Are you one of the millions of fans that loved the movie Titanic? I understand that it set attendance records and won many awards but truthfully I never saw the movie and never wanted to. I’m not sure why but I’ve always felt, why watch the movie, I already knew the ending. They hit an iceberg and sank, and people died. End of story, right? Todays post is done not for me but for the huge number of fans of a sinking ship and the death of 1,517 innocent people. I never wanted to see the millions of dollars of Hollywood special efforts because I already imagined how horrible it must have been when I read the story as a kid. But for you die-hard fans, let’s just see how you do on this little quiz. As always the answers will be listed below. Have a wonderfully morbid day.
How many Academy Awards did Titanic win?
Who played Rose’s fiancé Cal Hockley?
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack wins his ticket to board the Titanic by playing what game?
What fake working title was the film referred to during production in order to keep its subject matter secret?
At the time of its release Titanic was the most expensive movie ever made. What was the budget: 90, 150, or 200 million?
In real life who actually drew the nude sketch of Rose that was used in the film?
What is the name of the rare diamond set in Rose’s necklace?
Who sang the movies iconic chart-busting theme song “My Heart Will Go On”?
True or false? The movies famous line, I’m the king of the world!” was improvised by Leonardo DiCaprio?
Who played the character of the “Unsinkable Molly Brown?
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SPECIAL THANKS TO HANNA KOELMEYER
Answers
11, Billy Zane, Poker, Planet Ice, 200 million, Director James Cameron, Heart of the Ocean, Celine Dion, True, Kathy Bates
As most of you are aware I love using quotes to make an interesting point and they’re usually of a complimentary nature. Todays post will change that. These are quotes from recognizable people who don’t appear to be as happy about things as we all thought they were. I’m providing a selection of quotes concerning the Media and other related matters that might be considered somewhat negative. I live for the negative, how about you?
Newspapers
“The most truthful part of a newspaper is the advertisements.” Thomas Jefferson
“In the old days men had the rack. Now they have the press.” Oscar Wilde
“Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask you if it’s shining.” Sonny Liston
“Looking at yourself through the media is like looking at one of those rippled mirrors in an amusement park.” Edmund Muskie
Publishers & Journalists
“Jack Anderson is the lowest form of human being to walk the earth. He’s a muckraker who lies, steals, and he’ll go lower than dog shit for a story.” J. Edgar Hoover
“Dorothy Kilgallen is the only woman I wouldn’t mind my wife catching me with. I don’t know why she took such umbrage at my comments on birth control, she’s such a living argument for it.” Johnny Carson
“If Hugh Hefner truly thinks that being spread-eagled is so fantastic, how come we haven’t seen his little wahoo with a staple in the middle?” CBS-TV
Television
“Acting on television is like being asked by the captain to entertain the passengers while the ship goes down.” Peter Ustinov
“Dealing with network executives is like being nibbled to death by ducks.” Eric Sevaride
“I find television very educating. Every time someone turns on the set I go into the other room and read a book.” Groucho Marx
“TV is a medium, because it is neither rare nor well done.” Ernie Kovacs
Education
“Colleges are like old-age homes, except for the fact that more people die in colleges.” Bob Dylan
“Our American professors like their literature clear and cold and pure and dead.” Sinclair Lewis
“The schools ain’t what they used to be and never was.” Will Rogers
❤️Anonymous (always the best)❤️
“Tabloids are fast reading for the slow thinkers.”
“The mission of the modern newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
Doctors bury mistakes. Lawyers hang them. But journalists put theirs on the front page.”
“Criticism is the disapproval of people, not for having faults but for having faults different from theirs.”
“You can tell a Harvard man, but you can’t tell him much.”
I recently posted about my historic meeting ( historic for me) with “Stan the Man” Musial in 1961. One person I failed to mention was another first baseman who I met prior to a playoff game in in Williamsport. I was fortunate to meet an elderly gentleman seated in the stands behind home plate. He was my number two all time favorite player since he was also a first baseman. It was the great George Harold Sisler. Todays post will be a short bio on Mr. Sisler which will stun you. I still treasure meeting him and getting his autograph to this day. Lets do a little time traveling and learn about a true baseball legend.
In 1915 Sisler was pitching for the Saint Louis Browns when his manager approached him and convinced him to give up pitching and become their first baseman. He was hesitant but went along. He was a self-effacing player and took to his new job immediately. In his first eight seasons he compiled an incredible batting average of .367! In 1920 he hit .407 and two seasons later he batted .420. In 1920 he had 257 hits. In his 16 years as a first baseman he hit safely 2812 times, stole 375 bases, and wound up with a lifetime batting average of .340.
His career was shortened when he was stricken with a disease that effected his optic nerve causing double vision. He still starred in the league for an additional eight years and was able to bat over .340 twice even with his bad eyes. In three of his last eight years he collected 200 hits and in his last season he still batted over .300.
I decided this post needed to be put out there because so many of the early Hall of Famers who helped make the sport so great are slowing being forgotten. But not by me!
I’ve been a lover of baseball for my entire life beginning at the age of four. When I get obsessed with something I really do it right. I played three years of Little League, then two seasons of Senior Little League, then Pony League, 3 years of High School baseball, and finally two seasons of American Legion baseball. I tell you this not to brag but to convince you just how nuts I am about baseball. Throughout all of those years I had one major league ball player who was my idol. That was “Stan the Man” Musial. He was a lefthander from Pennsylvania who played both first base and the outfield. I was a lefty from Pennsylvania too and played first base and I pitched as well. His batting stance was my batting stance.
My biggest day occurred at the old Forbes Field stadium in Pittsburgh in 1961. Our team was invited to appear in a ceremony prior to the game. The pirates were playing St. Louis and guess who had his picture taken with Stan . . . that would be me. I also got to meet all of the players from the 1960 Pittsburgh World Series Champions, Roberto Clemente, Bill Virdon, Al McBean, Bill Mazeroski, just to name a few. Now you know why I love baseball. I have quite a collection of books on baseball and baseball trivia. Here are a few facts you may not have heard before and I hope you enjoy them.
THE MAN
Babe Ruth named his bat “Black Beauty”.
Hall of Famer outfielder, Edd Roush used a 48-ounce bat- the heaviest ever used in the major leagues.
On September 15, 1946 the Dodgers beat the Cubs 2-0 in five innings. The game was called because of gnats, who became a problem for the players, the umpires, and the fans.
On August 2, 1938 the Dodgers and the Cardinals used a yellow baseball as an experiment in the first game of the double header. The Dodgers won the game, 6-2, and the yellow ball was never used again.
“Wee Willie” Keeler, at five feet and one-half inch and weighing in at 142 pounds, was the smallest player in the Hall of Fame.
Bert Campanaris of the Kansas City A’s played all nine positions in a single game on September 8, 1965.
First baseman Ted Kluszewski of the Reds has such muscular arms that he had to cut the sleeves of his uniform to get into it.
And “last but least” another fact about the Pirates.
1960 World Champs
In 1988 former Yankee pitcher Art Ditmar, lost his lawsuit against a beer company and an ad agency that had mistakenly identified him as the pitcher who had given up Pirate Bill Mazeroski’s home run that won the 1960 World Series. Actually, it was Ralph Terry, but the judge ruled that Ditmar failed to provide more than speculation that the commercial had caused him any financial harm.
I’m not much of a celebrity watcher but I understand that many of you are. Todays post is a list of fifteen items of totally useless information (EUT) about a variety of celebs from a number of different decades. Here we go . . .
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Mae West (my favorite) was born in Greenpoint Brooklyn.
Clint Eastwood once pumped gas while a student on the G.I. Bill at LA City College.
Actress Angelina Jolie is the goddaughter of Jacqueline Bisset.
People Magazine named their first “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1985. It was Mel Gibson.
Brad Pitt was born in Shawnee ,Oklahoma.
Tom Cruise once attended a seminary to become a Catholic priest.
Actor Nicholas Cage is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola.
Diane Keaton was a member of the original cast of Hair.
Actress Natalie Portman was discovered by a scout in a pizza parlor in1991.
Brittany Spears and Jason Allen were married for less than a day.
Tom Cruise is dyslexic.
Actor Michael Douglas flunked out of college.
Mia Farrow was on the cover of the first issue of People Magazine in 1974.
Sara Michelle Gellar was once a competitive figure skater.
Actor Dustin Hoffman once worked as a toy salesman at Macy’s.
In my humble opinion the most important thing a person can have is a healthy sense of humor. Without that a person loses most of their true personality and likeability. In the worst of times being able to “crack wise” and smile a little goes a long way to calm any situation. I constantly post quotations because they tell me more about a person than meeting them in person and having a casual conversation. Even people who I really don’t care for occasionally surprise me with their quotes and a few times I actually forgave them their stupidity and changed my opinion of them. That sounds a little harsh but all of us have the capability of being harsh, crass, and opinionated and still have thoughts worth sharing. Todays post contains quotations from some of my favorite people: comedians.
“Always look out for Number One and be careful not to step in Number Two.” Rodney Dangerfield
“It is said that life begins when the fetus can exist apart from it’s mother. By this definition, many people in Hollywood are legally dead.” Jay Leno
“I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.” Lily Tomlin
“My theory of evolution is that Darwin was adopted.” Steven Wright
“I am at two with nature.” Woody Allen
“Men read maps better than women because only men can understand the concept of an inch equaling a hundred miles.” Rosanne Barr
You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later you have to start all over again”. Joan Rivers
“My plastic surgeon told me my face looked like a bouquet of elbows.” Phyllis Diller
“When I meet a man I ask myself, “Is this the man I want my children to spend their weekends with?” Rita Rudner
“In breeding cattle you need one bull for every twenty-five cows, unless the cows are known sluts.” Johnny Carson
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BONUS FOR RETIREES
“Sex after ninety is like trying to shoot pool with a rope. Even putting my cigar in it’s holder is a thrill.”
It appears today will be a slow day. Gray skies, rainy, and just chilly enough to let us know that snow is on the way soon. With that depressing thought in mind I’ll be lazy and post some little known facts you may not have heard before.
The first soda can was developed in 1938 by the Continental Can Company for the ginger ale drink Clicquot in Massachusetts. RC Cola was the first soft drink company to nationally distribute soda in cans in 1954.
In 1968, the Navy spent $400,00.00 in a study of Frisbees in wind tunnels, using cameras and computers. The results were never published.
Dr. Joseph Bell inspired the character of Sherlock Holmes. In 1877 when Arthur Conan Doyle was studying to be a doctor, Bell was one of his professors. Dr. Bell had excellent deductive abilities when observing people.
The state of Oklahoma comes from the Choctaw Indians words: “okla” meaning people and “humma” meaning red, so the state’s name literally means “red people”.
To satisfy President Ronald Reagan more than 24 thousand pounds of jelly beans were ordered by the White House during his two terms in office.
On July 11, 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed the Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey.
James Madison stood only 5’4′. He was also the lightest president weighing in at just a 100 pounds.
On April 11,1912, pinstripes appeared on the uniforms of the Highlanders, who were the forerunners of the New York Yankees.
In 1872 the Equal Rights Party nominated Victoria Claflin Woodhall for the Presidency. This was at a time when, nationwide, women were not allowed to vote.
Aldous Huxley published his novel Brave New World in 1933. George Orwell followed in 1949 with “1984”of a society run by the Thought Police and Big Brother.
I am what could be considered a member of the first “TV Generation”. I saw my first B&W television in the early 1950’s and I’ve been hooked ever since. During the years 1967-1970 I was in the Army in an area that offered just radio but no television at all and I suffered. Once I returned home after my service I became truly obsessed and addicted once again. There are millions just like me from at least three generations and that’s who this quiz is targeting. Here are the “dirty dozen + one” trivia questions from the early years of TV . . . lets see how you do. As always the answers will be listed below.
What soap star played the voice of Charlie on “Charlies Angels“?
Which two “Different Strokes” stars were sent to prison for criminal felonies?
Which actors demands for higher pay caused the demise of the “Mork & Mindy” show?
What dancing movie star played Bandit, the leader of a law-enforcement gang, in the short-lived show “The Renegades”?
Which of the stars from “Barney Miller” died during the shows run?
Which star of “Welcome Back, Kotter” became one of the biggest movie stars of the 1970’s and beyond?
Which star of “One Day at a Time” once shared cocaine with her father.
What famous actor/comedian played Jodie. the homosexual on “Soap”
Who was the last member of the original cast of “Saturday Night Live” to be hired?
What movie star-turned-director got his big break as Rowdy Yates on “Rawhide”?
What “Star Trek” actor played Robin on “Mission: Impossible”?
What two actors on “Taxi” also appeared in the film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”?
Here is one of My Favorite actors who deserves a BONUS mention:
Which actor from “WKRP in Cincinnati” went on to star as a teacher on “The Head of the Class”?
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HOW MANY DID YOU KNOW?
Answers
John Forsythe, Dana Plato (armed robbery) and Todd Bridges (attempted murder), Pam Dauber, Patrick Swayze, Jack Soo (Nick Yemana), John Travolta (Vinnie Barbarino), Mackenzie Phillips (Julie), Billie Crystal, John Belushi, Clint Eastwood, Leonard Nimoy, Danny DeVito & Christopher Lloyd, BONUS: Howard Hesseman (Doctor Johnny Fever)
With the NFL preparing to dazzle us with another season of football, I feel the need to give baseball a little extra boost because it’s my all-time favorite sport. It will always be Americas Favorite Pastime for me as shown by the continuing outstanding teams and players this season. Todays post consists of a short but extremely difficult trivia quiz (10 questions) that was initially prepared and published in 1975. It was created to challenge only the true fans of the game. As always, the answers will be listed below.
In 1926, who was the Brooklyn Dodger who “tripled” into a double play by being caught on third base with two other runners?
What Milwaukee pitcher committed two errors while covering first base, enabling the Yankees to win the 1958 World Series?
Who was the Cincinnati catcher who blocked an errant pitch with his body and then couldn’t find the ball – only three feet away – while two Yankees scored in the tenth inning of a 1939 World Series game?
Who was the New York first baseman who committed a three-base error in the 1939 World Series to set up a Dodger run which helped Los Angeles sweep the four game series?
Who made the boner – failing to touch second base on a teammate’s single – that cost the Giants a late-season victory and the 1908 pennant?
THE BAMBINO
What Dodger catcher missed holding on to a third strike which allowed Tommy Hendrich to reach first base safely and opened the way for a Yankee World Series victory in 1941?
Who was the Chicago Cub pitcher who threw Babe Ruth a homerun ball after the Bambino had taken two strikes and pointed to the spot over the Wrigley Field fence where he would hit the ball in the 1932 World Series?
Only one pitcher has retired more than twenty-seven batters in a single game. Name him.
Who was the only man to complete an unassisted triple-play in the World Series?
The Yankee had two second base men who hit .500 in World Series play. One did it in 1941 and the second in 1953. Name them.
PLAY BALL!!!
Answers
Babe Herman, Lew Burdette, Ernie Lombardi, Joe Pepitone, Fred Merkle, , Mickey Owens, Charlie Root, Harvey Haddix (Pittsburgh vs Milwaukee 1959) 35 batters, Bill Wambsganss (Cleveland) 1920, Elston Howard and Gene Tenace
Human beings are strange animals. We all seem to think that everything we think and speak is something new and original and profound. It’s not until we mature into thinking adults (most of us) that we realize just how repetitive and cyclical almost everything is. Todays post will concern a few classic nursery rhymes we’ve all heard or used and the approximate date of their origins. Have fun.
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“Hush-a-Bye Baby” – 1765, New England
Hush-a-bye baby, on the tree top,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
Down will come baby, cradle, and all.
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“Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” – Pre-1760, England
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full . . .
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“Hey Diddle Diddle” – Post-1569, Europe
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon . . .
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“Sing a Song of Sixpence” – Pre-1744 – England
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
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Here’s a special ditty just for Mary (my better-half).
“Mary, Mary” – 18th Century – England
Mary, Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
and pretty maids all in a row.
Secular tradition claims the original ” Mary” was actually Mary, Queen of Scots
