 Friends         |  George Foreman Dead @ 76 - Didn't realize he was that old .. Looks like his grills will outlive him  :www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2025/03/21/george-foreman-dies-former-heavyweight-boxing-champion/82605166007/ &:-) Paul Found out earlier today the N.G.D.B. is on their "Farewell Tour" .. In fact, they are going to be in Dallas later this month (wish I could go) .. I did hear what they sounded like earlier this year on the tour, and have to admit they are sounding pretty weak, IMHO (except for Jeff Hanna, their #1 guy) .. so maybe it is time they finally hang it up after 60 or so years. Here is what they were like back when they were in their prime:   &:-) Paul : Trying to come up with a St. Pat's-suitable tune .. Closest thing I could find (hopefully that river is in Ireland )  &:-) Paul Pamela Bach , wife of "the Hoff" , Dead @ 62 - They said she shot herself, but that's not a common method of suicide for women. I wonder if it will turn out to be a homicide. ? btw, I remember her in some of her appearances, but I remember her as being a light brunette, not blonde. ? www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pamela-bach-actor-ex-wife-200738767.html &:-) Paul  oops - I was getting her confused with Catherine Bach , who is apparently no relation to her (nor is Barbara Bach ) &:-) Paul Carl Dean, Husband of Dolly Parton , Dead @ 82 - Wow .. I always wondered if she was married, since she never talks about her husband. Turns out he just always avoided her "spotlight", whenever possible. 59 years is a long time together, esp. in that profession. www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/03/03/carl-thomas-dean-dead-dolly-parton-husband/81236650007/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us &:-) Paul View all 6 posts  They truly loved each other. He wasn’t interested in the spotlight. Rest peacefully Carl. Bless you Dolly. 👩🏼⚕️✝️🩷  Odd she had always inspired me until she admitted to having a open marriage'" on her part anyways" Funny how strange life is. Still adored her, n so sorry He was construction man much like myself, what little was ever known of him he was/is a great guy . Time takes us all sooner or later RIP Gene Hackman & Wife (and dog ) Found Dead - Wow .. wonder what it will turn out this was all about www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/27/gene-hackman-cause-of-death-investigation View all 5 posts They said the bodies showed no sign of carbon monoxide poisoning. The sheriff doesn't see any apparent evidence of foul play. The only thing odd they seemed to run across was his wife's prescription pills scattered all across the bathroom sinktop. One scenario that came to my mind, being that Hackman was 95 y.o., possibly he suddenly died (e.g. of a heart attack or stroke) at the scene, and that so freaked out/upset his wife that she decided she wanted to "be with him again", and used her prescription meds to O.D. and do just that. That doesn't explain the dead dog, though, unless she put some of the pills in his food, maybe. ? "The Weight" - Another world-wide performance gem from the Playing for Change Foundation .. and glad Robbie (Robertson) was still alive at the time to take part in it personally .. Music truly is the "international language", as the P.F.C. videos continue to demonstrate ...  (if you have a few $$ to donate to a worthy, worldly cause, please consider giving to P.C.F.) &:-) Paul A link to join P.F.C. .. Much of the $$ proceeds go towards a children's orphanage they run in Africa, btw. https://playingforchange.com/join &:-) Paul Sportscasting Legend Greg Gumbel Dead @ 78 - Wow, and I just found out from his obit that Bryan Gumbel - another sportscasting legend - is indeed his younger brother. :www.aol.com/greg-gumbel-cbs-sports-broadcasting-221931860.html &:-) Paul Dick Van Dyke @ 99 - dances in this video by Coldplay, and looks back on his life. Very well done!   &:-) Paul View all 11 posts Yes, Variety reports that although he couldn't make to his car (he tried crawling, but ran out of steam) when he saw the fire coming, three neighbors came over and carried him to safety into his guest house until the fire passed. His house did survive, as did his cat, Bobo  &:-) Paul Here is the write up on that: https://variety.com/2024/film/news/dick-van-dyke-wildfire-evacuation-saved-by-neighbors-1236246969/ &:-) Paul O.K., good Jewish boys and girls, it's that time of year ago .. Anticipate a visit from Hanukkah Harry soon .. !  https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/hanukkah-harry/2723692 &:-) Paul Chuck Woolery Dead @ 83 : Wow .. he sure looked good on those t.v. commercials of late hawking gold coin investment , but maybe those were recorded a few years ago .. ? I never knew he was such a die-hard anti-Democrat, btw .. :-x abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/chuck-woolery-smooth-talking-game-show-host-love-116174324 &:-) Paul  Wow, I remember him on a dating show. He was a die-hard hater of Democrats? It's a shame to hear that, if there was a hell, I guess he'd be burning in it now.  Not too many comments on here make me laugh,,,,,I am still laughing It's that time of year again .. a Full Metal Jacket Christmas .. (Caveat: N.S.F.W., and some racism): &:-) Paul "Restaurants That Are Open on T-Day" - For those of us w/o family (or who want to take them out, if they do): www.aol.com/finance/16-restaurants-open-thanksgiving-day-200000180.html &:-) Paul Have been reading in the news lately all the restaurants that are closing down or filing for b.r. the past month or so .. Very scary sign of a bad economy .. a few, to note: T.G.I.F.s has closed many locations, and it has been suggested they may soon be filing for b.r. Denny's is closing over 150 of their corp.-owned locations, inc. all of them in Louisiana Two of the largest fanchisees in the U.S. of Pizza Huts have both announced they are closing down their stores. They are going to stay alive by diverting their attention to other types of restaurants they both own. Applebee's has filed for b.r.. And it's not only restaurants, a few other major chain biz closings: Dirt Cheap - has closed their stores and is filing for b.r. 99 Cent stores - closed and filed for b.r. earlier this year Big Lots - closing their stores and filing for b.r. Walgreen's - has announced they are closing over 150 stores over the next three years. smh ...... &:-) Paul View all 7 posts TGIF closed here in 2019 Walgreens like many stores with multiple locations in the same city compete with themselves .. so they start closing some of them to be more profitable Deep discount stores have a lot of issues since the pandemic .. Listeria Recall On Frozen Waffles - Got an email yesterday from WM informing me of a recall they are having on their Great Value waffles due to possible Listeria contamination. They had me on their sales records b/c I usually buy a box of them every week or two. They gave the UPC # of the infected batch, and went I went to check the box that I had just finished off that a.m., sure enough, it was that same #.  . Keeping my fingers crossed I'm not infected, as it has like a 16% fatality rate (higher for seniors, like me). :https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/treehouse-foods-announces-voluntary-recall-certain-waffle-products-due-potential-listeria?permalink=0A16743BB5BE39FD0BE0CAECF4BFD8CD971F2E4B6EB6DBA7211D86D7267951B8 &:-) Paul Kris Kristofferson Dead @ 88 - Dang, I remember his poignant tune , "Here Comes that Rainbow Again" , which he penned after seeing that scene from the movie Grapes of Wrath in which the Joad kids hunger for some candy they see while in a diner.  mail.aol.com/d/folders/1/messages/AEmDca00rXHBZvnl_wMNQPDoMsY &:-) Paul View all 6 posts In tribute to Kris, how more appropo than his own tune, "Thank You For a Life", recorded almost 20 years ago .. wow ..  &:-) Paul I’m saddened by. the news of his passing. He was multi talented and I enjoyed his music and films. I’m honored to share my shortened first name with him. Rest peacefully Kris. We will miss you. 👩🏼⚕️🙏😢🩷✌️ If you're having trouble viewing some music videos of late on YouTube (i.e. "not available"), this is behind the scenes as to what is going on with all the music videos that YT has been pulling of late. Hopefully the "dispute" will be settled soon w. the European music licensing agency SESAC and the music videos restored to YT  :https://www.theverge.com/24257157/youtube-sesac-music-licensing-streaming &:-) Paul Here is an example .. many of The Band's tunes have been removed on YouTube .. inc. probably their biggest hit, "The Weight"  Strange that the licensing rights to their tune are apparently owned by a European-based company  &:-) Paul JD Souther Dead @ 78: Wow, I was just looking up yesterday who penned a certain tune I admired and found out he was the co-writer on it. He and Elvis were so close .. www.aol.com/jd-souther-singer-songwriter-penned-123808726.html &:-) Paul And here is the tune I was looking up .. He actually sings it in duet with James Taylor in this video:  &:-) Paul Iconic Actor James Earl Jones Dead @ 93: Dang, yet another celeb that I didn't know was even still around . IIRC, I think he was the only (first?) Black actor to win the three-bagger of an Academy Award (movies ), an Emmy Award (television ), and a Tony Award (stage) .. www.cnn.com/2024/09/09/entertainment/james-earl-jones-death/index.html &:-) Paul View all 6 posts He had the most amazing (deep), distinctive voice .. it was like the "voice of God" .. In fact, it's easy to see why he was chosen to do a narrative reading of the Bible . RacinTalker, did you ever get a chance to meet him, btw? &:-) Paul  He voiced Darth Vader, Mustafa from the Lion King, and was also the snake king in Conan the barbarian with Arnold schwartzenegger Money talks .. (and BS walks), per AC/DC .. true today even more than ever ...  &:-) Paul |
&:-) Paul