Monday October 11

This is Week 41 of 2010►Day 284 with 81days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Louie, our seasoned guide, shared much information during our days. At one time on the bus, I was asking him more about his term ‘witch doctor’. He explained that he did psychological healing, his fee is minimal, and his ‘work’ lasts about 45 minutes. I asked him if this medicine person sang or chanted during his healing. He said no, but he did pray. I asked him how this healing took place. He told me he takes things out of your body. I asked him if they were sucked out. His eyes got very wide and asked how I knew. I explained the little knowledge I have of Navajo Medicine Men. He was very intrigued, and wanted to know more than my little knowledge understood. He also told me that the Iban Witch Doctor sucks out objects—small bones, small stones, etc. to heal the patient. The Iban healer can also be on the black side. Any healer can do white—good healing, or black—bad stuff. The same healer who uses black medicine on a patient cannot be then the white healer for that patient. As expected he didn’t want to talk about the black side. He did say that I was the first tourist he had talked to that didn’t look at this healing as just silly superstition. There are also Iban healers, men or women, who know how to use plants to heal. They are trained differently than the Witch Doctor. I wish I had more knowledge, and that this conversation could have continued much longer.

As I mentioned before, we took two walks in the rainforest. The river we were traveling on was very, very brown. Louie told us that it had been clear when he was a boy. Then the loggers came in. We didn’t see much logging near the river, but we saw barge after barge after barge loaded with hundreds of trees. Many of the logs seemed to have the center bored out; it turns out this is termite damage. None of the people in Borneo wanted to talk about the damage of logging. It just seems to be part of the life in Borneo today.

Our first rainforest walk had us all prepared for the worst. We all had on hiking shoes, long socks that were pulled over our long pants, and everyone was wearing some kind of leech stop socks. Our heads all had hats, so that falling living things would not get into our hair. We were warned not to grab the ropes without looking, as there were lots of hairy caterpillars, which it touched would cause us to itch a lot. Also many of the trees have sharp spikes that may not be seen before you have a handful of the tiny spikes in your hand. We were reminded to grab the ropes when climbing as the ground and or roots could be very slippery. The climbing could be at about 45° or more, and that some hand climbing might be necessary. A few people opted not to take the hike. Those who did would go to the first rest area and then those who wanted to go on would with Louie and Henry would take the rest back. We were also reminded to stay on the trail, as it is very easy to get lost in the rainforest. We were warned that cameras should be kept in a plastic bag as the forest plays havoc on electronics. I opted to leave the cameras behind and just to remember this jungle walk in my mind. When we got to the first rest area, everyone wanted to go on. Louie and Henry later said they really expected about half the group to stay behind. As I had kinda expected, their warnings were a little overstated but it was quite a climb. I could have brought my cameras, but will do that on the ‘easier’ walk. We saw lots of ferns, plants, and trees that are now used by modern medicine for everything from ED to HIV to cancer treatments. There were also plants for indigestion, diarrhea, congestion, and almost every conceivable ailment. The walking was not nearly as tough as the standing, as we learned about each and every plant. We did see huge Army ants, termites, hairy caterpillars, but very little other wildlife. We could hear birds, but never saw them. We were told we would have to stop, sit down, and wait very quietly about an hour or so to see any larger wildlife. We were told that there were deer, snakes, wart hogs and other wildlife in the area. The rainforest does have meadows, but we didn’t see any until we got to the end of the walk. After seeing the open space, it was easy to understand that many animals lived there.

Later in the trip we took the ‘easy’ rainforest walk, with not as much climbing and a waterfall at the end. Now that Henry and Louie knew more about our group, they divided us into three groups. The first group would go to the 2nd rest area about ten minutes from the waterfall. This group would not stop and learn about the foliage. I joined this group. The second group would go along and learn about the foliage, and the third group would stay at the long house and eat and buy crafts. Our group, with my camera in hand, moved quickly. We passed the first rest area without stopping and got to the second rest area. We waited about 30 minutes for the second group. Our trekker, a local girl about 18, told our guide, Steve—from the boat, that we needed to go on as rain was coming. We got to the beautiful waterfall and it was worth the hike. On the way back, we didn’t stop at any of the rest stops, we met up with the other group about 200 yards from the second rest area. They went on to the waterfall; we went back to the longhouse. We didn’t see much wildlife, but did see a wart hog, some roosters, and a caged pig. On this climb we didn’t get quite as prepared, and didn’t need to. Socks over your pants, a hat, and a poncho in your pocket are all we needed. Oh, and the ever needed bottle of water. At the end of both treks, my clothes were soaking wet and I’m sure I could have taken off my shirt and wrung it out and filled a small bucket. I’m not a big water drinker but on each hike I consumed two bottles of water and wanted more. While I’m not sure I want to ever trek into a rainforest again, I am sure happy that I had the experience.

I certainly learned to appreciate the rainforest. The destruction of the Borneo rainforest is extremely sad. The loss of language, culture, people, wildlife to make a coffee table for a home in the UK or US or anywhere, doesn’t make much sense, except for making money. At both longhouses they did not have a lot of crafts. Some in our group were disappointed. I saw it as that idea that they had not totally sold out to commerce. Tourists will come and go, but they will stay in their longhouse for their lifetime. Even at the markets throughout Borneo, we didn’t find touristy stuff. These markets are the backbone of the town’s economy, so foodstuffs, clothing, and Dollar store toys were everywhere. Our trips to morning markets were much easier on the nose than going at night. One early morning market was filled with fresh, very fresh, fish and other creatures from the sea. Fresh fruits and veggies were also abundant. The market was an amazing walk, about the size of a WalMart Superstore. Each vendor had a table or series of tables, a scale to weigh everything, a cash register or cash box and plastic bags for the purchases. The afternoon and evening walks through the market were not easy on the nose. Fish that have been sitting on open air tables tend to stink. Yes, there was some ice around, but after a day of heat, even ice can’t keep the fish smell from permeating the area. The night markets also had food vendors offering lots of choices of favorite foods. All of the night markets had a carnival/flea market atmosphere. They were exciting, but sure wouldn’t want to have to buy my groceries in that atmosphere every time I shopped.

Flag nights are getting cooler and cooler. Days are much cooler too. There still hasn’t been any snow in town. The birds have all returned to my feeders and seem to be enjoying the easy food. My finch socks were feeding lots of colorful birds every time I looked out on the deck. I aired out the upstairs most of the day—windows on both ends of the house were wide open. I did the same downstairs for a couple of hours this afternoon. It was a good Sunday. It was a triple 10 day (10-10-2010) and I guess that means good fortune. Some huge number of couples tied the knot today, hope it works for them. Cardinals beat the Saints today and was seen as a fluke. AZ just doesn’t seem to have it together this year. Broncos lost bad to the Colts and I was glad they only showed highlights. Cards are now 3-2, the Broncos are 2-3. No playoffs seem to be on the horizon for either team.

Flag…H—63°; L—34°; RH—61%; and only a breeze of about 5mph.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

We have same black hair, but not the heart

(meaning of proverb: even though we have the same color of hair, but our heart or feeling are different)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1985 Pres Reagan bans importation of South African Krugerrands

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

The telephone was invented in March of 1876 and patented in January of the following year by Alexander Graham Bell.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers—Mammals

$100- Romans called this African beast a "tiger horse"

$200- The only flying mammal

$300- A black panther is really the black version of this cat

$400- Plays dead to escape predators, but one was close friends with an alligator

$500- Weighing 1½ tons per foot, this mammal generates up to 500 H.P. with its tail

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

PIERRELATTE - French police said an escaped alligator was brought in by a woman and spent the night in the jail's drunk tank. Police in Pierrelatte said a woman found the Chinese alligator, which measured only about 3 feet long, outside of a restaurant Tuesday and brought it to the police station, Radio France Internationale reported.

The reptile, which does not have strong enough jaws to attack humans, spent the night in a cell designed for drunk suspects and the following day was returned to a nearby crocodile farm. Samuel Martin, who runs the crocodile farm, said the alligator escaped two months ago with another reptile that is still on the loose.

A LITTLE LAUGH

When my husband pointed out my tendency to retell the same stories over and over, I reminded him that he was just as guilty.

"Allow me to clarify," he said in response. "I review. You repeat."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

A Malaysian Market: Click Here to View

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

6-12: Physicians Assistant Week

8-12: Kids' Goal Setting Week

8-10: New York Comic Con Week

10-16: Build Your Business with Business Cards Week ^ Emergency Nurses Week ^ Home-based Business Week ^ National Chestnut Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Metric Week ^ Take Your Medicine Americans Week ^ World Rainforest Week

11-17: Fall Astronomy Week ^ National School Lunch Week

17-23: Food and Drug Interaction Education and Awareness Week ^ Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week ^ International Credit Union Week ^ Teen Read Week ^ National Chemistry Week ^ National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week ^ YWCA Week without Violence ^ National Character Counts Week ^ National Forest Products Week ^ National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ^ National School Bus Safety Week

18-24: Freedom From Bullies Week ^ Freedom of Speech Week ^ Medical Assistants Recognition Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Infertility Awareness Week ^ National Massage Therapy Week ^ National Businesswomen's Week

24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week

27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

It's My Party Day

Native Americans' Day

National Kick Butt Day

Simchat Torah: ends annual cycle of public readings of the Torah

Celtic: Old Michelmas Day: the day the devil was kicked out of heaven. Don’t pick blackberries after this date as they have been cursed by the devil.

Panama, Panama Canal Zone: Revolution Day (1968)

Republic of Macedonia: Revolution Day

Sri Lanka: Deepavali

US: General Pulaski Memorial Day (1779): Polish American Revolution Hero

Western Samoa: National Day

United Kingdom, Switzerland, and United States among others: National Coming Out Day

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1909...I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now / Henry Burr

1919...A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody / John Steel

1929...Am I Blue? / Ethel Waters Click Here to Listen

1939...Over the Rainbow / Glenn Miller Click Here to Listen

1949…That Lucky Old Sun / Frankie Laine Click Here to Listen

1959…Mack the Knife / Bobby Darin Click Here to Listen

1969…Sugar, Sugar / The Archies

1979…Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough / Michael Jackson

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Daryl Hall, 62, singer, musician (Hall and Oates)

Jerome Robbins (Rabinowitz), Academy Award-winning director: West Side Story [1961]; Tony Award-winning choreographer: Fiddler on the Roof [1965], West Side Story [1958],High Button Shoes [1948]; Tony Award-winning director: Fiddler on the Roof [1965], Jerome Robbins’ Broadway [1989], in 1918

Dottie West, country singer (Here Comes My Baby), in 1932

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Joan Cusack, 48, actress (Working Girl, In & Out)

Luke Perry, 44, actor (“Beverly Hills 90210,” Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

╬ ATHLETICS

Harry Glass, German DR, 1st E German Olympic medalist (bronze-1956), in 1930

Steve Young, 49, former football player

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Henry John Heinz, founded prepared-foods company (57 varieties), in 1844

Roman Jakobson, linguist/Slavic scholar (Fundamentals of Language), in 1896

Charles Revson, cosmetic mogul: founder of the Revlon Co, in 1906

Sir George Williams, England, founder YMCA, in 1821

╬ POLITICS

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1st lady/crusader, in 1884

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Robert Gale, 65, physician, cofounder of the International Bone Marrow Registry

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Waylon Flowers, puppeteer, AIDS @ 48, in 1988

Redd Foxx, comedian, heart attack @ 68, in 1991

Meriwether Lewis, capt of Lewis & Clark Expedition, suicide or murder @35, in 1809

Leonard "Chico" Marx, (Marx Brothers), @74, in 1961

Orson Welles, heart attack @ 70, in 1985

Tex Williams, country-western singer, cancer @ 68, in 1985

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1958 Spencer Tracy’s classic movie, The Old Man and the Sea was released. Based on Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel

1975 "Saturday Night Live" premieres with guest host George Carlin

╬ ATHLETICS

1927 Lou Gehrig elected MVP

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1811 The Juliana, the 1st steam-powered ferryboat, begins operation

1881 Roll film for cameras was patented.

1890 Daughters of the American Revolution founded

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1794 Tennessee Governor William Blount will meet with CHICKAMAUGAChief John Watts (Young Tassel) in the Tellico blockhouse near the French Broad River in eastern Tennessee. They will agree to have a conference in November to discuss peace between the warring settlers and the CHICKAMAUGAs.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1922 1st woman FBI "special investigator" appointed (Alaska Davidson)

1975 William Jefferson Clinton and Hillary Rodham tied the knot in Fayetteville, Arkansas

1987 200,000 gays march for civil rights in Washington

╬ POLITICS (International)

1945 Chinese civil war begins, Chiang Kai-Shek vs Mao Tse-Tung

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1737 Earthquake kills 300,000 & destroys Calcutta India

1979 Allan McLeod Cormack & Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield win Nobel Prize for medicine for developing the CAT scan

1984 Space-shuttle Challenger astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform an EVA (extra-vehicular activity), or walk in space.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$100- Romans called this African beast a "tiger horse": What is a Zebra?

$200- The only flying mammal: What is a bat?

$300- A black panther is really the black version of this cat: What is a leopard?

$400- Plays dead to escape predators, but one was close friends with an alligator: What's an opossum?

$500- Weighing 1½ tons per foot, this mammal generates up to 500 H.P. with its tail: What's a blue whale?

↔ PICTURE

Foosball player

^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^ 

Sunday October 10

This is Week 41 of 2010►Day 283 with 82 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

We visited two traditional longhouses of the Iban. As many as forty relatives live in one very long house. Each house has a veranda that joins the rooms together. Private quarters are small and used for cooking, sleeping, and in some cases, watching satellite TV. Our first longhouse also had an outside veranda for hanging clothes. It was so humid I never did figure out how the clothes ever dried. We were greeted with male tribal members doing a sort of Welcoming ceremony. There were lots of colorful costumes, great music and dancing, and a prayer. After entering, we had another ceremony that asked the Gods for Health, Wealth, and Happiness. This home had a bag of skulls hanging at the entrance. At least three generations were there to greet us. The men were farmers, the women were weavers, and the kids were just kids. Farming means going into the forest and finding plants and animals to eat, use for medicine, or to sell down the river at a town. This is certainly not an easy life. The Iban use blow darts to stun and kill their prey and their enemies. The heads of enemies are smoked and then hung outside the main entrance to warn off others. The story is that this practice ended by law in 1941, just before the Japanese invasion. The government permitted it during the war on the Japanese, then banned it again after the war. I couldn’t help but wonder if there were still some traditional people out there who don’t know or follow the law. Pandaw pays the longhouse chief for our visits and programs. They also pay the locals to keep the trails clear or semi-clear for visitors. (Some plants grow as much as ½” per hour.) They also pay a rental fee for the use of the trails to the longhouse. Each season they go to different longhouses so that many can share in the bounty. This reminded me of the various tour groups who come to the rez and visit a hogan.

Usually a woman moves into the longhouse of her husband. They live in the father’s private quarters until they can add on another private room. In one of the private rooms that was open to the public, a 2 week old baby was sleeping under a mosquito netting. So hard to imagine all these extended family members living in harmony in this tiny community.

At one of the dances, the girls wear a metal ball or two hanging from their waist. In the ‘olden days’—only 60 years ago—the metal balls were the skulls of enemies. We learned about the longhouse governmental system—after all how can a bunch of relatives live in one house and not have issues. Saving face seems to be the most important thing. Losing face is a very bad thing. Most issues are settled by the Longhouse Chief—a hereditary role. If he can’t settle the dispute, it goes to the River Chief—elected by the Chiefs of the longhouses in that section of the river. If the River Chief can’t settle the dispute, the parties go to the District Chief. Eventually the dispute can be settled by the national government courts. The National government recognizes traditional law and customs for all the tribes in Borneo. They only become involved when asked. The National government also gives out subsidies to each longhouse twice a year. Sometimes this is plants, sometimes food stuffs needed that aren’t in the forest. If a longhouse suffers a disaster—such as flooding, the National government will provide emergency assistance.

A politician is a politician. At the visit to our second longhouse, the River Chief was there for a visit. If his white uniform shirt was not enough to identify him, he was busy introducing himself to all the visitors. He mentioned, more than once, that he should be at his office in the city, but was staying because “so many important people have come to this longhouse”. During our visit, some businessmen pulled up in a black car. The River Chief was out there in a flash, shaking hands, talking, and joking with these locals. It was very reminiscent of Dine’ politicians at a family gathering.

Flag was nice today, and I took a much needed long walk around. It is still chilly in the morning, so long pants and shoes and socks were in order. We didn’t have any rain, but there were high clouds. A good day.

Flag…H—64°; L—30°; RH—41%; and only a breeze of about 5mph.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY --Malay Proverb

The language you speak would tell us your race

(meaning of proverb: what you speak will show your behavioral to the persons you speak to)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1997 Jodie Williams, key organizer of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, won the Nobel Peace Prize. And what did she say was her secret weapon for organizing 1,000 different human rights and arms control groups on six continents? “E-mail.”

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

^Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

^December 25 was not celebrated as the birthday of Christ until the year 440 A.D.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers—INVENTIONS

$100- He invented the Franklin stove

$200- Detection of gamma rays was 1 of the uses for this 1947 instant picture taker

$300- 2,160 people at a time could ride on this at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair

$400- Edison suggested it be used to record phone calls & make clocks talk

$500-The first patent pool was for this invention by Howe, Hunt & Singer

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - Police in South Carolina said they arrested a man who tried to rob a bank but instead thanked the teller and left when she claimed not to have any money. North Charleston police said Melvin Jesse Blain, 31, who had recently served 46 months in prison for a bank robbery conviction, admitted to entering the Wachovia branch at 1 p.m. and handing the teller a note demanding $30,000 in $100 bills, the Charleston Post and Courier reported Thursday. The police report said Blain thanked the teller and left the bank when the teller told him she didn't have the money. Blain was arrested while walking down the street where the bank is located. He was charged with entering a bank with the intent to steal.

A LITTLE LAUGH

Before my son could start going on job interviews, he needed to dress the part. That, he decided, required a $500 suit.

"What!?" I answered, gagging at the price tag. "I've bought cars for $500!"

"That's why I want the $500 suit," he said. "So I don't have to drive $500 cars."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Iban Welcome Dance: Click Here to View

Note: This link has lots of good video of the tribe. Interested in Head Hunters, click away.

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

4-10: Customer Service Week ^ Financial Planning Week ^ Spinning & Weaving Week ^ World Space Week

5-10:Great Books Week

6-12: Physicians Assistant Week

8-12: Kids' Goal Setting Week

8-10: New York Comic Con Week

10-16: Build Your Business with Business Cards Week ^ Emergency Nurses Week ^ Home-based Business Week ^ National Chestnut Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Metric Week ^ Take Your Medicine Americans Week ^ World Rainforest Week

11-17: Fall Astronomy Week ^ National School Lunch Week

17-23: Food and Drug Interaction Education and Awareness Week ^ Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week ^ International Credit Union Week ^ Teen Read Week ^ National Chemistry Week ^ National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week ^ YWCA Week without Violence ^ National Character Counts Week ^ National Forest Products Week ^ National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ^ National School Bus Safety Week

18-24: Freedom From Bullies Week ^ Freedom of Speech Week ^ Medical Assistants Recognition Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Infertility Awareness Week ^ National Massage Therapy Week ^ National Businesswomen's Week

24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week

27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

International Newspaper Carrier Day

National Cake Decorating Day

Naval Academy Day: Annapolis opened in 1845

Clergy Appreciation Day

World Mental Health Day

Afghanistan: Deliverance Day

Cuba: Yara Day/Beginning of War of Independence (1868)

Fiji: Fiji Day, celebrate the independence from United Kingdom 1970

Finland: Aleksis Kivi Day (1834) The Day of Finnish literature, birthday of the National writer Aleksis Kivi.

Japan: Health-Sports Day (1964)

Namibia & South Africa: Kruger Day (1825)

North Korea: Party Foundation Day, the foundation of the Workers' Party of Korea

Oklahoma: Historical Day (1802)

South Dakota: Pioneers' Day

Taiwan: Double Tenth Day/National Day (1911) (雙十國慶), celebrate outbreak of the Wuchang Insurgence that led to founding of the Republic of China or Taiwan led by Sun Yet-Sen

Wash DC: Samuel Fraunces Day (Black Slave and steward to George Washington)

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1898...She Was Happy Till She Met You / Dan Quinn

1908...Cuddle Up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine / Ada Jones & Billy Murray Click Here for Audio

1918...Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody / Al Jolson Click Here for Audio

1928...I Can't Give You Anything But Love / Cliff Edwards ("Ukelele Ike") not original: Click Here for Audio

1938...I've Got a Pocketful of Dreams / Bing Crosby Click Here for Audio

1948…A Tree in the Meadow / Margaret Whiting

1958…It's All in the Game / Tommy Edwards Click Here for Audio

1968…Hey Jude/ The Beatles Click Here for Audio

1978…Kiss You All Over / Exile

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

James Clavell, author (Tai Pan, Shogun), in 1920 or 1924

Johnny Green, songwriter: Coquette, Body and Soul, I’m Yours, [You Came Along From] Out of Nowhere, I Cover the Waterfront, Easy Come, Easy Go; won five Oscars for work on MGM films: Easter Parade, West Side Story, Oliver, An American in Paris, Bye Bye Birdie, High Society, Raintree County, The Great Caruso, Summer Stock, Brigadoon, in 1908

Mario Lopez, 37, actor (“Saved by the Bell,” “DWTS”, “Extra”)

Nora Roberts, 60, author (Birthright, Hidden Riches, Rising Tides) David Lee Roth, 55, singer (Van Halen)

Tanya Tucker, 52, singer (Delta Dawn)

Lin Yutang (林语堂), Chinese writer (My Country & My People) in 1895

Giuseppe Verdi, composed operas (Rigoletto, Aida, Otello) in 1813

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Helen Hayes, Wash DC, actress (C‘sar & Cleopatra, Happy Birthday) in 1900

Ben Vereen, 64, actor, singer, dancer (Tony for Pippin; Roots, All That Jazz, “Webster”)

╬ ATHLETICS

Bob Burnquist, 34, skateboarder, born Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Bruce Devlin, 73, golf: 8 PGA Tour titles

Dale Earnhardt, Jr, 36, race car driver

Brett Favre, 41, football player

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

--

╬ POLITICS

Queen Isabella II Queen of Spain (1833-68) in 1830

Paul Kruger, president: South Africa; leader of the Boers, in 1825

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Henry Cavendish, English physicist/chemist (discovered hydrogen) in 1731

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Yul Brynner, actor (King & I), cancer @ 70 in 1985

Eddie Cantor, comedian (Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater), heart attack @ 72 in 1964

Orson Welles, actor (Citizen Kane), @ heart attack @70 in 1985

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1935 George Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess" opens on Broadway

1965 The Red Baron made his first appearance in the Peanuts comic strip with the defender of all good, Snoopy.

╬ ATHLETICS

1964 18th modern Olympic Games open in Tokyo

1976 Greece's 98 year-old Dimitrion Yordanidis, is oldest man to compete in a marathon; he finishes in 7:33

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1865 The billiard ball was patented by John Wesley Hyatt. Mr. Hyatt won $10,000 in a contest. He was the first person to come up with a substitute for the ivory ball (in use at the time)

1886 1st dinner jacket (jacket without tails)worn to autumn ball at Tuxedo Park, NY (the tuxedo)

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1615 Champlain fights with the Onondagas (the Haudenosaunee (“People of the Long House”), an alliance of native nations united for hundreds of years by traditions, beliefs and cultural values.Also referred to as the Iroquois Confederacy or Six Nations, the Haudenosaunee consist of the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, Onondaga Nation's and Tuscarora nations.

1802 1st non Indian settlement in Oklahoma

╬ POLITICS (US)

1957 Pres Eisenhower apologizes to finance minister of Ghana, Komla Agbeli Gbdemah, after he is refused service in a Dover, Del, restaurant

1973 VP Spiro T Agnew pleads no contest to tax evasion & resigns

╬ POLITICS (International)

1943 Chiang Kai-shek takes oath of office as president of China

1963 Treaty banning atmospheric nuclear tests signed by US, UK, USSR

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1780 Great Hurricane of 1780 kills 20,000 to 30,000 in Caribbean

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$100- He invented the Franklin stove: Who is Ben Franklin?

$200- Detection of gamma rays was 1 of the uses for this 1947 instant picture taker: What is Polaroid-Land Camera?

$300- 2,160 people at a time could ride on this at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair: What is a Ferris Wheel?

$400- Edison suggested it be used to record phone calls & make clocks talk: What is a phonograph?

$500-The first patent pool was for this invention by Howe, Hunt & Singer: What is the sewing machine?

↔ PICTURE

Green apples

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Saturday October 9

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 282 with 83 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

The nine day cruise down the Kanowit and Rajong Rivers had many exciting and interesting stops. The ship was amazing, with great food, adequate accommodations, and really nice sun deck. Those who don’t believe that the internet and wi-fi have changed the world need only to head for Borneo. We had wi-fi access throughout the cruise. On the river, we had to wait for a small town, but seldom were out of contact more than a couple of hours. As we travel into some fairly isolated areas, I am still amazed to see fishermen using cell phones, satellite dishes on long houses, and kids greeting our ship and taking cell phone pics of us. On the cruise we had Brits, Aussies, and Canadians. Lord and Lady Geddes were quite the couple. When I learned that he was from Scotland—Glasgow—[McDonald Clan] we had a nice discussion of the town and the beauty of the islands. When I learned he was the main speaker in the House of Lords I understood his rather boisterous personality. Celts are everywhere! The Canadian couple had been active in the Vancouver Olympics. One of the guys worked at the Alumni Center of the University and his partner was a free lance trainer. Both were bike riders and skaters. Wolfgang and his wife and her sister were now living in California and had some great stories. The crew was amazing. It turns out that English is their third or fourth language, yet many times, they have difficulty communicating with each other. Our guides on this ship were Louie and Henry. Louie has been doing this for years, while Henry is just getting started. Both of them offered great insights.

Pandaw River Cruises began in 1995 when it revived the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company to run a river cruise in Burma. The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company is a Scottish Merchant Ship line that was founded in 1865. At its height in the 1920’s it was running 650+ ships in Burma. Thanks to the Celts, we could see Borneo in luxury. All their ships were built in Scotland. In 1942 the Japanese invaded Burma and the Flotilla Company was closed. Then in 1995 a Burmese historian revived the flotilla and decided to restart the company. He restored the Pandaw and in an unusual move had 4 identical Pandaw ships built. They are filled with Teak and Brass and show the luxury of that bygone era. This is only the second year that a Pandaw ship has cruised in Borneo. They had to stop running the Burma cruise, due to the Myanmar government. They also run a cruise in Vietnam. We were on the Orient Pandaw. The crew of 28 kept everything running smoothly. While most of the crew only knew beginning English, communication was possible and all were happy to practice their English skills. Since most of their communication in English was with either Brits or Aussies, they certainly had interesting accents. This was a very happy family crew. Everyone pitched in to help everyone else. Wherever help was needed one of the crew would step right in. Docking was always an experience. The constant rise and fall of the river meant that sometimes we left the ship on the main deck, and sometimes on the upper deck. We had at least 4 different gang planks that were used at various times. Several times the docking procedure was exciting, with four or five guys jumping ship to be on shore and several still on the ship. When the first lowering of the gang plank didn’t work as well as expected, there were many chiefs and not a lot of Indians suggesting ways to improve the deboarding process. Since they all spoke different languages, chaos was present, and hand language and laughter always ensued. Never, and I mean never, was a harsh word spoken or did any of the sailors get upset. For them, it was fun, even if no one was listening to them. Steve, one of the sailors and a trekker on our excursions wants to be on some Alaskan Cruise Line. James, another sailor and trekker, wants to become a Pilot on a river ship. Nigel, the Burmese Purser, somehow keeps the crew happy and keeps the ship running smoothly. On our final departure all the 28 crew members left the ship, lined up and waved good bye, much like a family waves good bye to a family member leaving on a trip. That gesture was so much more than simply wishing us well. Nigel’s job can’t be easy with so many nationalities, the cruise lines mission of a luxury experience, and the many changes in the itinerary due to river conditions. Every change had a Plan B in place and the crew was able to make a seamless transition—including moving a beach cookout to a school park area because the river was too high. I think that Louie and Nigel were very good at keeping the passengers informed and always introduced any change in a positive way that showed the crew wanted us to have a great holiday.

No real rain in Flag today. Our non-elected governor finally made it to Bellmont to view the damage of the tornadoes. She sure blew a good photo op by waiting so long to come up North. Even the Phoenix news stations were questioning her delay. She is also running a campaign ad that talks about how hard the job of governor really is. She seems to be letting us know that the job is much more than she expected, but we should still vote for her. Flag had decent fall weather, and I think I am just getting used to it.

Flag…H—64°; L—27°; RH—61%; and not even a breeze. My flower pots are starting to show their inability to deal with the cold. Summer is gone, and soon so will the flowers.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY –MALAY PROVERBS

>>Drink water while you swim

(meaning of proverb: do two or more jobs at the same time)

>>Don't try teach a duck how to swim

(meaning of proverb: don't try to teach a clever person)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1980 1st consumer use of home banking by computer (Knoxville TN)

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION--dreams

Our mind is not inventing faces. In our dreams we see real faces of real people that we have seen during our life but may not know or remember.

If you dream about some particular subject it is not often that the dream is about that. Dreams speak in a deeply symbolic language.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers—World Capitals

$100-Costa Rican capital people might know the way to

$200-It's divided into the Kanda, Marunoucki, Asakusa & Ginza districts

$300-Home to NATO & little green sprouts

$400-This capital's street signs are in English, Arabic & Hebrew

$500-If the other twin had founded it, it might have been called "Reme"

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

AUSTIN, Texas - Guinness World Records officials said accomplishments recorded in the 2011 edition, out Thursday, include a Texas dog's 4.5-inch tongue. Guinness officials said Puggy, a 10-year-old Pekingese, made it into the record book with a tongue nearly as long as his body, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday. Becky Stanford, Puggy's current owner, said the canine was abandoned by its original owners. "People who meet Puggy for the first time do a lot of double takes; they are in total disbelief and are amused by his unique appearance," Stanford said.

"It means a great deal to us that he has accomplished what he has. From being a stray dog, being dumped, to being a Guinness World Record Holder is just phenomenal. I just can't believe it." Other new records in the 2011 edition of the book include world's largest collection of "Smurfs" memorabilia, belonging to Stephen Parkes, 44, of Nottingham, England, and the world's smallest cow, a Rishworth, England, bovine measuring 33 inches from hind to foot.

A LITTLE LAUGH

A crab and a lobster are secretly dating. Pretty soon, the lobster tires of the lying and tells her father, who then forbids her to see the crab anymore.

"It'll never work, honey." he says to her. "Crabs walk side-ways and we walk straight."

"Please," she begs her father. "Just meet him once. I know you'll like him."

Her father finally relents and agrees to a one-time meeting, and she runs off to share the good news with her crab sweetie.

The crab is so excited he decides to surprise his beloved's family. He practices and practices until he can finally walk straight!

On the BIG day, he walks the entire way to the lobster's house as straight as he can.

Standing on the porch, and seeing the crab walking towards him, the lobster dad yells to his daughter.....

"I knew it! Here comes that crab and he's drunk!"

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Pandaw Burmese River Cruise…no longer available: Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

2-9: No Salt Week

3-9: National Newspaper Week ^ National Work From Home Week ^ Fire Prevention Week ^ Mental Illness Awareness Week ^ Mystery Series Week ^ National Carry A Tune Week ^ Nuclear Medicine Week

4-10: Customer Service Week ^ Financial Planning Week ^ Spinning & Weaving Week ^ World Space Week

5-10:Great Books Week

6-12: Physicians Assistant Week

8-12: Kids' Goal Setting Week

8-10: New York Comic Con Week

10-16: Build Your Business with Business Cards Week ^ Emergency Nurses Week ^ Home-based Business Week ^ National Chestnut Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Metric Week ^ Take Your Medicine Americans Week ^ World Rainforest Week

11-17: Fall Astronomy Week ^ National School Lunch Week

17-23: Food and Drug Interaction Education and Awareness Week ^ Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week ^ International Credit Union Week ^ Teen Read Week ^ National Chemistry Week ^ National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week ^ YWCA Week without Violence ^ National Character Counts Week ^ National Forest Products Week ^ National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ^ National School Bus Safety Week

18-24: Freedom From Bullies Week ^ Freedom of Speech Week ^ Medical Assistants Recognition Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Infertility Awareness Week ^ National Massage Therapy Week ^ National Businesswomen's Week

24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week

27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

Leif Erikson Day

National Pro-Life Cupcake Day

Universal Music Day

World Post Day: Thanks to all our Postal Workers

Ecuador: Guayaquil's Independence Day (1820 from Spain)

Hong Kong : Confucius' Birthday

Khmer Republic: Republic Day (1970) (Cambodia)

Minnesota: Leif Ericsson Day (c 1000)

Peru: Day of National Dignity (1968)

Romania: National Day of Commemorating the Holocaust

South Korea : Hangual Day/Korean Alphabet Day (1446)

Tanganyika: independence day (1961 from UK)

Uganda: independence day (1962 from UK)

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1897...There's a Little Star Shining for You / Dan Quinn

1907...Harrigan / Billy Murray not the original Click Here to Listen!

1917...Over There / American Quartet Click Here to Listen!

1927...Charmaine! / Guy Lombardo

1947…Near You / Francis Craig

1957…Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers Click Here to Listen!

1967…The Letter / The Box Tops

1977…You Light Up My Life / Debby Boone Click Here to Listen!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Jackson Browne, 60, singer, songwriter

Miguel de Cervantes, novelist (Don Quixote) in 1547

John Lennon, rocker/Beatle (Imagine) in 1940

Sean Ono Lennon, 35, John's son

Russell Myers, 72, cartoonist (“Broom Hilda”)

Peter Tosh, reggae musician (Mystic Man, Mama Africa)

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Robert Shaw, actor (From Russia with Love, Man for All Seasons) in 1927

Scott Bakula, 56, actor (“Enterprise,” “Quantum Leap”)

Zachery Ty Bryan, 29, actor (“Home Improvement”)

Tony Shalhoub, 57, actor (“Monk,” “Wings,” Big Night)

Robert Wuhl, 59, writer, actor (Bull Durham, Cobb)

╬ ATHLETICS

Joseph Anthony (Joe) Pepitone, 70, former baseball player

Michael (Mike) Singletary, 52, Hall of Fame football player

Annika Sorenstam, 40, former golfer

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Otto Schnering, candy bar mogul: founded Curtiss Candy Co.: Kandy Kake, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger in 1891

╬ POLITICS

--

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

--

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Millie & Christine, Siamese twins, @ 61 in 1912

Che Guevara, executed in Bolivia @ 39 in 1967

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

--

╬ ATHLETICS

1960 Cowboy QB Eddie LeBaron throws shortest touchdown pass (2")

1989 1st NFL game coached by a black man (Art Shell), his LA Raiders beat NY Jets 14-7 on Monday Night Football

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1446 Korean Hangual alphabet devised

1855 Joshua Stoddard of Worcester, Mass patents 1st calliope

1855 The sewing machine motor was patented by Isaac Singer

1872 The first mail order catalog was delivered—from Montgomery Ward

1946 1st electric blanket manufactured; sold for $39.50 [$468.68 in today’s money]

1947 1st telephone conversation between a moving car & a plane

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1804 Lewis & Clark council with RICARA chiefs.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1776 The Mission at San Francisco is started today

1877 American Humane Association organized in Cleveland

1915 Woodrow Wilson becomes 1st pres to attend a world series game (World Series #12)

╬ POLITICS (International)

1000 Leif Ericson discovers "Vinland" (possibly New England)

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

 680 Husain ibn 'Ali, Shi'i religious leader, enters martyrdom

1635 Religious dissident Roger Williams banished from Mass Bay Colony

1936 Hoover Dam begins transmitting electricity to LA

1984 Kathy Sullivan becomes 1st US woman to walk in space

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$100-Costa Rican capital people might know the way to: What is San Jose?

$200-It's divided into the Kanda, Marunoucki, Asakusa & Ginza districts: What is Tokyo?

$300-Home to NATO & little green sprouts: What is Brussels?

$400-This capital's street signs are in English, Arabic & Hebrew: What is Jerusalem?

$500-If the other twin had founded it, it might have been called "Reme": What is Rome?

↔ PICTURE

Styrofoam

<> <> <> <>

Friday October 8

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 281 with 84 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

We were warned not to wear bright color clothing for our trip to the Semenggok Nature Reserve of Sarawak where we would be seeing Orangutans. Zack, our guide, was also a registered guide here, so we again got some extra information from the other guides. The word ‘orangutan’ translates to ‘man of the forest.’ I had seen orangutans at the CO. Springs Zoo, and at the Denver Zoo. Until I saw them in the wild, I never understood the translation. We got there just b efore feeding time. We had to rush up the paved trail to get there on time. While several in our group usually walked slowly and appeared a little unsteady sometimes, at this park, all that was forgotten. Everyone was at the feeding spot very quickly. Watching them come in from the forest, I understood their name. As they stretched out and swung from tree to tree, in the shadows of the thick foliage, they put on an amazing Cirque de Soleil performance. We were told by one of the guides how lucky we were that day. The Alpha Male hadn’t been in for a couple of weeks, but he showed up. So did one of his wives with a two week old baby—her first outing since the birth. It turned out there were several feeding places, all timed to that tourists could view all of them. Like the Lion Walk in South Africa, much of the ‘danger’ hype seemed unnecessary, however, this venue did have very large pictures of arm and leg injuries of visitors who didn’t follow the rules. All the feeding areas had lots of trees, a high platform for the food and also added ropes to assist the Orangutans movement around the feeding area. While they stayed in the trees, and not on the ground, many times we were less than 15 feet from them with no fences or barriers. They were much more interested in the food and the trees than our cameras. Several moms had their babies holding on around mom’s waist as she swung though the trees. The tiny ones had a look of horror while this was going on. This is a rehab center for orangutans. There are several young males who may try to be the Alpha Male. When this happens, the younger male is ‘sent off’ to another area…the guide wasn’t real clear as to exactly what that meant—did it mean to another center, back into the wild, to a zoo? I guess for them, limited English makes it easier to deal with the difficult questions.

After our visit we are off for a short plane ride to Sibu, where we will begin a 9 day river cruise. Since our arrival in Malaysia, the scheduled has been changed three times. We are now back to the original time of the flight. It is a small airport and our 2 hour wait changed into a four hour wait. Ellie was getting concerned that we would miss our ship. In the end, all we lost was some shopping time in Sibu and upon arrival were rushed from the airport to the ship. Sibu was attempting to reclaim the Malaysian record for the most number of Chinese lanterns on their streets during this festival. There were 31,000 lamps throughout the city. A beautiful view. The city center was alive with food markets, food booths, and many carnival games going on, late into the night. We had been greeted at the airport with a camera crew and interviewer. At first we thought the cruise line was making a promo video to sell to us at the end of the cruise. After boarding the ship, and refreshing ourselves a little, it was off to dinner. There was the cameraman (who had a very expensive machine), a light man, a sound man, a producer, and a director awaiting our arrival in the dining room. They started video graphing us serving, eating, chewing, and conversing. It was apparent they were making a professional video. Most in our group seemed uncomfortable, so when they came to our table with the bright light and camera rolling, I told them it was rude to photograph Americans while eating. They stopped and went back to their table to eat. After dinner I went to the table and introduced myself and asked what they were doing on the ship. Turns out they were working for the Malaysian government Tourism Office and would be with us for the cruise. I explained that they should tell the group what was going on. The director, a powerful woman, told me that they had the government’s permission to do this. I told her she didn’t have MY permission. She looked shocked and said she was sorry. As the days of our trip continued, the crew turned out to be very friendly, very nice, and quickly realized that the Brits, Aussies, Canadians, and Americans on the ship were on Holiday, and that they were working. We never really got used to their constant presence at every turn, but realized they were working to help Malaysia and therefore dealt with it. The CEO of the cruise line showed up and he stayed for a couple of days for interviews and filming. This filming was a really big deal for the cruise line and because the CEO was on board, we did get some great opportunities that other cruises probably don’t get. I definitely want to travel on Pandow Cruises again, but in the future will check to see if a film crew is on board. More on the great film crew later.

Our storms have departed Flagstaff and none too soon. When I got up, I could see snow on the Peaks. It was nice to see the peaks again, nice to have a blue sky, but the wind and cooler temps did little but remind me that summer is over, fall is here, and winter is just around the corner. I finally ran some errands today, did some necessary shopping, and am settling back into life in Flagstaff. I am starting to feel semi-literate about the news again. I certainly didn’t miss the campaign commercials, the robocalls, and the constant barrage of ‘news’ when a politician makes a statement. I know that I really get into all that stuff while I am in Flagstaff, but must say, the world out there is no place for most of it. Again, I am confused by Globalization. Somehow we need to keep our individual culture and language while embracing the cultures and languages out there. It is not an easy task, and there certainly aren’t any blueprints out there to show us the way. It will be left to the historians to see if our path has been beneficial to humankind.

Flag…H—61°; L—27°; RH—40%; and only a breeze of about 10mph with gusts in the 20’s. We had a couple of short showers, but nothing to write home about. It was a nice fall day, for those who are ready for fall. I’m just not there yet.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY – Malay Proverbs

A turtle lays thousands of eggs, nobody knows; but when a hen lays an egg, the whole village know

(meaning of proverb: some people do much things but don't show publicity; others who do small things but do much publicity)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1871 This day was one for the history books as far as fires go. In Wisconsin, one of the most disastrous forest fires ever destroyed the town of Peshtigo, burned across six counties and killed over 1100 people. The city of Chicago was virtually leveled when Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern in the barn and 17,450 other buildings, leaving almost 99,000 people homeless.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

The Cathedral of Notre Dame covers 8,500 square yards. When it was completed in the Middle Ages, the entire population of Amiens (the city it is located in), about 10,000 people, could attend the same service.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers—80’s TV Trivia

$200-Every week this comedienne was "so glad we had this time together"

$400- Richard Carlson "led" this number of lives as a communist counterspy & FBI agent

$600- Lucy & Desi's TV production company

$800- Series which pitted "CONTROL" against "KAOS”

$1000- Crooner who was 1st offered role of "Columbo" but turned it down because he didn't need the money

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

Stephen Fry and zoologist Mark Carwardine find themselves in New Zealand through one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. They encounter this flightless parrot which, well you have to watch.

Here is the strange video: Click Here to View

A LITTLE LAUGH

I used to work in an art supply store. We sold artists' canvas by the yard, and you could get it in either of two widths: 36 inches or 48 inches.

Customer: "Can you please cut some canvas for me?"

Me: "Certainly, what width?"

Customer: (confused and slightly annoyed) "Scissors?"

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Here is a video of the Orangutans at the park. Mine isn’t quite ready yet. Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

2-9: No Salt Week

3-9: National Newspaper Week ^ National Work From Home Week ^ Fire Prevention Week ^ Mental Illness Awareness Week ^ Mystery Series Week ^ National Carry A Tune Week ^ Nuclear Medicine Week

4-10: Customer Service Week ^ Financial Planning Week ^ Spinning & Weaving Week ^ World Space Week

5-10:Great Books Week

6-12: Physicians Assistant Week

8-12: Kids' Goal Setting Week

8-10: New York Comic Con Week

10-16: Build Your Business with Business Cards Week ^ Emergency Nurses Week ^ Home-based Business Week ^ National Chestnut Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Metric Week ^ Take Your Medicine Americans Week ^ World Rainforest Week

11-17: Fall Astronomy Week ^ National School Lunch Week

17-23: Food and Drug Interaction Education and Awareness Week ^ Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week ^ International Credit Union Week ^ Teen Read Week ^ National Chemistry Week ^ National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week ^ YWCA Week without Violence ^ National Character Counts Week ^ National Forest Products Week ^ National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ^ National School Bus Safety Week

18-24: Freedom From Bullies Week ^ Freedom of Speech Week ^ Medical Assistants Recognition Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Infertility Awareness Week ^ National Massage Therapy Week ^ National Businesswomen's Week

24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week

27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

Alvin C. York Day (WWI hero—movie Sgt. York)

National Depression Screening Day

Lee's National Denim Day

National Pierogi Day—for the pasta/potato dumplings

Croatia: Independence Day, celebrate the official separation from Yugoslavia in 1991

Peru: Navy Day

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1896 ...On the Benches in the Park / George J. Gaskin

1906 ...The Good Old U.S.A. / Byron G. Harlan Click Here to Here!

1916 ...If I Knock the 'L' Out of Kelly (It Would Still Be Kelly to Me) / Marguerite Farrell Click Here to Hear!

1926 ...When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along / Al Jolson Click Here to Hear!

1936 ...When Did You Leave Heaven? / Guy Lombardo Click Here to Hear!

1946 …To Each His Own / Eddy Howard

1956 …Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog / Elvis Presley

1966 …Cherish / The Association

1976 …A Fifth of Beethoven / Walter Murphy & His Big Apple Band Click Here to Hear!

1986 …When I Think of You / Janet Jackson

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Chevy Chase, 67, comedian, actor, born Cornelius Crane

Frank Herbert, sci-fi writer (Dune), in 1920

R.L. Stine, 67, author (Goosebumps series)

♦♦♦♦♦♦

David Carradine, actor (Kung-Fu, Boxcar Bertha, Young Guns), in 1936

Matt Damon, 40, actor (Ocean’s Eleven, The Bourne Identity, Good Will Hunting)

Paul Hogan, 71, actor, writer (Crocodile Dundee)

Sigourney Weaver, 61, actress (Ghostbusters, Gorillas in the Mist, Aliens)

╬ ATHLETICS

Bill Elliott, 55, race car driver

Rashaan Salaam, 36, football (Heisman—1994, Bears, Browns, Packers, 49er’s)

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Rona Barrett, 74, gossip columnist

Clodagh, 73, designer, born Clodagh Aubry at Galway, Ireland

╬ POLITICS

Eddie Rickenbacker, aviator "Ace of Aces" (WW I), in 1890

Juan Peron, Argentine Pres (1946-55, 1973-74), in 1895

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

J Frank Duryea, inventor (1st auto built & operated in the US), in 1869

Jesse Jackson, 69, clergyman, civil rights leader

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Fernando Lamas, actor/director, cancer @ 67 in 1982

Leon Klinghoffer, hijackers of Achille Lauro, throw him off the boat @ 69 in 1985

Franklin Pierce, 14th president of US, @ 65 in 1869

Wendell Lewis Willkie, Republican politician, at least 20 heart attacks @ 52 in 1944

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1935 Ozzie Nelson marries Harriet Hilliard (Ozzie & Harriet)

1970 Soviet author Alexander I Solzhenitsyn awarded Nobel Prize for Lit

╬ ATHLETICS

1818 2 English boxers are 1st to use padded gloves

1957 Brooklyn Dodgers announce move to Los Angeles

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1952 Amy Vanderbilt’s The Complete Book of Etiquette was first published.

1988 Fire in Seattle's Space Needle causes evacuation, $2,000 damage

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1758 (through October 26): IROQUOIS & DELAWARE treaty - the Council of Easton begins today in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Eventually peace treaties will be signed, and many of the much-hated treaty of Albany will be abrogated.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1775 Officers decide to bar slaves & free blacks from Continental Army

1840 1st Hawaiian constitution proclaimed

╬ POLITICS (International)

1945 Truman announced atomic bomb secret shared with Britain & Canada

1957 Turkish & Syrian border guards exchange fire

1962 Algeria admitted as 109th member of the UN

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

451 Council of Chalcedon (4th ecumenical council) opens

1822 1st eruption of Galunggung (Java) sends boiling sludge into valley

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$200-Every week this comedienne was "so glad we had this time together": Who is Carol Burnett?

$400- Richard Carlson "led" this number of lives as a communist counterspy & FBI agent: What is Three?

$600- Lucy & Desi's TV production company: What is Desilu?

$800- Series which pitted "CONTROL" against "KAOS”: What is Get Smart?

$1000- Crooner who was 1st offered role of "Columbo" but turned it down because he didn't need the money: Who is Bing Crosby?

↔ PICTURE

 A Rutabaga

<> <> <> <>

Thursday, October 7

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 279 with 85 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

We took a short flight from KL to Kuching…yep pronounced just like the pop culture sound of a cash register. It is the Capital of East Malaysia, Sarawak with a population of just over ½ million. Charles Brooke was the White Rajah during British occupation. He believed in allowing the culture of Sarawak to thrive and is still seen as a hero. Kuching (Cat in Malay) has been watched over by white cats since its inception. September has the lowest rainfall average at 210mm (8”), while December is the wettest at 520mm (20.4”). The daily temps here in Sept average 23° at night to 32°C during the day—(75 & 89°F). It was a tad warmer while we were there. We are now in an area where one drips whenever outside. The flora is amazing. The Chinese Museum is awesome. We are now in an area where, up until 1941, the indigenous tribes used darts to kill their enemies and then hung their smoked heads at the entrance to the long house to ward off invaders. Tattoos are also a big deal with the indigenous tribes, as is ear piercing of women so they have a long earlobe with a big hole—ah, thanks to National Geographic in the 1950’s I did know a little about these practices. We visited a Mosque and adjoining cemetery where many of the headstones were covered with white or yellow cloth. Ramadan had just ended and families make a year trek to the cemetery to clean up the area. The white or yellow cloth lets everyone know this person is still missed. Zack is our guide and is very engaging. He is the kind of guide who really enjoys sharing his knowledge. His presentations are colorful and certainly not canned speeches. He is known to wander around the topic a little most of the time, and get completely off track sometimes. He is a certified guide for Bako and for our upcoming visit to the Orangutans. For me, this is exciting because he knows the staff at both places and they know him so we get some of the latest info not given to the general public. Zack does freelance guiding and so wants to provide a good experience so that our evaluations that go back to Pandow are good. For me, this makes the trip much more personalized. Susan did not appear to be a freelance guide and seemed to have her job no matter what we said.

We travel on to Bako National Park where we will see Proboscis monkeys and take a nice river cruise in a small boat. The best way to beat the heat and the humidity is a boat ride. The park is very green and has lots of foliage. I am seeing many ‘houseplants’ we can buy in their full glory. I once had a huge Boston Fern in my house—it was about 18” in diameter. Turns out that is a sickly fledging of the ferns in the park. I am learning about the layers of the forest. There are the groundcover plants and animals, those that live within trees at 8 feet or more, and then there are the birds in the highest part of the forest. The monkeys are plentiful, but haven’t learned how to pose for pictures yet. You just see them running along the ground or swinging through the trees. It is great for viewing, not great for photographing. We have been told several times that to photograph, you have to find a spot, sit quietly for an hour or so get good shots. We are on a schedule, and I’m not sure I could just sit quietly in this heat and humidity for that long.

Flagstaff weather has been all over the news. Four tornadoes touched down just outside West Flagstaff. Luckily it was early in the morning and no one was killed or had serious injuries. Several semis were overturned on I-40; an RV dealership had much of its inventory moved from the pad just off I-40 into the middle of the highway, 50-100 power poles were knocked down. About 20 RR cars were derailed. Several homes lost their second story and others lost their roofs. We had a tornado watch from about 5am until 5pm tonight. Flagstaff had two tornado warnings right in a row—one about 11am, another about noon. Our small city emergency response teams went into action and a hotline was open, there were constant updates on the radio and TV, with lots of blue boxes popping up to tell you what to do if a tornado is spotted. We don’t have a tornado siren system, like they do in Rapid City and Pine Ridge, so we didn’t know if one was spotted close. I am close to the mountain and on the east side of town, while all the excitement was on the west side and even farther west towards Williams. Our side of town had rain most of the night and most of the day, sometimes just a mist, sometimes a hard rain. About 10am, with a temp of about 50°, we suddenly were hit with pea sized hail that quickly covered the sidewalks and streets. It fell for all of five minutes and stopped. Within three more minutes, the hail had melted. Weird. I always have birds at my feeders on the back deck. Seldom do I have birds in the Blue Spruce in my front area. Today, every time I looked out at the Spruce, there were about a half dozen birds including a big blue jay, an almost white pigeon, and a bunch of colorful finches. The tree is big and a lot denser than the ponderosa in my back area. It was as if they were hiding, rather than feeding.

Tornado and Flagstaff are never heard in the same sentence. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see if Flagstaff has ever had a tornado before. None of the newscasts nor weathermen have give a date for the last touchdown, they seem too involved in reporting the danger, than the history…understandable. A quick search on the internet yielded no results. I am quite sure that this is the first one ever recorded to cause damage of this magnitude. 2010 will certainly be one for the ‘Flagstaff Knows Mother Nature’ book—huge snowfall during the entire winter, devastating forest fire and consequent flooding in the summer, four tornadoes in one day this fall. What next? No, don’t tell me, let me be surprised.

Flag…H—54°; L—37°; RH—87%; and wind at 15mph. The tornadoes kinda put a damper on everything today.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Just like a crab, teaching its young how to walk straight

(meaning of proverb: parents advise their children to do the right thing, but they themselves don't do what they say)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1737 40 foot waves sink 20,000 small craft & kill 300,000 (Bengal, India) 

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION--Bacteria

Dentists recommend that you keep your toothbrush at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid contamination.

A seventh grader in Florida recently won her school science fair by proving there are more bacteria in ice machines at fast-food restaurants than in toilet bowl water.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Double Jeopardy Answers—HOMONYMS

$200- Dave Garroway's sign-off, or a slice of cake

$400- What Oliver Twist wanted, or Susan Anton's diminutive date

$600- Olympic swimmer, or what a tobacco chewer does into a spittoon

$800- Expensive onion, or what happens when there's a hole in the bucket

$1000- A peasant, or where you hang 10

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

NEW YORK - A New York man said police gave him a ticket for trespassing while he was standing outside of his own apartment. Lindsey Riddick, 36, who joined a class-action lawsuit against the New York Police Department alleging officers gave out illegal summonses to meet quotas, said he and his brother were ticketed by police while outside of his apartment building, the New York Daily News reported. "I told the officer, 'I live here and I have the key,'"

Riddick said. "You're giving me a summons? Come on, man. You got to be kidding me." Jon Norinsberg, a lawyer representing the brothers and 20 other plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, said police handed out the summonses illegally to meet quotas.

"This is another example of police trespassing on people's constitutional rights just to fill a quota," Norinsberg said. "There's something terribly wrong with how the NYPD operates and it has to be fixed."

A LITTLE LAUGH

Returning home from work, a blonde was shocked to find her house ransacked and burglarized. She telephoned the police at once and reported the crime. The police dispatcher broadcast the call on the channels, and a K-9 unit patrolling nearby was the first to respond.

As the K-9 officer approached the house with his dog on a leash, the blonde ran out on the porch, shuddered at the sight of the cop and his dog, and then sat down on the steps.

Putting her face in her hands, she moaned, "I come home to find all my possessions stolen. I call the police for help, and what do they do? They send me a blind cop..."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Video made by local in Kuching…amazing. Click Here to View

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

1-7: Universal Children's Week

2-9: No Salt Week

3-9: National Newspaper Week ^ National Work From Home Week ^ Fire Prevention Week ^ Mental Illness Awareness Week ^ Mystery Series Week ^ National Carry A Tune Week ^ Nuclear Medicine Week

4-10: Customer Service Week ^ Financial Planning Week ^ Spinning & Weaving Week ^ World Space Week

5-10:Great Books Week

6-12: Physicians Assistant Week

8-12: Kids' Goal Setting Week

8-10: New York Comic Con Week

10-16: Build Your Business with Business Cards Week ^ Emergency Nurses Week ^ Home-based Business Week ^ National Chestnut Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Metric Week ^ Take Your Medicine Americans Week ^ World Rainforest Week

11-17: Fall Astronomy Week ^ National School Lunch Week

17-23: Food and Drug Interaction Education and Awareness Week ^ Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week ^ International Credit Union Week ^ Teen Read Week ^ National Chemistry Week ^ National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week ^ YWCA Week without Violence ^ National Character Counts Week ^ National Forest Products Week ^ National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ^ National School Bus Safety Week

18-24: Freedom From Bullies Week ^ Freedom of Speech Week ^ Medical Assistants Recognition Week ^ National Food Bank Week ^ National Infertility Awareness Week ^ National Massage Therapy Week ^ National Businesswomen's Week

24-31: Disarmament Week ^ Give Wildlife a Break Week ^ Pastoral Care Week ^ Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week ^ Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week ^ International Magic Week ^ National Respiratory Care Week

27-11/3: World Hearing Aid Awareness Week

¤ Today’s Observances ¤

National Frappe Day

Fiji: Deed of Cession (1874)

German Dem Rep: Constitution Day (1949)

Libya : Evacuation Day

Nagasaki, Japan: The first day of Nagasaki Kunchi (Harvest festival famous for showing off gardens)

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1895...The Band Played On / Dan Quinn

1905…Dearie / Corrine Morgan & Haydn Quartet

1925...Yes Sir! That's My Baby / Gene Austin Click Here to Hear!

1935...Cheek to Cheek / Fred Astaire Click Here to Hear!

1945…Till the End of Time / Perry Como Click Here to Hear!

1955…Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing / The Four Aces

1965…Yesterday / The Beatles

1975…Bad Blood / Neil Sedaka Click Here to Hear!

1985…Oh Sheila / Ready for the World Click Here to Hear!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Toni Braxton, 43, singer

Thomas Keneally, 75, novelist (Schindler’s List), born New South Wales, Australia

Yo-Yo Ma, 55, cellist, born Paris, France Click Here to View!

John Cougar Mellencamp, 59, singer, songwriter Click Here to View!

♦♦♦♦♦♦

June Allyson, actress (Till the Clouds Roll By, Vegas) in 1917

Joy Behar, 67, comedienne, television personality

Simon Cowell, 51, television producer, personality (“American Idol”)

Andy Devine [Jeremiah Schwartz], sidekick actor to many actors—(Jingles in Adv of Wild Bill Hickock), born in Flagstaff and raised in Kingman, in 1905

Al Martino, 83, actor, singer (Hello Dolly, Phantom of the Opera)

╬ ATHLETICS

--

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Martha McChesney Berry, founded Berry School for Children in 1866

╬ POLITICS

Joe Hill, Jevla Sweden, organizer (IWW)/songwriter (Union Scab)/martyr in 1879 Click Here to View!

Oliver Laurence North, 67, US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel (retired)

Vladimir Putin, 58, former Russian president

Leon Trotsky, Russian revolutionary leader/writer (Diary in Exile) in 1879

Henry Wallace, 33rd Vice President of U.S. [1941-1945], in 1888

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Niels Bohr, Danish physicist, expanded quantum physics (Nobel 1922) in 1885

Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Robert Poole), leader of Nation of Islam: influential to Malcom X, Muhammad Ali, and Louis Farrakhan, in 1897

Desmond Tutu, 79, South African archbishop, Nobel Peace Prize recipient

James E Webb, head of NASA (1961-68) in 1906

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Mario Lanza, singer, heart attack @ 38 in 1959

Leo Durocher, baseball coach/manager (Dodgers, Giants), @ 86 in 1991

Edgar Allen Poe, poet, overdose @ 40 in 1849

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1957 "American Bandstand" premieres

1982 Cats, opened on Broadway (7,485 performances followed)

╬ ATHLETICS

1916 222 points are scored in a football game between Georgia Tech & Cumberland University of Lebanon, TN 222-0

1965 Robert Mitera’s tee shot, aided by a 50-m.p.h. tailwind, traveled 447 yards to the pin, and dropped in for the longest hole-in-one in golf history.

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1868 Cornell University (Ithaca NY) opens

1968 Motion Picture Association of America adopts film rating system

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1672 White Mountain APACHEs raid the ZUNI pueblo of Hawikum, and kill a priest named Pedro de Abila y Ayala today.

1701 In a farewell address to William Penn, SUSQUEHANNAH Chief Oretyagh, along with other SHAWNEE leaders, request, again, that traders be prevented from selling alcohol to the local Indians. Penn assures them that the Pennsylvania assembly is do just that.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1765 The Stamp Act Congress convenes in NY

╬ POLITICS (International)

1571 Turkish fleet defeated by Spanish & Italians in Battle of Lepanto

1886 Spain abolishes slavery in Cuba

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1737 40 foot waves sink 20,000 small craft & kill 300,000 (Bengal, India)

1924 160 consecutive days of 100ø at Marble Bar, Australia begins

1958 US manned space-flight project renamed Project Mercury

1995 A crowd of some 125,000 people were sitting or standing in Central Park to see Pope John Paul II.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$200- Dave Garroway's sign-off, or a slice of cake: What is peace/piece?

$400- What Oliver Twist wanted, or Susan Anton's diminutive date: What is more/Moore?

$600- Olympic swimmer, or what a tobacco chewer does into a spittoon: What is Spitz/spits

$800- Expensive onion, or what happens when there's a hole in the bucket: What is a leek/leak?

$1000- A peasant, or where you hang 10: What is a serf/surf?

↔ PICTURE

A straw hat

<> <> <> <>