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Almanac: Week: 50 \ Day: 343
December
Averages: 44°\17°
86004 Today: H 48°\L 25°
Ave. humidity: 72% Average Sky Cover: 80%
Wind ave: 7mph\Gusts: 17mph
Ave. High: 44° Record
High: 62° (1977)
Ave. Low: 17° Record
Low: -8° (1951)
Holiday Observances
Today:
Independence Day (Tanzania-1961-from
UK)
Republic Day (Tanzania-1962)
¤ ¤
Christmas Card Day
International
Anti-corruption Day
National Pastry Day
National Salesperson's Day
Weary
Willie Day-Emmett Kelly’s birthday-1898
Observances This
Week:
Clerc-Gallaudet
Week
7-13
National Hand Washing Awareness
Week
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays
Week
Computer Science Education Week
• • • • • • •
Quote of
the Day
Historical
Highlights for Today
1778 - Virginia
annexes Indian land
1793 - Noah Webster establishes NY's 1st daily
newspaper, American Minerva
1851 - 1st Young Men's Christian Association in North
America (Montreal)
1854 - Alfred Tennyson's poem "Charge of the
Light Brigade" published
1878 - Joseph Pulitzer buys St Louis Dispatch for
$2,500
1897 - Activist Marguerite Durand founds 1st
feminist daily newspaper, La Fronde in Paris.
1903 - Norwegian parliament votes unanimiously for
female suffrage
1905 - French Assembly National votes for
separation of church & state
1907 - 1st Christmas Seals sold (Wilmington Del
post office)
1953 - General Electric announces all Communist employees
will be fired
1960 - 1st broadcast of "Coronation
Street" on British ITV
1968 - NLS (a system
for which hypertext and the computer mouse were developed) 1st publicly
demonstrated
1973 - Sunningdale Agreement in Northern Ireland
1975 - US President
Gerald Ford signs $2.3 Bn loan-authorization for NYC
1985 - Phoenix Arizona, gets 3" of snow
1990 - Lech Walesa wins presidental election in
Poland
1994 - Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders resigns -
comments about masturbation
2008 - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, arrested
by feds for alleged crimes
2013 - Mike
Ditka's #89 jersey is retired by the Chicago Bears
• • • • • • •
♫
Birthdays Today: ♫
How many can you identify? Answers below in Birthday’s Today
My
Rambling Thoughts
Cloudy, cool day withlots of fog this morning so it became laundry day. All done, all put away.
Nice.
Last night I tried to access my e-mail with the Windows icon that
opens all my email. It’s kinda like
Outlook, but different. Anyway, just had the screen pop up then close. No
biggie, but when I got up this morning, still not working. Called the IT guys
who now work on my computer remotely. He had to delete the program/app and
reinstall it, which meant that I had to set up the 5 email address again. He
stayed on line while I set up the first one. Good thing, cause it still didn’t
work, this time claiming I was using the wrong password, which I wasn’t. After
another remote restart, so more fiddling, it all works fine. So glad I found
this group, and I will be purchasing another two years of service. Well worth
it. It reminds me of my dad when he fixed the family cars. Then when everything
started going to computers he quit doing it, claiming he was getting too old.
Well I used to enjoy fiddling with computers when something was wrong, but they
have become so complicated to fix, while being so much easier to use, I too am
just going to say ‘I’m getting too old’ and will gladly pay someone to repair
it remotely. And I’m fine with that.
The other problems I had yesterday with the blog seemed to have
fixed themselves with a restart this morning.
I got a lot done today and did not hit the Netflix button, which
makes it much harder to do lots of stuff.
• • • • • • •
Brain
Teasers
(answers at the end of post)
A
word I know,
six letters it contains
subtract just one,
and twelve is what remains.
Found on
You Tube with some relevance to today
OK Then…
• • • • • • •
Paraphernalia
4 the Brain:
December
Holiday Facts
*Christmas-Christian
¤ The British wear paper crowns while they eat Christmas dinner.
The crowns are stored in a tube called a “Christmas cracker.
¤ In Poland, spiders or spider webs are common Christmas trees
decorations because according to legend, a spider wove a blanket for Baby
Jesus. In fact, Polish people consider spiders to be symbols of goodness and
prosperity at Christmas.
¤ In Ethiopia, the Coptic Christian nativity scene (crèche) has
everything I was familiar with, although the Ethiopian King was a little larger
than the other Kings and near the manger was a warthog.
*Hanukkah-Jewish
The Hanukkah Story
Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Greek-Syrian ruler Antiochus IV tried
to force Greek culture upon peoples in his territory. Jews in Judea - now
Israel- were forbidden their most important religious practices as well as
study of the Torah. Although vastly outnumbered, religious Jews in the region
took up arms to protect their community and their religion. Led by Mattathias
the Hasmonean, and later his son Judah the Maccabee, the rebel armies became
known as the Maccabees.
After three years of fighting, in the year 3597, or about 165
B.C.E., the Maccabees victoriously reclaimed the temple on Jerusalem's Mount
Moriah. Next they prepared the temple for rededication -- in Hebrew, Hanukkah
means "dedication." In the temple they found only enough purified oil
to kindle the temple light for a single day. But miraculously, the light
continued to burn for eight days.
*Kwanza-African-American
Principles
Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-GOO-lee-ah) or
self-determination. To have a separate identity, and to let others know about
it.
*12 Days of Christmas
Seven
Swans A-swimming
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3)
teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans
12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
Flagstaff,
AZ History…
75 YEARS
AGO
Frank Kunkle, Jack Anderson and Floyd George escaped with slight
bruises when their car over turned on the Jerome Highway about 25 miles from
Prescott. After righting the car further trouble ensued. It got loose, rolled
and crashed about 16' into the bottom of the gully. The car was repaired except
for the broken glass and they went on their way to Tempe to attend the annual
grid battle.
Flagstaff’s
Iconic 50…
Macy’s
Coffee
Whether you are looking
for a lively flagstaff restaurant that serves great food or a top-notch
coffeehouse with the ultimate cup, Macy’s European Coffeehouse and Bakery is
the place you want to land. Locally owned and operated, Macy’s has been
capturing customers’ hearts and loyalties for thirty plus years.
Macy’s is one of
Flagstaff’s few all-vegetarian restaurants. We strive to provide the best bite
around. Our menu ranges from cage-free breakfast sandwiches to organic spinach
salads; from a BLT made on homemade whole wheat to a mouth-watering burrito
smothered in melted cheddar cheese and enchilada sauce.
Macy’s is also
Flagstaff’s preferred watering hole. Local residents have voted Macy’s, “Best
Coffeehouse” in the Arizona Daily Sun’s, Best of Flag contest, for three years
running. We proudly announce we were also voted Flagstaff’s, “Best Vegetarian
Restaurant” and “Best Coffee Roaster”, for 2011. At Macys we put love into
every cup, every step of the way; from the farm to your lips.
To complete the trifecta
of awesomeness, this Flagstaff restaurant also offers you a full service
bakery. We open with an array of breakfast pastries like muffins and scones. We
close with thoughts of pumpkin pies and special order birthday cakes. Macy’s
also proudly offers many vegan, gluten-free featuring many options on
gluten-free Wednesdays, and other special diet options that will leave your
mouth watering.
Harper’s
Index…
Amount of the fine and recently passed NY state law would impose
for taking selfies with tigers: $500
Rules of
Thumb…
RULES
OF ROMANCE
You can have a hot
job, a hot lover, or a hot apartment. But you can't have all three at the same
time.
Unusual
Fact of the Day…
Norwegian
cross country skier Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset attributed his disappointing silver
medal in the 4×10-kilometer relay at the 2010 Winter Olympics to less-than-focused
preparation. “I think I have seen too much porn in the last 14 days,” he said.
• • • • • • •
Joke-of-the-day
A motorist, after being bogged down in a muddy
road, paid a passing farmer five dollars to pull him out with his tractor.
After he was back on dry ground he said to the farmer, "At those prices, I
should think you would be pulling people out of the mud night and day."
"Can't", replied the farmer. "At night I haul water for the hole."
Yep, It
Really Happened
MELBOURNE
(UPI)
An Australian man said he is aiming for a Guinness World Record by
having every character from The Simpsons tattooed on his back. Michael Baxter,
60, a grandfather and prison warden from Barwon, said at the Australian Tattoo
and Body Art exhibition in Melbourne he is hoping to obtain a Guinness record
with the Simpsons collage inked on his back by Bacchus Marsh tattoo artist Jade
Baxter-Smith. The full back tattoo includes 203 characters spanning the 20-year
history of the animated series. Baxter said the record he is seeking is for
"most tattoos of the same cartoon character tattooed on the body,"
but Guinness officials told him his tattoo would be eligible because all of the
characters are from the same show. Baxter, whose other tattoos include scheming
baby Stewie from fellow Fox cartoon Family Guy, said Guinness has accepted his
application for the record, but he still has paperwork to submit. The record
bid pits Baxter against fellow "Simpsons" super-fan Lee Weir of New
Zealand, who obtained the Guinness record earlier this year with 41 tattoos of
cartoon family patriarch Homer Simpson. Simpsons writer David Mirkin tweeted he
was impressed with Baxter's tattoo. "Truly a lovely tribute. We will, of
course, have to sue him and confiscate his back," Mirkin tweeted.
Somewhat
Useless Information
¤
While performing her duties as queen, Cleopatra sometimes wore a fake beard.
¤ In her entire life, Queen Berengaria of England never once visited England.
¤ Queen Anne of England (1665-1714) had 17 children. They all died before her.
¤ King George I of England (1714-1727) was German. He couldn't speak a word of
English.
¤ Queen Victoria's first act as queen: moving out of her mother's room.
¤ Napoleon Bonaparte, a Frenchman, designed the flag of Italy.
• • • • • • •
Today’s
Events through History
1909 - 1st US monoplane flown (Henry W Walden, Long
Island, NY)
1941 - Hitler orders US ships torpedoed
2005 - "Brokeback Mountain", starring Heath
Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, released
• • • • • • •
Birthday’s
Today
Kirk
Douglas, [Issur Danielovitch], actor (Gunfight at OK Corral) is 98
Dick Van
Patten, actor (Tom Bradford-8 is Enough) is 86
Buck
Henry, screenwriter/comedian (SNL) is 84
Judi
Dench, film, stage, TV actress is 80
Beau
Bridges, actor, director is 73
Dick
Butkus, NFL hall of fame linebacker (Bears)/sportscaster is 72
John
Malkovich, actor/director (Killing Fields) is 61
Donny
Osmond, singer (Donnie & Marie) is 57
Joe Lando, actor
(Byron Sully-Dr Quinn) is 53
Felicity
Huffman, film, stage, TV actress is 52
Jesse
Metcalfe, TV actor is 36
Remembered
for being born today
John
Milton, London, poet/puritan (Paradise Lost), [1608-1674]
Joel
Chandler Harris, US journalist (created Uncle Remus stories) [1845-1908]
Clarence
Birdseye, frozen vegatable king (Birdseye) [1886-1956]
Hermione
Gingold, London, actress (Gigi, Music Man) [1897-1987]
Emmett
Kelly, circus clown (Weary Willie) [1898-1979]
Margaret
Hamilton, actress (Wicked Witch-Wizard of Oz) [1902-1985]
Douglas
Fairbanks Jr, actor (Ghost Story) [1909-2000]
Broderick
Crawford, actor (Highway Patrol) [1911-1986]
Thomas P "Tip"
O'Neill, (Rep- Mass)/Speaker of the House [1912-1994]
Redd Foxx (John
Elroy Sanford), comedian (Sandford & Son) [1922-1991]
John
Cassavetes, actor (Dirty Dozen, Rosemary's Baby) [1929-1989]
[David] Deacon Jones,
NFL defensive end (LA, SD, Washington), [1938-2013]
• • • • • • •
Historical
Obits Today
Louella
Parsons, American gossip columnist, 1972, @91
Eleanor
Parker, actress (Caged), 2013, @91
Gene
Barry, actor (Burke’s Law), 2009, @90
Fulton J
Sheen, archbishop/religious broadcaster, 1979 , @84
Mary Douglas
Nicol Leakey,
archaeologist/anthropologist, 1996, @83
Archie
Moore, American boxer, 1998, @81
Ralph
Bunche, UN delegate/Nobel Prize winner, long illness, 1971, @68
Marty
Robbins, country singer, after cardiac surgery, 1982, @57
Jenni
Rivera, Mexican-American singer-songwriter, plane crash, 2012, @43
• • • • • • •
Brain Teasers Answers
Dozens
• • • • • • •
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 contains mistakes and sadly once 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…§
