Capitol Hill Blue Forums Hot Topics & Breaking News The RoundTable Round Table For Thursday, March 11th, 2010

There are about eighty species of crocus (of which approximately 30 are cultivated). Their cup-shaped, solitary, salverform flowers taper off into a narrow tube. Their color varies enormously, although lilac, mauve, yellow and white are predominant. The grass-like, ensiform leaf shows generally a white central stripe along the leaf axis. The leaf margin is entire. Crocuses typically have three stamens. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn/fall-blooming species.





Today In History~

March 11
1791 - Samuel Mulliken of Philadelphia, PA became the first person to receive more than one patent from the U.S. Patent Office. Four patents were issued for his machines: (1) to thresh corn and grain, (2) to break and swingle hemp, (3) to cut polished marble, and (4) to raise the nap on cloths.

1879 - The Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association -- actually its forerunner, the U.S. Amateur Lacrosse Association -- was formed in Princeton, NJ.

1888 - A blizzard started to roar along the Atlantic Seaboard of the U.S., shutting down communication and transportation lines. The white stuff continued to fall for three days in the “Great Blizzard of 1888.”

1909 - The first gold medal to a perfect-score bowler was awarded to A.C. Jellison. The honor was bestowed by the American Bowling Congress.

1927 - Samuel Roxy Rothafel opened the famous Roxy Theatre in New York City. The showplace was indeed a palace. It cost $10,000,000 to build and held 6,200 theatregoers. The Roxy truly was part of the ‘golden age of the movie palace’. The screen was 18-feet by 22-feet. The first feature shown at the Roxy was The Loves of Sunya, starring Gloria Swanson and John Boles.

1942 - Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra recorded the classic, Sleepy Lagoon. It was the last song Monroe would record for Bluebird Records. Vaughn sang on the track while Ray Conniff played trombone. Both later moved to different record companies. Monroe went with RCA and Conniff to Columbia. The big-voiced baritone of Monroe was regularly heard on radio and he was featured in several movies in the 1950s. He died in May 1973. Racing With the Moon and Ghost Riders in the Sky were two of his greatest contributions to popular music.

1948 - Reginald Weir of New York City became the first black tennis player to participate in a U.S. Indoor Lawn Tennis Association tournament.

1956 - Sir Lawrence Olivier starred in the three-hour afternoon NBC-TV special, Richard III. The network reportedly paid $500,000 for the rights to the program. A writer named William Shakespeare was responsible for Richard III.

1964 - Senator Carl Hayden broke the record for continuous service in the U.S. Senate. He completed 37 years and seven days in the upper chamber serving the people of Arizona.

1967 - The World Cup skiing title was earned by Jean-Claude Killy of France.

1968 - Otis Redding posthumously received a gold record for the single, (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay. Redding was killed in a plane crash in Lake Monona in Madison, WI on December 10, 1967. He recorded 11 charted hit songs between 1965 and 1969. Otis Redding was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

1978 - Bobby Hull of the Winnipeg Jets joined Gordie Howe by getting career goal number 1,000 in a game against the Quebec Nordiques.

1985 - DJs around the U.S. began questioning listeners to see which ones could name the 46 pop music stars who appeared on the hit, We Are the World. The song, airing first on this day as a single, contains a “Who’s Who” of contemporary pop music.

1986 - Popsicle announced its plan to end the traditional twin-stick frozen treat for a flatter, one-stick model.


Music For The Day~





Quote For The Day~
Victor Hugo





Chuckle For The Day~

A guy stuck his head into a barbershop and asked, "How long before I can get a haircut?"

The barber looked around the shop full of customers and said, "About 2 hours."

The guy left.

A few weeks later, the same guy stuck his head in the door and asked, "How long before I can get a haircut?"

The barber looked around at the shop and said, "About 3 hours."

The guy left.

A month later, the same guy stuck his head in the shop and asked, "How long before I can get a haircut?"

The barber looked around the shop and said, "About an hour and a half."

The guy left.

The barber turned to his friend and said, "Hey, Bob, do me a favor. Follow that guy and see where he goes. He keeps asking how long he has to wait for a haircut, but then he doesn't ever come back." He must be going some place where he gets seen right away.

A little while later, Bob returned to the shop, laughing hysterically.

The barber asked, "So, where does that guy go when he leaves?"

Bob looked up, wiped the tears from his eyes and said, "Your house!"





Picture For The Day~







Purple crocuses



Have a great day, Ranters!

Scoutgal, The plum and magnolia are ushering in another season here In the early morning rain,

It's pouring, pouring, pouring rain here in the piney woods, which means my daffodils will be completely beaten down. I'm postponing going out in it this morning -- I'll go to work a little later when I can see the mud holes on the road.

Happy day to all!

EmmaG

o HELL'S bells - I looked out to see if the ran last night was still dripping, and it's snowing!

The weather says a FEW INCHES this morning, then rain and snow today and tomorrow.

Jee-bus cripes. Jeebus H cripes.

Well. At least there's music, and coffee. Shoot me the pot, and I'll pour me a shot....

Shite and Bollocks.
The rain isn't here yet but
the sky is leaden and heavy and low.
When it starts my road will turn to a river of mud.
Yesterday; sunny and breezy and warm,
an auspice of spring I thought.
But no, that breeze an ill wind,
and winter rears
its ugly head again.

Yes

I'll say this much for it though - the (probably) last snow of late winter is a lot PRETTIER than, say, the third snow of December.

Now, today, is Thursday!

I applied for three school district jobs (Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach, and Downey) in Los Angeles. I know!

...but I'll come home on the weekends to NorCal

"If" I get said job in LA - it would only be until I can get one back in the Bay Area.