Et cetera
By Staff
GOOD MORNING
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Today is Friday, March 10, 2006. Expect mostly sunny skies today and a high of around 72. On this day in history:
1791-John Stone patents the pile driver.
1862-The first paper money is issued in America.
1876-Alexander Graham Bell makes the first telephone call to Thomas Watson.
1913-Harriet Tubman, who rescued over 300 slaves through the Underground Railroad, passes away.
1941-The Brooklyn Dodgers become the first professional baseball team to wear batting helmets.
1951-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover turns down an opportunity to become the commissioner of Major League Baseball.
1965- "The Odd Couple," with Art Carney and Walter Matthau, opens at the Plymouth Theater in New York City.
1969-James Earl Ray pleads guilty to the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
1971-The Senate approves an amendment to lower the voting age to 18.
1975- "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" opens in New York City.
1980-The Today Show gets a new weather forecaster, Willard Scott.
People celebrating birthdays today include: actress Sharon Stone is 48; former Notre Dame Basketball All-American Austin Carr is 58; musician Thom Sholz is 59; former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Bob Berry is 64; professional golfer Sandra Palmer is 65; and actor Chuck Norris is 66.
WEDDING DAY BLUES
A recent survey of over 1,100 Americans revealed what most people fear the most when it comes to the day of a wedding. Third on the list was running out of food at the reception. The second thing people feared the most was relatives or friends not getting along or fighting. So what is the number one wedding day fear? Thirty-nine percent of those surveyed said they fear that their mate would run away on the wedding day. Do you think the 2005 story about the Georgia runaway bride affected the results? I know Hollywood influenced the poll because the number four thing people most feared was wedding crashers.
AUSSIES GETTING
BIGGER
Standards Australia is an independent group that helps set safety standards for the country. The old standard called for toilet seats to safely hold a person weighing 100 pounds. Kate Evans, a spokesperson for Standards Australia, says that because "people are getting bigger," they may suggest that future toilet seats be able to hold a person weighing 330 pounds. Take the shrimp off the barbie you Aussies and get out the raw vegetables.
SURVEY SAYS
The top five jobs that are most likely to experience a shortage of workers over the next five years to ten years include:
#1-Registered Nurse
#2-Machinist
#3-Librarian
#4-Truck Driver
#5-Pharmacist
Here is a list of jobs that experts predict will have the most openings through the year 2014:
Retail Salesperson 736,000 openings
Registered Nurse 703,000 openings
Postsecondary Teacher 524,000 openings
Customer Service Rep 471,000 openings
Janitors 440,000 openings
Waiter/Waitress 376,000 openings
Food Prep Workers 367,000 openings
Home Health/Nurse Aid 350,000 openings
WHAT'S YOUR SIGN
The political races are just now getting on track so I guess that means there will be plenty of campaign signs up all over town. Remember during the last election when the city removed signs illegally posted on utility poles down US Highway 43? Well, I don't know if you have noticed but the signs are back with advertising for everything from computer repair to home fix-up. Did the law change over the past two years?
INSIDE JOKE
Over at Martin's Chevron, one of the businesses affected by the new jurisdiction for taxes, a fellow was eating some peanuts and said they had to be the best peanuts east of the Mississippi River. When someone challenged that large of an area the guy said that they were the best south of Littleville. When challenged again, the man finally said, "Well, they're the best in the Russellville Police jurisdiction!"
THE CRIMINAL MIND
Ryan Wright walked into a bank in Williston, North Dakota, wearing a ski mask and told the teller, "Give me all your money!" He then took off the mask and said he was just joking. The police did not think the stunt was very funny. Wright faces a $5,000 fine and/or 5 years in jail. Here's a clue to his strange behavior. The judge ordered him to stay away from alcohol and bars. Also, I think Ryan needs to stay inside on April 1.
AND FINALLY
Josh Williams was fishing in his favorite spot near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when he hooked a smallmouth bass. When he tried to bring the fish in, a bald eagle took notice and decided to get a quick meal. Williams tried to get the eagle to leave him alone and finally had to throw a few rocks at the bird to get it to fly away. Unfortunately, an officer with the Fish and Wildlife Service witnessed the event and wrote Williams a ticket for harassing an endangered species. A judge agreed with the officer and found Williams guilty of a misdemeanor violation.
The judge brought down a harsh sentence on Josh Williams, telling him he had to go and apologize to the bald eagle. You heard right, apologize to the eagle. Williams was last seen trying to find the eagle and thinking of a way to get it to sit still long enough for him to offer his apology. I hope bald eagles are forgiving.
Richard Parker is Minister of Students and Education at First Baptist Church in Russellville. You can e-mail him your comments at RParker@russellvilleFBC.org.
