Feb 7

FYI: Click on any blue text for a link to more information!

Today’s  Historical  Highlights

1839 - Henry Clay declares in Senate "I had rather be right than president"

1882 - Last bare knuckle champion John L Sullivan KOs Paddy Ryan

1936 - A flag is authorized for Vice President

1976 - World's largest telescope (600 cm) begins operation (USSR)

1991 - The IRA launches a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street during a cabinet meeting

♪Happy Birthday To: ♪                     

 

Free Rambling Thoughts   

Monday…a little chilly. I was out and about early to run some errands. Even had to scrape my windshield. I usually wait until the Mother Nature melts the frost, but decided to get things done early this morning. Got things done and got home before noon, so it all worked out. I heard an interesting story on CNN…about local currency. It seems that some towns are printing their own ‘money’ so that it will stay in the local community. Merchants in the area agree to accept the money. I’ve seen this stuff before…the difference this time…the conservatives are suggesting that this is a ‘safe’ money, since the American Dollar is in trouble. Really? The merchants are basing the cost of their goods on the American Dollar. None of these merchants are saying “It’s $2.50US or $1.54 local currency.” It’s crazy. I thought we all agreed that our country used one currency. Hmmmm! It’s getting very scary in Syria. One of our discussion group people lived there for a couple of years. So sad to see the government killing its own people. The government has banned all outside reporters, the US Embassy is closed and empty, the UN is not interested in stepping in.
 I enjoyed the Super Bowl…glad the Giant’s won. Enjoyed Madonna’s half time show, and didn’t see MIA’s finger gesture. Clint’s ad was interesting…I agreed that the country is getting better. Now the Conservatives are mad at the Auto Industry in Detroit for making the ad…saying it was ‘political’ and pro-Obama. Crazy. Eastwood is a Republican..and fairly conservative…but the ad is Pro-America. I must say the funny ads of previous years were not around this year. Kinda missed those.

Lots of links today. The Iniut Conference gives an interesting perspective, but is a long. Sinatra singing 'New York, New York' is classic, as is Crosby's 'Swing on a Star'. And who doesn't like 'Blazing Saddles', 'The ramp', and 'Pinochhio??

Game   Center   (answers at the end of post)

Brain Game

NPR Sunday Puzzle

Every answer is the name of a country. For each word given, take two consecutive letters in that word and change them to one letter to name a country. For example, in the word CUBIC, you would change IC into an A to spell CUBA.

1.     Apemen:

2.     Indict:

3.     Gibbon:

4.     Strain:

5.     Chinup:

6.     Tongue:

7.     Sudden:

8.     Neural:

9.     Avatar:

10.  Nipper:

11.  Finance:

12.  Cypress:

13.  Believe:

14.  Doorway:

15.  Malachi:

16.  Canasta:

17.  Mainland:

Wuzzles  What concept or phrase do these suggest?

Lifestyle  Substance     

AZ Centennial – Feb 14:  Did you know?…

How did Goodyear, AZ get its name?

Goodyear was established in 1917 with the purchase of 16,000 acres (65 km2) of land by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to cultivate cotton for vehicle tire threads. Goodyear became a town in November 1946 and reached city status in 1985.

How did Jerome, AZ get its name?

A mining town named Jerome was established on the side of Cleopatra Hill in 1883. It was named for Eugene Murray Jerome, a New York investor who owned the mineral rights and financed mining there.

Daffynitions: :-)

HYPOCHONDRIACc — Someone who won’t let well enough alone

TOMORROW: One of today's greatest labor saving devices

Found on You Tube         

International Snow Sculpture Championships

Harper’s Index         

Percentage of the $46 billion allocated by TARP to help homeowners refinance that has been used for that purpose: 4.3

Joke-of-the-day

The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees was absent but had not phoned in sick one day. Needing to have an urgent problem with one of the main computers resolved, he dialled the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. ' Hello ? '

'Is your daddy home?' he asked.

' Yes ,' whispered the small voice.

‘May I talk with him?'

The child whispered, ' No .'

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, 'Is your Mummy there?'

' Yes '

'May I talk with her?' A gain the small voice whispered, ' No '

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?'

' Yes , ' whispered the child, ' a policeman . '

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?'

' No, he's busy , ' whispered the child.

'Busy doing what?'

' Talking to Daddy and Mummy and the Fireman , ' came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, 'What is that noise?'

' A helicopter ' answered the whispering voice.

'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive. Again, whispering, the child answered,

'The search team just landed a helicopter '

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, 'What are they searching for?'

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle...

' ME . '

Planet Earth

Rules of Thumb   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

A wind that rustles leaves and that you can barely feel on your face is blowing from 4 to 7 miles an hour. A wind moving about 12 miles an hour will keep tree leaves in constant motion. This is the upper limit for most kite flying. If the wind is lifting loose paper off the ground and raising dust, it is too strong for the average kite.

Somewhat Useless Information   

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, (This likely applies to half the world's population). Dehydration contributes to headaches and fatigue, often mistaken for a lack of sleep.

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters investigated in a University of Washington study. Preliminary research elsewhere indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

Yeah, It Really Happened                 

CHICAGO -- Firefighters rescued a man who got stuck twice on elevators Sunday night in a downtown Chicago building.

The man called for help after getting trapped in an elevator at 65 East Monroe St. around 9:15 p.m., according to Battalion Chief Michael Gubricky.

Crews had trouble releasing the elevator, which was stuck between the 21st and 22nd floor, so they had to rescue him from another elevator parallel to the one that was stalled, said Gubricky.

Once firefighters placed the man on the second elevator, that one also became stuck.

After more than three hours, they all made it back down safely.

Calendar Information        

…Happening This Week:

1-7

International Snow Sculpting Week

Solo Diners Eat Out Weekend

Women's Heart Week
5-11

Boy Scout Anniversary Week

Children's Authors & Illustrators Week

Jump Your Significant Jerk Week

Freelance Writers Appreciation Week

International Coaching Week

Just Say No to PowerPoint Week

Publicity for Profit Week

World Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

International Networking Week

International Friendship Week

National Green Week

National School Counseling Week

7-14

Have A Heart for A Chained Dog Week

Risk Awareness Week

Love Makes the World Go Round; But, Laughter Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy Week

Getting Dizzy Week

Today Is                                                                      

African American Coaches Day

Ballet Day

Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Charles Dickens Day

Wave All Your Fingers At Your Neighbor's Day

<*>

Grenada: Independence Day (1974 from UK)

Today’s Other Events                                                             

1600’s

1639 - Academie Francaise begins Dictionary of French Language

1700’s

1795 - 11th Amendment to US Constitution ratified, affirms power of states

1800’s

1818 - 1st successful US educational magazine "Academician," begins (NYC)

1842 - Battle of Debre Tabor: Ras Ali Alula, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia defeats warlord Wube Haile Maryam of Semien

1861 - Convinced that they will get better treatment from a southern government than from the one in Washington, D. C., the Choctaw will announce their support of the Confederacy

1876 - The War Department authorizes General Sheridan to start operations against the Indians.

1891 - Great Blizzard of 1891 begins

1900’s

1904 - Baltimore catches fire (1500 buildings destroyed in 80 blocks)

1907 - The Mud March was the first large procession organized by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS).

1914 - Charlie Chaplin debuts "The Tramp" in "Kid Auto Races at Venice"

1940 - Walt Disney's 2nd feature-length movie, "Pinocchio," premieres (NYC)

1943 - Shoe rationing begins in US (may purchase up to 3 more pairs in 1942)

1944 - Bing Crosby records "Swinging on a Star" for Decca Records

1949 - Joe DiMaggio becomes 1st $100,000/year baseball player (NY Yankees)

1962 - President Kennedy begins blockade of Cuba

1964 - Cassius Clay becomes a black Moslem & adopts the name Muhammad Ali

1974 - Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" opens in movie theaters

1983 - 1st female secretary of transportation sworn-in (Elizabeth Dole)

1983 - The Iniut Circumpolar Conference is held at the United Nations

1985 - "New York, New York" became the official anthem of NYC

1998 - 18th Winter Olympic games open at Nagano Japan

2000’s

2009 - Bushfires in Victoria left 173 dead in the worst natural disaster in Australia's history

2010 - Super Bowl XLIV; New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 50’s

Miguel Ferrer, actor (Robocop; TV-Crossing Jordan) is 57

James Spader, actor (Endless Love, Wall St, Mannequin) is 52

Garth Brooks, country vocalist (No Fences, Double Live) is 50

Eddie Izzard, British actor and comedian is 50

In their 40’s

Chris Rock, comedian is 46

In their 30’s

Ashton Kutcher, actor is 34

Steve Nash, NBA guard (Phoenix Suns) is 38

Remembered for being born on this day

Eubie Blake, ragtime composer/pianist (Memories of You) in 1887

John Deere, pioneer manufacturer of agricultural implements in 1804

Charles Dickens, Englisk novelist (Oliver Twist, Tale of 2 Cities) in 1812

William Higgins, discoverer (nature of spiral nebulae) in 1824

Sinclair Lewis, novelist/social critic (Main Street, Nobel 1930) in 1885

Bernard Maybeck, US architect (Palace of Fine Arts, SF) in 1862

Thomas More, lawyer/lord chancellor of England/saint (Utopia) in 1478

Laura Ingalls Wilder, kid book author (Little House on Prairie) in 1867

Today’s Obits                                                           

Nick Adams, actor (Interns, Pillow Talk, FBI Story), ODs at 36 in 1968

Dale Evans, American actress and singer dies at 89 in 2001

Harvey Firestone, American manufacturer dies in his sleep at 70 in 1938

Doug Henning, Canadian magician dies of liver cancer at 53 in 2000

King Hussein of Jordan dies of lymphoma at 64 in 1999

"Red" McKenzie, blues-jazz singer (played comb-with-tissue-paper in 1948 ) dies of cirrhosis at 49

Ann Radcliffe (Ward), English poet/author of horror novels, dies during asthma attack at 58 in 1823

Nathan Wartels, publisher (Crown), dies of pneumonia at 88 in 1990

Answers                                                                                                                                            

Brain Game

NPR Sunday Puzzle

1.     Apemen: Yemen

2.     Indict: India

3.     Gibbon: Gabon

4.     Strain: Spain

5.     Chinup: China

6.     Tongue: Tonga

7.     Sudden: Sudan

8.     Neural: Nepal

9.     Avatar: Qatar

10.  Nipper: Niger

11.  Finance: France

12.  Cypress: Cyprus

13.  Believe: Belize

14.  Doorway: Norway

15.  Malachi: Malawi

16.  Canasta: Canada

17.  Mainland: Finland

Wuzzle

• A hole in one
• Split down the middle
• Fancy that

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree.

All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] the dates may not be totally accurate.

☺    And That Is All for Now  ☺

Feb 6

FYI: Click on any blue text for a link to more information!

Today’s  Historical  Highlights

1820 - 1st organized emigration of blacks back to Africa (NY to Sierra Leone)

1832 - 1st appearance of cholera at Edinburgh, Scotland

1899 - Spanish-American War ends, peace treaty ratified by Senate

1932 - 1st Olympic dog sled race, Lake Placid, NY (demonstration sport)

1933 - 20th Amendment goes into effect: Pres term begins in Jan not March

1935 - "Monopoly" board game goes on sale for 1st time

♪Happy Birthday To: ♪                     

 

Free Rambling Thoughts   

A great Super Bowl Sunday…I’m doing this before the Super Bowl, so I can enjoy the game.  Everything is ready. Hope you all enjoyed the game.

Game   Center   (answers at the end of post)

Brain Game

 NPR Sunday Puzzle

A "dactyl" is a metrical foot in three syllables, accented on the first syllable, like "Anderson." Every answer is the name of a famous person whose full name is a double dactyl, like "Pamela Anderson."

1.     BH: President between Cleveland’s two terms:

2.     AL: Star of Murder she wrote:

3.     CA: Jazz  saxophonist:

4.     ED: A comedienne with her own talk show:

5.     PB: Director of ‘Last Picture Show:

6.     GS: Co-anchor of Good Morning America:

7.     LO: Noted Shakespearean Actor:

8.     LB: Classical composer:

9.     SR: Russian Composer:

10.  AK: Heroine of Tolstoy novel:

11.  SRR: middleweight boxer:

Wuzzles  What concept or phrase do these suggest?

Lifestyle  Substance     

AZ Centennial – Feb 14:  Did you know?…

How did Bullhead City, AZ get its name?

Hardyville would be resurrected as Bullhead City with the construction of Davis Dam between 1942 and 1953. The dam was originally called Bullhead Dam after Bull's Head Rock, a well-known landmark along the Colorado River. Bullhead City became the headquarters for the construction project.

How did Flagstaff, AZ get its name?

In 1855, Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale surveyed a road from the Rio Grande in New Mexico to Fort Tejon in California, and camped near the current location of Flagstaff. The lieutenant had his men cut the limbs from a straight Ponderosa Pine tree in order to fly the United States flag.

Daffynitions: :-)

HANGING — A suspended sentenceLIGHTHEADED — Halo effect

Found on You Tube         

Beach Boys - I Get Around
Beach Boys - Surfin' USA

Beach Boys - Barbara Ann

Harper’s Index         

Average lag, in months, between economic recovery and employment recover after the nine previous recessions: 10

Joke-of-the-day

His pediatrician asked six-year-old Johnny, who watched a good many TV, adds, just to make conversation. Johnny, if you found a couple of dollars and had to spend them, what would you buy?” 

“A box of Tampax,” he replied without hesitation. 

“Tampax?” said the doctor. “What would you do with that?” 

“Well,” said Johnny, “I do not know exactly, but it’s sure worth two dollars. With tampax, it says on TV, you can go swimming, go horseback riding, and also go skating, any time you want to.”

Planet Earth

Rules of Thumb   

Easy shortcuts to make an ‘educated’ guess

When cellaring a wine, add about 1 year of aging time for every 2 degrees the cellar averages below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Somewhat Useless Information   

The Cure for Insomnia (1987) is the longest movie ever made at a total running time of 85 hours (5,220 min) . It premiered in its entirety at The School Of The Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois from January 31 to February 3, 1987, in one continuous showing.

The Incredibles  was the first movie by Pixar to receive a rating higher than G in the United States. It received a PG rating.

The cost of obtaining the rights to the soundtrack (approx. US$27,000) for Kevin Smith's  “Clerks” outweighed the entire production costs for this film (approx. US$26,800) - a first in motion picture history.

Yeah, It Really Happened                 

LOS ANGELES - Police in Los Angeles were looking for Catwoman and two sidekicks Thursday after Jack Sparrow was assaulted in a fight among people dressed as movie characters. The costumed characters pose for pictures with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard and expect to be paid for the service, the Los Angeles Times reported. Local ordinances bar them from asking directly for money, although they are permitted to accept tips. In recent months, SpongeBob Squarepants and Spider-Man have both been arrested after altercations. Police Officer Norma Eisenman said Thursday's fracas played out in front of an audience of tourists. The injured man, dressed as the lead pirate in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, was not seriously hurt. Catwoman, an alien and another pirate took off before police arrived, and officers fanned out to look for them.

Calendar Information        

…Happening This Week:

1-7

International Snow Sculpting Week

Solo Diners Eat Out Weekend

Women's Heart Week

5-11

Boy Scout Anniversary Week
Children's Authors &amp

Illustrators Week

Jump Your Significant Jerk Week

Freelance Writers Appreciation Week

International Coaching Week

Just Say No to PowerPoint Week

Publicity for Profit Week

World Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
International Networking WeekInternational Friendship Week
National Green Week
National School Counseling Week

Today Is                                                                      

Lame Duck Day

New Zealand: Waitangi Day (The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840, in a marquee erected in the grounds of James Busby's house (now known as the Treaty house) at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. The Treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire, guaranteed Māori rights to their land and gave Māori the rights of British subjects.)

Today’s Other Events                                                             

1500’s

1508 - Maximilian I crowned Holy Roman Emperor

1600’s

1693 - Royal charter granted College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA

1700’s

1788 - Mass becomes 6th state to ratify constitution

1800’s

1820 - The first 86 African American immigrants sponsored by the American Colonization Society started a settlement in present-day Liberia.

1869 - Harper's Weekly publishes 1st picture of Uncle Sam with chin whiskers

1891 - 1st great train robbery by Dalton Gang (Southern Pacific #17)

1900’s

1911 - 1st old-age home opened in Prescott, AZ

1933 - Highest recorded sea wave (not tsunami) 112' ocean wave observed near Manila

1935 - 1st election to allow women to vote in Turkey

1959 - 1st successful test-fire of Titan ICBM

1964 - France & Great-Britain sign accord over building channel tunnel

1968 - 10th Winter Olympic games opens in Grenoble, France

1971 - 1st time a golf ball is hit on Moon (by Alan Shepard)

1974 - US House of Reps begins determining grounds for impeachment of Nixon

1987 - No-smoking rules take effect in federal buildings

1989 - Lech Walesa begins negotiating with Polish government

1992 - The Saami people of the Nordic countries have an official day celebrating their existence

1995 - Darryl Strawberry suspended from baseball for 60 days

1998 - Washington National Airport is renamed Ronald Reagan National Airport

2000’s

2005 - Super Bowl XXXIX, the New England Patriots win 24-21 over the Philadelphia Eagles

Today’s Birthdays                                                           

In their 90’s

Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress (Queen of Outer Space) is 93

In their 80’s

Rip Torn, actor (Coma, Summer Rental, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) is 81

Mamie Van Doren, actor, model is 81

In their 70’s

Tom Brokaw, news anchor (NBC Nightly News) is 72

Mike Farrell, actor (BJ Honeycutt-M*A*S*H, Battered) is 73

In their 60’s

Natalie Cole, vocalist (Pink Cadillac, Miss You Like Crazy) is 62

Fabian Forte, vocalist (Turn Me Loose, Tiger) is 69

In their 50’s

Axl Rose, [William Bailey], vocalist (Guns & Roses) is 50

Robert Townsend, actor is 55

Remembered for being born on this day

Aaron Burr, 3rd US VP, dueler in 1756

Bob Marley, Jamacian reggae musician and singer-songwriter (Whalers-No Woman) in 1945

Christopher Marlowe, English poet/dramatist (Dr Faustus) in 1564

Ronald Reagan, 40th pres / actor (Bedtime for Bonzo) in 1911

Anne Stuart, Queen of England (1702-14) in 1665

Today’s Obits                                                           

Arthur Ashe, tennis star (Wimbledon 1975), dies of AIDS at 49 in 1993

Joseph Cotten, actor (Citizen Kane), dies at 88 in 1994

George VI, King of Britain (1936-52), dies of heart attack/lung cancer at 56 in 1952

Guy Madison, actor (Wild Bill Hickok), dies at 74 in 1996

Danny Thomas, comedian (Jazz Singer), dies of a heart attack at 79 in 1991

Carl Wilson, rock vocalist (Beach Boy), dies of lung cancer at 51in 1998

Answers                                                                                                                                            

Brain Game

NPR Sunday Puzzle

1.     BH: President between Cleveland’s two terms: Benjamin Harrison

2.     AL: Star of Murder she wrote: Angela Lansbury

3.     CA: Jazz  saxophonist: "Cannonball" Adderley

4.     ED: A comedienne with her own talk show: Ellen DeGeneres

5.     PB: Director of ‘Last Picture Show: Peter Bogdanovich

6.     GS: Co-anchor of Good Morning America: George Stephanopoulos

7.     LO: Noted Shakespearean Actor: Lawrence Oliver

8.     LB: Classical composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

9.     SR: Russian Composer:  Sergei Rachmaninoff

10.  AK: Heroine of Tolstoy novel: Anna Karenina

11.  SRR: middleweight boxer: Sugar Ray Robinson

Wuzzle

• Three D movies
• Feeling under the weather
• typewritten

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree.

All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site has mistakes and sadly once out the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] the dates may not be totally accurate.

☺    And That Is All for Now  ☺