Monday 23rd July 2012 Gonna Make You a Star!

Yesterday,was a great day for British sport. Ernie Els was the focus of world golf.  Bradley Wiggins crossed the line as the first wonderful winner of the Tour de France. He comes across in the media as a truly wonderful sportsman. This will be a refreshing change from the big-headed, big-mouthed louts who predominate in the world of football. Let’s not forget also that Britain’s Chris Froome and Richie Porte are the two emerging riders in Team Sky, able to take on the baton from Bradley Wiggins in case of problems, like in 2011 (when the Englishman withdrew from the Tour de France after breaking his collar bone following a fall). A short time after the end of this gruelling success they will be competing in the Olympics. So much for the moaning millionaires who can only play football twice in one week! It was really quite emotional to see how these riders worked as a team. Wiggins gave his last energies to support team-mate Mark Cavendish gain his stage win. It was an example of true sportsmanship and most heart-warming. As the footballers continue to be overpaid and letting themselves down with their Tweeting and other activities another sports star, Ernie Els, not only graciously acclaimed his nearest rival in the golf tournament but was later on TV giving immense praise to his ex-president, Nelson Mandela. After the constant flow of footballer excesses these other sports have been a complete revelation…..and, yes, they do also earn too much money but I feel a little less resentful of them. I am never envious because they deserve to be well rewarded but let’s keep things in perspective. As these guys enjoy their fresh air and sport the miners in Asturias are fighting to go down their mines and dig coal. There are also millions collecting benefits. It all needs a perspective.

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The best lawyer story of all time
The United Way realized that it had never received a donation from the city’s most successful lawyer. So a United Way volunteer paid the lawyer a visit in his lavish office.

The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, “Our research shows that even though your annual income is over two million dollars, you don’t give a penny to charity. Wouldn’t you like to give something back to your community through the United Way?”

The lawyer thinks for a minute and says, “First, did your research also show
you that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness and she has huge
medical bills that are far beyond her ability to pay?”

Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbles, “Uh . . . no, I didn’t know that.”
“Secondly,” says the lawyer, “did it show that my brother, a disabled
veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair and is unable to support his
wife and six children?”

The stricken United Way rep begins to stammer an apology, but is cut off
again.

“Thirdly, did your research also show you that my sister’s husband died in a
dreadful car accident, leaving her penniless with a mortgage and three children, one of whom is disabled and another who has learning disabilities
requiring an array of private tutors?”

The humiliated United Way rep, completely beaten, says, “I’m so sorry, I had
no idea.”

And the lawyer says, “So .. . . if I didn’t give any money to them, what makes you think I’d give any to you?”

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 1715 – The first lighthouse in America was authorized for construction at Little Brewster Island, Massachusetts. Great idea

1827 – The first swimming school in the U.S. opened in Boston, MA.  I think the Uk was a bit earlier and then  there were the Roman Baths

1829 – William Burt patented the typographer, which was the first typewriter. I’ll make a note of that

1904 – The ice cream cone was invented by Charles E. Menches during the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, MO. I suppose someone had to invent it

1914 – Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia following the killing of Archduke Francis Ferdinand by a Serb assassin. The dispute led to World War I.This part of Europe has always been a mess

1938 – The first federal game preserve was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The area was 2,000 acres in Utah. Good idea

1952 – Egyptian military officers led by Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew King Farouk I. I remember this

1958 – The submarine Nautilus departed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, under orders to conduct “Operation Sunshine.” The mission was to be the first vessel to cross the north pole by ship. The Nautils achieved the goal on August 3, 1958. With Captain Nemo?

1962 – The “Telstar” communications satellite sent the first live TV broadcast to Europe. via the Tornadoes?

1972 – Eddie Merckx of Belgium won his fourth consecutive Tour de France bicycling competition.  A legend

1984 – Miss America, Vanessa Williams, turned in her crown after it had been discovered that nude photos of her had appeared in “Penthouse” magazine. She was the first to resign the title. Fair cop

1986 – Britain’s Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey in London. They divorced in 1996.  .I quite liked them both

2000 – Lance Armstrong won his second Tour de France. Another legend

 

 

1955, Slim Whitman was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Rose Marie.’ The single stayed at the top of the charts for eleven weeks. Whitman held the record for the most consecutive weeks at No.1 (11 weeks), until 1991.A quality song from a different era

1964, The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘A Hard Days Night’, the group’s fifth UK No.1.  A good song
1966, Frank Sinatra went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Strangers In The Night’. I like Sinatra and his music

1969, The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Honky Tonk Women,’ the group’s 8th and last UK No.1. Great Decca hit
1977, Barry Manilow went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Looks Like We Made It’, his third US No.1. Not a hit in the UK. Why?

1977, Who drummer Keith Moon joined Led Zeppelin on stage during a gig at The Forum, Inglewood, Los Angeles playing a duet with Zeppelin drummer John Bonham before taking to the microphone and attempting to sing. I’ve got my Who tee-shirt on
1980, Cliff Richard received his OBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. 1983, Paul Young had his first UK No.1 single with his version of the Marvin Gaye song ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat, (That’s My Home.)’ The song title was parodied by the UK indie band Super Furry Animals with their 1999 song ‘Wherever I Lay My Phone (That’s My Home)’. Cliff is another legend-ask any tennis fan

1983, Yazoo went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their second and final release ‘You And Me Both’.  I liked both of them
1983, The Police kicked off the North American leg of their Synchronicity 107-date world tour at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois. The Police also went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Synchronicity’, which spent a total of seventeen weeks at No.1.Sting made the tills ring

1989, Ringo Starr kicked off his first tour since the break-up of the Beatles with a show in Dallas. His backup band included guitarist Joe Walsh, organist Billy Preston and Bruce Springsteen’s sax man Clarence Clemons.A good line-up but did they cut the mustard?

. 1996, Rob Collins, keyboard player with The Charlatans died in a car crash, aged 29. Collins had been recording keyboard parts for the Charlatans 5th album ‘Tellin’ Stories’ at a studio in Wales. An investigation into the accident showed that Collins had consumed a sizable amount of alcohol and was not wearing a seatbelt. He died from head injuries on the roadside shortly after the accident having been thrown through the windscreen.Another sad story from the world of pop

2000, Farrah Franklin left Destiny’s Child after only five months with the group, the remaining trio of Beyonce, Kelly, and Michelle said that Farrah was not kicked out, but had all agreed that Farrah and Destiny’s Child should part ways.  Evolution is like that
‘ 2000, The Corrs started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘In Blue’.This is one lovely family band
2003, James Brown announced his separation from his fourth wife using an advertisement featuring the Disney character Goofy. The 70-year-old placed the notice in Variety magazine, it featured a picture of himself, his wife Tomi Rae and their two-year-old son, James Joseph Brown II, posing with Goofy at Walt Disney World. He was always outrageous

2005, Queen’s 1985 Live Aid performance was voted the best rock concert ever by over 7,000 UK Sony Ericsson music fans. Radiohead were voted the best festival act for their 1997 Glastonbury performance and Bob Dylan’s 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall gig won the best ever solo gig.  This sounds kosher to me

2006, McFly scored their 5th UK No.1 single with ‘Please Please’.Nice group of lads

2006, George Michael was accused of engaging in anonymous public sex, after being photographed in London’s Hampstead Heath with a 58-year-old unemployed van driver. Despite stating that he intended to sue both the News of the World tabloid who photographed the incident and van driver Norman Kirtland for slander, Michael stated that he openly cruised for anonymous sex and that this was not an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny Goss.This is too sick for words. I like the music but the behaviour is foul

2008, A waxwork model of Amy Winehouse was unveiled at Madame Tussauds. The singer’s parents, Mitch and Janis, revealed the model, ‘complete with trademark beehive and sailor tattoos’, at the London attraction. Earlier in the week her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, was jailed for 27 months for attacking a pub landlord and perverting the course of justice. She is a troubled soul with a fabulous voice and her dad is quite a singer too

2010, Surgical instruments allegedly used to conduct Elvis Presley’s autopsy were removed from an upcoming auction amid doubts about their authenticity. Forceps, needle injectors, rubber gloves and a toe tag were among the items that were expected to fetch about $14,000 at Chicago, Illinois’ Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. The so-called “memorabilia” was supposedly kept by a senior embalmer at the Memphis Funeral Home where the singer’s body was stored prior to his funeral, but the claims were questioned after another employee revealed that the equipment was fake. This is too sick and goes to far in memorabelia’s gory travels

 

Born on this day

 

1942, Madeline Bell, UK singer, Blue Mink, (1970 UK No.3 single ‘Melting Pot’).

1945, Dino Danelli, drums, The Young Rascals, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.8 single ‘Groovin’).

1946, Andy Mackay, sax, woodwind, Roxy Music, (1972 UK No.4 single ‘Virgina Plain’ and 15 other UK Top 40 singles’)

1947, David Essex, UK singer, actor, (1974 UK No.1 single ‘Gonna Make You A Star’, plus 18 other UK Top 40 singles, 1974 US No.5 single, ‘Rock On’). 1947, Tony Joe White, US singer, songwriter, (1969 US No.8 single, ‘Polk Salad Annie’, 1970 UK No.22 single ‘Groupie Girl’, wrote ‘Steamy Windows’, UK No.13 single for Tina Turner).

1950,Blair Thorton, guitar, Bachman Turner Overdrive, (1974 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’).
1952,  Janis Siegel, singer, Manhattan Transfer, (1977 UK No.1 ‘Chanson D’amour’, 1981 US No.7 single ‘Boy From New York City’).

1961, Martin Gore, keyboards, Depeche Mode, (1984 UK No.4 single ‘People Are People’, plus over 25 other UK Top 40 singles, 1990 US No.8 single, ‘Enjoy The Silence’).  1965,  Slash, (Saul Hudson), guitar, Guns N’ Roses, (1988 US No.1 & 1989 UK No.6 single ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, 1991 US & UK No.1 album, ‘Use Your Illusion II’). Velvet Revolver, (2004 US No.1 & UK No.11 album ‘Contraband’).

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