Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Page 71 of the daily mail has a blackbird spy plane story on its speed similar vein but not quite as good as the one on here
I can't copy off the I pad edition to post it but it's worth a read

Found it, thanks Tony.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2855795/So-secret-existence-not-acknowledged-Futuristic-Aurora-spy-plane-travels-SIX-TIMES-speed-sound-blamed-mysterious-booms-heard-weekend.html

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[tikay]

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/30/worldsport/gallery/what-a-shot-1230/index.html

Some of the captions are simply tremendous.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/events/523981195?editorialproduct=sport

http://uk.businessinsider.com/most-mesmerizing-sports-photos-2014-12

You are right about the captions.

I don't seem to be able to copy the Photo, but this caption seemed to read a little odd....


Chesterfield and his jockey, Noel Fehily, fall during a hurdle race Saturday, December 27, in Sunbury-on-Thames, England

Sunbury on Thames, eh? I guess we'd call that Kempton Park.

[Tal]

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/30/worldsport/gallery/what-a-shot-1230/index.html

Some of the captions are simply tremendous.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/events/523981195?editorialproduct=sport

http://uk.businessinsider.com/most-mesmerizing-sports-photos-2014-12

You are right about the captions.

I don't seem to be able to copy the Photo, but this caption seemed to read a little odd....


Chesterfield and his jockey, Noel Fehily, fall during a hurdle race Saturday, December 27, in Sunbury-on-Thames, England

Sunbury on Thames, eh? I guess we'd call that Kempton Park.

Definitely my favourite!

The other two links comprise more traditional, proper photos, rather than random pictures of stuff that happened in sports.

[tikay]

Sign of the times.....

A week or so ago, these two got officially married.





Wiki tells us.....

In 1993, he began a relationship with David Furnish, a former advertising executive and now filmmaker originally from Toronto, Canada. On 21 December 2005 (the day that the Civil Partnership Act came into force), John and Furnish were amongst the first couples in the UK to form a civil partnership, which was held at the Windsor Guildhall. After gay marriage became legal in England in March 2014, John and Furnish married in Windsor, Berkshire on 21 December 2014, the ninth anniversary of their civil partnership. They have two sons. Their oldest, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, was born to a surrogate mother on 25 December 2010 in California. A second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, was born to the couple by the same surrogate mother on 11 January 2013.

Here are the happy couple with their 2 children.

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I suppose photos don't always tell the full story, but to me, they look blissfully happy.

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Elton, who has the splendid moniker Sir Elton Hercules John has become almost royalty in the UK, an institution, much like, in some ways, the Late Queen Mum.  

For people of my age, it's quite something to see such an arrangement officially blessed, & seemingly meeeting with the general approval, goodwill indeed, of the Great British public - I see very little adolescent dissing of him for his sexuality.

I grew up in this era.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Offences_Act_1967

It is just 50 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in England & Wales. Yes, it was an offence to practice homosexuality until then. Scotland did not follow suit until 1880, Northern Irelend 1982.  

We live in extraordinary times, the world has surely never changed so much, so quickly. Some of it is really rather lovely.

[horseplayer]

The world has changed, realise the internet is not always a great guide but the racist and especially homophobic stuff on twitter especially disgusts me.

Sure there children will have a better start than most and that is whats important

[tikay]

You'll have to excuse the inane rambling, but over the holidays, I was trying to think who, in the public eye, had impressed me most. Elton is certainly amongst them.

I was reminded of Sir Elton's enduring popularity by a lovely little Show on Sky Arts a week or so back. It was aboit his Las Vegas "Million Dollar Piano" Show @ Caesars Palace. He just sort of worked through his back catalogue, & the audience lapped it up. Then he just waddled off stage with that peculiar little walk he has, almost duck-like waddle, & a shade comical. Nobody laughed though, they loved him.

It was followed by a "Classic Album" Show, featuring Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. A wonderfully evocative watch.

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We see him in the newspapers, thissing & thatting, & can easily forget his achievements.

He's known to be "flamboyant", & he certainly knows how to spend money lavishly. I'm not sure if he needs to work, but he's still very busy indeed, just out there, getting things done.

He has two "main" homes, one in Old Windsor, Berkshire, & one in Atlanta, USA, & owns holiday homes in Nice, London, & Venice.

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[tikay]

Where does all that money come from?

It's easy to forget how enduring, & successful he is.

A few Wiki extracts......

In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 58 Billboard Top 40 singles, 27 Top 10, four No. 2 and nine No. 1. For 31 consecutive years (1970–2000) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100. His single "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is "the best-selling single of all time". He has received six Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards – winning two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the first Brits Icon in 2013, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, a Disney Legend award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era. In 2008, Billboard ranked him the most successful male solo artist on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists" (third overall).


In 1992, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party, which has since become one of the highest-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $200 million


In early September, he contacted his writing partner Bernie Taupin, asking him to revise the lyrics of his 1973 song "Candle in the Wind" to honour Diana, and Taupin rewrote the song accordingly. On 6 September 1997, John performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in Westminster Abbey. The song became the fastest and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually selling over 33 million copies worldwide, the best-selling single in UK Chart history – it sold 4.86 million copies in the UK, the best-selling single in Billboard history and the only single ever certified Diamond in the United States – the single sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. Also the Guinness World Records 2009 states that the song is "the biggest-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, having accumulated worldwide sales of 33 million copies". The song proceeds of approximately £55 million were donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. It would win Elton John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998. "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" was released as a double A-side. Elton John has publicly performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" only once, at Diana's funeral, vowing never to perform it again unless asked by Diana's sons


In October 2003, he announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The show, entitled The Red Piano, was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by David LaChapelle. Effectively, he and Celine Dion share performances at Caesars Palace throughout the year – while one performs, one rests. The first of these shows took place on 13 February 2004. In February 2006, Elton and Dion sang together at the venue to raise money for Harrah's Entertainment Inc. workers affected by the 2005 hurricanes, performing "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and "Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting). On 21 June 2008, Elton performed his 200th show in Caesars Palace.

He began his new show The Million Dollar Piano at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas on 28 September 2011. John will be performing the show at Caesars for the next three years. He performed his 3000th concert on Saturday 8 October 2011 at Caesars


He has also performed more times at Madison Square Gardens than any other artiste.

I'd prefer to laud the praises of unsung heroes, but life does not work like that.

I think he goes into my Top Ten Celebs of 2014 though.

[tikay]

Curiously, another of my 2014 faves was this young lady, & once again her sexuality does not seem to have hampered her progress.

Impeccably bred for horse racing knowledge, (she was "Champion Lady Rider" back in the 80's), she has now branched out into all sorts, & she does everything well. As a Broadcaster, she started as a trainee on BBC Radio & just worked at it, from an awkward Gary Lineker style start she is now extremely polished. 

Hard to recall a Sports Anchor wuith as much knowledge on so many different sports as her. It can't come naturally, it must all be based on research, & working hard, in the same way as Sir Peter O'Sullevan worked so hard to make his craft seem so easy.

She must be worth a pretty penny, & there'll be plenty more where that comes from, a proper safe pair of hands if ever I saw one. Well, two.

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_Balding

Again much respect. Love her to bits.

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[Mark_Porter]

Move over Elton John, Andy Carroll is the new modern day style icon. Mirrors on the ceiling and everything.

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[tikay]

Move over Elton John, Andy Carroll is the new modern day style icon. Mirrors on the ceiling and everything.

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Good Lord!

Not exactly what I'd call a classy joint, but each to their own.

He always strikes me as not being terribly bright, but good luck to him, the boy certainly did good.

Is he very very tall, or his young lady on the short side? Reminds me a bit of that Nigel Planer bloke in Young Ones.

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[horseplayer]

The backlash started from the crazy gang doc

John Scales @John_Scales  ·  31m 31 minutes ago
Shame Fash, Vinnie & Wally chose to revel in 'brutality' of Crazy Gang. Fash deluded & typically selfish. Embarrassing but predictable.

I don't like big time charlies / lack of humility. Sad lack of respect to teammates & fans
Irony is success was in spite of them not because

'88 FA Cup was brilliant culmination of Harry's legacy and reward for talent, focus, hard work & team ethic. Not always pretty but admirable

Bobby Gould genius of orchestrating things, getting Don Howe in & managing difficult dressing room.


Must admit i did feel the coaching/managerial side of things was kinda of overlooked some achievement

[Karabiner]

Tikay

http://sport.bt.com/video-01363814401986?videoid=3959398844001

If you didnt watch this over xmas make time to watch it, excellent doc on the "crazy gang"

Amazing to think this was not that long ago really

crazy gang was along time ago, i was in the army when they were in there pomp and that was well over half mylife time away
infact if i live that long again i will be very please

The Crazy Gang featuring Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen were actually very popular in the 1930's so I'm assuming that your army service was during WW2 and that your a little older than you've been letting on.

[tikay]

Decided to watch the Jeff Lynne documentary again last night.

For one so successful, he's remarkably self-effacing & humble.

He does that peculiar little thing when speaking of sort of making a little joke, then quickly debunking it.

"Yes, well no, not really, haha" which is kinda odd, a sort of speech tic.

ELO's music is, I suppose, pretty shallow, but it's right up my street. Think I saw them "Live" 8 or 9 times, including 3 times in a week once at Wembley Arena, so it was all a bit of a memory jerker for me.

Lynne, of course, did much much more than ELO,  & worked with Orbison, Dylan, Petty & Harrison in the Wlbury's, & produced stuff for The Beatles & Joe Walsh, amongst others. He wrote Xanadu, too.

Might just be the best music docu I've seen in the last year, though the making of "Wish You Were Here" & Knopfler's "Guitar Stories" must be in the frame.   

Most enjoyable.

He half reminds me, facially, of Micky Wernick.

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[Karabiner]

If Jeff Lynne spoke like Ozzie Osbourne...

[tikay]

...and in ELO trivia, Lynne explained that they sort of stole their original logo from the mighty General Electric. Tighty will be impressed with that.