CURRENT EVENTS

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Star Trek Memories

By William Shatner with Chris Kreski

This book came out in 1993 and if you are a Star Trek fan, you have probably already read it.  But if you haven’t and are a Star Trek fan, I urge you to read this book. 

Star Trek Memories is Shatner’s classic behind-the-scenes look at the legendary series that continues to put forth movies, books, and series spin-offs decades after the last episode aired.

A television phenomenon that suffered from shaky ratings from its first broadcast in 1966 through its entire run, Star Trek nevertheless exploded into a worldwide, billion-dollar industry.

Avid Trekkers who were onboard at the launch, as well as fans of the later Trek incarnations, will be delighted with this eye-opening, eminently fascinating “captain’s log” from James Kirk himself.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

For a number of weeks now, I have been reading Agatha Christie’s short stories and watching films about the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, Inspector Japp, Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

John Belushi as Beethoven

ART OF THE WEEK

Art & Logos

The False Mirror (1928)

By René Magritte

CBS Eye (1952)

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

Franco Columbu

Francesco Columbu (born August 7, 1941)

Columbu was born in Sardinia (Italy). Starting his athletic career as a boxer, Columbu progressed into Olympic Weightlifting, powerlifting, and later bodybuilding, winning the title of Mr. Olympia in 1976 and 1981. At 5′ 2″, though shorter than most of his competitors, his height did not prevent him from achieving widespread success.

Columbu is a longtime friend of Schwarzenegger, whom he met in Stuttgart in 1965 and against whom he competed in several international-level bodybuilding competitions. Arnold and Franco were inseparable friends and training partners during the late 60s to mid-1970s.

Columbu served as Schwarzenegger’s best man at his wedding to Maria Shriver in 1986. Columbu and Schwarzenegger had been encouraged to come to America by bodybuilding guru Joe Weider in 1969; Weider sponsored them with an $65/week stipend. They arrived in America and began a bricklaying and patio business called European Brick Works in 1969.

Since 1969, Franco Columbu was considered one of the world’s strongest men. He held a number of powerlifting world records. He deadlifted over 320 kg (700 lbs). (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Maybe you have heard that phrase, “Food trumps exercise”.  If you think you can exercise off poor food choices, here is something to think about.

“A pound of fat contains roughly 3,500 calories.  This is the equivalent to running (or walking) 35 miles” per Franco Columbu

CHARACTER TRAITS

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

This list may help you recognize the symptoms of laziness.

MISCELLANEOUS 

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS

BOOK OF THE WEEK

A Short Guide to a Long Life

By David B Agus, MD

 This book may be a bit dated, having come out in 2014.  And I certainly don’t agree with everything in this book, but it does give you a lot of things to think about and it is easy to read. 

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Season 2 of Victoria is now playing on PBS at 9 p.m. EST on Sundays.

Victoria Season 3

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

By  Elton John & Kiki Dee

ART OF THE WEEK

Clothing As Art

Clothing has always been a form of art and one really needs to dress for the occasion.  For instance here is a person properly dressed for using a snow thrower.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

Alley Oop

Alley Oop, was a sturdy citizen in the prehistoric kingdom of Moo. He rode his pet dinosaur Dinny, carried a stone war hammer, and wore only a fur loincloth. He would rather fight dinosaurs in the jungle than deal with his fellow countrymen in Moo’s capital and sole cave-town. (Source: Wikipedia)

However, I think the following will give you a far better idea of this extraordinary individual.

Alley Oop

By The Hollywood Argyles

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

You are going to pay a high price for not finding time to exercise.

CHARACTER TRAITS

If this isn’t true, it should be.

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

If you are going to be interviewing, make sure you test your answers to common interview questions, such as “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

MISCELLANEOUS 

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS

Yahoo Finance

Who is the Biggest Bozo

Jeff Bezos

Bozo The Clown

BOOK OF THE WEEK

For most of us, it is a little too cold for gardening, but perfect weather for a library.

MOVIE (PLAY) OF THE WEEK

I saw this play yesterday and I thought it was one of the most entertaining plays I have seen and I have seen a lot of play. Oh, and I don’t care for golf.  Golf is the backdrop of this play, but the play isn’t about golf in my mind.

A tribute from Ken Ludwig to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, A Fox On the Fairway takes audiences on a hilarious romp, which pulls the rug out from underneath the stuffy denizens of a private country club. Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, it’s a charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man’s eternal love affair with…golf.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

The William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series

I’ve attended a number of symphony concerts over the years and I thought this one was one of the best.  I urge all of you to at least experience a classical concert once in your life.

And as much as I was enjoying the concert, I simply could not get this out of my mind.

ART OF THE WEEK

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe with an eye to expansion.

Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are collectively referred to as the Great Wall. The Great Wall has been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced over various dynasties; the majority of the existing wall is from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

Apart from defense, other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of immigration and emigration. Furthermore, the defensive characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by the construction of watch towers, troop barracks, garrison stations, signaling capabilities through the means of smoke or fire, and the fact that the path of the Great Wall also served as a transportation corridor.

Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. (Source: Wikipedia)

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

I was fortunate to see Chuck Berry perform in person.

Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry in 1957

Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as “Maybellene” (1955), “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956), “Rock and Roll Music” (1957) and “Johnny B. Goode” (1958), Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive. Writing lyrics that focused on teen life and consumerism, and developing a music style that included guitar solos and showmanship, Berry was a major influence on subsequent rock music.

Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986; he was cited for having “laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance.”Berry is included in several of Rolling Stone magazine’s “greatest of all time” lists; he was ranked fifth on its 2004 and 2011 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll includes three of Berry’s: “Johnny B. Goode”, “Maybellene”, and “Rock and Roll Music”.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Think Powerlifting is just for huge, young males, well you are mistaken I know a number of world champion powerlifters in their 70s, both males and females. As you get older, you don’t have to become feeble. 

CHARACTER TRAITS

SOCIAL TRAITS 

I wish people would put some thought into the posts they share, such as is it really true, is it kind and respectful, etc.

LEARNING TRAITS

Many of you from an early time when air for your tires was provided free at every gas station have perhaps wondered why we now have to pay for air.  I hope this will answer your question.

MISCELLANEOUS 

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS

CNN’s Cheri Mossburg contributed to this report.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

I could not put this book down, once I started reading it.  I did find it difficult to obtain and eventually had to reach out to the author, Danny Kuhn, for a copy.

In the midst of Britain’s Industrial Revolution, one of Charles Dickens’ most beloved characters is living a full life, adventurous and lusty, but touched by scandal.

Born in rural Lincolnshire in 1721, as a boy, William Fezziwig is displaced from his impoverished home through treachery and left alone in the world. Against the odds, Fezziwig rises to a prominent position in 18th century London when opportunities are presented by a respectable gentleman smuggler who sees promise in the waif.

Prominence brings peril and Fezziwig must brave the War of Jenkins’ Ear in order to pursue trade in Barbados and colonial Charleston, South Carolina.  In the Americas there are threats on many fronts, from Spanish warships to his conflicted feelings toward the beguiling Eliza Lucas, heiress to one of the largest plantations in the Carolinas.

Quixotic American Benjamin Franklin and a bevy of eccentric characters destined to become some of history’s most influential figures upend Fezziwig’s desire for a quieter life. Fezziwig finds himself in the position of mentor to his famous friend, as well as a certain ambitious young apprentice in need of lessons on life…and love. Social, political, intellectual, and economic revolution is in the air, and an old mystery resurfaces that could change the course of Fezziwig’s and Franklin’s careers. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

A month ago I asked readers who they thought was the best Sherlock Holmes and Robert Downey Jr. came in second behind Jermey Brett, so I thought I should check out this film and I found it was pretty good.  Still, Robert Downey Jr. is no Jermey Brett when it comes to portraying Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Captain Hollywood Project – More and More

ART OF THE WEEK

Some of the malls had very nice Christmas displays

This is Somerset Mall in Troy, MI

Marshall Fields Walnut Room (Now Macy’s) in Chicago

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

King Henry VIII of England

I would be surprised if any of you have not heard of King Henry VIII of England. However, there are probably some misconceptions about him and I will try to clear them up with these two versions.  

The first version is a song that is believed to be actually written by King Henry the VIII.

This second version, prepared by the noted team of historian scholars, Herman and the Hermits; is probably the more recognized version of the life of Henry the VIII.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Adequate sleep is so important.

It is recommended adults get 7 to 8 hours a night

CHARACTER TRAITS

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

MISCELLANEOUS 

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS

BOOK OF THE WEEK

I thought it was an interesting and fun read; but I could not help wishing it was more about The Most Interesting Man in the World and less about Jonathan Goldsmith.

A memoir told through a series of adventures and the lessons he’s learned and wants to pass on, Stay Interesting is a truly daring and bold tale, and a manifesto about taking chances, not giving up, making courageous choices, and living a truly adventurous, and always interesting life. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I thought this movie was very appropriate for this week, plus it is clever and entertaining.

New Year’s Eve (2011)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

I’ve checked out a number of songs for starting out the new year and for me, I can’t find one better than this to start our 2019.  It has stood the test of time.

1999

By Prince

ART OF THE WEEK

I think nature is one of the best artists.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

This isn’t the first time that I have made Father Time the extraordinary person of the week, but I thought why not do it again.

Father Time

Father Time is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man […], dressed in a robe and carrying a scythe and an hourglass or other timekeeping device (which represents time’s constant one-way movement).

Around New Year’s Eve, the media uses Father Time as the personification of the previous year (or “the Old Year”) who typically “hands over” the duties of time to the equally allegorical Baby New Year (or “the New Year”) or who otherwise characterizes the preceding year.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

CHARACTER TRAITS

SOCIAL TRAITS 

The beginning of the year is a good time for reflection.

LEARNING TRAITS

Just in case you didn’t already know this.

MISCELLANEOUS 

When it is all said and done, the only thing that matters is what you have done, not what your ancestors have done.  

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS

Another year is coming to a close and I always like to ask myself this question.  Unfortunately, I don’t always like the answer, but I did try.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

“Reading is your first line of defense against an empty head. … like an athlete in training, the more you read, the more mentally fit you feel.”

“I read for growth, firmly believing that what you are today and what you will be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”

Source: Twyla Tharp

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I have been watching updated versions of A Christmas Carol and I can’t recommend any of them; other than, Bill Murray’s Scrooged. I believe it is still the best updated version of A Christmas Carol.

Scrooged (1988)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

The Christmas season in always a bit stressful.  

This song has a great message.

Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)

By The Ramones

ART OF THE WEEK

I didn’t visit Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier in Chicago this year, but I have been there many years in the past and it has something for everyone in the family.

Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier, Chicago

There are a number of cool rides for kids

There is the huge Christmas Tree

And Christmas displays from all over the world, here are just a few.

Ireland

France

Germany

Poland

Russia

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

Ebenezer Scrooge

George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge

The extraordinary person of the week is Ebenezer Scrooge. Unfortunately, his last name has come into the English language as a byword for miserliness.

I say unfortunately because Ebenezer Scrooge is proof that regardless of how old a person is and how mean-spirited that person may be, redemption is still possible.

Although his name today is a byword for miserliness, in his time it was always said of him that, “he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge.”

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

CHARACTER TRAITS

I know this is a stressful time of the year and we may have a tendency to want to bark at other drivers,  but instead we should still try to be considerate and understanding to other drivers. 

SOCIAL TRAITS 

This time of the year many people are spending more than they can really afford on presents or stressing themselves out with gift buying.

Perhaps, you should consider giving more of your “presence” and less “presents”.  Your time is worth more than any gift you could give.

LEARNING TRAITS

Visit the USA

The following is the best description I can come up with for describing what it is like to visit the USA.

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: “We must inspect and know it by touch”. So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it.

In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said “This being is like a thick snake”.

For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan.

As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk.

The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, “elephant is a wall”.

Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope.

The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.

MISCELLANEOUS 

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS

I’ve been around for over 70 years and I recall the word “Christmas” being used to describe parties, sales, and a host of other events around this time of the year.

I can’t help observing that I see the word “Christmas” used far less frequently today in any sort of public announcement.

It seems to me like the word “Christmas” has fallen victim to political correctness.

I don’t always say “Merry Christmas” and especially to people I know are Jewish or Muslim or of some other faith, but when I do say Merry Christmas

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

BOOK OF THE WEEK

I don’t believe this is a fair portrait of Russia, but that seems fairly typical of the books you find on today’s Russia in America bookstores.  I read it anyway, because I wanted to learn more about Russia.

I’ve met a few Russians over the years and I found them to be excellent people and when I was at the WPC World Championships in Portugal back in 2015, other than Team USA, the Russian were my biggest fans.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

This particular version of A Christmas Carol didn’t do that well in last week’s poll, and I think the “Spirit of Christmas Past” in this version was lame.

I have watched a number of versions of this story, so I wanted to see this rather well-known version.  Perhaps, you might also wish to see it, if you are watching various versions of “A Christmas Carol”.

A Christmas Carol (1999)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

For all you people offended “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, here is something for you.

Baby, Just Go Outside

By The Holderness Family

ART OF THE WEEK

Zoos all over the country are generating some additional much-needed revenue, while also providing a unique Christmas experience.  We again went to the Christmas Light Show at the Detroit Zoo with some friends.

Christmas Lights At The Zoo

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

This week I chose one of the greatest managers of all time.  One that I tried to emulate myself, but never came close.

Mr. Fezziwig

Here is an exchange one of Mr. Fezziwig’s employees had to say about him in an exchange with a spirit at a Christmas Work Party.  I wish every employee could speak this way about their manager, but unfortunately many can’t.

Spirit, “A small matter to make these silly folks so full of gratitude.”

“Small!” echoed Scrooge.

Spirit replies, “Why! Is it not? He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four, perhaps. Is that so much that he deserves this praise?”

Scrooge, in defense of Mr. Fezziwig, “It isn’t that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light of burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ‘em up: what then? The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

The following is taken from http://www.chiefoutsiders.com

Employees who feel valued and respected are happier. They provide better service. They’re more creative and more productive. They work harder, bounce back better and support one another more vigorously.

As a result, your products and services are delivered more enthusiastically. Problems are solved more quickly and the “vibe” your prospects get when considering a relationship with your company is better. 

By setting high expectations, providing the resources to meet those expectations and celebrating great outcomes, you can make your company a place where everybody – employees, neighbors, suppliers, customers and prospects – are all happier. With “words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ‘em up…”. You can can build a culture where “the happiness he is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

CHARACTER TRAITS

This is always a good question to ask, but especially this time of the year when many are making their New Year’s Resolutions.

SOCIAL TRAITS 

More and more people are trying to eat healthy, but some do seem to carry a good habit to extremes.

LEARNING TRAITS

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.