May 8

 

 
Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 20 Day: 128 \ Ave. sky cover: 10% \ Visibility: 10 miles Flagstaff Today 77° \42° 
Wind: 8mph \ Gusts: 23mph
Extreme risk of fire \ Nearest active fire: 12mi \ nearest Lightning: 631mi
May Averages for Flagstaff: 68° \ 34°  (3 days of moisture)

 

Today’s Quote

Monthly Observations

Teen CEO Month
Tennis Month
Tay-Sachs and Canavan Diseases Month
Textile Month  Link
Tourettes Syndrome Awareness Month (5/15 - 6/15) Link
Toxic Encephalopathy and Chemical Injury Awareness Month Link
Ultra-violet Awareness Month
Women's Health Care Month
Worldwide Home Schooling Awareness Month
Young Achievers of Tomorrow Month
National Family Month (5/12 to 6/16) 

Weekly Observations

2-8    Children's Book Week Link  (Also Nov. 7-13) National Sun Safety Week Link Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week  Link National Wildflower Week  Screen-Free Week (Digital Detox Week) Link

3-11  (World) Dystonia Awareness Week Link

6-12  National Nurses Day and Week: Link  Link

6-15 National Public Gardens Week  Link

7-8  Toad Suck Daze

8-14   Food Allergy Awareness Week  Link National Nursing Home Week National Return To Work Week   National Women's Health Week  Tick Awareness Week

8-15 Reading is Fundamental Week  Link   Salvation Army Week   Work At Home Moms Week

 

Daily Observations

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

A very happy Mother’s Day. My mom had a great life for 89 years. She is gone, but not forgotten. Also, Happy Mother’s Day to all who are raising children with the mother present.

My new air fryer arrived late yesterday. I am very pleased as I could recycle my toaster oven and my small air fryer at Savers…[Big Brothers & Big Sisters]. The toaster oven was about 5 years old and the air fryer about a year old…both still worked.

Today is the Run for the Roses…Kentucky Derby. About 150,000 spectators will watch and millions will be bet. I’m sure those into such extravaganzas are excited since this is the first Derby with spectators since Covid started 2 years ago.

I never really understood why we were in Afghanistan for so long. I was very disappointed by our withdrawal’s lack of a good strategy. The Taliban rulers have now said that all women must be covered when in public. Any woman not obeying this law will be punished, and their husband may also be punished. So very sad.

Senator Sinema, of AZ, visited Flagstaff yesterday to see the devastation of the Tunnel fire that claimed 31 homes. She is pushing Congress to have Hot Shot crews moved from seasonal to year-long. Part of the issue to the Tunnel fire was that it was so early, many out-of-state hot shot crews had not started their seasonal work. The Hot Shots in AZ just happened to be in training sessions and could be deployed. I hope she gets the change made.

‘My body, my choice’ was a battle cry of many mask haters during the pandemic. However, during the abortion debate, many of those same people are silent. Curious for sure.

Almost 5000 students had graduation ceremonies at our local University yesterday and today, in 4 different ceremonies.  Congrats to the grads. Traffic on that side of town is very slow. Glad I don’t have to head that way.

The Havasupai tribe lives in the Grand Canyon. Mail is still delivered by mule. The only way in or out is to hike, by mule, or by expensive helicopter rides. The tribal council voted yesterday to keep the tribal land closed through 2022, to prevent the spread of Covid.

Favorite Memes

Thanks to Ed, my Focus roommate for these:

 

State Trivia

Idaho: there's a unique New Year's tradition

The iconic Times Square New Year's ball drop is one of the most famous traditions when it comes to ringing in the New Year. However, Boise residents have found a more unique (and more state-appropriate) way to welcome 1 January. Since 2013, thousands of spec-taters have gathered at the Idaho State Capitol every year to watch the Idaho Potato Drop – a giant, illuminated GlowTato is lowered from above as the clock strikes midnight. We'd expect nothing less from Idaho.

Illinois: Chicago isn't The Windy City because of the weather

It's thought that the source of the nickname is political rather than the chilly gusts that sweep across the city from Lake Michigan. In an 1893 editorial in the New York Sun, Charles A. Dana calls Chicago a "windy city" in reference to the city's politicians who were said to be "full of hot air". At the time Chicago was competing with New York to host the 1983 World's Fair. In a twist to this tale, the original editorial has never been located, however, there is an existing copy of an 1876 Cincinnati Enquirer that calls Chicago "That Windy City" after a tornado swept through the city so we might never know the truth...

Indiana: Wabash was the first electrically-lit city in the world

The small city of Wabash made significant history on the evening of 31 March 1880, when the world's first electric streetlights were turned on. After Edison's invention of the light bulb in 1879, Charles F. Brush came up with the idea of streetlights, but he needed a place to try out his idea. After a demonstration in Cleveland, four 3,000 candlepower lamps were placed atop the Wabash County Courthouse (pictured) and around 10,000 people came to watch the spectacle. The original Brush lights are still on display at the courthouse.

Iowa: Fenelon Place Elevator is both the shortest and the steepest in the world

Elevating passengers 189 feet (57.6m), from Fourth Street to Fenelon Place in Dubuque, the Fenelon Place Elevator is dubbed the world's shortest and steepest, although the title has been contested by other funicular railways. Just 296 feet (90.2m) in length, the elevator was first used by local banker J.K. Graves in 1882. The funicular was opened to public in 1884 and cost five cents per ride. After several devastating fires, the current funicular opened in 1893 and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Historical Events

    
Ø    1886 – Pharmacist John Pemberton first sold his carbonated beverage named “Coca-Cola” as a patent medicine.
Ø    1933 – Mohandas Gandhi began a 21-day fast of self-purification and launched a one-year campaign to help the Harijan movement.
Ø    1945 – Germany’s ‘second surrender’ with Stalin
Ø    1912 – Paramount Pictures was founded.
Ø    1933 – Mohandas Gandhi began a 21-day fast of self-purification and launched a one-year campaign to help the Harijan movement.
Ø    1945 – V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) was celebrated in America and Great Britain.
Ø    1961 – The first practical seawater conversion plant in the US was opened in Freeport, Texas.
Ø    1976 – The New Revolution, the first steel roller coaster with a vertical loop, opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Ø    1980 – The World Health Organization confirmed the eradication of smallpox.
Ø    1984 – The Soviet Union announced that they were boycotting the 1984 Olympics.
Ø    2010 – Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live, thanks to a push by fans on Facebook. She won an Emmy for her appearance.

Birthdays Today

96 – David Attenborough, TV Host

@90 – Don Rickles, American comedian and actor (d. 2017)

@88 – Harry S. Truman, 33rd President (d. 1972)

@84 – Fulton J. Sheen, American archbishop (d. 1979)

78 – Gary Glitter, Glam rocker

@65 – Peter Benchley, American author and screenwriter (d. 2006; Pulmonary fibrosisz)

@64 – William Henry Vanderbilt, American businessman, philanthropist (d. 1885)

58 – Melissa Gilbert, American actress

47 – Enrique Iglesias, Spanish-American singer-songwriter

@45 – Ricky Nelson, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 1985; plane crash)

@+/-40 – Sonny Liston, American boxer (d. 1970; OD)

 

May 7

 

 
Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 19 Day: 127 \ Ave. sky cover: 5% \ Visibility: 10 miles Flagstaff Today 76° \38° 
Wind: 8mph \ Gusts: 17mph
Extreme risk of fire \ Nearest active fire: 12mi \ nearest Lightning: 816mi

May Averages for Flagstaff: 68° \ 34°  (3 days of moisture)

 Today’s Quote

 

Monthly Observations

Necrotizing Fasciitis Awareness Month
Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month Link
Older Americans Month
Personal History Month Link
Pet Cancer Awareness Month Link
Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month
Preeclampsia Awareness Month Link
Prepare Tomorrow's Parents Month (5/11-6/15)
React Month
Revise Your Work Schedule Month
Save Your Tooth Month
Social Security Education Awareness Month
Skin Cancer Awareness Month  Link
Spiritual Literacy Month
Strike Out Strokes Month
Sturge-Weber Awareness Month Link

Weekly Observations

May 1-7   Spring Astronomy Week  Be Kind To Animals Week  Dating and Life Coach Recognition Week  Link  Drinking Water Week  Link  Flexible Work Arrangement Week  Geek Week  Link  (First Week) Goodwill Industries Week   Hurricane Preparedness Week   Link International Clitoris Awareness Week    National Alcohol & Drug Related Birth Defects Awareness Week  National Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week National Correctional Officer's Week    National Family Week     National Hug Holiday Week National Root Canal Appreciation Week  Link   National Small Business Week National Tourism Week  National Small Business Week National Tourism Week Link   North American Occupational Safety & Health Week   Link Public Service Recognition Week   Link National Pet Week  Link   Update Your References Week

2-8    Children's Book Week Link  (Also Nov. 7-13) National Sun Safety Week Link Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week  Link National Wildflower Week  Screen-Free Week (Digital Detox Week) Link

3-11  (World) Dystonia Awareness Week Link

6-12  National Nurses Day and Week: Link  Link

6-15 National Public Gardens Week  Link

7-8  Toad Suck Daze

Daily Observations

 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Another nice day. Headed out to do weekly shopping.

Wind will start up about 7p and continue through the weekend. 40+ mph gusts are predicted. With the fire danger at extreme, it will be a dangerous weekend. Still our area is not having as many fires as New Mexico. One of their biggest is just barely outside Las Vegas, NM. I stopped for gas many times when I used to drive to Denver. It is a nice little town. Many have evacuated already and more evacuations as expected. Sad.

The picture party for our trip to French Polynesia is tomorrow. I won’t be there but posted a You-Tube video for them to watch. I had to use a new program and couldn’t figure out how to add the music. Here is the link: French Polynesia 2022 Focus Travel.

My brother’s half-brother is traveling England with his wife. He is posting great pictures. They have been planning for a few years and are doing B&B’s between driving from castles to castle. If you use FB, check out their pages: Lenny Scovel and Eleanor VanDeusen.

Favorite Memes

 

Myths that are not true

The family pet went to live on the farm

The truth may be difficult to explain to a child, but this is not only one of the biggest lies parents tell their children, it can actually be damaging to the development of their emotional resiliency.

If you cross your eyes, they will get stuck

Eye muscles can tire after remaining crossed for too long, but they will never freeze in that position.

If you touch a toad, you'll get warts

Warts are contracted from a virus, which has zero connection to the texture of this amphibian's skin.

Cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis

There is no scientific evidence to back up this claim, even if it does sound disgusting to many people.

State Trivia

Florida: both crocodiles and alligators live here

Florida's sprawling Everglades National Park is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles co-exist in the same environment. While crocodiles can live in both freshwater and saltwater, alligators prefer freshwater, which means the Everglades is the perfect place for both these reptiles to live. You probably don't want to get close enough to tell the difference, but crocs have longer, pointier snouts while gators' snouts are shorter and more rounded.

Georgia: it has an official state possum

Adopted as state symbol in 1992, Pogo is a major character in a comic strip, published in American newspapers from 1948 to 1975. Created by Walt Kelly after an inspirational visit to Okefenokee Swamp, the cartoon depicted Pogo, a friendly and funny swamp critter that offered commentary on social and political events. Set in the Georgia section of the swamp (part of it lies in Florida), the cartoon often poked fun at the vanity of people with Pogo once declaring "we have met the enemy and he is us".

Hawaii: Iolani Palace is America's only royal palace

The only official royal residence in the USA, Iolani Palace was home to the Hawaiian monarchy in the 19th century. The royal residence was completed in 1882 and was a sumptuous property ahead of its time, complete with electricity and indoor plumbing. The interiors are equally as opulent, and the Throne Room is the plushest of them all. Red velvet curtains frame vast windows, chandeliers hang heavy from the ceiling and a pair of gilded thrones sit on a raised platform.

Historical Events

Ø    1718 – La Nouvelle-Orleans (now New Orleans) was founded by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, on land inhabited by the Chitimacha. It was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, the Regent of France.

Ø    1789 – George Washington was inaugurated as the first US President.

Ø    1824 – Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony premiered in Vienna, Austria.

Ø    1846 – The Cambridge Chronicle, America’s oldest surviving weekly newspaper, was published for the first time in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ø    1915 – A German U-boat sank The Lusitania.

Ø    1946 – Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) was founded.

Ø    1952 – The concept of the integrated circuit was first published by Geoffrey Dummer.

Ø    1976 – The Honda Accord was launched.

Ø    1994 – Norway’s most famous painting The Scream by Edvard Munch (1893), was recovered almost three months after it was stolen from a museum in Oslo.

Ø    1998 – Germany’s Daimler-Benz announced the purchase of the Chrysler Corporation, forming DaimlerChrysler AG. It was sold again in 2006, forming Chrysler LLC.

Ø    2013 – The Dow Jones Index closed above 15,000 for the first time.

Birthdays Today

@83 – George “Gabby” Hayes, American character actor (d. 1969)

@83 – Darren McGavin [William Lyle Richardson], American actor (d. 2006)

@77 – Robert Browning, English poet (d. 1889)

76 Michael Rosen, British Children’s author

@69 – Johnny Unitas, American football player, sportscaster (d. 2002; stroke)

@65 – David Hume, Scottish philosopher (d. 1776; cancer)

@63 – Johannes Brahms, German pianist and composer (d. 1897; jaundice)

@62 – Anne Baxter, American actress (d. 1985; stroke)

@60 – Gary Cooper, American actor (d. 1961; cancer)

54 – Traci Lords [Nora Louise Kuzma], American actress

@53 – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer (d. 1893; cholera)

35 – Aidy Bryant, comedian [SNL]