22 Dec

 

22December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff

Week 52 Day 356 \ Ave. Sky Cover 5% \ Visibility 19 miles Flagstaff Today 50° \13° 

Wind 4mph \ Gusts 9mph  Air Quality: Good\ Moderate Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 479mi \ Nearest Lightning 1777mi

Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `

 Sunshine

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

Andisop (Meteorological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Christmas Bird Count Week: 14-1/5 Link 
Halcyon Days: 14-28 
Halcyon Days: 14-28 
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15 - 1/1/23  Link 
Posadas: 16-24
Saturnalia: 17-23
Chanukah: 18-26
Gluten-free Baking Week: 18-24  Link 
Cookie Exchange Week: 19-23  

Daily Observations

Abilities Day
Be a Lover of Silence Day
Forefathers Day Link
National Cookie Exchange Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

A nice day. Sunshine is nice!

I had lunch with Andy and Faith. They are doing well. Logan and Kayla will be at their place for Christmas Eve, then heading back to Phoenix where it will be warmer.

Denver may be hit with a real cold spell. Glad to read that the Denver Coliseum is opening its doors as a warming shelter due to the cold.

Zelensky is in DC. Hoping it goes well for him and his constituents.  

Favorite Memes

If…

•          You should keep your voice down in cornfields because there are so many ears. 

Slang Origins

1944: Square

Meaning: old-fashioned, boring

The African American jazz community, vibrant since the 1920s, continued to produce new sounds and words. Calling those who didn’t understand this new music “square” is said to come from the conducting patterns of a standard four-beat rhythm. It later shed its strictly musical connotation and could be applied to any boring person.

Mysteries…

WHERE IS JIMMY HOFFA?

The teamster union leader known for his involvement in organized crime disappeared in Oakland County, Michigan, on July 30, 1975, and is presumed to be dead. The identity of his killer(s) and the location of his body are ongoing mysteries. Police and forensic anthropologists have searched a number of sites in Detroit and Oakland County to no avail.

One popular theory was that Hoffa's body was buried beneath Giants Stadium in New Jersey. However, this theory has been debunked. On Oct. 25 and 26, 2021, FBI agents visited a former landfill in New Jersey to conduct a "site survey," according to The New York Times. The survey is a follow-up to a deathbed confession by a landfill worker claiming that people had charged he and his father with burying Hoffa's body in a steel barrel under the dump in 1975. The agents apparently didn't find the steel barrel, Live Science reported.

The identity of his killer is also unclear. Before his death in 2006, Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski, a hit man, claimed to have killed Hoffa and dumped his body in a scrap yard, The Guardian reported. An author named Philip Carlo visited Kuklinski in prison before he died and wrote a book on Kuklinski's confessions. After the book came out, a number of police officers cast doubt on the confession in media interviews. As the years go by, it appears increasingly unlikely that Hoffa's remains will ever be found. 

Historical Events

1956 – Colo, born at the Columbus, Ohio Zoo, was the first gorilla born in Peru.
December 22, 2012 (fiction) After a lot of planning, the alien colonization began on Earth on The X-Files, TV.
1990 – Lech Walesa was elected President of Poland.
2010 – The repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, the policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, was signed into law by President Barack Obama. 

Birthdays Today

@94 – Barbara Billingsley, American actress (d. 2010)
“Don’t think your dreams don’t come true, because they do. You’d better be careful what you wish for.”– Barbara Billingsley
@93 – Connie Mack, American baseball player, icon (d. 1956)
77 – Diane Sawyer, American journalist
“Follow what you are genuinely passionate about and let that guide you to your destination.”– Diane Sawyer
74 – Steve Garvey, American baseball player
@65 – Giacomo Puccini, Italian composer (d. 1924; heart attack)
60 – Ralph Fiennes, English actor
“I don’t feel particularly comfortable about actors using whatever power they may have to push their beliefs unless they’re extremely well informed.”-Ralph Fiennes
@59 – Jean-Baptiste Racine, French playwright (d. 1699; liver cancer)
“There are no secrets that time does not reveal.”– Jean-Baptiste Racine
52 – Ted Cruz, American politician
33 – Jordin Sparks, American singer
“It’s OK to feel crappy sometimes and it’s OK to feel like you don’t look like the next person. But what you have to know is that you are beautiful and you are strong and you are worth it. It’s important to know that.”– Jordin Sparks
29 – Meghan Trainor, American singer-songwriter
@27 – Pamela Courson, American girlfriend of Jim Morrison (d. 1974; OD) #27club

 

21 Dec

 

21 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 52 Day 355 \ Ave. Sky Cover 95% \ Visibility 21 miles Flagstaff Today 44° \16° 
Wind 3mph \ Gusts 4mph  Air Quality: Good \Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 346mi \ Nearest Lightning 1311mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Overcast

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

Andisop (Meteorological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Christmas Bird Count Week: 14-1/5 Link 
Halcyon Days: 14-28 
Halcyon Days: 14-28 
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15 - 1/1/23  Link 
Posadas: 16-24
Saturnalia: 17-23
Chanukah: 18-26
Gluten-free Baking Week: 18-24  Link 
Cookie Exchange Week: 19-23  

Daily Observations

Ann & Samantha Day    Link
Celebrate Short Fiction Day 
Crossword Puzzle Day
Forefathers Day
Global Orgasm Day 
Humbug Day
International Dalek Remembrance Day Link
Make Music Day in Winter  Link  
National Flashlight Day 
National Flashlight Day (Shortest Day of The Year)
National Homeless Persons' Remembrance Day Link
Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day
Short Film Day  Link
Short Girl Appreciation Day 
Shorts Day 
World Peace Day/Winter Solstice
Winter (Winter Solstice)  4:48 pm EST
Yule

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Overcast, but no moisture in the forecast. Hmmm

Title 42 was a Trump/Covid era rule that said immigrants had to wait in Mexico. It was scheduled to end this week, but Chief Justice Roberts prevented it ending. Now we wait.

As it gets colder, it is hard to understand why Russia continues to bomb sites that provide heat and electricity to the people of Ukraine.  The war simply rages on.

Why aren’t homeless shelters in the news? If our little mountain town is typical, there are 1-3 incidents at our local shelters. Fights are common…male on male, female on female, or male/female. Alcohol and/or drug intoxication are common. The police are involved daily at one of the several shelters. Ambulances are called involved at least once a week. Some of our shelters allow intoxicated individuals, others…usually church based, do not allow intoxicated individuals. Our tax dollars help support the homeless shelters. Many on the street need mental health services. Many are afraid of shelters because they see them as dangerous…due to the incidents of theft and or fights. There must be a better way to service these individuals.

Favorite Memes

If…

•          If a drummer comes out of retirement, will there be repercussions? 

Slang Origins

1943: Eager beaver

Meaning: an enthusiastic person who performs their duties and volunteers for more

Eager beaver most likely stems from the animal's industrious nature, building dams and houses for shelter. It was widely used in the U.S. armed forces during WWII, most notably by the Air Force, to describe someone eager to impress their superiors and take on undesirable tasks.

Mysteries…

WHO WAS JACK THE RIPPER?

In 1888, Jack the Ripper killed at least five women in London, mutilating their bodies. A number of letters, supposedly from the Ripper, were sent to police taunting officers' efforts to find the Ripper. (Whether any of them were actually written by the Ripper is a matter of debate among scholars.) The name "Jack the Ripper" comes from these letters.

Needless to say, the Ripper was never found, and over the years, dozens of people have been brought up as possible candidates. In his 2012 book ""Jack The Ripper: The Hand Of A Woman," John Morris suggests that a woman named Lizzie Williams was the Ripper, although other Ripper experts cast doubt on it. It appears unlikely that the true identity of the Ripper will ever be known for sure.

Historical Events

1620 – The Pilgrims reached Plymouth.
1937 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the world’s first full-length animated feature, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre.
1988 – Pan American Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. Two hundred fifty-nine people on board the New York-bound Boeing 747 were killed, along with 11 people on the ground were killed.
1970- Elvis Presley Met with US President Richard Nixon. The photograph of them shaking hands is the most requested reproduction from the US National Archives.

Birthdays Today

@92 – Werner von Trapp, Austrian-American singer (d. 2007)
@87 – Jack Russell, English dog breeder (d. 1883)
@85 – Joe Paterno, American Penn State football coach (d. 2012)
“Believe deep down in your heart that you’re destined to do great things.”– Joe Paterno
@82 – Paul Winchell, American actor, ventriloquist (d. 2005)
87 – Phil Donahue, American talk show host
85 – Jane Fonda, American actress
@76 – Benjamin Disraeli, politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1881; gout)
“All of us encounter, at least once in our life, some individual who utters words that make us think forever. There are men whose phrases are oracles; who condense in one sentence the secrets of life; who blurt out an aphorism that forms a character or illustrates an existence.”
– Benjamin Disraeli
@74 – Joseph Stalin, Russian politician (d. 1953; stroke)
“A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.”– Joseph Stalin 74 – Samuel L. Jackson, American actor
68 – Chris Evert, American tennis player
“If you’re a champion, you have to have it in your heart.”– Chris Evert 67 – Jane Kaczmarek, American actress
65 – Ray Romano, American comedian
57 – Andy Dick, American comedian
56 – Kiefer Sutherland, actor
@52 – Frank Zappa, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer (d. 1993; cancer)
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”– Frank Zappa
45 – Emmanuel Macron, French politician
@38 – Florence Griffith Joyner, American sprinter (d. 1998; seizure while sleeping)
“Conventional is not for me. I like things that are uniquely Flo. I like being different.”
– Florence Griffith Joyner

 

20 Dec

 

20 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 52 Day 354 \ Ave. Sky Cover a% \ Visibility 22 miles Flagstaff Today 41° \10° 
Wind 5mph \ Gusts 9mph  Air Quality:  Good\ VeryLow Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 312mi \ Nearest Lightning 953mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

 

Weekly Observations

Andisop (Meteorological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Christmas Bird Count Week: 14-1/5 Link 
Halcyon Days: 14-28 
Halcyon Days: 14-28 
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15 - 1/1/23  Link 
Posadas: 16-24
Saturnalia: 17-23
Chanukah: 18-26
Gluten-free Baking Week: 18-24  Link 
Cookie Exchange Week: 19-23 

Daily Observations

Games Day Link
Go Caroling Day
International Human Solidarity Day
Mudd Day
National Sangria Day 
Poet Laureate Day
Sacagawea Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Another very chilly morning but it is slowly warming up.

I picked up my CPAP supplies this morning. I asked about when they were going to service my Concentrator, since it has been over a year. Their records showed that I got a new concentrator in  August. I didn’t and the last service was on 10/12/21. They said a guy would be out on Wednesday. Strange for sure.

The Broncos beat the Cards yesterday. Both teams have losing records this season, but after all, a win is a win.

The House hearings are not concluded. There sure has been a lot of information. Now we wait to see what the DOJ is going to do.

Favorite Memes

z

z

If…NEW!

• If at first you don’t succeed, then don’t try skydiving.

Slang Origins

1942: Cut a rug

Meaning: to dance, especially to the jitterbug

Jitterbug dancing took the U.S. by storm through the '30s and '40s, and spread to the rest of the world with American soldiers after the U.S.' entry into WWII. It was a lively and exuberant dance, and when many couples danced at the same time, it could make the carpet look like it had been damaged.

Corny jokes

When do computers overheat?

When they need to vent.

…

Why do bees have sticky hair?

Because they use honeycombs.

Historical Events

1832 – England’s HMS Clio, under the command of Captain Onslow, arrived at Port Egmont, taking possession of the Falkland Islands
1971 – The international aid organization Doctors Without Borders was founded by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists in Paris, France.
1989 – The United States invasion of Panama deposed Manuel Noriega.
2007 – Elizabeth II became the oldest monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years and 243 days

Birthdays Today

@69 – Harvey Firestone, American inventor (Firestone tires) (d. 1938; heart attack)
@91 – Irene Dunne, American actress (d. 1990)
@81 – George Roy Hill, American director [Butch Cassidy…, The Sting] (d. 2002)
@86 – Charlie Callas, American actor, comedian (d. 2011)
@84 – John Hillerman, American actor (d. 2017)
76 – Peter Criss, American singer-songwriter, drummer (KISS)
76 – Uri Geller, Israeli-English magician, psychic
76 – Dick Wolf, American TV producer
“The environment doesn’t change that radically. You are still going to go home at night and NBC is going to be there, ABC and CBS will still be there.”– Dick Wolf
74 – Alan Parsons, English keyboard player, producer
65 – Billy Bragg, English singer
“A virtue never tested is no virtue at all.”– Billy Bragg
64 – Anita Ward, American singer
63 – Jackie Fox (Jacqueline Louise Fuchs), American attorney, Jeopardy! champ, bass player- The Runaways
“I have lived in the canyon for 20 years and the sound of a pack of coyotes yipping still makes my hairs stand on end.”-Jackie Fox
39 – Jonah Hill, American actor
“It’s always better to shock people and change people’s expectations than to give them exactly what they think you can do.”– Jonah Hill
32 – JoJo, American singer