16 Aug

 

Flagstaff Today 76°: 57° Week 33 Day 228 Wind 9 mph Gusts 15 mph Active Fire: 33 miles away Risk of Fire: Moderate Nearest lightning: 71 miles away Air Quality: Fair Partly Cloudy Sunshine Aug. Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture: 9 Day

Weekly Observations

Elvis Week: 8-16 Link Assistance Dog Week: 10-16 Safe + Sound Week: 11-17 Link National Resurrect Romance Week: 10-16

Weird Contest Week: 10-16  World Photography Week: 12-26 Link Little League World Series: 13-24  Link Great American Stamp Days: 14-17 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over: 15-9/1 Link

Daily Observations

Banana Day Link Bratwurst Day Chef Appreciation Day  Link Clear The Shelters Day International Geocaching Day International Homeless Animals Day  Joe Miller's Joke Day National Airborne Day

National Energy Multiplier Day Link National Honey Bee Day Link  National Rollercoaster Day Rum Day Surveilance Day Link  Link Tell a Joke Day (Joe Miller’s Day) Wave at Surveillance Day

Today’s Quotes                                                             

 

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

A nice summer day.

I got a blood draw this morning and am now awaiting medicine to be delivered.  I’m not complaining…the medicine is for my blood issues, and insurance pays for it. I just signed for it, so I’m set.

This is certainly fire season. As of today, there are currently, in the US, 46 large wildfires with 18,000 firefighters to slow them down. Thank you!

Myths from Medieval Times

The Church Didn't Suppress All Science

In many ways, certain religious teachings seem utterly incompatible with science, and at times the church has indeed suppressed scientific advancement. However, this wasn't always the case in medieval times.

In some ways, the church was at odds with itself — condemning ideas seen as heretical on one hand while welcoming scientific advancements on the other hand. Monasteries played a critical role in preserving texts and promoting literacy, while cathedral schools formed the basis for universities.

Accomplishments Wrongly Attributed to Famous People

The Discovery of Penicillin

Although Alexander Fleming is credited with discovering penicillin, the determination of Howard Florey, Norman Heatley, and others made its medical application possible. Fleming discovered the mold in 1928 but dismissed it as impractical, only for his findings to be revisited years later.

Interestingly, Ernest Duchesne identified penicillin’s healing properties decades earlier; however, due to his obscurity, the scientific community largely ignored his work. Duchesne even treated typhoid-stricken guinea pigs and completed a thesis on his findings, but his efforts were overlooked. By the time Fleming gained fame for penicillin, Duchesne had long passed away, leaving his contributions unrecognized for years.

Random Thoughts…

The ’57’on the Heinz ketchup bottle represents the number of pickle types the company once had.

The fear of cooking is known as Mageirocophobia and is a recognized phobia.

A group of ants is called a Colony or Army or Swarm or Nest.

There are more than 30,000 diets on public records. #snapplefacts

Rita Hayworth – Real Name: Marguerita Cansino

What is another word for “thesaurus”?

Historic Events

Click here for 16 Aug history

Birthdays

91 – Julie Newmar, American actress 79 – Lesley Ann Warren, American actress 72 – Kathie Lee Gifford, American talk show host 71 – James Cameron, Canadian director, producer and screenwriter 68 – Laura Innes, American actress, director 67 – Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone), American singer-songwriter and actress 67 – Angela Bassett, American actress 65 – Timothy Hutton, American actor 63 – Steve Carell, American actor, 40 – Cristin Milioti, American actress

@91 – Otto Messmer, American cartoonist, animator, co-created Felix the Cat (d. 1983) @89 – Hal Foster, Canadian-American author, illustrator [Prince Valiant] (d. 1982) @85 – Fess Parker, American actor (d. 2010) @85 – Al Hibbler, American baritone singer (d. 2001) @84 – Frank Gifford, American football player, and sportscaster (d. 2015) @84 – Eydie Gormé (Edith Gormezano), American singer (d. 2013) @79 – Robert Culp, American actor (d. 2010; fall) @72 – John ‘Don’ Bosco, Italian priest, educator (d. 1888) @46 – T. E. Lawrence, British colonel, diplomat, writer, archaeologist (d. 1935; motorcycle accident)

…The End for today…

           

15 Aug

 

Flagstaff Today 81°: 59° Week 33 Day 227 Wind 7 mph Gusts 14 mph Active Fire: 33 miles away Risk of Fire: Moderate Nearest lightning: 11 miles away Air Quality: Fair Overcast Aug. Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture: 9 Day

Weekly Observations

Elvis Week: 8-16 Link Assistance Dog Week: 10-16 Safe + Sound Week: 11-17 Link National Resurrect Romance Week: 10-16

Weird Contest Week: 10-16  World Photography Week: 12-26 Link Little League World Series: 13-24  Link Great American Stamp Days: 14-17

Daily Observations

Best Friends Day Chauvin Day Check The Chip Day (Those Implanted in Pets)  Link Green Data Day Kool-Aid Day Link

Men's Grooming Day  National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence Link  National Leathercraft Day  Link National Relaxation Day

Today’s Quotes                                                             

 

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

Our town got some monsoon rain yesterday and today it looks good for some more showers today. Nice!

Trump demands a thorough review of all Smithsonian Museum exhibits, materials, and operations to prepare for this country’s 250 anniversary. I hope he is not planning on rewriting history.

Trump announced the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors. He says he was 98% on the choices and says he will host this year’s events. I never thought a President would be able to find the time needed to be a host.

Myths from Medieval Times

Castles Weren't Always Luxurious

Castles are seen as the top abode for medieval society's richest people, with the assumption that they were the luxurious mega-mansions of their day.

While castles did tend to feature amenities that peasants could only dream of, they were generally constructed for defense and not luxury. The best-defended castles were made of stone, and this form of construction made castles dark, damp, and often chilly places.

Accomplishments Wrongly Attributed to Famous People

The Assembly Line

As commonly believed, Ransom E. Olds, not Henry Ford, invented the assembly line. In 1901, Olds developed a method to mass-produce vehicles, enabling his factory to increase annual production from 425 cars to 2,500.

Ford later revolutionized this system by introducing a conveyor belt that allowed parts and cars to move continuously along the line, creating the “moving assembly line.” While Ford’s legacy as an industrial innovator endures, Olds’s pioneering contributions form the foundation of modern vehicle manufacturing.

Random Thoughts…

Tinder, Match.com, PlentyOfFish, and OK Cupid are all owned by the same company.

The political terms “Left-Wing” and “Right-Wing” are traced back to the French Revolution. It referred to the side of the assembly politicians sat. The Right was supportive of the King and upper class while the Left was supportive of the Revolution and the Lower Class.

Historic Events

Click here for 15 Aug history

Birthdays

Returns tomorrow

…The End for today…

           

14 Aug

 

Flagstaff Today 84°: 53° Week 33 Day 226 Wind A mph Gusts A mph Active Fire: 82 miles away  Risk of Fire: Extreme Nearest lightning: 2 miles away Air Quality: Fair Overcast Aug. Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture: 9 Day

Weekly Observations

Elvis Week: 8-16 Link Assistance Dog Week: 10-16 Safe + Sound Week: 11-17 Link

National Resurrect Romance Week: 10-16 Weird Contest Week: 10-16  World Photography Week: 12-26 Link Little League World Series: 13-24  Link

Daily Observations

Creamsicle Day Military Marriage Day  National Hazy IPA Day Link  National Lizard Day Link National Navajo Code Talkers Day Navajo Code talkers Day

Romance Awareness Day Link Social Security Day St. Maximillian Kolbe Day (Ham Radio Saint) Link Link V-J Day World Calligraphy Day Link

Today’s Quotes                                                             

 

Today’s Memes

 

Thoughts for the day

A rainstorm is brewing.  I can smell the rain. Lightning is very close. We need moisture.

Today is Navajo Code Talkers Day. I was honored to meet and work with several Code Talkers in my career on the Rez. They did an amazing job during the war and were kind, successful leaders after the war. I also got to meet Mr. Johnson, an Anglo, who set up the training in Flagstaff for the original Code Talkers. He had some great stories too.

I have been reporting on the wildfire at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I also realize that there are huge fires around the US, including CO. Now there are huge wildfires in several parts of Europe. I sure hope all these fires are not announcing the arrival of the rapture.

Myths from Medieval Times

Not Everyone Was A "Flat Earther"

In the Middle Ages, most people did not believe that the earth was flat. Historian Jeffrey Burton Russell claims that the "flat earth" theory stopped being a widespread belief by the 3rd century B.C.

You might ask, "But what about the church?" Between two and five popes asserted that the earth was flat, but the rest disagreed. The concept of "anti-science" Middle Ages came from 19th-century writers who were largely anti-religious, according to Russell. It is possible that there are more flat-earthers today than there were in the Medieval era.

Accomplishments Wrongly Attributed to Famous People

The First Summit of Everest

It is uncertain whether Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach Mount Everest’s peak, as George Mallory and Andrew Irvine may have succeeded in 1924. Mallory’s body was found near the summit in 1999, and circumstantial evidence hints that he might have reached the top.

His goggles were in his pocket, suggesting that he was descending in low light when he perished. Irvine was carrying their camera, but their remains have never been found, leaving the question unanswered. Hillary himself graciously avoided dismissing their accomplishment, emphasizing that he and Norgay were at least the first to return from the summit successfully.

Random Thoughts…

Green Lantern’s ring is mostly just a 3-D printer, isn’t it?

History doesn’t repeat itself, humans repeat history.

It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission.

Using the word “pedantic,” in fact, makes you sound pedantic.

Acton’s Law: Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The world record for 100-meter three-legged race stands at 13.6 seconds, since 1906.

Historic Events

Click here for 14 Aug history

Birthdays

80 – Steve Martin, American actor, comedian, screenwriter 79 – Susan Saint James, American actress 78 – Danielle Steel, American author 75 – Gary Larson, American cartoonist, The Far Side 66 – Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, American basketball player 65 – Sarah Brightman, English singer, actress 59 – Halle Berry, American model, and actress, Miss World United States 1986 57 – Catherine Bell, English-American actress 42 – Mila Kunis, Ukrainian-American actress 38 – Tim Tebow, American football and baseball player

@90 – Armando Joseph "Buddy" Greco, American singer, pianist (d. 2017) @84 – Alice Ghostley, American character actress (d. 2007)   @81 – David Crosby, American singer-songwriter (d. 2023) @72 – Francis Ford, American actor, director, producer, screenwriter (d. 1953)   @55 – William Hutchinson, founder of Rhode Island (d. 1642) @36 – Doc Holliday (John Henry Holliday), American dentist, gambler (d. 1887; TB)

…The End for today…