Fri Nov 19

This is Week 46 of 2010►Day 323 with 42 days left.
Flagstaff Weather: H—58°; L—18°; RH—22%; —clear sky and wind—6 mph

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Sam Ewing
Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
I went to the doctor today and found that whatever he was looking for in my latest blood test has returned to the normal range. One would think that would make everyone happy. Not my doctor, he says we need to know why you had the problem. He thinks I need to see an ear, nose, throat guy to see if I have some physical problem. OK then, I’ll make an appointment but he said that I needed to explain that he doesn’t want a sleep apnea test, just a look a the physiology of my breathing tract. Of course, the doctors in Flagstaff don’t talk to each other, so I have to explain all this to the new doctor. Oh well, wonder what will happen.

I called Cheryl today and she is doing very well. She said she didn’t sleep all that well last night but was catching up with cat naps today. She had visitors on and off all day, so I told her I would wait till she got home. So glad that she is doing well and is in such good spirits. I also talked to Jeannie and her lens replacement surgery also went very well. She said that she can ‘see again.’

Due to our ‘good’ weather, we have had controlled burns near here. That means that while our sky is clear, there is little wind, we have a lot of smoke. When I went out this morning I thought that it was just a lot of fireplaces and wood stoves in the area. Later in the day, when I went to the doctor, I found that it was all over city. They shut down the burn this afternoon as a big weather system is headed our way. Tomorrow will be windy and by Saturday we should see some snow here in town. I don’t look forward to the windy days, but the snow will be a nice change. It is mid-November and we haven’t seen any real snow yet. I don’t want the amount we had last year, but some would be nice. There is nothing like taking a brisk walk in a couple of inches of snow after a nice snowfall—before the snow plows and the traffic mess.

I ran a few errands and must say, much to my disappointment, every store I’ve been to this week is decked for Christmas. Thanksgiving stuff is also available, and while I am not a great designer, the fall colors of Thanksgiving and the Christmas colors of red, green, white, and blue do not make for a pleasant visual experience. It’s like the people who are paid big bucks to make a store appealing have all gone on vacation. It is really disturbing. Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations match the fall colors. Then some bean counter says start putting Christmas decorations out before Halloween. Even big box stores only have so much space, so the displays are right next to each other. At least the in-store music hasn’t turned to non-secular Christmas music. Very few things could be worse than trying to buy a Halloween costume while listening to Jingle Bells. It’s time for stores to stop pushing all the fall holidays together, it is making your customers visually bipolar.

I am ready for Thanksgiving. It’s a great day to be with friends, eat way too much food, and usually meet a few new people. Everyone puts in a little—or a lot—of extra work to fix all the food, but it is always appreciated. While there will be snow in Flagstaff next week, we are told to expect no travel problems—for those driving. That is good for many of my friends. It’s still early to start making pies—my donation to the dinner, however, I was happy to see fresh blueberries on sale this week. I have decided that I will make some cranberry sauce soon, just for me. Another friend always brings a really fine cranberry and jalapeño relish which is always devoured. I made a mistake when shopping yesterday. I really like Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is usually only around this time of year. I found a small bag of pumpkin-spice coffee that wasn’t Starbucks, and a can boil and froth some milk. I made a cup today, and I couldn’t taste anything that was even vaguely pumpkin or vaguely spice. Starbucks just can’t be copied. I do know NOW that Starbucks uses espresso in its mix and I am not into coffee enough to get an espresso maker. So Starbucks wins.

Thinking about all I learned about China this week and then hearing Senator Kyl yesterday, I realized that the Chinese have us figured out. We simply like to argue/discuss and do nothing. Kyl is suddenly against a new START treaty with Russia—the treaty the Regan first go signed. Hmmm. Kyl claims to be a conservative and claims that Ron was one of the best Presidents we ever had. Kyl is one of the Senators who wants nothing that Obama wants

HOLY MACKEREL: 1903»Carrie Nation attempts to address the Senate

JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(SuperJeopardy Answers) 1990—Golden Oldies
$100-Title city of 1967 Scott McKenzie hit subtitled "Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair"
$200-In Bobbie Gentry's hit song "Ode To Billie Joe", Billie Joe jumped off this bridge
$300-"There's a crazy little house beyond the tracks, & ev'rybody calls it" this
$400-Of this car, Ronny & The Daytonas sang, "You're really looking fine, 3 deuces & a 4-speed, & a 389"
$500- 1861 song that was the basis of the following Elvis Presley hit:
"Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go /
You have made my life complete..." Listen Here!

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—
»Studies show that people who flirt have higher white blood-cell counts, which boost both immunity and health. Scientists say there are 52 “flirting signals” used by humans. Of these, the hair-flip technique is the most common.
»In Little Rock, AR, an antiquated law is still on the books warning that engaging in playful banter may result in a 30-day jail term. In New York City, another outdated law mandates that men may be fined $25 for gazing lasciviously at a female; a second conviction stipulates the offender wear a pair of blinders whenever he goes out for a walk.
»A full 62 percent of drivers have flirted with someone in a different vehicle while on the go, and 31 percent of those flirtations resulted in a date!

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM
Manhattan, NY-Police demonstrated their staunch commitment to enforcing the law when they arrested seven men in an Inwood Hill playground — for playing chess.
A swarm of bulletproof vest-clad police descended on the group of men last month and issued them tickets for playing chess in an area reserved for adults who have children with them.
Yes, it's a crime to be in there unaccompanied by minors, even if there are no kids in the playground at the time, which was the case with the men who got busted.
After reviewing the tickets, Jose Navarro, captain of the 34th Precinct, told DNAInfo he backed his officers.
"Under my direction, uniformed officers routinely enter the parks to enforce closing times and other regulations; all designed to protect the community," Navarro wrote in an e-mail to the website. "The NYPD allows for officers to issue summonses in lieu of affecting an arrest for appropriate offenses."
At least one area resident thinks these guys got rooked.
"This incident is an embarrassment to the officers from the 34th Precinct who felt that it was necessary to use their badge and authority to issue such a random summons," Joanne Johnson, a mother who lives in the area, wrote in a letter to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council after the bust, according to The New York Post. "Is chess really something that should be considered a threat to the neighborhood?"
The official charge levied against the men, each of whom received a desk-appearance summons, was "failure to comply with signs." They were playing chess in an area demarcated with a fence and dotted with signs that read, "Adults allowed in playground areas only when accompanied by a child under the age of 12."
As one Inwood Hill resident put it to DNAInfo, "Couldn't they just move the tables?"
The "hooligans" are due back in court Dec. 28.

A LITTLE LAUGH
Before I could enroll in my company's medical insurance plan, I needed to fill out a questionnaire. As expected, the form was very thorough, leaving nothing to chance.
One question asked, "Do you think you may need to go to the emergency room within the next three months?"

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

GREY MATTER PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION
¤ Weekly Observances ¤
14-20: American Education Week, Geography Awareness Week, National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week, National Global Entrepreneurship Week
19-25:National Farm-City Week
21-28: National Bible Week, National Family Week, National Game & Puzzle Week, National Teens Don't Text and Drive Week, Better Conversation Week, Church/State Separation Week
¤ Today’s Observances ¤
Have A Bad Day Day
World Toilet Day
International Men's Day (recognized in : Australia, Canada, Ghana, Hungary, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States)
Brazil: Flag DayMali : Liberation Day (1968 bloodless coup that gave true independence)
Monaco : Monegasque National Day (1861 Independence from France)
Puerto Rico : Discovery Day (1493)
United Arab Emirates : Pilgrimage
¤ Top 10 Country songs of 20th Century ¤
According to KKBQ in Houston—not sure I agree with this list, but some good songs are here
Click on Song Title to see and hear the original
¤ Today’s Births ¤
╬ THE ARTS
Dick Cavett, 74, television pundit
Tommy Dorsey, orchestra leader (Stage Show, Mahogany)—in 1905
Larry King, 77, talk show host
Hank Medress, singer: group: The Tokens: The Lion Sleeps Tonight—in 1938
Allen Tate, American poet (Mr Pope & Other Poems)—in 1899
♦♦Actors♦♦
Jodie Foster, 48, actress (Oscars for The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs; Taxi Driver)
Allison Janney, 50, actress (Juno, American Beauty, “The West Wing”)
Meg Ryan, 49, actress (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Proof of Life)
Alan Young, English actor (Time Machine, Wilbur Post-Mr Ed)—in 1919
╬ ATHLETICS
Jose Raul Capablanca, Cuban world chess champion (1921-27)—in 1888
Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodger catcher (NL MVP 1951/53/55)—in 1921
Patrick Kane, 22, hockey (Blackhawks)
Ahmad Rashad (Robert Earl ‘Bobby’ Moore), 61, sportscaster, football (Cardinals, Bills, Seahawks, Vikings)
Kerri Strug, 33, Olympic gymnast
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
George Rogers Clark, American frontiersman, field commander: founded Louisville KY; brother of General William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition—in 1752
Calvin Klein, 68, fashion designer
Ted Turner, 72, baseball, basketball and television executive
╬ POLITICS
Charles I, king of England (1625-49); executed by Parliament—in 1600
Indira Gandhi, Indian PM (1966-77, 1980-84)
James Garfield, 20th U.S. President [1881], first left-handed president; assassinated—in 1831
Jeane J Kirkpatrick, US ambassador to UN—in 1926
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
Eileen Collins, 54, first female space shuttle commander, Lieutenant Colonel USAF retired
Ferdinand de Lesseps, French diplomat (built Suez Canal)—in 1805
¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤
Franz Schubert, Austrian composer, typhoid fever or syphilis @ 31 in 1828 Ave Maria
Emma Lazarus, US poet ("Give us your tired & poor"), Hodgkin’s @ 38 in 1887
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus, 1883
Joe Hill, Labor leader, executed for murder @ 36 in 1915 Joe Hill Song--Paul Robeson
¤ Today’s Events ¤
╬ THE ARTS
1954»Sammy Davis, Jr. was involved in a serious auto accident in San Bernardino, CA. Three days later, Davis lost the sight in his left eye
1979»Chuck Berry released from prison on income tax evasion
╬ ATHLETICS
1951»Roy Campanella named NL MVP on his 30th birthday
1966»Six weeks before his 31st birthday, LA Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax, plagued by arthritis, announced his retirement from baseball
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1928»After five years of publication, TIME magazine presented a cover portrait for the first time. Japanese Emperor Hirohito was the magazine’s first cover subject
1954»Two automatic toll collectors were placed in service on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey
1959»Ford cancels the Edsel
╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1794»According to the Jay Treaty and Northwest Territory Treaty, Indians can cross borders.
1870»On the Wichita River in Texas, Private James Anderson, Company M, Sixth Cavalry, will "earn" a Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in the pursuit and subsequent fight with a group of "hostile Indians
╬ POLITICS (US)
1863»Lincoln delivers his address in Gettysburg; "4 score & 7 years..."
1919»US Senate rejects (55-39) Treaty of Versailles & League of Nations
╬ POLITICS (International)
1794»Jay Treaty, 1st US extradition treaty, signed with Great Britain
1977»Egyptian President Anwar Sadat arrives in Israel
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1644»1st Protestant ministry society in New England
1895»Frederick E. Blaisdell of Philadelphia, PA patented what he called the paper pencil -- a paper-wrapped pencil with a string for revealing more lead
1947»200" mirror arrives at Mt Palomar
GREY MATTER ANSWERS
↔ JEOPARDY
$100-Title city of 1967 Scott McKenzie hit subtitled "Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair"
What is San Francisco?
$200-In Bobbie Gentry's hit song "Ode To Billie Joe", Billie Joe jumped off this bridge
What is the Tallachatie Bridge? Note: Don’t know why, but always thought it was the Tallahassee.
$300-"There's a crazy little house beyond the tracks, & ev'rybody calls it" this
What is the Sugar Shack?
$400-Of this car, Ronny & The Daytonas sang, "You're really looking fine, 3 deuces & a 4-speed, & a 389"
What is my Little GTO?
$500- 1861 song that was the basis of the following Elvis Presley hit
What is Aura Lee?
↔ PICTURE
Nosepiece on eyeglasses
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Thurs Nov 18

This is Week 46 of 2010►Day 322 with 43 days left.
Flagstaff Weather: H—54°; L—23°; RH—30%; —clear sky and wind—0 mph

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Michael Josephson
The real test of character is whether you will do the right thing even when it costs more than you want to pay

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
I went to visit Cheryl late this afternoon. She is doing fine. She was late into surgery, even though they took her in to the pre-op 30 minutes early. She should have been back from recovery about 2:30 but didn’t get back to her room until 4pm. No problems they said, just didn’t have a room ready. Well, duh…she was scheduled for almost a month. Her son, Joey was there and we had a good discussion while the nurse got Cheryl settled in. She was awake and talking, but obviously very stoned. I leaned that a gastro-bypass is now an arthroscopic surgery, meaning she has six little spots instead of a long cut. I also learned that Joel, her ex, who had a pacemaker put in about a year ago did have some problems during the procedure. It seems the Drs had to zap him during the procedure. He is doing fine, but now I understand why he was so cautious when I saw him about 6 weeks after the insertion. Joel has a very high opinion of himself and a very low opinion of others. I figured that was why he didn’t admit that he needed a pacemaker. Everyone handles their health in their own way and handles their own health issues in their own way. Cheryl has been real upfront about what is going to happen, how her life will change, and how she plans on dealing with it. I’m glad she is already on the mend.

In the view of some, the terrorists are winning. The line of thinking is that every passenger on every airplane flying into, or within the United States is treated as a terrorist. Not only is this costing tons of money, it is frustrating every passenger. I don’t know very many women who would want a female scanner looking at her husband naked. The same is true for men not wanting a man to be looking at his naked wife. There is always evidence that these pictures are being stored somewhere. In Texas a courthouse full body scanner broke down and the repair man found 35,000 images of naked court goers that were never erased and yes, so were the pictures of the person entering the machine. When I started flying places in the late 60’s, one dressed to fly, was served a hot meal with real silverware in coach. We had an assigned seat and could not change to an empty seat after the flight took off. Our friends and family walked with us to the gate, watched us get on the plane, and waved good bye through those huge windows. Those sitting on the correct side of the plane could see all this happening. When you got off the plane, there were the family or friends you were meeting, right at the gate. That was then and this is now. Now you get dropped off at the terminal and leave on the plane with no friends or relatives waving good bye. You can change seats, you don’t have to dress for the flight, you pay for your food and for your luggage. You are required to stand in the security line, and are given no place to leave your carry on, if you want to get a bite to eat or pick up a paper. Friends and relatives meet you at baggage claim. Of course, everyone has cell phones, so you can talk to the people meeting you as soon as you deplane until you meet them face to face. I guess no one from the TSA watched Jon Stewart who said it was time to end needless fear. I do want to fly on a bomb-free airplane, but I don’t want to have to do it naked with no carry-on bags. In the future I see a real mess at airport security.

Ah, lame duck session, where little of nothing will get done. After a year of meetings, a year of answering over 900 questions, Sen Kyl—yeah, from AZ, has said that this congress should not vote on the treaty with Russia that is basically Reagan’s ‘trust but verify’ nuclear treaty. It has been almost a year since our dutiful congress has basically decided that trust doesn’t need verify. Now Kyl says the new senate—still under Democratic control—should decide if the US will agree to the new treaty. Hmmmm

HOLY MACKEREL: 1307»William Tell shoots apple off his son's head

JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(SuperJeopardy Answers) from 1990
$200-Many of these animals forming the Great Barrier Reef are being eaten by crown-of-thorns starfish
$400-The down this type of duck produces is used to line nests & for jackets, quilts, pillows & sleeping bags
$600-This bright green beetle, a major plant pest, was brought to the U.S. from the orient circa 1916
$800They're the only living members of the mammalian family Proboscidea
$1000Salamanders called newts when aquatic are called this when terrestrial

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—fruitcake
»In the early 18th century, fruitcake (called plum cake) was outlawed entirely throughout continental Europe. The cakes were considered "sinfully rich." The laws eased by the end of the 18th century, although the cake was still restricted in its use.
»Queen Victoria is said to have waited a year to eat a fruitcake she received for her birthday because she felt it showed restraint, moderation and good taste.
»It was the custom in England for unmarried wedding guests to put a slice of a cake - traditionally a dark fruitcake - under their pillow at night so they would dream of the person they would marry.

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM

NEPTUNE, N.J. — A New Jersey pastor is telling his married church leaders to delete Facebook or resign.
The Rev. Cedric Miller says much of his recent marital counseling has included infidelity stemming from the social-network website.
The leader of Living Word Christian Fellowship Church in Neptune says Facebook is reigniting old passions. His plan was first reported by the Asbury Park Press.
Miller already had asked married couples among his 1,100 congregants to share their Facebook passwords with each other. He says the reaction to that request was mixed.
He says on Sunday that he will also "strongly suggest" that all married parishioners give up Facebook altogether.

A LITTLE LAUGH
My Dad and I were talking the other night about love and marriage. He told me that he knew as early as their wedding what marriage to my Mom would be like. It seems the minister asked my Mom, "Do you take this man to be your husband."
And she said, "I do."
Then the minister asked my Dad, "Do you take this woman to be your wife," and my Mom said, "He does."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

GREY MATTER PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION
¤ Weekly Observances ¤
14-20: American Education Week, Geography Awareness Week, National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week, National Global Entrepreneurship Week
19-25:National Farm-City Week
21-28: National Bible Week, National Family Week, National Game & Puzzle Week, National Teens Don't Text and Drive Week, Better Conversation Week, Church/State Separation Week
¤ Today’s Observances ¤
Occult Day
Great American Smokeout
Married To A Scorpio Support Day
Mickey Mouse Day
Push-button Phone Day
Use Less Stuff Day
Guinness World Record Day
YWCA: World Fellowship Day
Albania: Independence Day from Ottoman Empire in 1912
Haiti: Army Day
Latvia: Independence Day, from Russia in 1918.
Morocco: Independence Day, from France and Spain in 1956.
Oman: National Day ()
Maracaibo, Venezuela: The main day of the Feast of the Virgen de Chiquinquirá or Chinita's Fair
¤ Top 10 songs of ___ ¤
Click on Song Title to see and hear the original
¤ Today’s Births ¤
╬ THE ARTS
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, 71, author (The Blind Assassin, Cat’s Eye, The Handmaid’s Tale)
Clarence Shepard Day, writer (Life with Father)—in 1874
William Schwenck Gilbert, composer (Gilbert & Sullivan)—in 1836
Johnny Mercer, lyricist (Moon River, That Old Black Magic)—in 1909
♦♦Actors♦♦
Imogene Coca, comedienne (Your Show of Shows, Grindl), actress—in 1908
Linda Evans, 68, actress (“Dynasty,” “The Big Valley”)
Jameson Parker, 63, actor (“Simon and Simon,” A Small Circle of Friends)
Elizabeth Perkins, 50, actress (“Weeds,” Big, The Flintstones)
Katey Sagal, 54, actress (“Married … with Children,” “8 Simple Rules,” “Sons of Anarchy”)
Brenda Vaccaro, 71, stage and film actress (The Goodbye People)
Owen Wilson, 42, actor (Wedding Crashers, Starsky and Hutch, The Royal Tenenbaums), screenwriter
╬ ATHLETICS
Dante Bichette, 47, baseball (Angels, Brewers, Rockies, Reds, Red Sox)
James E Sullivan founder (Amateur Athletic Union)—in 1869
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
George Gallup, public opinion pollster (Gallup Poll)—in 1901
╬ POLITICS
Wilma Mankiller, 65, Chief of the Cherokee Nation 1985–95—in 1945
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
Louis Daguerre, theater scene painter, physicist, inventor: daguerreotype photographic process—in 1787
Asa Gray, botanist (Flora of North America)—in 1810
Alan B Shepard Jr, Rear Adm USN/astro (Merc 3, Ap 14)—in 1923
¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤
Chester A Arthur, (21st President), cerebral hemorrhage @ 56 in 1886
Niels Bohr, physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1922, @ 77 in 1962
Hal Dickinson, singer (Modernaires), heart failure @ 56 in 1970
Donald Meek, Glasgow Scotland, actor (Stage Fair, Stagecoach) cancer @ 68 in 1946
Joseph P Kennedy, @ 81 in 1969
¤ Today’s Events ¤
╬ THE ARTS
1865»Mark Twain publishes "Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"
1894»1st newspaper Sunday color comic section published (NY World)
1928»Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse debuts in NY in  "Steamboat Willie"
1975»John Denver received a gold record for I’m Sorry.
╬ ATHLETICS
1949»Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers, named NL's MVP
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1805»30 women meet at Mrs Silas Lee's home in Wiscasset, Maine, organizes Female Charitable Society, the first woman's club in America
1960»Copyright office issues its 10 millionth registration
╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
864»The Great Ballcourt at Chichen Itza is dedicated by the Maya.
1813»Members of the Hillabi Clan of the Muskogee Creeks have offered to surrender to General Andrew Jackson with Scots trader Robert Grierson acting as intermediary.
╬ POLITICS (US)
1874»National Woman's Christian Temperance Union organizes in Cleveland
1949»Alben W. Barkley married Jane Rucker Hadley in St. Louis. It was the first time a U.S. Vice President married while in office.
╬ POLITICS (International)
1497»Bartolomeu Dias discovers Cape of Good Hope
1991»Muslim Shites release hostages Terry Waite & Thomas Sutherland
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1421»Zuider Zee floods 72 villages, killing an estimated 10,000 in Netherlands
1787»1st Unitarian minister in US ordained, Boston
1820»US Navy Captain Nathaniel B Palmer discovers Antarctica
1970»Nobel Prize-winner Linus Pauling declared that large doses ofVitamin C could ward off the common cold.
1978»The worst case of murder-suicide in history took place in Jonestown, Guyana.
GREY MATTER ANSWERS
↔ JEOPARDY
$200-Many of these animals forming the Great Barrier Reef are being eaten by crown-of-thorns starfish
What is coral?
$400-The down this type of duck produces is used to line nests & for jackets, quilts, pillows & sleeping bags
What is a eider?
$600-This bright green beetle, a major plant pest, was brought to the U.S. from the orient circa 1916
What is a Japanese beetle?
$800They're the only living members of the mammalian family Proboscidea
What are elephants?
$1000Salamanders called newts when aquatic are called this when terrestrial
What are efts?
↔ PICTURE
Darts
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Wed Nov 17

This is Week 46 of 2010►Day 321 with 44 days left.
Flagstaff Weather: H—54°; L—28°; RH—40%; —mostly sunny sky and wind—18 mph

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you would lift me up you must be on higher ground

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
I ran some errands this morning and went a little crazy at Sam’s. One guy living alone doesn’t need the 64 rolls of toilet paper, but there are still many smaller packages of other things that one can buy that save big bucks. Of course I now have enough food items to last several months…good I have a chest freezer. Pantry staples are good for a little longer.

When I was in Taiwan, I found out that most of their tourists come from the mainland. I then knew I had to do some learning about what is going on in China. My brother’s trip over there last year, on business, opened my eyes a little. They met with the CEO of a furniture maker who was going to make some of Laura’s pieces. They met in a small apt. Both Laura and my brother left with a memory of little more than being cold. There was very poor insulation, and there was a heating stove in the middle of the living room that didn’t seem to give off much heat. The CEO lived south of an imaginary line drawn on a map. Those north of the map get much more and much less expensive heating fuel. Those south of the line have a hard time getting any fuel for the heater. It was not a issue of money, it was an issue of quantity. Richard commented that it was like me, living in the South part of the US, I would have a hard time getting heating fuel—even though I lived at 7000’. This week, ABC news is in China. Whoa…I have so much to learn. Almost every school is teaching English in K-12. The students spend about 30% more time in school than American kids. One little girl asked how many American children were leaning Chinese in school. It turns out that 1600 school districts in the US are offering courses in Mandarin. That’s 4% of our school districts. There are more billionaires in China than in the US. Only 4-6% of the internet is censored. Jack Ma started alibaba, an e-commerce site that now has over 25,000 employees. It is like Amazon, if you buy in large quantities. One of Mr. Ma’s insights is that in America we love to debate about everything which leads to wasting a lot of time in getting things done. He says that in China they say—just get it done. China is on the move. In many situations, they want to be like Americans—especially in business. Whatever they are doing right now, it sure seems to be working.

Sadly, the Celtic Tiger—Ireland is not doing very well economically. They rose out of poverty and were living the good life for almost a decade. Greece is having similar problems. According to the news reports, businesses are closing everywhere throughout Ireland. If China business follows the Irish or the Greeks, the entire world will be in great financial difficulty. I need to learn more about what actually happened—beginning in the 1970’s until today.

I had to laugh a little today while watching the news. First there is a new representative in DC who campaigned against Obamacare to get elected. While he was in an orientation seminar for all new reps he asked a couple of questions about the House Health care options. He was shocked to find out that he could get coverage when he was sworn in—not when he was elected. In his follow-up question he learned that after he enrolls, he has to wait 30 days before it takes effect. He asked the presenter what he was supposed to do if he or his family got sick between now and February. He was disappointed when he found out that he would have to buy his own insurance from a private company for that timeframe. DUH. Welcome to the real world Mr. Representative. I’m sure he will be disappointed again when he finds out that when he is covered, he still has to pay for it. Another funny…A Faux news panel was discussing Sarah Palin’s TLC’s Alaska mini-reality series. They thought they had gone to a commercial when one of the panelists said that she had heard the new series was like The Sound of Music without the singing, without the Nazis, and without the romance. Hmmm. Oops. I have seen some clips from the show and will probably watch some of it, for the beauty of Alaskan wilds. The clips have been pretty awesome photography.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1968»The ‘Heidi Game’ happened on TV. The New York Jets/Oakland Raiders football game was cut off to begin a family show (Heidi) on NBC. The TV audience missed Oakland’s two touchdowns (in nine seconds) to win the game 43-32. NBC was flooded with calls and the concept of program delay was instituted immediately by the networks.

JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(SuperJeopardy) from 1990—‘B’ in Geography
$200-Strait separating Alaska & the Soviet Union
$400-The Ganges & Irrawaddy are among the rivers emptying into this large bay
$600-Region of France between the Seine & Marne Valleys famous for its soft white cheese
$800-Alpine Pass connecting Innsbruck, Austria & Bolzano, Italy
$1000- With Hercegovina it forms 1 of Yugoslavia's 6 republics

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—
» The Amazon River is so wide that from its mouth pours one-fifth of all the moving fresh water on Earth. Its discharge runs at 7,200,000 cubic feet of water per second; greater than the next ten largest rivers combined!
»Less than 3 percent of the water on earth is fresh water. Approximately 1.6 percent is usable.

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM
PARMA, Ohio — Two Parma middle school teachers are on unpaid administrative leave following a lesson on acupuncture.
The incident happened at Hillside Middle School during a lesson on Chinese culture in a seventh-grade social studies class last month.
Parma schools said the teachers at the school in Seven Hills were placed on leave “for introducing acupuncture in an inappropriate way to their students.”
According to Parma schools, Doug Ziemiankski put needles into his arm and the arm of co-teacher Gail Tatockenko. Ziemianski put needles into students’ hands, arms and necks, and a total of seven students were punctured during the day, the school system said.
Parma schools said the needles where individually sealed in packages and no needles was used more than once. The students used alcohol to clean their skin before using the needles.
The school system placed the teachers on leave based on their involvement in the incident. One teacher was given a three-day unpaid suspension. The other teacher was given a 21-day unpaid suspension.
"These are good teachers and good people who made an error in judgment. Unfortunately, it involved the safety of children. Good people sometimes make bad decisions. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but this kind of classroom activity is unacceptable,” said Parma City Schools Superintendent Jeff Graham, in a news release on Tuesday.
The school district said the administration found out about the lesson after a parent called the school. The administration also notified children’s services.

A LITTLE LAUGH
Once I'd finished reviewing my daughter's homework, I gave her an impromptu quiz. "What is a group of whales called?"
I asked. "I'll give you a hint—it sounds like something you use to listen to music."
"An iPod?" she guessed.
"Close," I said. "But what I'm thinking is a little smaller."
"A Shuffle!"

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

GREY MATTER PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION
¤ Weekly Observances ¤
14-20: American Education Week, Geography Awareness Week, National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week, National Global Entrepreneurship Week
19-25:National Farm-City Week
21-28: National Bible Week, National Family Week, National Game & Puzzle Week, National Teens Don't Text and Drive Week, Better Conversation Week, Church/State Separation Week
¤ Today’s Observances ¤
Take A Hike Day
Homemade Bread Day
GIS Day (Geographic Information Systems)
International Students' Day
National Educational Support Professionals Day
Czech Republic and Slovakia: Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day
Greece: Polytechnic or Πολυτεχνείο—for the 1973 bloody demonstration against the junta.
Japan: Shogi Day, formerly celebrated on the 17th day of Kannazuki (Godless month): shogi is a game similar to chess.
Zaire: Army Day
¤ Top 10 songs of ___ ¤
Click on Song Title to see and hear the original
05. Patricia » Perez Prado: I don’t get the pictures!
¤ Today’s Births ¤
╬ THE ARTS
Archie Campbell, comedian (Hee Haw)—in 1914
Gordon Lightfoot, 72, singer, songwriter, born Orilla, ON, Canada Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Lorne Michaels, 66, producer (“Saturday Night Live”)
Titian Ramsey Peale, artist/naturalist (American Ornithology)—in 1799
Martin Scorsese, 68, director (Mean Streets, The Color of Money, Raging Bull, Goodfellas)
Lee Strasberg (Israel Strassberg), director; teacher of method acting at Actor’s Studio—in 1901
♦♦Actors♦♦
Danny DeVito, 66, actor (“Taxi,” Twins), director (Throw Mama from the Train)
Daisy Fuentes, 44, actress, television personality
Rock Hudson, actor (Pillow Talk, A Farewell to Arms)—in 1925
Lauren Hutton, 66, model, actress (American Gigolo)
Dean Paul Martin, actor (Billy-Misfits of Science; son of Dean Martin—in 1951
RuPaul, 50, model, actor, born RuPaul Andre Charles
╬ ATHLETICS
Bob Mathias, decathalete (Olympic-gold-1948, 52)—in 1930
George Thomas (Tom) Seaver, 66, Hall of Fame baseball player, broadcaster
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
Grace Abbott, social worker (US Children Bureau)—in 1878
╬ POLITICS
Howard Dean, 62, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, former Governor of Vermont
Bernard L Montgomery, British general (WW II-African campaign)—in 1887
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
August Ferdinand Mobius, German mathematician, inventor (Mobius strip)—in 1790
¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤
Arthur Vining Davis, CEO (Alcoa-1910-57), @ 92 in 1962
Sheilah Graham, gossip columnist, @ 84 in 1988
John Grascock, of Jethro Tull, heart surgery @ 27 in 1979
Jimmy Ritz, of Ritz brothers, heart failure @ 81—in 1985
Auguste Rodin, sculptor (The Thinker) @ 77 in 1917
¤ Today’s Events ¤
╬ THE ARTS
1966»Woody Allen’s first play, Don’t Drink the Water, opened on Broadway.
╬ ATHLETICS
1884»Cops arrest John L Sullivan in 2nd round for being "cruel"
1940»Green Bay Packers become 1st NFL team to travel by plane
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1853»Street signs authorized at San Francisco intersections
╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1764»Part of Pontiac's army surrenders at the Muskingham River.
1938»An election is authorized to approve a Constitution and By-Laws for the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town of the Creek Indian Nation of the State of Oklahoma by Oscar Chapman, Assistant Secretary of the Interior
╬ POLITICS (US)
1800»Congress held 1st session in Washington DC
1993»US Congress votes for NAFTA
╬ POLITICS (International)
1278»680 Jews arrested (293 hanged) in England for counterfeiting coins
1558»Elizabeth I ascends English throne upon death of Queen Mary
1796»Battle of Arcole-Napoleon I's French forces beat Austrians in Italy
1869»Suez Canal opens (Egypt)
1913»Panama Canal opens
1977»Egyptian President Sadat formally accepts invitation to visit Israel
1994»Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Albert Reynolds resigns
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1875»American Theosophical Society founded by Mme Blavatsky & Col Olcott ( is a branch of a world fellowship and membership organization dedicated to promoting the unity of humanity and encouraging the study of religion, philosophy and science so that we may better understand ourselves and our relationships within this multidimensional universe. The Society stands for complete freedom of individual search and belief.)
1913»1st US dental hygienists course established, Bridgeport, Ct
1927»Tornado hit Washington DC
1959»De Beers firm of South Africa announces synthetic diamond
1967»Surveyor 6 becomes 1st man-made object to lift off the Moon
GREY MATTER ANSWERS
↔ JEOPARDY
$200-Strait separating Alaska & the Soviet Union
What is the Bering Strait?
$400-The Ganges & Irrawaddy are among the rivers emptying into this large bay
What is the Bay of Bengal?
$600-Region of France between the Seine & Marne Valleys famous for its soft white cheese
What is Brie?
$800-Alpine Pass connecting Innsbruck, Austria & Bolzano, Italy
What is Brenner?
$1000- With Hercegovina it forms 1 of Yugoslavia's 6 republics
What is Bosnia?
↔ PICTURE
A wafer cookie
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Tues Nov 16

This is Week 46 of 2010►Day 320 with 45 days left.
Flagstaff Weather: H—52°; L—29°; RH—40%; —clear sky and wind— 8 mph

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Abraham Lincoln
He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
TSA and security scans are staying in the news. A guy in Ohio refused the full body scan and also the pat down. There is video of him being escorted out of the security area. Now he has to pay a fine as there is also a policy that if someone leaves the security area without clearance, they may be fined. The grassroots group is starting to take hold. I also heard today that there have been no studies by the FDA or any government agency on the possible long term effects of the x-rays being sent through all our bodies. Time will tell how long we will be standing in security lines at Christmas.

Flag School District is in the national spotlight, the state spotlight, and the local spotlight. The district is sending letters to parents who have children who are outside the ‘normal’ range of mass body index. It seems they have been gathering such information for several years. Now they are sending letters to parents with the raw data for their child along with how to enroll in programs to have the child back in the normal range. The letter will also go to parents who have a child that is under the normal range. It will be interesting to hear what happens when the letters actually go out. Right now, the state and local news stations are interviewing parents, administrators, and citizens in our mountain town. The people I have seen interviewed have two characteristics in common, first, none were either overweight or underweight and so far they have only interviewed women. It is easy for parents to say it’s a good idea now, but I wonder how they will feel if they receive a letter. Certainly there are many factors that lead to body mass concerns. One of the factors is a sedentary v active lifestyle. The district has cut its PE programs, after school programs—including intramural sports, and even recess. I remember a couple of teachers who used ‘recess’ as discipline technique and as an administrator, it was a constant battle with a few. In every school I worked I pushed to have non-competitive physical activity for all children and PE classes for every grade. Both of these were not as easy as one might think. Administrators were concerned about liability issues, teachers felt that they could drop recess if the kids had PE. Again time will tell exactly how parents will react to the letters.

Ah, the State of AZ now allows for medical marijuana by prescription. The AZ Health Dept came out today saying not to get too excited for a while. They say they won’t be able to have a secure system in place until late summer or later. They also said that the current budget does not give them the resources they need to put a secure system in place, so their answer will be to cut other health programs. Of course, they were silent before the vote. Of course, they didn’t plan ahead with how they would handle this new law. Typical short sightedness. There is no word from them on the patients who are suffering.

Finally, our mountain forest town has another big issue to deal with. Beginning in December our state will allow the legal sale of sparklers and other non-exploding fireworks. Our governor signed the bill last summer, at the height of the forest fire season. Our neighbor, Prescott, just passed an ordinance that the legal fireworks can be sold in the city, but can’t be used on any land inside the city. It looks like Flagstaff will be doing a similar ordinance. Hopefully the Forest Service will figure out a similar ban before we have another big fire. As I was growing up we always did fireworks in our back yard or a friend’s back yard. It was a lot of fun. The fireworks were way too dangerous, and at about 12 years old, we still had our cookout, then we loaded up in several cars and headed to a fireworks display. These were also very cool. There were bands, the Shriners on horses, the Shriners with their fez’s and ground and aerial fireworks to patriotic music. So much safer and still a lot of fun. The desert communities in AZ have had city wide displays since I got here 40 years ago. The towns located in the middle of the forest have tried and succeed in wet years. That was not enough for our lawmakers or our governor. Hopefully, this stupid law will not burn down any of our many forests.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1958»Six inches of snow fell on Tucson, Arizona

JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(Final Jeopardy Answers) from 1984
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Automaker that introduced the alternator, power steering & electric ignition
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Country that manufactures the most cars per year (1984)
GOVERNMENT Decade the last amendment to the Constitution was ratified in
THE CALENDAR The only day of the week named for a Roman god
EUROPE The Soviet army was welcome in this capital in May of '45 but unwelcome in August '68

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—
»The oldest reference that can be found regarding a fruitcake dates back to Roman times, during the first century A.D. The recipe included pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins mixed into a barley mash. During the Middle Ages, recipes appear with honey, spices and preserved fruits.
»It wasn't until the 1400s, when dried fruits from the Mediterranean first arrived in the British Isles, that the Brits began their love affair with fruitcake.
»One custom in Europe involved a ceremonial type of fruitcake baked at the end of the nut harvest, then saved and eaten the next year to celebrate the beginning of the next nut harvest.

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM
Bay Area, CA - The pilgrims may not have been into nude girls dancing around a pole, but that doesn't mean nude girls dancing around a pole can't be into the pilgrims. San Francisco's Market Street Cinema gets into the Thanksgiving spirit every year by encouraging men to do more than just stare at nude women.
The adult theater is once again pushing its holiday turkey promotion, where patrons who bring in a turkey for charity will receive free admission to the theater.
The promotion, which runs through Nov. 24, has gone up on the marquee with colorful plays on words. And as far as we can tell, you're still responsible for the dollar bills.

A LITTLE LAUGH
At the supermarket, I noticed a woman with four boys and a baby. Her patience was wearing thin as the boys called out,
"Mommy! Mommy!" while she tried to shop.
Finally, she blurted out, "I don't want to hear the word mommy for at least ten minutes!"
The boys fell silent for a few seconds. Then one tugged on his mother's dress and said softly, "Excuse me, miss."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’

GREY MATTER PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION
¤ Weekly Observances ¤
14-20: American Education Week, Geography Awareness Week, National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week, National Global Entrepreneurship Week
19-25:National Farm-City Week
21-28: National Bible Week, National Family Week, National Game & Puzzle Week, National Teens Don't Text and Drive Week, Better Conversation Week, Church/State Separation Week
¤ Today’s Observances ¤
Button Day
International Day for Tolerance
US: Oklahoma : Admission Day (1907) 46th state
Estonia: Day of Declaration of Sovereignty
Day of Repentance and Prayer or Buß- und Bettag (the Protestant church bodies of Lutheran, Reformed (Calvinist)and United. A school holiday in Saxony and Bavaria)
Iceland: Icelandic Language Day or Dagur íslenskrar tungu
¤ Top 10 songs of 1957 ¤
Click on Song Title to see and hear the original
¤ Today’s Births ¤
╬ THE ARTS
Michael Arlen, English writer (An American Verdict)—in 1895
Daws Butler, cartoon voice (Elroy Jetson)—in 1916
W.C. (William Christopher) Handy, composer: ‘Father of the Blues’: St. Louis Blues—in 1873
George S. (Simon) Kaufman, playwright: The Cocoanuts, A Night at the Opera, [w/Moss Hart]: The Man Who Came to Dinner, You Can’t Take It with You—in 1889
♦♦Actors♦♦
Lisa Bonet, 43, actress (“The Cosby Show,” “A Different World,” Angel Heart)
Clu Gulager, 82, actor (Virginian, Survivors, Tall Man)
Marg Helgenberger, 52, actress (“CSI,” “China Beach”)
David Leisure, 60, actor (Joe Isuzu, Airplane, Charley-Empty Nest)
Burgess Meredith, actor (Mr Novak, Penguin-Batman, Rocky)—in 1908
Guy Stockwell, actor (Chris-Adventures in Paradise)—in 1933
╬ ATHLETICS
Oksana Baiul, 33, Olympic gold medal figure skater, born in Dniepropetrovsk, Ukraine
Dwight Eugene ‘Doc’ Gooden, 46, baseball (Mets, Indians, Yankees, Astros, Devil Rays)
Harvey Martin, football: Dallas Cowboys DE: Super Bowls X, XII, XIII; in 1950
Amare Stoudemire, 28, basketball (Suns, Knicks)
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
Elizabeth Drew, 75, journalist
Clinton Golden, founder (United Steelworkers of America)—in 1888
╬ POLITICS
Ann Dore McLaughlin, 69, US Secretary of Labor 1987-1989
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
Gene Amdahl, 88, American computer scientist—mainframe computer
Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, Iraqi-born Lebanese Shiite Muslim cleric and Hezbollah mentor—in 1935
¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤
Clark Gable, actor, heart attack @ 59 in 1960
Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House for 17 years, @ 79 in 1961
Louis Riel, French rebel who fought against Canada, executed @ 41 in 1885
¤ Today’s Events ¤
╬ THE ARTS
1864»To celebrate General Sherman’s march to the sea, Henry Clay wrote the song, Marching Through Georgia.
1908»Conductor Arturo Toscanini made his debut in the United States
1932»The Palace Theatre in New York City closed its doors to vaudeville
╬ ATHLETICS
1955»1st speed-boat to exceed 200 mph (322 kph) (D.M. Campbell)
1975»Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears rushed for 105 yards in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. It was Payton’s first game of 100 plus yards.
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1973»President Nixon authorizes construction of the Alaskan pipeline
1986» Gerber Products announced intentions to produce baby food in plastic jars, instead of glass -- a first for the industry.
╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1532»Pizarro seizes Incan emperor Atahualpa after victory at Cajamarca
1811»According to some sources, Tecumseh predicts a "light across the sky" tonight. It is supposed to have appeared, as predicted.
╬ POLITICS (US)
1676»1st colonial prison organized, Nantucket, Massachusetts
1798»Kentucky becomes 1st state to nullify an act of Congress
1864»Union Gen William T Sherman begins march to the sea during Civil War
1914»Federal Reserve System formally opens
1933»Roosevelt establishes diplomatic relations with USSR
╬ POLITICS (International)
1894»6,000 Armenians massacred by Turks in Kurdistan
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1925»American Association for the Advancement of Atheism formed in NY
1875»Dr. William G. Arlington Bonwill of Philadelphia, PA was issued a patent for his dental mallet used to impact gold into cavities.

GREY MATTER ANSWERS
↔ JEOPARDY
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Automaker that introduced the alternator, power steering & electric ignition
What is Chrysler?
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Country that manufactures the most cars per year (1984)
What is Japan?
GOVERNMENT Decade the last amendment to the Constitution was ratified in
What are the 1970’s? (26th allowing 18 year olds to vote—1971
(or the 27th, passed in the 1990’s that set change in Congressional salaries to take place with the next Congress--in 1992)
THE CALENDAR The only day of the week named for a Roman god
What is Saturday?
EUROPE The Soviet army was welcome in this capital in May of '45 but unwelcome in August '68
What is Prague, Czech.
↔ PICTURE
California roll sushi
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Mon Nov 15

This is Week 46 of 2010►Day 319 with 46 days left.
Flagstaff Weather: H—50°; L—17°; RH—31%; —clear sky and wind—7 mph

QUOTE FOR THE DAY—Mark Twain
Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest.

FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
It was a nice Autumn Sunday—warm enough to wash the vehicle.

A former colleague lost her younger brother to cancer yesterday. He fought a long battle and thankfully Aila and her entire family were back in Montana with him when he passed. Life is short for some and spending time being nice is worth the effort. She has lots of good memories of their lives together. His passing also opened my eyes to a web site that gives people the opportunity to keep family and friends of terminal patients up to date on what is going on. Both the patient and the family can add their own posts and others can add too. It is ‘caringbridge.org.’ While I never met her brother, I was able to read lots of posts about his last few months. A very worthwhile site.

On a much brighter note, my friend Martha becomes a septuagenarian after ten long years as a sexagenarian. Personally I prefer being a sexagenarian, just because of its name. My friend Bob is just finishing up his decade as a septuagenarian and will soon become an octogenarian. Bob had a great decade and I’m sure that Martha will too. Martha and friends gathered for a nice dinner and party at Coco’s tonight. Great time. For those who don’t know, they make great cakes too. A time for all of us.

HOLY MACKEREL: 1864»Sherman burns Atlanta 

JEOPARDY PUZZLE—(Final Jeopardy Answers)
SCIENCE The mammal that holds the record for the longest lifespan
U.S. PRESIDENTS Adventurous 26th president, he was 1st to ride in an automobile & an airplane
TITLED HEADS N.Y. financier Al Grimaldi is next in line for throne of this Mediterranean principality
RIVERS It carries more water than the longest rivers in Asia, Africa & No. America combined
THE SOLAR SYSTEM Only 1 of 9 planets not named for a Greek or Roman mythological figure

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION—Firearms
»Early guns took so long to load and fire that bows and arrows --in trained hands--were twelve times more efficient.
»By making use of the energy of the recoil of a fired bullet to eject the spent cartridge and load the next, Hiram Maxim in 1884 produced the first fully automatic machine gun.

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM
NEW HAVEN, CN- Connecticut police said a man who heard gunshots while exiting a deli went home and ate his sandwich before seeking treatment for shots to the groin and thigh. Investigators said Miguel Soto III, 25, heard three gunshots when he left the deli Tuesday afternoon in New Haven and continued home to enjoy his lunch, WVIT-TV, Hartford, Conn., reported Thursday. Police said Soto asked his father to take him to Yale-New Haven Hospital after he had finished his sandwich. Soto was treated for nonlife-
threatening gunshot wounds to his groin and left thigh.
Investigators said they are seeking two men in connection with the incident.

A LITTLE LAUGH
While we were working at a men's clothing store, a customer asked my coworker to help her pick out a tie that would make her husband's blue eyes stand out.
"Ma'am," he explained, "any tie will make blue eyes stand out if you tie it tight enough."

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’
GREY MATTER PICTURE
This is a close up of what object?
SOME CALENDAR INFORMATION
¤ Weekly Observances ¤
14-20: American Education Week, Geography Awareness Week, National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week, National Global Entrepreneurship Week
19-25:National Farm-City Week
21-28: National Bible Week, National Family Week, National Game & Puzzle Week, National Teens Don't Text and Drive Week, Better Conversation Week, Church/State Separation Week
¤ Today’s Observances ¤
America Recycles Day
I Love to Write Day
George / Georgette / Gerorgina Spelvin Day: pseudonym used by actors for unaccredited roles
National Bundt (Pan) Day
National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
Belgium: King's Day
Belguim: Day of the German-speaking Community of Belgium
Brazil: Republic Proclamation Day (1889)
Japan: Shichi-Go-San (7-5-3 Festival Day): is a traditional rite of passage and festival day for three and seven year-old girls and three and five year-old boys
Palestine: Independence Day, unilaterally declared in 1988.
¤ Top 10 songs of ____ ¤
Click on Song Title to see and hear the original
¤ Today’s Births ¤
╬ THE ARTS
John Banvard, painted world's largest painting (3 mile canvas)—in 1815
Petula Clark, 78, singer (“Downtown”), actress
Kevin Eubanks, 53, “The Tonight Show” bandleader
Gerhart Hauptmann, German writer (Before Dawn-Nobel 1912)—in 1862
Mantovani, orchestra leader (Mantovani)—in 1905 Venice Italy
C.W. McCall (William Fries), 82, singer, songwriter: Convoy
Georgia O'Keeffe, painter (Cow's Skull)—in 1887
♦♦Actors♦♦
Ed Asner, 81, actor (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Lou Grant,” Roots)
Joanna Barnes, 76, actress (The Parent Trap)
Yaphet Kotto, 73, actor (“Homicide,” Midnight Run, Blue Collar, Live and Let Die)
Sam Waterston, 70, actor (“Law & Order,” “I’ll Fly Away,” The Killing Fields, The Great Gatbsy)
╬ ATHLETICS
Greg Anthony, 43, basketball (Knicks, Supersonics, Bulls, Trail Blazers, Bucks)
Randy Savage, 58, American professional wrestler—‘Macho-Man”
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
Joseph Wapner, 91, television personality (“The People’s Court”), retired judge
╬ POLITICS
Howard Baker, 85, (Sen-TN), presidential chief of staff
Felix Frankfurter, US supreme court justice (1939-62)—in 1882 Austria
W. Averell Harriman, U.S. diplomat, Governor of New York—in 1891
Bill Richardson, 63, Governor of New Mexico
Erwin Rommel, German field marshall (WW II-African campaign)—in 1891
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
Sir William Herschel, astronomer (discovered Uranus)—in 1738
Nicholas V, pope (1447-55); ended schism, founded Vatican Library—in 1387
¤ Today’s Obituaries ¤
Baby Fae, who received a baboon's heart, @ 1 month in 1984
Johann Kepler, German astronomer, bladder infection @ 58 in 1630
Margaret Mead, anthropologist, @ 76 in 1978
Tyrone Power actor, heart attack @ 44 in 1958
¤ Today’s Events ¤
╬ THE ARTS
1884»Samuel Sidney McClure of New York City started the first literary syndicate -- the McClure Syndicate. It bought authors’ works and then sold the right to print them to various newspapers across the U.S.
1932»Walt Disney Art School created
1938» Television’s first on-the-scene program took place. A fire on Ward’s Island, New York
1990»Producers confirm that Milli Vanilli didn't sing on their album
╬ ATHLETICS
1941»Cow Palace opens in San Francisco
1960»Elgin Baylor of NBA Los Angeles Lakers scores 71 points vs NY Knicks
1989»Walter Davis (Denver) begins NBA free throw streak of 53 games
1992» After 200 victories, seven championships and more than 1,000 career starts, Richard Petty ended his career as a driver
╬ BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1791»1st Catholic college in US, Georgetown, opens
1806»1st US college magazine, Yale Literary Cabinet, publishes 1st issue
1849»1st US poultry show opens in Boston
1864»1st US mines school opens in basement of Columbia University, NY
1881»American Federation of Labor (AFL) founded (Pittsburgh)
1939»Social Security Administration approves 1st unemployment check
╬ INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1824»The Quapaw sign a treaty (7 stat. 23) and give up their claim to land between the Arkansas Post and Little Rock, extending inland to the Saline River.
1861»The Potawatomi sign a treaty. (12 stat.1191). The treaty sets aside some lands for common tribal usage and other lands are set aside for individual Indians.
╬ POLITICS (US)
1777»Articles of Confederation adopted by Continental Congress
1869»Free postal delivery formally inaugurated
1937»1st congressional session in air-conditioned chambers
╬ POLITICS (International)
1884»Colonization of Africa organized at international conference in Berlin
1939»Nazis begin mass murder of Warsaw Jews
╬ SCIENCE & RELIGION
1806»Explorer Zebulon Pike sights Pikes Peak
GREY MATTER ANSWERS
↔ JEOPARDY
SCIENCE The mammal that holds the record for the longest lifespan
What is MAN?
U.S. PRESIDENTS Adventurous 26th president, he was 1st to ride in an automobile & an airplane
Who was Teddy Roosevelt?
TITLED HEADS N.Y. financier Al Grimaldi is next in line for throne of this Mediterranean principality
What is Moraco?
RIVERS It carries more water than the longest rivers in Asia, Africa & No. America combined
What is the Amazon?
THE SOLAR SYSTEM Only 1 of 9 planets not named for a Greek or Roman mythological figure
↔ PICTURE
Claw in an arcade machine
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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.