7 Dec

 

December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 50 Day 341 \ Ave. Sky Cover 30% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 42° feels like 36°\32° 
Wind 9mph \ Gusts 4mph  Air Quality: Fair \Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 386mi \ Nearest Lightning 1262mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Partly cloudy

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 Link
Clerc-Gallaudet Week: 3-10
National Hand Washing Awareness Week: 4-10 Link  
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week: 4-10 
Andisop (Meterological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: 5-9 Link 
Computer Science Education Week: 5-11 Link

Daily Observations

International Civil Aviation Day
Letter Writing Day
National Cotton Candy Day
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
International Civil Aviation Day
National Cotton Candy Day Link
National Fire Safety Council Day
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Special Kids Day Link  

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Weather guy says to expect 1-3” of snow tonight…I’ll wait and see if it happens.

I made a quick shopping trip to get some essentials. A tad chilly to be out and about.

I had planned to run my vehicle through the dealer car wash today.  It was too chilly to wipe it down after the blower leaves some parts still wet. I’ll do it when it warms up a tad. Hopefully that will happen before May.

Favorite Memes

So very good!
	Digis =  Crazy!

Little known Native American History

The origin of hockey

If you're a hockey fan, you may be unaware you have the Saux, Foxes, and Assiniboine people to thank. They were among the Native American tribes who played a game called "shinny." In shinny a buckskin ball was hit down the field using a curved stick. In the winter months, the game was played over ice. White settlers took note and over time, shinny was developed into the modern sport we call hockey.

Depending on how much you know about the constitution, you may be surprised to learn that Ben Franklin and the founding fathers modeled the United States constitution on the constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy. However, Pamala Silas, associate director of outreach and engagement for the Center For Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern University, says, "Ben Franklin left out the most important part. The clan mothers were the ones who picked the leaders at the representative level because they knew them the best." 

Slang Origins

1928: Horsefeathers

Meaning: nonsense, balderdash

“Horsefeathers” is an exclamation perfect for interrupting someone you disagree with. “Applesauce,” another word from the same time, could serve a similar purpose. Rumored to be having been coined by cartoonist Billy De Beck, some think it’s meant to serve as a replacement for a more vulgar term, but that definition only goes back to the 1940s.

Historical Events

1787 – Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution.

1941 – Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USA attacked by Japan.

2002 – In Amsterdam, Netherlands, two Van Gogh paintings were stolen from the Van Gogh Museum. The two works were “View of the Sea st Scheveningen” and “Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen.” They were found, along with the thieves shortly after the heist.

Birthdays Today

@98 – Eli Wallach, American actor (d. 2014)

94 – Noam Chomsky, American linguist, and philosopher

Being able to do as one pleases is the natural goal of the libertarian, but having nothing to do is not. While it may be correct to say that the human species is badly prepared for having nothing to do, it is quite a different matter to say that it is badly prepared for the freedom to do as one pleases. People who are able to do as they please may work very hard, given the opportunity to do interesting work.– Noam Chomsky

90 – Ellen Burstyn, American actress

@80 – Clarence Nash, American voice actor, Donald Duck (d. 1985)

73 – Tom Waits, American singer-songwriter

We are buried beneath the weight of information, which is being confused with knowledge; quantity is being confused with abundance and wealth with happiness. We are monkeys with money and guns.– Tom Waits

67 – Larry Bird, American basketball player

I’ve got a theory that if you give 100 percent all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end.– Larry Bird

@67 – Louis Prima, American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, performer (d. 1978; stroke)

@62 – Ted Knight, American actor, and comedian (d. 1986; cancer)

56 – C. Thomas Howell, American actor

@50 – Richard Warren Sears, co-founder of Sears (d. 1914; alcoholism)

49 – Terrell Owens, American football player, and actor

43 – Sara Bareilles, American singer-songwriter

@38 – Harry Chapin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1981; auto accident)

Oh, if a man tried to take his time on earth and prove before he died what one man’s life could be worth, I wonder what would happen to this world?– Harry Chapin

@34 – Aaron Carter, American singer-songwriter (d. 2022; in bathtub)

Music is something that always lifts my spirits and makes me happy, and when I make music I always hope it will have the same effect on whoever listens to it.-Aaron Carter

33 – Nicholas Hoult, English actor

 

6 Dec

 

December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 50 Day 340 \ Ave. Sky Cover 40% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 46° \35° 
Wind 9mph \ Gusts s15mph  Air Quality: Fair \Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 38mi \ Nearest Lightning 1382mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Mostly Sunny

Today’s Quote

 

Weekly Observations

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 Link
Clerc-Gallaudet Week: 3-10
National Hand Washing Awareness Week: 4-10 Link  
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week: 4-10 
Andisop (Meterological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: 5-9 Link 
Computer Science Education Week: 5-11 Link

Daily Observations

International Sweater Day

Miner’s Day

Mitten Tree Day Link

National Gazpacho Day

National Pawnbrokers Day

National Microwave Oven Day

Put on Your Own Shoes Day

Saint Nicholas Day

World Trick Shot Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Finally, some sunshine.

Yesterday the Cardinals had a bye and the Broncos lost to the Ravens.

So nice to see that the White House has returned the Kennedy Center honorees pre-party. Trump had stopped the party and refused to attend the Kennedy Center Honors.

Deion Sanders is now the Head Football coach for the Univ. of CO Buffaloes. He has plans that may have a number of scholarship students transferring to another program. I’ll see how he does.

60 Minutes did a segment on Gorongosa Mountain and National Park in Mozambique. A former tech billionaire has poured over $100 million into rebuilding the Park after a civil war that destroyed most of the wildlife. The locals are now part of the park. It sounds fascinating. Adding it too my shortened bucket list.

Favorite Memes

One lonely Aspen in a see of Pine trees

Little known Native American History

You need to hear about Maria Tallchief

If you managed to get through school without hearing about Maria Tallchief, you missed out on hearing about a pioneering woman who changed the world. Tallchief, whose father was a member of the Osage Nation, dreamed of being a ballet dancer from the time she was a little girl. At 17, she moved to New York City to pursue a career as a ballerina, but racism stood in her way. She was advised many times to change her last name so her Native American heritage wouldn't be readily apparent, but Tallchief refused. Her hard work, talent, and unwavering persistence paid off. Maria Tallchief eventually broke barriers as the first American to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet and the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. She became the prima ballerina at the New York City Ballet and was regarded as one of the greatest dancers in the world. 

Slang Origins

1927: Zozzled

Meaning: drunk

First recorded in Edmund Wilson’s "Lexicon of Prohibition," “zozzled” was one of many words used during Prohibition to describe the effect of now-illegal drinking. “Zozzle” most likely comes from the word the word “sozzle,” another word for drunk that also means to splash something on someone, something a drunk person may be more likely to do.

Historical Events

1897 – London became the world’s first city license taxicabs.

1969 – The Altamont Free Concert, featuring Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Rolling Stones. It also had several deaths, and hundreds were injured. It was the focus of the 1970 documentary film titled Gimme Shelter.

Gerald Ford was sworn in as US Vice President in 1973.

Birthdays Today

@91 – Dave Brubeck, American pianist, composer (d. 2012)
“It is stern work, it is perilous work, to thrust your hand in the sun And pull out a spark of immortal flame to warm the hearts of men: But Prometheus, torn by the claws and beaks whose task is never done, Would be tortured another eternity to go stealing fire again.”
– Joyce Kilmer
@86 – Ira Gershwin, American songwriter (d. 1983)
“One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them.”– Ira Gershwin
86 – Kenneth Copeland, American evangelist
“Don’t try and fit your faith into your busy schedule, build your schedule around your faith.”
– Kenneth Copeland
74 – JoBeth Williams, American actress
@73 – Agnes Moorehead, American actress (d. 1974; cancer)
69 – Tom Hulce, American actor
55 – Judd Apatow, American director, producer, screenwriter
@48 – Wally Cox, American actor (d. 1973; heart attack)
@37 – Linda Creed, American singer-songwriter (d. 1986; breast cancer)
Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. – Michael Masser & Linda Creed
@31 – Joyce Kilmer, American soldier, author, poet (d. 1918; KIA)
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
– Joyce Kilmer
@25 – Baby Face Nelson, American gangster (d. 1934; shot by FBI)
“You drive. I’ve been hit!”– George “Baby Face” Nelson

 

5 Dec

 

5 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 50 Day 339 \ Ave. Sky Cover 90% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 50° \33° 
Wind 6mph \ Gusts 12mph  Air Quality: Fair \Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 132mi \ Nearest Lightning 1447mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Overcast AGAIN

Today’s Quote 

Weekly Observations

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 Link
Clerc-Gallaudet Week: 3-10
National Hand Washing Awareness Week: 4-10 Link  
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week: 4-10 
Andisop (Meterological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: 5-9 Link 
Computer Science Education Week: 5-11 Link

Daily Observations

AFL-CIO Day
Bathtub Party Day
Columbian International Day of The Reef  Link
Day of the Ninja
International Ninja Day Link  Photo Photo
International Volunteer Day for Economic & Social Development
Krampusnacht (Krampus Night)
National Blue Jeans Day
National Commute with your Baby Day
Sachertorte Day Link
World Soil Day Link

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Another overcast day. Had some light rain overnight.

As I look at the many close elections, I need to remember that even when the expected Red Wave didn’t really happen, this country remains very politically divided. I hope that all the elected officials will spend time during their upcoming term trying to reunite our country.

I grew up with Advent calendars for December. Back then it was just a new picture every day. I gave my brother one that has a ‘prize’ behind each day. This morning, our local food bank printed one in the local paper. Each day it lists a need at the food bank and everyone is asked to place the item in a box and deliver the box on Dec. 21^st to the Food Bank. What a cool idea.

Have you ever heard of a coatimundi or coati? It is a relative of the racoon and much larger that the common squirrel. The coati is 13-27” from nose to base of tail and can weigh up to 17lbs. Over the past two years, more and more coatis have been spotted in Northern AZ...far from South and Central America, their home. This last week there have been several sightings within our city limits.  Local scientists are saying it is a result of climate change. They also pointed out that numerous bird species are stopping here and not migrating further south, due to climate change and our much milder winters.

Favorite Memes

Little known Native American History

Guess who invented popcorn

Popcorn has long been associated with the movies, or in recent years, the microwave, but although many of us may have wondered why popcorn pops, few of us have asked where popcorn actually came from. The indigenous people of the Americas first domesticated the strain of maize which produces popcorn thousands of years ago. In fact, popcorn artifacts dating back to 6.700 years ago were discovered in Peru. So the next time you grab a handful of your favorite snack, remember it's not just Orville Redenbacher you should be thanking. 

Slang Origins

1926: Giggle water

Meaning: an alcoholic beverage

The Prohibition era brought America some of the most clever ways to make, sell, and obtain alcohol, including marketing it as medicine or pretending to be a religious leader to take advantage of loopholes. It also marked the invention of some of the most fun slang for alcohol, including “giggle water,” which likely got its name from the laughter that occurs when some people drink.

Historical Events

1766 – In London, auctioneer James Christie held his first sale/auction.
1955 – The Montgomery Bus Boycott began, led by E.D. Nixon and Rosa Parks.
1955 – The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL – CIO.
1865 – The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States.
1969 – ARPANET (the first true internet) grew from ARPA (the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency) when it connected to computer network nodes at four universities: the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park, CA, U.C. Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah.
1948 – Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts premiered, the first major show of its kind.

Birthdays Today

@100 – Strom Thurmond, senator, 103rd Governor of South Carolina (d. 2003)
@92 – Don Robertson, American songwriter and Happy Whistler (d. 2015)
@87 – Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman), singer-songwriter, pianist (d. 2020)
“Gay people are the sweetest, kindest, most artistic, warmest, and most thoughtful people in the world. And since the beginning of time, all they’ve ever been is kicked.”– Little Richard
@85 – Fritz Lang, Austrian-American director, producer, screenwriter (d. 1976)
“There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as a mediator.”– Fritz Lang
@80 – Otto Preminger, Austrian-American actor, director, producer (d. 1986)
@79 – Martin Van Buren, American politician, 8th President (d. 1862)
75 – Jim Messina, American singer-songwriter
@65 – Walt Disney, American animator, director, producer, screenwriter, co-founder of The Walt Disney Company (d. 1966; cancer)…cremated not frozen
“If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.”– Walt Disney
37 – Frankie Muniz, American actor
“Acting classes, I guess, are good and I would like to maybe sometime take one. But I would feel like I was learning someone else’s technique. I like mine.”– Frankie Muniz
@36 – George Armstrong Custer, American general (d. 1876; @ the Big Horn)
I would rather have a good education and no money than to have a fortune and be ignorant.”– George Armstrong Custer