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Tuesday Febuary 9 2010
- Here in Arroyo Grande we are forecast rain today (again) ok, keep it coming as we really do need it
- Our rainfall varies greatly in this area ever square mile subject to different amounts of rainfall but generally speaiking here in Arroyo we have almost 20 inches for the season so far. I think 24-26 is normal and we generally will have rain through March anyway.!
- The following item is just plain hard to understand, job cuts, education cuts, land sales, furloghs and much more and then something like this. Where is the thinking here?
- Despite budget crisis, state spent $75 million on vehicles, office furniture
- 3 hours ago
The top spenders were Caltrans, with $10.4 million for vehicles, and the DMV, with $1.7 million for furnishings. An additional $2 million went to conferences and meetings, report shows. ...
February 09, 2010
James Cameron
Gets his Star
Why would astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? The Hollywood Walk of Fame isn't just for people in the entertainment industry. It's for people who made significant contributions to the industry. When the Apollo 11 crew got their stars, they received them for their contribution to television, but the emblem was different from the standard TV-set-with-rabbit-ears; their names are embedded in identical moons at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine. On this date in 1960, Joanne Woodward became the first performer to receive a star on the Walk of Fame. Luminaries like Dennis Quaid, Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, Drew Barrymore and four of her ancestors (John, Ethel, John Drew and Lionel), the Harlem Globetrotters, three Turners — Lana, Ted and Tina — and Mariah Carey have all received stars. Then there are the non-human entertainers, like Big Bird, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, Lassie, Bugs Bunny and The Simpsons. Gene Autry is the only person with five stars — one for each category — on the Walk of Fame.
Quote: "Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful." — John Wooden
James Cameron
Gets his Star
Quote: "Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."
February 08, 2010
Eagle Scout
Travis Cochran
Besides being male, what do documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, serial killer John Edward Robinson and Fred Flintstone have in common? They were all Eagle Scouts. It was a hundred years ago today that publisher William Boyce founded the Boy Scouts of America in Washington, DC, inspired by the British Boy Scout Association, which had been established a few years earlier by Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Boy Scouts have long been lauded for their public service and strong values. The Scout Oath calls upon its members to obey the Scout Law, to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, and clean in thought, word and deed. Over 100 million boys have joined the Boy Scouts over the years. Eagle Scout Travis Cochran earned each of the 122 merit badges, far surpassing the minimum requirement of earning 22 badges. Oh, and let's not forget the achievements of Peanuts' Snoopy — he became a Beagle Scout.
Quote: "There are many obstacles to overcome, but toil, grit and endurance will help you to overcome them all. Help yourself and others will help you." — William Boyce
Eagle Scout
Travis Cochran
Quote: "There are many obstacles to overcome, but toil, grit and endurance will help you to overcome them all. Help yourself and others will help you."
February 07, 2010
Can we take off the paper bags yet?
Thirty years ago, New Orleans Saints fans began the inglorious tradition of wearing paper bags over their heads to demonstrate their shame for rooting for the Aints. Their quarterback was Archie Manning, a local legend and the losingest quarterback in NFL history. Today Drew Brees, the NFL's highest rated quarterback, leads the Saints into their first Super Bowl . Leading the Colts is Archie's son and New Orleans' (former?) pride and joy, Peyton, who just won his unprecedented 4th MVP. It's the first time in 16 years that the NFL's highest seeds face off in the Super Bowl, and it should be a fun matchup of great quarterbacks. Queen Latifah sings "God Bless America," Carrie Underwood the national anthem, and The Who perform at the half. Kickoff should be about 6:30 EST.
Quote: "There is no future. This is the season. Get to the Super Bowl." — Troy Vincent
Quote: "There is no future. This is the season. Get to the Super Bowl."
February 06, 2010
Waitangi Meeting House
Why is today called Waitangi Day if it celebrates the founding of New Zealand? On this date in 1840, some 40 Maori chiefs and British Governor William Hobson gathered in the village of Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands, to sign a treaty which gave Britain sovereignty over the land of New Zealand, while protecting the Maoris' ownership of their lands and treasures. This was called the Treaty of Waitangi. Over the coming years, the Maori were disappointed with persistent encroachment upon their territory, and battles ensued. A New Zealand government eventually apologized for violations of the treaty, promising compensation. Today, Waitangi Day (celebrated on February 6), is considered New Zealand's founding day and is a national holiday. The term Maori means "original people" or "local people." It was used to signify the local inhabitants of New Zealand, as opposed to the "Pakeha," the "new arrivals." When the European settlers came to the area, the word came to mean the Maori people.
Quote: "New Zealand is not a small country but a large village." — Peter Jackson
Waitangi Meeting House
Quote: "New Zealand is not a small country but a large village."
February 05, 2010
What's the correlation between heart attacks and strokes? Heart attacks are caused by a the blockage of one or more of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart. A stroke occurs when there is a blockage of blood flow to the brain. Both diseases can be prevented by better blood circulation. February is American Heart Month and the first Friday in February — Wear Red Day — is traditionally reserved for focusing on women and cardiovascular health. Over 900,000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular disease. The main risk factors for heart disease are: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides numbers, blood sugar levels, obesity, smoking, not enough physical activity and high-salt and fatty-foods diets. By walking 10 minutes a day, losing weight, quitting smoking and watching what we eat, we can significantly reduce our risk for heart disease.
Quote: "I believe that how you feel is very important to how you look — that healthy equals beautiful." — Victoria Principal
Quote: "I believe that how you feel is very important to how you look — that healthy equals beautiful."
February 04, 2010
Pluto and its Moons
How did the dwarf planet Pluto get its name? An 11-year-old girl, Venetia Burney, suggested the name "Pluto," remembering the Roman god of the underworld who could make himself invisible. Scientists liked that it started with "PL," the initials of astronomer Percival Lowell, who predicted the existence of a planet beyond Neptune. The astronomer who first actually spotted Pluto some 80 years ago, Clyde William Tombaugh, was born on February 4, 1906. He used a blink microscope to continue the search begun by Lowell and was finally rewarded with the discovery of what appeared to be the largest celestial body in the Kuiper belt. In 2006, Pluto's status was downgraded to that of a dwarf planet because of its orbital location in the Kuiper belt, composition of rock and ice and diminutive size.
Quote: "Imagination is as vital to any advance in science as learning and precision are essential for starting points." — Percival Lowell
Pluto and its Moons
Quote: "Imagination is as vital to any advance in science as learning and precision are essential for starting points."
February 03, 2010
Why was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 necessary when the 15th Amendment had already given blacks voting rights? The 15th Amendment was passed, granting African American men the right to vote, on this date in 1870. With discrimination still largely unchecked, violence against blacks at voting polls was rampant. Literacy tests, poll taxes and other voter qualification laws became common. It took nearly a century and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for the amendment's intention to be achieved throughout the US. Black women in America attained the right to vote along with the rest of America's adult female population in 1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. But, they, too, had to wait till 1965 to actually exercise that right.
Quote: "There are those who say to you we are rushing this issue of civil rights. I say we are 172 years late." — Hubert H. Humphrey, in a speech before the Democratic National Convention in 1948
Quote: "There are those who say to you we are rushing this issue of civil rights. I say we are 172 years late."
February 02, 2010
Which book is second only to the Bible in the influence it has had on readers' lives? According to a 1991 report by the Library of Congress, that distinction goes to Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. Released in October 1957, the novel espoused Rand's view that individuals have the right to live entirely for their own interest, and laid the groundwork for her follow-up nonfictional writings on Objectivism. Detractors call her economic and political views selfish, immoral and greedy. Fans applaud her belief that private success leads to the betterment of society and that individuals should strive for excellence. Ayn Rand was born in Russia on this date in 1905; she immigrated to the United States at the age of 21 and became a screenwriter. Her first major novel, The Fountainhead, was published in 1943 to a lukewarm reception. Over the course of the next two years, word of mouth propelled the book to the bestseller lists, where it stayed for 26 weeks.
Quote: "We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality." — Ayn Rand
Quote: "We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality."
February 01, 2010
Michael C. Hall
If a serial killer only murders bad guys, is it still wrong? That's the moral/ethical question that troubles so many of the fans of Showtime's hit series Dexter. The likable Dexter Morgan is a police forensics expert specializing in blood spatter analysis who moonlights as a serial killer. But — and, here's where the moral dilemma comes in — he only kills other murderers and miscreants. Because viewers get to hear Dexter's musings and rationalizations as he plots and executes his plans, they sympathize with him and even root for this particular serial killer not to get caught. The character was first created by Jeff Lindsay for his novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Michael C. Hall who stars in the titular role, won this year's Golden Globe and SAG awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV series. Happy birthday to Michael C. Hall, who turns 39 today.
Quote: "I think capital punishment works great. Every killer you kill never kills again." — Bill Maher
Michael C. Hall
Quote: "I think capital punishment works great. Every killer you kill never kills again."
January 31, 2010
Neil Young
What's the MusiCares award all about? The MusiCares Person of the Year event is an annual charity fundraiser for the Recording Academy-affiliated MusiCares Foundation, which offers programs and services (including emergency financial assistance) to members of the music community. The event is held during Grammy Awards week each year, and honors someone in the recording industry for outstanding musical and humanitarian accomplishments. This year's MusiCares Person of the Year is rock guitarist and singer Neil Young, who received the award two days ago. Young is among the nominees at tonight's 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, to be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Beyoncé leads the pack with 10 nominations. Taylor Swift has eight nominations and Kanye West, Maxwell and the Black Eyed Peas got six nods apiece.
Quote: "I just do what I do. I like to make music." — Neil Young
Neil Young
Quote: "I just do what I do. I like to make music."
January 30, 2010
Doomsday Clock
Exactly how close are we to the end of days? The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists recently reset the Doomsday Clock indicating how close the world is to nuclear Armageddon. Earlier this month, the hand was pushed to six minutes before midnight, giving us a whole minute longer in the grand scheme of things. The clock has moved forward and back since 1947, when it was first set at seven minutes to midnight. Scientists deemed the world safest in 1991, adjusting the clock to 11:43 p.m. That was better than 1953, when we were just two minutes from the world's end. The recent adjustment of the clock indicated an optimistic attitude in light of recent progress in the fight to reduce the world's nuclear armament, and to limit climate-changing gas emissions that have been wreaking havoc on our planet.
Quote: "Armageddon is not around the corner. This is only what the people of violence want us to believe. The complexity and diversity of the world is the hope for the future." — Michael Palin
Doomsday Clock
Quote: "Armageddon is not around the corner. This is only what the people of violence want us to believe. The complexity and diversity of the world is the hope for the future."
Friday January 29 2010;
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low 44F. Winds
light and variable.
January 29, 2010
Anton Chekhov
Did Anton Chekhov make a living as a writer? Anton Chekhov studied medicine and for a few years garnered his primary income from his work as a doctor. Not long after he received his degree, however, he began to write — first short stories, then plays — and was soon making a comfortable living from the literary work that he dearly loved. He said, "Medicine is my lawful wife and literature is my mistress." Born on this date in 1860 according to the Gregorian calendar (he was born on January 17 on the Julian calendar), Chekhov suffered from tuberculosis for some 20 years, nearly half his life. He died of the disease when he was 44. By then he was a renowned author of such works as The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, The Seagull and Three Sisters.
Quote: "Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit." — Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Quote: "Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit."
Thursday January 28 2010;
California's Central Coast is beautiful, sunny and warm today.
January 28, 2010
Pollock's 'No. 5, 1948'
Who was 'Jack the Dripper'? In a 1956 Time magazine article, artist Jackson Pollock was referred to as "Jack the Dripper." The moniker referred to his famous painting technique in which Pollock splattered, sprayed and poured paint on a canvas on the floor, using sticks, brushes and syringes, rather than the more traditional method of spreading paint with a brush on an easel-propped canvas. Born on this date in 1912, Pollock would walk around the canvas, and often over it, attacking the picture from every direction and working from within the painting. His style of art was called "action painting." Though he became one of the leaders of the abstract expressionist movement, Pollock's work was met at first with as much derision as praise. In 2006, producer David Geffen sold a Pollock painting, No. 5, 1948, for $140 million — making it the world's most expensive painting.
Quote: "Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you. There was a reviewer a while back who wrote that my pictures didn't have any beginning or any end. He didn't mean it as a compliment, but it was." — Jackson Pollock
Pollock's 'No. 5, 1948'
Quote: "Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you. There was a reviewer a while back who wrote that my pictures didn't have any beginning or any end. He didn't mean it as a compliment, but it was."
Wednesday January 27 2010;
* Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable.
* Tomorrow: Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 63F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
* Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 43F. Winds light and variable.
* Thursday: Sunshine and some clouds. High around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
* Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 40s.
* Saturday: Cloudy. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s.
January 27, 2010
Tracks Leading to
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Why is January 27th the date the United Nations chose to remember victims of Nazism? In 2005, the UN designated this date as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. It is a recognized memorial day in Germany, the UK and elsewhere in the European Union. The date marks the 1945 liberation of the largest and most lethal of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps, Auschwitz-Birkenau, by Soviet troops. Nazis had murdered some 1.5 million people, most of whom were Jews, in this camp, located near Oświęcim, Poland. The camp began operation in 1940 and by 1944 more than 100,000 inmates were housed there, with the population growing constantly. Six thousand a day died in the gas chambers. Ten days before the Soviet troops reached the camp, most of the inmates were sent on a Death March. When Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated, fewer than 8,000 people were left in the camp.
Quote: "We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." — Viktor Frankl
Tracks Leading to
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Quote: "We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
Tuesday January 26 2010;
Rain was forecast but sunny much of the day and no rain during daylight hours.
January 26, 2010
Gretzky Behind the Bench
When did Wayne Gretzky first start wearing the number 99 on his uniform? Wayne Gretzky started playing hockey at the age of six, in a team of ten-year-olds. He became a star early on. When he was sixteen, he joined the Ontario Hockey League, playing for the Greyhounds. His hero was hockey star Gordie Howe, who played in uniform number nine. Gretzky hoped to take the same number, but it was already being worn by a teammate. So, he opted for the number 99. It's the number Gretzky wore all through his career and when he retired, the number was retired permanently throughout the NHL. Gretzky's hockey talents were stellar. He became the NHL leader in points (2857), goals (894) and assists (1963), was the all-time Stanley Cup leader in points, goals and assists, and is a nine-time NHL MVP. Happy birthday to Wayne Gretzky — nicknamed "The Great One" — who turns 49 today.
Quote: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." — Wayne Gretzky
Gretzky Behind the Bench
Quote: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
January 25, 2010
Who invented Bubble Wrap? In the late 1950s, two inventors, Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, were attempting to create a plastic, textured wallpaper. Their invention of sheets of plastic with air trapped between was unsuccessful as wallpaper, but when the two hit upon the idea of using it for packing material, they hit paydirt. Fielding and Chavannes founded the Sealed Air Corporation in 1960, and began to produce Bubble Wrap for a mass market. Now the Sealed Air Corporation has over 100 manufacturing facilities in 52 countries and brought in revenues last year of nearly $5 billion. But, Bubble Wrap isn't just a packing material. Here are some innovative ways to use Bubble Wrap around your house: lay it on the floor under windows and inside doors as an inexpensive burglar alarm; wrap gifts in it; bubble side down, use it as a coaster or placemat; and, of course — pop it! On the last Monday in January, we celebrate Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Happy 50th birthday, Bubble Wrap! Thanks for the popping good time!
Quote: "When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for everyone telling you you're nuts." — Larry Ellison
Quote: "When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for everyone telling you you're nuts."
January 24, 2010
How does laughter improve your health? It's not for nothing that they say "laughter is the best medicine." There are several ways laughing affects your body. First, it increases blood flow and circulation, helping to decrease the risk of cardiovascular problems. Second, when you laugh, you work stomach, legs, arms and face muscles — a good round of laughter is a great aerobic workout! And, after the workout, muscles remain relaxed for up to an hour. Third, laughing improves your resistance to disease by decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Fourth, it releases endorphins which make us feel good and help to relieve pain. Today is Belly Laugh Day. Burst out laughing and feel better all over!
Quote: "He makes me laugh." — Jessica Rabbit, when asked what she sees in her hapless husband in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Quote: "He makes me laugh."
January 23, 2010
Digging Out in Haiti
Did the earthquake in Haiti take more lives than any earthquake to date? Nearly every day of the year, somewhere on earth, an earthquake occurs. Most happen in unpopulated areas, or are so mild that they go unnoticed by the general public. But, there are about 18 major earthquakes a year, with those of the strongest intensity occurring about once annually. Recorded history's most devastating earthquake occurred on this date in 1556 in Shaanxi, China. Estimated to be between 8.0 and 8.3 on the Richter scale, the earthquake leveled 98 counties and eight provinces of Central China. The destruction spanned an area of 500 miles, and some 830,000 lives were lost. In modern times, the most destructive earthquake took place in Tangshan, China, in 1976. The entire city was devastated and some 250,000 were killed. The number of victims in Haiti's earthquake have yet to be tallied, but some have them as high as 200,000.
Quote: "We learn geology the morning after the earthquake." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Digging Out in Haiti
Quote: "We learn geology the morning after the earthquake."
January 22, 2010
Lord Byron
What is ottava rima? Ottava rima is an Italian verse form, which originated in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, and was composed of eight lines of 11 syllables rhyming abababcc. In English it was shortened to iambic pentameter's 10 syllables. English poet and satirist Lord George Gordon Noel Byron was one of those who used the ottava rima form in his writing. Lord Byron, born on this date in 1788, is considered one of the great Romantic poets; the good-looking, brooding and flamboyant Lord Byron himself embodied romanticism. He was best known for his satirical poem written in ottava rima, "Don Juan." Seventeen cantos long, it was never completed. The character of Don Juan first appeared in Manfred. Byron modeled his "Byronic hero" after himself — a rebellious, lonely man, brooding about some darkness in his past.
Quote: "'Tis strange, but true; for truth is always strange — Stranger than fiction." — Don Juan , by Lord Byron
Lord Byron
Quote: "'Tis strange, but true; for truth is always strange — Stranger than fiction."
January 21, 2010
How fast did the Concorde fly? At heights of up to 60,000 feet (over 18,000 meters), the Concorde cruised at around 1,350 mph (2,170 km/hr) — more than twice the speed of sound. It could make the trip from London to New York in less than three-and-a-half hours, cutting the time of a typical flight in half. With the five-hour time difference, in local time, the Concorde would land before it took off. A British Airways Concorde made the fastest Atlantic crossing, flying from New York to London in two hours and 53 minutes. On January 21, 1976, Concorde jet planes took off simultaneously from London Heathrow Airport and Orly Airport outside Paris, in the first commercial supersonic flights. The Concorde was never a great commercial success, and its first fatal accident — caused by a burst tire that ruptured a fuel tank and caused a fire and engine failure — resulted in the deaths of 113 people and marked the beginning of the end for the air service. It made its last regular commercial flight on October 24, 2003.
Quote: "Whenever a Concorde flies, people look at it. It's very graceful; it's very beautiful; it is a symbol of peace and international understanding." — Tony Benn
Quote: "Whenever a Concorde flies, people look at it. It's very graceful; it's very beautiful; it is a symbol of peace and international understanding."
January 20, 2010
Buzz Aldrin
What important function in space did Buzz Aldrin accomplish before his moon landing? Most people recognize Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin's name as that of the second person to walk on the moon in 1969. Three years earlier, he and James Lovell piloted Gemini 12, the last mission in the Gemini space program. Aldrin's five-and-a-half hour spacewalk — marking the longest period of extra-vehicular activity at that time — proved that a person could function in space's weightless vacuum. Aldrin joined Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins in the Apollo 11 mission to the moon; he stepped onto the lunar surface about 15 minutes after Armstrong. Aldrin continues to promote space exploration, appearing on radio and TV talk programs. In an appearance on the comedy TV talk show Ali G in da USA, he was bemused by the question put forth by Ali G: "Do you think man will ever walk on the sun?" Happy birthday to astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who turns 80 today.
Quote: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." — Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin
Quote: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
January 19, 2010
Desi Arnaz Jr.
Who was the first person ever to grace the cover of 'TV Guide' magazine? On April 3, 1953, the first national issue of TV Guide magazine appeared with a picture of baby Desi Arnaz Jr. He was the 6-week-old baby of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who were at that time the darlings of the airwaves. Desi Jr. was born on January 19, 1953 — the same day as Little Ricky Ricardo was born to Lucy and Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy. Lucy's pregnancy during the show marked the first time a woman was shown pregnant on a prime-time television show. Desi Jr.'s early years were lived in the limelight of his famous parents. He made his first appearance on their TV show when he was four years old, went on to do some acting on TV and even played his father in the 1992 film, The Mambo Kings. When he was a teenager, he and two friends, Dino (Dean Paul) Martin and Billy Hinsche, formed the pop band Dino, Desi and Billy. Happy birthday to Desi Arnaz, Jr., who turns 57 today.
Quote: "You see much more of your children once they leave home." — Lucille Ball
Desi Arnaz Jr.
Quote: "You see much more of your children once they leave home."
January 18, 2010
How did the invention of barbed wire change the shape of the American West? In the 18th- and early 19th-centuries, the American West was a haven for ranchers who let their cattle graze freely over the open plain. This posed a problem for the farmers who wanted to contain their livestock and mark their lands. The invention of barbed wire helped the farmers to do this. The marking of territory didn't go smoothly; ranchers cut the wires and — fighting fire with fire — began to mark off land that they claimed, often illegally. The issue came to a head in 1885, when President Grover Cleveland ordered public officials to remove the barbed wire from public lands and Indian reservations. With the legal use of the wire, the agricultural development of the West moved forward quickly. In 1874, Joseph Glidden, born on January 18, 1813, patented a commercial way to produce barbed wire.
Quote: "I had gained the summit of a commanding ridge, and, looking round with astonishing delight, beheld the ample plains, the beauteous tracts below." — Daniel Boone
Quote: "I had gained the summit of a commanding ridge, and, looking round with astonishing delight, beheld the ample plains, the beauteous tracts below."
January 17, 2010
Martin Scorsese
Who won the first Cecil B. De Mille Award at the Golden Globes? The first Cecil B. De Mille Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented at the Golden Globe Awards show in 1952. That first award went to Cecil B. De Mille. Walt Disney got the award the next year. Tonight, Martin Scorsese will join the illustrious group honored for their outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment. Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio will present the award to the director, who helped them each attain Golden Globes of their own. Tonight's Golden Globe Awards show will be hosted by comedian Ricky Gervais. One of the tighter races will be for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama). Nominees for that category are Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus) and Tobey Maguire (Brothers).
Quote: "A Golden Globe is a mood-altering substance, there's no doubt about that." — Rachel Griffiths, who won a Golden Globe for Six Feet Under
Martin Scorsese
Quote: "A Golden Globe is a mood-altering substance, there's no doubt about that."
January 16, 2010
Closing a Saloon
During Prohibition
Did some US states already prohibit alcoholic beverages even before the US passed the 18th Amendment? In 1846, Maine became the first US state to pass a Prohibition law. Many other states followed suit and by the time the 18th Amendment took effect on January 16, 1920 — the Prohibition law had been passed exactly one year earlier, by 36 of the 48 states — 33 states had already passed laws prohibiting the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic beverages. What many people had not taken into consideration was how much organized crime in major American cities would benefit from the new law. Criminals like Al Capone made millions of dollars illicitly bootlegging, smuggling and selling alcohol. The general public became increasingly dissatisfied as racketeering and social problems related to Prohibition grew, and the movement to repeal the amendment grew. In December 1933, the 21st Amendment was passed and ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and Prohibition. It is still the only time an Amendment to the US Constitution was repealed in its entirety.
Quote: "Why don't they pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting anybody from learning anything? If it works as well as Prohibition did, in five years Americans would be the smartest race of people on Earth." — Will Rogers
Closing a Saloon
During Prohibition
Quote: "Why don't they pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting anybody from learning anything? If it works as well as Prohibition did, in five years Americans would be the smartest race of people on Earth."
January 15, 2010
What was the first national public museum? In 1753, collector and naturalist Sir Hans Sloane died; he specified in his will that his collection of some 70,000 artifacts should be turned over to King George II for the public, in exchange for a payment of £20,000 to Sloane's heirs. An Act of Parliament established what would become the world's first national public museum to exhibit the vast collection of books, manuscripts, ancient coins, medals, drawings and other ethnographic material. On January 15, 1759, the British Museum opened its doors to the public. It was housed in Montague House, in London's Bloomsbury district. Entrance was free, open to "all studious and curious persons." That first year, about 5,000 visitors toured the exhibits. Today, more than 6,000,000 people visit the museum annually. In an effort to take its goal of teaching world history to even greater numbers, the British Museum has joined forces with the BBC in developing a series called "A History of the World in 100 Objects." Beginning on January 18, fifteen-minute segments will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4, each one focusing on one object from the museum's collection, illuminating a period of the world's history from two million years ago to today.
Quote: "Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once." — Audrey Hepburn
Quote: "Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once."
January 14, 2010
How do a pig, a duck, a monkey and an owl say "Happy Birthday?" Dr. Dolittle would have known. And his creator, Hugh Lofting, born on this date in 1886, would have been able to put the words into the animals' mouths. Lofting was a soldier in World War I and, tired of the horrors and tedium of war, wrote letters to his children filled with tales of a kindly English veterinarian who could communicate verbally with his animal patients. The stories evolved into a series of books, the second of which, The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, won a Newberry Medal.
Quote: "Animals are such agreeable friends; they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms" — George Eliot
Quote: "Animals are such agreeable friends; they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms"
January 13, 2010
Patrick Dempsey
What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is a developmental disorder in the brain that causes a disability in reading, spelling and writing. Dyslexics may see letters reversed both in shape and in words, e.g., a "p" may look like a "q" or "mat" may be read as "tam." Although dyslexics don't "grow out" of their condition, they can learn to adapt to it, learning varied techniques in reading and improving language development. Famous dyslexics include Tom Cruise, Cher, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney and Magic Johnson. Patrick Dempsey, who plays Dr. Derek Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy, has even credited his dyslexia with helping him to get where he is today. In a 2008 interview, he told Barbara Walters, "It's given me a perspective of — you have to keep working. I have never given up." He memorizes all his lines when he performs. Happy birthday to Patrick Dempsey, who turns 44 today.
Quote: "People sometimes mistake being serious with being taken seriously... you have to be careful not to get too self-important. You have to find the balance between being entertaining and being preachy." — Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey
Quote: "People sometimes mistake being serious with being taken seriously... you have to be careful not to get too self-important. You have to find the balance between being entertaining and being preachy."
January 10, 2010
United Nations
Did the US ever join the League of Nations? Although the League of Nations was proposed by US President Woodrow Wilson, the US never did join the organization. The League was established on this date in 1920, as the Treaty of Versailles went into effect. The League of Nations never wielded any real power and it was disbanded in 1946, and replaced by the United Nations. The first meeting of the UN General Assembly convened at Westminster Central Hall in London on January 10, 1946. Made up of representatives from each of the UN member nations, 51 countries were present at that first meeting; today there are 192 member states. The General Assembly passes weighty resolutions (e.g. admission of a new member, questions of budget or trusteeship) by a 2/3 majority of those representatives present and voting. More routine issues are passed by a simple majority vote.
Quote: "More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations." — Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General
United Nations
Quote: "More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations."
January 09, 2010
Phantom of the Opera
Was there a real Phantom of the Opera? Gaston Leroux wrote the novel of The Phantom of the Opera, publishing it first as a serial in 1909. Though it was not based on fact, he wrote an introduction supposedly explaining that he carried out his own inquiries into the strange events that had occurred in the famous Opera House in the 1880s. He wrote of visiting the huge underground lake where the Phantom hid and of stumbling upon the skeletons of "some poor wretches who had been massacred under the Commune in the cellars of the Opera." Although the book was far from a best-seller, in 1925 it was made into a movie, starring Lon Chaney, which was a hit. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote a musical based on the story, which opened in London in 1986 and in New York in 1988. On this date in 2006, the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera surpassed Cats to become the longest-running show in Broadway history; to date, there have been over 9,100 performances. More than 100 million people have seen the show in 124 cities in 25 countries, and it's the highest-grossing entertainment production of all times.
Quote
"Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the mask?" — Christine Daaé, The Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera
Quote"Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the mask?"
January 08, 2010
Graceland's Living Room
Whom was Graceland named for? When Elvis Presley bought the mansion that became his famous home in 1957, it came complete with the name Graceland. The grounds had originally been owned by S.E. Toof, the publisher of the Memphis newspaper the Memphis Daily Appeal. Toof had named the estate for his daughter, Grace. Part of the grounds were deeded over to Toof's niece and she and her husband built the mansion that eventually came to be owned by Elvis. He bought the house for about $100,000, and made extensive changes to it. He built a swimming pool and a racquetball court, as well as the "Jungle room," which included an indoor waterfall. Elvis shared the house with his parents, and, later, with wife-to-be Priscilla and their daughter, Lisa Marie. In 1977, Elvis died in the mansion which would become a shrine to him and his music. Elvis, born on this date in 1935, would have been 75 years old today.
Quote: "I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to." — Elvis Presley
Graceland's Living Room
Quote: "I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to."
January 06, 2010
Four Freedoms Statues
in Constitution Mall
What are the Four Freedoms that FDR spoke of in his famous speech to Congress? President Franklin Delano Roosevelt described his goals for humanity in his famous Four Freedoms speech: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The speech was given as part of his State of the Union message on this date in 1941. In 1982, on the centenary of FDR's birth, the FDR Institute established the Four Freedoms Award to be given out annually to people who have shown themselves to be dedicated to the freedoms Roosevelt spoke of so eloquently. There is an award for each of the freedoms. Among the recipients of the awards have been Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Liv Ullman, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Teddy Kollek, Walter Cronkite, the March of Dimes and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Quote: "That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation." — Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his Four Freedoms speech
Four Freedoms Statues
in Constitution Mall
Quote: "That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation."
January 05, 2010
'Mad Men's'
Betty and Don Draper
What is it about 'Mad Men' that people find so captivating? Don Draper, in episode 13 of Mad Men's first season, talks about a general longing for "the good old days," saying, "Nostalgia. It's delicate, but potent... It's a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone." In Mad Men — set in the 1960s — the fashion, the cars, the advertisements and the products bring us back to those good old days. At the same time, the show's underlying racism and sexism, the heavy smoking and the disregard for the environment are all there to remind us that not everything that's old was necessarily good. AMC's Mad Men is a critic's favorite; it was one of the first two basic-cable shows (along with Damages) to be nominated for an Emmy in the best drama series category. Happy 32nd birthday to January Jones, the two-time Golden Globe nominee for her performance as Don Draper's conflicted wife, Betty.
Quote: "Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days." — Doug Larson
'Mad Men's'
Betty and Don Draper
Quote: "Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days."
January 04, 2010
Brothers Grimm
Did the Brothers Grimm actually write the tales they're credited with? When we hear the name Grimm, we think of fairy tales like "Rapunzel," "Hansel and Gretel" and "Snow White." Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm were collectors of German folklore; they recorded and popularized traditional stories. The Grimm brothers were also renowned philologists. Jakob Grimm, born on this date in 1785, formulated Grimm's Law, showing how consonants shifted between the Indo-European and Germanic languages: the Indo-European p, t, and k became Germanic f, th, and h; Indo-European b, d, and g became Germanic p, t, and k; and Indo-European bh, dh, and gh became Germanic b, d, and g .
Quote: "The real Brothers Grimm were scholars; they were these amazing heroes in Germany who... made Germans proud of their heritage." — Matt Damon
Brothers Grimm
Quote: "The real Brothers Grimm were scholars; they were these amazing heroes in Germany who... made Germans proud of their heritage."
A few songs I like; you can download if you like
Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010; not much happened today; 1st Sunday of month, had pancake breakfast at Grange in G.B.. Jim, Linda, Fred, Judy & me. Did Gym 5-7:
January 03, 2010
How did the drinking straw get its name? The original drinking straws were hollow grass stems made of... straw. On this date in 1888, Marvin C. Stone, who was already manufacturing paper cigarette holders, patented a new process for making drinking straws. He wound strips of paraffin-coated paper around a pencil and glued them together. Within two years, production of the straws had surpassed that of the cigarette holders. The manufacturing was done by hand until 1906, when Stone's company created a machine to do the job.
Quote: "First cheek to cheek, then jaw to jaw, we both sipped cider through a straw." — Folk song
Quote: "First cheek to cheek, then jaw to jaw, we both sipped cider through a straw."
January 02, 2010
Monarch Butterfly
Do butterflies fly south for the winter? Monarch butterflies do. The monarch is the only butterfly that makes a complete migration, heading south for the winter and returning north in the spring. Of course, since the round-trip is longer than a butterfly's lifespan, no single monarch butterfly completes the migration cycle. During the trip, female monarchs deposit eggs, and the next generation continues the migration. Although lepidopterists had studied monarch migration for decades, for many years they were unable to locate the spot where North American monarchs spent the winter. A textile engineer and amatuer lepidopterist who was living in Mexico City discovered the monarchs' winter habitat thirty-five years ago today, in 1975: about 10,000 feet up the side of a mountain he found swarms of butterflies so thick that the trees looked orange instead of green.
Quote: "There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly." R. Buckminster Fuller
Monarch Butterfly
Quote: "There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly." R. Buckminster Fuller
January 01, 2010
A TriBeCa Corner
What's the etymology of TriBeCa? TriBeCa is an acronym for Triangle Below Canal Street. Running south from Canal Street to Chambers, between West Street and Broadway, the TriBeCa area was established in the 1700s as the first residential neighborhood in New York City. It has become one of the city's trendiest areas, and home of the TriBeCa Film Festival (founded by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal). Some of TriBeCa's more famous residents include De Niro, Jon Stewart, Derek Jeter, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Amy Poehler, Beyoncé Knowles and Leonardo DiCaprio. Speaking of trendy NYC neighborhoods with a name that's an acronym: SoHo stands for South of Houston Street. On this date in 1898, New York City was chartered with 4 boroughs — Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens; Staten Island followed a few weeks later.
Quote: "Not only is New York City the nation's melting pot, it is also the casserole, the chafing dish and the charcoal grill." — John V. Lindsay, former mayor of New York
A TriBeCa Corner
Quote: "Not only is New York City the nation's melting pot, it is also the casserole, the chafing dish and the charcoal grill."
Thats' it folks -- 2009 is history --- onward and upward into 2010 we go!
December 31, 2009
Happy New Year
How did 'Auld Lang Syne' become the official New Year's Eve song in America? "Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to min'...." "Auld Lang Syne" was played by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians as a New Year's Eve song for the first time, eighty years ago today — on December 31, 1929. Though it was played as the band's theme song for years, and it had even occasionally been sung on New Year's Eve, this was the first time that Lombardo's group played it at the Hotel Roosevelt Grill in New York City to usher in the new year. The annual tradition continued when the party moved to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (1959-1976) and the song still kicks off the Times Square celebration every New Year's Eve. The words "auld lang syne" translate literally to "old long since," or "days gone by." Scottish poet Robert Burns recorded the words that had been passed down orally, and is thought to have added some verses to the poem.
Quote: "We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne." — "Auld Lang Syne," Robert Burns
Historical Events --- here.
More Historical Events for November 7 -- here.
Little known --- National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day
Souce: NCA - National Confectioners Association Web site: www.candyusa.org/Classroom/calendar.asp
Billy Graham born on November 7, 1918
Keith Lockhart (1959)
Joni Mitchell (1943) ("Both Sides Now" song with some relevance.....)
Dean Jagger (1903)
Leon Trotsky (1897)
Al Hirt (1922)
Marie Curie born on November 7, 1867
email: (fight spammers by not using email hyperlink) cecate at pacbell dot net 8,680
Happy New Year
Quote: "We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne."
November 7, 2007:
Happy Birthday to Me!.... Well, this is it, Birthday number sixty-nine for me is here. Man, I never would have thunk it! Still I am so happy to be where I am and if it has to be this high of a number then so be it..... I look forward to a few (quite a few I hope) more, although I must add, "not too anxiously", and by that I merely mean that it would be okay with me if the time didn't sail by so quickly.....slooooooooow dooooooooown a little (lot).
November 7: --- Okay, so the list is not all that impressive but include the entire month of November and that list certainly is impressive!
Some folks born on this day.....
Cortez Cate, born on November 7, 1938
Archives: Prior information posted to this page:
- Archives/ Dec 2008---Nov 2007
- April_2007_Oct_2007
- March - June 2007; ---
- March 2007;
- <Page 1 Jan-Feb 2006; --
- <Page 2 Mar-July 2006;--
- Page 3 Aug Sept 2006;--
- Page 4 May 9, 2005; --
- Page 5 May 2005 - Jan 2006;
email: (fight spammers by not using email hyperlink) cecate at pacbell dot net 8,680