Friday October 15

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 288 with 77 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Mary is back from Oregon so we had our weekly lunch today. She shared some great wedding stories and life where her mother is staying. The nursing home stories sure brought back memories of my mom’s stay at a similar facility. Eating with mom was always fun, but many times, the same people I had met at one meal, didn’t know who I was at the next. Mary was braver than I in that she went on a bus outing with the residents. One lady always wanted to be the first off the bus, so at every stop light, she was up and ready. Another was concerned that someone had forgotten her walker. Mary’s mother-in-law had come to Flag to cook for her son while Mary was gone. She left Flag at 5am on the morning of the tornado and the shuttle riders all got to see at least one. She said it would be a long time before she returns to Flagstaff. Cheryl, living only a few miles from the tornadoes didn’t even know they had happened until she turned on the news that night. She did say that the area is still quite a mess, and the travel trailer dealership proved that they are made of tin foil and balsa wood. Cheryl will be having some surgery in mid-November to help her deal with her diabetes. She has been on insulin for a long time, and this surgery should provide her with an insulin injection free life. It is a big deal and she is excited that everything is in order. It may be that our weekly lunches will be changing, as she will not be able to eat lots of food. She said her stomach will be the size of an egg, rather than the normal stomach, the size of a football. The expected loss of weight, and the less food consumed should straighten out the insulin issue.

As if the amazing story about the Chilean Miners was not enough, now more is coming out. In the beginning of their ordeal there were fights, depression, and concerns of possible cannibalism if they were not found. Somehow, the few drillings missed the cave where these miners were. Then finally, after 17 days, they were found. That small tube was able to get them the food and hope they needed to survive. Turning around a group mentality is not an easy task at any time. Turning around a group mentality at 2000+ feet below the surface in a small cave must have been monumental. Those miners had some real leadership down there. As more stories come out, the miracle in Chile becomes even more amazing.

One of my fellow travelers sent a video of the orangutans out today. It was short—about 8 seconds, but made me realize that I was not the only one who found videoing animals is not easy. It is really quite good, and I had tried for longer videos. Live and learn.

I finally got in contact with Bob. He had knee surgery over my trip. I missed his call to me on Sunday. I had called him each day, at different times and never got an answer. Today I decided to try his cell. I figured he might be recovering at his daughters across town. He answered on the second ring, and asked if I had just called his land line. He was out on his porch, with an icepack on his knee and said it was just too much trouble to walk back inside to answer. He is healing very well and against doctor orders has taken a few walks without his walker. His youngest daughter is there helping him recover. Neither one could figure out how I missed them so many days in a row, but said that they take walks every day, at different times, and reminded me that if there had been any issues with his recovery I would have been notified. Lisa says that he will be ready for a spring trip to Hadrian’s Wall, which is good news. So I told him to make the plans whenever he felt like it. He wants to do the wall walk—about 7 days of walking the length of the wall, then up to visit some friends in England, then over to Normandy and possibly Paris. I told him that I didn’t want to join the Focus group that is doing either Holland or Italy about the time we are doing our thing. I may change my mind, we’ll see. I try real hard to be culturally aware and to accept a culture for what it is. My problem is accepting cultures that expanded their own culture at the detriment of the indigenous people. As I have said before, I was raised in a world where Holland was taught as a country with cute little hats, tulips, and their famous wooden shoes. In fact I still recall the WWII story about the Dutch falling under Nazi control and going to the factories and throwing their wooden shoes (sabots) into the gears to ruin the machines. This gave the world the word sabotage, and even today, some 50 years after I leaned this, I still see those Dutch shoes being tossed whenever I hear the word sabotage. Sadly, the Rockwell picture I had of the Dutch was destroyed as I began traveling. It began in South Africa, as I heard the Dutch leadership explaining Apartheid to the 1960’s news media. Things like ‘these people are happy to carry ID cards that limit their travel as it helps them find their way home’, or the story of the Black townships being bulldozed while children were at school and parents were working. Even in 2009 our Afrikaans guide in Cape Town, seemed oblivious to the actions of apartheid she had seen as she grew up. I also saw the changes the Dutch made in Taiwan and Malaysia. I’m sure that my current view of the Dutch is way off, but I’m not ready for Holland. Italy would be great to visit, and I need to have a broader view of Catholicism, so maybe.

Flag’s warm fall just continues. It was a great day to be outside, and a good day to have the windows open. The really warm weather is keeping the finches around much longer than last year. The leaves in town are just starting to turn and they are doing it very slowly. I am even able to leave the bedroom window partially open at night—and it is mid-October. Lee, our weather guy, says this will all change on Sunday. It’s Flagstaff, so who knows. We have High Pressure being pushed out by a weak Low Pressure system, which looks really cool on the enhanced weather map on TV but sometimes our mountain makes it own decision about what a clash of H’s and L’s will actually do in Flagstaff. Somehow, the mountain doesn’t study the fancy maps. Lee told us that all those clouds we saw throughout the day were very high and incapable of providing any moisture for the ground.

Flag…H—71°; L—31°; RH—51%; and not even the hint of a breeze.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY--Nietzsche

The most fundamental form of human stupidity is forgetting what we were trying to do in the first place.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1993 African National Congress leader Nelson (Rolihlahla) Mandela and South African President F.W. (Frederik Willem) de Klerk were awardedthe Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to usher in reforms that 1) ended South Africa’s era of white minority rule and 2) laid the foundations for democracy.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION--Hemp

For thousands of years, up until 1883, hemp was the world’s largest agricultural crop, from which the majority of fiber, fabric, soap, lighting oil, paper, incense, and medicines were produced.

***

Because hemp seeds contain all the essential amino acids necessary for health, it was a primary source of essential food oil and protein for humans and animals. The oil from hemp seeds has the highest percentage of essential fatty acids and the lowest percentage of saturated fats.

***

An acre of hemp produces more paper than an acre of trees. Paper made from hemp lasts for centuries, compared to 25-80 years for paper made from wood pulp. The US Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. Although industrial hemp contains less than 1% of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, it was forced from the market in the late 19th century by a campaign launched by newspaper magnates who also held controlling shares in the paper mill and cotton industry.

***

In 1937, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act which effectively halted hemp production in the United States. It was briefly overridden during the Second World War when overseas supplies dried up but the campaign, called Hemp For Victory, was quickly withdrawn after the war.

***

In 1941, the Ford motor company produced an experimental automobile with a plastic body composed of 70% cellulose fibers from hemp. The car body could absorb blows 10 times as great as steel without denting. The car was also designed to run on hemp fuel. Because of the ban on both hemp and alcohol the car was never mass produced.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers (1984)—Silly Songs

$100-To treat it "you're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion"

$200-"She was afraid to come out of the water" because she wore this scanty outfit

$300-He offered THIS prescription

$400-Herman's Hermits' song about widow whose 8 husbands all had the same name

$500-According to Ray Stevens, "He swings through the trees without a trapeze in his B.V.D.'s"

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

Denver—Hungry rabbits are being blamed for a series of car problems after apparently munching on vehicle wiring on cars parked at Denver International Airport: Click Here to View!

A LITTLE LAUGH

A neutron walks into a bar. "I'd like a beer" he says. The bartender promptly serves up a beer. "How much will that be?" asks the neutron.

"For you?" replies the bartender, "no charge."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Pictures of Mata Hari: Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

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 ¤

White Cane Safety Day

Boss's Day (or National Boss's Day)

Global Handwashing Day

International Day of Rural Women

Mammography Day

National Grouch Day

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

Brazil: Teachers' Day

Guyane (French Guiana): Cayenne Holiday

Tunisia: Evacuation Day

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1902…The Mansion of Aching Hearts / Harry MacDonough

1912...Waiting for the Robert E. Lee / Heidelberg Quintet Click Here to View!

1922 ...Hot Lips / Paul Whiteman Click Here to View!

1932...Please / Bing Crosby

1942…(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo / Glenn Miller Click Here to View!

1952…I Went to Your Wedding / Patti Page Click Here to View!

1962…Monster Mash / Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt Kickers Click Here to View!

1972…My Ding-a-Ling / Chuck Berry Click Here to View!

1982…Jack and Diane / John Cougar Click Here to View!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Barry McGuire, 75, singer (Eve of Destruction)

Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher/anti-semite (šbermensch), in 1844

Mario Puzo, author (Godfather), in 1921

P.G. Wodehouse. British-American writer, in 1881

Virgil, poet: The Aeneid, in 70BC

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Linda Lavin, 71, actress (Tony for Broadway Bound; “Alice”)

Penny Marshall, 68, director (Big, A League of Their Own), actress (“Laverne & Shirley”)

╬ ATHLETICS

James Alvin (Jim) Palmer, 65, Hall of Fame baseball player (Orioles), sports-caster

John L. Sullivan, International Boxing Hall of Famer: World Heavyweight champion [1881-1889], Marquis of Queensbury Champion [1885-1892]; last bareknuckle championship fight [75 rounds in 1889, in 1858

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

John Kenneth Galbraith, writer (Affluent Society-1958 Hillman Award), in 1908

Arthur Schlesinger Jr, historian/author (1946 Pulitzer-Age of Jackson), in 1917

╬ POLITICS

Jos Miguel Carrera, president of Chile (1811-14), in 1785

Sarah Ferguson, 51, Duchess of York (former wife of Prince Andrew) Lee Iacocca, 86, former automobile executive (Ford and Chrysler)

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Asaph Hall, discovered satellites of Mars, Phobos & Deimos, in 1829

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Hermann Goering, Nazi Reichmarshal, poisons himself in prison @ 53 in 1946

Mata Hari, Dutch dancer/German spy executed by firing squad @ 41, in 1917

John Hamilton, actor (Perry White-Superman), @ 71, in 1958

Cole Porter, composer, kidney failure @ 73, in 1964

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1914 ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers) founded

1937 Ernest Hemingway novel "To Have & Have Not" published

╬ ATHLETICS

1520 King Henry VIII of England orders bowling lanes at Whitehall

1986 Longest post season game, Mets beat Astros 7-6 in 16 & win NL pennant

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1881 1st American fishing magazine, American Angler published

1951 "I Love Lucy" debuts on CBS TV

1959 "Untouchables" premieres

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1892 The U.S. government convinced the Crow Indians to give up 1.8 million acres of their reservation for 50 cents per acre. (That’s about $12/acre in 2010 $)

╬ POLITICS (US)

1789 1st presidental tour-George Washington in New England

1860 Grace Bedell, age 11, wrote Abe Lincoln with a suggestion. She urged Lincoln to grow a beard.

1962 Byron R White appointed to the Supreme Court

1969 Vietnam Moratorium Day; millions nationwide protest the war

1974 National Guard mobilizes to restore order in Boston school busing

1991 Clarence Thomas is confirmed as Supreme Court Justice (52-48)

╬ POLITICS (International)

1990 Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the USSR (1985-1991), won the Nobel Peace Prize.

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1655 Jews of Lublin are massacred

1846 Dr William Thomas Green Morton 1st public use of ether

1949 Billy Graham begins his ministry

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1 Jeopardy

$100-To treat it "you're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion": What is Poison Ivy?

$200-"She was afraid to come out of the water" because she wore this scanty outfit: What is Itsy Bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini?

$300-He offered THIS prescription: Who is the Witch Doctor?

$400- Herman's Hermits' song about widow whose 8 husbands all had the same name: What is Henry the 8th?

$500-According to Ray Stevens, "He swings through the trees without a trapeze in his B.V.D.'s": Who is Gitarzan?

↔ PICTURE

A kitchen timer

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Thursday October 14

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 287 with 78 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Ah, such a geek I am not. I forgot that I had a new computer and hadn’t loaded the disc to be able to read the video. Duh…Anyway, now I can start some editing of river scenes, logging, monkeys, orangutans, and performances. I am not going to be a wildlife videographer for quite some time…those damn monkeys and orangutans really move fast. Oh well, it will help me remember the trip. They will be posted later—after some serious editing.

I got a call yesterday that somebody would be coming by to paint my door at our complex. They are doing all the doors. Before the guy claimed the trim and door were a grey-green color. They are just painting the door, which is now a deep rich forest green. I sure looks different, and probably in a good way. Just will take some getting used to.

All 33 miners have been rescued. Each story is unbelievable. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to not leave my house for 70 days. Being in that cavern for 17 days with no word of rescue, then 53 days waiting for the rescue with no fights, no freak outs, no serious illness, very little food. These guys were all very strong of body and strong of mind. A lesson for many of us. Seventy days ago was early July. The World Cup was in full swing, Flagstaff was waiting for the monsoons. Our forest fire had just started. There had been no flooding, yet. And for all the things that have happened in my life since then, those miners were in that cavern. With all the technology, all the science, all the volunteers, and all that machinery, one has to wonder if that one miner wasn’t right…he said, actually there were 34 down there. He watched over all the rest of us.

Flagstaff has had unseasonably warm weather the past few days. The weather man says it is going to end…sometime. In the mean time, while we all wait, we had another great day.

Flag…H—72°; L—30°; RH—36%; and only a breeze of about 6 mph.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Malay Proverbs

^ Let it be slow as long as it's safe; a mountain won't run if you chase it.

(meaning of proverb: sometimes it is better don't rush to complete a atask)

^ If your fishing line is only a hand span long, don't try to measure how deep the sea is

(meaning of proverb: everyone should act in accordance with their ability)

^ The lot of a coconut hust is to float; the lot of a stone is to sink

(meaning of proverb: If you are lucky, you will get or win)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1986 The IOC decides to stagger the Winter & Summer Olympic schedule classic

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION about Paintball

The history of the paintball gun begins in the early 1970s, when it was used as a tool for marking trees and livestock. Charles Gaines, Hayes Noel and Bob Gurnsey were the first people to think up new ways to use the guns.

***

In 1981, twelve friends played the first recreational paintball game using industrial paintball guns from the Nelson Paint Company on a field measuring over 100 acres (without any safety equipment).

***

One of the first names given to the sport was “The National Survival Game.” This name reflects the nature of paintball as it was first played – a small group of friends getting together in the woods to play total elimination games.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Double Jeopardy Answers—5 letter words

$200-Used by a carpenter, a master sergeant, & a dentist

$400-A lady's handbag or something done to lips before a kiss

$600-A police wagon, a rice field, or author Chayefsky

$800-To Hamlet, "Frailty, thy name is" this

$1000-In Czech, it's herec; in German, schauspieler; & in Hollywood, usually unemployed

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

RAYMORE, Mo. — A worker who descended into a city sewage system on Tuesday became unhooked from his safety line and was pushed through a 27-inch-wide pipe for over a mile before his calls for help were heard and he was rescued.

Daniel Collins, of Collins, Mo., was listed in critical condition Tuesday night at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City.

South Metropolitan Fire District Chief Randy Adams said Collins was being treated for hypothermia and had been administered antibiotics because he may have swallowed sewage.

Collins disappeared shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday after descending into the sewage system in the town of Raymore. Adams said crews frantically searched manholes along a 1.5-mile route near a golf course.

After about 90 minutes, firefighter and paramedic Antonio Smith heard Collins calling out, "Guys, I'm down here. Can you help me?"

Smith was lowered into the sewer chamber and found Collins about 12 feet down. Collins appeared to have some bruises but was able to speak, Smith told KMBC-TV.

"It was a miracle to find him in that condition," Smith said.

A LITTLE LAUGH

Not long ago I met the waitress of my dreams.

About halfway through dinner I called the waitress over and said, "Ma'am, this potato is bad."

She nodded, picked up the potato and smacked it. Then she put it back on my plate and said, "Sir, if that potato causes any more trouble, you just let me know."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Paintball championship: Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

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 Peanut Festival

World Standards Day: to show importance of standards in weights and measures in globalization

Bangladesh: Durga Puja: Hindu Celebration

Madagascar or Malagasy Rep: Independence Day (1958)

Maryland: Peggy Stewart Day-US sinks ship against taxes (1774)

South Yemen: Peo's Dem Rep of Yemen : Independence Day (1962)

Poland: National Education Day, formerly Teachers' Day

Tanzania: Nyerere Day (to honor first President)

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1891...Turkey in the Straw / Billy Golden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDUeTVzNoFI

1901...The Tale of the Bumble Bee / Harry MacDonough

1911...Alexander's Ragtime Band / Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan

1921...Song of India / Paul Whiteman

1931...Good Night, Sweetheart / Wayne King

1941…Piano Concerto in B Flat / Freddy Martin

1951…Because of You / Tony Bennett

1961…Hit the Road Jack / Ray Charles

1971…Maggie May/ Reason to Believe / Rod Stewart

1981…Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) / Christopher Cross

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

e. e. cummings, poet (Tulips & Chimneys), in 1894

Masaoka Shiki, Japan, haiku & tanka poet/diarist (Salt Water Ballads), in 1867

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Harry Anderson, 58, actor (“Night Court,” “Dave’s World”)

Lillian Gish, silent film/stage actress (Birth of a Nation), in 1896

Sir Roger Moore, 82, actor (James Bond movies, “The Saint”)

Usher, 32, singer, actor (“Moesha”), born Usher Raymond IV

╬ATHLETICS

Beth Daniel, 54, Hall of Fame golfer

Raymond C Ewry, polio victim who won 10 Olympic golds, in 1873

John Wooden, basketball coach (UCLA-10 national championships), in 1910

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

John Dean, 72, lawyer (White House counsel during Watergate)

Ralph Lauren, 71, designer, born Ralph Lipschitz

╬ POLITICS

Dwight D Eisenhower, 34th Pres (1953-1961), in 1890

James II, king of England (1685-88) in 1633

William Penn, English Quaker & founder of PA, in 1644

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Charles Everett Koop, 94, former US Surgeon General

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Leonard Bernstein, composer (West Side Story), @ 72, in 1990

Bing Crosby , heart attack @74, in 1977

Errol Flynn, actor, heart attack @ 50, in 1959

Erwin Rommel, German Field Marshall (WW II-Africa), suicide @ 52, in 1944

Keenan Wynn, actor (Dallas, Call to Glory, Last Precinct), pancreatic cancer @ 70, in 1986

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1926 A.A. Milne book, Winnie-the-Pooh, made its debut

1934 "Lux Radio Theatre" premieres

1964 Martin Luther King Jr wins Nobel Peace Prize

1980 Bob Marley's last concert

1991 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the nonviolent movement for human rights and democracy in Burma (Myanmar), won the Nobel Peace Prize

╬ ATHLETICS

1973 Scottish racecar driver Jackie Stewart announced his retirement from auto racing.

1985 On Mon Night football, Jets retire Joe Namath's #12, beat Miami 23-7

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1773 British East India Company's tea ships are set ablaze at the old seaport of Annapolis, Maryland.

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1756 Gen. Joseph de Montcalm, leading French and Indian warriors, captures Fort Oswego, in New York. Montcalm would fire upon his Indian allies when they attempted to kill the British forces after they had surrendered.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1912 Bull Moose Teddy Roosevelt shot while campaigning in Milwaukee

╬ POLITICS (International)

1066 Battle of Hastings, in which William the Conqueror wins England

1586 Mary Queen of Scots goes on trial for conspiracy against Elizabeth

1867 15th & last Tokugawa Shogun resigns in Japan

1960 Peace Corps 1st suggested by JFK

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1947 Chuck Yeager in Bell XS-1 makes 1st supersonic flight (Mach 1.015)

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$200-Used by a carpenter, a master sergeant, & a dentist: What is a drill?

$400-A lady's handbag or something done to lips before a kiss: What is purse?

$600-A police wagon, a rice field, or author Chayefsky: What is Paddy?

$800-To Hamlet, "Frailty, thy name is" this: What is a woman?

$1000-In Czech, it's herec; in German, schauspieler; & in Hollywood, usually unemployed: What is an Actor?

↔ PICTURE

elephant

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Wednesday October 13

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 286 with 79 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I am having some difficulty downloading my videos from my camera to my computer. The files are there, but the computer doesn’t recognize them. What a pain in the …. Technology can be great, then again, technology takes time and so tomorrow I will spend the time it takes to do it. I don’t get it right now, but a few hours at the computer should help. I have about 20 clips—each all less than one minute and I can watch them on the camera so I know they are there. I will conquer this.

I am totally fed up with the Airline business in the US. Every International carrier gives you one checked bag and one carryon, plus another small bag. You are treated very well on International Airlines—they seem to know that your comfort and care are what pay their salaries. All the internal carriers are much less customer friendly. US Carriers seem to figure—hey you want to get somewhere faster than driving, and we will do that; if you want anything else, you will pay, and if you aren’t in that seat, someone else will be. Then there is the food. On a three hour flight, oversees, here comes the free meal. On US carriers, here comes the credit card machine. Then there is the cost. Last year I flew to Chicago for $385. This year the same friggin’ flight on the same friggin’ days is $495. The hotel is the same price as last year. If I fly to Chicago for Christmas in either November or January, the flight is only $345. I realize that they have to make money, but this is crazy. I am sure that the extra $150 to fly near Christmas will allow the airlines to provide us with food, no charge for luggage, a Christmas drink or two, some home baked cookies or fudge, and a crew spreading holiday cheer. I can hardly wait to see what is in store for the now annual trip. I fly from Flagstaff for this trip, due to the uncertain weather. I have learned that the airlines do a decent job of getting passengers to their destination even if a flight is cancelled. One never knows what weather will happen in Flagstaff or on the road to Phoenix during this time of year. If I am late for a flight from Phoenix to Chicago, the airline doesn’t really care, so the shuttle or driving is risky. However if I am connecting in Phoenix, the airline will help.

I am getting very concerned about the changes in political funding. First of all, the total dollar amount spent on campaigns is staggering. I’m sure the media raises it ad prices during a political year, and where does all that money go? No one seems to be telling us. If a local Phoenix station runs campaign ad after campaign ad, where does the profit go? I know that there would probably be other mindless commercials, but campaign ads are getting ridiculous. Living in a small town, with no really local stations, we hear all the ads for people we never even get to vote for. What a waste of someone’s money. Now, with the recent Supreme Court decision, the politicians do not have to tell us who is giving them this money for the ads. Certainly corporations with specific agendas, and now foreign countries with specific agendas, can give money to a candidate and the candidate doesn’t have to tell anyone where the money came from. Corporations are not looking out for the little guy. The foreign donations—individual or governmental—may just be payback for the US interfering with other country’s politics in the past. A sort of tit for tat. Karzai, the ‘elected’ leader of Afghanistan, certainly had US backing—militarily and economically. Somehow we were lead to believe that by ‘backing’ him, we were helping the country—both the US and Afghanistan. When Hamas was the elected leadership in Gaza, we had a hard time justifying the election and spent much time saying that it was not a good election. Let’s say that Chinese businessmen want to have better trade with the US and they send money to US candidates who support those goals and the candidate gets elected, was it the best choice for America? If the candidate doesn’t get elected, what will the Chinese businessmen be saying? Will they claim that our election system was compromised?

I never saw myself as an International man. I can’t imagine getting involved in the politics of another nation. I know that many Americans, from many sectors, think that they should be involved. Isolationism has never worked, and certainly won’t work in today’s world of globalization. I do believe that we need to realize that the US didn’t get where we are overnight. Malaysia, Taiwan, Egypt, Scotland, South Africa all have their own form of democracy. They are wonderful places to visit. Unless one has lived there for an extended period of time, they have no business in their politics. As much as I abhor the practice of headhunters or of Apartheid, it is the people involved who have to change it. An artificial copying of another country’s customs or laws will only happen on the surface, not in the hearts and minds of the citizens. American economy would never accept the concept of bartering for essentials. It has been tried in small communities and has various degrees of success. For a country to suddenly outlaw bartering would cause complete chaos in their economy. A few months back there were two incidents in Congress that had Americans appalled. The first, when a Congressman yelled out ‘liar’ during one of Obama’s speech. The other when a Supreme Court Justice shook his head no during the State of the Union. The UK and many of its former colonies could not understand the outrage. This is common practice in their government. If and when a country wants to try our form of government, we should assist them. We should keep out otherwise. Other nations and citizens of other nations should stay out of our governmental process.

Flag had another nice fall day. Not a lot of wind, nice temperatures, and enjoyable. I even took time to clear the deck of pine needles, something I haven’t done since I left for holiday. The deck looks much better, I am happier, and the birds seem to be enjoying their food and water. Soon it will be time to pack up some of the deck furniture to prepare for the snow that will be coming.

Flag…H—69°; L—31°; RH—54%; and no breeze recorded. The NWS calls this a ‘fair’ day…I call it an outstanding day.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Malay Proverbs

To bend a bamboo, while it's still a shoot

(meaning of proverb: If you want to teach your child, it is better to do when he is still young)

Like a candle, burning itself to light the people

(meaning of proverb: someone has sacrificed himself just to help others)

Whoever eats chili gets burned

(meaning of proverb: people who make mistake should get the consequences)

If you chop water, it won't separate

(meaning of proverb: members in a family will close to each other even though they encountered problems in the past)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1982 IOC restores 2 gold medals from 1912 Olympics to Jim Thorpe

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

^ In many Latin American nations, the anniversary of Columbus' landing has traditionally been observed as the Dia de la Raza ("Day of the Race"), a celebration of Hispanic culture's diverse roots. In 2002, Venezuela renamed the holiday Dia de la Resistencia Indigena ("Day of Indigenous Resistance") to recognize native peoples and their experience.

^In many parts of the United States, Columbus Day has evolved into a celebration of Italian-American heritage. Local groups host parades and street fairs featuring colorful costumes, music and Italian food. In cities and towns that use the day to honor indigenous peoples, activities include pow-wows, traditional dance and lessons about Native American culture.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Double Jeopardy Answers—U.S. States

$200-ts Mormon founders called it Deseret

$400-The only state beginning with "A" that does not end in "A"

$600-The only state to touch 4 of the Great Lakes

$800-1 of 4 states that's officially a commonwealth

$1000-never asked, never answered

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

ST. CLOUD, FL — Most people growing marijuana illegally at least try to hide it from authorities. One man in central Florida was allegedly growing the plants in his front yard. Agents with the Osceola County Investigative Bureau arrested and charged Bryan Hartman on Monday for cultivation of cannabis. Authorities said Hartman had 17 marijuana plants — some as big as seven feet — that could "easily be seen from the roadway." The roots were growing in planters in the front of his St. Cloud house, just south of Orlando. Hartman was booked into the Osceola County Jail. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney.

A LITTLE LAUGH

The difference between "Men" and "Guys"

Men: know what they want to be doing five years down the road.

Guys: are not sure what they want to be doing later tonight.

Men: read Crichton, watch Rather, play golf.

Guys: read King, watch Seinfeld, play poker.

Men: wear ties with stripes, shirts with buttons, and shoes with laces.

Guys: wear high school T-shirts they've actually owned since high school.

Men: balance their checkbooks.

Guys: balance their loans so that they never hit up the same buddy twice in a row.

Men: claim to be feminist but still insist on opening doors, driving, and paying for dinner.

Guys: claim to be feminists so they can let YOU open doors, drive, and pay for dinner.

Men: are afraid of becoming their fathers.

Guys: are afraid of becoming men.

Men: put you on the phone when their mothers call.

Guys: pretend you're not there when their moms call.

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Lenny Bruce was crass, and astute Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

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 ¤

Navy Birthday

Emergency Nurses Day

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction

International Top Spinning Day

National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School Day

Burundi: Hero of the Nation Day: for assassination of Prince L Rwagasore in 1961

Thailand:National Police Day

UK: English Language Day: In 1362 the English language was first heard in the Open Parliament.

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1890...Washington Post / U.S. Marine Band Click Here to View!

1910...Every Little Moment / Harry MacDonough & Lucy Isabelle Marsh

1930...Body and Soul / Paul Whiteman

1940…Only Forever / Bing Crosby Click Here to View!

1950…Goodnight Irene / Gordon Jenkins & the Weavers Click Here to View!

1960…Save the Last Dance for Me / The Drifters Click Here to View!

1970…I'll Be There / The Jackson 5 Click Here to View!

1980…Another One Bites the Dust / Queen Click Here to View!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Herblock (Herbert L Block), political cartoonist, in 1909

Arna Bontemps, black author (100 years of negro freedom) in 1902

Lenny Bruce(Leonard Alfred Schneider), comedian, arrested on obscenity charges, in 1925

Chris Carter, 53, creator of “The X-Files,”

Sammy Hagar, 61, singer, musician

Conrad Richter, writer (The Light in the Forest) in 1890

Nipsey Russell, comedian (Car 54, Barefoot in the Park), in 1920

Paul Simon, 69, singer (Simon and Garfunkel), musician

Burr Tillstrom, puppeteer (Kukla, Fran & Ollie), in 1917 Click Here to View!

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Ashanti, 30, singer, actress (The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz), born Ashanti Sequoiah Douglas

Sasha Baron Cohen, 39, comedian, actor (“Da Ali G Show,” Borat), born London, England

Yves Montand, actor/singer (Z, Napoleon, Grand Prix), in 1921

Marie Osmond, 51, actress, singer

Cornel Wilde, actor (High Sierra, 5th Musketeer), in 1915

╬ ATHLETICS

Lou Saban, football: Indiana Univ QB; Cleveland Browns LB; Head Coach: NE Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, in 1921

Nancy Kerrigan, 41, former figure skater

Jerry Lee Rice, 48, football player, 49ers, Raiders, Broncos, Seahawks

Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers, 49, basketball coach and former player: Hawks, Clippers, Knicks, Spurs

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

--

╬ POLITICS

Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley), America Revolution heroine, in 1754

Margaret Hilda Roberts Thatcher, 85, former Prime Minister of England

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Horace H Hayden, cofounded 1st dental college, in 1769

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Claudius, Roman Emperor, poisoned @ 64 in 54AD

Clarence Muse, actor (Sam-Casablanca), @ 90, in 1979

Ed Sullivan, TV host (Ed Sullivan Show), @ 73, in 1974

Jay Ward, animator (Rocky & His Friends), cancer @ 69, in 1989

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1947 "Kukla, Fran & Ollie" premieres

╬ ATHLETICS

1971 1st world series night game (Pittsburgh 4-Baltimore 3) (World Series #68)

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1860 1st aerial photo taken in US (from a balloon), Boston

1953 Burglar alarm-ultrasonic or radio waves-patented-Samuel Bagno

1984 John Henry becomes 1st thoroughbred to win $6 million

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1864 Little Buffalo, with 700 of his fellow COMANCHEs, and KIOWAs, launched a series of raids along Elm Creek, ten miles from the Brazos River, in north-western Texas, today. Sixteen Texans and perhaps, twenty Indians will be killed in the fighting with the settlers, and the rangers, in the area.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1775 Continental Congress orders construction of a naval fleet

1792 The cornerstone of what was termed the President’s House was laid by George Washington in Washington, DC. The name, White House, was not officially adopted until 1902

1919 Race riot at Elaine Arkansas

1970 Angela Davis arrested in NYC

1980 Unprovoked slayings of 6 blacks in Buffalo, NY

╬ POLITICS (International)

1987 Costa Rican Pres Oscar Arias wins Nobel Peace Prize

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1483 Rabbi Issac Abarbanel starts his exegesis on the Bible

1843 B'nai B'rith founded in NY

1987 1st military use of trained dolphins (US Navy in Persian Gulf)

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$200-ts Mormon founders called it Deseret: What is Utah?

$400-The only state beginning with "A" that does not end in "A": What is Arkansas?

$600-The only state to touch 4 of the Great Lakes: What is Michigan?

$800-1 of 4 states that's officially a commonwealth: What is MA, KY, PA, or VA?

$1000-never asked, never answered

↔ PICTURE

A cocktail drink umbrella

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Tuesday October 11

This is Week 41 of 2010►Day 285 with 80days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

As I look back over my latest trip, it is hard to talk about THE highlight. Every destination brought its own excitement, its own wonder, its own highlight. The Pawdaw Cruise was certainly in a class of its own. Each evening we met on the sun deck for free drinks and Louie informing us of the next day’s activities. He was brilliant in the way he prepared us. He would only talk about ‘the next day’ and never about upcoming days. This was good as each day was filled with so many things, it would have been easy for anyone to get confused. The one difficult activity on the ship was dinner. As an American, and as a single guy, I am not used to eating at 7pm. Nor am I used to having a two hour plus dinner each night with three or four courses. Also, it was hard not to eat all of the food presented, for fear the chef would think the dish wasn’t enjoyed. Of course, if I would have gained way too much weight if I had eaten everything. Tough choice when the food was sooooooo good. Some evenings there was a program after dinner, other times we could relax on the sun deck or just head for bed. I always tried to at least walk the sun deck several times after dinner, as I know that going to bed on a full stomach is not a good idea. My roommate, Steve, was always teasing me that I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. Thankfully we were both quiet sleepers, or at least that’s what Steve told me. I wouldn’t know, as besides going to sleep rapidly, I go into a very deep sleep and I probably wouldn’t have awakened during an emergency.

Our day excursions from the ship included the two rainforest walks I already discussed. When I was growing up and learning geography a rainforest was called a jungle. I guess the term rainforest shows that it is more alive and vibrant. We also visited the Tau ek Kong Pagoda in Sibu and Fort Emma and Fort Slyvia—a museum from the days of the Brits. We also ‘ran the rapids’. At first we were going to take the Baby Pandaw on its inaugural ride. It was decided that it was too small for the rapids. While we are on a larger boat, the Pandaw crew really needs to come to the Western US to see real rapids. If you blinked you would have missed the biggest ones. The ride down that part of the river was beautiful, but ‘rapids’ it was not. We also visited a school and a clinic deep in the rainforest. Due to the high river, we got to the boarding school after the students had left for the weekend. These kids come in every Sunday, usually on the family boat, spend the week, and leave Friday afternoon. Teachers and administrators live on the campus in private quarters. No matter where I go, I boarding school is so much like the reservation boarding schools of the 1970’s. At the dorm, each child had a mattress and a small locker. Cleaning and upkeep was of course done by the students. All the mattresses were neatly stacked for the weekend. Tiny fans were near the windows to keep the air moving, but those large open areas must get very hot, even at night. The main dining room was like any other school cafeteria on the Rez. All the buildings are on stilts, as flooding is an issue. Each classroom also had many bright orange life jackets near the door. The assistant principal said they haven’t been used, and there due to safety regulations. The short walk from the school to the clinic was like any outpost clinic on the Rez. Everyone can be treated for one ringet—about 30 cents. Most of their work is on injuries that happen in the forest. They have a radio system where they can get transportation for a patient needing more care. They also have a birthing room and a midwife there to assist. I learned that traditionally the placenta is buried at the longhouse or kept in a jar inside the longhouse. Again, not that different than the traditional Rez. All the workers wore a uniform jacket, color-coded by their job. I am still amazed how much it operated like an IHS clinic. Many in our group were surprised about that, and some didn’t believe that such a primitive operation still happened on US soil. Our lunch that day was all food that was steamed in bamboo poles in a pit. We had chicken, beef, and rice. Each pole was stuffed with one of the ingredients and then steamed in a pit. Upon completion, the bamboo pole was split and the cooked food taken out. Amazing. The high river had hidden our beach so the food had to be prepared on the school campus, where the kitchen staff dug the pit, cooked the food, and returned the grounds to its original way.

One morning we cast off in long boats—four to six to a boat—at 5:30am. The boat had a small 15hp motor that was used to take us up a tributary as the sun rose. We then silently floated back down the tributary as the river slowly became alive with activity. Before I could take any video or still shots, the camera lens had to be dried off from the mist that formed. Turned out I had to dry the lens before just about every picture that morning. The camera could never capture the awesome view from the middle of the river, in total silence, hearing only the roosters, other birds, and the children running around in the morning light. As we floated down the river, more and more residents were out, loading their boats, and heading out onto the river. Throughout of entire river trip, the people on the shore and on the river always waved and smiled. We returned the gesture.

On the ship we had demonstrations of how men and women wear a sarong, how to use a blowpipe, how to make several exotic mixed drinks, how to make ‘pulled tea’—very hot tea with Eagle-brand condensed milk, and two lengthy and informative lectures about the longhouse and the Native Customary Rights Laws. About a dozen high school students came on board at Song Town came on board to entertain us with song and dance. They were very good, but the most amazing thing was that after the show each cast member shook hands with each passenger. After shaking a hand, they would take both their hands and pull them toward their body. It was very impressive and obviously part of their culture. Henry later told us that it was a way of saying that each person was being drawn into their heart. Very cool. One night the crew entertained us with traditional songs and activities. Another night was disco night, with crew and passengers remembering the great songs of that era. Two of the songs must have been British Disco, as none of the Americans had ever heard them, but the Brits were up there dancing and singing along. Due to a heavy rainstorm a lion dance was moved from a huge dock to our sun deck. This was only the second time the rain had moved the dancers to the deck. The entire crew and many of the male passengers assisted in getting the rain off the tarp covering the sun deck and putting up tarps on both sides of the ship to keep the rain off the deck. I remembered how the snow had crushed several business roofs in Flagstaff last winter, and was more than happy to use a broom handle to lift the sagging tarp to get the building pools to run off into the already high river. The Chinese lion dance is a story about life. Two lions want to eat a papaya, but it is protected by a snake. The lions dance around and lure the snake away from the fruit, then one lion gets to the fruit and break it open while the other lion eventually kills the snake. The lesson is that the good things in life will always have barriers and that by working together; the good things in life can be obtained. The dance was very entertaining, and I can only image how great it would have been in a larger and more open space.

I will soon be posting some videos and movies on my Facebook page. I have to pull them together and find a theme so it will take a few weeks.

Flagstaff started a cool thing a couple of years ago, and it is spreading around the country. It is called 10-15. On October 15 at 10:15am the residents of Flagstaff take 15 minutes to clean up outside, wherever they are. It helps keep the city cleaner, and only takes 15 minutes. Flag will be doing it again on Friday. Maybe other communities will pick up this practice.

I go to Sams every couple of weeks. I don’t have to buy lots of bulk stuff, but their prices are so good, I do stock up on some stuff. Our local Sams started a remodeling project a few months ago. Parking is really a problem as fences around the construction have produced many one way parking lanes with no exit. Then there is the inside of the store. Every time I go in, things have moved. I don’t mean to a new place, they move to a new temporary place. It’s like each aisle is a chess piece and as the remodeling game proceeds, everything moves, and sometimes it moves back to where it was before the project. Shopping at Sams is becoming a much longer process as you have to go down almost every aisle to find anything. Even things that have always been on one aisle are now on two or three different aisles. Soda was always on the same outside wall, then it moved to an aisle, now it is on the opposite outside wall. The only thing that hasn’t moved are the tires. Office supplies have had many many new homes. The project still has a couple of months to go before every jar of pickles finds its best home. I am really glad to be retired, so that the extra time doesn’t really matter.

Flag…H—68°; L—31°; RH—50%; and only not a breeze anywhere.

QUOTES FOR THE DAY—Malaysian Proverbs

^ When there is sugar, there are ants

(meaning of proverb: where there is prosperity in a place, outside people will come to join)

^ Friends to laugh with are many, friends to cry with are few

(meaning of proverb: you will know the sincere friends, when you are in trouble!)

^ If there is no rattan, roots will do

(meaning of proverb: if the things or tools cannot functioning, sometimes you can use other things/tools as altenative)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1960 Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe at UN General Assembly session 

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION

^ The first recorded sandwich was by the famous rabbi, Hillel the Elder, who lived during the 1st century B.C. He started the Passover custom of sandwiching a mixture of chopped nuts, apples, spices, and wine between two matzohs to eat with bitter herbs. The filling between the matzohs served as a reminder of the suffering of the Jews before their deliverance from Egypt and represented the mortar used by the Jews in their forced labor of constructing Egyptian buildings.

^ Potato chips are American's favorite snack food. They are devoured at a rate of 1.2 billion pounds a year.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers—Begins with “L”

$100- Erich Segal's "story"

$200- An air bubble tells a carpenter if he's on it

$300- The L in L.P.G.A.

$400- A, B, M, P, or Z, for example

$500- It's what bread has & matzo hasn't

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

INDIANAPOLIS - Motorists and passersby took to an Indianapolis street to retrieve money that spilled onto the road from the back of an armored car, officials said. Indianapolis police said they do not know what caused the armored car to drop bundles of cash on the street at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday in the city's downtown. There have been no official estimates on how much cash was originally in the vehicle and how much was lost, the Indianapolis Star reported. Police credited Timothy Wentworth, 53, and his wife, Viki, for calling 911 and helping to secure the money in their van until police arrived. "People were having a field day when I pulled up," Timothy Wentworth said. 'At first I didn't know what it was but when I saw it was cash I figured I better call police." He said officers told him about $20,000 was lost during the incident.

A LITTLE LAUGH

I believe my little daughter wants a pair of glasses. I don't know why she does. Perhaps glasses are now "cool" to have in school? But though she sees just fine, she still says she needs glasses.

I took her to the eye doctor just to check it out though.

She was asked to read the bottom row of letters on the eye chart. She said, "All right, I can see the 'O' and the 'P' and the 'T,' but not the 'N' and the 'Z.'"

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

The Lion Dance it turns out, has world competition. Here is one from a few years ago. No story with this one, but lots of great acrobatics. 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

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 Moment Of Frustration Scream Day

Free Thought Day

National Face Your Fears Day

Brazil: Children's Day or Feast of Our Lady of Aparecida

Equatorial Guinea: Independence Day (1968 from Spain)

Malawi: Mother's Day

Mexico, Latin America: Dia de la Raza/Day of the Race

Spain: National Day

Sudan: Republican Anniversary Day

United Kingdom: National Coming Out Day

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1899...A Picture No Artist Can Paint / Steve Porter

1909...I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now / Henry Burr Click Here for Audio

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

1929...Am I Blue? / Ethel Waters Click Here for Audio

1949…That Lucky Old Sun / Frankie Laine Click Here for Audio

1959…Mack the Knife / Bobby Darin

1969…I Can't Get Next to You / The Temptations

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

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

George W Cable, American writer (Northampton Years), in 1844

Dick Gregory, 78, comedian, author, activist

Luciano Pavarotti, Modena Italy, operatic tenor (Yes, Giorgio), in 1935

Chris Wallace, 63, broadcaster (“Dateline”), White House correspondent

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Susan Anton, 60, singer, actress

Kirk Cameron, 40, actor (“Growing Pains,” “Kirk”)

Hugh Jackman, 42, actor (Australia, The Prestige, X-Men, X2)

Adam Rich, 42, actor (“Eight Is Enough”)

╬ ATHLETICS

Chris Chandler, 45, football player (Colts, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Rams, Oilers, Falcons, Bears, Rams)

Lane Frost, American professional bull rider, in 1963

Marion Jones, 35, former track runner

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Perle Mesta (Skirvin), socialite: ‘The hostess with the mostes’; diplomat: appointment as U.S. envoy to Luxembourg [1949] inspired Broadway play Call Me Madam, in 1891

Jean Nidetch, 87, founder of Weight Watchers

Elmer A. (Ambrose) Sperry, inventor: Sperry Automatic Pilot [gyroscopic compass]; founder: Sperry-Rand Corp, in 1860

╬ POLITICS

Ramsay MacDonald, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1866

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

Ole-Johan Dahl, Norwegian computer scientist and programming geek in 1931

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

John Denver, Singer/songwriter, experimental plane crash @ 53 in 1998 

Alfred M Landon, former Kansas Gov, @ 100 in 1987

Robert E Lee, General of the Confederate Army, pneumonia @ 63 in 1870

Philleo Nash, US Bureau of Indian Affairs (1961-67), @ 77 in 1987

Johnny Olsen, TV announcer (Price is Right), @ 75 in 1985

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1950 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show made its debut on CBS-TV

╬ ATHLETICS

1895 The first amateur golf tournament was held -- in Newport, Rhode Island. Charles Blair McDonald beat a field of 31 others in the event.

1968 19th modern Olympic games opens in Mexico City

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1823 Charles Macintosh of Scotland begins selling raincoats (Macs)

1920 Construction of the Holland Tunnel got underway.

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1492 According to some sources, Columbus lands in "new world." According to the Taino, they were the first Native Americans to greet Columbus on the Island of Guanahani (San Salvador)..the Taino came from either the Amazon Basin or Columbian Andes. At their peak over 1 million, devastated by smallpox and other disease. DNA still in some people in Central America, but tribe is extinct.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1792 The first monument honoring Christopher Columbus was dedicated -- in Baltimore, MD.

1973 Nixon nominates Gerald Ford to replace Spiro Agnew as VP

╬ POLITICS (International)

1860 British & French troops capture Peking

1960 Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe at UN General Assembly session

1984 IRA bombs hotel where Margaret Thatcher is staying

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1285 180 Jews refuse baptism in Munich Germany, they are set on fire

1822 2nd eruption of Galunggung (Java) destroys summit of mountain

1891 Astronomical Society of France is inaugurated

1918 1st use of iron lung (Boston's Children Hospital)

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1

$100- Erich Segal's "story": What is ‘Love Story’?

$200- An air bubble tells a carpenter if he's on it: What is a level?

$300- The L in L.P.G.A.: What is ‘Ladies’?

$400- A, B, M, P, or Z, for example: What are letters?

$500- It's what bread has & matzo hasn't: What is leaven?

↔ PICTURE

Yellow Bell Peppers

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