Wrestlemania
It's an annual ritual. Each year I sit with a good friend and we watch the annual Pay-Per-View show of Wrestlemania. This year was the 29th edition. We almost always go to the same sports bar to watch the show and it is always packed to the rafters with rabid, loud fans.
There are two types of fans for "wrassling" on TV. The group my friend and I belong to, who know it is scripted, have fun trying to guess what the writers have scripted this time, can appreciate the athleticism of the entertainer/athletes who 'compete' in the squared circle; and know that every small detail of each 'match' was planned out and rehearsed long before the cameras were turned on.
Then there is the other, larger, group. They want to believe that what they are watching is real. Maybe that's a testament to the quality of the writing that goes into this. For those who pooh-pooh this as low-brow entertainment, bear in mind that millions were watching around the world having paid a tidy sum to do so. The sports bar where I watched it was charging $10 per head and it was standing room only.
Oh, and then there is the fact that the WWE is a publicly traded company that posted gross revenues of nearly 1/2 billion for the calendar year 2012, and net income of $31.4 million from those revenues.
Margaret Thatcher has died. Some call her the greatest peacetime leader of Great Britain during the 20th Century. That's fair. Winston Churchill was the greatest wartime leader of Great Britain during that century. "The Iron Lady" dida fine job. RIP. She also changed the face of world leadership, proving that a woman can do the job and do it with skill and aplomb.
Someone stole 5 tons of Nutella in Germany. If it weren't for commercials I see on occasion touting the nutritional goodness of it as a breakfast spread, I would have had no idea what Nutella is. Why in the world would someone want 5 tons of it? It's worth 16,000 Euros. Seems like it isn't a smart item to steal in bulk.
I'm watching a re-run of an old game show and it just dawned on me how old it is. They were talking about Bob Hope having just celebrated his 80th birthday. Hope was born in 1903. Do the math and you see I'm watching a re-run of a 30 year old game show. But the "whammy" still makes me laugh.
This Date in History:
On this day in 1093, the new Winchester Cathedral was dedicated.
On this date in 1730, the first synagogue in New York City was dedicated.
On this date in 1820, the Venus de Milo was discovered.
On this date in 1908, Harvard University establishes the Harvard Business School.
On this date in 1945, an air raid accidentally destroys a train carrying 4,000 concentration camp internees. After the raid is over, the Nazis massacre the train's survivors.
On this date in 1975, Frank Robinson becomes the first African-American to manage a major league baseball game.
On this date in 1987, Dodgers exec Al Campanis resigns over racially charged comments he made on television.
On this date in 1992, Arthur Ashe announces he has AIDS.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
David Rittenhouse
Mary Pickford
Sonja Henie
Betty Ford
Edward Mulhare
Shecky Greene
Seymour Hersh
John Havlicek
Catfish Hunter
Tom DeLay
Steve Howe (the guitar player)
Gary Carter
Julian Lennon (he's turning 50)
Robin Wright
Patricia Arquette
There are two types of fans for "wrassling" on TV. The group my friend and I belong to, who know it is scripted, have fun trying to guess what the writers have scripted this time, can appreciate the athleticism of the entertainer/athletes who 'compete' in the squared circle; and know that every small detail of each 'match' was planned out and rehearsed long before the cameras were turned on.
Then there is the other, larger, group. They want to believe that what they are watching is real. Maybe that's a testament to the quality of the writing that goes into this. For those who pooh-pooh this as low-brow entertainment, bear in mind that millions were watching around the world having paid a tidy sum to do so. The sports bar where I watched it was charging $10 per head and it was standing room only.
Oh, and then there is the fact that the WWE is a publicly traded company that posted gross revenues of nearly 1/2 billion for the calendar year 2012, and net income of $31.4 million from those revenues.
Margaret Thatcher has died. Some call her the greatest peacetime leader of Great Britain during the 20th Century. That's fair. Winston Churchill was the greatest wartime leader of Great Britain during that century. "The Iron Lady" dida fine job. RIP. She also changed the face of world leadership, proving that a woman can do the job and do it with skill and aplomb.
Someone stole 5 tons of Nutella in Germany. If it weren't for commercials I see on occasion touting the nutritional goodness of it as a breakfast spread, I would have had no idea what Nutella is. Why in the world would someone want 5 tons of it? It's worth 16,000 Euros. Seems like it isn't a smart item to steal in bulk.
I'm watching a re-run of an old game show and it just dawned on me how old it is. They were talking about Bob Hope having just celebrated his 80th birthday. Hope was born in 1903. Do the math and you see I'm watching a re-run of a 30 year old game show. But the "whammy" still makes me laugh.
This Date in History:
On this day in 1093, the new Winchester Cathedral was dedicated.
On this date in 1730, the first synagogue in New York City was dedicated.
On this date in 1820, the Venus de Milo was discovered.
On this date in 1908, Harvard University establishes the Harvard Business School.
On this date in 1945, an air raid accidentally destroys a train carrying 4,000 concentration camp internees. After the raid is over, the Nazis massacre the train's survivors.
On this date in 1975, Frank Robinson becomes the first African-American to manage a major league baseball game.
On this date in 1987, Dodgers exec Al Campanis resigns over racially charged comments he made on television.
On this date in 1992, Arthur Ashe announces he has AIDS.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
David Rittenhouse
Mary Pickford
Sonja Henie
Betty Ford
Edward Mulhare
Shecky Greene
Seymour Hersh
John Havlicek
Catfish Hunter
Tom DeLay
Steve Howe (the guitar player)
Gary Carter
Julian Lennon (he's turning 50)
Robin Wright
Patricia Arquette
posted by me at 6:16 AM
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