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The Olympics have been a resounding success so far and especially for Britain. Here in Spain we haven’t really got as much hysteria although there is a daily programme to keep abreast of the events. We have the BBC to thank for their coverage and it has been brilliant. If Britain set out to prove to the world they are the best at many things they can include public broadcasting amongst their triumphs. It must be said that, despite its faults, the BBC has surpassed any expectations in its efforts to broadcast these games. Behind the ability to do this there lurks the planning and co-operation of the many thousands of helpers. The country has shown how good it can be and it is now up to its citizens to reinforce the efforts of the Olympic planners and executors. The athletes have shown themselves to be in a class of their own. Despite coming third they would easily win this if their ratio of medals were compared to the population. There might also be a few surprises as the Caribbean Islands would shoot up the medal table. How on earth do they do it? Is it their diet? Is it their climate? How do they produce such wonderful sprinters in every Olympic Games? Kenya and Ethiopia also produce fabulous long distance competitors. How do they do it? Is it superior training methods? Is it diet? These countries are amazing. The Cubans always have strong boxers. That’s another effort from the Caribbean where there are small populations. Here are some comparisons via Wikipaedia
China- 347,350,000
United States-314,065,000
Germany 81,859,000
United Kingdom 62,262,000
France 65,350,000
Kenya 42,749,000
Australia 22,693,470
Netherlands 16,738,836
Cuba 11,247,925
Spain 46,163,116
Jamaica 2,705,827
Bermuda (UK) 64,237
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Here are some photos from our recent trip to Liverpool……
Cancel Your Credit Card Before You Die-Priceless!Reported in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle U.K. recently:
Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die! This is so
priceless. And so easy to see happening – customer service, being
what it is today!A lady died this past September and MBNA bank billed her in October
and November for their annual service charges on her credit card and
then in December added late fees and interest on the monthly charge.
The balance that had been £0.00; now is somewhere around £60.00.A family member placed a call to the MBNA Bank:Family Member: ‘I am calling to tell you that my grandma died in September.’MBNA: ‘But the account was never closed and so the late fees and
charges still apply.’Family Member: ‘Maybe, you should turn it over to your collections section.’
MBNA: ‘Since it is two months over due, it already has been.’
Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?’
MBNA: ‘Either report her account to the Frauds Department or report
her to The Credit bureau, maybe both!’
Family Member: ‘Do you think God will be mad at her?’
MBNA: ‘Excuse me?’
Family Member: ‘Did you just get what I was telling you . The part
about her being dead?’
MBNA: ‘Sir, you’ll have to speak to my supervisor.’
Supervisor gets on the phone:
Family Member: ‘I’m calling to tell you, she died in September.’
MBNA: ‘But the account was never closed and the late fees and charges
still apply.’
Family Member: ‘You mean you want to collect from her estate?’
MBNA: (Stammer) ‘Are you her solicitor?’
Family Member: ‘No, I’m her grandson.’
MBNA: ‘Could you fax us a death certificate?’
Family Member: ‘Sure.’
( fax number is given )
After they get the fax:
MBNA: ‘Our system just isn’t set up for death. I don’t know what more
I can do to help.’
Family Member: ‘Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could
just keep billing her. I don’t think she will care.’
MBNA: ‘Well, the late fees and charges will still apply.’
Family Member: Would you like her new billing address?’
MBNA: ‘That would help.’
Family Member: ‘ Plot 1049.’ Heaton Cemetery, Heaton Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.
MBNA: ‘But, that’s a cemetery!’
Family Member: ‘Well, what the f*** do you do with dead people on your planet?’
The MBNA were not available for comment when a reporter from the
Newcastle Evening Chronicle rang them.
1678 – American Indians sold the Bronx to Jonas Bronck for 400 beads. Now we know what the Bronx is all about
1790 – The Columbia returned to Boston Harbour after a three-year voyage. It was the first ship to carry the American flag around the world. It would be a trend to come
1859 – The escalator was patented by Nathan Ames. Wonderful work and he proved life has its ups and downs!
1902 – After the death of Queen Victoria, Edward VII was crowned king of England. Keep it in the family
1910 – A.J. Fisher received a patent for the electric washing machine. Another wonderful invention
1936 – Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympics. He was the first American to win four medals in one Olympics. He really would not have been appreciated by Adolf Hitler
1945 – The U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The bombing came three days after the bombing of Hiroshima. About 74,000 people were killed. Japan surrenderedAugust 14. I really cannot get my head around the death and destruction and find it hard to justify the decision to drop the bomb
1969 – Sharon Tate and four other people were found murdered at Tate’s residence in Los Angeles, CA. Charles Manson and several members of his cult were later convicted of the crime. These were very dangerous people
1974 – U.S. PresidentRichard Nixon formally resigned. Gerald R. Ford took his place, and became the 38th president of the U.S. This was after the Watergate scandal
1984 – Daley Thompson, of Britain, won is second successive Olympic decathlon. He was amazing and a really nice man
1985 – Arthur J. Walker, a retired Navy officer, was found guilty of seven counts of spying for the Soviet Union. I’ll bet there are spies everywhere
1989 – 112 people were killed when a train fell into the San Rafael River in Mexico. The incident was caused by a bridge that collapsed. Another tragedy
1996 – Boris Yeltsin was sworn in as president of Russia for the second time.He was a strange man but a bit of a character
1999 – Russian President Boris Yeltsin fired Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin and his entire cabinet for the fourth time in 17 months. Strange behaviour
2001 – In Jerusalem, a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated an explosive inside a pizzeria. The lunchtime bombing killed 15 and wounded about 90 others. When will this madness ever stop?
2004 – Donald Duck received the 2,257th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Was this a good idea?
The Day’s Music Events 9th August
1953, Mantovani and his Orchestra were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Song From The Moulin Rouge’, (from the film of the same name). The first ever instrumental No.1 on the UK chart. I think his Peter Gunn theme was fantastic
1958, Britain’s answer to Elvis, 17 year old Cliff Richard, signed a record deal with EMI records. Also on this day Cliff Richard started a four-week residency at Butlins Holiday Camp in Clacton-On-Sea, Essex as Cliff Richard and the Drifters. We loved Cliff and many lads in our school wanted to look like him!
1963, The first ever edition of ‘Ready Steady Go! was shown on UK TV. Introduced by Keith Fordyce and 19 year-old Cathy McGowan. The first show featured The Searchers, Jet Harris, Pat Boone, Billy Fury and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. The final show was in Dec 1966 after 175 episodes. Originally 30 minutes long, it expanded to 50 minutes the following year, and soon attracted the most popular artists, including The Beatles, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Rolling Stones, The Four Tops, The Kinks and many others. It was a show we went out of our way to watch as we didn’t have things like MTV
1964, The Rolling Stones appeared at the New Elizabeth Ballroom in Belle Vue, Manchester. Two policemen fainted and another was taken to hospital with broken ribs after trying to control over 3,000 screaming teenagers. I think we forget just how far this mass hysteria went
1967, Scott McKenzie was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair).’ The singers only UK Top 40 hit was written by John Philips of Mamas & Papas.This song epitomises the Flower Power movement
1967, The Small Faces entered the singles chart with ‘Itchycoo Park’, the single peaked at No.3 in the UK chart.Good song
1968, James Brown & the Famous Flames appeared at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California. 1969, During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Jethro Tull who opened for the band were at No.1 on the UK album chart with their second release ‘Stand Up’. Some great gigs here
1975, The Bee Gees started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Jive Talkin’, the group’s second US No.1 it made No.5 in the UK. Great group
1975, Typically Tropical were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Barbados’, the acts only hit making them One-hit Wonders.This was the wonderful Captain Tobias Wilcox
1980, Abba scored their eighth UK No.1 single with ‘The Winner Takes It All’. Taken from their ‘Super Trouper’ album. By this time, both couples were divorced. They were a great outfit
1980, AC/DC scored their first UK No.1 album with ‘Back In Black’. It was the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott, (who died on 19 February 1980 at the age of 33), and was dedicated to him. The album has sold an estimated 49 million copies worldwide to date, making it the second highest selling album of all time, and the best selling hard rock or heavy metal album, as well as the best selling album ever released by a band. I am sorry to say I do not know any music from this album
1986, 250 Gary Numan fans picketed BBC Radio 1 in London, demanding more airtime for their favourite pop star. I wasn’t one of them
1986, Queen gave what would be their last ever live performance when they appeared at Knebworth Park in England. The last two songs the band played were ‘We Are The Champions’ and ‘God Save The Queen’. Over 120,000 fans attended the show, also on the bill were Big Country, Belouis Some and Status Quo, advanced tickets cost £14.50.They were a wonderful group and Freddy Mercury was a brilliant front man
1994, During an Oasis gig at The Riverside in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, guitarist Noel Gallagher was hit in the face by a man who had jumped on the stage. Noel refused to carry on playing and after leaving the stage a mob of over 300 people attacked the bands bus as they were leaving. I am not Noel Gallagher’s biggest fan but nobody has the right to jump onstage and attack a performer
1995, Jerry Garcia guitarist and singer from The Grateful Dead died from a heart attack at the Serenity Knolls rehabilitation clinic in San Francisco aged 53. Garcia co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage and also released several solo albums. He was well known for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarist’s of All Time” I do not know enough about this guitarist and I must try to hear his work
1999, Spice Girls manager Bob Herbert was killed in a car crash in Windsor, England. Herbert was behind the formation of The Spice Girls and Five and had managed Bros during the 80′s. He was another name of great influence in the history of pop
2006, Shakira played the first date on the North American leg of her 99 date Oral Fixation world tour at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. Great act
2007, Amy Winehouse cancelled a series of European shows after being admitted to hospital suffering from “severe exhaustion”. The 23-year-old singer was taken to University College London Hospital and later discharged. In the past few weeks she had pulled out of the T in the Park festival – also citing “exhaustion”, Liverpool’s Summer Pops event and concerts in Norway and Denmark. This poor girl had suffered for a long time
2007, Jennifer Lopez won $545,000 (£267,257) in a case against her first husband, who planned to publish a book claiming she had several affairs.
Born on this day1939, Billy Henderson singer, The Detroit Spinners, (1980 UK No.1 & US No.2 single ‘Working My Way Back To You’). Henderson died aged 67 from complications from diabetes on 2nd Feb 2007.
1944, Vic Prince, drummer, Pretty Things (1964 UK No.10 single ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’).
1946, John Parry, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, (1968 UK No.5 single ‘I’m The Urban Spaceman).1946, Marinus Gerritsen, Golden Earring, (1974 UK No.7 & US No.13 single ‘Radar Love’).
1954,Bruce Thomas, bass, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, (1979 UK No.2 single ‘Olivers Army’).
1955, Benjamin Orr bass, vocals, The Cars, (1978 UK No.3 single ‘My Best Friend’s Girl’ and 1985 UK No.4 single ‘Drive’). Orr died of cancer on 3rd October 2000. 1955, Charlie Morgan, English drummer and percussionist. Worked with the Tom Robinson Band, Kate Bush, Elton John, Orleans, Paul McCartney and Tina Turner.
1963, Whitney Houston, singer, (1985 UK & US No.1 single ‘Saving All My Love For You’, 1992 UK & US No.1 single ‘I Will Always Love You’, plus nine other US No.1′s. 20 UK top 40 singles including four No.1′s).
