Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Greenland Shark ~ Pepperoni Pizza Chicken ~ Lovella Moore ~ National Chewing Gum Day

 

 Good 40º morning. 

 

Yesterday we started with fog and then a breeze blew it away and we had sun....

 Then a few funny clouds blew in......

We topped at 80º.

 

 

Picture of the Day

 

 

Interesting about the Greenland Shark...

 

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), also known as the gurry shark, grey shark, or by the Kalaallisut name eqalussuaq, is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks"), closely related to the Pacific and southern sleeper sharks. The distribution of this species is mostly restricted to the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean.

 

The Greenland shark has the longest known lifespan of all vertebrate species (estimated to be between 250 and 500 years), and is among the largest extant species of shark. It is a generalist feeder, consuming a variety of available foods. As an adaptation to living at depth, it has a high concentration of trimethylamine N-oxide in its tissues, which causes the meat to be toxic. Greenland shark flesh, treated to reduce toxin levels, is eaten in Iceland as a delicacy known as kæstur hákarl.

 

The Greenland shark is one of the largest living species of shark. It usually grows 21 ft long and weighs 2,200 lb, and possibly up to 24 ft and more than 3,100 lb. Most Greenland sharks observed have been around 8.0–15.7 ft long and weigh up to 880 lb.

 

Males are typically smaller than females. It rivals the Pacific sleeper shark (possibly up to 23 ft long) as the largest species in the family Somniosidae. The Greenland shark is a thickset species, with a short, rounded snout, small eyes, and very small dorsal and pectoral fins. The gill openings are very small for the species' great size.

 

Coloration can range from pale creamy-gray to blackish-brown and the body is typically uniform in color, though whitish spots or faint dark streaks are occasionally seen on the back.

 

The Greenland shark is an apex predator and mostly eats fish, and has been observed actively hunting seals in Canada. The prey found in the stomachs of Greenland sharks is an indicator of the active hunting patterns of these predators. Recorded fish prey have included smaller sharks, skates, eels, herring, capelin, Arctic char, cod, rosefish, sculpins, lumpfish, wolffish, and flounder. Small Greenland sharks eat predominantly squid, while the larger sharks that are greater than 200 cm were discovered eating prey such as epibenthic and benthic fishes as well as seals. The largest of these sharks were found having eaten redfish, as well as other higher trophic level prey.

 

Greenland sharks, because of their slow speeds, often hunt prey that are asleep.

 

The Greenland shark has the longest known lifespan of all vertebrate species. One Greenland shark was tagged off the coast of Greenland in 1936 and recaptured in 1952. Its measurements suggest that Greenland sharks grow at a rate of 0.2–0.4 in per year. In 2016, a study based on 28 specimens that ranged from 2.7–16.5 ft in length used radiocarbon dating of crystals within the lenses of their eyes to determine their approximate ages. The oldest of the animals sampled, which also was the largest, had lived for 392 ± 120 years and was consequently born between 1504 and 1744. The authors further concluded that the species reaches sexual maturity at about 150 years of age. Efforts to conserve Greenland sharks are particularly important due to their extreme longevity, long maturation periods, and the heightened sensitivity of large shark populations.

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

When it comes to pizza, we all want that yummy pepperoni and cheesy taste, without all the extra carbs that comes from the crust. So, we decided to take that classic pepperoni pizza taste, and team it up with chicken breast! It's an ooey-gooey, cheesy, pepperoni-perfect recipe that we know you're gonna love.

 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, lightly pounded
• Salt for sprinkling
• Black pepper for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 slices pepperoni
• Dried oregano for sprinkling

 

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.  
2. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and garlic powder; mix well. Dip chicken into bread crumb mixture, coating evenly on both sides. Place on baking sheet.
3.  Bake 15 minutes. Remove chicken from oven, top evenly with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. Sprinkle lightly with oregano. Place back in oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes more or until no longer pink in center.  Serve immediately.

 

***If you want, serve this up with a green salad and some garlic rolls, for a fully authentic Italian dinner treat!

 

 

 

Special birthday today, Lovella Moore, one of our Jackson County Republican Women. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE!

                      ^with her great-granddaughter Debbie

 

 

Historically this date....

1927 – Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 60 home runs in a season.

1935 – The Hoover Dam, astride the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, is dedicated.

1947 – The World Series, featuring the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, is televised for the first time.

1955 – Film star James Dean dies in a road accident aged 24.

1972 – Roberto Clemente records the 3,000th and final hit of his career.

1982 – Cyanide-laced Tylenol kills six people in the Chicago area. Seven are killed in all.

 

And births this date include....

1861 – William Wrigley, Jr., American industrialist (d. 1932)

He was also instrumental with the development of Catalina Island. Click on his name and read about it.

 

 

 

1921 – Deborah Kerr, Scottish actress (d. 2007)

 

 

1931 – Angie Dickinson, American actress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1935 – Johnny Mathis, American singer

 

1971 – Jenna Elfman, American actress

 

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Thursday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

National Chewing Gum Day exercises our jaws on September 30th. Pop a bubble or freshen your breath with your favorite piece of chewing gum.

Humans have used chewing gum for over 5,000 years. They may have chewed it for enjoyment, to stave off hunger or to freshen their breath much like we do today.  The sources used to make gum resulted in minty and sweet chewable globs of wax or sap resin that fulfilled that human urge to gnaw.  It was unlikely they were capable of producing glossy, pink bubbles worthy of jealous pokes from siblings.  However, waking up with it stuck in your hair was still a possibility.

Various forms of chewing gum have existed since the Neolithic period. In 2007, a British archaeology student discovered a 5,000-year-old piece of chewing gum made from bark tar with tooth imprints in it. Presumed to be the oldest piece of chewing gum, it was found in Kierikki, Yli-li, Finland.  Made from bark tar, the gum was believed to have antiseptic properties and other medicinal advantages.

• Many other cultures chewed gum made from the resin of the mastic tree, from plants, grasses, and other resins.
• In 1848, John B. Curtis developed and sold the first commercial chewing gum, which was called “The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.”
• Around 1850, a gum made from paraffin wax was developed and surpassed the spruce gum in popularity.
• December 28, 1869, William Semple filed an early patent on chewing gum, patent number 98,304.
• Studies show chewing gum helps improve memory, reduce stress, and increase alertness.
• Chewing sugar-free gum improves overall oral hygiene while also helping to curb cravings and improving digestion.

Of course it's William Wrigley Jr's birthday... a chewing gum industrialist!

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Drive In Movie Theaters ~ Chicken and Corn Soup ~ Gay St Clair ~ National VFW Day ~ National Coffee Day

  

Good 38º high fog morning. 

 

Yesterday we started off super foggy.

 Later the fog left and the clouds moved in and we topped at 70º.

 

Picture of the Day

 

 

 

 

Interesting about Drive In Movie Theaters.....

 

The first drive-in theater was opened in 1933 in New Jersey by Richard Hollingshead.  He originally came up with the idea because his mother was a rather large lady who could not fit comfortably in standard theater seats.  So he set up an outdoor screen and projector so he and his mom could enjoy movies together from the front seat of his car.  From there, as they say, the rest is history.  The second drive-in opened in 1934 and that is when the drive-in theater boom began.  Drive-in numbers increased steadily until reaching their peak of about 4000 in the United States in the late 1950’s.  From there, a slow and steady decline began.

Some people are surprised to learn that there are still drive-in theaters around and that they are not just a relic of the past.  While it is true that most drive-ins have closed, there are still about 330 operating in the United States.  That is down over 90% from their peak of about 4000 in the late 1950’s.  But of those drive-ins that remain, most are very popular in their local communities and stay packed during warm summer weekends.

A lot has changed since the first drive-in opened.  For the most part, gone are the days of 35mm film projectors and pole speakers which have been replaced by digital projection and FM audio transmission.  Today’s drive-ins are more advanced than those of yesteryear.  However, while the technology has changed and advanced, some things at the drive-in still remain the same.  If you want to get a feel for what it was like to visit a drive-in of old, then why not visit one of the oldest operating drive-ins in the United States where (other than the technology), not much has changed.  We compiled a list of the 5 oldest operating drive-ins (all in the United States).  Here they are listed by age.

1.      Shankweiler’s Drive-in located in Orefield, PA (opened 1934)

The oldest operating drive-in in the world is Shankweiler’s Drive-in which is located in Orefield, PA which is about 15 minutes outside of Allentown, PA.  And while Shankweiler’s has had many owners over the years, the 2018 season marks its 85th year of continuous operation (never been closed a season).  If you want to visit over the weekend, plan on getting there 2 to 2 ½ hours before movie time as the drive-in is very popular and fills up quickly and normally sells out on weekends. 

And if owning and operating the oldest drive-in in the world has any appeal to you, Shankweiler’s is currently for sale for $1.2 million.  Shankweiler’s is open seasonally from April thru September.  You can learn more about Shankweiler’s here. 

 

2.      Lynn Auto Theatre located in Strasburg, OH (opened 1937)

Opened in 1937, the Lynn Auto Theatre is Ohio’s oldest operating drive-in and the second oldest in the world. The Lynn is a two screen drive-in located in Strasburg, OH which is in the north east corner of the state.  Their motto since 1937 has been, “Come as you are in the family car” which pretty much sums up what visiting a drive-in is all about. 

The Lynn Auto Theatre is open seasonally from May thru September.  Visit here to learn more about the Lynn Drive-in.

3.      Saco Drive-in located in Saco, Maine (opened 1939)

Opened in 1939, the Saco Drive-in is the third oldest drive-in still in operation.  It is located just a few miles from the ocean in Saco, Maine which is about 12 miles south of Portland, Maine.  While just a single screen drive-in, the Saco is a fairly large drive-in with a 500 car capacity.  It is actually located farther north than some parts of Canada and for this reason, generally does not open for its season until mid-May or a little later.

The Saco is one of just 6 drive-ins left in Maine.  Click here to learn more about the Saco Drive-in.

4.      M.E.L.S Drive-in Theater located in Thorntown, IN (opened 1946)

We are out of the 1930’s and jump into the 1940’s with M.E.L.S. Drive-in Theater located in Thorntown, IN.  M.E.L.S. Drive-in is a single screen drive-in that was opened in 1946 just after the end of World War II.  It has had several names throughout the years.  At one point, one of the owners renamed it to MELS after his wife Melanie.  And at some point later, another owner kept that name but added the periods to make it M.E.L.S.  Their existence was in doubt a few years ago as they did not know if they would be able to afford to switch to digital projection.  But with the help of a Kickstarter fundraising campaign, they raised the funds and made the switch.

M.E.L.S. charges $25 per carload and is open seasonally from April thru September.  Learn more about M.E.L.S. here.

5. Hilltop Drive-in located in Gregory, SD (opened 1946)

While all our other oldest drive-ins have been in the eastern half of the United States, we move farther west with our 5th oldest drive-in which is the Hilltop Drive-in located in rural Gregory, South Dakota.  The Hilltop was opened shortly after M.E.L.S. back in 1946 as well.  The Hilltop is a small, single screen drive-in which holds about 240 car.  The Hilltop was also in jeopardy of closing a recently but managed to raise the funds to place a down payment on a digital projector which allows them to show first run movies.

The Hilltop is open seasonally from May thru September.  Learn more about the Hilltop Drive-in here.

Hopefully all the drive-ins listed above will continue to operate and thrive for many more years.  We are only 15 years away from having a drive-in that is 100 years old.  If you love drive-ins and want to help support them as well as stay up to date on drive-in news, please like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/driveinmoviepage/.  Or to find a drive-in near you, visit www.DriveInMovie.com.

Here is the one we went to a lot in El Monte...

 

From Mr. Food

 

The kids are back in school and there's a slight chill in the air; how about something warm and comforting for dinner? Our Hearty Chicken & Corn Soup is going to warm up your kitchen and the hearts of everyone gathered around the kitchen table. There's nothing better than a creamy soup studded with corn, spinach, potatoes, and tender chicken. This is hearty and comforting at its best.

 

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 (14-3/4-ounce) cans cream-style corn
• 1 (9-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

 

1. In a soup pot over medium heat, melt butter; sauté onion and carrots 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender. Add chicken broth and potatoes.
2. Bring to a boil and cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through. Serve immediately.

 

***This is a great way to use up your leftover rotisserie chicken; turn it into another weeknight meal that's as comforting as it is tasty! 

 

 

Special birthday today, Gay St Clair, wife of infamous Bob (LASD ret.) is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAY!

 

 

Historically this date....

1789 – The United States Department of War first establishes a regular army with a strength of several hundred men.

 

1966 – The Chevrolet Camaro, originally named Panther, is introduced.

 

2008 – Following the bankruptcies of Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual, The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points, the largest single-day point loss in its history.

2009 – An 8.0 magnitude earthquake near

 the Samoan Islands causes a tsunami.

And births this date include....

1904 – Greer Garson, British actress (d. 1996)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1907 – Gene Autry, American actor, singer, and businessman (d. 1998)

1925 – Steve Forrest, American actor (d. 2013)

 

1931 – Anita Ekberg, Swedish actress (d. 2015)

 

1935 – Jerry Lee Lewis, American musician

On December 12th 1957, at age twenty-two, Jerry Lee secretly married for the third time; wedding his second cousin, thirteen-year old Myra Brown, the sister of his bass player, J.W. Brown. Though it was not an uncommon practice in the south for cousins to marry, it was considered somewhat unorthodox by much of the rest of the world. While there were no immediate repercussions in response to his marriage, the action would soon come to haunt him.

 

 

1942 – Madeline Kahn, American actress (d. 1999)

...so sad she died so young ... she was cute and fun and funny!

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Hump Day. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On September 29th, National VFW Day honors the men and women devoted to this valuable organization and those members who have served our nation. 

Members of the VFW today hold a long-standing history of volunteerism in their communities. Not only have they served their country, but they continue to serve their fellow veterans, families, and communities by sponsoring scholarships, career fairs, mental wellness campaigns, and so many more excellent services.

VFW membership since its inception has been instrumental in the establishment of the Veterans Administration, the creation of the national cemetery system and passage of the GI Bill. Through the VFW, veterans honor veterans and serve their communities.  On National VFW Day, take a moment to recognize all the VFW does in your community.

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Honor the VFW members and veterans in your community. Let them know that you appreciate the sacrifices they have made for all of us. We truly are the land of the free because of the brave. 

NATIONAL VFW DAY HISTORY

The VFW was established on September 29, 1899, by a group of veterans from the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. It has since grown to be the nation’s largest group of combat veterans. They continue “to honor the dead by helping the living.” The VFW promote patriotism, goodwill and youth scholarships. They also provide military assistance and community service programs, promote youth activities and volunteer many hours in their local communities.

 

Today is also........

 

 

Whether getting one to go or lingering over a second cup, on September 29 be sure to observe National Coffee Day!

Ah, the perfect cup of java.  According to an expert cupper (a professional coffee taster), there are four components of a perfect cup: aroma, body, acidity, and flavor.

From the moment the average coffee lover opens a fresh bag of coffee beans, the aroma beckons, percolating the senses. Even those who don’t drink coffee tend to enjoy the fragrance roasted beans cast.

GROWING, ROASTING, AND BREWING

When determining the body of a coffee, the bean, the roast, and the brew are all factors. The bean affects the texture of the coffee, whether its silky, creamy, thick or thin on the tongue and throat. However, the darker the roast and how we brew it will alter the feel of a coffee’s body, too. Grandpa’s motor oil blend versus the coffee shop around the corner’s silky smooth, well-practiced grind have entirely different bodies.

Where a coffee bean grows determines its acidity. The higher the elevation the coffee grows, the higher the quality and the acidity. These coffees are considered brighter, dryer, even sparkling by cuppers.

When it comes down to it, coffee lovers cherish the flavor as well as the caffeinated boost this roasted bean gives morning or night, black or with cream and sugar. Hot or cold it provides enjoyment even when decaffeinated!

 

COFFEE HISTORY

Many legendary accounts tell how coffee first came to be. However, the earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or the knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi monasteries around Mokha in Yemen.  Here, monks first roasted coffee seeds and brewed coffee, much like we prepare them today. Yemeni traders brought coffee back to their homeland from Ethiopia and began to cultivate the seed.

In 1670, Baba Budan smuggled coffee seeds out of the Middle East by strapping seven seeds onto his chest. The first plants grown from these stowed away seeds were planted in Mysore. Coffee later spread to Italy and the rest of Europe, Indonesia, and the Americas.

While Brazil produces more coffee in the world than any other country, Colombia closely follows. Also, more than 50 countries around the world grow coffee, too. As a result, we choose from a bountiful selection of flavors for the indulgence of steamy cups of the black drink for connoisseurs to consume.