Apr 27

FYI: Any Blue text is a link. Click to check it out!

Apr. 27, 2020 Week: 18 Day: 118

86004: H 75° \ L 41° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Wind: 10mph\Gusts: 15mph Visibility: 10 mi

Nearest lightning: 314mi.; Nearest active fire: 412mi.

Record High: 77°[2000] Record Low: 10°[1984]

Apr. Averages: 60°\27° (3 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

"The way to get started is

to quit talking

and begin doing."

-Walt Disney

Random Tidbits

Recreational running didn't become mainstream until the late 1960's. In 1958, the Chicago Tribune announced a strange new fitness fad: jogging.

In the 1960's, running for exercise was so unusual that some people were stopped by police. People would try to run in the morning because police became suspicious if they saw a grown man running at night.

Have a smile

A friend sent these to me

Giraffes can grow up to 14 feet
However most just have 4

Observations This Week

Festival of Ridvan: 19-5/1
International Mariachi Week: 22-29 Link
Ramadan: 23-5/23

National Scoop The Poop Week: 24-30
Ramadan: 24-5/23
World Immunization Week: 24-30
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW): 26-5/3 Link
Preservation Week:26-5/2  Link (re: Libraries)Stewardship Week: 26-5/3 
National Playground Safety Week: 27-5/1 Link

Observations for Today

Babe Ruth Day
Mantanzas Mule Day
Morse Code Day 
National Devil Dog Cakes Day  Link
National Little Pampered Dog Day  Link  Link
National Prime Rib Day

Tell a Story Day

World Tapir Day Link

My Rambling Thoughts

Nice spring day. Great walk in the forest. Angioedema struck last night...to my lower lip. Took pill, went to sleep about 10pm, woke up and lip till slightly swollen. Swelling went down in about an hour after getting up. It is not anything to be concerned about, but it is a pain to deal with. On the bright side, didn't have to be concerned that someone would stop by and see me, or that I had to go out anyplace.

I knew I had a neighbor who played the flute but didn't know I had another neighbor who played acoustic guitar. This morning about 11a the flute player was playing on her front porch. Then the guitar player came out and they played something together...each on their own porches. Don't know what they played, but it was interesting and enjoyable.

Saddened to hear the 2015 Miss Navajo Nation passed away at 28 from Covid-19. She leaves behind her parents and a 6-mo old baby.

President Woodrow Wilson, during his term, set up a committee of reporters to be in charge of the seating arrangements at his press conferences. He didn't want to be accused of favoring certain reporters or blocking others. It has been that way ever since...until Friday. The Secret Service attempted to move a CNN reporter from the front row and place her in a farther back row and to move a different reporter into her seat. Both reporters refused to move. Then the Press Briefing started. The briefing lasted a mere 22 minutes and Trump only took 2 questions. (Lately, the briefings have been at least 90 minutes). Then yesterday, the President said he would be curtailing the briefings as they take too much of his time. Looks like the Corona Virus Task Force will not longer be holding daily briefings. Really!

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

When can you add 'two' to 'eleven' and get 'one' as the correct answer?

Historical Events

4977 BC - The Universe was created, according to Johannes Kepler.

1667 - Blind writer John Milton sold his copyright to Paradise Lost for 10 pounds. He needed the money because he was penniless at the time.

1871 -The American Museum of Natural History opened in New York City.

1887 - George Thomas Morton performed the first US operation to remove an appendix, called an appendectomy.

1936 - The United Auto Workers (UAW) gained autonomy from the American Federation of Labor.

1956 - Rocky Marciano retired as world heavyweight boxing champion.

1967 - Expo 67 officially opened in Montreal, Canada
1992 - Betty Boothroyd became the first woman to be elected Speaker of the British House of Commons in its 700-year history.

2002 - The last successful telemetry from the NASA space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972.

2003 - The Apple iPOd (3rd generation) was released.

2014 - Popes John XXIII and John Paul II were declared saints by the Catholic Church.

2018 Historic Korean summit, the North's Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in of South Korea agree to officially end Korean war and rid peninsula of nuclear weapons

2018 German leader Angela Merkel has a 1-day trip to Washington meeting US President Donald Trump

2019 Pope Francis donates $500,000 for migrants stranded in Mexico trying to reach the US

Birthdays Today

@94-Animator, Walter Lantz (d. 1994)

@90-Actor, Jack Klugman (d. 2012)

@82-Radio host, Casey Kasem (d. 2014)

@80-Inventor, Samuel Morse (d. 1872)

@78-Civil rights leader, Coretta Scott King (d. 2006; ovarian cancer)

69-Musician, Paul Daniel 'Ace' Frehley

@63-18th U.S. President, Ulysses S. Grant (d. 1855; throat cancer)

61-Musician, Sheena Easton (1959)

Puzzle Answer:

When you add two hours to eleven o’clock, you get one o’clock.

Apr 26

FYI: Any Blue text is a link. Click to check it out!

Apr. 26, 2020 Week: 18 Day: 117

86004: H 67° \ L 39° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Wind: 6mph\Gusts: 10mph Visibility: 10 mi

Nearest lightning: 514mi.; Nearest active fire: 726mi.

Record High: 79°[1906] Record Low: 17°[1984]

Apr. Averages: 60°\27° (3 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling,

but in rising every time we fall."

-Nelson Mandela

Random Tidbits

The Badwater Ultramarathon claims to be the world's toughest footrace. Stretching 135 miles from Death Valley (the lowest point in North America) to Mount Whitney (the highest point in the lower 48 states), this grueling race is by invitation only.

The treadmill was originally designed for English prisons as a tool for punishment.

In the late 19th century, running was called "pedestrianism."

Have a smile

A friend sent these to me

The funny thing about the game Monopoly
is that only one company is allowed to make it.

Observations This Week

National Dance Week: 17-26 Link CANCELLED due to COVID-19.
National Park Week: 18-26  Link
Festival of Ridvan: 19-5/1
National Stationery Week: 20-26 Link
International Mariachi Week: 22-29 Link
Fiddler's Frolic: 23-26
AFRMA (Fancy Rat & Mouse) Days: 24-26 Link CANCELLED due to COVID-19
Ramadan: 23-5/23

Interstate Mullet Toss:  24-26
National Dream Hotline:  24-26
National & Global Youth Service Days: 24-26
National Scoop The Poop Week: 24-30
Ramadan: 24-5/23
World Immunization Week: 24-30
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW): 26-5/3 Link
Preservation Week:26-5/2  Link (re: Libraries)Stewardship Week: 26-5/3 

Observations for Today

Alien Day Link
Audubon Day Link
Hug An Australian Day
International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day
Lesbian Visibility Day Link
Mother, Father Deaf Day
National Pet Parent's Day Link  Link
Pinhole Photography Day Link
National Dissertation Day
National Help A Horse Day
National Kids and Pets Day Link  LinkNational Pretzel Day  Link
Pretzel Day Link
Richter Scale Day

World Intellectual Property Day Link

World Pinhole Photography Day

My Rambling Thoughts

Took a short walk, then changed linens and did laundry. Not the most exciting Saturday, but even under Stay-At-Home thing, still gotta be done.

Chris Cuomo did an excellent interview with the President of the Navajo Nation. It is not that long, but very informative: President Nez speaks on Covid-19.

A new survey shows that of the 50 states, Colorado has the 41^st and AZ has the 28^th fastest growing Covid-19 outbreaks. Stay home and stay safe.

As each state has to find it's own PPE's, the mayor of San Francisco reported that their supply from China was diverted to France and that FEMA was at Customs & Border Protection to confiscate PPE's for other states. A couple of simple Executive Orders to correct these situations quickly.

At the beginning of the stay-at-home orders I was naive enough to believe that this crisis would unite our country. As I watch the news and read social media, I couldn't have been more wrong. The Liberals and the Conservatives, the Left and the Right seem to be just digging in deeper with their ideals. If things don't change, we will become the Un-United States of America. I still have hope that we will unite.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

What makes more as you take them?

Historical Events

1278 - Imprisoned for murder, John le F*cker sent a letter asking for bail, the earliest recorded instance of the English swear word "f*ck".

1564 - Playwright William Shakespeare was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. People were traditionally baptized three days after birth, this is how we know his birthday was April 23.

1882 - A perpetual motion machine was Patented (#257,103) by John Sutliff. I'm pretty sure it didn't really work.

1921 - The first US broadcast of the weather was made from St. Louis, Missouri, over station WEW. Or so legend has it. There were few rules in the earliest days of radio, so another station may have made a weather announcement. It was about 55 degrees.

1933 - The Gestapo, the official secret police force of Nazi Germany, was established.

1954 - Polio vaccine trials began.
1977 - Studio 54 opened at 254 West 54th Street in New York City.

1986 - Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, Ukraine, sending a radioactive cloud over much of Europe. It was announced two days later.

2007 Queen's Pier is officially closed by the Hong Kong Government, after a bitter struggle by conservationists, in order to facilitate land reclamation in Hong Kong's Central district

1992 Alex Haley (Roots) wins 1992 Ellis Island Award, posthumously

2010 - Boobquake was envisioned by Jennifer McCreight. An estimated 200,000 people participated world wide, and the epicenter was considered the Purdue Bell Tower in West Lafayette, Indiana.

2012 Indonesia suspends imports of American beef after a confirmed case of mad cow disease in California

Birthdays Today

Father of Islam, Muhammed (570)

@52-Poet/Playwright, William Shakespeare (baptized: 1574, d.1616; fever)

@85-Seismologist, Charles Richter (d. 1985)

@69-Comedienne, Gracie Allen [Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen] (d. 1964; heart attack)

87-Actress, Carol Burnett

78-Musician, Bobby Rydell

57-Actor, Jet Li [Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong]

55-Actor, Kevin James (1965)

50-Model, 1^st Lady, Melania Trump

40-Actor, Channing Tatum

Puzzle Answer:

Footsteps

Apr 25

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Apr. 25, 2020 Week: 17 Day: 116

86004: H 70° \ L 39° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Wind: 4mph\Gusts: 9mph Visibility: 10 mi

Nearest lightning: 556mi.; Nearest active fire: 243mi.

Record High: 78°[1996] Record Low: 13°[1961]

Apr. Averages: 60°\27° (3 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

The two most common elements in the
universe are hydrogen and stupidity.”
– Harlan Ellison

Random Tidbits

Humans can outrun almost every other animal on earth over long distances.

The fastest marathon runner in the world is Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya who ran the 2018 Berlin marathon in 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds. He beat the previous record-holder, Kenyan Dennis Kimetto, who ran the marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes, 57 seconds in Berlin in 2014.

Have a smile

A friend sent these to me

A Romanian woman claims to be the
world's oldest mother at 66...
That’s rubbish, my Mum's 85!

Observations This Week

National Dance Week: 17-26 Link CANCELLED due to COVID-19.
National Park Week: 18-26  Link
Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week: 19-25 Link 
Bedbug Awareness Week: 19-25
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week: 19-25
Festival of Ridvan: 19-5/1
Fibroid Awareness Week: 19-25
Medical Laboratory Professionals Week: 19-25 Link
National Coin Week: 19-25
National Crime Victims Rights Week: 19-25 Link
National Infertility Awareness Week: 19-25 Link
National Library Week: 19-25
National Paperboard Packaging Week: 19-25
National Pet ID Week: 19-25 Link  Link
National Princess Week: 19-25 Link
National Volunteer Week: 19-25
Sky Awareness Week: 19-25
Spring Astronomy Week: 19-25
National Stationery Week: 20-26 Link
International Mariachi Week: 22-29 Link
Fiddler's Frolic: 23-26
Gathering of the Nations Powwow: 23-25 Link CANCELLED due to COVID-19
AFRMA (Fancy Rat & Mouse) Days: 24-26 Link CANCELLED due to COVID-19
Ramadan: 23-5/23

Interstate Mullet Toss:  24-26
National Dream Hotline:  24-26
National & Global Youth Service Days: 24-26
National Scoop The Poop Week: 24-30
Ramadan: 24-5/23
World Immunization Week: 24-30

Observations for Today

Bob Wills Day
DNA Day

Hug A Plumber Day or Plumbers Day
Independent Bookstore Day
International Marconi Day

National Dissertation Day
National Go Birding Day
National Herb Day

National Prepare-A-Thon Day
National Rebuilding Day
National Take Back Day

National Zucchini Bread Day

Malaria Awareness Day
Parental Alienation Day

World Healing Day
World Penguin Day

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day

My Rambling Thoughts

Another great spring day. Made a quick run to Sam's Club, then took a nice leisurely walk. I ran out of plastic disposable gloves, so now I'm using gloves used for dishwashing. I wash them after each use. They happen to be bright red, the only ones I could find. They sure stand out. Haha.

Now that I'm only going to stores one day a week, all the days just sort of run together. I didn't realize it was Friday until I got a phone call and my phone showed me the day. This is getting really crazy.

I know it is still to early to plant flowers, but I sure would like to have some on my deck. But I'm sure another cold spell or two are on the horizon.

I'm looking forward to a nice, warm weekend. I'll be able to take a nice hike after driving to a trailhead.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

A truck is stuck under a bridge and the driver cannot get it out. A man walks by and stops to help. He easily gets the truck unstuck. How did he do it?

Historical Events

1644 - The Chongzhen Emperor, the last Emperor of Ming Dynasty China, committed suicide during a peasant rebellion.

1719 - Daniel Defoe's The Life and Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe was published.

1792 - Highwayman (thief) Nicolas J. Pelletier became the first person executed by guillotine in Paris, France.

1859 - Ground was broken for opened the Suez Canal by British and French engineers. The 100 mile canal between the Mediterranean and the Red Seas opened ten years later, on November 17, 1869.

1901 - New York became the first US state to require automobile license plates.

1944 - The United Negro College Fund was incorporated.

1947 - President Harry Truman opened the two lane White House bowling alley.

1953 - Francis Crick and James D. Watson published Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid describing the double helix structure of DNA.

1954 - The first practical solar cell was demonstrated by Bell Telephone Laboratories.

1961 - The integrated circuit was Patented (#2,981,877) by Robert Noyce.

1982 - Israel completed the withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula per the Camp David Accords.

1983 - Pioneer 10 traveled beyond ex-planet Pluto's orbit.

1990 - The Hubble Space Telescope was deployed in space from the Space Shuttle Discovery to an orbit 381 miles above Earth.

1994 14" of snow in Southern California

2013 The United Kingdom reopens its embassy in Somalia after 22 years

2019 Former US Vice President Joe Biden announces his campaign for president via video

Birthdays Today

80-Actor, Al Pacino

@79-Musician, Ella Fitzgerald (d.1996)

74-Actress, Talia Shire

@63-Radio inventor, Guglielmo Marconi (d. 1937; heart attacks)

@57-Newscaster, Edward R Murrow (d. 1965; lung cancer)

56-Actor, Hank Azaria

51-Actress, Renee Zellweger

Puzzle Answer:

He let the air out of the tires.