8 Mar

 

8 March 2023

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 10 Day 67 \ Ave. Sky Cover 10% \ Visibility 20 miles Flagstaff Today 54° \24°  Wind 6mph \ Gusts 12mph 
Air Quality: Moderate \ Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 251mi \ Nearest Lightning 841mi
Mar. Averages for Flagstaff: 51° \ 23° \6 Days of moisture
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

  22-4/8
  Lent
  1-7
  Hearing Awareness Week Link
  LGBT Health Awareness Week Link
  National Cheerleading Week
  National Write A Letter of Appreciation Week
  National Ghostwriters Week
  National Invest in a Veteran Week  Link
  National Pet Sitters Week Link
  Return The Borrowed Books Week
  Universal Human Beings Week: Link
  Will Eisner Week Link
  World Hearing Awareness Week
5-11
   National Consumer Protection Week  Link 
  Celebrate Your Name Week
  National Procrastination Week  
  National Schools Social Work Week   
  Celebrate Your Name Week
  National Procrastination Week  
  National Schools Social Work Week   Link 
  National Words Matter Week
  National Words Matter Week
  No More Week  Link
  Read an E-Book Week  Link  
  Save Your Vision Week  
  Save Your Vision Week  Link  
  Termite Awareness Week
  Termite Awareness Week
 5-12
  Women in Construction Week:   Link 
  Women of Aviation Worldwide Week
  Words Matter Week
6-10
  Women of Aviation Worldwide Week
  Words Matter Week
6-10
  National School Breakfast Week 

Daily Observations

Day for Women's Rights & International Peace
Discover What Your Name Means Day Link 
Girls Write Now Day
Holi
National Biobased Products Day  
Girls Write Now Day
Holi
National Biobased Products Day  Link
International Women's Day Link
International Working Women's Day
National Breast Implant Awareness Day  Link
National Proofreading Day
National Peanut Cluster Day Link
National Retro Video Game Day  Link
Proofreading Day
Registered Dietitian Day  
Sterile Packaging Day
The Bikini Bottom Free (Crabcakes) Day  Link  (SpongeBob Squarepants)
Volunteers of America Day 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Warming up and pile of snow still melting. Yesterday there were 4 residential and one commercial roof collapse here due to the heavy snow last week. No injuries but lots of damage.   

The oil change included systems check and car washed inside and out. Price for the hours work was $84. Glad the first one was free.

This morning I needed a blood draw for my upcoming physical. I got there at 8:00 but had to wait until almost 9 for the ultra-sound team. It was then quick and easy. I do wish they took appointments.

Four Americans were kidnapped just across the Mexican border near Brownsville, TX. They were there for one of them to get cosmetic surgery. Two have been found dead, one seriously injured and one alive. Thankfully my brother’s place is far from all the drug cartels and is a safe place to live and do business.

Tucker Carlson, an entertainer and not a journalist, has released highly edited video Fox received from Speaker McCarthy.  His shtick is that almost everyone was peaceful tourists. It is unfortunate that his audience probably believed what he showed and said.   

Enjoy…

Facts…

The rod of Asclepius, depicting a single snake wrapped around a staff, serves as a symbol of modern medicine. The image dates back to the legend of Asclepius, who was considered a renowned doctor in ancient Greek myth. Snakes were revered as divine creatures in Greek culture, and according to the mythology, Asclepius is said to have been taught the secrets of medicine by a snake that he healed. Asclepius’ legacy remains strong, as the image now adorns the logos of major global medicinal groups such as the World Health Organization.

Another similar symbol used by various medical organizations is the caduceus, which is associated with the messenger god Hermes. Slightly more ornate and symmetrical than the rod of Asclepius, the caduceus features two snakes wrapped around a staff, with a pair of wings emanating from the orb at the top of the staff. The caduceus has been used as the logo of the U.S. Army Medical Corps since 1902. 

A Look back in time…Baby Boomers life

#10 Children Grew Up Quickly

When boomers say kids today are spoiled, they aren't kidding. In the past, children had a lot more responsibilities. The term "Latchkey Kids" was created to define children with working parents, who used to take care of themselves after school till their parents got home.

We've also heard stories of how kids used to be given a shopping list and sent off to the store. Items included cigarettes, cleaning products and alcohol – things that no one would sell to children today.

Beauty in our 50 states…

41. Missouri

It's tough for Missouri—which borders five states that have already appeared in the bowels of this list—to distinguish itself. The great sprawling center of the state is a less agriculturally fatigued transition between Illinois and Kansas. But that southern third or so is a delight. The ruddy hills of the Lake of the Ozarks area (population: Branson) are terrific for winding drives and trout-fishing trips. Further east, Missourians enjoy their forests and rivers as playgrounds. The curious rocky outcroppings around the Johnson Shut-Ins State Park swimming holes and the lazy tube-floats on the Current River are exemplars. They're almost spookily litter-free, evidence that Missourians appreciate what they have.

Historical Events

1481 – William Caxton reprinted the illustrated book, Mirror of the World, from the original French.
1913 – The Internal Revenue Service began collecting income tax on Americans’ income.
2014 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared over the South China Sea

Birthdays Today

@93 – Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., American lawyer and jurist (d. 1935)
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
@89 – Otto Hahn, German chemist, academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1968)
@86 – Cyd Charisse [Tula Ellice Finklea], actress, dancer (d. 2008)
“If I had to give up either acting or dancing, I’d choose to keep dancing.”– Cyd Charisse
78 – Micky Dolenz, American singer-songwriter and actor
“The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is not a public democratic organization; it’s a private club basically. It’s like a private golf club and they decide who they’re going to let in the club.”– Micky Dolenz
77 – Randy Meisner, American singer-songwriter, bass player (Eagles)
76 – Carole Bayer Sager, American singer-songwriter, painter
“I learned that people want to be in love. They long to be in love, they pretend to be in love, and sometimes they are.”– Carole Bayer Sager
@67 – Lynn Redgrave, English-American actress and singer (d. 2010; breast cancer)
64 – Lester Holt, journalist
47 – Freddie Prinze Jr., American actor
“I was raised to believe in myself. I know I’m cool. I’m not trying to brag or say I’m the man or anything like that. I don’t lie or cheat, and I’m not mean to anybody. I treat people with respect.”– Freddie Prinze, Jr.
46 – James Van Der Beek, American actor

 

 

7 Mar

 

7 March 2023
Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 10 Day 66 \ Ave. Sky Cover 10% \ Visibility 18 miles Flagstaff Today 52° \24°  Wind 7mph \ Gusts 15mph 
Air Quality: Fair \ Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 251mi \ Nearest Lightning 2134mi
Mar. Averages for Flagstaff: 51° \ 23° \6 Days of moisture
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

  22-4/8
  Lent
  1-7
  Hearing Awareness Week Link
LGBT Health Awareness Week Link
National Cheerleading Week
National Write A Letter of Appreciation Week
National Ghostwriters Week
National Invest in a Veteran Week  Link
National Pet Sitters Week Link
Return The Borrowed Books Week
Universal Human Beings Week: Link
Will Eisner Week Link
World Hearing Awareness Week 

Daily Observations

Alexander Graham Bell Day
Cereal Day
Crown Roast of Pork Day
National “Be Heard” Day
National Cereal Day  Link
National Flapjacks Day  Link
Organize Your Home Office Day
Peace Corps Day Link 
Unique Names Day 
Unique Names Day Link 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

It continues to warm up and melt our piles of snow.

This morning I had an eye appointment for my annual ‘field of vision’ test. It has been an annual test since I turned 65. It takes about 20 minutes and is the most boring test I have ever taken.

My new vehicle only has 2800 miles, but the magic computer says it is time to change the oil. I called and got an appointment for 1:00 today. I have been using Jiffy Lube for decades, but am having the dealer do this one…because I got a coupon for a free oil change. While I like the dealership, I hate sitting in the waiting room. The nearest stores are about ¼ mile away and it is too chilly and windy to take that walk.

Sunday’s 60 Minutes was very informative:  As artificial intelligence keeps improving, there are some frightening things that need to be studied.  Right now, AI produces a lot of non-truth conclusions with inaccurate ‘facts’, it is almost impossible to identify AI so be wary. Another story was on David Byrne, of ‘Talking Heads’. He is a very interesting character.

Recently, I have been thinking about college debt and Biden’s forgiveness program. I know several people who had student loans to get an education in bogus colleges. I believe those should be forgiven, and the people behind those bogus schools should have to pay. I also understand that college tuition costs have risen to a point that loans are the only way to get an education. The entire student loan process needs to be fixed. For many students, the constantly increasing loan rates are unacceptable. I know several people who graduated decades ago and are still paying off interest and haven’t even started paying off the actual debt. Forgive the interest and pay off the principle. Have student loans at a very low fixed rate that can’t increase.

Enjoy…

Facts…

Anyone who owns a smart device is likely well aware of its Bluetooth capabilities, but both the word “Bluetooth” and its logo have meanings that predate modern technology by centuries. “Bluetooth” was first used in 10th-century Denmark, a kingdom ruled by King Harald Gormsson, who was nicknamed Harald Bluetooth. Though there’s still debate as to the origins of this moniker, many scholars believe it reflects the fact that one of Harald’s teeth was rotten and blueish.

In 1996, employees from Intel, Ericsson, and Nokia met to discuss the implementation of the technology that would become Bluetooth. Intel’s Jim Kardach initially suggested the name “Bluetooth” as a placeholder, as the companies hoped to unite the PC and cellular industries in a method similar to the way that the king had united the tribes of Denmark. The name stuck, and the Bluetooth symbol was designed to represent Harald’s initials in the Younger Futhark runic alphabet: Hagall (ᚼ) with Bjarkan (ᛒ). 

A Look back in time…Baby Boomers life

#9 No Environmental Regulations

Environmental regulations were not yet in place, and many companies and individuals would freely pollute the air, water, and soil without consequences. Many boomers and Gen – Xers grew up with hazardous smog in the cities and chemicals in their toys, homes, food, and water.

While the EPA has banned several toxic chemicals and materials since the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, there's still a long way to go in safeguarding our planet's climate.

Beauty in our 50 states…

 

42. North Dakota

For some reason—maybe some combination of fracking, the Coen brothers, and January—the words "North Dakota" have become synonymous with "frozen wasteland." Which isn't completely inaccurate when discussing some parts of this state, but lest we forget that it's also home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a breathtaking mix of prairies, mesas, and mountain views dotted with buffalo. And kind of like the younger child constantly being compared to their older sibling, North Dakota doesn't get proper credit when compared to its beautiful sister state to the south.

Historical Events

1850 – American Senator Daniel Webster gave his Seventh of March speech endorsing the Compromise of 1850.
1869 – The Suez Canal opened for limited shipping.
1876 – Alexander Graham Bell received his patent for (#174,465) the telephone.

Birthdays Today

@87 – Willard Scott, American television personality (d. 2021)
“It was a big story and yesterday’s soup. Who cares?”– Willard Scott
85 – Janet Guthrie, American professional race car driver
81 – Michael Eisner, American businessman
@79 – John Herschel, English mathematician, astronomer (d. 1871)
@79 – Luther Burbank, American botanist, author (d. 1926; heart attack)
71 – Lynn Swann, American football player
“If a player demonstrated that he is the best, and a team decides, even so, we don’t want to pay him, as in any other business, he should be able to play elsewhere.”– Lynn Swann
67 – Bryan Cranston, American actor
@62 – Maurice Ravel, French pianist, composer, conductor (d. 1937; head injury)
59 – Wanda Sykes, American comedian and actress
“If you feel like there’s something out there that you’re supposed to be doing if you have a passion for it, then stop wishing and just do it.”– Wanda Sykes
53 – Rachel Weisz, English-American actress
49 – Jenna Fischer, American actress
“Growing up, I was a very shy, wallflower type. I was not a nerd, but not popular. I was just invisible, like that person you probably didn’t know you were in school with.”– Jenna Fischer
43 – Laura Prepon, American actress

 

 

6 Mar

6 March 2023

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 10 Day 65 \ Ave. Sky Cover 30% \ Visibility 16 miles Flagstaff Today 51° \26°  Wind 9mph \ Gusts 18mph 
Air Quality: Fair \ Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 231mi \ Nearest Lightning 2333mi
Mar. Averages for Flagstaff: 51° \ 23° \6 Days of moisture
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

 

Monthly Observations

Transgender Month of Action for Healthcare Equality Link
Trisomy Awareness Month Link
Vascular Abnormalities Awareness Month
Women's History Month: Link
Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Worldwide Home Schooling Awareness Month
Youth Art Month

Weekly Observations

  22-4/8
  Lent
  26-3/4 
  Telecommuter Appreciation Week
  1-7
  Hearing Awareness Week Link
LGBT Health Awareness Week Link
National Cheerleading Week
National Write A Letter of Appreciation Week
National Ghostwriters Week
National Invest in a Veteran Week  Link
National Pet Sitters Week Link
Return The Borrowed Books Week
Universal Human Beings Week: Link
Will Eisner Week Link
World Hearing Awareness Week
2-5
  American Association For The Advancement of Science Week Link
National Money Show
3-5
  International Festival of Owls Week

 

Daily Observations

Casimir Pulaski Day Link 
Day of The Dude Link
Dress Day
Frozen Food Day
Fun Facts About Names Day  Link  
National Dentist's Day Link
National Dress Day  Link
Sofia Kovalevskaya Math Day  Link
World Tennis Day 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

It is still winter, yet it appears the spring winds have arrived early. Flag is under a wind advisory that expect wind gusts to 50mph today and maybe tomorrow.

It’s Sunday and I’m having a lazy day. I took a break from NetFlix to write this blog. Watching some entertaining comedies.

Enjoy…

Facts…

For centuries, ♂ and ♀ have represented the concepts of male and female in the world of science. Long before these icons had anything to do with biology, however, they were used throughout ancient cultures such as Greece and Rome. ♂ corresponded to the Greek god Ares (Mars, in Roman mythology), whereas ♀ was tied to the Greek goddess Aphrodite (Venus, in Rome). The association between the gods and those symbols came about because of metals used to forge weaponry, with Ares representing iron (thouros) and Aphrodite representing copper (phosphoros). Over time, the Greek words for the metals were written in shorthand using the symbols that we now use to convey gender.

The symbols first played a role in biological research in 1751, when the father of modern taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus, adopted and used the icons to refer to the gender of flowers in his dissertation Plantae hybridae. Many scientists thereafter followed in Linnaeus’ footsteps, with those symbols later extending to human genetics. In recent decades, new symbols have been created based on those centuries-old designs in order to be more inclusive of those who don’t identify as male or female. 

A Look back in time…Baby Boomers life

#8 Communication Was Slow

Baby Boomers grew up in a world without cell phones and often relied on letters, pay phones, or landlines for communication. Imagine having to get in touch with your loved ones in an emergency and running to the pay phone to make a call.

My grandmother tells a story of how she went into labor and gave birth, all without my grandfather realizing it till after he got home from work.

Beauty in our 50 states…

 43. Nebraska

Sleep on Nebraska's subtle beauty if you want, but its big skies and rolling hills have a thoroughly pleasant and peaceful charm. As impressive as Toadstool Geologic Park (Nebraska's Badlands!) and Chimney Rock are, the Cornhusker State doesn't have the spectacular vistas of its neighbors to the west. What it does have is open spaces, the Platte River, and a complex and important ecosystem where literally millions of birds—including 80% of the world's sandhill cranes—visit every spring.

Historical Events

1857 – The Dredd Scott Decision. Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes called it the Court’s “greatest self-inflicted wound.”

1998 - is the annual sacred high holy day of Dudeism, “The Day of The Dude”. Dudeism is a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle inspired by “The Dude”, the protagonist of the 1998 film, The Big Lebowski.

Birthdays Today

97 – Alan Greenspan, American economist
@93 – Harriet Tubman, Civil Rights Leader (d. 1931)
@88 – Michelangelo, Italian painter and sculptor (d. 1564)
“Genius is eternal patience.”– Michelangelo
“There is no greater harm than that of time wasted.”– Michelangelo
@86 – Ed McMahon, American comedian, game show host, and announcer (d. 2009)
@87 – Will Eisner, American illustrator, publisher (d. 2005)
“As for me, I am in pursuit of excellence. I have no time to get old.”– Will Eisner
85 – Tom Foley, American lawyer, politician (d. 2013)
@78 – Marion Barry, American lawyer and politician (d. 2014; cardiac arrest)
76 – John Stossel, American journalist, author
75 – Stephen Schwartz, American composer, producer
@70 – Bob Wills, Western swing musician, songwriter, bandleader (d. 1975; pneumonia)
60 – D.L. Hughley, American actor
“One of the most beautiful things in the world I’ve ever seen or heard is people laughing, even when there seems to be so little reason for them to laugh.”– D. L. Hughley
56 – Connie Britton, American actress
@55 – Elizabeth Barrett Browning, English poet (d. 1861; long illness)
“Silence is the best response to a fool.”– Elizabeth Barrett Browning
51 – Shaquille O’Neal, American basketball player
@50 – Lou Costello, American actor and comedian (d. 1959; heart attack)
@36 – Cyrano de Bergerac, French author, playwright (d. 1655; falling wooden beam)