10/18/13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Flagstaff Almanac:
Week: 42/ Day: 291   
Today: L 19°…H 62°… Ave. humidity: 49%
Wind: ave:   5mph; Gusts:  21mph  
Average Low: 30° Record Low:  10° (1971)
Average High: 62° Record High:  78° (1921)

Quote of the Day


Today’s Historical Highlights
1st commercial long-distance phone line opens (Chicago-NY)…1892
1st US labor organization forms (Boston Shoemakers)…1648
African-American poet Phillis Wheatley freed from slavery…1775
Belgium annexes Congo Free State…1908
Benazir Bhutto, after 8 years in exile, returns to her homeland Pakistan…2007 
Boundary between MD & PA, Mason Dixon line, agreed upon…1767
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) forms…1922
Church of the Holy Sepulcher completely destroyed by the Fatimid caliph 
     Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah…1009
Circus Circus opens in Las Vegas…1968
Federal government bans use of cyclamates artificial sweeteners…1969
In a NY bar decorated with bird tail, customer orders "cock tail"…1776
Texas Instruments announces the first Transistor radio…1954
Walt Disney's "Jungle Book" is released…1967

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


My Free Rambling Thoughts   
Quite a shock this morning when I stepped outside to get my morning paper…it was 19°. Sure wasn’t expecting it to be that cold. But in typical Flagstaff tradition, it was in the 50’s very soon.
 
We found a new lunch place. Great Panini’s at a good price. Nice atmosphere, good conversation…an enjoyable day. I was commenting on the number of Medicare supplement ads that were coming into my mailbox…usually 2 or 3 each day. Cheryl let me know that after those stop, it is ads for cemetery plots and cremation options. WOW.
 
I finally get it, thanks CNN crossfire. I have been having a hard time with the Tea Party tactics, like voting to close the government. At the same time I remember back to the 1960’s and the turmoil of those times. I couldn’t find a real difference with people standing for something they believed in. Then CNN hit it…back in the 60’s the people who closed down the universities, or marched, or tried to change the world took personal responsibility for what they were doing. Many went to jail. The current Tea Party antics always blame the other side. It’s always ‘THEY DID IT’.  The Tea Party really are just little kids.
Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
Three 5-letter words, Anagrams of each other. One is a cloth, The second a spot, The third is at home with the Father. What are the three words?
Lifestyle  Substance:     
Found on You Tube with some relevance to today

Hmmmm…Fearsome Phobias
If you have an irrational fear of... Genitals, female
You're suffering from... Kolpophobia Ancient Greek κόλπος kolpos ‘bosom, womb’
If you have an irrational fear of... Genitals, male
You're suffering from... Phallophobia Greek phallo ‘the penis’
OK Then…


Harper’s Index 
  • Percentage change in the number of Walmart stores nationwide since 2008: +13
  • In the size of Walmart’s retail workforce: 0

Amazing Facts About The Human Body
Nail’s: Each finger and toenail takes six months to grow from base to tip.
Unusual Fact of the Day
Some marine fish change gender, Clownfish, wrasses, moray eels…
Joke-of-the-day
A 17th Century captain was sailing along with his crew when a pirate ship came over the horizon. The captain says, "Cabin boy, get me my red shirt." So, he gets his red shirt and they victoriously battle the pirates.
Several days later, they spot another pirate ship off the port bow. "Cabin boy," says the captain "get me my red shirt." They again battle the pirates and are victorious.
Later when things had settled down, the cabin boy asks, "Captain, why do you always want your red shirt just prior to battle?"
The captain responds, "Well, in case I am inflicted with a wound, I don't want the crew to see my injury and lose spirit."
"I see," says the cabin boy.
A few days later, they sight 20 pirates in the distance the captain yells out, "Cabin boy, get me my brown pants."  
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
CARING FOR A HORSE
You should allow at least one hour per day to feed and groom a horse.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
Men trying to conceive may want to hold off on the bacon.
According to a new study from Harvard University, the intake of processed meat is associated with lower semen quality in men. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health presented on the link between bacon and male fertility at the 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference Monday.
Drawing their male subjects from Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center, the team analyzed sperm samples of 156 volunteers and compared them to each participant's food intake, as reported on a food intake questionnaire. After adjusting their statistical models for other factors, such as age and body mass index, the team found a negative association between processed meat -- including hamburgers, hot dogs and bacon -- and sperm quality.
"Processed meat was associated with lower sperm concentration and morphology," lead researcher Dr. Myriam Afeiche, of the university's Department of Nutrition, wrote in an email to The Huffington Post. (Morphology refers to the structure and appearance of the sperm.)
While the team found that eating more than one serving of bacon, or other processed meats, related to diminished semen quality, the study also noted a positive association between male fertility and fish consumption.
According to the research, white meat fish like cod and halibut were associated with a higher percentage of normal sperm. Salmon, tuna and other dark meat fish, on the other hand, were related to a higher total sperm count.
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • A star has been found moving closer to the sun. In a million years a star named Gliese 710 will have moved to within 6/10ths of a light year from the sun. This is more than six times closer than today’s nearest star, Alpha Centauri, which is over 4 light years away.
  • Stars viewed through even the largest telescopes look like tiny points of light. But astronomers, using the Hubble Space Telescope to photograph a star called Betelgeuse (pronounced “beetle jooze”), have now been able to see the surface of another star. Betelgeuse is a red, giant star located at the left shoulder of the constellation Orion and is the largest known star in our galaxy.
  • Not all stars are found inside galaxies. Astronomers have found stars moving between the galaxies, which are millions of light years apart. These stars may even have planets, possibly with intelligent life on them. If they do, these beings would see a lonely sky with just one star (its own sun) and a few faint galaxies.

Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
13-19
Bullying Bystanders Unite Week
Earth Science Week
Freedom From Bullies Week
Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week
National Chestnut Week 
National Food Bank Week
Teen Read Week
YWCA Week Without Violence
14-18
National School Lunch Week
YWCA Week Without Violence 
17-24
Food & Drug Interactions and Awareness Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        Mammography Day
·        National Chocolate Cupcake Day
·        World Menopause Day
~~~~
·        Azerbaijan: Independence Day (1991 from USSR)
·        Canada: Persons Day (1929 allowing women to serve in Senate)
·        US: Alaska: Alaska Day (1867; transfer from Russia to US)

Today’s Events through History  
American flag raised in Puerto Rico…1898
Congress authorizes bi-centennial quarter, half-dollar & dollar coin…1973
Pennsylvania will purchase several sections of land from the Deleware Tribe…1683
Simon & Garfunkel reunite on Saturday Night Live, sing "My Little Town"…1975
Willie Thrower becomes 1st black NFL quarterback in modern times…1953

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Chuck Berry, rocker (Roll over Beethoven) is 87
Pam Dawber, actress (Mindy-Mork & Mindy, My Sister Sam) is 62
Erin Moran, actress (Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi) is 53
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Belgian actor (Kickboxer, No Retreat) is 53
Wynton Marsalis, jazz trumpeter (Grammy 1983) is 52
Zac Efron, Disney actor is 26  

Remembered for being born today
Lee Harvey Oswald, New Orleans, Louisiana, assassin (JFK) [1939-1963]
Inger Stevens, Stockholm Sweden, actress (Katy-Farmer's Daughter) [1934-1970]
Victor Sen Yung, actor (Hop Sing-Bonanza, Bachelor Family) [1915-1980]
Laura Nyro, Bronx, singer/songwriter (Eli's Coming, Stoney End) [1947-1997]
George C. Scott, actor/director (Patton, Dr. Strangelove) [1927-1999]
Pierre Elliott Trudeau, (L) 15th Canadian PM [1919-2000]
Peter Boyle, actor (Joe, Candidate, Everybody Loves Raymond) [1935-2006]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Bess Truman, 1st lady …1982…@97
Thomas Alva Edison, inventor…1931…@84
Walt Kelly, comic strip artist (Pogo)… diabetes complications…1973…@60
Jon-Erik Hexum, actor (Bear)…gun loaded with blanks…1984…@26

Brain Teasers
Satin - a silky fabric  Stain - a discoloration or spot  Saint - a spirit in Heaven 
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  §
Posted by No comments:

10/17/13


FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
Flagstaff Almanac:
Week: 42/ Day: 390   
Today: L 35°…H 57°… Ave. humidity: 54%
Wind: ave:   5mph; Gusts:  18mph  
Average Low: 31° Record Low:  18° (1998)
Average High: 63° Record High:  78° (1973)

Quote of the Day
 
Today’s Historical Highlights
"Hair" premieres on Broadway…1967
Al Capone convicted of tax evasion, sentenced to 11 years in prison…1931
Arabs decrease oil production…1973
Bank of Italy (Bank of America) opens its doors…1904
Boston blacks, petition legislature for equal school facilities…1787
Colbert Report first airs…2005
Dalai Lama receives the United States Congressional Gold Medal…2007
Lance Armstrong loses a host of endorsements in the wake of his doping scandal…2012
Mother Teresa of India, awarded Nobel Peace Prize…1979
NY Museum of Modern Art hangs Matisse's "Le Bateau" upside-down; corrected 12/3…1961
Pinnacle fitted on Taipei 101, to become the World's tallest high rise…2003
Pres Carter signs bill restoring Jefferson Davis citizenship…1978
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) created…1919
Scottish worker begins hunger march from Glasgow on London…1922

♫  Today’s Birthdays: ♫   
How many can you identify?…answers in Today’s Birthdays
 
My Free Rambling Thoughts   
What a joke. This congress is a mess and has certainly proven that as a group they are unable to control the government of the US. So tough to see our great country in such a stupid position. Sadly the other world powers are looking at DC and wondering why the dollar is the basis for the world economy. The people who have caused this mess have no idea about international relations. In my first real international trip, Scotland, I had my eyes opened when I turned on the TV and saw that the Olympics were going on. All the interviews, all the ‘stories’, all the events that were televised were when the UK countries were expected to do well. I was shocked to learn that others in the world were not that interested in what the American athletes were doing. I quickly learned that each nation has its own history and its own problems. A good lesson for today. We are not the center of the universe and we will not always control the international economy when we act so childish. The Tea Party claims they want smaller government, then pass bills to have the Feds and the state governments interfere with a woman’s right to choose, more regulations on who can and cannot vote and on and on. It looks like the congress is really just going to kick the can down the road so we can deal with this again in less than 90 days. I say no winter break for Congress unless the issues are solved. No pay for the Congress until the issues are solved. I just can’t believe that Americans want our government to run like this.

Game  Center (answers at the end of post)
Brain Teasers
What advice is shown below? 
BEETROOT  YEETROOT  YOETROOT  YOUTROOT  YOURROOT  YOURSOOT  YOURSEOT  YOURSELT  YOURSELF

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

Hmmmm…Fearsome Phobias
If you have an irrational fear of... Garlic
You're suffering from... Alliumphobia Latin allium ‘garlic’
If you have an irrational fear of... Germany (or Germans)
You're suffering from... Germanophobia
OK Then…
 
Harper’s Index 
  • Portion of live-in domestic workers who make less than minimum wage: 2/3
  • Who are required to work during their scheduled time off: 3/5

Amazing Facts About The Human Body
Human bone is as strong as granite in supporting weight. A block of bone the size of a matchbox can support 9 tons – that is four times as much as concrete can support.
Unusual Fact of the Day
The Beach Boys were the founders of surf rock; however, only Dennis Wilson knew how to surf. He died of drowning in 1983.


Joke-of-the-day
A grizzled old man was eating in a truck stop when three very large, leathered bikers walked in. The first walked up to the old man, pushed his cigarette into the old man's pie and then took a seat at the counter. The second walked up to the old man, spat into the old man's milk and then he too took a seat at the counter. The third walked up to the old man, turned over the old man's plate, and then he took a seat at the counter.
Without a word of protest, the old man quietly left the diner. Shortly thereafter, one of the bikers said to the waitress, "Humph, not much of a man, was he?"
The waitress replied, "Not much of a truck driver either, he just backed his big-rig over three motorcycles."  
Rules of Thumb:   
Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess
ON-LINE USERS RULE
If you get a group of 100 people online then one will create content, 10 will "interact" with it (commenting or offering improvements) and the other 89 will just view it. Quoting Charles Arthur in The Guardian, July 20, 2006.    
Yeah, It Really Happened
NASHUA, N.H. -- NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire gas station clerk who thwarted an attempted robbery by pulling out a handgun was fired because company policy prohibits staff from carrying firearms.
Shannon "Bear" Cothran told the Telegraph of Nashua he was working at a Shell station in Nashua early Monday when a man approached him with a knife. Police confirmed that the would-be robber fled after the clerk pulled out a gun.
Cothran said he then filed a report with Nouria Energy Corp., which owns the station, and was fired hours later even though the store manager and a district manager lobbied to save his job.
Nouria said in a statement Wednesday that it instructs its cashiers to give thieves what they ask for during a robbery attempt to resolve the conflict peacefully and quickly.
"Make no mistake: We care about the personal well-being of employees like Mr. Cothran, whose years of service are truly appreciated — not about the money in the cash register. So, we are especially grateful that this situation was resolved without injury," the statement said. "We do respect the constitutional right to bear arms. However, we believe the best way to keep our employees and customers safe is to prohibit weapons in the workplace."
The company said its policies are similar to others in the industry and consistent with the advice offered by police.
Somewhat Useless Information   
  • Once in England, because of a water spout, it rained frogs!
  • Almost two-thirds of the earth’s surface is covered by water. If the earth were flat, water would cover everything in a layer two miles deep!
  • During a solar eclipse, the shadows of leaves make the same crescent shape of the eclipsing sun. The image is made by light passing through tiny holes in the leaves.
  • Monks in the 16th century recorded seeing a giant explosion on the side of the Moon. It most likely was a large meteor that slammed into the Moon and left a large crater. It was a good thing the Moon was between us and the meteor!
  • See the rings of Saturn while you can. They slowly wobble up and down over the years as Saturns poles point away from then towards the sun. The rings disappear when edge on to our line of sight. Currently they are almost at their widest point and can be seen even in binoculars and small telescopes.


Calendar Information        
Happening This Week:
13-19
Bullying Bystanders Unite Week
Earth Science Week
Freedom From Bullies Week
Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week
National Chestnut Week 
National Food Bank Week
Teen Read Week
YWCA Week Without Violence
14-18
National School Lunch Week
YWCA Week Without Violence 
17-24
Food & Drug Interactions and Awareness Week

Today Is                                                                      
·        Alternative Fuel Day
·        Black Poetry Day
·        Get to Know Your Customers Day
·        Get Smart About Credit Day
·        International Credit Union Day
·        International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
·        Mulligan Day
·        National Cake Decorating Day
·        National Pasta Day
·        Wear Something Gaudy Day
~~~~
·        Virgin Islands: Hurricane Thanksgiving Day (since 1726 that they survived another season)

Today’s Events through History  
Britain's Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip visit the White House…1957
Cherokee sign the "Long Swamp" treaty; cede land in Georgia as reparations for 
     the fighting during the Revolutionary War…1782
Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-ling," is #1…1972
Cornwallis defeated at Yorktown…1781
Thomas Edison files a patent for the Optical Phonograph (the first movie)…1888

Today’s Birthdays                                                           
Jimmy Breslin, columnist (NY Post, News, Newsday) is 82
Michael McKean, actor (Laverne & Shirley, Saturday Night Live, Spinal Tap) is 66
George Wendt, actor (Norm-Cheers) is 65
Margot Kidder, actress (Lois Lane, Amityville Horror) is 65
Alan Jackson, country singer (Here in the Real World) is 55
Norm MacDonald, Canadian comedian, SNL is 50
Eminem [Marshall Bruce Mathers III], rapper and movie star is 41

Remembered for being born today
Montgomery Clift, actor (From Here to Eternity) [1920-1966]
Spring Byington, Colo Springs, actress (Lily Ruskin-December Bride) [1886-1971]
Irene Ryan, actress (Granny-Beverly Hillbillies) [1902-1973]
John Paul I, [Albino Luciano], 263rd Roman Catholic pope [1912-1978]
Jerry Siegel, comic book writer (Superman) [1914-1996]
Shinichi Suzuki, Japanese music teacher (Suzuki Method) [1898-1998]
Arthur Miller, playwright (Death of a Salesman, Crucible) [1915-2005]
Tom Poston, actor (Steve Allen Show, Newhart) [1921-2007]
Robert "Evel" Knievel, motorcycle daredevil (Snake River Canyon) [1938-2007]

Today’s Historical Obits                                                           
Joey Bishop, entertainer, member of the Rat Pack…2007…@89
Teresa Brewer, pop and jazz singer…palsy…2007…@76
Frederic Chopin, Polish/French pianist/composer…TB…1849…@39

Brain Teasers
Be true to yourself. BEETROOT to YOURSELF (sound it out)
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.