11 Apr

 

Week 15  Day 101 Flag Today  59°/38°                             Wind 14 mph Gusts - mph

Active Fire: 47 miles away Risk of fire: High  Nearest Lightning: 381 miles away

Air Quality: Moderate Sunshine Mostly Cloudy

April Averages: Temps: 60°\35°

Monthly Observations

Second Chance Month Sjogren's Awareness Month  Link Soy Foods Month Straw Hat Month Stress Awareness Month  Link

Testicular Cancer Awareness Month Tulip Month Women's Eye Health & Safety Month Workplace Conflict Awareness Month World Autism Awareness Month  Link

Weekly Observations

4-12 National Robotics WeekLink Week of The Young Child 5-11. Bat Appreciation Week National Property & Evidence Professionals Awareness Week Link  Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week Link  Nat’l Occupational Health Nursing Week Link National Public Health Week National Window Safety Week

8-11 World Irish Dancing Week 9-12 The Masters Tournament 10-12 American Crossword Puzzle Days Link 11-17 Black Maternal Health Week

Daily Observations

Baby Massage Day Link  Barbershop Quartet Day 8-track Tape Day  Link International "Louie Louie" Day National Cheese Fondue Day  Link National Catch and Release Day National Clean Up Your Pantry Day

National Pet Day Link National Ranch Water Day Link  National Teach Children To Save Day Record Store Day World Circus Day Submarine Day Link World Parkinson's Disease Day Link

Today’s Quotes                                                                 

Today’s Memes

Today’s Thoughts

It’s a cloudy and somewhat cooler day. I did a quick run to West Flag for some shopping. I always take the freeway to avoid the city stop lights and traffic. Today must be AZ Highway Patrol Day. On the way over they had pulled over 2 cars and, on the way back there were 3 different incidents with pulled over vehicles.  Gotta be safe.

I finally shampooed my living room carpet for a brighter look.

The local government and police posted that ICE has rented 2 large office suites in a westside strip mall. I wonder what is next? So far, ICE has not let local officials know what their plans are for the suites. Recent news reports of ICE activity in other cities is not very comforting. 

Strange Historical Facts

Medieval Europeans Thought Carrots Were Purple

They were, originally. The orange carrot most people know today was cultivated in the Netherlands in the 17th century, likely through selective breeding.

Whether this was done to honor William of Orange — the Dutch royal house — is debated by historians. Purple, yellow, white, and red varieties of carrot existed long before orange became the standard.

The vegetable’s modern color is essentially a political accident.

 

The First Computer Bug Was an Actual Bug

One day in 1947, while Grace Hoppers group tinkered with the Harvard Mark II, strange errors began appearing. A real insect had wedged itself inside a relay switch, causing chaos.

Instead of tossing it out, they stuck the critter into their notebook. Scribbled beside it: first actual case of bug being found.

That page, complete with fragile wings and all, lives today at the Smithsonian Institution. Though people already used bugs for flaws long before that moment, this odd event made it stick forever. 

Native American Phrases That Subtly Shaped American English

Follow the Good Red Road

Among many Plains tribes, “the Good Red Road” symbolizes living a life of integrity, balance, and spiritual awareness. The “red” often refers to the earth or the sacred path that leads to harmony. Walking this road means making choices that honor oneself, others, and the natural world.

Today, people use the phrase to encourage ethical living and staying true to one’s values. Its metaphorical power comes from its vivid imagery and deep cultural roots.

 

Speak from the Heart

Native values place high importance on sincerity in communication. Speaking from the heart means expressing one’s truth honestly and without malice, often in the context of resolving conflicts or sharing important stories.

The expression is often used to encourage authenticity and emotional openness. Its endurance in the language shows how Indigenous communication values have influenced broader cultural norms. 

Historic Events

 April in History

Birthdays

Joel Grey (94 years old) American Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning actor and singer (Cabaret; Remo Williams; 7% Solution), born in Cleveland, Ohio ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Louise Lasser [87 years old], American actress (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - "Mary Hartman"), born in New York City ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Alessandra Ambrosio (45 years old) Brazilian model (Victoria's Secret Angel) and actress, born in Erechim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Wentworth Cheswell, American auditor and teacher, 1st African American elected to public office in the US, born in Newmarket, New Hampshire (d. 1817; @70) ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ James Parkinson, English physician (First description of Parkinson's disease) and political activist, born in Shoreditch, London (d. 1824; @69) ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975; @76, liver cancer) African American chemist who received 130 patents, pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants, born in Montgomery, Alabama ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Adriano Olivetti, Italian engineer and manufacturer (typewriter), born in Ivrea, Italy (d. 1960; @58, heart attack) ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Masaru Ibuka (1908-1997; @89) Japanese electronics industrialist (Sony Corp), born in Nikkō City, Japan ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Oleg Cassini, American fashion designer (for Jackie Kennedy), born in Paris, France (d. 2006; @92) ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Ethel Kennedy (1928-2024; @96) American human-rights activist, and wife of Bobby Kennedy, born in Chicago, Illinois ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Johnny Sheffield, American actor (Boy-Tarzan Finds a Son), born in Pasadena, California (d. 2010; @79, heart attack) ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ Meshach Taylor, American actor, born in Altadena, CA, (d. 2014; @67 colorectal cancer) ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

 

…The End for today…