Whatever Happened To...

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:14:29 +0000

I saw the first Wall Street movie years ago before I really understood the greed and corruption that goes on there. After reading a few books, I now understand how greedy people can get (Kurt Eichenwald’s Serpent on the Rock and Conspiracy of Fools are both good reads). I still don’t understand trading very much, guess I should invest in Forex training seminars, but I am looking forward to the new Wall Street movie starring Michael Douglas and Shia LeBeouf. Here is the trailer from the movie:

Hoi Polloi

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:09:34 +0000

I heard the term, Hoi Polloi, used in the movie Hairspray and recently I heard it used by a newscaster as well. Since I had no idea what it meant, I decided to look it up. Hoi Polloi is a term used as a disparaging remark referring to “the people” or “the masses.” It is a greek term and James Fenimore Cooper (who wrote The Last of the Mohicans) is credited with being the first to introduce it in English writing.

Current Trend: Lots of Muscles

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:02:54 +0000

I am not talking about muscles on guys. I talking about women here. These celebrities are not just using a pull up bar to get these muscles, this takes hours of work, every day! I think firm muscles look nice, but some of these are kind of scary.

You can see a number of these buff ladies here. Don’t worry, the pictures are perfectly decent, they are just showing off the muscley arms of these women!

Whatever happened to a more feminine body look?

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:06:42 +0000

I recently was with my family at Disneyland in California and am happy to report that Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is still there. I remember this from my childhood and now that I am much older, I appreciate it so much more.

The first part of the show are slide shows with music and narration that talks about Lincoln, how he grew up, his involvement in politics and his presidency. The second part of the show is the animatronic Lincoln quoting Lincoln. The kids find the robotic president fascinating and his message is stirring.

At what point should we expect the approach of danger. By what means should we fortify against it. Shall we expect some trans-Atlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us with a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined could not by force take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years. At what point then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring from amongst us, it can not come from abroad. If destruction be our lots, we ourselves must be its author and finisher. … Let us have faith that right makes might. And in that faith, let us dare to do our duty as we understand.

It’s A Small World Clock

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:00:51 +0000

One of the things that I forgot to go see this year was the It’s A Small World Clock at Disneyland. We went on the ride of course, but missed the clock as it struck the hour. The characters parade around the clock and the music plays. Yes, I know it plays over and over again, but I still have it on my must see list!

Jack LaLanne

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:35:32 +0000

I recently saw Jack LaLanne advertising a juicer that he claims does wonders for his health. He looks great for a man who will turn 96 this year!

Jack LaLanne was born on September 26, 1914 in San Francisco, California. His parents were immigrants from France. When he was a boy he was addicted to sugar and junk food until, at age 15, he heard on talk on nutrition and health. This changed his outlook and he began focusing on bodybuilding and weightlifting.

LaLanne graduated from Chiropractic school in 1936 and opened his own health spa complete with fitness equipment that he designed including leg extension machines.

LaLanne hosted a television program for 34 years that presented fitness and exercise advice. He has also published books, videos, appeared in movies and has even recorded a song.

Every day LaLanne spends 1 1/2 hours in the weight room and then 1/2 hour either walking or swimming.

Jack LaLanne has been married twice and his four children. His current wife, Elaine is 83 and they live in Morro Bay, California.

Curly

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:27:04 +0000

Hollywood has a new movie in the works about The Three Stooges. It is still unclear if the movie is based on their lives or is meant to be a comedy movie in the style of other Three Stooges movies. Jim Carrey has been asked to play Curly and you won’t catch him indulging in the best weight loss pills anytime soon: he has to gain 50 pounds for the role.

Curly Howard was not one of the original Three Stooges which consisted of Moe Howard, Shemp Howard and Larry Fine. Shemp quit the act in 1932 due to managerial problems and Jerome Lester “Jerry” Horwitz (Moe and Shemp’s brother) was asked to join the group. Jerry appeared with red hair and a mustache and Manager Ted Healy reported said he did not look funny. Jerry went to next room and shaved his head bald “Boy, do I look girly.” Healy thought he heard “Curly,” and that is how he got his name.

Curly’s insecurities about his weight and looks caused him to drink and gain weight. In 1947 he suffered a stroke and was replaced by Shemp. He had a second massive stroke in 1948 and was confined to a wheelchair by 1950. He was admitted to a nursing home but his mental condition deteriorated and he was moved to a different facility. On January 18, 1952, Curly died of a massive cerebral hemmorage. He was only 48 years old.

John Huston’s Final Years

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:30:12 +0000

John Huston was one of my favorite directors. He directed such films as The Maltese Falcon, The Asphalt Jungle, The African Queen, Moby Dick and The Man Who Would Be King. He was also a screenwriter (The African Queen, Moby Dick and more) and an actor. Unfortunately, he was also a heavy smoker. He suffered from emphysema and saw him several times with a device such as a evergo oxygen concentrator to give his lungs more oxygen.

Huston died on August 28, 1987 at the age of 81, but his great work will live on.

Sour Grapes

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:21:49 +0000

Sour grapes was originally thought to originate from the Aesop Fable The Fox and the Grapes. The Fox, upon not being able to reach the grapes, declares them sour so as to pretend to avoid his own disappointment. One of the translations goes like this:

A famished Fox saw some clusters of ripe black grapes hanging from a trellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get at them, but wearied herself in vain, for she could not reach them. At last she turned away, beguiling herself of her disappointment, and saying: “The Grapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought.

The phrase also appears in the Bible in Ezekiel. The question is, did the term enter the English language from the fable or the Bible?

Toy Story 3

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:52:12 +0000

My kids have been waiting a long time for this movie. My older daughter can’t wait to see it since she grew up with the older two movies. Let’s hope she has a better time at the movies this time, since the last time she went someone went out the wrong door and set off the exit alarm.

The first Toy Story movie was released in 1995 starring Tom Hanks as the voice of Woody and Tim Allen as the voice of Buzz Lightyear. The story resolves around toys who come to life whenever humans aren’t around. The all star cast included Don Rickles, Jim Varney, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts and Wallace Shawn.

Toy Story 2 soon followed and was released in 1999. The same cast returned with the additions of Joan Cusack and Kelsey Grammer.

Toy Story 3 can be seen in 3D and was released June 18, 2010. Unfortunately, Jim Varney, who played Slinky the Dog passed away in 2000. His role is taken over by Joe Ranft. The Opening Weekend saw a gross of over $100 million dollars.