Those Who Left Us in 2021-- Part 3: Baylor, McMurtry, Liddy, Philip, Mondale and Collins

MARCH

ELGIN BAYLOR, 86

The Lakers' 11-time NBA All-Star.  Died March 22.

LARRY McMURTRY, 84

The prolific and popular author who wrote "Lonesome Dove."  That still gets me when the mass of cottonmouth snakes killed that kid crossing the river.  YUCK!!  Died March 25.

G. GORDON LIDDY, 90

A mastermind of the Watergate burglary.  We sure heard a lot about him back then.  Died March 30.

********************

APRIL

PRINCE PHILIP, 99

The husband of Queen Elizabeth II.  A World War II hero.  Died April 9.

WALTER F. MONDALE, 93

Former vice president and a liberal icon.  Died April 19.

MICHAEL COLLINS, 90

An Apollo 11 astronaut whom orbited the moon while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their historic first steps in the lunar surface.  Died April 28.

Top Ten Iconic Places Pictured from Behind

From the May 6, 2020, ListVerse "Top 10 Iconic Places Pictured from Behind" by Jamie Frater.

You've often seen them from the front, but what do they look like from behind.  Here's your chance to see them.  Photos and information at the site, I'm just listing them:

10.  Taj Mahal  (You won't believe what the back looks like.)

9.  Pyramids of Giza

8.  Petra

7.  Hollywood Sign

6.  The Colosseum

5.  Mt. Rushmore

4.  Easter Island Moai

3.  Venice

2.  Buckingham palace

1.  The Moon

Veeerrryyy  Interesting.  --RoadDog

LAUGHTER HELPS WITH THE "V":  A capitalist is just a socialist who hasn't been through a pandemic yet.

So, What Were You Doing Fifty Years Ago?-- Part 2 Man on the Moon

On the actual day of the Moon landing, I posted about Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landing on the Moon at 4:17:40 Eastern Time on July 20, 1969.  But, for some reason I always felt it was really late at night when Armstrong stepped out of the module and onto the Moon's surface.

Obviously, that time was not late at night.  Is my mind slipping?

Well, in yesterday's Chicago Tribune I found out that 4:17 p.m. was when the module landed on the Moon's surface.  Neil Armstrong did not exit it and step on the Moon's surface until 10:56 p.m. EDT.

So, my mind is still here, at least somewhat.

Not Nice To Fool Me.  --RoadDog

TRIVIA TEASER:  In 1984, which baby was the first infant subject of xenotransplant, living for 21 days after receiving the heart of a baboon?


Answer:  Baby Fae

So, What Were You Doing Fifty Years Ago?

Well, if you were alive, at least part of the time you were parked in front of your black and white 19-inch TV ( a few lucky folks had color TVs and maybe even as big as 25 inches.

This was too big of a show to miss.  The actual landing took place at 20.17:14 UT, but for us who don't know what that is, it took place at 4:17:40 Eastern Daylight Time.  Man stayed on the Moon for two and a half hours, so definitely watching during this time.

Wow, Man On the Moon.  --RoadDog

Movie Watching on 4th of July-- Part 5: "Independence Day" and "Hidden Figures"

Continued from today's Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 and Tattooed On Your Soul;  World War II blogs.

13 movies that capture the American spirit.

"INDEPENDENCE DAY"  (1996)

Its full of corny lines like Will Smith's, "Now that's what I call a close encounter" being one of them.  And, there are more explosions than a 4th of July fireworks show.

But when we  get attacked by the bad guy aliens, we do what we do best and that is come together to triumph over evil.  It's the American way.

"HIDDEN FIGURES"  (2016)

This year marks the 50th anniversary  of the Apollo 11 mission in which Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to step on the moon.  But that might not have happened without the work of the Mercury astronauts and that wouldn't have gone anywhere without the mathematical brilliance of several black women.

This is their story.

--RoadFlick

JSIS: Two NIU People Killed in Aurora-- Alabama Omits Lincoln-- Super Snow Moon

JSIS--  Just Some Interesting Stuff.

1.  TWO NIU PEOPLE KILLED IN AURORA--  As if Valentine's Day isn't bad enough fot Northern Illinois University, because of the five murders 11 years ago, but the day after it this year, two people with NIU connections were murdered by another gunman,  Trevor Wehner was starting his internship in preparation for his May graduation and alumnus Clayton Parker were both killed.

2.  ALABAMA OMITS LINCOLN--  Monday was Presidents' Day and Alabama did not include Abraham Lincoln.  Some called it racism, but it was actually a Yankee thing.  By the way, I didn't know Presidents' Day was a day to honor all presidents, not just Washington and Lincoln.

3.  SUPER SNOW MOON--  The last two nights were almost as bright as daylight because of it.  No sneaking through the blockade these last two nights.

Thinking About Millard Fillmore.  --RoadDog