Normandy Tribute

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For most young people, knowledge of the D Day Normandy landing is based on the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. Those scenes and the various incidents depicted are factually correct but they do not depict the overall losses, the sheer scale of the loss of life.

Byter Charlie Z sent me an email in which he said “Looks like a Bytes subject…”. His email included a commentary about a tribute to the Normandy fallen that dates back to 2013, plus images. Charlie’s article follows. I have included additional notes at the end.

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Normandy: Tribute

A large percentage of our country doesn't know of or care about Normandy. My guess is it has been removed from the text in History Books. 

A few weekends ago, British artist Jamie, accompanied by numerous volunteers, took to the beaches of Normandy with rakes and stencils in hand to etch 9,000 silhouettes representing fallen people into the sand. Titled The Fallen 9000, the piece is meant as a stark visual reminder of those who died during the D-Day beach landings at Arromanches on June 6th, 1944 during WWII. The original team consisted of 60 volunteers, but as word spread nearly 500 additional local residents arrived to help with the temporary installation that lasted only a few hours before being washed away by the tide.

9,000 Fallen Soldiers Etched into the Sand on Normandy Beach to Commemorate Peace Day.

What is surprising is that I saw nothing about this here in the US.
An overseas friend sent it with a note of gratitude for what the US started there.

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Additional comments:

From: 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2429903/Peace-Day-Reminder-millions-lives-lost-war-artists-stencil-9-000-bodies-Normandy-beach.html

A pair of British artists have created this stunning installation of 9,000 silhouettes on a D-Day Landings beach to mark international Peace Day. The project, named, 'The Fallen' is a tribute to the civilians, German forces and Allies who lost their lives during the Operation Neptune landing on June 6, 1944. 

The design was the brainchild of Jamie Wardley, 33, and Andy Moss, 50. Together with a team of volunteers the pair travelled to Arromanches beach, Normandy, to create the silhouettes, which were individually drawn into the sand.

Achievement: Artists Andy Moss, right and Jamie Wardley, left said they hoped their art would remind people of the value of peace.

Those taking part made the shape of a person by putting down a stencil and raking the surface to create a distinctive figure. The shapes were then left to the mercy of the tide which washed away the 'fallen' after around four and a half hours. Speaking of the idea behind the project Wardley said: 'The Fallen is a sobering reminder of what happens when peace is not present. 'The idea is to create a visual representation of what is otherwise unimaginable, the thousands of human lives lost during the hours of the tide during the Second World War Normandy landings. 'People understand that so many lives were lost that day but it's incredibly difficult to picture that number.’

'You could see the horrific casualty of war when you stood on the cliff looking down at the beach. 

'Watching the tide come in and wash the bodies away was symbolic of all the lives lost in all wars, not just during the Normandy Landings.' Veterans and families, including some who have lost loved ones in recent conflicts have been involved in the project. Wardley, who has been working with partner since 2009, said: 'We turned up to the beach with a team of 60 people but by the end we had over 500 people taking part. 'There were people from all over the world who had heard about the event and travelled all the way to France to take part.

'There were others who happened to be walking by and wanted to get involved. 'It showed that people from all over totally understood the message behind it and I found it very overwhelming. 'Some people told us that they had lost family in the Second World War and others said they had lost loved ones in Afghanistan and wanted to pay a tribute to them. 'We finished all the stencils at about 7.30pm and everyone gathered and waited for the tide to come in. 'The last silhouette was washed away at about 10pm and it was incredibly moving."

Quote for the Day

Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were. In her face were too sharply blended the delicate features of her mother, a Coast aristocrat of French descent, and the heavy ones of her florid Irish father. But it was an arresting face, pointed of chin, square of jaw. Her eyes were pale green without a touch of hazel, starred with bristly black lashes and slightly tilted at the ends. Above them, her thick black brows slanted upward, cutting a startling oblique line in her magnolia-white skin — that skin so prized by Southern women and so carefully guarded with bonnets, veils and mittens against hot Georgia suns.

-Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind, opening paragraph

Knock Knock . . . .

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The following item was sent to me by regular contributor Brett B who, at the beginning of each month, also sends the lists of holidays and special days for the coming month. Thanks, Brett.

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Early Knock-Knock Jokes

     - John Baker

Knock-knock jokes today are considered children's humor, but it turns out that originally they were made by adults, with no special implication of childishness. They emerged suddenly in June 1936 and were a craze that year, comparable to the "23 skidoo" craze of 1906. An early account indicates that they originated on WKBO, an AM radio station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (still around, but now featuring religious programming). It also says the jokes seem to have been inspired by the nomination of Frank Knox as the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, but the connection is tentative and there is no other evidence supporting it.

The earliest example I found is from the Pottstown (Pa.) Mercury (June 15, 1936). Pottstown is a small town about 80 miles east of Harrisburg. In the following quotation, ellipses are original:

"PASTIME: The game now being played in parlor and taproom is "Knock, knock" . . . One person knocks on the table and a second says says: "Who's there?" . . . The reply may be: "Cecil" . . The other then asks: "Cecil who?" . . The you'll-agree-it's-a-bit-dumb answer comes back: "Cecil have music", all of which is a take-off on the name of a song . . Then another one is "Tarzan" . . . With the answer to that one being: "Tarzan Stripes Forever.""

The next and most informative example is from the Harrisburg Telegraph (June 17, 1936) (ellipses original again):

"Nomination of Colonel Frank Knox to the Vice-presidency seems to have precipitated the current "Knox Drama," which has everybody by the knuckles, voice box and ears. Dick Redmond and the Radio Roundabouter have been fooling with it on WKBO Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5.45 P.M. . . . Fooling is right.

Perhaps we can try a couple here - just to give you the idea.

You walk up to a fellow's desk or door or porch or else . . . 

You rap firmly. His cue is "Who's there?" . . . Then you tell him.

Now for a rehearsal.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Who's there?"

Cecil."

"Cecil who?"

"Cecil have music wherever she goes."

Here's another.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Who's there?"

"Ammonia."

“Ammonia who?"

"Ammonia a bird in a gilded cage."

This one'll kill you.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Who's there?"

"Minerva."

"Minerva who?"

"Minervous wreck." (Say that one out loud.)

That'll be enough of that for the day! Send in a few of your own. You can play this game far into the night and it is guaranteed to tax your ingenuity and the patience of your friends."

Early knock-knock jokes were printed in newspapers in Harrisburg and surrounding places. At the end of July, however, they suddenly moved to national prominence, and they are found throughout the country in August and September. They began to lose popularity in October, and on Nov. 16, 1936, the Harrisburg Telegraph ran a headline for a story about quiz shows: "'Knock, Knock' Fad Fades as America Takes New Craze." However, people continued in lesser numbers to make knock-knock jokes for some time thereafter. I am not sure exactly when their audience moved from adults to children.

Although there are no further references to Frank Knox as the inspiration for the jokes, he did figure in one popular joke. It was reprinted in a number of newspapers; here I quote the Edwardsville (Ill.) Intelligencer (Aug. 10, 1936):

Political version: 

Knock, knock! 

Who knocks? 

Frank Knox! 

Frank Knox who? 

Frank Knox the New Deal. #

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I confess that I have never found Knock Knock jokes to be particularly funny.

Nonetheless, here are some better ones for your Sunday reading . . . 

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Woo.

Woo who?

Don't get excited. It's just a joke.

Knock Knock!

Who's There? 

Art.

Art Who? 

R2D2.

Knock Knock!

Who's There? 

Yah.

Yah Who? 

Yahoo, lets party! 

Sean Connery: Knock Knock!

Who’s there?

Moustache.

Moustache who?

Knock Knock

Who's there

A broken pencil

A broken pencil who

Never mind it's pointless!

Knock Knock!

Who’s there?

Europe.

Europe who?

No, you/re a poo!

Knock! Knock!

Who’s there?

Control Freak.

Con—

Okay, now you say, “Control Freak who?”

Knock! Knock!

Who’s there?

Ho-ho.

Ho-ho who?

You know, your Santa impression could use a little work.

Knock! Knock!

Who’s there?

Hanna.

Hanna who?

…Hanna partridge in a pear tree!

Knock, knock!

Who’s there? 

Cow says. 

Cow says who? 

No, a cow says Moo!

Knock, knock!

Who’s there? 

Atch. 

Atch who? 

Bless you!

Knock Knock!

Who's There? 

Nunya.

Nunya Who? 

Nunya Business.

Knock Knock!

Who's There?

Cockadoodle.

Cockadoodle Who? 

Not cockadoodle who, shithead, cockadoodledoo! 

Knock Knock 

Who's There? 

Ben.

Ben Who? 

Ben Dover 

Best way to kill a knock knock joke.

Knock Knock.

Come in!

Quote for the Day

More Past Oz Facts and Pics

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Fun facts and history sent to me by Graham:

http://pickle.ninemsn.com.au/2016/01/25/10/10/proposed-australian-flag-design

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Australian fruiterers pose with mountains of produce

Australians have long been accustomed to floor-to-ceiling fruit and vegetable displays. But before the supermarket started its domination in the 1960s and '70s, Australians mostly bought their produce from specialised stores like the one in this picture. The store's unidentified owners, photographed in the 1930s, sold their goods somewhere in Victoria. Ripe bananas cost 9d per dozen, passionfruit 6d per dozen, and delicious-variety apples 4d for 16 — "d" being the symbol for penny, a holdover from the Roman Empire coin the denarius. 

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Girl dressed as nurse feeds medicine to kitten patient

Dress-ups have a long and illustrious history: in this photo taken around 1900, a young girl has donned a nurse costume to give medicine to her furry and adorable patient. The State Library of Victoria does not list many details about the photo, other than that the girl is a member of the Fraser family and the photographer was someone called C.J. Fraser. Charles John Fraser was the name of a very well-known social and political figure around Gundagai in the early 20th century, and he had two daughters named Isabel and Poppy — so one of them could be the girl in this photo.

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Seven-metre floodwaters swamp Brisbane in 1893 disaster

In February 1893, Brisbane and its surrounds were hit by the worst flood since European settlement. After eight days of solid rain, the Brisbane River rose seven metres above its usual level and caused more than 2 million pounds worth of damage to the city. This photo was taken at the intersection of Market and Mary Streets. A similar but less destructive flood had struck three years before, so fortunately, many locals were prepared for the 1893 disaster. Unfortunately, many who escaped the earlier flood unscathed were complacent, "and watched in disbelief as the waters rose and engulfed their possessions". Almost three weeks later, the flood waters finally subsided.

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Aussie daredevil plunges down waterfall in inflatable suit

Australia's daredevil aviator Vincent Patrick Taylor lived a remarkable life. He crossed Sydney Harbour in a balloon, rode over Melbourne in an airship and was renowned for "hair-raising acrobatics" — such as a parachute descent from a balloon high over London. Perhaps his most memorable achievement was an inflatable rubber suit which he tested in the United States by crossing San Francisco Bay's Golden Gate. Taylor later wore the suit while riding down the 5.5m-high Eagle Falls in Washington. "I will say I never have been frightened in my life but I'm willing to admit, for argument's sake, that I often have been anxious for my safety," he remarked of the stunt. Sadly, his chosen career was not lucrative enough to sustain him: he collapsed at a Florida police station in 1930, jobless, starving and ill, and died days later aged 56.

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First to the South magnetic pole

The financing for Ernest Shackleton’s 1907 expedition to Antarctica hinged on reaching the South magnetic pole. The Northern Sledging Party – Alistair Mackay, Tannatt Edgeworth David and Douglas Mawson (left to right) – did exactly that on January 16, 1909. Their journey was half-complete. Battling frostbite and depleting food stores, they dragged their heavy sledges back for 2028km. Mawson assumed the leadership when David could no longer lead. In The Sydney Morning Herald, Mawson was later described as the "soul" of the expedition, "of infinite resource, splendid physique, astonishing indifference to frost". That said, it almost didn’t end well for him. On the way back, he fell into a crevasse and required rescuing.

Bonus Item:

A more well known image of Mawson

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Runaway tram plunges into Sydney Harbour

On the morning of July 20, 1952, the wheels of a Mosman tram locked. Despite the best efforts of the driver, the tram skidded more than a kilometre and a half downhill – at an estimated speed of over 70km/h – until it crashed through the blocks at the end of the rails, tore up almost 10 metres of road, and shot off the embankment, hurtling 18 metres through the air, onto rocks, and then into the harbour. The driver and conductor both suffered head injuries when they abandoned the tram during its descent. The two passengers left on board were also injured.

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Gold Coast girl competes in 1935 sandcastle competition

When the Jubilee Bridge opened in 1925, it was the first road connecting the town of Elston with the north. As cars became more reliable through the 1930s, Brisbane locals travelled down the coast for their holidays in increasing numbers. The coastal strip between Southport and the New South Wales border thrived, and come 1933, Jim Cavill successfully lobbied that Elston be renamed Surfers Paradise, after his popular hotel. The beaches of the Gold Coast attracted swimmers, surfers, sunbathers, and even sand decorators, who competed in a beachside contest around 1935.

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Elizabeth tours Australia to celebrate a mere 25 years as queen

In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the UK's longest serving monarch, racking up 63 years since her coronation. In 1977, she toured the Commonwealth for her silver jubilee, which celebrated her mere 25th year on the English throne. Her first stop: Australia, where she was joined by Prince Philip. In this photo she is greeted in Hobart by Tasmania's then-governor Sir Stanley Burbury and schoolchildren. Tens of thousands of admirers greeted her in Melbourne and Sydney — but so did hundreds of anti-royalists who booed at her and waved flags calling for the "Republic of Australia".

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Girl poses for photographer father with cat and doll

Jans Handsen Lundager immigrated to Australia from Denmark to combat symptoms of tuberculosis in 1879. He took over a photography studio in Rockhampton and in 1884, began to make regular trips to nearby Mt Morgan to take portraits of the miners and their families. After his studio burned down in 1892, he and his family resettled in Mt Morgan. There, he was a pillar of the community, becoming, among other things, a bookseller, journalist and mayor. He still took photographs. Here, his second eldest daughter Hulda Lundager poses with her cat and her doll after their relocation to Mt Morgan. In 1939, 38-year-old Hulda was injured in an automobile accident when the tourist bus she was riding in crashed over an embankment near Cairns. She suffered a fractured collarbone in the accident, which killed three people

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Dog enjoys ice-cream treat on summer's day

When Peters Ice Cream began in 1907, American migrant Fred Peters sold family bricks from a horse and cart in Manly, Sydney. The business quickly expanded. By the 1970s, Peters was sold in stores and on streets nationwide. Ice-cream trucks were a fixture of Australian summers. While Australians consume around 18 litres of ice-cream each per year, ice-cream trucks have all but disappeared. Councils have enforced strict regulations that prevent trucks from operating in certain neighbourhoods and near businesses that sell similar products. Those restrictions, combined with the wider availability of frozen products, have made ice-cream trucks less commercially viable than they once were, to the despair of Australia’s canines. This lucky labrador was photographed in Western Australia during the 1970s.

Quote for the Day

Funny Friday

Caution: risque content and risque language follows.

So here we are, another Friday and time for some humour to bring the week to a close.  Enjoy.

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A millionaire who's a devout Catholic decides to go on a luxury trip to the Vatican to see the Pope in person. 

He flies out to Rome first class and arrives in that big square to listen to the Pope address the faithful.

Afterwards, the Pope comes among the people to meet and greet and deliver his blessings. The millionaire is standing there, near the front, wearing his finest Armani suit and his best gold jewelry and his chest puffs up as the Pope approaches. However, the Pope stops just before him and starts talking to a stinking, scruffy old tramp who was standing nearby. The Pontiff put his hand on the tramp's shoulder and whispers in his ear, then leaves him and walks straight past the millionaire. 

The rich guy was extremely upset, so he found the tramp and said "Look, if I give you my clothes, can I have yours?" The tramp agreed and so the next day, the millionaire, in his smelly rags, awaited his audience with the Pope. Once again, the Pope came among the people, saw the millionaire, unrecognisable through the grime, put his hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I thought I told you to fuck off!”

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Whenever I meet a pretty girl, the first thing I look for is intelligence, because if she doesn’t have that, then she’s mine.

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One evening a husband comes home to his apartment very roughed up.

When his wife sees him she asks, "What happened to you?"

"I got into a fight with the apartment manager."

"Whatever for?"

"He said he had slept with every woman in the complex except one!"

"Hmmm. I bet it's that snooty Mrs. Green on the third floor."

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An important person arranges to use an escort service and winds up with a beautiful Chinese girl who speaks little English, but hey, he wasn't in the mood for conversation anyway.

So they get at it, and she gets into it like no woman he's ever seen! She starts yelling a Chinese word and making faces and he can tell he's driving her crazy! He's never had it so good. 

The next morning, he's golfing with the Chinese ambassador and he makes a birdie. He suddenly remembers the word that the woman yelled at what must have been the moment of climax the night before and he yells it out. 

The ambassador looks at him rather oddly, looks at the pin, and says, "No, it is the right hole..."

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Three men were standing in line to get into heaven one day. It has been a busy day and Peter tella the first one, "Heaven's getting pretty close to full today, and I've been asked to admit only people who have had particularly horrible deaths. So what's your story?" 

The first man replies: "Well, for a while I've suspected my wife has been cheating on me, so today I came home early to try to catch her red-handed. As I came into my 25th floor apartment, I could tell something was wrong, but all my searching around didn't reveal where this other guy could have been hiding. Finally, I went out to the balcony, and sure enough, there was this man hanging off the railing, 25 floors above ground! By now I was really mad, so I started beating on him and kicking him, but wouldn't you know it, he wouldn't fall off. So finally I went back into my apartment and got a hammer and starting hammering on his fingers. Of course, he couldn't stand that for long, so he let go and fell -- but even after 25 stories, he fell into the bushes, stunned but okay. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I ran into the kitchen, grabbed the fridge and threw it over the edge where it landed on him, killing him instantly. But all the stress and anger got to me, and I had a heart attack and died there on the balcony." 

"That sounds like a pretty bad day to me," said Peter, and let the man in. 

The second man comes up and Peter explains to him about Heaven being full and again asks for his story. 

"It's been a very strange day. You see, I live on the 26th floor of my apartment building, and every morning I do my exercises out on my balcony. Well, this morning I must have slipped or something, because I fell over the edge. But I got lucky, and caught the railing of the balcony on the floor below me. I knew I couldn't hang on for very long, when suddenly this man burst out onto the balcony. I thought for sure I was saved, when he started beating on me and kicking me. I held on the best I could until he ran into the apartment and grabbed a hammer and started pounding on my hands. Finally I just let go, but again I got lucky and fell into the bushes below, stunned but all right. Just when I was thinking I was going to be okay, this refrigerator comes falling out of the sky and crushes me instantly, and now I'm here." 

Once again, Peter had to concede that that sounded like a pretty horrible death. 

The third man came to the front of the line and again Peter explained that Heaven was full and asked for his story. 

"Picture this," says the third man, "I'm hiding inside a refrigerator..."

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I was in the restaurant yesterday when I suddenly realised I desperately needed to pass gas. The music was really, really loud, so I timed my gas with the beat of the music. After a couple of songs, I started to feel better. I finished my coffee, and noticed that everybody was staring at me... Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod.

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Gallery:

Corn Corner:

Three men became priests in the Catholic church around the same time. Their names were Father John, Father Adams and Father SeCola. All three were good men, but it seemed that only Father John and 

Father Adams were destined to move up. And so they did, until the three were Cardinal John, Cardinal Adams, but still Father SeCola. 

In time the Pope passed away, and Cardinal John was given the honor. But Pope John had a weak heart, and he didn't last long. The flame was passed to Cardinal Adams, who was, unfortunately, assassinated.

Once again, Father SeCola was passed up.

This was the final insult for the good Father, who went into the church and prayed, "Father, I have served you faithfully. I have kept all your commandments, I have done everything you ever asked 

of me, heck, I even got better grades than those two idiots! How come they were Popes and here I am, still only a Father?"

And God answered, "My son, I know. But think of what it would do for my image for one of my servants to run around calling himself Pope SeCola?"

Quote for the Day

Ironic Deaths, Part 2

Continuing a look at ironic and surprising, sometimes humorous, ways that people have died.

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Gladys Elton and Harry Meadows:

In the 1960’s, Gladys and Harry were residents of the Haslemere Home for the Elderly at Great Yarmouth, England. 

Gladys was a bit of a live wire and in September 1960 thought that she would bring a bit of cheer to the place. Notwithstanding that she was then aged 81, she performed a striptease.

Unfortunately her performance caused one elderly male resident to die as a result of cardiac arrest. Five other residents had to be treated for shock.

Harry didn’t take part in the striptease, but the following year, in 1961, Harry who at the time was 87 years old, thought it would be funny if he dressed up as the Grim Reaper. He duly did so and then from outside the Home, peered through the windows complete with a scythe in hand.

Harry outdid Gladys. Three residents died of shock at seeing the Grim Reaper outside their window!

The Home was subsequently closed. 

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John Horrocks:

John Horrocks (1818 – 1846), English pastoralist and explorer, was one of the first settlers in the Clare Valley of South Australia where, in 1840, he established the village of Penwortham.

Horrocks died by an animal, but not by a crocodile, shark or poisonous snake. He died by camel, an animal he had been seeking to introduce to Australia.

Horrocks’s camel shifted its weight causing the pack it was carrying to catch Horrocks’ shotgun, which he was loading at the time. The shotgun discharged, taking off some of his fingers and injuring his face. The expedition was abandoned and the party returned to Horrocks's home at Penwortham, where he died of his wounds.

Btw: On Horrocks's order, the camel, which had previously attacked other animals and humans, was shot dead.

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Arrichion:

From:  http://weird.fm/committed-suicide-just-to-win-a-match/

Arrichion, also called Arrachion, of Phigalia, was a wrestler who lived in the sixth century BC. He won Olympic victories in 572 and 568 BC. In 564 BC he reached the finals for the third time. At the end of a close-fought match, he was held by his opponent in an iron stranglehold. He could not make any move. On that moment his trainer shouted, according to the story, “What a fine funeral if you do not submit at Olympia”. The prospect of an honourable death prompted Arrichion to use a temporary weakening of his opponent’s hold to dislocate his foot with a kick of his right leg. To make this manoeuvre more effective, he casted his body to the left. Because of the unbearable pain, the opponent made the sign of submission to the umpires.

During this manoeuvre of Arrichion, however, the opponent still held Arrichion’s neck in a stranglehold. Because of Arrichion’s sudden move, his neck broke, more or less like the neck of someone who is hung. Death was immediate, caused by the broken neck and not by suffocation, as Pausanias says. Before a man dies of suffocation he is unconscious for a while.

Although he was dead, Arrichion and not his opponent was proclaimed victor, because his opponent had submitted. Thus Arrichion represents the athletic ideal of ‘victory or death’.

A victor statue of Arrhichion was set up at Phigalia; what is believed to be the same statue is now displayed in the museum at Olympia. It is one of the oldest dated Olympic victor statues.

Btw, the above reminds me of the following story:

Two wrestlers an American and a Russian were the finalists in the Olympic wrestling event.

The American coach gave instructions to his star wrestler:  "Beware of the Russian and his famous hold - the pretzel. No one has ever got out of that hold!"

The match begins and the Russian finally gets an advantage on the American, putting him in the dreaded pretzel hold.

The spectators start to get up to leave.  The coach can't bear to look.

Suddenly there is a blood curdling scream and the Russian goes flying across the canvas, and the American wrestler feebly crawls over and pins him for the title. 

Later the American coach asked, "How did you get out of that hold?"

The wrestler responds, "Well I knew I was dead meat when he got me in that hold. I opened my eyes and through the blur I could see these big pink testicles. 

So I stretched my neck with all my might and I bit down on those babies just as hard as I could.

It's amazing how much strength you can come up with when you bite your own balls!"

Quote for the Day