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Almanac: Week: 05 \ Day: 030
January
Averages: 43°\16°
86004 Today: H 51°\L 31°
Ave. humidity: 72% Average Sky Cover: 80%
Wind ave:
4mph\Gusts:
16mph
Ave. High: 44° Record High: 66° (1971)
Ave. Low: 17° Record Low: -19° (1979)
Observances
Today:
Escape Day—step back and forget your
problems
Fun
at Work Day
Inane
Answering Message Day
National
Pre-school Fitness Day
Observances This
Week:
25-31
Catholic Schools Week
Clean
Out Your Inbox Week
Meat
Week
National
Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week
National
Medical Group Practice Week
National
Nurse Anesthetists Week
World
Leprosy Week
28-31
US National Snow Sculpting Week
« »
Quote of
the Day
Historical
Highlights for Today
1487 - Bell
chimes invented
1647 - Scots
agree to sell King Charles I to English Parliament for £400
1800 - US
population: 5,308,483; African American population 1,002,037 (18.9%)
1815 - Burned
Library of Congress reestablished with Thomas Jefferson's 6500 vols
1826 - The
Menai Suspension Bridge, world's first modern suspension bridge, connecting the
Isle of Anglesey to the north West coast of Wales opens
1847 - Yerba
Buena renamed San Francisco
1876 - Colorado River steamers
ceased landing at La Paz, which was in the grip of a violent smallpox epidemic.
1931 - Charlie
Chaplin's "City Lights" premieres at Los Angeles Theater
1946 - 1st
issue of Franklin Roosevelt dime
1948 - 5th Winter
Olympic games open in St Moritz, Switzerland
1956 - KRMA TV channel 6 in Denver, CO (PBS) begins
broadcasting
1961 - JFK asks
for an Alliance for Progress & Peace Corps
1961 - KAET TV channel 8 in Phoenix, AZ (PBS)
begins broadcasting
1962 - 2 members of Flying Wallendas' high-wire act
killed in Detroit
1972 - 'Bloody
Sunday': 27 unarmed civilians are shot (of whom 14 were killed) by the British
Army during a civil rights march in Derry; this is the highest death toll from
a single shooting incident during 'the Troubles'
1989 - The American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan
closes
« »
♫
Birthdays Today: ♫
How many can you identify? Answers below in Birthday’s Today
My
Rambling Thoughts
Overcast day, trying to rain or snow or something—but unable to
get any moisture down to the ground. Weatherman says rain is coming tonight.
Rain in January at this altitude is unusual…as much rain as we have had this
winter is very unusual.
Had a great Chinese lunch with my retirement group. Mary has
gotten much better and even ate a meal, rather than soup she thought yesterday
would be all she could eat. Cheryl had a quiet week. I had a quiet week. Good lunch.
« »
Brain
Teasers
(answers at the end of post)
I'm
called a man,
But I'll never have a wife.
I was given a body,
But not given life.
They made me a mouth,
But I wasn't given breath.
Water gives body,
And sun gives me death.
What am I?
Found on
You Tube with some relevance to today
« »
Paraphernalia
4 the Brain:
70’s
Inventions…
1978
Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston invented the VisiCalc spreadshee.
The artificial heart Jarvik-7 invented by Robert K. Jarvik
Country
Facts…
--In 2001, the island country of Niue featured Pikachu and other
Pokemon on their currency.
--In Czech Republic, women are entitled to up to 4 years of paid
maternity leave, increasing to 7 years if the child is disabled.
Easter
Eggs…check it out…
Searching “Bacon Number *name*” in Google Search displays the
bacon number of a famous actor. Searching “Bacon number Kevin Bacon” gives a
result of 0.
Flagstaff,
AZ History…
50 YEARS
AGO
The County has received a gift of two parcels of land near the
junction of Routes 180 and 64 from the developer of the Grand Canyon
subdivision. The 21 acres are to be used for a park or other “worthy“ recreational
purpose. Board Chairman Harold Huffer says there are no plans for this gift at
this time.
Harper’s
Index…
33
Number of teenagers who escaped through a hole in the fence in a
Nachville juvenile detention center in Sept
2
Number still at large after 2 weeks
Rules of
Thumb…
HOW TO
STRING A YO-YO
Short strings help loops, and long
strings are best for string tricks, but the belly button length string is the
best compromise.
Unusual
Fact of the Day…
Habitual singing causes the lungs to release leptin, a protein
manufactured by the body’s fat cells that is involved in the regulation of
appetite. This may partially explain why opera stars tend to lean toward the
heavy end of the scale.
« »
Joke-of-the-day
It was dinner time on a British Airways flight
from London to New York. As the flight attendant moved down the plane, she
asked one of the passengers: “Would you like dinner?”
“What are my choices?” asked the passenger.
“Yes or No,” replied the attendant.
Yep, It
Really Happened
SAN
FRANCISCO (UPI)
The San Francisco Zoo is bringing Valentine's Day cheer to scorned
ex-lovers by allowing them to adopt cockroaches and scorpions in the names of
their exes. "This Valentine's Day, if you care enough to send the very
best, you'll choose our charming Madagascar Hissing Cockroach package,"
the zoo said on its website. The zoo suggested the adoption package for the
hissing cockroach, which grows to a size of 2-4 inches long and is believed to
be the only hissing insect, is the perfect way to show "your favorite
ex" that you have "moved on" with your life. The zoo also
suggested jilted lovers consider adopting a giant hairy scorpion in the name of
a "low-life ex." "So the latest affair didn't work out and given
your ex's record-breaking ability to move on, you suspect foul play. Well, nothing
soothes the sting like the adoption of a giant hairy scorpion in honor of your
former beloved. It's no surprise, these invertebrates are aggressive, active,
and alarmingly nocturnal. "Much like your low-life ex, they are usually
found in and around low-elevation valleys where they dig elaborate burrows or
'caves.' Also just like you-know-who, when a suitable victim wanders by, the
scorpion grabs the doomed creature with its pinchers and stings the prey. After
the prey is immobilized, the scorpion tears the carcass apart with its pinchers
and begins feeding. Charming. "Your Adopt-a-Giant Hairy Scorpion donation
will be used to support these mysterious invertebrates and further the San
Francisco Zoological Society's mission to connect people to wildlife, inspire caring
for nature, and advance conservation action. We can't make any promises, but
urban legend says that the gift of a scorpion adoption serves as permanent
protection against future romantic stings. Let the healing begin." For
those whose romantic lives have yet to go horribly wrong, the zoo is offering
adoption packages for cuter animals including snow leopards, penguins and
lemurs.
Somewhat
Useless Information
There
have been a few states that never managed to make the cut and become
incorporated into the United States we know today. Some of these state names
were quite inventive and the dedicated residents who petitioned for them were
very frustrated when the states never manifested.
Absaroka
It was named after the Absaroka Range of the Rocky Mountains, which claimed
parts of South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. Residents of this area attempted
to secede in 1939.
Deseret
Although you might assume as much, it was not named for the desert. It was
actually named after a Mormon word meaning honeybee. Parts of modern day
Nevada, Utah, Southern California, most of Arizona, and a portion of New Mexico
were claimed by Mormon settlers escaping religious persecution in New York.
Franklin
This region was comprised of eight counties that originally belonged to North
Carolina but are now eastern Tennessee. In fact, Franklin almost became the
14th State, only needing two more votes to reach the 2/3 majority vote needed
for statehood. The larger state of Tennessee was formed instead.
Kanawha
This region later became the largest portion of the state of West Virginia, and
included some of the far northwestern counties of Virginia. It came about
during the crazy tensions of the Civil War. They voted to secede when Virginia
joined the Confederate States of America.
Lincoln
Another name used in multiple requests for a state. The original request was in
Texas and would have consumed almost half of the state. The second came about
in the early 1900s and included the Idaho Panhandle. Believe it or not, the
idea was proposed again in 2005.
Long Island
The region grew weary of the 'Boss' political system in New York and wanted to
seek its freedom in 1869. This idea was revisited in the 1990s, but New York is
unwilling to give up this diverse and economically sound portion of the state.
Sequoyah
The name Sequoyah was requested by Native Americans and encompassed the
majority of Oklahoma. This included a tract of land where the U.S. Government
had relocated them.
Superior
The Upper Peninsula, part of the state of Michigan, is only connected to the
rest of the state by the Mackinac Bridge. It lies between Lake Superior, and
Lake Michigan, hence the name. This one raises its head on a regular basis,
especially when debating Michigan tax laws. Interestingly, the land area was
originally part of the Wisconsin territory, but awarded to Michigan when the
city of Toledo was absorbed by Ohio.
Texlahoma
Early in the 20th century, rural areas had terrible roads and cars were
popular, making for dangerous driving. Since the politicians in the capitals
were not listening to their complaints, forty-six counties in Texas and
twenty-three in Oklahoma planned to secede and combine into a new state.
Transylvania
The region included parts of Northern Tennessee and Southwestern Kentucky. It
was originally purchased by the Transylvania Company from the Cherokee Indians,
hence the unusual name.
Westsylvania
This was the second name for the failed Vandalia colony attempting to become
the 14th state, in 1776. Pennsylvania, West Virginia and eastern Kentucky made
up this area. Pennsylvania, having the most land to lose, made a law stating
talk of secession to be an act of treason punishable by death. That dream
quickly and quietly went away.
« »
Today’s
Events through History
1781 - Articles
of Confederation ratified by 13th state, Maryland
1790 - Lifeboat
1st tested at sea, by Mr Greathead, the inventor
1922 - World Law Day 1st celebrated
1948 - Mahatma
Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse
« »
Birthday’s
Today
Dorothy
Malone, actress (Peyton Place) is 90
Gene
Hackman, actor (Bonnie & Clyde) is 85
Tammy
Grimes, actress\singer is 81
Vanessa
Redgrave, actress (Blow-Up) is 78
Dick
Cheney, Lincoln, Nebraska, 46th US Vice President is 74
Brett
Butler, comedienne (Grace Under Fire) is 57
Christian
Bale, Wales, actor (Empire of the Sun) is 41
« »
Remembered
for being born today
Thomas
Rolfe, only child of Pocahontas and John Rolfe 1615-1680@65ish
Franklin
Roosevelt, 32nd US President 1882-1945@63
David
Wayne, actor (Andromeda Strain) 1914-1995@81
John
Ireland, actor (Rawhide) 1914-1992@78
Dick
Martin, actor/comedian (Laugh-In) 1922-2008@86
« »
Historical
Obits Today
Sidney
Sheldon, author, playwright, and screenwriter, 2007, @89
Marcial
Maciel, Mexican religious leader, 2008, @87
Betsy
Ross [Elizabeth Griscom], seamstress 1836, @84
John McIntire, actor (Virginian, Psycho),
1991, @ 83
Mahatma
Gandhi, India's political\spiritual leader, assassinated 1948, @78
Coretta
Scott King, activist\wife of Martin Luther King Jr., 2006, cancer, 2006, @78
Orville
Wright, US aviation pioneer, heart attack, 1948, @76
Ferdinand
Porsche, German car inventor (Porsche), stroke, 1951, @75
Allan Welsh Dulles, US diplomat/director CIA,
influenza, 1969, @75
Charles I, King of
Great Britain (1625-49), beheaded for treason, 1649, @48
Osceola, chief
of Seminole, malaria in jail, 1838, @34ish
« »
Brain Teasers Answers
A snowman
« »
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…§
