TODAY'S QUIZ:
ARE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MEDIEVAL TORTURE DEVICES OR ITEMS FROM BED BATH AND BEYOND?
1) BREAST RIPPER
2) WOUPE REAMER
3) BREAKING WHEEL
4) SPANISH TICKLER
5) SOFT SKIN PEELER
6) CHILE TWISTER
7) LEAD SPRINKLER
8) HEAD CRUSHER
9) CHESTNUTTER
10) SERRATED SPREADER
11) BRAZEN BULL
12) PODERNO BONING KNIFE
ANSWERS........................
HERE IS AN ODD LITTLE VIDEO.
IT IS MY OLD FILM 1941, BUT IT HAS ME AND MY PAL, MURRAY HAMILTON, DUBBED-IN IN FRENCH.
I USUALLY DON'T POST A LOT OF YOUTUBE STUFF, BUT THIS IS JUST TOO WEIRD AND SILLY.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND PALS!
YES, IT'S TRUE- ANOTHER CHRISTMAS HAS ROLLED AROUND.
I HOPE EVERY PERSON READING THIS MESSAGE HAS A REALLY GREAT CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. CHRISTMAS IS, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN, MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR.
I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE THRILL OF GOING TO MURPHY'S DEPARTMENT STORE IN MARYLAND AND SITTING ON SANTA'S LAP WHEN I WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD AND TELLING HIM WHAT I WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS.
I CLEARLY RECALL SPENDING HAPPY CHRISTMAS DAYS AT MY GRANDMA'S WITH MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND COUSINS AND ALL OF US OPENING OUR COOL PRESENTS TOGETHER. SINCE WE WERE ALL JEWISH, MAYBE IT WAS HANNUKAH TO THEM, BUT TO ME IT WAS CHRISTMAS - I'VE ALWAYS LOVED CHRISTMAS AND ALL IT'S TRAPPINGS.
I HOPE YOU GET SOME GOOD PRESENTS AND I HOPE YOU GIVE SOME TOO.
I AM, IN ACTUALITY, AS SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS KNOW, A BIT TIGHT WITH THE DOLLAR. I LOVE MY BOOKS, I LOVE EATING IN NICE RESTAURANTS, I LOVE GOING TO LAS VEGAS, GOING TO DODGER GAMES, IN SHORT, I ENJOY MY MONEY - BUT SPENDING MONEY TO MAKE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE HAPPY IS THE GREATEST JOY THERE IS.
I AM TELLING YOU - THERE JUST IS NO GREATER JOY.
MAKING OTHERS HAPPY IS ONE OF THE SECRETS OF A HAPPY LIFE. THE INCLINATION TO HELP, TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY, IS ACTUALLY A VERY HUMAN EMOTION. IT IS ACTUALLY THE BEST SIDE OF MAN'S COMPLEX NATURE.
CHRISTMAS IS SYMBOLIC OF THIS BEAUTIFUL INCLINATION, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CHRISTMAS FOR YOU TO DO IT. YOU CAN MAKE ANOTHER PERSON HAPPY 365 DAYS A YEAR. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A GIFT.
A FRIENDLY OR SYMPATHETIC EAR WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS IT, A SINCERE COMPLIMENT GIVEN IN ADMIRATION, A PAT ON THE BACK, A SIMPLE "YOU DID A GREAT JOB", APPRECIATING OTHERS, ALLOWING THEM TO "BE THEMSELVES" AND SEEING THE GREATNESS IN EVERYONE AND ANYONE. IT IS REALLY NOT SO HARD TO SEE THE GREATNESS IN OTHERS (IN MOST CASES - I'LL ADMIT IT CAN BE HARD WITH SOME PEOPLE).
WELL, IT'S CHRISTMAS AND TIME TO STEP DOWN OFF MY SOAP BOX. HAVE FUN, ENJOY YOURSELF, BE WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE, EAT A NICE CHRISTMAS DINNER.
OH YES, I FORGOT TO SAY ONE LAST THING.
I HOPE ON THIS FINE CHRISTMAS DAY YOU ALSO REALIZE WHAT A GREAT PERSON YOU ARE. MAYBE I DON'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I DO KNOW THIS - YOU ARE A UNIQUE AND WONDERFUL MONOPOLY. IN THIS ENTIRE VAST UNIVERSE, THERE IS NO ONE LIKE YOU. THERE NEVER HAS BEEN AND THERE NEVER WILL BE.
YOU ARE WONDERFUL, SPECIAL, AND ONE-OF-A-KIND.
WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, YOU ARE A GREAT, TIMELESS, MAGICAL SPIRIT. YOUR GREATNESS, MY FRIEND, IS GREATER THAN THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE STARS ALL PUT TOGETHER.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND PALS!!!!
BEST HOLIDAY WISHES, YOUR FRIEND ALWAYS, EDDIE.
A MAN BOUGHT HIS WIFE A CEMETERY PLOT FOR CHRISTMAS.
THE NEXT YEAR HE BOUGHT HER NOTHING.
HEY!
COMPLAINED THE ANGRY WIFE,
HOW COME YOU DIDN'T BUY ME A CHRISTMAS PRESENT THIS YEAR?
YOU DIDN'T USE THE PRESENT I GOT YOU LAST YEAR,
SAID THE HUSBAND
ACCORDING TO LIVESCIENCE.COM, THE AVERAGE MAN SPENDS ABOUT ONE FULL YEAR OF HIS LIFE STARING AT WOMEN.
ASKED OF WOMEN - HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE TOLD IF A MAN ISN'T INTERESTED IN YOU?
38% - NOT INTERESTED, STRAIGHT FORWARD
34% - WANT GUY TO WAIT A FEW DAYS & LET THEM DOWN GENTLY
26% - WANT FEELINGS SPARED. JUST TAKE THEIR # AND NEVER CALL
IF YOU ARE A MAN YOU ARE 2 1/2 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS THAN IF YOU ARE A WOMAN.
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE AGE 6 AND OVER WHO PARTICIPATED IN PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITIES AROUND TWICE A WEEK (2008):
MEN - 44.8%
WOMEN - 47.6%
56% OF MEN USE DIETING WILLPOWER WHEN ON VACATION.
32% OF WOMEN KNOW THEIR CHOLESTEROL COUNT.
PCT. OF WOMEN SOLDIERS IN THE WAR:
PERSIAN GULF WAR (1990)- 16%
WORLD WAR II- 2.5%
VIETNAM WAR- 3%
KOREAN WAR- 2%
AMERICANS CONSUME 16 BILLION HOT DOGS ANNUALLY.
150,000,000 HOT DOGS ARE EATEN BY AMERICANS ON THE 4TH OF JULY ALONE (2 BILLION IN THE MONTH OF JULY).
CHARLIE KAZAN, AGE 89, HAS HAD HOT DOGS FOR DINNER EVERY NIGHT SINCE HE WAS 11 MONTHS OLD. (HE EATS HIS HOT DOGS ON RYE BREAD WITH THE CRUST TORN OFF).
THE OSCAR MEYER WIENER SONG HAS BEEN RECORDED BY THE BERLIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, A TEEN FOLK BAND, A STRING ENSEMBLE AND A NASHVILLE COUNTRY-WESTERN GROUP.
NASA HAS APPROVED HOT DOGS AS A REGULAR FOOD ITEM ON APOLLO MOON FLIGHTS, SKYLAB MISSIONS AND SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHTS.
THE AVERAGE HOT DOG IS CONSUMED IN 6.1 BITES.
AN AIDE ONCE SERVED FRANK SINATRA A HOT DOG WITH A BOTTLE OF KETCHUP. SINATRA HATED KETCHUP AND THREW THE BOTTLE AT THE AIDE.
ELVIS PRESLEY RECORDED THE SONG HOT DOG FOR THE 1957 MOVIE LOVING YOU. ELVIS LIKED HIS HOT DOGS BOILED IN A POT FILLED WITH SAUERKRAUT.
MARLENE DIETRICH'S FAVORITE MEAL WAS HOT DOGS AND CHAMPAGNE.
FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT ONCE SERVED HOT DOGS TO KING GEORGE VI OF ENGLAND DURING HIS WHITE HOUSE VISIT IN 1939.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II SERVED HOT DOGS AT A ROYAL BANQUET FOR THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION.
BRUCE WILLIS PROPOSED TO DEMI MOORE IN FRONT OF A HOT DOG STAND.
CARY GRANT'S FAVORITE FOOD WAS NATHAN'S CONEY ISLAND HOT DOGS.
MARLON BRANDO WOULD PULL UP TO PINK'S HOT DOG STAND IN L.A., ORDER SIX HOT DOGS AND DOWN THEM. JOHN LENNON LOVED PINK'S HOT DOGS TOO AND ENJOYED GOING THERE WHEN HE LIVED IN L.A. IN THE MID-SEVENTIES. JERRY LEWIS LOVES PINK'S CHILI DOGS, BUT SOMETIMES JUST ASKS FOR A BOWL OF THE CHILI AND EATS THAT.
JAYNE MANSFIELD WAS "MISS HOT DOG AMBASSADOR" IN 1950.
TOP HOT DOG CONSUMING CITIES IN AMERICA:
#1 - NEW YORK
#2 - LOS ANGELES
#3 - BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON D.C.
I'M NOT SAYING SHE'S UGLY - BUT IF I CHECKED INTO A HOTEL WITH HER, I'D HAVE TO PUT OUT THE "PLEASE DISTURB" SIGN.
IN 1963, THE BEATLES, NEWLY BECOMING FAMOUS AND WITH THEIR STAR OBVIOUSLY ON THE RISE, SIGNED A THREE-PICTURE MOVIE DEAL WITH UNITED ARTISTS.
THEY MADE THE FIRST TWO FILMS, AS AGREED UPON, IN QUICK, NEAT ORDER. THE FIRST FILM A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, MADE IN 1964, WAS LOVED BY ALL, FANS AND CRITICS ALIKE. IT MADE MADE A HUGE PROFIT AND BECAME AN INSTANT "CLASSIC" (IT IS ALSO MY FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME).
HELP!, THE SECOND BEATLES MOVIE, WAS MADE IN 1965 AND MADE A BUNDLE TOO. BUT THIS TIME THE REVIEWS WERE MUCH MORE MIXED, WITH MOST CRITICS FINDING MANY FLAWS AND NOTING THE LESSER QUALITY, HUMOR, AND ORIGINALITY OF THE SECOND FILM. HELP!, ALTHOUGH THE HIGHER-BUDGETED OF THE TWO FILMS, WAS SEEN AS A DISAPPOINTMENT TO MANY, THE BEATLES INCLUDED, AND MOST ESPECIALLY TO THE BEATLES' UNSPOKEN LEADER, JOHN LENNON - LENNON ALWAYS SAID HELP! WAS "CRAP" AND OTHER NOT-SO-GRACIOUS EPITHETS.
SEVERAL OTHER MOVIE PROJECTS WERE PUT FORTH, BUT A THIRD, CONTRACT-FULFILLING FILM, WAS NEVER QUITE AGREED-UPON, AND SO IT STOOD UNTIL 1967, WHEN A SOLUTION WAS PUT FORTH.
AL BRODAX, WAS AN AMERICAN PRODUCER WHO CREATED A SATURDAY MORNING BEATLES CARTOON SERIES IN 1965. THE CARTOONS WERE A SMASH HIT, GENERATING HUGE RATINGS. BRODAX WAS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A FULL-LENGTH ANIMATED FEATURE FILM STARRING THE BEATLES THEMSELVES. IT WOULD FEATURE BEATLE SONGS WITH THE BEATLES DOING VOICE-OVERS AND PLAYING THEMSELVES.
THE FAB FOUR, UNABLE TO FACE ACTUALLY ACTING AND GOING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS AGAIN, AGREED TO THIS FAIR COMPROMISE, AND IT APPEARS THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO FILL IN THE VOICES OF THEMSELVES, BUT IN THE EVER-BUSY WORLD OF BEATLEDOM, THINGS JUST KEPT COMING UP. FIRST AND FOREMOST WAS PROBABLY THE SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED DEATH OF BEATLES MANAGER, BRIAN EPSTEIN, FROM A DRUG OVERDOSE IN AUGUST OF 1967. AND SO,THE BEATLE FILM WOULD HAVE TO BE RECORDED WITHOUT THE BEATLES.
FOUR ACTORS WERE SUMMARILY SIGNED UP TO SUPPLY THE BOY'S VOICES, BUT THE BEATLES DID, AT LEAST, AGREE TO SUPPLY FOUR BRAND-NEW SONGS FOR THE FILM'S SOUNDTRACK.
THAT'LL DO FOR THE FILM
LENNON WOULD SAY SARCASTICALLY, WHENEVER THE BEATLES HAD RECORDED A MEDIOCRE, LESSER SONG (THE BEATLES HAD ALREADY SEEN THE BEATLES CARTOONS AND DID NOT REGARD THEM VERY HIGHLY). THE BEATLES, AFTER CONTRIBUTING THE FOUR "SO-SO SONGS", THEREBY WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THE PROJECT AND THOUGHT THAT ANNOYING 1963 CONTRACT HAD BEEN FULFILLED. BUT LIKE SO MUCH OF BEATLE LORE AND LEGEND, THIS TOO, MAY NOT BE SO TRUE. AFTER ITS COMPLETION, THE BEATLES WERE GIVEN A PRIVATE SCREENING OF YELLOW SUBMARINE AND WERE SURPRISED AND DELIGHTED WITH THE RESULTS.
THEY LOVED THE MOVIE AND EVEN AGREED TO PERSONALLY FILM A ONE-MINUTE CAMEO TO BE SHOWN AT THE TAIL END OF THE FILM. JOHN AND PAUL WERE BOTH TO LATER REGRET NOT HAVING MORE TO DO WITH YELLOW SUBMARINE. JOHN WAS TO CLAIM, HOWEVER, THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE, THAT THE YELLOW SUBMARINE PEOPLE STOLE MANY OF HIS IDEAS, WITHOUT GIVING HIM ANY FORMAL SCREEN CREDIT.
ACCORDING TO JOHN:
THEY USED TO COME TO THE STUDIO AND AND CHAT: 'HI JOHN, OLD BEAN, GOT ANY IDEAS FOR THE FILM?' AND I'D JUST SPOUT OUT ALL THIS STUFF, AND THEY WENT OFF AND DID IT.
LENNON COULD EXAGGERATE AND "PLAYED THE VICTIM" IN COUNTLESS BEATLE-RELATED ANECDOTES OVER THE YEARS, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE AT LEAST SOME MERIT TO THIS CLAIM BASED ON THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE. THE ONLY PUBLICLY AGREED-UPON STORY IS THAT ONE NIGHT AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING, JOHN CALLED UP THE PRODUCER AND SAID:
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF RINGO WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET BEING FOLLOWED BY A YELLOW SUBMARINE?
THIS EXACT SCENE IS SHOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM.
BUT JOHN CLAIMED OVER THE YEARS THAT HE HAD GIVEN THE PRODUCERS AND WRITERS SEVERAL OTHER IDEAS USED IN THE FINISHED FILM, OR AS LENNON PUT IT:
BRODAX GOT HALF OF YELLOW SUBMARINE OUT OF MY MOUTH,
(THE TRUTH SEEMS TO BE THAT - YES, THEY DID "BORROW" SOME IDEAS FROM JOHN, BUT JOHN'S CLAIM OF "HALF" APPEARS TO BE LENNON HYPERBOLE. THIS IS JUST MY OWN OPINION).
LENNON, A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL AND BRILLIANT MUSICAL GENIUS WAS, HOWEVER, DEFINITELY A MAN GIVEN TO ANGRY RAGES, NAME-CALLING, AND THE HOLDING OF GRUDGES. UNTIL HIS TRAGIC DEATH IN 1980, JOHN REFERRED TO THE YELLOW SUBMARINE CREATORS AS "BLOODY ANIMALS" AND OTHER SEVERE NAMES, BELIEVING HIS IDEAS TO HAVE BEEN "STOLEN".
HOWEVER ANGRY JOHN WAS, HE DID LIKE THE FILM. IN FACT, HIS SON, SEAN, SAW YELLOW SUBMARINE ON TV IN THE LATE 1970'S, AND ASKED HIS DAD IF HE HAD BEEN A BEATLE. JOHN PATIENTLY EXPLAINED TO HIS SON THAT IT WAS, INDEED, A LIFE HE USED TO LEAD BUT HE GAVE IT UP TO LIVE WITH SEAN'S MOMMY, YOKO ONO.
GEORGE SEEMS TO HAVE DISAGREED WITH JOHN'S CLAIMS REGARDING INVOLVEMENT, STATING UNEQUIVOCALLY:
THE BEST THING ABOUT YELLOW SUBMARINE WAS THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
AS A FASCINATING SIDEBAR, PETER BATTEN, THE MAN WHO DID THE VOICE FOR "GEORGE" IN THE FILM, WAS ACTUALLY A DESERTER FROM THE BRITISH ARMY AT THE TIME OF THE FILM'S SHOOT. HE WAS ACTUALLY ARRESTED FOR DESERTION DURING THE SHOOT, AND ANOTHER VOICE-OVER ACTOR, PAUL ANGELIS, HAD TO DO THE REMAINDER OF THE FILM PLAYING "GEORGE". ANGELIS ALSO DID THE VOICES OF "RINGO" AND THE CHIEF "BLUE MEANIE." BATTEN REMAINS UNIQUE IN MOVIE HISTORY AS BEING THE ONLY ACTOR EVER ARRESTED FOR DESERTION FROM THE MILITARY WHILE FILMING.
ALL THE BEATLES LOVED YELLOW SUBMARINE AND ATTENDED ITS OFFICIAL PREMIERE IN JULY OF 1968 (LENNON ESCORTING HIS NEW LIVE-IN GIRLFRIEND, YOKO, ALTHOUGH HE WAS STILL MARRIED TO HIS WIFE, CYNTHIA, AT THE TIME).
GEORGE HARRISON, ALWAYS A MAN VERY HARD TO PLEASE, SAID:
I LIKED THE FILM. I THINK IT'S A CLASSIC. THE FILM WORKS FOR EVERY GENERATION.
RINGO:
I LOVED YELLOW SUBMARINE. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INNOVATIVE, WITH GREAT ANIMATION.
DURING THE MAKING OF YELLOW SUBMARINE, THE BEATLES MET THE FILM'S ANIMATOR, HEINZ EDELMAN, FOR ONE OR TWO MEETINGS. ACCORDING TO EDELMAN, RINGO WAS THE ONLY BEATLE TO MAKE ANY REQUESTS OF THE ANIMATOR. RINGO ACTUALLY COMPLAINED THAT "HIS NOSE SHOULD BE BIGGER", SAID EDELMAN.
THE FILM'S SOUNDTRACK, LIKE ALL BEATLE ALBUMS, WAS GREAT, ALBEIT CONTAINING A MAJORITY OF PREVIOUSLY-RELEASED MATERIAL. FOR SOME STRANGE, INEXPLICABLE REASON, JOHN'S SUPERB SONG HEY BULLDOG WAS EDITED OUT OF THE AMERICAN VERSION OF THE FILM. FORTUNATELY, THE SONG AND ITS ANIMATED SEQUENCE WERE RESTORED FOR THE FILM'S RECENT VIDEO RELEASE.
YELLOW SUBMARINE, A QUINTESSENTIAL "PERIOD PIECE" FOR THE 1960'S, HAS AGED WELL AND PROBABLY REMAINS THE MOST POPULAR AND WELL-KNOWN BEATLES FILM..
ENGLISH IS THE MOST COMMON LANGUAGE USED IN THE U.S.
SPANISH IS SECOND.
WHAT IS THIRD?
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