5-30-13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 22/ Day: 150   Today: H 71°…L 36°
Wind: ave:   11mph; Gusts:  36mph  Ave. humidity:  36%
*Averages: H  72° L 37° Records: H 86°(2000)…L 22°(1918)

Quote of the Day



Today’s Historical Highlights
36 hospitalized during Grateful Dead concert; drunk LSD apple juice…1971
64th National Spelling Bee: Joanne Lagatta wins spelling antipyretic…1991
69th National Spelling Bee: Wendy Guey wins spelling vivisepulture…1996
Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson had accused 
     Jackson's wife of bigamy…1806
Benjamin Tower of Phila publishes 1st daily newspaper in US…1783
Hundred Years' War: in Rouen, France, 19-year-old Joan of Arc is burned 
     at the stake by an English-dominated tribunal…1431
Lincoln Memorial dedicated…1922
Memorial Day 1st observed when 2 women in Columbus Mississippi placed 
     flowers on both Confederate & Union graves…1868
Ordinance is passed against the making of "fake," wampum by the Directors of the 
     Council of the New Netherlands. European manufacturers are producing the 
     fakes, which are being used to pay Indians…1650
Territories of Kansas & Nebraska created…1854
Unidentified soldiers killed in WW II & Korean War buried in Arlington…1958

♫  Today’s Birthdays: ♫   
How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays



My Free Rambling Thoughts   
Way too busy yesterday. Cheryl came in for an early lunch this week. We caught up on some adventures. Her neighbor is doing very well and should be home from the hospital soon. Some Rez friends stopped by in the late afternoon and we went out to dinner and then watched some movies. Very good time but was too tired to write the blog yesterday.
 
A little windy today, nothing new. I did take time to set up my fountain in the front area. I have decided that summer is finally here. I’m hoping the HOA comes by soon to trim my bush as it is becoming very messy….and spiders and bees are in it. I have looked for a bee hive but nada. Just seems to always have a couple of bees gathering whatever bees gather from juniper bushes. I did spray the bush with water today to get rid of the spider webs. Just a little more work in the front and I’ll be ready for summer.
 
As I said the other day…slow steps…Now Michelle Bachman has announced that she will not be seeking re-election. She has set herself up in the press by making outrageous statements regarding Obama and this administration. A very strange congressperson that I will not miss.
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
What do these groups of words have in common?
1. Man true, hairy 2. Son nick, yard rich 3. Son will, row wood 4. Grant, us list you 5. More fill, lard mill 6. Ding hard, wren war


Hint
Think of a hairy, true, man.
Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

Hmmmm
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
Ok, then?


Harper’s Index    
Last full month in which the average daily temperature did NOT exceed twentieth-century norms: 2/1985
Picture of the Day: Recent Canadian Cruise



Unusual Fact of the Day
The only mammals that don't have an umbilical scar, or "belly button," are the platypus and echidna. Unlike the rest of us mammalians, these two species lay eggs.
Joke-of-the-day
Two drunks were in a bar partying like fools. They were drinking boiler makers, buying rounds like there was no tomorrow. They were dancing, calling each other "professor," and generally causing quite a stir. When asked why such a celebration, they boasted that they just finished a jigsaw puzzle & it only took them 2 months! "TWO MONTHS?!" cried the bartender. "That's ridiculous. It shouldn't take that long!!"
"Oh yeah?" says one drunk. "The box said 2-4 YEARS!"  
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
ASSURING SUCCESS
To succeed against all possible odds, count on at least 1 in 4 things going wrong. In other words, you need a 33 percent margin of safety. If you have to have 30 of something, plan to make 40.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
BUFFALO, N.Y. - A 42-year-old New York state man has admitted trying to scam the Internal Revenue Service out of $217,520 in refunds he sought in the names of 122 dead people. The U.S. attorney's office said in a release John M. Berry Jr. of Dunkirk, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Buffalo to making a false claim against the United States. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, said between Sept. 3, 2008, and March 25, 2009, Berry filed 122 false income tax returns for the tax years 2007 and 2008 with the IRS. During that time, Berry obtained the personal and identifying information for 122 recently deceased individuals and then used that information to file federal tax returns. The defendant created fraudulent income and withholding information for the dead taxpayers and filed the returns electronically, Mango said. The 122 tax returns sought refunds totaling $217,520 from the IRS, of which the defendant received $92,462.12. The refunds were deposited directly into Berry's bank account, Mango said.
"This case should serve as a warning that our office, working with our law enforcement partners, will not tolerate attempts to either steal the identities of individuals, or the money of the taxpayers of this country," U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. "That this defendant would rob the identities of deceased individuals is concerning, and could have brought additional grief and pain for their loved ones." Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26.  
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • Romans invented central heating and would warm rooms from under the floor using what was called a hypocaust, literally 'heat from below.' Homes of some rich people had both running water and central heating.
  • The first-ever shopping mall was built by the Emperor Trajan in Rome. It consisted of several levels and more than 150 outlets that sold everything ranging from food and spices to clothes.

Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
25-31
·        Black Single Parents Week
·        Hurricane Preparedness Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        Loomis Day
·        My Bucket's Got A Hole In It Day
·        Saint Joan of Arc Feast Day

Today’s Events through History  
1st papal visit to France since 1814…1980
Babe Ruth's final game, goes hitless for Braves against Phillies…1935
Bobby Unser sets world record for fastest pit stop (4 seconds)…1976
James Boyd patents Rubber Fire Hose…1821
Magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, killing up to 5,000…1998
Mexico ratifies treaty giving US; New Mexico, California & parts of Nevada, 
     Utah, Arizona & Colorado in return for $15 million…1848
Robert "Evel" Knievel's motorcycle jumps 16 automobiles…1967
US Marines sent to Nicaragua…1912

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
In their 80’s
Clint Walker, actor (Kodiak, Cheyenne, Dirty Dozen) is 86

In their 70’s
Gale Sayers, NFL running back (Chicago Bears) is 70

In their 40’s
Wynonna, [Christina Judd], singer (Judds-Why Not Me) is 49

In their 30’s
Cee-Lo Green [Thomas DeCarlo Callaway], American musician is 39

Remembered for being born today
Mel[vin J] Blanc, voice (Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd & Porky Pig) [1908-1989]
Benny Goodman, Chicago, clarinetist/bandleader (King of Swing) [1909-1986]
Meredith MacRae, actress (Petticoat Junction, My 3 Sons) [1944-2000]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Voltaire, [Francois-Marie Arouet], French writer (Candide)…1778…at 83
Andrew Huxley, British physiologist and Nobel laureate…2012…at 94
Joan of Arc, French heroine and saint…burned at stake for heresy…1431…at 19ish
Christopher Marlowe, Brit dramatist (Tamburlaine the Great)…murdered…1593…at 29
Boris Pasternak, Russian poet (Dr Zhivago)…lung cancer…1960…at 70
Alexander Pope, English poet (Eloisa to Abelard)…lengthy illness…1744…at 56

Answer: Brain Teasers
If you read the words in each group from right to left, each group sounds out the name of a US President, with commas separating the first and last names.
1. Harry Tru-man 2. Rich-ard Nix-on 3. Wood-row Wil-son 4. U-lyss-es Grant 5. Mil-lard Fill-more 6. War-ren Har-ding

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  §

5-28-13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 22/ Day: 148   Today: H 70°…L 39°
Wind: ave:   8mph; Gusts:  23mph  Ave. humidity:  25%
*Averages: H  72° L 37° Records: H 87°(1974)…L 23°(1916)

Quote of the Day


Today’s Historical Highlights
1st all color talking picture "On With the Show" exhibited (NYC)…1929
1st animated 3-D cartoon in Technicolor-"Melody" premiers…1953
1st black regiment (54 Mass) leaves Boston to fight in Civil War…1863
1st Continental Congress convenes (Virginia)…1774
1st indoor swimming pool opens (Goodman's Fields, London)…1742
Attorney General says it is legal for women to wear trousers anywhere…1923
European Market accepts Greece as member…1979
Hernando de Soto lands in Florida…1539
Monitor, Civil War warship, is discovered by a deep sea robot…1987
White House "plumbers" break into Democratic Natl HQ at Watergate…1972
Women of Greece are given the right to vote…1952

♫  Today’s Birthdays: ♫   
How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays



My Free Rambling Thoughts   
A windy Memorial Day…but still got lots done. Flag hung just after sunrise. Laundry from my trip is finally finished. Got a haircut. Cleaned off my deck and got it set up for summer. Time for the wind to stop so I can enjoy my deck in all its splendor.  Maybe I’ll read the paper out there tomorrow morning before the wind starts.
 
So glad to see, that while on my cruise, some people woke up and are starting to see a better world. A federal judge finally decided that Sheriff Joe, the county sheriff around Phoenix, was found guilty of profiling those with brown skin. We have known this for years that his traffic sweeps were questionable both for location and for timing. Then today, retired Senator Dole says that today’s Republicans need to look at what they are doing…adding that neither he nor Ronald Reagan would be successful in today’s party. Well, duh…but still good to hear. These are small steps I know, but they are steps we haven’t seen in a long time.
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
Take the given words, and by moving a single letter from one word to the other, make a pair of synonyms, or near synonyms. For example, given: Boast - Hip, move the 's' from 'Boast' to 'Hip' creating two synonyms: Boat - Ship.
1. Burn - Bead 2. Rid - Tripe 3. Grove - Rout 4. Charm - Rush 5. Cream – Sweep

***
Hint
1. Food 2. Journey 3. Indentation 4. Damage 5. Outcry
Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

Hmmmm
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
Ok, then?



Harper’s Index    
  • Number of seconds the Long Island Power Authority spent discussing Hurricane Sandy in public meetings before the storm: 39
  • Number of hours before power was restored in the majority of Long Island residents affected by the storm: 361
  • Estimated feet by which Sandy shrank the New Jersey’s shoreline: 35

Picture of the Day: Recent Canadian Cruise

Unusual Fact of the Day
Calvin Coolidge's Vice President, Charles Gates Dawes, was also a songwriter. In 1951, a tune he’d composed called “Melody in A Major” became a number one pop hit.
Joke-of-the-day
Q: Do politicians ever lie? A: What do you think they get paid for?  
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
THE RULE OF THREE
 A list of three things always sounds better, even if you're repeating yourself. This works in principle, in practice and in theory.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Police in Charlotte, N.C., said a woman called authorities and had her juvenile son arrested for stealing her Pop-Tarts. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said officers responded to the woman's home Monday and she reported her juvenile son had stolen her breakfast pastries, WCNC-TV, Charlotte, reported Thursday. The police report said the boy was placed under juvenile arrest on a charge of larceny/misdemeanor. WCNC-TV said the woman, whose name was not reported, refused to comment at her home, choosing to instead shout an obscenity and slam the door.  
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • Memorial Day was a response to the unprecedented carnage of the Civil War, in which some 620,000 soldiers on both sides died. 
  • Waterloo, New York., began holding an annual community service on May 5, 1866. Although many towns claimed the title, it was Waterloo that won congressional recognition as the "birthplace of Memorial Day."
  • From the practice of decorating graves with flowers, wreaths and flags, the holiday was long known as Decoration Day. The name Memorial Day goes back to 1882, but the older name didn't disappear until after World War II. Federal law declared "Memorial Day" the official name in 1967.
  • On May 30, 1868, President Ulysses S. Grant presided over the first Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery -- which, until 1864, was Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's plantation.
  • On Memorial Day weekend in 1988, 2,500 motorcyclists rode into Washington, D.C., for the first Rolling Thunder rally to draw attention to Vietnam War soldiers still missing in action or prisoners of war. By 2002, the numbers had swelled to 300,000 bikers, many of them veterans. There may have been a half-million participants in 2005 in what organizers bluntly call "a demonstration -- not a parade."
  • It is customary on Memorial Day to fly the flag at half staff until noon, and then raise it to the top of the staff until sunset.

Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
25-31
·        Black Single Parents Week
·        Hurricane Preparedness Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        International Jazz Day
·        Julia Pierpont Day: 1866 when she started Decoration Day following Civil War
·        National Hamburger Day
·        Sierra Club Day
·        Slugs Return From Capistrano Day
·        Day of the Republic (Azerbaijan): 1918 Azerbaijan independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, forming the the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
·        Derg Downfall Day (Ethiopia): end of the Derg junta in 1991
·        Republic Day (Nepal): 2008 ending 240 year reign of Shahs

Today’s Events through History  
1st Baptist Church organizes (Boston)…1664
1st in a series of treaties is signed with California Indians at Dent's and 
     Ventine's Crossings…1851 
Andrew Jackson, called "Sharp Knife" by the Indians, has long fought the Indians 
     of the southeast. He believes that the Indians and white settlers will not be able 
     to peacefully live together. His solution to this is to renege on all of the previous treaties,
     which granted the Indians their lands forever, and to move all Indians west of 
     the Mississippi River…1830
Chrysler Building in New York City officially opens…1930
Daint-Leu at Oise begins French boer uprising…1358
Jawaharlal Nehru cremated in New Dehli…1964
Pope John Paul II is 1st pope to visit Great Britain…1982
Senator Eugene McCarthy wins Democratic primary in Oregon…1968
Wide World of Sports with Chris Schenkel premieres on CBS radio…1962

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
In their 80’s
Carroll Baker, actress is 82

In their 70’s
Dionne Quintuplets, Emelie, Marie, [Yvonne, Annette, Cecile are 79]
Jerry West, NBA superstar (LA Lakers, Olympic-gold-1960) is 75

In their 60’s
John Fogerty, rock vocals (Creedence Clearwater Revival) is 68 
Rudy Giuliani, (Mayor-NYC) is 69
Gladys Knight, singer, leader of Pips (Last Train) is 69

In their 50’s
Brandon Cruz, actor (Eddie-Courtship of Eddie's Father) is 51

In their 30’s
Elisabeth Hasselbeck, American television panelist (The View) is 36

Remembered for being born today
George I, King of England (1660-1727)
Joseph Greenberg, American linguist (1915-2001)
Barney Rosset, publisher and free speech advocate (publisher of Tropic for Cancer), 
     (1922-2012)
Gary Stewart, country singer (She's Actin' Single) [1944-2003]
James Francis Thorpe [Wa-Tho-Huk, "Bright Path"], decathelete (Olympic-gold-1912) 
     (1888-1953)
T-Bone Walker, blues guitarist (Funky Town, Well Done) (1910-1975)

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Anne Bronte, English novelist (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall)…heart disease…1849…at 29
Gary Coleman, actor…seizures…2010…at 42
Edward VIII, King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland…1972…at 77
Sidney Greenbaum, grammarian…1996…at 66
Phil Hartman, Canadian actor, comedian… "domestic discord"…1998…at 49  
Audie Murphy, actor (Whispering Smiths)…private plane…1971…at 46
Roy Roberts, actor (Petticoat Junction, Lucy Show)…heart attack…1975…at 69
Noah Webster, lexicographer (Webster's Dictionary)…1843…at 84
Rhys Williams, actor (Nightmare, Okinawa, Corn is Green)…1969…at 71

Answer: Brain Teasers
1. Bun - Bread 2. Ride - Trip 3. Groove - Rut 4. Harm - Crush 5. Scream - Weep
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  §

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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.