Sep 19

 

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FYI: Any Blue text is a link. Click to check it out!

Sep 19, 2020  Week: 38  Day: 263                   Local:   H 82° \ L 47° \ Average Sky Cover: 20%

Wind:   5mph\Gusts:  8mph                              Nearest lightning:  839mi.; active fire:  59mi. 

Exreme Risk of Fire                                          Visibility:  10mi

Record: 86°[1956]   Record: 27°[2006]                  Sep Averages: 74°\42° (5 days with rain)

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Today’s  Quote

"Nothing is impossible,

the word itself says,

‘I'm possible!'"

-Audrey Hepburn

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Random Tidbits

By and large

Sailors were the first to refer to things “by and large.” The first part of the phrase refers to the nautical term “full and by,” meaning a boat was traveling into the wind. On the other hand, “large” means the wind is coming from behind. “By and large,” then, would mean the wind is coming from any direction—giving rise to the current meaning of “in general.”

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A little humor

From Actual Medical Records

The patient's past medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days.

She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.

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True Things

 Rhode Island state officials said a technical glitch was to blame for 176 tax refund checks being mailed out bearing the signatures of Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney. Jade Borgeson, chief of staff for the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, confirmed the checks were mailed out this week with the signatures of Walt Disney and his most famous cartoon creation instead of Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner and State Controller Peter Keenan. "As a result of a technical error in the Division of Taxation's automated refund check printing system, approximately 176 checks with invalid signature lines were printed and mailed to taxpayers on Monday," Borgeson said in a statement. "The invalid signature lines were incorrectly sourced from the Division's test print files," she said. 

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Observations This Week

Balance Awareness Week: 13-19 Link   
International Housekeepers Week: 13-19  Link
Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week: 13-19 Link
National Assisted Living Week: 13-19   
National Security Officer Appreciation Week: 13-19 
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week: 13-19   Link
Line Dance Week: 14-19  
National Guitar Flat-Picking Days: 16-20  Link (Virtual)
Constitution Week: 17-23
Hummingbird Celebration: 17-20 Link
National Ballroom Dance Week: 18-27  Link
Clean Up The World Weekend: 18-20 Link 
Farm Animal Awareness Week: 19-25  

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Observations for Today

Batman Day Link 
Big Whopper Liar Day 
Boys' and Girls' Club Day for Kids Link 
International Coastal Cleanup Day 
International Eat An Apple Day

International Red Panda Bear Day
International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Locate An Old Friend Day 
National Butterscotch Pudding Day

National CleanUp Day Link  
National Dance Day

National Gymnastics Day Link  
National Seatcheck Saturday 2020 
National Singles' Day  Link 
Oktoberfest  begins in Germany cancelled due to Covid19

Puppy Mill Awareness Day   Link
Talk Like A Pirate Day Link  Link
World Cleanup Day Link

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My Rambling Thoughts

Headed out about 8a for weekly shopping at Fry’s. Found some good sales and necessary groceries. All set for the upcoming week with fresh produce.

Our weekend at 7000’ is going to stay warm, high 70’s. Glad I can keep doors and windows open most of the day. There is no rain in sight. Fire Danger is Extreme…wonder what is above Extreme on the chart?

Lindsey Graham wants to see his opponents tax returns. Sounds sensible. But he has been fighting to not release Trump’s returns. Sounds to me like this is: What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

AZ Covid chart is RED again. It has been yellow for a couple of weeks, so people demanded more openings and more crowded events. The governor agreed. Will we ever learn?

I read an interesting article on cruise ships trying to begin cruises again. Right now, cruise lines and some countries require Americans to have a negative Covid test no more than 72hours before sailing. In Arizona, the fastest test result I’ve heard of is 7days. I sure hope there are changes before Focus Tahiti Cruise in March. I want to be safe, but I also want to travel.  

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Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

Three little letters

A paradox to some.

The worse that it is the better it becomes.

What is it?

Weekend Bonus

You throw me away to use me and bring me back when you are done?

What am I?

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Historical Events

1778 The Continental Congress passes the first budget of the United States.

1876 – Melville Bissell patented the first carpet sweeper.

1893 New Zealand becomes the first country to grant all women the right to vote

1921 – The greatest rainfall recorded in United States history during 18 consecutive hours (measured at an unofficial weather-monitoring site) fell at Thrall, Williamson County, Texas, 36.40 inches fell from a Hurricane.

1928 – Mickey Mouse’s first screen appearance – Steamboat Willie at the Colony Theater NYC.

1934 – Bruno Hauptmann was arrested for kidnapping Charles Lindbergh’s baby.

1974 The KGB begin a large-scale operation to discredit Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and cut his communications with Soviet dissidents

1975 – The alligator was removed from the endangered species list in parts of Louisiana.

1976 – A UFO was reportedly seen over Tehran, Iran. Two F-4 Phantom II jets lost power during a chase.

1977 – The chairs on which Archie and Edith Bunker sat through 8 seasons of All in the Family were given to the Smithsonian Institution

1981 – Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel performed a reunion concert in New York’s Central Park.

1983 – Kiss performed on MTV without make-up for the first time.

2014 – The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were released.

2017 US President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations vowing to “totally destroy North Korea” if threatens the US

2017 President Hassan Rouhani of Iran in his UN speech criticizes US President Donald Trump for his comments about Iran in his own UN speech

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Birthdays Today

@88 – Adam West, American actor, Batman (d.2017)

72 – Jeremy Irons, English actor

71 – Twiggy [Dame Lesley Hornsby Lawson], English model and actress

56 – Trisha Yearwood, American singer-songwriter

46 – Jimmy Fallon, American comedian, and talk show host

@32 – Brian Epstein, English talent manager, The Beatles (d. 1967; OD)

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Puzzle Answer

A pun

Bonus

An anchor

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Sep 18

 

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FYI: Any Blue text is a link. Click to check it out!

Sep 18, 2020  Week: 38  Day: 262                              Local:   H 81° \ L 44° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Wind:   3mph\Gusts:  6mph                              Nearest lightning:  523mi.; active fire:  59mi. 

Extreme Risk of Fire                                        Visibility:  10mi

Record: 86°[1956]   Record: 27°[2006]                  Sep Averages: 74°\42° (5 days with rain)

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Today’s  Quote

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."

-John D. Rockefeller

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Random Tidbits

 White elephant

Legend has it, kings of Siam (now Thailand) used to give actual white elephants to people they wanted to punish. Yes, the elephants were valuable and respected, but that also meant they were expensive to take care of, so the kings hoped the present would drive the recipient into financial ruin. Now, of course, a white elephant exchange is meant for useless (though probably cheaper) gifts.

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A little humor

From Actual Medical Records

Patient has left his white blood cells at another hospital.

Patient was becoming more demented with urinary frequency.

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True Things

 A New Mexico man said his elation at winning more than $500,000 from a lottery scratch-off ticket turned to disappointment when he learned it was a misprint. John Wines, a recent retiree from Roswell, said he bought the scratch-off from a local Shell station and he scratched the ticket to reveal five winning numbers, two of which were each worth $250,000. Wines said he took the ticket -- which has a stated maximum prize of $250,000 -- back to the gas station to show how he had somehow managed to win more than $500,000. "I took it back in and she told me that is not a winner," Wines said. "They told me that it was a misprint and they don't pay off for misprints." Wines contacted officials with the New Mexico Lottery and received a reply via email. "We did find a flaw in that particular pack of tickets and it's been reported to our printer. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I did complete a reconstruction of your ticket and it was not a winner," the email read. Wines said he was crushed by the news. "If it was $50 or $75, I would not think a thing about it," he said. "But this is $500,000." The New Mexico Lottery offered Wines $100 worth of tickets as compensation.

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Observations This Week

Balance Awareness Week: 13-19 Link   
International Housekeepers Week: 13-19  Link
Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week: 13-19 Link
National Assisted Living Week: 13-19   
National Security Officer Appreciation Week: 13-19 
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week: 13-19   Link
Line Dance Week: 14-19  
National Guitar Flat-Picking Days: 16-20  Link (Virtual)
Constitution Week: 17-23
Hummingbird Celebration: 17-20 Link
National Ballroom Dance Week: 18-27  Link
Clean Up The World Weekend: 18-20 Link 

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Observations for Today

Air Force Birthday
Bright Pink Lipstick Day Link
Chiropractic Founders Day Link
Constitution Day/Pledge Across America  
Hug A Greeting Card Writer Day
International Grenache Day Link
National Brave Day Link 
National Ceiling Fan Day Link
National Cheeseburger Day Link  Link
National Concussion Awareness Day Link  
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day Link
National POW/MIA Recognition Day Link
National Respect Day Link
National Tradesmen Day 
Read An Ebook Day Link
Rice Krispie Treat Day

Rosh Hashanah (at sundown)
World Water Monitoring Day Link Link

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My Rambling Thoughts

This morning I updated my iPhone with OS14, the latest one. It didn’t take nearly as long as I had expected. Some cool features but will take a while to get used to them.

Indian Health Service has announced that Chinle Clinic will have test COVID vaccines available for people to enter a trial of the drug. What would you do if you had a test study available?  I would wait.

Here is an interesting perspective: If you believe all lives matter you should be protesting now to help Blacks who have shown their lives don’t get the same treatment in a number of areas.

Another one: Voting is like Public Transportation v Uber. Here’s why…Public transportation gets you close to your destination. You might want to be closer but that is where you are dropped off. No candidate is going to check off every box for most voters. Uber takes you to right to your door but is much more costly in the long run. It is better to vote for the candidate closest to your beliefs than to not vote at all. Choosing not to vote is like deciding to walk all the way to your destination.

Many of us are missing traveling. Qantas Airline has a solution…sort of. For between USD$500 and USD$2700 you can take a 7-hour flight around Australia with low flyovers at scenic sights and then land back where you started. There is a price breakdown for Economy, Business, and 1^st class flights. All flights are on 787’s with only about 130 passengers per flight. The hardest part of the trip right now is getting to Australia.

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Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

Everyone in the world needs it,

but they usually give it without taking it.

What is it?

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Historical Events

1793 – George Washington laid the cornerstone for the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

1812 Great Fire of Moscow burns out after 5 days, 75% of the city destroyed and 12,000 killed

1837 Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young co-found a "stationery and fancy goods emporium" in New York City, later renamed in 1853 as "Tiffany & Co."

1848 – Baseball ruled that a 1st baseman can tag base for out instead of the runner

1850 – Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of escaped slaves to their owners.

1851 – The first edition of The New York Daily Times (now The New York Times) was published.

1927 – With 18 radio stations in the US, The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) went on the air.

1947 The Central Intelligence Agency officially comes into existence after being established by President Truman in July

1948 Ralph Bunche confirmed as acting UN mediator in Palestine

1965 – Get Smart and I Dream of Jeannie premiered on NBC

1970 – Jimi Hendrix (age 27) died in London.

1971 Momofuku Ando markets the first Cup Noodle, packaging it in a waterproof polystyrene container

1975 – Patty Hearst was captured by FBI agents and indicted.

1997 Ted Turner gives $1 billion to the United Nations, creating the public charity, the United Nations Foundation

2019 US White House bars California and other states from setting their own emission standards

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Birthdays Today

@85 – Jack Warden [John Warden Lebzelter Jr], American actor (d. 2006)

80 – Frankie Avalon[Francis Thomas Avallone], American singer, and actor

@75 – Samuel Johnson, English lexicographer, and poet (d. 1784)

75 – John McAfee, Scottish-American computer programmer, founded McAfee

69 – Ben Carson, American neurosurgeon, author, and politician (Sec HUD)

56 – Holly Robinson Peete, American actress

@51 – James Gandolfini, American actor, and producer (d. 2013; heart attack)

50 – Aisha Tyler, American actress, game show host

49 – Lance Armstrong, American cyclist

49 – Jada Pinkett Smith, American actress

47 – James Marsden, American actor

44 – Ronaldo [Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima], Brazilian footballer

@39 – J. D. Tippit, American police officer (d. 1963; killed after JFK)

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Puzzle Answer

Advice

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