the quirky writer

Conquering Kilimanjaro One Step at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:02:00 +0000

Brian Hart spent over eight months planning for this trip. Hundreds of hours training, hiking and gearing up for the greatest climb of his life. His Goal: Along with his climbing buddy, Kirk Parry, Brian wanted to take his brother Brad Hart (former principal at Northwestern Lehigh Elementary School) to see one of the most magnificent sunrises in the world--atop Mount Kilimanjaro and do it before Brad would lose his ability to see anything at all.

When the moment came, Brian didn't look at the sunrise--he looked at his brother's face.

Oh sure, Brian caught a glimpse or two of the incredible spectrum of colors and maybe with a tear in eye appreciated the amazing glowing scenery around him. But somehow his goal had not only been acheived but exceeded.

Brad Hart has been losing his vision from retinitis pigmentosa so rapidly in a span of five years, he'll be completely blind. His "bucket list" included seeing as many sunrises as he could see. His brother, Brian, added the "atop Kilimanjaro" part for him.

Even sweeter was the combination of the incredible climb with raising money for the charity Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH). The organization provides sight-saving surgeries for children in Guatemala. The surgeries range from the simple to the serious: correcting crossed eyes to cataract removal.

Prep for the Big Climb
From November 2008 until August 2009, the three men did nothing more than focus on getting Brad to the tallest walkable peak in the world. Planning to see the summit, snows and sunrise on Kilimajaro, a collection of three inactive volcanos became all-consuming. From conception, which included talking to Dawn, Brad's wife for her input, to the plane's final arrival
home, touching down in Philadelphia there was nothing but hiking on their minds.

The three did an altitude preparation program in Colorado. "It was one long weekend," says Brad. "We arrived on Thursday and left Sunday we climbed to 13,000 ft." The trouble with altitude sickness is that everyone's body behaves differently. "If you get sick," says Brad, "you have to turn around." Luckily the men adjusted well and while the altitude's thinner air took a toll on them, it never prohibited them from continuing their climb.

Not to mention expenses: airline tickets in the thousands, the climb fee was $1,100 per climber. Then the fund raising goal of $10,000 each. Once again exceeding expectations, the three men raised $40,000.

Why so high?
Brad says that the idea of watching a sunrise from the Kibo summit of Kilimanjaro was conceived when Kirk and Brian climbed to Mt. Rainer last year. It was a surprise to me, he says. They sprung it on me New Year's Day 2009 on a conference call, Brian from Pittsburgh and Kirk out in Wyoming.

"I like challenges," he says. "So I said yes right away, not giving much thought to it. I only thought about the experience, the opportunity to bond. "But, later" Brad says, "it hit home. I became really anxious about hanging of a cliff; doing a technical climb." So he did some research and talked to his partners in climb. "When I talked to Brian and Kirk, I discovered it wasn't a tech climb with ropes and rock walls but it would be a very grueling, vigorous hike that required a lot of planning."

"My brother, Brian and Kirk did alot of outdoor stuff. Due to my vision I didn't do so much. But my wife Dawn, had been approached in November 2008 about me climbing. She was supportive from the beginning. So were the kids. With Dawn as an occasional hiking coach, Brad took to the Appalachian Trail. They understood what was necessary--all the training and things that I had to do, he says. "I missed family time while training, but my family was very understanding."

Brad's family and friends also understood the lasting impact a trip of this magnitude. "We combined two very important goals, a challenging physical feat to see a beautiful breathtaking sight and raising funds for saving surgeries through Pa VOSH.

Into Africa
It was a 19-hour flight to get to Africa. The three men left Pittsburgh on Monday and arrived in near the base of Kilimanjaro on Tuesday. "We were excited on the way over. The flight didn't seem long at all--I slept, talked, we chatted about our hiking." But coming home was different. "I left at 5:00 am and arrived in Philadelphia 36 hours and 5 planes later."

Overall, Brad, Brian and Kirk found the friendliness of Africans refreshing. "They were accepting of us, there we were in their realm, and they were always kind. From the people in the markets, on the roadsides, people selling us trinkets, to those hiking with us, they were always welcoming."

The warm welcome of the people of Africa helped, but didn't diminish the physical obstacles Brad faced. "During the hiking I felt fine, but visually it much more challenging than I anticipated," he admits. "Every step required thought, it required energy to listen, respond and follow through. Brian was in front and Kirk behind, calling out constant verbal commands. It took a lot to process all the information about where and how to place my feet in secure areas. It really wore on me, I felt it all. I had eye strain, headaches, muscle fatigue and the mental exhaustion because I pushed myself further than I had ever before."

Shadows to Sunrise with Guided Steps
It's not easy to let someone do the hiking for you. "When we were climbing, Kirk, Brian and I were alone for about three days, then we joined up with other members who were also doing the same sort of fund raising." The men were fortunate to be surrounded by trained support people.

But the weather played a bigger role in the climb than anyone anticipated. "Because it was sunny, the shadows made it difficult for me to see the terrain," says Brad. The dark patches made navigating rocks treacherous. "And during cloudy weather there wasn't enough light to see the ground," he says. Yet it turned out better than they all thought it would. "We fell into a good cadence," says Brad. "Even over the dirt, the rock wall, we climbed up and down. The vegetation was sparse at higher elevations so I didn't have to worry about roots or branches above. I was used to steep rocky terrain because we hiked [the Appalachian Trail] at Port Clinton and it's steep there. So it was the best I could find around here to get ready for Africa."

Other challenges for Brad: "The most difficult thing to get used to was the length of the days. Typically a normal-sighted person can do it in 5 hours per day, but for me it was 9- to 10-hour days because I was being guided." Usually Brad's wife and kids helped with him being independent but says Brad: "We [Brad, Brian and Kirk] fell into a nice routine. I was able to be trusting. I never fell, I slipped couple times but Brian and Kirk were there to catch me."

Brad was given an extra gift of seeing the sunset at 15,000 feet the night before attempting the summit of Kibo. Then during the day they climbed another 1,000 ft. And then, Brad couldn't take another step. The group made the decision to stop shy of Kibo and see the the sunrise at 16,000 feet. "We started hiking in the dark to get as high as we could." After 7 days of climbing, camping, and sleeping in tents, the moment came. "I didn't make it to the summit, but I pushed myself as far as I could go and we decided this was our summit--our goal was right here, we timed the dawn, found a flat rock and waited."

Then the sun greeted then men. "I first saw the outline of the volcano, then blue first, deep blue then slowly the whole spectrum of colors spread over the cloud layer. We were so high, we were above the clouds." The men heard nothing: It was calm, windless, total silence. "At that moment I reflected on it all. I didn't feel tired, a little cold at first, because I was cooling down from climbing, then I felt the peace, the calm, the happiness. I looked at Kirk and my brother giving me the thumbs up, saw the smiles on their faces," he recalls. "I think my brother may have cried."

Down to Earth
"We stayed at our summit for about a half an hour, then went back down." Descent for climbers is usually pretty easy, but the day and a half down was more challenging. The trail is steeper and the footing tough," he says. "You're moving faster and heading down." Brad explains why the trip up was longer than the trip down. "Your body needs to acclimate to the rising altitude so it takes about 7 days to ascend, you must take it slower on the ascension."

Gear also slowed the men down a bit. "I carried about 25 lbs, the porters carried the rest," says Brad. "We just carried the tents, but the porters set up camp. They would pass us everyday. At first I thought we are really slow, then I didn't think about it much." But Brad was in awe of the porters who balanced 40 to 45 lbs of gear on their heads.

"The most difficult thing for me was being away from normal surroundings, from family. I was outside my comfort zone. And it was a culture shock for everyone. I was surprised that the cane is not an international symbol of vision impairment. People kept asking me what it was for."

"And yet the easiest thing was putting my trust in Brian and Kirk, knowing that at the drop of a hat they'd be there for me. If I stumbled they'd be there, grabbing my elbow, they adjusted to me and recognized my cues for help. They'd put a head lamp on my thermos so i could see my meals in the limited light."

Serious Support
Brad, Brian and Kirk did amazing things but it was the ordinary folks back home who did the extraordinary. Their churches, neighbors, community all pitched in from fundraising to prayer to welcoming them home. "I was happy that it didn't bother them that I didn't reach the summit," he says. "It would have been 26 hours of hiking that day for me to reach it. Climbing the terrain in the dark would have been tough for even the normal sighted person. But when I got home people would say: Great job!

"People did pay attention to what we were trying to do. Glad Tidings Church in Westlawn had a prayer service and gathered donations for us. Westlawn United Methodist Church had a 24 prayer-vigil for the whole eight days we hiked."

The Northwestern Lehigh community knows Brad as principal at the Elementary school from 2002 to 2007, and he still has ties in the community. And with a nod to his education background, the three men stopped on the way back at an orphanage and school. "We brought food, supplies, and school supplies for the kids," he says. "It was really a great way to end the trip."

For the rest of mortals, Brad says not all everyone has to climb mountains. "Some people are drawn to challenges, some to service, but it's important not to get so wrapped up in our own lives, we need to see the world from a different perspective," he says. "I encourage people to get involved," says Brad, noting that travel to foreign countries or raising tens of thousands of dollars isn't necessary to contribute. "Always try to do your very best, no one can fault you for that."

More of the adventure on the blog: http://act-2009.blogspot.com/ AND check out VOSH at: http://www.voshpa.org/

Where the clever things are...

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:49:00 +0000

With all the talk about recycling, there are so very few companies that actually take trash or unwanted items and turn them into something new AND useful.

1. Uncommon Goods. Takes windshields and turns them into stemless wine glasses. Watch what happens when you drop your glass.

2. Rubber Recycle. Takes old tires and shreds them into chunks as soft fill for playgrounds. No more scraped knees on concrete or asphalt.

3. Needlepointers.com. Patterns for crocheting annoying plastic grocery bags into all sorts of stuff--tote bags, beach bags and mats. And you don't have to be an expert knitter.

4. Yesterday's News. Turns newspapers into kitty litter. The best idea yet.

Where is Amelia?

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:41:00 +0000

In October of this year, Fox will debut the movie "Amelia" a bio-pic about Amelia Earhart. Doubtless Hollywood has and will put the spin on where THEY think Amelia is. About 71 years after her infamous disapperance, conspiracy theories abound.

In all likelihood Amelia Earhart along with navigator, Fred Noonan crashed into the Pacific Ocean near the island nation of New Guinea. But the question remains unanswered because there was no wreckage and no bodies found.

The more puzzling question is why isn't there anything left of Earhart, Noonan or the Lockheed Electra they were flying? In 2002, the Md-based company, Nauticos conducted a nearly 650-mile search of the area and found nothing at the bottom of the ocean.

Tighar International Group, under the Earhart Project, investigated reports of wreckage on a tiny island near New Guinea, but it turned out to be the ship wreck of the S.S. Norwich City. They are still investigating tidbits of items discovered on other islands that may or may not be long to Earhart.

There are several problems with investigating plane crashes in the sea. In 1937, there was no "black box" or flight recorders, there was no GPS systems on planes. Pilots flew with navigators who reported longitude and latitudes, there were compasses maps and radios, but they could not definitively give location. Radar was just beginning to be used. Without exact coordinates rescuers combed hundreds of thousands of miles perhaps in the wrong direction and only looking at the surface of the sea. Combine that with fact that Earhart was unfamiliar with all the equipment on board the Electra.

When a plane hits the water at say, 200 miles per hour the plane will shatter, throwing bits of itself hundred of yards from the impact point. Likewise its contents will also explode.

Confounding the search was the airplane itself. The Lockheed Electra was plagued with problems--wings and engine mounts would vibrate and then come off. The fault? A high-speed aircraft stuck in a conventional design. The plane may have ripped apart and sent Earhart and Noonan to their watery graves. In addition, the aircraft was metal which would have sank shortly after a crash. Today's planes are fitted with flotation devices and much of their fuselages are made of lightweight durable materials which also float.

Amelia Earhart paved the way for women (and men) pilots in transcontinental flight, but unfortunately is better known for her disappearance than her achievements.

Sources: Stuart Lee "Lockheed Electra: Killer Airliner", National Geographic,

July 4th, less known history

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:42:00 +0000

In 1776, as every child has learned from school the Continental Congress drafted, edited and then signed the Declaration of independence.

Here's what they didn't tell you:

It was actually July 2, 1776 that the Continental Congress actually voted on freedom from Britain. The Declaration of Independence was a formality.

It was read out loud to the public in three locations: Philadelphia, PA; Trenton, NJ; Easton, PA on July 8, 1776.

The document was approved and went into effect on July 4th, but wasn't fully signed by all members of congress until August 2, 1776. The dispute arise from the fact that certain members weren't all present. Jefferson, Adams and Franklin recall it differently.

There were thought to be 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence. Today only 25 copies are known to exist.

Sources: Fourth of July Celebrations Database, US History.org.

Hurricane Season

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:08:00 +0000

According to NOAA the 2009 hurricane season officially started June 1. They are predicting 7-14 named hurricanes in the Atlantic. They estimate that 35 million people will be affected by hurricanes this year.

How to cope? Be prepared (seehttp://nhc.boulder.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml) and buy a book:

A Saving Hurricane
http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Hurricane-Bernadette-Sukley/dp/1601454104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244808835&sr=8-1

Irony: the NOAA is headquartered in Boulder, CO far away from any hurricanes. They predict them--you live through them.

pulitzer prizes for writing

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:28:00 +0000

Elizabeth Strout of Queens University of Charlotte won the 2009 Pulitzer prize for her book "Olive Kitteridge." A novel about a woman struggling through day-to-day life in a small town in Maine.

Strout's writing is very compelling, it cannot compare to Annie Dillard's "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek." Dillard wrote the book as a way to help her recover from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia. She won the Pulitzer for the book in 1975. The book is a diary of sorts that details her encounters with the animals and environment in a tiny nook of Virginia.

both books are worth the read.
Amazon.com

The history behind the revolt

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:25:00 +0000

The trouble started December 16, 1773 when poorly disguised colonists dumped large crates of tea into Boston Harbor. The act was direct protest of taxation without representation.
Here's what happened:
Tea was one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the colonial era. The major importer of tea, the East India Company was taxed by Great Britain which jacked up the price of tea. Colonists found it cheaper to drink smuggled tea from Holland, as Dutch tea was not taxed. Needless to say the East India Company and the Crown lost money.
In a major "get-back" move the British government sought to impose taxes on the colonies to collect lost revenue. The Stamp Act 1765--which did not tax stamps, but paper, skins or anything the colonist used to write upon (writs, warrants, notices, letters and even planting calendars).
The Townshend Act 1767 was yet another tax imposed upon the colonies to pay for the French & Indian War. The war was fought, argued Britain, on behalf of the colonists--they should pay for it. The fact that many colonists did not fight in the war was overlooked.
In 1768 Britain sent troops to enforce the payment of taxes (Quartering Act forced colonists to allow British troops in their homes). Tensions mounted and in 1770, five civilians were killed by British troops after being unable to withstand insults and snow balls being thrown at them. The event was called The Boston Massacre by Samuel Adams.
As the relationship between Britain and the colonies became more and more strained, protests shot up from Massachusetts to Virginia. And one December night over 300 casks of East India Tea were tossed overboard. Tea washed up on the shores of Boston Harbor for weeks.

Tax Day Tea Party

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:50:00 +0000

Currently planning Tax Day Tea Party
April 15, 2009
Noon
Location TBA
(Allentown/Bethlehem/Reading)

Keep watching these posts!

For the new year...

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:12:00 +0000

"Life can't ever really defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer's lover until death - fascinating, cruel,
lavish, warm, cold, treacherous, constant."

-- Edna Ferber, American novelist, author, and playwright

Christmas: Ever wonder why...?

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:30:00 +0000

The season is here, but did you ever wonder why...

...people write merry X-mas?
X is the Greek letter that is the ancient symbol for Christos or Christ.

...the celebration is on December 25...when was Christ really born?
The twenty-fifth was officially declared as a holy day until the 4th century AD. scholars believe that the "star" was an alignment of 3 planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars) that occurred in March of 4BC. but this collides with Easter which was firmly established prior to 400AD, so the 25th was kept as the beginning of the church liturgical (calendar) year.

...people sing about birds in the 12 days of christmas carol?
there's tremendous controversy about the song as to whether it was from England or France, or if the song was simply a child's rhyme or a secret code for outlawed Catholics to safely sing when they were being persecuted in England during the late 1500s. birds are especially meaningful as they were game and highly prized in any feast. "four calling birds" is actually a corruption of "colly birds" which refers to any black bird or perhaps cawing birds like crows. the five rings are thought to be ring neck pheasants, which were naturalized in Europe from China.

...don't Christians light more candles?
technically they light candles all year long, but at Christmas they only light 4 on an Advent Wreath. The candles symbolize each week of the period of Advent (the 4 weeks prior to Christmas Day). The practice of lighting candles on the Christmas tree was discouraged due to the number of house fires that occurred around Christmas.

...do people put up Christmas trees?
first a German then later an English tradition, immigrants brought over the tradition to the U.S. and it stuck. the decorated tree was credited to Martin Luther, but chances are he borrowed the centuries-old tradition from Latvia. ancient pagan rituals celebrated trees and large boulders as living (though non-mobile) creatures.

Merry Christmas

Source: NovaReinna.com

Weird World Series

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:40:00 +0000

While the 2008 World Series was halted after 6 innings due to relentless rain and a flooded field, it's not the first time something unusual has marked America's National Pastime Championships.

In 1989 an earthquake ripped through California's Bay Area moments before the start of Game 3 between Oakland and San Francisco. Game 3 was delayed for 10 days.

In 1945, unable to bring his goat into Wrigley Field, Bill Sianis cursed the Chicago Cubs who have never won a WS since.

The longest game: 2005 WS -- 5 hours 41 minutes
Shortest game: 1919 WS -- 51 minutes
Youngest pitcher: Ken Brett, 19.5 years in 1967 WS
Oldest pitcher: Jamie Moyer, 44.9 years in 2008 WS
Tallest player: John Rauch 6' 11"
Shortest player: Donnie Sadler 5' 6"

Source: MLB.com

Your Data Stolen

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:55:00 +0000

The following companies are the most recent victims, they represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ID theft:

AIG -- June 2006 -- personal data stolen from computers -- 930,000 customers
Boeing -- Dec 2006 -- personal date stolen, laptop recovered --382,000 customers
JC Penney -- Jan 2008 --personal data stolen -- 650,000 customers
Google -- July 2008 --personal data stolen -- undisclosed number of employees
Countrywide Home Loans -- Aug 2008 -- personal data stolen, thieves caught -- 20,000 customers

Consumers can't prevent ID theft when it happens to a lender or credit company.
Close accounts, paying off monthly debt and keeping only one or two cards per name limits damage to individual. Report ANY questionable purchase or credit line to company. Watch credit score.

Hurricane Season

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:50:00 +0000

Technically hurricane season starts June 1, but it's September when most hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean is seen.

Hurricanes are categorized by wind speed, prior to 1991 it was air pressure and wind speed. Cat 1 hurricanes have wind speeds of 75-95, Cat 2: 96-110, Cat 3: 111-130, Cat 4: 131-155, Cat 5: 156 mph and higher. Hurricane Katrina had wind speeds of 175 and higher.

Hurricanes flow in an east to west direction and their winds in a counter-clockwise direction.

Earthquakes are more common than hurricanes. We can only feel 100,000 of the 500,000 of the annual global earthquakes.

New hurricane novel: http://www.booklocker.com/books/3527.html

Sources: NOAA, National Geographic

presidential quirkiness...

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:57:00 +0000

in 1992 Kerrey ran for president.

that's Bob Kerrey, not John Kerry. But both are democrats.

Bob Kerry is married to Sarah Paley. that's Paley not Palin.

John Kerry is husband to Teresa Heinz Kerry. South African by birth, she married Senator Heinz in 1966 and Senator Kerry in 1993.

Sources: 4president.org, Biographies of Kerrey & Kerry

Cheetahs chirp

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:03:00 +0000

Over the years Hollywood has inserted sounds to make animals more or less menacing. Here's a few examples of how The movies played fast and loose with sound:

1. Cheetahs chirp. Young cheetah cubs sound a lot like birds. Cheetahs never roar, but hiss and churr--a sort of throaty growl.
2. Dolphins don't bleat. Dolphins use three primary sounds: Whistles, clicks and chirps. The annoying bleating sound is man-made.
3. Zebras never neigh. Zebras bark or bray, like donkeys. They don't whinny or neigh like a horse.
4. Alligators are quiet. Gators have no vocal chords so the only noises they produce are hisses and an infrasonic bellow that rattles the water around them.

Good bye running buddy

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:20:00 +0000

Had to say good bye to our Black Lab, Tucker...here's a tribute to him and his breed:

Black labs typically stand anywhere from 2.4 feet to 3 feet at the shoulder, they weight 60-100lbs.
They need a good yard, lotsa exercise.
They are subject to shoulder and hip problems, made worse if they become overweight.
Their life expectancy is about 10 to 12 years some make it to 16 or 20 years.
They are the most popular breed/breed mix in the Us and UK (golden retrievers are almost tie)
About 60% of service and guide dogs are lab/lab mixes.

Good bye, Dad...

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:36:00 +0000

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/obituaries/20080520_Richard_J__Walsh___Engineer__78.html

Safety in numbers?

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Spring brings flowers AND those six-legged things that eat them. We can stomp, spray and squash, but insects out number humans by 1.6 billion to 1.

More ...
--There are about 900,000 to 1,000,000 species of the creepy crawly things.
--A type of cave ant was discovered in the Grand Canyon earlier this year.
--The oldest insect fossil dates back to 200 million years ago.
--The most commonly killed insect is not the house fly, but the mosquito.
--The gypsy moth catepillar is the most destructive insect--deforesting (eating all the leaves off of trees) 320,000 acres in one state in one year.
--The average ant can pull 50 times its own bodyweight, the average man, only 80% of his own bodyweight.
--All insects are not bugs. Bug is a term used for only one order of insects (stink bug)

Sources: Encylopedia.com, TheDigitalBeat.com

Forget about it!

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:43:00 +0000

Did you want to read a good book? Maybe buy one--one that was affordable and self-published?

Too bad.

Read this:
http://www.fonerbooks.com/2008/03/new-amazon-mandate-say-it-aint-so-jeff.html

Problem is that self-published books, (aka vanity publishing) are actually out-performing traditionally published ones. Well-written e-books and POD books are available for everyone...well they used to be.

Read this:
http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/004597_03272008.html

Happily ever after: the BUY button on Amazon.com will work for all the books YOU want to read.

Let it snow?

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:59:00 +0000

The snowiest place in the US is a record still up for grabs. The National Weather Service uses averages to declare one city or area as having the most snowfall.
And the measurements have to be documented by an observing station. It's possible there's a an unmeasured "winner" in the Rockies.

To-date, however, the snowiest place in the U.S. is Valdez, Alaska with an average snowfall accumulation of 326 inches or 27.2 feet!
Next is Blue Canyon, California with 240" per year. Then Marquette, Michigan--141" with rival city Sault Ste. Maire coming in at 117".

Syracuse, New York rounds off the top 5 snowiest places in the U.S. with a very close 116" of annual snowfall.

Source: The National Climatic Data Center

Correction...

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:11:00 +0000

The 2007-08 New England Patriots did not have a perfect season...
it now stands at 18-1, thanks to the New York Giants.

Superbowl XLII was considered one of the biggest upsets in football history.

Super Bowl Craziness

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:17:00 +0000

Some odd facts about football and the Big Game:

The Dallas Cowboys have gone to the Super Bowl more times than any other team--8
(and the winning-est--they won 5 of those contests.)

The Denver Broncos are the losing-est team, going to the Super Bowl 6 times but only winning twice.

Three teams in the history of American football have had perfect seasons (no losses, no ties):
1948 Cleveland Browns 14-0
1974 Miami Dolphins 16-0
2007 New England Patriots 19-0

The Chicago Bears are one of the 2 orginal teams to remain in the NFL. All the rest are new or revised franchises.

Source: NFL.com

New Year's Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:53:00 +0000

While no one knows for sure, the tradition of making resolutions on the first day of the new year may have stemmed from the prayers that were said on the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary (a.k.a. circumcision of Jesus)--celebrated on January 1.

According to the U.S. Government, top 10 resolutions include: losing weight, reducing stress at work and at home, getting a new job, saving money, reducing debt, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake (a result of hangovers?) and taking a trip.

According to goal experts in order to be successful, a resolution-maker must do 2 things: First, be specific, second be realsitic. Best to say losing 30lbs by June for daughter's wedding, rather than just "losing weight this year."

Sources: U.S. Gov't, Making Goals 101

The Last Blog of the "Year"

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:32:00 +0000

In honor of the New Year -- 2008, here are some facts about Leap Years:

Technically, non-leap years are not true years--they are 8 hours short.

After 4 non years, the calendar adds a full day to make one bonus or leap year of 366days

The year is not measured in chronological time, but in distance, the distance it takes to revolve around the sun is aproximately 364 days and 8 hours.

Golden Leapers are those born on February 29 who celebrate their 29th birthday (although they are 116 years old).

--Source: LeapZine

I'm It... A Blog Meme

noreply@blogger.com (Righter04) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:26:00 +0000

Thanks to Hal Manogue, I've been tagged. Here are the "IT" questions:

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING?
Since Jan 2007. So not long at all.

2. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START A BLOG AND WHO ARE YOUR MENTORS?
The Writers Group as well as other professionals in the writing community.

3. ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE, OR JUST DOING IT FOR FUN?
Has to fun, because the money is in someone else's bank.

4. WHAT 3 THINGS DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH ONLINE?
Developing a larger community of friends (the nice people are cyber-shy)
Keeping up with the latest technology
Fighting pop-ups, downloads, and sifting through the eJunk!

5. WHAT 3 THINGS DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BEING ONLINE?
Meeting new people.
The speed with which news and information comes at you.
Learning...it never ends.