May 16

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May 16, 2020 Week: 20 Day: 137

86004: H 74° \ L 36° \ Average Sky Cover: 25%

Wind: 7mph\Gusts: 15mph Visibility: 10 mi

Nearest lightning: 353mi.; Nearest active fire: 175mi.

High Risk of Fire

Record High: 80°[1970] Record Low: 16°[1955]

May Averages: 68°\34° (3 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap

but by the seeds that you plant."

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Random Tidbits

Before they were famous

Cheryl Crow the Grammy-winning singer worked as a music teacher at an elementary school in Missouri

Raymond Joseph Teller, taught Latin before he became the silent half of the magic-comedy duo Penn and Teller.

Before he was Wolverine, Hugh Jackman was a gym teacher in England.

Have a smile

A friend sent these to me

True stories from people using Zoom for teleconferencing

“One dog barked on a conference call and everyone else’s dogs barked back.”

“Day 1 of WFH for two weeks with my boyfriend (we work together). At his 9am meeting with 150 salespeople, one of the sales reps forgot to turn off his camera while the VP was speaking and took a very big hit off his vape pen that was very much not tobacco.”

"Zoom call with over half the company (100 people), the manager forgot he was sharing his screen, and he got a Slack message from another manager talking s*** about the CEO and how he loves to hear himself blabber on for hours."

Observations This Week

Ramadan: 23-5/23

National Public Gardens Week: 8-17  Link
INVICTUS GAMES: 9-16  Link 
Universal Family Week: 10-16
Food Allergy Awareness Week: 10-16 Link
National Hospital Week: 10-16 Link
National Nursing Home Week: 10-17
National Police Week:  10-16
National Return To Work Week:  10-17
National Transportation Week: 10-16 
National Women's Health Week: 10-16 Link  Link
Reading is Fun Week:  10-17 Link 
Salute to Moms 35+ Week: 10-16 
Salvation Army Week: 10-17 
Brain Injury Awareness Week: 11-17 Link
National Stuttering Awareness Week: 11-17
Work At Home Moms Week: 11-17 
American Craft Beer Week: 11-17 Link
Cannes Film Festival: 12-23 Cancelled due to COVID-19
World Schizophrenia Awareness Week: 13-19  Link
PGA Championship: 14-17 Moved to August due to COVID-19  Link
National Foul Ball Week: 16-21
National Safe Boating Week: 16-22 

Observations for Today

Armed Forces Day

Biographer's DayDo Dah Day Link
Honor Our LGBT Elders' Day  Link
International Day of Light  Link
Love a Tree Day

National Learn To Swim Day Link
Mimosa Day (Drink)National BBQ Day Link
National Piercing DayNational Sea Monkey Day

Preakness  Cancelled due to COVID-19
World Fiddle Day Link

Wear Purple for Peace Day

My Rambling Thoughts

I'm adjusting well to this once-a-week driving and shopping. I'm now using a coffee filter in my mask. That filter helps keep my mask dry from my breathing. Got everything I needed at Fry's and Sam's. Home fairly quickly. I'm also carrying one of those iPad pointer pens so I don't have to touch any credit card machines. This has become my new normal. Two months ago I never would have dreamed this would be 'normal', but it is working. I ain't complainin'.

I read an article about comparing the WWII experiences to our current situation. For those complaining about today, it has only been 2 months, not the years of WWII. We are not using ration books, we can still buy almost everything we need...it's just a tad more difficult. We don't have to wait weeks for a letter from a loved one overseas, and wondering if that person is still alive when we get the letter. People on the West Coast don't have to turn off their lights at night so the enemy can't drop bombs on houses. Our stay-at-home is changing. It's happening a little too fast for me, but it is happening. We have so much to be grateful for, and a few minor inconveniences to complain about. Stay home, stay safe, and stay positive.

My friend sent another cute video parody. Click on the blue text to enjoy: Billy Joel Parody

Our school district just announced that on May 29 there will be 3 'car parades' in East Flag one for each of the three high school grads. Locals are encouraged to park along the route, and honk for the seniors. Cool idea.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

What do poor people have,

rich people need,

and if you eat it you will die?

Historical Events

1866 - Root Beer was invented by Charles Elmer Hires in Philadelphia, PA.

1946 - Broadway Show - Annie Get Your Gun 

(Musical) opened

1946 - The first magnetic tape recorder was demonstrated by Jack Mullin.

1983 - The concert special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever was broadcast by NBC; Michael Jackson performed his 'moonwalk' dance for the first time on television.

1988 - Nicotine was declared to be addictive in ways similar to heroin and cocaine, in a report released by US Surgeon-General C. Everett Koop.

1991 - Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom addressed a joint session of the United States Congress.

1996 - 12 million people tuned in for the series finale of Murder, She Wrote on CBS. The show was the longest running American Murder-Mystery drama.

2006 - The Apple MacBook was released.

2014 - Broadcast journalist and TV personality Barbara Walters retired from ABC News and from daytime program The View.

Birthdays Today

79-Actor Yvonne Craig (pioneer of female superheros)

@77-Actor Henry Fonda (d.1982; heart disease)

76-Actor, Danny Trejo

67-Actor Pierce Brosnan

@67-Pianist Liberace (d.1987; AIDS)

51-Actor David Boreanaz

54-Singer Janet Jackson

47-Actor Tori Spelling

34-Actor Megan Fox

Puzzle Answer:

Nothing

May 15

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May 15, 2020 Week: 20 Day: 136

86004: H 72° \ L 37° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Wind: 6mph\Gusts: 15mph Visibility: 10 mi

Nearest lightning: 422mi.; Nearest active fire: 269mi.

High Risk of Fire

Record High: 81°[1937] Record Low: 20°[1968]

May Averages: 68°\34° (3 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

"Always remember that you are absolutely unique.

Just like everyone else."

-Margaret Mead

Random Tidbits

Billy Crystal

The comedian and movie star worked as a substitute teacher in Long Island when he was trying to get his start in show business.

Jesse Williams

“Grey’s Anatomy” star Jesse Williams taught high school in Philadelphia

Have a smile

A friend sent these to me

Question: Why are mountains so funny?

Because they are hill-areas (Hilarous)

Observations This Week

Food Allergy Awareness Week: 10-16 Link
National Hospital Week: 10-16 Link
National Nursing Home Week: 10-17
National Police Week:  10-16
National Return To Work Week:  10-17
National Transportation Week: 10-16 
National Women's Health Week: 10-16 Link Link
Reading is Fun Week:  10-17 Link
Salute to Moms 35+ Week: 10-16 
Salvation Army Week: 10-17 
Brain Injury Awareness Week: 11-17 Link
National Etiquette Week: 11-15
National Stuttering Awareness Week: 11-17
Work At Home Moms Week: 11-17 
American Craft Beer Week: 11-17 Link
Cannes Film Festival: 12-23 Cancelled due to COVID-19
World Schizophrenia Awareness Week: 13-19 Link
PGA Championship: 14-17 Moved to August due to COVID-19 Link

Observations for Today

Endangered Species Day Link 
Hyperemisis Gravidarum Awareness Day
International Day of Families
International MPS Awareness Day  Link
International Defense Transportation Day   International Virtual Assistants Day  Morel Mushroom Day 
Nakba DayNASCAR Day Link  Cancelled due to COVID-19
National Bike to Work Day Link Moved to September 22 due to COVID-19
National Chocolate Chip Day Link
National Pizza Party Day Link
National Slider Day  (Food)
Nylon Stockings Day
National Tuberous Sclerosis Day Link
O. Henry Pun-off Day Peace Officer Memorial Day  Link Link
Police Officer's Memorial Day

Pizza Party Day

Straw Hat Day Link

My Rambling Thoughts

Really nice day for a walk...so I did it.

I also watched much of Dr. Bright's testimony on his whistle blower complaint. I think it is good for this hearing to see how many layers of protection the Federal government has. Many already knew that there should have been a quicker response to the virus. This hearing offered good information on why the government didn't act more quickly.

I was multi-tasking near the end. I listened as after a few Republican turns, each Republican 'reserved' their time. This meant that the rest of the questioning was done by Dems. This let them make their points with no rebuttal. I thought the Republicans would reclaim their time to allow an uninterrupted chance for their side. This didn't occur, and I have to wonder why. I missed if there will be a part 2.

Good news for those of us who took the refund on the Tahiti trip. Things are moving along, thanks to Ellie, Arden, and Joe Green at Tumlare. Checks should be arriving in a couple of weeks...in my mail. Now looking forward to another Focus Adventure in the future...probably not a cruise until I know they are going to happen in a very health conscious way.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

I can be long or I can be short.

I can be grown and I can be bought.

I can be painted or left bare.

I can be round or square.

What am I?

Historical Events

1501 - Ottaviano Petrucci opened the first modern-style music publishing house, by producing the first book of music made from movable type, in Venice.

1793 - Diego Marín Aguilera flew a glider for approximately 1,000 feet during one of the first attempted manned flights, in Spain.

1800 - President John Adams ordered the new US federal government to leave Philadelphia and move to the nation's new capital in Washington DC.

1858 - Royal Opera House opened in Covent Garden, London with a performance of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.

1862 - President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill into law creating the United States Bureau of Agriculture. It was later renamed the United States Department of Agriculture.

1928 - Walt Disney character Mickey Mouse premiered in his first (silent) cartoon, Plane Crazy.

1929's Steamboat Willie had sound. Plane Crazy was re-released with sound later 1929.

1932 - Japanese insurgents plotted to kill Charlie Chaplin in addition to their own Prime Minister to provoke war with with the US and incite "restoration" in the name of the Emperor.

1935 - Albert Einstein was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal for his outstanding fundamental contributions to theoretical physics, especially his relativity theory, at the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA.

1940 - Nylon stockings went on sale for the first time in the United States.

1940 - Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their hamburger restaurant in San Bernadino, California.

1942 - Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAACs) was formed, granting women official US military status.

1953 - Stanley L. Miller's paper on the synthesis of amino acids under conditions that simulated primitive Earth's atmosphere was published in Science. Miller had applied an electric discharge to a mixture of CH4, NH3, H2O, and H2 (which was believed at the time to be the atmospheric composition of early Earth.), creating a mixture of amino acids, hydroxy acids, and urea.

2001 - The final Friends episode aired on NBC, titled 'The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding'.

2015 Carl Icahn invests $100 million in Lyft, a ride-sharing service

2018 Controversial Kerch bridge linking Russia and annexed Crimea opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin. At 19km the longest bridge in Europe.

2018 North Korea threatens to pull out of summit with US and South Korea saying it can "not hide our feeling of repugnance" towards US security advisor John Bolton

2019 Five of world's biggest tech companies pledge to tackle extremist material at "The Christchurch Call" initiative in Paris hosted by Jacinda Ardern and Emmanuel Macron

2019 Findings from China's Chang'e-4 rover to the Moon suggests huge asteroid created the giant crater on Moon's far side with impact so great it cracked its crust and reached the mantle below published in "Nature"

Birthdays Today

@88-Actor Joseph Cotton (d. 1864)

83-Singer Trinidad "Trini" López III

@75-Actor James Mason (d. 1984; heart attack)

@62-Author Lyman Frank Baum (d. 1919; stroke)

51-Athlete Emmett Smith

Puzzle Answer:

A fingernail

May 14

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May 14, 2020 Week: 20 Day: 135

86004: H 69° \ L 36° \ Average Sky Cover: 5%

Wind: 10mph\Gusts: 18mph Visibility: 10 mi

Nearest lightning: 590mi.; Nearest active fire: 268mi.

High Risk of Fire

Record High: 83°[1938] Record Low: 21°[1942]

May Averages: 68°\34° (3 days with moisture)

Today’s Quote

"The use of traveling is to regulate imagination

with reality, and instead of thinking

of how things may be, see them as they are."

— Samuel Johnson

Random Tidbits

Before they were famous:

J.K. Rowling

“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling taught English in Portugal in the early 1990s. She began work on her legendary tale of the boy wizard while working in Portugal.

Art Garfunkel

One half of Simon and Garfunkel worked as a math teacher in Connecticut as a young man. He once told an interviewer for Forbes: “I would have been comfortable being a teacher. I supported myself in high school by tutoring kids and making decent money at it. That was my first instinct about what I could do to make money.”

Have a smile

A friend sent these to me

Question: What's a lumberjack's favorite director?

TimBuuurrrrrrrton

Observations This Week

Ramadan: 23-5/23

National Public Gardens Week: 8-17  Link
INVICTUS GAMES: 9-16  Link 
Universal Family Week: 10-16
Food Allergy Awareness Week: 10-16 Link
National Hospital Week: 10-16 Link
National Nursing Home Week: 10-17
National Police Week:  10-16
National Return To Work Week:  10-17
National Transportation Week: 10-16 
National Women's Health Week: 10-16 Link  Link
Reading is Fun Week:  10-17 Link 
Salute to Moms 35+ Week: 10-16 
Salvation Army Week: 10-17 
Brain Injury Awareness Week: 11-17 Link
National Etiquette Week: 11-15  
National Stuttering Awareness Week: 11-17
Work At Home Moms Week: 11-17 
American Craft Beer Week: 11-17 Link
Cannes Film Festival: 12-23 Cancelled due to COVID-19
World Schizophrenia Awareness Week: 13-19  Link
PGA Championship: 14-17 Moved to August due to COVID-19  Link

Observations for Today

Apraxia Awareness Day Link
Dance Like a Chicken Day

National Brioche Day

National Buttermilk Biscuit Day

National Decency Day Link LinkThe Stars and Stripes Forever Day
Underground America Day

My Rambling Thoughts

A little cooler today, but so far, only light winds. Nice walk while it was still calm. Then tackled cleaning the downstairs bathroom and laundry room. Great day.

A reader sent me this great parody. Check it out:

Opera Parody for COVID-19

NAU students are getting money from the CARES Act. Full time students who have a PELL Grant get $500 and all other full time students are getting $400. Each student just has to fill out a short form and the money is deposited into their bank account within 7 days. Good deal.

Flagstaff Shelter Services has moved all their clients to one of three hotels in town to assist with social distancing. They got a special deal, since most hotels in our tourist town are empty. This pandemic is far from over.

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

The more you take away from me,

the bigger I become.

What am I?

Historical Events

1796 - Edward Jenner, a doctor from Gloucestershire, England successfully tested his vaccination for smallpox on eight year old James Phipps.

1804 - Lewis and Clark expedition left St. Louis, Missouri, on a mission to explore the Northwest from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean.

1842 - Alfred Lord Tennyson published Poems.

1850 - The first US. patent (#7,365) for a dish washing machine was issued to Joel Houghton of Ogden, NY, for an "Improvement in Machines for Washing Table Furniture".

1897 - The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa was first performed in public near Willow Grove Park, Philadelphia.

1925 - Virginia Woolf's novel Mrs Dalloway was published.

1932 - The first electrical timing device was tested at a track meet between Columbia and Syracuse at Baker Field, NYC.

1948 - In Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel

1949 US President Harry Truman signs bill establishing a rocket test range at Cape Canaveral

1955 - The Warsaw Pact was signed between the Soviet Union, Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria in response to the west's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1961 Bus with 1st group of Freedom Riders bombed & burned in Alabama

1969 Last Chevrolet Corvair built1973 - Skylab I was launched.

1973 US Supreme court approves equal rights to females in military

1980 Department of Health & Human Services begins operation

1986 Netherlands Institute for War Documentation publishes Anne Frank's complete diary

1995 Dalai Lama proclaims 6-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima 11th reincarnation of Panchen Lama, Tibet's 2nd most senior spiritual leader

1998 - 76.3 million people tuned in for the series finale of Seinfeld.

2013 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel "Americanah" is published

2018 Chinese mountain climber and double amputee Xia Boyu reaches the summit of Mt Everest

2018 Boulder City Council in Colorado votes to ban assault weapons

Birthdays Today

76-Director George Lucas

@72-Dancer Eddie Cantor (d. 1964)

68-Singer David Byrne

59-Actor, Director Tim Roth

51-Actor Cate Blanchett (1969)

@37-Singer Bobby Darin (d. 1973; sepsis)

36-Entrepenaur Mark Zuckerberg

Puzzle Answer:

A hole