Still a long way away from the USA but Gordon is the Atlantic's newest Hurricane.

MOVIES

Mark Lipsky has a great editorial on the demise of the movie theater, partly because of the hideous, atrocious, boxy dumps they call movie theaters these days.

Lipsky talks about the grand movie palaces of the old days, which I've raved about many times.  He agrees with me that the theater, itself, was a big part of the reason people went to the movies in the first place.

But a line he uses in the column made me grin.  Mark said, "I'm guessing none of us were going to the movies in the days of the movie palaces."  Believe it or not, Mark, there are still a lot of us ancient relics tottering around that fondly remember going to movies at the great old movie palaces and we miss them a lot.

Young people just don't realize how great movies used to really be and how, truly glamorous the REAL STARS were in the days when there WAS such a thing as glamour.

  Read the Column here.

BANG!

The best story of the week, by far, is about the guy in Sparks, Nevada who took his gun to the movies.  He had a permit to carry a concealed weapon so all was cool...except....during the show the gun fell out of his pocket, hit the floor, fired and shot him in the ass.  No one else was hurt.

Ya gotta love it.

QUOTE

MARK TWAIN SAID IT
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindness and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be aquired by vegatating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."

quotes

Donnie found this quote and I love it.
Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player.

I told him, "Son, what is it with you?  Is it ignorance or apathy?"  He said, "Coach, I don't know and I don't care."

WILLARD

From Willard:
"My kingdom for your weather!  Morning walk was short and fast.  Buddy doesn't like the heat and humidity any more than I do."

PARK

One of the best things about La Crosse is Riverside Park and I haven't been there as much this summer because it's just been too hot.  When I got up and saw how cool it was I just had to get dressed and take an early morning walk.  Despite the drought, the park has never looked better.

 

The garden, at the north end of the park is so peaceful. There was only one couple there, beside me so I sat down and had the place all to myself to enjoy. 

 

 

 

 

 



I'll look at these pictures, again, when it's mid-winter and below zero.  It will remind me that winter does, indeed, end and another summer will come.

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back home I stopped at the Farmers Market and they had a great crowd.

 





FOOD

Fudgy AVACADO brownies!  How does that sound?  They look good.  Get the recipe here.

WEATHER

THICK AS PEA SOUP THIS MORNING.....

When we get the thick morning fog it's a good indication that the seasons are changing.

THOUGHT

Thought for the day:
What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
van Gogh

MARS

See the blue dot in the middle of the picture?  That's Curiosity on the surface of MARS.

HOLLYWOOD

Now that the Hollywood Theater has received the approval of the Heritage Preservation Commission, renovation construction will begin in September.  It's expected to take six months to complete the project.

You can follow the progress of the building on the Hollywood Theater Facebook Page which has some exciting artist drawings of the proposed replacement for the big outdoor sign that was originally on the building.

FUNNY

JEWISH

OLYMPIC SWIMMER



MISSING

I'm about to put out an "all points bulletin"  on Donnie and Linda.  No word in two days.  Very unusual.

TWITTER

I saw a good post on Twitter this morning.  "Be grateful.  Someone is happy with less than you have."

RICH

A new survey says Singapore  will have the richest citizens in the world by 2050. 

FUNNY

PEOPLE MAGAZINE has a bit about the 10 best celebrity quotes of the week. I have to say the very funniest was from Tom Arnold appearing at the roast for Rosanne.

He said Rosanne had "Property of Tom Arnold" tattooed on her hip which made him the fourth largest property in the state of California.

 

Now, that is funny!

SERVICE

I complain so much about bad service that I should even it out and mention good service when I hear about it.

I just read a Tweet from a person who called Circus, Circus in Las Vegas to make vacation reservation.  He said the person he talked to was so friendly and helpful and it was so nice to have good customer service for a change.

HEALTH

Having Solberg blood I like to have something to worry about every day.  Todays worry is Whooping Cough.  I just heard that Wisconsin has more cases of it than any other state in the Union.  In fact, our number of cases is nearly 10 times the national average.

HOME

Oh!  This is too much.  A bathtub, toilet, wash basin, kitchen, laundry and loft ALL in an area that measures 6X6 feet!!  You've got to see this in LIFE EDITED.  Only the Japanese could pull this off!

TELEVISION

How about that!  MICHAEL J. FOX returning to TV in a sitcom for the 2013 season.  That's great news.

HOOLIGAN

I was just reading that a punk gang in Russia has been found guilty of hooliganism.  I love the word "hooligan" but the only people, I know, that use it are the Russians and Roger.

WEATHER

Finally we're getting the perfect weather.  We're looking at sunny days and highs in the low 70's through the weekend and into the first of next week.

By midweek a change will arrive with a chance of thunderstorms.  That's OK too.  Great to have a beautiful weekend but we need the rain so no complaints.

DEADWOOD

Boy, does this bring back memories.  I checked out the DEADWOOD FACEBOOK PAGE and spotted this great old picture of the Franklin Hotel.  It took me back to a cold and snowy night in February of 1959 when I arrived in Deadwood the first time to begin my radio career.

 

I spent my first night, in town, here, at the Franklin, and, by coincidence, ended up living in an apartment right behind the historic hotel which is still going strong and, probably, in better shape than I am.

HOLLYWOOD

YES!  Great news about the Hollywood Theater.  According to a story from WKBT TV (Read the story here)  they hope to have the theater open, again, by next March!!  I may be old but I think I still have a few months left in me and, if I can make it through another winter, I may be able to sit in that great old movie palace again.

VIDEO

Here's another video you might like.  If you love babies you're really gonna love it.

BIRTHDAY

Maureen O'Hara is celebrating her 92nd birthday today.  She became a star with her first movie, made in 1939, "Jamaica Inn" directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

HOLIDAY

Logo Design by FlamingText.com

MEN'S GROOMING DAY.  Now, this is a holiday I can really get into.  I never leave the apartment without looking my very best.  When you've got it flaunt it.

LYNNE

Lynne sent a note:  "Loved seeing all the Elvis photos and Graceland.  Brings back memories of meeting him at the gates of Graceland in 1957.  I made a pen pal friend, a few years ago, at his birthplace in Tupelo and we are still corresponding.

Flying over America was great to watch".

ELVIS

This is Elvis Week and BILLBOARD Magazine has posted some spectacular photos of Graceland and SUN RECORDS studios.  CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PAGE.

CALENDAR

ANN BLYTH

IS CELEBRATING HER

84th BIRTHDAY TODAY

TWEET

Some good advice I saw on Twitter this morning.

"Don't tell your problems to people.  80% don't care and the other 20% is glad you have them."

TRAVEL

Sounds like commuters on the East Coast have finally figured out what commuters in Europe and Asia have known for a long time.  The way to go is....not car....not plane but TRAIN!  AMTRAK trains are FULL, these days, between New York, Boston and Washington.  Read more in this article from the New York Times.

FUNNY

CALENDAR

ELVIS PRESLEY

DIED

AUGUST 16, 1977

ROGER

We expected Roger's eye to be all black and blue, after his surgery, like the other one was but SURPRISE...this eye looks much better this morning.  He just gets better lookin' every day!

WEATHER

NO A/C TODAY!  The weather man says we'll stay in the 60's all day and we could fall into the 40's tonight!

HOLIDAY

TODAY IS NATIONAL

Back in my drinking days EVERY DAY was rum day.  Alas, my drinking days are over but I can still dream about those good old days of "drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola".  Remember that song?  So enjoy your self and bottoms up!  By the way, click here to vote for your favorite rum drink.  I voted for mine.  Just plain rum and Coke.  No lime.  Just Rum and Coke.  Which, the last time I looked at the poll, was the favorite of most folks.

By the way, it isn't the rum that gives my kidneys a hard time, it's the Coke that I can't have.

TELEVISION

I just heard THE PRICE IS RIGHT is looking for a male model.  Since the beginning, the long running show has featured female models who stand in front of the prizes and wave their arms around.  Now they're going to give some lucky guy one week on the show to do the same thing.

Hell, I can do that.  Where do I sign up?

QUOTE

"Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?  Just to be silly?"
George Carlin

VIDEO

Here is a fantastic VIDEO that you'll love watching and sending to your friends.  Ron sent it to me and I want to pass it on to everyone. FLYING OVER AMERICA

SERVICE

Another case of poor customer service...or, in this case, I'd call it NO customer service at all.

Duane had an appointment with his dentist for his regular teeth cleaning.  When he got there he found out that his regular dentist had retired, left town and moved down south without a word to his patients.   Duane wasn't all that happy with the new dentist and is not sure he'll return.  I don't blame him. What a shoddy way to treat patients who have been coming to see you for years.

No one seems to care about anyone else anymore.  It's all about "me" and the rest of you can go to hell.  There's a great sickness in this country.

POOP

Interesting to see that Bill Gates has a new interest....as far from computers as you could get.  He's now into TOILETS!  Check this out.

ROGER

Rita called shortly after 11, while I was at Walgreen's to say that Roger's surgery went just fine and they were on their way back home.

TRAVEL

I read a very interesting article, this morning, about what travel agencies in Singapore are doing to combat on-line booking sites.  They've hit upon a "new" idea that has increased their business dramatically.  It's called CUSTOMER SERVICE!!  Wouldn't it be amazing if something like that caught on in the USA?  Just think of it.  Customer service!  Something the corporate world laughs at.

Perhaps, if they tried that approach instead of bleeding their company dry to pay huge bonuses to a few, select executives who have done nothing to deserve them, our country wouldn't be in the financial distress that it is.

Alas, as long as politicians are allowed to get paid off to put company before voter it ain't gonna happen.

By the way, do you know how many travel agencies there are in Singapore?  Of course, you don't so I'll tell you.  There are 1,100 travel agencies in Singapore.  wow!

SHOPPING

I see a woman, up in Maine, is out on bail after getting into a fight with another woman in a Wal-Mart check-out line and beating the s*** out of her.  I haven't been in a Wal-Mart store in years but from the stories I keep reading they must have some of the most violent customers in the world.

WEATHER

Looks like this will be our hottest day of the week with a high around 85.  Tomorrow and Saturday we'll see highs near 70.  Sounds good to me!

MUSIC

43 years ago today!

WOODSTOCK MUSIC AND ART FAIR

OPENED IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

August 15, 1969



JOKE

This, being National Relaxation Day, reminds me of a joke.

A couple, who both have high stress jobs, like to get away and relax, in their motor home whenever they get a chance.

The problem with campgrounds is that they found their peace and quiet disturbed by well-meaning, but unwelcome, visits from other campers, so they devised a plan to assure themselves some privacy.

Now, when they go camping, they place a sign on the door of their RV that says:

INSURANCE AGENT

ASK ABOUT OUR

TERM-LIFE PACKAGE

LIFE

Life is short,

Break the rules, Forgive quickly,

Kiss slowly,

Love truly,

Laugh uncontrollably,

And never regret anything that made you smile.

PIZZA

Betty, Donnie and Linda's neighbor, sent a picture and this note, Recently, Don and Linda invited me to join them for lunch at our newest Pizzaria. Honestly how many pizzariae can one tiny town support, I ask you? We now have five. But whatever the latest competition lacks in culinary provenance, they have more than compensated for in SIZE! Take a gander at this ginormous hand-tossed Italian Stationary Marvel...lol!

WOODPECKER

THE WOODPECKER

MIGHT HAVE TO GO



HEALTH

Get your ass out of that chair!  The American Cancer Society says that women who sit more than six hours a day are 37% more likely to die before their time, compared to women who sit less than three hours a day.  18% of the men who sit too long will die too early.

I'm doomed.

VEGAS

The MGM GRAND begins a $160 MILLION renovation.

MONEY

AVERAGE NATIONAL

GAS PRICE

UP 34 CENTS

SINCE JULY 1

REMINDER

ROGER HAS

EYE SURGERY

TOMORROW



JOKE

You may have to think about the punch line for a second, or two, but you'll get it.

A husband and wife are lying quietly in bed reading when the wife looks over at him and asks the question.

Wife: ‘What would you do if I died? Would you get married again?’

Husband: ‘Definitely not!’

Wife: ‘Why not? Don’t you like being married?’

Husband: ‘Of course I do.’

Wife: ‘Then why wouldn’t you remarry?’

Husband: ‘Okay, okay, I’d get married again.’

Wife: ‘You would? (Hurt look)

Husband: (Groans)

Wife: ‘Would you live in our house?’

Husband: ‘Sure. It’s a great house.’

Wife: ‘Would you sleep with her in our bed?’

Husband: ‘Where else would we sleep?’

Wife: ‘Would you let her drive my car?’

Husband: ‘Probably. It is almost new.’

Wife: ‘Would you replace my pictures with hers?’

Husband: ‘That would seem like the proper thing to do.’

Wife: ‘Would you give her my jewelry?’

Husband: ‘No. I’m sure she’d want her own.’

Wife: ‘Would you take her golfing with you?’

Husband: ‘Yes. Those are always good times.’

Wife: ‘Would she use my clubs?’ Husband:

‘No. She’s left-handed.’

Wife: —- silence —-

Husband: ‘. . . Darn!’

MONEY

My horoscope says this is the day I should figure out new ways to make my "rainy day fund" fatter.  What "rainy day" fund?

HEALTH

Have you seen the report from the CDC that lists Colorado as the skinniest state in the USA?  Only 20.7% of the people who live in Colorado are overweight.  Mississippi has the most heavyweights.

In general the South has more heavy folks followed by the midwest.  The west has the lowest rate of overweights.

HOLIDAY

Congress passed the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935.  These days, it would, probably, be more accurate to call it the Social not-so-Security Act.  In any event, we've been celebrating  senior citizens day on August 14 ever since.  As you can see, I'm wearing my shirt and I expect some damn respect.

Of course, there's always some young whippersnapper who comes along with a smart-ass comment about us older folks.  A good example was a young man, on Twitter, who said, "I'm all for Senior Citizens working but I draw the line at prostitution."

The way things are going, we may have to turn to that.

WEATHER

I see we have 3 more dead in a Texas A & M shooting.  When are we going to stop the insanity in this country?

Here's an interesting statistic.  Only about 3 in 10 Broadway shows recoup their original investment but, you know what they say, the show must go on!

Donnie sent me a fun packet with all kinds of "stuff" in it including a 2013 wall calendar and a package of South Dakota Wildflower Seeds.  I don't know if they'll grow in Wisconsin soil but I'll give them to Rita and maybe we can find a place to put them next spring.

YUP!  I think our heatwave is over.  Highs in the 70's most of the week.  Maybe low 80's on Wednesday and we'll only get into the 60's by Friday.

I got my electric bill this morning and was, almost, afraid to open it, considering how much I used the a/c.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It was only about $4.00 above what it usually is.  Maybe I didn't "chill out" as much as I thought I did.

Here's a great one from Carl:
"I was visiting one of my sons and family last night when I asked if I could borrow a newspaper.

"This is the 21st century", he said.  "We don't waste money on newspapers.  Here, you can borrow my son's iPad."

I can tell you, that bloody fly never knew what hit it.

A comment from Willard:
Just read Donnie's "adventure" of flying to Baltimore...I doubt I will ever fly again.

Think you've seen an expensive home?  I don't think you have unless you've seen the three story New York apartment on the market for $100 MILLION.  Who has the money to buy apartments this expensive? (Yes, people are buying these places) A lot of them are being bought by the Russians!   Remember that movie, "The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming?"  Who did you say won the cold war???  Take a peek at these palaces in the sky.  Who knows?  You might win the lottery.

FIDEL CASTRO

IS

86 TODAY

HELLO LEFTY!
This is a holiday for only 7 to 10% of the people in the world.  That's how many are left handed.

I didn't know that!
Filet Mignon, in french, means "dainty" filet.

Are the hot days over??  We won't see much sun but we won't feel the heat either.  With mostly cloudy skies, our high of 75 will be just about right for me.

The heat is still on in Texas, however.  95 for Houston and 100 in Dripping Springs today.

Know anybody going to Norway?  He're a list of the top 10 things to do in Oslo.

I just heard that beach volleyball was the hottest ticket at the Olympics.  Beach volleyball?

Good luck to the couple who plan to swim across Lake Michigan on Monday.  That's a 50 mile swim!  The story is in the WINONA DAILY NEWS.

Here's a story that will remind you of just how much we've given up to have those snazzy big-box, ugly, chain stores run by people a thousand miles away and filled with junk made in China with a hot, hideous parking lot out front.  The CARMEL DRUG STORE in Carmel By the Sea, California has been in business for over 100 years.  It's downtown, where it belongs, and it's run by a local couple who know their customers on a first name basis.

You can have the "new" corporate America.  I'll take the good old USA.

I enjoy some of the Sunday Morning stories on CBS but I've got to say, that network has some of the most pretentiously overbearing on-air talent of any of the television networks.

NWS La Crosse SkyCam Looking west over La Crosse

Donnie is back home, safe and sound.  His thoughts.....
On Thursday I was cutting lawn weeds, and walked into a tree limb, putting a gash on my head, not a pretty thing to take on my trip to Ocean City. (There's nothing that says "old" quite as unpleasantly as a scab on a bald head.) But that pain was nothing compared to the misery of air travel.

I don't suppose it has changed much, physically, since I first took wing, but I have. While younger travelers seem to take it all in stride, and have their gadgets to keep them busy, I have lost almost all patience with the discomforts and the unattractive crowds. There's nothing like an airport and a plane trip to give one the feeling humanity has gone terribly awry. We should never have ventured into the skies: instead, we might have developed rail travel ever more, and had now high-speed, clean, comfortable, economical, scenic, and cheerful mass transport across America. But of course, I don't think we should even have gone to automobiles, the single most evident source of most of our social and economic woes.

Airline travel consist of...

Airport arrival--the barren sterility of vast, hot parking lots, man-made deserts, the oppressive monotony of countless vehicles that all look alike, and here and there dazed, exhausted travelers trying to remember where their own vehicles are waiting.

The check-in--a crowded, confusing, tiring juggle of stuff and people, luggage, papers, kids, in a human atmosphere of scowling impatience.

Security--welcome to a chamber of anxiety and paranoia.

The wait--among crowds of unkempt, unhealthy, self-absorbed, inconsiderate humanity in t-shirts and flip-flops, the offense compounded by the memory of a time when people put on their best clothes and best behavior to travel.

At last, the flight--a claustrophobic packaging and hermetic transport of fleshy stuff.

And finally (probably much delayed), the arrival--a Rorschach repeat of the black misery of departure.

But apparently a guardian angel took pity on me, and a no-show on the last Austin leg created the only empty seat on the plane--next to me.

WHAT NEXT?  There's trouble for Norwegian fishermen.  Because of climate change, the salmon aren't swimming up Norway's rivers every year like the used to.  Now, they're staying out to sea two or three winters before coming back into the rivers to mate.  Read the full story here.

An item in Travel and Leisure magazine caught my eye.  Mainly because I once worked for the hotel chain and, I know, Donnie has had lunch there.

The article was about the worlds best hotels and it picks the FOUR SEASONS HOTEL/ISTANBUL the #1 large city hotel in Europe.

This is luxury at its best as you can see at this website.

CLOSING CEREMONIES

OLYMPICS

7:00 PM

NBC