abqtommy
abqtommy's JournalMy movie recommendaton for today is Viva Las Vegas, which is showing today on my cable
on the MOVIES channel starting at a little over 7am here in the Mountain DST zone. I'm not a big
fan of Elvis Presley but I adore Ann-Margret and that's why I watch.
I checked and yes, she's still living. She's 80 now so since I enjoyed her performance in
Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men I also checked on Sophia Loren since she also
appeared in these movies and she's still living and is 86.
There you have it. Enjoy.
The Guardian: China's herd of wandering elephants finally heads for home(.)
"Fourteen wild Asian elephants have been guided across the Yuanjiang river in Yunnan, and a path leading back to their nature reserve is being made(.)
After an epic 17-month journey that made international headlines, China’s famous herd of wandering elephants appears to finally be heading home.
The 14 Asian elephants of various sizes and ages were guided across the Yuanjiang river in Yunnan on Sunday night and a path was being made for them to return to the nature reserve in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, the Associated Press reported.
As of Sunday night, the herd was still in Yuanjiang County, approximately 200km (125 miles) from the reserve."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/09/chinas-herd-of-wandering-elephants-heads-yunnan-reserve
There's more text, photos and a video at the link. I do love the elephants.
On August 9, 1936, Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympic games.
from The Good News Network https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events060809/
'85 years ago today, track and field star Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympics—a first for any American athlete.
German leader Adolf Hitler was using the Games to portray a resurgent Nazi Germany—and he had high hopes that German ‘Aryan’ athletes would dominate with victories over, what he believed to be, inferior Africans and Jews. But, Jesse Owens later recounted, “When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him.”
Owens was cheered enthusiastically by 110,000 people in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium—and later, ordinary Germans sought his autograph when they saw the world-record holder in the streets.'
There's a bit more text and a photo at the link above.
From The BBC: Your pictures of Scotland 30 July - 6 August (2021)
Today's gallery is a welcome diversion from floods, fires, politics and covid. I'd like to thank
everyone who takes the pictures then shares them with the rest of us.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-58081513
Good News Network: In 1901 Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong was born on this day, August 4.
'120 years ago today (in 1901), the beloved American jazz trumpeter, composer, and singer Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans. Nicknamed Satchmo, or Pops, Armstrong was one of the most influential figures in jazz, with a trail-blazing career that spanned more than five decades.
With his instantly recognizable gravelly voice, Armstrong broke ground as he demonstrated great dexterity as an improvisational crooner and scat singer, bending the lyrics and melody to make any song more expressive.
Armstrong kept up his busy tour schedule until a few years before his death in 1971—and acted in cameo film roles, including his 1964 Grammy Award-winning vocal performance in Hello, Dolly!, co-starring Barbara Streisand.
One of his most memorable songs, What a Wonderful World, epitomizes the man, of whom Duke Ellington said, “He was born poor, died rich, and never hurt anyone along the way".'
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events060804/
There's a little more text, photos and a video at the above link.
Bonus link to a man worth studying: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong
Ever wonder about the names of the months? How about this month called August?
"August -- Augustus Caesar's month
Latin Augustus "Augustus"
Latin Augustus mensis "month of Augustus"
Latin sextilis mensis "sixth month"
Sextilis had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when it became 31 days long.
(This will all become clear if you read the full History Of The Months at the link.)
Augustus Caesar clarified and completed the calendar reform of Julius Caesar. In the process, he also renamed this month after himself."
http://www.crowl.org/Lawrence/time/months.html
I found this very handy reference that fits nicely with information about the moon and other interesting stuff that enables us to amaze our friends and confound our enemies and learn something too. It's definitely a win-win-win.
Rhik Samadder tries ... mindful painting: 'It dawns on me that I'm a very talented artist'
from The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/aug/02/rhik-samadder-tries-mindful-painting-it-dawns-on-me-that-im-a-very-talented-artist
"Keen to unlock your inner creativity? De-stress and unwind? Or merely improve the quality of the gifts you make for friends? Step right this way (...)
Have you ever forgotten to buy a loved one a birthday present? Here’s a tip. Get a card, then draw a picture inside of you giving them the gift you intend to buy them later. It’s a charming IOU, impossible to resent. I’m not the best at hands or faces, so the result often resembles demons in hell, spearing each other, which isn’t what everyone wants to see on their birthday. Particularly when you later forget to buy the present. To rescue an otherwise flawless system, I’ve come to an alfresco painting class to hone my dark art.
MasterPeace Studios promises to unlock anyone’s inner creativity. To prove it, those in charge tell me to choose a personal photograph I’d like to paint. I select a photo of my friend Amish Tom, at a recent pizza party we threw. In the picture, he’s rolling dough with his elegant fingers, sunlight striking his face. He’s extremely photogenic, which I don’t mind. But is he painting-genic? Why is there no word for this?
Zena El Farra, my instructor, plugs my phone into a light box, projecting the photo on to a canvas. It’s a nifty tool, letting me lightly trace an initial outline in pencil. Next, she shows me how to prime the canvas, meaning wash it with colour, using a cellulose sponge. (A plain white background is why many amateur paintings have a childish look.)"
All my life I've admired artists who create landscapes and portraits and this is a good introduction
(for me) of the process that results in this. There is much more text and photos at the above link
that I hope everyone will enjoy as much as I have.
The voyage of the replica Viking longship Gaia to Newfounland on August 2, 1991
How cool is this? Very much so, in my opinion.
From The good News Network: Good News in History, August 2 (2021)
30 years ago today, the Viking replica longship ‘Gaia‘ reached the first Norse settlement in North America, commemorating the 1,000th anniversary of Leif Eriksson’s landing, after crossing from Norway.
Eriksson was a Norse explorer from Iceland, credited with being the first European to set foot on the continent, having landed in Newfoundland. Gaia was built in Bjorkedalen, Norway, to be a replica of the original 890 AD Gokstad Ship which successfully made the voyage, but was only unearthed 140 years ago.
Gaia later made the journey to New York via Greenland and Canada, and she sailed on to Rio de Janeiro to mark the first UN World Conference on the Environment.
In 1993 she returned to Norway and was given as a gift to the town of Sandefjord (where the original ship was excavated). Since then, Gaia has been in frequent use, visiting ports in England, Scotland, Germany, France, and The Netherlands.
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events060802/
There's a little more text, photos, artwork and a video available at the above link. I remember
reading about this back in 1991 but now I get to bookmark it.
The Good News Network Quote Of The Day from Charles Spurgeon, July 31, 2021
“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech.”
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/category/quote-of-the-day/
This quote is certainly a sentiment that I've held for much of my life. I have no idea where I first
developed it but here it is.
Here's some information about Charles Spurgeon:
'Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834–31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers".'
He's identified as being opposed to slavery and there's much more text and photos at this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon
From The BBC: Your pictures of Scotland 23-30 July (2021)
And here it is, another delightful gallery of photos for our enjoyment!
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-57971665
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