Founded : December 2000 Created By : Esther Aquino and Joseph Garcia
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
Founded : December 2000 Created By : Esther Aquino and Joseph Garcia
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
September 22nd, 2005
In Today's Edition
A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
- James Dent
Born on September 22nd
Actor Paul Lemat (American Graffiti) is 59.
Singer David Coverdale (Whitesnake, Deep Purple) is 54.
Actress Shari Belafonte is 51.
Singer Debby Boone is 49.
Country singer June Forester of the Forester Sisters is 49.
Singer Nick Cave is 48.
Singer Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde is 48.
Opera singer Andrea Bocelli is 47.
Singer Joan Jett is 45.
Actress Catherine Oxenberg is 44.
Actor Scott Baio is 44.
Actor Rob Stone (Mr. Belvedere) is 43.
Singer Big Rube of Society of Soul is 34.
Actor Tom Felton (Harry Potter films) is 18.
Born on September 23rd
John F. Aquino
Sarah and Dick
Sarah and Dick were having dinner with a couple they'd not seen for several years. Each couple tried to re- capture knowledge of the other by recounting their histories.
"And soon after we were married," Sarah began, "we were blessed with a marvelous, chubby creature with cute bow legs and no teeth."
"You had a baby, I presume," said the other husband.
"Nope," Dick broke in, "Sarah's mother came to live with us."
Today's useless fact - What financial obligations do the president and first lady have while living in the White House? Is everything free?
We visited the links in the U.S. Presidents category to answer your question. As far as we can tell, a U.S. president and his squeeze don't have to pay one thin Roosevelt dime during their four to eight years at the White House. Add up all the presidential perks and subtract the wars, natural catastrophes, and economic disasters, and it seems like a pretty sweet gig. Title 3 of the U.S. Code is what governs the cash at the president's disposal. Here's the basic package: For starters, he makes a salary of $400,000 a year, plus a $50,000 expense account to defray costs relating to the "discharge of his official duties." Traveling expenses: $100,000 per year. Entertainment: $19,000. As for taking up residence in the White House (including use of its bowling alley and movie theater), trips on Air Force 1, meals, and vacations at Camp David...all are comped.
By law, the prez is also entitled to "use of the furniture and other effects belonging to the United States and kept in the Executive Residence at the White House." Mr. Lucky Ducky is also appropriated up to $1 million each fiscal year to spend at his discretion for "unanticipated needs" related to the national interest. Then of course there are the gifts. Finally, when his term of office is up, he is entitled to an annual pension of $157,000 per year, plus office space, administrative help, and Secret Service protection.
So get your resumes ready -- 2008 is just around the corner.
The Buzzword for September 22nd
autumn \AW-tum\ noun
What does it mean?
1 : the season between summer and winter including in the
northern hemisphere usually the months of September, October,
and November
2 : a time of full maturity and the beginning of decline
How do you use it?
"It is a vast wilderness of rocks in a sea of light, colored and
glowing like oak and maple woods in autumn, when the sun-gold is richest."
(John Muir, _Steep Trails_)
Are you a word wiz?
What language do you think "autumn" comes from?
A. Latin
B. French
C. Persian
D. Chinese
Answer:
Since today is the first day of autumn, let's take a look at the word
"autumn" and its synonym, "fall." "Autumn" traces back to the Latin
word for the season, "autumnus." It was adopted into Middle English by the
14th century, first appearing as
"autumpne" and eventually becoming "autumn." The word "fall" has
its origins in English. We call the autumn season "fall" because
of our association of autumn with the falling of the leaves. In
fact, people referred to the season as "fall of the leaf." That
phrase was eventually replaced by the simpler "fall," and ever
since, we have used "fall" as a more informal means of
describing the season in which the leaves fall from the trees.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
Approaching Storm
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend.
The following is what appeared in Wednesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
"Take every birthday with a grain of salt. This works much better if the salt accompanies a large margarita." ~ Maxine
Born on September 21st
Actor Larry Hagman is 74.
Actor-comedian Henry Gibson is 70.
Author-comedian Fanny Flagg is 61.
Author Stephen King is 58.
Guitarist Don Felder of The Eagles is 58.
Actor Bill Murray is 55.
Writer-producer Ethan Coen is 48.
Actor-comedian Dave Coulier (Full House) is 46.
Actor David James Elliott (JAG) is 45.
Actress Nancy Travis (Becker, Almost Perfect) is 44.
Actor Rob Morrow (Numb3rs, Northern Exposure) is 43.
Actress Cheryl Hines is 40.
Country singer Faith Hill is 38.
Drummer Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies is 38.
Actress-talk show host Ricki Lake is 37.
Rapper Dave (formerly Trugoy the Dove) of De La Soul is 37.
Actor Alfonso Ribeiro (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In the House) is 34.
Actor Luke Wilson is 34.
Actor Paulo Costanzo (Joey) is 27.
TV personality Nicole Richie (The Simple Life) is 24.
Actor Joseph Mazzello (Simon Birch) is 22.
Actors Nikolas and Lorenzo Brino (7th Heaven) are 7.
SENIOR DRESS CODE
Many of us "Old Folks"
(those hovering near 60, over 60, or WAY over 60) are
quite confused about how we should present ourselves. We're unsure about the
kind of image we are projecting, and whether or not we are correct as we try to
conform to current fashions. Take a good look at this Senior.
This picture should serve as a warning to us all that despite what you may have seen on the streets, the following fashion combinations DO NOT go together and should be avoided:
1. A nose ring and bifocals
2. Spiked hair and bald spots
3. A pierced tongue and dentures
4. Miniskirts and support hose
5. Ankle bracelets and corn pads
6. Speedo's and cellulite
7. A belly button ring and a gall bladder surgery scar
8. Unbuttoned disco shirts and a heart monitor
9. Midriff shirts and a midriff bulge
10. Bikinis and liver spots
11. Short shorts and varicose veins
12. Inline skates and a walker
And last, but not least. . .
13. Thongs and Depends
Please keep these basic guidelines foremost in your mind when you shop.
Today's useless fact - Why do people hang pairs of shoes from power lines?
This type of question makes us immediately head to the Urban Legends category. The trusty reference offers an array of possible traditions behind this curious urban phenomenon. For instance, military officers often pitch their old boots over a fence to celebrate finishing a tour of duty. And some farmers indicate whether they're home or not by the direction of their upturned boot on a fencepost.
An article in the Michigan Daily Online suggests that it's a graduation ritual for high school seniors. As one high school junior explains, "You are throwing up shoes and, in the process, leaving something behind."
Pat Cashman, a columnist for Washington state's King County Journal, also offers a number of theories: the pairs of shoes are gang signs; they indicate you can buy drugs at a particular location; they're intended to aggravate police officers. But ultimately, Mr. Cashman has to wearily concur with a young observer plied with pop tarts who said, "People throw the shoes up there because hats and underpants won't stay."
One enterprising cub reporter for the Penn State College Newspaper investigated the safety concerns involved. Most power lines can withstand the weight of multiple pairs of ratty Keds, and the shoes shouldn't interfere with electricity transfer, but "getting into close proximity to power lines is a dangerous thing to do."
The Buzzword for September 21st
blurb \BLERB\ noun
What does it mean?
: a short description (as in advertising) praising a product
highly
How do you use it?
Zack was disappointed to find that the book wasn't nearly as
exciting as the blurb on the jacket claimed it was.
Are you a word wiz?
The origin of the word "blurb" can be traced to a single
individual and a single occasion. Where do you think this first
use of "blurb" took place?
A. at an advertising agency
B. at a dinner for booksellers
C. in the library of an author
D. in a theater by a critic
Answer:
If you were sold on B, congratulations! At the annual dinner of
the American Booksellers Association in 1907, humorist Gelett
Burgess poked fun at publishers' practice of plastering book
jackets with statements of exaggerated praise. He put together a
made-up jacket for his latest book. On its front cover he placed
a doctored picture of a woman that he had lifted from a dental
advertisement, calling the woman "Miss Belinda Blurb." He then
added text congratulating himself on the greatness of his
imaginary book. Seven years later, Mr. Burgess defined his
coinage as "a flamboyant advertisement," and "blurb" became a
widely used term in the world of advertising.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Tuesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
Why do they waste all that money installing 15 checkout lines and then only use two?
Born on September 20th
Actress-comedian Anne Meara is 76.
Actress Sophia Loren is 71.
Bassist Chuck Panozzo of Styx is 58.
Jazz guitarist Peter White is 51.
Actor Gary Cole is 49.
Actress Kristen Johnston is 38.
Singers Gunnar and Matthew Nelson of Nelson are 38.
Bassist Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden) is 37.
Drummer Rick Woolstenhulme of Lifehouse is 26.
Don't Look Behind You
A new employee calls the Help Desk to complain that there's something wrong with her password. No, it's not the usual caps- lock problem.
"The problem is that whenever I type the password, it just shows stars," she says.
"Those asterisks are to protect you," the Help Desk technician explains, "so if someone were standing behind you, they wouldn't be able to read your password."
"Yeah," she says, "but they show up even when there is no one standing behind me."
TC sent me this page. It's a real puzzler and I still can't figure out how it's done. Let me know if you find out how.
Follow the directions. Go to the site shown below. Take your time and follow the directions. After reading each window, click on the boy in the lower right corner. Good luck.
Click here
Today's useless fact - What was Charles Dickens's profession before he was a writer?
His working career was a little eclectic, and it started when he was quite young. At the age of 12, his father was in debtors' prison, and Charles was removed from school by his parents and sent away to work in a shoe polish factory called Warren's Shoeblacking Factory and Warehouse. His experiences there would later become the inspiration for many of the scenes of his stories about orphaned children.
Later, after his parents' finances were more steady and Charles had received a bit more schooling, he went to work as an office boy for a solicitor. When his father was finally released from debtors' prison, the older Dickens got a job at a newspaper where young Charles was able to see writers and reporters in action. Not long after, he decided this was his calling and managed to land a job as a reporter for the "Morning Chronicle". His beat was the House of Commons.
In 1836 his first work, "Sketches by Boz", was published, and thus began his rise to fame as a popular author. Thereafter, he made his living as an author.
The Buzzword for September 20th
sally \SAL-ee\ verb
What does it mean?
1 : to leap out or burst forth suddenly
2 : set out, depart
How do you use it?
The car was packed with as much as it could hold as we sallied
forth on our long-awaited cross-country trip.
Are you a word wiz?
You're probably more familiar with the name Sally than with
today's Buzzword. One of the names below leads a similar double
life and has a homophone (a word pronounced the same way) that
is a word in English. Which one is it?
A. Fred
B. Lisa
C. Tony
D. Cathy
Answer:
What's in a name? Well, in some, there is a good vocabulary word.
"Sally" is one example. "Sally" can be both a verb, as we have defined for
you, or a noun, meaning "a rushing forth," "an
outburst, "a quip," or "a jaunt." "Sally" traces back to Latin
"salire," meaning "to leap," and came into English via the Old
French word "saillir," "to rush forward." So which of the names
listed is also part of English vocabulary? You named it if you
picked C. "Tony" is an adjective that means "marked by an
aristocratic or high-toned manner or style," as in "graduated
from a tony private school."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Monday's edition.
In Today's Edition
The 5th Annual Piknik and Reunion was a huge success. I had a great time and I commend Neen and Tony and all the other people who contributed their time and efforts to put this thing all together.
It was great to see and interact with all our long lost relatives who came from some distances to participate in this event. From the comments I gathered from some, they'll be back next year too.
Thanks to all of you who brought your special dishes. They were all delicious. Special thanks go to all the grillmen; Tony, Larry, Robert, Al, Nikko, Neen, and Joseph. What a great spread of fixings.
Thanks Roni and Larry for the great games. You guys never fail to get the competitive juices going.
And congratulations to the youngest bake-off winner ever, Destini Watson.
I've posted some pictures of the Piknik over at Webshots. If you'd like to see them just click on the link below. Again, thanks to all of you that participated and made this Piknik so memorable. I can't wait for the next one.
Born on September 19th
Actress Rosemary Harris is 75.
Actor Adam West (Batman) is 75.
Actor David McCallum is 72.
Singer Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers is 65.
Singer Sylvia Tyson of Ian and Sylvia is 65.
Singer-songwriter Paul Williams is 65.
Actor Randolph Mantooth (Emergency) is 60.
Singer Freda Payne is 60.
Guitarist Lol Creme of 10cc is 58.
Actor Jeremy Irons is 57.
Actress-model Twiggy Lawson is 56.
Guitarist-producer Nile Rodgers of Chic is 53.
Singer-actor Rex Smith is 50.
Director Kevin Hooks is 47.
Actress Carolyn McCormick (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit) is 46.
Country singer Jeff Bates is 42.
Country singer Trisha Yearwood is 41.
Comedian Cheri Oteri (Saturday Night Live) is 40.
News anchor Soledad O'Brien is 39.
Singer Espraronza Griffin (Society of Soul) is 36.
Singer A. Jay Popoff of Lit is 32.
Comedian Jimmy Fallon is 31.
Drummer Ryan Dusick of Maroon 5 is 28.
Rapper Eamon is 22.
Sunday School
Nine year old Joey, was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday school.
"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."
"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.
"Well, no, Mom. But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"
Today's useless fact - Does a blood transfusion change your DNA?
The short answer is "no," and the longer answer is "no way." We assembled our own little blog of blood to explain, drawing from several links in the Blood Products category. It seems blood is composed of four main elements: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. And, indeed, white blood cells do contain DNA. However, most blood transfusions involve only red blood cells, which do not contain DNA. And even in a rare whole blood transfusion, no traces of foreign DNA from the white blood cells have been detected in a recipient's blood.
On the other hand, there is at least one situation in which a transplant can change your DNA. After a bone marrow transplant, the DNA in a blood sample may actually reflect the donor rather than the recipient. That's because in this case, blood stem cells are transferred. The recipient will produce blood that contains the donor's cellular elements but almost none of his or her own DNA. And yes, this would affect DNA blood evidence (though there are other ways to test for DNA.)
Then there's the even rarer case of blood being transferred due to the anti-social behavior of vampires. But that's a whole other ball of serum.
The Buzzword for September 19th
audacious \aw-DAY-shus\ adjective
What does it mean?
1 : very bold and daring : fearless
2 : showing a lack of proper respect
How do you use it?
"Of course Phil was utterly ignorant of the audacious attempt
to..."
Are you a word wiz?
Our example sentence needs an ending, and only you and your
understanding of "audacious" can remedy that. Which answer below
correctly finishes the sentence?
A. "...soothe his troubled spirit and ease his mind."
B. "...wash his dirty linens before bedtime."
C. "...ask that he fulfill his obligations under the contract."
D. "...deprive him of his rights and keep him apart from the
father who longed once more to meet him."
Answer:
If you boldly chose D, you're right! The first two answers make no
sense when paired up with "audacious" -- in the context we've given,
there's nothing fearless or disrespectful about soothing someone's troubled
spirit or doing the laundry. It's also not disrespectful to expect
someone to live up to their contractual obligations, nor should it require
fearlessness. The fourth and final answer is the only one that
communicates the disrespectful nature of keeping Phil from his father. The
sentence is from the novel The Errand Boy, by Horatio Alger.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
CLICK HERE
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
