04 shopping days remain until Christmas
355 days so far this year…10 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"There`s so much to say but your eyes keep interrupting me."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
Finished…done…weird. I usually don’t finish my holiday shopping until Christmas Eve Day. This year I finished early, at least for me. It sure feels strange. I’ll still wait until the 24th to start wrapping presents for my brother and his wife. Actually, wrapping isn’t the correct term. I have moved to nuttin’ but bags. Small bags, big bags, whatever. Stuff it in, stick some tissue in there, and like magic, it’s done. I never could cut the paper very well, or tear the tape the right length, or get the corners right, or get the ribbon right. I’ve used bags for hard to wrap presents for several years, but this year, it’s all gonna be bags. So much easier.
So the Senate will vote at 1am on Health Care. Then they will join the holiday rush to get back ‘home’. Sure looks like a photo op and press hype rather than a real mandate to change Health Care in our country. Guess that’s what politics has become. I sure hope that 2010 changes that. I won’t be holding my breath, but it sure would be nice to have some real leaders in DC who want to build a better country.
We had a good winter day. We made it up to 48° which is good. I woke up to a very cool 6° this morning, but the temp quickly climbed. There was very little breeze, snow melted even more. Things were nice. My brother did not fare so well in NYC. He woke up to over a foot of snow and sent some great pics of the view from his third story apt. It looked very Christmas-y. We have been debating the decision to go to Chicago on the 23rd. Should we have gone earlier? Well it’s good we didn’t. He would have been stuck in NY for sure. I would have been stuck in a Chicago hotel until they got there. The 23rd is not the best day to travel, but weather should not be our enemy. I’m getting anxious to be there.
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± Quotes from Values.com—HOPE
“Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good.” ~Vaclav Havel (Poet, Playwright, 1st President Of Czech Republic)
± Unusual News
The Shopping Criminal
It was Christmas and the judge was in a merry mood as he
asked the prisoner, "What are you charged with?"
"Doing my Christmas shopping early", replied the defendant.
"That's no offense", said the judge. "How early were you doing this shopping?"
"Before the store opened."
± Random Fact
Sing a song of sixpence dates back to at least the eighteenth century. The four and twenty blackbirds are most likely a reference to a common practice in the sixteenth-century in which large pies were baked then filled with live birds which would escape when the pie was cut.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 21 December Observances
Humbug Day—tired of the holidays?
Look At The Bright Side Day
Massachusetts: Forefathers Day—Landing @ Plymouth Rock (since 1769)
National Flashlight Day
National French Fried Shrimp Day
National Haiku Poetry Day
National Hamburger Day
Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day
Winter Solstice in Northern Hemisphere [10:47p MST]
World Peace Day
-Iran: Yalda—celebrates the birth of Mithra, Persian God of Light (born of Virgin Mother)
- Nepál : Independence Day/Unity Day (1923 from UK)
-Northern Europe: Yule—Pagan Germanic Winter Festival—now secular ╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1985…Bruce Springsteen’s album, “Born in the USA”, passed Michael Jackson’s Thriller to become the second longest-lasting LP in the top 10. It stayed there for 79 weeks. Only The Sound of Music, with Julie Andrews, lasted longer: 109 weeks.
§ Births On This Day
~ The Arts
Phil Donahue in 1935 talk show host
Jane Fonda in 1937 politically active actress
Samuel L Jackson in 1948 actor
Jane Kaczmarek in 1955 TV actress (Malcolm in the Middle)
Ray Romano in 1957 TV actor, comedian
Kiefer Sutherland in 1966 - actor
Paul Winchell in 1922 ventriloquist
Frank Zappa in 1940 composer/musician/satirist
~Athletics
Chris Evert in 1954 tennis champion
Josh Gibson in 1911 pro baseball "Negro Babe Ruth" (800+ HR’s)
Walter Hagen in 1892 golf champion
Florence Griffith Joyner in 1959 runner (3 Olympics-gold-1988)
Joe Paterno in 1926 football coach: Penn State
~Business, Education, Politics
Benjamin Disraeli in 1804 (Tory) British PM
Joseph Stalin [Dzoegashvili] in 1879 Russian dictator; murdered 11 million
Kurt Waldheim 1918 U.N. Secretary-General
~Science/Religion
Thomas Becket in 1117 archbishop of Canterbury
Lewis H Morgan in 1818 US, ethnologist Systems of Consanguinity (blood lines)
Henrietta Szold in 1860 founder Hadassah (Women’s Zionist of America)
§ In Remembrance
F[rancis] Scott [Key] Fitzgerald author (Great Gatsby, Zelda) heart attack @ 44
George S Patton US general car accident @ 60
Margaret E Rey author Curious George series, @ 90
§ Historical Events On This Day
1620…103 Mayflower pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock
1784…John Jay becomes 1st US Secretary of State
1898…Scientists Pierre & Marie Curie discover radium
1913…1st crossword puzzle (with 32 clues) printed in New York World
1929…1st US group hospital insurance plan instituted, Dallas TX
1937…1st feature-length color & sound cartoon premieres (Disney's Snow White)
1944…Horse racing was banned in the United States until after World War II.
1946…Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" premieres
1948…State of Eire (formerly Irish Free State) declares its independence
1959…Tom Landry accepts coaching job with Dallas Cowboys (stays until 1988)
1968…David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash premiere together in California
1976…UN General Assembly passes a resolution declaring 1979-Year of Child
1979…Zimbabwe adopts constitution
1988…Pan Am Flight 103 the third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London's Heathrow International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport was destroyed by a terrorist bomb, and the remains landed in and around the town of Lockerbie, Scotland
1989…Vice-President Quayle sends out 30,000 Xmas cards with word beacon spelled ‘beakon’
1991…Soviet Union formally dissolves 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming Commonwealth of Independent States [Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.]
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. having two problems (6,7):
2. Phys.Ed. type's timepiece (4,5):
3. newspaper review of trial proceedings (5,6):
4. how accurate should we be? (9,8):
5. see a South American country (4,4):
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ANSWERS
1. having two problems (6,7): double trouble
2. Phys.Ed. type's timepiece (4,5): jock clock
3. newspaper review of trial proceedings (5,6): court report
4. how accurate should we be? (9,8): precision decision
5. see a South American country (4,4): view Peru
Sunday
05 shopping days remain until Christmas
354 days so far this year…11 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"To criticize the incompetent is easy; it is more difficult, to criticize the competent."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
I had a lazy day today. My big excursion was to get a haircut before I head to Chicago. I guess I am just preparing my body for a very busy week.
Flag made it to 40° today, but the 28mph wind gusts made it feel a whole lot colder. No storms around here will hamper my travel, but it looks like NYC is in for a storm. Sure hope it doesn’t mess up my brother and his wife’s travel. It looks like we will all be OK for travel and will have a cold and wet Christmas in Chicago. Forecasts don’t show our departure weather, so guess I will just have to wonder for a few more days.
╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
~Chinese Proverb
± Unusual News…
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. - Police in Tennessee said a horse rider participating in a Christmas parade was arrested when she drunkenly passed out atop the animal. Shelbyville police said they received a report during Saturday night's Christmas parade of an apparently inebriated woman "wearing a red coat who was riding on a white horse" in the parade, but officers could not locate the woman or her mount on the Shelbyville square, the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reported. Investigators said they found Patti Lynn Moore, 46, sleeping on top of her horse outside a North Cannon Boulevard motel about 15 minutes after receiving the report. Moore was arrested and charged with public intoxication. She was released after posting $500 bond.
± Random Fact
Humpty Dumpty was first printed in 1810. At the time, a humpty dumpty was a clumsy person, so the nursery rhyme was meant as a riddle. There is speculation that the nursery rhyme had an underlying meaning – in which Humpty Dumpty represents King Richard III of England and the wall his horse. Others have suggested that it refers to the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey at the hand of King Henry VIII.
╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 20 December Observances
International Human Solidarity Day
Mudd Day—The Physician who treated John Wilkes Booth
-Taiwan: Bank Holiday
-Macao: Macao Special Administrative Region Establishment Day since 1999.
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§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1928…Mail delivery by dog sled began -- in Lewiston, Maine.
§ Births On This Day
~ The Arts
Robert Colomby in 1944 drummer (Blood Sweat & Tears)
Mohammad Fouad in 1961 Arab singer and actor
Uri Geller in 1946 psychic, clairvoyant, spoon-bender
Maude Gonne in 1865 Irish Freedom Fighter, muse of Wm Butler Yates, feminist, author, actress
John Hillerman in 1932 Emmy Award-winning actor: Magnum P.I
Sidney Hook in 1902 anticommunist pragmatist (Paradoxes of Freedom)
Alan Parsons in 1948 musician/producer/engineer (Alan Parsons Project)
Larry Willis in 1940 rock keyboardist (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
~Athletics
Jack Christiansen in 1928 NFL hall of famer (Lions)
Thomas Newberry in 1962 NFL (Steelers)
~Business, Education, Politics
Harvey S Firestone in 1868 Industrialist, tires
Nadine Gordimer in 1923 South African anti-apartheid novelist Nobel laureate
Charles Edward Stuart [Bonnie Prince Charlie/Young Pretender] in 1720
Dr Samuel A Mudd in 1833 convicted of giving medical aid to John Wilkes Booth
~Science/Religion
David Bohm in 1917 physicist, philosopher, and neuropsychologist
Jaroslav Heyrovský in 1890 Czech chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
§ In Remembrance
Nicolas Antoine French Protestant pastor converted to Judaism, executed for heresy @ 32
Bobby Darin (Walden Robert Cassotto) singer (Mack the Knife), heart failure @ 37
Richard J Daley Chicago mayor @ 74
John Galle Flemish engraver/printer, @ 76
James Hilton English author (Lost Horizon & Goodbye Mr. Chips) cancer @ 54
Dean Rusk US Secretary of State @ 85
Sacagawea Shoshone interpreter for Lewis & Clark, [historical records say @ 24; oral tradition say @ 96)
Carl Sagan scientist (Contact) MDS & pneumonia @ 62
John Steinbeck author (Grapes of Wrath, Nobel 1962) heart failure @ 66
Max Robinson 1st black network (ABC) TV anchor, AIDS @ 49
Artur Rubinstein pianist @ 95
§ Historical Events On This Day
1606…Virginia Company settlers leave London to establish Jamestown VA
1669…1st jury trial in US (Delaware)
1790…1st successful US cotton mill to spin yarn
1803…New Orleans becomes part of the United States [Louisiana Purchase].
1860…South Carolina votes 169-0 for Ordinance of Secession, 1st state to secede
1880…New York's Broadway lit by electricity, becomes known as "Great White Way"
1893…1st state anti-lynching statute approved, in Georgia
1920…Bob Hope becomes an American citizen
1945…Rationing of auto tires ends in US
1950…"Harvey", starring James Stewart, premieres in New York
1957…Elvis Presley receives his draft notice
1963…The Berlin Wall was opened for the first time. It remained open for the holiday season, but closed again on January 6, 1964. 4,000 people crossed over to visit relatives during this period.
1967…"The Graduate", starring Dustin Hoffman & Anne Bancroft, premieres
1974…Ethiopia becomes socialist one-party state
1999…The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same benefits and protections in the State of Vermont as wedded couples of the opposite sex.
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. sleep-count (7,6)
2. he does the dash December- April only (6,8)
3. Fairy queen's taxi (3,3)
4. shrill bark from a young dog (5,4)
5. street map of Spain's capital (6,4)
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ANSWERS
1. sleep-count (7,6) slumber number
2. he does the dash December- April only (6,8) winter sprinter
3. Fairy queen's taxi (3,3) Mab cab
4. shrill bark from a young dog (5,4) whelp yelp
5. street map of Spain's capital (6,4) Madrid grid
354 days so far this year…11 days remain in 2009
►Provocative Quote
"To criticize the incompetent is easy; it is more difficult, to criticize the competent."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
I had a lazy day today. My big excursion was to get a haircut before I head to Chicago. I guess I am just preparing my body for a very busy week.
Flag made it to 40° today, but the 28mph wind gusts made it feel a whole lot colder. No storms around here will hamper my travel, but it looks like NYC is in for a storm. Sure hope it doesn’t mess up my brother and his wife’s travel. It looks like we will all be OK for travel and will have a cold and wet Christmas in Chicago. Forecasts don’t show our departure weather, so guess I will just have to wonder for a few more days.
╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
~Chinese Proverb
± Unusual News…
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. - Police in Tennessee said a horse rider participating in a Christmas parade was arrested when she drunkenly passed out atop the animal. Shelbyville police said they received a report during Saturday night's Christmas parade of an apparently inebriated woman "wearing a red coat who was riding on a white horse" in the parade, but officers could not locate the woman or her mount on the Shelbyville square, the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reported. Investigators said they found Patti Lynn Moore, 46, sleeping on top of her horse outside a North Cannon Boulevard motel about 15 minutes after receiving the report. Moore was arrested and charged with public intoxication. She was released after posting $500 bond.
± Random Fact
Humpty Dumpty was first printed in 1810. At the time, a humpty dumpty was a clumsy person, so the nursery rhyme was meant as a riddle. There is speculation that the nursery rhyme had an underlying meaning – in which Humpty Dumpty represents King Richard III of England and the wall his horse. Others have suggested that it refers to the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey at the hand of King Henry VIII.
╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Weeks in December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 20 December Observances
International Human Solidarity Day
Mudd Day—The Physician who treated John Wilkes Booth
-Taiwan: Bank Holiday
-Macao: Macao Special Administrative Region Establishment Day since 1999.
╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣╣
§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1928…Mail delivery by dog sled began -- in Lewiston, Maine.
§ Births On This Day
~ The Arts
Robert Colomby in 1944 drummer (Blood Sweat & Tears)
Mohammad Fouad in 1961 Arab singer and actor
Uri Geller in 1946 psychic, clairvoyant, spoon-bender
Maude Gonne in 1865 Irish Freedom Fighter, muse of Wm Butler Yates, feminist, author, actress
John Hillerman in 1932 Emmy Award-winning actor: Magnum P.I
Sidney Hook in 1902 anticommunist pragmatist (Paradoxes of Freedom)
Alan Parsons in 1948 musician/producer/engineer (Alan Parsons Project)
Larry Willis in 1940 rock keyboardist (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
~Athletics
Jack Christiansen in 1928 NFL hall of famer (Lions)
Thomas Newberry in 1962 NFL (Steelers)
~Business, Education, Politics
Harvey S Firestone in 1868 Industrialist, tires
Nadine Gordimer in 1923 South African anti-apartheid novelist Nobel laureate
Charles Edward Stuart [Bonnie Prince Charlie/Young Pretender] in 1720
Dr Samuel A Mudd in 1833 convicted of giving medical aid to John Wilkes Booth
~Science/Religion
David Bohm in 1917 physicist, philosopher, and neuropsychologist
Jaroslav Heyrovský in 1890 Czech chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
§ In Remembrance
Nicolas Antoine French Protestant pastor converted to Judaism, executed for heresy @ 32
Bobby Darin (Walden Robert Cassotto) singer (Mack the Knife), heart failure @ 37
Richard J Daley Chicago mayor @ 74
John Galle Flemish engraver/printer, @ 76
James Hilton English author (Lost Horizon & Goodbye Mr. Chips) cancer @ 54
Dean Rusk US Secretary of State @ 85
Sacagawea Shoshone interpreter for Lewis & Clark, [historical records say @ 24; oral tradition say @ 96)
Carl Sagan scientist (Contact) MDS & pneumonia @ 62
John Steinbeck author (Grapes of Wrath, Nobel 1962) heart failure @ 66
Max Robinson 1st black network (ABC) TV anchor, AIDS @ 49
Artur Rubinstein pianist @ 95
§ Historical Events On This Day
1606…Virginia Company settlers leave London to establish Jamestown VA
1669…1st jury trial in US (Delaware)
1790…1st successful US cotton mill to spin yarn
1803…New Orleans becomes part of the United States [Louisiana Purchase].
1860…South Carolina votes 169-0 for Ordinance of Secession, 1st state to secede
1880…New York's Broadway lit by electricity, becomes known as "Great White Way"
1893…1st state anti-lynching statute approved, in Georgia
1920…Bob Hope becomes an American citizen
1945…Rationing of auto tires ends in US
1950…"Harvey", starring James Stewart, premieres in New York
1957…Elvis Presley receives his draft notice
1963…The Berlin Wall was opened for the first time. It remained open for the holiday season, but closed again on January 6, 1964. 4,000 people crossed over to visit relatives during this period.
1967…"The Graduate", starring Dustin Hoffman & Anne Bancroft, premieres
1974…Ethiopia becomes socialist one-party state
1999…The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same benefits and protections in the State of Vermont as wedded couples of the opposite sex.
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. sleep-count (7,6)
2. he does the dash December- April only (6,8)
3. Fairy queen's taxi (3,3)
4. shrill bark from a young dog (5,4)
5. street map of Spain's capital (6,4)
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ANSWERS
1. sleep-count (7,6) slumber number
2. he does the dash December- April only (6,8) winter sprinter
3. Fairy queen's taxi (3,3) Mab cab
4. shrill bark from a young dog (5,4) whelp yelp
5. street map of Spain's capital (6,4) Madrid grid
Saturday
06 shopping days remain until Christmas
353 days so far this year…12 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"To save one life is better than to build a seven story pagoda." ~Chinese Proverb
***Free Ramblings***
When I moved in three+ years ago, the deadbolt was hard to lock and unlock with a key. It is keyed to the main door lock, and I only lock it when I am gone for more than a day. Yesterday I came home from running some errands and it took about five minutes to get the main lock open. So this morning I called the maintenance man to get it fixed. Another advantage to leasing over owning. I sure don’t want to be locked out in the cold. So the guy shows up with the master key, assuming that I have done something wrong—like bend my key or something. Oddly, at least to him, his master key wouldn’t even go in to either lock without a lot of force. He took the deadbolt, decided that by some unknown force had the key become too big for the locks. So he was going to take the keys to the hardware store and get them filed down. He left. He was back in about thirty minutes. His story is that while he was driving to the hardware store, he remembered that a few years ago, he had a similar problem with a lock at his house. He used a spray graphite to fix the one at his home, so he went to his house, found the can and tried it. Magically it worked on the deadbolt. Then he came back to my place and sprayed the main lock. It now worked well too. He is a good ol’ boy, not the brightest candle on the cake, but enjoyable to watch. I always watch because I figure, if whatever he is fixing needs to be done again and it is not too much work, I will do it myself. Now about his story. I think he went to the hardware store and the guy there grabbed the can, sprayed it and made it work. The Hardware Guy didn’t buy the story that the key had mysteriously become larger. Then my guy bought the can and brought it over to fix my lock. Somehow his story, while plausible, just didn’t fit.
My good friend, Julius, called last night to tell me his mother had passed. Nina was 90, born three days before my own mother, and had been failing for several years. I knew she was in the hospital but on Monday they were talking about a nursing home here in Flagstaff. This has been a tough few months for Mr. T. He lost his biological mother a few months ago. She was 101 when she passed. He was raised by his father’s brother and his wife. His adopted dad passed many years ago, while Julius was still in Jr. High. Nina raised three daughters and Julius, by herself. Two of the kids graduated from college. All the family was able to be in Tuba before she passed. I think her passing is harder on the grandkids than the siblings. To make the situation more difficult, while Julius was at the mortuary, someone broke into his house and stole his stuff. They got his father’s hunting rifle, lots of hunting equipment, and some electronics. Ju and the cops tracked them about a mile and found some of the cases the stuff was in, but as of yet, none of the valuable stuff. Ju’s tracking even impressed the cops. They are going back to the area today, hoping the little bastards will return to the area where they dropped the cases in the bushes. The stuff is probably nearby, but it was dark and the cops and Ju just couldn’t see well enough. I went to all the pawn shops in Flag with pics. No luck yet. He doesn’t have the serial number so while it is easy to identify, without that, it is really hard to get it back, if it is found. Reminder to all: If you have any ‘stealable’ values, be sure you have the serial number someplace. Cops really won’t get excited, nor will pawn shops without it.
One last quick story about Mr. T. He was looking up the place where he had the gun repaired about ten years ago. He was hoping they might have the serial number. He was at school, after the kids left, I’m sure, doing a Google search. Seems the Bureau has blocked all the sites that sell or repair guns. Hmmm. I guess that is a good thing. Headlines of a government worker buying a weapon through the work computer and then going on a rampage might not bring good press.
Flag only dropped to 13° last night and made it to 45° today. Snow melts, streets remain wet. Businesses are still clearing their sidewalks along 89. It is this time of year that I’m glad I don’t have to walk in Flagstaff. Even though there is an ordinance that says your sidewalk has to be cleared soon after a storm, the only way they enforce it is when someone complains. Then, I hear, the property owner gets a warning at least the first time and maybe even the second time. I don’t even see the sidewalks along 89 unless it has snowed. Then I see pedestrians walking in the street. This is very dangerous for them and for traffic, but sometimes the pedestrian has few, if any, other choice. It is really too bad that our city can’t find a better solution.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”
~Mohammed
± Unusual …
-How to Spell Hanukkah: Thankfully, the Old English "Cristes Maesse" settled into "Christmas" over 500 years ago. On the other hand, most people end up in a spelling train wreck when it comes to the Jewish Festival of Lights. The good news is, whether you spell it Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanukkah, Hanuka, or Channuka, you're probably right. Because of the linguistic differences between English and Hebrew, there is no "correct" English language spelling.
-Chanukah can fall anytime between the middle of November and beginning of January. The exact dates are decided according to the Jewish calendar, which is Lunar-based. The eight-day holiday starts on 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
-The term ‘Chanukah’ stands for dedication in Hebrew and recalls the Maccabees' rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, after they won the battle with the Greeks, for control over their holy site.
± Random Fact
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 18 December Observances
Oatmeal Muffin Day
Hawaii: Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's Birthday (1831)—Hawaiian Philantropist, last descendent of Kamehameha Royal Line
-Goa: Liberation day (1987 from India)
-Day for South-South Cooperation—UN Day for South American countries to help each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1732…Benjamin Franklin (under the name Richard Saunders) begins publication of "Poor Richard's Almanack"
§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Jennifer Beals in 1963 actress: (Flashdance)
“Little” Jimmy Dickens in 1920 country singer (Grand Ole Opry)
Marianne Faithfull in 1946 (England) singer
Phil Ochs in 1940 anti-war folk singer (Joe Hill)
Tim Reid in 1944 comedian (Venus Flytrap-WKRP)
David Susskind in 1920 TV host
John Taylor in 1753 philosopher (Jeffersonian Democracy)
Cicely Tyson in 1933 actress
~Athletics
Kevin McHale in 1957 Basketball Hall of Famer: Celtics
Jake Plummer in 1974 quarterback (Cardinals)
Reggie White in 1961 football: Packers
~Business, Education, Politics
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev in 1906 President of the USSR
Henry Clay Frick in 1849 built world's largest coke & steel operation
Hermann Hirt in 1865 (Prussia) linguist (Indo-European Grammar)
Jeanne Kirkpatrick in 1926 US ambassador to UN
Hercules Robinson in 1824 (Ireland) South Africa Commissioner
Carter G Woodson in 1875 American historian (black studies)
~Science/Religion
Thomas Andrews in 1813 (Ireland) chemist/physicist (ozone)
John Kirk Barry in 1832 (Scotland) Dr/ explorer with David Livingstone
Sir William Parry in 1790 (England) Arctic
§ In Remembrance~
Alois Alzheimer German neurologist (first described Alzheimer's Disease), Heart Failure @ 51
Raymond Massey actor (Dr Gillespie-Dr Kildaire), @ 87
Marcello Mastroiani actor (8½) @ 72
Antonio Stradivari violin maker, @ 93
Nellie Taylor Ross 1st woman governor (Wyo), @ 101
Norman Thomas founder ACLU @ 84
§ Historical Events on this day
1686…Robinson Crusoe leaves his island after 28 years (as per Defoe)
1776…Thomas Paine published his 1st "American Crisis" essay, in which he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls"
1823…Georgia passes 1st US state birth registration law
1842…US recognizes independence of Hawaii
1843…Charles Dickens publishes "A Christmas Carol" in England
1871…Albert L Jones (New York NY), patents corrugated paper
1903…Williamsburg suspension bridge opens between Brooklyn & Manhattan
1918…Robert Ripley began his "Believe It or Not" column (New York Globe)
1919…American Meteorological Society found
1950…Tibet's Dalai Lama flees Chinese invasion
1971…Stanley Kubrick's X-rated "A Clockwork Orange" premieres
1979…Chrysler receives a $1.5 billion government loan to help put the company back on its feet
1984…UK signs agreement with China to return Hong Kong to China in 1997
1987…Gari Kasparov becomes world chess champion
1998…President Bill Clinton is impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. nudity justice (8,8)
2. scandalous crime concerning misleading modem measure (4,5)
3. gentle youth (4,5)
4. friendly servant (6,6)
5. public address concerning a fruit (5,6)
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ANSWERS
1. nudity justice (8,8), bareness fairness
2. scandalous crime concerning misleading modem measure (4,5), baud fraud
3. gentle youth (4,5) mild child
4. friendly servant (6,6) genial menial
5. public address concerning a fruit (5,6) peach speech
353 days so far this year…12 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"To save one life is better than to build a seven story pagoda." ~Chinese Proverb
***Free Ramblings***
When I moved in three+ years ago, the deadbolt was hard to lock and unlock with a key. It is keyed to the main door lock, and I only lock it when I am gone for more than a day. Yesterday I came home from running some errands and it took about five minutes to get the main lock open. So this morning I called the maintenance man to get it fixed. Another advantage to leasing over owning. I sure don’t want to be locked out in the cold. So the guy shows up with the master key, assuming that I have done something wrong—like bend my key or something. Oddly, at least to him, his master key wouldn’t even go in to either lock without a lot of force. He took the deadbolt, decided that by some unknown force had the key become too big for the locks. So he was going to take the keys to the hardware store and get them filed down. He left. He was back in about thirty minutes. His story is that while he was driving to the hardware store, he remembered that a few years ago, he had a similar problem with a lock at his house. He used a spray graphite to fix the one at his home, so he went to his house, found the can and tried it. Magically it worked on the deadbolt. Then he came back to my place and sprayed the main lock. It now worked well too. He is a good ol’ boy, not the brightest candle on the cake, but enjoyable to watch. I always watch because I figure, if whatever he is fixing needs to be done again and it is not too much work, I will do it myself. Now about his story. I think he went to the hardware store and the guy there grabbed the can, sprayed it and made it work. The Hardware Guy didn’t buy the story that the key had mysteriously become larger. Then my guy bought the can and brought it over to fix my lock. Somehow his story, while plausible, just didn’t fit.
My good friend, Julius, called last night to tell me his mother had passed. Nina was 90, born three days before my own mother, and had been failing for several years. I knew she was in the hospital but on Monday they were talking about a nursing home here in Flagstaff. This has been a tough few months for Mr. T. He lost his biological mother a few months ago. She was 101 when she passed. He was raised by his father’s brother and his wife. His adopted dad passed many years ago, while Julius was still in Jr. High. Nina raised three daughters and Julius, by herself. Two of the kids graduated from college. All the family was able to be in Tuba before she passed. I think her passing is harder on the grandkids than the siblings. To make the situation more difficult, while Julius was at the mortuary, someone broke into his house and stole his stuff. They got his father’s hunting rifle, lots of hunting equipment, and some electronics. Ju and the cops tracked them about a mile and found some of the cases the stuff was in, but as of yet, none of the valuable stuff. Ju’s tracking even impressed the cops. They are going back to the area today, hoping the little bastards will return to the area where they dropped the cases in the bushes. The stuff is probably nearby, but it was dark and the cops and Ju just couldn’t see well enough. I went to all the pawn shops in Flag with pics. No luck yet. He doesn’t have the serial number so while it is easy to identify, without that, it is really hard to get it back, if it is found. Reminder to all: If you have any ‘stealable’ values, be sure you have the serial number someplace. Cops really won’t get excited, nor will pawn shops without it.
One last quick story about Mr. T. He was looking up the place where he had the gun repaired about ten years ago. He was hoping they might have the serial number. He was at school, after the kids left, I’m sure, doing a Google search. Seems the Bureau has blocked all the sites that sell or repair guns. Hmmm. I guess that is a good thing. Headlines of a government worker buying a weapon through the work computer and then going on a rampage might not bring good press.
Flag only dropped to 13° last night and made it to 45° today. Snow melts, streets remain wet. Businesses are still clearing their sidewalks along 89. It is this time of year that I’m glad I don’t have to walk in Flagstaff. Even though there is an ordinance that says your sidewalk has to be cleared soon after a storm, the only way they enforce it is when someone complains. Then, I hear, the property owner gets a warning at least the first time and maybe even the second time. I don’t even see the sidewalks along 89 unless it has snowed. Then I see pedestrians walking in the street. This is very dangerous for them and for traffic, but sometimes the pedestrian has few, if any, other choice. It is really too bad that our city can’t find a better solution.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”
~Mohammed
± Unusual …
-How to Spell Hanukkah: Thankfully, the Old English "Cristes Maesse" settled into "Christmas" over 500 years ago. On the other hand, most people end up in a spelling train wreck when it comes to the Jewish Festival of Lights. The good news is, whether you spell it Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanukkah, Hanuka, or Channuka, you're probably right. Because of the linguistic differences between English and Hebrew, there is no "correct" English language spelling.
-Chanukah can fall anytime between the middle of November and beginning of January. The exact dates are decided according to the Jewish calendar, which is Lunar-based. The eight-day holiday starts on 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
-The term ‘Chanukah’ stands for dedication in Hebrew and recalls the Maccabees' rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, after they won the battle with the Greeks, for control over their holy site.
± Random Fact
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 18 December Observances
Oatmeal Muffin Day
Hawaii: Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's Birthday (1831)—Hawaiian Philantropist, last descendent of Kamehameha Royal Line
-Goa: Liberation day (1987 from India)
-Day for South-South Cooperation—UN Day for South American countries to help each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1732…Benjamin Franklin (under the name Richard Saunders) begins publication of "Poor Richard's Almanack"
§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Jennifer Beals in 1963 actress: (Flashdance)
“Little” Jimmy Dickens in 1920 country singer (Grand Ole Opry)
Marianne Faithfull in 1946 (England) singer
Phil Ochs in 1940 anti-war folk singer (Joe Hill)
Tim Reid in 1944 comedian (Venus Flytrap-WKRP)
David Susskind in 1920 TV host
John Taylor in 1753 philosopher (Jeffersonian Democracy)
Cicely Tyson in 1933 actress
~Athletics
Kevin McHale in 1957 Basketball Hall of Famer: Celtics
Jake Plummer in 1974 quarterback (Cardinals)
Reggie White in 1961 football: Packers
~Business, Education, Politics
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev in 1906 President of the USSR
Henry Clay Frick in 1849 built world's largest coke & steel operation
Hermann Hirt in 1865 (Prussia) linguist (Indo-European Grammar)
Jeanne Kirkpatrick in 1926 US ambassador to UN
Hercules Robinson in 1824 (Ireland) South Africa Commissioner
Carter G Woodson in 1875 American historian (black studies)
~Science/Religion
Thomas Andrews in 1813 (Ireland) chemist/physicist (ozone)
John Kirk Barry in 1832 (Scotland) Dr/ explorer with David Livingstone
Sir William Parry in 1790 (England) Arctic
§ In Remembrance~
Alois Alzheimer German neurologist (first described Alzheimer's Disease), Heart Failure @ 51
Raymond Massey actor (Dr Gillespie-Dr Kildaire), @ 87
Marcello Mastroiani actor (8½) @ 72
Antonio Stradivari violin maker, @ 93
Nellie Taylor Ross 1st woman governor (Wyo), @ 101
Norman Thomas founder ACLU @ 84
§ Historical Events on this day
1686…Robinson Crusoe leaves his island after 28 years (as per Defoe)
1776…Thomas Paine published his 1st "American Crisis" essay, in which he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls"
1823…Georgia passes 1st US state birth registration law
1842…US recognizes independence of Hawaii
1843…Charles Dickens publishes "A Christmas Carol" in England
1871…Albert L Jones (New York NY), patents corrugated paper
1903…Williamsburg suspension bridge opens between Brooklyn & Manhattan
1918…Robert Ripley began his "Believe It or Not" column (New York Globe)
1919…American Meteorological Society found
1950…Tibet's Dalai Lama flees Chinese invasion
1971…Stanley Kubrick's X-rated "A Clockwork Orange" premieres
1979…Chrysler receives a $1.5 billion government loan to help put the company back on its feet
1984…UK signs agreement with China to return Hong Kong to China in 1997
1987…Gari Kasparov becomes world chess champion
1998…President Bill Clinton is impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. nudity justice (8,8)
2. scandalous crime concerning misleading modem measure (4,5)
3. gentle youth (4,5)
4. friendly servant (6,6)
5. public address concerning a fruit (5,6)
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ANSWERS
1. nudity justice (8,8), bareness fairness
2. scandalous crime concerning misleading modem measure (4,5), baud fraud
3. gentle youth (4,5) mild child
4. friendly servant (6,6) genial menial
5. public address concerning a fruit (5,6) peach speech
Friday
07 shopping days remain until Christmas
352 days so far this year…13 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"To laugh at men of sense is the privilege of fools." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
The holidays are approaching very quickly. The dentist put in my new cap, and I scheduled an appointment in January to get another. I also went to the tax man today. Not successful at all. The guy wasn’t there. I waited 45 minutes to see someone about how mad I was. Calls were made, my job is to relax and wait for them to call me back. I got home and filed a complaint regarding this situation. Of course, it took about an hour to find someone who would help me, but I think they know they really dropped the ball. I was told, that if I did owe taxes and/or penalties, HRBlock would pay the whole thing. So while I am tired of their run-arounds, things may work out better than I thought they would. My wait period is “a couple of days”. Great, they will probably call while I’m out of town. So taxes are now again, on the back burner, just simmering a while.
Funny, sad story: In one of my 800 calls I was transferred to a voice mail that said “Thank you for contacting blah, blah….we are not currently accepting calls. Please call back later.” Hmmm. I did get through to the local number today…the one that had a full mailbox for the last week. Today’s message was unbelievable. “Thank you for calling, blah, blah…our offices are closed. To make an appointment, please call 213-0095.” And then the call is ended by the machine. That would be great; except that IS the number I had just called. I don’t think this is what Henry and Richard had in mind when they started their tax business.
There is an interesting debate in the local paper. Last year the east side junction of Hwy 89 and I-40 was redesigned. The result is a huge catch basin just off 89. Locals decided it would be great for kids to use for sledding. The city council considered it. There is no parking in the residential area surrounding the site. There is no parking on the 4 lane highway either. They told the community it couldn’t be a snow sledding area. Then the city put up a fence so they couldn’t be held liable if someone got hurt, to prevent potential traffic accidents, and to ease the concerns of neighbors near this catch basin. Now young kids are writing letters to the paper complaining that it is a perfect spot to sled and the city should open it up. I can see the draw to the place. I blame the engineer who wasn’t able to see its winter potential and do a design that made it accessible or do a design that made it much less tempting. Oh that’s right, I live in a small town that has a hard time seeing beyond today.
Flagstaff dropped to a very cool 8° last night. We made it to 45° by this afternoon. The snow piles continue to melt. While there are clouds in the forecast, no snow is expected. This is good since I have several luncheons next week, and I will fly to the Windy City on Wednesday. Next big issue will be how to get to the local airport. It seems that the airport, which is about five miles from downtown and about 10 miles from my house, has limited parking. The newspaper is saying that the lot is full—not of traveler’s vehicles, but of people who park their for free during our snowy winter. Why they would park there is beyond me, but such is the case.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“When a person is down in the world, an ounce of help is better than a pound of preaching.”
~Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton (Novelist, Playwright, Politician)
± Unusual Newspaper Ads…
-Girl wanted to assist magician in cutting-off-head illusion. Blue Cross and salary.
-For Sale. Three canaries of undermined sex.
-Get rid of aunts: Zap does the job in 24 hours.
-Christmas sale. Handmade gifts for the hard-to-find person.
± Random Fact
Jimmy Hoffa's middle name is/was, appropriately, Riddle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Gluten-free Baking Week (Dec 12th-18th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 18 December Observances
International Migrants Day: to protect rights of all immigrants
Islamic New Year
National Roast A Suckling Pig Day
New Jersey: Ratification Day (1787)
-Niger: Republic Day (from France since 1958)
-Qatar: National Day (free from Bahrain since 1878)
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§ Holy Mackerel: on this day in 1912..The so called Piltdown Man thought to be the missing evolutionary link between ape and man is discovered in the Piltdown gravel pit in Sussex, England, by amateur archaeologist Charles Dawson. In 1953, at an international congress of paleontologists, the Piltdown Man was first openly called a fraud, and it has since been confirmed that it was indeed a fraud made up of skull parts from humans and an orangutan.
§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Christina Aguilera in 1980: singer
Tracy Byrd in 1966: country singer
Ossie Davis in 1917: actor/playwright
Betty (Ruth Elizabeth) Grable in 1916: Pinup; actress
Joseph Grimaldi in 1778: clown: ‘greatest clown in history’, ‘king of pantomime’: Joey the Clown
Katie Holmes in 1978: actress, Mrs. Tom Cruise
Leonard Maltin in 1950: movie critic
Brad Pitt in 1963: actor
Keith Richards in 1943: Rolling Stones
Saki (Hector Hugo Munro) in 1870: (Burma) author
Steven Spielberg in 1947: movie director
Kiefer Sutherland in 1966: actor
Casper Van Dien in 1968: actor
~Athletics
Don Beebe in 1964: NFL wide receiver (Packers-Superbowl XXXI)
Ty Cobb in 1886: Baseball batted .367, stole 892 bases (Tigers)
Hubie Green in 1946: PGA golfer
Charles Oakley in 1963: NBA: Bulls, Knicks
~Business, Education, Politics
Willy [Herbert Frahm] Brandt in 1913: German chancellor (Nobel 1971)
Robert Moses in 1888: power broker (built Long Island & NYC parks & roads)
~Science/Religion
Joseph John Thomson in 1856: (England) discovered electron (Nobel 1906)
Charles Wesley in 1707: co-founder of Methodist movement
§ In Remembrance~
John T "Legs" Diamond US gangster, murdered @ 35
Chris Farley comedian (SNL) heart attack/cocaine @ 33
Mark Goodson TV game show producer (Goodson-Toddman) @ 77
§ Historical Events on this day
1777…1st national Thanksgiving Day, commemorating Burgoyne's surrender
1787…New Jersey becomes 3rd state to ratify constitution
1839…1st celestial photograph (the moon) made in US by John Draper
1892…Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "Nutcracker Suite" premieres
1920…1st US postage stamps printed without the words United States or US
1936…Su-Lin, 1st giant panda to come to US from China, arrives in San Francisco
1956…"To Tell the Truth" debuts on CBS-TV
1957…The US first large scale civilian atomic power plant--in Pa.
1960…General Meeting of United Nations condemns Apartheid
1961…The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (Wimoweh for the purists) is a #1 hit single.
1966…Dr Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" airs for 1st time on CBS
1976…"Wonder Woman" debuts on ABC
1980…Vietnam adopts constitution
1985…UN Security Council unanimously condemns "acts of hostage-taking"
1987…Union Carbide Corporation was ordered to pay out $270 million in temporary relief to Indian victims of the 1994 disastrous gas leak which took 2,000 lives.
1996…TV industry executives agree to adopt a ratings system
1996…The Oakland, California school board passes a resolution officially declaring "Ebonics" a language or dialect
1999…Environmental activist Julia "Butterfly" Hill came down after spending two years living in a 180-foot-tall, 600-year-old California Redwood tree nicknamed (LUNA) for 738 days to prevent loggers of the Pacific Lumber Company from cutting it down. She agreed to vacate the tree when the Pacific Lumber Company agreed to preserve Luna and all trees within a 3-acre buffer zone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. bad news, then the good (5,5):
2. spoil an even round at the links (3,3):
3. failure to point your toes after springing? (5,5):
4. percussionist one season per year (6,7)
5. 10 cent couplet (4,5):
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ANSWERS1. bad news, then the good (5,5): worst first
2. spoil an even round at the links (3,3): mar par
3. failure to point your toes after springing? (5,5): vault fault
4. percussionist one season per year (6,7) summer drummer
5. 10 cent couplet (4,5): dime rhyme
Thursday
08 shopping days remain until Christmas
351 days so far this year…14 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"Every human being comes equipped with a brain at no extra cost." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
OK, I’m almost ready for Christmas. 99.8% of my shopping is complete. 0% of the gifts are wrapped, but I have the necessary items, so it’s just a matter of motivation. Bring on the season.
The dentist called and my cap arrived on time, so tomorrow I lose the bling and get the permanent cap. That’s good. Then I go to the tax man. That will not be enjoyable, but hopefully will start the process of getting Colorado off my back.
I listened to a disturbing story on NPR today. The discussion was about young American-born Muslims, mostly twenty-something, who are being ‘radicalized’ by the Internet to become terrorists. They find Muslim sites that tell of the horrors committed by Americans on their Muslim brothers and sisters. The story admitted that our soldiers and ‘contractors’ are brutally killing many innocents in the wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. While the American press continues to say these are isolated incidents, the internet sites disagree. Many of these young Muslims are themselves victims of racial tension here in the US. While their parents may have come to the US for a better life, the generation of Muslims that have grown up after 9-11 have not found that better life. Some are being trained at camps outside the US; some are just reading and getting very angry and looking for an outlet for their anger. The US citizenry has not been doing a very good job about learning about the enemy we are fighting. The many law abiding Muslim families here in the US have been treated unfairly. They have been seen as ‘possible terrorists.’ If we continue to remain uneducated about the Muslims who live in the US, and continue to allow others to discriminate against them, we have no one to blame but ourselves for the outcome. We all know that if one hears something long enough, it is almost impossible not to believe it. When one perceives that everyone thinks you are a terrorist, you may just become one. The only way to stop these home-grown terrorists is to educate ourselves.
A good weather day here today. We made it to 46° and there was no breeze. Lots of snow melted. It was nice to be outside. It’s going to drop down to 14° tonight, so melting will be slowed down significantly tomorrow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless, and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself.”
~John Ruskin (Poet, Writer, Art Critic)
± Unusual Newspaper Ads…
-Mixing bowl set designed to please a cook with round bottom for efficient beating
-Semi-Annual after-Christmas Sale
-And now, the Superstore--unequaled in size, unmatched in variety, unrivaled inconvenience
-We will oil your sewing machine and adjust tension in your home for $1.00
± Random Fact
The word pound is often abbreviated as lb. This comes from the Latin word libra which literally means "balance" as in a scale.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Gluten-free Baking Week (Dec 12th-18th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 17 December Observances
Underdog Day—Cheer for one if you know one
National Maple Syrup Day—be sure it is Pure Maple Syrup
National Re-gifting Day—the most popular day for Office Parties
Wright Brothers Day since 1903
-Bhutan: Ascension to the throne of 1st elected King/National Day (since 1907)
-Colombia: Independence Day (from Spain-1819)
-Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Bolivia: Bolivar Day (since 1830) To recognize Simon Bolivar, Liberator
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1965…Largest newspaper-Sunday New York Times at 946 pages (50¢)
& on this day 1936…Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen & dummy Charlie McCarthy, make their radio debut on Rudy Vallee’s Royal Gelatin Hour…A ventriloquist on the RADIO? Hmmm
§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Arthur Fiedler in 1894 conductor (Boston Pops)
John Greenleaf Whittier in 1807 US, poet (Snow-bound)
~Athletics
Leo (Leonardo Lazaro Alfonso) ‘Chico’ Cardenas in 1938 baseball: Reds ‘61/all-star, Twins Angels, Indians, Rangers
Earl Dotson in 1970 NFL tackle (Packers-Superbowl XXXI)
~Business/ Education/ Politics
William Safire in 1929 political columnist (NY Times)/speech writer (Nixon)
~Science/Religion
Sir Humphrey Davy in 1778 discovered Chlorine and Iodine
§ In Remembrance~
Simon Bolivar @ 47 of TB
§ Historical Events on this day
1745…Bonnie Prince Charles army retreats to Scotland
1821…Kentucky abolishes debtors prisons
1852…1st Hawaiian cavalry organized Huh? to ride where?
1890…Sitting Bull and the police killed during his arrest are buried with honor. Today, members of the HUNKPAPA SIOUX arrive at Big Foot's camp of MINNECONJOU SIOUX seeking refuge. However, today will also see the issuing of an arrest warrant for Big Foot, himself, for his part as a "trouble maker" in the ghost dance religion.
1895…George L. Brownell of Worcester, MA made history by getting a patent for his paper-twine machine.
1900…New Ellis Island Immigration station completed costing $1.5 million
1903…At 10:35 AM, 1st sustained motorized aircraft flight (Orville Wright)
1922…Last British troops leave Ireland Freestate
1944…US Army announces end of excluding Japanese-Americans from West Coast; Japanese-Americans are released from detention camps
1949…Burma recognizes People's Republic of China
1955…Carl Perkins wrote Blue Suede Shoes. Less than 48 hours later, he recorded it at the Sun Studios in Memphis. The tune became one of the first records to be popular simultaneously on rock, country and rhythm & blues charts.
1971…Radio Bangladesh begins transmitting
1975…Lynette Fromme is sentenced to life for attempt on President Ford's life—released in 2009.
1986…Mrs Davina Thompson makes medical history by having the 1st heart, lung & liver transplant (Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England)
1992…President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in separate ceremonies
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. demand your appellation (5,4)
2. organized action against bubbly (9,8)
3. crash against the British baby buggy (3,4)
4. resentment over a gift left in a will (6,8)
5. simulation on how to send an interoffice note (4,4)
1. demand your appellation (5,4) claim name
2. organized action against bubbly (9,8) champagne campaign
3. crash against the baby buggy (3,4) ram pram
4. resentment over a gift left in a will (6,8) legacy jealousy
5. simulation on how to send an interoffice note (4,4) memo demo
351 days so far this year…14 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"Every human being comes equipped with a brain at no extra cost." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
OK, I’m almost ready for Christmas. 99.8% of my shopping is complete. 0% of the gifts are wrapped, but I have the necessary items, so it’s just a matter of motivation. Bring on the season.
The dentist called and my cap arrived on time, so tomorrow I lose the bling and get the permanent cap. That’s good. Then I go to the tax man. That will not be enjoyable, but hopefully will start the process of getting Colorado off my back.
I listened to a disturbing story on NPR today. The discussion was about young American-born Muslims, mostly twenty-something, who are being ‘radicalized’ by the Internet to become terrorists. They find Muslim sites that tell of the horrors committed by Americans on their Muslim brothers and sisters. The story admitted that our soldiers and ‘contractors’ are brutally killing many innocents in the wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. While the American press continues to say these are isolated incidents, the internet sites disagree. Many of these young Muslims are themselves victims of racial tension here in the US. While their parents may have come to the US for a better life, the generation of Muslims that have grown up after 9-11 have not found that better life. Some are being trained at camps outside the US; some are just reading and getting very angry and looking for an outlet for their anger. The US citizenry has not been doing a very good job about learning about the enemy we are fighting. The many law abiding Muslim families here in the US have been treated unfairly. They have been seen as ‘possible terrorists.’ If we continue to remain uneducated about the Muslims who live in the US, and continue to allow others to discriminate against them, we have no one to blame but ourselves for the outcome. We all know that if one hears something long enough, it is almost impossible not to believe it. When one perceives that everyone thinks you are a terrorist, you may just become one. The only way to stop these home-grown terrorists is to educate ourselves.
A good weather day here today. We made it to 46° and there was no breeze. Lots of snow melted. It was nice to be outside. It’s going to drop down to 14° tonight, so melting will be slowed down significantly tomorrow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Helping Others
“You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless, and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself.”
~John Ruskin (Poet, Writer, Art Critic)
± Unusual Newspaper Ads…
-Mixing bowl set designed to please a cook with round bottom for efficient beating
-Semi-Annual after-Christmas Sale
-And now, the Superstore--unequaled in size, unmatched in variety, unrivaled inconvenience
-We will oil your sewing machine and adjust tension in your home for $1.00
± Random Fact
The word pound is often abbreviated as lb. This comes from the Latin word libra which literally means "balance" as in a scale.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 17 December
Saturnalia: Roman Festival of Tomfoolery (Dec 17th-23rd)
Chanukah (Hanukkah) (Dec 12th-19th)
Gluten-free Baking Week (Dec 12th-18th)
Halcyon Days (Dec 14th-28th)
§ 17 December Observances
Underdog Day—Cheer for one if you know one
National Maple Syrup Day—be sure it is Pure Maple Syrup
National Re-gifting Day—the most popular day for Office Parties
Wright Brothers Day since 1903
-Bhutan: Ascension to the throne of 1st elected King/National Day (since 1907)
-Colombia: Independence Day (from Spain-1819)
-Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Bolivia: Bolivar Day (since 1830) To recognize Simon Bolivar, Liberator
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1965…Largest newspaper-Sunday New York Times at 946 pages (50¢)
& on this day 1936…Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen & dummy Charlie McCarthy, make their radio debut on Rudy Vallee’s Royal Gelatin Hour…A ventriloquist on the RADIO? Hmmm
§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Arthur Fiedler in 1894 conductor (Boston Pops)
John Greenleaf Whittier in 1807 US, poet (Snow-bound)
~Athletics
Leo (Leonardo Lazaro Alfonso) ‘Chico’ Cardenas in 1938 baseball: Reds ‘61/all-star, Twins Angels, Indians, Rangers
Earl Dotson in 1970 NFL tackle (Packers-Superbowl XXXI)
~Business/ Education/ Politics
William Safire in 1929 political columnist (NY Times)/speech writer (Nixon)
~Science/Religion
Sir Humphrey Davy in 1778 discovered Chlorine and Iodine
§ In Remembrance~
Simon Bolivar @ 47 of TB
§ Historical Events on this day
1745…Bonnie Prince Charles army retreats to Scotland
1821…Kentucky abolishes debtors prisons
1852…1st Hawaiian cavalry organized Huh? to ride where?
1890…Sitting Bull and the police killed during his arrest are buried with honor. Today, members of the HUNKPAPA SIOUX arrive at Big Foot's camp of MINNECONJOU SIOUX seeking refuge. However, today will also see the issuing of an arrest warrant for Big Foot, himself, for his part as a "trouble maker" in the ghost dance religion.
1895…George L. Brownell of Worcester, MA made history by getting a patent for his paper-twine machine.
1900…New Ellis Island Immigration station completed costing $1.5 million
1903…At 10:35 AM, 1st sustained motorized aircraft flight (Orville Wright)
1922…Last British troops leave Ireland Freestate
1944…US Army announces end of excluding Japanese-Americans from West Coast; Japanese-Americans are released from detention camps
1949…Burma recognizes People's Republic of China
1955…Carl Perkins wrote Blue Suede Shoes. Less than 48 hours later, he recorded it at the Sun Studios in Memphis. The tune became one of the first records to be popular simultaneously on rock, country and rhythm & blues charts.
1971…Radio Bangladesh begins transmitting
1975…Lynette Fromme is sentenced to life for attempt on President Ford's life—released in 2009.
1986…Mrs Davina Thompson makes medical history by having the 1st heart, lung & liver transplant (Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England)
1992…President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in separate ceremonies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. demand your appellation (5,4)
2. organized action against bubbly (9,8)
3. crash against the British baby buggy (3,4)
4. resentment over a gift left in a will (6,8)
5. simulation on how to send an interoffice note (4,4)
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ANSWERS1. demand your appellation (5,4) claim name
2. organized action against bubbly (9,8) champagne campaign
3. crash against the baby buggy (3,4) ram pram
4. resentment over a gift left in a will (6,8) legacy jealousy
5. simulation on how to send an interoffice note (4,4) memo demo
Wednesday
09 shopping days remain until Christmas
350 days so far this year…15 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"When forced to choose between two evils, try the new one." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
The countdown has begun. It’s 9 shopping days and only 7 days until I leave for a Christmas celebration in Chicago. I met a Rez friend for lunch. We caught up on tribal politics. Today the Navajos were all over the local news. First, a judge returned Chairman Shirley back to his office. Navajos are also voting today to decide if the 88 member Council will become only 24. It seems to me, clearly a non-Navajo, that if the 24 council members passes, the entire culture of the Navajo will be changed forever. The Navajos consolidated many years ago, and when Inscription House and Navajo Mountain merged, many lost a voice. Chapter Houses are the center of Rez politics. If the chapter doesn’t have a delegate in Window Rock, who will speak for the local people? The only consolidation I know about for sure is that Gap, Cameron, Leupp and Tohani Lake will have one delegate. Sounds to me like President Shirley looked at District One in Arizona to make such a plan. The delegate will be responsible for representing communities about 100 miles apart as the crow flies. Hmmm. I’m glad it is not my business and not my choice.
We had a warm day—38° with only a tiny breeze. Lots of snow melted today. There is still lots to go. The 8-10 foot high piles, at the malls and Big Boxes, will take weeks more to melt. At my place, our piles are only about four feet high and are melting quite well. Since it is only dropping to about 28° each night, it doesn’t take so long for the sun to do its job. We still have snow on the roofs of each building, which melts, runs down onto the sidewalks and makes a nice skating rink by about 4pm. Hard to keep ahead of it.
Today is certainly an interesting day in South Africa as well. Dec. 16 was observed as the “Day of the Vow” or “Day of the Covenant” or “Dingaan Day” from 1838 to 1994. Earlier in 1838 Dingaan The Vulture was a Zulu leader. The Voortrekkers, Dutch pioneers (Boers), wanted to get away from the Brits and asked Dingaan for land. He wanted cattle back from a rival tribe. The Voortrekkers got the cattle back. During the victory party with the Zulus, Dingaan killed all of the Voortrekkers at the celebration. On Dec. 16 the Boers retaliated, killing about 3000 of the 12000 Zulus. From that time on, the Afrikaners considered this a Day of Thanksgiving. The Vow or Covenant was made by the Boers before that battle. That vow said they would if God allowed them to defeat the Zulu, they would build a church and that they and all their descendants would keep the day as a Holy Sabbath. One hundred and fifty six years later the name was changed, in 1994, to “Day of Reconciliation” and now represents the end of Apartheid. Interestingly December 16, 1961 is the day that the African National Congress (ANC) formed its armed wing: ‘Umkhonto we Sizwe’ (‘Spear of the Nation’).
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± Quotes from Values.com—Sacrifice
“Only he can understand what a farm is, what a country is, who shall have sacrificed part of himself to his farm or country, fought to save it, struggled to make it beautiful. Only then will the love of farm or country fill his heart.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Aviator, Writer: The Little Prince)
± Unusual Wizard of Oz Trivia…
- Meinhardt Raabe, who played the Coroner of Munchkinland, was, at one time, the shortest licensed pilot in the U.S. During WWII, he volunteered for military service and was turned down. He was accepted as a volunteer instructor in the Civil Air Patrol.
-The name for Oz was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."
± Random Fact
75% of Honda vehicles purchased in the U.S. are manufactured in North America
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
Gluten-free Baking Week (week 12th -18th )
Halcyon Days—week Dec 14th -28th
§ 16 December Observances
Barbie and Barney Backlash Day—Day to tell kids that Barbie and Barney don’t exist.
National Chocolate-covered Anything Day—Chocolate Lovers Rejoice
-Bangladesh : Victory Day (Pakistan surrendered--1971)
-Bahrain – National Day (from UK—1971)
-Kazakhstan – Independence Day (from USSR—1991)
-México : Posadas Days—Dec 16-24—celebrating the journey of Mary and Joseph
-Namibia: Day of the Covenant—see South Africa
-Nepál : Constitution Day (1962)
-Philippines – First day of Misa de Gallo—Dec 16-24—early morning mass (Rooster Mass) (4am) to honor Mary and birth of Jesus
-South Africa : various names—see Free Ramblings above
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1944…The Battle of the Bulge began at Ardennes, Belgium. Over 19,000 American soldiers killed
§ BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Jane Austen in 1775: author (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility)
Ludwig van Beethoven in 1770: Bonn Germany, composer (Ode to Joy and others)
Steven Bochco in 1943: TV producer (cop shows)
Benjamin Bratt in 1963: actor
Arthur C. Clarke in 1917: science fiction writer (2001: A Space Odyssey)
Sir Noel (Peirce) Coward in 1899: actor director, composer, playwright
Philip K[indred] Dick in 1928: sci-fi author (Blade Runner)
Peter [Malcolm] Dickinson in 1927 in Zambia: sci-fi and children’s books author
George Santayana in 1863 in Spain: philosopher/poet/humanist
Liv Ullman in 1939 in Tokyo: actress
~Athletics
Tom Brookshier in 1931: football-(Eagles) sportscaster-CBS
William "The Refrigerator" Perry in 1962: football-(Bears)
~Business / Education / Politics
Catherine of Aragon in 1485: Spanish princess/1st wife of Henry VIII
Lesley Stahl in 1941: White House correspondent & 60 minutes(CBS)
~Science/Religion
Bruce Ames in 1928: biochemist-cancer research
Margaret Mead in 1901: anthropologist
§ In Remembrance~
Dan Fogelberg American singer/songwriter (of cancer) @ 56
Wilhelm Grimm writer (Grimm's Fairy Tales) @ 73
W. Somerset Maugham English writer @ 91
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin Russian monk (murdered) @ 45
Charles Camille Saint-Saens French composer (Carnival of the Animals), @ 86
Harland "Colonel" Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken, @ 90
Lee Van Cleef US actor (Good, Bad & Ugly), @ 64
§ Historical Events on this day
1653…Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England, Scotland & Ireland 1773…Big tea party in Boston harbor
1811…The New Madrid earthquake on the Mississippi River. Many tribes will tell tales of this event for generations.
1835…Fire consumes over 600 buildings in New York NY
1893…Anton Dvorak's "New World Symphony" premieres
1901…Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter, printed for the first time, complete with Potter’s watercolor illustrations.
1912…1st US postage stamp picturing an airplane, 20¢ parcel post, issued
1915…Albert Einstein publishes his "General Theory of Relativity"
1951…NBC-TV debuted Dragnet
1953…1st White House Press Conference (President Eisenhower & 161 reporters)
1953…Charles E Yeager flies over 1,650 mph (first man to fly at nearly two and one-half times the speed of sound)
1970…1st successful landing on Venus (USSR)
1976…Government halts swine flu vaccination program following reports of paralysis
1997…President Clinton and Mexican President Zedillo combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling along the 2,000 mile border between Mexico and the United States.
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. elfin abbey (5,9)
2. sample the gluey substance with your tongue (5,5)
3. Am I prepared? Am I prepared? Am I prepared? (5,5)
4. Lassie's testimony (4,5)
5. policemans' ball (3,3)
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ANSWERS1. elfin abbey (5,9) fairy monastery
2. sample the gluey substance with your tongue (5,5) taste paste
3. Am I prepared? Am I prepared? Am I prepared? (5,5) scout doubt
4. Lassie's testimony (4,5) woof proof
5. policemans' ball (3,3) cop hop
Tuesday
10 shopping days remain until Christmas
347 days so far this year…16 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"If reality wants to get in touch with me, it knows where I am." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
I spent some time shopping today. Probably a good thing since there is only ten shopping days left. I was very successful, for the most part. My mom had two friends she always sent Fruit of the Month. Last year, I continued the tradition. They both had been such good dedicated friends who were always there for her. They both called and said, “You don’t have to do this.” So today I didn’t do it, instead I sent them each a nice one-time Hickory Farms thing. I want them to know my brother and I still appreciate their friendship with the family, but don’t want to overwhelm them with fresh fruit every month—so I opted to overwhelm them with meat and cheese and chocolate. Hmmm...probably should have stuck with the fruit. I have used Hickory Farms before—I really enjoy their cheese balls. I usually go to the local mall, pick out a few cheese things for me and have some boxes sent out around the country to friends. Ah, this year, HF changed their policy. If you buy the stuff at the mall, and have it shipped, you have to fill out a card and mail the order to Hickory Farms, somewhere across this great continent. No email for the poor vendor, no other help from the local vendor. Many of these people only open a kiosk during the Christmas season. A little extra money for the family. The guy told me he has lost a lot of sales with this new policy. So I came home, got on line, and did my order. They even had free shipping. Good for me, but bad, very bad for the poor vendor who is just trying to make a few bucks. If I were him, I would have a computer at the kiosk and let the customer use it to order. But then, I’m not now or will ever be a business person.
Today my sister-in-law turned 40. A big deal, especially in her business. My brother planned a great evening, but wouldn’t tell me doing what…guess he doesn’t trust my ability to keep a secret. I usually just send a card but since it is the big 40 I sent her balloons, chocolate, and a stuffed bear. The card read “40 isn’t old…if you are a tree.” The phone guy I ordered it from couldn’t quit giggling when I gave him the message. I guess Laura really enjoyed it too. She said it was at her business first thing this morning. She said the card gave her a good laugh, and helped her accept the inevitable. I wish I could take credit for the quote, but I did steal it. When I turned 40, I was called to the Tonalea school gym about 2pm. There were about 250 kids and staff sitting in the bleachers and a huge sign across the court with the saying. Then the staff and students sang Happy Birthday. They used “Dear Old Man” at the end. Cute. Not true…but cute. I’ve always remembered that day, and use the quote whenever someone has reached 40. It always brings a smile.
Today became another slush day. We only made it to 38° but that was enough to melt yesterday’s snow and some of the two feet left by the previous storm. Parking lots around town were slush rivers between the parking space and the store entrance. The one thing I dislike about my Xterra is the carrier on the roof. It is great for holding stuff but that means snow and ice in the winter. As the snow melts, small pieces of ice slide around the roof every time I speed up, slow down, stop or go. Finally I either climb up and get rid of them, or I hit a bump or pothole and they bounce out onto the pavement. Today it was warm enough for all the snow/ice to find its way to the pavement. Not a bad day overall. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Sacrifice
“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ” ~Joseph Campbell Mythologist, Writer
± Unusual Wizard of Oz Trivia…
-"Over the Rainbow" was nearly cut from the film; MGM felt that it made the Kansas sequence too long, as well as being too far over the heads of the children for whom it was intended. The studio also thought that it was degrading for Judy Garland to sing in a barnyard. In 2004, the song was ranked #1 by the American Film Institute on the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films list.
-The horses in Emerald City palace were colored with Jell-O crystals. The relevant scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick it off.
± Random Fact
75% of Honda vehicles purchased in the U.S. are manufactured in North America
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
Gluten-free Baking Week (week 12th -18th )
Halcyon Days—week Dec 14th -28th
§ 15 December Observances
Bill of Rights Day since 1791
Cat Herders Day—not an easy task
National Lemon Cupcake Day—Lemon Queen Cakes in the 1700’s
-Alderney, Channel Islands: Homecoming Day – celebrates the return of evacuated citizens after World War II.
-Zamenhof Day: Esperanto League (1859) in honor of L. L. Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto
-Netherlands Antilles : Kingdom Day/Statute Day (since 1954)
-Pakistan : Quaid-i-Azam's Birthday (founder of Modern Pakistan)
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± Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1992…A Haitian priest who is Roman Catholic claimed that President Bush was the victim of a voodoo hex. The priest claimed that the president could undo the curse by changing the U.S.’s foreign policy to Haiti. He said that the proof of Bush’s curse was the fact that the president vomited on the Japanese prime minister
± BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Jeff Chandler [Ira Grossel] in 1918 actor (Broken Arrow)
Charles Cowden Clarke in 1787 English editor/Shakespearean critic
Dave Clark in 1942 rock drummer (Dave Clark 5-Glad All Over)
Tim Conway in 1933 comic
Edna O'Brien in 1932 Irish writer (Fanatic of Heart, Casualties of Peace)
Betty Smith in 1906 novelist (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)
~Athletics
Jerry Ball in 1964 NFL defensive tackle (Raiders, Vikings)
Don Johnson in 1949 actor (Miami Vice)
Walter Reeves in 1965 NFL tight end (Browns)
Dan Williams in 1969 NFL defensive end (Broncos)
~Business / Education / Politics
Edwin Howland Blashfield in 1848 decorated the dome of Library of Congress Alan Freed in 1922 DJ, accepted payola/intro term "rock-n-roll"
J Paul Getty in 1892 oil magnate
Helena Rubinstein in 1882 US cosmetic manufacturer
~Science/Religion
Antoine Henri Becquerel in 1852 discovered radioactivity (Nobel 1903)
Charles Edgar Duryea in 1861 inventor (1st auto built & operated in US)
Gustave Alexandre Eiffel in 1832 engineer: designed Paris’ Tower & helped design Statue of Liberty
Arthur D Little in 1863 chemist (patented rayon)
± In Remembrance
Sitting Bull (Thatháŋka Íyotake )Hunkpapa-Sioux chief killed by US Army @ 59
Walt Disney animator of cancer @ 65 *cremated, Urban legend says he was put in suspended animation.
Glenn Miller US band leader/jazz composer, in plane crash @ 40
Thomas W "Fats" Waller jazz pianist of pneumonia @ 39
Chill Wills actor (Frontier Circus, Rounders), @ 75
± Historical Events on this day
1593…State of Holland grants patent on windmill with crankshaft
1791…Bill of Rights ratified when Virginia gave its approval
1791…1st US law school established at University of Pennsylvania
1792…1st life insurance policy issued in US (Philadelphia)
1810…1st Irish magazine in US, The Shamrock, is published
1874…1st reigning king to visit US (of Hawaii) received by President Grant
1939…World premiere of "Gone With The Wind" in Atlanta GA
1944…Hizbu'allah (Arm forces for Allah) forms
1952…Christine Jorgenson is 1st person to undergo a sex-change operation
1961…Adolf Eichmann convicted of crimes against humanity in Israel
1962…The first record album to poke fun at a U.S. President became the #1 LP in the country. Vaughn Meader’s The First Family made the humorist a household word. The album stayed at #1 for three months.
1964…Canada adopts maple leaf flag
1964…1st time 4 people in space
1973…American Psychiatric Association declares homosexuality is not mental illness
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. motionless window shelf (5,4
2. poorly done work in the land of the dense underwood (6,6)
3. 17th century ball/mallet game (4 4)
4. lovers' meeting in the fog (4,5)
5. booted fish (4,3)
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ANSWERS
1. motionless window shelf (5,4) still sill
2. poorly done work in the land of the dense underwood (6,6) jungle bungle
3. 17th century ball/mallet game (4 4) pall mall
4. lovers' meeting in the fog (4,5) mist tryst
5. booted fish (4,3) shod cod
347 days so far this year…16 days remain in 2009
***Provocative Quote***
"If reality wants to get in touch with me, it knows where I am." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
I spent some time shopping today. Probably a good thing since there is only ten shopping days left. I was very successful, for the most part. My mom had two friends she always sent Fruit of the Month. Last year, I continued the tradition. They both had been such good dedicated friends who were always there for her. They both called and said, “You don’t have to do this.” So today I didn’t do it, instead I sent them each a nice one-time Hickory Farms thing. I want them to know my brother and I still appreciate their friendship with the family, but don’t want to overwhelm them with fresh fruit every month—so I opted to overwhelm them with meat and cheese and chocolate. Hmmm...probably should have stuck with the fruit. I have used Hickory Farms before—I really enjoy their cheese balls. I usually go to the local mall, pick out a few cheese things for me and have some boxes sent out around the country to friends. Ah, this year, HF changed their policy. If you buy the stuff at the mall, and have it shipped, you have to fill out a card and mail the order to Hickory Farms, somewhere across this great continent. No email for the poor vendor, no other help from the local vendor. Many of these people only open a kiosk during the Christmas season. A little extra money for the family. The guy told me he has lost a lot of sales with this new policy. So I came home, got on line, and did my order. They even had free shipping. Good for me, but bad, very bad for the poor vendor who is just trying to make a few bucks. If I were him, I would have a computer at the kiosk and let the customer use it to order. But then, I’m not now or will ever be a business person.
Today my sister-in-law turned 40. A big deal, especially in her business. My brother planned a great evening, but wouldn’t tell me doing what…guess he doesn’t trust my ability to keep a secret. I usually just send a card but since it is the big 40 I sent her balloons, chocolate, and a stuffed bear. The card read “40 isn’t old…if you are a tree.” The phone guy I ordered it from couldn’t quit giggling when I gave him the message. I guess Laura really enjoyed it too. She said it was at her business first thing this morning. She said the card gave her a good laugh, and helped her accept the inevitable. I wish I could take credit for the quote, but I did steal it. When I turned 40, I was called to the Tonalea school gym about 2pm. There were about 250 kids and staff sitting in the bleachers and a huge sign across the court with the saying. Then the staff and students sang Happy Birthday. They used “Dear Old Man” at the end. Cute. Not true…but cute. I’ve always remembered that day, and use the quote whenever someone has reached 40. It always brings a smile.
Today became another slush day. We only made it to 38° but that was enough to melt yesterday’s snow and some of the two feet left by the previous storm. Parking lots around town were slush rivers between the parking space and the store entrance. The one thing I dislike about my Xterra is the carrier on the roof. It is great for holding stuff but that means snow and ice in the winter. As the snow melts, small pieces of ice slide around the roof every time I speed up, slow down, stop or go. Finally I either climb up and get rid of them, or I hit a bump or pothole and they bounce out onto the pavement. Today it was warm enough for all the snow/ice to find its way to the pavement. Not a bad day overall. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Sacrifice
“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ” ~Joseph Campbell Mythologist, Writer
± Unusual Wizard of Oz Trivia…
-"Over the Rainbow" was nearly cut from the film; MGM felt that it made the Kansas sequence too long, as well as being too far over the heads of the children for whom it was intended. The studio also thought that it was degrading for Judy Garland to sing in a barnyard. In 2004, the song was ranked #1 by the American Film Institute on the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films list.
-The horses in Emerald City palace were colored with Jell-O crystals. The relevant scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick it off.
± Random Fact
75% of Honda vehicles purchased in the U.S. are manufactured in North America
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
Gluten-free Baking Week (week 12th -18th )
Halcyon Days—week Dec 14th -28th
§ 15 December Observances
Bill of Rights Day since 1791
Cat Herders Day—not an easy task
National Lemon Cupcake Day—Lemon Queen Cakes in the 1700’s
-Alderney, Channel Islands: Homecoming Day – celebrates the return of evacuated citizens after World War II.
-Zamenhof Day: Esperanto League (1859) in honor of L. L. Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto
-Netherlands Antilles : Kingdom Day/Statute Day (since 1954)
-Pakistan : Quaid-i-Azam's Birthday (founder of Modern Pakistan)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1992…A Haitian priest who is Roman Catholic claimed that President Bush was the victim of a voodoo hex. The priest claimed that the president could undo the curse by changing the U.S.’s foreign policy to Haiti. He said that the proof of Bush’s curse was the fact that the president vomited on the Japanese prime minister
± BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Jeff Chandler [Ira Grossel] in 1918 actor (Broken Arrow)
Charles Cowden Clarke in 1787 English editor/Shakespearean critic
Dave Clark in 1942 rock drummer (Dave Clark 5-Glad All Over)
Tim Conway in 1933 comic
Edna O'Brien in 1932 Irish writer (Fanatic of Heart, Casualties of Peace)
Betty Smith in 1906 novelist (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)
~Athletics
Jerry Ball in 1964 NFL defensive tackle (Raiders, Vikings)
Don Johnson in 1949 actor (Miami Vice)
Walter Reeves in 1965 NFL tight end (Browns)
Dan Williams in 1969 NFL defensive end (Broncos)
~Business / Education / Politics
Edwin Howland Blashfield in 1848 decorated the dome of Library of Congress Alan Freed in 1922 DJ, accepted payola/intro term "rock-n-roll"
J Paul Getty in 1892 oil magnate
Helena Rubinstein in 1882 US cosmetic manufacturer
~Science/Religion
Antoine Henri Becquerel in 1852 discovered radioactivity (Nobel 1903)
Charles Edgar Duryea in 1861 inventor (1st auto built & operated in US)
Gustave Alexandre Eiffel in 1832 engineer: designed Paris’ Tower & helped design Statue of Liberty
Arthur D Little in 1863 chemist (patented rayon)
± In Remembrance
Sitting Bull (Thatháŋka Íyotake )Hunkpapa-Sioux chief killed by US Army @ 59
Walt Disney animator of cancer @ 65 *cremated, Urban legend says he was put in suspended animation.
Glenn Miller US band leader/jazz composer, in plane crash @ 40
Thomas W "Fats" Waller jazz pianist of pneumonia @ 39
Chill Wills actor (Frontier Circus, Rounders), @ 75
± Historical Events on this day
1593…State of Holland grants patent on windmill with crankshaft
1791…Bill of Rights ratified when Virginia gave its approval
1791…1st US law school established at University of Pennsylvania
1792…1st life insurance policy issued in US (Philadelphia)
1810…1st Irish magazine in US, The Shamrock, is published
1874…1st reigning king to visit US (of Hawaii) received by President Grant
1939…World premiere of "Gone With The Wind" in Atlanta GA
1944…Hizbu'allah (Arm forces for Allah) forms
1952…Christine Jorgenson is 1st person to undergo a sex-change operation
1961…Adolf Eichmann convicted of crimes against humanity in Israel
1962…The first record album to poke fun at a U.S. President became the #1 LP in the country. Vaughn Meader’s The First Family made the humorist a household word. The album stayed at #1 for three months.
1964…Canada adopts maple leaf flag
1964…1st time 4 people in space
1973…American Psychiatric Association declares homosexuality is not mental illness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. motionless window shelf (5,4
2. poorly done work in the land of the dense underwood (6,6)
3. 17th century ball/mallet game (4 4)
4. lovers' meeting in the fog (4,5)
5. booted fish (4,3)
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ANSWERS
1. motionless window shelf (5,4) still sill
2. poorly done work in the land of the dense underwood (6,6) jungle bungle
3. 17th century ball/mallet game (4 4) pall mall
4. lovers' meeting in the fog (4,5) mist tryst
5. booted fish (4,3) shod cod
Monday
348 days so far this year…17 days remain in 2009
11 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
"If your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
First an oops from yesterday. The Islamic New Year doesn’t begin until the 18th. My internet sources obviously are not followers.
I spent the afternoon watching movies, and baking some Christmas cookies. It was snowing most of the afternoon, and it just felt right. Outside it was 34° with wind gusts to about 30mph. Brrr. Somehow I got onto movies with a Middle East theme. First I saw Rendition, then Body of Lies. Both were spy movies and well done. It is so hard to understand what is going on in the Middle East. Both movies reminded me of how difficult it must be to live in terror and not knowing who to trust and who not to trust. So many horrible things happen over there. I have so much to learn, so much to understand.
I’m very tired of the Tiger News. I’m not a golfer. I have enjoyed watching him play. His name was added to some great Nike shirts—the first to ‘keep you dry’ with something called wicking that let’s the sweat on your shirt dry very quickly. His off-the-green antics and his decision to not talk about it publically have only added to the fodder of the news and sports world. Way too many women have decided that they will tell their story of time with Eldrick Tont Woods. Since he isn’t talking to the press, the stories they tell are making headlines with no rebuttal. So we have learned that another public figure has feet of clay. When will we ever learn not to build any pedestal too high? When will business and sports stop paying the ridiculous sums of money for an image? He is a great golfer. That alone does not make him a great father, a great husband, or a great ethical man. It is discomforting to see anyone fall. The media over-hyped him, and now they have over-hyped his fall. We know he messed up in his off-the-green life. Enough already. It’s time for a new story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Sacrifice
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the courage to surpass others at whatever cost, but the courage to serve others at whatever the cost.”
~Arthur Ashe Professional Tennis Player, Civil Rights Supporter
± Unusual Wizard Of Oz Trivia…
-Buddy Ebson, the original actor hired to play the Tin Man, became very ill from the metallic makeup and was not able to appear in the movie, but his voice can still be heard singing "We're off to see the wizard," when Dorothy and her friends are dancing down the yellow brick road after the forest scene.
-In the original book by L. Frank Baum, Dorothy's slippers were not ruby but silver. The color was changed in the movie for Technicolor purposes.
± Random Fact
The face of a penny can hold about thirty drops of water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
Gluten-free Baking Week
Halcyon Days—see below—from Dec 14-28
§ 13 December Observances
National Bouillabaisse Day---Fish Stew: a recipe around since about 600BC in France
International Monkey Day—since 2000—to educate man about other primates
Alabama: Admission Day (1819—22nd state)
-Iran : Death of Iman Ja'far Sadeq (poisoned) Day
-Turkey : Festival of Mevlana-Jelaeddin Rumi (Whirling Dervishes)
-World : Halcyon Days begin—The Halcyon—a Kingfisher—is said to calm the sea the seven days before and the seven days after the Winter Solstice so they can nest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1905…Illiteracy in the U.S. was 10.6 per 100 persons. Today it is 10 per 100 persons.
BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Morey Amsterdam in 1908 comedian, actor: The Dick Van Dyke Show
Patty [Anna Marie] Duke in 1946 actress
Don Hewitt in 1922 CBS executive producer (60 Minutes)
Charlie "Silver Fox" Rich in 1932 singer (Behind Closed Doors)
~Athletics
Bill (William Joseph) Buckner in 1949 baseball
Anthony Mason in 1966 NBA forward (New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets)
Johnny McWilliams in 1972 tight end (Arizona Cardinals)
~Business / Education / Politics
James H Doolittle in 1896 US Army General (Raid on Tokyo 1942)
George VI in 1895 king of England
John Mercer Langston in 1829 1st black to hold US political office
Margaret Chase Smith in 1897 (Representative/Senator-R-ME)
~Science / Religion
Nostradamus [Michel de Nostre-Dam] in 1503 French astrologist/prophet
In Remembrance~
William Bendix actor (Life of Riley) phenomena @ 58
Norman Fell American actor (3’s Company) @ 74
Marie Emmanuel French composer/musicologist (Salamine) @ 76
James V King of Scotland: father of Mary Queen of Scots battle wounds @ 30 Stubby Kaye (Bernard Kotzin) actor (Guys & Dolls, Sweet Charity, @ 79
Myrna Loy [Williams] actress (Thin Man, Vanity Fair) @ 88
Roger Maris homerun hitter (61 in 61, New York Yankees) cancer @ 51
Arthur Treacher TV announcer (Merv Griffin Show) @ 81
George Washington 1st President USA @ 67
Historical Events on this day
1287…Zuider Zee seawall collapses with loss of 50,000 lives
1656…Artificial pearls 1st manufactured by M Jacquin in Paris made of gypsum pellets covered with fish scales
1793…1st state road authorized, Frankfort KY to Cincinnati OH
1911…South Pole 1st reached, by Norwegian Roald Amundsen 1915…Jack Johnson is 1st black world heavyweight boxing champion
1927…Iraq gains independence from Britain, but British troops remain
1962…The Mariner 2 space probe becomes the first spacecraft to fly by Venus
1944…NASCAR is formed and it's headquarters are located in Daytona Beach, Florida
1969…Jackson Five made their 1st appearance on "Ed Sullivan Show"
1988…US agrees to talk to Palestine Liberation Organization (1st time in 13 years)
2000…The FTC approves the $111 billion merger of America Online and Time Warner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon (5,3)
2. a massage parlour? (3,4)
3. Jupiter's fowl* (5,6)
4. argument over a mere trinket (6,8)
5. add me and my friend (4,2)
*very poor grammar, I know.
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ANSWERS
1. Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon (5,3) space ace
2. a massage parlour? (3,4) rub club
3. Jupiter's fowl (5,6) Zeus’s Gooses—I told you it was bad grammar
4. argument over a mere trinket (6,8) bauble squabble
5. add me and my friend (4,2) plus us
11 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
"If your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
First an oops from yesterday. The Islamic New Year doesn’t begin until the 18th. My internet sources obviously are not followers.
I spent the afternoon watching movies, and baking some Christmas cookies. It was snowing most of the afternoon, and it just felt right. Outside it was 34° with wind gusts to about 30mph. Brrr. Somehow I got onto movies with a Middle East theme. First I saw Rendition, then Body of Lies. Both were spy movies and well done. It is so hard to understand what is going on in the Middle East. Both movies reminded me of how difficult it must be to live in terror and not knowing who to trust and who not to trust. So many horrible things happen over there. I have so much to learn, so much to understand.
I’m very tired of the Tiger News. I’m not a golfer. I have enjoyed watching him play. His name was added to some great Nike shirts—the first to ‘keep you dry’ with something called wicking that let’s the sweat on your shirt dry very quickly. His off-the-green antics and his decision to not talk about it publically have only added to the fodder of the news and sports world. Way too many women have decided that they will tell their story of time with Eldrick Tont Woods. Since he isn’t talking to the press, the stories they tell are making headlines with no rebuttal. So we have learned that another public figure has feet of clay. When will we ever learn not to build any pedestal too high? When will business and sports stop paying the ridiculous sums of money for an image? He is a great golfer. That alone does not make him a great father, a great husband, or a great ethical man. It is discomforting to see anyone fall. The media over-hyped him, and now they have over-hyped his fall. We know he messed up in his off-the-green life. Enough already. It’s time for a new story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Sacrifice
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the courage to surpass others at whatever cost, but the courage to serve others at whatever the cost.”
~Arthur Ashe Professional Tennis Player, Civil Rights Supporter
± Unusual Wizard Of Oz Trivia…
-Buddy Ebson, the original actor hired to play the Tin Man, became very ill from the metallic makeup and was not able to appear in the movie, but his voice can still be heard singing "We're off to see the wizard," when Dorothy and her friends are dancing down the yellow brick road after the forest scene.
-In the original book by L. Frank Baum, Dorothy's slippers were not ruby but silver. The color was changed in the movie for Technicolor purposes.
± Random Fact
The face of a penny can hold about thirty drops of water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
Gluten-free Baking Week
Halcyon Days—see below—from Dec 14-28
§ 13 December Observances
National Bouillabaisse Day---Fish Stew: a recipe around since about 600BC in France
International Monkey Day—since 2000—to educate man about other primates
Alabama: Admission Day (1819—22nd state)
-Iran : Death of Iman Ja'far Sadeq (poisoned) Day
-Turkey : Festival of Mevlana-Jelaeddin Rumi (Whirling Dervishes)
-World : Halcyon Days begin—The Halcyon—a Kingfisher—is said to calm the sea the seven days before and the seven days after the Winter Solstice so they can nest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1905…Illiteracy in the U.S. was 10.6 per 100 persons. Today it is 10 per 100 persons.
BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Morey Amsterdam in 1908 comedian, actor: The Dick Van Dyke Show
Patty [Anna Marie] Duke in 1946 actress
Don Hewitt in 1922 CBS executive producer (60 Minutes)
Charlie "Silver Fox" Rich in 1932 singer (Behind Closed Doors)
~Athletics
Bill (William Joseph) Buckner in 1949 baseball
Anthony Mason in 1966 NBA forward (New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets)
Johnny McWilliams in 1972 tight end (Arizona Cardinals)
~Business / Education / Politics
James H Doolittle in 1896 US Army General (Raid on Tokyo 1942)
George VI in 1895 king of England
John Mercer Langston in 1829 1st black to hold US political office
Margaret Chase Smith in 1897 (Representative/Senator-R-ME)
~Science / Religion
Nostradamus [Michel de Nostre-Dam] in 1503 French astrologist/prophet
In Remembrance~
William Bendix actor (Life of Riley) phenomena @ 58
Norman Fell American actor (3’s Company) @ 74
Marie Emmanuel French composer/musicologist (Salamine) @ 76
James V King of Scotland: father of Mary Queen of Scots battle wounds @ 30 Stubby Kaye (Bernard Kotzin) actor (Guys & Dolls, Sweet Charity, @ 79
Myrna Loy [Williams] actress (Thin Man, Vanity Fair) @ 88
Roger Maris homerun hitter (61 in 61, New York Yankees) cancer @ 51
Arthur Treacher TV announcer (Merv Griffin Show) @ 81
George Washington 1st President USA @ 67
Historical Events on this day
1287…Zuider Zee seawall collapses with loss of 50,000 lives
1656…Artificial pearls 1st manufactured by M Jacquin in Paris made of gypsum pellets covered with fish scales
1793…1st state road authorized, Frankfort KY to Cincinnati OH
1911…South Pole 1st reached, by Norwegian Roald Amundsen 1915…Jack Johnson is 1st black world heavyweight boxing champion
1927…Iraq gains independence from Britain, but British troops remain
1962…The Mariner 2 space probe becomes the first spacecraft to fly by Venus
1944…NASCAR is formed and it's headquarters are located in Daytona Beach, Florida
1969…Jackson Five made their 1st appearance on "Ed Sullivan Show"
1988…US agrees to talk to Palestine Liberation Organization (1st time in 13 years)
2000…The FTC approves the $111 billion merger of America Online and Time Warner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon (5,3)
2. a massage parlour? (3,4)
3. Jupiter's fowl* (5,6)
4. argument over a mere trinket (6,8)
5. add me and my friend (4,2)
*very poor grammar, I know.
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ANSWERS
1. Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon (5,3) space ace
2. a massage parlour? (3,4) rub club
3. Jupiter's fowl (5,6) Zeus’s Gooses—I told you it was bad grammar
4. argument over a mere trinket (6,8) bauble squabble
5. add me and my friend (4,2) plus us
Sunday
347 days so far this year…18 days remain in 2009
12 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
"When all else fails, read the directions." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
Our parking lot has been sorta cleared since the big blizzard. Unfortunately, today it got pretty slushy. With the cold temps expected tonight, I figured driving out of the lot would be difficult tomorrow. Then, just as the sun was setting, a front end loader pulls up and started moving all the slush. I quickly moved my vehicle so that the guy could clean out the parking spaces. After about 15 minutes, I moved back and he continues to clear the rest of the area. Another storm is expected and while they first said we may get an inch, now it’s up to four inches. So we will be starting the next storm with a clear parking lot.
Wind gusts at 25mph and a high of 36° (feeling like 28°) kept me home most of the day. No need to fight the weekenders on the roads, in the stores, and at the drive-thru. It gives me a break, and puts one less vehicle on the road to slow everyone else down. Oh, and I intensely dislike crowds, traffic, and everything that goes with them.
Even in my younger days I was not into applying for the winter hunt. If I’m going hunting and camping, I want it to be cool enough at night for a nice fire, but not so cold that one freezes any part of the body. This is the winter hunt time. Our blizzard brought concerns from the town folk that there would be stranded hunters in need of help. There were about fifty hunters in the area between Flagstaff and Williams and the Grand Canyon. People went out for a couple of days, searching for hunters to see if anyone needed help. Luckily and surprisingly, all the hunters were fine. A winter hunt is hard enough, dealing with the snow and ice, the cold, and the short days. These hunters came prepared for it. It would be nice, here in Flagstaff, if all the mountain trekkers did the same. Every year, hikers and campers get lost, don’t come prepared for quickly changing weather conditions, or make mistakes that lead to Search and Rescue having to help them out. I’m certainly glad there are people who donate their time for Search and Rescue missions. I’m glad they weren’t needed in this latest storm. I know that I would not have the patience to be a volunteer. Most of the rescues are the hikers who made really stupid mistakes. I would want to set them and I hear that is not allowed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Confidence
“There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.” ~Nathaniel Branden
± Unusual Christmas Stuff…
-The first nativity scene was displayed in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi in Italy.
-In Syria, Christian children receive their gifts from a camel.
-In Sweden, the Christmas season begins on December 13, the feast day of St. Lucia. On this day it is traditional for the eldest daughter in every family to wear an evergreen wreath with seven lighted candles on her head.
-Orthodox churches that follow the old Julian calendar will celebrate Christmas on January 7.
-A Yule log-shaped cake called a "Buche de Noel" is traditionally served in France.
± Random Fact
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
§ 13 December Observances
Ice Cream and Violins Day
-Malta : Republic Day (since 1974)
-Upper Volta : National Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1809…the first abdominal surgical procedure was performed -- in Danville, Kentucky. The patient was Jane Todd Crawford and the operation was performed without the aid of an anesthetic.
BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Rex Allen in 1922 (Wilcox AZ) cowboy actor—Disney Nature Narrator
Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter in 1948 musician: Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers
Phillips Brooks in 1835 Episcopal bishop/composer (Little Town of Bethlehem)
Jamie Foxx in 1967 comedian
Van Heflin (Emmett Evan Heflin, Jr.) in 1910 actor
Heinrich Heine in 1797 German poet/lyricist (Schubert, Liszt)
Ross MacDonald in 1915 detective novelist (Goodbye Look)
Carlos Montoya in 1903 Spanish guitarist
Dick Van Dyke in 1925 actor
Richard Darryl Zanuck in 1934 film producer/executive Jaws, Driving Miss Daisy…
~Athletics
Richard Dent in 1960 defensive end (Eagles,Bears)
Larry (Lawrence Eugene) Doby in 1923 Baseball Hall of Fame
Archie Moore in 1913 light-heavyweight boxing champion
~Business / Education / Politics
Harold Guinzburg in 1899 publisher (founder of Literary Guild)
Mary Todd Lincoln in 1818 1st lady
Ted (Theodore Anthony) Nugent in 1948 guitarist/conservative activist
George P Schultz in 1920 US Secretary of State
~Science / Religion
Robert Plot in 1640 English naturalist
Philip Warren Anderson in 1923 American physicist, Nobel laureate
In Remembrance~
Samuel Gompers organizer (AFL), @ 74
Grandma [Anna Mary Robertson Moses] Moses US painter, @ 101
Pigmeat Markham comedian (Here Comes da Judge-Laugh In), @ 75
Historical Events on this day
1577…Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England to go around the world
1759…1st music store in America opens (Philadelphia)
1769…Dartmouth College in New Hampshire received its charter
1843…"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens published, 6,000 copies sold
1903…Wright Brothers make 1st flight at Kittyhawk
1903…Great Britain wanted to maintain dominance in Tibet to counteract the Soviet Union’s control over Manchuria and other parts of Asia. Tibet would also act as a buffer between Soviet controlled zones and India.
1918…Woodrow Wilson, becomes 1st to make a foreign visit as President (France)
1924…KOA-AM in Denver CO begins radio transmissions
1928…Clip-on tie designed
1966…1st US bombing of Hanoi
1969…Arlo Guthrie releases "Alice's Restaurant"
1972…300 British Thalidomide victims are being offered a compensation deal said to be worth £11.85 million over 10 years which is rejected by the victims. (Eventually an agreement is reached providing £20.00 million.)
1978…Susan B Anthony dollar, 1st US coin to honor a woman, issued
1983…British Airways incorporates
1990…President De Klerk of South Africa meets with Nelson Mandela to talk of end of apartheid
1993…Deadline for Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, they don't
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline (3,3) is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. Bill Gates, perhaps? (3,4)
2. constructed a canopy for your boat (5,4)
3. draft apprehension (4,4)
4. Six-foot Barbie (4,4)
5. soused animal stinker (5,5)
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ANSWERS
1. Bill Gates, perhaps? (3,4) DOS Boss
2. constructed a canopy for your boat (5,4) built tilt
3. draft apprehension (4,4) beer fear
4. Six-foot Barbie (4,4) Tall Doll
5. soused animal stinker (5,5) drunk skunk
12 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
"When all else fails, read the directions." ~unknown
***Free Ramblings***
Our parking lot has been sorta cleared since the big blizzard. Unfortunately, today it got pretty slushy. With the cold temps expected tonight, I figured driving out of the lot would be difficult tomorrow. Then, just as the sun was setting, a front end loader pulls up and started moving all the slush. I quickly moved my vehicle so that the guy could clean out the parking spaces. After about 15 minutes, I moved back and he continues to clear the rest of the area. Another storm is expected and while they first said we may get an inch, now it’s up to four inches. So we will be starting the next storm with a clear parking lot.
Wind gusts at 25mph and a high of 36° (feeling like 28°) kept me home most of the day. No need to fight the weekenders on the roads, in the stores, and at the drive-thru. It gives me a break, and puts one less vehicle on the road to slow everyone else down. Oh, and I intensely dislike crowds, traffic, and everything that goes with them.
Even in my younger days I was not into applying for the winter hunt. If I’m going hunting and camping, I want it to be cool enough at night for a nice fire, but not so cold that one freezes any part of the body. This is the winter hunt time. Our blizzard brought concerns from the town folk that there would be stranded hunters in need of help. There were about fifty hunters in the area between Flagstaff and Williams and the Grand Canyon. People went out for a couple of days, searching for hunters to see if anyone needed help. Luckily and surprisingly, all the hunters were fine. A winter hunt is hard enough, dealing with the snow and ice, the cold, and the short days. These hunters came prepared for it. It would be nice, here in Flagstaff, if all the mountain trekkers did the same. Every year, hikers and campers get lost, don’t come prepared for quickly changing weather conditions, or make mistakes that lead to Search and Rescue having to help them out. I’m certainly glad there are people who donate their time for Search and Rescue missions. I’m glad they weren’t needed in this latest storm. I know that I would not have the patience to be a volunteer. Most of the rescues are the hikers who made really stupid mistakes. I would want to set them and I hear that is not allowed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Confidence
“There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.” ~Nathaniel Branden
± Unusual Christmas Stuff…
-The first nativity scene was displayed in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi in Italy.
-In Syria, Christian children receive their gifts from a camel.
-In Sweden, the Christmas season begins on December 13, the feast day of St. Lucia. On this day it is traditional for the eldest daughter in every family to wear an evergreen wreath with seven lighted candles on her head.
-Orthodox churches that follow the old Julian calendar will celebrate Christmas on January 7.
-A Yule log-shaped cake called a "Buche de Noel" is traditionally served in France.
± Random Fact
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
§ 13 December Observances
Ice Cream and Violins Day
-Malta : Republic Day (since 1974)
-Upper Volta : National Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1809…the first abdominal surgical procedure was performed -- in Danville, Kentucky. The patient was Jane Todd Crawford and the operation was performed without the aid of an anesthetic.
BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Rex Allen in 1922 (Wilcox AZ) cowboy actor—Disney Nature Narrator
Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter in 1948 musician: Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers
Phillips Brooks in 1835 Episcopal bishop/composer (Little Town of Bethlehem)
Jamie Foxx in 1967 comedian
Van Heflin (Emmett Evan Heflin, Jr.) in 1910 actor
Heinrich Heine in 1797 German poet/lyricist (Schubert, Liszt)
Ross MacDonald in 1915 detective novelist (Goodbye Look)
Carlos Montoya in 1903 Spanish guitarist
Dick Van Dyke in 1925 actor
Richard Darryl Zanuck in 1934 film producer/executive Jaws, Driving Miss Daisy…
~Athletics
Richard Dent in 1960 defensive end (Eagles,Bears)
Larry (Lawrence Eugene) Doby in 1923 Baseball Hall of Fame
Archie Moore in 1913 light-heavyweight boxing champion
~Business / Education / Politics
Harold Guinzburg in 1899 publisher (founder of Literary Guild)
Mary Todd Lincoln in 1818 1st lady
Ted (Theodore Anthony) Nugent in 1948 guitarist/conservative activist
George P Schultz in 1920 US Secretary of State
~Science / Religion
Robert Plot in 1640 English naturalist
Philip Warren Anderson in 1923 American physicist, Nobel laureate
In Remembrance~
Samuel Gompers organizer (AFL), @ 74
Grandma [Anna Mary Robertson Moses] Moses US painter, @ 101
Pigmeat Markham comedian (Here Comes da Judge-Laugh In), @ 75
Historical Events on this day
1577…Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England to go around the world
1759…1st music store in America opens (Philadelphia)
1769…Dartmouth College in New Hampshire received its charter
1843…"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens published, 6,000 copies sold
1903…Wright Brothers make 1st flight at Kittyhawk
1903…Great Britain wanted to maintain dominance in Tibet to counteract the Soviet Union’s control over Manchuria and other parts of Asia. Tibet would also act as a buffer between Soviet controlled zones and India.
1918…Woodrow Wilson, becomes 1st to make a foreign visit as President (France)
1924…KOA-AM in Denver CO begins radio transmissions
1928…Clip-on tie designed
1966…1st US bombing of Hanoi
1969…Arlo Guthrie releases "Alice's Restaurant"
1972…300 British Thalidomide victims are being offered a compensation deal said to be worth £11.85 million over 10 years which is rejected by the victims. (Eventually an agreement is reached providing £20.00 million.)
1978…Susan B Anthony dollar, 1st US coin to honor a woman, issued
1983…British Airways incorporates
1990…President De Klerk of South Africa meets with Nelson Mandela to talk of end of apartheid
1993…Deadline for Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, they don't
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline (3,3) is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. Bill Gates, perhaps? (3,4)
2. constructed a canopy for your boat (5,4)
3. draft apprehension (4,4)
4. Six-foot Barbie (4,4)
5. soused animal stinker (5,5)
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Scroll down for answers
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ANSWERS
1. Bill Gates, perhaps? (3,4) DOS Boss
2. constructed a canopy for your boat (5,4) built tilt
3. draft apprehension (4,4) beer fear
4. Six-foot Barbie (4,4) Tall Doll
5. soused animal stinker (5,5) drunk skunk
Saturday
346 days so far this year…19 days remain in 2009
13 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
Dreams are the touchstone of our character.
~Henry David Thoreau
***Free Ramblings***
Another weekend is upon us. Time sure flies. I ventured out to do some Christmas shopping. I am a last minute guy and am still not in the mood, as hard as I try. I keep looking and thinking, well I still have time, I’ll keep looking. It has always worked in the past, and I hope it continues to work this year.
I have been messing around for a few days to make a DVD of my Southern Africa trip. When I made the one for Egypt, I put all the stories on the disk with no problem. Now, I can’t figure out what program I used to do this fairly simple task. I have tried several that were on my computer. Nothing would work. Today I finally got them on a disk, after about six tries. The problem with the disk is that it didn’t make Chapters, so each of the four stories just play one after another. It will work in a pinch, but I really wanted to have them separated. Maybe tomorrow it will come together. Gotta just love technology. Something it works, then it doesn’t work, then it kinda works, then it finally works again. Sheeeesh.
We had a warm night last night…it was 7°--much warmer than the last few days. Today we made it to 38° but the 15mph winds made it feel about 30°. Then it started snowing about 3pm with flurries. A lot is not expected—only an inch. I can handle that. As expected, the Letters to the Editor started today, complaining about the lack of snow removal. One letter did remind everyone that we are in financial crisis here in Flagstaff and that they did the best they could under the circumstances. I am certainly happy that our HOA keeps our street fairly clear and does a decent job of keeping the common sidewalks clear. I can understand how hard it is for people with long driveways and roads that aren’t plowed. Then again, this is a mountain community and one expects snow. It is not the best place to have a low clearance vehicle, or to be without some kind of 4 wheel or all wheel drive. If one doesn’t have that kind of vehicle, the people within the city have the advantage of a very good public transportation system for a town this small. It was running all day during the storm and continues to move people in the aftermath. I used to ride the city bus to my orthodontist and to my Grandma’s house when I was a pre-teen and early teen. It was not my favorite type of transportation, but sure got me to where I was going, and I didn’t have to have a parent tagging along. Each trip I took, I saw as an adventure into the world. So, for the next few days, the paper will print letters about how hard it is to move around in Flag when it snows. I just remember that we are in a mountain community and we have snow. We need the moisture. The forest needs the moisture. Deal with it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Confidence
“The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.” Ayn Rand Writer, Philosopher
± Unusual Christmas Stuff…
-In Belgium, St. Nicholas pays two visits to each house.
-Brazilians celebrate Christmas partly by enjoying the balmy weather outdoors.
-Christians in China call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren, which means Christmas Old Man.
-In Mexico, the pastorelas are reenactments of Mary and Joseph's search for an inn.
-Greece is home to the killantzaroi, goblins that appear only during the 12-day period between Christmas and Epiphany.
± Random Fact
Diet Coke was only invented in 1982.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
§ 12 December Observances
Day Of The Horse (since 2004)
National Ding-A-Ling Day
Pennsylvania : Ratification Day (1787)
Poinsettia Day
International Shareware Day (since 2007)
-El Salvador : Day of the Indians
-Kenya : Independence Day/Jamhuri Day (from Britain: 1963)
-Turkmenistan – Neutrality Day (since 1995)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1925…The first Motel opens the Milestone Mo-Tel of San Luis Obispo, California as the midpoint stop between Los Angeles to San Francisco and costing $1.25 per night per room.
BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Bob Barker in 1923 Darrington WA, game show emcee (Price is Right)
Gustave Flaubert in 1821 (France) novelist (Madame Bovary)
Connie Francis (Concetta Franconero) in 1938 singer/actress (Where the Boys Are) anti-gay activist
Frank Sinatra in 1915 singer/actor
Edward G Robinson [Goldenberg] in 1893 (Romania) actor
Karl Edward Wagner in 1945 sci-fi author (Bloodstone, Night Winds)
Dionne Warwick I 1940 singer (Way to San Jose)
~Athletics
Orlando Brown in 1970 NFL tackle (Browns, Ravens)
Jesse Owens in 1913 Olympic track star (4 golds 1936)
Cathy Rigby McCoy in 1952 Olympic gymnast
~Business / Education / Politics
Edward I Koch in 1924 Mayor NYC
Henry Wells in 1805 founder (American Express Company & Wells Fargo & Company)
~Science / Religion
Sherburne W Burnham in 1838 astronomer (binary stars)
In Remembrance~
Tallulah Bankhead actress pneumonia @ 65
Robert Browning English poet @ 77
Jack [John Joseph Edward] Cassidy actor (Oscar-He & She, Eiger Sanction), in fire @ 49
John Craig Scottish church reformer/James VI's court vicar,
Douglas Fairbanks actor heart attack @ 56
Johnny Lee actor (Calhoun-Amos 'n' Andy), @ 67
Historical Events on this day
1098…1st Crusaders capture & plunder Mara Syria 1791 Bank of the US opens
1800…Washington DC established as capital of US
1822…México officially recognized as an independent nation by US
1858…1st Canadian coins circulated (1¢, 5¢, 10¢ & 20¢)
1870…Joseph Rainey (South Carolina) became 1st black sworn into House of Representatives
1899…George F Grant of Boston )first black graduate of Harvard College, and a dentist) patents the wooden golf tee
1900…National Negro Anthem, "Lift Every Voice & Sing" is composed
1900…Charles M. Schwab formed the United States Steel Corporation
1906…Oscar Straus, 1st Jewish cabinet member, appointed Secretary of Commerce
1913…"Mona Lisa", recovered after being stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911
1917…Father Edward Flanagan founds Boys Town dedicated to the care of at-risk children, with national headquarters in the village of Boys Town, Nebraska
1946…Tide detergent introduced
1953…Chuck Yeager reaches Mach 2.43 in Bell X-1A rocket plane
1959…UN Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space is established
1969…"Hello Dolly" with Barbra Streisand premieres
1980…The U.S. Congress amended the Copyright Act in 1980 to explicitly recognize that computer programs were protected as literary works
1997…Carlos the Jackal, "professional revolutionary" goes on trial in Paris
2000…The United States Supreme Court hands out it's ruling over the counting of ballets in Florida
2003…Keiko the Orca (or killer whale) made famous by the "Free Willy" movies, died in the Norwegian fjord that had become his home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Double Play
In order to make sense of the letters below, you need to add a letter at the start of the expression, divide the string of letters, and insert the same letter again. The result will be an alliterative familiar phrase of two words.
Take "eachall" an example, add a 'b' before the 'e', divide the expression between the 'h' and 'a' and add the 'b' again. The result is BEACH BALL.
1 . aretched
2 . ecoyuck
3. olflove
4. amar
5. eaveo
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Hint: 1-f, 2d, 3-g, 4-j, 5-h
Scroll down for answers
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ANSWERS
1. far fetched
2. decoy duck
3. golf glove
4. jam jar
5. heave ho.
13 shopping days remain until Christmas
***Provocative Quote***
Dreams are the touchstone of our character.
~Henry David Thoreau
***Free Ramblings***
Another weekend is upon us. Time sure flies. I ventured out to do some Christmas shopping. I am a last minute guy and am still not in the mood, as hard as I try. I keep looking and thinking, well I still have time, I’ll keep looking. It has always worked in the past, and I hope it continues to work this year.
I have been messing around for a few days to make a DVD of my Southern Africa trip. When I made the one for Egypt, I put all the stories on the disk with no problem. Now, I can’t figure out what program I used to do this fairly simple task. I have tried several that were on my computer. Nothing would work. Today I finally got them on a disk, after about six tries. The problem with the disk is that it didn’t make Chapters, so each of the four stories just play one after another. It will work in a pinch, but I really wanted to have them separated. Maybe tomorrow it will come together. Gotta just love technology. Something it works, then it doesn’t work, then it kinda works, then it finally works again. Sheeeesh.
We had a warm night last night…it was 7°--much warmer than the last few days. Today we made it to 38° but the 15mph winds made it feel about 30°. Then it started snowing about 3pm with flurries. A lot is not expected—only an inch. I can handle that. As expected, the Letters to the Editor started today, complaining about the lack of snow removal. One letter did remind everyone that we are in financial crisis here in Flagstaff and that they did the best they could under the circumstances. I am certainly happy that our HOA keeps our street fairly clear and does a decent job of keeping the common sidewalks clear. I can understand how hard it is for people with long driveways and roads that aren’t plowed. Then again, this is a mountain community and one expects snow. It is not the best place to have a low clearance vehicle, or to be without some kind of 4 wheel or all wheel drive. If one doesn’t have that kind of vehicle, the people within the city have the advantage of a very good public transportation system for a town this small. It was running all day during the storm and continues to move people in the aftermath. I used to ride the city bus to my orthodontist and to my Grandma’s house when I was a pre-teen and early teen. It was not my favorite type of transportation, but sure got me to where I was going, and I didn’t have to have a parent tagging along. Each trip I took, I saw as an adventure into the world. So, for the next few days, the paper will print letters about how hard it is to move around in Flag when it snows. I just remember that we are in a mountain community and we have snow. We need the moisture. The forest needs the moisture. Deal with it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
± Quotes from Values.com—Confidence
“The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.” Ayn Rand Writer, Philosopher
± Unusual Christmas Stuff…
-In Belgium, St. Nicholas pays two visits to each house.
-Brazilians celebrate Christmas partly by enjoying the balmy weather outdoors.
-Christians in China call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren, which means Christmas Old Man.
-In Mexico, the pastorelas are reenactments of Mary and Joseph's search for an inn.
-Greece is home to the killantzaroi, goblins that appear only during the 12-day period between Christmas and Epiphany.
± Random Fact
Diet Coke was only invented in 1982.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Week of 12 December
Chanukah (Hanukkah) Week 12th-19th
§ 12 December Observances
Day Of The Horse (since 2004)
National Ding-A-Ling Day
Pennsylvania : Ratification Day (1787)
Poinsettia Day
International Shareware Day (since 2007)
-El Salvador : Day of the Indians
-Kenya : Independence Day/Jamhuri Day (from Britain: 1963)
-Turkmenistan – Neutrality Day (since 1995)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1925…The first Motel opens the Milestone Mo-Tel of San Luis Obispo, California as the midpoint stop between Los Angeles to San Francisco and costing $1.25 per night per room.
BIRTHS ON THIS DAY
~ The Arts
Bob Barker in 1923 Darrington WA, game show emcee (Price is Right)
Gustave Flaubert in 1821 (France) novelist (Madame Bovary)
Connie Francis (Concetta Franconero) in 1938 singer/actress (Where the Boys Are) anti-gay activist
Frank Sinatra in 1915 singer/actor
Edward G Robinson [Goldenberg] in 1893 (Romania) actor
Karl Edward Wagner in 1945 sci-fi author (Bloodstone, Night Winds)
Dionne Warwick I 1940 singer (Way to San Jose)
~Athletics
Orlando Brown in 1970 NFL tackle (Browns, Ravens)
Jesse Owens in 1913 Olympic track star (4 golds 1936)
Cathy Rigby McCoy in 1952 Olympic gymnast
~Business / Education / Politics
Edward I Koch in 1924 Mayor NYC
Henry Wells in 1805 founder (American Express Company & Wells Fargo & Company)
~Science / Religion
Sherburne W Burnham in 1838 astronomer (binary stars)
In Remembrance~
Tallulah Bankhead actress pneumonia @ 65
Robert Browning English poet @ 77
Jack [John Joseph Edward] Cassidy actor (Oscar-He & She, Eiger Sanction), in fire @ 49
John Craig Scottish church reformer/James VI's court vicar,
Douglas Fairbanks actor heart attack @ 56
Johnny Lee actor (Calhoun-Amos 'n' Andy), @ 67
Historical Events on this day
1098…1st Crusaders capture & plunder Mara Syria 1791 Bank of the US opens
1800…Washington DC established as capital of US
1822…México officially recognized as an independent nation by US
1858…1st Canadian coins circulated (1¢, 5¢, 10¢ & 20¢)
1870…Joseph Rainey (South Carolina) became 1st black sworn into House of Representatives
1899…George F Grant of Boston )first black graduate of Harvard College, and a dentist) patents the wooden golf tee
1900…National Negro Anthem, "Lift Every Voice & Sing" is composed
1900…Charles M. Schwab formed the United States Steel Corporation
1906…Oscar Straus, 1st Jewish cabinet member, appointed Secretary of Commerce
1913…"Mona Lisa", recovered after being stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911
1917…Father Edward Flanagan founds Boys Town dedicated to the care of at-risk children, with national headquarters in the village of Boys Town, Nebraska
1946…Tide detergent introduced
1953…Chuck Yeager reaches Mach 2.43 in Bell X-1A rocket plane
1959…UN Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space is established
1969…"Hello Dolly" with Barbra Streisand premieres
1980…The U.S. Congress amended the Copyright Act in 1980 to explicitly recognize that computer programs were protected as literary works
1997…Carlos the Jackal, "professional revolutionary" goes on trial in Paris
2000…The United States Supreme Court hands out it's ruling over the counting of ballets in Florida
2003…Keiko the Orca (or killer whale) made famous by the "Free Willy" movies, died in the Norwegian fjord that had become his home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
§ Double Play
In order to make sense of the letters below, you need to add a letter at the start of the expression, divide the string of letters, and insert the same letter again. The result will be an alliterative familiar phrase of two words.
Take "eachall" an example, add a 'b' before the 'e', divide the expression between the 'h' and 'a' and add the 'b' again. The result is BEACH BALL.
1 . aretched
2 . ecoyuck
3. olflove
4. amar
5. eaveo
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^
Hint: 1-f, 2d, 3-g, 4-j, 5-h
Scroll down for answers
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ANSWERS
1. far fetched
2. decoy duck
3. golf glove
4. jam jar
5. heave ho.
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About Me
- Retired, Not Dead
- Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
- I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.