Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
The Stroller
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
MONDAY’S WORD was duende (doo-EN-day). It means the power to attract through personal magnetism and charm. The magician was not only a talented illusionist; he also had the duende that kept the audience rapt throughout the entire show. (Source: Merriam-Webster).
TODAY’S WORD is copious (KOH-pee-us). After a copious harvest, the tribe holds a lavish feast accompanied by lively dancing and rituals honoring the gods. (Source: Merriam-Webster).
Bob Vogler of Martinsville, president of the Colonel George Waller Chapter, SAR, sent the following information...
“Feb. 22 marks the anniversary of the birth of George Washington. While Americans recognize Washington as an indispensable founder of our nation, the Colonel George Waller Chapter — Sons of the American Revolution and the General Joseph Martin and Patrick Henry Chapters — Daughters of the American Revolution want the readers to know 10 interesting facts about our first president.”
• He loved to dance.
• His favorite pastime was fox-hunting and he was a superb horseman.
• Washington had two horses shot from under him and received four bullet holes in his hat and coat but was never scratched during Braddock’s defeat in the French and Indian War.
• He first developed dental problems due to crushing walnuts with his teeth.
• Washington had a terrible temper and could swear “the leaves off the trees.”
• He usually arose at 5 a.m. and went immediately to work and would work 10 hours a day.
• George Washington did not accept a salary as commander-in-chief or as president, but he did keep an expense account.
• He did not like to be touched.
• He owned the largest whiskey distillery in the United States and it could produce 11,000 gallons a year.
• Washington was afraid of being buried alive and asked that his body not be buried for at least three days after his death.
Here’s a humor story from a website, especially for die-hard football lovers:
There was a guy who loved football. It was his dream to go to the Super Bowl. One year, he scrimped and saved and cut every corner possible, and he was able to buy a ticket. Unable to afford a plane ticket, he hitchhiked to the game and got to his seat (way up in the nosebleed section) ready to watch his dream game. His seat was terrible. He was in the middle of nowhere, and even had a pole in front of him so that he had to lean sideways to see around it, but at least he was at the game.
He was scanning the crowd and spotted one seat, way down in the middle, only five rows off the 50-yard line is empty. How could someone pay that much for a ticket and not show up, he wondered. It was driving the poor guy crazy so he decided to find out what was going on. During half-time, he ran down to the empty seat. It was a 2-person box, and there was a guy in the other seat. He said, “Is that your seat?” The guy said, “Yea, it’s my wife’s seat. We come here together every year.” The first man asked where his wife is, and the guy said she had passed away. So, he said, “Gee, sorry to hear that. So, why’d you come alone?” The second guy said, “I couldn’t get anyone to come with me.” The first man said, “What? Are you nuts? You couldn’t find a friend or brother or cousin, or anyone?” And the second guy said, “Nope. They all wanted to go to the funeral.”
There may be snow on the ground today, but it won’t be long before planting season starts produce will be available at the Farmers Market. The Uptown Farmers Market will hold a meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Artisan Center at 54 W. Church St. in Uptown Martinsville, and everyone interested in selling at the market this spring through fall is asked to attend — farmers, bakers, crafters, etc.
How many inches of snow would one inch of rain produce?
According to Answers.com, the ratio of snow to water can vary a great deal depending on the vertical profiles of temperature and moisture, and how they change during a storm. Typically 1 inch of rain equals 1 foot of snow, a 12-1 ratio. Depending on the temperature and moisture profiles of the snow growth region of the atmosphere and the origin area of the storm system, that ratio can go higher, say 20-1, which would be 20 inches, or lower, say 6-1 or so. Twelve-1 is most forecasters’ starting point, and if you go to your local National Weather Service page and read the area forecast discussion, it usually tells what ratio forecasters believe a system will have as it moves through your area.
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