30 Dec

 

30 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 53 Day 364 \ Ave. Sky Cover 80% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 45° \20° 
Wind 6mph \ Gusts 12mph  Air Quality: Fair \Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 131mi \ Nearest Lightning 954mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Overcast with occasional sun breaking through

Today’s Quote

 

Weekly Observations

Christmas Bird Count Week: 14-1/5 Link 
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15 - 1/1/23  
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15 - 1/1/23  Link 
It's About Time Week: 25-31
Kwanzaa: 26-1/1

Daily Observations

Bacon Day Link  Link
Falling Needles Family Fest Day
Festival of Enormous Changes @ The Last Minute
National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
No Interruptions Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Our mountain town is between storms. Clouds remain. It is not too cold so that is a positive.

I bought some groceries this morning…just in case. No real snow drops until early New Year’s Day, but here, we never know. The last storm was very wet as I discovered when I cleared off my vehicle yesterday.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to us as Pelé, passed at 82 this morning. He was well known around the world. He will be missed.

I talked to Cheryl this morning. She is back from spending 5 weeks with her son and his family. She was very upbeat and is even talking about possibly doing knee replacement since she is tried of the pain and difficulty walking. Good for her.  

Favorite Memes Winter Wonderland cont.

Facts…

Most people already know that Mount Everest, with a peak that sits 29,035 feet above sea level, soars above any other mountain on the planet. However, if we’re talking about mountains that exist below sea level, then Hawaii’s Mauna Kea blows Mount Everest out of the water, so to speak. At 32,696 feet from base to summit, Mauna Kea is approximately 3,661 feet taller than Everest. The reason Mauna Kea doesn’t receive more recognition for its size? Most of the mountain exists underwater, with only 13,796 feet rising above sea level.

A geyser is a hot spring that erupts water and steam, due to pressure that is created underground. Formed as a water-filled tube that connects the atmosphere to the Earth’s crust, a geyser erupts when magma heats the water, forcing it upward towards the Earth’s surface. Although a geyser is not the same as a volcano, they are somewhat related, as a geyser manifests the same sort of activity, with eruptions fueled by magma. However, unlike a volcano, it is easier to predict when a geyser will blow, as it produces notable seismic activity prior to an eruption. As a result, some researchers study geysers to help them understand more information about volcanoes. There are also certain geysers that blow in a timely manner, like the aptly named Old Faithful — a Yellowstone National Park attraction that erupts roughly 20 times a day.

If you’re curious as to the geographical distinction between Key West in Southern Florida and Ambergris Cay in Turks and Caicos, here’s the short answer: There is no difference. The geographical terms cay and key are a little bit like “tomato, to-mah-to” — the use of the term depends on where you are. Both are derived from the Spanish word cayo, which translates to “key,” and they’re used interchangeably to describe a low-lying island, sandbar, or coral reef. As a tropical destination with over 60 islands and keys, the British Virgin Islands is also home to a “Key Cay,” making it the only place in the world where both terms are used to describe a single place.

Measuring 4,130 miles in length, the Nile River in Africa is often considered to be the longest river in the world, while the Amazon River in South America comes in at a close second. Although past data has shown that the Amazon River is anywhere between 3,980 and 4,000 miles in length, a 2007 expedition claimed the length of the Amazon to be an astonishing 4,225 miles. However, since this measurement has not been internationally recognized, the debate over the longest river in the world continues. As a result, many recognize the Nile as the longest river, but give Amazon the title of the largest river by volume. 

Slang Origins

1950: Blockbuster

Meaning: expensive to make but commercially successful (especially movies)

In an age in which box-office breaking movies are coming out every year—if not every weekend—it’s hard to imagine a “blockbuster” being anything but the newest Marvel flick. The term was originally used to describe a bomb that had destroyed a city block. Later, advertisers used this association when marketing their action-packed war movies before it became something that could apply to any movie.

Mysteries…

FATE OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

In 587 B.C., a Babylonian army, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, conquered Jerusalem, sacking the city and destroying the First Temple, a building used by the Jewish people to worship God. The First Temple contained the Ark of the Covenant, which carried tablets recording the 10 Commandments.

The fate of the Ark is unclear. Ancient sources indicate that the ark was either carried back to Babylon or hidden before the city was captured. It's also possible that the ark was destroyed during the city's sacking. In any event, the ark's location is unknown. Since the disappearance, a number of stories and legends about the ark's fate have been told. One story suggests the ark eventually made its way to Ethiopia, where it is kept today. Another story says the ark was divinely hidden and will not appear until a messiah arrives.

Historical Events

1903 – A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois killed at least 605 people.
1916 – Russian mystic and advisor to the Tsar Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was murdered by a group led by Prince Felix Yusupov. His frozen, partially-trussed body was found in a Moscow river three days later.

Birthdays Today

85 – Paul Stookey, American singer-songwriter
@82 – Joseph Bologna, American actor (d. 2017)
@80 – Jack Riley, American actor (d. 2016)
80 – Michael Nesmith, American singer-songwriter, Monkee
80 – Fred Ward, American character actor
@79 – Bo Diddley [Ellas Otha Bates], singer-songwriter guitarist (d. 2008)
@77 – Bert Parks, American actor and beauty pageant host (d. 1992; lung caner)
76 – Patti Smith, American singer-songwriter and poet
@70 – Rudyard Kipling, Indian-English author (d. 1936; perforated ulcer)
@73 – Simon Guggenheim, American businessman (d. 1941)
@72 – Skeeter Davis, American singer-songwriter (d. 2004; lung cancer)
@55 – Del Shannon, American singer-songwriter(d. 1990; suicide)
69 – Meredith Vieira, American journalist
@66 – Davy Jones, English singer-songwriter and actor, Monkee (d. 2012)
63 – Tracey Ullman, English-American actress
61 – Sean Hannity, American radio and television host
49 – Jason Behr, American actor
47 – Tiger Woods, golfer
38 – LeBron James, basketball star
30 – Carson Wentz, American football player

 

29 Dec

 

29 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 53 Day 363 \ Ave. Sky Cover 95% \ Visibility 4miles Flagstaff Today 45° \29° 
Wind 4mph \ Gusts 5mph  Air Quality: Fair\Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 266mi \ Nearest Lightning 112mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Snow

Today’s Quote

 

Weekly Observations

Christmas Bird Count Week: 14-1/5 Link 
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15 - 1/1/23  Link 
It's About Time Week: 25-31
Kwanzaa: 26-1/1

Daily Observations

National Pepper Pot Day
Still Need To Do Day
Texas Admission Day (28th state)
Tick Tock Day
YMCA Day (Organization not The Song)

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Snow has arrived. So far about 5” on the ground. Glad I had no plans to be out and about today. This storm should continue until 2023.  Over 4200 have lost power in West Flagstaff. They are saying it should be back on after 5 hours without power. Some days will get snow, others will be just cloudy. On the upside…it is not that cold. Hopefully the full storm will only bring a few more inches.

Good news on Navajo…Both Shiprock and Tuba City have gotten Federal funds to fund a domestic violence shelter in each town. This is much needed as victims have had to leave the reservation to find a shelter. I recall a Navajo teacher and her K daughter who were abused. She came to me one night after her boyfriend threatened her and her daughter with a knife. I found her a shelter in Flagstaff. She stayed there for almost a year before returning. It was very difficult for her to be that far from family, but she was safe.

As the Supreme Court looks at Title 42, I encourage the Congress to do its job and deal with the immigration crisis. 

Favorite Memes Winter Wonderland Part 3

Facts…

Located in the Mariana Trench southwest of Guam, the Challenger Deep — named for the first crew to record its depth — measures an astounding 36,200 feet deep, which is three times deeper than the average depth of the ocean floor. Using a sounding rope, the HMS Challenger calculated the trench’s depth to be 26,850 feet in 1875. As more teams flocked to the western Pacific over the years, researchers used advanced sonar techniques to measure the current recorded depth. To this day, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known point on Earth.

While they may appear similar, marshes and swamps are technically quite different. Although they both are a type of wetland, a swamp can also be compared to a lowland forest, as it is classified based on the type of tree that grows in its ecosystem. For example, depending on the predominant tree, a swamp can be classified as a hardwood swamp, a cedar swamp, or a cypress swamp (like South Florida’s Big Cypress Swamp). On the other hand, a marsh has no trees and instead is dominated by plants and grasses that thrive on the waterlogged soil. Although many people believe the Everglades to be a swamp, it is actually the largest marsh system in the U.S. — before it was partially developed, it took up an astonishing 4,000 square miles of the Florida landscape. 

Slang Origins

1949: Beefcake

Meaning: an attractive display of an unusually muscular male physique

A “beefcake” may actually have been a food during the 1940s, but that definition has long since been eclipsed by the displays of men in very little clothing showing off their muscles. It was based on the female equivalent of these displays, a "cheesecake." Today, it’s used to refer to actors and bodybuilders who may have been in one of these athletic demonstrations back in the day.

Mysteries…

IS THE COPPER SCROLL TREASURE REAL?

Another treasure tale that will probably never be resolved is more ancient. In 1952 a copper scroll was found by archaeologists in a cave, along with other Dead Sea Scrolls, at the site of Qumran. As its name suggests, the writing was engraved onto a copper scroll. The scroll records a vast amount of hidden gold and silver treasure — so much, in fact, that some scholars believe that it is impossible for it to exist.

The scroll dates back more than 1,900 years to a time when the Roman Empire controlled the Qumran area. There were a number of revolts against Roman rule at the time the scroll was written, and scientists have hypothesized that the treasure was hidden to prevent its capture by Roman forces. Whether the treasure is real, where exactly it was hidden, whether it was ever found and whether it could still exist today are all mysteries that will likely never be solved.

Historical Events

1851 – The first American YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) opened in Boston, Massachusetts.
1890 – The US Cavalry killed 146 Sioux at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota.
1916 – James Joyce’s book Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was published

Birthdays Today

@88 – William Ewart Gladstone, British politician
“Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.”– William Ewart Gladstone
84 – Jon Voight, American actor
@80 – Mary Tyler Moore, American actress (d. 2017)
“Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.”– Mary Tyler Moore
76 – Marianne Faithfull, English actress and singer
“If you analyze the bad times you find that it’s because you wanted to have a bad time.”– Marianne Faithfull
75 – Ted Danson, American actor
@66 – Andrew Johnson, American politician, 17th President (d. 1875; stroke)
“If I am shot at, I want no man to be in the way of the bullet.”– Andrew Johnson
63 – Paula Poundstone, American comedian
“It’s funny that we think of libraries as quiet demure places where we are shushed by dusty, bun-balancing, bespectacled women. The truth is libraries are raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy, and community. Librarians have stood up to the Patriot Act, sat down with noisy toddlers, and reached out to illiterate adults. Libraries can never be shushed.”– Paula Poundstone
@60 – Ed Flanders, American actor (d. 1995; suicide)
@59 – Charles Goodyear, American chemist, and engineer (d. 1860; grief)
50 – Jude Law, English actor
46 – Danny McBride, American actor
43 – Diego Luna, Mexican actor
40 – Alison Brie, American actress
37 – Alexa Ray Joel, American singer-songwriter