The Missus' Music Challenge, the History and Science Excerpts and the Birth Day Thing

Well, the sunshine continues and is supposed to for a few more days. It's been a bit more enjoyable to watch the Blue Jays; they've been improving. Time will tell if they can continue to improve. *fingers crossed*

In Jo's Facebook Music Challenge, we've had two more subjects. It's been fun as it's a nice variety of people providing their song choices and it makes for a wide variety of music. Even my older brother, who isn't on 'the Facebook' has been keeping up with my BLog inputs and emailing me suggestions for the different categories.

We've now gone through Day 5 and Day 6 on the list. Day 5 was Songs that need to be Played Loud. My suggestion was an old rock song by Led Zeppelin, The Immigrant Song. I remember hearing it first in Germany when my Dad was stationed there. If I'm not mistaken, it was when we moved to Lahr and for a time lived on the economy. I think my neighbour's son, Bernd Popp, had the album. It was a great song. Some other inputs to this category included my wife's, of course, Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé with Barcelona, mu sis-in-law, Sue, with Rainbow and I Surrender, and my brother with The Hollies and Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress. Some others were Iron Maiden and Powerslave, Nickelback and This is How you Remind Me, Derek and the Dominoes and Layla, etc. Some excellent songs and a nice variety.

Day 6 was Songs that Make You Want to Dance. I picked one that we used to play at our university parties, a great polka song, The Beatles and Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da. These were some of the others; Pixie Lott and All About Tonight (the missus), Shakira and Hips Don't Lie, Chris Rea and Let's Dance, Evelyn 'Champagne' King and Shame (Sis-in-law Sue), etc. Check the songs out. They are all great. Just go to You Tube.

Tonight's category is a bit similar to Day 5, although I bet the songs will be surprising. The category for Day 7 is A Song to Drive to. I've got a few in mind, not sure what I'll end up with. The missus is in the other room checking out songs for all the upcoming categories. It's nice when something makes you think of music or books or things that make you feel good.

Great Historical Events

Todays' excerpt continues with the action at the Battle of Lexington.

"1775. The colonists had 50 killed and 28 wounded and missing. There were never more than 400 of the Americans engaged at one time, and no discipline was observed among them.
The Congress of Massachusetts calls upon the N.E. colonies for an army of 30,000 men. Massachusetts pledging 13,600 of the number.
May. - Gen. Gage is reinforced from Great Britain by a large body of soldiers under Gens. Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton.
May 10. - Ticonderoga and Crown Point were taken by Ethan Allen, aided by Col. Benedict Arnold and Col. Seth Warner.
Col. Benedict Arnold captured a British sloop of war, and gained command of Lake Champlain.
June 15. - George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the American army."

Next excerpt will continue with the American Revolution and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Science of Common Things (as provided by Prof. L.G. Gorton)

"Is an escape of illuminating gas dangerous to life? It is dangerous to breathe, and is very liable to explode if a light is taken near it. How can we detect an escape of gas? By our sense of smell. What are the other sources of hydro-carbon in our dwellings? The decomposing animal and vegetable substance of drains and water closets. Great care should be taken to secure effective drainage, and in keeping the drain pipes in order."

Next we find out about heat and sources of heat. :)

The Birth Day Thing 10 November 1983

Billboard US #1 Single 10 November 1983

Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton. While I do like both singers; I saw Kenny Rogers in concert once and he put on an excellent show, this isn't one of my favourite songs. I don't mean it's not good, as it is, just not really my taste. Now, having said this, and having not heard it for many, many years, I'll probably love it. The song was written for the Gibbs brothers, originally for Marvin Gaye in an R&B style, only to be changed later for Mr. Rogers and Ms. Parton. It gave them both their second Pop #1 hit single.

UK #1 Single 10 November 1983

Uptown Girl by Billy Joel. Of the two songs, I much prefer this one. The song was written by Joel, produced by Phil Ramone and was the 2nd single from his A Single Man album. A Single Man was Joel's 9th studio album.

New York Times #1 Fiction Best Seller 10 November 1983

Poland by James Michener. In my 1982 entry, I mentioned that I was getting bored by Michener hogging the Best Seller list on my birthday. Now I'm downright pissed off!!! (OK, just kidding, but really! Sheesh!)
Can you guess what the story might possibly be about, without looking it up? Can you? Can you????
takes a deep breath...
The story tells of the trials and tribulations of three Polish families over an 8 century time-frame, ending in the present. ONLY THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS??? OK, calm down, calmez-vous... Whew.
I think I need to move on to the next subject. :)


Pulitzer Prize Winner 1983

The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I have to admit that I've never read the book or seen the movie and I know it is one that I should make the time for. Maybe I was just in a bad mood when it came out and the spelling of 'colour' irritated me. Now I am just kidding.
The book is a classic and was turned into an excellent movie by Stephen Spielberg, receiving 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Movie, Best Actress in a Leading role and two for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
It tells the struggles of a black woman's struggles to find her identity after abuse by her father and others over a period of 4 decades.


Nobel Prize Laureate 1983

William Golding (UK). William Golding was born Newquay, Cornwall, England in 1911and died in 1993. He is probably best known (at least by me) for his book, Lord of the Flies, one I've read two or three time and whose movie adaptations I've also seen. He was a novelist, playwright and poet. I previously mentioned that he also won the Man Booker Prize for the first book in his sea trilogy, Rites of Passage. He was awarded the Nobel Laureate 'for his novels, which with the perspicuity of realistic narrative art and the diversity and universality of myth, illuminate the human condition in the world of today.'

Hugo Award Winner 1983

Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov. The Foundation and Empire trilogy by Isaac Asimov was long a favourite of mine. It started a long love affair with his Science Fiction writing; the Robot books and The Fantastic Voyage.
Now having said that Foundation's Edge was a book in the Foundation and Empire trilogy, I read that, in fact, he added other books, including Foundations Edge (the 4th book) to this series. I don't know that I read any more than the original three, which came out originally in the '50s. I recommend trying them if you are just getting into SciFi as they are all excellent books. His Robot novels might even be better. The foundation books are based on fictional mathematician Hari Seldon's psychohistory, which foresees the fall of the Galactic Empire and the battle between the rebel Foundation and the Empire.

Edgar Award Winner 1983

Billingsgate Shoal by Rick Boyer. This is a new book and author for me. Rick Boyer is an American writer best known for his crime novels featuring Charlie 'Doc' Adams, a dental surgeon from New England. Billingsgate Shoal is the first book in this series, the last of which was published in 1998.
'First, a fishing trawler runs aground on the Massachusetts shore. Then a young scuba diver sent to investigate the wreck is found dead in the water. Doc Adams, a friend of the dead diver, sets out through the stormy seas and blood-flecked sands of Cape Cod to plumb a murder he should have prevented. There he uncovers a hidden treasure in illegal arms and is nearly killed in the process. Doc lets the world think he's dead, the better to hunt for the killers of his friend. But if he makes a single mistake, he'll be clam chowder.'

Man Booker Prize Winner 1983

Life and Times of Michael K by J.M. Coetzee. While I've heard of South African writer, Coetzee and have seen his books, I haven't read any yet. Besides the Booker Prize, he has also been awarded the Nobel Prize, but more on that at a later date. He moved to Australia in 2002 and now resides there.
The Life and Times of Michael K was his fourth novel. The novel tells the story of Michael K, a man who makes a journey from Cape Town to his mother's rural birthplace during an imaginary civil war during the Apartheid period.



There you go for another day. Now it's time to take the hounds out for a walk and then read a bit more of my Nevil Shute novel, Most Secret. Excellent book, as all of the Shute novels I've read, have been. Have a great Sunday!