14 Dec

 

 

Flag Today  47°/23°   Week 50  Day 349 Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Wind 5 mph Gusts 11 mph  Light Breeze Active Fire: 340 miles away Risk of fire: Moderate Nearest Lightning: 1741 miles away Dec. Averages: Temps: 45°\18° Moisture:  5 Days

Weekly Observations

14-1/5/25 Christmas Bird Count Week Link  14-28 Halcyon Days: 14-28 (Always 7 days before and 7 days after the Winter Solstice)

4-24 Andisop (Meteorological Fiddling) Link 9-15 Computer Science Education Week Link ( Always week with 12/9. Birthday of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper.) 10-17 Human Rights Week

Daily Observations

Halcyon Days – Traditionally, the 7 days before and after before and after the Winter Solstice. Gingerbread Decorating Day   Gingerbread House Day International Shareware Day   Martyred Intellectuals Day Link Monkey Day Link

National Bouillabaisse Day National Day of The Horse National Wreaths Across America Day  Link Roast Chestnuts Day U.S. Park Police Day Yoga Day Link

Today’s Seasonal Quote                                                                

 

Today’s Meme

 

Thoughts for the day

A nice late fall day.

I’ve been using Jackie Lawson e-cards for years, ever since I got one from my tour director Ellie. Now it has become more and more difficult to log onto the website. Very frustrating.

Trump has been Time Magazines Person of the Year. He seems elated after using a fake Time cover for quite a few years. Even this honor is tainted since many horrific persons have been named Person of the Year by Time. One gets it for being in the news, not for doing good things.

Trivia Time

 

Christmas Traditions

Hanging a pickle on the tree

The old legend says if a pickle is the last ornament hung on the Christmas tree, the first child to find the pickle gets an extra present. You can make yourself a family legend with quick pickles that everybody can share on Christmas.

Random Thoughts…

Did you know that Santa Claus has his own army? He keeps it in his sleevie.

The city of Bangkok’s full name is in fact: ‘Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit’

“Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else.” – Will Rogers

The Church of Satan won’t give membership to convicted felons.

Pronoia, the opposite of paranoia, is the delusion that everyone is secretly plotting your success.

Ancient Roman Life

In addition to physical exploitation, female slaves also performed various roles in Roman households and society. They worked as maids, cooks, and nurses, often facing the dual burden of labor and intimate physical abuse. Their artistic talents, whether in music, dance, or other forms of entertainment, were exploited for the pleasure of their masters, turning their skills into instruments of their subjugation.

Historic Events

Dec 14 History

Birthdays

Vanessa Hudgens, 36 Movie Actress Alex Gaskarth, 37 Rock Singer Jackson Rathbone, 40 Movie Actor

@87 – Morey Amsterdam, American actor (d. 1996) @86 – Don Hewitt, American journalist, producer, creator of 60 Minutes (d. 2009) @69 – Patty Duke, American actress (d. 2016; ruptured intestine) @62 – Charlie Rich, American singer-songwriter, guitarist (d. 1995; pulmonary embolism)   @62 – Nostradamus, French astrologer, seer, and physician (d. 1566; edema) @55 – Lee Remick, American actress (d. 1991; kidney cancer) @54 – Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer (d. 1601; kidney failure) @53 – Spike Jones, American singer, bandleader (d. 1965; emphysema)

…The End for today…

               

13 Dec

 

 

Flag Today  55°/21°   Week 50  Day 348 Air Quality: Fair Partly Cloudy  Sunshine Wind 11 mph Gusts 18 mph Fresh Breeze Active Fire: 369 miles away Risk of fire: High Nearest Lightning: 1762 miles away Dec. Averages: Temps: 45°\18° Moisture:  5 Days

Weekly Observations

-24 Andisop (Meteorological Fiddling) Link 9-15 Computer Science Education Week Link ( Always week with 12/9. Birthday of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper.) 10-17 Human Rights Week

Daily Observations

Day Of The Horse Gingerbread Man Day National Cocoa Day National Day of the Horse

National Guard Birthday Link National Violin Day Official Lost & Found Day  Pick A Pathologist Pal Day Link

Today’s Seasonal Quote                                                                

 

Today’s Meme

 

Thoughts for the day

A nice fall day with sunshine.  Can’t complain about the weather.

I had lunch with Andy & Faith. Good food, great conversation….

Trump appointee Wray has resigned with 3 years left on his FBI Director term. He and Trump had issues near the end of the last term. I guess the FBI leader is becoming more political. Sad.

Kari Lake, who lost elections for both the senate and governor seats in AZ, has been appointed by Trump to run Voice of America. I wonder how that will work out.

When I came to the Navajo Rez I quickly learned about the Tribal Clothing Program. The tribe bought two sets of school clothes, new shoes, and a winter jacket for students enrolled in school. In Shonto, the students looked forward to the clothing and jackets. There are only about 6 different combination sets of clothes, so every classroom had several students wearing the exact same clothes. When I got to Tuba, the clothing program was only for the really needy, as the better off students would simply dump their clothes. Yesterday they was an application for Tribal clothing on my Facebook page. It brought back lots of memories. The clothes were ordered in September and usually arrived in November. When I went to Navajo Mountain as acting principal, the previous principal had lost several large packages of many sets of clothes when she hit a pothole on the dirt road and the packages fell off and rolled down into the canyon. That year I got there in December and just before Christmas break, the tribe replaced the missing clothes, so they had new clothes for Christmas. 

Christmas Traditions

Sharing Christmas wafers with the family (even pets)

On Christmas Eve, people in Poland break apart thin wafers called oplatki and share them with their families. Wafers are passed around the table as everyone wishes good tidings upon their loved ones.

But what about your pets? They’re part of the family too! In many packets of oplatki, you’ll find a pink wafer that’s meant to be shared with your furry pals. Well, traditionally this wafer would have been shared with farm animals, but today people of Polish extraction share with their dogs and cats.

Random Thoughts…

There will be no Christmas pageant in Washington, DC this year… Apparently, they could not find three wise men.

The most points scored in an NBA game is 186 by the Detroit Pistons against the Denver Nuggets. The second most is 184 by the Denver Nuggets, in the same game, on Dec 13, 1983.

The Guinness World Record for “most prolific cannibal” is held by a 19th-century Fijian chief called Ratu Udre Udre, who ate between 872 and 999 people.

US President #39 Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Jimmy was the only President since 1909 who didn’t throw out the first pitch to open the baseball season.

In most European countries, most of Asia and Oceania, the week starts on Monday. In North America, Japan, Israel, South Africa, and most of Latin America, it starts on Sunday.

Out of all the Disney princesses, Mulan is the only one who has ever killed a man.

Ancient Roman Life

Life of a female slave

In ancient Rome, female slaves faced a particularly harrowing existence marked by exploitation and a lack of autonomy. Beyond the general hardships endured by all slaves, such as grueling labor and harsh punishments, women in bondage were often subjected to additional layers of abuse and degradation. Many were bought specifically for their masters’ physical gratification, a tragic exploitation that stripped them of their autonomy and consent. This coital slavery wasn’t just a private affair; it extended to public brothels, where countless female slaves were forced to service numerous clients daily.

Historic Events

Dec 13

Birthdays

Taylor Swift, 34 Pop Singer Jamie Foxx, 57 Movie Actor NeNe Leakes, 57 Reality Star Steve Buscemi, 67 Movie Actor Ted Nugent, 76 Guitarist Dick Van Dyke, 99 TV Actor

@91 – Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor (d. 2021) @77 – Richard D. Zanuck, American film producer (d. 2012; heart attack) @63 – Mary Todd Lincoln, 16th First Lady of the United States (d. 1882stroke) @62 – Van Heflin, American actor (d. 1971; stroke)   @58 – Heinrich Heine, German poet (d. 1797; lead poisoning)

…The End for today…

               

12 Dec

 

 

Flag Today  45°/14°   Week 50  Day 347 Air Quality: Fair Mostly Cloudy   Wind 11 mph Gusts - mph Gentle Breeze Active Fire: 347 miles away Risk of fire: High Nearest Lightning: 1680 miles away Dec. Averages: Temps: 45°\18° Moisture:  5 Days

Weekly Observations

4-24 Andisop (Meteorological Fiddling) Link 9-15 Computer Science Education Week Link ( Always week with 12/9. Birthday of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper.) 10-17 Human Rights Week

Daily Observations

Gingerbread House Day International Day of Heavy Metal Music Link  International Day of Neutrality International Universal Health Coverage Day National 12-hour Fresh Breath Day National Ambrosia Day

National Ding-a-Ling Day Link National Cocoa Day  Link National Lost Day Link National Poinsettia Day Our Lady of Guadelupe Link Poinsettia Day Link

Today’s Seasonal Quote                                                                

 

Today’s Meme

 

Thoughts for the day

It’s been a long time since I’ve worn cowboy boots. I started looking a few weeks ago but can’t find the style I want and the prices are ridiculous. I’m sure they will last a long time, but almost $200 seems steep to me, especially since I’m not finding a style I like. I’ll just keep looking.

All these clouds should drop some moisture, but the weather guy sez no moisture from this quick cloud cover.

Trivia Time

 

Christmas Traditions

Roller skating to church

In Caracas, Venezuela, many energetic Mass-goers celebrate the Christmas holiday on roller skates. In fact, there are so many Yuletide skaters that some of the city’s streets are closed to traffic from 8 a.m. on Christmas day to keep the skaters safe.

Random Thoughts…

What did one snowman say to the other snowman?
“Do you smell carrots?”
The time zone used on the International Space Station is “Coordinated Universal Time” (UTC), which is equivalent to GMT.

A group of Scorpions is called a Bed or Nest.

There are more species of beetles than species of plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and roundworms combined.

The reason school buses are required to stop at all railroad crossings is because of a 1938 accident in South Jordan/Sandy, UT.

Ancient Roman Life

Ancient Roman Beauty Routines for Women

Women in ancient Rome strived for beauty standards that signified status and class, focusing on a pale, unblemished complexion with a subtle blush. Achieving this look required an array of natural cosmetics, such as foundations made from white lead and blush from various organic and inorganic materials.

Elaborate hairstyles embellished with ropes or golden threads displayed wealth and artistry. Icons like Poppaea Sabina exemplified these ideals. These beauty rituals went beyond vanity, embodying the wealth and societal roles of Roman women, and were integral to their identity in the public and private spheres​​​​​​​.

Historic Events

1531 – The Virgin of Guadalupe first appeared to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico City.

1917 – Father Edward J. Flanagan founded Boy’s Town in Omaha, Nebraska.

1925 – The Mo-Tel of San Luis Obispo, California (between Los Angeles to San Francisco) opened as the first motel. The word Motel is a combination of the words ‘Motorist’ and ‘Hotel.’

1953 – Chuck Yeager established the speed record (Mach 2.5) record flying a Bell X-1A, a slightly larger, but a much-modified version of the Bell X-1

1967 – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, starring Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Houghton, opened in theaters.

1980 – Leonardo da Vinci’s Leicester Codex was sold to Armand Hammer for $5.12 million. Bill Gates later bought it from the Hammer Estate for 30.8 million in 1994.

1989 – 69-year-old Leona Helmsley, the “Queen of Mean,” received a four-year prison sentence, along with750 hours of community service, and a $7.1 million tax fraud fine in New York.

2003 – Keiko the Orca (or killer whale), star of the Free Willy movies died in his home of Taknes fjord, in Norway.

Birthdays

Dionne Warwick, 84 Pop Singer Mayim Bialik, 49 TV Actress Bill Nighy, 75 Movie Actor       Cathy Rigby, 72, American gymnast Sheila E. (Sheila Cecelia Escovedo), 67, American singer-songwriter and drummer   Connie Francis, 87, singer, and actress

@99 – Bob Barker, American game show host @88 – Ed Koch, American politician, 105th Mayor of New York City (d. 2013) @82 – Frank Sinatra, American singer, and actor (d. 1998) @80 – Edvard Munch, Norwegian painter, illustrator (d. 1944) @79 – Edward G. Robinson, American actor (d. 1973; bladder cancer) @72 – Henry Wells, American businessman, co-founder of Wells Fargo and American Express (d. 1878)

…The End for today…