4-22-11


TODAY’s HOLY MACKEREL: 2000 - In a pre-dawn raid, federal agents seize six-year-old Elián González from his relatives' home in Miami, Florida.

MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
How quickly I forget…spring in NAZ means wind. Not one day, not two days, but it appears the entire spring. The wind blows, doesn’t usually bring in a storm or chase on out, it just blows. This spring wind is not a gentle wind, used for enjoyment. This wind is harsh and is not brining any enjoyment. In addition to making driving on highways more difficult, it is drying out our already dry forest.

Being a small town, Flag is going all out this Easter. Lots of outdoor events are happening around town for many. The local pool is even having an Easter Egg hunt in the pool. Should be a good weekend.

It’s been 12 years since the massacre at Columbine. I am attuned to news from Jefferson County CO, since I grew up there. The very large mall near Columbine had ‘an incident’ on the anniversary. A small fire broke out, and when first responders arrived they found the fire, along with a pipe bomb and propane tanks near the food court. No one was hurt and so far no suspects. The entire district—some 30+ schools went on lockdown for several hours. So many sickos out there. Those in schools and now malls in CO are being very cautious.

Wisconsin has been in the news for its union busting governor. Now citizens have begun some recalls on some of the people involved. One group offers free alcohol shots to signers of their recall petition. What is this world coming too?

DID YOU KNOW THAT…
>For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean. Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small basin of warm water. Rinse and allow to dry.

>Have rough dry heels? Massage a diaper-rash ointment on them! Most ointments are packed with heavy moisturizers like petrolatum, lanolin, and beeswax that will soothe, nourish and protect your heels.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…
>Cadbury introduced its first cream-filled egg in 1923, but the brand we know today was not launched until 1971.
>In 1975, the Cadbury Creme Egg was advertised for the first time on television. A boy asks a shopkeeper for ‘600 Cadbury Creme Eggs please’.
>The egg is made by pouring liquid chocolate into a half-egg shaped mold, which is then filled with white fondant and then a dab of yellow fondant to simulate the yolk. The two mold halves are closed very quickly and cooled to allow the
chocolate to set.

PUZZLE: Trivia Quiz […answers at bottom…]
1. Who or what was Skippy ( on TV )?
2. Who wrote and starred in the 1922 version of Robin Hood?
3. What 1945 film won best picture, actor and director Oscars?
4. What movie cast featured James Garner, Richard Attenbourough, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Donald Pleasance?
5. What actress said "I dress for women and undress for men"?
6. Which short sighted cartoon character had a nephew named Waldo?
7. Who played the part of the scarecrow in the movie 'The Wiz'?
8. Taidje Khan became using which name?
9. What actress said "I acted vulgar, Madonna is vulgar"?
10. John Huston scored a hit with his first film, what was it called?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM:
SALISBURY, Mass. — A man on the run from police, wanted for breaking into a pickup truck, ran right into them in Salisbury.
Police said 21-year-old Joseph Dastous is one of the world’s dumbest crooks.
"Usually they run from you,” Chief Richard Merrill said. “In this case it's the first time in my life, in 33 years of police work, they run towards me."
It started on John and Donna Sanborn's farm, where Dastous allegedly tried to steal their truck.
"I grabbed hold of him with my left hand, hit him with my right and pulled him out of the truck," John Sanborn said.
Dastous ran away, across the field and toward the highway where Chief Merrill, driving his unmarked cruiser, spotted the suspect and pulled over
"He thought it was actually someone stopping to give him a ride,” Merrill said. “I did get out of the vehicle, and he started shouting thank you, sir, thank you."
Dastous actually jumped into the back seat of the cruiser before realizing he'd just made a big mistake.
"He looked up at me and he said, 'You look familiar.' I said I should look familiar. I'm the chief of police," Merrill said.
Back at the farm, the Sanborns were relieved to hear he was arrested and a little surprised.
"I thought it was pretty good. I didn't expect it to be that easy," Sanborn said.

A LITTLE LAUGH:
We visited our newly married daughter, who was preparing her first Thanksgiving dinner. I noticed the turkey thawing in the kitchen sink with a dish drainer inverted over the bird.
I asked why a drainer covered the turkey.
Our daughter turned to my wife and said, "Mom, you always did it that way."
"Yes," my wife replied, "but you don't have a cat!"

CLOSEUP PICTURE: Can you identify this close up picture?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’:
Jane Froman was a great singer and was severely injured in a USO plane crash during WWII. One of my mom’s favorite singers


♫ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ♫
2004 Inductee: Prince arrived on the scene in the late Seventies, and it didn’t take long for him to upend the music world with his startling music and arresting demeanor. He rewrote the rulebook, forging a synthesis of black funk and white rock that served as a blueprint for cutting-edge music in the Eighties. Prince made dance music that rocked and rock music that had a bristling, funky backbone.  MORE INFO

Click on Song Title to see and hear it.

DAYBOOK INFORMATION
«THIS WEEK
17-23
Christian Holy Week
Cleaning For A Reason Week
Coin Week
Consumer Awareness Week
Fibroid Awareness Week
Fish Fry Week
National Crime Victims Rights Week
National Karaoke Week
National Paperboard Packaging Week
National Park Week
National Pet ID Week:
Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week
Turnoff Week
19-26
Pesach (Passover)

«TODAY IS
Chemists Celebrate The Earth Day
Earth Day
“In God We Trust" Day
Mother Earth Day
National Jelly Bean Day
Christians: Good Friday
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Day

… ARTISTS: AUTHORS: COMPOSERS…
1707 - Henry Fielding novelist (Joseph Andrews, Tom Jones)
1873 - Ellen Anderson Glasgow, US, novelist (Ancient Law, Pulitzer-1942)
1724 - Immanuel Kant German Enlightenment philosopher
…ATHLETES
Jeff Hostetler, NFL QB (NY Giants, Raiders, Redskins/1990 Superbowl) turns 50
Nicky Le Roux, South Africa, LPGA golfer (1994 Atlanta Champ-15th) turns 52
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1923 - Aaron Spelling, American television producer
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
1908 - Eddie Albert, [Heimberger], actor (Oliver-Green Acres)
Glen Campbell, Country singer, turns 75
Peter Frampton, Rock musician, turns 61
Estelle Harris, Actress ("Seinfeld"), turns 79
Jack Nicholson, Actor, turns 74
Charlotte Rae, Actress ("Facts of Life"), turns 85
Sherri Shepherd, Actress, talk show host ("The View," "30 Rock"), turns 44
Ryan Stiles, Actor ("Whose Line is It Anyway?"), turns 52
…POLITICIANS
1451 - Isabella I Spanish Queen (1474-1504) ; sponsored Columbus's voyage to the New World
1870 - Vladimir Ilich Lenin Russian leader of the Bolshevik Revolution (1917) and first head of the Soviet state
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
John A Llewellyn, Cardiff Wales, astronaut turns 78
1904 - J[ulius] Robert Oppenheimer, NY, head of Manhattan (A-bomb) Project

Today’s Obits:
1984 - Ansel Adams, US photographer, dies at 82
1996 - Erma Bombeck, humorist (Grass is Greener), dies of cancer at 69
1993 - Cesar Chavez, US farm worker (United Farm Workers), dies of unspecified natural causes at 66
1980 - Jane Froman, singer (Jane Froman's USA Canteen), dies of cardiac arrest at 72
1978 - Will Geer, actor (Grandpa Walton-Waltons), dies at 75
1778 - James Hargreaves, inventor (spinning jenny), dies at 58
1995 - Maggie Kuhn, activist (Gray Panthers), dies at 89
1989 - Huey Newton, US, Black Panther leader, shot dead at 47
1994 - Richard Milhous Nixon, 37th President (1969-75), dies of stroke at 81
2004 - Pat Tillman, American football player and U.S. Army Ranger (killed in action by friendly fire) at 27
1833 - Richard Trevithick, inventor (steam locomotive), dies of pneumonia at 62

Today’s Events:
… ARTS
1793 - Pres Washington attends opening of Rickett's, 1st circus in US
1976 - Barbara Walters becomes 1st female nightly network news anchor
1976 - Director Ingmar Bergman leaves Sweden due to taxation
… ATHLETICS
1906 - 10th anniversary Olympic games open at Athens, Greece
1966 - Atlanta Braves win their 1st game, beating NY Mets 8-4
… BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1981 - Largest US bank robbery (Tucson Ariz), more than $3.3 million stolen
1993 - Holocaust Memorial Museum dedicated in Wash DC
… INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1839 - General Alexander Macomb, the new military commander in Florida, meets with several Seminole Chiefs, including Chitto and Halek Tustenuggee. The council agrees that the Seminole can remain in Florida if they stay near Lake Okechobee.
1877 - Two Moons, Hump, and 300 other Indians surrender to Col.Nelson Miles, today. Most of the rest of Crazy Horse's followers will surrender on May 6, 1877 at the Red Cloud, and Spotted Tail agencies.
… International POLITICS
1370 - Bastille begins being built in Paris
1500 - Pedro Alvarez Cabral discovers Brazil & claims it for Portugal
1659 - Lord Protector Cromwell disbands English parliament
1964 - Tanganyika & Zanzibar form republic Tanzania
… SCIENCE & RELIGION
1692 - Edward Bishop is jailed for proposing flogging as cure for witchcraft
… US POLITICS
1526 - 1st slave revolt occurs in SC
1864 - US mints 2 cent coin (1st appearance of "In God We Trust")
1889 - Oklahoma land rush officially started; some were "sooner"
1951 - Ticker-tape parade for General MacArthur in NYC

ANSWERS:
Quiz
1. Who or what was Skippy ( on TV )?
The Bush Kangaroo
2. Who wrote and starred in the 1922 version of Robin Hood?
Douglas Fairbanks
3. What 1945 film won best picture, actor and director Oscars?
The Lost Weekend
4. What movie cast featured James Garner, Richard Attenbourough, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Donald Pleasance?
The Great Escape
5. What actress said "I dress for women and undress for men"?
Angie Dickinson
6. Which short sighted cartoon character had a nephew named Waldo?
Mr Magoo
7. Who played the part of the scarecrow in the movie 'The Wiz'?
Michael Jackson
8. Taidje Khan became using which name?
Yul Brynner
9. What actress said "I acted vulgar, Madonna is vulgar"?
Marlene Dietrich
10. John Huston scored a hit with his first film, what was it called?
Maltese Falcon

Close Up Picture
Shape Fitting toy

…AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

4-21-11


TODAY’s HOLY MACKEREL: 1997 - Ashes of Timothy Leary & Gene Roddenberry launched into orbit

MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
Another great day in Flag. I ran quite a few errands today and it was nice to be outside. I even parked far from the store doors, just to have time outside. I think that my thyroid wasn’t working correctly prior to my surgery. I no longer have the need for an afternoon nap, I have the energy of a thirty-something person. I’m still not sure if it is a combination of the med and spring, but whatever it is, I like it. I am able to get so much more done and still want to do more. Glad it wasn’t just old age setting in. Ah…they were right…better life through chemistry.

Amazing, after the Gulf Oil Spill and all the political hoopla, new permits are being issued with no legislation to make it safer. All the news networks are running stories of what has happened because of the spill. None of the stories are encouraging, yet the oil companies are at it again….just waitin’ for the next mess up.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Are your pillows getting flat and uncomfortable??? Put them in the dryer turn the AIR on and spin for about 5 minutes. Pillows now nice and fluffy.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…
>Beetles account for one quarter of all known species of plants and animals. There are more kinds of beetles than all plants.
>Honeybees have to make about ten million trips to collect enough nectar for production of one pound of honey.
>Mexican Jumping Beans, sometimes sold commercially, actually have a caterpillar of a bean moth inside.

PUZZLE: Trivia Quiz […answers at bottom…]
1. Roy Thines played David Vincent in which TV series?
2. What links Kelly Highway, Block and Wales?
3. Who played 'Pink' in the movie 'The Wall'?
4. Who was the first actor to appear on cover of Time magazine?
5. Alphonso D'Abruzzo became famous using what stage name?
6. Which 1936 film started with a world war and ended with a space flight?
7. 'Nobody's perfect' is the last line in which classic comedy film?
8. Who was Humphry Bogart's first wife?
9. Which author wrote the screenplay fot the movie 'You Only Live Twice'?
10. In I love Lucy what was Lucy Ricardo's maiden name?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM: We in AZ like to stay in the National News...
PHOENIX — The Arizona sheriff known for dressing inmates in pink underwear and feeding them green baloney is inviting people to choose the most popular jail booking photos posted on his website.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio (ar-PY'-oh) allows online users to browse through the photos and then vote on their favorites that will be highlighted on a "Mugshot of the Day" section.
The top picks so far aren't unexpected: They're the most disheveled, unusual looking people among those booked into the downtown Phoenix jail.
Arpaio says he hopes the increased Web traffic will highlight the work of his employees.
He also says more crimes may be uncovered if the public can view the photos.
The website is www.mcso.org

A LITTLE LAUGH:
My husband was telling me about a news item he heard on National Public Radio about how the U.S. military is enlisting honeybees to find land mines. The insects are trained to react to the scent of TNT, then are fitted with transmitters and sent out to search for underground explosives. "When they smell TNT," my husband explained, "the insects hover over the area and the military tracks them to the site to safely eliminate the land mine."
"Gee," I remarked, "it gives a whole new meaning to the slogan 'Bee all that you can bee!'"

CLOSEUP PICTURE: Can you identify this close up picture?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’:  Another way to fluff pillows

♫ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ♫
2004 Inductee: George Harrison was known as the quiet Beatle, and he was also the quietest ex-Beatle. His was not the way of the rock star, as he neither courted nor relished fame. Yet his seeming diffidence was deceptive, as he left behind an impressive legacy as a solo artist. Harrison’s 11 solo albums (not counting best-of’s) include the masterful All Things Must Pass (1970) and a memorable late-career milestone, Cloud Nine(1987). He was the first Beatle to tour the U.S. as a solo artist and also launched his own label (Dark Horse Records). Most important, Harrison wrote and sang about spirituality and transcendence. He immersed himself in Indian music at Beatlemania’s height and became a lifelong devotee of Hindu religion, Krishna consciousness and Vedic philosophy.  MORE INFO

Click on Song Title to see and hear it.

DAYBOOK INFORMATION
«THIS WEEK
17-23
Christian Holy Week
Cleaning For A Reason Week
Coin Week
Consumer Awareness Week
Fibroid Awareness Week
Fish Fry Week
National Crime Victims Rights Week
National Karaoke Week
National Paperboard Packaging Week
National Park Week
National Pet ID Week:
Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week
Turnoff Week
19-26
Pesach (Passover)

«TODAY IS
Look Alike Day
Get To Know Your Customers Day
High Five Day
Holy Thursday
Kindergarten Day
National Chocolate-covered Cashews Day
National Teach Your Children To Save Day
National Teach Children to Save Day

Italy: Birthday of Rome
US:Tx San Jacinto Day

… ARTISTS: AUTHORS: COMPOSERS…
Charlotte Bronte 1816 – 1855 English novelist; wrote "Jane Eyre"
G. Donald Harrison 1889 – 1956 English-born American organ designer and builder
…ATHLETES
Tony Romo, Football player, turns 31
Cadillac Williams, Football player, turns 29
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
Friedrich Froebel 1782 – 1852 - German educator and founder of the kindergarten
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
Tony Danza, Actor ("Taxi," "Who's the Boss?"), turns 60
Charles Grodin, Actor, turns 76
Iggy Pop, Rock musician, turns 64
Nicole Sullivan, Actress, comedian ("MadTV," "King of Queens"), turns 41
…POLITICIANS
1905 - Edmund G "Pat" Brown, (Gov-CA)
1809 - Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter, Secy State (Confederacy)
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
John Muir 1838 – 1914 Scottish-born American naturalist and conservationist

Today’s Obits:
1985 - Rudi Gernreich, U.S. designer (miniskirt), dies at 62
1946 - John M. Keynes, English economist (How to pay for the war?), dies at 62
1977- Gummo [Milton] Marx, U.S. comic (Marx Brothers), dies at 84
1918 - Red Baron", Manfred von Richtofen, shot down in WW I at 25
1999 - Buddy Rogers, actor, Wings, dies at 94
1982 - Joe Sawyer, actor (Biff O'Hara-Adventures of Rin Tin Tin), dies at 80
1996 - Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, odds maker/sportscaster (CBS), dies at 76

Today’s Events:
… ARTS
1963 - Beatles meet Rolling Stones for 1st time
1986 - Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault on TV & finds nothing
… ATHLETICS
1904 - Ty Cobb makes his pro debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League)
1925 - No baseball games played in NL due to Charles Ebbets' funeral
1980 - 84th Boston Marathon won by Bill Rodgers of Mass in 2:12:11
… BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1828 - Noah Webster publishes 1st American dictionary
1855 - 1st train crosses Miss River's 1st bridge, Rock Is Ill-Davenport Ia
1878 - First Lady Lucy Hayes begins egg rolling contest on White House lawn
1948 - 1st Polaroid camera was sold in US
1952 - Secretary's Day (now Administrative Professionals' Day) is first celebrated.
… INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1806 - The Department of War establishes the office of Superintendent of Indian Trade. This position will be appointed by the President. The job will entail the purchase of goods for and from the Indians.
1869 - Donehogawa (Ely Samuel Parker) is appointed as the first Indian to be Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Donehogawa, a Seneca Iroquois, was trained as a lawyer and a civil engineer. Unable to find work in the white world, Donehogawa contacts his old friend Ulysses Grant. Grant makes him an aide, and they work together through much of the Civil War. Because of his excellent penmanship, Donehogawa draws up the surrender papers for Lee to sign at Appomattox. Promoted to Brigadier General, Ely Parker worked to settle many conflicts between whites and Indians. After Grant becomes President, he will be appointed as Indian Commissioner
… International POLITICS
753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome (traditional date)
… SCIENCE & RELIGION
1994 - The first discoveries of extrasolar planets are announced by astronomer Alexander Wolszczan.
… US POLITICS
1794 - NYC formally declares coast of Ellis Island publically owned, so they can build forts to protect NYC from British
1862 - Congress establishes US Mint in Denver, Co
1995 - FBI arrested Timothy McVeigh & charge him with Okla City bombing

ANSWERS:
Quiz
1. Roy Thines played David Vincent in which TV series?
The Invaders
2. What links Kelly Highway, Block and Wales?
Clint Eastwood character names
3. Who played 'Pink' in the movie 'The Wall'?
Bob Geldorf
4. Who was the first actor to appear on cover of Time magazine?
Charlie Chaplin
5. Alphonso D'Abruzzo became famous using what stage name?
Alan Alda
6. Which 1936 film started with a world war and ended with a space flight?
'Things to Come' by H.G. Wells
7. 'Nobody's perfect' is the last line in which classic comedy film?
Some Like it Hot
8. Who was Humphry Bogart's first wife?
Helen Mencken
9. Which author wrote the screenplay for the movie 'You Only Live Twice'?
Roald Dahl, author of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
10. In I love Lucy what was Lucy Ricardo's maiden name?
McGillicuddy

Close Up Picture
Bar Code

…AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

4-20-11


TODAY’s HOLY MACKEREL: 1999 - Columbine High School massacre
2010 - Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion kills 11 and causes rig to sink, initiating a massive oil discharge in the Gulf of Mexico.

MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
A good day to run errands, so I did. I was surprised at how many people were out and about at my various stops. Guess everyone was glad there was so little wind.

The book I have been waiting for from my brother arrived today. It is an amazing photo book of bikes as transportation in Vietnam’s cities. It appears as though bikes and small scooters are used to haul everything possible around the city’s narrow streets. Fascinating. The author points out those things will be changing as more and more streets are widened and more and more people can afford motorized vehicles.

The Dems suggested a $400 billion cut in the Dept. of Defense. Sec. Gates came out and said that the congress needs to work with the Dept. to determine the cuts, and that the Dept. needs to make the suggestions. What? Somehow I don’t think that the Sec. of Interior got to tell congress what to cut while I was working for them. Oh, that’s right; it’s OK to cut funding to other Departments, but not to Defense, unless Defense says it’s OK. Yeah, that should work out just great.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…
>Got bare patches on your lawn? Before laying down grass seed, place some wet tea bags over the spots, and they'll get green twice as fast! Tea provies tannic acid and nutrients that help grass grow! Got a bigger patch to fix? Dust it with powdered iced tea mix, and then lightly water to help it soak right in the soil.
>If your wooden deck furniture has faded or dried out, don't buy a special stain or polish. Instead, rub vegetable shortening into the wood surface and buff with a cloth. The oils soak in to treat, protect and moisturize the wood, and give it a shine.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…
>Ticks can grow from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a marble.

>Male mosquitoes do not bite humans, but rather live on plant juices and other natural liquids from plants and decomposing organic material.

>To survive the cold of winter months, many insects replace their body water with a chemical called glycerol, which acts as an "antifreeze" against the temperatures.

PUZZLE: Trivia Quiz […answers at bottom…]
1. Which soul singer was 'Sittin on the Dock of the Bay'?
2. Vivaldi the composer had what other profession?
3. Whose nickname was 'Slowhand'?
4. Robert Alan Zimmerman is who's real name?
5. Carl and the Passions changed their band name to what?
6. Who won an Oscar for the soundtrack 'Chariots of Fire'?
7. Turnov Rusty and Bobo appear in which stage musical?
8. Who had a hit with 'Tiger Feet'?
9. What did Bartommelo Christofori invent?
10. Charles Conrad took a cassette to the moon, on Apollo 11. Who was Charles listening to?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM:
WASHINGTON, Pa. - Police in Pennsylvania said they were tipped off to use of a fake ID when a scanner used on it read the card holder's height as 54 feet tall. Washington police said an employee at an alcohol distributor in the city called police Saturday night when a card scanner read the height as 54 feet tall, instead of the intended 5 feet 4 inches, The Observer-Reporter in Washington, reported Tuesday. Police said the incident led them to seize multiple fake IDs used at the establishment and most of the young people interviewed identified the same Web site as the source of the false documents. Police said the investigation was ongoing and charges were expected to be filed.

A LITTLE LAUGH:
A crew of highway maintenance workers was sent to repair some road signs that vandals had knocked down in a forested area. The first one they put back up was a symbol warning of a deer crossing.
As they moved down the road to repair the next sign, one member, of the crew looked back and spotted a deer running across the highway. She turned to a co-worker and said, "I wonder how long he's been waiting to cross?"

CLOSEUP PICTURE: Can you identify this close up picture?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’: Chariots of Fire

♫ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ♫
2004 Inductee: The Dells is one of the longest-running vocal groups in rock and roll history, dating back to 1952. The group’s original lineup - lead tenor Johnny Funches, second tenor Verne Allison, lead baritone Marvin Junior, baritone Michael “Mickey” McGill and bass singer Chuck Barksdale - changed only when Johnnie Carter replaced Funches in 1960. Between 1956 and 1992, the Dells racked up an astonishing 46 R&B hits. Eight of these made the pop Top Forty… MORE INFO http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-dells/bio/

Click on Song Title to see and hear it.

DAYBOOK INFORMATION
«THIS WEEK
17-23
Christian Holy Week
Cleaning For A Reason Week
Coin Week
Consumer Awareness Week
Fibroid Awareness Week
Fish Fry Week
National Crime Victims Rights Week
National Karaoke Week
National Paperboard Packaging Week
National Park Week
National Pet ID Week:
Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week
Turnoff Week
19-26
Pesach (Passover)

«TODAY IS
Look Alike Day
National Pot Smokers Day
National Equal Pay Day
Taurus Begins: (♉) is the second astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Taurus. In astrology, Taurus is considered a negative (introvert) sign.[2] It is also considered an earth sign and one of the four fixed signs. Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus (which also rules Libra). Being the second sign of the zodiac, Taurus has been associated with the astrological second house. Individuals born within the period when the Sun was in this sign are considered Taurus individuals. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun is in Taurus roughly from April 21 to May 21. In sidereal astrology, this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes.

… ARTISTS: AUTHORS: COMPOSERS…
1943 - Ian Watson ,68 , UK sci-fi author (Book of Being, Whores of Babylon)
…ATHLETES
Steve Spurrier, College football coach currently at SC, turns 66
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1915 - Joseph Wolpe, South African-born psychotherapist
1921 - Donald Gunn MacRae, sociologist
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
Carmen Electra, Actress, turns 39
Jessica Lange, actress, turns 62 years
Joey Lawrence, Actor, turns 35
Ryan O'Neal, Actor ("Love Story," "Paper Moon"), turns 70
George Takei, Actor ("Star Trek"), turns 74
…POLITICIANS
Adolf Hitler 1889 -1945 German leader of the Nazi party and dictator of Germany (1933-45)
John Paul Stevens, Retired Supreme Court Justice, turns 91
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
Charles G. Curtis 1860 – 1953 American inventor; devised a steam turbine
1818 - Heinrich Göbel, German-born inventor (d. 1893)
1586 - Saint Rose of Lima, Peruvian saint

Today’s Obits:
1812 - George Clinton, 4th U.S. Vice President, dies at 73 1st Vice President to, die in office
1992 - Benny Hill, comedian (Benny Hill Show), dies of a heart attack at 67
1996 - Christopher Robin Milne, bookseller, dies at 75
1993 - Cantinflas, Mario Moreno, Mexican actor (Pepe), dies at 81
1769 - Pontiac, chief to Ottawa, murdered at 49
1985 - Charles Francis Richter, American Scientist; earthquakes dies at 85
1912 - Bram Stoker, Irish theater manager/writer (Dracula), dies of syphilis @ 64
1999 - Senor Wences, comedian, Ed Sullivan Show, dies at 103

Today’s Events:
… ARTS
1841 - 1st detective story (Poe's "Murders in Rue Morgue") published
1935 - "You're Hit Parade" begins broadcasting (becomes #1 quickly)
1986 - Vladimir Horowitz performs in his Russian homeland
… ATHLETICS
1916 - Weeghman Park (Wrigley Field) in Chicago opens, Cubs beat Cin Reds 7-6
1920 - 7th modern Olympic games opens in Antwerp Belgium
1949 - Jockey Bill Shoemaker wins his 1st race, in Albany, California
1990 - Pete Rose pleads guilty to hiding $300,000 in income
2008 - Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300 becoming the first female driver in history to win an Indy car race.
… BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1914 - 33 killed by soldiers during mine strike in Ludlow, Colo
… INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1537 - Hernado de Soto receives royal permission to "conquer, pacify, and people" the land from Rio de las Palmas to Cape Fear (Florida) on the Atlantic.
1606 - According to the first charter of Virginia, issued today, part of the colonist’s goals are to civilize the natives. "...and may in time bring the infidels and savages, living in those parts, to human civility."
… International POLITICS
1799 - Napoleon issues a decree calling for establishing Jerusalem for Jews
1828 - René Caillié is first non-Muslim to enter Timbouctou.
1967 - US planes bomb Haiphong for 1st time during Vietnam War
1980 - Cubans begin to arrive in US from Mariel boatlift
… SCIENCE & RELIGION
1862 - The first pasteurization test completed by Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard.
… US POLITICS
1775 - British begin siege of Boston
1777 - New York adopts new constitution as an independent state
1983 - Pres Reagan signs a $165B bail out for Social Security

ANSWERS:
Quiz
1. Which soul singer was 'Sittin on the Dock of the Bay'?
Otis Redding
2. Vivaldi the composer had what other profession?
Priest
3. Whose nickname was 'Slowhand'?
Eric Clapton
4. Robert Alan Zimmerman is whose real name?
Bob Dylan
5. Carl and the Passions changed their band name to what?
The Beach Boys
6. Who won an Oscar for the soundtrack 'Chariots of Fire'?
Vangelis
7. Turnov Rusty and Bobo appear in which stage musical?
Starlight Express
8. Who had a hit with 'Tiger Feet'?
Mud
9. What did Bartommelo Christofori invent?
Piano
10. Charles Conrad took a cassette to the moon, on Apollo 11. Who was Charles listening to?
Jerry Lee Lewis

Close Up Picture
Coffee Maker

…AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

4-19-11


TODAY’s HOLY MACKEREL: 1782 - John Adams secured the Dutch Republic's recognition of the United States as an independent government and the house that he purchased in The Hague, Netherlands became the first American embassy.

MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

It has been about a month since I had one of my swelling attacks, so about 7pm last night was the time my body decided to remind me what a pain in the butt it really is. Took my pills and suffered most of the night. The swelling finally went down about 4am but the night’s sleep was already ruined. So today became a lazy day.

The constant wind didn’t really bother me today, as I stayed in most of the day. Sure glad I didn’t have to do much.

Thankfully, Governor Brewer vetoed the new AZ Birther bill. She said she could not believe that a circumcision record would have to be given to the Secretary of State. One other new crimp in the bill, the state of AZ has not done long form birth certificates since 1997, so future candidates born and raised in AZ could not be on the ballot in AZ. Hmmm. Hopefully the idiots won’t try to override the Governor’s veto. She also vetoed the bill on allowing guns on University campuses. There is hope for AZ.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Want your plants & flowers to thrive, but reluctant to use chemical fertilizers? Sprinkle powdered Jell-O mix on them instead. Jell-O's gelatin delivers nitrogen, which speeds sprouting and powers plant growth, while its sugar feeds microbes in the soil that produce fertilizing nutrients.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…
>When the Moon was given its name, astronomers didn’t know that there were moons orbiting other planets and so they just called it the Moon. Now that we know there are other moons, it all comes down to the capitalization. The Earth’s moon is referred as “the Moon”, with a capital “M”.
>The gravitational pull of the Moon is not the only thing pulling at the Earth’s water, the Sun is helping out too. This is why we get very high and low tides from time to time. When the gravity of the Moon and the Sun line up, we get the biggest and smallest tides.
>Since the pull of gravity on the Moon is only 17% the pull of gravity on the Earth, you’ll feel much lighter than you do here on Earth. You would be able to jump six times further and carry objects six times as heavy!

PUZZLE: Trivia Quiz […answers at bottom…]
1. What is the capital of Sicily?
2. Which sea on Earth has no beaches?
3. Which island's capital is Flying Fish Cove?
4. On which national flag is there an eagle and a snake?
5. Venice stands on what river?
6. What is the major export of Liechtenstein?
7. What river flows through 8 countries and four capital cities?
8. What is the longest river in Australia?
9. What is the longest river in Italy?
10. In which country is the port of Frey Bentos?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM: ROTHERHAM, England - A 67-year-old British woman separated from her twin sister at birth says a TV show found her sibling had been living just 3 miles away their whole lives. Jennifer and Judith Walton, were reunited by the producers of ITV1 series "Long Lost Family" for an episode scheduled for air April 21, said they still live in the Rotherham, England, homes they grew up in and never knew they shared the same doctor and dentist, The Sun reported Tuesday. The twins said they also found Jen worked for 40 years at the store where Judith, who was renamed Kath by her adoptive family, picked up her prescriptions. They have grandchildren in the same local drama group. The sisters had been adopted by different families at birth.
Jen said she had attempted to track her sister through social services 14 years ago, but had no success. She said it took researchers for the TV show four months to discover her sister living in the same town. "I dreamed of one day finding my sister and, because I couldn't find her, imagined she was in Australia," Jen said. "When I found she was 'round the corner, I felt so happy."Now we see each other every week and pop round to each other's home for cups of tea."

A LITTLE LAUGH:
While making rounds, a doctor points out an X-ray to a group of medical students.
"As you can see," she says, "the patient limps because his left fibula and tibia are radically arched. Michael, what would you do in a case like this?"
"Well," ponders the student, "I suppose I'd limp too."

CLOSEUP PICTURE: Can you identify this close up picture?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’:Ecuadorian Condors

♫ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ♫
2005 Inductee: Jackson Browne has been both an introspective, cerebral songwriter and a politically attuned voice of conscience. He emerged in the early Seventies as a soul-baring young folksinger whose songs dealt with riddles of romance and existence. In his middle period he became a more extroverted rock and roller. Later work grew more topical in nature as Browne sang of political and social realities within and beyond our borders. “In a way, I don’t choose what I write about - my subjects kind of choose me,” this vanguard singer/songwriter explained in 1993. “It’s a healing thing, a way of confronting what’s important in my life at the time.” MORE INFO

Click on Song Title to see and hear it.

DAYBOOK INFORMATION
«THIS WEEK
17-23
Christian Holy Week
Cleaning For A Reason Week
Coin Week
Consumer Awareness Week
Fibroid Awareness Week
Fish Fry Week
National Crime Victims Rights Week
National Karaoke Week
National Paperboard Packaging Week
National Park Week
National Pet ID Week:
Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week
Turnoff Week

«TODAY IS
Garlic Day: to learn the many uses of the smelly little bulb
John Parker Day: Remembering John Parker’s order, at Lexington Green, Apr 19, 1775: “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon; but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”
National Hanging Out Day
Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day
US: Florida: Patriots' Day

… ARTISTS: AUTHORS: COMPOSERS…
--
…ATHLETES
Al Unser, Jr., Indy-car racer, over 10 wins, turns 49
Jeff Wilkins, NFL kicker for the San Francisco 49ers, turns 39
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1903 - Eliot Ness, untouchable (FBI agent-Chicago)
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
Tim Curry, actor, Rocky Horror Show, turns 65
Elinor Donahue actress, Father Knows Best, Get a Life, turns 74
James Franco, American Actor, turns 33
Kate Hudson, born in Los Angeles, California, actress, Academy-Award nominee for movie, 'Almost Famous', other films include 'Raising Helen', 'Nine', turns 32
1932 - Jayne Mansfield, Vera Jane Palmer, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, actress, Fat Spy
Dudley Moore actor, 10, Arthur, Bedazzled, 6 Weeks, turns 76
Hugh O'Brian actor, Wyatt Earp, turns 86
1933 - Dick Sargent, actor, Darrin II-Bewitched
…POLITICIANS
1832 - Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, 1st lady (1881)
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
1874 - Ernst Rüdin, Swiss psychiatrist, geneticist, and eugenicist (d. 1952)

Today’s Obits:
1824 - George Gorden Noel "Lord" Byron, poet, dies of sepsis at 36
1906 - Pierre Curie, French physicist/chemist (Nobel 1903), after falling at 46
1882 - Charles Robert Darwin, evolutionist (Origin of Species), dies at 73
1751 - Peter Lacy, Irish-born Russian Field marshal dies at 73

Today’s Events:
… ARTS
1934 - Shirley Temple appears in her 1st movie, "Stand Up & Cheer"
1945 - Rodgers & Hammerstein musical "Carousel" opens on Broadway
… ATHLETICS
1897 - 1st American marathon ran, John J McDermott wins in 2:55:10 (Boston) [2011 results Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya in 2:03:02 ]
1965 - At a cost of $20,000, the outer Astrodome ceiling is painted because of sun's glare, this causes the grass to die
… BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1904 - Much of Toronto destroyed by fire
… INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1858 - The Yankton Sioux sign a treaty today. Article 8 provides for the Indians to retain access and use of the red pipestone quarry in southwestern, Minnesota.
1859 - Ft. Mojave is established today to "protect" the area from the Mojave and Piautes.
… International POLITICS
1587 - Sir Frances Drake sails into Cadiz Spain & sinks Spanish fleet
1770 - Capt James Cook 1st sees Australia
1923 - New Egyptian law allows suffrage for men, except soldiers
1941 - Milk rationed in Holland
… SCIENCE & RELIGION
--
… US POLITICS
1861 - Lincoln orders blockade of Confederate ports (Civil War)
1939 - Connecticut finally approves Bill of Rights (148 years late)
1951 - Gen Douglas MacArthur ends his military career
1971 - Charles Manson sentenced to life (Sharon Tate murder)
1982 - Sally Ride announced as 1st woman astronaut
1987 - Last wild condor captured on California wildlife reserve

ANSWERS:
Quiz
1. What is the capital of Sicily?
Palermo
2. Which sea on Earth has no beaches?
Sargasso Sea
3. Which island's capital is Flying Fish Cove?
Christmas Island
4. On which national flag is there an eagle and a snake?
Mexico
5. Venice stands on what river?
The Arno
6. What is the major export of Liechtenstein?
False Teeth
7. What river flows through 8 countries and four capital cities?
Danube
8. What is the longest river in Australia?
Murray-Darling
9. What is the longest river in Italy?
Po
10. In which country is the port of Frey Bentos?
Uruguay

Close Up Picture
Chrome Bar Stool

…AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

4-18-11


TODAY’s HOLY MACKEREL: 1968 - London Bridge is sold to U.S. oil company to be erected in Arizona

MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS
As expected we had a very good discussion group last night. The actual questions was “are we safer now than we were before 9/11?” We watched a video with Malou Innocent of the CATO Institute. She reminded us that the incident was aimed at the Twin Towers to tear down our economic system. The three wars we are in are doing a lot to help destroy the economic system. Another point was the personal privacy we have had to give up since 9/11. It is true that other attacks have been stopped before costing American lives. She used the term ‘Black Swan Event’ which is an event that is a surprise, has a major impact, and after its first recording the event is rationalized as if it could have been expected. The last part certainly explains the TSA evolvement. After the video we also discussed the issues of ‘War—what is it good for’. Historically it has been good for the economy with every state making war parts which makes jobs for many local communities. Since WWII the Military has made sure that there is some war business in as many communities as possible, making it hard or impossible to cut Defense spending that will cost national politicians their jobs if they stop funding. Most voters will not keep a politician who has hurt the local economy. During WWII Sweden and Canada were providing the metals needed for the Nazis to build their tanks. At the end of the war, Germany was still building tanks. While the liberals in our group are not happy about wars, it is going to be very difficult to stop our military society. Obama has not moved fast enough to get us out of two of our wars, and has gotten us involved in another. The final answer, are we safer? The video polled a variety of people in Reno, Nevada on a college campus and 67% of those polled said ‘no’. It is up to each of us to decide.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

>Pre-treat stains with a bar of soap! Forget those fancy spots-busters: just rub a fresh stain with a damp bar of soap, then toss the garment in the hamper. Come laundry day, it'll emerge from the wash good as new!

>Not sure when your lawn needs to be watered? Try pushing a screwdriver into the soil. If you have to push hard to penetrate 6 inches then your lawn is need of water.

SOMEWHAT USELESS INFORMATION…
>Scientists now think that the Moon was formed when a Mars-sized object crashed into our planet about 4.5 billion years ago. The collision was so large that a huge spray of material was ejected into space. The orbiting ring of debris gathered itself into a sphere, and formed the Moon.

>In about 50 billion years from now, the Moon will stop moving away from us. It will settle into a stable orbit, taking about 47 days to go around the Earth (it takes 27.3 days today). At that point, the Earth and the Moon will be tidally locked to each other. It will look like the Moon is always in the same spot in the sky.

>From our perspective here on Earth, the Moon and the Sun look approximately the same size in the sky. Of course, the Sun is much much bigger than the Moon. The Sun happens to be 400 times larger than the Moon, but it’s also 400 times further away.

PUZZLE: Trivia Quiz […answers at bottom…]
1. What was a Royal Navy frigate accused of throwing during the Cod War of 1973?
2. In 1891, what did Whitcome Judson invent for fastening shoes?
3. Khons was the Egyptian god of what?
4. What product was introduced as a cure for urinary problems?
5. John Glenn the first American to orbit earth was in which branch of the military?
6. What was Bumper Harris' (who had a wooden leg) job on the London Underground?
7. In 1760, what means of personal transport was invented?
8. The Mau Mau were terrorists in which country during the late 50's early 60's?
9. Who said 'I'm never through with a girl till I've had her three ways'?
10. Who was the first man to fly across the English Channel?

UNUSUAL NEWS ITEM:
>The last public execution in America was the hanging of a 22-year-old black man named Rainey Bethea. He was executed at Owensboro, KY, in 1936 after being convicted of killing a 70-year-old white women. Twenty thousand people showed
up to witness the execution.

>The last person hanged in the U.S. for being a pirate was Capt. Nathaniel Gordon, in New York City on March 8, 1862. Gordon had been smuggling slaves into the US.

>The last person to be burned at the stake was Phoebe Harrius. Harrius was convicted of coining false money and was burned at the stake in front of Newgate Prison in England in 1786.

>The last public execution by guillotine was on June 17, 1939. Eugen Weidman was executed before a large crowd in Versailles, France. The last nonpublic use of the guillotine in France, at Baumetes Prison, in Marsailles, was the execution of convicted murderer Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant, on September 10, 1977.

>During WWII Private Eddie Slovik was tried by court-martial and sentenced to death for desertion. He was shot by his own unit, the 28th Infantry Division, in a small town in northeast France.

A LITTLE LAUGH:
A young woman sat in her stalled car, waiting for help. Finally, two men walked up to her. "I'm out of gas," she purred. "Could you push me to the gas station?"
The men readily put their muscles to the car and rolled it several blocks. After a while, one looked up, exhausted, to see that they had just passed a gas station.
"We just passed a station! How come you didn't turn in?" he yelled.
"Oh, I never go there," the girl shouted back. "They don't have full service."

CLOSEUP PICTURE: Can you identify this close up picture?

FOUND ON ‘YOU TUBE’: Kon Tiki Footage

♫ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ♫
2005 Inductee: U2: Bono (vocals; born May 10, 1960), The Edge (guitar; born August 8, 1961), Adam Clayton (bass; born March 13, 1960), Larry Mullen Jr. (drums; born October 31, 1961) MORE INFO

Click on Song Title to see and hear it.

DAYBOOK INFORMATION
«THIS WEEK
17-23
Christian Holy Week
Cleaning For A Reason Week
Coin Week
Consumer Awareness Week
Fibroid Awareness Week
Fish Fry Week
National Crime Victims Rights Week
National Karaoke Week
National Paperboard Packaging Week
National Park Week
National Pet ID Week:
Police Officers Who Gave Their Lives In The Line of Duty Week
Turnoff Week

«TODAY IS
Adult Autism Day
Passover
Pet Owners
Independence Day
International Amateur Radio Day
National Stress Awareness Day
National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day
International Jugglers Day
<> <> <> <>
US: Mass. and Maine Patriot's Day
Zimbabwe: Independence Day (1980)

… ARTISTS: AUTHORS: COMPOSERS…
Leopold Stokowski 1882 – 1977 English-born American conductor
…ATHLETES
Derrick Brooks, NFL linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, turns 38
…BUSINESS & EDUCATION
--
…ENTERTAINERS (ACTORS/SINGERS…)
America Ferrera, American Actress turns 27
Melissa Joan Hart, born in Sayville, New York, actress, Clarissa, Sabrina turns 35
Jane Leeves, born in London, actress, Murphy Brown, Daphne Moon-Fraiser turns 50
Conan O'Brien, American Entertainer, turns 48
…POLITICIANS
Lucrezia Borgia 1480 – 1519 Italian Renaissance noblewoman of the Borgia family
…SCIENCE & RELIGION
George H. Hitchings 1905 – 1998 American Nobel Prize-winning pharmacologist (1988)

Today’s Obits:
1955 - Albert Einstein, German U.S. physicist, dies at 76
1976 - Percy Julian, holder of more than 138 chemical patents, dies at 78
1853 - William King, U.S. Vice President, dies a month after his inauguration at 67 of TB
2002 - Thor Heyerdahl, anthropologist/adventurer, Kon-Tiki, dies at 87

Today’s Events:
… ARTS
1924 - 1st crossword puzzle book published (Simon and Schuster)
1983 - Alice Walker wins Pulitzer Prize for "The Color Purple"
… ATHLETICS
1995 - Quarterback Joe Montana announces his retirement from football
… BUSINESS & EDUCATION
1853 - 1st train in Asia (Bombay to Tanna, 36 km)
1868 - San Francisco Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals formed
1921 - Junior Achievement incorporated in Colorado Springs CO
1925 - World's fair opens in Chicago
1950 - 1st transatlantic jet passenger trip
1955 - 1st "Walk"/"Don't Walk" lighted street signals installed
1968 - London Bridge is sold to U.S. oil company to be erected in Arizona
… INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
1644 - Forces under 99 year old Opechancanough, a leader of the Powhatan Confederacy, attacks the English along the Pamunkey and York rivers, 22 years after his first attack at Jamestown. His followers will kill almost 400 Virginia colonists.
… International POLITICS
1599 - Valencia arch duke Albrecht of Austrian marries Isabella of Spain
1902 - Denmark is 1st country to adopt fingerprinting to identify criminals
1949 - Republic of Ireland withdraws from British Commonwealth
1956 - Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco (civil ceremony)
1982 - Canada Constitution Act replaces British North America Act
… SCIENCE & RELIGION
1909 - Joan of Arc declared a saint
… US POLITICS
1775 - Paul Revere rides from Charleston to Lexington
1942 - "Stars and Stripes" paper for U.S. Armed Forces starts

ANSWERS:
Quiz
1. What was a Royal Navy frigate accused of throwing during the Cod War of 1973?
Carrots at Icelandic gunboat
2. In 1891, what did Whitcome Judson invent for fastening shoes?
Zip Fastener
3. Khons was the Egyptian god of what?
The Moon
4. What product was introduced as a cure for urinatary problems?
Pepsi
5. John Glenn the first American to orbit earth was in which branch of the military?
US Marine Corps
6. What was Bumper Harris' (who had a wooden leg) job on the London Underground?
To ride new escalators to prove they were safe.
7. In 1760, what means of personal transport was invented?
Roller Skates
8. The Mau Mau were terrorists in which country during the late 50's early 60's?
Kenya
9. Who said 'I'm never through with a girl till I've had her three ways'?
John F. Kennedy
10. Who was the first man to fly across the English Channel?
Louis Bleriot

Close Up Picture
  zig zag fabric tape
…AND THAT’S ALL FOR NOW

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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.