Author: The Hinoeuma
Tune Tuesday: Sonny James 1969
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame 2006
Fifty years ago, today, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot Country chart was Only the Lonely by Sonny James, a cover version of a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. Referred to as the Southern Gentleman for his personality and manner, James, born James Hugh Loden, had 22 #1 hits from 1960 to 1979. He and Bobbie Gentry hosted the very first Country Music Association‘s (CMA) award show in 1967. He was the first country music performer to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1957, the first country music star to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1961 and the first country artist to have his music sent into space in 1971, having recorded a special song for the Apollo 14 crew. He produced Marie Osmond‘s first solo hit Paper Roses.
Lyrics:
Dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah
Ooh-yay-yay-yay-yeah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-wah
Only the lonely
Only the lonely (dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah)
Know the way I feel tonight (ooh-yay-yay-yay-yeah)
Only the lonely (dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah)
Know this feelin aint right (dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah)
There goes my baby
There goes my heart
They’re gone forever
So far apart
But only the lonely
Know why
I cry
Only the lonely
Dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah
Ooh-yay-yay-yay-yeah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-wah
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Know the heartaches I’ve been through
Only the lonely
Know I cried and cried for you
Maybe tomorrow
A new romance
No more sorrow
But that’s the chance – you gotta take
If your lonely heart breaks
Only the lonely
Dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah
Movie Monday: Splash 1984
“She was the woman of his dreams… she had large dark eyes, a beautiful smile and a great pair of fins.”
Thirty-five years ago, today, the #1 film at the box office was Splash, starring Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dody Goodman, Shecky Greene, Rance Howard, Cheryl Howard, Clint Howard and Bill Smitrovich. A Rom-Com fantasy, it was directed by Ron Howard, produced by Brian Grazer and, the story was developed by Grazer and Bruce Jay Friedman. The screenplay was written by Lowell Ganz and Marc ‘Babaloo’ Mandel with music by Lee Holdridge.
Alan [sic] Bauer nearly drowned as a child but, has memories of being saved by a young mermaid. He manages his family’s wholesale fruit and vegetable business and, continues his search to find true love. Along with his feelings, Allen must also contend with his womanizing older brother Freddie, who takes love less seriously than his brother. When he is jilted as an adult and loses his wallet in the surf, the young mermaid tries to return it. They are soul mates who have been meant for each other but, Madison fears how he will react when he finds out she is not human.
Quotes
From Brian Grazer:
“Tom came in wearing these 501 Levi’s and construction boots and a T-shirt. He wasn’t nervous at all – and here’s a guy who had never had a major movie. I thought, why is this guy so calm? But we read him and we liked him and we hired him right away.”
On Hannah’s abilities, Grazer states “[…] while we were testing Daryl [Hannah] in her tail underwater, we noticed how well she swam. Then we realized that she was as good, if not better, than her stunt doubles. Her endurance was actually better than theirs. We began wondering if Daryl couldn’t do all the scenes herself and she happily agreed, which certainly helped the movie’s credibility.
From Tom Hanks:
“They’re very, very funny guys (Candy & Levy). But my job in Splash was not to be particularly funny. That’s what Ron [Howard] kept drilling into me.”
Learning a valuable lesson from Howard, he recalls being unprepared…”It took longer to shoot than it should have, and when we were done with the scene, Ron said, “You know, you should have been a little more prepared.” He didn’t yell at me. He probably knew that if he had yelled, I’d be paste for the rest of the day. He just let me know in no uncertain terms that I was starring in this movie and with that comes huge responsibilities, and one of them is to be ready to go. I’ve never forgotten that.”
From Daryl Hannah:
[…] having to lie still for three hours every day for technicians to put her into the 35 lbs. rubber fin, she states “At lunch they’d yank me out on a crane and plop me on the deck. I couldn’t eat because I couldn’t go to the bathroom. I just lay there shivering with barnacles in my hair, soaking wet. And underwater it was difficult because I was not able to see since I couldn’t wear a mask. I had to trust the guys to get air to me. It was difficult and we worked long hours but, it seemed more like playing than work. It was real magical down there.”
Trivia Bits:
♦ This film was the first to be released by the new Touchstone Films.
♦ According to the Biography Channel, Bill Murray and P.J. Soles (Stripes) were considered for the roles of Allen and Madison, but Murray turned it down.
♦ Daryl Hannah swam with the mermaid tail so fast that her safety team could not keep pace with her.
♦ A vegetarian, Hannah refused to eat real lobster for the restaurant scene. The crew scooped out the insides of real, cooked lobsters and filled them with a thick, tofu-like paste. Ron Howard said [she] cried after each take over the deaths of the lobsters for their shells.
♦ Tom Hanks had trouble with the water scenes, partly because he was a smoker.
The movie received twelve nominations including the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. It won a National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) award for Best Screenplay and Daryl Hannah won the Saturn Award for Best Actress.
Love Came For Me Theme Song by Rita Coolidge
Chris Thomas: A Question of Energy & Influence
A Blog Post From: The Chris Thomas Files
A question has arisen from, to me, an unknown source through a discussion forum. The question is about the difference between the energies of the 14th Faction, this Universe and the Velon. It is a fundamental question which I am surprised has not been asked before. Really, I could write a new book to answer this question but, there is not enough time available for that to happen so it is a matter of answering the question in an essay format.
The question was this:
[Q]: I’m trying to clarify an understanding I have of “energies” of the universe. I understand from CT’s books that our universe was created with the idea of what would happen if everyone had free will with the rule of not being able to take away free will from others. If everything is energy, then our universe, along with everything in it, would be created within the energy of free will. The action of acting against free will would not be possible because it’s not part of the “energy”. The 14th Faction arrived ultimately “infecting” our universe with the ability to take away free will. Now, CT states that the portal the 14th created is now closed as of 2002, so no one can draw on these energies any longer. However, I assume that those energies still exist. In the books that I have read, CT does not state these energies infecting the Velon. I tend to think they have, since they are effectively taking away our free will. If we generate enough of the free will energies as a mass consciousness, then, will it be possible to reduce those with the “infected” energies? Is this what those mass meditations are aiming at? Is keeping humanity in conflict the “food” for these negative energies, which is what is keeping this cycle going? Basically, I’m trying to make a correlation with the energies of the 14th Faction brought in and to comments from folks like Icke who state that the entities controlling the Illuminati promote conflict, so they can “feed” off the negative energies humans give off. If the portal is gone, then, we become the main source of food for those remaining with the “infected” 14th Faction energies. I believe it is unknown if all 14th Faction entities were removed.
[A]: This is a complex question which gets to the heart of the purpose and function of our Universe and, our current state of development as individual souls. The answer also involves the complexities of time, how it is measured in different parts of our Universe and how time relates to the Earth. Our Universe was Created 14,376,279,393 years ago (as of 2012). That is, the number of “human” years ago. In different regions of the Universe, time is measured in different ways and this will become relevant later. Ours is the first Universe ever Created and was constructed around the energy patterns of freedom of choice. In other words, every soul that has been Created to exist within this Universe has absolute freedom of choice over their actions. The only “limiting factor” is that no soul can act in such a way as to remove the freedom of choice of another. That “Universal Law” is absolute and inviolate.
However, other universes have been Created since ours. In all, twelve universes exist at the present time with the apparent intention of there being thirteen in total. I am not trying to speak on behalf of the Creator, just extrapolating information from the Akashic. In overall terms, these other universes have no relationship with ours. They are not “multiverses” in a quantum physics sense but, totally independent energy “envelopes” that are imbued with energy patterns and characteristics that the Creator wishes to explore.
The second universe to be Created explores the exact opposite of ours. In other words, what if every soul within that universe had the ability to remove freedom of choice? This second universe was not very successful. The energy patterns from which it was constructed generated chaos, so much so that it only lasted about 15 million (human) years before it began a process of decline and collapse. This second universe does still exist but, is very close to annihilation and most of its inhabitants have returned to source (the Creator). All of the souls that were Created for this second universe were of a “semi-physical” nature. This means that they had a physical form, and a physical density, and their souls were integral to their bodies. In other words, their souls did not detach from their bodies but, were effectively immortal in their embodied form. Their length of life expectancy was, effectively, as long as the life of their universe.
Given the chaotic state of their universe, the inhabitants tended to form alliances and collect together in groups with a common cause (Factions). Usually, this cause was the storage of energy to which they had many uses but, primarily, the reason seems to be purely depriving other Factions the use of that energy. Given the underlying energies of this second universe, the removal of freedom of choice, the Factions tended to become controlled by one individual, someone who was more aggressive than others. This aggressive individual would then force the other members of the Faction into becoming “drones”, a situation not unlike the “Borg” of the Star Trek television series. Each separate Faction was made up of one leader who turned all of the other members of the Faction into drones. There was no hierarchy, just a dictatorship of one.
The effect of this energy gathering was to create a universe made up of energy clusters with massive voids in between. This is unlike our Universe where energy is freely available wherever you travel, whether that is within galaxies or within inter-galactic space. With a universe so severely divided, it was impossible for it to continue in existence and, so, it began a process of decline. Those who lived within this second universe realised that the decline and collapse had begun and, they attempted to gather together any and all energies to try to maintain their position within their universe. Even with the pressures and urgency of their universal collapse, they did not fight wars. There was no history of violence between the various Factions. However, one of the Factions realised that another universe existed and, in an attempt to gather as much energy as possible, they constructed what our scientists would call a “worm hole”. The scientific definition of a worm hole is an energy “tube” that is constructed from two black holes positioned back to back. This worm hole connected the second universe to ours with this connection taking place approximately 3.6 million (human) years ago.
The beings that entered our Universe, the Akashic calls the “14th Faction”. There appear to be two reasons for this name. Firstly, that was the name they gave to themselves within their own universe and, secondly, our Universe contains thirteen races so to mark their difference, our Universe also numbered them “14”. The 14th Faction were a semi-physical race. This means that they would be invisible to normal human senses. The semi-physical races are constructed from energy patterns that humans can only perceive on a psychic level. In appearance, they were about 5m or 15 foot tall and humanoid in form. Their skin was reddish green in colour and very smooth and, they were androgynous. The only “markings” they had were a pronounced bony ridge that extended from the top of their nose and across the top of the skull. Their eyes were yellow with vertical irises. Overall, a very reptilian-like appearance.
To continue reading (it’s 12 pages), download the PDF version HERE.
[Note: This PDF was originally posted on One-Vibration Forum Blog & The Spirit Guides UK website on May 20, 2012.]
Foto Friday: Tuesday Evening Trek 2.0
I suppose I should have labeled the first post as Part I but…I neglected. Oh, well… All photos are my personal collection except the very last one. ~Vic
Portrait angle of the same flower gathering.
Another flower group.
Bizarre rock pile beyond that.
So many lovely views…
You can see the rock formation I had to climb over on the right.
All that’s left is the base.
Circa 1905
Throwback Thursday: The Battle of New Bern 1862
“The battle began at 0730 on March 14th, and raged for nearly six hours.”
From Wikipedia:
The Battle of New Bern (also known as the Battle of New Berne) was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Army’s Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose Burnside and accompanied by armed vessels from the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, were opposed by an undermanned and badly trained Confederate force of North Carolina soldiers and militia led by Brigadier General Lawrence O’B. Branch. Although the defenders fought behind breastworks that had been set up before the battle, their line had a weak spot in its center that was exploited by the attacking Federal soldiers. When the center of the line was penetrated, many of the militia broke, forcing a general retreat of the entire Confederate force. General Branch was unable to regain control of his troops until they had retreated to Kinston, more than 30 miles (about 50 km) away. New Bern came under Federal control, and remained so for the rest of the war.
From American Battlefield Trust:
Hatteras Island, on the outer shore of North Carolina, fell to Union forces in August, 1861. Roanoke Island, just to the north, was captured on February 8, 1862. Elizabeth City on the mainland followed days later. With the freedom to navigate unmolested through Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, Brig. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside’s command looked for other strategic targets of opportunity. The city of New Bern was a significant target, as the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad that connected the coast with the interior passed through there. On March 11, 1862, Burnside’s force embarked from Roanoke Island to rendezvous with Union gunboats at Hatteras Inlet for a joint expedition against New Bern. On March 13th, the fleet sailed up the Neuse River and disembarked infantry south of the Confederate defenses, about 4,000 men behind breastworks at Fort Thompson. The defenders, a mix of North Carolina infantry, cavalry and artillery, were commanded by Brig. Gen. Lawrence Branch. On March 14th, the brigades of Brig. Gens. John G. Foster, Jesse Reno, and John G. Parke attacked along the railroad and after four [sic] hours of fighting, drove the Confederates out of their fortifications. The Federals captured several nearby gun positions and occupied a base that they would hold to the end of the war, in spite of several Confederate attempts to recapture it.
From The New Bern Historical Society
On March 13th 1862, 11,000 Union troops led by General Ambrose Burnside, along with 13 heavily-armed gunboats led by Commodore Stephen Rowan, landed at Slocum’s Creek, now part of the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station. Their objective was [the] capture of the town of New Bern because of its strategic position and the fact that the Atlantic and North Carolina railroad was also located here. Union strategists hoped to use New Bern as a stepping off point to cutting off the main Confederate north-south railroad supply line at Goldsboro.
Awaiting the Union forces were about 4,500 inexperienced and ill-equipped Confederate troops commanded by General Laurence [sic] O’Bryan Branch, a politician with virtually no military experience. Branch positioned his infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment, local militia and three gun batteries to defend a line extending from Fort Thompson on the Neuse River and running approximately one mile west to the Weatherby Road at the eastern edge of Brice’s Creek. Extending Branch’s right wing to the railroad tracks was the 26th North Carolina Regiment commanded by Colonel Zebulon Vance, later governor of North Carolina.
Despite support from Commodore Rowan’s gunboats, this attack stalled. However, a regiment of General Parke’s brigade flanked the position of a militia battalion in the vicinity of Wood’s brickyard adjoining the railroad. Parke’s infantry drove these poorly armed, fresh militiamen from their position leaving the right flank of the 35th North Carolina Regiment exposed. The Confederate line was broken between the 26th and the 35th regiments, and the Union forces pushed through forcing the retreat of the Confederate troops.
The Battle of New Bern was the baptism of fire for the 26th North Carolina. Later, in July 1863, the 26th lost 588 of 800 men at the Battle of Gettysburg, sustaining the largest numerical losses of any unit, North or South, during the entire course of the war.
Estimated casualties for the battle: 1080 total. The fierce battle in the swamps and along the railroad five miles south of New Bern, proved to be a major victory for the Union and led to the ensuing occupation of New Bern for the remainder of the Civil War. Although Union forces never seized and held the rail line at Goldsboro, their presence in New Bern required the Confederacy to divert troops to the railroad’s defense that might have been used in the critical battles in Virginia. For General Ambrose Burnside, the New Bern victory was a factor in his subsequently being given command of the Army of the Potomac and leadership in the Union disaster at Fredericksburg.
One-hundred and fifty-seven years ago, today… ~Vic
Wayback Wednesday: Operation Northwoods 1962
Fifty-seven years ago, today, a document…a memorandum was typed up. It was a proposal from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lyman Lemnitzer, submitted to President Kennedy via Defense Secretary McNamara.
(Difficult to read on a phone)
From Wikipedia:
The proposals called for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or other U.S. government operatives, to commit acts of terrorism against American civilians and military targets, blaming them on the Cuban government and, using it to justify a war against Cuba. The plans detailed in the document included the possible assassination of Cuban émigrés, sinking boats of Cuban refugees on the high seas, hijacking planes, blowing up a U.S. ship and orchestrating violent terrorism in U.S. cities. The proposals were rejected by [The President].
The John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board finally released the document to the public on November 18, 1997. The proposed operation came on the heals of the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion and Operation Mongoose.
♦ The entire Archived Document.
♦ ABC News Article
♦ Additional Reading
I’m not going to reinvent the wheel, here, with this data. Aaron & Melissa Dykes have done a terrific video investigation on this:
Chris Thomas: Regarding The Galactic Federation Of Light Petition…
A Blog Post From: The Chris Thomas Files
There is a petition being passed around on the Internet from aliens, who call themselves “The Galactic Federation of Light“, where they ask people to make an affirmation to invite the Galactic Federation of Light (GFOL) to come to Earth. Versions:
[1] Petition to (then) President Obama
[2] Petition Update
[3] Grant Permission To Arrest
[4] (And, they just won’t shut up.)
Think about that request for a second. If the Earth felt that an alien organisation such as the GFOL would help people during this time of major transition, they would already be working with us as the Earth, Herself, would have invited them in. The fact that the GFOL is not working with us shows that the Earth considers that they are of no use either to people or to the Earth.
The GFOL, as well as many other alien organisations such as The Galactic Council, Ashtar Command, Arch Angels, Angels, Annunaki, Hathor, Ascended Sirians, Arcturians [yes, Edgar Cayce’s group], etc, etc…are different names put together by an alien race who are more properly known as the Velon. The Velon first arrived outside our solar system in the early 1700’s. The Earth did not allow them access at that time and She has resisted ALL attempts by the Velon to enter the solar system ever since.
Despite these efforts, some Velon did find a way to enter the solar system and have been causing problems for the Earth, and for people, ever since. The primary human organisation that is controlled by the Velon is the Illuminati and, in turn, the Illuminati control earth governments. In the GFOL petition, it is stated that governments are against allowing in the GFOL to the Earth, which is a very contradictory comment as governments are controlled by the Illuminati who are controlled by the GFOL/Velon. In other words, the petition asks people to go against the GFOL/Velon’s directives and invite the GFOL/Velon in, which makes no sense.
However many people respond to this petition and make the affirmation asking the GFOL/Velon to come to Earth, it will not work. We do not live in a Universe of democracy nor do we live in a Universe of consensus. We live in a Universe of freedom of choice. Every soul that was created to live in this Universe has the absolute freedom of choice to choose their actions. What we cannot do is to choose to act in such a way as to remove the freedom of choice of another.
Humans exist because, and only because, the Earth exists and, the soul that is the Earth has chosen not to allow the GFOL/Velon into the solar system. In coming to Earth, all of the souls that have built for themselves human bodies have agreed to abide by the Earth’s choices. In return for accepting what the Earth has chosen, the Earth provides for all of our needs whilst giving us a home where we can explore what it means to live in a physical body. Those of the souls of this Universe who have chosen to come to Earth, and take on a human body, can only do so if the Earth agrees to them being here. Once that choice is made, the human soul connects itself into the Earth’s soul through the root (1st) chakra. It is this soul to soul connection to the Earth that allows us to become human. Once we have made that soul to soul connection, we have made the choice of abiding by the Earth’s choices which She must make in order to safeguard human existence.
In helping humans to explore the potential, and possibilities, offered by taking on a physical body, the Earth has allowed many other non-human races to come to Earth and study human activities in order to help us in our explorations. The Earth has not had any problems in allowing in these other races into the solar system or onto the Earth Herself until it came to the Velon (GFOL). In attempting to force their way on to the Earth, and many other actions they have taken, the Velon/GFOL have broken the one law that exists within this Universe…freedom of choice. As the Velon/GFOL have broken this law, as a race, they have been evicted from this Universe. Those Velon/GFOL that remain can only do so because of the number of humans who have been misled into believing that the Velon/GFOL (and their other organisations) are here to help us. By fooling people in this way, it has allowed the Velon/GFOL to implant energy devices into people and into their homes which provide an energy source for the Velon/GFOL to use to hold themselves close to the Earth [the Hathor have been particularly bad with this sort of behavior].
If people stopped inviting the Velon/GFOL into their lives, the remainder of the Velon/GFOL would join the majority of the Velon race in being evicted from this Universe.
Since the petition made by the Velon/GFOL was launched onto the Internet, approximately 17,000 people have responded. These 17,000 are made up of the following groups:
[1] The vast majority are people who have been misled into believing that the Velon/GFOL are here to help humans “ascend to a 5th dimension“. Approximately 500 of these people have had Velon/GFOL “djed pillars” embedded into their homes and other energy devices embedded into their bodies. These djed pillars, and other energy devices, are used by the Velon/GFOL to defy the Earth’s choices and remain close to the solar system. The remaining 16,500 people would have had djed pillars implanted into their homes if the action taken by the Earth’s guardians, detailed below, had not been taken.
[2] 787 people knew that, by making the affirmations asked for in the Velon/GFOL petition, did so in full knowledge that they were acting in favour of the Velon/GFOL and against the Earth. They knew they were acting against the choices of the Earth. The Earth has disconnected the root (1st) chakra of all of these 787 people from Her own soul and all of these people will be leaving the Earth (dying) over the next few days and, returning to their place of soul origin.
[3] The Earth’s guardians are hard at work destroying all of the connections made by people making the affirmation in favour of the Velon/GFOL petition. There is also a “clean-up squad” travelling around to the homes, of those who invited the Velon/GFOL into their homes, to remove and destroy the djed pillars and, other implants. This clean-up is being carried out with the full knowledge and approval of the higher selves of the people who responded to the Velon/GFOL petition.
The Velon/GFOL have their own agenda, as far as the Earth and humanity is concerned. They are not here to help us but, to further their own aims. By fooling gullible people into believing that the Velon/GFOL can help us, they are causing distractions and problems that neither we nor the Earth need at this time of change.
Human history is vast and complex but, there was a time in our history when we had the whole of the soul contained within the physical body. For various reasons, we were forced, 7,000 years ago, to divide the soul into the higher self and the physical self. In order to investigate the reasons why we had to divide the soul into two, we embarked on living a series of lifetimes…something the Akashic calls “The Human Plan“. This Human Plan was worked out with the Earth and we allowed ourselves 7,000 years to find our answers.
To continue reading, download the PDF version HERE.
[Note: The original post was written by Chris Thomas & published with his permission on May 11, 2012, on the The Spirit Guides UK Network Forum Blog and on the One-Vibration Forum Blog.]
Throwback Thursday: Bloody Sunday 1965
Fifty-four years ago, today, the First March of the Selma to Montgomery marches took place. The planned marches were a response to the murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson by Alabama State Trooper James Fowler. Fowler shot Jackson on February 18, 1965, during a clash between, approximately, 500 protestors walking to Perry County Jail for James Orange and, Marion police officers, sheriff’s deputies and the state troopers. Jackson died from his injuries on February 26. Other casualties that night were two UPI photographers and NBC News correspondent Richard Valereani.
The death of Jackson motivated James Bevel “to initiate and organize the first Selma to Montgomery march to present a way for the citizens of Marion and Selma to direct the anger over Jackson’s death into a positive outcome.” Amelia Boynton assisted with the planning.
As the demonstrators crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, state, and county police, stopped the march and beat the protesters. Boynton was knocked unconscious and the photograph of her wounded body got the entire world’s attention.
The second march took place on March 9, referred to as Turnaround Tuesday. Though the march was peaceful due to a court order declaring no police interference, James Reeb was murdered that evening.
The third march to Montgomery spanned March 21 through March 24. By Thursday, March 25, the movement had reached the State Capitol Building. The murder of Viola Liuzzo was the final end to the violence and the 18 day struggle. Her murder, however, uncovered an FBI Informant, exposing J. Edgar Hoover‘s illegal activities.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law on August 6, 1965 and, the march route, the Selma To Montgomery Voting Rights Trail, is a designated National Historic Trail.
Wayback Wednesday: Lecherous Little Elf
Two days, ago, I posted my routine Movie Monday piece. For the date I chose, I highlighted Blazing Saddles, a #1 movie at that time and, when calculated in 1974, was the highest grossing movie of that year. The movie is laugh-out-loud funny and an absolute scream. That being said, in my comment section, it was dutifully pointed out that, in this day and age, the movie would never get made. I was provided with a link to a UK article from September 22, 2017. Here is the headline:
Our PC world is the death of comedy, says Mel Brooks: Veteran comedian claims society is ‘stupidly politically correct’ and that many of his films could not be made today
Quotes from the article:
‘We have become stupidly politically correct, which is the death of comedy,’ Brooks said.
‘It’s not good for comedy. Comedy has to walk a thin line, take risks.’
‘Comedy is the lecherous little elf whispering in the king’s ear, always telling the truth about human behaviour.’
He basically said the very same thing back in 2016.
This afternoon, while searching for a music video, I stumbled across The Dave Cullen Show. On Wednesday, August 16, 2017 he posted this:
On his other channel, he posted this back on September 15, 2015, which adds more films to the list:
Quote:
“If you take this film seriously, you missed the point.”
And, if you take my post seriously, you’re missing the point. ~Vic
Tune Tuesday: Sly & The Family Stone 1969
Fifty years ago, today, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts was Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone. Written by Sylvester Stewart and released November 1968, the song was somehow a plea for unity and, pride of diversity, at the same time, along with pleas for peace, and equality, between differing races and social groups.
From The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
Sly and the Family Stone took the Sixties ideal of a generation coming together and, turned it into deeply groove-driven music. Rock’s first integrated, multi-gender band became funky Pied Pipers to the Woodstock Generation, synthesizing rock, soul, R&B, funk and psychedelia into danceable, message-laden, high-energy music. In promoting their gospel of tolerance and celebration of differences, Sly and the Family Stone brought disparate audiences together during the latter half of the Sixties. The group connected with the rising counterculture by means of songs that addressed issues of personal pride and liberation in the context of driving, insistent and sunny-tempered music that fused rock and soul, creating a template for Seventies funk.
Notable covers of the song were recorded by Joan Jett, Aretha Franklin, Arrested Development, Maroon 5 and Billy Paul. The single made it to #5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for 1969.
Lyrics:
Sometimes I’m right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I’m in
I am everyday people, yeah, yeah
There is a blue one
Who can’t accept the green one
For living with a fat one
Trying to be a skinny one
Different strokes
For different folks
And so on and so on
And scooby dooby dooby
Oh sha sha
We got to live together
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same, whatever we do
You love me, you hate me, you know me and then
You can’t figure out the bag I’m in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah
There is a long hair
That doesn’t like the short hair
For being such a rich one
That will not help the poor one
Different strokes
For different folks
And so on and so on
And scooby dooby dooby
Oh sha sha
We got to live together
There is a yellow one
That won’t accept the black one
That won’t accept the red one
That won’t accept the white one
Different strokes
For different folks
And so on and so on
And scooby dooby dooby
Oh sha sha
I am everyday people
Addendum:
In 1961, Billboard added a new category called Adult Contemporary. Prior to that, from 1958 to 1960, everything fit into either Hot 100, R & B or Country. In 1963, Billboard 200 was added and in 1964, Top Country Albums. As of 2018, Billboard now has 87 individual categories. Choosing a number #1 song in any of these categories could fill up a blog, if a blogger was so inclined. Previously, I tried to showcase Hot 100s and added Alternative Rock, Mainstream Rock, Country and, R&B. It is a lot of work and if I tried to cover all the new categories, well…they would find my dead body, slumped over the keyboard.
Under normal circumstances, I go backwards each week by five years. I love music so, I’m going to have to shift gears, soon, to cover #1 songs in some categories other than the coveted Hot 100. I may end up going backwards five years every month instead of every week. We shall see… ~Vic
Movie Monday: Blazing Saddles 1974
Forty-five years ago, today, the most popular film at the box office was Blazing Saddles, a satirical Mel Brooks-directed western starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Mel Brooks (three on-screen characters), Alex Karras, David Huddleston, John Hillerman, Dom DeLuise, Count Basie (as himself), Rodney Allen Rippy (as a young Bart), with uncredited appearances by Anne Bancroft, Aneta Corsaut (Helen Crump) and Patrick Labyorteaux (JAG TV series). Released February 7, it was produced by Michael Hertzberg and based on a story by Andrew Bergman. Bergman collaborated with Brooks, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Al Uger to craft the screenplay and, John Morris (The Woman in Red & Dirty Dancing) was composer.
The Ultimate Western Spoof. A town where everyone seems to be named Johnson is in the way of the railroad. In order to grab their land, Hedley Lemar [sic] (Harvey Korman), a politically connected nasty person, sends in his henchmen to make the town unlivable. After the sheriff is killed, the town demands a new sheriff from the Governor (Mel Brooks). Hedley convinces him to send the town the first Black sheriff (Cleavon Little) in the west. Bart is a sophisticated urbanite who will have some difficulty winning over the townspeople.
Quotes:
From Vincent Canby (The New York Times):
“[…] comedies, like Mel Brooks’s “Blazing Saddles,” the best title of the year to date, are like Chinese food. A couple of hours later you wonder where it went. You wonder why you laughed as consistently as you did. [It] is every Western you’ve ever seen turned upside down and inside out, braced with a lot of low burlesque […]. The trouble is that [it] has no real center of gravity. Harvey Korman, a gifted comic actor who is so fine as Carol Burnett’s television co‐star, tries very hard to be funny as a crooked businessman and sometimes succeeds. But, it’s apparent that he’s hard put to keep up with the movie’s restless shifting from satire to parody to farce to blackout sketch. [It] has no dominant personality and, it looks as if it includes every gag thought up in every story conference. Whether good, bad or mild, nothing was thrown out.”
From Roger Ebert:
“It’s a crazed grab bag of a movie that does everything to keep us laughing except hit us over the head with a rubber chicken. At its best, his comedy operates in areas so far removed from taste that (to coin his own expression) it rises below vulgarity. One of the hallmarks of Brooks’ movie humor has been his willingness to embrace excess.”
From Mel Brooks (Interview at Creative Screen Writing):
“The writing process on Blazing Saddles was the complete opposite of the writing process on Young Frankenstein. Blazing Saddles was more or less written in the middle of a drunken fistfight. There were five of us all yelling loudly for our ideas to be put into the movie. Not only was I the loudest but, luckily, I also had the right as director to decide what was in or out.”
Trivia Bits:
♦ James Earl Jones was to be the original Sheriff. Richard Pryor was next in line but, the studio wouldn’t finance it due to Pryor’s background.
♦ Gig Young was originally cast as the “Waco Kid” but, collapsed on set and was replaced with Wilder.
♦ Warner Bros. almost didn’t release the film. The executives thought it too vulgar for the American public.
♦ Governor William J. Le Petomane (Brooks) was a take-off on the stage name of a French Flatulist.
Nominated for three Academy Awards and two BAFTAs. It won three awards. Recognized by the American Film Institute, it is listed as #6 of the 100 funniest American films.
Questions Arising: Mother Earth Equinox Essay
A Blog Post From: The Chris Thomas Files
Generally speaking, the recent essay regarding Mother Earth’s response to the Spring Equinox has resulted in very positive responses from people. Those who are sincere about undergoing soul re-integration have received the essay in the light of how it was written…we need to resolve our own problems and we cannot rely on anyone else to sort our problems out for us. Those who know that they have problems, or “issues”, still to be resolved reacted with interest but, tended to grumble about “lack of time”. Those [whose] ego made them think that they were not only ready but, were in the forefront of change, started to realise that maybe they had work to do after all. Those who are the drones of the Velon reacted by attacking me and my work, both verbally and psychically. This, I see, as a good sign as the essay obviously rattled the Velon’s cage.
Most people read the essay in realistic terms and have recognised that they, now, need to move their lives forwards, working very closely with their higher selves. However, there were a few aspects which were not fully covered or explained in the essay, for which I apologise and, these aspects are addressed in this addendum to the essay.
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[Q:] I believe that I am ready to re-integrate but, nothing is happening. I have tried shouting at my higher self but, still I feel no signs of change. Why is this?
[A:] There are two aspects to this question.
Firstly, it could be that you hope you are in a position to re-integrate but, your higher self can see that you still have a few problems (issues) to clear and, so, you are not actually ready to undergo re-integration just yet.
Secondly, it could be that you are ready for this change. It is just that your higher self considers your best option is to wait until it is a better time where there can be a mass re-integration for those in the western world.
Do not forget that you and your higher self are one soul. You, the physical aspect, is about one-quarter of the total soul whilst your higher self makes up the remaining three-quarters. You are not separate from each other. This means that your higher self has a much greater perspective on what is needed to be done and has access to a much higher level of knowledge than you, as the physical self, does. If your higher self can see that it would be better for you to wait until a mass shift is possible, then, that is what your higher self will plan to happen and, no amount of screaming and shouting by the physical self will change the situation. So, it is a question of being patient and ensuring that you are as ready as you can be. When the time is right, your higher self will let you know in terms that you will not be able to misunderstand.
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[Q:] If people are ready to re-integrate and their higher self agrees, how can they carry on with their normal lives if they, then, give out an unmistakable aura?
[A:] Essentially, they cannot. People who have undergone soul re-integration give off an aura that is very much more powerful and far-ranging than “normal” people. If you tried to carry on your normal life, you would not be able to. You would either be swamped by people demanding that you sort their problems out for them, effectively a new religion would be built around you, or you would be arrested and taken into custody and experimented on by the military.
There are those who have fully re-integrated their soul back into their bodies in the last number of years. Most of these Human Beings live in traditional, tribal communities away from the western world. However, there are groups of Human Beings who do live in communities in the west. You will not have encountered or heard of these communities as they keep themselves very much to themselves. If someone approaches their community, they place a psychic barrier around themselves, or the community, so you will not be able to make contact with them unless they want you to and the only people they want to make themselves known to are those who have also re-integrated.
These communities also have psychic barriers around the whole area so that if someone tries to remote view them, they will see a normal landscape psychically projected and not the community itself. These communities of true Human Beings are totally self-sufficient in their every need. They have psychically cleared all pollution from their area, whether that was air, ground or water and grow all of the food the community needs for themselves. They do not have, and do not need, any contact with the outside world. However, they do work very closely with Mother Earth and do all that they can to ensure that She is helped in any way that is needed.
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[Q:] If people have re-integrated since October 2011, why have we not heard about them?
[A:] Well that was really answered in the last question…except for one point. If your higher self has decided that it would be best for you to re-integrate before everyone else does, then your higher self will make special arrangements.
You will know several days in advance that your higher self considers that all is ready for you to re-integrate. By the time you reach this stage of readiness, there will not be any confusion about whether it is your higher self speaking directly to you. This will allow you enough time to say your farewells to those who are not re-integrating with you.
In the days leading up to your re-integration, your higher self will have communicated psychically with several of the already established communities. By communicating in this way, your higher self will have made arrangements for you to join the community that is considered best for you. On the day that you re-integrate, a member of that community will translocate into your home and help you to understand your new capabilities. You will immediately recognise this visitor because of your heightened awareness and psychic communication capabilities. You would not be misled if someone other than a Human Being turned up. When you are ready, you will then translocate, with the community member, and take up residence in your new community. In other words, you would effectively disappear from your home area.
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[Q:] How do children and teenagers fit into this situation? Surely, they are too young to understand the concepts involved?
[A:] We have known that we needed to return to being a full soul within the body during this period ever since the Human Plan was put into action 7,000 years ago. This means that every single soul that is physical on the planet, at this time, is here to be a part of this change. Do not forget that, on a soul level, children are the same age as adults. They just have a newer body.
Virtually all of the children born, in the last twenty years, have decided to be physical at this time. Many have come here to try to help adults understand that change is necessary and that they cannot continue on the planet unless they change. So, children are at the forefront of this change. It is adults who have the problems.
To continue reading, download the PDF version (it’s eight pages) HERE.
[Note: This PDF was originally posted on The Spirit Guides UK Network Forum Blog Post on April 9, 2012.]
Shutterbug Saturday: Feathers 3.0
I love watching and listening to the birds. They are fun and fascinating. A few evenings ago, I was sitting in one of my Adirondack chairs I have in my yard. They are underneath a very large Hackberry tree. This tree is huge and old. As I was enjoying the sunset and journaling, I heard tapping…above my head. Then, I noticed dust-like material gathering in my lap, my pages and on my phone (and, no doubt, on my head). I looked directly above me, which was not an easy task in a high-back chair. Yes. It was a small woodpecker. This little thing had the entire tree to beat its beak into but, decided to do its routine…directly above me. I struggled to get shots but, I got a few. That will be for another post in the future.
Invasion of the Buzzards
03-07-2017
Sadly, all of those trees had to come down last year.
03-03-2013
But, a Cooper’s Hawk or a Sharp-Shinned, I’m not sure.
12-12-2008
Foto Friday: Feathers 2.0
More birdie stuff. I will have more, tomorrow. Here is my first post:
Part I
Indoor bird-cage at the Salisbury Veterans’ Home
12-13-2012
02-03-2017
Throwback Thursday: Waco Siege 1993
Rod Aydelotte with the Waco Tribune-Herald
Branch Davidian Compound during 1993 siege.
Sheet says: “God help us. We want the press.”
Twenty-six years ago, today, at 9:45 am CST, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) attempted to serve a search warrant for illegal weapons, and possible methamphetamine manufacture (brings in military assistance due to the War on Drugs), to the Branch Davidians religious group at the Mount Carmel Center in Axtell, Texas. The raid did not go well. The ATF was unable to get into the compound after a two-hour battle that claimed the lives of four ATF agents and five Branch Davidians. Sixteen more agents were wounded. A ceasefire was called until another branch member attempted to re-enter the compound six hours later and was gunned down.
The ATF made contact with David Koresh (Vernon Wayne Howell) inside and, the FBI moved in and took over the operation. Early on, 25 FBI negotiators nearly had Koresh agreeing to the Davidians leaving peacefully in exchange for a recorded message of his being released via radio. After the recording was aired, Koresh changed his mind and, stated that ‘God’ had told him to stay and wait. Despite the reversal, nineteen children were released and, interviewed regarding alleged physical and sexual abuse. Koresh gave phone interviews to the local media until the FBI cut all communication.
The stand-off lasted 51 days, culminating in a deadly fire on April 19. Seventy-six Branch Davidian members died. Autopsies revealed some died due to collapsed concrete walls, others by gun shots (either self-inflicted or consensual execution) and, there was one stabbing. Autopsy photographs of some children seemed to indicate cyanide poisoning.
The raid was criticized extensively. A slew of controversies emerged. There was no meth lab and no evidence of child abuse. Despite the Danforth Report, the whitewash of bureaucratic misconduct fueled resentment. The Oklahoma City Bombing occurred on the second anniversary of the Waco fire.
Trial
Civil Suits
British Citizen Survivors
Nothing remains of the buildings, today, other than concrete foundation components, as the entire site was bulldozed two weeks after the end of the siege. Only a small chapel, built years after the siege, stands on the site.
Cosmic-Observation 