GhostDancer

Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

46 years ago, Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein” came to life on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 1 for a week. It’s one of only 25 instrumental singles to top the pop charts. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P8f-Qb-bwlU

MAY 25, 1972, OCTAVIA LENORA SPENCER, Academy Award winning actress, was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Spencer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in liberal arts from Auburn University in 1994. She made her film debut in 1996 in “A Time to Kill.” Other films in which she has appeared include “Spiderman” (2002), “Coach Carter” (2005), and “Fruitvale Station” (2013). She has also made guest appearances on a number of television shows, including “NYPD Blue,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Ugly Betty,” and “The Big Bang Theory.” In 2003, Spencer made her first and only stage appearance in “The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife.” In 2011, she appeared in “The Help” for which she won the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress-Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

MAY 25, 1943, LESLIE UGGAMS, actress and singer, was born in New York City. Uggams started in show business in 1950 on the television series “Beulah” and at nine was opening for such legends as LOUIS ARMSTRONG, ELLA FITZGERALD, and DINAH WASHINGTON at the APOLLO THEATRE. At 15, she appeared on the television quiz show “Name That Tune” and won $12,500 toward her college education. From 1961 to 1963, she attended the Julliard School of Music. During that same period, Uggams was a regular on “Sing Along With Mitch,” the FIRST African American performer to be regularly featured on a weekly national prime time television series. In 1968, she won the Tony Award for BEST ACTRESS in a Musical for her performance in “Hallelujah, Baby!.” In 1969, Uggams hosted “The Leslie Uggams Show,” the second television variety show to be hosted by an African American. Uggams was recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries Roots (1977), earning Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance. In 1975, she starred in the film “Poor Pretty Eddy.” Other Broadway appearances include “King Hedley II” (2001), for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (2002), and “On Golden Pond” (2005).

In 1859, Arthur Conan Doyle was born! Over 125 years after his creation, Sherlock Holmes remains the most popular fictional detective in history. Arthur Conan Doyle is best known for the 60 stories he wrote about Sherlock Holmes. His body of work includes nearly 200 novels, short stories, poems, historical books and pamphlets. Happy Birthday Arthur!

Good afternoon!

From Turning Points by Maggie Thompson: "45 years ago May 1974 With “The Fury of Iron Fist!” Marvel Premiere #15 introduces, yes, Iron Fist. The origin story of Danny Rand’s testing is by Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, and Dick Giordano." Cover by Gil Kane and Dick Giordano with alleged alterations by John Romita.

On this date in 1429, Joan of Arc arrived to relieve the Siege of Orléans.

Historical note. On this date in 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan switched its water source to the Flint River, beginning the ongoing Flint water crisis which has caused lead poisoning in up to 12,000 people, and 15 deaths from Legionnaires disease, ultimately leading to criminal indictments against 15 people, five of whom have been charged with involuntary manslaughter. That this has not been adequately addressed is a national disgrace. 

- Tony Isabella

On this date and on April 22 of 1954, as the result of resolutions by Senators Estes Kefauver and Robert C. Hendrickson to make "a full and complete study of juvenile delinquency in the United States," Senate hearings on comic books included testimony from psychiatrists, publishers, comics creators and newspaper representatives. Fredric Wertham and EC Comics publisher William Gaines were among those who appeared.

1918...World War I: German fighter Ace-of-Aces Manfred von Richthofen, better known as "The Red Baron", was shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.

 World Autism Awareness Day

In a 2015 Presidential Proclamation, President Obama highlighted some of the initiatives that the US government was taking to bring rights to those with autism and to bring awareness to the disorder. He highlighted things like The Affordable Care Act, which prohibits health insurance companies from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition such as autism. He also pointed out the recent Autism CARES Act of 2014, which provides higher level training for those who are serving citizens on the autism spectrum.

Norodom Sihanouk

• 1513 – Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León became the first European to sight Florida, purportedly while searching for the Fountain of Youth.
• 1863 – About 5,000 people, mostly poor women, rioted in Richmond, Virginia, protesting the exorbitant price of bread.
• 1976 – Norodom Sihanouk (pictured) resigned as leader of Cambodia and was arrested by the Khmer Rouge.
• 1979 – Spores of anthrax were accidentally released from a military research facility near the city of Sverdlovsk, causing around 100 deaths.
• 2015 – Four elderly men burgled items worth up to £200 million from a safe deposit facility in London's Hatton Garden area.

Wilhelmine Reichard (b. 1788) · Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet (d. 1803) · Juanito (d. 1992)

1931, Virne Beatrice "Jackie" Mitchell Gilbert was one of the first female pitchers in professional baseball history. Pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts Class AA minor league baseball team in an exhibition game against the New York Yankees, she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in succession. 

The Siege of Aiguillon commenced on 1 April 1346 during the Hundred Years' War, when a French army commanded by John, Duke of Normandy, laid siege to the Gascontown of Aiguillon. The town, with strategic command of the rivers Garonne and Lot, was defended by Anglo-Gascon forces under Ralph, Earl of Stafford. The garrison, some 900 men, sortied repeatedly to interrupt the French operations, while Henry, Earl of Lancaster, concentrated the main Anglo-Gascon force at La Réole as a threat. Duke John, the son and heir of Philip VI, was never able to fully blockade the town. By August, the seriously harassed French supply lines had broken down, there was a dysentery epidemic in their camp, desertion was rife, and Philip was demanding that John's force join up with the main French army. On 20 August the French abandoned the siege and marched away. Six days later Philip's army was decisively beaten by the main English army in the Battle of Crécy, two weeks before John's force arrived in the north. 

40 years ago “Is this the end of the death defying daredevil?!” Well, Marvel’s The Human Fly #19 is the last issue.  Cover by Bob Layton.

-from Maggie Thompson's Turning Points

40 years ago - 

35 years ago - 

1 hour ago, Toxxus said:

The current cast of misfits in our War for the Crown run:

1-  The Fire Witch (my wife) - mad social skills and the desire to set everything on fire.

2-  Arden the Witcher - Player loves this build to death.

3-  Bolin the 2nd to Last Airbender - Defensive CC expert with barrier, heals and stretching (sfx water appendages for MA moves).

4-  Udyr from League of Legends.  I spent a couple of hours in HDv6 making all of the active/passive/lingering effects work right.  Most labor intensive character I've ever modeled.

5- Darran Redbeard - Dwarven Sapper and grenade happy rogue.

6- The fallen angel Gabriel from the Prophecy movies.

Character sheets or it never happened ❤️

^ Disregard the above.  I polled for this locally, too.  Critical acclaim, but insufficient support for attendance.

On this date in 1936, The Green Hornet begins his radio adventures in Detroit. Created by George W. Trendle and writer Fran Strikerk. Britt Reid, Kato and others soon make the transition to such other media as movies and comic books.

Thanks, everyone. I am now polling for interest for a local convention, WinterCon, Saturday, March 9, Rochester, Michigan. Champions / Hero System 5th edition revised, suitable for beginners. If you want to play, would you prefer 9 AM - 1 PM, 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM, or either suits you? Your feedback is important. Help me decide if and when to run this.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

On 12/17/2018 at 10:25 PM, BoloOfEarth said:

 

What about Olive?  You know, "Olive the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names"?

I've been scheming for her before I saw your post!

Krampus