Recent Events 10/09-10/12

Well it is Monday Oct 12th, Columbus Day, but over the weekend there were also a number of events that will make a footnote in history. Celebrity news on the bright side, Sir Paul Mcartney of one of the worlds most successful British rock bands, The Beatles tied the knot for the third time Sunday in London. The rocker married  his girlfriend Nancy Shevell 51, at the Old Marylebone Town Hall, the same location where in 1969 he married his first wife Linda Eastman.


Mcartney 69, was happy and animated as he and his new bride left the building. She wore a  gown designed by Mcartney's daughter Stella. The ceremony was simple in comparison to his last to ex wife Heather Mills which took place at an Irish castle with a huge guest list of A-listers. There were a few notable guests such as his former Beatles bandmate, and only other surviving member, Ringo Starr, Barbara Walters was present as well. Mcartney seemed in really good spirits,
having gone through a very rocky and pubic divorce in 2008.
The ceremony took place on what would have been John
Lennon's 71st birthday. Mcartney still records and plays, however not having the success he enjoyed in the early days of the Beatles. He was responsible for such hits as "Hard Days Night", "Live and Let Die" and co wrote many of the Beatles catalog with John Lennon.

Mickey Welsh
1971-2011

In other celebrity news, former Weezer bassist, Mickey Welsh, 40  was found dead in a Chicago hotel room on Saturday. At this time no official details are being released as to cause of death but a drug overdose is suspected. Also recent cryptic messages from Welsh led his former bandmates to believe he was suffering from depression. Welsh was a band member from 1998   to 2001  before quitting the band due to suffering a nervous breakdown. Welsh had been pursuing his other talent as an painter/artist in the time since his departure.

He was in Chicago to catch his former band who were scheduled to perform Sunday. Recent tweets from him had stated how he was excited to be there to see his friends again and see them perform but that he had also had dreams that he was going to die from a heart attack while in Chicago and needed to complete a will.

And of course today is Columbus Day, the day Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus was said to have discovered the Americas also referred to as New World in 1492.  Many different cultures celebrate today as a holiday by closing schools and federal buildings, having parades and services.

Saturday Morning Cartoons? Where did they go?

Good Morning! Another Saturday morning is here, although a little overcast with scattered showers in this area. I was thinking back to when I was a kid growing up in the 80's and how Saturday mornings were eagerly awaited for, not only because it was the end of the week, and two days off from school, it also meant getting up early, grabbing a bowl of cereal and settling in front of the TV for a morning of animation domination!

Yes I am talking about all the great lineup of now classic cartoons such as Looney Tunes with Bugs Bunny and the gang, Scooby Doo, as well as the toy based adventures of The Super Friends, Transformers, GI-Joe, Starhawks, and the Masters Of The Universe. Most were simply a marketing tool used by toy manufacturers like Hasbro, and Mattel as 30 min commercials for their toy lines.

As the 80's progressed the lineups changed and old favorites made way for ones such as Spiderman and his Amazing Friends, Lazer-Tag Academy, and not to forget the female audience there was JEM, She-Ra, Barbie and friends and others. As the 90s approached, companies started to get away from the trend as well as local television stations who were being chastized for not providing enough educational material.

There were such teen shows as Saved By the Bell, which gave young child stars, who today are now big names in the industry their start. California Dreams which while short lived, provided a musical show that inspired teens while giving them a taste of growing up on the East Coast surfer scene.

Nowadays there are very few programs like in the good old days. Networks like Cartoon Network which shows 24 hr animation programming have brought out many new shows based on the popular comic book heroes from Marvel such as Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Wolverine and the X-men. as well as new anime versions of the X-men and Wolverine, as well as revamping of some old favorites like Thundercats.

Remembering those days always brings a smile to your face, especially in today's  hectic world. It was a part of our childhood and will always have a special  place in my memories of growing up. There were many more cartoons that didn't get mentioned here due to space but please leave your comments if you remember any others that were a part of your childhood. Send your submissions and in a later post we'll hold a poll to see what were the most popular of all time.  Now as I sit here I sip my coffee I am trying to find something good to watch. . .Good luck.

Around the Coffee Table

Good Morning everyone, grab a hot cup of Joe and lets see what is happening in the world today. To start TGIF! Another week is done and the weekend is upon us. A time to leave work behind for a couple of days and spend quality time with the family. For those that enjoy shopping but can't afford the malls, consider driving around your local area and find garage sales, where you can often find amazing deals on stuff. Flea markets are another place to enjoy looking for bargains as well.


The beach is another place to spend the day. Even though summer is over, a visit to the local seashore on more time before fall weather sets in is nice. If your not fortunate enough to live near a coastal area, plan a day trip to a new area that everyone will enjoy. A trip to a local park or recreation area where you can jog or walk and the kids can play can also be a rewarding adventure.

Although many Americans are watching the economy, unemployment still continues to keep many families out in the search for any type of employment available. Job seekers are lined up at the workforce centers and welfare offices to get any type of assistance they can to survive what many fear will be another Great Depression before much longer.

And finally a note, Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the war in Iraq, which has now became the longest ongoing conflict in American history. As troops are still deployed in the region as well as Afghanistan a, everyone is awaiting to hear about an exit from these areas to bring our soldiers home.

Well, that's about it for now. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, make sure you do it safely and above all enjoy the time you have to spend with your friends and family.