Sunday, December 30, 2012

Happy Birthday, Mike and Davy!

Believe it or not, today (December 30) is the birthday of TWO members of The Monkees... Michael Nesmith  was born on December 30, 1942 and Davy Jones on 30 December 1945 (because he's British, don'tcha know). Of course, we lost Davy this past February at the age of 66.

When I was a kid I used to watch The Monkees on TV all the time. I listened to my sisters' Monkees' albums and became a second generation fan. I think I believed that they were a real group on a real show, much  more than I believed in, say, Mr. Spock really flying around the universe on Star Trek. I never bought into the idea that these guys were not talented; I mean, I saw singers lip-synching on American Bandstand etc all the time. To me they were true musicians, and I believe that they belong in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; more so, in fact, than some of the acts that the jury has already inducted.

Unfortunately, Davy didn't live long enough for this one last accolade. All he had was the love of millions of people around the world. And as we toast Mr. Michael Nesmith on his reaching the epic 7-0 this year, we must light a candle for our dear departed Davy.

I leave you with two of my favorites of their songs....

Happy Birthday, Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones! 



Saturday, December 29, 2012

Happy Birthday, Texas!

Today is the anniversary of Texas being admitted to our United States of America.
Date of Admittance:December 28, 1845
Parentage: The word "texas" is from the Native American word "techas," spelled in Spanish with an "x." The word evidently means "friends" or "allies." True story: Texas fought and won its independence from Mexico in 1836. While it was negotiating to become a State it had no choice but to declare itself its own country. From 1836 to 1845 it was The Republic of Texas. 
Place in the Family 
Number 28
Texas came nine months after Florida (March 1845) 
and a year after Iowa (12-28-46). 
It is the *last* State to join in December. 
On to January!! 
Motto 
"Friendship"
This is nice; probably because of its name (see above)
Nick-Name 
The Lone-Star State
This nick-name comes from the Republic's flag, which always featured a single star. (The background was blue and the star was yellow until the current design was created in 1839.)  
On the License Plate 
I have only seen this one, 
but evidently this one is the newest/current design:
State Flag 
White star on a blue field, with red and white stripes. Blue is loyalty, red is bravery, and white is purity. 
I like this. Simple but elegant. 

First City You Probably Think of 
When You Think "Texas" 
Dallas
Actual State Capital:Austin
State Size (Area) is 2nd of 50
Population is closer to 2nd of 50
(per 2000 Census figures)

Texas Sports: 
NFL (Dallas Cowboys)



NFL (Houston Texans)


MLB (Texas Rangers)


MLB (Houston Astros)



NBA (Dallas Mavericks)


NBA (Houston Rockets)


NBA (San Antonio Spurs)


NHL (Dallas Stars)


Anybody From Texas
Ever Grow Up To Be President?
Yes!
  Not only did the 36th President Lyndon Johnson 

come from Texas, but when it was a Republic 
four men served as *her* President!
(of course, none of them were 
actually born  in Texas!)


Thirty years later, 43rd President George W. Bush 
went from being Governor of Texas 
to being the President of the US.  


Good vs Evil 
Sam Houston
revolutionary leader

David Korresh
cult leader

Texans on Film
Dooley Wilson
actor, pianist, "Casablanca"

Joan Crawford
Academy Award-winning actress



Tex Avery
animator, creator of "Daffy Duck"

Debbie Reynolds
actress, "Singing In The Rain"

Sissy Spacek
Academy Award-winning actress


Tommy Lee Jones
Academy Award-winning actor

Randy & Dennis Quaid
actor, "National Lampoon Christmas Vacation"
actor, "Dragonheart"


F. Murray Abraham
Academy Award-winning actor

Patrick Swayze
actor, "Red Dawn," "Ghost"

Ethan Hawke
actor, "Training Day"  


Matthew McConaughey
actor, "The Lincoln Lawyer"

Jamie Foxx
Academy Award-winning actor

Luke & Owen Wilson
actor, "The Royal Tenenbaums"
 actor, "The Wedding Crashers"


Renee Zellweger
Academy Award-winning actress

Ron White
comedian, Blue-Collar Comedy

Dustin Lance Black
Academy Award-winning screen-writer



Musical Texans
Gene Autry
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Buddy Holly
"That'll Be The Day"  


Waylon Jennings
"Luckenbach, Texas"

George Jones
"He Stopped Loving Her Today"
 

Roy Orbison
"Oh Pretty Woman"


Otis Williams
founder, The Temptations

(Otis Williams, far right)

Michael Nesmith
The Monkees, "Papa Gene's Blues"
 
  
Janis Joplin
"Me and Bobby McGee"


Kris Kristofferson
"Help Me Make It Through The Night"


Steve Miller
"The Joker"

Don Henley
The Eagles, "The Boys of Summer"

Kenny Rogers
"The Gambler"  

Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
aka The Chicken Ranch


Christopher Cross
"Sailing"
 

George Strait 
"I Hate Everything" 
 

Clint Black 
"Nothing But The Tail-Lights"


Destiny's Child
"Independent Women"


Dixie Chicks
"Long Time Gone" 


Kelly Clarkson
"My Life Would Suck Without You"


Texan Literary Figures
Robert E. Howard
Conan The Barbarian
 

The Lone Ranger & Tonto
former Texas Ranger
 


Berkeley Breathed
comic-strip artist, "Bloom County"
 

Larry McMurtry
novelist & screen-writer

Rick Riordan
novelist



John Cassaday
comic-book artist


Texans on TV
Van Williams
actor, "The Green Hornet"

Carol Burnett
actress, comedienne 
"The Carol Burnett Show"  


Larry Hagman
actor, "I Dream of Jeannie," "Dallas"

Ron Ely
actor, "Tarzan"  


Lynda Day George
actress, "Mission Impossible"


Farrah Fawcett
Jaclyn Smith
actresses, "Charlie's Angels"

Katherine Helmond
actress, "SOAP," "Who's The Boss"


John Hillerman
actor, "Magnum PI"

Phylicia Rashad
actress, "The Cosby Show"  


Brent Spiner
actor, "ST: The Next Generation"
 

Angus T. Jones
actor, "Two and 1/2 Men"
 

Annette O'Toole
actress, "Smallville"
 

Jensen Ankles
Jared Padalecki
actors, "Supernatural"


Bill Engvall
actor, comedian 
"The Bill Engvall Show"

Jim Parsons
actor, "The Big Bang Theory"

 

Other Texan Celebrities
Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow
Depression-era criminals 

Dorris Miller
1st US hero of WWII

Audie Murphy
well-decorated WWII veteran

Ben Hogan
Professional Golfer

Dan Rather
CBS News Anchor

George Foreman
Boxing Champion

Oliver North
Iran-Contra conspirator

Lance Armstrong
world-famous bicyclist


Col. Rick Husband
Space Shuttle Columbia Commander



A Song For You.... 
"All My Exes Live In Texas" 
by George Strait
written by Lydia & Sanger Shafer