* July 5, 2012 *

Yesterday was a very busy day, but a lot got done. We went to our other house & got it mowed, weed whacked, etc. During this time I missed 2 FD calls. :( I came back feeling like a bus hit me, I was covered in dust, dirt, & grass & had been in direct sun for a long time while mowing. I hosed off the mower, parked the trailer, came in & took a much needed shower. I'm always afraid I'm going to clog the drain with all the dirt that's getting washed off of me. Instant mud ball! LOL! Anyway, Pete & I were both too tired to cook, so we decided to go out to grab a slice of pizza. I got all dressed up (in an actual dress & heels) & we headed out. No Italian restaurants were open, so we kept wandering out until we found something that was open. Guess what ... tones. I missed THREE calls in ONE DAY! WTH?! I was so determined to bring my call volume up, hopefully even keep it around 100% like it used to be, & what am I at now? 30%. Ick. Yuck. DARN! LCFD Maintenance Tuesday.

Cliometrics:

The application of methods developed in other fields (as economics, statistics, & data processing) to the study of history.

Using cliometrics, the researchers categorized & analyzed the statistical data they had amassed.

"Cliometrics" comes from a combination of "Clio," the name of the Greek Muse of history, & "-metrics," as in "econometrics" ("the application of statistical methods to the study of economic data & problems") or "biometrics" ("the statistical analysis of biological observations & phenomena"). American economists Douglass North & Robert Fogel developed cliometrics, a highly quantitative means for studying the past. In 1993, they won the Nobel Prize in Economics for their pioneering work.

Dieting brings out your wrinkles.

Figure a little more than a pound of meat for 4 average size burgers. Shae patties up to 1 day ahead, refrigerate with wax paper between each layer, & cover completely with foil or plastic wrap.

Gary Gladhand, the politician, was very tired after a long day of campaigning. He went to bed at 10:p, wound his alarm clock & set it for noon the next day. Since Gar fell asleep almost immediately, how many hours of sleep did he get before the alarm woke him?

Have 2 different savings accounts in addition to a checking account. 1 of the savings accounts is for miscellaneous stuff, & the other is for emergencies only. You need that mental & physical barrier that makes you realize you're about to dip into savings - the cash you've worked so hard for & sacrificed to build up. Otherwise, you're likely to find yourself pulling cash out of your savings for everyday things. Then, what happens when you have a real emergency? Bad news, that's what!

HBR Stats:

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How much did you pay for that suit?

Too much

The answer you give to THAT nosy question.

In what distinctive shape was Fort McHenry—the birthplace of the U.S. national anthem—built?

A five-pointed star, which was a popular design when the Maryland fort was built (1799–1802).

Newton's Principia is published. Math classes more difficult thanks to this newfangled calculus stuff. (1687)

Steal:

Slim (Stephen Dorff) is a clever criminal who assembles a team of extreme-sports risk-takers to pull off the ultimate crime spree: five heists in five days. But the second job nets them a windfall, $20 million in untraceable bonds. Just as they're about to retire, however, a crooked cop forces them to carry out the other heists. To make matters worse, the bonds belong to the mob -- and the mob wants them back! Natasha Henstridge co-stars.

Use an old toothbrush to scrub around faucets in the kitchen & bathroom. Also works well on grout in the shower or tub.

What's at the beginning of eternity, the end of time, the beginning of ever end, & the end of every place?

The letter e.

Where is the largest Fourth of July celebration outside the U.S. held annually?

Which country 1st 2nd, & 3rd used postage stamps?

A. Brazil

B. Great Britain

C. U.S.

BAC. Great Britain issued the so-called "Penny Black" way back in 1840.

Which creature has the longest, 2nd longest, & 3rd longest life span?

A. Man

B. Bowhead whale

C. Galapagos tortoise

Which of these words are synonyms for the word "happy"?

Quixotic, blithe, flummoxed, puerile, blissful, exultant.

Blithe, blissful, & exultant.

World Health Organization declares SARS contained worldwide (2003):

On this day in 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) announces that all person-to-person transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has ceased. In the previous eight months, the disease had killed about 775 people in 29 countries and exposed the dangers of globalization in the context of public health. In spite of WHO's announcement, a new case was diagnosed in China in January 2004, and four more diagnoses followed that April.

The first cases of SARS—then believed to be pneumonia—likely appeared in China's Guangdong province in November 2002. On February 15, 2003, China reported 305 cases of atypical pneumonia, which was later found to be SARS. China was criticized, and later apologized, for failing to alert world health authorities of the initial outbreak and taking proper precautions to contain it. SARS soon spread to neighboring areas, like Hong Kong and Vietnam, and then around the world via air travel. In March, an elderly Canadian woman died from SARS after returning to Toronto from a visit to Hong Kong. The illness went on to kill 44 people in the Toronto area. In China, where the first cases occurred, 350 people died from the disease. In all, more than 8,000 people are thought to have been infected.

Following the WHO's March 12, 2003, issuing of a global health alert about SARS, fear of the disease led many to cancel travel to the affected regions. In addition to a pronounced dip in tourism, many businesses restricted travel to both Asia and Ontario, Canada. The 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in soccer had been scheduled to take place in China, but was moved to the United States as a precaution. The 2003 Women's World Championship in ice hockey that was to be played in Beijing was cancelled outright. Airlines and other tourism-related businesses saw profits decline; some were even forced to lay off workers. Conferences and conventions scheduled for Toronto were cancelled, resulting in a loss of millions of dollars in revenues. Even Chinese food restaurants—from Beijing to New York—reported losses.

The major symptoms of SARS are initially flu-like, including a high fever and dry cough, and in some cases, headaches, diarrhea, stiffness, rash, confusion and loss of appetite also result. Difficulty breathing begins between two and 10 days after infection. Scientists are not yet sure how it is transmitted, but believe that close contact with an infected person is required to contract the disease. SARS is now known to be caused by the SARS coronavirus; a coronavirus is also responsible for some cases of the common cold. Officials believe the disease's mortality rate is about 10 percent.