My Oscar Picks...

Okay, I disagree completely with last night's choices at the 83rd Academy Awards. For best picture, I pick Toy Story 3. Best Actor goes to Woody and best Actress to Jessie. Supporting Actor is Buzz Lightyear, and with a touching performance my best Supporting Actress is Mrs. Potato Head.

Hey, Toy Story 3 was the only movie I saw that was nominated... what can I say?

Clean Your Roof!

It's been a heck of a winter! And for some reason I've seen this happen three times in the last month. Here's the story; last Tuesday I was driving South on West Avenue. A gal ahead of me pulled up to the red light at Jackson Street and hit her brakes pretty hard. A five inch deep carpet of snow slid off her roof and completely covered her windshield. She couldn't see a thing, and yet she drove a couple blocks before turning off to clear the snow. Crazy! In case you don't get it, here's a picture I took of the Eagle Vue after the snow came down to show you what I mean... clean the snow off your roof please!!

Survivor recap 2/24/11

Another entertaining episode last night, but I'm not sure it's as exciting as a lot of people are saying. Russell followed the same plan that he's used before, allying with two pretty girls (hey dude, it hasn't worked before). Boston Rob took solid control of his tribe, forced Christina to play her immunity idol, saved Phillip, and blindseided Matt (see photo).
A few observations...
Phillip started crying in one of his on-camera interviews because of how much he loves his country. Wow, can you say issues?
Matt and Francesca's duel on redemption island was saved for next week... weird.
Ralph, the hick farmer guy, found the other immunity idol and got in Russell's face when Russell stole the clue to find the same idol (Russell is unaware Ralph has it). Is Ralph the sleeper in this game? Time will tell.
We haven't really met several contestants so far... too much focus on the big name players.
Russell called Ralph the dumbest player to ever play Survivor. I'm sorry Russell, the owner of that distinction is still you and we will NOT miss you when you're gone!
I still love the show though...

2/23/64 - 3rd Appearance on Ed Sullivan

Marking the first time Ed Sullivan ever had a guest on his show three weeks in a row, the Beatles performed again, this time though they were pre-recorded. Again, a record audience tuned in and was again treated to a throng of screaming teen-age girls in the audience. The fab four wasn't in the U.S.A. though, they'd flown home the day before arriving in London to be welcomed by 10,000 adoring fans lining the runway at Heathrow airport.

Survivor 2/16/11

The new season is underway! Season 22 is called "Redemption Island"... because when you're voted off you go to redemption island and if you successfully battle your way through all the rest of the crew as they're voted off, well, you're back in the game!
Plus this season, two old veterans have returned; Boston Rob and Russell. Yes, I said Russell... the total idiot that thinks he's the best Survivor of all time. The Russell that betrays everyone, lies to everyone and makes it to final tribal council... and then never gets a single vote. And he never learns either!
So last night we met everyone. Probably the most interesting newbie is Phillip. Phillip is constantly telling everyone he used to be a Federal Agent. Right. So last night, he gets to tribal council with his tribe and promptly announces everything that anyone has said to him regarding alliances, who to vote off, and what people have whispered in his ear. Needless to say, he won't last long. And his antics got Francesca voted off. So Francesca is the first to go to Redemption Island. How will Francesca (see picture) do on the island? Pretty well I think, but I've been wrong before.
I do have to admit, it was the craziest first tribal council ever!

2/16/64 - Second Appearance on Ed Sullivan

The Miami trip culminated with the Beatles' performance at the Deauville Hotel for the Ed Sullivan show. The TV audience stayed strong with just over 70 million people tuning in. The fabs performed six songs during two onstage appearances, and again the throng of screaming teen-age girls attested to the fever of Beatlemania.

2/10 - 2/15, 1964

The Beatles spent a few days checking out America after their historic appearance on Ed Sullivan. On the 10th they did a show at the Washington Coliseum, the next day two shows at Carnegie Hall, and eventually they made their way to Miami Beach. In Miami, they prepared for another appearance on Ed Sullivan, this one at the Deauville Hotel. They also had some fun, swimming in the ocean, sightseeing, and meeting Cassius Clay (soon to be Muhammad Ali).

February 9, 1964 - The Ed Sullivan Show

Before the Beatles arrived in America they had wondered if anyone would notice them when they were there. They wondered if anyone would come to watch them when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. They needn't have worried, there were 50,000 requests for the 728 seats in the Ed Sullivan theatre.
That night, 73 million viewers tuned in to watch... a record breaking audience. According to A.C. Nielsen it was 23.2 million households watching.
When Ed Sullivan introduced John, Paul, George and Ringo the live audience (largely teen-age girls) erupted with screams that didn't stop until the Fab Four left the stage. They performed two sets of five songs: “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”
And the world of rock and roll was changed forever...

February 7, 1964 - The Beatles Come to America

At 1:20 PM on Friday, February 7, 1964, the Pan Am Boeing 707 carrying the Beatles lands at JFK International in New York. Around 3,000 screaming teens, 200 reporters and 100 policemen wait to greet them. As their plane taxies to a stop, the Beatles suddenly realize the waiting mob is for them (they'd thought for sure the President was landing on another plane). Reporters at a televised news conference discover that the fabs have wit, charm, a playful sense of humor, and judging by the endless screams coming from the teen girls waiting outside... are totally cute.
Whisked by limousine to New York's grandest hotel, the Plaza, the Beatles find another mob surrounding their hotel. Barricades and 20 mounted policeman battle to keep the crowd at bay. For many days the radio stations of NYC have broadcast every detail of the Beatle visit and their itinerary. The Beatles find themselves kept prisoner in their suite. Ringo quips to a reporter "so this is America... they all seem to be out of their minds!" Outside the chants of "we want the Beatles" go on and on. Inside 100,000 letters from American fans are brought to their rooms.
The Beatles have arrived...

February 3, 1964 - Visas

Paris France- The Beatles were packed off to the American Embassy in Paris by Brian Epstein. They nervously applied for their visas and work permits for the upcoming trip to America. They were all apprehensive about it, they had conquered England but were sure that the USA would swallow them up. Despite the call that they'd received a Gold Record for "I Want To Hold Your Hand" they felt they'd largely go un-noticed in the U.S. They returned to the GeorgeV hotel and prepared for their show at the Olympia.
But now the Beatles had their Visas... and tickets for a BEA flight to America. The British invasion was four days away... and history was waiting to be made!

Paris, the Olympia, tomorrow...

We always hear about the Beatles long gigs in Hamburg, Germany and the Cavern Club in Liverpool... but they also did three weeks at the Olympia in Paris in January and February of 1964. On February 2, 1964 they spent a relaxing day by Beatle standards, culminating with their show at the Olympia. They also found out that the next day they'd have to go do something they'd never done before... something that will directly lead to changing the face of rock music forever. More on that tomorrow.

Number One...

February 1, 1964 the Beatles hit number one on the Billboard Singles Chart for the first time. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" stayed at the one spot for seven weeks. In the meantime, "She Loves You" was rapidly climbing the charts as well starting a longtime Beatle tradition of having several songs on the chart simultaneously. We were also seeing the beginnings of trends set by the fab four... the haircuts, the boots, their clothes. Beatlemania was crossing the ocean from Europe to the USA.