Tuesday, December 28, 2021
THOSE WE LOST IN 2021
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There will be a separate Australian list at the end of this series.
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Siegfried Fischbacher (June 13, 1939 – January 13, 2021), age 81:
Roy Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher with their white lion
About:
- Siegfried Fischbacher was one half of the magician team of Siegfried & Roy — known for their glittering costumes and extravagant illusions involving tigers, lions and other animals, which made them among the most popular and highest-paid entertainers in Las Vegas.
- From February 1, 1990,until Horn's career-ending injury on his birthday on October 3, 2003, the duo performed at the Mirage Resort and Casino, which was regarded as the most-visited show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- During a show at the Mirage on Horn's birthday on October 3, 2003, a seven-year-old white tiger named Montecore attacked Horn. As trainers rushed in from offstage to assist, Montecore bit into Horn's neck and dragged him offstage. Trainers got the tiger to release Horn by spraying him with CO2 fire extinguisher canisters, the last resort available. The attack severed Horn's spine, resulted in massive blood loss, and severely injured other parts of his body, permanently impairing his motor and verbal abilities. He also had a stroke either before or after Montecore dragged him offstage. The incident prompted the Mirage to close the show.
Death:
On January 11, 2021, Fischbacher announced he had terminal pancreatic cancer. He died in Las Vegas two days later, on January 13, 2021, at the age of 81.
(Horn had died at the age of 75 on May 8, 2020 from complications related to Covid).
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Phil Spector (December 26, 1939 – January 16, 2021), age 81:
Phil Spector, 1965
About:
- American record producer, musician, and songwriter who is best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by his two trials and conviction for murder in the 2000s.
- Spector developed the Wall of Sound, a production style that he described as a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll.
- He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in pop music history and one of the most successful producers of the 1960s.
- In the early 1970s, Spector produced the Beatles' Let It Be and several solo records by John Lennon and George Harrison. By the mid-1970s, Spector had produced eighteen U.S. Top 10 singles for various artists. His chart-toppers included the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road", and Harrison's "My Sweet Lord". Following one-off productions for Leonard Cohen (Death of a Ladies' Man), Dion DiMucci (Born to Be with You), and the Ramones (End of the Century), Spector remained largely inactive amid a lifestyle of seclusion, drug use, and increasingly erratic behavior.
- In 2009, after spending three decades in semi-retirement, he was convicted for the 2003 murder of the actress Lana Clarkson and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. He died in prison in 2021.
- Spector testified in a 2005 court deposition that he had been treated for bipolar disorder ("manic depression") for eight years, saying, "No sleep, depression, mood changes, mood swings, hard to live with, hard to concentrate, just hard—a hard time getting through life, I've been called a genius and I think a genius is not there all the time and has borderline insanity."
- In the first criminal trial for the Clarkson murder, defense expert and forensic pathologist Vincent DiMaio asserted that Spector might be suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Death:
In September 2014, it was reported that Spector had lost his ability to speak, owing to laryngeal papillomatosis.
Spector's daughter Nicole attributed her father's death to complications of COVID-19, with which he was diagnosed in December 2020.
2014 mug shot
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Hal Holbrook (February 17, 1925 – January 23, 2021), age 95:
About:
- American actor, television director, and screenwriter.
- Portrayer of Mark Twain for 63 years, a role for which he earned a Tony Award, and also was the shadowy Deep Throat in “All the President’s Men,” among more than 100 other film and TV roles.
- In 2003, President George W. Bush honored Holbrook with a National Humanities Medal for "charming audiences with the wit and wisdom of Mark Twain as Twain's outlook never fails to give Holbrook a good show to put on".
Death:
Holbrook died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, on January 23, 2021, at age 95; no cause was given.
As Mark Twain
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Larry King (November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021), age 87
About:
- American television and radio host, writer.
- Awards included two Peabodys, an Emmy and ten Cable ACE Awards.
- Over his career, he hosted over 50,000 interviews.
- He was an impresario of cable television whose popular CNN interview program — with its guest-friendly questions and conversational banter — was a premier haven for the famous and infamous to spill their secrets, hype their projects and soften their image.
Death:
Although he had recovered from COVID-19, he died of sepsis as a complication on January 23, 2021, at the age of 87.
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Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021), age 94:
About:
- American actress and comedienne whose career spanned more than seven decades.
- Won numerous awards including eight Primetime Emmies from 22 nominations, making her the most nominated and, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, most awarded performer in Emmy history. She won an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Daytime Emmy Award.
- Leachman won additional Emmys for her role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show; television film A Brand New Life (1973); the variety sketch show Cher (1975); the ABC Afterschool Special production The Woman Who Willed a Miracle (1983); and the television shows Promised Land (1998) and Malcolm in the Middle (2000–06).
Death:
On January 27, 2021, Leachman died in her sleep at her home in Encinitas, California, at the age of 94. The cause of death was a stroke with reports that COVID-19 was a contributing factor.
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Christopher Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021), age 91:
About:
- Canadian actor whose career spanned seven decades, gaining recognition for his performances in film, television, and stage.
- His vast range of roles extended from King Lear to a Klingon villain.
- Plummer remains widely known for his portrayal of Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1965), which made cinematic history by becoming the all-time top-grossing film, eclipsing Gone with the Wind, but which he hated. He found all aspects of making the film unpleasant, except working with Andrews, and he avoided using its name, instead calling it "that movie", "S&M", or "The Sound of Mucus".
Death:
Plummer died at his home in Weston on February 5, 2021, at the age of 91, two-and-a-half weeks after a fall that resulted in a blow to the head. A statement released by the family announced that Plummer had died peacefully.
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Mary Wilson (March 6, 1944 – February 8, 2021), age 76:
About:
- Wilson was an American singer who gained worldwide recognition as a founding member of The Supremes, the most successful Motown act of the 1960s and the best-charting female group in U.S. chart history, as well as one of the best-selling girl groups of all-time.
- The trio reached number one on Billboard's Hot 100 with 12 of their singles, ten of which feature Wilson on backing vocals.
- Wilson later became a New York Times best-selling author in 1986 with her best-selling memoirs about her experiences in the group.
Death:
On February 8, 2021, Wilson died in her sleep from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
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Larry Flynt (November 1, 1942 – February 10, 2021), age 78:
About:
- One of America’s most notorious pornographers and self-proclaimed champions of First Amendment freedoms, who built his business interests on the hardcore raunch and grotesque parody of Hustler magazine.
- Flynt fought several high-profile legal battles involving the First Amendment, and unsuccessfully ran for public office. He was paralyzed from the waist down due to injuries sustained in a 1978 assassination attempt by serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin.
Larry Flynt in his gold-plated wheelchair in 2009.
Death:
Flynt died of a heart attack.
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Rush Limbaugh (January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021), age 70:
About:
- American radio personality, conservative political commentator, author, and television show host.
- He deployed comic bombast and relentless bashing of liberals, feminists and environmentalists to become the nation’s most popular radio talk-show host and lead the Republican Party into a politics of anger and obstruction.
- Limbaugh garnered controversy from his statements on race, LGBT matters, feminism, sexual consent, and climate change.
- Despite being a polarizing figure, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
- During the 2020 State of the Union Address, President Donald Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Death:
Limbaugh, a cigar and former cigarette smoker, was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer on January 20, 2020. Death was attributed to complications of his lung cancer.
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To be continued
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Monday, December 27, 2021
SITESEEING . . .
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Some snippets from some sites . . .
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Krampus
From Wikipedia:
The Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in Central and Eastern Alpine folklore who, during the Christmas season, scares children who have misbehaved. Assisting Saint Nicholas, the pair visit children on the night of 5 December, with Saint Nicholas rewarding the well-behaved children with modest gifts such as oranges, dried fruit, walnuts and chocolate, while the badly behaved ones only receive punishment from Krampus with birch rods.
The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated it as having pre-Christian origins. In traditional parades and in such events as the Krampuslauf (English: Krampus run), young men participate dressed as Krampus and attempt to scare the audience with their antics. Such events occur annually in most Alpine towns. Krampus is featured on holiday greeting cards called Krampuskarten.
Since 1984, the character has become better known globally, having been portrayed in Hollywood horror films. Almost unknown before this time, Krampus has begun to become part of American popular culture.
1900s illustration of Saint Nicholas and Krampus visiting a child
A 1900s greeting card reading 'Greetings from Krampus!'
Source:
From the Smithsonian Online Magazine:
A Krampus scares an onlooker during Krampuslauf
For some, the annual festival of child-hunting Krampus is fun—but concerns that refugees in the Alpine towns that celebrate Krampus could find the tradition frightful has prompted some towns to consider taming the horror. This year, Krampus' scheduled arrival in the Alpine towns that celebrate him coincides with an influx of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. Though the festival is well-loved, it gave rise to concerns that the new neighbors might be scared of the tradition and its nightmare-fueling costumes. Rather than cancelling the parade, town officials decided to educate the newcomers. The Telegraph's Rozina Sabur writes that refugee children in Lienz were invited to a presentation where they learned about the props, costumes and customs of Krampus.
Seghers likes the idea of introducing Krampus to refugees in Austria. "I think it's wonderful that they want to get the refugees used to this sort of thing," he says. "You can’t force people to adopt cultural traditions of which they have no basis or point of reference."
Source:
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London Beer Flood, 1814:
From Wikipedia:
The London Beer Flood was an accident at Meux & Co's Horse Shoe Brewery, London, on 17 October 1814. It took place when one of the 22-foot-tall (6.7 m) wooden vats of fermenting porter burst. The pressure of the escaping liquid dislodged the valve of another vessel and destroyed several large barrels: between 128,000 and 323,000 imperial gallons (580,000–1,470,000 L; 154,000–388,000 US gal) of beer were released in total.
The resulting wave of porter destroyed the back wall of the brewery and swept into an area of slum dwellings known as the St Giles rookery. Eight people were killed, five of them mourners at the wake being held by an Irish family for a two-year-old boy.
Source:
From:
Amusing Planet:
At the coroner's inquest, two days later, the jury ruled that the disaster was an act of God, and Meux & Co do not have to pay compensation. On the contrary, the brewery was waived excise taxes by the British Parliament for the thousands of barrels of beer it lost. In addition, it received an aid of ₤7,250 as compensation for the barrels of lost beer. The victims received nothing.
The beer flood led to the gradual phasing out of large wooden fermentation tanks in favor of lined concrete vats. The Horse Shoe Brewery, having survived bankruptcy, continued for another hundred years until it was closed in 1921. The following year, the brewery was demolished.
The Horseshoe Brewery, London, circa 1800.
Depiction of a giant beer fermentation vat.
19th century engraving of the event.
Source:
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The JFK Christmas Card That Was Never Sent
From Reuters, 2007:
The White House has a display of Presidential Christmas cards but one such card is sadly missing. Although created and ready to send, even to some having already been signed, they never went out, that being the 1963 card of President and First Lady John and Jacqueline Kennedy.
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
Boxes of the 1963 card, featuring a colour photo of a nativity scene in the East Room of the White House, had been delivered to President Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline for their signatures before he was killed. It was the first time a religious image was put on a White House Christmas card.
Five hundred of the 750 Christmas cards ordered from Hallmark with the engraved message “With our wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year” were at the White House. There also were 150 cards ordered with the message “With best wishes for a Happy New Year.”
However, fewer than 30 of the cards actually were signed by the president and Mrs. Kennedy before they left for Dallas.
Another 1,500 identical Christmas cards also had been ordered but with the Kennedys’ printed signatures included.
Less than two dozen of the 1963 dual-signed Kennedy cards are known to exist. One sold last year (ie 2006) at an auction for $45,000. It came from the estate of Kennedy’s personal secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, who had reportedly destroyed the rest of the cards.
Lyndon Johnson, who became president after Kennedy’s assassination, was not planning to send an official Christmas card that year but the State Department’s protocol officer insisted he carry on the tradition started by Calvin Coolidge in 1927.
A very simple white card with the presidential seal on the cover and a thin red strip on the bottom was quickly printed for the new Johnson administration. Seeley said they were mailed to foreign ministers, heads of governments and the top ranking officials who attended Kennedy’s funeral.
The White House said it does not have a copy of Johnson’s 1963 card. Hallmark has donated a full set of presidential Christmas cards from Dwight Eisenhower through Ronald Reagan, including the Johnson and Kennedy 1963 cards, to the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
Source:
Christmas card signed by John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy. November 1963
Rare 1963 White House Christmas card, issued after JFK's assassination, printed on cream-colored stock and featuring an embossed presidential seal on the front, with red stripe below. Inside is a simple printed message: "The President and Mrs. Johnson wish you a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year."
From:
Smithsonian Online Magazine:
Although Jackie sent out no cards, an adoring and mourning public sent her cards and condolence letters, more than 800,000 of them.
She did not, however, forget the handful of people who had meant the most to her and the president. For them, she selected special Christmas gifts—books, photos, personal mementos. To Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, she gave a specially bound copy of the book Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States from George Washington 1789 to John F. Kennedy 1961.
Jackie inscribed it “For Robert McNamara—The President was going to give you this for Christmas—Please accept it now from me—With my devotion always for all you did for Jack. Jackie, December 1963.”
To Dave Powers, part of the “Irish Mafia” and an aide throughout Kennedy’s political life, she inscribed another copy of the same book: “With my devotion always for all you did to give Jack so many happy hours. You and I will miss him most. Jackie.”
She also gave Powers a framed set of three black-and-white images of Powers playing with her son John Jr. She inscribed the mat around the photograph: “For Dave Powers—Who gave the President so many of his happiest hours—and who will now do the same for his son, John Jr. With my devotion always—for your devotion to Jack/Jackie, Christmas, 1963.”
The holiday card that was never sent survives as a reminder of the Christmas that John and Jackie Kennedy never celebrated, and remains an American treasure, a fragile relic of the all too “brief shining moment.”
Source:
Sunday, December 26, 2021
THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS
‘Twas the night after Christmas and all through the house
All the creatures were snoring, and so was my spouse.
Twenty five December, the day of good cheer,
Has now been and gone, that’s it for this year.
The family together is what had been planned,
Christmas dinner, that would be grand.
Elliot, Helen, Thomas, Archer and Jess.
With Acacia by Facetime, she's in the US.
We’d wrapped all the presents, bought all the food
And awaited the arrival of the family brood.
We all anticipated this time so desirous
But it crashed when Elliot contracted the virus.
No contact or meeting, not even a maybe,
Especially where there’s a 4 week old baby.
The get together was this year blown,
Kate and I spent Christmas on our Pat Malone.
It wasn’t just us that had to cancel this way.
Six thousand positives in one single day!
Isolations, masks. many Christmas flights off.
And if you’re in public, don’t you dare cough.
Let’s focus on what we should be happy about
Instead of the things on which we miss out,
Not just at Christmas, it has always been thus –
There’s plenty in Rookwood would change places with us!
Saturday, December 25, 2021
CHRISTMAS 2021
On this Christmas Day 2021, let us take a moment to reflect not on what we are missing or what the setbacks are, but on what we do have and what we are grateful for. When all is said and done, it's still a wonderful life.
Merry Christmas to readers, friends, relatives and those who have touched our lives in so many ways.
Otto
CONTINUING: MY TOP CHRISTMAS FILMS
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The list so far:
Love Actually
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
O’Henry’s Full House
A Sunburnt Christmas
Holiday Inn
White Christmas
The Shop Around the Corner
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Continuing the list . . .
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The Holiday:
(Steve, you would hate this movie. But I like it.)
Released in 2006, this rom-com was filmed in both California and England and stars Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as women with men problems from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, who arrange a home exchange to escape heartbreak during the Christmas and holiday season.
Some facts and trivia:
This film was written specifically with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black in mind.
Dustin Hoffman’s cameo in the Blockbuster Video store (remember those?) was unplanned and not scripted. He was driving by the video store shown in the film and saw all of the cameras and equipment so he decided to stop in and see what was happening. Because he knew writer and director Nancy Meyers, they worked up a scene which ultimately made the final cut.
The website Amanda and Iris use to exchange houses is a real website, homeexchange.com.
A few months after the movie came out the popularity of "house swapping" was on the rise. So much so in fact that police in England had to issue a warning against swapping homes with strangers due to identity fraud and murders.
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The Santa Clause 1, 2 and 3:
Technically these should count as 3 films in my list but hey, it’s Christmas so you’ll have to cut me some slack on that.
These three films have become Christmas classics but the best remains the first one, The Santa Clause. from 1994, starring Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an ordinary man who accidentally causes the death of Santa Claus and must become the replacement Santa. The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) were both financially successful but suffered critical decline.
A funny and enjoyable bit of light Christmas entertainment, suitable for the whole family and well worth watching more than once. Unless you’re Steve.
Some facts and trivia:
For one week in November 1994, Tim Allen had the #1 movie at the box office, the #1 rated television show (Home Improvement (1991)), and the #1 New York Times best-selling book ("Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man").
First lead film role for Tim Allen. The role of Scott Calvin was written with Bill Murray in mind. After reading the script and being offered the lead role, Murray declined, saying he didn't think it suited his humour. Once original choice Bill Murray turned down the part, Chevy Chase was considered. Scheduling conflicts with another film forced Chase to turn down the role of Scott Calvin/Santa Claus. Robin Williams and Tom Hanks were also considered for the role of Scott Calvin/Santa Claus, before Tim Allen was eventually cast.
Tim Allen has a criminal record, and Disney has a strict no hiring of ex-cons policy. An exception was made in this case. Allen spent two years in prison after being arrested in 1978, then aged 25, at an airport in Michigan with over a pound (approx. 450g) of cocaine in his luggage. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Tim Allen underwent 4-5 hours of makeup and prosthetic applications to transform in Santa, not including the two hours it took to take it all off, and had to wear multiple fat suits during filming, which took place in the middle of summer. Because of the latex, Allen experienced heat rashes, scars, scratches and infections.
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It’s a Wonderful Life:
Steve, you’ve gotta love this one, otherwise you will need to travel the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and ask the Wizard to grant you taste.
Another classic Christmas film, deservedly so.
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American fantasy drama film based on the short story and booklet The Greatest Gift, which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loosely based on the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol.
The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his personal dreams, in order to help others in his community, and whose suicide attempt on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody. Clarence shows George how he has touched the lives of others and how different life would be for his wife Mary and his community of Bedford Falls if he had not been born.
Theatrically, the film's break-even point was $6.3 million, about twice the production cost, a figure it did not come close to achieving on its initial release. Because of the film's disappointing sales, Capra was seen by some studios as having lost his ability to produce popular, financially successful films. Although It's a Wonderful Life initially received mixed reviews and was unsuccessful at the box office, it became a classic Christmas film after it was put into the public domain, which allowed it to be broadcast without licensing or royalty fees.
It's a Wonderful Life is considered one of the greatest films of all time. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and has been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made.
By the way:
At one point in the film, George’s daughter Zuzu (who names their kid Zuzu except maybe a Kardashian or Frank Zappa) says to George: “Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.”
This has inspired the title of an article by Steven Weber at:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/is-it-true-every-time-you_b_152533
“Is It True Every Time You Hear an Accordion an Angel Gets
Kicked in the Nuts?”
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Friday, December 24, 2021
FUNNY FRIDAY
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And so it is the day of the eve of Christmas, at least it is here in Oz, which means that it’s time to take a break, relax, enjoy the holiday and celebrate the festive season in whatever way you celebrate it.
As we approach the end of the year, the following item sent to me (thank you, R J) sums up the year gone by . . .
Merry Christmas Eve, readers.
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SOME HUMOUR:
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Any glue experts who can help me?
I needed to attach a velvet Elvis painting to a pink flamingo lawn ornament, so I grabbed a bottle of contact cement. The instructions said to apply to both surfaces and wait until they’re no longer tacky before putting them together.
That was 6 months ago, and they’re still tacky. How much longer do I need to wait?
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The week of Christmas is always a hectic one at the North Pole. This one from long ago was especially so.
The elves had learned a new word “Unionize” and kept making threats.
Blitzen was colicky, Dasher had the worst case of gas he’d experienced in years and Vixen was pregnant; again!
Mrs. Claus kept hinting at her mother coming to stay for a few weeks after the New Year.
A strut on the sleigh was still busted after that pothole on 8 Mile last year, and the part was still back ordered. At least he still had the old one in the shed, much to the missus dismay, but the heater was finicky so he’d be bundling up a bit more just case.
The lead elf came in to let him know there’d been an issue with the tear in the sack, from last years near miss over Russian air space, it SHOULD be back from warranty by the 23rd, but there’d been shipping delays so. . .
Then an angel walked in the office, “Santa what do you want me to do with this tree?” Without missing a beat Santa yelled . . .
And that guys, gals and non-binary pals is where the tradition of an angel at the top of the tree came from!
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The first rule of Thesaurus Club is:
You don't talk about, mention, speak of, discuss or chat about Thesaurus Club
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They've unearthed a sarcophagus in Egypt filled with chocolate and nuts
The mummy was wrapped in gold foil, so they believe it is the legendary Pharaoh Rocher
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Paddy feared his wife Mary wasn’t hearing as well as she used to and thought she might need a hearing aid.
Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family doctor to discuss the problem.
The doctor told him there is a simple informal test that Paddy could perform to give the doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.
Here’s what you do said the doctor. Stand about 40 feet away from her and in a normal speaking tone see if she hears you. If she doesn't, go to 30 feet away and then 20 feet and so on until you get a response.
Later that day when Paddy gets home from the pub, he sees Mary in the kitchen cooking dinner and he was in the hallway,
He thinks to himself, I’m about 40 feet away let’s see what happens.
In a normal tone, he asks, “Mary what’s for dinner my lovely?”
No response so he moves closer 30 feet he says” Mary, what’s for feckin dinner ?” Still no response.
He moves closer about 20 feet. ”Mary, for Christ’s sake, can ye be telling me what’s for dinner?” Still nothing and again at 10 feet still nothing.
So he walks up behind her and says Mary, can you tell me what’s for dinner?
She replied,
FOR FUCK SAKE PADDY, FOR THE FIFTH TIME CHICKEN!!!
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LIMERICK OF THE WEEK:
There was a young lady named Smith
Whose virtue was mostly a myth.
She said, "Try as I can,
I can't find a man
Who it's fun to be virtuous with."
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GALLERY:
Some funnies from Leo M, thanks Leo . . .
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RELIGION SPOT:
Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer.
They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.
Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to setup a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job.' So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.
They moused.
They faxed.
They e-mailed.
They e-mailed with attachments.
They downloaded.
They did spreadsheets!
They wrote reports.
They created labels and cards.
They created charts and graphs.
They did some genealogy reports .
They did every job known to man.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell. Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off. Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed. Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming: 'It's gone! It's all GONE! 'I lost everything when the power went out!' Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.
Satan observed this and became irate. 'Wait!' he screamed. 'That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?'
God just shrugged and said, JESUS SAVES...
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CORN CORNER:
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A Viking is out shopping when he comes across an old woman in a wheelchair crying.
"What's wrong?" asks the Viking.
"Well," the woman says, wiping her tears, "I have been living on my own for many months now, and my daughter and son-in-law have at last come to visit me. My daughter has brought me along on this shopping trip, but it's the first time I've really been out and about since losing the use of my legs. It's so disheartening."
"I'm very sorry to hear that," says the Viking. "But at least your family is here! That should help to dry your tears!"
"Yes," says the old woman, "but I really wanted to get something to surprise my daughter while she is in that shop trying on clothes, and with this accursed wheelchair I can't get around like I used to.
"I was hoping to find an extra special cake or pie to celebrate their visit," she sobs. "Oh, I can't even bake my classic egg and bacon tart anymore, and I know my family always looks forward to that!"
"You're in luck then. That place over there is the finest bakery in the country!" says the Viking.
"So I hear," says the woman, "but the first floor is just breads and such. The fancy sweets and pies are all up on the second floor, and I can't get up there with my chair."
The Viking thinks for a moment and says "Not a problem. I shall carry you!"
With that, he lifts her from her wheelchair, hoists her onto his back, and trudges into to the bakery. After carrying her up the stairs and all about the display cases, he helps her bring a selection of delicious treats to the counter. She even finds her family favorite!
The Viking then carries the woman and her purchases back to her waiting chair below.
"I can't thank you enough! I'm so much happier now!" replies the old woman. "Who are you, kind sir?"
But the Viking simply smiles and walks off without a reply.
As he turns the corner out of sight, the woman's daughter appears at the bakery entrance.
"There you are, Mom!" she exclaims with relief. "I was worried sick when you weren't where I left you. What have you been doing in there?"
"Oh!" replies the woman "I've been through the desserts on a Norse with no name. It felt good to get our quiche Lorraine!"
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There is a beaver in our local zoo who is quite the celebrity. His name is Clint.
Clint EatsWood.
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What weighs more, a litre of water or a litre of butane?
The litre of water. Butane is a lighter fluid.
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Thursday, December 23, 2021
COME FROM AWAY
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From wikipedia:
Come from Away is a Canadian musical with book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It is set in the week following the September 11 attacks and tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) real Gander residents as well as some of the 7,000 stranded travellers they housed and fed.The musical has been received by audiences and critics as a cathartic reminder of the capacity for human kindness in even the darkest of times and the triumph of humanity over hate.
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The following story and pics are from:
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The remarkable story behind Come From Away proves kindness always wins.
Meet the real people who inspired the hit musical Come From Away.
Story by Amy Marnie
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This is Gander, a remote, tiny town in the northeastern part of Newfoundland in Canada.
Currently, it's home to 10,000 residents. Claude Elliott retired as the town's mayor in 2017. He says it's still the kind of place where you leave your keys in the car.
A remarkable thing happened in this tiny place some 20 years ago. So extraordinary, the story has been retold as a musical, Come From Away, featuring characters based on real people from the town. An award-winning hit on Broadway, the production is now touring Australia.
Correction:The Australian production was supposed to tour China in 2020, but it has been postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This production started performances in July 2019. It was scheduled to go to Brisbane in March 2021, to Sydney in June 2021 and Canberra in November 2021. Not sure of the current status.
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Aircraft at Gander International Airport, September 2001
In the immediate aftermath of 11 September 2001, 38 passenger jets rerouted and were ordered to land in Gander. The remote island town found itself playing host to some 6,700 bewildered travellers, nearly 500 airline crew and a pair of bonobo chimpanzees.
Initially, the passengers sat in their planes on the tarmac for more than 24 hours. They quickly became bored after ripping through their phone battery and inflight movies. They didn't know what had happened in New York and Washington, but rumours swirled — had World War Three broken out?
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My passengers were all very well behaved… We gave them tours of the cockpit and did our best to keep them comfortable.
Beverley Bass – captain at American Airlines.
Beverly Bass, former aircraft pilot
Beverley Bass became the first female captain at American Airlines in 1986 and flew one of the grounded planes. "We were on the airplane for a total of 28 hours. Seven hours flying and 21 on the ground!" she recalls. "My passengers were all very well behaved except for one lady. We gave them tours of the cockpit and did our best to keep them comfortable."
She says hearing her signature song, "Me and the Sky," makes her feel "incredibly proud" as many of the lines are directly taken from her interview.
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Passengers at Gander International Airport, September 2001
Eventually, the passengers disembarked, but for security reasons, they had to leave their luggage on the tarmac. For five days, the small community of Gander fed, housed and comforted their unexpected visitors. They donated clothing, medical supplies and nappies, and they opened their homes to people needing a shower and warm bed.
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Very quickly, unique relationships formed. In the airport's international terminal, two stranded passengers, Nick, an Englishman working for an oil company and Diane, a US citizen travelling home, fell in love.
Today, they are married.
Their unique courtship is portrayed in the show and their lines are based directly from media interviews. They're big advocates of Come From Away, the musical that has immortalised their love story. They've seen the show 118 times on three continents.
Diane and Nick, 2001
Diane and Nick today
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Another friendship blossomed between a local, Beulah Cooper, who sat by a landline for days with a New Yorker, Hannah O'Rourke, as she waited — tragically — for news about her missing firefighter son. Beulah did her best to comfort Hannah by telling her bad jokes. The two women are still friends today.
"People of Gander and surrounding areas wrapped their arms around the passengers at a time of confusion and angst," Beulah says. "They had no idea where they were and were feeling tremendous isolation and separation from their families and loved ones. They arrived as strangers and left as family."
Muslim Ali is a character based on several real-life people. After he's heard speaking Arabic on the phone, he must prove himself to be not a fundamentalist terrorist but an acclaimed chef. 'Muslim Ali' is just one example of a storyline from the musical that doesn't shy away from the harsher truths of society.
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Claude Elliott, Gander’s former mayor visiting Australia
Thanks to the popularity of the musical, Gander has become a tourist attraction, with theatregoers worldwide making the pilgrimage to Newfoundland to experience its famed, open-hearted hospitality and 'nice people’. Former mayor Claude says it has been good for tourism and "the people get to meet and make new friends."
Visitors to Gander can become honorary Newfoundlanders in a ceremony that involves drinking a shot of locally made rum ("Screech") and kissing a freshly caught cod on its icy lips — a ritual captured in the production.
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We are proud of what we did with our neighbours and friends. But we never dreamed that it would continue to impact 20 years later.
Diane Davis – retired Gander’s teacher.
Diane Davis, Gander’s retired teacher
Diane Davis is a retired teacher who has inspired a role in the musical. She gets stopped in the street by strangers. She says the musical is more than just a tale of 9/11: "The musical is about kindness and compassion in a time when it was needed. And it's always needed. It is about how many small actions combine to create a huge positive response to a crisis. It's about what my Mum taught me to do for others," she says. "We are proud of what we did with our neighbours and friends. But we never dreamed that it would continue to impact 20 years later."
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The Tony and Olivier Award winning musical COME FROM AWAY tells the remarkable true story of thousands of stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland, Canada that welcomed them all.
Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
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