9/8/13


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Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 37/ Day: 251   
Today: H 73°…L 56°…Ave. humidity:  61%
Wind: ave:   3mph; Gusts:  10mph  
Average Low: 45°
Average High: 76°
Record Low: 35° (1970)
Record High: 89° (1977)

Quote of the Day



Today’s Historical Highlights
"USA Weekend's" 1st issue, appears in 255 newspapers…1985
1st appearance of "Pledge of Allegiance" (Youth's Companion)…1892
1st appearance of comic strip "Blondie"…1930
1st permanent settlement in US forms (St Augustine, Florida)…1565
Cartier reaches Stadacone, where the modern city Quebec is located…1535
Ellis Island Historical Site opens on Ellis Island NYC…1990
Ernest Hemmingway's "Old Man & Sea" published…1952
Michelangelo's David is unveiled in Florence…1504
US Air Mail service begins (NYC to SF)…1920

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



My Free Rambling Thoughts   
So it is a nice Saturday with a few clouds. I decide to walk up into the forest. On the walk through the neighborhood there are a couple of yard sales that slow me down. Didn’t buy anything and head up into the forest. It has gotten a little darker with the clouds. I decide it might rain and head back home. Out of almost nowhere the lightning and thunder start and then the clouds open up with a cloudburst we haven’t seen here in a couple of weeks. Needless to say, I got very wet and there are no shortcuts to my place, unless I want to go though someone’s yard, climb a 6 foot fence, and get chased by dogs. The storm lasted about 20 minutes and the fast walk home was about 15 minutes. After drying off, changing clothes, and getting ready to relax, another storm with more thunder and lightning hit, this one lasting about 30 minutes. I felt a little dumb as I looked like a soaked rat, but after all, I live in the high DESERT and never carry an umbrella or rain jacket. This might be a good lesson, especially since the third storm of the day just arrived.
 
As a follower of the Olympics I was surprised that they picked Tokyo for the 2020 games. I was hoping for Istanbul which would have been the first time the Olympics were held in an Arabic country. The news was saying that Tokyo was a tough choice since one of the worst nuclear disasters is less than 100 miles away. That was 2 years ago and now the fresh fruits and vegetables coming into Tokyo are no longer being checked for radiation. The plants leaks have gotten worse over time and the company in charge of the cleanup has kept, or attempted to keep that a secret. Just last week the Japanese government announced it was taking over the cleanup. Guess some of the athletes may be wearing special radiation suits during their competition.
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
Complete the words below using each letter of the alphabet once only:
li_ _t _o_an pu_ _ le _-r_ _ e_ _l _ _eer _cie_ _e g_ _ let _u_ge _ac_et pu_zl_ _rai_

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

Hmmmm…Fearsome Phobias
If you have an irrational fear of... Cats
You're suffering from... Ailurophobia [Greek αἴλουρος (aílouros), "cat"]
If you have an irrational fear of... Celts
You're suffering from... Celtophobia
It is Illegal…
Donkeys Cannot Sleep In Bathtubs In Arizona
Privileges granted to people in the U.S. (and many western nations) for being Christian…
Politicians can make decisions citing your faith without being labeled as heretics or extremists.
Ok, then?



Harper’s Index    
  • Number of publicly traded companies at which directors lost shareholder elections in the past 3 year: 175
  • Number of those directors who subsequently stepped down: 9

Unusual Fact of the Day
Lucky siblings? The RMS Olympic (sister ship to the Titanic) and the HMS Mauretania (sister ship to the Lusitania) both had long and distinguished service careers, ending with the scrappers torch rather than on the bottom of the ocean.
Animals with the strongest jaws…
Lion 600 psi
A surprise placing for the “king of the jungle” (though it has never lived in a jungle). Lions are the only social cat in the world. They are so cooperative when they hunt that this might be one of the reasons they have a evolved to have the weakest bite of the genus Pathera or big cat. Another reason might be that their hunting habit, strangling its prey by biting its trachea, lacks the need of a strong bite. Lions hunt at any time but usually hunt for large prey at night. They also drink water daily if they can but can go five days without.
Joke-of-the-day
“I’ve never flown before, said the nervous old lady to the pilot. “You will bring me down safely, won’t you?
“All I can say ma’am,” said the pilot, “is that I’ve never left anyone up there yet!”
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
BUILDING A HOUSE
An odd-angled wall will cost twice as much as a wall built with 90-degree corners.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
WASHINGTON - U.S. government security experts say they are increasingly worried about the threats to law enforcement agencies using older versions of Android. A document prepared by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security marked "for Police, Fire, EMS and Security Personnel" was obtained by Public Intelligence, a group focused on releasing government information to the public. The document said upwards of 44 percent of Android users worldwide are still using Android versions 2.3.3 to 2.3.7, which still contain security vulnerabilities fixed in later versions, the document said, CNET reported Tuesday. The document does not state how many U.S. government agencies are using Android, whether older or newer versions, on their networks. Android is a "primary target for malware attacks due to its market share and open source architecture," the document states, and increasing use of mobile device use by government workers "makes it more important than ever to keep mobile [operating systems] patched and up-to-date."  
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • The largest bird egg ever laid was laid millions of years ago by the Madagascar, or the elephant bird.
  • Today, the ostrich is the bird that lays the largest eggs.
  • Scallops swim with jet-propelled speed by clapping its shell open and shut.
  • Some ducks and geese can fly as much as 332 miles a day!
  • The lung fish can live out of water for as long as four years!
  • The Egyptian vulture uses stones to smash ostrich eggs.
  • Birds save energy by flying in a “V” formation.


Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
8th-15th
International Housekeepers Week
National Assisted Living Week 
National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Week
Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week 
Suicide Prevention Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        Date Nut Bread Day
·        International Drive Your Studebaker Day
·        International Literacy Day
·        National Grandparent's Day
·        National Hug Your Hound Day
·        Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day
·        World Physical Therapy Day National
~~~~
·        Macedonia: Independence Day (1991 from Greece)
·        US: Nixon Pardon Day (1974 by Pres Ford)

Today’s Events through History  
"Funny Girl" with Barbra Streisand premieres…1968
Italy surrenders to Allies in WWII…1943
Jim Ryan (US) & Billy Fordjour (Ghana) collide & fall in qualifying competitions 
     for 1,500m finals, ending Ryan's chances for gold…1972
Northern Pacific RR's last spike driven at Independence Creek, Mont…1883
SE Asia Treaty Org (SEATO) forms to stop communist spread in SE Asia…1954

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Sid Caesar, comedian (Your Show of Shows) is 90
Sam Nunn, politician (Sen-D-Georgia) is 75
Sergio Casal, Spanish tennis player is 51
Heather Thomas, actress, screenwriter, author and political activist, is 56
David Arquette, actor, director and producer (Scream, Kiss & Tell) is 42
Pink [Alecia Beth Moore], singer (Get the Party Started, Just Like a Pill) is 34
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, actor (Randy-Home Improvement) is 32

Remembered for being born today
Frank Cady, actor (Mr Drucker-Green Acres) [1915-2012]
Patsy Cline, country singer (Crazy) [1932-1963]
George Crook, Major General (Union volunteers) [1829-1890]
Antonín Dvořák, composer (New World Symphony) [1841-1940]
Claude D Pepper, (Rep-D-FL), old people's advocate [1900-1989]
 [James Charles] Jimmie Rodgers, country singer/singing brakeman [1897-1933]
Peter Sellers, England, actor (Kato, Bobo, Pink Panther) [1925-1980]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Dorothy Dandridge, actress (Island in the Sun)…accidental overdose…1965…at 42 
Huey P Long, (Sen-La) assassinated…1935…at 42  
Zaki Naguib Mahmoud, Egyptian philosopher/author/diplomat…1993…at 88
[William] Bill Moggridge, British designer…cancer…2012…at 69
Zero [Samuel J] Mostel, US actor (Fiddler on the Roof)… aortic aneurysm…1977…at 62
Adam Opel, German manufacturer (motorcars)…1895…at 58
Francisco Gomez Quevedo y Villegas, Spanish author/poet…frailty…1645…at 64
Richard Strauss, German composer (Also sprach Zarathustra)…1949…at 85
Frank Thomas, Disney animator…2004…at 90

Brain Teasers
light woman purple x-ray evil queer science goblet fudge jacket puzzle trail
 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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9/7/13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 36/ Day: 250   
Today: H 78°…L 51°
Wind: ave:   5mph; Gusts:  17mph  
Ave. humidity:  60%
Record Low: 33° (1985)
Record High: 87° (1977)
Average Low: 45°
Average High: 76°

Quote of the Day



Today’s Historical Highlights
"Uncle Sam" was 1st used to refer to US (Troy Post of NY)…1813
1st presidential election was held in Egypt…2005
Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam) begins operation…1936
Edith Eleanor McLean is 1st baby place in an incubator…1888
Integration begins in Wash DC & Baltimore MD public schools…1954
Strongest Hurricane of century in Netherlands (wind force 12)…1944
Workmen's Compensation Act passed by Congress…1916

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



My Free Rambling Thoughts   
A nice quiet Friday. Rearranged some stuff in the living room, still more to do on another day. With the great weather, hard and impossible to stay inside for any time at all. So I did take a nice walk this afternoon.
 
I was taught that in a democracy the people elect officials to carry out their wishes and to fulfill their campaign rhetoric. The bomb Syria vote is coming up next week. Every news outlet is saying that the American people do not approve of bombing. The call from the President and his followers seem to be changing their story daily, and still the majority of Americans are against the bombing. I am dismayed by the Congressional members who are saying that even though the constituents are overwhelmingly against bombing, they believe they are privy to other information and will vote for the bombing. Really? Our country and our Congress have been mislead before by the Executive Branch. It is time to stand up and vote what the people want. The people elected you…and you are our voice.  
 
An interesting story in our local paper. There is a BIA Dorm here in Flagstaff where students from the Rez can live and attend public high school. Over a decade ago, the dorm became a grant school, meaning that they make a lot of local decisions and operate more or less autonomously while still getting BIA money. The current CEO is a former aide, and teacher from my old school. She worked hard to get her education and her Master’s degree. She finally became a supervisor at another school, then moved from school to school and has now ‘landed’ at the dorm. While the BIA educated her, she always had a less than positive feeling about the BIA. She was certainly not alone. Now she has closed the dorm for 3 weeks because of a bed bug infestation at the dorm. The BIA has had to deal with possible infestations for years. They have never had to close a dorm. I have to wonder when was the last time this dorm replaced their mattresses, when was the last time they spent much of the summer disinfecting and checking the dormitory for infestation of a variety of bugs and animals. My semi-educated guess is that all that prep was overlooked for quite a few years because it is expensive and time consuming. I feel bad for the 100 or so students who have to now stay in a dormitory 35 miles from Flagstaff, get up and be on the bus at 5:30am to get to the dorm for breakfast and then to school by 7:45. All this inconvenience will pass but could have been avoided by a little hard work during the summer.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
Pete'sa Pete lists prices for his extra toppings in pairs. How much does each topping cost by itself? Each price is whole-dollar increments. 
Pineapple & Hot Peppers $7 Broccoli & Extra Cheese $6 Mushrooms & Onions $2 Black Olives & Hot Peppers $5 Pepperoni & Mushrooms $4 Onions & Black Olives $3 Extra Cheese & Mushrooms $5

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

Hmmmm…Fearsome Phobias
If you have an irrational fear of... Being Buried alive
You're suffering from... Taphephobia [Gk taphē burial, grave]
If you have an irrational fear of... Cancer
You're suffering from... Carcinophobia [GK: carcino- 'cancer', crab]
It is Illegal…
No Vehicle without a Driver May Exceed 60 Miles per Hour in California
Privileges granted to people in the U.S. (and many western nations) for being Christian…
Politicians responsible for your governance are probably members of your faith.
Ok, then?



Harper’s Index    
  • Estimated pounds of unreported ammonium nitrate held at a Texas fertilizer plant that exploded in April: 540,400
  • Factor by which this amount exceeds the threshold for reporting to the Dept. of Homeland Security: 370

Unusual Fact of the Day
Moe had a beef with Lou Costello. He thought Costello stole parts of Curly’s shtick!
Joke-of-the-day
Dear Son,
Your Pa has a new job. The first in 48 years. We are a little better, off now, getting $17.96 every Thursday. So we up and thought we'd do a little fixin’ up. We sent to Rosemont and Seasbuck for one of them there bathrooms you hear so much about and it took a plumber to put it in shape.
On one side of the room is a great big long thing, something like the hogs drink out of, only you get in it and wash all over. Over on the other side is a little white thing called a sink, this is for light washing, like face and hands, but over in the other corner we really got something.
There you put one foot in, wash it clean, pull a chain and get fresh water for the other foot. Two lids come with the darn thing and we ain't had any use for them in the bathroom, so I'm using one for a bread board and the other we framed grandmother's picture in.
They were awful nice people to deal with and they sent us a roll of writing paper with it.
Take care of yourself son.
Your Maw
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
INVITING GUESTS
If you are giving a party and you live in the suburbs, invite two times the number of people you want to attend. If you live within range of public transportation, invite one and a half times the number of people you want. If you are in the heart of the city, invite one and a quarter times the number of people you want.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
EUGENE, Ore. - An Oregon girl was told by an employee of Rue 21, a youth clothing retailer, she was "too big" to shop in one of their stores, her family said. Shelby Buster and a friend went to a mall in Eugene, Ore., to spend Buster's birthday money. She said it was the first time she'd gone shopping without her mother, who stayed in the food court while the girls shopped. After Buster's friend entered the store, she followed but was stopped by an employee who told her she had to leave, she said. "I walked in and the lady at the front counter said, 'Hey you're too big to be in this store, I need you to leave,'" Buster said. She and her friend went and got Buster's mother, who returned to the store with the girls, and asked to speak with a manager, KEZI-TV, Eugene, reported Sunday. "[We] walked back and my mom came back to talk to them and they're like 'oh we're so sorry,'" Buster said. The family told KEZI they've contacted corporate headquarters for Rue 21 about the incident but have yet to hear back. A store manager said they're reviewing security footage to determine what happened. The chain told the TV station it doesn't tolerate discrimination of any kind. "Seriously that's disrespectful and rude. Just because I'm bigger than you guys are, I'm not a 14 or smaller. It makes no sense why they would do that," Buster said.  
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • Baskin Robbins once made ketchup ice cream. This was the only vegetable flavored ice cream produced.
  • According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until the 1730's, India was the only source for diamonds in the world.
  • The hyoid bone in the throat is the only bone in the human body not joined to another.
  • The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache on a standard playing card.
  • Zsa Zsa Gabor was the first - and only - recipient of a Golden Globe Award for "Most Glamorous Actress." She won the peculiar award in 1958. The category was deleted thereafter.
  • Libra, the Scales, is the only inanimate symbol in the zodiac.

 Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
1st-7th
International Enthusiasm Week
National Nutrition Week
National Waffle Week
Self-University Week
National Payroll Week
3rd -7th  
Play Days

Today Is                                                                       
·        Google Commemoration Day: 1996 creation 
·        Grandma Moses Day
·        "Neither Snow nor Rain" Day
~~~~
·        Brazil: Independence Day (1822 from Portugal)

Today’s Events through History  
1st use of synthetic rubber in asphaltic concrete, Akron Oh…1948
American Bandstand moves to California, & airs once a week on Saturday…1963
Desmond Tutu becomes Anglican archbishop of Capetown…1986
Donald Boyles record highest parachute jump from a bridge, 1,053' Royal Gorge 
     Bridge CO…1970
Ethiopia drops diplomatic relations with Somalia…1977
John McEnroe & Bjorn Borg one of the greatest US Open finals McEnroe 
     fends off Borg (76 61 67 57 64)…1980
Zion AME Church dedicated (NYC)…1800

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Garrison Keillor, humorist (Praire Home Companion) is 72
Gloria Gaynor, disco singer (I Will Survive) is 64
William Katt, US, actor (Butch & Sundance Kid, Carrie) is 63
Corbin Bernsen, actor (Arnie Becker-LA Law) is 59

Remembered for being born today
"Janet" Taylor Caldwell, England, novelist (Melissa) [1900-1985]
Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anna Boleyn [1533-1603]
Matthäus Günther, German painter [1705-1788]
Buddy [Charles]Holly, singer (Peggy Sue, That'll Be the Day), [1936-1959]
Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii, politician (US Senator, 1963-2012) [1924-2012]
Peter Lawford (Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen), London, actor (Mrs Miniver, Thin 
     Man) [1923-1984]
Don Messick, cartoon voice (Bam-bam, Astro, Scooby-Doo) [1927-1997]
Grandma Moses [Anna Maria], primitive painter (Old Oaken Bucket) [1860-1961]
James Van Allen, US physicist (discovered Van Allen radiation belts) [1914-2006]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Spring Byington, actress (Lily Ruskin-December Bride)…1971…at 84
Al Kelly, double talk comedian (Ernie Kovacs Show)…heart attack…1966…at 67
Keith Moon, rock drummer (Who)…drug overdose…1978…at 31

Brain Teasers
From the list above and the note about only whole-dollar amounts we note that if Mushrooms & Onions are $2 together they must be $1 each. From there it is simple math to figure out the following. 
Onions $1
Mushrooms $1
Pepperoni $3
Black Olives $2
Extra Cheese $4
Broccoli $2
Hot Peppers $3
Pineapple $4
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.