|
 |
 |
|
Dec. Averages: Temps: 43°\20° Moisture:4 Days moisture 0.7” Flagstaff Today 60°: 30° Week 51 Day 348 Wind: 4 mph Gusts 7 mph Nearest lightning: 975 miles away Active Fire: 213 miles away Risk of
Fire: High Air Quality: Moderate Sunshine |
Weekly Observations
|
Andisop (Meterological
Fiddling Link 8-14 Computer Science Education Week Link ) 10-17 Human Rights Week |
11-1/1/26 Drive Sober or Get Pulled
Over Link 14-22 Chanukah Christmas Bird Count Week Link Gluten-free Baking Week Halcyon Days |
Daily Observations
|
Chanukah
begins |
Yoga Day Link |
Today’s Quotes
Today’s Memes
My Thoughts for the day
Clear deep blue sky. Nice!
One of the key Republican beliefs for decades has been smaller government.
Trump seemed to believe that until recently. He is ready to go to shut down the
Dept. of Education and turn oversight and the rest to the various states. As a
retired educator I don’t agree with this plan, as I remember the days before
the Dept. of Education when states could decide not to fund integration, not
serve Special Needs students, and place restrictions on what history and what
science could be taught in schools. Now Trump is saying that the states should
not control AI and that the only way to control AI’s advances is through the
Federal Government. I just don’t understand the difference. I think the Feds
should have oversite on AI.
I had a craving for egg salad this morning, so I did the work and just
made a great egg salad sandwich. Tastes very good.
Wild West Myths that never happened…
Saloons
Were Always Rowdy and Violent
Movies
depict saloons as chaotic places filled with brawls, poker cheats, and
shootouts. While saloons did serve alcohol, gambling, and entertainment, most
were far tamer than fiction suggests.
Many
saloons were simply social hubs where locals gathered to relax after long
workdays. They hosted dances, meetings, and even church services in some cases.
Violence did happen, but it wasn’t the nightly spectacle we imagine.
Rowdiness
was most common in boomtowns during gold rushes, where transient populations
created instability. In more established communities, saloons were controlled
and often family-run businesses. These establishments were central to social
life, not just scenes of chaos.
Cities that changed their names…
Salisbury
→ Harare (Zimbabwe)
In 1980,
Zimbabwe gained independence after nearly a century of British colonial rule.
Two years later, its capital shed the name “Salisbury” and became “Harare,”
honoring a local Shona chief who once ruled the region. The new name was more
than a gesture; it was the birth certificate of a free nation. Where colonial
boulevards once bore imperial names, new streets now celebrate African heroes.
Harare became not just a capital but a declaration of ownership; a city finally
calling itself by its own language.
Random Thoughts…
Historic Events
1900 - Professor Max Planck of Berlin
University revealed his revolutionary Quantum Theory.
1903 - Orville Wright made the first attempt
at powered flight. The engine stalled during take-off and the plane was damaged
in the attempt. Three days later, after repairs were made, the modern aviation
age was born when the plane stayed aloft for 12 seconds and flew 102 feet.
1911 - Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen
became the first man to reach the South Pole. He reached the destination 35
days ahead of Captain Robert F. Scott.
1946 - The U.N. General Assembly voted to
establish the United Nation's headquarters in New York City.
1962 - The U.S. space probe Mariner
II approached Venus. It transmitted information about the planet's
atmosphere and surface temperature.
1981 - Israel annexed the Golan Heights,
seized from Syria in war in 1967.
1985 - Wilma Mankiller became the first
woman to lead a major American Indian tribe as she formally took office as
principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of OKlahoma.
1986 - The experimental aircraft Voyager,
piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, took off from California on the
first non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world. The trip took nine days
to complete.
1993 - A judge in Colorado struck
down the state's voter-approved Amendment Two prohibiting gay rights laws,
calling it unconstitutional.
1997 - Cuban President Fidel Castro declared
Christmas 1997 an official holiday to ensure the success of Pope John Paul II's
upcoming visit to Cuba.
2000 - It was announced that American
businessman Edmond Pope would be released from a Russian prison for
humanitarian reasons. Pope had been sentenced to 20 years in prison after his
conviction on espionage charges.
2001 - The first commercial export, since
1963, of U.S. food
to Cuba began. The 24,000 metric tons for corn were being sent to replenish
what was lost when Hurricane Michelle struck on November 4.
2013 - The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e
3 became the first spacecraft to "soft"-land on the Moon
since 1976. It was only the third robotic rover to land on the moon.
Birthdays
|
Frank Allen, (82 years
old)English rock vocalist (Searchers - "Needles & Pins"), born
in Hayes, Middlesex, England ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ American lawyer and
former FBI director, born in Yonkers, New York ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ English comedian and actress (Miranda),
born in London, England ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ American singer and actress (High
School Musical, The Princess Switch), born in Salinas, California ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ American
pop and gospel singer-songwriter ("Dear
No One", "Nobody Love"), born in Wildomar, California |
French
astrologist and prophet (Les Propheties), born in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence,
France ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Danish astronomer who
set new standards for astronomical observations, born in Knudstrup, Scania,
Denmark ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ American
air force general who conducted the raid on Tokyo in 1942, born in Alameda,
California ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Frances
Bavier, American Emmy Award-winning stage and screen actress (The Andy
Griffith Show & Mayberry, RFD - "Aunt Bee"), born in New York
City (d. 1989; @86) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Moritz) "Morey" Amsterdam,
American comedian, cellist, vaudevillian, and actor (The Dick Van Dyke Show -
"Buddy"; This Is Burlesque), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1996;
@87) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Spike
Jones [Lindley Armstrong Jones], American bandleader ("Der Fueher's
Face", "Cocktails For Two"), born in Long Beach, California
(d. 1965; @53, emphysema) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Don
Hewitt, American CBS news executive producer (60 Minutes), born in New York
City (d. 2009; @86) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Charlie
Rich, American country-politan vocalist ("Behind Closed Doors";
"The Most Beautiful Girl"), born in Colt, Arkansas (d. 1995; @62,
embolism) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Lee
Remick, American actress (Days of Wine and Roses;, Long Hot Summer), born in
Quincy, Massachusetts (d. 1991; @55, kidney cancer) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Patty Duke(d.2016; @69, sepsis) American
Academy and Emmy awarding actress (The
Miracle Worker; The Patty Duke Show), and mental health advocate, mother of
Sean Astin, born in New York City |
…The End for today…
