9/21/13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 38/ Day: 264   
Today: H 73°…L 40°…Ave. humidity:  54%
Wind: ave:   3mph; Gusts:  31mph  
Average Low: 41°  Record Low: 23° (1971)
Average High: 72° Record High: 83° (2000)

Quote of the Day



Today’s Historical Highlights
"Monday Night Football" premieres on ABC - Browns 31, Jets 21…1970
"My Weekly Reader" magazine made its debut…1928
"Star Spangled Banner" published as a poem…1814
1st daily newspaper in America (Pennsylvania Packet & General Advertiser)…1784
Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa orders Jews of Holland to wear a badge…1451
English king Richard I the Lion hearted, captured by Leopold V, Duke of Austria…1192
J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' is published…1937
Nathan Hale, spied on British for American rebels, arrested…1776
NY Sun runs famous "Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus," editorial…1897
Sandra Day O'Conner becomes 1st female Supreme Court Justice…1981
USA Basketball announces "Dream Team" for the 1992 Olympics…1991

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



My Free Rambling Thoughts   
A really nice day and spent some time outside. Tried to get my haircut, but my cutter didn’t show up at work, so made an appointment for tomorrow.  Hate to get haircuts on Saturday, but it’s her fault for not being there last Monday or today. Live and learn. My mom passed away in 2008 on this day in 2008 at 89, 14 years and one day after my dad. Still greatly missed.
 
While I was busy doing things, I plugged in my iPad to update to the new ios7. I thought the phone took a long time, the iPad connected immediately with a download time of 3 hours. It is still worth it. Much sharper graphics, much easier to read. As a PC person, I see this like switching to Windows7 without the learning curve…Apple does have has it’s sh*t together…always making it easier for the user.
 
I’m going to try really hard not to bitch about the politics in DC for the next few weeks. This is a political game where only the American people lose. One would think that after 41 votes in the House to defund Obamacare, they would try another tactic…but the far right is so dug in, vote 42 has been sent to the senate to be stopped again. Something I remember about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity. Of course Obamacare will continue to be a sticking point and the far right might even have the US default on our debts because they won’t raise the debt ceiling. Sadly my state senator, a really far right lady, has been posting a lot of bad mouthing the President. She is a state senator and needs to deal with state issued instead of keeping her supporters happy with her idiotic posts. Why do I read them? Easy, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
 
I have to laugh a little when it comes to some of the stories on the news. The USIS is a company that does the background checks for most Federal agencies. I dealt with them during my career. As Federal employees we needed a low level security clearance. These people were pretty intimidating when they did a background check. They would show up at my office, show me a badge…much like an FBI badge, and inform me they were doing a background check on one of my employees or friends. We had all filled out a form knew that every 5 years or so, these guys would be showing up. I got it, even before 911 since the BIA had a history of hiring a few very shady people who continued to work with children and in a few cases done some very sick things to children. So I accepted the checks as a way to protect children. If a teacher or aide was being checked questions included ‘Have you ever seen this person do anything on duty or off duty that would concern you about them working with children?’ ‘Have you ever been inside this person’s home?’ ‘What interaction have you had with this person outside the workplace?’ ‘Are you aware of the police or social services ever investigating this person?’ ‘How does this person get along with their spouse?’ ‘with their in-laws?’ After the first interview, I expected the questions and dealt with it. They would also go door to door and ask neighbor’s the same questions. For those employees who lived off the campus, this was very upsetting. We lived in small communities that thrived on gossip. There was lots of jealousy towards people who had good jobs. Not only did some of the non-government employees give false information about the employee, they also started rumors about the employees asking anyone who would listen why the government was ‘investigating’ the employee. Now it is being learned by the general public that these ‘investigators’ are little more than people off the street who are subcontracted to do these checks. They get some basic training, and are making decisions about a person’s employment. And when something goes wrong, like the two in the news, the government agency has used the line that they ‘passed the background check’. Now we are learning that these checks are not nearly as thorough as they are made to sound.
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
What common household item wouldn't have became popular if it wasn't for another invention in 1928 (it didn't take off until 1930)?
Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

Hmmmm…Fearsome Phobias
If you have an irrational fear of... Darkness
You're suffering from... Achluophobia: Greek Achluo (meaning to darken)
If you have an irrational fear of... Dawn
You're suffering from... Eosophobia: Greek eos 'dawn'
Privileges granted to people in the U.S. (and many western nations) for being Christian…
Without special effort, your children will have a multitude of teachers who share your faith.
Ok, then?



Harper’s Index    
Estimated number of seconds by which fiber optic cable will reduce the time to make a trade between NY and London: 0.0049
Unusual Fact of the Day
Fish cough.
Joke-of-the-day
A boy was teaching a girl arithmetic, he said it was his mission. He kissed her once; he kissed her twice and said, "Now that's addition."
In silent satisfaction, she sweetly gave the kisses back and said, "Now that's subtraction."
Then he kissed her, she kissed him, without an explanation. And both together smiled and said, "That's multiplication."
Then her Dad appeared upon the scene and made a quick decision. He kicked that boy three blocks away and said, "That's long division!"  
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
BARBEQUING FATTY FOODS
For fatty foods, leave 40 percent of the grill exposed to avoid flare ups.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
FORT WORTH, Texas - A Fort Worth, Texas woman, 78, was shot in the foot when her shotgun discharged after her dog walked past it and knocked it over, police said. The unidentified woman told police she was watching television in her home Saturday night with the shotgun by her side, and it fired when the dog bumped it. She sought treatment for her injured left foot the following morning, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Monday.
"The victim advised it was an accident and the dog was not to blame," said officer Sharron Neal, a police spokeswoman. Police did not identify the breed of the dog. "He has the right to remain silent," Neal said.  
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • Elephants use the skin folds on their backs to crush mosquitoes.
  • A flamboyance is a group of flamingos.
  • The sleeve on the outside of a coffee cup is called a "zarf."
  • "Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia" is the scientific term for brain freeze.
  • Armadillos give birth only to quadruplets.
  • It's impossible to hum while holding your nose.


Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
 15th-21st
Balance Awareness Week
Build A Better Image Week
Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week
National Clean Hands Week
National Farm & Ranch Safety and Health Week
National Indoor Plant Week
National Love Your Files Week
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week
National Singles Week
Pollution Prevention Week
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week
17th-23rd
Constitution Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        Big Whopper Liar Day
·        Boys' and Girls' Club Day for Kids
·        Clean Up The World Weekend
·        International Banana Festival
·        International Day of Peace
·        International Eat An Apple Day
·        International Coastal Cleanup Day
·        National POW/MIA Recognition Day
·        National Tradesmen Day
·        Puppy Mill Awareness Day
·        Responsible Dog Ownership Day
·        World Gratitude Day
·        World's Alzheimer's Day
~~~~
·        Armenia: Independence Day (1991 from USSR)
·        Belize: Independence Day (1981 from UK)
·        Malta: Independence Day (1964 from UK)

Today’s Events through History  
"Perry Mason" with Raymond Burr premieres on CBS-TV…1957
"Texaco Star Theater" with Milton Berle premieres on NBC-TV…1948
1st cowboy film "Kit Carson" premieres in US…1903
Federal Republic of [West] Germany created under 3-power occupation…1949
Jackson Pollock’s painting "Blue Poles" sold for $2,000,000…1973
John & Nicolaas van der Heyden patents fire extinguisher…1677
Joseph Smith, Jr. claims the angel Moroni gave him a record of gold plates, one-third 
     of which Joseph translated into The Book of Mormon…1827
Michael Spinks beats Larry Holmes in 15 to become Heavyweight Boxing Champion…1985
New York Times starts first modern op-ed page….1970
NFL players begin a 57 day strike…1982
Pope Benedictus XV donates 1 million lire to feed Russians…1921
Rocky Marciano KOs Archie Moore in 9 for heavyweight boxing title…1955
Singapore admitted as a part of the United Nations…1965

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Fannie Flagg, actress/comediene (Candid Camera) is 69
Stephen King, sci-fi/horror author (Carrie, Shining, Kujo) is 66
Bill Murray, actor/comedian (Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters) is 63
David James Elliott, Toronto, actor (Lt Harmon Rabb-Jag) is 53
Rob Morrow, actor (Dr Fleishman-Northern Exposure) is 51
Faith Hill, country pop  singer is 46
Ricki Lake, actress (Hairspray)/talk show host (Ricki) is 45
Nicole Richie, fashion designer, author, actress is 32

Remembered for being born today
Maurice Barrymore, Indian-born patriarch of the Barrymore family [1849-1905]
H. G. Wells, Kent, , English writer (War of the Worlds, Kipps) [1866-1946]
Allen Lane, English publisher/founder (Penguin Books) [1902-1970]
Jay Ward, cartoonist (Rocky & his Friends, Bullwinkle) [1920-1989]
Rand Brooks, actor (Cpl Boone-Rin Tin Tin) [1918-2003]
Henry Gibson, comedian (Nashville, Laugh-In's poet) [1935-2009]
Larry Hagman, TV actor (I Dream of Jeannie, JR-Dallas) [1931-2012]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Virgil, Roman poet (Aeneid)…fever…19BC…@50
Walter Scott, Scottish attorney/poet/writer (Ivanhoe)…1832…@61  
Chief Joseph (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt), Nez Perce chief…broken heart…1904…@64
Jacqueline Susann, author (Valley of the Dolls) breast cancer…1974…@53
Walter Brennan, actor (Real McCoys)…1974…@80
Florence Griffith Joyner (Flo-Jo), Olympic athlete…seizure…1998…@38
Alice Ghostley, American actress…2007…@81

Brain Teasers
The toaster.
The first electric toaster was invented in 1893 in Great Britain by Crompton and Co (UK) and re-invented in 1909 in the United States. It only toasted one side of the bread at a time and it required a person to stand by and turn it off manually when the toast looked done. Charles Strite invented the modern timer, pop-up toaster in 1919. 
Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the bread slicer, which he started working on in 1912. At first, Rohwedder came up with the idea of a device that held the slices together with hat pins (not a success). In 1928, he designed a machine that sliced and wrapped the bread to prevent the sliced bread from going stale. Pre-sliced bread was popularized by Wonder Bread in 1930, helping to spread the toaster's popularity further. 
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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9/20/13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Almanac: Flagstaff:  Week: 38/ Day: 263   
Today: H 74°…L 42°…Ave. humidity:  59%
Wind: ave:   5mph; Gusts:  24mph  
Average Low: 40°  Record Low: 25° (1971)
Average High: 72° Record High: 84° (1956)

Quote of the Day



Today’s Historical Highlights
1891 - 1st gasoline-powered car debuts in Springfield, Massachusetts
1839 - 1st railroad in Netherland opens (Amsterdam-Haarlem)
1746 - Bonnie Prince Charlie flees to France from Scotland
1881 - Chester A Arthur sworn in as 21st president
1519 - Ferdinand Magellan starts 1st successful circumnavigation of world
1932 - Gandhi begins hunger strike against treatment of untouchables
1988 - Greg Louganis wins Olympic gold medal in springboard diving
1961 - James Meredith refused access as a student in Mississippi
1805:  Lewis and Clark meet with the Nez Perce in Idaho
1664 - Maryland passes 1st anti-amalgamation law stops intermarriage of English 
             women & black men
1976 - Playboy releases Jimmy Carter's interview that he lusts for women
2001 - President George W. Bush declares a "war on terror".
2011 - US ends its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy
1737 - Walking Purchase ends forcing the cession of 1.2 million acres of 
            Lenape-Delaware tribal land.

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



My Free Rambling Thoughts   
A lifetime ago, on this day, I started working at Shonto Boarding School as a 3rd grade teacher. That was 42 years ago. It was a very interesting and educational career and I am so glad that I was able to do it. Certainly there were highs and lows during my career, but I met so many great people…students, staff, administrators that the good times outweigh the other times 100 fold. Sadly almost 20 years ago my father ended his 80 years of life. Certainly a sad time, but he was a kind and gentle man who took care of his family and left my mother with enough money that she could live very comfortably for the rest of her life. I learned to never buy anything on time, to always pay my bills, in full, on time, every time. I learned that love and morals were more important than material things.  I learned that I had to work and save for anything I wanted in my life. While these were tough lessons in my teenage years, they have really paid off over the decades that followed.
 
We had our weekly lunch today. Nice place, nice food, and great conversation. We were able to solve a lot of the world’s problems, discuss two good movies, and place a vote for ‘awesome’ on the ship that was finally turned right side up. Cheryl is leaving for CA next Wed so we will meet a little early next week. Mary is headed to Phoenix tomorrow to visit with a visiting brother…and show off her new home.
 
Lots of Roman Catholics and others sure have a lot to think about after the Pope made his latest statement. Sounds a lot like the beliefs I was raised with, before all the politics got involved. So nice to hear some sanity coming from somewhere.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
When you curtail a word, you remove the last letter and still have a valid word. You will be given clues for the two words, longer word first.
Example: Begin -> Heavenly body
Answer: The words are Start and Star.
1. Fragmented; torn -> Lacking funds 2. Place of shelter; a refuge -> Possess; own 3. Community; village -> Pull behind 4. Paradise -> Throw with effort 5. Grass -> Set of rules imposed by an authority 6. Chess piece -> Clawed animal foot 7. Bedding, tablecloth -> A mark longer than it is wide 8. Baker's number -> Sleep lightly

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

Hmmmm…Fearsome Phobias
If you have an irrational fear of... Dampness
You're suffering from... Hygrophobia: hygro- Greek: moisture/wet
If you have an irrational fear of... Dancing
You're suffering from... Chorophobia: choro Greek: dance
It is Illegal…
It is Illegal to Wear a Bulletproof Vest While Committing a Murder In New Jersey
Privileges granted to people in the U.S. (and many western nations) for being Christian…
You can go anywhere and assume you will be surrounded by members of your faith.
Ok, then?



Harper’s Index    
Proposed cost of the transatlantic fiber optic cable being laid on the ocean floor this year: $300,000,000
Unusual Fact of the Day
The space between your pointer finger and thumb is called the "purlicue."
Joke-of-the-day
While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. ‘Welcome to heaven,' says St. Peter. 'Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.
‘No problem, just let me in,' says the man.
‘Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.’
‘Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,' says the senator.
‘I’m sorry, but we have our rules. ‘And with that, St.Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly & nice guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator raises...The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
‘Now it's time to visit heaven. ‘So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
‘Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.
The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: 'Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in bags as more trash falls from above. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.
'I don't understand,' stammers the senator. 'Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened? ‘
The devil looks at him, smiles and says, 'Yesterday we were campaigning....Today you voted.'

Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
STAYING WARM ON A COLD NIGHT
Roll up tomorrow's clothes and put them on either side of the foot end of your sleeping bag. It creates an "oven" for your feet, keeping them away from the outside air. Dress in your pre-heated clothes inside the bag before exiting in the morning.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
NEW DELHI - Indian officials have confirmed a November launch date for the country's first mission to Mars, set to launch from a spaceport in the south of the country. "Hectic preparations are on to launch Indian Space Research Organization's ambitious Mars Orbiter Mission in November," U.R. Rao of the Governing Council of Physical Research Laboratory said.
The Mangalyaan Mars probe will lift off from the Indian Space Research Organization's launch site at Sriharikota, China's Xinhua news agency reported Sunday. "The Mars Orbiter Mission will be sent through powerful PSLV-XL launch vehicle," Rao said. A successful launch would make India the sixth to initiate a mission to Mars after the United States, Russia, Europe, China and Japan. "The unmanned mission, which will explore the existence of life and the possibility of sustaining life on Mars, will travel 299 days in space before reaching the Red Planet in September 2014," Rao said.  
  • Somewhat Useless Information   
  • The YKK on your zipper stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikigaisha, a Japanese zipper manufacturer
  • A blue whale's heart is so big that a small child can swim through its veins.
  • The combination of an exclamation point and a question mark is called an "interrobang."
  • When you yawn and stretch at the time, you are "pandiculating."
  • The dot over a "j" or an "i" is called a "tittle."
  • The metal part on a pencil is called a "ferrule."

Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
 15th-21st
Balance Awareness Week
Build A Better Image Week
Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week
National Clean Hands Week
National Farm & Ranch Safety and Health Week
National Indoor Plant Week
National Love Your Files Week
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week
National Singles Week
Pollution Prevention Week
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week
17th-23rd
Constitution Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        National Punch Day
·        UN Opening of General Assembly

Today’s Events through History  
1954 - 1st FORTRAN computer program run
1848 - American Association for the Advancement of Science is created.
1877 - Chase National Bank opens in NYC (later merges into Chase Manhattan)
1596 - Diego de Montemayor founded the city of Monterrey in New Spain.

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Gogi Grant, [Audrey Brown], rock vocalist is 88
Anne Meara, comedian/actress (Stiller & Meara, Archie's Place) is 84
Sophia Loren, Rome, actress (Desire Under the Elms, Black Orchid) is 79
Kristen Johnston, actress (Sally Solomon-Third Rock From the Sun) is 46
Gunnar Nelson, rock vocalist (Nelsons-Love & Affection) is 45
Matthew Nelson, rock vocalist (Nelsons-Love & Affection) is 45

Remembered for being born today
Fernando Rey, [Arambillet], La Coruna Spain, actor (Matter of Time) [1917-1994]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Richard Dix, actor (Tombstone, Ghost Ship, 13th Hour)…heart attack…1949…@56
William F Albright, US archaeologist…1971…at 80
Jim Croce, vocalist (Time in a Bottle)…plane crash…1973…@30
Roy Kinnear, actor (Casanova, Pirates, Scrooge, Help!)…heart attack…1988…@54
Simon Wiesenthal, Austrian-Polish Nazi hunter…2005…@96

Brain Teasers
1. Broken -> Broke 2. Haven -> Have 3. Town -> Tow 4. Heaven -> Heave 5. Lawn -> Law 6. Pawn -> Paw 7. Linen -> Line 8. Dozen -> Doze
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.