from Bruce
Anecdotes
Husbands and Wives
• Early in their married life, horror writer Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, had little money. In fact, at their wedding, Mr. King walked down the aisle wearing a borrowed suit, tie, and shoes. (Since he took the morning off to get married, his pay at the Laundromat where he worked was docked.) Mr. King wrote a novel, but he was so disgusted at the low pay he was receiving for his writing that he threw away the manuscript. Fortunately, his wife retrieved it from the garbage and convinced him to send it to a friendly editor at Doubleday. In 1973, the book, titled Carrie, was published in hardback, and he received $2,500 for it. Later, the paperback rights to the successful novel were sold. Mr. King figured that he would get $5,000 for the paperback rights, and when he learned that the rights had sold for $400,000, he celebrated by buying his wife a hair dryer.
• Actor Van Heflin and his wife decided to play a practical joke on Al Horwits, a friend who was a public relations man. They knew that Mr. Horwits’ wife was returning home after a long trip, so while Mr. Horwits was at the airport to meet her, they went to the Horwitses’ apartment and scattered ladies underwear, hairpins, and other feminine objects throughout the apartment. However, Mrs. Horwits had the last laugh. The next time she saw the Van Heflins, she handed Mrs. Van Heflin a bag containing the ladies underwear and said, “Here are some things you forgot the last time you were up in Al’s apartment.”
• Comedian Tim Conway’s first wife, Marianne, loved to play bridge, and she insisted on taking him to some parties where everyone talked about bridge. This bored Mr. Conway, so at one party, he went to the bathroom and looked in the medicine chest, where he found some Vaseline and some Q-Tips. Wanting to have some fun, he smeared the Vaseline on his face, then he stuck the Q-Tips in the Vaseline, and finally he rejoined the party. Conversation stopped as everyone saw Mr. Conway. “Oh, this,” he said, pointing to his face. “The Q-Tips box exploded.” Shortly afterward, he and his first wife divorced.
• Bill Clinton was a student at Yale when he stared at a young woman studying in the Yale Law School Library. She noticed him, then walked up to him and said, “Look, if you’re going to keep staring at me, I think we should at least introduce ourselves. I’m Hillary Rodham. What’s your name?” Later, they were married. One of the reasons they were married is that Hillary is a strong woman whom many men find intimidating, and she says about Bill, “He wasn’t afraid of me.”
• The great jockey Tod Sloan married musical comedy star Julia Sanderson. One of Ms. Sanderson’s friends, a theatrical producer, was skeptical about the marriage and told her, “You won’t live with that guy for a year.” She replied, “I’ll bet you a kiss,” and the producer made the bet. A year later, the producer was standing on a street corner when a taxi pulled up. Ms. Sanderson got out of the taxi, gave the producer a kiss, said “There,” and got back into the taxi.
• If you’re a popular entertainer, you can quickly get used to applause. Country comedian Jerry Clower used to take a few weeks off during the holiday season to be with his family, but occasionally he missed the applause. Once, he told his family, “I’m going to go back out and make an entrance. I want y’all to jump up and applaud. It’s going to be the first part of January before people applaud me and I need this fix.” His wife told him, “Phftt.”
• Despite a happy engagement, John Custis and Fidelia Custis were not happy after they were married. To attempt a reconciliation, they took a carriage drive together along Chesapeake Bay. However, John grew angry when Fidelia stayed silent, and so he drove his team and carriage into the bay. This prompted Fidelia to ask, “Where are you going, Sir?” Her husband told her, “To hell, Ma’am.” Fidelia replied, “Drive on, then.”
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© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
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Presenting
Michael Egan
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
BANDCAMP MUSIC
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC
Track: "That Ain’t Livin’"
Album: BLOSSOM
Artist: Liar’s Trial
Artist Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Record Company: Aldora Britain Records (“The worldwide hub of independent and underground music since 2013.”)
Record Company Location: Rothley, UK
Info:
“Crossing the genres of classic country-western and old-school rock and roll, Liar's Trial represents the genuine outlaw country spirit. Barn-burning tempos, gallows humor, shout-a-long choruses and eerie balladry comprise the heart and soul of Liar's Trial's repertoire.”
“Aldora Britain Records is an e-zine and record label that promotes the music and work of authentic independent or underground artists from all around the world. Originally established in 2013, they revamped themselves in 2018 with a brand-new approach. Their first weekly compilation, aptly titled THE SECOND COMING, was released in late 2019. They now also release original singles, EPs and charity projects.”
Price: £0.50 (GBP) for 14-track album by various artists
“That Ain’t Livin’” is also on the Liar’s Trial album FRIENDS IN NO PLACES. Price: $10 (USD) for 11-track album.
Genre: Country and Western. Various.
Links:
BLOSSOM
FRIENDS IN NO PLACES
Liar’s Trial on Bandcamp
Liar’s Trial on YouTube
Aldora Britain Records on Bandcamp
Aldora Britain Records on YouTube
Other Links:
Bruce’s Music Recommendations: FREE pdfs
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
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Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
New Venture
Michael Egan
BRUCE'S RECOMMENDATION
Monday
2 Million Ukrainians
Three-for
Other Links:
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
David Bruce's Blog #2
David Bruce's Blog #3
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Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Reader Comment
Current Events
Linda >^..^<
We are all only temporarily able bodied.
Thanks, Linda!
that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Got a letter in the snail mail from the electric company - they're going to be doing maintenance and turning off the power around 10pm Tuesday - it's supposed to be restored around 5am.
Will put up what's done of Wednesday's page before 10pm, Tuesday - whatever's missing will be added once we rejoin the 21st century.
Weekend Box Office
“Thor: Love & Thunder”
The Marvel sequel “Thor: Love & Thunder” dropped a hefty 68% in its second weekend of release but still held the top spot at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday, while the bestseller adaptation “Where the Crawdads Sing” debuted with a better-than-expected $17 million.
Taika Waititi’s “Love and Thunder” led all films with an estimated $46 million, bringing its two-week global total to $498 million. The sizable decline is more than most Marvel films but in line with recent releases from the Walt Disney Co. superhero studio, including “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (68%), “Black Widow” (68%) and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (67%).
“Love and Thunder” also faced a trio of newcomers, though none came close to toppling Chris Hemsworth’s god of thunder. Best among them was Sony Pictures’ “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Olivia Newman’s adaptation of Delia Owens’ 2018 North Carolina-set novel. It opened well despite weak reviews (36% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes).
Meanwhile, the Illumination animated sequel “Minions: The Rise of Gru” held the second spot with $26 million in its third weekend of release. The Universal Pictures release has thus far grossed $262.6 million domestically and $532.7 million worldwide, setting box-office records along the way.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Thor: Love and Thunder,” $46 million.
2. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $26 million.
3. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” $17 million.
4. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $12 million.
5. “Elvis,” $7.6 million.
6. “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank,” $6.3 million
7. “The Black Phone,” $5.3 million.
8. “Jurassic: Dominion,” $5 million.
9. “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” $1.9 million.
10. “Lightyear,” $1.3 million.
“Thor: Love & Thunder”
Baby News
Lily Harper Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is a grandfather!
Patti Scialfa, Springsteen's wife, showed off Lily Harper Springsteen, the daughter of their son, Sam, on Friday, July 15, on her Instagram.
“Walking the baby_ Lily Harper Springsteen (flower emoji),” said Scialfa of a picture of the new parents pushing a baby carriage. Scialfa also shared a picture of the newborn wearing pink hospital mitts.
Scialfa, 68, also shared a pic of Sam, 28, and the baby's mom on July 8, with a caption referencing a July 1 “beautiful day at the farm.” She is wearing a diamond engagement ring and holding a white bouquet. He is wearing singe white rose boutonniere.
Lily Harper Springsteen
Wedding News
Lopez - Affleck
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were wed Saturday in a late-night Las Vegas drive-through chapel, culminating a relationship that stretched over two decades in two separate romances and headlined countless tabloid covers.
Lopez announced their marriage Sunday in her newsletter for fans with the heading “We did it.” Lopez initially made their engagement public in April on the same newsletter, “On the J Lo.”
Lopez wrote that the couple flew to Las Vegas on Saturday, stood in line for their license with four other couples and were wed just after midnight at the Little White Chapel, a chapel boasting a drive-through “tunnel of love.” Lopez said a Bluetooth speaker played their brief march down the aisle. She called it the best night of their lives.
News of their nuptials first spread Sunday after the Clark County clerk’s office in Nevada showed that the pair obtained a marriage license that was processed Saturday. The marriage license filing showed that Lopez plans to take the name Jennifer Affleck.
Lopez - Affleck
Hit By Liner
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Cranston was hoping to get a hit in the All-Star Celebrity Softball game at Dodger Stadium.
Instead, the “Breaking Bad” actor got hit.
Cranston was struck in the right shoulder by a line drive off the bat of Grammy Award winner Anthony Ramos as they took batting practice in side-by-side makeshift cages outside the ballpark Saturday night.
The 66-year-old Cranston doubled over for a couple minutes, then headed to his nearby trailer.
The Tony, Emmy and Olivier award winner later felt well enough to play on the field at Dodger Stadium. He took a called third strike and feigned an argument with the umpire.
Bryan Cranston
New Report
Uvalde
A series of failures by multiple agencies could have contributed to the horrific outcome in the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, according to a Texas House investigative report. The investigation, conducted by two members of the Texas House of Representatives alongside a former member of the Texas Supreme Court, concluded that law enforcement officers delayed confronting the shooter — a violation of their school shooting protocols — and prioritized their own well-being over the lives of innocent victims. The damning 77-page report, the most comprehensive investigation into the shooting thus far, faults “systemic failures and egregious poor decision making” by those in power at every level — from school officials to district, local, state and federal law enforcement.
The report detailed issues with school security, including locked exterior doors habitually left propped open by staff; a faulty lock on the door to one of the classroom where the shooter was holed up; and “poor Wi-Fi connectivity” that delayed alerting teachers of an active shooter lockdown. As for police, the investigators concluded that “law enforcement responders failed to adhere to their active shooter training, and they failed to prioritize saving the lives of innocent victims over their own safety.”
The report states that “an unacceptably long period of time” — approximately 73 minutes — passed before officers confronted and killed the shooter. The investigators partially blame the chief of police, who they say, “failed to perform or to transfer to another person the role of incident commander” and did not establish an incident command post as was outlined in the school district’s active shooter plan.
But the committee emphasized that the series of failures went far beyond local law enforcement. “In this crisis, no responder seized the initiative to establish an incident command post,” the report said, faulting state and federal officials as well. “An effective incident commander located away from the drama unfolding inside the building” would have been able to ascertain that radios were not functioning inside the building and may have been able to locate a key to the classroom sooner. Earlier reports indicated that the door to the classroom where the shooter was located was left unlocked, even as officers scrambled to find a key, causing prolonged delays. During the incident, some 376 members of law enforcement flocked to the school, yet more than an hour passed between when police entered the west building of the school and when they neutralized the gunman.
Most of the responders on the scene were U.S. Border Patrol (149 officers) and state police (91). Another 25 were Uvalde police officers along with 16 sheriff’s deputies and a handful of school police officers. The remaining members of law enforcement were U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Agency officers and police from nearby counties.
Uvalde
Jumpy
Las Vegas
The loud shattering of a glass door at a Las Vegas Strip hotel apparently was mistaken for gunfire, causing panic inside and a social media frenzy about a possible active shooter.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said they responded to calls of possible gunfire around 10:45 p.m. Saturday and found a glass door shattered in the valet area of the MGM Grand.
“It caused a loud bang, there was a subsequent panic, thinking it was possible gunfire given the nature of what’s been happening across the nation,” Metro Police Capt. Branden Clarkson said Sunday.
Video posted to social media showed people scrambling across the Strip, including one video that showed officers moving with guns drawn and lowered near New York-New York as several people hurried in the opposite direction.
Clarkson said there was no evidence of gunfire in the area and the event was under investigation.
Las Vegas
Armored Truck Robbery
California
Millions of dollars worth of gems and jewelry were stolen in an armored truck robbery last week in Southern California, authorities said Sunday.
The Brink’s truck was robbed in the early morning on July 11 near Los Angeles, said Dana Callahan, a spokeswoman for the security company.
The merchandise had been loaded onto the truck late on July 10 following an exhibit hosted by the International Gem and Jewelry Show in San Mateo, south of San Francisco, said Brandy Swanson, the group’s director. It was going to an event at the Pasadena Convention Center just northeast of Los Angeles, she said.
Swanson said between 25 and 30 bags were taken, containing an unknown number of individual pieces. She said 18 victims were reporting more than $100 million in losses. Callahan said it was less than $10 million.
Swanson said vendors who travel between jewelry shows typically underinsure their merchandise because they can’t afford to insure it fully.
California
Boil Water More Efficiently
Save Energy
Water gets boiled a lot – whether it's a cup of tea brewing in a kitchen or a power plant generating electricity. Any improvements in the efficiency of this process will have a huge impact on the overall amount of energy used for it every day.
One such improvement could come with a newly developed treatment for surfaces involved in heating and evaporating water. The treatment improves two key parameters that determine the boiling process: the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and the critical heat flux (CHF).
Most of the time, there's a trade-off between the two – as one improves, the other gets worse. After years of investigation, the research term behind the technique has found a way of enhancing both.
"Both parameters are important, but enhancing both parameters together is kind of tricky because they have intrinsic trade-off," says bioinformatics scientist Youngsup Song from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.
Save Energy
A Wasp, Flower, And Fly
Trapped in Amber
A newly-discovered plant, a recently-discovered wasp, and a developing fly larva have been found trapped in amber, in an exquisitely-preserved moment of prehistoric ecology.
If the image of an insect trapped in amber seems familiar, you have George Poinar, Jr. – the entomologist who made this discovery – to thank. His early work extracting insect DNA from Dominican amber directly inspired the premise of Jurassic Park.
His latest study documents the first fossil record of the plant genus Plukenetia, and the first record of the plant genus on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
The famed Dominican amber is a fossilized form of resin from the extinct Hymenaea protera tree, which scientists think once grew in a moist tropical forest ecosystem, based on the variety of life forms its resin entombed.
This particular specimen was mined from la Cordillera Septentrional mountain range.
Trapped in Amber
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