by Stephen Covey
C and C Plumbing
Home
March 31, 2010
The Focused Flame
of a Bunsen Burner
Can you imagine a chemistry lab without a Bunsen burner? It's Bunsen Burner Day, in honor of Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, who was credited with inventing the gas burner that is fundamental to every chem lab. Bunsen was born on this date in 1811. His innovation in the design of the burner was a way to fine-tune the mix of air with gas through slits in the base of the tube, which produced a hotter, non-luminous flame. Bunsen developed several other tubes used by chemists, including the Bunsen cell battery, a grease spot photometer, an ice calorimeter, a vapor calorimeter and a filter pump.
Quote: "To think is to practice brain chemistry." — Deepak Chopra
The Focused Flame
of a Bunsen Burner
Quote: "To think is to practice brain chemistry."
March 30, 2010
Who came up with the brilliant idea of combining the eraser and the pencil? It's been more than 150 years since the eraser attached itself to the pencil. We can only assume that Hymen Lipman was a man who made his fair share of mistakes, but they may have inspired him to stick the eraser on the end of the pencil, making it more convenient to erase the written errors. He got a patent for the development on this date in 1858. Lipman's early version was a pencil with a groove at the top, into which he glued an eraser. He sold his patent in 1862; the US Supreme Court later invalidated it, saying that since combining a pencil with an eraser did not change the function of either item, the pencil-with-eraser could not be patented.
Quote: "The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser — in case you thought optimism was dead." — Robert Brault
Quote: "The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser — in case you thought optimism was dead."
March 29, 2010
Cy Young
How did the name Denton True Young get shortened to Cy Young? Denton True Young, one of baseball's greatest pitchers, was born on this date in 1867. His fastball was so powerful that a friend dubbed him "Cyclone." It was shortened to "Cy" and the name stuck. Young still holds records for most major-league wins (511), most games started and most innings pitched. He pitched so many games that he also holds the records for most losses (316). Young pitched the American League's first perfect game in 1904; in his career he pitched three no-hitters. The award for major league baseball's best pitcher of the year, the Cy Young Award, is named in his honor.
Quote: "The guy pitches two good games and all of a sudden he's Cy Young." — Ozzie Guillén
Cy Young
Quote: "The guy pitches two good games and all of a sudden he's Cy Young."
March 28, 2010
Istanbul
Not Constantinople
Why was Constantinople's name changed to Istanbul? The
city was founded as Byzantium by
the Greeks around the 8th century BCE;
in 330 CE, the emperor Constantine
I made it the capital of the Byzantine Empire and renamed it Constantinople after
himself. The city was conquered repeatedly over the centuries,
until it was finally taken over by the Ottoman
Empire. With the founding of the Republic
of Turkey in 1923, the capital was moved to Angora and both towns
were renamed. Angora became Ankara and
Constantinople became Istanbul seven
years later, on this date in 1930. Istanbul's most ancient section
is the historic, walled quarter of Stambul. The name Istanbul
comes from the Greek stimboli, meaning "to the city."
Quote: "Why did they change it? I can't say. People just liked it better that way." — "Istanbul (Not
Constantinople)," Jimmy
Kennedy and Nat Simon
Istanbul
Not Constantinople
Quote: "Why did they change it? I can't say. People just liked it better that way."
March 27, 2010
Sydney's Skyline Darkens
for Earth Hour 2009
Will turning off our lights for Earth Hour really make a big difference
to the world's energy supply? Maybe not if you're the only
one who does it, but imagine if everyone switched off the lights
for an hour. Earth
Hour is more about awareness than actual energy conservation.
It began in Australia in 2007, when — under the sponsorship
of World
Wildlife Fund Australia — more than two million Sydneysiders turned
off their lights to send the message that they were concerned about
climate change. The idea spread rapidly; it's become an annual event,
held on the last Saturday in March. This year, the hope is that one
billion people in 4,000 cities worldwide will participate in the
cause. Global landmarks like the Eiffel
Tower, Golden
Gate Bridge, London
Eye, Empire
State Building and the Bosphorus
Bridge will go dark. Anyone can participate. Just turn off your
lights tonight between 8:30 and 9:30 PM local time to make a statement
about energy conservation.
Quote: "You're on earth. There's no cure for that." — Samuel Beckett, Endgame
Sydney's Skyline Darkens
for Earth Hour 2009
Quote: "You're on earth. There's no cure for that."
March 26, 2010
Kenny Chesney
How long do Kenny Chesney's 'Keg in the Closet' shows last? Though
most concerts last for about two hours, country singer/songwriter Kenny
Chesney's "Keg in the Closet" shows can go twice as long. There's
an industry that revolves around concert tours. A long caravan
of buses and trucks typically carries instruments, lights, sound
equipment, costumes, stage crew and performers. Kenny Chesney,
who turns 42 today, likes to go light from time to time. With
a convoy of just four buses, he travels to informal venues — often
near college campuses — then
sets up his instruments and performs, for free. There is no official
announcement, no tickets, no hard-and-fast program. It's what
Chesney does when he's not, well... working. Chesney calls these
his "Keg
in the Closet" shows, and he often starts his performance with the hit
song of the same name.
Quote: "If you pull a heartstring, then that's what country music is." — Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Quote: "If you pull a heartstring, then that's what country music is."
March 25, 2010
Wiki-this, wiki-that; what is a wiki and when did the wiki-mania
start? A wiki is
a collaborative website that can be edited by anyone. Ward
Cunningham, an Oregon native, developed the technology, naming
it "wiki" after the word for "quick" in Hawaiian. Wiki was first
released as WikiWikiWeb on
this date in 1994. Fourteen years later, the internet community
can do a lot with wikis, including sharing information in
article form on Wikipedia and
collaborating on Q&A with Answers.com's WikiAnswers.
Quote: "I think there's a compelling nature about talking. People like to talk. In creating wiki, I wanted to stroke that story-telling nature in all of us." — Ward Cunningham
Quote: "I think there's a compelling nature about talking. People like to talk. In creating wiki, I wanted to stroke that story-telling nature in all of us."
March 24, 2010
Ada Byron Lovelace
Is Ada the name of the first computer language? It's true
that many people consider the first computer program to have been written
by Ada
Byron Lovelace. Ada — a
high-level Pascal-based
programming language is named for her. The first scientific programming
languages were written in the 1950s; IBM's FORTRAN was
the first major scientific computer language, and is still used in some
programs today. Ada Lovelace, daughter of the poet Lord
Byron, loved mathematics. Her translation of and accompanying notations
to an article about Charles
Babbage's analytical
engine have been called the first computer program. Lovelace broke
ground as a woman in a mostly man's world of math and science. In her honor,
March 24 is known as Ada
Lovelace Day, an international day of blogging to recognize the achievements
of females in technology and science. Both men and women should
feature women and their accomplishments in a blog post today!
Quote: "The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns, just as the Jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves." — Ada Lovelace,
in her notes on Menabrae's Memoir
on the Analytic Engine
Ada Byron Lovelace
Quote: "The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns, just as the Jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves."
March 23, 2010
Another Way to
Spell OK
So, which is it: OK, ok, O.K. or okay? All of the alternate
spellings seem to be okay.
Or OK. The spelling of the word is not the only thing that there
are questions about. The etymology is
also still somewhat in question. A favorite explanation for the
word's origin was given by etymologist Allen
Walker Read, who did research on "okay" in the 1960s. He said that
in the 1830s and 1840s, Boston newspapers liked to use punny abbreviations
in their articles. One of the jokes that was printed by The
Boston Morning Post on this date in 1839 had an intended misspelling
of "all correct." It was abbreviated as "O.K.," for "oll korrect." Another
popular belief is that the word "okay" came from the Choctaw word "okeh." Both
US presidents Andrew Jackson and Woodrow Wilson commonly used "okeh."
Quote: I'm OK; You're OK — Thomas
A. Harris, his self-help
book's title and catch-phrase
Another Way to
Spell OK
Quote: I'm OK; You're OK
March 22, 2010
Marcel Marceau
Did Marcel Marceau know how to talk? Even though he
was the world's most famous mime, Marcel
Marceau was an articulate speaker. In fact, he acted in several
movies that required speaking (including having the only spoken
line in Mel
Brooks' Silent
Movie). Marceau built a spectacular career out of being quiet
on the stage. More than 60 years ago, Marceau created the beloved
character Bip — the sad, white-faced clown who became an integral
part of his onstage persona. He traveled to more than 100 countries,
performing without words on stage and screen. The winner of two Emmy awards,
Marceau also published several books, including The Story of Bip, Le
Troisième Oeil (The Third Eye), and a counting book
and an alphabet book for children. Marceau was born on this date
in 1923.
Quote: "Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us all without words?" — Marcel Marceau
Marcel Marceau
Quote: "Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us all without words?"
March 21, 2010
Aries
What's your sign? If today's your birthday, you're an Aries,
the first constellation in the Western zodiac.
Many astrologers believe that certain personality traits, physical
conditions and even a person's fate and future can be influenced
and determined by his zodiac sign. When zodiacal constellations
were first organized, some 2,000 years ago, the Sun was in Aries
where it crossed the equator at the vernal
equinox, and Aries became the first sign of the zodiac. This is
also the first day of the Bahá'í calendar, Chunfen in
China and International
Astrology Day.
Quote: "I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical." — Arthur
C. Clarke
Aries
Quote: "I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical."
March 20, 2010
The Iditarod
The Iditarod
Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual race that takes place in March in
Alaska over more than 1,000 mi. (1,600 km). The trail runs from Willow (north
of Anchorage) to Nome,
over hills, through forests and wilderness, across rivers and through small
settlements. On this date in 1985, Libby
Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod, finishing the trail
in 18 days. She led her 13 dogs into a blizzard that kept the rest of the
racers delayed in Shaktoolik;
she never lost her lead. This year, 71 mushers — including a team
from Jamaica! — started
out across the frozen Willow Lake. Lance
Mackey came in first, making this his record fourth straight win. He
completed the race in eight days, 23 hours, 59 minutes and 9 seconds, taking
home a cash prize of $50,000 and a new truck.
Quote: "Dog mushing is a wonderful sport, mainly because the dogs are such wonderful creatures. We owe it to the dogs to treat them as well as possible." — Libby Riddles
The Iditarod
Quote: "Dog mushing is a wonderful sport, mainly because the dogs are such wonderful creatures. We owe it to the dogs to treat them as well as possible."
March 19, 2010
What was the world's largest bank robbery? Iraq has
the distinction of having experienced the most expensive bank
robbery in history: nearly $1 billion was stolen on March 18, 2003,
from the Central
Bank of Iraq. Banks have been around longer than money. People deposited
grains, cattle and precious metals. In modern history, most of
the earliest known banks were established in Italy, Greece and
France. And with the banks, sadly, came bank robbers. Some of
these bandits became notorious for their brashness. Australia
had Ned
Kelly and the Postcard
Bandit. Georgia had Jaba
Ioseliani. Canada had Roger
Caron and Machine
Gun Molly. The US had Bonnie
and Clyde, Butch
Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid, and Willie
Sutton. On March 19, 1831, the first recorded bank heist took place
in New York City. Edward Smith got away with about $245,000. He
was caught and imprisoned, and some of the loot was recovered.
Quote: "A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it." — Bob Hope
Quote: "A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it."
March 17, 2010
Are rubber bands made of vulcanized rubber? Although
there were rubber
bands made in the mid-19th century that were not vulcanized,
they were not as flexible or as versatile as the ones that Stephen
Perry began to mass-produce in England, using the vulcanized rubber
developed by Charles
Goodyear. Rubber bands are not just to snap at your classmates.
They come in all sizes and are used for bundling packages, holding
back your hair, straightening your teeth, and exercising your
muscles. The world's largest consumer of rubber bands is the United
States Post Office. The resilient, elastic loops hold together
bundles of mail, bouquets of flowers or stalks of celery. Tip:
they last longer if you store them in the refrigerator. On this
date in 1845, Stephen Perry received a patent for the rubber band.
Quote: "Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit." — Bern Williams
Quote: "Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit."
March 15, 2010
What's so special about the Ides of March? On March
15, 44 BCE,
Roman dictator Julius
Caesar was stabbed in the Senate house
by followers of Cassius and Brutus.
Before William
Shakespeare wrote his play, Julius
Caesar, about the assassination, the Ides
of March was just another day. In the earliest Roman
calendar, the month was organized around three days: kalends (the
first day of the month), nones (the
7th day in March, May, July and October and the 5th day in the
other months) and ides (the
15th day in March, May, July and October and the 13th day in the
rest). The other dates were identified by counting backwards from
those three. Kalends comes from the Latin word for account book, kalendrium;
it eventually evolved into the word calendar.
Quote: "Caesar said to the soothsayer, 'The ides of March are come'; who answered him calmly, 'Yes, they are come, but they are not past.'" — Plutarch
Quote: "Caesar said to the soothsayer, 'The ides of March are come'; who answered him calmly, 'Yes, they are come, but they are not past.'"
March 14, 2010
One of the
Ten Most Wanted
Who decides who gets on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list? The FBI field
offices send names of candidates to the Bureau's Criminal Investigative
Division (CID). Special Agents of the CID and the Office of Public
Affairs then review the list and send their suggestion to the
CID's Assistant Director and then to the FBI's Deputy Director,
who has final approval. The FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list
appeared for the first time sixty years ago today. It grew out
of a newspaper article that had been written for the International
News Service, about the "toughest guys" the FBI was trying to apprehend.
Positive feedback from the article prompted then Director J.
Edgar Hoover to establish the Ten
Most Wanted Fugitives list. The goal was to get the names and faces
of particularly dangerous fugitives before the public, which was
then asked to provide any information that would lead to the arrest
of these felons. Over the years, some 150 of the over 490 fugitives
listed have been captured thanks to public assistance.
Quote: "When I see the Ten Most Wanted Lists... I always have this thought: If we'd made them feel wanted earlier, they wouldn't be wanted now." — Eddie Cantor
One of the
Ten Most Wanted
Quote: "When I see the Ten Most Wanted Lists... I always have this thought: If we'd made them feel wanted earlier, they wouldn't be wanted now."
March 13, 2010
Can hearing students go to Gallaudet University? Yes.
Although Gallaudet
University is billed as the "world's only liberal arts college for
the deaf," a small number of hearing students are now admitted each
year, as long as they are ASL-proficient.
Twenty-two years ago today, I.
King Jordan became Gallaudet University's first deaf president.
A week earlier, on March 6, 1988, a hearing person had been chosen
for the position — the only hearing candidate among a list of
qualified other deaf candidates — setting off a week-long student
protest called Deaf
President Now, which rocked the Deaf world. As a result, the newly
selected president and the chairperson of the Board of Trustees
stepped down; an agreement was reached that 51% of the Board would
from then on be made up of deaf people; and no reprisals were
taken against any student or employee involved in the protest.
Since 1997, March 13 has marked the beginning of Deaf
History Month.
Quote: "I have always thought it would be a blessing if each person could be blind and deaf for a few days during his early adult life. Darkness would make him appreciate sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound." — Helen Keller
Quote: "I have always thought it would be a blessing if each person could be blind and deaf for a few days during his early adult life. Darkness would make him appreciate sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound."
March 12, 2010
Boycott Harvests the Crops
Where does the word 'boycott' come from? In 1880, Charles
Cunningham Boycott, born on this date in 1832, was an estate
agent of absentee landlord the Earl
of Erne in County Mayo, Ireland. Because of the poor economic
conditions and lackluster harvest at the time, members of the
Tenants' Land
League requested that their rent be lowered. Not only did Boycott
refuse to reduce the rent, he also served eviction notices
on the tenants. They didn't take kindly to Boycott's response.
The tenants retaliated by isolating Boycott and his family
in his local community. Neighbors shunned them, laborers refused
to harvest the estate's crops, shopkeepers wouldn't sell to
them; even the mailman declined to deliver mail to the family's
home. The name Boycott became
synonymous with the word "ostracize."
Quote: "Don't be a marshmallow. Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk. Stop being vegetables. Work for Justice. Viva the boycott!" — Dolores Huerta
Boycott Harvests the Crops
Quote: "Don't be a marshmallow. Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk. Stop being vegetables. Work for Justice. Viva the boycott!"
March 11, 2010
How many breeds are eligible for exhibiting at the Crufts Dog Show? This
year, over 180 different breeds will exhibited at Crufts,
with more than 23,000 dogs competing for the title of "Best in Show." Dogs
compete in the areas of agility, obedience, handling, heelwork to music, flyball and
grooming. The four-day
show, sponsored by The
Kennel Club, begins today in Birmingham,
England. Last year's top dog was the Sealyham
terrier Efbe's
Hidalgo at Goodspice, whose nickname is "Charmin," because as a puppy
he was "squeezably soft."
Quote: "Every dog must have his day." — Jonathan Swift
Quote: "Every dog must have his day."
March 10, 2010
Christopher Lee
as 'Dracula'
Do vampires really exist? Are they one more thing to worry about? It
depends on whom you ask. Vampires have
long been a part of the folklore of certain areas, particularly in parts
of Eastern
Europe. Made famous in modern times by Bram
Stoker's Dracula,
vampires were betrayed as horrific characters who terrorized the townspeople,
rising at night to suck the blood of their victims, thus turning the victims
into vampires, too. Stories also exist of people having witnessed the aftermath
of a vampire attack. Nowadays, books, movies and TV are filled with vampires
and werewolves,
and some, such as Twilight's Edward
Cullen, are even sympathetic characters. On this date in 1997, Buffy
the Vampire Slayer premiered on TV, mixing wit, teenage angst and
B-movie drama in a popular series about a high-school student who is chosen
to slay the vampires that inhabit her town.
Quote: "I have never met a vampire personally, but I don't know what might happen tomorrow." — Bela Lugosi
Christopher Lee
as 'Dracula'
Quote: "I have never met a vampire personally, but I don't know what might happen tomorrow."
March 09, 2010
Bobby Fischer
For how long did Bobby Fischer hold the World Chess Champion
title? Bobby
Fischer, who was born on this date in 1943, became America's
only world chess champion in 1972, when he beat Boris
Spassky for the title. When Anatoly
Karpov challenged him in 1975, Fischer refused to play and
his title was revoked. He went into a kind of seclusion,
never playing for a championship again. In 1992, he played
against Spassky in a private rematch. Fischer won the match
and the $3.5-million purse. The match took place in Belgrade,
violating US sanctions against Yugoslavia.
Fischer chose to live abroad as a fugitive and was eventually
granted citizenship by Iceland,
where he made his home for the final years of his life.
Quote: "Chess is life." — Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Quote: "Chess is life."
March 08, 2010
When did the US start to tax its citizens? The IRS began
to levy and collect income
taxes on this date in 1913. Income tax had originally been collected
in the US during the Civil
War years. In 1894, the Supreme Court ruled income tax unconstitutional,
but the adoption of the 16th
Amendment to the Constitution in 1913, made the personal income
tax a permanent entity. Britain adopted a permanent income tax
in 1874, and other European countries adopted regular income taxes
in the late 1800s.
Quote: "The income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government." — Barry Goldwater
Quote: "The income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government."
March 07, 2010
How did the Oscar get its name? There are a few stories
as to how the Academy Award statuette came to be called Oscar:
● Margaret Herrick, the librarian and executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said that the statuette reminded her of her Uncle Oscar.
● Bette Davis claimed she noted aloud the resemblance of Oscar's backside to that of her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson.
● The first documented mention of the name was in 1934, when columnist Sidney Skolsky referred to Katharine Hepburn's first Best Actress Oscar. He says he was tired of writing "the Golden Statue of the Academy," and fell back on the name Oscar from an old vaudeville joke he had heard.
However it got its name, the movie industry's most famous trophy will be awarded tonight to this year's winners, as ABC-TV broadcasts the 82nd Academy Awards. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, co-stars of the romantic comedy It's Complicated, will co-host the show.
Quote: "It is a remarkably beautiful piece of home furnishing, the Oscar. I used to keep it up in front of a mirror so that it looked like two." — Mercedes McCambridge
● Margaret Herrick, the librarian and executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said that the statuette reminded her of her Uncle Oscar.
● Bette Davis claimed she noted aloud the resemblance of Oscar's backside to that of her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson.
● The first documented mention of the name was in 1934, when columnist Sidney Skolsky referred to Katharine Hepburn's first Best Actress Oscar. He says he was tired of writing "the Golden Statue of the Academy," and fell back on the name Oscar from an old vaudeville joke he had heard.
However it got its name, the movie industry's most famous trophy will be awarded tonight to this year's winners, as ABC-TV broadcasts the 82nd Academy Awards. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, co-stars of the romantic comedy It's Complicated, will co-host the show.
Quote: "It is a remarkably beautiful piece of home furnishing, the Oscar. I used to keep it up in front of a mirror so that it looked like two."
March 06, 2010
Is Maconda — from 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' — a
real place? Maconda is a fictional Colombian town that is
the setting of One
Hundred Years of Solitude and several other novels and short
stories written by Gabriel
José García Márquez. Though García
Márquez had been writing nearly all his life, he was 38 when
he finally found his voice — and that was the voice of his
grandmother. Until he was eight years old, García Márquez
was raised by his maternal grandparents. Both were consummate storytellers,
but he was most intrigued by his grandmother's stories of superstitions
and ghosts. He says she spoke with a naturalness that showed that
she believed the stories. García Márquez realized that
he had to tell his stories in the same way. And so One Hundred
Years of Solitude was written. In 1982, García Márquez
received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Happy birthday to Gabriel
García Márquez, who turns 82 today.
Quote: "What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it." — Gabriel García
Márquez
Quote: "What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it."
March 05, 2010
Boston Massacre
Memorial
How many people were killed in the Boston Massacre? Five colonists were
killed when British troops fired into an unruly crowd, in what later became
known as the Boston
Massacre. The conflict took place on this date in 1770 and was a turning
point in the colonists' struggle for freedom from British rule. The first
American to fall in the fray was Crispus
Attucks, believed to be an escaped slave and part of the angry mob
that surrounded the eight British soldiers on that fateful day. The redcoats were
arrested and charged with murder. The American government, determined to
give the British troops a fair trial, prevailed upon John
Adams and Josiah
Quincy to defend them. Even though they were both ardent patriots,
Adams and Quincy defended the soldiers, claiming they fired in self-defense.
Six of the soldiers were acquitted and two were found guilty of the reduced
charge of manslaughter.
Quote: "Every revolution was first a thought in one man's mind." — Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Boston Massacre
Memorial
Quote: "Every revolution was first a thought in one man's mind."
March 04, 2010
How do the color blind know if a stoplight is red or green? Traffic
lights are stacked in a standardized order, with red on top, green
on the bottom, and amber, when it exists, in the middle. This
way, even someone who is color
blind will be able to tell what color is lit by the illuminated
signal's placement on the stack. Sometimes, the lights are horizontal;
in this case, red is usually to the right, green to the left.
Amber is still in the middle. When traffic signals were first
developed, they looked more like semaphores,
placed in the middle of an intersection, with an arm that raised
or lowered, directing the flow of traffic. Garrett
Morgan, born on this date in 1877, came up with the idea of adding
a third position to the semaphore, signaling drivers that it would
soon be time to stop. The addition of this signal gave drivers
time to adjust to the change, thereby saving lives and damage
to their vehicles.
Quote: "An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... the truly wise person is colorblind." — Albert Schweitzer
Quote: "An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... the truly wise person is colorblind."
March 03, 2010
Why were telephone operators always women? Actually, the
first telephone operators, back in 1878, were teenage boys. Sometimes,
though, the teenage boys acted like... well, teenage boys. They sometimes
pulled pranks on the customers and on each other, and were not always as
respectful as they might have been. After several months, the Boston telephone
exchange hired Emma
Nutt as the first female telephone operator. She was an instant success.
Soon, women took the place of the young men and operators were universally
female until the 1970s, when men began to join their ranks. The national
telephone system in the US was operated by American
Bell in those days. Exactly 125 years ago today, the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company was incorporated as a wholly owned
subsidiary of American Bell, chartered to build and operate the original
long distance telephone network.
Quote: "Well, if I called the wrong number, why did you answer the phone?" — James Thurber
Quote: "Well, if I called the wrong number, why did you answer the phone?"
March 02, 2010
Does Wilt Chamberlain also hold the record for free throws, along
with the other NBA records he's attained? Well, after
a fashion. Wilt
Chamberlain holds the record for free
throws missed in a single season (578 misses
in 1967-68). But, his other records tend to make us forget
about his weakness in shooting free throws into the basket.
In fact, on this date in 1962, Chamberlain achieved a
record that has yet to be even close to being topped — most
points in a single game. Chamberlain was the center for
the Philadelphia
Warriors at the time, playing in a game against the Knicks at HersheyPark
Arena. After he made his ninth consecutive free throw,
he began to think that he might break the record for
most free throws in a game. It hadn't yet occurred to
him that he might crush the record for most points in
a single NBA game.
When Chamberlain broke his own single-game record of
78 points with nearly eight minutes remaining, he and
his team pulled out all the stops. With the crowd chanting "Give
it to Wilt!" and
his teammates feeding him the ball at every opportunity,
Wilt scored his 100th point on a slam dunk with 46 seconds
left.
Quote: "Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath." — Wilt Chamberlain
Quote: "Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath."
March 01, 2010
Frédéric Chopin
How old was Frédéric Chopin when he published his
first composition? Frédéric
Chopin published his first musical piece at age seven. A year
later he was already performing in Warsaw salons.
By the time he died at the age of 39, Chopin had written some 60 mazurkas,
27 études,
26 preludes, 21 nocturnes,
20 waltzes, 16 polonaises,
4 ballades, 4 scherzos,
and 3 sonatas, all for solo piano, plus an additional six pieces
for piano and orchestra, including two full piano
concertos. Though his baptismal certificate listed his birthday
as February 22, 1810, Chopin always claimed he was born on March
1. Today, the world celebrates Chopin's bicentennial with concerts,
lectures and radio broadcasts of his music. Born in Poland, Chopin
always remained devoted to his homeland, even though he lived the
last half of his life in France. He instructed that his heart be
buried in Poland. He was interred in a Paris cemetery, but his heart
was brought back to Warsaw in an urn, which rests in a pillar of
a church in the middle of the city.
Quote: "Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art." — Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Quote: "Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art."
February 28, 2010
Las Vegas Strip
Which came first — Las Vegas, the city, or Las Vegas, the
casino center? Native Americans lived in that area of
Nevada for thousands of years. Non-Natives began to trickle
into the region in the 19th century. On a map-making expedition, John
Frémont gave this green part of the desert the name Las
Vegas, which was Spanish for "the Meadows." Today, whether
we refer to it as Sin City or the Entertainment Capital
of the World, when we hear the name Las Vegas, we think
of gambling, casinos, bright lights and opulent hotels.
Legend has it that the person most responsible for the Las
Vegas Strip was Ben "Bugsy" Siegel,
born on this date in 1906. Siegel took advantage of the
fact that Nevada had legalized gambling in 1931, and built The
Flamingo hotel there in 1946. Six months later, he was gunned
down in his home by investors who thought he had stolen
their money.
Quote: "Man, I really like Vegas." — Elvis Presley
Las Vegas Strip
Quote: "Man, I really like Vegas."
February
27, 2010
Chelsea Clinton
Do the President's kids really get to play in the Oval Office? It
depends on the President, his wife and the age of the kids. Many
of us remember the pictures of Caroline and John
Kennedy Jr. romping in the office and hiding under their father's
desk. Theodore
Roosevelt's children were said to have fairly liberal use of the
White House rooms, but it was not always to the president's liking.
Once, after his daughter, Alice,
interrupted a White House meeting, Roosevelt was reported to have
said, "I
can be President of the United States, or I can control Alice.
I cannot possibly do both." Former First Daughter Chelsea
Clinton was twelve years old when she moved into the White House
with her parents, Bill and Hillary
Rodham Clinton. The Clintons made strict rules about media access
to their daughter; the world saw a poised and accomplished young
woman who was less likely to interrupt a meeting in the Oval
Office. Chelsea, who turns 30 today, recently announced her engagement
to Marc Mezvinsky, the son of two politicians, Edward and Marjorie
Margolies-Mezvinsky.
Quote: "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much." — Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis
Chelsea Clinton
Quote: "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much."
February 26, 2010
Victor Hugo
Who ever came up with the idea of making 'Les Misérables'
into a musical? A French songwriter named Alain
Boublil was watching a London production of Oliver when,
as he relates it, the appearance of the Artful
Dodger on the stage made him think of Gavroche,
a street urchin in Victor
Hugo's Les
Misérables. Boublil contacted his friend and artistic
collaborator, Claude-Michel
Schönberg, to propose the idea of adapting the novel into
a musical. It took two years to bring the idea to the French stage.
Five years later, an English-language version of the show opened
in London, with additional songs and dialogue. Since then, the show
has been translated into some 20 more languages. The masterful author
of Les Misérables and The
Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo, was born on this date
in 1802.
Quote: "All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come." — Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Quote: "All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come."
Sunday April 18, 2010
- The '70 Reminders below was added Saturday April 17, 2010.
- This past week was the best market week in a while but it reversed itself on Friday and unless Monday is a good recovery it is going to be bail out time for me.
- Friends from Brea were in town this week and we had a very good time together.
- This is the notation about the banana page that may surprise you with all the positive things bananas contribute to health wise and I will leave this link here for a few days.
-
1. Believe that even the smallest compliment can save someone’s life
2. Remember that one person can change an entire nation
3. Understand that kids are smarter than we make them out to be
4. Just because old people are old, doesn’t mean they’ve lost their youth
5. Talent can be found under the dirtiest rock or in the most hopeless slum
6. Just because someone is poor in wealth doesn’t mean they are poor in spirit
7. Poverty is the greatest gift you can give a person. It is only then that they will have a choice to either become valuable or die as a quitter
8. Let the naysayers say nay and allow the criticizers to criticize: in the end you will have found greater happiness having pursued your dream
9. If a baby can smile living off of only breast milk and a mother’s love, you can smile too
10. The prettiest people can do the ugliest things
70 Reminders to Help You Break any Barrier
To be continued:
Friday April 16, 2010
- The last two or three days have not been updated.
Tuesday April 13, 2010
- We had a short but good visit with Curt, Larry, Sharon, Nanette and Jo and Jim and Linda and had dinner at Maria Calendars too.
- In case you ever wonder what all bananas are good for here is a page that may surprise you with all the positive things bananas contribute to health wise.
- Talk a lot about yourself. Tell people about your and your life. Don't ask questions.
- Watch a lot of TV. Do not waste time reading, going out or with hobbies.
- Do the same things. Don't try anything new or adventurous.
- Don't waste time on books or the arts. Avoid the cinema, the theatre, literature, magazines, new kinds of music or live performances.
- Stay at home. Don't waste time and money traveling to new places and experiencing different cultures, activities or lifestyles.
- Stick with the same group of friends. Do not go out of your way to meet people or make new friends.
- Do not have goals or a plan. Drift along the way you are doing now.
- Never change your mind. Once you have a simple and clear view of the world, stick with it. Do not let new facts or opinions sway you.
- Take very poor care of yourself. Drink a lot of alcohol, eat a lot of fatty foods, and get very little exercise.
9 Great Ways to Be Exceptionally Boring
Monday April 12, 2010
- A huge welcome to our Brea friends due here today; we always have a good time and look forward to these visits. I know Curt and Barb Pitts and I think Nanette will be here and I think maybe Larry and Sharon Dean.
- Arrroyo Grande, and Southern California, had heavy winds and heavy rain Sunday afternoon and evening perhaps over 2-inches fell in some areas.
- The stock market is trading above 11,000 as measured by the 'DOW'; my stocks are still sluggish to say the best.
- I was complaining about the market to my friend Alan and he said he could tell me how to win ever time; when prodded for the formula he said, "simple, Will Rogers said it years ago, buy a stock that is going to keep going up", hmmn, what a novel idea.
- Check these uniquely different, modern bathtubs.
- Here is a website you may find interesting.
Sunday April 11, 2010
- I have been aware, for many years, that I know but a little; I did not realize though how difficult it would be to learn going forward.
- I have great difficulty learning simple things; beyond simple just forget it; this I said yesterday, today is simply more proof.
- Though I understand that my knowledge is very limited I have come to thoroughly understand that I should avoid any discussion or thought that involve politics or religion; think about it, Will Rogers gave that advice 60 years ago and it meant nothing to me, borne perhaps a laugh or chuckle. Now the distressing realization; I have had given to me the keys to the world by way of good advice throughout my lifetime and I merely squandered it as though it were fiction or idle conversation.
- I continue onward; trying to shed some of the ignorance I have so sedulously cultivated.
- Want to check out your bandwidth....look here...
Saturday April 10, 2010
- I am a master at complicating things that are not complicated.
- I have great difficulty learning simple things; beyond simple just forget it.
- Recently I posted an item about how 47% of the people in the U.S. pay no income tax and how I did not believe that; In doing my taxes for the upcoming deadline (5 days) I am even more convinced that the allegation is false. I guess that the credits and deductions for children though are quite great. I remember when I had kids they were worth only $500.00 each. Did that mean the government thought you could take care of a child for $500.00 per year? Well, I can say with great confidence that $500.00 would have only covered a couple months at best three even then. Times have surely changed but the whole situation seems out of control to me.
- Want to check out your bandwidth....look here...
Friday April 9, 2010
-
Top 25 Failed Tech Predictions on Computers
- Want to check out your bandwidth....look here...
-
Breaking
News World wide current events.
Thursday April 8, 2010
-
For me the market was murder today taking back half of what I had recovered Monday and then today, Wednesday took the rest plus a little more...
-
Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax
- I absolutely do not believe that but here is the article if you want to read it.
- Want to check out your bandwidth....look here...
-
Breaking
News World wide current events.
Wednesday April 7, 2010
-
For me the market was murder today taking back half of what I had recovered Monday and then today, Wednesday took the rest plus a little more...
-
Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax
- I absolutely do not believe that but here is the article if you want to read it.
- Want to check out your bandwidth....look here...
-
Breaking
News World wide current events.
Monday April 5, 2010
Friday April 2, 2010
-
Good Friday
- Markets, stock and bond, closed today...Futures traded early.
-
Was a giant comet responsible for a North American catastrophe in 11000 BC?
This guy seems to think so. -
101 Easy Ways to Cut Your Cancer Risk
By Tara Miller
Because there’s no cure for cancer yet, there’s also no surefire way to see it coming or blame the development of cancer on any specific lifestyle or diet choices. There are, however, studies that show how certain foods, habits and genetics can increase your chances of getting cancer. Read on for 101 easy ways to cut your cancer risk, just in case there is something you can do about it.
Habits to Break
Ditch these habits if you want to lengthen your life, improve your overall quality of life and reduce your cancer risk. Continued:
- Breaking News World wide current events.
Thursday April 1, 2010
-
10 Amazing Tricks to Play with your Brain
- Check it out -- While I don't need to play tricks on my brain this stuff is interesting and actually I think could be helpful.
- Like a little help figuring where the culprit is in slow network connections... take a look at this software.
- VisualRouteTM helps determine if a connectivity
problem is due to an ISP, the Internet, or the destination
web site, and pinpoints the network where a problem occurs.
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
Wednesday March 31, 2010
-
Dead Marine's Dad Must Pay Protestors At Son's Funeral: Court
- By Frank James
- In a decision likely to strike many observers as cruel, a federal appeals court ordered the father of a Marine killed in Iraq whose funeral drew protesters from a church notorious for such demonstrations to pay the church leader's $16,510 in legal fees.
- As the Associated Press reported:
-
On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder's funeral in 2006.
The two-page decision supplied by attorneys for Albert Snyder of York, Pa., offered no details on how the court came to its decision.
Attorneys also said Snyder is struggling to come up with fees associated with filing a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court.
The decision adds "insult to injury," said Sean Summers, one of Snyder's lawyers.
The high court agreed to consider whether the protesters' message is protected by the First Amendment or limited by the competing privacy and religious rights of the mourners.
-
Snyder won his case against Westboro in the lower court but that decision was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in September.
Losers in such cases often are made to pay legal fees and the appeals court may have just been following that common practice. Still, just because it's what's commonly done, doesn't mean people accept it. Snyder is getting a lot of support on Facebook.
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
Tuesday March 30, 2010
-
Search Engines
- Do you ever wonder if your search is getting all that is available? Do you get frustrated knowing that the results are stacked by the position the "subscriber" is in?
- If so you may want to take a look at this article.
- A little rain is falling in Arroyo Grande today.
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
Monday March 29, 2010
-
Leafy Greens
- A report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest analyzed outbreaks of foodborne illness from 1990 to 2006 and revealed that some of the most popular—and healthiest—foods regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are also among the most unsafe. iVillage health editor-at-large Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., weighs in with practical tips for buying, storing and preparing these foods safely.
- Outbreaks from 1990 to 2006: 363
- It’s hard to believe, but popular leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, kale and arugula can actually pose health risks. Improper production, handling and preparation of leafy greens can lead to contamination from E. coli, norovirus and salmonella.
- Safety tip:
- “Wash your leafy greens by thoroughly soaking them in a large bowl of water (not running water). Dry before eating.”
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
Sunday March 28, 2010
-
8 Surprising Ways to Lower Your Stress Now
- This is something most of us need to know about (above).
-
9 Lists To Keep Updated, and Keep Handy
- Worth looking at..
- Badass of the week will be down the page tomorrow.
- I never cease to be amazed at the wonders of the internet and how it has made information so readily available to anyone with access to the internet. Occasionally I run across something that I think of as exceptional and today is such a day; please at least take a look at this article (please don't get turned-off by the title "Badass of the Week" because while the provider/writer uses extreme language at times this is truly a great source of information).
- Go to this link and you may be as amazed as I am at this story.
- This will be a better day as promised....it may take a little while to recognize but it will happen.
- Politically speaking we should all remember that both parties live in the same house!
- Is it fair to say the will of the people is near evenly divided at least most of the time?
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
Saturday March 27, 2010
-
Are You Getting Enough Sleep?
- Snuggling under the covers is one of life’s great pleasures, topped only perhaps by the satisfaction of waking up after a good night’s sleep. But sleep is something we’re getting too little of: While we need anywhere from 7-9 hours a night to feel rested, Americans sleep an average of 6 hours and 40 minutes during the week and about 7-and-a-half hours on weekend nights, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Depending on their age, kids need 11-18 hours, but up to half of them aren’t getting enough, parents told the NSF in a poll. Why do we need to get more sleep? Besides helping you feel rested, a good night’s sleep can make you smarter, happier, slimmer and improve your memory.
- I never cease to be amazed at the wonders of the internet and how it has made information so readily available to anyone with access to the internet. Occasionally I run across something that I think of as exceptional and today is such a day; please at least take a look at this article (please don't get turned-off by the title "Badass of the Week" because while the provider/writer uses extreme language at times this is truly a great source of information).
- Go to this link and you may be as amazed as I am at this story.
- This will be a better day as promised....it may take a little while to recognize but it will happen.
- Politically speaking we should all remember that both parties live in the same house!
- Is it fair to say the will of the people is near evenly divided at least most of the time?
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
div id="tabContent" align="left">Friday March 26, 2010
- Here is an email going around to give well deserved thanks to our military person ell; to often we take for granted the enormous sacrifices that many of our military people, particularly the younger ones who are frequently the majority of the personnel that serve on the dangerous fronts; not to minimize the value and sacrifice that the career, both enlisted and officer, personnel also face and contribute. We owe to these people as well as to ever Veteran who has ever served to protect the freedom of the citizens of the United States as well as many many other people of the world. Their (OUR Military) presence is worldwide, 24/7 rain or shine. Our Military is the reason we can live free of fear. This facebook video is very nice and warrants a few minutes of all our time. When you have finished watching the Video the window will show you that you are the x,xxx,xxx th person to have viewed; if you wish to see it again press the "Watch Again" link under the picture of the praying soldier.
- I never cease to be amazed at the wonders of the internet and how it has made information so readily available to anyone with access to the internet. Occasionally I run across something that I think of as exceptional and today is such a day; please at least take a look at this article (please don't get turned-off by the title "Badass of the Week" because while the provider/writer uses extreme language at times this is truly a great source of information).
- Go to this link and you may be as amazed as I am at this story.
- This will be a better day as promised....it may take a little while to recognize but it will happen.
- Politically speaking we should all remember that both parties live in the same house!
- Is it fair to say the will of the people is near evenly divided at least most of the time?
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
Thursday March 25, 2010
- I never cease to be amazed at the wonders of the internet and how it has made information so readily available to anyone with access to the internet. Occassionally I run across something that I think of as exceptional and today is such a day; please at least take a look at this article (please don't get turned-off by the title "Badass of the Week" because while the provider/writer uses extreme language at times this is truly a great source of information).
- Go to this link and you may be as amazed as I am at this story.
- This will be a better day as promised....it may take a little while to recognize but it will happen.
- Politically speaking we should all remember that both parties live in the same house!
- Is it fair to say the will of the people is near evenly divided at least most of the time?
- Some days we just are not very with it...! tomorrow will be more better...
- Politically speaking we should all remember that both parties live in the same house!
- Is it fair to say the will of the people is near evenly divided at least most of the time?
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
- Politically speaking we should all remember that both parties live in the same house!
- Is it fair to say the will of the people is near evenly divided at least most of the time?
- Is it worth dying for? Just let it go---The poor guy may not have even know what he did to upset the angry person.
- Authorities say a man who fatally shot another motorist
in California before turning the gun on himself appears
to have targeted a stranger in a road rage incident.
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office says 36-year-old
Jenson Kohutek had some conflict with 49-year-old Jack
Larson while driving in the Somerset area of Placerville,
which is 40 miles east of Sacramento. After their two
vehicles eventually crashed, Kohutek allegedly shot
Larson, then killed himself.
Sheriff's officials say there appears to be no prior link between the two men.
- Authorities say Larson later died at a hospital. A 72-year-old woman who was a passenger in Larson's SUV was not injured.
"Independent thinking does not mean questioning other people’s convictions; It means questioning your own;" This quote is attributed to David Gerrold and we will give him credit here although I can virtually guarantee he is not the original producer. Regardless, I think the idea is right on and one will be well self-served to follow the advice.
Meet General Sherman. Believed to be the largest living thing on Earth. Check it out here
You probably didn’t know that California was home to the largest living thing on Earth, but high in the Sierra’s in the Sequoia National Park stands General Sherman, a 2500 year old Giant Sequoia named after the civil war general by naturalist James Wolverton, who had served as a lieutenant in the 9th Indiana Cavalry under Sherman.
- Breaking
News World wide current events.
-
I am not sure if fate is real or merely perceived but it sure catchs the blame for many happenings. Here are a few interesting takes on the word 'fate'. Wild Tangent; Wiki; Magazine; According to Webster; More Astrology, find yours here; Fate, TX., a city in the great state of Texas; Exploited as commercial; Now, will this still be Fate? Perhaps by design? How about clothing? A tv series? Random Fate? Well, I did not intend to go this far with the word, it just flashed through my mind with the astrology thing and since it is a frequent flyer in my head I merely wondered what it really is; I don't have any better idea after all this but I did learn a couple of things. Could that be fate?
"Independent thinking does not mean questioning other people’s convictions; It means questioning your own;" This quote is attributed to David Gerrold and we will give him credit here although I can virtually guarantee he is not the original producer. Regardless, I think the idea is right on and one will be well self-served to follow the advice.
Meet General Sherman. Believed to be the largest living thing on Earth. Check it out here
You probably didn’t know that California was home to the largest living thing on Earth, but high in the Sierra’s in the Sequoia National Park stands General Sherman, a 2500 year old Giant Sequoia named after the civil war general by naturalist James Wolverton, who had served as a lieutenant in the 9th Indiana Cavalry under Sherman.
- Friday was a losing day for the Dow following about seven straight winners but giving up 37pts or so to break an eight day streak. Granted several of the eight days were slim gains but gains none the less. Actually only two losing days for the month prior to Friday 3/19/10; March 3 = -9.22; and March 8 = -13.61.
- The 10/90 thing is a little insight to the difference it could make in one's day by taking a positive approach as opposed to a negative reaction.
- Cookbooks for People Who Don’t Cook. Now that is an interesting heading ...I will just give you the link if you want to see where it goes. Interestingly enough it is that the statement comes under a heading 'GREAT WRITING' and my short assessment tends to agree.
- Click this link for Surreal Cities if you would like some surreal photographs.
- Breaking News World wide current events.
Wednesday March 24, 2010
Tuesday March 23, 2010
Monday March 22, 2010
Sunday March 21, 2010
The Foods List (cancer fighting) is down the page.
Learn and absorb reading material faster than you can now -- worth a look.
Discover this 90/10 Principle.It will change your life (or atleast the way you react to situations).
---
WHAT IS THIS PRINCIPLE?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you...90% of life is decided by how you react.
WHAT THAT THIS MEAN?
We really have NO control over the 10% of what happens to us.The 90% is different.YOU determine the 90%
HOW?By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light.However, you can control your reaction.
Do not let people fool you.YOU can control how you react.
---o0o---
Let's see this example:
You are having breakfast with your family.Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt.
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YOU HAVE NO CONTROL over what has just happened.What happens next will be determined by HOW YOU REACT.
...
You curse.You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over.She breaks down in tears.
After scolding her, you turn to your wife and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table.A short verbal battle follows.
You storm upstairs and change your shirt.Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish her breakfast and getting ready to go to school.She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work.You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.
Because you are late,you drive 40 miles per hour in a 30 mph speed limit zone.
After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60.00 traffic fine away,you arrive at school.Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye.
After arriving the office 20 minutes late,you realize your forgot your briefcase.
Your day has started terrible.As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse.You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find a small wedgein your relationship with your wife and daughter.
Why?
Because of how you reacted in the morning.-Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?B) Did your daughter cause it?C) Did the policeman cause it?D) Did you cause it?
The answer is: D-You had NO CONTROL over what happened with the coffee.
How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day!
>>>Here is what could have and should have happened.<<<
Coffee splashes over you.Your daughter is about to cry.
You gently say:"It's okay, honey, you just need to be more careful next time."
Grabbing a towel, you go upstairs and change your shirt.You grab your briefcase, and come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus.She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff....Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios.Both started the same.Both ended different.
WHY?
Because of how you reacted.
You really have no control over 10% of what happens in your life.The other 90% was determined by your reaction....
- Breaking News World wide current events.
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February 25, 2010
Mount Vernon
Is George Washington buried at Arlington National Cemetery? Although Arlington National Cemetery was begun on grounds that were part of Washington's holdings, George and Martha Washington are buried in a tomb on their family estate, Mount Vernon. The Washingtons grew tobacco on their Virginia plantation, which lay on the banks of the Potomac River. After having led his men to victory in the Revolutionary War, George Washington was the unanimous choice to be the first President of the United States. He chose a small, experienced group of men to make up his cabinet. Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of State; Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury; Henry Knox, Secretary of War; and Edmund Randolph, Attorney General. On this date in 1793, President Washington convened the first Cabinet meeting on record, at his Mount Vernon home.
Quote: "Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." — George Washington
Mount Vernon
Quote: "Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company."
February 24, 2010
Steve Jobs
What is it — besides hard work and good ideas — that makes someone a leader?
Barack Obama has it. So does George Clooney. Bill Clinton's is legendary. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi used it to change the way people see the world. Oprah worked hers to build an empire. A whole family of Kennedys has had it in spades. It's called charisma. Charismatic people possess a charm and a mystique that make them attractive to others and that make others want to be in their company and follow their lead. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is an example of a charismatic business leader who infuses others with the enthusiasm and excitement he himself feels for his products and for technology in general. Happy 55th birthday to Steve Jobs, whose technological curiosity, creativity and personal charisma helped to make a success of the iPod and the MacBook and to build expectations for the iPad.
Quote: "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... they push the human race forward... because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." — Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Quote: "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... they push the human race forward... because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
February 23, 2010
In the East Room
Where do they hold the White House press conferences? White House press conferences are held in the East Room, the White House's largest and most versatile room. It's the place where the president publicly signs bills into action, where Congressional shmoozing has often taken place, where artists like Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Yo-Yo Ma and Earth, Wind and Fire have performed, and where seven presidents have lain in state. The East Room was where Richard Nixon made his emotional farewell speech and where Gerald Ford was sworn in. It's the room where many first-family events have taken place; Tricia Nixon married Edward Cox in the East Room; Susan Ford hosted her senior prom there. Earlier this month the White House honored the music of the civil rights movement there with a concert starring Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Smokey Robinson, Natalie Cole, John Mellencamp, Yolanda Adams and Jennifer Hudson. And on this date in 1883, Chester Arthur had more than 100 guests to hear members of Her Majesty's Opera Company sing Mozart, Verdi and Wagner in the first East Room concert for an invited audience.
Quote: "A White House dinner is the American family assembled — from labor leaders to billionaires, actors, architects, academicians and athletes." — Hugh Sidey
In the East Room
Quote: "A White House dinner is the American family assembled — from labor leaders to billionaires, actors, architects, academicians and athletes."
February 22, 2010
Drew Barrymore
Who was the youngest person ever to host 'Saturday Night Live?' Drew Barrymore — seven years old at the time — hosted Saturday Night Live in 1982, and remains the youngest SNL host ever. With her sixth tour as host in October 2009, Barrymore also became the show's most frequent female host. Though it wasn't her first role, Barrymore's part as Gertie in (her godfather) Steven Spielberg's E.T. catapulted her to an early fame. It was a rocky road to respect and acclaim, with bouts of drug and alcohol addiction and wild partying as obstacles to her success. But, that seems to be behind her for now and this is Drew's best year yet, as she racks up awards for her turn as Little Edie in the TV movie Grey Gardens. Happy birthday to Drew Barrymore, who turns 35 today.
Quote: "I don't want to sit around and hope good things happen. I want to make them happen." — Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Quote: "I don't want to sit around and hope good things happen. I want to make them happen."
February 21, 2010
Why is the classical guitar also known as the Spanish guitar? The modern classical guitar, a member of the lute family, was based on designs of the Spanish luthier Antonio Torres Jurado, hence, the reference to the Spanish guitar. Believing that the soundboard was the main element in the guitar, Torres decided to enhance its effectiveness by increasing the size of the guitar and making the soundboard itself thinner and lighter, and arching it in both directions. His guitars proved to be far superior to the existing models and became the new standard for guitars from then on. Though it was not considered an orchestral instrument, master guitarist Andrés Segovia changed that. Segovia, who was born on this date in 1893, transcribed early contrapuntal music for the guitar and revived the instrument's popularity, especially for concert performing. Soon composers like Manuel de Falla and Heitor Villa-Lobos were writing music specifically for Segovia and his guitar.
Quote: "The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice." — Andrés Segovia
Quote: "The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."
February 20, 2010
Which school in the US opened the first academic program in photography? In 1945-6, Ansel Adams established the first academic photography department at the California School of Fine Arts, now known as the San Francisco Art Institute. Adams also was responsible for organizing the first public exhibit of photographs at the Museum of Modern Art, and wrote several books on photography, always working to raise awareness of photography as an art form.
When Adams was fourteen years old, he visited Yosemite National Park with his family. It was there that he began to take pictures with his first camera. He so loved Yosemite that he was to return there every year for the rest of his life. Adams, born on this date in 1902, went on to become one of the US's most celebrated nature photographers and environmentalists. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980.
Quote: "Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." — Ansel Adams
Quote: "Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."
February 19, 2010
'EastEnders' Cast
Is BBC's 'EastEnders' England's longest-running soap opera? No. England's longest-running soap is Coronation Street. It was first broadcast on December 9, 1960, and is still on the air. Then, twenty-five years ago today the Beales, the Fowlers and the Mitchells first came to UK screens on BBC TV's EastEnders. They came from London's East End, from the fictional borough of Walford. The soap opera was an instant hit and, though it has had its ups and down in the ratings, it remains one of Britain's most popular and one of its most critically acclaimed. Over 30 million viewers watched Den Watts give divorce papers to his wife, Angie, on December 25, 1986 — still the highest-rated episode of a soap in England's TV history. The show prides itself on its realism, with storylines about HIV, SIDS, child abuse, domestic violence and drug abuse.
Quote: "I like soap opera acting. If it's done really well, there's nothing better." — Parker Posey
'EastEnders' Cast
Quote: "I like soap opera acting. If it's done really well, there's nothing better."
February 18, 2010
Why has 'Huckleberry Finn' been on so many banned books lists? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has made it to many lists of books that should be banned because readers (and many people who never bothered to read it) deemed it indecent and racist. Yet, even with its frequent place on the lists of America's most challenged books, it has become a classic. Written by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn was published on December 10, 1884, in Canada and England and on this date in 1885, in the US. Although many thought that Twain's depiction of the runaway slave, Jim, was demeaning and racist, the story was meant to show the hypocrisy of American society in its views of slaves and African Americans. The story follows Huck and Jim — both runaways — as they travel down the Mississippi River, with Huck slowly changing his views about blacks and working to help Jim to freedom.
Quote: "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn... All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since." — Ernest Hemingway
Quote: "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn... All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since."
February 17, 2010
Defending the Maginot Line
What is the Maginot Line? The Maginot Line was an elaborate system of fortifications erected by the French in the 1930s, along their border with Germany, designed to keep the German forces from crossing in to France. It was named for one of its chief proponents, André Maginot — born on this date in 1877 — who was then France's Minister of War. The defensive line, which was made of thick concrete and included living quarters, underground rail lines and storehouses and had a line of heavy artillery, proved to be not as impregnable as the French hoped. It extended only from Switzerland to Luxembourg; the Germans simply went around the border, invaded Belgium and marched on through to France in May 1940.
Quote: "All of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot Lines against this enemy they thought they saw across the frontier, this enemy who never attacked that way — if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy." — John Knowles, A Separate Peace
Defending the Maginot Line
Quote: "All of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot Lines against this enemy they thought they saw across the frontier, this enemy who never attacked that way — if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy." — John Knowles, A Separate Peace
February 16, 2010
Is there a common emergency telephone number that can be used worldwide? Most countries have a three-digit emergency phone number: 101 (in Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, India, and Israel), 112 (in most European countries and all GSM mobile phones), 911 (in the US) and 999 (in countries including the UK, Poland, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Macao, Bahrain and Qatar) are a few of the numbers that are frequently used as emergency numbers. There is no one universal number. However, most cell phones are set up with a built-in list of emergency phone numbers, so that if a caller dials the number familiar to him, it will automatically be forwarded to the local emergency phone service. London had the first emergency phone number, 999, set up in 1937; the dialing of the number prompted a buzzer to sound and a red light to flash in the exchange. In the US, Alabama's speaker of the house made the first 911 call on this date in 1968, in Haleyville.
Quote: "Operator! Give me the number for 911." — Homer Simpson
Quote: "Operator! Give me the number for 911." — Homer Simpson
February 15, 2010
What is Clean Monday? Clean Monday — celebrated today — is the Monday that begins the season of Lent, as observed by Eastern Orthodox churches. Lent lasts for 40 days, up till Easter, and is a time when Orthodox Christians refrain from eating meat, fish and dairy products. On Clean Monday, Christians are expected to clean their "spiritual house." Many fast from midnight to noon and refrain from eating meat all day. This fasting, as well as extra bible study and prayer, is a form of cleansing of the body and soul in preparation for Easter and the Resurrection. Western Orthodox Churches begin Lent on Ash Wednesday. Easter will be celebrated this year on April 4.
Quote: "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world." — George Bernard Shaw
Quote: "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world." — George Bernard Shaw
Sunday Febuary 14, 2010
- and one step ahead of cancer -
that’s no surprise. Here are some of the foods you
should be eating to do just that:
- The following list is about foods that are alleged to help
fight cancer in humans. There is nothing about FDA approved
implied here and all these claims are of course based on
some persons belief. With this caveat so stated we are providing
these claims with the caution that nothing always works the
same for all people; our personal beliefs are not stated
here and we do not have any information of any real studies
conducted to prove any of these statements regarding these
foods.
- 1. Tomatoes. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can reduce your risk of breast, prostate, pancreatic and colorectal cancers. Lycopene is concentrated when tomatoes are cooked, so your best lycopene sources are spaghetti sauce, tomato paste and ketchup.
- 2. Broccoli sprouts. These are sprouts actually developed
from broccoli, and they are the only product out there that
guarantees consistent levels of sulforaphane GS, a natural
compound in broccoli and other cruciferous plants that support
our bodies' own antioxidant function. Sulforaphane may reduce
your risk of stomach, breast and skin
cancer.
- 3. Berries are very high in antioxidants. They get their mouth watering colors from antioxidants known as anthocyanins. Look for fruits and vegetables with the deepest colors to get the highest concentration of anthocyanins, but they all have properties helpful in fighting colon and esophageal cancers.
- 4. Soybeans are known for their isoflavones and they help
us fight breast and prostate
cancer by protecting our cells from estrogen's
harmful effects. There are several kinds of isoflavones
in soy products, but one, called genistein, may be
the best defense against the growth and spread of cancerous
cells. However, findings are not conclusive. Be careful
about using too much soy in your diet - it can cause
hormonal imbalance that stimulates the growth of cancer cells.
- 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. ...
Sunday Febuary 14, 2010
- and one step ahead of cancer -
that’s no surprise. Here are some of the foods you
should be eating to do just that:
- The following list is about foods that are alleged to help
fight cancer in humans. There is nothing about FDA approved
implied here and all these claims are of course based on
some persons belief. With this caveat so stated we are providing
these claims with the caution that nothing always works the
same for all people; our personal beliefs are not stated
here and we do not have any information of any real studies
conducted to prove any of these statements regarding these
foods.
- 1. Tomatoes. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can reduce your risk of breast, prostate, pancreatic and colorectal cancers. Lycopene is concentrated when tomatoes are cooked, so your best lycopene sources are spaghetti sauce, tomato paste and ketchup.
- 2. Broccoli sprouts. These are sprouts actually developed
from broccoli, and they are the only product out there that
guarantees consistent levels of sulforaphane GS, a natural
compound in broccoli and other cruciferous plants that support
our bodies' own antioxidant function. Sulforaphane may reduce
your risk of stomach, breast and skin
cancer.
- 3. Berries are very high in antioxidants. They get their mouth watering colors from antioxidants known as anthocyanins. Look for fruits and vegetables with the deepest colors to get the highest concentration of anthocyanins, but they all have properties helpful in fighting colon and esophageal cancers.
- 4. Soybeans are known for their isoflavones and they help
us fight breast and prostate
cancer by protecting our cells from estrogen's
harmful effects. There are several kinds of isoflavones
in soy products, but one, called genistein, may be
the best defense against the growth and spread of cancerous
cells. However, findings are not conclusive. Be careful
about using too much soy in your diet - it can cause
hormonal imbalance that stimulates the growth of cancer cells.
- 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. ...
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."
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
email: (fight spammers by not using email hyperlink) cecate at pacbell dot net