2 Apr

 

April 2023

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 14 Day 91 \ Ave. Sky Cover 10% \ Visibility 20 miles Flagstaff Today 63° \20°  Wind 5mph \ Gusts 11mph 
Air Quality: Fair \ Moderate Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 98mi \ Nearest Lightning 1357miApr. Averages for Flagstaff: 60° \ 27° \3 Days of moisture
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

 

Monthly Observations

Beaver Awareness Month
Car Care Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Child Abuse Prevention Month
(International) Cesarean Awareness Month Link
Community Spirit Days (1-30)
Confederate History Month
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month  Link
Couple Appreciation Month

Weekly Observations

3/19-4/16
National Cherry Blossom Festival 
3/22-4/20
Consider Christianity Week
International Phace Syndrome Awareness Week
National Cleaning Week
3/26-4/9
Passiontide
3/30-4/2
Mule Days
3-31-4/2
        American Crossword Puzzle Days 
Apr. 1-7
APAWS Pooper Scooper  Week
Golden Rule Week
Laugh at Work Week
Medication Safety Week
Testicular Cancer Awareness Week (aka Get A Grip Day!) 
Week of The Young Child  
2-8
Bat Appreciation Week
Holy Week
National Blue Ribbon Week   (Child Abuse)
National Public Health Week
National Window Safety Week

Daily Observations

Burrito Day
Children’s Book Day
Dictionary Day  Link
Ferret Day
Geologists Day Link 
International Children's Book Day
National Education and Sharing Day 
International Children's Book Day
National Education and Sharing Day Link 
National Ferret Day 
National Ferret Day Link
National Love Your Produce Manager Day
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day Link
Nickelodeon Day
Palm Sunday
Peanut Butter And Jelly Day
Pharmacists in Public Health Day
Reconciliation Day
World Autism Day Link
World Autism Acceptance Day Link 

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

Another great spring day. Time to start keeping the windows open on these kinds of days.

My tax return is giving me a nice chuck of change from both the Feds and the state. Nice!

I heard an interesting report on my local NPR station this morning. We have all heard the complaint that kids spend too much time on their smart phones. We also know there are lots of cars on the streets and highways of America. In 2023 there are more guns owned by Americans than either smart phones or cars.  Somehow I don’t think this is statistic the founding fathers saw coming.

Enjoy…

Facts…

Of these 14 chip brands, Cheetos has the highest percentage of air per bag. According to this study, the average bag of chips is 43% air. 

More Slang origins…

A Hankering For

You’ve probably heard this one before. If you’ve got a hankering for something, it means that you’ve got a strong desire for it. For example, you might have a hankering for some fried chicken.

Well, where does the word “hankering” even come from? Believe it or not, this is actually a Dutch word which means “hang.” We’re not sure how it evolved into a word meaning desire… But it did!

Beauty in our 50 states…

16. Idaho

Quick: what states contain a piece of Yellowstone? Most people will name Wyoming and Montana, but Idaho also claims a slice of the national park pie. Surprises like that lay all across Idaho, which is arguably America’s most under-appreciated state for scenery. The Sawtooth Mountains have some of the best mountain biking in America, while the snow-capped peaks at Coeur d’Alene make it a world-class skiing destination. And all the state’s beauty is best taken in with a trip down the Snake River, winding through mountains and scenic meadows.

Historical Events

1513 – Ponce de Leon discovered Florida.
1792 – The United States Mint was established via the Coinage Act.
1878 – The first White House Easter Egg Roll took place.
1917 – The Great War: US President Woodrow Wilson asked the American Congress for a declaration of war on Germany.
1982 – April 2 – June 15: The Faulkland Islands War.
2006 – Over 60 tornadoes break out in the United States.

Birthdays Today

@95 – Buddy Ebsen, American actor and dancer (d. 2003)
@86 – Sir Alec Guinness, English actor (d. 2000)
@84 – Max Ernst, German painter, sculptor, and poet (d. 1976)
82 – Dr. Demento (Barret Eugene Hansen), American radio host
78 – Linda Hunt, American actress
76 – Emmylou Harris, American singer-songwriter
@74 – Leon Russell, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2016; heart attack)
I love you in a place where there’s no space or time
I love you for my life ’cause you’re a friend of mine– Leon Russell
@73 – Casanova Giovaani Giacomo Girolama, Italian adventurer (d. 1798)
“Be the flame, not the moth.”– Casanova Girolama
@70 – Hans Christian Andersen, Danish novelist, short story writer, and poet (d. 1875)
“The whole world is a series of miracles, but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary things.”– Hans Christian Andersen
@66 – Charlemagne, Frankish king (d. 814; pleurisy)
“If the populace knew with what idiocy they were ruled, they would revolt.”– Charlemagne
@62 – Emile Zola, French naturalist (d. 1902; carbon monoxide)
“If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.”– Emile Zola
62 – Christopher Meloni, American actor
@61 – Charles White, African-American artist (d. 1979; heart failure)
61 – Clark Gregg, American actor, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
@62 – Jack Webb, American actor, director, producer, screenwriter (d. 1982; heart attack)
@44 – Marvin Gaye, American singer-songwriter (d. 1984; shot by father)

 
 

1 Apr

 

1 April 2023

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 13 Day 91 \ Ave. Sky Cover 5% \ Visibility 20 miles Flagstaff Today 52° \14°  Wind 3mph \ Gusts 9mph 
Air Quality: Fair \Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 347mi \ Nearest Lightning 843mi
Apr. Averages for Flagstaff: 60° \ 27° \3 Days of moisture
Sunshine

April Fool’s DayNobody’s sure when the whole April Fools Day thing started.  April Fools’ Day has been celebrated for centuries, but the origin of this day is still shrouded in mystery. Some historians believe it dates back to 1582 when France changed from the Julia calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Those who forgot or refused to accept the new calendar system were considered “fools” and sent on “errands,” such as visiting nonexistent locations with playful imitation scrolls and other paper novelty items that declared them April Fools.

Other scholars contend that April Fools’ Day began around 536 AD when PopeGregory III designated April 1st as a day of celebration called “All Fool’s Day.” This allowed people to laugh and make jokes instead of observing religious holidays during this time.

In 1392, in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, there was a reference to March 32, which could be APRIL 1st.

On April Fools’ Day 1957, on a BBC show called Panorama – they showed a family in Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from the family “spaghetti tree” at a SWISS HARVEST FESTIVAL, documentary style. At the time, spaghetti wasn’t really a thing in England, and people many people thought it was true. But not all hoaxes are limited to April 1st, one of the earliest documented purposeful hoaxes was in 1835, when The New York Sun Newspaper ran stories for six days about life on the moon – goats, unicorns, walking beavers, and bat-like winged humanoids. It increased sales, but they never printed a retraction.

Today’s Quote

Monthly Observations

Adopt A Ferret Month
Adopt A Horse Month (4/26 - 5/31)
Adopt A Greyhound Month Link
Atlanta Food & Wine Month
Arab American Heritage Month Link
ASPCA Month  Link  Link
Alcohol Awareness Month
Amateur Radio Month
Autism Acceptance Month  Link
Autism Awareness Month Link

Weekly Observations

3/19-4/16
National Cherry Blossom Festival 
3/22-4/20
Ramadan
3/26-4/1
Consider Christianity Week
International Phace Syndrome Awareness Week
National Cleaning Week
3/26-4/9
Passiontide
3/26-4/1
Passion Week
3/29-4/1
International Listening Association Week
3/30-4/2
Mule Days
3-31-4/2
American Crossword Puzzle Days 

Apr. 1-7
APAWS Pooper Scooper  Week
Golden Rule Week
Laugh at Work Week
Medication Safety Week
Testicular Cancer Awareness Week (aka Get A Grip Day!) 
Week of The Young Child

Daily Observations

April Fools or All Fools Day
Boomer Bonus Days
Every Day is Tag Day Link
Fun at Work Day
International Pillow Fight Day
International Tatting Day Link
Library Snap Shot Day
Myles Day
National Fun Day
National Hand Made Day  Link 
National Love Our Children Day
National Play Outside Day Link
Poetry & The Creative Mind Day
Reading is Funny Day
Sorry Charlie Day
Sourdough Bread Day
St. Stupid Day Link
Take Down Tobacco Day Link  (Formerly Kick Butts Day)
Tangible Karma Day
Time Warp Days Link
US Air force Academy Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

April has arrived. Hoping for Spring weather without snow…rain would be great…

This morning I had an early blood draw for upcoming appointments. All went well. This afternoon I pick up my taxes. Hoping for a good return.

For months the news was full of ‘Will he or Won’t be indicted?’ Now everyone speculates his actions at the court. He’s been making headlines: the first impeachment, the second impeachment, the big lie, and on and on. Just let the system do what has been doing forever. I don’t need a bunch of people telling me what to expect.  

Enjoy…


 

Facts…

Richard Nixon once smuggled a suitcase full of weed through the airport for Louis Armstrong. 

More Slang origins…

Like a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

If you’re like a cat on a hot tin roof, you’re agitated and nervous to the point of almost hysteria.

Beauty in our 50 states…

17. New York

New York State is too often defined by New York City. Too bad, 'cause the wilder reaches of the state rivals the diversity of almost any other. Consider: New York has three coasts (Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the Atlantic) and two distinct mountain ranges (the Catskills and the Adirondacks). It claims a slice of Lake Champlain and all of the Finger Lakes. Plus the prettier half of Niagara Falls—there's a reason the best views come when you stand on the Canadian side. Conservation is an ongoing battle in New York, but the state has done an admirable job of securing natural spaces for wildlife and wild people to enjoy. The Empire State has more publicly owned land by percentage than any state east of the Mississippi and is No. 1 in the country for percentage of land owned by the state itself. (Thanks, New York City tax base!)

Historical Events

1891 – The Wrigley (Chewing Gum) Company was founded in Chicago, Illinois.
April 1 is known as April Fools Day or All Fools’ Day in many countries.
1976 – Apple Inc. was formed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California. 12 days later, Ronald sold his 10% share of the new company back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800.“What can I say? You make a decision based on your understanding of the circumstances, and you live with it.” – Ronald Wayne
1997 – Comet Hale-Bopp was seen passing at perihelion.

Birthdays Today

112 – Fauja Singh, Indian runner…last marathon in 2013 @101
@92 – Jane Powell, American actress, singer, dancer
@84 – Debbie Reyonlds, American actress (d. 2021)
@83 – Otto von Bismarck, German lawyer and politician, 1st Chancellor of the German Empire (d. 1898)
“Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”– Otto von Bismarck
83 – Ali MacGraw, American actress
“I’m learning how to live in the present and be grateful for what’s working rather than looking for the ‘what’s not working’ piece.”– Ali MacGraw
73 – Samuel Alito, lawyer, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court
“The First Amendment, I think, is the jewel of our Constitution.”– Samuel Alito
62 – Susan Boyle, Scottish singer
56 – Chris Evans, English radio, television host
50 – Rachel Maddow, American journalist and author
@47 – Lon Chaney, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1930, hemorrhage)
“My whole career has been devoted to keeping people from knowing me.”– Lon Chaney
42 – Bijou Phillips, American actress, model
“I can’t change the world. I have to fix me.”– Bijou Phillips
28 – Logan Paul, American Youtuber

 
 

31 Mar

March 2023

Daily Almanac for Flagstaff
Week 13 Day 90 \ Ave. Sky Cover 35% \ Visibility 13 miles Flagstaff Today 48° \16°  Wind 8mph \ Gusts 13mph 
Air Quality: Moderate \Very Low Risk of fire \ Nearest active fire 347mi \ Nearest Lightning 192mi
Mar. Averages for Flagstaff: 51° \ 23° \6 Days of moisture
Sunshine

Today’s Quote

 

Weekly Observations

        3/22-4/8
       Lent
       19-4/16
        National Cherry Blossom Festival Link  
22-4/20
        Ramadan
25-31
        National Physicians Week Link
26-4/1
        Consider Christianity Week
         International Phace Syndrome Awareness Week
         National Cleaning Week Link
26-4/9
         Passiontide
26-4/1
         Passion Week
29-4/1
         International Listening Association Week
30-4/2
        Mule Days
3-31-4/2
        American Crossword Puzzle Days Link

Daily Observations

  Anesthesia Tech Day Link
Bunsen Burner Day
Cesar Chavez Day Link
Clams on the Half Shell Day
International Hug A Medielvalist Day
International Transgender Day of Visibility  Link
National Crayon Day Link Link
National "She's Funny That Way" Day
Oranges and Lemons Day
Starbucks Day
Take Down Tobacco Day Link
Terri's Day  Link
Tater Day
World Backup Day

My Sometimes-Long-Winded Thoughts

A dusting of snow this morning. By 8am it was blue sky. By noon it was overcast again. The weather guy predicts about 6” before the storm ends tomorrow.

I think I finally got my new phone working in my favor. I had to update several apps and it mostly went well. I am happy that my emergency contact information now includes a contact person, my medical issues, etc. The best part is that it will show even when my phone is locked. It did take about 2 hours spread over 2 days. Only one medical app couldn’t be updated as they don’t recognize the latest OS system. They said they would have it available in about 2 weeks. The price of keeping up with new technology.

Just as I was ready to publish this blog…Trump was indicted. Now what?

I contacted my congressman and both Senators regarding their plan to curtail the gun violence against children and to innocent adults in schools, churches, malls, et. al. I am hoping to get more than ‘thank you for contacting us.’ Watching the news the debate is now happening more regularly in the halls of Congress.  

School that have had shootings:

Columbine High School, Heritage High School, Deming Middle School, Fort Gibson Middle School, Buell Elementary School, Lake Worth Middle School, University of Arkansas, Junipero Serra High School, Santana High School, Bishop Neumann High School, Pacific Lutheran University, Granite Hills High School, Lew Wallace High School, Martin Luther King, Jr High School, Appalachian School of Law, Washington High School, Conception Abbey, Benjamin Tasker Middle School, University of Arizona, Lincoln High School, John McDonogh High School , Red Lion Area Junior High School, Case Western Reserve University, Rocori High School, Ballou High School, Randallstown High School, Bowen High School, Red Lake Senior High School, Harlan Community Academy High School, Campbell County High School, Milwee Middle School, Roseburg High School, Pine Middle School, \Essex Elementary School, Duquesne University, Platte Canyon High School, Weston High School, West Nickel Mines School, Joplin Memorial Middle School, Henry Foss High School,  Compton Centennial High School, Virginia Tech, Success Tech Academy, Miami Carol City Senior High School, Hamilton High School, Louisiana Technical College, Mitchell High School, EO Green Junior High School, Northern Illinois University , Lakota Middle School, Knoxville Central High School, Willoughby South High School, Henry Ford High School, University of Central Arkansas, Dillard High School, Dunbar High School, Hampton University, Harvard College, Larose-Cut Off Middle School, International Studies Academy, Skyline College,Discovery Middle School, University of Alabama, DeKalb School, Deer Creek Middle School, Ohio State University, Mumford High School, University of Texas, Kelly Elementary School, Marinette High School, Aurora Central High School, Millard South High School , Martinsville West Middle School, Worthing High School, Millard South High School, Highlands Intermediate School, Cape Fear High School, Chardon High,  School, Episcopal School of Jacksonville, Oikos University, Hamilton High School, Perry Hall School, Normal Community High School, University of South Alabama, Banner Academy South, University of Southern California, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Apostolic Revival Center Christian School, Taft Union High School, Osborn High School, Stevens Institute of Business and Arts, Hazard Community and Technical College, Chicago State University, Lone Star College-North, Cesar Chavez High School, Price Middle School, University of Central Florida, New River Community College, Grambling State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School, Ronald E McNair Discovery Academy, North Panola High School, Carver High School, Agape Christian Academy, Sparks Middle School, North Carolina A&T State University, Stephenson High School, Brashear High School, West Orange High School, Arapahoe High School, Edison High School, Liberty Technology Magnet High School, Hillhouse High School, Berrendo Middle School, Purdue University, South Carolina State University, Los Angeles Valley College, Charles F Brush High School, University of Southern California, Georgia Regents University, Academy of Knowledge Preschool, Benjamin Banneker High School, D H Conley High School, East English Village Preparatory Academy, Paine College, Georgia Gwinnett College, John F Kennedy High School, Seattle Pacific University, Reynolds High School, Indiana State University, Albemarle High School, Fern Creek Traditional High School, Langston Hughes High School, Marysville Pilchuck High School, Florida State University, Miami Carol City High School, Rogers State University, Rosemary Anderson High School, Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Frederick High School, Tenaya Middle School, Bethune-Cookman University, Pershing Elementary School,  Wayne Community College, JB Martin Middle School, Southwestern Classical Academy, Savannah State University, Harrisburg High School, Umpqua Community College, Northern Arizona University, Texas Southern University, Tennessee State University, Winston-Salem State University, Mojave High School, Lawrence Central High School, Franklin High School, Muskegon Heights High School, Independence High School, Madison High School, Antigo High School, University of California-Los Angeles, Jeremiah Burke High School, Alpine High School, Townville Elementary School, Vigor High School, Linden McKinley STEM Academy, June Jordan High School for Equity, Union Middle School, Mueller Park Junior High School, West Liberty-Salem High School, University of Washington, King City High School, North Park Elementary School, North Lake College, Freeman High School, Mattoon High School, Rancho Tehama Elementary School, Aztec High School, Wake Forest University, Italy High School, NET Charter High School, Marshall County High School, Sal Castro Middle School, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Great Mills High School, Central Michigan University, Huffman High School, Frederick Douglass High School, Forest High School, Highland High School, Dixon High School, Santa Fe High School, Noblesville West Middle School, University of North Carolina Charlotte, STEM School Highlands Ranch, Edgewood High School, Palm Beach Central High School, Providence Career & Technical Academy, Fairley High School (school bus), Canyon Springs High School, Dennis Intermediate School, Florida International University, Central Elementary School, Cascade Middle School, Davidson High School, Prairie View A & M University, Altascocita High School, Central Academy of Excellence, Cleveland High School, Robert E Lee High School, Cheyenne South High School, Grambling State University, Blountsville Elementary School, Holmes County, Mississippi (school bus), Prescott High School, College of the Mainland, Wynbrooke Elementary School, UNC Charlotte, Riverview Florida (school bus), Second Chance High School, Carman-Ainsworth High School, Williwaw Elementary School, Monroe Clark Middle School, Central Catholic High School, Jeanette High School, Eastern Hills High School, DeAnza High School, Ridgway High School, Reginald F Lewis High School, Saugus High School, Pleasantville High School, Waukesha South High School, Oshkosh High School, Catholic Academy of New Haven, Bellaire High School, North Crowley High School, McAuliffe Elementary School, South Oak Cliff High School, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Sonora High School, Western Illinois University, Oxford High School, Robb Elementary School, Thurston High School, Michigan State University, Covenant Christian School…WHICH SCHOOL NEXT?

Enjoy…

 

Facts…

In the US, the most common birthday between 2000 and 2014 is Sept. 12. The least common birthday is Dec. 25. 

More Slang origins…

You’re Slower Than Molasses In Winter!

Yes, this is an old Southern insult, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what it all means. The phrase can either refer to mental slowness or physical slowness… But if someone’s calling you this, it’s not a good sign!

The meaning is obvious – cold molasses pours very slowly! Try it out for yourself and see how long it takes to pour it out…

Beauty in our 50 states…

18. Florida

Tough call with Florida, where people dredged the flat swamplands that once defined the state, built hundreds of miles of artificial beaches, then lined those beaches with ugly condos, big-name hotels, and the Florida Men (and spring breakers) that come with both. Still, we’d be remiss to ignore the obvious beauty dealt out by sites like the underwater paradise that is Biscayne National Park, the palm tree and white sand-lined waters of the Keys, and even the pretty nice swamplands in Big Cypress National Preserve. Clean up your act a little, Florida, and you may rank higher next time around.

Historical Events

1492 – Queen Isabella of Castile issued The Alhambra Decree, ordering her 150,000 Jewish and Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity or face expulsion.
1889 – Eiffel Tower was dedicated, opening later that year.
1918 – Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States for the first time.
1992 – The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, was decommissioned in Long Beach, California.

Birthdays Today

89 – Richard Chamberlain, American actor
89 – Shirley Jones, American actress and singer
@88 – Gordie Howe, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2016)
88 – Herb Alpert, American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, and producer
@84 – Walter E. Williams, American economist and academic (d. 2020)
80 – Christopher Walken, American actor
“I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.”– Christopher Walken
@78 – Liz Claiborne, Belgian-American, founded Liz Claiborne Inc. (d. 2007; rare cancer)
@77 – Joseph Haydn, Austrian pianist, composer (d. 1809)
75 – Al Gore, American politician, 45th Vice President of the United States and Nobel Prize laureate
75 – Rhea Perlman, American actress
68 – Angus Young, Scottish-Australian guitarist and songwriter, AC/DC
“The best AC/DC cover I’ve heard? There was an all-girl cover band in America, the Hell’s Belles.”Angus Young, co-founder and lead guitarist for AC/DC
@66 – Cesar Chavez, American labor union leader and activist (d. 1993)
“When the man who feeds the world by toiling in the fields is himself deprived of the basic rights of feeding, sheltering, and caring for his own family, the whole community of man is sick.”– Cesar Chavez
@53 – René Descartes, French mathematician and philosopher (d. 1650; pneumonia)
“We do not describe the world we see, we see the world we can describe.”– Rene Descartes
52 – Ewan McGregor, movie actor

 

  

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Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
I retired in '06--at the ripe old age of 57. I enjoy blogging, photography, traveling, and living life to it's fullest.