Capitol Hill Blue Forums Hot Topics & Breaking News The RoundTable Round Table For Friday, January 4th, 2008

2000 - The Nasdaq composite index was hit for its worst point loss, falling more than 229 points (5.6 percent) to 3,901. The market appeared to be concerned about future Fed rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 359 points (3.2 percent) to 10,997.





Today In History~

1885 - Dr. William Grant of Davenport, IA performed the first successful appendectomy on this day. The operation was performed on Mary Gartside.

1896 - Utah (45th state) entered the United States of America; capital: Salt Lake City; bird: seagull; flower: sego lily; nickname: Beehive State. The entrance of Utah into the Union followed the Mormon’s abandonment of polygamy.







1928 - NBC radio debuted one of radio’s first variety shows. The Dodge Victory Hour starred Will Rogers, Paul Whiteman and his orchestra and singer Al Jolson. The cost to produce this one show was $67,600.

1932 - NBC Red presented The Carnation Contented Hour. The show continued on network radio for 19 years as a showcase for top singers and musicians. Why The Carnation Contented Hour? Because Carnation evaporated milk comes only from contented cows, of course.







1935 - Bert Ambrose and his orchestra recorded the song that became the group’s theme song. It was titled, Hors d’oeuvres and was cut in London for Decca Records.

1935 - Bob Hope was first heard on network radio as part of The Intimate Revue with Jane Froman, James Melton and the Al Goodman Orchestra. The variety show, sponsored by Bromo Seltzer, lasted only fourteen weeks.



Click on the picture!




1936 - The first pop music chart based on national sales was published by Billboard magazine this day. Joe Venuti, jazz violinist, was at the top of the chart with a little ditty called, Stop! Look! Listen!.

1950 - RCA Victor announced that it would manufacture long-playing (LP) records. This news came two years after Columbia Records debuted the ‘album’.







1953 - Now, you know we had to do some research for this: Tufted plastic carpeting was introduced by Barwick Mills. The new carpet was said to be mothproof and stain resistant.

1954 - Elvis Presley strolled into the Memphis Recording Service and put $4 on the counter. He recorded Casual Love Affair and I’ll Never Stand in Your Way, two songs that so impressed record executive Sam Phillips that he had Elvis record his first professional sides for Sun Records the following August.



Click on the picture!




1957 - Collier’s magazine was published for the last time. The periodical had been published for 69 years.

1965 - The Fender Guitar Company was sold to CBS for $13 million.







1974 - Peter Puck, by gosh, was introduced on NBC-TV as hockey was presented in prime time. The Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers were featured in the National Hockey League contest. Marv Albert was mikeside with play-by-play for NBC.

1982 - Some say this was one of broadcasting’s strangest days, as Bryant Gumbel moved from NBC Sports to the anchor desk. He joined Jane Pauley as co-host of the Today show on NBC.







1984 - Wayne ‘The Great One’ Gretzky scored eight points for the second time in his National Hockey League career. Edmonton’s Oilers defeated the Minnesota North Stars, 12-8. Gretzky had four goals on his own and four assists. He was the Number One Star and Player of the Game for his effort.

1985 - Boston Celtics president Red Auerbach was honored at the Boston Gardens this night. The former coach was recognized for leading the Celtics to nine NBA basketball titles. Announcer Johnny Most saw them all.







1991 - Fu Mingxia, a 12-year-old from China, became the youngest world champion in the history of any aquatic event. Mingxia won the women’s 10-metre platform title at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Australia.

1995 - Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) was formally elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the first Republican to hold the post in 40 years and the first Georgia Speaker in over 100 years.







1999 - Minnesota inaugurated pro wrestler Jesse Ventura as its 38th governor. The only Reform Party candidate to ever win statewide office, Ventura had shocked the political establishment by defeating Attorney General Hubert H. (Skip) Humphrey III and St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman in an upset victory.


Quote For The Day~

Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you.
Wally 'Famous' Amos


[img]http://www.harrywalker.com/photos/Amos_Wally.jpg[/img]


Chuckle For The Day~


[img]http://www.louisiana101.com/ideas_regan_political-cartoons.jpg[/img]


Picture For The Day~


[img]http://www.globalgeografia.com/album/argentina/pn_tierra_del_fuego.jpg[/img]
Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego-Argentina


Trivia For The Day~

Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects, flying 50 to 60 mph.


[img]http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/wonder_of_flight/images/dragon_500.jpg[/img]

I waited on him when I was in college at Scotts Seafood Restaurant at the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco around 1992ish. He opened a briefcase to pull out some papers for his guest to read and on top of the papers were packages of his cookies.

No, he did not leave any packages of cookies behind.

I like Famous Amos cookies!

Good Morning

Just a quick stop, I've been at work for 22 hours now and I was supposed to tell Bob about the rest of the commercial from the hockey game this weekend but I was never able to get back to the round table.

Here it is.... maybe something is wrong with me but I think it's hysterical!!

Hockey Commercial - YouTube

Hey, I can relate to it completely!!!

Actually, at LSSU, the first time I took a couple of my kids to a game, on the glass next to the bench, I had to move them a bit further away because of the ranting on the bench by the head coach. He won a national champonship, but I'd never want to sit down & have a debate with him. His succcesor won two more national championships at LSSU, and now coaches the Notre Dame team. Jeff Jackson is a total class act. I have sat down, bought him a drink and thanked him for his talent & demeanor.

But did you think it was funny?

Go to bed!!



...but, get home safely first!

Thanks for the concern Rick. I went home and some of my volunteer work that needed to get out, showered, changed my clothes and came back to work.

Just part of the job... although I don't recover as well as I used to from staying up over 24 hour.

Is that because Congress just now did something about the Alternative Minimum Tax last week and you guys need to write code for it?

Nope, I install the security software on our IBM mainframes and we just recently rolled out a new version of my product and last night we installed a new version of the IBM product. We had some problems and had to back the IBM software off but not mine due to a problem with a 3rd vendors product.