READERS WRITE

-----------ooOoo-----------

I said in a recent post of photographs of bygone celebrities:

“ . . . famous figures from the past (no Dave in Scotland, I’m not talking about Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot or Sophia Loren, although they are included).”

Dave B from Scotland (there are 2 Dave B's) responded by an email:

“Haha! Jean Simmons and Julie Christie perhaps!”

So this is for you, Dave –

Jean Simmons (1929-2010)

Julie Christie (1940 - )

__________

Friend Steve M does not share my taste in films and frequently lets me know it. I recently posted the next 3 films in the Fourth Top 10 + 2 List (Das Boot, Falling Down and Rambo: First Blood). The films previously discussed in that list: How Green Was My Valley, It Happened One Night, The Maltese Falcon and Take the Money and Run.

It elicited this email from Steve:

There we go Otto, a meeting of minds at last:

One really good film in your latest list: Falling Down. A super film!

As for the rest (How Green Was My Valley was ok) I refuse to be dragged into a conversation about such rubbish – Rambo? Honestly?

Steve M

My response:

Thanks for the input nonetheless, Steve.

__________

David B from the UK wrote in response to my posting an item about woke objections to Lego:

Hi Otto

Todays post raise two thoughts in my mind

Do "The Seeing Thing Queerly tour" (who object to lego because it embodies male/female dualism) also object to mechanics using nuts and bolts or electricians using plugs and sockets?

Also the phrase "getting the bonk" used to be used by racing cyclists to mean suddenly running out of energy as their blood sugar fell below a critical value.

Regards

Thanks Dave

I responded to him:

The world has gone mad – something is definitely wrong when I am starting to like some of Trump’s actions:

• He and she pronouns only.

• No trans in women’s sport

• Show the door to diversity hires who can’t back it up with ability.

Even the first docking at the International Space Station was announced as successful by the word “mated”, as I recall.

__________

David B from Scotland commented as well:

Loved the LGBT lego story. Says it all about these minority ass...es trying to shove their woke boll...ks down our throats! Give us a British Trump anyday! David

Thanks Dave

__________

Joy C likewise commented upon that post:

Thank you Otto for this email.

Re the Lego LGBTQI view… it could be argued that all Lego blocks are LGBTQI as most, if not all blocks have both ‘male’ and ‘female’ ‘bits’

I wonder if the guide contemplated that.

Many thanks for your emails which allow another dimension to my day.

Joy

Thanks for the feedback, Joy

__________

I posted a poem by Edgar A Guest, which I prefaced with a couplet from Dorothy Parker:

“I would rather fail my Wasserman test

Then read the poetry of Edgar A Guest.”

- Dorothy Parker

The Wasserman test was an antibody test for syphilis.

I posted my response thereto:

His poems my not be thought of as best,

But worse than a failed Wasserman test?

For all of their faults,

Their emotion and schmaltz,

I like poems by Edgar A. Guest.

Tim B of the USA sent a comment:

Good morning Otto,

I liked your poem in response to Dorothy Parker's poem. It reminded me of the response Winston Churchill gave to George Bernard Shaw concerning one of his plays.

Shaw: I am enclosing two tickets for opening night of my new play. Bring a friend- if you have one.

Winston: Cannot possibly attend opening night, will attend second night-if there is one.

Hope all is well with you and your family, take care,

Tim B

Thanks Tim.

Here is another great response anecdote:

Isadora Duncan, the dancer, said to George Bernard Shaw: ‘You have the greatest brain in the world, I have the most graceful body. Let us, then, produce the perfect child.’ To which Shaw is said to have replied: ‘But what if the child turned out to have my body and your brain?’

__________

Ron T, also from the US, sent me an email in response to the post about pilot Bill Newton, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in WW2:

Fascinating Bytes, Thank you.

A generation later, Australian soldiers served gallantly in Viet Nam.

The area I was in was I Corps, along the DZ between the North and South Vietnams, and west into the foothills to Laos. The opposition was primarily North Vietnamese regular army.

I had friends who were in III and IV Corps who were in operations with Australian soldiers, and commented on their amazing abilities. That area was the southern part/half of the country, and especially disturbing since that area had major cities where the Viet Cong insurgents were everywhere. The Australian especially excelled in jungle tactics.

Truly amazing men!

Thanks, Ron.

(Ron was a marine who received the Silver Star for action in Viet Nam. Despite injury and under fire, he commanded his platoon, saved 4 wounded and exposed fellow marines and rebuffed the enemy attack.

The Silver Star Medal is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valour in combat.