February 2023
Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 9 Day 57 \ Ave. Sky Cover 5% \ Visibility 19 miles Flagstaff Today 54° \23° Wind 8mph \ Gusts 15mph
Air Quality: Fair \Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 250mi \ Nearest
Lightning 2995mi
Feb. Averages for Flagstaff: 47° \ 19° \5
Days of moisture
Today’s
Quote
Weekly
Observations
19-26
National Sauna Week Link
22-4/8
Lent
26-3/4
Telecommuter Appreciation
Week
Daily Observations
Carpe Diem Day
For Pete's Sake Day
Letter To An Elder Day
Levi Strauss Day
National Chili Day
National Chocolate Covered Peanuts Day
National Clam Chowder Day
National Customized Wheel and Tire Day
National Personal Chef's Day
National Chocolate Covered Peanuts Day
National Clam Chowder Day
National Customized Wheel and Tire Day
National Personal Chef's Day Link
National Pistachio Day
Paczki Day
Pancake Day
Paczki Day
Pancake Day
Personal Chef’s Day
Tell a Fairytale Day
Thermos Bottle Day
World Pistachio
Day Link
My
Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts
Another
storm is due this evening. At least it’s a good day to help the previous snow
melt.
The
average snow fall in our mountain town is 90” for the entire winter season. As
of this morning we have had 113”+. No wonder I’m tired of the snow.
As
the war in Ukraine enters year 2, I looked up some information about Ukraine
and the war so far:
Ukraine
is the second-largest European country after Russia
Ukraine
covers approximately 600,000 square kilometres (230,000 sq mi).
Ethnic
groups (2001): 77.8% Ukrainians; 17.3% Russians; 4.9% Others
Religion
(2018): 87.3% Christianity; 11.0% No religion; 0.8% Others; 0.9% Unanswered
Ukraine
is a Unitary semi-presidential republic
Estimated
population today: 41,167,336 (excluding Crimea) (36th); 2001 census 48,457,102
Individual
EU member states have provided military, financial, and non-lethal material aid
since 2014. The following list is the aid collectively provided by the EU. Most
of this aid has been coordinated by the European Commission.
Around
€17 billion in grants and loans from 2014 until 12 February 2022.
€1.2
billion loan approved 16 February 2022[436]
€450
million worth of lethal weapons, announced on 27 February 2022 under the
European Peace Facility.
€50
million worth of non-lethal aid, announced on 27 February 2022
Provision
of satellite intelligence, notably through the European Union Satellite Centre,
as part of 1 March 2022 resolution on the Russian aggression against Ukraine
Increase
of military aid under the European Peace Facility to €1 billion, announced on
23 March 2022
Military
aid increased to €1.5 billion under the European Peace Facility on 13 April 2022,
assistance includes personal protective equipment, first aid kits and fuel, as
well as military equipment
Protective
gear worth over €977,000 donated to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
on 8 July 2022
An
additional €500 million military aid package for Ukraine approved by the EU on
18 July 2022
Around
€500,000 worth of thermal imaging equipment provided by the EU for the State
Border Guard Service of Ukraine
Citizens
of Taiwan donated $945 million NTD (US$33 million) as of 2 April 2022
$6,000
worth of AR-15 rifle parts donated by Taiwanese citizens
Citizens
of South Korea have so far donated $3 million directly to the Ukrainian Embassy
in Seoul
South
Korean "military geeks" or "밀덕" (mildeok) have been donating their
military materiel directly to the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul including: bulletproof
helmets, bulletproof vests, military blankets, hemostatic tourniquets,
ammunition pouches, first aid kits, knee and elbow guards, etc
In
addition to private donations, numerous American states and local law
enforcement agencies are donating surplus protective equipment through the
Ukrainian American Coordinating Council and other organizations:
"Blue/Yellow"
charity in Lithuania, dedicated for supporting Ukraine, collected over €22.9
million (as of 30 March) from the citizens of Lithuania
On
30 May 2022 Lithuanian citizens raised €5 million for the crowdfunded purchase
of a Bayraktar TB2 armed UAV for the Ukrainian military,the drone was
subsequently, given to Lithuania by Baykar Tech free of charge, with the €6
million collected used for aid It reached Ukraine on July 8, 2022
Lithuanian
civilians also crowdfunded 7 Estonian made EOS C VTOl reconnaissance drones
(two of which were crowdfunded in early May, with the other five being later
purchased with the money collected from the TB2 crowdfunder, 110 Lithuanian-made
EDM4S Sky Wiper anti drone weapons, 37 WB Electronics Warmates (including
launch/control equipment and ammunition,] and 18 UJ-23 Topazs for the Ukrainian
military
Citizens
of the Czech Republic donated over CZK 4,25 billion ($171 million) as of 24
June 2022
1
Bivoj system (3 reconnaissance/attack UAVs + mobile command center) was
crowdfunded by Czech Republic citizens and delivered in July 2022
15
MR2s Viktor (an Toyota Land Cruiser 70 with a 14.5mm ZU-2 cannon) crow, funded
by Czech citizens (set to be delivered on February 2023
1
T-72 Avenger (T-72 upgraded to 3rd gen tank) crowdfunded by citizens in Czech
Republic and delivered in October 2022
By
the 24th July 2022, a Polish crowdfunding campaign on the crowdfunding website
Zrzutka raised over Zł 23,035,000 to purchase a Baykar Bayraktar TB2 for the
Ukrainian military, the drone was subsequently given to Poland by Baykar Tech
free of charge, with the €5 million collected used for aid
This
shows that this is very big deal in Europe and that the US is not the only one
funding the war.
Enjoy…
  |
  |
Facts…
Badminton
originally went by the name "Poona"
Badminton
was originally called Poona, which English army officers learned while
stationed in India in the 1860s. They then took that sport home with them when
they return to England, and the first unofficial all-England badminton
championships were held in 1899. Only men were allowed to play that year, but
it only took one more year for women to join the sport, with the first women's
badminton tournament played in 1900. The sport has grown around the world since
then.
A Look
back in time…Baby Boomers life
#1 No Seat Belts in Cars
In the 1960s and 1970s, seat belts were not
yet a standard feature in vehicles, and many people did not use them. In fact,
it wasn’t until 1984 that seat belt usage became mandatory in the United
States.
Today, not wearing a seat belt is
considered irresponsible and dangerous. Except for New Hampshire, all states
have seat belt laws encouraging drivers to practice safe driving.
Beauty in
our 50 states…
50. Iowa
Iowa gets a tip of the Wisconsin drift
lands on the east side, where there are some pretty cliffs. And it does offer
some breathtaking sunsets when the lights do down—there's romance in being able
to see that far—but that's only because the state is flat as hell and, well,
kinda boring.
Historical
Events
1791 – The First National Bank of the
United States was chartered in Philadelphia.
1919 – Oregon became the first US state
to levy a gasoline tax by placing 1 cent tax on every gallon of gas.
1964 – Cassius Clay became heavyweight
boxing champion of the world. He won the title 3 times and defended it 9 times.
1967 – Gene Kelly starred in Jack and the
Beanstalk on NBC (produced by Hanna-Barbara) it was the first TV special to
combine live-action and animation.
Birthdays
Today
@89 – Fats Domino [Antoine Dominique
Domino Jr.], singer-songwriter, pianist (d. 2017)
@84 – Tony Randall [Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg],
American actor (d. 2004)
@83 – Victor Hugo, French author, poet, and
playwright (d. 1885)
“The true division of humanity is between those who live in
light and those who live in darkness. Our aim must be to diminish the number of
the latter and increase the number of the former. That is why we demand education and
knowledge.”– Victor Hugo
@79 – William Frawley, American actor
and vaudevillian (d. 1966; heart attack)
@78 – Robert Novak, American journalist and author (d. 2009; brain tumor)
@73 – Levi Strauss, German-American fashion
designer, founded Levi Strauss & Co. (d. 1902)
@72 – Robert Alda, American actor (d. 1986;
stroke)
@71 – Jackie Gleason, American actor (d. 1987)
“Always love your country
– but never trust your government!”– Robert Novak
“If you have
it and you know you have it, then you have it. If you have it and don’t know
you have it, you don’t have it. If you don’t have it but you think you have it,
then you have it.”– Jackie Gleason
@71 – Johnny Cash, American
singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 2003)
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he’s a victim of the times.– Johnny Cash
@70 – Buffalo Bill [William Frederick Cody],
American soldier, showman and hunter (d. 1917)
“Every Indian outbreak that I have ever known has resulted
from broken promises and broken treaties by the government.”– Buffalo Bill
70 – Michael
Bolton, American singer-songwriter
@67 – Theodore Sturgeon, American author (d. 1985)
“Sure, ninety percent of science fiction is crud. That’s
because ninety percent of everything is crud.”– Theodore Sturgeon
52 – Erykah Badu, American singer-songwriter,
“I think a lot of people have lost respect for the
individual, you know, the individual, the person who doesn’t conform.”– Erykah
Badu
44 – Corinne
Bailey Rae, English singer-songwriter
@29 – Christopher Marlowe, English
playwright (d. 1593; killed)
