tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294773262024-03-18T19:25:55.983-07:00A SONGWRITER'S JOURNALA 26 yearjourney of a guy who loves to write songs told in regular installments. Michael Ricciardi is a proud member of ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild of America. His musicals include "Skylark" and "The Traveling Companion" He now writes many musicals with his new collaborator John D. Nugent. Together they ahve written 'Sevenly" "The Runaway Heart" and the uocoming produxtions of "THE BREMEN TOWN BOYS" and "BROADWAY ANGELS."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.comBlogger607125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-37667440383138734512013-06-22T16:50:00.001-07:002013-06-22T16:51:20.688-07:00THE STORY OF A CHAMPION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gower Champion's birthday would have been today. His death came from a rare blood cancer and he secumbed at the tender age of sixty-one. He was an amazing direcrtor and he graced the Broadway stage with his impeccable style of directing begining in the 1950's!</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">He had a solid success in 1960 with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Bye Bye Birdie, a show about an Elvis-like rock star about to be inducted into the army. The show starred relative unknowns<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Chita Rivera<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Dick Van Dyke<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>along with a youthful cast. It ran 607 performances and won four Tony awards, including Best Musical and two for Champion's direction and choreography. Next came<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Carnival in 1961, which ran 719 performances and garnered seven Tony nominations, including one for Champion's direction.</span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">In 1964, he directed one of Broadway's biggest blockbusters,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello,_Dolly!_(musical)" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hello, Dolly! (musical)"><span style="color: yellow;">Hello, Dolly!</span></a><span style="color: yellow;">. It ran for 2844 performances — almost seven years. Starring Carol Channing, it's best remembered for the title number, where Dolly is greeted by the staff of a restaurant after having been away for years. The show won ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical, as well as two for Champion's direction and choreography.</span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">Champion had his fourth consecutive hit musical with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I Do! I Do!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in 1966. It featured a cast of two — veterans<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Mary Martin<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Robert Preston<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>— playing a couple seen throughout the years of their marriage. The show ran for 560 performances and got seven Tony nominations, including one for Champion's direction.</span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">His next show,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Happy Time<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in 1968, broke his streak. It had a relatively disappointing run of only 286 performances. This would be followed by many more disappointments and worse. In the 1970s, Champion directed minor hits (Sugar<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in 1972 and the revivalIrene<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in 1973), flops (Mack & Mabel<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in 1974) and complete disasters (Rockabye Hamlet<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>— seven performances in 1976 — and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A Broadway Musical, running only one night in 1978, not to mention<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Prettybelle, which closed out of town in 1971). On top of all this, he and Marge were divorced in 1973.</span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">After the failures of the previous decade, Champion was able to make a comeback with his longest-running show. In 1980, he choreographed and directed a stage adaptation of the movie classic,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>42nd Street. </span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">It won the Tony for Best Musical, and Champion was nominated for his direction and choreography, winning for the latter. The show ran for 3,486 performances, but Champion did not live to see any. After numerous curtain calls on opening night, producer<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>David Merrick<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>stunned the cast and audience by announcing Champion had died earlier that day. </span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">Today is also the birthday of Meryl Streep, Cyndi Lauper and would have been the 90th birthday of film maker Billy Wilder. Beautiful Super Moon is tomorrow here in Southern California and this first weekend of Summer has been simply spectacular. Warm, but not too hot. </span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">John Nugent and I continue to make progress on Adam and Eve and Steve. The option money has been nice, but it keeps us so busy, we barely have time to call our very closest friends these days. You can hear six of the songs, including the Overture on Sound Cloud. Great sound there!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-51961503136545171542013-04-08T12:54:00.001-07:002013-04-08T12:54:38.920-07:00WE REMEMBER ANNETTE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">Annette Funicello was a champion. She was an amazing entertainer with a charm, a wit and a smile that few stars have. She was perhaps the most courageous person I've ever known--even if it was only briefly. I remember the Sherman Brother tunes that she recorded like "Pineapple Princess", "Tall Paul", "Jo Jo The Dog Faced Boy", "Mia Amora." The Shermans used to call her "their lucky star." She was absolute magic for these two songwriters. The very first song that the Shermans wrote and played for Walt Disney was for a very ordinary Wonderful World Of Color multi-part story called "The Horsemasters" with Roberta Stack and Tommy Kirk. That song was called "Let's Sing A Strumming Song" and this simple but clever was the very song that led Walt to sign the Shermans as exclusive songwriters for the studio, and to ultimately to write the songs for "Mary Poppins." She was diagonised with MS in the late 1980's and went public about twenty-one years ago in 1992. I remember her roles in Walt's first big screen musical called "Babes In Toyland." It co-starred another recording legend Tommy Sands, and it featured the genius of Ed Wynn. Annette was the kind of performer who could really sell a song and make you believe in every line of lyric she sang. If she was your friend, she was always your friend. And she never forgot her roots. In fact, she was always amazed when Frankie Avalon used to tell her that while traveling across the country on his own singing tours, in the 1990's just how popular and how loved she still was. That simply flabbergasted and amazed her. She was pure class. There simply wasn't a bone of ego in her entire body, and Walt Disney, himself discovered her in a local school production of "Swan Lake." Later she became the spokesperson for Skippy Peanut Butter. She made great films for the Disney studio including "The Monkey's Uncle" that the Beach Boys sang in the picture. And so dear Annette, idol of my own childhood, and later friend, God keep you in his heaven, dear lady, now safe and totallly without pain. Let us find an end to this dreaded disease called MS!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-91986321003632374242013-04-01T10:45:00.000-07:002013-04-01T10:45:01.353-07:0050TH ANNIVERSARY OF TWO GREAT FILMS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the classic Hitchcock film "The Birds" that starred now 83 year old Tipi Hedren and Rod Stewart (whom we all loved in "The Time Machine" I found out that Walt Disney's amazing friend from Kansas City Ub Iwerks created the flying bird sequence that was nominated for an Academy Award for special effects in the 1963 Oscar race. Iwerks of course wasthe man that Mickey Mouse owes all of his development too and who was Walt's partner all those many years ago in Kansas City. Had Iwerks not left Disney to form his own compnay in the 1930's, his heirs would now have owned 20% of the Walt Disney Company. Oh the mistakes we make on the road of life. Hitchcock wanted Grace Kelly to play the female lead, but at that time she was married to Prince Ranier of Monacco and refused any other movie work. Hedren has said that old Hitch was quite possessive of her selecting all of her wardrobe and makeup and even refused to end her exclusive contract with him. Of course, "The Birds" is that all time frightening classic of the old master that I still remember scaring the absolute hell out of me. The budget of the film was by 1963 standards very impressive: 3.6 million dollars. It doubled its cost before the year was up back when movies didn't reach the stratosphere that they do today. It's also the 50th anniversary this year of "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." The one comedy film that was an absolute classic and starred just about every Hollywood comedian they could gather including Milton Berle, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Jonathan Winters, Dick Shawn,, Ethel Merman , plus Sid caesar and good old Jimmy Durante. Even Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges found a role in the classic film. You just coudn't remake classics like these, today! Hitchcock and Stanly Krammer were simply brilliant film makers. Does anybody remember where the massive treasure was hid? It was under the ... drumroll, please.... "The Big "W"-- a landmark in Santa Monica that is still there to this day! The original film was shot in Cinerama. It also starred the absolute amazing Spencer Tracy. Jonathan Winters destruction of that gas station was one of the absolute highlights of the picture!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-30394275217682224402013-03-30T08:19:00.001-07:002013-03-30T08:19:57.828-07:00RONALD REAGAN ALMOST KILLED ON THIS DAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">We anticipate another Easter Day on Sunday and yet this is a pretty amazing day in history. For on this day in 1981 A president just elected and inauguarated only two months and ten days before was almost killed. On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by a deranged drifter named John Hinckley Jr. The president had just finished addressing a labor meeting at the
Washington Hilton Hotel and was walking with his entourage to his
limousine when Hinckley, standing among a group of reporters, fired six
shots at the president, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants.
White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and
critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in
the side, and valliant District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahaney was shot
in the neck. After firing the shots, Hinckley was overpowered and pinned
against a wall, and President Reagan, apparently unaware that he'd been
shot, was shoved into his limousine by a Secret Service agent and
rushed to the hospital. The president was shot in the left lung, and the .22 caliber bullet
just missed his heart. In an impressive feat for a 70-year-old man with a
collapsed lung, he walked into George Washington
University Hospital under his own power. As he was treated and prepared
for surgery, he was in good spirits and quipped to his wife, Nancy,
''Honey, I forgot to duck,'' and to his surgeons, "Please tell me you're
Republicans." Reagan's surgery lasted two hours, and he was listed in
stable and good condition afterward. The next day, the president resumed some of his executive duties and
signed a piece of legislation from his hospital bed. On April 11, he
returned to the White House. Reagan's popularity soared after the
assassination attempt, and at the end of April he was given a hero's
welcome by Congress. In August, this same Congress passed his
controversial economic program, with several Democrats breaking ranks to
back Reagan's plan. By this time, Reagan claimed to be fully recovered
from the assassination attempt. In private, however, he would continue
to feel the effects of the nearly fatal gunshot wound for years. Of the victims of the assassination attempt, Secret Service agent
Timothy McCarthy and D.C. policeman Thomas Delahaney eventually
recovered. James Brady, who nearly died after being shot in the eye,
suffered permanent brain damage. He later became an advocate of gun
control, and in 1993 Congress passed the "Brady Bill," which established
a five-day waiting period and background checks for prospective gun
buyers. President Bill Clinton signed the bill into law. Today is also the 87th birthday of Hollywood Square host Peter Marshall. And on this date in 1867, the US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. What a bargain that was at 7.2 million dollars. How different would the world have been without it? Today is also the birthday of Warren Beatty at 76 and of the pencil in 1852. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-85522961205287852532013-03-19T08:26:00.001-07:002013-03-19T08:26:14.089-07:00WE STARTED A WAR AND THERE WAS NOTHING AT ALL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">On this the feast of Saint Joseph and also the anniversary of the first Daylight Savings Time in 1918 enacted by Congress is also the tenth anniversary of the War In Iraq. Does it seem possible that so many of our soldiers were killed or wounded over Saddam Hussein's "weapons of mass destruction." Thank God we never thought of North Korea in the same light at that time, or we simply wouldn't be here, today!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">On this day in 2003, the United States, along with coalition forces primarily from the United Kingdom, initiates war on Iraq. Just after explosions began to rock Baghdad, Iraq's capital, U.S. President George W. Bush announced in a televised address, "At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger." President Bush and his advisors built much of their case for war on the idea that Iraq, under dictator Saddam Hussein, possessed or was in the process of building weapons of mass destruction. Hostilities began about 90 minutes after the U.S.-imposed deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face war passed. The first targets, which Bush said were "of vital military importance," were hit with Tomahawk cruise missiles from U.S. fighter-bombers and warships stationed in the Persian Gulf. In response to the attacks, Republic of Iraq radio in Baghdad announced, "the evil ones, the enemies of God, the homeland and humanity, have committed the stupidity of aggression against our homeland and people."Though Saddam Hussein had declared in early March 2003 that, "it is without doubt that the faithful will be victorious against aggression," he went into hiding soon after the American invasion, speaking to his people only through an occasional audiotape. Coalition forces were able to topple his regime and capture Iraq's major cities in just three weeks, sustaining few casualties. President Bush declared the end of major combat operations on May 1, 2003. Despite the defeat of conventional military forces in Iraq, an insurgency has continued an intense guerrilla war in the nation in the years since military victory was announced, resulting in thousands of coalition military, insurgent and civilian deaths.</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;">After an intense manhunt, U.S. soldiers found Saddam Hussein hiding in a six-to-eight-foot deep hole, nine miles outside his hometown of Tikrit. He did not resist and was uninjured during the arrest. A soldier at the scene described him as "a man resigned to his fate." Hussein was arrested and began trial for crimes against his people, including mass killings, in October 2005.</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;">In June 2004, the provisional government in place since soon after Saddam's ouster transferred power to the Iraqi Interim Government. In January 2005, the Iraqi people elected a 275-member Iraqi National Assembly. A new constitution for the country was ratified that October. On November 6, 2006, Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. After an unsuccessful appeal, he was executed on December 30, 2006. No weapons of mass destruction were ever found in Iraq.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-73980289145975183042013-02-13T19:54:00.003-08:002013-02-13T19:54:29.349-08:00THIS TRIUMPH IS A DISASTER<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">The Carnival folks have done it again. Once again, a Carnival Cruise Line is in trouble. This time it's their ship called THE TRIUMPH. This time the big ship is powerless after a fire in the engine room. Rooms are now leaking sewage, there's long lines for food and guests are being asked to urinate in the showers. Air conditioners were off and it literally stinks throughout the entire ship. My bad experience with Carnival happened almost twenty-one years ago. I had booked a Carnival cruise to the Carribean an dha dagreed to share a room with another passenger to save money. Well, that part was cool, but when the ship sailed the passenger never showed up and I thought "Oh great, I'm getting a private room for the shared cabin price. WRONG. Four days into the cruise, the passenger (who obviously was rich enough to afford this) hired a helicopter to fly out to the ship. He was late because he had gotten the flu. But when they flew him out and wheeled him in on a gurney into my room, he still had the flu. WORSE-- he was a smoker and I was allergic to smoke. I complained to try and get a new roomand as told that there were no vacant rooms available. They were completely sold out. Add to the misery, this guy snored like a truck and I got very little sleep. He never left the room except for meals and when I got home, of course I caught the flu. The cruise line offered no refund, partial or otherwise and no free vacation in the future. I vowed I would NEVER take another CARNIVAL cruise ever again in my life and I have not! And Carnival continues to mitigate disaster in all the years since. True, no one's injured here, thank God, but there's no water and nobody can flush, so everyone's goin in little plastic bags and putting those little poop bags outside their cabin doors. Isn't that wonderful? I pity thos epoor people and I renew my vow. I will neve rpatronize CARNIVAL cruise lines ever again. The sights were great, but there was far too many negative things for me!</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-28088922094055759642013-02-11T22:33:00.002-08:002013-02-11T22:33:23.093-08:00A COINCIDENCE? MAYBE NOT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, the pope has resigned. He is the first pope to resign in six hundred years and wasn't it funny that lightning hit the Vatican the evening following the announcement. Coincidence? Maybe Not! The last pope to resign was Gregory the XII in 1415. At that time, the Catholic Worls had TWO popes. One was Bendict XIII who was the ANTI-POPE residing in Avingnon. You remember that it was an Anti-Pope that sparked Joan of Arc's mission. At any rate, there were two popes. The gentlemen of the two Gregory the XII offered to resign if the Anti Pope would also resign and a new election could take place.</span> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>On June 5th 1409 the Council of Pisa deposed the two pontiffs as schismatical, heretical, perjured, and scandalous; they elected<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Alexander V</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(1409–10) later that month. Gregory XII, who had meanwhile created ten more cardinals, had convoked a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>rival council</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Cividale del Friuli</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>, near<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Aquileia</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>; but only a few<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>bishops</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>appeared. Gregory XII's cardinals pronounced Benedict XIII and Alexander V schismatics, perjurers, and devastators of the Church, but their pronouncement went unheeded.</strong></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Council of Constance</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>finally resolved the situation. Gregory XII appointed Carlo Malatesta and Cardinal<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Giovanni Dominici</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Ragusa</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as his proxies. The cardinal then convoked the council and authorized its succeeding acts, thus preserving the formulas of </strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Papal supremacy</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>. Thereupon on 4 July 1415, Malatesta, acting in the name of Gregory XII, pronounced the resignation of the Pope, which the cardinals accepted. According to prior agreement, they agreed to retain all the cardinals that had been created by Gregory XII, thus satisfying the Correr clan, and appointed Gregory XII<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Bishop of Frascati</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> and perpetual legate at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Ancona</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>. The Council then set aside<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Antipope John XXIII</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(1410–15), the successor of Alexander V. After the former follower of Benedict XIII appeared, the council declared him deposed; and the Great Schism was ended. A new Roman pontiff,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Pope Martin V</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>, was not elected before Gregory's death. Therefore,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>the Papal seat was vacant</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>.</strong></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>The rest of Gregory XII's life was spent in peaceful obscurity in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Ancona</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>. He is the last pope to abdicate, pending<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Pope Benedict XVI</strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> scheduled abdication on February 28th <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>2013</strong></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> at 8pm, Rome Time.</strong></span></span></span></h3>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-63748542428218015842013-02-09T11:22:00.002-08:002013-02-09T11:22:30.862-08:00I ALWAYS THOUGHT NEW YORKERS WERE ODD, BUT THESE GUYS...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsZZPQiBxBv6lbpxAq9kAoIqBM9HBvbhUgDRQw1Np47r1EvSYwJNJ9hPCCwirF2fP5tuCsAS3l5Lb4TG21tj27d4g18TSQ8bCMANICCnYVDZgTb0GupNiNQo1KlVYV3ly50U-/s1600/A+CRAZY+NEW+YORKER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsZZPQiBxBv6lbpxAq9kAoIqBM9HBvbhUgDRQw1Np47r1EvSYwJNJ9hPCCwirF2fP5tuCsAS3l5Lb4TG21tj27d4g18TSQ8bCMANICCnYVDZgTb0GupNiNQo1KlVYV3ly50U-/s320/A+CRAZY+NEW+YORKER.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Now we've all heard of this great big snow storm/ blizzard that's hit New York City and the North East with a unbelievable blizzard that they call Nemo. And I've beeen in New york enough times to see some pretty crazy behavior in the snow. One guy was selling jig saw puzzles on Christmas Day. Another strange one was singing Pucccini into an empty mail box right there in broad daylight on the streets near Grand Central Station, but the images that I've posted today really show off the strangeness of good old New York City. maybe this only happens when the first big snow falls, but whatever it is, it sure looks crazy to me. Of course, they say that you will find strageness here in the "Big Apple" that you would not find in any other American city. Oh well, it's fun to watch from a good long distance here in sunny Los Angeles, California. God love you, New York. Somebody has to step outside of the circle and stretch that envelope just a bit! If New York wants to have a "Naked Cowboy"-- why not? I just wouldn't want to freeze my nuts off <strong>doing</strong> what he's doing!</span> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-20722649381724152832013-02-07T23:12:00.002-08:002013-02-07T23:12:42.200-08:00A RESPONSE FROM THE FIRED WAITRESS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Remember the story of The Applebee waitress who was fired after Pastor Aliso Bell complained after her receipt in which she crossed out the automatic 18% tip (added for groups of eight or more) was posted on the internet. The one that said :"I give God ten percent: why do you get eighteen?" And this so called Christian pastor named Bell called up the restaraunt and demanded that everyone be fired including the manager? Then she tried to back track and claime that she actually left a cash tip on the table of $6.00. Well, here is (unedited) the response from the waitress who was fired and now claims that she doesn't want the job back. She'll probably do better on unemployment. Here is what this great waitress had to say:</span></div>
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</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I was a waitress at Applebee’s restaurant in Saint Louis. I was fired Wednesday for posting a</span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/17i382/my_mistake_sir_im_sure_jesus_will_pay_for_my_rent/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"> picture on Reddit.com </span></a><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">of a note a customer left on a bill. I posted it on the web as a light-hearted joke.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">This didn’t even happen at my table. The note was left for another
server, who allowed me to take a picture of it at the end of the night.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><blockquote>
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Someone had scribbled on the receipt, “I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?”</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I assumed the customer’s signature was illegible, but I quickly
started receiving messages containing Facebook profile links and
websites, asking me to confirm the identity of the customer. I refused
to confirm any of them, and all were incorrect.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I worked with the </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/reddit" target="_blank" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Reddit"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Reddit</span></a><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
moderators to remove any personal information. I wanted to protect the
identity of both my fellow server and the customer. I had no intention
of starting a witch-hunt or hurting anyone.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Now I’ve been fired.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The person who wrote the note came across an article about it, called
the Applebee’s location, and demanded everyone be fired — me, the
server who allowed me to take the picture, the manager on duty at the
time, the manager not on duty at the time, everyone. It seems I was
fired not because Applebee’s was represented poorly, not because I did
anything illegal or against company policy, but because I embarrassed
this person.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">In light of the situation, I would like to make a statement on behalf
of wait staff everywhere: We make $3.50 an hour. Most of my paychecks
are less than pocket change because I have to pay taxes on the tips I
make.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">After sharing my tips with hosts, bussers, and bartenders, I make
less than $9 an hour on average, before taxes. I am expected to skip
bathroom breaks if we are busy. I go hungry all day if I have several
busy tables to work. I am expected to work until 1:30am and then come in
again at 10:30am to open the restaurant.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I have worked 12-hour double shifts without a chance to even sit
down. I am expected to portray a canned personality that has been found
to be least offensive to the greatest amount of people. And I am
expected to do all of this, every day, and receive change, or even
nothing, in return. After all that, I can be fired for “embarrassing”
someone, who directly insults his or her server on religious grounds.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">In this economy, $3.50 an hour doesn’t cut it. I can’t pay half my
bills. Like many, I would love to see a reasonable, non-tip-dependent
wage system for service workers like they have in other countries. But
the system being flawed is not an excuse for not paying for services
rendered.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I need tips to pay my bills. All waiters do. We spend an hour or more
of our time befriending you, making you laugh, getting to know you, and
making your dining experience the best it can be. We work hard. We
care. We deserve to be paid for that.</span><br />
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</span><blockquote>
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I am trying to stand up for all of us who work for just a few dollars
an hour at places like Applebee’s. Whether a chain steakhouse or a
black-tie establishment, tipping is not optional. It is how we get paid.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I posted a picture to make people laugh, but now I want to make a
serious point: Things like this happen to servers all the time. People
seem to think that the easiest way to save money on a night out is to
skip the tip.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I can’t understand why I was fired over this. I was well liked and
respected at Applebee’s. My sales were high, my managers had no problems
with me, and I was even hoping to move up to management soon. When I
posted this, I didn’t represent Applebee’s in a bad light. In fact, I
didn’t represent them at all.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I did my best to protect the identity of all parties involved. I
didn’t break any specific guidelines in the company handbook – I
checked. But because this person got embarrassed that their selfishness
was made public, Applebee’s has made it clear that they would rather
lose a dedicated employee than an angry customer. That’s a policy I
can’t understand.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I am equally baffled about how a religious tithe is in any way
related to paying for services at a restaurant. I can understand why
someone could be upset with an automatic gratuity. However, it’s a
plainly stated Applebee’s policy that a tip is added automatically for
parties over eight like the one this customer was part of. I cannot
control that kind of tip; it’s done by the computer that the orders are
put into. I’ve been stiffed on tips before, but this is the first time
I’ve seen the “Big Man” used as reasoning.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Obviously the person who wrote this note wanted it seen by someone.
It’s strange that now that the audience is wider than just the server,
the person is ashamed.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I have no agenda here. I seek no revenge against the note writer. I
have no interest in exposing their identity, and, at this point, I’m not
even sure I want my job back. I was just trying to make a joke, but I
came home unemployed.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I’ve been waiting tables to save up some money so I could finally go
to college, so I could get an education that would qualify me for a job
that doesn’t force me to sell my personality for pocket change.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;">I think this Pastor needs to check the guidelines for being a Christian because she sure didn't act like pne here. I, myself will NEVER walk into an Applebee's restaraunt EVER AGAIN!</span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-25457640719446216272013-02-04T17:51:00.000-08:002013-02-04T17:51:01.326-08:00BINLADEN LAND? (SAY IT ISN:T SO)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXvIqre8xybr3Z313KJoAGIwHec4BymExuDoxKClMrcRk856UFwRYMIWKPDz3HRVEKu51-SYXlCSbERImTPVAz6KcWYM0DEgivZ1VSq4dSDJ3J3CFFEY1kl55Bn68WXm6Ds3U/s1600/AN+OBAMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXvIqre8xybr3Z313KJoAGIwHec4BymExuDoxKClMrcRk856UFwRYMIWKPDz3HRVEKu51-SYXlCSbERImTPVAz6KcWYM0DEgivZ1VSq4dSDJ3J3CFFEY1kl55Bn68WXm6Ds3U/s320/AN+OBAMA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Everyone knows the house and land in Pakistan where Bin Laden met his just demise. I read this morning that they are planning to build an amusement park like Disneyland, a zoo and a big recreation area. Say it isn't so! But it is! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Pakistani officials say they’re planning to build an amusement park
at a cost of nearly $30 million in the city where Usama bin Laden was
killed by US forces, but claim it has nothing to do with the former Al
Qaeda leader.</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">The Abbottabad development, which will begin construction around
March, will take eight years to complete using allocated funds, Sky News
reports.</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"It will have a heritage park, wildlife zoo, food street, adventure
and paragliding clubs, waterfalls and jogging tracks," said Syed Aqil
Shah, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial minister for tourism and sports.</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Abbottabad is located in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a
popular weekend destination for wealthier Pakistani families, according
to Sky News.</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Shah said the amusement park is being built to cater to that crowd
and not as a way to polish the city’s image after Bin Laden was killed
there in May 2011.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-62084498734060985072013-02-02T13:40:00.001-08:002013-02-02T13:40:02.611-08:00THE GROUND HOG HAS SPOKEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddpCaNIwSapWouziumGnVad0W8eTBZXNz1gL-q9s3kAVx2HndbO7RislDGblsTXGNomzLsRT7gfrwwvUI1s6sD8lMKAd07S_hc75eZqNcuhystTXzsFPJSndwFrGM55AdUV40/s1600/A+GROUND+HOG+DAY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddpCaNIwSapWouziumGnVad0W8eTBZXNz1gL-q9s3kAVx2HndbO7RislDGblsTXGNomzLsRT7gfrwwvUI1s6sD8lMKAd07S_hc75eZqNcuhystTXzsFPJSndwFrGM55AdUV40/s320/A+GROUND+HOG+DAY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Let's hear it for Phil, the world famous ground hog who just today, February 2nd, 2013 did NOT see his shadow and that means that winter will soon be over. Or so they say. The tradition began in 1887 and today in front of thirty thousand witnesses, the good old groundhog gave his optimistic prediction. I wonder just what that poor groundhog thinks of all the fuss and bother that he gets on one day of the year. I couldn't find footage of this year's event, as I write this, but I have include footage of last year's ceremony in CANADA. Wow, this is one amazing tradition. Oh, bythe way, it's also the feast day of Saint Blaze who is the patron saint of the throat and singers. As a kid, we always used to go to church and have our throats blessed on this day. It also would have been Burton Lane's birthday, the composer of "Finian's Rainbow" and the classic "On A Clear Day, You Can See Forever" I almost got to work with this amazing guy, but the internet was just not relliable inthose days and I lived here in California and he lived in New York. He had two hit musicals and one notorious flop called "Carmelina".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e06666;">But his music is classic. My favorites are "Look To The Rainbow" and "I Believe In Me".</span> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-18282234599837611482013-01-31T10:46:00.001-08:002013-01-31T10:46:42.140-08:00THE LAST OF THE ANDREW SISTERS<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Ja_w4t-22NBMWexweNrnlSrd5pyAAz-BX1vV0DbVCcwv2CT8q53MYFrEqzT7qevbMLhr76iax_zX18BqB8OtRT0Em0eJXi3efEpGMDo01G5OJPzDYQ4rxCA-_ZKnpBQZ3LLe/s1600/A+EDDIE+CANTOR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Ja_w4t-22NBMWexweNrnlSrd5pyAAz-BX1vV0DbVCcwv2CT8q53MYFrEqzT7qevbMLhr76iax_zX18BqB8OtRT0Em0eJXi3efEpGMDo01G5OJPzDYQ4rxCA-_ZKnpBQZ3LLe/s320/A+EDDIE+CANTOR.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">The very last of the Andrew Sisters left us yesterday at age 94 of natural causes. The Andrew Sisters, bar none, were perhaps the most famous of all the girl singer groups and the ones who were the fiercest at each other's throat fighting over money instead of continuing the amazing harmony and gift of music that God had given each of them. </span></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Patty was the Andrews in the middle, the lead singer and chief clown,
whose raucous jitterbugging delighted American servicemen abroad and
audiences at home. She could also deliver sentimental ballads like "I'll Be with You in
Apple Blossom Time" with a sincerity that caused hardened GIs far from
home to weep. From the late 1930s through the 1940s, the Andrews Sisters produced one
hit record after another, beginning with "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" in
1937 and continuing with "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar," ''Rum and
Coca- Cola" (written by my dear friend Morey Amsterdam of "dick Van Dyke" fame) and more. They recorded more than 400 songs and sold over 80
million records, several of them gold (over a million copies) Other sisters, notably the Boswells, had become famous as singing acts,
but mostly they huddled before a microphone in close harmony. The
Andrews Sisters - LaVerne, Maxene and Patty - added a new dimension.
During breaks in their singing, they cavorted about the stage in rhythm
to the music.<br />
Their voices combined with perfect synergy. As Patty remarked in 1971:
"There were just three girls in the family. LaVerne had a very low
voice. Maxene's was kind of high, and I was between. It was like God had
given us voices to fit our parts."The Andrews's rise coincided with the advent of swing music, and their
style fit perfectly into the new craze. They aimed at reproducing the
sound of three harmonizing trumpets."I was listening to Benny Goodman and to all the bands," Patty once
remarked. "I was into the feel, so that would go in to my own musical
ability. I was into swing. I loved the brass section.Unlike other singing acts, the sisters recorded with popular bands of
the '40s, fitting neatly into the styles of Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller,
Jimmy Dorsey, Bob Crosby, Woody Herman, Guy Lombardo, Desi Arnaz and
Russ Morgan. They sang dozens of songs on records with Bing Crosby,
including the million-seller "Don't Fence Me In." They also recorded
with Dick Haymes, Carmen Miranda, Danny Kaye, Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante
and Red Foley. The two sisters Patty and Maxene joined forces in 1974 for the Sherman Brother musical "Over Here", The show wa sa hit but money again raised its ugly head first with the producers themselves and then Patty's husband wanted a percentage of the show after giving suggestions to songwriters Bob and Dick Sherman, who had accepted and incorporated these suggestions into the show as a genuine show helping gesture. There are no show helping gestures that don't cost us, dear readers. Today is the 91st birthday of Carol Channing and it would have been Eddie Cantor's who was born in 1892. I loved Eddie Cantor. It would also would have been Mario Lanza's birthday who was born in 1921 and dear Suzanne Pleshette who was born in 1937.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;">Suzanne of course starred in the last movie that Walt Disney was alive for called "Blackbeard's Ghost." She was the perfect partner for Bob Newhart in the six years of their show together on CBS.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-78207048914300089042013-01-30T10:05:00.001-08:002013-01-30T10:05:20.105-08:00EVEN THE POPE CAN HAVE A BAD DAY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEN6ueYYPDkvTAhUB_D1Eh7ZcrCe8v20LMNTgbfV4ZuSydg7LwcywnbDcqX3zx2AN4qagFvd_omSsCpRz8A-kBSLSbnxY0M0CjYYyDaICL7l0e6mz9jQdOSDXAzUBt7ijKC9GS/s1600/POPE'S+DOVE+READY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEN6ueYYPDkvTAhUB_D1Eh7ZcrCe8v20LMNTgbfV4ZuSydg7LwcywnbDcqX3zx2AN4qagFvd_omSsCpRz8A-kBSLSbnxY0M0CjYYyDaICL7l0e6mz9jQdOSDXAzUBt7ijKC9GS/s320/POPE'S+DOVE+READY.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">It seems even the Pope can have a bad day. Pope Benedict the IV was preparing a blessing in remembrance of the Hallocaust for the Catholic Youth Council releasing a dove of peace out his Papal Window in Rome. This of course was complicated by an angry seagull who attacked the poor defenseless dove. Look how many forms the devil takes these days! The dove was eventually able to escape the attacking sea gull. Apparently, the pope has had trouble with this particular bird for years! In 2012, he flew back into the papal apartment after being released causing the Pope to exclaim "Mama Mia!" The same thing happened the year before and the year before that! Gee, it's a good thing this Pope wasn't Noah-- we'd still be floating on tree trunks! But seing one of the symbolic birds of peace seems to be a new complication. Well, nobody says the devil isn't persistent. If only the Pope had Randy Johnson on his team! What's even funnier that even the pope says "Mama Mia!" Well, at least the sun was out and it was a beautiful day! Ah yes, the old saying is true "Into each life, some rain must fall! Even if the sun is out at the time. Lord only knows that I ave my own battles with "the pitchforked wonder." </span><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-91454635399464076502013-01-29T10:48:00.001-08:002013-01-29T10:48:41.605-08:00GOLDEN HORSESHOE TRIBUTE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHlpfB6q7kxMDUEkMvK8MEwRVsDmgDm_JOQxi6wkJOdvs-Nq85v7W84YwXiijUfAAgJFQ7u8Zh4wZnSF3Txq20G6O4dzUClEegUq3CMftpbsevU-JliqZlCBiKcVPs3d8P3Po/s1600/GOLDEN+HORSESHOE+REVIEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHlpfB6q7kxMDUEkMvK8MEwRVsDmgDm_JOQxi6wkJOdvs-Nq85v7W84YwXiijUfAAgJFQ7u8Zh4wZnSF3Txq20G6O4dzUClEegUq3CMftpbsevU-JliqZlCBiKcVPs3d8P3Po/s1600/GOLDEN+HORSESHOE+REVIEW.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ_freZKD1YqPJhmIdaqRF5x6gQi1lc4HfH6IzOpKRyVrTXe0flCUSSoH6UoDtN1GX9bReNcMyWylrQqG4uFs8kaom7ioi9LVcwQ2dBXZljaRsUT-MaVci0RkecssZ3CN6IJt/s1600/A+GOLDEN+HORSESHOE+SHOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ_freZKD1YqPJhmIdaqRF5x6gQi1lc4HfH6IzOpKRyVrTXe0flCUSSoH6UoDtN1GX9bReNcMyWylrQqG4uFs8kaom7ioi9LVcwQ2dBXZljaRsUT-MaVci0RkecssZ3CN6IJt/s320/A+GOLDEN+HORSESHOE+SHOW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: x-large;">The Golden Horseshoe Revue was a classic and beloved daily stage show at Anahiem, California's original Disneyland from 1955 until 1986 when it was cancelled. It still holds the record for the most performed stage show (over ten thousand performances) Disneyland is holding a tribute show in the original theatre of this beloved old show minus of course the late Wally Boaag, the late great Betty Taylor and all the original stars. I got to see the tribute show which was pleasant and all but so scaled down it was simply a glance of the greatness that this show once was. It was indeed Walt Disney's favorite entertainment at the park. While I commend Disneyland for trying, I truly think that they need to bring it back in its full glory, maybe includ ethe Dapper Dans in the show and find an Irish tenor who can render "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" and "Clancy Lowered The Boom." The tribute show runs Wednesday through Thursday, six times a day including a dinner show at 6:30pm each night for pass holders through February 4th. My friend David Holmes played Sam the Bartender in a later ncarnation of the classic old show. Get there early, however. Make your reaservation when you first get into the park.</span></h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-40274070256200087182013-01-28T19:06:00.001-08:002013-01-28T19:06:06.248-08:00WE REMEMBER THE CHALLENGER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKyRNG5XIxu8M8UbF5_u46gmJ3TpkUQIHiXled_Vjs1z35Gg20ylRUdfG0_zDBW7DJRpLv0h2kYV61TUp-1SPZuLgN0RFVJo5tA9RKeG2NBPEQ8l14TCVA08Er6UU4n68UNTQ/s1600/CHALLENGER+CREW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKyRNG5XIxu8M8UbF5_u46gmJ3TpkUQIHiXled_Vjs1z35Gg20ylRUdfG0_zDBW7DJRpLv0h2kYV61TUp-1SPZuLgN0RFVJo5tA9RKeG2NBPEQ8l14TCVA08Er6UU4n68UNTQ/s1600/CHALLENGER+CREW.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzNC3ou0ZDNBwuygjMbBI0JZkzAegrgoQ7eTGdxV5ecQ1wFTeb3GRd5CvWgFwjs2YfAKC6W2kUbIN0Z5qdvPk184AXgDEB8xLSOLuYRXnBb9fnt8pIfLToasscpXL_dkjBZTI/s1600/CHALLENGER+EXPLOSION.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzNC3ou0ZDNBwuygjMbBI0JZkzAegrgoQ7eTGdxV5ecQ1wFTeb3GRd5CvWgFwjs2YfAKC6W2kUbIN0Z5qdvPk184AXgDEB8xLSOLuYRXnBb9fnt8pIfLToasscpXL_dkjBZTI/s320/CHALLENGER+EXPLOSION.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">On this day in 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded in the first seventy-three seconds of it's flight. I remember that day very well. I was living in Rowland Heights and I was watching it all on the television in my living room. It was a day of disaster and pain for all Americans. Millions of television viewers were
horrified to witness the live broadcast of the space shuttle Challenger
exploding 73 seconds into flight, ending the lives of the seven
astronauts on board. And they were equally horrified to learn in the
aftermath of the disaster that the faulty design had been chosen by NASA
to satisfy powerful politicians who had demanded the mission be
launched, even under unsafe conditions. Meanwhile, a major factor in the
disaster was that NASA had been ordered to use a weaker sealant for
environmental reasons. Finally, NASA consoled itself and the nation with
the realization that all frontiers are dangerous and to a certain
extent, such a disaster should be accepted as inevitable.
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">At least, that seems to be how many people remember it, in whole or
in part. That’s how the story of the Challenger is often retold, in oral
tradition and broadcast news, in public speeches and in private
conversations and all around the Internet. But spaceflight historians
believe that each element of the opening paragraph is factually untrue
or at best extremely dubious. They are myths, undeserving of popular
belief and unworthy of being repeated at every anniversary of the
disaster.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">The flight, and the lost crew members, deserve proper recognition and
authentic commemoration. Historians, reporters, and every citizen need
to take the time this week to remember what really happened, and
especially to make sure their memories are as close as humanly possible
to what really did happen.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">If that happens, here's the way the mission may be remembered:</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">
</span><br />
<ol><span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">Few people actually saw the Challenger tragedy unfold live on television.</span></li>
<span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">The shuttle did not explode in the common definition of that word.</span></li>
<span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">The flight, and the astronauts’ lives, did not end at that point, 73 seconds after launch.<br />The capsule went hurtling towards the ocean at two hundred miles an hour at 200 G. They lost consciousness certainly, but they were still alive until the hit the water.</span></li>
<span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">The design of the booster, while possessing flaws subject to
improvement, was neither especially dangerous if operated properly, nor
the result of political interference.</span></li>
<span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">Replacement of the original asbestos-bearing putty in the booster seals was unrelated to the failure.</span></li>
<span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">There were pressures on the flight schedule, but none of any recognizable political origin.</span></li>
<span style="color: red;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: red;">Claims that the disaster was the unavoidable price to be paid for
pioneering a new frontier were self-serving rationalizations on the part
of those responsible for incompetent engineering management — the
disaster should have been avoidable.</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;">We lost much on this day. But we will always remember our friends. I hear also that the Boy Scouts of America may by next week be ending its ban on gay leaders and gay scouts. Thank God. Equality is finally taking it's turn in our lives.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-58132663212939328582013-01-27T14:08:00.001-08:002013-01-27T14:11:27.770-08:00CAN YOU BELIEVE A DISNEY PARK COVERED IN SNOW?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9i-mru1o7_tA923nnRIpUNSs8pK9iQm0l2tMAlRTJXA4yqkhhbMJNH3gOkJbd03bj7hKRjsR6WHuVuD3VgxoUT5iKxJJ4ZnCa_MJZHZXF9sCa0UQQ9z-2zcSlLlDAKW15Zn_p/s1600/A+PARIS+DISNEYLAND+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9i-mru1o7_tA923nnRIpUNSs8pK9iQm0l2tMAlRTJXA4yqkhhbMJNH3gOkJbd03bj7hKRjsR6WHuVuD3VgxoUT5iKxJJ4ZnCa_MJZHZXF9sCa0UQQ9z-2zcSlLlDAKW15Zn_p/s320/A+PARIS+DISNEYLAND+%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B0PHqB-VUoo3ZO6gvCm1-CddoYTgG8OWTv6kwC5TQYwfay281TXTALm8rsIfshmk-i6JD0Xsagdeus9bQWX5-duyhYpvTdq2R2HSjVyWg0kE-4bcIdRWJ5dQZl5i2jOVbSfP/s1600/A+PARIS+DISNEYLAND+IN+THE+SNOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B0PHqB-VUoo3ZO6gvCm1-CddoYTgG8OWTv6kwC5TQYwfay281TXTALm8rsIfshmk-i6JD0Xsagdeus9bQWX5-duyhYpvTdq2R2HSjVyWg0kE-4bcIdRWJ5dQZl5i2jOVbSfP/s320/A+PARIS+DISNEYLAND+IN+THE+SNOW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I thought I would share these pictures with all of you because it is most unusual sight. It's two views of a Disney Theme Park covered in snow. This is of course Disneyland Paris which opened almost twenty-one years ago and is really quite a beautiful park. The first picture is Captain Hook's ship which was once a landmark in the Anahiem, California park for many years before the new Fantasyland was built there. The second picture is the King Arthur carousel that is in every Disney park so far. What a beautiful sight Disney in the snow can be and this is certainly no exception. Remember at one point, this poor park was doing so poorly financially, that the Disney folks actually considered closing it down entirely. Thanks to a rich prince who invested heavily into in the late 90's, the park has come into it's own. This really is a very beutiful park. I think Walt would have loved it, very much. The park was pretty mch empty when these shots were taken and very very cold, but the Disney magic kind of made up for that. </span><br />
<strike><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-large;"></span></strike><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-26652750421767735572013-01-26T11:06:00.001-08:002013-01-26T11:06:37.950-08:00A PHANTOM TURNS TWENTY-FIVE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WpHzkL2WnhfyxGmQdpWGVjctvKkKFsKpGaQCkFK2E0XFPvtQcw-wF4lshs_hAuYKs7Mp02C-_1erPIDDY6ucTYpqUsvW1cAVJDBuUiZbTgCrMd_WutKVN1ET2ChcUlnoCwo8/s1600/A+PHANTOM+25++YEARS+OLD+JAN+26TH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WpHzkL2WnhfyxGmQdpWGVjctvKkKFsKpGaQCkFK2E0XFPvtQcw-wF4lshs_hAuYKs7Mp02C-_1erPIDDY6ucTYpqUsvW1cAVJDBuUiZbTgCrMd_WutKVN1ET2ChcUlnoCwo8/s320/A+PHANTOM+25++YEARS+OLD+JAN+26TH.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma6K5tq5qu9I7J8g_t1v-ZsxgHsMgAyz9rYNDWIog6CoVhNkUtCpmAv7CvelbfIjl_v7Qklcx7_4Rf25LnUISQcXJvkmvzrkn2GuCMVIoN4UaYxDA90-xByqzh3ATD12xADHy/s1600/A+PHANTOM+ORIG+PROGRAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma6K5tq5qu9I7J8g_t1v-ZsxgHsMgAyz9rYNDWIog6CoVhNkUtCpmAv7CvelbfIjl_v7Qklcx7_4Rf25LnUISQcXJvkmvzrkn2GuCMVIoN4UaYxDA90-xByqzh3ATD12xADHy/s320/A+PHANTOM+ORIG+PROGRAM.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<h2 id="article-teaser">
<span style="color: yellow;">Congratulations are in order on this date. And kudos also to composer Andrew Lyold Webber, A milestone previously unthinkable in American theatre becomes a reality on Jan. 26 when a Broadway show, The Phantom of the Opera,
celebrates its 25th anniversary. A special curtain-call event at the
Majestic Theatre will be followed by an after-party at the New York
Public Library.</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><span id="article-body"><span style="color: yellow;">
The black-tie and glamorous-garb crowd will include producer Cameron Mackintosh, director Harold Prince original star Sarah Brightman, current stars Hugh Panaro (The Phantom), Sierra Boggess (Christine), Kyle Barisich (Raoul) and Phantom cast alumni from 25 years on Broadway.</span></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber,
who wrote the international smash with Charles Hart and Richard
Stilgoe, drawing on the popular 1911 novel by Gaston Leroux, is not able
to attend due to a medical issue.</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
Harold Prince the director said "Did I ever dream [a 25-year run] would happen? No, of course not. I
knew [from staging the London production] we had a hit, but, in the
theatre that I was raised in, a long run was 1,000 performances. That
was a big, big hit. Then, My Fair Lady ran five years. But [a 25th anniversary] is another world, and I'm happy to have been part of it."</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
Boggess, who originated the role of Christine in London's Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, joined the Broadway company of Phantom Jan. 21 for a limited engagement. Boggess' history with Phantom
began when she originated the role of Christine in the revised Las
Vegas production in 2006. She also played Christine for the London
production's 25th anniversary, which was marked by a special staging at
The Royal Albert Hall in October 2011.</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
The actress recently starred in Cameron Mackintosh's record-breaking London production of Les Misérables as Fantine. She starred as Broadway's The Little Mermaid and appeared in the Broadway revival of Master Class.</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
Panaro has a history of playing the Tony Award-winning show's rivals —
both The Phantom and Raoul. He was first cast in December 1990 as Raoul,
a role he played for more than two years and over 900 performances. In
February 1999 he took over the title role, becoming the 10th of 12 men
to be cast as The Phantom on Broadway.</span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: yellow;">
To date, Panaro has played The Phantom with the New York Company over
1,800 times in three different engagements, including his most recent
return that began in September 2010. Combined, he has performed (as both
The Phantom and Raoul) in over 2,800 performances of the Broadway
production.</span></h2>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-68443365684479266612013-01-25T18:48:00.002-08:002013-01-25T18:49:13.720-08:00A GREAT BIG ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkjxJu3Cj_k8tpOYpWLqA5rNJI_XL0h9Om6rpJdxIlXerju5mC-XdZh8tGFPbmJA6HU-PYIXfDb5YQ3cSuXs1aa6jMJM3gjogpiAzjCUvKofbWOOQNyH5NSLIDorWkGIkh-zl/s1600/ARABIAN+NIGHTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkjxJu3Cj_k8tpOYpWLqA5rNJI_XL0h9Om6rpJdxIlXerju5mC-XdZh8tGFPbmJA6HU-PYIXfDb5YQ3cSuXs1aa6jMJM3gjogpiAzjCUvKofbWOOQNyH5NSLIDorWkGIkh-zl/s320/ARABIAN+NIGHTS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">Think of what you'd wish for if you found Alladan's magic lamp and was able to make just one wish. Well, back on this date, it was sort of like finding something that was as valuable as that single solitary wish from the all powerful genie. And after the discovery, its doubtful that you would ever in your life need anything else again.</span><br />
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">
We go back over one hundred years ago, back January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria,
South Africa, (Remember that old song "We're Marching to Pretoria?") Well, at any rate at Pretoria, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine
inspection by the mine's superintendent. Now get this: it weighed 1.33 pounds, (Holey Moley!) and it was
christened the "Cullinan,"and good friends and gentle readers, it was the largest diamond ever found. The gem was discovered by a Mister Frederick Wells and he was eigteen feet below the earth's surface, when he spotted a flash of starlight embedded in the wall, just above him.</span></span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;"> His discovery was presented that very afternoon to Sir Thomas Cullnan who owned the mine. <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sir Thomas then sold the diamond to the Transvaal provincial
government, which presented the stone to Britain's King Edward VII as a
birthday gift. Did you get that? A birthday present! Oh my stars! Sir Thomas was worried that the diamond might be stolen in transit from
Africa to London, and so the young man who found the diamond, (Edward)</span> arranged to send a phony diamond aboard a
steamer ship loaded with detectives as a diversionary tactic. While the
decoy slowly made its way from Africa on the ship, the Cullinan was sent
to England in a plain box. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Edward entrusted the cutting of the Cullinan to Joseph Asscher, head
of the Asscher Diamond Company of Amsterdam. Asscher, who had cut the
famous Excelsior Diamond, a 971-carat diamond found in 1893, studied the
stone for six months before attempting the cut. On his first attempt,
the steel blade broke, with no effect on the diamond. On the second
attempt, the diamond shattered exactly as planned; Asscher then fainted
from nervous exhaustion.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The Cullinan Diamond was later cut into nine large stones and about 100
smaller ones, valued at millions of dollars all told. The largest stone
is called the "Star of Africa I," )of which you might have heard of) or "Cullinan I," and at 530 carats, it
is the largest-cut fine-quality colorless diamond in the world. The
second largest stone, the "Star of Africa II" or "Cullinan II," is 317
carats. </span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Both of these stones, as well as the "Cullinan III," are on
display in the Tower of London with Britain's other crown jewels; the
Cullinan I is mounted in the British Sovereign's Royal Scepter, while
the Cullinan II sits in the Imperial State Crown. Mkes you want to go out and explore something,huh? </span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span></div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow;"></span> </div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
<span style="color: yellow;"></span> </div>
<div class="article copy four-under-grey">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-44479627043566729672013-01-22T09:00:00.001-08:002013-01-22T09:00:15.618-08:00REMEMBERING MY HERO< ROBERT SHERMAN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkF7VqyoNrvOzTHki5zbQar5cXZjRw6Z-kduqgOtJMN6SicfSIHHvQ7-7IbPPXNGOsq6ZEh9eyW22RjGHGF8CcTlxf_mWJCkKPO_HTWKPrsTkem0p8iTL1woF48GYOtWb_sBp/s1600/RICHARD+AND+ROBERT+SHERMAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkF7VqyoNrvOzTHki5zbQar5cXZjRw6Z-kduqgOtJMN6SicfSIHHvQ7-7IbPPXNGOsq6ZEh9eyW22RjGHGF8CcTlxf_mWJCkKPO_HTWKPrsTkem0p8iTL1woF48GYOtWb_sBp/s320/RICHARD+AND+ROBERT+SHERMAN.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Last Sunday morning, my writing partner and I (John Nugent) went to Hillside Memorial Cemetary for the uncovering of the memorial grave marker for my hero, Robert B. Sherman. Bob, of course was one half of the absolutely amazing Sherman Brothers who wrote countless songs from 1952 to 2012, a sixty year partnership. I don't think I would ever be a songwriter today without the influence of these two amazing men. I don't really think that they ever wrote a bad song together. All of their songs were simple, singable and sincere. They all told a wonderful story. Sometimes they actually made up words to convey an idea! Who can forget "Fortuosity" "Fantasmagorical" and "Friendability." Besides of course that amazing "Supercalifragilistic" word we all know so well. The service was very simple and so lovely. I got to see Bob's son, Robbie for the first time in seventeen years. I met his other brother, Jeff who gave us that fabulous documentary "The Boys" and I got to say hello to Richard Sherman whom I so admire and have for years. Bob Sherman and I had always connected and we made a friendship at our very first meeting at his home way back in November of 1993. The performance of the Sherman song "Mother Earth and Father Time" from Charolette's Web was especially lovely. I will always try to write songs as the Shermans always did. To me, there just isn't any better songwriters. The respect and love that "The Boys" had for Walt Disney was absolutely incredible and Richard continues his respect to this very day by attending all the big Disney events and re-launches of the classic animated films. John Nugent and I were very much in awe of the entire ceremony. I am certainly happy that we got there about forty-five minutes early for it was well attended and there were many other services going on all around it. Believe it or not the song count between myself and John is at nine hundred and eighty-six songs, just fourteen shy of one thousand songs. This is our 6th year of our partnership together. I only wish that my family were more aware of the music I've created with partners over the last thirty-two years.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-45506736482865415592013-01-17T09:27:00.000-08:002013-01-17T09:27:52.601-08:00JANUARY 2013 NEWS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSEldJz8l9xDsLUAI1aUjo1Y2pIe6YrPN17uEtvzmE0qFzqXQJdeW0ApC26QrpdB-PxtGGkWKgIWmQc4__uSy4EUvtFXB6qiMZQhicG8TmYItDF-6G99cWRzY-NnrtAlVkIUZ/s1600/A+ONE+BIG+HAPPY+FAMILY+PIC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSEldJz8l9xDsLUAI1aUjo1Y2pIe6YrPN17uEtvzmE0qFzqXQJdeW0ApC26QrpdB-PxtGGkWKgIWmQc4__uSy4EUvtFXB6qiMZQhicG8TmYItDF-6G99cWRzY-NnrtAlVkIUZ/s320/A+ONE+BIG+HAPPY+FAMILY+PIC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">We wait now for some developments to occur. Lainie Kazan is reading our screenplay version of "First Mother" and we have a number of investors lined up who are really into investing into new properties for movies. Meanwhiile we've completed new screenplays of "Amusingly Yours" about a single successful writer about to marry the wrong girl and is saved by his "muse", Maxine. There's also "Professor Chutzpah" about the youngest full time con man who discovers quite suddenly that he has a nine and a half year old son-- and this kid is not only a better con man than his father, he's PT Barnum, four foot eight. We are also putting finishing touches to our musical "The Wild Swans" which is based on the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. That too some real adapting because the original story was only five pages. Today also marks the 19th anniversary of the Northridge Quake-- boy, do I remembe rthat fateful morning. John Nugent celebrates his 40th birthday on Sunday, February 3rd and we all look forward to that, but more than that will be the big pow wow meeting that will take place in Hollywood, Florida on January 25th with the investors and the creative team that my manager Jimmy Chapel has assembled. This Sunday they will reveal the head stone for Robert B. Sherman in Culver City. John and I are determined to be there to honor our hero's memory. And on January 28thm I will discover if I get any money from my Disney Workman's comp lawsuit. I'll keep you posted.</span></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-60285372201785551252013-01-16T20:57:00.000-08:002013-01-16T20:57:57.407-08:00ANNIVERSARY OF PROHIBITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Can you imagine that on this date way back in 1919, Prohibition came into effect. Indeed it did. Big mistake. But government tends to do that a lot sometimes. So yes, on January 16th, 1919, ninety-four years ago, The 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution,
prohibiting the "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating
liquors for beverage purposes," is ratified on this day in 1919 and
became" the law of the land."</span><br />
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The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th
century, when Americans concerned about the adverse effects of drinking
began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these
groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state
level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the
18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by
Congress and sent to the states for ratification.Prohibition took effect in January 1919. Nine months later, Congress
passed the Volstead Act, or National Prohibition Act, over President Woodrow Wilson's
veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of prohibition,
including the creation of a special unit of the Treasury Department.
Despite a vigorous effort by law-enforcement agencies, the Volstead Act
failed to prevent the large-scale distribution of alcoholic beverages,
and organized crime flourished in America. Good old Al Capone became the best known man in the country. His life at the end was very sad and he actually embraced religion in his jail cell at Alcatraz. In 1933, the 21st AmendmentThis is my first blog entry for 2013. And I, for one toasted the new year with great fan fare and tears. 2013 just has to be a better year than 2012. We have a really hard working manager by the name of Jimmy Chapel who is really working so hard for my writing partner, John Nugent and myself. We have at this moment twenty sit com pilots and twelve screenplays ready for sale this year. One thing about retirement, it really alows you to write. I invite my readers to visit Jimmy Chapel's web site at <a href="http://www.jimmychapelmanagement.com/">www.jimmychapelmanagement.com</a> It shows all of our many projects we are currently developing. This is also my seventh year keeping a blog. It's been very interesting all of these many years. So take up your glass of wine and toast to a bad idea eventually repealed.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-54450267196802841382012-12-25T09:26:00.003-08:002012-12-25T09:26:31.085-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: x-large;">Another Christmas Day in my life. In my new apartment in Sun Valley. My 65th Christmas Day. It was another challenging year with my partner and I facing an eviction (and not for lack of rent) by a greedy landlord and the complete loss of a computer. But once agin, my Lord and my God came through for not only my partner John and I, but for John Nugent, my writing partner who lives with us these days. We were forced to find another apartment, but that apartment is larger, quieter and free of bugs and other pests like spiders. We now live in Sun Valley which is very close to Burbank. Christmas had to be without visiting family this year, but I'm hoping that little problem called relliable long didtance transportation will be solved by next Christmas. We have a great landlord and some really nice neighbors and the nosey days of Fulton Avenue in Van Nuys are finally over. I will miss friends we made there, but life goes on and new adventures await. I've been writing like absolute crazy this year completing about seven screenplays, seven or eight television pilots and even a new musical. God looks after me in ways I can not describe. He may "draw straight with crooked lines", my friends, but he still has the best solutions and answers to every problem that I put before Him. So this is a quieter Christmas without family (and I will miss that a lot) but I am aiming that 2013 will be the great year of success for my writing partner and me. I want to thank all of my friends like Kevin and Judy Eagan and Tim Doran and I finally connected with Jaimie Silos, my old room mate from my living in Hacienda Heights days ,this year after absolute years of not hearing from him. I called all of my sisters and spent some valuable telephone time, but I will aim for the real thing with them by next Christmas. Jimmy Chapel has some exciting new marketing opportunities and I'm placing all my hopes on God's Mercy. Happy Birthday to my Saviour and King. He is the absolute center of my life. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-69533025020994558402012-11-10T17:37:00.002-08:002012-11-10T17:37:59.992-08:00A NEW HOME<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">After thirteen long years, my domestic partner and I have left our old apartment at 6717 Fulton Avenue in Van Nuys, and found a much quieter, brighter and bigger place in Sun Valley, right next to Burbank. Gone is the noise from all the ambulences, police cars and fire trucks that used to race down Fulton Avenue at all times of the day or night. The morning traffic on this street is absolutely and incredibly bad. The street is in horrible disrepair left over from the earthquake that ravaged the area way back in 1994. Turning left r right onto Victory Blvd was another nightmare. Every kind of accident you could name took pace there. We will miss our garden, but the money we used to spend to maintain it will actually make up te difference we are paying in rent. So we hope and will now spend the holidays without the expense of keeping up with what the cheap landlord, Richard Roberts never took care of. Oh well, as my father used to say "Some guys pinch a penny so hard, Lincoln not only screams, he storms off the coin-- and you shouldn't piss off a guy like Abraham Lincoln." The landlords here are absolutely wonderful. They keep their promises! What a refreshing thing to have happen! So the holidays will be different, but so much better this year. Farewell fulton Avenue forever! I sure hope somebody in the city decides to re-pave your cracked and hole filled roadway. I now can do some amazing writing with all the peace and quiet of this wonderful new place. Thank you, God!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-53923883809053405132012-11-04T07:00:00.001-08:002012-11-04T07:00:07.892-08:00AFTER THIRTEEN YEARS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrmxF_zN7RyRgU1d8JdLVf4C9lTgVk4snO9Y9OHxRfJjIT4Zt7el16v4ZIirvyqsjopVZC86CFs54vAAmF8dPaGLWf1aCP-NA48-1v0_bzpxsJeEHaWlnflM2A672osB_1dt6/s1600/APARTMENT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrmxF_zN7RyRgU1d8JdLVf4C9lTgVk4snO9Y9OHxRfJjIT4Zt7el16v4ZIirvyqsjopVZC86CFs54vAAmF8dPaGLWf1aCP-NA48-1v0_bzpxsJeEHaWlnflM2A672osB_1dt6/s320/APARTMENT.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Sometimes you stay in one place for so damn long that it fails to make sense any more. My domestic partner and I have lived in one apartment in Van Nuys, California for thirteen long years or the entire length of our relationship together. Sometime your hand is forced and this time it was simply a greedy landlord. This guy would make Scrooge look like Mary Poppins. But as they say "what goes around, comes around. So on Monday, November 5th, we move lock, stock, barrel and cats to Sun Valley about four and a half miles away. It's a bigger apartment, but without our beloved patio and garden, but at least we will save loads of money by not having to invest in plants, barbecues, garden tools and solar lighting. The amazing amount of money that we spent her on Roses and plants was astronomical. Our cheap landlord (who has a barber shop on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles) is bar none the very cheapest man in the entire world. He didn't even provide a hose for his property. He never kept the place swept up or weeded. We did it all! Oh well, farewell, Richard Roberts. It wasn't nice knowing you. Good luck to whoever he suckers into this place. We threw out so much stuff. It's absolutly amazing as to what you gather in thirteen long years. The kitchen stuff we divested ourselves from was amazing. We look forward to the move though it was hard giving up our garden. Farewell Fulton Avenue, we will NOT miss you. What a crazy street!</strong></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29477326.post-31492187760340298472012-10-06T21:30:00.001-07:002012-10-06T21:30:32.981-07:00EVICTION ATTEMPT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hwe9-gFAQCnafOhRez9eSiJoJg3pLiiDSAlNaQ6wwasajf1F_BNfvi8fUcrnkTHHPK6fWu6TFMBmbzksxlfSW3bBQBPOWLiYdbbtnMWbbLcFp3-4G2vCBKBkYU9h-iabJQnz/s1600/APARTMENT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hwe9-gFAQCnafOhRez9eSiJoJg3pLiiDSAlNaQ6wwasajf1F_BNfvi8fUcrnkTHHPK6fWu6TFMBmbzksxlfSW3bBQBPOWLiYdbbtnMWbbLcFp3-4G2vCBKBkYU9h-iabJQnz/s320/APARTMENT.jpg" width="209" /><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">So my landlord wants to evict us over us not cleaning our apartment to his specifications when we rented from him thirteen years ago this one bedroom apartment here in Van Nuys, California was sub standard, uninhabitable and lacked basic amenities like a fresh paint job and a shampooed rug. And we will go to court on October 18th of this year to duke it out. This is all a silly argument and all due to retailiation by him because we challenged his ilegal rent increase, He was embarassed and didnt like losing. We countered by calling the Health Department when we discovered a small gas leak from a non working furnace had been infiltrating our apartment's air for four and a half years. We are confident and with God's help we will win. Of course, the Health Department has made him fix everything finally in two apartments out of four. But some people learn lessons only the hard way. Too bad for him. We have A GREAT lawyer. So on we go and hopefully we will win! sometimes yu jus have to battle for your principles.</span> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02160052679949361711noreply@blogger.com3