Easter, 2013...31 Mar


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Flagstaff Almanac:  Week: 14/ Day: 90   Today: H 59°…L 32°
Averages: H  54° L 25° Records: H 70°(1971)…L 1°(1998)
Wind: ave:   9mph; Gusts:  18mph  Ave. humidity:  38%

Quote of the Day

Today’s Historical Highlights
1st black to vote in US (Thomas P Mundy of Perth Amboy NJ)…1870
1st modern daylight savings time in US goes into effect…1918
1st game at Coors Stadium, CO (replacement Rockies beat Yanks 4-1)…1995
1st time Jimi Hendrix burns his guitar (London)…1967
1st town completely illuminated by electric lighting (Wabash, IN)…1880
25,000 anti war demonstrators march in NYC…1966
300m Eiffel Tower officially opens (commemorates French Revolution)…1889
Ford publicly unveils its V-8 engine…1932
LBJ announces he will not seek re-election…1968
President Jimmy Carter deregulates banking industry…1980
US ordered the 1st combat troops to Vietnam…1965

♪  ♪   Happy Birthday To: ♪. ♪   
How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays


Free Rambling Thoughts   
A nice spring day here in ol’ Flagstaff. Lots of clouds, but still fairly warm and nice outside. Between time outside, I did 6 loads of laundry. Never can figure out how I have so much or maybe it’s because I wait until I am out of clean clothes before I start washing. It’s also strange that I still do laundry on weekends most of the time. Did it that way when I was working, and don’t seem to be able to change the habit. I also waited until I was out of clothes when I was working. Habits can be so hard to break, when you don’t see any reason to do it. Another habit was to clean the bathroom on laundry day…so all three bathrooms got the once over today. Guess I’m ready for Easter. Several friends called and will probably be stopping by either this evening or sometime tomorrow.
I recently became a twitter stalker…meaning that I follow lots of sights, but never comment or post. Turns out there is some good information out there in the news category, and The Onion always has some good stories. It is also nice on my iPad, while I’m watching TV on my big screen. Gotta do something during the commercials.
                     
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
Using the grid below, how many words can you find? Each word must contain the central V and no letter can be used twice, however, the letters do not have to be connected. Proper nouns are not allowed, however, plurals are. There is at least one nine letter word.
O E R
D V B
R A O

Genius: 28 words. Excellent: 20 words. Good: 16 words. Average: 12 words.

Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

N E W !---Origins of Phrases
A shot in the arm
Meaning
A stimulus.
Origin
This expression derives from the invigorating effect of injecting drugs. A shot is of course US slang for an injection, either of a narcotic or medicinal drug. That term has been in use since around the beginning of the 20th century; for example, this piece from the San Francisco Chronicle Supplement, October 1904:
"I varied hardly a minute each day in the time of taking my injection. My first shot was when I awoke in the morning."
'A shot in the arm' came soon afterwards and the first mention of a figurative use of it in print that I can find is from the Maine newspaper The Lewiston Evening Journal, January 1916:
The vets can give politics a shot in the arm and the political leaders realize it.
Ok, then?


Harper’s Index    
Estimated tons of meat eaten annually in China: 88,000,000
Picture of the Day: Rainforest Primates



Unusual Fact of the Day
Cruise control and automatic transmissions were invented by a blind engineer named Ralph Teetor.
Joke-of-the-day
“Doctor, you told me I have a month to live and then you sent me a bill for $1,000! I can’t pay that before the end of the month!”
“Okay, you have six months to live.”
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
ASSESSING A DOG ATTACK
If a dog is charging you and barking, it is merely defending territory and will not bite. A dog that is charging and not barking is attacking you.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
RICHFIELD, Minn. - Organizers of an Easter egg hunt in a Minnesota park said squirrels decided to get in on the action and stole some of the candy-filled plastic eggs. Nick Thompson, a recreation supervisor in Richfield, said Saturday's event at Augsburg Park involved about 1,500 plastic eggs, 120 children and an unknown number of thieving squirrels, the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis reported Thursday. "We tried to cover all our bases but we weren't ready for the squirrels," Thompson said. "We noticed them... taking our eggs away." Recreation supervisor Ann Hoffer said she saw a squirrel scale a tree with a plastic egg in its mouth. "I think they just saw brightly colored objects and thought they'd go for it," she said. "They smelled the candy inside." Workers said the squirrels only seemed interested in the candy-filled eggs, ignoring those filled with toys and other inedible prizes.
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • In an article in 1998, The Journal of the American Medical Association claimed that adverse drug reactions may cause more than 100,000 deaths a year in the US alone.
  • In the US, Delaware, Virginia and Michigan rank as the top three states for Ritalin use, and most of the prescriptions are for elementary and middle school age children. Doctors in these states prescribe at least 33 grams for every 1,000 residents, 56 percent more than the national average, according to figures compiled by the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
  • Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is a medication prescribed for individuals (usually children) who have an abnormally high level of activity or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 3 to 5 percent of the general population has the disorder, which is characterized by agitated behavior and an inability to focus on tasks. Methylphenidate also is occasionally prescribed for treating narcolepsy. Methylphenidate is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. It has effects similar to, but more potent than, caffeine and less potent than amphetamines. It has a notably calming effect on hyperactive children and a "focusing" effect on those with ADHD.
  • More than 100 years ago, the felt hat makers of England used mercury to stabilize wool. Most of them eventually became poisoned by the fumes, as demonstrated by the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Breathing mercury's fumes over a long period of time will cause erethism, a disorder characterized by nervousness, irritability, and strange personality changes.

Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
31-4/6
National Week Of The Ocean

Today Is                                                                      
Bunsen Burner Day
Christians: Easter
National "She's Funny That Way" Day
Mule Day: celebration of all things related to mules; is held in Columbia, Tennessee, the Mule Capital of the world.

Today’s Events through History  
Congress authorizes Civilian Conservation Corps…1933
Department of Health, Education & Welfare established…1953
Jews are expelled from Prague…1745
KFI-AM in Los Angeles CA begins radio transmissions…1922
Nature journal reports the finding in Ethiopia of the first complete Australopithecus 
     afarensis skull…1994
Parts of the White Mountain - San Carlos Reservation will be restored to 
     public domain…1877
Quebec & Montreal incorporated…1831
UN Security Council nominates Dag Hammarskjoeld secretary-general…1953
US purchases Danish West Indies for $25M & renames them Virgin Islands…1917

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
In their 80’s
Gordie Howe, NHL right wing (Detroit Redwings) is 85

In their 70’s
Herb Alpert, bandleader/trumpeteer (Tijuana Brass)/CEO (A & M) is 78
Richard Chamberlain, actor (Dr Kildare) is 79
Barney Frank, Rep-D-MA is 73
Shirley Jones, actress (Partridge Family, Elmer Gantry) is 79
Christopher Walken, actor (Deer Hunter, Brainstorm) is 70

In their 60’s
Albert Gore Jr, Sen-D-Tenn/45th US VP is 65
Gabe Kaplan, comedian/actor (Welcome Back Kotter) is 68
Ed Marinaro, actor (Joe-Hill St Blues, Sonny-Laverne & Shirley) is 63
Rhea Perlman, actress (Zena-Taxi, Carla-Cheers) is 65

In their 40’s
Ewan McGregor, Scottish actor is 42

Remembered for being born today
Cesar Chavez, farm labor leader (United Farm Workers) [1927-1993]
Liz Claiborne, fashion designer, entrepreneur [1929-2007]
René Descartes, France, philosopher [1596-1650]
Franz Joseph Haydn, Vienna Austria, prominent composer of the classical period [1732-1809]
Jack Johnson, 1st black heavyweight boxing champ [1878-1946]
Henry Morgan, NYC, comedian/TV panelist (I've Got a Secret, Arena) [1915-1994]
Octavio Paz, Mexico, writer/diplomat (Salamandra, Topoemas) [1914-1998]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
John Donne, Metaphysical poet…stomach cancer…1631…at 59
Lillian "Miss" Miller, audience member (Merv Griffin, Tonight)…1990…at 93
John Pierpont Morgan, US banker/CEO (US Steel Corp)…in sleep…1913…at 75
Knute Rockne, football player/coach…plane crash…1931…at 43

Answer: Brain Teasers
above, adverb, ave, aver, brave, braved, braver, bravo, bravoed, deva, dove, drove, drover, ova, over, OVERBOARD, OVERBROAD, overdo, rave, raved, raver, rev, rove, roved, rover, var, verb, voe.

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] the dates may not be totally accurate.
§    And That Is All for Now  §

Mar 30, 2013


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Flagstaff Almanac:  Week: 13/ Day: 89    Today: H 63°…L 26°
Averages: H  ° L ° Records: H °()…L °()
Wind: ave:   9mph; Gusts:  15mph  Ave. humidity:  36%

Quote of the Day


Today’s Historical Highlights
1st recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet►240BC
US buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (2 cents an acre - Seward's Folly)►1867
Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!," premieres in NYC►1943
Pres Reagan shot & wounded by John W Hinckley III►1981

♪  ♪   Happy Birthday To: ♪. ♪   
How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays


Free Rambling Thoughts   
A decent day with too many clouds for my taste…but still good enough for a walk.

So the N. Korea government continues to rattle their swords. I have a lot to learn about N. Korea. I checked the CIA website and some others and found some interesting stuff, but will have to search a little harder as N. Korea doesn’t really share a lot of information.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
But That’s a Boy’s Name
Which of these names doesn't quite fit the list?

Alan
Alex
Andre
Carl
Dan
Eric
Paul
Pete
Robert

*****
Hint: Refer to the title.

Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today
Ok, then?


Harper’s Index    
Number of Steak ‘N Shake restaurants scheduled to open in the next 5 years in the UAE: 40
Picture of the Day: Dine’ Land [Navajo]


Unusual Fact of the Day
The arcade game Space Invaders was so popular in Japan that it actually created a coin shortage.
Joke-of-the-day
From a passenger ship one can see a bearded man on a small island who is shouting and desperately waving is hands.
"Who is it?" a passenger asks the captain.
"I've no idea. Every year when we pass, he goes mad."
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
Top of Form
CHOOSING A WATERMELON
A watermelon is ripe when you hear "punk" rather than "pank" or "pink" when you tap it with your finger.

Yeah, It Really Happened
 Returns tomorrow
Somewhat Useless Information   
In the 19th century, ladies who attended Easter services at St. Patrick's Cathedral strolled up Fifth Avenue to show off their new Easter bonnets in what later became known as the Easter Parade.

Each year, candy manufacturers produce more than 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies for Easter. Meanwhile, research shows that solid chocolate bunnies are the most popular -- followed by hollow chocolate bunnies, and marshmallow chocolate bunnies.

While Easter remains a moveable feast, the official observance of National Jelly Bean Day takes place every year on April 22nd.

The Easter egg toss dates back to the medieval church where a hard-boiled egg was thrown from one choir boy to the next. When the priest called "time up" whoever held it got to keep the egg.

Hares and rabbits have long been symbols of fertility. The inclusion of the hare into Easter customs appears to have originated in Germany, where tales were told of an "Easter hare" who laid eggs for children to find. German immigrants to America -- particularly Pennsylvania -- brought the tradition with them and spread it to a wider public.

According to the Venerable Bede, Easter derives its name from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. A month corresponding to April had been named "Eostremonat," or Eostre's month, leading to "Easter" becoming applied to the Christian holiday that usually took place within it.

Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
24-30 
Tsunami Awareness Week
Pediatric Nurse Practioner Week
National Protocol Officer's Week
National Cleaning Week
Termite Awareness Week

Today Is                                                                      
Doctors Day  
Grass Is Always Browner On The Other Side Of The Fence Day
Pencil Day
 
Today’s Events through History  
Mastercard and Visa announce a massive breach in security with over ten million compromised credit card numbers►2012 
Ether used as an anaesthetic for 1st time by Dr Crawford Long (Ga)►1842
Pencil with attached eraser patented (Hyman L Lipman of Phila)►1858
15th Amendment passes, guarantees right to vote regardless of race►1870
John T Reid opens 1st US golf course (Yonkers, NY)►1889
Queensboro Bridge opens, linking Manhattan & Queens►1909

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
In their 80’s
John Astin, actor (I'm Dickens He's Fenster, Addams Family) is 83
Richard Dysart, actor (Leland MacKenzie-LA Law) is 84
Peter Marshall, TV game show host (Hollywood Squares) is 87

In their 70’s
Warren Beatty, actor (Bonnie & Clyde, Shampoo, Dick Tracy) is 76

In their 60’s
Eric Clapton, singer/guitarist (Tears in Heaven) is 68

In their 50’s
M C Hammer, [Stanley Kirk Burrell], rapper (Hammer Time) is 51

In their 40’s
Celine Dion, singer is 45
Ian Ziering, actor (Steve Sanders-Beverly Hills 90210) is 49

In their 30’s
Norah Jones, American singer and pianist is 34

Remembered for being born today
Herbert Anderson, actor (Henry-Dennis The Menace) [1917-1994]
McGeorge Bundy, national security adviser (JFK) [1919-1996]
Vincent van Gogh, Groot-Zundert, Netherlands, artist, painter and pioneer of Expressionism (The Potato Eaters, Irises) [1853-1890]
Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen Mother of the United Kingdom►2002►at 101
George (Beau) Brummell, Dandy syphilis►1840►at 62  
James Cagney, actor (Yankee Doodle Dandy)►1986►at 86

Answer: Brain Teasers
Pete The rest of the names, can have an 'A' tossed onto the end, to form common, widely accepted female names.
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] the dates may not be totally accurate.
§    And That Is All for Now  §

Mar 29, 2013


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Flagstaff Almanac:  Week: 13/ Day: 88   Today: H 58°…L 32°
Averages: H  53° L 25° Records: H 68°(1971)…L -7°(1975)
Wind: ave:   6mph; Gusts:  22mph  Ave. humidity:  41%

Quote of the Day


Today’s Historical Highlights
1st Lt William L Calley Jr found guilty in My Lai (Vietnam) massacre►1971
1st permanent white settlement in Delaware (Swedish Lutherans)►1638
23rd Amendment ratified, allows Wash DC residents to vote for pres►1961
Meat, butter & cheese rationed in US during WW II►1943
Niagara Falls stops flowing for 30 hours due to an ice jam►1848
United Kingdom annexes the Punjab►1849
US troops leave Vietnam, 9 yrs after Tonkin Resolution►1973

♪  ♪   Happy Birthday To: ♪. ♪   
How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays


Free Rambling Thoughts   
A little cloudy today for my liking, but still a nice day. We did our weekly lunch today and had great food and great conversation. Mary is enjoying her new place in Phoenix during the weekends. Cheryl has been busy keeping Williams in line. We are all ready for Easter. Mary is having it with her grandkids and others in Phoenix…lots of Easter egg hunting. Cheryl is having a quiet Easter in Williams. I’m planning on a quiet Easter here in Flagstaff. Can’t get any better than that.
 
So the Pope went to a juvenile delinquent prison to wash feet on Holy Thursday. A first again in so many ways…not held at the Vatican, not washing the feet of priests, washing Christian and Muslim feet, and washing a female detainee’s feet. This Pope is sure changing the view of the Pope.
 
Listening to NPR I learned something again…As all the press is covering the Supreme Court DOMA discussions…I knew that Obama had come out of against it, and was not sending the Attorney General’s staff to argue for it. This has been done before when the Executive Branch determines that a case has no merits to help the government. What is a first…the Republican members of the House hired a law firm to argue for DOMA. This is a first in American history. In fact the SC listened to arguments for several hours a few weeks ago to determine if this law firm had a reason to be  at the DOMA arguments. They did allow this, however; just like their ‘corporations are a person’ decision a few years ago this will, I fear, lead to nothing but trouble in the future. It may become moot if the court throws out DOMA, but if DOMA prevails, it opens so many doors that do not need to be opened.
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
Oxy the Moron set out into the world and learned a big word, OXYMORON!!! After searching about this new word for a some time, he came up with a teaser made especially for you!
Can you figure out which well known oxymorons these words are?
Ex) Initial facsimile = original copy
1) solitary option 2) approximately precise 3) trivial calamity 4) accurate approximation 5) authentic duplication

 Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

from Cracked.com
Ridiculous Gun Myths Everyone Believes (Thanks to Movies)
  • Silencers Turn Gunfire Into a Gentle Whisper
  • Machine Guns are Magical Death Machines
  • Bulletproof Vests Are Magical Force Fields
  • Bullets Explode Everything

Ok, then?


Harper’s Index    
  • MInutes the average US worker must work to pay for 12 ounces of beer: 3.3
  • For the average Indian worker: 36

Picture of the Day: Dine’ Land [Navajo]


Unusual Fact of the Day
Tennessee was originally known as Franklin; West Virginia was nearly named Kanawha, and Utah almost became the state of Deseret.
Joke-of-the-day
“Doc!” the man yells. I’ve lost my memory!” “Calm down, sir. When did this happen.” The man looked at him. “When did what happen?”
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
MIXING CONCRETE
 The largest stones in a batch of concrete should be one-fourth the thickness of the slab you are going to pour. A driveway six inches thick should have stones no larger than one and a half inches in diameter.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
GOTHENBURG, Sweden - A Swedish "hotel" is offering customers the chance to sleep in "rooms" including a dirty mattress under a bridge and a sleeping bag in a public park. Faktum Hotels in Gothenburg said the $15-per-night accommodations, which it began offering in November, are designed to highlight the hardships facing the city's homeless population, The Local.se reported Monday. "We asked several of our homeless contacts where they often slept, then we set up our rooms," said Aaron Israelson, editor of Faktum magazine, which runs the business. Faktum is sold on the street by poor and homeless in Gothenburg The "rooms," which include a dirty mattress beneath a bridge, a sleeping bag in a park and a floor lined with newspaper at an abandoned mill. "Few actually make it through the night and we had a very cold, harsh winter. But some really tried, with one woman managing to stay for about four hours," Israelson said. Israelson said the aim of the project is not to make money. "Our primary mission is to spread the word about the homeless situation in this city. Gothenburg is a tough place to be homeless," Israelson said.  
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • The eruption of the Grimsvotn volcano in November 2004 blasted gas emissions so high that airlines were forced to divert their flights.
  • The tin can was invented by Peter Durand in 1810. The modern can opener was not invented until 1856. Before the can opener, people used a chisel and hammer to open cans.
  • Cows are one of the main contributors to global warming. In the United States, cattle release some 5.5 million metric tons of methane annually. 
  • Frank Sinatra always carried a roll of dimes.
  • On December 16, 1811, an earthquake caused parts of the Mississippi to appear to flow backwards. 
  • The body creates and kills 17 million red blood cells per second.


Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
24-30 
Tsunami Awareness Week
Pediatric Nurse Practioner Week
National Protocol Officer's Week
National Cleaning Week
Termite Awareness Week

Today Is                                                                      
Christians: Good Friday
Knights of Columbus Founders Day
National Day of Unplugging
National Mom & Pop Business Owner's Day
Texas Loves The Children Day
~Madagascar: Commemoration Day (memorializes deaths of 1947 rebellion against French colonization)
~Taiwan: Youth Day  

Today’s Events through History  
Appomattox campaign, VA , 7582 killed►1865
Congress approves Lincoln Memorial►1867
Jack Paar's final appearance on the "Tonight Show"►1962
Nelson Mandela is acquitted after a 4½ year trial on treason charge►1961
Republic of Ireland becomes the first country in the world to ban smoking in 
     all work places, including bars and restaurants►2004
Republic of Switzerland forms 1804 - Thousands of Whites massacred in Haiti►1798
US Congress discontinues aid to Nicaraguan contras►1988

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
In their 70’s
Eric Idle, comedian/actor (Monty Python) is 70
Vangelis, [Papathanasiou], composer/keyboardist (Chariots of Fire) is 70

In their 60’s
Walt "Clyde" Frazier, NBA guard (NY Knicks) is 68

In their 50’s
Elle MacPherson, Austrailian super model and actress (Sirens) is 50
Kurt Thomas, US, gymnist (Olympics), actor (Gymkata) is 57

In their 40’s
Lucy Lawless, New Zealand actress and singer is 45

Remembered for being born today
Billy Carter, brother of Pres Carter [1937-1988]
Edwin Drake, drilled 1st productive US oil well [1819-1880]
Lou Henry Hoover, 1st lady (1929-33) [1874-1944]
Eugene J McCarthy, Sen-D-Minn, pres candidate 1968 [1916-2005]
Karen Anne Quinlan, NJ, famous comatose patient (right to die case) [1954-1985]
John Tyler, Va, (D/W) 10th Pres [1790-1862]
Sam Walton, billionaire CEO (Wal-Mart) [1918-1992]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
John Jacob Astor, charted American Fur Company►1848►at 85
Paul [G J von] Henreid, Austrian actor (Laszlo-Casablanca)►1992►at 84
Annunzio Paolo Mantovani, orchestra leader (Mantovani) ►1980►at 74
Robert Falcon Scott, British pole explorer►Antarctica expedition►1912►at 43
Georges Seurat, French painter (Pointillism) ►unknown illnes►1891►at 31

Answer: Brain Teasers
1) only choice 2) almost exactly 3) minor crisis 4) exact estimate 5) genuine imitation
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] the dates may not be totally accurate.
§    And That Is All for Now  §

Followers

Total Pageviews

Blog Archive

About Me

My photo
Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.