Sunshine - finally!

Did Marshall Dillon ever kiss Miss Kittie on television?

Cut back on emails!

The Man of the Decade is business will be the one who sets up the system to counterract the avalanche of emails. We are GROSSLY overcommunicating. We are so enamored of our tech ability that we are awash in needless information. The cost to business of employees digging through mountains of non-essential communications must be staggering!

We will never balance the budget, and certainly never eliminate the debt, merely by cutting spending. We are also going to have to maximize revenue (keep taxes at a relatively high level). After all, it isn't our money. We already owe it to other people.

Given names are often handed down in a family. For instance, there are four generations of men with Logan as a first name in our family. Just imagine how easy it would be to begin and perpetuate "blue blood" in a family merely by giving a child the first name of "Sir" and handing it down from generation to generation. Simple.

You may not realize it, but it is settled precedent that there is a legal difference between a paper clip and a staple. A paper clip is considered to indicate a temporary attachment, while a staple is assumed to indicate a permanent attachment.

Howard McNear on Nero Wolfe

I am listening to an episode of the Nero Wolfe (detective) radio show, and Howard McNear (Floyd the Barber) is a guest actor. McNear was one of the busiest actors on radio.

A note about The Great Escape

Great Escape. I found on a blog this appreciative note of one of my favorite scenes in that movie: I have just seen "The Great Escape" once again (well, for the 1.000th time...and so far in...mmm...4 languages?? But this is the first time I have ever seen it in English, its original soundtrack. And thus, I have truly enjoyed the wonders of the script.)My favourite character is no doubt Flight Lt. Blythe, played wonderfully by Donald Pleasence. A lovely English birdwatcher that appreciates the little joys of life, such as a cup of tea. He is the one in charge of the paperwork for the would-be fugitives, and loses his sight as the movie reaches the end.Together with James Garner (playing Flight Lt. Hendley) he creates my favourite scene of the movie...the entire quote goes: (he´s preparing some tea and offers a cup to his American fellow who refuses arguing that he has only had it when ill)"Afraid this tea's pathetic. Must have used these wretched leaves about twenty times. It's not that I mind so much. Tea without milk is so uncivilized." *Apparently Donald Pleasence was a prisioner of war himself during WWII.

A key phrase for detectives

One thing you could be sure of on old detective movies and radio shows: if the detective said "Just routine, ma'am," then it definitely was not routine.

Advertising on old radio shows

It was a fairly common practice on radio shows to weave the advertisement into the script. Fibber McGee and Molly was perhaps the most famous example. However, it did seem a little strange to hear episodes of The Falcon, a tough detective, for which Miracle Whip salad dressing was the sponsor for a time. It was a little bizarre to hear a detective and policemen sitting around talking about how good Miracle Whip made their salads taste, as if that were one of their normal topics of conversation.

Qualities for a husband

Where starvation, destitution and violence are commonplace, the qualities that women most desire in a husband are that they are protectors and providers. Sparkling personalities and good looks are then of little importance.

Brian Donlevy - real soldier

Brian Donlevy was the star of the Dangerous Assignment radio show. "No mere Hollywood adventurer, Brian Donlevy's entire Wisconsin Company C, 127th Infantry Regiment, of the 32nd Army Division was awared the Croix de guerre by France for their efforts between 1914 and 1918."

GREAT OLD RADIO SITE

GREAT OLD RADIO SITE: Just press the first letter of the show. Lots of information. http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2-jukebox-D.html