September 30, 2016

Oct 1

FYI: Any blue text is a link. Click to check it out!
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10..16 Week: 39 \ Day: 275
October Averages: 63°\31°
86004 Today: H 70° \ L 41° Average Sky Cover: 70% 
Wind ave:   5mph\Gusts:  14mph Visibility: 10 mi
Record High: 85°[1980]   Record Low: 20°[2009]
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Quote of the Day
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln
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Observances Today                                                  
CD Player Day
Cephalopod Awareness Day  
Fire Pup Day
Frugal Fun Day 
International Day of Older Persons
Inter-American Water Day  Link
International Music Day Link
Model T Day
National Book It! Day
National Lace Day Link
National Walk Your Dog Day Link
Vegan Baking Day
Armed Forces Day (South Korea)
Independence Day (Cyprus)
Independence Day (Nigeria-1960-Britain)
National Day (China)
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Observances This Week
1-5 
Trichotillomania, Skin Picking & Related BFRB Awareness Week  Link
 1-7 
National Walk Your Dog Week Link
 1-7
Universal Children's Week
 1-10  
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Link
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Today’s US Historical Highlights
Today’s World Historical Highlights
1661 Yachting begins in England; King Charles II beats his brother James, Duke of York racing from Greenwich to Gravesend
1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie flees to France
1814 Opening of the Congress of Vienna, redrew Europe's political map after the defeat of Napoléon Bonaparte
1829 South African College is founded in Cape Town, South Africa; later to separate into the University of Cape Town and the South African College Schools.
1837 Treaty with Winnebago Indians
1844 German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt departs Jimbour, the farthest outpost of settlement on the Queensland Darling Downs, to begin his exploration of Australia's Northern Territory from Moreton Bay to Port Essington
1851 1st Hawaiian stamps issued
1854 The watch company founded in 1850 in Roxbury by Aaron Lufkin Dennison relocates to Waltham, Massachusetts, to become the Waltham Watch Company, a pioneer in the American System of Watch Manufacturing.
1867 Karl Marx' "Das Kapital" published
1868 "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott is published in America by Roberts Brothers of Boston
1869 1st postcards are issued (Vienna, Austria)
1880 John Philip Sousa becomes new director of US Marine Corps Band
1888 National Geographic magazine publishes for the 1st time
1890 Congress creates Weather Bureau
1890 Congress establishes Yosemite National Park (California)
1891 In the U.S. state of California, Stanford University opens its doors.
1892 University of Chicago opens
1903 1st baseball World Series, Pittsburgh Pirates vs Boston Pilgrims (Red Sox)
1907 A downturn in the stock market leads to a run on the dollar; US President Theodore Roosevelt will be forced to call on financier JP Morgan to help manage the financial crisis
1908 Henry Ford introduces the Model T car (costs $825)
1918 World War I: Arab forces under T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") capture Damascus
1926 An oil field accident cost aviator Wiley Post his left eye, but he used the settlement money to buy his first aircraft.
1931 The second (and current) Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is opened in New York.
1939 Churchill calls Soviets "riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma"
1955 "Honeymooners" premieres
1957 First appearance of "In God We Trust" on U.S. paper currency.
1962 Barbra Streisand signs her 1st recording contract (with Columbia)
1962 Brian Epstein signs a contract to manage Beatles through 1977
1962 James Meredith became 1st black at U of Mississippi
1974 Watergate cover-up trial opens in Wash DC
1975 Muhammad Ali TKOs Joe Frazier in 15 for heavyweight boxing title in "The Thrilla in Manila"
1979 US returns Canal Zone (but not the canal) to Panama after 75 years
1982 EPCOT Center opens in Orlando Florida
1984 Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury comic strip resumes after 2-year hiatus
1988 Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, effectively head of state of the Soviet Union
1990 US President George H. W. Bush at UN, condemns Iraq's takeover of Kuwait
1994 South African President Nelson Mandela visits US
2000 27th Olympic Games closes at Sydney, Australia
2015 Mudslide on the outskirts of Guatemala City leaves at least 131 dead and 300 missing
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My Rambling Thoughts
So yesterday was really busy. We had our weekly lunch in Williams…about 30 minutes from home. Then we headed for Bearizona…to see the black bears, the new jaguar, and of course the otters. Had a lot of fun…but it turned out to be a full day.

Mary, a retired teacher from TC, was telling me about her 50th reunion of the people she did her Jr. Year abroad in Florence, Italy. Seems Gonzaga thought it was a big deal as they sent a TV crew to film their memories of that year in Florence. As times and students have changed the Jr. Year Abroad has changed to a semester abroad. The guy who is leading the current trip flew in from Florence for ideas. Seems today’s students aren’t getting the full experience of being in a foreign country as they are always on social media, even during class and excursions to meet the people. He was hoping they would have ideas, since their group is so close and continues to have reunions every 5 years. Times have certainly changed and I am glad I am out of the education business.

Today’s mail had a shocker…a letter from the State of CA says I owe them $2700 for tax not paid in 2014. So I called to see what it was about. The phone had a message that there was a 3 hour wait time and hung up. I called another number and got the same message. Called H&R Block and got another message that the office would be open on Wed. Sept 21 from 8a-10a. I left a message to call me, but who knows. Then I called H&R Block home office. After telling a nice lady the problem, she said they will call me back on Monday at 10a. The bill is due the 11th. WTF? I don’t live in CA and if I have any investments in CA, the investment holder pays all the taxes. This is a real pain as I went through this with CO a few years ago. States need money and they will try to get it anyway they can. BOO!

So I made a special effort last night to watch the local weather. Sunny and nice he said through Sunday. Well about 2p very dark clouds appeared and soon covered the sky. Then the sky opened up with a torrential rain. Oh well.
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Brain Teasers
(answers at the end of post)
Agents in Action
Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.

The Agents of F.C.I. have amusing anagrams to match their characteristics, for example, AGENT SOUL, whose name anagrams to LANGOUSTE, likes seafood.

Try to determine the Anagrams for the following Agents.

AGENT DEE is very young.

AGENT YIP specializes in Pharaohs and Sphinxes.

AGENT MIC has attractive abilities.


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Today’s Trivia Hive
(answers at the end of post)
What were the names of the three ships taken over by colonists during the Boston Tea Party?
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…Harper’s Index…
3 – Number of the 10 Amazon best-selling books in the US last year that were coloring books for adults
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Yep, It Really Happened
*-- Colorado woman stabbed by her knife-loving dog --*

HUDSON, Colo. - A Colorado woman hospitalized with a cut on her arm told authorities she was accidentally stabbed -- by her dog. Celinda Haynes of Hudson was rushed to Platte Valley Medical Center on Wednesday with a 4-inch-long gash in her arm. Suspicious hospital workers contacted authorities when Haynes told them she was stabbed by her dog, Mia. "She's lovable," Haynes told KDVR-TV. "She'll kill you with kindness." Haynes said the incident began when Mia grabbed a freshly sharpened pairing knife in her mouth with the blade pointed outward and down. Haynes said she attempted to use treats to entice Mia to drop the knife, but the canine decided to bring her "new toy" along for the ride. "When [Mia] went over to eat the treat, she ran the knife across my arm and cut a big old gash about four 4 inches long," Haynes said. Deputy Zach Johnson of Hudson's Marshal Service said he was stumped when the call came in from the dispatcher. "When dispatch said that there was a person who was stabbed by a dog, I had to make sure I heard that correctly," Johnson said. "Of course, my initial thought was, 'What's really going on here?'" Johnson said deputies investigated the suspected domestic violence, but settled on Mia as their sole suspect in the case. "Obviously, we're not charging Mia with anything because she's a dog," Johnson said. Haynes said her arm is healing while she tries to figure out a way to deal with Mia's fascination with knives. "[Mia] even pulls them out of the knife block," Haynes said. "Anything for me to chase her, she'll do it."               

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Somewhat Useless Information
The first day of autumn is known as the autumnal equinox. On this day, the number of hours of daylight and darkness are equal. This is because the sun is aligned with the center of the Earth between the north and south of the planet.
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In Greek mythology, autumn was the time when Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld. During this time, Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, was distraught and the ground grew sparse and cold. When Persephone returned in the springtime, plants and life bloomed anew because of Demeter's happiness.
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Yellow, orange and variations thereof always reside in the pigmentation of tree leaves, but they are overpowered by the abundance of green from the chlorophyll in the leaves. Come autumn, when the sun weakens and days grow shorter, the amount of chlorophyll in leaves diminishes, allowing the other pigments in the leaves to show through.
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Fall is a peak migration time for many species of birds. During autumn, birds will fly to other areas seeking more hospitable climates. The Arctic tern journeys about 11,000 miles each way for its annual migration. That is like going all the way across the United States about three and a half times.
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Autumn also signals another colorful spectacle apart from the tree leaves. The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, tends to be visible this time of year. This is because geomagnetic storms are about twice as likely to occur during the fall thanks to cool evening weather.
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Evergreen trees will not lose their leaves like deciduous trees. Their leaves, also called needles, are covered with a thick wax. This wax protects the inner components of the needles, preventing them from freezing.
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How products got their name
Q-tips
Back in the 1920s, after watching his wife apply cotton to toothpicks, Leo Gerstenzang developed a pre-made cotton swab for mothers to use in caring for their infants. The original name for the product, Baby Gays, was later changed to one that describes its use: "Q" for quality, "tips" for the cotton attached at either end.
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Birthdays Today
“[ ]” indicates age at death
*-- Colorado woman stabbed by her knife-loving dog --*

HUDSON, Colo. - A Colorado woman hospitalized with a cut on her arm told authorities she was accidentally stabbed -- by her dog. Celinda Haynes of Hudson was rushed to Platte Valley Medical Center on Wednesday with a 4-inch-long gash in her arm. Suspicious hospital workers contacted authorities when Haynes told them she was stabbed by her dog, Mia. "She's lovable," Haynes told KDVR-TV. "She'll kill you with kindness." Haynes said the incident began when Mia grabbed a freshly sharpened pairing knife in her mouth with the blade pointed outward and down. Haynes said she attempted to use treats to entice Mia to drop the knife, but the canine decided to bring her "new toy" along for the ride. "When [Mia] went over to eat the treat, she ran the knife across my arm and cut a big old gash about four 4 inches long," Haynes said. Deputy Zach Johnson of Hudson's Marshal Service said he was stumped when the call came in from the dispatcher. "When dispatch said that there was a person who was stabbed by a dog, I had to make sure I heard that correctly," Johnson said. "Of course, my initial thought was, 'What's really going on here?'" Johnson said deputies investigated the suspected domestic violence, but settled on Mia as their sole suspect in the case. "Obviously, we're not charging Mia with anything because she's a dog," Johnson said. Haynes said her arm is healing while she tries to figure out a way to deal with Mia's fascination with knives. "[Mia] even pulls them out of the knife block," Haynes said. "Anything for me to chase her, she'll do it."

Historical Birthdays Today
92- Jimmy Carter,
American politician, 39th US President (D) (1977-81), born in Plains, Georgia
[87] James Whitmore,
White Plains NY, actor (Give 'em Hell Harry) [d2009]
 [87] Roger Williams, American pianist [d2011]
[83] Tom Bosley,
actor (Howard-Happy Days, Murder She Wrote), born in Chicago, Illinois [d2010]
81- Julie Andrews,
British actress and singer (Sound of Music, Mary Poppins), born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
[80] William Rehnquist,
Ws, Supreme Court/chief justice [d-2005]
[79] Walter Matthau,
actor (Odd Couple, Bad News Bears), born in NYC, New York [d2000]
 [72] Richard Harris,
Irish actor (Man Called Horse) and singer (MacArthur Park), born in Limerick, Ireland (d. 2002)
66- Randy Quaid,
actor (Midnight Express, Vacation, Saturday Night Live), born in Houston, Texas
[65] George Peppard,
actor (Banacek, A-Team, Blue Max), born in Detroit, Michigan []d1994]
47- Zach Galifianakis,
American actor (The Hangover, Birdman) born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina
[33] Bonnie Parker,
American outlaw of Bonnie and Clyde fame, born in Rowena, Texas (d. 1934)
[31] James Lawrence,
naval hero (War of 1812-"Don't give up the ship!") [d1813]
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Historical Obits Today
@90-1995 Margaret Gorman Cahill,
1st Miss America (1921)
@86-1985 E. B. White,
US author (New Yorker, Charlotte's Web)
@86-1972 Louis Leakey,
English anthropologist, dies at 681980 George Meany, union pres (AFL-CIO)
@83-1990 Curtis E LeMay,
USAF General/VP candidate
@66-2013 Tom Clancy
US Author 'The Hunt for Red October', heart problems?
@58-2004 Bruce Palmer,
Canadian musician (Buffalo Springfield), heart attack
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Brain Teasers Answers
AGENT DEE, who is TEENAGED, is very young.
AGENT YIP, who is EGYPTIAN, specializes in Pharaohs and Sphinxes.
AGENT MIC, who is MAGNETIC, has attractive abilities.

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Trivia Hive  Answers
The Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver
If you don't remember what happened during the Boston Tea Party, let's recap: The East India Company wasn't doing so hot so the British Parliament decided to give it a bit of a bailout and passed "The Tea Act of 1773" which meant that the U.S. could only buy British tea. Fun. The colonists were over it and decided on December 16th to board the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver and throw 342 chests of tea overboard making it the most thirst-quenching protest in our nation's history. Source: Boston Tea Party Historical Society
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Disclaimer: All opinions are mine…feel free to agree or disagree.
All ‘data’ info is from the internet sites and is usually checked with at least one other source, but I have learned that every site contains mistakes and sadly once the information is out there, many sites simply copy it and is therefore difficult to verify. Also for events occurring before the Gregorian calendar was adopted [1582] the dates may not be totally accurate.

☼☼☼☼And That Is All for Now…☼☼☼☼

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