5 Dec

 

5 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 50 Day 339 \ Ave. Sky Cover 90% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 50° \33° 
Wind 6mph \ Gusts 12mph  Air Quality: Fair \Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 132mi \ Nearest Lightning 1447mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Overcast AGAIN

Today’s Quote 

Weekly Observations

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 Link
Clerc-Gallaudet Week: 3-10
National Hand Washing Awareness Week: 4-10 Link  
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week: 4-10 
Andisop (Meterological Fiddling): 5-24   Link
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: 5-9 Link 
Computer Science Education Week: 5-11 Link

Daily Observations

AFL-CIO Day
Bathtub Party Day
Columbian International Day of The Reef  Link
Day of the Ninja
International Ninja Day Link  Photo Photo
International Volunteer Day for Economic & Social Development
Krampusnacht (Krampus Night)
National Blue Jeans Day
National Commute with your Baby Day
Sachertorte Day Link
World Soil Day Link

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Another overcast day. Had some light rain overnight.

As I look at the many close elections, I need to remember that even when the expected Red Wave didn’t really happen, this country remains very politically divided. I hope that all the elected officials will spend time during their upcoming term trying to reunite our country.

I grew up with Advent calendars for December. Back then it was just a new picture every day. I gave my brother one that has a ‘prize’ behind each day. This morning, our local food bank printed one in the local paper. Each day it lists a need at the food bank and everyone is asked to place the item in a box and deliver the box on Dec. 21^st to the Food Bank. What a cool idea.

Have you ever heard of a coatimundi or coati? It is a relative of the racoon and much larger that the common squirrel. The coati is 13-27” from nose to base of tail and can weigh up to 17lbs. Over the past two years, more and more coatis have been spotted in Northern AZ...far from South and Central America, their home. This last week there have been several sightings within our city limits.  Local scientists are saying it is a result of climate change. They also pointed out that numerous bird species are stopping here and not migrating further south, due to climate change and our much milder winters.

Favorite Memes

Little known Native American History

Guess who invented popcorn

Popcorn has long been associated with the movies, or in recent years, the microwave, but although many of us may have wondered why popcorn pops, few of us have asked where popcorn actually came from. The indigenous people of the Americas first domesticated the strain of maize which produces popcorn thousands of years ago. In fact, popcorn artifacts dating back to 6.700 years ago were discovered in Peru. So the next time you grab a handful of your favorite snack, remember it's not just Orville Redenbacher you should be thanking. 

Slang Origins

1926: Giggle water

Meaning: an alcoholic beverage

The Prohibition era brought America some of the most clever ways to make, sell, and obtain alcohol, including marketing it as medicine or pretending to be a religious leader to take advantage of loopholes. It also marked the invention of some of the most fun slang for alcohol, including “giggle water,” which likely got its name from the laughter that occurs when some people drink.

Historical Events

1766 – In London, auctioneer James Christie held his first sale/auction.
1955 – The Montgomery Bus Boycott began, led by E.D. Nixon and Rosa Parks.
1955 – The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL – CIO.
1865 – The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States.
1969 – ARPANET (the first true internet) grew from ARPA (the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency) when it connected to computer network nodes at four universities: the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park, CA, U.C. Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah.
1948 – Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts premiered, the first major show of its kind.

Birthdays Today

@100 – Strom Thurmond, senator, 103rd Governor of South Carolina (d. 2003)
@92 – Don Robertson, American songwriter and Happy Whistler (d. 2015)
@87 – Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman), singer-songwriter, pianist (d. 2020)
“Gay people are the sweetest, kindest, most artistic, warmest, and most thoughtful people in the world. And since the beginning of time, all they’ve ever been is kicked.”– Little Richard
@85 – Fritz Lang, Austrian-American director, producer, screenwriter (d. 1976)
“There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as a mediator.”– Fritz Lang
@80 – Otto Preminger, Austrian-American actor, director, producer (d. 1986)
@79 – Martin Van Buren, American politician, 8th President (d. 1862)
75 – Jim Messina, American singer-songwriter
@65 – Walt Disney, American animator, director, producer, screenwriter, co-founder of The Walt Disney Company (d. 1966; cancer)…cremated not frozen
“If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.”– Walt Disney
37 – Frankie Muniz, American actor
“Acting classes, I guess, are good and I would like to maybe sometime take one. But I would feel like I was learning someone else’s technique. I like mine.”– Frankie Muniz
@36 – George Armstrong Custer, American general (d. 1876; @ the Big Horn)
I would rather have a good education and no money than to have a fortune and be ignorant.”– George Armstrong Custer

 

4 Dec

 

December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 50 Day 338 \ Ave. Sky Cover 90% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 50° \30° 
Wind 5mph \ Gusts 10mph  Air Quality: Fair\Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 132mi \ Nearest Lightning 189mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
Overcast

Today’s Quote

Weekly Observations

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 Link
Clerc-Gallaudet Week: 3-10
National Hand Washing Awareness Week: 4-10 Link  
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week: 4-10 

Daily Observations

Alpha Phi Alpha Day
International Day of Banks
National Cookie Day Link
National Dice Day
National Dystychiphobia Awareness Day  Link
National Sock Day  Link
Santa’s List Day
World Wildlife Conservation Day Link

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Lots of clouds, no moisture, slowly warming up.

I did laundry and cleaned the kitchen and vacuumed the downstairs. That’s enough for today.

 USA fell to Netherlands 3-0 at the World Cup. American soccer fans had hoped for more.

After his conviction, Alex Jones has been a busy little beaver. A month after the verdict he is trying to tell the world he is broke. He is earning his scumbag status. He has been spouting his crap about Sandy Hook for almost a decade. Now the devastated parents have to cough up more $$ for lawyers to block this insane claim.

Favorite Memes

Little known Native American History

Sometimes the truth is complicated

The phrase "Indian giver" has long been used as a derogatory term to describe a person who gives a gift, then takes it away. The implication is that gifts from Native Americans can't be trusted because you might be asked to return them. The reality was, in fact, far more complicated, largely due to cultural barriers. White settlers came from a tradition of using money to make purchases, while Native American tribes largely relied on systems of bartering, which meant the objects they were offering weren't actually gifts, but rather objects of value for which they understandably expected to receive something equivalent in return. You still wouldn't want to call someone an "Indian giver," but on the other hand, these 11 old insults have turned into compliments. 

Slang Origins

1925: Concrete jungle

Meaning: an urban area with many large buildings and often considered wild, competitive, or dangerous

The rapid industrialization of the late 19th and early 20th century fueled the move of Americans from rural towns to cities, searching for work in new and growing industries. As the new urbanites acclimated to life in the city and an often dangerous work environment, the cities may very well have seemed like a dangerous wilderness to be navigated.

Historical Events

1786 – The National Grange was founded.
1918 – President Woodrow Wilson sailed for the World War I peace talks in Versailles, becoming the first US president to travel to Europe while in office.
1954 – The first Burger King (Insta Burger King) opened in Miami, Florida, owned by James McLamore and David Edgerton.
2017 – The Thomas Fire started near Santa Paula, becoming the largest wildfire in modern California history after burning 440 square miles in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Birthdays Today

@90 – Charles Keating, American lawyer, financier (d. 2014)
89 – Wink Martindale, American game show host
85 – Max Baer, Jr., American actor
@82 – Francisco Franco, Spanish leader (d. 1975)
82 – Freddy Cannon (Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr.), American singer
@79 – Claude Renoir, French cinematographer (d. 1993)
@66 – Samuel Butler, British writer (d. 1902)
“The great characters of fiction live as truly as the memories of dead men. For the life after death, it is not necessary that a man or woman should have lived.”– Samuel Butler
@60 – Lillian Russel, American singer/actress (d. 1922)
73 – Jeff Bridges, American actor
71 – Patricia Wettig, American actress
67 – Cassandra Wilson, American singer-songwriter
58 – Marisa Tomei, American actress
56 – Fred Armisen, American actor, and musician
“Every day, I wanna work on being a better person, not just to others but to myself.”– Fred Armisen
53 – Jay Z [Shawn Corey Carter], American rapper, producer, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records
“I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me.”
– Jay-Z
@49 – Edith Louisa Cavell, English nurse, spy (d. 1915; executed)
49 – Tyra Banks, American model, and producer
“Each man has his own desires; all do not possess the same inclinations.”– Tyra Banks @39 – Dennis Wilson, American singer-songwriter, and drummer (d. 1983; drowned)

 

3 Dec

 

3 December 2022

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 49 Day 337 \ Ave. Sky Cover 50% \ Visibility 10 miles Flagstaff Today 42° \28° 
Wind 7mph \ Gusts 5mph  Air Quality: Fair \Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 377mi \ Nearest Lightning 1448mi
Dec Averages for Flagstaff: 43° \ 17° `
High Clouds

Today’s Quote

 

Monthly Observations

Operation Santa Paws (1-17)
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Spiritual Literacy Month
Take a New Year's Resolution to Stop Smoking (TANYRSS) (12/18 - 2/12) 
Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome Month  Link
Universal Human Rights Month Link
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month
Youngsters on The Air Month  Link

Weekly Observations

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 Link
Clerc-Gallaudet Week: 3-10

Daily Observations

Be A Blessing Day
Bike Shop Day 
Disability Day
Earmuff Day or Chester Greenwood Day Link  
E-Discovery Day
International Baboon Day 
International Day of Persons With Disabilities
International Spirit of the Game Day
Let’s Hug Day
Make A Gift Day
National Green Bean Casserole Day
National Play Outside Day Link 
Skywarn Recognition Day Link  
World Pear Day Link

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Lots of clouds today.

I did my weekly Sam’s and grocery shopping this morning. I found some good deals at Sam’s.

Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano has been erupting. While waiting for my shuttle in Phx I met a couple returning from Hawaii. They were not on the big island, but said the plume of smoke was seen from their flight home. The lave flow is threating to divide the island in half between the East and West side.

Good news here: Cochise County supervisors have certified the midterm results, only after a federal judge ordered them to do so. The crazies are still fighting results throughout the state.

Favorite Memes

This is so true!

Little known Native American History

Native Americans had diverse housing

If the only thing you knew about Native Americans came from Hollywood, you would be forgiven for assuming every tribe lived in teepees, but this is far from the truth. Native Americans were encompassed by many tribes who spoke different languages and had different cultures and ways of life. Many of the Plains Indians tribes lived in teepees, but the nations of the Iroquois nation lived in longhouses, while the tribes of the Mesa Verde region dwelled in cliffs, while the tribes in Taos lived in pueblos, a site which makes the area one of the top 16 American cities for history buffs. 

Slang Origins

1924: Joe Blow

Meaning: an average or ordinary man

Still used today, “Joe Blow” seems to have originated from the popular boy’s name, the seventh most popular in the 1920s, and a rhyming word. The phrase “Joe Doakes” was first recorded at a similar time but didn’t have the same staying power.

Historical Events

• 1910 – Neon lighting was first demonstrated by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show.
• 1967 – 54-year-old Louis Washkansky received the first human heart transplant, led by Dr. Christian Barnard, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. He lived for 18 days.
• 1984 – A deadly gas leak at a Union Carbide plant killed more than 4,000 people and injured over 200,000 in Bhopal, India.
• 1976 – Rocky was widely released. The premiere was on November 21, in NYC.
• 1994 – The Sony PlayStation was released in Japan. 

Birthdays Today

• @91 – Jean-Luc Godard, French-Swiss director (d. 2022)

• @84 – Andy Williams, American singer (d. 2012)

85 – Bobby Allison, American race car driver
74 – Ozzy Osbourne, English singer-songwriter

• @72 – Gilbert Stuart, American painter, unfinished George Washington (d. 1828)

70 – Benny Hinn, Israeli-American evangelist

• @68 – Connee Boswell, American jazz singer (d. 1976; cancer)

• @66 – Joseph Conrad, Polish writer (d. 1924; heart attack)
• “All idealization makes life poorer. To beautify it is to take away its character of complexity – it is to destroy it.”– Joseph Conrad

62 – Daryl Hannah, American actress
62 – Julianne Moore, American Actress
57 – Katarina Witt, German figure skater
54 – Brendan Fraser, American actor
“I always approach comedy roles pretending they aren’t funny.”-Brendan Fraser
54 – Montell Jordan, American singer-songwriter
49 – Holly Marie Combs, American actress
42 – Anna Chlumsky, American actress
42 – Jenna Dewan, American actress, dancer
39 – Andy Grammer, American singer
37 – Amanda Seyfried, American actress
“I’m good with getting older because I feel like one day, I know I will love myself.”– Amanda Seyfried