1984

Hans 2021 Song Draft: Round One-Pick Three-There Goes My Baby-Drifters (1959)

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The Drifters Image One
Photo Credit: poprockdoowopp.com

Hanspostcard has a song draft challenge. This is my Round One pick. I will be posting these per decade.

Having grown up on the East Coast/Mid-Atlantic, one thing my state is known for is shagging (for the Brits, no, that is not what it means). While my grandparents did the Jitterbug as youths, my parents shagged (a descendant of the Jitterbug), as did my classmates and I. This song, in particular, was my favorite to shag to, though I enjoyed many beach music songs. ~Vic

Released either in May (per Rolling Stone Magazine) or April 24, 1959 (per Wikipedia), it was written by Benjamin Nelson (Ben E. King), Lover Patterson and George Treadwell. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the song hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B chart (July) and, #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 (August).

This is the second version of The Drifters under Treadwell’s management, crafted from the Five Crowns: Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Doc Green and Elsbeary Hobbs with James “Poppa” Clark being rejected for alcohol issues. With this line-up, There Goes My Baby was their first single and King’s debut as lead singer. It was unusual for its time, being the first commercial R&B/Soul recording with strings, arranged by Stan Applebaum, and a Brazilian Baiãon groove. Phil Spector studied the production style under Leiber & Stoller.

The song is ranked at #196 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Donna Summer did a version that was released in July 1984 and peaked at #21 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Additional:
Ben E. King and The Drifters (The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation/Inducted 2000)
John Gilliland’s Pop Chronicles (The Drifters & Ritchie Valens/Track 2/University of North Texas Digital Library)
There Goes My Baby (The Art of Rock Music Listening Guide/University of Albany/PDF)
Things You Didn’t Know About The Drifters (Pop, Rock & Doo Wopp/Joe Mirrione/April 10, 2020)

Lyrics

Flick Friday: Captain America-Civil War 2016

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Captain America Civil War Image One
Image Credit: IMDb & Amazon

Five years ago, today, the #1 film at the box office was Captain America: Civil War. Directed by the Russo Brothers and produced by Kevin Feige, the all-star cast is extensive (and well known). If you are unaware of this blockbuster film, it took in $1.15 billion.

The basic plot is one that weaves thru much of the Marvel Comics (and DC Comics, as well) regarding mutant and superhero discrimination and the government wanting to register and track them. The idea was alluded to in the Uncanny X-Men issue #141, published in January of 1981 and the specific words Mutant Control Act showed up in the Uncanny X-Men issue #181, published in May of 1984. It was featured prominently in the movie X-Men (2000).

Captain America Civil War Image Two
Image Credit: IMDb & Amazon

In Civil War, the Sokovia Accords is a United Nations version of a registration act to monitor or control the superheroes. Tony Stark (Ironman) agrees with this registration out of remorse for Ultron and the destruction of Sokovia. Steve Rogers (Captain America) disagrees and wants no part of political intervention or any form of registration. Complicating matters, Rogers’ childhood friend Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) is responsible for the death of T’Challa’s (Black Panther) father and Stark’s parents. The Avengers split along ideological and loyalty lines. Unlike the comics, Captain America isn’t killed off but, he does walk away from the job. He returns during Infinity War & Endgame.

I find all of the above quite prophetic considering recent insane events taking place. Society, once again, finds itself being driven towards more discrimination, tracking/registration with vaccine passports (shall we return to gold stars on lapels and “your papers, please?”) and possible civil war? Please…wake up. ~Vic

Trivia Bits:
The film coincides with the 75th anniversary of Captain America, the 10th anniversary of the original Civil War comic book and Black Panther’s 50th anniversary.
♦ This is the live-action debut of T’Challa, the Black Panther, one of the first black superheroes in American comic books, which debuted in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966).
♦ By the end of the movie, The Avengers logo on Captain America’s arm is no longer there, representing the fact that The Avengers are no longer his.

Awards & Nominations

Hans 2021 Movie Draft: Round Eight-Pick One-The Final Countdown 1980

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USS Nimitz Storm IMDb & Amazon Image One
Image Credit: IMDb & Amazon

Hanspostcard has a movie draft challenge. This is my Round Eight pick.

Category: Action/Adventure/Thriller
Film: The Final Countdown

Captain Yelland: […to his Native American Weather Officer…] “Ahhh, Black Cloud, you’ve been doing unauthorized rain dances again.”

Lasky: […as a Japanese pilot is holding Laurel at gunpoint…] “Why don’t you tell him what’s going on here, Commander? You’re an expert on what’s gonna happen tomorrow…”
Captain Yelland: “Go ahead, tell him.”
Commander Richard Owens: “26 November, six carriers left the Kuril Isles north of Japan. The carriers were the Akagi, Kaga, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu. Tomorrow at dawn, these carriers will send 353 planes to attack Pearl Harbor.”
Senator Chapman: “How in the hell do you know all that?”

F-14 Pilot #1: “Mission aborted? But, we can see ’em!”
F-14 Pilot #2: “They’re gonna let the Japs do it, again.”

Directed by Don Taylor, it was produced by Peter Vincent Douglas and Lloyd Kaufman with Kirk Douglas executive producing without credit. The story, and screenplay, was written by the team of Thomas Hunter, Peter Powell, David Ambrose and Gerry Davis. The ensemble cast was Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Charles Durning, Ron O’Neal, Victor Mohica, Soon-Tek Oh and James Coleman, with producers Lloyd Kaufman and Peter Douglas playing small parts.

Senator Chapman & Laurel IMDb & Amazon Image Two
Photo Credit: IMDb & Amazon

It’s 1980 and Warren Lasky (Sheen) is a Systems Analyst from Tideman Industries, working with the Department of Defense as an efficiency expert. He is dispatched by his secretive employer to board the USS Nimitz before its departure from Naval Station Pearl Harbor for naval exercises in the Pacific. Tideman Industries designed and built the carrier. Not long at sea, a strange storm appears out of nowhere and the Nimitz can neither outrun nor maneuver away from it. Passing thru the storm, electronics and people, alike, are knocked out. Once the storm is gone and everything returns to normal, Captain Yelland (Douglas), his crew and his civilian passenger discover that they have been thrown backwards in time to 1941, just hours before the attack on Pearl Harbor. What now?

It’s original premiere was in London on May 21, 1980, Japan on July 5 and the US on August 1. I didn’t get to see it at the theater but, caught it on HBO a year later. IMDb lists this as Action & Sci-Fi, which it is but, I think it fits in the Adventure/Thriller categories, too. As a contributor on IMDb, I’ve made a suggested update of the genre. Having been on board the USS Enterprise on December 7, 2001, I have a much greater appreciation for the making of this movie. It received mixed reviews and didn’t make a lot of money. Two months later, another time travel film was released…Somewhere In Time and The Philadelphia Experiment, four years later, is the reverse of this movie in time frames. ~Vic

Trivia Bits:
♦ Peter Douglas is Kirk Douglas’ son with his second wife. This was his first film as producer and his only credited acting role.
♦ This was made with the full cooperation of the US Navy and 48 Nimitz crew members were credited.
♦ Filming took place on board ship at sea (exterior shots) with interior shots filmed in dry dock at Naval Station Norfolk. The USS Kitty Hawk was a stand-in, pulling into Pearl Harbor. Flight and water scenes were shot at Naval Air Station Key West.
♦ The production crew was allowed to film a real emergency landing and recovery of an aircraft that appeared in the film.
♦ The first setup to film an F-14 takeoff resulted in both camera and operator being pitched down the runway.
♦ The black and white Pearl Harbor attack footage was taken from Tora! Tora! Tora!
♦ WWII ace fighter pilot Archie Donahue was one of the Zero pilots. The Zeros were converted T-6 Texans, flying full throttle and the F-14s were flying at stall speeds so that both aircraft would be in the same shot.
♦ When filming wrapped, possibly early, the USS Nimitz was recalled to home base to participate in Operation Eagle Claw, the attempt to rescue the hostages held at the U.S. Embassy in Iran on April 24, 1980.

Additional Reading:
Archie Donahue: WWII Ace Pilot (HistoryNet/Jon Guttman/July 2007)
Filming of Final Countdown: You Want Us To Do What? (Pilots For Christ Forum/Administrator Don Gieseke/12-08-2016)
Commander Richard “Fox” Farrell: Lead F-14 Pilot (Dignity Memorial/03-31-2014)

Awards & Nominations

Watch the movie for free: Daily Motion

Hans 2021 Movie Draft: Round Four-Pick Five-The Breakfast Club 1985

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The Breakfast Club IMDb & Amazon Image
Photo Credit: IMDb & Amazon

Hanspostcard has a movie draft challenge. This is my Round Four pick.

Category: Comedy
Film: The Breakfast Club

“So, Ahab, can I have all my doobage?”

“Chicks cannot hold dey smoke, dat’s what it is.”

The opening narration to this film is spoken by Anthony Michael Hall (Brian Johnson/The Brain):

Saturday, March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois, 60062 (fictional town). […] You see us as you want to see us… […] You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. […] That’s the way we saw each other at 7:00 this morning. We were brainwashed.”

This is my graduating class…the class of 1984 (despite the age of some of the actors). Released February 15, 1985, I was in my freshman year of college and it was a bittersweet revisit. I knew these characters…every single one of them. My high school even had a library that resembled that set. This movie was made with only a one million budget but, brought in $51 million and, in 2016, was selected for preservation with the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. There is no CGI or special effects. There are no sweeping views of beautiful locations. There are no “shoot-em-up-bang-bang” sequences. There is some action with the cast running through the hallways, dancing while high and Judd Nelson (John Bender/The Criminal) falling through the ceiling tiles. This is, primarily, a study of human nature, parental influence, peer influence, subtle & overt abuse and the struggle to understand. It’s heartbreaking, it’s hilarious and it is so Generation X. ~Vic

Written, produced and directed by John Hughes, it also stars Emilio Estevez (Andrew Clark/The Athlete), Molly Ringwald (Claire Standish/The Princess), Ally Sheedy (Allison Reynolds/The Basket Case), Paul Gleason (Asst. Principal Richard Vernon) and John Kapelos (Carl Reed/The Janitor).

Ally Comparison Image Two
I had a co-worker tell me that I reminded him of Sheedy.
You be the judge.

Trivia Bits:
♦ The scene in which all characters sit in a circle on the floor in the library and tell stories about why they were in detention was not scripted. Writer and director John Hughes told them all to ad-lib.
♦ There is a deleted scene of Claire and Allison in the bathroom that didn’t show up until the Blu-Ray edition was released.
♦ Sixteen year old Hall hit a growth spurt during shooting and outgrew 24 year old Nelson, prompting Nelson to joke about writing letters to geneticists.
Bender’s joke about the blonde, the poodle and the six foot salami has no punchline as it was never in the script.
♦ Nelson was nearly fired for method-acting harassment.
♦ Hall’s mother & sister play themselves in the movie.
Keith Forsey wrote the lyrics to Don’t You (Forget About Me) and Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music was approached to sing it. Billy Idol was also approached and recorded his own version, later. An offer to Chrissie Hynde lead to her, then, husband Jim Kerr of Simple Minds.
♦ Nelson improvised the part at the closing of the film where Bender raises his fist in defiance. Everyone loved it and it has also become an iconic symbol of the 1980s as well as cinema history.

Additional Reading:
Original ‘Breakfast Club’ Screenplay Found (Chicago Tribune)
The Breakfast Club Cut Content (Lost Media Archive Wiki)

Awards

Opening Scene

Song Sunday: Hands Tied

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Scandal Image
Photo Credit: last.fm

“She may be one good reason to leave but, I’m a hundred reasons to stay…”

This Sunday’s playlist submission is Hands Tied by American pop rock band Scandal, formed in 1981 in New York City by guitarist Zack Smith…and not to be confused with the Japanese band or the Australian band. Written by Holly Knight and Mike Chapman, it was the third track from the album Warrior (featuring Patty Smyth). I can’t find a release date but, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 on October 20, 1984, and peaked at #41 on December 1st. It also peaked at #21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks on the same day.

This album was the very first CD I ever owned. It was a gift and, up until that point, I only had vinyl, 45s and cassettes. I wore this one out, too. The band called it quits in 1985 but, reformed in 2004 and are still active. The song Love’s Got A Line On You from their debut EP Scandal was on the soundtrack to the 1983 movie Easy Money and Smyth was a solo artist on soundtracks for Caddyshack II & Armageddon. Other songs have appeared in additional movies and TV.

Patty Smyth & Scandal (Official Site)

Lyrics

Theodolite Thursday: Dolphins Learn Unusual Hunting Behavior

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Yes…another new heading. From Merriam-Webster:

[A] surveyor’s instrument for measuring horizontal and […] vertical angles

This is the instrument of land surveyors. In my case, I will survey other things. ~Vic

Dolphins Unsplash Image
Photo Credit: Courtnie Tosana on Unsplash

In the crystal clear waters of Shark Bay in Western Australia, scientists have noticed bottlenose dolphins engaging in an unusual behavior. They guide fish into the empty shells of giant snails, bring the shells to the surface and, then, shake them vigorously to dislodge the prey into their open mouths like a person polishing off a bag of popcorn. That extra effort, known as shelling, gets them a guaranteed meal.

Because the dolphins […] use the shells as a trap, this is the second known case of these marine mammals using tools. The first was reported in [1984] when researchers found that bottlenose dolphins wear marine sponges like protective gloves over their beaks to forage for fish on the sea floor. Now, researchers have shown that the dolphins of Shark Bay learn shelling from their friends. It’s the first time social learning involving a tool has been discovered in these mammals and a rare example of such learning in the animal kingdom.

Dolphins Unsplash Image Two
Photo Credit: Red Charlie on Unsplash

Though scientists noticed the shelling behavior more than 10 years ago, it became more frequent following an unusual marine heat wave (PDF) off Western Australia in 2011. The high temperatures roiled Shark Bay’s ecosystem and many gastropods, including sea snails, are believed to have died. “We think the dolphins took advantage of this die-off,” says Sonja Wild, a behavioral ecologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. “The next season,” she says, “there was an incredible increase in shelling”, which made it possible for her to tease out how young adult dolphins learn to do it.

Wild says shelling starts among the adults [but], the more time a young dolphin spends around an accomplished sheller […], “the more likely it is to learn” the technique and pass it on to others later. Still, because dolphin calves spend more than 30,000 hours with their mothers, it’s possible that some learned the trick from their moms, [states] Janet Mann, a dolphin expert at Georgetown University. It’s considered more cognitively demanding to learn a skill like shelling from an unrelated individual because both learner and demonstrator must be socially tolerant, especially while hunting.

Virginia Morell
Science Magazine
June 25, 2020

Tune Tuesday: I Can Tell By The Way You Dance 1984

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Vern Gosdin Image One
Photo Credit: notediscover.com

Thirty-five years ago, today, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot Country chart was I Can Tell By The Way You Dance (You’re Gonna Love Me Tonight) by Vern Gosdin from the album There Is A Season. Released on March 26 as the lead single, it was written by Sandy Pinkard (of Pinkard & Bowden) and Robb Strandlund.

The song, later on, also made it to #1 on Canada’s RPM Country chart.

Additional Reading:
“The Voice” Passes Away (CMT Website)
2017 Inductee (Nashville Songwriters Foundation Website)
Vern Gosdin Music (Official Website)

Lyrics

Tune Tuesday: Time After Time 1984

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Cyndi Lauper Image One
Photo Credit: rollingstone.com & wennermedia.com

Thirty-five years ago, today, the #1 song on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart (and, simultaneously, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and Canadian Singles chart) was Time After Time from the album She’s So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper. Co-written by Lauper and Rob Hyman (The Hooters), it was released on January 27, the second single from the album. The title came from the 1979 movie Time After Time:

“We started by putting together a list of song titles. I thumbed through a TV Guide magazine. One movie title seemed good—a sci-fi film called “Time After Time” from 1979. I never meant for it to be the song’s real title. It was just supposed to get me thinking.” (Quote from Lauper)

It was her first #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Cyndi Lauper Image Two
Image Credit: discogs.com

The video for “Time After Time” was directed by Edd Griles and, its storyline is about a young woman leaving her lover behind when she becomes homesick and worried about her mother. Lauper’s mother, brother and then-boyfriend, David Wolff, appear in the video and Lou Albano, who played her father in the “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” video, can be seen as a cook.

The video opens with Lauper watching the 1936 film The Garden of Allah and the final scene, where she gets on the train and waves goodbye to David, has Lauper crying for real.

[Source]

Cover artists include Miles Davis, Eva Cassidy and Lil Mo. Lauper made an acoustic version with Sarah McLachlan and performed live with McLachlan at the 2005 AMA Awards. Other live performances have been with Patti LaBelle and Lil’ Kim.

Critical Reception
Accolades
Awards & Nominations
Greatest & Best Songs
Other Cover Versions

Lyrics

Tune Tuesday: Dancing In The Dark 1984

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Bruce Springsteen Image One
Photo Credit: dailymail.co.uk & YouTube

Thirty-five years ago, today, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock chart was Dancing in the Dark from the album Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen. The music video was directed by Brian De Palma (Carrie/Scarface/The Untouchables) and it introduced the world to a, then, unknown Courteney Cox. This was his biggest hit single and the album is, to this day, his best selling. The song also went to #1 with Cash Box, in Canada, with Radio & Records and, went on to #1 in 1985 in Belgium & The Netherlands. Notable cover version artists are Kermit the Frog, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Pete Yorn.

Bruce Springsteen Image Two
Image Credit: wikipedia.org

Awards
Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male Grammys
Grammy Hall of Fame Grammys
Pop/Rock Single American Music Awards
International Album of the Year Juno Awards
Best Stage Performance MTV Video Music Awards

Nominations
Grammys: 2
American Music Awards: 2
Brit Awards: 1
MTV Video Music Awards: 1

Lyrics

Tune Tuesday: Let’s Hear It For The Boy 1984

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Rolling Stone Image One
Photo Credit: Rolling Stone

Thirty-five years ago, today, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R & B charts (plus Cash Box) was Let’s Hear It For The Boy by Deniece Williams from the soundtrack of the movie Footloose. This was Williams second number one hit on the Billboard 100.

Composed by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford, country singer Jana Kramer performed the song for the 2011 Footloose remake.

Deniece Williams Image Two
Image Credit: classic45s.com

From Songfacts [no citations]:

This was the second single from the Footloose soundtrack, following the “title track,” which was recorded by Kenny Loggins. In the film, the song was used in a scene where Kevin Bacon tries to teach Christopher Penn how to dance and Penn is having a hard time.

Once the song was written, Pitchford asked Deniece Williams and her producer George Duke to record the song. Kenny Loggins was onboard for the title track, which gave the project credibility and, Williams loved the song and the story idea for the film. She grew up in a small Indiana town with a religious environment similar to the one described in Footloose. When she saw the film, she thought the scene where they used her song was incredible. “If I had come to the film without the music in and they asked me what segment I wanted my song to be in, I would have chosen that segment.” said Williams.

Best Original Song Academy Award Nomination
Best Pop Vocal Performance (Single) Grammy Nomination
Best R & B Vocal Performance (Album) Grammy Nomination

Lyrics

Chris Thomas: An Update On Our Evolution

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A Mini-Book From: The Chris Thomas Files

Update On Evolution Image One
Image Credit: energyenhancement.org

The Situation Post 21/12/12

Many people have asked me for an update of our situation following the passing of the 21st of December 2012 “deadline”. This essay is not intended to be a full update as not all of the information is yet available to carry out a full assessment of where we are and what exactly happened on the day. However, two things are already very clear:
[1] The reason for so few people undergoing soul re-integration is, as a result of, human lack of belief in themselves. I am not going to explore this aspect in full as this will be the subject of a future essay.
[2] Given that there were so few completions on that date, those who would re-shape the world into their view of a “New World Order” have stepped up their plans of moving people in directions that the NWO wish to go whilst totally ignoring the choices of the people.

It is this second situation that I would mainly like to explore in this essay and, in doing so, will highlight many of the reasons for the seeming “failure” of so many to re-integrate.

New World Order?

This is a term that has been used by most leading politicians, as well as many others, in recent years. However, not everybody is familiar with the term and certainly not with its implications. Think of Aldous Huxley’s [sic] novel “1984” [Note: George Orwell wrote 1984. Huxley wrote Brave New World, a very similar novel. Chris Thomas got his authors reversed. He was under enormous strain while writing in 2013. This is the last year he wrote anything.] and that will give you some idea of what the term “New World Order” means. Essentially, the plan is to create a one world government, a one world bank and a one world police force. A central government that rules the world and enforces its policies with a police force under its direct control.

Is this a bad thing? Well think about the governments we currently have. Are they honest? Do they carry out “the will of the people”? Do they treat all of their citizens equally? Most people would answer no to all of those questions. Imagine all of the political corruption there would be if there was only one world government. If you were a part of, or favoured by, that government, you would be allowed to get away with virtually anything. If you were not favoured by the government, you would be made to suffer or even be imprisoned.

There are far too many examples of these kinds of behaviour in the world today by individual governments. The only thing that holds back their, sometimes, extreme behaviour is the reactions of other individual governments. Without those individual governments expressing their views, the one world government could do as it pleases without hindrance. But, would this one world government actually be there to carry out the wishes of the electorate or would it be under the control of what has become known as “the industrial/military complex”?

Update On Evolution Image Two
Image Credit: learning-mind.com

At the time of writing, a bill is passing through the American government (Obama Administration) that has been written by the GMO company Monsanto. Known as the Monsanto Protection Act, it gives the company total immunity from all health and environmental controls that are currently in place in America. Monsanto are looking to be able to plant any genetically modified organism (GMO) anywhere it chooses on American soil with total immunity from any current or future environmental law. “Monsanto’s Law” has been passed by the American Congress and is headed towards the American Senate where it is anticipated it will pass without change.

Then, we have the situation in Guantanamo Bay prison. Both President GW Bush and President Obama have granted pardons to more than half of the prisoners held at Guantanamo as they have been proven to have no connections to any terrorist organisations. The Presidential Orders further state that the prisoners who have been granted pardons be repatriated to their home countries. The military controllers of Guantanamo have ignored both Presidents, locked down the prison, refused access to the prisoners’ legal representatives and stopped commercial flights into the area. The prisoners have responded by going on a hunger strike and this hunger strike has had a news blackout as it has not been reported in the western media.

We have all seen the recent banking situation in Cyprus. Due to EU and government policies, the banking system in Cyprus is in a state of dire collapse. The European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund have stepped in with a rescue package of measures. The first thing they did was to reduce the level of state benefits to pensioners, the disabled, etc…by twenty percent and halt the spending on government projects. They, then, close the banks, preventing people from accessing their own money. They insist on a one-off tax of ten percent of all the money individuals hold in their bank deposit accounts. When this causes riots, they modify this tax to taking ten percent but, could be up to eighty percent, of the accounts that hold more than one hundred thousand Euros. The Bank of Cyprus collapses because of the activities of the European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and the Cyprus government and, who pays the price for it? Ordinary people who have tried to generate some savings against a rainy day. Most people now see this as the model for future bank bailouts.

We have already had situations where governments gave the banks many millions of tax payers’ money but, next time the banks deliberately mess up the economy, they will plunder our savings accounts. At the time of writing, I have heard strong rumours that the Canadian government is looking to pass a law that gives them the powers to act in the same way as the Cyprus government is acting when future problems arise in the banks in Canada. Imagine how safe your savings would be if there was only a one world bank?

To continue reading (this is a 39-page mini-book), download the PDF version HERE.

[Note: This PDF was originally posted on the The Spirit Guides UK (Post Removed) and on the One Vibration Forum Blog on April 13, 2013.]

Movie Monday: Splash 1984

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Splash Image One
Image Credit: comingsoon.net
“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.

Splash Image Two
Photo Credit: imdb.com

An IMDB Summary:

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

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 29 & Day 30

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Music Challenge Image
Photo Credit: goodreads.com

A song you remember from your childhood…

As the challenge comes to a close, this is the final post. ~Vic

I’ve covered everything in the 70s back to 1972, specific to my childhood. Rolling back a little bit more, I remember liking these though I was very young.

1970

No Sugar Tonight

1968
I just barely remember this playing. I was so little but, it is burned into my young memory.

Love Is Blue

*************

Past that, everything I know of music was learned later in life. The above are my earliest true music memories of what I liked, even as a child.

A song that reminds you of yourself…

I’ve never really found a song that reminded me of myself but, there are four songs I really identify with in terms of wandering thru life and the subsequent lessons.

The opening line to the movie:

“On a Saturday (March 24, 1984), five high school students report for all-day detention.”

This is my generation, though I was never in detention. I graduated in June 1984. Ditto Footloose.

Don’t You Forget About Me

Also released during my senior year…

Adult Education

Going Down To Liverpool

What I have turned into (tongue in cheek)…minus the nail-biting. *wink*

S.O.B.

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 25

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A song you like by an artist no longer living…

I’ve already posted some Prince videos and I will have to work hard to keep this post trimmed down.

Can’t do a post like this without The King of Rock and Roll…Elvis. I grew up with this music.


 

Then, we can’t do a post with The King of Pop…Michael. His Off The Wall album was the third album I ever owned, behind Surf & Drag and Grease.


 

Next up, The Queen of Disco…Donna. Her music covered my life from 10 years old to 18.


 

The Beatles were never played in my house. Their music was just not part of my childhood. I discovered who they were after they split up and I liked a lot of solo stuff that came out. My favorite was George. I liked his scratchy, squeaky voice. Paul came in second.


 

This one covers two that have left us…Freddie and Bowie. This song spoke to me at 15 and still does to this day (and I was extraordinarily annoyed when Vanilla Ice ripped it off).


 

This came out after I started college. Teena was the Ivory Queen of Soul.


 

Ok. I’m stopping at seven (I could be here all night). I grew up with this music, as well and still remember all the words. I previously posted my favorite of his songs related to the Gold Rush of 1896. So, I will post my second favorite. I give you Johnny Horton.

30-Day Song Challenge: Six Day Bundle

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Fellow blogger Britchy at Bitchin’ In The Kitchen challenged all of her readers to join in. I could not resist this fun as I am a music nut. That being expressed, I sit on day six so, this first post is a catch-up. Tomorrow, I will join the normal festivities for day seven.

So, without further ado…here we go.

Day One

A song with color in the title.
Oh, my, my, my…this immediately popped into my head. This was released in 1983…my junior year of high school.

Little Red Corvette

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Day Two

A song with a number in the title.
Black Lab appeared on the Alternative Rock scene in 1997 with their début album release Your Body Above Me. This song is particularly haunting to me and I could listen to Paul Durham sing all day long.

Ten Million Years

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Day Three

A song that reminds you of summer.
Dear Lord…the summer of 1984, the year I graduated. Myrtle Beach, alcohol & Prince. This was released ahead of the album Purple Rain‘s release and the movie of the same name. Have mercy… As a side note, Wendy in the background playing guitar in stockings and high-top tennis shoes is just bad ass.

When Doves Cry

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Day Four

A song that reminds you of someone you’d rather forget.
I love this song but, the person that it reminds me of…I wish I could rip them out of my head.

Set Fire to the Rain

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Day Five

A song that needs to be played loud.
Oh, yeah…also played extensively at the beach for graduation…the louder, the better. We wore out a cassette tape.

Fantasy

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Day Six

A song that makes you want to dance.
Honestly, this one is hard…too many to choose from. I will go with…

Say It Right

Thanks, Kristian for rolling the ball to Britchy. ~Vic