9-6-11

FYI: Blue text is a link…be sure and click on it for more information!

TODAY’s “Geez”

1716 - 1st US lighthouse built (Boston)

1899 - Carnation processes its 1st can of evaporated milk

1901 - Pres William McKinley, shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at Pan American Exposition in Buffalo NY

1939 - South Africa declares war on Nazi-Germany

1954 - US plane shot down above Siberia

1963 - Historian Lee Allen says Indians-Senators game is 100,000th in history

1972 - Summer Olympics resume in Munich Germany after massacre

1991 - The name Saint Petersburg is restored to Russia's second largest city, which had been renamed Leningrad in 1924

Free Rambling Thoughts…

What a cool day in Flagstaff. Warm and nice in the morning, nice afternoon gentle showers, evening has more showers. We need the moisture, and a great way to end Labor Day.

My friend Martha has received word that her second book is about to be published. It is a biography of her search for her biological parents. More when it is available. Right now, I’m just getting her website ready. I’ve got a few ideas, but need to let them play out a little before I show them to anyone. She is getting excited about it all, and that excitement is contagious.

It is a little scary as I have two projects going at the same time…the brochure for Greg and the web site for Martha. I’m supposed to be retired. Then on Saturday I got a jury summons for 90 days starting October 1^st. I really don’t mind doing jury duty, but will have to let them know I will be out of the country during part of that time. Not real sure how they will deal with that. I sent the form in before I knew the final dates of my trip, so we’ll see what happens. If I get called while in Ethiopia, maybe they will do a video link…LOL.

Trivia Quiz…(answers at the end of post)

1.      What was the first city to be leveled by a plutonium-based atomic bomb?

2.      What high-level computer language was named after a French mathematician and philosopher?

3.      What Mercury astronaut had a pulse rate of 170 at lift-off-John Glenn, Alan Shepard or Gus Grissom?

4.      What type of vessel was powered by a hand-cranked propeller when first used in combat in 1176?

5.      What creature proved to be much faster than a horse in a 1927 race in Sydney, Australia?

6.      What radioactive element is extracted from carnotite and pitchblende?

7.      What organ of a buffalo did Plains Indians use to make yellow paint?

8.      What optical aids was nearsighted model Grace Robin the first to show off in 1930?

9.      What creature's fossilized leg bone did John Horner discover red blood cells in, in 1993?

10.  What sticky sweetener was traditionally used as an antiseptic ointment for cuts and burns?

11.  What computer was introduced in 1984 Super Bowl ads?

12.  What male body part did Mademoiselle magazine find to be the favorite of most women?

13.  What planet is named after the Greek god who personified the sky?

Zoom-ed in Picture…Can you Identify what this is? (Answer at end of post)

Hmmmmm…

Chances that a US job created last year was in a low wage industy: 1 in 2

Somewhat Useless Information…

• Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary, was the first to propose a day to honor workers. However, others believe that it was Matthew Maguire, a machinist in Paterson, N.J., who proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
• Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday of September every year since President Grover Cleveland declared that day Labor Day in 1894.
• In many countries, Labor Day is celebrated as May Day or International Workers Day (May 1), which was originally spawned by Europe's proletariat movement.
• The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.
• Oregon was the first, then Colorado, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey followed as the first states to declare Labor Day a state holiday.
• The first Labor Day celebration in the United States can be traced to New York City's Union Square on Sept. 5, 1882. It was designed as a way to appease city workers after numerous strikes and in some cases even violence.

Yeah, It Really Happened…

BUCHAREST, Romania — There was no sign of Dracula, but students in Transylvania did get a visit from dozens of bats that flapped through their classroom.

The students at Csiky Gergely high school in the western Romanian city of Arad were about to take an exam Friday morning when they found bats flying around the room. Others appeared to be sleeping with their wings spread out on the floor.

School official Mirela Aldescu told Romanian daily Adevarul that the creatures had probably flown in overnight through open windows. She says that rather than disturb them they took the exam in another classroom.

Transylvania was home to Vlad the Impaler, the 15th-century ruler who inspired Bram Stoker's "Dracula," which has spawned dozens of movies and superstition about garlic, holy water — and vampire bats.

Guffaw…or at least smile…

A panda bear walks into a bar and orders a sandwich. The waiter brings him the sandwich. The panda bear eats it, pulls out a pistol, kills the waiter, and gets up and starts to walk out.

The bartender yells for him to stop. The panda bear asks, "What do you want?"

The bartender replies, "First you come in here, order food, kill my waiter, then try to go without paying for your food."

The panda bear turns around and says, "Hey! I'm a Panda. Look it up!"

The bartender goes into the back room and looks up panda bear in the encyclopedia, which read: "Panda: a bear-like marsupial originating in Asian regions. Known largely for it's stark black and white coloring. Eats shoots and leaves."

Searchin’ “You Tube” I found…

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary

CCR - Have you ever seen the rain?

CCR -I Put A Spell On You

CCR - Down on the Corner

Daybook Information…

…Happening This Week:

1-7 

Self-University Week 

1-10 

International Enthusiasm Week 

4-10 

National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Week:  

National Waffle Week Suicide Prevention Week

6-10 

National Payroll Week: 

Play Days

TODAY IS

• Another Look Unlimited Day: encourages you to take another look through what you’re getting rid of to identify things which could be donated to charity, given to friends, or recycled in another way
• Fight Procrastination Day

~*~

• Bulgaria: Unification Day (Eastern Rumelia and Bulgaria in 1885)
• Pakistan: Defense of Pakistan Day (its military and people stood united in 1965 in defense of Pakistan against invasion from India) Swaziland: Independence Day (1968 for UK)

Today’s Events:

IN ARTS

1984 - Today Show begins live remote telecasts from Moscow

IN ATHLETICS

1975 - Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova asks for US political asylum in New York City during the US Open

1995 - Cal Ripken Jr breaks Gehrig's record, plays in 2,131 straight games

IN BUSINESS

1819 - Thomas Blanchard patents lathe

1869 - 1st westbound train arrives in SF

IN EDUCATION

--

FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1839 - Cherokee Nation forms

IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

1622 - Spanish silver fleet disappears off Florida Keys; 1,000s die

1715 - Pro-James III-uprising in Scotland

1886 - Queen Victoria establishes Distinguished Service Order (DSO) award

1938 - Wilhelmina celebrates 40th anniversary jubilee as Dutch queen

1948 - Juliana becomes queen of Netherlands

1970 - Palestinians seize 3 jetliners

1997 - Princess Diana's funeral

IN RELIGION

1986 - Attack on synagogue in Istanbul, 23 killed

IN SCIENCE

1913 - 1st aircraft to loop the loop (Adolphe Pégoud-France)

IN US POLITICS

1628 - Puritans land at Salem, from Mass Bay Colony, witches soon to settle

1866 - Frederick Douglass is 1st US black delegate to a national convention

ARTISTS:  AUTHORS:  COMPOSERS

1805 - Horatio Greenough, US, neo-classical sculptor/writer (Form & Function)

ATHLETES

Alex Escobar, Venezuelan baseball player turns 33

1907 - John A Kelly, US marathon runner (Berlin 1936, Boston 1935..1991)

ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)

1881 - Leo Carrillo, actor (Pancho-Cisco Kid)

Jane Curtin, actor, comedienne turns 64

Jeff Foxworthy, comedian turns 53

Swoosie Kurtz, actor turns 67

Rosie Perez, actor turns 47

Jo Anne Worley, comedienne turns 74

ENTREPRENEUR & EDUCATORS

1860 - Jane Addams, US, pacifist/social worker/feminist (Nobel 1931)

Elizabeth Vargas, American journalist turns 49

POLITICIANS

1757 - Marquis de Lafayette, American patriot, French revolutionary

SCIENTISTS / THEOLOGISTS

1711 - Henry Muhlenberg, German-born founder of the U.S. Lutheran Church

Today’s Obits:

1981 - Christy Brown, Irish author (My Left Foot) dies of cerebral palsy at 49

1903 - Charles Ammi Cutter, US bibliographer, dies at 66

1990 - Tom Fogerty, rocker (Creedence Clearwater), dies of tuberculosis at 48

1948 - Gerrit H Kersten, vicar/founder (Calvinist Party), dies at 66

1987 - Quinn Martin, American television producer with at least one show on for record 21 straight years  dies of heart failure at 65

2008 - Anita Page, silent film vixen, last living attendee of the 1st Annual Academy Awards, dies at 98

2007 - Luciano Pavarotti, Italian tenor dies of pancreatic cancer at 72

1984 - Ernest Tubb, singer (Grand Ole Opry: "Walking the Floor Over You" ), dies of emphysema at 70

ANSWERS:

Trivia Quiz

1.      What was the first city to be leveled by a plutonium-based atomic bomb?

a.      Nagasaki

2.      What high-level computer language was named after a French mathematician and philosopher?

a.      PASCAL—originally used for Gaming and early Apple computers

3.      What Mercury astronaut had a pulse rate of 170 at lift-off-John Glenn, Alan Shepard or Gus Grissom?

a.      Gus Grissom

4.      What type of vessel was powered by a hand-cranked propeller when first used in combat in 1176?

a.      A submarine

5.      What creature proved to be much faster than a horse in a 1927 race in Sydney, Australia?

a.      The Kangaroo

6.      What radioactive element is extracted from carnotite and pitchblende?

a.      Uranium

7.      What organ of a buffalo did Plains Indians use to make yellow paint?

a.      The gallbladder

8.      What optical aids was nearsighted model Grace Robin the first to show off in 1930?

a.      Contact lenses

9.      What creature's fossilized leg bone did John Horner discover red blood cells in, in 1993?

a.      A tyrannosaurus rex's

10.  What sticky sweetener was traditionally used as an antiseptic ointment for cuts and burns?

a.      Honey

11.  What computer was introduced in 1984 Super Bowl ads?

a.      The Macintosh

12.  What male body part did Mademoiselle magazine find to be the favorite of most women?

a.      Eyes

13.  What planet is named after the Greek god who personified the sky?

a.      Uranus

Close Up Picture

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree. All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] may not be totally accurate.

§     AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW     §

9-5-11

FYI: Blue text is a link…be sure and click on it for more information!

TODAY’s “Geez”

1960 - Cassius Clay captures Olympic light heavyweight gold medal

1960 - Wilma Rudolph wins her 2nd gold medal

1972 - 11 Israeli athletes are slain at Munich Olympics by Black Sept

1885 - 1st gasoline pump is delivered to a gasoline dealer (Ft Wayne, Ind)

1978 - Sadat, Begin & Carter began peace conference at Camp David, Md

1939 - FDR declares US neutrality at start of WW II in Europe

1975 - Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme attempts to assassinate Ford in Sacramento

Free Rambling Thoughts…

A nice late summer day. I was able to be outside much of the day. Can’t believe it’s already September.

Lots of people are in Flag this weekend. Of course, it’s a long weekend. A couple of Tuba people visitors this afternoon. Nice to see them. Without being retired, they have a real hard time understanding how great life can be. So many of my Tuba friends are simply not ready to retire. They haven’t been able to see that life if so much more than work. They will retire when they are ready. Until then, they will continue to work with kids. That’s fine with me.

I watched a very interesting 60 minutes report on cloning endangered species. Scientists can now take the DNA from an endangered species and put the DNA in the egg of a related species and produce a surrogate offspring that is the endangered animal. They are also working on taking the DNA of several extinct species and placing their DNA into a related species and produce a clone of the extinct species. This is not sci-fi, this is happening right now. While I find this science fascinating I’m not sure it is a good thing. No one likes to hear about a species going extinct, for whatever reason. However; I’m having a hard time with man stopping the cycle. Part of me says it is wrong. Part of me says that if it was wrong, we wouldn’t be able to do it. There are certainly no easy answers. I have to say I’m also surprised the Tea Party people haven’t jumped on this issue as well. While scientifically it would be amazing to bring have a wooly mammoth, a saber tooth, or a dinosaur, I watched the first two Jurassic Park movies and noticed that things went wrong—horribly wrong. Man seems to be able to control much more of nature than I ever thought I would see in my lifetime.

It’s Labor Day Weekend. As a little kid, I remember watching the Muscular Dystrophy Fund Raiser with Jerry Lewis and many more stars. It seemed to go on forever…with Jerry there the entire time. I must say, even then, I was always a little skeptical of the money totals…which stayed low for hours and then, near the end skyrocketed. I remember kids coming to our door with an MD tin can for donations. Now, for the first time, Jerry has been removed from the telethon. It’s kinda like when Bert Parks was no longer on the Miss America pageant. I’ve never been a fan of fund raising telethons for any reason. It always seemed to me that they were rigged. So the 3 day thing is now down to a few hours and of course there is a Phx station carrying it. I’ve stopped by a few times since it came on…still not a fan.

Trivia Quiz…(answers at the end of post)

1.      Which Italian actress was voted the Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunis 1957?

2.      Who was the Chicago police commissioner at the time of the St Valentine's Day massacre?

3.      What star sign is shared by John Major and Sir David Frost?

4.      Why was Finn Volmari Iso-Hollo's 1932 steeplechase win exceptional?

5.      What was the profession of "Arnold Newman?

6.      Which middle name did UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill share with Charlie Chaplin?

7.      What was officially called the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America?

8.      Which capital city has the fewest cinemas in relation to its population?

Zoom-ed in Picture…Can you Identify what this is? (Answer at end of post)

Hmmmmm…

Amount of federal subsidies given to the family farm of Michele Bachmann (R-MN and presidential candidate): $154,755

Somewhat Useless Information…

• The Dracula legend is generally believed to have evolved from the life of Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler, a Prince of Wallachia who lived from 1431 to 1476. Best known for the cruelty of his reign, he was greatly disliked, but he served as a sort of buffer between Europe and the Ottoman invaders, and this made him key to the European defense
• According to Greek mythology, the three-headed watchdog Cerberus was said to guard the entrance to Hades. Although it was sometimes said to have as many as a hundred heads, most accounts describe Cerberus as having only three heads and the tail of a serpent. 
• In Greek mythology, the story of Lycaon serves as one of the earliest examples of the werewolf legend. According to one version of the story, Lycaon was transformed into a wolf as punishment for eating human flesh. 

Yeah, It Really Happened…

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. - The North Carolina town that inspired Mayberry on "The Andy Griffith Show" announced it will attempt the world record for most people dancing the Twist. Officials in Mount Airy, which is Griffith's hometown, said they hope at least 2,000 people will turn up to perform the popular dance simultaneously at the "Twisted in Mayberry" event Sept. 9, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer reported Thursday.

Jessica Icenhour, director of tourism and marketing for Mount Airy, said participants must perform the dance for at least 5 minutes to break the record set by 1,692 dancers last year in Glendale, Calif. Icenhour said organizers are confident they can reach their goal. "We're being confident," Icenhour said. "This all came up very quickly, so we're trying to get the word out as quickly as we can."

Guffaw…or at least smile…

An employee comes into her manager’s office to take a day off from work. The manager replies, So you want a day off. Let's take a look at what you are asking for. There are 365 days per year available for work. There are 52 weeks per year in which you already have 2 days off per week, leaving 261 days available for work. Since you spend 16 hours each day away from work, you have used up 170 days, leaving only 91 days available. You spend 30 minutes each day on coffee break, which counts for 23 days each year, leaving only 68 days available. With a 1-hour lunch each day, you used up another 46 days, leaving only 22 days available for work. You normally spend 2 days per year on sick leave. This leaves you only 20 days per year available for work. We are off 5 holidays per year, so your available working time is down to 15 days. We generously give 14 days vacation per year which leaves only 1 day available for work and I'll be darned if you are going to take that day off!

Searchin’ “You Tube” I found…

Muhammad Ali in Candid Camera

Daybook Information…

…Happening This Week:

1-7 

Self-University Week 

1-10 

International Enthusiasm Week 

4-10 

National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Week:  

National Waffle Week Suicide Prevention Week

TODAY IS

Be Late For Something Day

~*~

Canada: Labor Day

US: Labor Day (celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers-- The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York,  10,000 workers march in 1st Labor Day parade. Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887. It became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day. It also marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons.)

Today’s Events:

IN ARTS

1958 - "Doctor Zhivago" by Boris Pasternak published in US

IN ATHLETICS

1906 - 1st legal forward pass (Brandbury Robinson to Jack Schneider)

1918 - Due to WW I, 15th World Series begins a month early

1923 - Flyweights Gene LaRue & Kid Pancho KO each other simultaneously

1968 - 88th US Mens Tennis: Arthur Ashe beats Tom Okker (1:4,1;2, 5;7, 6:3, 3:3)

1987 - John McEnroe is fined $17,500 for tirades at US Tennis Open

IN BUSINESS

1786 - Montplaisir Ceramic factory opens in Schaarbeek Belgium

1953 - 1st privately operated atomic reactor-Raleigh NC on campus of North Carolina State University

IN EDUCATION

--

FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

1785 - Georgians continue to trespass on Creek lands. Chief Alexander McGillivray writes Congress demanding that they protect his people from the settlers which previous treaties has promised

1814- Start of the two day battle of Credit Island, near present day Davenport, Iowa. Major Zackary Taylor, and 334 American soldiers are making their way up the Mississippi River attacking British positions with considerable success. They encounter a force of 1000 Indians and British. The allied army forces Taylor to withdraw to safety in Saint Louis.

IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

1666 - Great Fire of London ends, leaving 13,200 houses destroyed and 8 dead

1793 - In the French Revolution, the "Reign of Terror" begins

1800 - Malta is conquered by Great Britain

1839 - The First Opium War begins in China

1932 - The French Upper Volta is broken apart between Ivory Coast, French Sudan, and Niger

1991 - Nelson Mandela chosen president of South African ANC

IN RELIGION

1750 - Decree issued in Paderborn Prussia allows for annual search of all Jewish homes for stolen or "doubtful" goods

IN SCIENCE

1970 - Estimated 15 cm (6") of rainfall, Bug Point, Utah (state record)

1977 - Voyager 1 (US) launched toward fly-by of Jupiter, Saturn

IN US POLITICS

1836 - Sam Houston elected president of Republic of Texas

1961 - President Kennedy signs law against hijacking (death penalty)

ARISTS:  AUTHORS:  COMPOSERS

--

ATHLETES

--

ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)

William Devane, actor (Family Plot, Missiles of October) turns 74

George Lazenby, actor turns 72

1946 - Freddie Mercury, [Bulsara], British vocalist ( Queen-We are Champions)

Rose McGowan, actor turns 38

Bob Newhart, actor, comedian ( air traffic controller) turns  82

Al Stewart, Glasgow Scotland, rocker ( Year of the Cat) turns 66

1939 - John Stewart, rocker ( Kingston Trio-They Call the Wind Maria)

Raquel Welch, actor turns 71

1902 - Darryl F Zanuck, film magnate/president (20th Century Fox)

Dweezil Zappa, musician turns 42

ENTREPRENEUR & EDUCATORS

1847 - Jesse James, bank/train robber, son of a clergyman

1897 - Arthur C Nielsen, market researcher (TV's Nielsen's Ratings)

POLITICIANS

1638 - Louis XIV, Sun King, king of France 

SCIENTISTS / THEOLOGISTS

--

Today’s Obits:

1877 - Crazy Horse, [Tashunka Witko], last great Sioux war chief, killed by guards while in captivity at 27

1999 - Allen Funt, American radio and television personality dies at 85

2003 - Gisele MacKenzie, Canadian-born singer dies of cancer at 76

1997 - Mother Teresa, Nobel (1979), dies of cardiac arrest at 87

ANSWERS:

Trivia Quiz

1.      Which Italian actress was voted the Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunis 1957?

a.      Claudia Cardinale

2.      Who was the Chicago police commissioner at the time of the St Valentine's Day massacre?

a.      William F Russell

3.      What star sign is shared by John Major and Sir David Frost?

a.      Aries

4.      Why was Finn Volmari Iso-Hollo's 1932 steeplechase win exceptional?

a.      He ran an extra lap by mistake

5.      What was the profession of "Arnold Newman?

a.      Photographer-- noted for his "environmental portraits" of artists and politicians

6.      Which middle name did UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill share with Charlie Chaplin?

a.      Spencer

7.      What was officially called the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America?

a.      Hays Office

8.      Which capital city has the fewest cinemas in relation to its population?

a.      Cairo

Close Up Picture

Snake

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree. All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] may not be totally accurate.

§     AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW     §