Dancing With The Stars!

OK, I admit it I watch DWTS when I remember it's on. I even vote! I hate to admit it though, I can't get into American Idol, except in the very beginning. Then I laugh hysterically! Actually, the same goes for DWTS, you get the ones out of the way in the first few weeks that really can't dance and now we're getting down to business.

I don't know, I like Kristi Yamaguchi. But Jason Taylor is sooooo smooth! This one is going to be close. There was a little mishap in tonights show, though. Christian de la Fuente was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance tonight, after he suffered a pretty severe injury on "Dancing with the Stars."Christian and partner Cheryl Burke were doing their second dance of the evening when, suddenly, in the middle of the routine, Christian did something to his forearm -- a muscle pull or something like that. Host Tom Bergeron threw to commercial because the show could not go on.

Obviously their score was very low...

Break a leg!

Dragonheart

The movie Dragonheart was on the other night and although I've seen it, I like Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery's voice as the dragon pulls me in every time! Of course I found the ending brave and heartening-and unfortunately there could be no other way, SO I looked up the mythology of Draco on Wikipedia and found it very interesting:

Among the earliest of human records written, the ancient Egyptians identified this constellation as Tawaret, the goddess of the northern sky in their pantheon of deities. Considered as ever-vigilant because the constellation never set, she was depicted a fierce protective goddess whose body was a composite of crocodile, human, lioness, and hippopotamus parts.
There are a number of other myths behind the constellation. The Greeks named it Draco, due to its resemblance to a dragon, although alternative interpretations exist, such as the legend of the Mother Camels.
In the most famous of the myths, Draco represents Ladon, the hundred-headed dragon who guarded the golden apples of the Hesperides. The eleventh of The Twelve Labours of Heracles was to steal the golden apples. He killed Ladon with a poisoned arrow, allowing him to freely take the golden apples. According to the legend, Hera later placed the dragon in the sky as the constellation Draco. Due to its position and nearby constellations in the zodiac sign of Libra (i.e. Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Boötes), the group of constellations can be seen to tell the tale of the eleventh labour.
In another Greek legend, Draco represents the dragon killed by Cadmus before founding the city of Thebes, Greece. In a third legend, it represents the dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece and was killed by Jason. The fact that the stars of this circumpolar constellation never set plays an important part in its mythologies.

Wesley Snipes

Oh dear, Wesley Snipes has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for tax evasion. That verdict was handed down on February 1st. Several friends attended Mr. Snipes trial including Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington. That's nothing to sneeze at! The judge wasn't very happy though with Wesley Snipes taking such a liberal attitude toward a serious responsibility. He stated that "Any offense that places my liberty at risk is a serious one." And I guess that means that Mr. Snipes does not owe $228.000 as he claims, but $2.7 million that the government does.

Remember Big Brother is watching! Scary...

Cheers!

Guardsment Alumni Get Together

I was scanning the Guardsmen message board when a new call came out from a former Guardsmen for a get together! Later that same day I received an email asking us if we were going to come, along with several others. Sounds like fun! The alumni get together will be Saturday, May 24th at Bahama Breeze in Schaumburg, IL. That gives any out of towners a little time to drive in. Last time they held it on a Friday night and I know we had to bow out because there was no way we could make it Ito Schaumburg on a Friday night!

For more information click here-(click on "another get together")-we'll be looking forward to an upcoming map!

Rule Britannia!

The Forbidden Kingdom

In The Forbidden Kingdom, we have Jason Tripitikas who is an ordinary teenager and while hunting down bootleg kung-fu DVDs in a Chinatown pawnshop, he makes an extraordinary discovery that sends him hurtling back in time to ancient China. There, Jason is charged with a monumental task: he must free the fabled warrior the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the powerful Jade War Lord. Jason is joined in his quest by wise kung fu master Lu Yan and a band of misfit warriors including Silent Monk. But only by learning the true precepts of kung fu can Jason hope to succeed - and find a way to get back home.

The Forbidden Kingdom will be in theaters on Friday, April 18th.

Cheers!

Keep in shape! Visit 'Bananas To You!'

Abbott, Costello & the IRS

I never knew it, but Abbott & Costello had owed a whole lot of back taxes to the government. Most of it came due when they filed suit against Universal for a bunch of money the studio had held and subsequently won. Unfortunately, they for some reason or other deferred not to include Uncle Sam figuring that they had done their share for their country during World War II and much of their work in the bond drive of that era.

The IRS didn't see it that way and came down hard on the comedy team. They declared bankruptcy in 1957. Lou Costello died on March 3, 1959 of a heart attack.

Bud Abbott died on April 24, 1974. He had a comfortable retirement. According to Bud Abbott Jr. he had worked out a settlement with the IRS so that he could continue to receive earnings for his films.

Aren't we lucky? Has anyone seen "Who's on first?"

Abraham Lincoln assasinated

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, one of the last major events in the American Civil War, took place on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, at approximately 10 p.m. President Abraham Lincoln was shot while attending a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre with his wife, Mary Todd, and two guests. Booth then jumped out of the box and on to the stage, breaking his leg in the process. Lincoln died the following day—April 15, 1865—at 7:22 a.m., in the home of William Petersen.

Although there was a larger plot to kill other major political figures, President Lincoln was the only one who was really unprotected-even Mr. Lincoln didn't have the slightest idea that John Wilkes Booth would dare such a thing! Only madmen shoot even murder in cold blood!

But then what was the Civil War about? Check out some places in the South...

The Bizarre Wagah Border Ceremony

I found this interesting tidbit online and thought I might share:

India and Pakistan share a single border that cuts straight through the town of Wagah: the eastern half sits in India, and the other half in Pakistan. Border conflicts killed countless people in both countries back in 1947 - and decades later, skirmishes still kill thousands.
At the sound of a bugle call, representatives of both countries - the Pakistani Rangers, and the Indian Border Security Force – march quickly to the gates. Upon stopping, these guards throw forward one leg, as high as their own heads, and stomp it down to the ground. This is done while glowering fiercely at the opposite side. They than announce their contempt for each other with strong, emphatic displays of thumbs-down.
This is all done to the cheers of thousands, while quieter spectators sit nearby munching popcorn. The thousands flock to this gate every evening, to cheer on their respective teams on either side of the border. Tourists and locals alike relish the stylized dispute which, at least for a few moments, vents national tensions without the usual hail of bullets.
Equal amounts of rope are measured off on the flagpoles of both countries, so that both flags lower in tandem. Upon the lowering of the flags, the guards must give a few final stomps. Representatives of both countries then complete the ceremony with a quick, cursory handshake. The gates are then closed, sealing the border for the evening.

Salute!

Brought to you by: Bananas To You

March Madness in April!

Well here it is April and all I know is that I don't understand basketball. I do know that college ball is going on right now and I've read a few articles, the most recent ones saying that the Memphis Tigers beat UCLA 78-63. This means that that Memphis will be playing Kansas for the NCAA title.

I bet if I was in on the wagering at work I would understand it a bit more. I do know that you start with about 16 teams and it boils down to two.

That's saying a lot for both the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks.

Good luck to both teams!

Cheers!

Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston died yesterday at the age of 84 at home. His wife Lydia was by his side. Mr. Heston is of course known for his many screen roles such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Planet of the Apes, A Touch of Evil, I could go on!

His good looks and all American charm were a fantastic screen draw for any movie goer and Mr. Heston was a film draw in the '60's, '70's and '80's. He finally slowed down in the '90's but then focused his attention on being an advocate for civil rights and was a strong NRA member.

We will always remember and enjoy Charlton Heston-I'm so glad movies survive!

Should Hillary stay?

OK I was just reading an article-actually it was a chat room on the Internet with the main discussion on whether Hillary Clinton should sustain her run for the White House. While Barack Obama has this huge lead and seems to do no wrong, I snatched the cartoon as an example! The point that is brought up over and over again is Mrs. Clinton has experience and her strength. I would like to see that in Washington. And yes, since I've entered anything about the November primaries I have been watching the candidates. Most of them have dropped out, but of the three left, I like Hillary. Of course, I'm a woman and so I would like to see one in the White House, but she strikes me as a strong American and one who really cares for her country and it's people and their welfare.

By the way, isn't that what a president is supposed to be all about?

Cheers!