot here, but Wyatt Earp emerged unscathed: What is the OK Corral?

It ran 2,000 miles, from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon: What is the Oregon Trail?

↔ 2

A Bell—and I thought it was my bathtub.

↔ Picture

Head of a bug.

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Signing of the Mural, Flagstaff, AZ 8-12-10

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Thursdy August 11

This is Week 32 of 2010►Day 224 with 141 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

We have a very strange political ad campaign going on here in AZ. Most people in the US have heard of Sheriff Joe. He’s the sheriff of Maricopa County (Phoenix) who runs raids at various times to find illegals. He makes the inmates wear pink. He has an outdoor tent jail for the hot summer months. He proudly stands for enforcing the law against all illegals. Sheriff Joe is in his mid 70’s, and plans to run again. He gladly appears on conservative radio and Fox News. He is up for reelection in 2012. He has several Federal investigations regarding his enforcement of the law. He has put a couple of different ads on TV about how certain candidates in the 2010 elections are against his policy enforcement. The ad ends with reelect Sheriff Joe in 2012. Somehow these are campaign ads for him and not campaign ads for those he wants to see elected. His ads are certainly naming names of his political enemies who are running now. Opponents took him to court saying that it is too early to run campaign ads for 2012. A local judge has ruled that it is OK to run ads now for an election that is over two years away. As if we don’t already have too many ads, too many robocalls, too many flyers in the mail during campaign season, this judge has said that it’s OK to openly campaign years before the election. This will have nationwide consequences if it holds. I’m not ready for that. I was taken aback by the first ad, thinking that I had missed something—that Sheriff Joe was up for reelection. I can’t vote for or against him, but all our TV stations come from Phoenix, so we get to see ads but can’t vote. Modern technology does have a down side.

Flag was really nice today. I did my errands to a beautiful 80°with only a nice breeze. We do need to have a little moisture soon, as this heat is certainly drying things out. After our recent much needed rain and the unwanted flooding along with the big fires, everyone here in Flagstaff keeps an eye on the sky most of the time. This certainly has been a very newsworthy summer to remember for years to come.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesian statesman: All too many Muslims fail to grasp Islam, which teaches one to be lenient towards others and to understand their value systems, knowing that these are tolerated by Islam as a religion.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1099 First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon – Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid forces under Al-Afdal Shahanshah. This is considered the last engagement of the First Crusade.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about the human brain

>Your brain is about 2% of your total body weight but uses 20% of your body's energy. The energy used by the brain is enough to light a 25 watt bulb.

>At birth our brains weigh an average of four to five pounds, as adults the brain averages about three pounds.

>The brain can stay alive for 4 to 6 minutes without oxygen. After that cells begin die.

>Results from cognitive tests show 30% of 80-year-olds perform as well as young adults.

>It is estimated that the human brain produces 70,000 thoughts on an average day.

>More electrical impulses are generated in one day by a single human brain than by all the telephones in the world.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Questions

He was the doubter among the Apostles

Continent with the largest Jewish population

Color of smoke signifying election of new Pope

This Buddhist sect seeks truth through concepts like "the sound of one hand clapping"

This word for the Mohammedan religion means "submission to the will of God"

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

Chicago-AP-- Four sisters from one family have each given birth within four days. That's four sisters, four babies, four days.

The same obstetrician delivered the babies of three of the sisters — 27-year-old Lilian Sepulveda, 29-year-old Saby Pazos and 24-year-old Leslie Pazos — in the same suburban Chicago hospital on Friday and Saturday.

A fourth sister, Heidi Lopez, gave birth on Monday in California.

Family members say the women didn't plan the timing. Obstetrician Dr. Jean Alexandre, who delivered the three babies in suburban Chicago, calls the births "very unusual but wonderful at the same time."

Molly Gaus, a spokeswoman for Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill., said Saby Pazos and Leslie Pazos both delivered their babies naturally on Friday. Saby gave birth to a 7-pound, 8-ounce boy named Abel Brian, and a couple of hours later Leslie had a 7-pound, 1-ounce girl, Ashley Mishell.

Sepulveda had a scheduled Caesarean section on Saturday morning. She gave birth to an 8-pound, 3-ounce daughter named Emily Marie.

Lopez, who had to have an emergency C-section on Monday in California, delivered a baby boy named Jonathan. "It was unplanned that it would happen that early," Gaus said.

A LITTLE LAUGH

No one is more cautious than a first-time parent. After our daughter was big enough to ride on the back of my bicycle, I bought a special carrier with a seat belt and got her a little helmet.

The day of the first ride I put her in the seat, double-checked all the equipment, wheeled the bike to the end of the driveway, carefully looked both ways and, swinging my leg up over the crossbar, accidentally kicked her right in the chin.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

I have a head, but no body. I have leaves but no branches. I have veins but no blood. What am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Cantinflas was a great comedian: Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

8-14: Assistance Dog Week

…Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week

…National Resurrect Romance Week

10-16: Elvis Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

Middle Child's Day

IBM PC Day

International Youth Day

Ponce de Leon Day (1508)

Sewing Machine Day

Vinyl Record Day

Cuba: People's Victory Against Machado Tyranny

Massachusetts & Oklahoma: Indian Day

Texas: Pioneer' Day

Thailand: HM the Queen's Birthday and National Mother's Day

United Kingdom: Glorious Twelfth (opening day for the grouse hunting season)

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

Mother Machree John McCormack 1911

Daddy Sammy Kaye 1941

Come On-a My House Rosemary Clooney 1951

Tossin' and Turnin' Bobby Lewis 1961

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart The Bee Gees 1971

Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 1981

(Everything I Do) I Do It for You Bryan Adams 1991

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Cecil B deMille, directed God (10 Commandments) …born 1881…Ashfield, MA

William Goldman, 79, writer (The Princess Bride, Marathon Man), born Chicago, IL

Ann M. Martin, 55, author (The Baby-Sitter’s Club series), born Princeton, NJ

Buck Owens, country singer (Hee Haw) …born 1929…Sherman, TX

Abbott Thayer, artist: created camouflage pattern for military …born 1849…Boston, MA

Porter Wagoner, country singer, discovered Dolly Parton (Y'All Come) …born 1932…West Plains, MO

~~~

Cantinflas (Mario Moreno Reyes), comic actor: Around the World in 80 Days, Pepe; Mexico’s vaudeville…born 1911…Mexico City, Mexico

George Hamilton, 71, actor (Love at First Bite, Act One, “The Survivors”), born Memphis, TN

Peter Krause, 45, actor (“Dirty Sexy Money,” “Six Feet Under,”), born Minneapolis, MI

Jane Wyatt , actress (Father Knows Best, Star Trek) …born 1912…Campgaw, NJ

• Athletics

Parnelli (Rufus) Jones, 77, auto racer: Indianapolis 500 winner…born … Texarkana, AK

Pete Sampras, 39, tennis player, born Washington, DC

• Business & Education

Robert Mills, architect (Washington Monument)…born 1781…Charleston, SC

Ross McWhirter, author (Guinness Book of World Records) …born 1925… Winchmore Hill, London,

• Politics

Richard Reid, 37, Islamist terrorist (the "Shoe Bomber")…London, England

• Science/Religion

--

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

William Blake, English poet and artist @ 70 in 1827

Cleopatra @ 39 in 30 BC

Ian Fleming, English novelist (James Bond and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), heart attack @ 56 in 1964

Henry Fonda, actor (On Golden Pond), heart disease @ 77 in 1982

Merv Griffin, American television host and game show creator @ 82 in 2007

Loretta Young, American actress @ 87 in 2000

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1915 Of Human Bondage, by William Somerset Maugham, published

• Athletics

1879 1st National Archery Association tournament (Chicago)

1928 9th Olympic Games close in Amsterdam

1935 Babe Ruth's final game at Fenway Park, 41,766 on hand

1973 Golfer Jack Nicklaus won his 14th major golf title, breaking a record held for nearly 50 years by Bobby Jones.

• Business & Education

1851 Isaac Singer granted patent for his sewing machine

• Indigenous People

1676 King Philip's War (vs Wampanoag Indians) ends in New England

1769 Kumeyaay Indians fight with the Spaniards who have established the Mission San Diego de Alcala in what becomes San Diego, California.

• Politics (US)

1972 Last American combat ground troops leave Vietnam

1978 ICE is launched

• Politics (International)

1332 Battle of Dupplin Moor; Scottish dynastic battle

1508 Ponce de Leon arrives in Puerto Rico

1988 Nelson Mandela is treated for tuberculosis at the hospital

• Science / Religion

1553 Pope Julius III orders confiscation & burning of the Talmud (Jewish Holy Book)

1865 Joseph Lister became the first doctor to use disinfectant during surgery.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

He was the doubter among the Apostles: Who was St. Thomas?

Continent with the largest Jewish population: What is North America?

Color of smoke signifying election of new Pope: What is white?

This Buddhist sect seeks truth through concepts like "the sound of one hand clapping": What is Zen?

This word for the Mohammedan religion means "submission to the will of God": What is Islam?

↔ 2

A head of cabbage.

↔ Picture

Brakes of a car

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Kumeyaay today

To find out more about the tribe: Click Here!

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Wednesday August 11

This is Week 32 of 2010►Day 223 with 142 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I had a 'walk down memory lane' type lunch today. Redwing called and wanted to meet me at Grand Canyon Café. It’s a greasy spoon right on Route 66. I went there often when I was in grad school and haven’t been there in years. It hasn’t changed. It has the Formica tables in the vinyl booths. (I’m sure they have upgraded as nothing had holes…LOL) It still has the long lunch counter from the 1950’s. Its food is still good, lots of stereotypical Navajos still eating there. Redwing is getting ready for the signing of his mural across the street on Thursday. I’ll be there to celebrate the event. His middle son was recently sent off to Afghanistan. His ex has moved to Dennehotso, his oldest is living there until his job starts in Farmington. His youngest is off to Diné College. I’m still a little stunned as how walking into a restaurant can take you back almost 40 years instantly. Finding parking in downtown Flagstaff is always a challenge, and finding it during the noon hour is almost impossible. I found a place about a block away—not bad. As I was walking down 66 a car that was waiting for the light honked. It was a teacher I had worked with at Kaibeto. She said she and her grandson were headed to Phx. I’m sure she was wondering why I was walking down the sidewalk of 66. Probably just my memories as 66 used to be little more than ‘Indian bars’. There is only one bar on 66 and it was two blocks from where I was. Now it is lots of touristy arts and crafts, curio shops, and restaurants. Memories.

I finally sat down and got my tickets to LA for my trip to Malaysia and Borneo. I knew I would eventually find a good deal. I’m almost set. I leave on the 8th and come back on the 30th. I have so much to see, so much to learn.

Our neighborhood was back to normal today. Kids were out playing all day. I was out and about much of the day, but I haven’t seen any cops around today. It’s nice to be back to normal. There wasn’t a lot in the paper but the info I had matched what was in the paper. Hopefully we won’t need cops again. Only time will tell.

Flag had a nice day. We had a warm day—80°on the deck, with no rain, no breeze, and very few clouds.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Winston Churchill: Please excuse the length of this letter, I did not have time to write a shorter one.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1998 British Petroleum announced it was buying, er, merging with Amoco Corp. of the U.S. in a $53-billion deal. BP was already the world’s third-largest oil company, and the deal made it a bigger rival to No. 1 Royal Dutch/Shell and No. 2 Exxon.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION on UFO’s

>The earliest known report of a UFO sighting was by Julius Obsequens, a Roman writer, in 100 B.C.. He claimed to have seen "things like ships" in the sky over Italy. Some people also believe that the Old Testament book of Ezekiel (EZEKIEL 1:4-5) contains a reference to a UFO sighting. The Book of Ezekiel chronicles the period from about 593 B.C. to about 573 B.C., so if this is actually a UFO reference, it would pre-date the sighting by Obsequens.

>AREA 51, sometimes referred to as "Dreamland" or "Groom Lake", is a secret military facility located about 90 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada where Spy planes such as the U-2, SR-71, YF-12A, and F-117A were developed there, as well as the technology associated with the Strategic Defense Initiative (aka "Star Wars").

>In July, 1947, a rancher named Mac Brazel discovered some unusual debris strewn across his land in Roswell, New Mexico. The debris had created a shallow gouge several hundred feet long. Finding that some of the debris seemed to have strange physical properties, Brazel contacted military authorities who sent two intelligence officers to investigate. Brazel's ranch was soon cordoned off, and soldiers arrived to remove the debris. The rest is history

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Questions: By the Numbers

The 2 digits that give James Bond license to kill

Three Dog Night called this the loneliest number

Number of red stripes on current U.S. flag

Total of Disney's Dalmatians and dwarfs

Broadway hit that takes Fellini film a ½ step further

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

NEW YORK - New York education officials said a teacher who allegedly faked a fall down the stairs to avoid a performance review is no longer eligible to teach in the city. Officials said Ilene Feldman, 33, a first-year teacher at the High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media, was caught on camera faking a fall down the stairs in an apparent attempt to get out of a scheduled classroom observation by her supervisor, the New York Post reported.

The observation was scheduled after Feldman received a poor performance review, a report from the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation said. Feldman, who denied faking the December 2008 fall, resigned from the school system and officials said she has since been classified ineligible to teach in the city's school system.

A LITTLE LAUGH

Unexpected guests were on the way, and my mother, an impeccable housekeeper, rushed around straightening up. She put my father and brother to work cleaning the guest bathroom. Later, when she went to inspect it, she was surprised that the once-cluttered room had been tidied up so quickly.

Then she saw the note on the closed shower curtains. It read, "Thank you for not looking in the bathtub."

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 2--Riddle

Look at me one way and I weigh a whole lot; turn me around and you’ll see that I am not. What am I?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Cheech and Chong: Dave’s Not Here—classic Click Here!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

♦ Weekly Observances ♦

8-14: Assistance Dog Week

…Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week

…National Resurrect Romance Week

10-16: Elvis Week

♦ Today’s Observances ♦

Presidential Joke Day

Ramadan begins for Muslims, ends on Sep 9

Central African Republic,  & Chad: Independence Day (1960 from France)

Jordan: Coronation Day/Accession of King Hussein

♦ Hit Songs on this date ♦

Casey Jones  Billy Murray & American Quartet 1910

I'll Never Smile Again Tommy Dorsey 1940

Mona Lisa Nat "King" Cole 1950

It's Now or Never Elvis Presley 1960

(They Long to Be) Close to You The Carpenters 1970

Magic Olivia Newton-John 1980

Vision of Love Mariah Carey 1990

♦ Today’s Births ♦

• The Arts

Joanna Coles, 66, children’s author…born Newark, NJ

Alex Haley, US, author (Roots) …born in 1921… Ithaca, NY

Robert Green Ingersoll, NY, author/politician/agnostic (Golden Age of Freethought)…born in 1833…Dresden, NY

Joe Jackson, 55, musician, songwriter…born Burton-on-Trent, England

Hugh MacDiarmid (Pen name of Christopher Murray Grieve), writer (Scots Unbound) …born in 1892… Langholm, Scotland

~~~

Mike Douglas, talk show host…born in 1925…Chicago

• Athletics

Hulk Hogan, 57, wrestler, actor…born Terry Gene Bollea at Augusta, GA

William Alan ‘Bill’ Munson, football: Rams, Seahawks, Chargers, Lions; Asst. G.M.: Bills…born in 1943…Sacramento, CA

• Business & Education

Claus Von Bulow, business mogul, accused of murdering his wife…born in 1926… Copenhagen, Denmark

Marilyn vos Savant, 64, columnist (“Ask Marilyn”), claims world’s highest IQ…born St. Louis, MO

Stephen Wozniak, 60, Apple computer cofounder…born Sunnyvale, CA

• Politics

David Atchison, politician: organizer of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad; president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, president of U .S. for one day [March 4, 1849], the Sunday before Zachary Taylor (refused to be inaugurated on a Sunday) was sworn in…born in 1807… Frogtown (later Kirklevington), now Lexington, KY

• Science/Religion

Jerry Falwell, televangelist, Moral Majority head…born in 1933…Lynchburg, VA

♦ Today’s Obituaries ♦

Peggy Castle, actress (Lily Merrill-Lawman), cirrhosis @ 46 in 1973

Jackson Pollock, abstract artist, auto accident @ 44 in 1956

Thaddeus Stevens, architect of Radical Reconstruction, @ 76 in 1868

♦ Today’s Events ♦

• The Arts

1963 The Kingston Trio are the mystery guest on "What's My Line?"

1972 "Cheech & Chong Day" in San Antonio Texas

• Athletics

1919 Green Bay Packers football club founded

1948 Summer Olympics opens in London

1974 Lee Trevino wins PGA championship

1984 Carl Lewis duplicates Jesse Owens' 1936 feat, wins 4 Olympic track golds

• Business & Education

1860 Nation's 1st successful silver mill (Virginia City, Nev)

1866 World's 1st roller rink opens (Newport, RI)

1992 The Mall of America opened in Bloomington, Minnesota

• Indigenous People

3114 B.C. According to some Maya sources, the present creation takes place. Other sources say this happens on August 12th or 13th. It will end on December 21, 23 or December 24, 2012.

1802 Tecumseh has predicted an earthquake. It happen and becomes known as the "New Madrid Earthquake."

• Politics (US)

1909 SOS 1st used by an American ship, Arapahoe, off Cape Hatteras, NC

1934 1st federal prisoners arrive at Alcatraz in SF Bay

1965 Thirty-four people died, more than 3,000 were arrested and there was over $40 million in damage to property in the Watts area of Los Angeles

• Politics (International)

1991 Shite Muslims release US hostage Edward Tracy

• Science / Religion

1772 Explosive eruption blows 4,000' off Papandayan Java, kills 3,000

1896 Harvey Hubbell of Bridgeport, CT received a patent for the pull-chain, electric-light socket!

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

The 2 digits that give James Bond license to kill: What are zero and seven. Double oh seven is wrong.

Three Dog Night called this the loneliest number: what is ONE?

Number of red stripes on current U.S. flag: What is 7?

Total of Disney's Dalmatians and dwarfs: What is 108? (101 + 7)

Broadway hit that takes Fellini film a ½ step further: What is 9? (8 ½ + ½ )

↔ 2

A ton

↔ Picture

A 3-ring binder with page flipper

TODAY’S PHOTO SHOT

Papandayan, Java, Indonesia

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