Some Of This And Some Of That

     

Tucson Weather Today

____________________

At a Tavis Smiley interview with someone or other on PBS, the interviewee remarked, regarding himself as the habitual drunk: "...because after a few drinks, I would become rich, handsome, and bullet-proof."

I don't know if that was an original description of his or not, but it struck me as being a profound observation, and I will probably use the line in a fiction story, someday.

Yes, I still have passing delusions of being able to write meaningful fiction one of these days. Why not?

Of course, while I am pursuing that endeavor I probably will be unable to also write interesting stuff for this blog.

Oh well . . . what else is new?

Whatever will be will be.

_____

PBS is temporarily presenting some older movies at noon here in Tucson, which gives me the opportunity to view them commercial-free. Yesterday I watched Giant which is a film from 1956 that I had (unbelievably) never seen, with Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, Chill Wills, Dennis Hopper, Sal Mineo, and Earl Holliman. Even with no commercials, I sat and watched it all the way through, from 12 noon until 3:15 P.M.

It's somewhat sad to realize that almost the entire cast is now dead and buried... and either forgotten or never known by those of the newest generation.

Tomorrow at noon is to be Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, and others. I have seen the movie a few times over the years but still look forward to seeing it again.

What? My time could be better spent writing stories than idly watching old movies, you say?

I disagree.

_____

Did You Know . . .?

In the year 2013 the Voyager 1 spacecraft became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space.

_____

HISTORICAL EVENT

On this day in 1999 after three days of high winds and heavy snow, people in the Great Lakes region begin digging out from one of the worst blizzards on record. More than 100 people died in storm-related accidents. The storm began on January 1, when snow began falling across Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. Most areas saw at least 15 inches of snow before the storm moved on.

The storm caused treacherous road conditions throughout the region. A 60-car pile-up on January 2 in Wisconsin resulted in scores of injuries and one death. In Indiana, a 100-mile stretch of Interstate 65 was closed for a full two days. When the snow finally stopped on January 3, record cold temperatures arrived. In Congerville, Illinois, a state record low of -36 degrees was reached. In the aftermath, President Bill Clinton declared Illinois and Indiana disaster areas and sent federal relief.

In all, more than 100 deaths--as many as 36 from heart attacks--were attributed to the terrible blizzard of January 1999.

_____

WORD FOR TODAY

macilent
adjective
-  lean, thin, or shriveled
-  lacking in substance

_____

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson

(born January 3, 1956)

Mel Gibson is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films in the first half of the decade were Forever Young, Lethal Weapon 3, Maverick, and Braveheart. He then starred in Ransom, Conspiracy Theory, Lethal Weapon 4, and Payback. Gibson also served as the speaking and singing voice of John Smith in Disney's Pocahontas.

After 2000 Gibson acted in three films that each grossed over $100 million: The Patriot, Chicken Run, and What Women Want. In 2002, Gibson appeared in the Vietnam War drama We Were Soldiers and M. Night Shyamalan's Signs, which became the highest-grossing film of Gibson's acting career.

Danica Mae McKellar

(born January 3, 1975)

Danica McKellar is an American actress, film director, and book author. She played Winnie Cooper in the television show The Wonder Years, and later wrote four non-fiction books: Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, Hot X: Algebra Exposed and Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape, which encourage middle-school and high-school girls to have confidence and succeed in mathematics.

Dabney Wharton Coleman

(born January 3, 1932)

Dabney Coleman is an American actor. Coleman is perhaps best known for roles in 9 to 5, Cloak & Dagger, Tootsie, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.

Victoria Principal

(born January 3, 1950)
Photo Removed

Victoria Principal is an American actress, author and businesswoman best known for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on the CBS nighttime soap opera Dallas from 1978 to 1987.

__________

There are new words now that excuse everybody. Give me the good old days of heroes and villains, the people you can bravo or hiss. There was a truth to them that all the slick credulity of today cannot touch.
--Bette Davis

NASA TV

This Is Who I Am