Blog Archives
The 75th Anniversary of D-Day, as Seen by a 97-Year-Old D-Day Veteran
75 years after Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France — which remains the largest invasion involving land & water — it’s as important as ever to honor and celebrate the brave soldiers who risked their lives in World War II and changed the world. The ripples of water on Normandy’s coast between the years 1944 and 2019, defined by war then and peace now, as well as the immeasurable consequence of succeeding more than seven decades ago, must be remembered forever.
As reported on CNN,
In a broadcast message to troops before they leave, Eisenhower tells them, “The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory…We will accept nothing less than full victory!”
Here is the full speech (with footage from World War II) by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Since it is the 75th anniversary of D-Day, it seems fitting to commemorate this historical occasion with something special for one of the American soldiers who fought bravely on the beaches of Normandy in 1944 by parachuting into life-threatening danger.
97-year-old Tom Rice, who was a member of the 101st Airborne Division as a Paratrooper during World War II, is an inspiration to us all.
Thank you, Mr. Rice and all of the soldiers who fought for the Allied Forces in Normandy on D-Day 75 years ago.
You’ve Got a Friend (Well, Seven) in ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Spoiler Alert: Content below features a few spoilers (of sorts) from last night’s ‘Big Bang Theory’ series finale.
With last night’s series finale of ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ it seems appropriate to post a video with the show’s cast expressing gratitude for their dedicated fans who watched them for 12 seasons from all around the country and the world.
The hour-long series finale was fantastic, filled with hilarious punchlines coupled with heartwarming moments as was the tradition on the show. It was great. However, there are still a few lingering questions:
- What caused the immediate change of heart with Penny having a baby?
- Why didn’t Penny have a last name?
- Where were Sheldon’s final three knocks? No “Soft Kitty” or reference to “Soft Kitty”? No bazinga?
- Why didn’t Howard’s dad make an appearance or why wasn’t that mystery — which was teased in an earlier season — firmly resolved on camera?
- Why did Howard wear an alien pin in every single episode of the series?
Maybe I’m being too picky. Too mired in the details? An hour sounds like a long time, but the writers did a great job of crafting a cohesive story in about 42 minutes of actual air time to cram in a lot of things for a lot of characters to wrap the series up in a nice way. My questions above aren’t meant as massive critiques of the final show as a whole — they aren’t — but instead, highlight a few missing classic ‘Big Bang Theory’ shout-outs and what seemed like must-see revelations.
Above all, I really thought the writers would reveal why Howard wore an alien pin in every single episode (279 of them). It was there every time yet it was never mentioned or explained as what could have been revealed as a profound characteristic of the character?
Perhaps series co-creator Chuck Lorre put it best on his famous pause-worthy vanity card after the series finale last night:
“The end.”
Lingering questions aside, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ had a Nobel ending as one of the great sitcoms.
P.S. The ending of ‘Young Sheldon’ last night was yet another perfect synchronization with its parent show…and its characters.
Just perfect.
Will ‘The Big Bang Theory’ End in the Right Spot With Fans (and Sheldon)?
Since tomorrow’s blog post will be filled with personal anecdotes connected to ‘The Big Bang Theory’ — beginning with the pilot episode in 2007 — it seems right to keep it concise today.
12 years of Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, Howard, Raj, Bernadette and Amy (plus Stuart) is sadly ending. And the show will surely conclude with a special pause-worthy vanity card by show co-creator Chuck Lorre after the credits roll. It will be interesting to see the final-final note on ‘The Big Bang Theory.’
In preparation for tomorrow’s main event…
The hour-long series finale of the global hit ‘The Big Bang Theory’ airs tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET. on CBS.
The Spurs of the Moment Have a New Home
Innovative sports stadiums of the future don’t grow on trees…
but they sure are popping up like they do.
Continuing from yesterday’s article that spotlighted Real Madrid’s recent plans to upgrade its Bernabéu Stadium, today’s UEFA Champions League first-leg clash between Tottenham Hotspur (“Spurs”) and Manchester City (“Man City”) seems like the right time to spotlight Tottenham’s new stadium, which was the site for the aforementioned Champions League match.
FYI – Tottenham Hotspur upset Man City 1-nil. The return leg in Manchester will be a must-see TV experience as Pep’s friends are in a bit of a pickle.
For now, enjoy the future of football (or soccer for my American friends) in London with a digital tour of the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“The stadium cost an estimated £850 million, boasts a retractable pitch, and has a sunken artificial pitch so it can host 2 NFL games each season.
It also has the biggest single tier stand in the country with a capacity of 17,500, which Tottenham hope will generate a wall of noise to rival that of Borussia Dortmund’s famous yellow wall at Signal Iduna Park.”
–Sam Pilger, Forbes contributor, ‘Can Tottenham Hotspur’s New Stadium Deliver Success?’
For the record, the digital access cards mentioned in the video above have been used at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena for the past several years. It’s new to Tottenham fans, but not European football. And further, on the record, the digital access cards are pretty cool and pleasantly seamless concerning transactions.
There’s certainly a temptation for sports stadium architects to focus too heavily on technology as the driver of the fan and player experience. That’s fair. However, the ownership groups that will survive and thrive will use exciting technological innovations as a complementary feature to enhance the modern playing experience and fan experience with equal consideration. It’s all about the game and the players and the fans. First and foremost.
In today’s spotlight, Tottenham Hotspur appears to have delivered on those two experiences.
And surprising Pep’s Man City with a home win in Champions League didn’t hurt the new stadium’s introduction to a global audience.
P.S. That goal line-stretch bar deserves a global cheer. Norm Peterson already claimed his barstool.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 