Wake up early enough and you can see this, too. The beginning of a new summer day in Florida. MITCH TRAPHAGEN PHOTO
Good morning!
It’s July and our summer is still just in adolescence. But here’s a little (very little, yet appropriate) hot weather joke for you:
You know it’s hot when you realize that the seat belt in your car makes a pretty decent branding iron.
And…from our so-called friends on Pinterest, which has an entire section called, “What brought you to Florida?” comes this (which, think about it for a moment, probably actually happened):
What brought you to Florida? “I saw a photo of a dog wearing sunglasses on the Internet and the caption said he lived in Florida. So, I came here to find him and meet him and also I GOT TO PET HIM! It was a great trip!”
Today’s weather: Good Day Sunshine! Enjoy ol’ Sol while it lasts. From the National Weather Service Office in Ruskin:
“Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 102. East northeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.”
Overnight? Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 p.m. then mostly cloudy and a low around 76. Yep. 76. Again. That is probably the high in Bismarck, North Dakota. At least when it’s not 127 degrees up there. Strange how that happens but it does.
Personal forecast: With thanks to the Beatles: “We take a walk, the sun is shining down. Burns my feet as they touch the ground.” Ergo, wear shoes.
Eye on the tropics: Let’s keep this streak going, please. From the National Hurricane Center:
For the North Atlantic…Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days.
What to do?
This morning at the Tampa Museum of Art is something very cool for those with loved ones suffering from dementia or its variants: “Participate in facilitated conversations that explore art through the lenses of memory, imagination, and creativity. Care partners and their loved ones engage socially as they look at a small selection of artwork.” It takes place at 11 a.m. and registration is required. All names are kept confidential. Register here: https://tampamuseum.wufoo.com/forms/connections/
At the SouthShore Regional Library: Today we have a seminar on elder law and life planning at 2 p.m.; Recording studio open orientation at 4 p.m.; Mah Jongg at 6 p.m.; NEEDLE PEOPLE! at 6 p.m. (conveniently separate from the Mah Jongg people — but only by a removable wall! Yikes!); and an adult / teen mixed media art class at 6:30 p.m.
Tomorrow at the library, if you have, or can borrow, a child K-5th grade, check out Julie Austin’s “Build a Better World — Sing Together!” at 1 and 2:30 p.m. Also, something good for those searching and asking on Facebook’s Ruskin Folks: “How To Search For Jobs Online” at 6 p.m. There is also Teen Tech at 6 p.m. (yeah, that’s right, ROBOTS! Sure, you might not see them and that’s what they are counting on) and something I am seriously going to try one of these days: “Outside the Lines: Coloring for Adults” at 6:30 p.m.
The SouthShore Regional Library schedule is found here: http://hcplc.evanced.info/signup/calendar?lib=10
Last days for a Broadway Show: Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” will be playing at the Straz Center until July 16. Tickets start at $38. For more information visit: http://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/1617_Broadway_Encores/Disney-s-The-Little-Mermaid
Busch Gardens in Tampa celebrates “Summer Nights” with extended hours.
MOSI, the Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa is offering free admission to exhibit galleries to active duty military personnel and up to five immediate family members from today through Aug. 13. Proof of service is required. https://www.mosi.org/explore-mosi/plan-your-visit/special-offers/
Check out what’s playing at the Ruskin Family Drive-In.
Happenings in Hillsborough:
Today we have 1 Million Cups Tampa at 9 a.m. at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center. This is a great networking opportunity to engage and connect with entrepreneurs in the community.
Then stick around for “The Inventor’s Roadmap to Success” at 10:30. Visit: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar/02-business/2017/20170712-inventors-roadmap-to-success
Finally at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center is a course on cyber security at 1 p.m., designed to help businesses understand potential computer security threats with guidance on how to protect your data on everything from servers to mobile devices. Visit: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar/02-business/2017/20170712-cyber-security
Coming up tomorrow are Bookkeeping Basics at the Plant City Chamber of Commerce and Tax Awareness and Your Business at the New Tampa Regional Library at 9 and 10 a.m. respectively.
And here is something very cool tomorrow at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center: Coffee With A Cop at 3:30 p.m.
All are free events. You can’t beat that.
Check out the Hillsborough County calendar here: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar
If you live in Sun City Center, consider attending the SCC Emergency Squad open house at 6 p.m. tonight Talk about a great organization with incredible people, all volunteers. And check out Lois Kindle’s story about them in this week’s Observer News, landing on driveways beginning this afternoon.
Happenings in Manatee:
Today is jammed packed on the Manatee County calendar. Tomorrow there is a planning commission meeting…from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you go, may the Force be with you.
The county calendar is located here: https://www.mymanatee.org/home/county-calendar.html
The print edition of The North Manatee Observer News also contains numerous things to get you out of the house and into the beauty of Manatee County.
News to know:
Learn to dig print kids! The Observer News website contains only a small portion of what is in the print editions (yes, there are four editions!). Pick one up. If you can’t find one (well, you won’t find one in Maine or some place like that), then email me and I’ll help.
And, in the end:
On this date in 1957, U.S. Surgeon General Leroy Burney officially connected cigarette smoking with lung cancer. Can you imagine? And yeah, don’t count on such things today. Well, smoking is already beaten into the ground but certainly there are other things out there to kill us. But then, something eventually will.
Regardless, my dad had a master’s degree in psychology. We had a very small family library (it shared space with a ginormous piece of wooden furniture with a small-ish tube television inside of it, and orange, yes, orange shag carpeting). A curious child (to the degree that I’m honestly surprised that I still have all of my fingers to this day), I spent time perusing the encyclopedias and old psychology books on the bookshelves. I remember one book giving advice to medical doctors and psychologists to not worry if their patients are only smoking five or so cigarettes a day. The “calming benefit” overcame the slight health risk, it said.
Uh huh. Today doctors will tell you that smoking just ONE cigarette a day will most likely measurably shorten your life.
On a happier note (no pun intended because…to be honest, I’m really not a pun guy), on this day in 1962, the Rolling Stones performed their first live show at London’s Marquee Club.
I saw the Rolling Stones in the early 90s in Minneapolis. Apropos to the above info, Keith Richards generally had a lit cigarette in his mouth during the performance. Every once in a while, it would fall out — at which time a roadie would run onto the stage, pick it up and stick it back into Richard’s mouth. Yes, those were different days. Somehow I have to guess that even Keith Richards has given up the habit by now.
Shoot — we can’t end on a passive preachy note so…for those who have always wondered why it hasn’t happened yet, I can tell you that it did! On this day in 1812, the United States Army of the Northwest briefly occupied a portion of Canada in present day Ontario. Yep, that’s right. We invaded Canada! There isn’t a lot of information about it so my guess would be the happy Canadians dropped off a few cases of Molsons or Mooseheads, a few hands of poker were played, and afterwards everyone shook hands, a few even hugged, and the American Army of the Northwest bid a fond farewell to their new-found friends in the Great White North.
Just a guess.
Have a great day!
Observer Today is a morning briefing out (usually) by 7 a.m. (or so) and updated until around 10 a.m. Do you have news tips or suggestions for this feature? Please email or leave a comment.
