1 Aug

 

Week 31 Day 214 Flag Today  92°/57° Wind 1 mph Gusts 5 mph Light Breeze   Active Fire:  149 miles away Risk of fire: Extreme Nearest Lightning: 196 miles away Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Partly Cloudy Aug Averages: Temps: 79°\50° Moisture:  9 Days

Monthly Observations

American Adventures Month American Artists Appreciation Month Link American History Essay Contest (8/1 - 12/15)  Arrr-gust: International Pirate Month  Link Back to School Month Link

Black Business Month Boomers Making A Difference Month Bystander Awareness Month Children's Eye Health & Safety Month

Weekly Observations

7/26-8/11 Games of the XXXIII Olympiad 2024 1-3 World Lumberjack Championships Link 1-4 Lollapalooza

1-7 Happiness Happens Week Link International Clown Week Link National Cleanse Your Skin Week  Link National Minority Donor Awareness Week Simplify Your Life Week World Breastfeeding Week Link

Daily Observations

Girlfriend's Day India Pale Ale Beer Day  Link  International Alberino Day  Link International Can-It-Forward Day   Link (Mason Jars) Lammas Day (Merry Loafmas)   Link Lughnasa or Lughnasadh -  Link Link Mahjong Day Minority Donor Awareness Day National Mahjong Day   Link

National Minority Donor Awareness Day    National Spritz Day   Link Raspberry Cream Pie Day Respect For Parents Rounds Resounding Day Spider-Man Day   US Air Force Day  Link World Albarino Day   Link World Lung Cancer Day World Wide Web Day World Scout Scarf Day

Today’s Quote                                                       

 

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. Buddha

 

Today’s Meme

 

Today’s Thoughts

I’m ready to start a new month, after all the craziness of July this year.

There are some clouds, but it is still hot and a very little breeze, with no moisture.

President Biden has proposed 3 supreme court reforms: Add term limits, a code of conduct, and a constitutional amendment to clarify immunity for crimes a former president may have committed while in office. All sound good to me, but I’m sure others will make this nearly impossible. At least Biden can start the ball rolling.

I’m still enjoying the Olympics. Swimming has been very good. Others seem bent of finding problems. It is not political. It is competition of athletes.

 1974 was 50 years ago…

1. IRA begins bombing campaign on mainland Britain
2. Richard Nixon becomes the first US president forced to resign after the Watergate Scandal
3. Rumble in the Jungle--Boxing
4. The Kootenai Native American Tribe in Idaho declares war on the United States
5. Stephen King, a 26-year-old author, published his debut novel “Carrie,”
6. President Gerald Ford gives unconditional pardon to Richard Nixon
7. Lucy an almost complete hominid skeleton over 3 million years old is discovered in Ethiopia, Africa (I saw it on a Focus Trip)
8. 55 MPH Speed Limit imposed to preserve gas usage US wide
9. Sears Tower in Chicago becomes the world’s tallest building
10. The Global Recession Deepens

 

Random Thoughts…

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.

The price of a bottle of Coca-Cola stayed at a nickel for over 70 years. As a result, vending machines only took nickels, and before raising prices to a dime the president of the company asked President Eisenhower to mint 7.5 cent coins to keep the increase reasonable.

American History…

4. Where did the pilgrims land in America

Incorrect: Plymouth Rock Correct: Unknown

According to The Washington Post, the only reason we currently think that Plymouth Rock is the spot where the pilgrims first touched U.S. soil is because 121 years after their arrival, "a young boy overheard 95-year-old Thomas Faunce relate that his father, who came to Plymouth three years after the Mayflower, told him he'd heard from unnamed persons that the landing occurred there."

So, it's a fact that's based on a rumor that's hundreds of years old. WaPo also notes that the English Puritan William Bradford failed to mention Plymouth Rock in his book Of Plymouth Plantation, which would be a pretty big oversight on his part if that was, in fact, where they landed.

 

Did you Know…?

Rhode Island Has More People Than Alaska

One might think that the smallest state in the union has few bragging rights over the largest state. However, Rhode Island has a higher population than does Alaska. Despite the fact that Alaska is 425 times larger than the smallest state, its people population is estimated to be only about 733,000. 

On the other hand, the population of Rhode Island was 1,095,610 as of July 2021. The land mass and population ratio means "Little Rhody" has more than 700 times more people per square mile than Alaska. But more importantly, which one has more moose? 

Historic Events

• 1834 – Slavery was abolished in Jamaica
• 1944 – The last entry for Anne Frank’s diary
• 1969 – The Zodiac Killer’s letters arrived at several San Fransisco newspapers. The killer was never caught.
• 1990 – Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau created the prototype HTML language and the World-Wide Web.

 

Birthdays

Jason Momoa, 44 Movie Actor Jack O'Connell, 33 Movie Actor Scottie Barnes, 22 Basketball Player

@53 – Jerry Garcia, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died in 1995; heart attack) @90 – Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (died in 2015) @75 – Dom DeLuise, American actor (died in 2009; kidney failure) @71 – Yves Saint Laurent, Algerian-French fashion designer, co-founded Yves Saint Laurent (died in 2008; brain cancer) @72 – Herman Melville, American novelist, short story writer, and poet (died in 1891; cardiac dialation) @68 – William Clark, American explorer, of Lewis & Clark (died in 1838) @63 – Francis Scott Key, American author, and poet (died in 1843; pleurisy)

 

…The End for today…

               

31 July

 

Week 31 Day 213 Flag Today  88°/52° Wind 5 mph Gusts 14 mph Gentle Breeze Active Fire:  96 miles away Risk of fire: High  Nearest Lightning: 318 miles away Air Quality: Fair Sunshine Jul Averages: Temps: 82°\52° Moisture:  8 Days

Weekly Observations

26-8/11 Games of the XXXIII Olympiad 2024

Daily Observations

National Avocado Day   Link National Cotton Candy Day National Jump for Jelly Beans Day National #Love Day   Link

National Mutt Day   Link   National Orgasm Day   Link  Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day   Link   World Ranger Day  Link

Today’s Quote                                                       

 

“You open your eyes first time in July to fly like a free bird, so fly high and never look down.” – Anonymous

 

Today’s Meme

 

Today’s Thoughts

Another warm and dry day. Fire risk is becoming a issue for our forest. I hope August brings more monsoon.

I’m enjoying watching the Olympics. So inspirational.

Today is primary voting day. First, I am sick of the ads already. I headed to the Subaru dealership to vote. Last time, a few months ago, it was up two flights of stairs and down a very long hallway. Not an easy walk as I was still using a cane. Today it was on the first floor with basically no walk. I told the first guy how happy I was to have it so close. He said they got a lot of complaints during the last election so they fixed it. I told him to pass on my thanks. There were 8 races on the ballot. Most only had one candidate from my party. I still gave them my vote.

Andy and Faith are still in Phoenix and Mary is still at her beach house. I’m doing lunch with 2 other Tuba people on Thursday. John and I both applied for the supervisor job at Tuba and the principal wanted ‘fresh blood’, so John got the job. Years later he went back to the classroom, and I got the supervisor job from the same principal. His wife had just finished her teaching degree and I was Maree’s supervisor while at Tuba. We became friends and haven’t done lunch for a few years. They have 3 grown daughters and more grandkids than I can count. It should be a good lunch and great catching up.

 1973 was 51 years ago…

·         OPEC oil to increase by 200%

Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), announce they will restrict flow of crude oil to countries supporting Israel on October 17 causing price of oil to increase by 200%

Recession begins in Europe following OPEC Oil price increases

·         United States - Secretariat Triple Crown

Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win the Triple Crown in United States horse racing after placing first in the Belmont Stakes on June 9 News Events, 1973. In what was considered one of the best horse races in history, Secretariat set a dirt-track record for the one and a half mile race with a time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds. He was ridden by Ron Turcotte during the race and he won the race by an astounding 31 lengths. He was trained by Lucien Laurin and his owner was Penny Tweedy.

·         Alaska Oil Pipeline

Alaska Oil Pipeline bill is passed to allow construction of a pipeline to access oil from the North Slope of Alaska

·         Roe v. Wade

Supreme Court of the United States rules on Roe v. Wade. January 22nd

Roe v. Wade makes abortion a US constitutional right

·         Wounded Knee

More Information for the Occupation of Wounded Knee

About 200 Oglala Lakota Native Americans and members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) began their occupation of Wounded Knee in South Dakota during February of 1973. AIM, a militant civil rights organization, was created in the late 1960s with the intention of bringing attention to injustices faced by Native Americans. Wounded Knee was located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and in 1890 it was the site of a massacre of 300 unarmed Sioux by the U.S. Cavalry. At the start of their occupation AIM took 11 hostages and asked that The U.S. Government start investigating broken treaties, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and all of the South Dakota Sioux reservations. The occupation lasted 71 days during which they negotiated with U.S. Marshals and exchanged regular gunfire with federal agents. In May the group surrendered and government officials agreed to start investigations as demanded.

·         United States -- Vice President Agnew Resigns

Spiro Agnew, the Vice President of the United States under Richard Nixon, resigned during October of 1973. Agnew had been dealing with charges of tax evasion and receiving bribes prior to his resignation. After he left office he pleaded no contest to the criminal charges and was fined and given probation. He was replaced by Gerald Ford, who, less than a year later, would become the President after Nixon resigned. Spiro Agnew was the second US Vice President to resign, the first for criminal reasons.

·         United States -- Battle of the Sexes Tennis Match

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs competed in “The Battle of the Sexes” exhibition tennis match during September of 1973.

29-year-old King, who had already won 10 Grand Slam titles and was a pioneer in women’s tennis, went up against 55-year-old Riggs, who was at one point considered the best tennis player in the world, and defeated him handily winning three sets 6-4, 6-3, and 6-3.

King expressed relief at the end of the match, stating that she was worried losing it would have set women back.

She also took home the $100,000 prize.

Over 30,000 spectators attended it in Houston and an estimated 90 million people viewed the televised match worldwide, making it the most viewed tennis match in history.

American History…

When was the Declaration of Independence signed

Incorrect: July 4, 1776Correct: Aug. 2, 1776

While the Second Continental Congress initially met in Philadelphia to discuss the country's future on July 1, 1776 and declared America's independence from England on July 2, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence document wasn't finished until July 4—and wasn't actually signed until Aug. 2 of that year. Today, we celebrate the day the document's text was finalized. Though if you wanted to throw a barbecue on Aug. 2, surely no one would (or could) complain.

 

Did you Know…?

Kangaroos Are Incapable Of Jumping Backward

Kangaroos are known for their powerful bottom halves. They have large feet, strong tails, and powerful legs that can propel them to jump approximately 30 feet.

Despite their strength, these athletic marsupials cannot jump backward. They can't even walk backward. Their long, muscular tails and feet prevent them from being able to move in that direction. They cannot move their feet independently either, meaning they can only hop to their destinations. 

 

Historic Events

• 1790 – The United States Patent Office opened
• 1792 – The cornerstone of the first US Federal Building was laid, the Philadelphia Mint
• 1948 – Idlewild Field in New York, New York International Airport (later renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport) was dedicated.
• 1989 – Game Boy released, video game
• 1991 – The United States and Soviet Union both sign the START I Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
• 2006 Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro handed over power to his brother, Raúl.

 

Birthdays

J.K. Rowling, 59 Young Adult Author AJ Green, 36 Football Player Mark Cuban, 66 Entrepreneur Rico Rodriguez, 26 TV Actor Zac Brown, 46 Country Singer Wesley Snipes, 62 Movie Actor Joey Richter, 35 TV Actor

@90 – Marion Talbot, influential American educator (d. 1948) @94 – Milton Friedman, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2006) @86 – Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster and actor (d. 2006) @46 – Ted Cassidy, American actor (d. 1979; tumor on heart)

 

…The End for today…