Posts

Showing posts from March, 2017

UPDATE: Overnight lane restrictions planned next week on I-10 (Papago Freeway) in Phoenix

Work associated with the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway will require overnight lane restrictions next week. Motorists traveling eastbound and westbound on Interstate 10 between 43rd and 83rd avenues should plan ahead and be prepared to merge when approaching the work zone. Drivers using I-10 in the West Valley should plan for additional construction activities and slower traffic in the work zone through fall of 2019. Eastbound and westbound I-10 will be narrowed to three lanes between 43rd and 75th avenues nightly from 9 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, to 5 a.m., Thursday, April 6. The eastbound I-10 left lane will be closed overnight between 51st and 43rd avenues from 9 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, to 5 a.m., Wednesday, April 5. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment. ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weat

Pacific Newsbreak For March 30, 2017

SITREP-The Army is Now Hiring!

2017 Chief, National Guard Bureau Biathlon Championship

Empire Shield

Overnight lane restrictions planned next week on I-10 (Papago Freeway) in Phoenix

Work associated with the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway will require overnight lane restrictions next week. Motorists traveling eastbound and westbound on Interstate 10 between 43rd and 83rd avenues should plan ahead and be prepared to merge when approaching the work zone. Drivers using I-10 in the West Valley should plan for additional construction activities and slower traffic in the work zone through fall of 2019. Eastbound and westbound I-10 will be narrowed to three lanes between 43rd and 75th avenues nightly from 9 p.m., Monday, April 3, to 5 a.m., Thursday, April 6. The eastbound I-10 left lane will be closed overnight between 51st and 43rd avenues from 9 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, to 5 a.m., Wednesday, April 5. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment. ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weath

Expect road work for the next four weeks on Interstate 17 between New River and Sunset Point Alternating lane restrictions expected overnight in both directions

Crews have completed the initial paving on Interstate 17 between New River and Sunset Point as part of a $10.8 million pavement project that began last summer. However, crews will be on site over the next four weeks as they work on sign and guardrail installations, delineators and other miscellaneous work. Work is scheduled to occur Sunday through Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Drivers should anticipate north and southbound lane restrictions during work hours. The project is scheduled to be completed by summer 2017. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit the ADOT Traveler Information site at www.az511.gov , follow ADOT on Twitter ( @ArizonaDOT ) or call 511, except while driving. For more information about this project, please call Tricia Lewis, senior community relations officer, 928.606.2420 or email tlewis@azdot.gov .

Overnight work on State Route 260 continues next week; crews will reduce roadway to one lane overnight

Drivers should allow extra travel time between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Overnight work will continue on SR 260 in Camp Verde near Interstate 17 as crews haul excess materials. SR 260 will be narrowed to one lane from Sunday, April 2 through Thursday, April 7 between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Drivers will need to allow additional travel time as they will be guided through the work zone by flagging crews. The $62 million safety improvement project in Yavapai County will upgrade a nine-mile segment of SR 260 from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane, modern divided highway east of Cottonwood between Thousand Trails Road and the Interstate 17 junction in Camp Verde. The work is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment. ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or ot

Road closures for the State Route 86 (Ajo Way) improvements begin April 4

Sunset Boulevard, just south of State Route 86, will be closed around the clock beginning 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, through early May 2017. Drivers will use Kinney or Sheridan roads as alternate routes. Beginning Friday, April 10, Tucson Estates Parkway is scheduled to close around the clock for approximately five weeks. Traffic on SR 86 will be detoured to Kinney Road and onto Bopp Road. The turnoff to Old Ajo Way from SR 86, located near milepost 164, is closed for the construction of a new westbound alignment and will not reopen until the alignment is complete. No date is set for that reopening. All work is part of the ongoing project to widen and improve a segment of SR 86 between Valencia and Kinney roads. ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or other factors. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information S

Weekend Travel Advisory March 31 - April 3, 2017

Image
Drivers should be aware of the following restrictions this weekend: All Interstate 10 ramps to and from Pecos Road closed from 9 p.m.Friday to 5 a.m. Monday View the Weekend Travel Advisory map in PDF format or visit our site for a complete listing of restrictions for this weekend. Be prepared for snow and ice on highways during winter, visit www.azdot.gov/KnowSnow .

GSA Auctions Furniture Update

Image
METAL AND WOOD PICNIC TABLES 03/31/2017 12:13 PM EDT CURRENT BID: $10 STATE: TX NO. OF BIDDERS: 0 CLOSE TIME: 04-07-2017 10:13 AM CT.    One lot of 10 metal and wood picnic tables: tables were used in outdoor areas of the park and were exposed to elements of desert weather for years. All metal table frames are rusted, dented and scratched. Wood is warped, cracked and splintered. Tables will remain assembled for the removal process. Winning bidder must be able to load tables without park assistance. Tables included in this lot are marked with orange tape as shown in pictures. Selection of other tables will not be permitted. (1474EZ70650001) 1474EZ70650001 OFFICE CHAIRS 03/31/2017 12:12 PM EDT CURRENT BID: $10 STATE: TX NO. OF BIDDERS: 0 CLOSE TIME: 04-07-2017 10:12 AM CT.    Lot of various styles of office chairs. Model: Steelcase. Some in fair condition and some can be salvaged. Usable (W81G6870730002) W81G6870730002 ROLLING CHAIRS 03/31/2017 12:02 PM

My Other Thoughts For Today..

Today is the day that Crayola will retire one of the colors in its 24-count box. The suspense is almost too much to bear. The Oakland Raiders are going to take up residence in Las Vegas. Apparently, they were tired of touring. The doping ban of tennis pro Maria Sharapova is ending after 15 months. As much as I didn't even notice she was gone, I'm going to notice her even less now that she's back.

WEIRD NEWS

Deputy Shot During Birthday Celebration...By the Police! A 26th birthday celebration for Tennessee sheriff's deputy Daniel Hendrix ended in horror when he was shot dead by officers from a different police force after the night took a disturbing turn. Hendrix, a corrections officer for the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, reportedly became "agitated" and "enraged" while celebrating with two off-duty female Chattanooga police officers and threatened them with his personal firearm. After the female officers fled and called 911, Hendrix was shot dead by responding Chattanooga officers when he failed to obey orders to drop his weapon. The shooting happened around 1:30am at a Chattanooga home owned by one of the female officers. Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond offered condolences to Hendrix's family for what he called an "unfortunate incident." Hendrix joined the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office in 2013, but was charged and suspended after

DID YOU KNOW?

Coffee is the most recognizable smell followed by Peanut Butter.  A survey asked people what three things they could not live without. Number one was the Internet, followed by TV. At number three... cuddling!  According to a survey in a woman's magazine, 7 out of 10 women won't date a guy who has gray hair.  According to Men's Health, men will spend an average of one month of their life looking for missing socks.  4% of pet owners say they will only let their pets eat human food on holidays.

TODAY'S IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION

23% of people feel guilty if they don't do this on a daily basis. Make their beds.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Windows 10 Creator's Update will be available beginning April 11th.  "Supergirl"'s Melissa Benoist and her co-star Chris Wood are apparently an item.  Another couple you may not be aware of: Sir Tom Jones and Priscilla Presley.  North Carolina's Senate and House on Thursday approved a bill to retool a law banning transgender people from using restrooms in accordance with their gender identities.  Ken Burns is working on a documentary about Muhammad Ali.  Chris Kattan, who was voted off "Dancing With the Stars" this week, says he wishes the judges had known about his previous surgeries before they kicked him off. The judges kept referring to him being "stiff." Chris broke his neck and has had four surgeries over the past 20 years.  Stephen Yeun (formerly of "The Walking Dead") and his wife have named their new son Jude Malcolm Yeun.  You're going to start hearing about "The Classic" -- a 2-day concert event, w

ON THIS DAY

On this date in 1814, Napoleon lost Paris. If he had only waited two hundred years, he could have found out how easy a Paris could be. The refrigerated railroad car was patented way back in 1868. Only problem was finding a refrigerator big enough to put it in. In 1880, Wabash, Indiana, became the first town to be completely illuminated with electric light. Not surprising, they were also the first town in America to get an electric bill. And, of course, with that honor, they also had the distinction of being the first town in the U.S. to have a power outage. On this date in 1889, French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel officially opened the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the public. Most visitors that first day agreed -- it was an eye full. (an Eiffel?) In 1918, Daylight Saving Time went into effect for the very first time. 99 years later, we still haven't figured out if it means it gets later lighter or darker sooner. And you think we complain a lot about it now? Well, not exactly at th

Music Calendar...

In 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical "Oklahoma!" opens on Broadway. In 1957 Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Obie Wheeler and Glen Douglas open a southern tour in Little Rock, AR. In 1958 Chuck Berry's single "Johnny B. Goode" is released. In 1962 "Don't Break The Heart That Loves You" by Connie Francis is #1 on the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1967 Jimi Hendrix torches his guitar for the first time during a London performance. In 1969 George Harrison and Patti Boyd are fined 250 pounds each for possession of cannabis resin in England. In 1969 John Lennon's film "Rape" premieres on Australian TV. In 1972 The Offical Beatles Fan Club shop closes into liquidation. In 1972 America's self-titled debut album is #1 on the U.S. albums chart. In 1973 Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" LP debuts on Billboard's albums chart. It would remain there for a record-setting 741 weeks.

Today In History...

In 1492 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain issues an edict expelling Jews from Spanish soil, except those willing to convert to Christianity. In 1774 The British close the Boston port to commerce. In 1814 Forces allied against Napoleon capture Paris. In 1831 Quebec and Montreal are incorporated as cities. In 1870 Thomas P. Mundy becomes the first black man to vote in the U.S. when he casts his ballot at a municipal election in Perth Amboy, NJ. In 1880 Wabash, Indiana, is first town to be completely illuminated with electric light. In 1889 French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel officially opens the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the public. In 1917 The U.S. takes possession of the Virgin Islands purchased from Denmark. In 1918 The first U.S. daylight savings time goes into effect. In 1922 During the Great Depression, Congress authorized the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1923 The first dance marathon is held in New York City with Alma Cummings setting

Born On This Day...

In 1499 Religious leader, Pope Pius IV (1559-65) In 1519 King Henry II Of France (1547-59) In 1596 French philosopher, Rene Descartes (father of modern philosophy) In 1621 English poet, Andrew Marvell In 1675 Religious leader, Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758) In 1732 Composer, Franz "Josef" Haydn (father of the symphony) In 1809 English author, Edward FitzGerald In 1809 Russian playwright/author, Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol (Dead Souls) In 1811 German chemist, Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen In 1854 Inventor, Sir Dugald Clerk (2-stroke motorcycle engine) In 1878 Boxer, Jack Johnson (first black heavyweight champ, 1908) In 1893 Russian engineer, Sergei Ilyushin (designed over 50 aircraft) In 1895 Attorney/diplomat, John J. McCloy (headed World Bank) In 1907 Actor, Eddie Quillan (Julia, Poco-Hell Town) [d: 7-19-90] In 1908 Bandleader/jazz performer, "Red" Norvo [d: 4-6-99] In 1914 Poet/writer/diplomat, Octavio Paz [d: 4-19-98]

FACEBOOK POSTS REVEAL SECRETS ABOUT YOU

Whether you enjoy posting public love notes to your sweetie, sharing your photos from that incredible trip to Tuscany or going on a political rant, what you put on your Facebook page reveals a lot more about you than you ever imagined. All those photos and posts expose something about you that you might not like to have divulged: a hard and fast description of your personality. That's the conclusion of psychologists from Brunel University London, who collected data from 555 Facebooks users. What your Facebook posts reveal about you: If you are an extrovert You are outgoing and energetic and thrive on being with people. You are naturally friendly and talkative, so you probably think Facebook is the greatest invention of your lifetime. You enjoy posting about your active social life and fun vacations, as well as sharing lots of photos of your large circle of friends. If you are neurotic You are sensitive, nervous and anxious so your Facebook posts are cries for attention and sup

DREAM COLLEGES IN THE U.S.

Stanford University is the No. 1 dream college in the United States. Again. Five years ago, this prestigious California college snatched the top spot away from Harvard, and it's still hanging on to the crown, according to the 15th annual "College Hopes & Worries Survey" of 10,519 college applicants and parents that was conducted by the Princeton Review. (Of the respondents, 81 percent were college applicants, while 19 percent were parents of applicants.) Students and parents were asked this fill-in-the-blank question: "What 'dream college' do you wish you (your child) could attend if acceptance or cost weren't issues?" More than 500 colleges and universities were named. Students' top 10 dream colleges:  Stanford University  Harvard College  Massachusetts Institute of Technology  New York University  University of California, Los Angeles  Columbia University  Princeton University  University of California, Berkeley  University of Pen

WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR OFFICE ENEMY

(Netscape) He's such a jerk! She's such a (rhymes with) witch! Many of us endure the anguish and emotional wrath of an office enemy. And while mean-spirited name-calling may make you feel better -- even if it's only uttered in the privacy of your brain -- it's not useful. Although you can -- and in some cases absolutely must -- report such errant and harmful behavior to your boss or your company's human resources department, sometimes you may opt for revenge by doling out a bit of your own torment. Dictionary.com has helpfully assembled five words that succinctly describe office enemies with specific advice for each one: 1. Bully Bullies have graduated from the playground to the office. And every office seems to have one. A bully is blustering, quarrelsome and overbearing, and this behavior typically masks their insecurities and deficiencies. Pay attention. Identify which insecurities your office bully is hiding. Is he not as smart as others? Is he not as producti

MR. TELEPHONE MAN

90% of cell phone users ignore their incoming calls, and the calls that are most frequently ignored are the ones that come from loved ones -- not strangers or work colleagues, according to a study from Britain's University of Salford. The top 10 reasons for not answering a cell phone:  Did not hear the ring  Driving  Feeding a pet  Unable to speak  Busy in the bathroom  Can't find the cell phone  In a meeting  Didn't recognize the number  Not in the mood to answer  Others might overhear  Study leader Dr. Ashley Weinberg, who is author of "Surviving the Workplace," says we ignore incoming calls that we sense will be long and involved and take more effort. But not answering a cell phone comes with a price. It breaks an unwritten psychological contract, since we're not living up to our family and friends' expectations, asserts Weinberg. Using cell phones or text messaging in mid-conversation or during an appointment or meeting is one of the "

NAME THAT PET

The name you give your pet says a lot about you as an individual. Sometimes, the choice can be overwhelming since there really are hundreds of thousands of possible names from which to choose. The most popular name for a dog or cat is "Bella," according to Veterinary Pet Insurance, which analyzed the pets' names in its database of nearly a half-million insured animals. Other popular names include Bailey, Max, Lucy, Molly and Buddy, all of which are a far cry from what were once traditional names, such as Rover and Fluffy. Today, people are more likely to choose a human name for their pet, which reflects their place as a genuine part of the family. Here are tips for choosing a name for a new pet: 1. Keep it simple and short. Pick a name that your pet will easily recognize. For example, it may be easier to get your dog's attention with a name like "Bella" versus "Princess Dandelion III." 2. When you get a new pet, don't name it immediately.

SLEEPY HEAD

The ideal amount of sleep is at least six hours and no more than eight hours. The consequences of sleeping less or more than this can be dire -- especially for middle-aged adults. Regularly sleeping less than six hours or more than eight hours is linked to a decline in brain function, according to British researchers at the University College London Medical School. HealthDay News reports that the magnitude of this sleep-induced mental decline is equal to being four to seven years older than your real age. The study found:  Women who slept seven hours a night had the highest score on every cognitive measure, followed by women who had six hours of sleep. Men who slept six, seven or eight hours had similar cognitive function.  Men and women who slept less than six hours or more than eight hours had far lower cognitive scores than those who slept around seven hours. Many biological processes take place while we sleep. Researchers told HealthDay News, "Sleep provides the body with

CRACK THOSE KNUCKLES

While cracking your knuckles is an unpleasant habit and may eventually injure your joints and weaken your fingers if you do it excessively, it will not cause arthritis. That's just a myth -- or something your mother told you to get you to stop doing it. There is a lot of homegrown medical advice most of us believe is true, but it's actually not. The top five medical myths you probably believe are true -- but they're not, according to the editors of Editors of Publications International: 1. Chocolate and friend foods cause acne. When oil glands under the skin produce too much of a waxy oil called sebum, which the body uses to keep skin lubricated, pimples form. They're most likely caused by hormones, but stress and heredity also come into play. 2. Coffee will sober you up. Once alcohol is in your system, no other liquid -- be it coffee, soda or water -- will sober you up. Only your liver can do that job. 3. Cold weather will give you a cold. Viruses cause colds,

RECAPTURING YOUR YOUTH

Wanna look younger? Act like it. Clear 30 minutes daily or two hours of your weekend, for "playtime." Meaning activities without fitness or health pay offs. "When you tap into the youthfulness of fun, it flows into all aspects of life including your skin," says Pedram. Here are some suggestions from Women's Health for your playtime: Bust out Crayons And an adult coloring book. The repetitive nature of filling in the lines deactivates your brain's worry center and slashes stress levels. Mearing around finger paint yields a similar effect. Arrange a Play Date Grab some buds and jump into a giant ball pit made for the 18 and older crowd, they are popping up all over, or set up a board game or kickball math. Taking turns and engaging with others can foster emotional bonds. Silly Dance No wonder millions are grooving to early-morning dance parties. Boogying helps negate a sedentary lifestyle's ill effects including obesity and diabetes and can tack ye

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

When you use the words "weekend," "voicemail," "driving," "okay" or a four-letter word that rhymes with "hit" in your work e-mails, chances are you're sending that message to your boss -- or even higher up the org chart. There are certain words and phrases we use in work e-mails that are actually reliable indicators of whether that correspondence is going to someone higher or lower in the corporate hierarchy, according to a study by Georgia Tech researchers. Led by Eric Gilbert, and after an exhaustive analysis, Gilbert was able to identify the top 100 words that reliably predicted whether e-mails traveled up or down the corporate ladder. The top 5 upward predictors:  the ability to I took are available kitchen thought you would Other words and phrases of note that are upward predictors include: Europe, a decision, tigers, please change, a discussion, the calendar, excellent, sounds good and February. The top 5 downward predictors:

COLORS THAT GIVE YOU A MOOD BOOST

According to psychologist and color experts, the hues you come in contact with during the day from your red nail polish to the earthy tones at Starbucks have an impact on your state of mind. It has to do both with associations you from as a kid and with wavelengths, explains Dewey Sadka, founder of Dewey Color System at deweycolorsystem.com. Each color shoots off a unique variation and may be processed differently in your brain. These colors are proven to work their magic as soon as you lay eyes on them:  Red -- if you want to be focused during a big presentation try wearing red. This bold hue makes you pay more attention to details, according to a study by the University of British Columbia. Red has the longest wavelength in the color spectrum, people might need to look longer to process it, so all eyes are on you.  Green -- if you want to chill the heck out. Most of us associate green with the ahh-inducing vibe of nature a University of Georgia study found that people think of tre

FACTS ABOUT LEFTIES

Between 10 percent and 12 percent of the world population is left-handed, and scientists have no idea why! It could be genetic. It could due to damage in utero. It could be an edge for winning fistfights. And while there are no obvious differences between those who are right-handed and those who are left-handed, we do know that lefties tend to excel at visual and spatial tasks and seem to be overrepresented among geniuses, reports LiveScience.com. What makes southpaws special? Here are ten facts: 1. Just as humans favor one hand over the other, animals also favor one paw over another. But unlike humans, which paw is favored is split about 50-50. 2. Although there is likely a genetic component involved in handedness, environment is also important. For example, researchers have found that identical twins often have different dominant hands. 3. Studies have found that southpaws have higher rates of dyslexia, schizophrenia and autoimmune diseases, such as allergies and lupus. 4. Males are

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Where Is Dave Franco's Wedding Ring? The Answer Is Surprisingly Simple. It's no longer a secret Dave Franco is a married man, but if you looked at his hand these days, something is still missing. While the LEGO Ninjago Movie star managed to keep his wedding to fellow actress Alison Brie under the radar until this month, one sign of his nuptials is still hidden -- but not intentionally. When E! News caught up with the actor at CinemaCon, Franco revealed why he wasn't sporting his wedding band. "It was too small," he dished to E!'s Marc Malkin. "My finger's fatter than I thought." "We're getting it redone," he assured Malkin. "Don't act like it's not going to come. It's coming eventually." Meanwhile, Malkin also managed to tease the actor for successfully evading questions about his mystery nuptials, reminding Franco that he said to ignore his brother James Franco's clues. "I said, 'Your brother Jame