Sunday October 17

This is Week 41 of 2010►Day 290 with 75 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

I had a lazy day, only putting out my fall decorations. Some are in the front area of the house, others are inside. I haven’t been able to decorate the door yet, waiting for the new numbers to be put up, and for the last touch up painting. Nothing like brightening up the neighborhood with a few small scarecrows and some gourds and pumpkins—uncut so far. I also cleaned up my flowerpots, as all the flowers have long since dried up. I’ll do the Halloween decorating a couple of days before the infamous day. I think I am more excited than usual for Halloween, since I was in South Africa last year for Halloween. That was the first Halloween I hadn’t been handing out candy since I grew too old to trick or treat myself. We don’t have a lot of trick or treat-ers out here, partly from our location, and partly I’m sure in the downfall of the activity due to concerns about taking candy or anything else from strangers. I get that, but it sure was fun when I was a kid.

It was a cloudy day, but alas only a couple of sprinkles here in Flag. One of those sprinkle times came as I was putting stuff outside, but even then, I didn’t even get wet or even damp. We are expected to have thunderstorms sometime tonight, but I will believe it when I hear of see them.

Flag…H—68°; L—32°; RH—58%; and no breeze at all.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY-- Chinese proverb

He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1985 Intel introduced the 32-bit 80386 microcomputer chip. It was the first Intel/*86 chip to handle 32-bit data sets. It ran at ‘clock speeds’ of up to 33 MHz -- blazingly fast in 1985.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—NHL’s Stanley Cup

→The NHL's Stanley Cup was crafted in Sheffield, England and first presented in 1893. It is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes. The Cup is the only trophy in all of sport that is passed along from player to player the summer their team wins it.

→The trophy has been a guest of George Bush's and Bill Clinton's at the White House, a guest on Late Show with David Letterman, and has even been used as a baptismal font!

→It takes 13 years to fill the ring of the Stanley Cup with names of winners. Once a bottom ring is full, another one of the same size is removed from the top of the base and retired at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

→The trophy has logged more than 400,000 miles in travel during the past five seasons, and has raised more than $4 million for charity the past three seasons.

→There is a second version of the Stanley Cup that remains in the Hall of Fame which never travels, and is used for display purposes only at the Hall when the Stanley Cup is traveling.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers (1984 games)—Currency

$100-Currency where you'll find Lincoln's name on front & back

$200-4 little words carried on all U.S. currency

$300-Replaced Adams in the presidency & the Indian on the nickel

$400-The only U.S. coin with the Presidential Seal

$500-Never asked, never answered

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

SEATTLE — A Vancouver, British Columbia, man will serve 30 months in a U.S. prison for leading a snowshoe smuggling ring that tried to bring marijuana to Washington state on treacherous mountain trails.

Richard Bafaro tearfully apologized in court Friday, saying he had been forced to pay $70,000 to drug suppliers after he lost a load of B.C. bud pot in the wilderness, which led him to smuggle more marijuana.

The 45-year-old said that on one of the trips to look for the missing pot, one of his friends was badly injured and had to be airlifted out of the Canadian forest.

Five men were arrested with links to Bafaro's operation and were sentenced to prison terms between eight months and one year. Bafaro was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

A LITTLE LAUGH

Grandpa was always going on about the good old days, and the lower cost of living, in particular.

"When I was a kid, my mom could send me to the store, and I'd get a salami, two pints of milk, 6 oranges, 2 loaves o' bread, a magazine, and some new blue jeans... all for a dollar!!"

Then Grandpa said sadly, "You can't DO that anymore..... they got those darn video cameras everywhere you look."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

It’s National Chemistry Week: Here are students talking about Chemistry…educational. Click Here to View!

And it just wouldn’t be Chemistry Week without it’s song: Click Here to View!

GREY MATTER PICTURE

This is a close up of what object?

SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION

¤ Weekly Observances ¤

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 ¤

Gaudy Day: (Latin gaudeo, to rejoice.)—wear something that is outlandish, brightly colored, and, well, gaudy.

Dasara: Hindi festival: derived from the Sanskrit Dasha-hara meaning "remover of bad fate"

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: UN day since 1987

Mulligan Day or Do Over Day: a day for second chances

National Edge Day: To honor a Punk band that is against tobacco, drugs, illicit sex, and just about everything Punk.

World Toy Camera Day: Post pictures taken with an inexpensive camera: Click Here to View!

Argentina: Loyalty Day (Día de la lealtad: commemoration since 1945, when a massive labor demonstration at the Plaza de Mayo demanded the liberation of Juan Domingo Perón, who was jailed in Martín García island. It is considered the foundation day of Peronism.)

Haiti: Dessalines Day (1806 Haiti Revolutionary Jean Jacques Dessalines died)

Malawi: Mother's Day

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

Note: Clicking on the link will take you to the original hit song by the original artist. Most are actually live performances of the song. Caution: Some songs may get stuck in your brain for several hours. Many of the newer songs will bring back a flood of memories and hopefully some smiles of days gone by. The songs before your time will remind you that each generation has its own taste and definition of ‘good’. Many times I don’t recall the oldest songs until I hear them, knowing the tune, but not the name. Of course, some of the songs I have never heard, and probably will never hear again. Enjoy!!!!

1894...My Pearl Is a Bowery Girl / Dan Quinn

1904...Alexander / Billy Murray Click Here to View!

1914...Cohen on the Telephone / Joe Hayman Click Here to View!

1924...Memory Lane / Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians

1934...One Night of Love / Grace Moore Click Here to View!

1944…You Always Hurt the One You Love / The Mills Brothers Click Here to View!

1954…Hey There / Rosemary Clooney Click Here to View!

1964…Do Wah Diddy Diddy / Manfred Mann Click Here to View!

1974…Nothing from Nothing / Billy Preston Click Here to View!

1984…I Just Called to Say I Love You / Stevie Wonder Click Here to View!

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Eminem, 38, musician, rapper, actor, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III

Jupiter Hammon, 1st American black to publish poetry (Complete Works), in 1711

Alan Jackson, 52, rocker (Don't Rock the Jukebox, Here in the Real World)

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, motorcycle daredevil, in 1938

Arthur Miller, playwright (Death of a Salesman, The Crucible), in 1915

Gary Puckett, 68, vocalist (& the Union Gap-Woman Woman, Young Girl)

James Seals, 69, singer (Seals & Crofts-Summer Breeze)

Nathanael West, American novelist (Day of the Locusts), in 1903

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Spring Byington, Colo Springs, actress (Lily Ruskin-December Bride), in 1886

Montgomery Clift, actor (From Here to Eternity), in 1920

Beverly Garland, actress (“My Three Sons,” “Port Charles”), born Beverly Fessenden, in 1926

Rita Hayworth, (Alzheimer victim), actress (Gilda, Pal Joey), in 1919

Margot Kidder, 62, actress (Superman films, The Amityville Horror)

Tom Poston, actor (Steve Allen Show, Newhart, Hollywood Squares), in 1921

Irene Ryan, actress (Granny-Beverly Hillbillies), in 1903

George Wendt, 62, actor (“Cheers,” “The Naked Truth”)

╬ ATHLETICS

William "Candy" Cummings, created the curve ball, in 1848

Ernie Els, 41, golfer, born Johannesburg, South Africa

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Jimmy Breslin, 80, columnist (NY Post, News, Newsday), in 1930

Jerry (Jerome) Siegel, cartoonist: Superman [w/Joe Shuster], in 1914

╬ POLITICS

Richard Johnson, 9th U.S. Vice President [1837-1841: under Van Buren], in 1780

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

John Paul I, 263rd Roman Catholic pope (1978),in 1912

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Ralph Abernathy, civil rights leader, blood clots @ 64, in 1990

Tennessee Ernie Ford, country singer (16 Tons), pea-pickin’ heart stopped @ 72, in 1991

Julia Ward Howe, composer (Battle Hymn of the Republic), @ 91, in 1910

Gustav Kirchhoff, discoverer of the laws of spectroscopy, choked @ 63, in 1887

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1845 According to a Boston newspaper, the entire audience walked out of a reading of The Raven. The audience walked out, not because of the material, but because of their objection to Edgar Allan Poe, the reader and author of the macabre poem.

1919 Radio Corporation of America (RCA) created

1934 "The Aldrich Family" premieres on radio

1967 The play "Hair" is 1st performed

╬ ATHLETICS

1860 1st pro golf tournament held (Scotland) (Willie Park wins)

1987 1st World Series game in a covered stadium (Minnesota Metrodome) (World Series #84)

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1829 Delaware River & Chesapeake Bay Canal formally opened

1904 Bank of Italy (now: Bank of America) opens its doors

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1782 Today, CHEROKEE Indians will sign the "Long Swamp" treaty with General Andrew Pickens in Selacoa, Georgia. They will cede land in Georgia as reparations for the fighting during the Revolutionary War.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1777 British General John Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga, NY

1787 Boston blacks, petition legislature for equal school facilities

1871 President Grant suspends writ of habeas corpus

1986 US Senate approved immigration bill prohibiting hiring of illegal aliens & offered amnesty to illegals who entered prior to 1982

╬ POLITICS (International)

1957 Britain's Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip visit White House

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1855 Bessemer steelmaking process patented

1933 Albert Einstein arrives in the US, a refugee from Nazi Germany

1979 Mother Teresa of India, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1 Jeopardy

$100-Currency where you'll find Lincoln's name on front & back: What is the $5 bill?

$200-4 little words carried on all U.S. currency: What is ‘In God We Trust’?

$300-Replaced Adams in the presidency & the Indian on the nickel: Who is Thomas Jefferson?

$400-The only U.S. coin with the Presidential Seal: What is the JFK fifty-cent piece?

$500-Never asked, never answered

↔ PICTURE

Scissors handle

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Saturday October 16

This is Week 40 of 2010►Day 289 with 76 days left.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

As I was running errands today I ran into a lot of TC people. Most were parents and former students I hadn’t seen for quite a few years. Of the four different groups I saw, they were all in town, getting ready for the fair. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that Flag will have a shortage of paper plates and cups and other standard fare for a cook out. The Fair brings back a flood of memories. The parade was always amazing. Walking though the booths and carnival and seeing old students and their families from most of the schools where I worked, the yei’bi’che’ dance late into the night, and of course the traffic. Everyone I saw invited me to come up and enjoy. Visitors never really see that this is a great weekend for families to have reunions and see how all the family has grown. Everyone I know has their annual parade viewing place, their favorite food stand, and their excitement in visiting with TC family and friends. Young or old, traditional or Christian, everyone seems to have a great time. Two things are keeping me away this year: the first is the traffic, since it can take three hours to make the 75 mile drive (actually the last five miles is what takes the time) and the second is having a place to stay. I know I could stay with a number of friends, but they all have their own family coming in, and it would be hard to take off and just show up to eat and sleep. Anyway, the fair will be happening all weekend, and I have great memories of past fairs. I still have one small problem with the fair committee. The Navajo Nation always encourages the importance of education, the importance of youth being the leaders of tomorrow, and then the Fair committee always sets up Thursday—a school day—as Kid’s Fair Day. For years they have offered free admission, kid’s entertainment, and reduced carnival ride prices. For many years schools from around the area would haul their students in on busses to enjoy the day. I always saw the fair as a family event, not a school event. Many schools tried to get the fair committee to drop kid’s day or move it to Sunday, the last day of the fair. Sometimes, traditions are impossible to break, so the compromise was two-fold, the fair committee would add more ‘educational’ and ‘kid-centered’ activities and the schools would make Thursday a non-instructional day (education speak for a day kids don’t come to school and teachers have some kind of training). This worked well for the schools with few or no boarding students. Parents found ways to either get a day off or found relatives to take their kids to the fair. All worked out well in this compromise.

Flagstaff had another great weather day. While the sky had lots of grey clouds, they did little but occasionally block the sun a little. I had the windows open most of the day, I took a short walk this morning, ran some errands and enjoyed the fall day.

Flag…H—72°; L—31°; RH—62%; and no breeze at all.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY-- Thornton Wilder

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.

Bonus: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Lord Chesterfield, (1694-1773)

HOLY MACKEREL: 1848 1st US homeopathic medical college opens in Pennsylvania 

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—Fred and Wilma Flintstone or Gladstone or Flagstone

→The Flintstones didn't always go by that name. In the demonstration pilot pitched to ABC, Fred and Wilma had the last name of Flagstone. After the series was commissioned by the network, the title was changed to The Gladstones for a short period of time.

→When The Flintstones premiered in late September 1960, it didn't start with the opening sequence millions of viewers have become familiar with over the years. Instead, it showed a solo Fred running a few errands in Bedrock on his way home to watch TV.

→For the first two years on air, The Flintstones catered to a more mature audience with its portrayal of marriage (the first animated program to show two members of the opposite sex sleeping together in one bed), work and friendship. The show's sponsorship included advertisements for Winston cigarettes that showed Fred, Barney and Wilma lighting up.

→The Flintstones' started the trend of using famous folks as guests voices on the show with appearances by Ann-Margaret, Tony Curtis, Dick Clark, pop group The Beau Brummels, as well as Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York as their 'Bewitched' characters Samantha and Darrin.

→Just as The Flintstones was ending its run in 1966, Columbia Pictures released the musical comedy The Man Called Flintstone to movie theaters. A parody of the spy films of that time, Man Called Flintstone focused on Fred as he is recruited by a spy organization to replace their top agent, who looks just like him.

→The most famous spin-offs of the show were the 1971 The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, which focused on the Flintstone and Rubble children as teenagers, and the 1980s The Flintstone Kids, which transformed the older Flintstones and Rubbles into kids themselves.

GREY MATTER PUZZLE 1—Jeopardy Answers (1984 games)—Trivia

$100- Rubber is an ingredient in this type of chewing gum

$200- Easter creature created by Gene Autry in '55 hit record

$300- Though a northern state, N.J. didn't abolish it until 1860

$400- U.S. coin 97.6% zinc

$500- Ohio City named for an ancestor of the 24th president

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

BELLEVUE, Wash. — A 19-year-old woman was charged with second-degree assault after allegedly stabbing another woman during an anger-management class, the Seattle Times reported.

The incident occurred Saturday while a video on anger management was being shown, the Times said. Police said Faribah Maradiaga walked into a classroom at Bellevue College and started complaining about the video. The victim told her "to give it a chance," according to charging documents.

After words were exchanged, Maradiaga pulled out a knife with a 3-inch blade and stabbed the other woman, police and prosecutors said. Maradiaga also is accused of threatening to kill the other woman's family, the Times said.

Maradiaga told police that the other woman threatened her first. She was being held on $50,000 bail.

A LITTLE LAUGH

When my coworker Donsa was promoted, we decided to celebrate. Her boss called the baker and ordered a cake.

"Two questions," said the baker. "Is Donsa a man or a woman?

And what do you want the cake to say?"

"The cake should read 'Congratulations'" the boss said. "Oh, and Donsa's a woman."

The next day, the office celebrated with a cake that read "Congratulations—Donsa's a woman."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa on AIDS: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

16–21. High Point&Thomasville, NC. The largest wholesale home furnishings market in the world

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 ¤

Dictionary Day

Bridge Day: for the architecture that crosses rivers and canyons, not the card game

Fall Astronomy Day: Look to the sky

Sweetest Day: started in the Great Lakes region to spread love and joy

World Food Day

Jamaica: National Heroes Day

Poland: Day of Pope John Paul II (1978- Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected the 264th Pope)

¤ Hit Songs on this date ¤

1903...Harrah for Baffin's Bay / Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan

1913...Last Night Was the End of the World / Henry Burr

1923...Yes! We Have No Bananas / Billy Jones

1933...The Last Round-Up / George Olsen

1943…Sunday, Monday or Always / Bing Crosby

1953…St. George and the Dragonet / Stan Freberg

1963…Sugar Shack / Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs

1973…Angie / The Rolling Stones

1983…Total Eclipse of the Heart / Bonnie Tyler

¤ Today’s Births ¤

╬ THE ARTS

Gunter Grass, 83, author (The Tin Drum, Dog Years)

John Mayer, 33, singer

Eugene O'Neill, dramatist (Desire Under the Elms-Nobel 1936), in 1888

Oscar Wilde [Fingal O'Flahertie Wills], author (Pic of Dorian Gray) , born in Dublin, 1854

♦♦♦♦♦♦

Angela Lansbury, 85, actress (“Murder She Wrote,” National Velvet; Tony for Sweeney Todd)

Alice Pearce, comedienne/actress (Gladys Kravitz-Bewitched), in 1913

Tim Robbins, 52, actor (Oscar for Mystic River; The Player), director

Suzanne Somers, 64, actress (“Three’s Company,” “Step by Step,” American Graffiti)

╬ ATHLETICS

Melissa Louise Belote, 54, Olympic gold medal swimmer ’72 & ‘76

Leon (Goose) Goslin, baseball hall of famer (AL bat champ 1928), in 1900

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

J. B. Bury, Irish historian, in 1861

Noah Webster, lexicographer (Webster's Dictionary), in 1758

╬ POLITICS

David Ben-Gurion , 1st PM of Israel (1948-53, 55), born in 1886-Plonsk Poland

George Washington Williams, Black Civil War Hero and historian, helped change Belguim rule in Congo, in 1849

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

William Buell Sprague, American clergyman and author, in 1795

Leon Sullivan, American civil rights leader and pastor, in 1922

¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤

Marie Antoinette, queen of France, beheaded @ 58, in 1793

Leo G Carroll, actor (Topper, Man From Uncle), @ 80 in 1972

Moshe Dayan, Israel's general, heart attack @ 66, in 1981

Cornel Wilde, actor, leukemia @ 77, in 1989

¤ Today’s Events ¤

╬ THE ARTS

1941 "Gordo" comic strip (by Gus Arriola) 1st appears in newspapers

1972 John C. Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival called it a career ... and the group disbanded.

╬ ATHLETICS

1968 During Olympics Tommie Smith & John Carlos give black power salute

╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION

1829 Tremont Hotel, 1st US modern hotel opens (Boston)

1869 Hotel in Boston becomes the 1st to have indoor plumbing

1923 Disney Co founded

╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1826 The POTAWATOMI Indians sign a treaty with the United States today. The Americans were represented by Lewis Cass, James Ray and John Tipton.

╬ POLITICS (US)

1861 Confederacy starts selling postage stamps

1775 Portland, Maine burned by British

1781 Washington takes Yorktown

1995 Hundreds of thousands of black men met at Washington, DC, for a “holy day of atonement and reconciliation” organized by Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam.

╬ POLITICS (International)

1945 UN's Food & Agriculture Organization comes into existence

1962 Cuban missile crisis began as JFK becomes aware of missiles in Cuba

╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION

1916 Margaret Sanger opens 1st birth control clinic (46 Amboy St, Brooklyn)

1928 The frosted electric light bulb was patented by Marvin Pipkin . No, it wasn’t the work of Thomas Edison, Westinghouse, General Electric, or any of his army, either.

1984 Bishop Desmond Tutu, General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for “his role as a unifying leader figure in the campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa.”

GREY MATTER ANSWERS

↔ 1 Jeopardy

$100- Rubber is an ingredient in this type of chewing gum: What is Bubble Gum?

$200- Easter creature created by Gene Autry in '55 hit record: Who is Peter Cottontail?

$300- Though a northern state, N.J. didn't abolish it until 1860: What is slavery?

$400- U.S. coin 97.6% zinc: What is a penny?

$500- Ohio City named for an ancestor of the 24th president: What is Cleveland?

↔ PICTURE

Computer printing, on a lottery ticket

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

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

^     ^     ^     ^     ^

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

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

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

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╬ 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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