Mary Richards--Mary Tyler Moore House For Sale

So the Mary Richards house is for sale! Mary Richards...well, no relative of mine although we share the same last name...and actually not a real person. Mary Richards the television character played by Mary Tyler Moore in the 1970's was a pretty high rated sitcom. I have to say this for it seems to the younger generation the mention of some of these ole greats draws a blank. I was doing some work with a student a few days back and I happened to mention the name of 'Carol Burnett'. "Never heard of her," he replied.


 For people of the baby boomers generation I guess we're all becoming increasingly amazed at the names of ones we considered the SUPER GREATS don't  mean any thing much to ones of the new age. Back to Mary Tyler Moore....she stared in the award winning, 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' in the 60's and eventually launched out on her own a few years later with the Mary Tyler Moore show. To begin with it didn't score high in the ratings but with time, that's back in the time when networks would provide it MTM became a hit.

The beginning trailer of the show had Mary drive up to a house in Minneapolis which was meant to be the place she rented an apartment. For numbers of years the house served as a backdrop scene in many shots throughout the episodes as Mary's home residence. Seen below is the picture of the house.

 

As the story line went Mary's apartment was on the third floor behind the Palladian windows with the iron balcony. The opening trailer of the show had Mary Tyler Moore drive up to the house in a Ford Mustang. Seen below...

The top loft apartment which was supposed to be Mary's was created on a Hollywood set and you might remember it as the picture below,

My wife and I brought out some Mary Tyler Moore DVD's and watched a few shows.  Quite a small place for Mary really. There was a very small kitchen to the side appearing only about two feet wide and the back closet where she'd store all her millions of different type clothes but never did hear where the washroom was....STARS don't need them I guess.  There was no bedroom but merely a bed sofa in the living room...so it was kind of like a one bedroom apartment. 

There's news this week that the real 'Mary Tyler Home' from  Minneapolis  is up for sale. Here's a picture of the real  interior of what Mary's apartment truly looks like.

One wonders how much fun it would be to watch some of those MTM shows sitting in this room. Be kind of a strange feeling would it not? More trivial. Apparently so many fans of the show in the 70's would drive by and look at the place the then owners of the home put out a political sign stating "Impeach Richard Nixon". The producers of MTM then decided to have Mary Richards move to a high rise apartment building so as not to have the sign in future shots. I'd assume the home owner probably had an agreement at first but probably tired of the many fans. The house is listed for 2.9 million dollars. According to reports it has 7 bedrooms and 9 washrooms.
One would hope it has a kitchen bigger than Mary's though.  ;)

Should PSY "Gangnam Style" Popularity Take A Nose Dive?

                            

 

He played the game and if anyone asked him if he cared less eight years ago what Americans would think of him he'd probably have told them he couldn't care less. The story is about PSY of the famous "Gangnam Style" a utube dance sensation. News has come out that PSY held extremely strong and excessive views against Americans. This was largely due to a situation taking place eight years ago in the middle east where one South Korean missionary Sun-il  was beheaded in Iraq by militants.

 

I remember the incident in the news and felt a lot of sympathy for this Korean man they declared they were going to kill which they subsequently did. Many Koreans took it hard which they had every justifiable right in doing.  Instead of channelling his protest against middle eastern terrorist PSY directed it rather against America and it's citizens. In a rap song from 2004 it's reported that PSY sang the following,

 

"Kill those f---ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives/Kill those f---ing Yankees who ordered them to torture/Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers/Kill them all slowly and painfully."

 

This now coming out PSY has issued an apology. PSY stated, "While I'm grateful for the freedom to express one's self, I've learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I'm deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted. I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words."

 

Sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted? How else could they be other than he wanted to see Americans any Americans be treated in a brutal barbaric fashion...kill their mothers and daughters...slowly and painfully? Could the real truth be that this Mr PSY should offer up a second apology for thinking American people would be so stupid as to interpret his words to mean anything less than what he stated?  

 

 

 

 

PSY played the game...the game of saying whatever he wanted and as they say, not giving a damn concerning possible ramifications for isn't that what his opinion would have been in 04.  Fair enough but our actions many times has a cost or price we might have to pay and seeing his world-wide fame take a total and absolute nose dive might be that very thing. On another front, just when you wouldn't think this story couldn't get any stranger PSY is slated to perform with other music stars at a Christmas event in Washington on Dec 21 where U.S. President Barack Obama is slated to attend. 

 

The White House has confirmed the President is still going. One wonders if he doesn't appreciate the political hot potato this could become over the next 14 or so days before the event. How could one not imagine that there'll not be a growing public outrage insisting that PSY be removed from the event. Is it really something that should be deemed worth keeping on for the night of entertainment?   December 21st marks the day according to the Mayan calendar the world is supposed to end. I highly doubt it. It might be the day however in which common sense and understanding of what's the right thing to do takes a back seat as PSY will probably be applauded, given a smile and a pat on the back and told how much everyone enjoyed his performance.  If that's not a shame what exactly could be? 

 

 

 

                      Looking At The Moon---Give It A Wink For Neil

Neil Armstrong was  the first man to set foot on the moon.   I emphasise his accomplishment for I read that many on twitter were asking who he was. Wow!  Kind of a sad commentary I'd say on the state of modern education that some wouldn't still consider him on the level of a household name. Oh sure everyone knows the name of the latest star of say a Batman film, or the latest antics in Europe of the pop singer Madonna...but the first man to walk on the moon...Who was he again?


  I'll repeat...Neil Armstrong. Am I being a tad bit unkind towards those  not be in the know? Perhaps. First of all I grew up as a kid in the 60's when I'd say the whole world was looking on with fascination at the  accomplishments the Americans were achieving in space. I followed with much enthusiasm the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs knowing all the astronauts names and what goals they were set out to accomplish. It was an exciting time and it was never too difficult for NASA to hold everyone's attention.

Will they be able to do it or won't they...that is land a man on the moon. Well the space agency worked hard to make it happen and did so slightly ahead of schedule. This brought about the well known saying, "We can land a man on the moon but we can't do this or that". Could the question now be, "We can land a man on the moon but do we really want to do it again?' I'm sure some time it'll be repeated but is the thrill of doing so gone? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

That being said the super great achievements of NASA and their astronauts of the 1960's should never be forgotten. They demonstrated how a great many people could come together and work out a plan on making the impossible happen and they had the courage and determination to see it through. Thanks Neil Armstrong for being the Commander of that Great Apollo mission. When we look up to the moon from time to time we'll give it a wink for Neil!


Like to read my blog, "Nasa Can Still Boldly Go" ?? Just click on this link.http://bob-richards.blogspot.ca/2011/07/nasa-can-still-boldly-go-pt-1.html

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                               A Strange Visitor To The Olympics

An unusual thing happened at the Olympics. The lady in the picture to the left, rode her bike into London. She stated it seemed she'd be riding for years trying to get there from Oz.  From Oz?  The athletes from [Oz] Australia had a faint recollection knowing they'd seen her somewhere but they assured officials she was not a part of their team therefore was not allowed to ride in their group.

Upon learning this she became quite perturbed and began calling everybody a bunch of stupid Munchkins got on her bike and rode away. Sadly she rode right into an approaching storm with a whirlwind and has never been see again. HELLO YELLOW BRICK ROAD?? LOL






Yes it's believed the lady above came from an entirely different place some believe a world with more colour and excitement...Maybe you might like to see my blog, "Would You Like To Live In A Colourful Town?" Nope you don't have to go down  the Yellow Brick road just click on this  link >>>>  http://bob-richards.blogspot.ca/2014/05/would-you-like-colourful-town.html

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                       2009 "Joe The Plumber"  2012 "Bob The Builder"

Whipping through headlines today I saw two words..."Store hammers" and for a second considered it was encouraging people to store their hammers away. In other words if the American President was saying people didn't build their business they could respond by saying, "Fine we'll store our hammers away never to use them again!" Upon closer examination I saw the headline really was saying that a store hammered Obama with a sign on the street making light of his statement they had not built their businesses.

Maybe a campaign strategy for ole Mitt though? "If you don't think Mr President that Americans built their businesses maybe henceforth they should store away their hammers? Maybe they should build no more?" That's where Romney would get hammered however....Obama could counter by saying, "Store away their hammers? Mitt...Your idea is as dumb as nails!" ;)) 



So...it makes me ponder to consider. The 2009 U.S. Presidential Campaign saw "Joe The Plumber" come to the forefront. Might Obama this time round in 2012 have to deal with someone like "Bob The Builder"? Or maybe "Hester the Carpenter"? Maybe they'll even take him and show him the things they've built.

                               Mannequin Dummies To Fill The Seats??

Wow! Empty seats at the Olympics. I guess you have to wonder if many are asking why in the world did they build these structures if they only ended up half full. Apparently it's not because let's call them 'real sports fans' didn't want to go but it's reported that cooperative sponsors were given whole blocks of tickets....and it appears for the best seats in the house....and it appears they really had no intentions of going.

It's too bad the little guy on the street, the common folk who truly believed in the Olympic spirit were held back from buying tickets! Sold out they were told or so it's reported. There's talk now of passing tickets out to the military or perhaps students. If that fails I'd suggest they should fill those seats with mannequin dummies the kind they use in movie shoots. I'm sure the athletes would consider they don't look too excited but at least they're better than nothing. They might even consider the organizers should take a seat among them.

Seriously there's really no Olympics that doesn't have it's embarrassing glitches. In the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games there was the-opening-ceremony-girl-not-cute-enough-to-sing shame. In my own country of Canada our winter Olympics of 2010 there was the caged torch controversy.

As the couple of weeks the Olympics last organizers regardless of their country have glitches and quirks they desperately seek to work out. Nothing comes off perfect but you try your best. This particular situation is rather revealing however for the reason it demonstrating how the elites, the so called 'important people' are so much of the time given preferential treatment with tickets perhaps even provided  them for free...and they failed to support what they claimed they were behind all the time. I guess one could say they're playing their own type of game.

The Man Who Changed His Name To : "Politically Correct"

I know a man who changed his name to "Politically Correct". He did this so he’d never forget who and what he was. His relatives thought he’d disgraced them having rejected the family name but regardless he wanted to do the right and proper thing. By changing his name to “Politically Correct” he knew it would remind him never to fail at being scrupulous and relating things in the most suitable unoffensive way. 

Never would he fall into the slips of the tongue of lesser men, as calling a delivery person a mailman not considering they may be of the female gender. The family of P.C. even suggested to him that “Politically Correct” might even have been a term derived from the Communists where they referred to the “party line” or the line which is correct.   P.C. threw caution to the wind believing a world without offending any bodies’ sensitivities had to be the right way to go. 

A day came however when what were considered by some as “real bad people” came to the country. Their intent was to annihilate and destroy the people of the land. Politically Correct strongly asserted they not be termed “bad” but rather define them as not being too upright or virtuous in character. That would leave room to consider they had a degree of goodness but that it just needed slightly more developed. 

They were probably good at heart, he reasoned, and they probably just needed some positive direction. He also wrote a letter to major media outlets insisting that they stop publishing the description of some of these not too nice characters less they offend those of similar appearance. From this point on they should keep all descriptions of the bad people as colour neutral which meant no longer saying they were black, red, yellow or whatever but have it put it down as  “Non-Whites”.  

Some considered P.C. a genius and gave him the “Nobel Peace Prize” which delighted him no end. One problem began to develop however. People couldn’t quite figure out just what“non-whites” were responsible in seeking to plot the demise of the good people of the land. Finally they gave up trying to know so as not to be condemned as insensitive.

This way of thinking taking hold on the people was all the Grey-Blue Bad People needed in order to carry out their dastardly deeds and wreak destruction on the land. They even captured Politically Correct and took him to their grey and blue world where they locked him in stocks.

In their town square he was mocked and ridiculed, caring not one iota for any of his sensitivities to his last dying day. At times they wondered if they were being merciless, and cruel but then concluded it was P.C. that opened the door to the destroyers. To feel sorry for him might possibly make them as Politically Correct as he. 

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The Scary Thing Under The Bed!!

She saw it! Fran Reynolds was in that intermediate stage between sleep and consciousness but she beheld it entering the room and what a terrifying experience it was! All had been quite, the time--around three a.m. The nightlight in the hall allowed her to see the clear silhouette of this night time invader.

No it wasn't human and it surely didn't belong to this home!  What a strange looking creature it was, a relatively small body making it's way across the floor---but it's head incredibly big---the like she'd never seen before. The whole thing lasted mere seconds, fast and quick not enough time to even focus on the shadowy creature! 

It darted under her bed...and then her beloved cat CHELO let out a shriek. Poor, Chelo! This thing, this unknown creature of the night...was attacking her. How horribly unfair can you get!

Fran let out a scream, calling out frantically to her husband Bill laying sound asleep.

"Bill! Bill! Bill! There's something....something.....something under the bed! It doesn't... doesn't..... belong here!!!! What is it!!! Something, something, something!" Fran pushed out of her terrified soul, barely able to speak.

Chills ran down both of their spines as Bill jumped out of the bed functioning on pure adrenaline. Flicking on the light Fran pulled back the covers from off the bed and they cautiously peaked underneath feeling great trepidation of what they might find. Their fear gave in to anger as soon as the light fell upon the culprit.

No, there was not two creatures under the bed...only one...only one. It was their beloved cat CHELO.

"Chelo!!!" they exclaimed.

Apparently she'd got her head stuck in a super big grocery bag and had began to panic running around the house. The creature with the huge head lunging under the bed was none other then her!

Chelo gave a look at Fran, the type of look which seemed to say, "Sorry Mom. I got my head stuck in this thing in the middle of the night and didn't know what to do!" The mystery of "The-Unknown-Scary-Creature-In-The-Middle-Of-The-Night"...SOLVED.

Special Note:  This is a true story!  The names have been changed to protect the innocent.  I'll say one thing though the picture of the grey cat under the bed sure looks a lot like our grey cat Zola! ;)

Oh one last thing! You might enjoy my FREE 30 minute audio short story I put on Youtube, which I entitled, "Checkered Flag Moon!" Just click on the following link below,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27fiPLSe0bM

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Benjamin Franklin's Eagle vs The Turkey

On twitter I usually try to post a historical fact that took place in history, from each date on the calendar. I found quite interesting that on January 26, 1784,  Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter lamenting the fact that the eagle was chosen to be the animal symbol of America. He put forth that the eagle is a bird, of bad moral character and that it doesn't get it's living honestly. Ben said you can see the eagle sitting on dead trees, too lazy to fish for itself and waits for other, more laborious birds to go make their catch but the eagle then flies over  and steals their prize.   Franklin went so far as to say it was a frank coward for even when a little King Bird no bigger then a sparrow decides to attack him, away flies the eagle. I guess he thought the eagle gave the appearance of being grandiose but for the most part it was merely show. 

What bird would he have chose to represent America? Apparently he thought the turkey. The turkey he stated was, a much more of a  respectable bird and was more of a true native of America. He acknowledged it was a little vain and silly but it did however have great courage which wouldn't hesitate to attack a British guard wearing a red coat. Ben may not have known but turkeys as well apparently have a great field of vision of around 270 degrees. Try to sneak up on one and you'll find they've got all bases covered. Franklin's words, about his love for the turkey have reminded me of something I've wondered  numerous times. Americans celebrate thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November and it seems to me they make a great deal more of the day than their Canadian neighbours to the north. 

Being a Canadian myself we celebrate it on the second Monday of October. We enjoy it and partake of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, turkey being the first choice, but not so much, in my opinion, is made of the day as when comparing it to the Americans. American Thanksgiving Day celebrations are pretty significant and the turkey seems to be the centre point of  which the day revolves. It's estimated that 45 million turkeys are cooked, and eatin on that one day alone. Yes Americans like turkeys! Were they wise however to stay with the bold eagle as their national symbol?  I believe so.   I'm sure it was chosen for it's ability to soar up high into the heavens and one could hardly envision the turkey doing the same. 

We can recall as well that "Eagle" was the name given to the Apollo 11 lunar module, which was the first manned ship to land on the moon. While Ben in his day might have thought the turkey as a great national representative, I'm not quite so sure. It would probably of had to hitch a ride with the soaring eagle to achieve the great heights. If Ben knew that America would some day go to the moon he'd probably would have agreed a turkey's place should only be for floats in parades and to be left for America's dinner table.

Perhaps you might like my Youtube, audio story, "Checkered Flag Moon"?  If so here's the link below,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27fiPLSe0bM

2012 : Get On Board We're Going For A Ride!

Here we are the first month of the year. My, how life moves on!   As much as we'd like to stop the clock, having it take a break, time moves ever forward regardless of our futile desires and hopes to the contrary. None are so fortunate. None are so blessed. No amount of wealth or influence can be used to impede the demands of time from delivering us to our destiny.  We're in motion.   Change, change and more change after that is the order of the day, and if things have been basically honky dory, peaches and cream, or in other words...agreeable--oh, how we might love things to stay the same. I recall the title of one of George Harrison's albums, "All Things Must Pass". The journey always continues and we'll be aboard the vehicle called "Time"...whether we like it or not.

On the way there'll be things that'll will be good...others, not so good. Through it all it could be said we continually choose.  We can go forward with a sense of dread or rather embrace hopeful expectations.  We can consider, as they say the glass is half empty, or rather half full and how we'll look upon it could it make all the difference in the world.  I'm sure for all of us there'll be trials, disappointments and perhaps we'll be swallowing a few bitter pills.  What will be our response?   Will we take those things in stride?  Will we do whatever possible in seeking to look at a bigger picture of potential in overcoming whatever challenge?

I came up with one-liner for the  year: "Let's delve into positive optimistic thinking for 2012 and shelve all thoughts to the contrary." Yes, I'm aware cute little sayings such as these seem glib and superficial but we're always embracing some way of thinking regardless---why not make it a positive one?  Why not leave a legacy that we were always known for looking at life from the sunny side?   Isn't that what you'd like to have spoken at your funeral, that ole Tom, Dick, or Harry, or Sally, Billy-Joe or Thelma-Lou always sought to have a cheerful demeanour?   Will we be known as one who was a joy to be around? Or will they say, "Good riddance! The ole fuss pot is gone!"  Granted the squeaky wheel as they say,  many times is the one to get the attention and a little crustiness in ones character might be a good thing after all! Perhaps a happy balance is the key?

Well, certain events undoubtedly will transpire which won't be considered much fun to go through. Yes we may feel we're on a roller coaster at times and not merely the regular type  but one which takes you upside down and spins you around!  It goes without saying there might be certain events in which no silver lining will appear. Consider one such occasion on 911 at the New York, Twin Towers. A fireman doing clean up who worked tirelessly near a double shift, left the site feeling beat and exasperated. Reaching the parameter of the debris he came across a little girl holding out to him some flowers. Regardless of the hellish experience he'd just gone through that one kind and seemingly insignificant small act of a child, handing him a flower, made it possible to set aside his grief.

Perhaps that's a principal we'd be wise to consider. Maybe we should be content, not always to see sweeping changes and improvements with situations in 2012 but be content looking at certain precious and treasured moments we freeze up in time.  If we take proper inventory couldn't it be said that most of us have a gallery of such events we could once in awhile consider?   Kind acts, encouraging words or even the friendly smile of others should never be taken for granted. I wonder if they're the things that say, we're loved, appreciated and hang in there, for tomorrow or the next day or the next day after that our bigger and greater problems might just improve. As Tom Hanks once said in the film, 'Forrest Gump' "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get!" ;)

May good things come your way in 2012!