Those We Lost in 2024 part 1of2

2024 seemed to be a year of loss for many newsworthy people, a list longer than normal—celebrities, those in the arts, and those internationally known.

In fact, the list was so long I had to go through it and pick a cross-section representing the entirety and even at that, I still needed to break it down into a 2-part blog.

So…presented chronologically from most recent on December 29 back through January 4, 2024, is a partial list. Next week in part 2, I'll present another list of a cross-section of those lost from January 4 through December 26, 2024.

Jimmy Carter:  Former president James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr. died on Dec. 29. He was 100. The 39th president of the United States served from 1977-1981. In 2002 he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Following his term as president, he dedicated himself to charity work, mostly in hands-on labor of building houses for Habitat For Humanity. He had been in hospice care since 2023, following the death of his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, and a series of short hospital stays.

Linda Lavin:  Broadway star and Tony award-winning actress Linda Lavin died on Dec. 29. She was 87. The actress passed unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer. She rose to prominence in the '70s starring in the TV series Alice, following a stint as a guest star in multi-episodes of Barney Miller.

Nikki Giovanni:  Renowned poet, activist and leading figure of the Black Arts Movement, died Dec. 9 in Virginia after her third cancer diagnosis. She published her first book of poetry, Black Feeling Black Talk, in 1968, and published more than 20 more over the course of her career; she also helmed a publishing cooperative to amplify Black female writers in 1970.

Earl Holliman:  Award-winning screen star died on Nov. 25 at 96. Holliman  won a Golden Globe Award for his supporting performance as Jim Curry in the 1956 Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn film The Rainmaker. He is also remembered for co-starring in the 1970s with Angie Dickenson in the television series Police Woman.

Barbara Taylor Bradford:  The best-selling novelist died peacefully at her home on Nov. 24 following a short illness. She was 91. Born and raised in Leeds, England, Bradford OBE sold over 91 million copies of her books over the course of her career.

Chuck Woolery:  Original host of Wheel of Fortune, Chuck Woolery died at his home in Texas on Nov. 24 at the age of 83. He was not only the original host of Wheel of Fortune, he also hosted the popular dating show Love Connection for over a decade, as well as Scrabble, Greed and Lingo.

Bobby Allison:  The 1983 NASCAR Cup Series champion, died peacefully at his home on Nov. 9 at the age of 86. A Hall of Fame driver, Allison won 85 career races, with career highlights that included the 1983 Winston Cup Series Champion victory, three Daytona 500 wins and becoming a member of NASCAR’s second Hall of Fame class in 2011.

Quincy Jones:  The legendary music producer died at his home in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. The musician is survived by his seven children. The family held a private funeral for their beloved patriarch a week after his death.

Maggie Smith:  Dame Maggie Smith passed away peacefully on Sept. 27 at the age of 89. Adept at both comedy and drama, she had a long and distinguished career on the stage and in movies, appearing most recently in the British television series Downton Abbey.

John Amos:  The Good Times and Roots actor died on Aug. 21 of congestive heart failure. He was 84.

Shannen Doherty:  Best remembered for her role in Beverly Hills 90210, she died at age 53 on July 13 after years of living with cancer. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

Richard Simmons:  The professional fitness coach died at his Los Angeles home on July 13. He was 76.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer:  The sex therapist who became a pop culture phenomenon in the 1980s died on July 12 at the age of 96.

Shelley Duvall:  The actress died at her home in Blanco, Texas, on July 11 from complications of diabetes.  She was 75.  She is probably best known for her role in The Shining.

Donald Sutherland:  The Canadian actor died on June 20 at the age of 88. His wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from M.A.S.H. to Ordinary People and The Hunger Games.

Dabney Coleman:  The actor died at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., on May 16. He was 92. Remembered for his many acting roles, the movie 9 To 5 is one of his most popular.

Barbara Rush:  The actress died peacefully in her sleep on March 31 at the age of 97. She was a regular in several television series including Peyton Place and Flamingo Road as well as numerous movie roles.

Richard Lewis:  The comedian and actor died on February 27 after suffering a heart attack. He was 76 and is best known for his role on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Toby Keith:  The country singer died on February 5 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in fall 2021. He was 62.

Carl Weathers:  He died peacefully in his sleep on February 1 at the age of 76. The actor is best known for roles in Rocky, Predator and The Mandalorian.

Chita Rivera:  The Broadway actress, singer, and dancer died on Jan. 30 in New York after a brief illness. She was 91. The two-time Tony Award winning actress had been in 20 musicals over her long career.

Glynis Johns:  She died on January 4 in Los Angeles of natural causes at the age of 100. The Academy Award nominated actress costarred with Julie Andrews in the classic 1964 film Mary Poppins.

Stop back next week for part 2 of this 2-part list of Those We Lost In 2024. 

Six Clues You're Out Of Town

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that burglars prefer to break into homes and steal things when the occupants of that house are not home—and preferably when they're out of town rather than merely out to dinner.

And that leads us to the question of how burglars know when you're out of town.

According to companies that deal in home security, there are six primary clues that tell potential burglars that you're out of town even if it's only for a long weekend. And there's nothing hidden or tricky about those clues. They're just plain common sense.

1)  The house is always dark:

When you're home rather than out of town, you turn various lights on and off as you go through your normal routine—kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc.  To simply leave a light on when you're out of town does not handle the situation. Lights go one and off in different rooms. The best way to handle this is to have lights that you can control remotely when you're out of town. Next best would be to have lights on timers that come on and go off at different times.

2)  No cars in the driveway or a car has been there too long without moving:

Professional burglars will often case a potential location to determine the routines of the people who live there. I, personally, never park in my driveway. My car is always in the garage unless I'm physically in my car going somewhere. But people without garages, or those who have detached garages without direct access to their house, usually park in their driveway or at the curb in front of their house. If the car that belongs to that house is gone for days or is there for days without being moved, it's a sign that the owner of the car is most likely out of town. To avoid this, have a neighbor occasionally park their car in your driveway or have a friend or family member move your car from time to time.

3)  Newspapers, mail, and packages pile up:

If your mailbox is overflowing, newspapers are on the driveway or in the yard, or there's several Amazon deliveries on your porch, it's a sure sign that the occupants are out of town. Simple solution is to put a vacation hold on your mail at the post office, have the newspaper delivery stopped, and don't place any Amazon orders that are scheduled to be delivered while you're gone.

4)  Your lawn needs mowing:

If someone is watching your house, a normally well-manicured yard that is suddenly in need of mowing and edging is a big clue that the occupants are out of town. Of course, if you have a lawn service that mows regularly, it solves that problem.

5)  Snow hasn't been shoveled from driveway and sidewalk:

Just like lawn care in spring and summer, winter presents yard situation indicating the occupants are out of town. If the snow hasn't been shoveled off the driveway and sidewalk, or there aren't any tire tracks in the snow on the driveway, it's a good sign that the occupants are out of town. If there's the possibility of snow accumulation while you're gone, perhaps your neighbor can be in charge of snow removal for you. And occasionally drive his car in and out of your driveway

6)  And finally...

Do NOT announce on any social media that you will be gone even if it's only for a weekend. Tell everyone about your trip after you're back home. 

And these are the six biggest clues that you're out of town and a prime target for burglars. As I said, these are common sense measures and precautions to take before you leave on vacation.

New Year's Resolutions You'll Be Able To Keep…and other miscellaneous end of year stuff

New Year's resolutions have basically become an annual joke.  Every first of January we make resolutions for the upcoming year and if we're lucky, they remain valid for the rest of the month. In fact, just a couple of days ago I saw something on television about the life span of a New Year's resolution being as short as one week.

So, this year how about making some resolutions you'll actually be able to keep during 2025?  Here's a list of several such resolutions.  I hope you accept these suggestions in the spirit of humor in which they are offered.  If I've offended anyone, it wasn't my intention, and I apologize in advance.

1.  Gain Weight.  Let's face it, you already have a start on this one with all the holiday meals, candy, beverages, and snacks starting with Thanksgiving (maybe even starting with Halloween candy) and continuing on through Christmas and New Years.

2.  Go Deeper Into Debt.  You probably have a head start on this one, too, from holiday gift shopping.  After all, even buying new things for yourself…well, it was probably stuff you needed and with all the great sales this year who could resist?

3.  Spend More Money.  This goes hand-in-hand with the second item on the list.  Spend it now while you're still physically able to get out to do it. And now, with the proliferation of on-line shopping, bad weather and not being able to get out doesn't keep you from buying things.

4.  Don't Get A Better Job.  Since having any job is better than not having one, be happy with status quo.

5.  Whatever Shape You're In Is Fine.  Seriously…round is a perfectly acceptable shape.

6.  Don't Go Back To School.  Look at your current life and time schedule.  Now add a part time college schedule to that plus the cost of tuition for just one semester (probably the same amount as that new curved 85-inch 4D HDTV home theater with Dolby Surround Sound you bought in item two on the list) and the cost of expensive college textbooks and other fees.  Hmmm…a fine bottle of rare vintage wine or a bottle of aged single malt scotch vs. Concepts of Economics Vol. 1.

7.  Drink More Alcohol.  Open that fine bottle of wine or scotch and watch your new 85-inch TV.

8.  Smoke Like A Chimney.  When someone chastises you for putting second hand smoke out there, ask them if they've traded in their gas-guzzling car for a electric vehicle or a bicycle.

9.  Stay At Home for your vacation.  If, however, you prefer to find toilet paper that's hard enough to scrape paint, really weird television, and even weirder food…then travel out of the country.

And last but not least…

10.  Don't Volunteer!

And now for something completely different (with apologies to Monty Python for stealing…uh, I mean borrowing…their catch phrase).

As a follow up to Christmas, a few words about that much maligned holiday treat, the butt of so many jokes, that humble yet seemingly inedible concoction—fruitcake.

Food historians theorize that fruitcake (any cake in which dried fruits and nuts try to coexist with cake batter) is older than Moses.  Ancient Egyptians entombed fruitcake and Romans carried it into battle, probably for the same reason.  Fruitcake was built to last and it did, well into medieval times.

It was in the 18^th century that fruitcake achieved totemic status.  At that time nut-harvesting farmers encased fruits and nuts in a cakelike substance to save for the next harvest as a sort of good luck charm.

And thus the problem.  Any cake that is not meant to be eaten doesn't deserve to be classified as food.

Our love/hate relationship with fruitcake began in the early 20^th century when the first mail-order fruitcakes became fashionable gifts.  It ended up as a mass-produced product using barely recognizable fruits and packed into cans as heavy as barbell weights.

And another something different…

While celebrating the arrival of the New Year, there's one thing you should keep in mind—the darker the liquor, the bigger the hangover.  According to a new study that compares the after effects of drinking bourbon vs. vodka, what sounds like an old wives' tale is true…to a point.

Brownish colored spirits such as whiskey and rum contain greater amounts of congeners than clear liquors such as vodka and gin.  And what are congeners, you might ask?  They are substances that occur naturally or are added to alcohol during the production and aging process, many of which are toxic.  They contribute to the alcohol's color, odor, and taste.  They also interfere with cell function, and I'm NOT talking about your mobile phone. :)  And they viciously punish your head and tummy the next morning.  According to the study, bourbon is aged in oak barrels and has thirty-seven times as many congeners as vodka, which is heavily filtered to remove impurities.

Drinking in the study was relatively moderate compared to some New Year's Eve binges.  The average blood-alcohol content of the survey participants was 0.1 percent, somewhere between 0.09 ("mildly intoxicated" and considered legally over the limit in most states), and 0.15 ("visibly drunk" and definitely on your way to jail if you're driving a vehicle).  The study's findings may not translate to your holiday party.

The bottom line, however, is that congeners are not the primary culprit in the dreaded hangover.  The credit goes to the alcohol itself.

And on that note—eat and drink in moderation (good advice for the entire year), and enjoy a happy and healthy 2025. 

 

Christmas Tree—A Brief History

As with many Christmas traditions, the history of the Christmas tree as we know it today goes back to pagan times. Some Northern Europeans believed the sun was a god who annually went through a period of ill health in winter. On the Winter Solstice, they displayed evergreen boughs to remind them of the greenery that would grow again when the sun god regained his strength and spring arrived. The ancient Egyptians participated in a similar ritual using palm fronds to mark the return of Ra, a god who wore the sun as a crown. Ancient Romans used fir trees to decorate their temples during Saturnalia.

Exactly when the Christmas tree came into existence is an ongoing debate. The Eastern European cities of Tallinn and Riga both claim the first Christmas tree—Tallinn in 1441 and Riga in 1510 (now modern Estonia and Latvia). Each city claims they erected a tree in the town square over Christmas and danced around it then set it on fire. Around the same time, medieval Germans were incorporating evergreens into their Christmas rituals in the form of the Paradise Tree, an apple adorned fir that represented the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. But Christmas trees didn't appear in the home until Martin Luther experienced a yuletide vision in 1536 where he saw thousands of sparkling stars in the night sky twinkling through the tree branches in a pine forest. He rushed home to create the vision inside his house.

The Christmas tree was brought to the colonies (specifically what is now Pennsylvania) by German settlers and may have played a part in the Revolutionary War. Legend says that as George Washington was crossing the Delaware River on December 25, 1776, Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British were busy decorating trees and getting drunk. They were in no condition to fight the ensuing battle and lost.

Christmas trees did not become commonly acceptable among fashionable society until 1848 when the Illustrated London News published a sketch of Queen Victoria's Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle. The image was reprinted in Philadelphia's Godey's Lady's Book with the queen's crown and Prince Albert's moustache removed to make it look more American.

Thomas Edison's assistant, Edward Johnson, was the person responsible for creating electric Christmas tree lights in 1882. On December 24, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge lit the National Christmas Tree, a 48 ft. balsam fir decorated with 2,500 colored bulbs.

I found a Christmas tree in Hawaii made up of poinsettia plants. In Japan, you'll find origami swans, paper fans, and wind chimes hanging from branches. In Spain, a tree trunk is filled with goodies such as candy, nuts, and dates with children taking turns hitting it with a stick to dislodge the treats [which sounds very much like the Mexican piñata]. In Brazil, December 25/Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere is summer where some people cover pine trees with little pieces of white cotton representing falling snow.

Traditions vary, but around the world Christmas trees are a universal symbol of joy. 

'Twas The Night Before Christmas…

Although many believe 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' to be the title of the popular Christmas poem, the actual title is An Account Of A Visit From St. Nicholas.  The long poem, written by Clement Moore in 1822 as a present for his three daughters, has become a Christmas staple.  Moore, an Episcopal minister, was initially hesitant about publishing his poem due to its frivolous content.

The poem, first published anonymously in the Troy, New York, Sentinel on December 23, 1823, had been submitted by a friend of Moore's.  It was first attributed to Moore in 1837 and finally publicly acknowledged by Moore himself in 1844.

Four handwritten copies of the poem are known to exist, three in museums and the fourth (written and signed by Clement Clarke Moore as a gift to a friend in 1860) was sold by one private collector to another in December 2006 for a reported $280,000.

Moore's poem is largely responsible for today's image of Santa Claus as a "right jolly old elf" who flew from house to house on Christmas Eve in a sleigh pulled by eight flying reindeer.  A rotund fellow who entered via the chimney and left toys for good boys and girls.

In 1881, political cartoonist Thomas Nast used Moore's poem as the basis to create a likeness of Santa Claus that matches today's image.  The cartoon, which appeared in Harper's Weekly, depicted Santa with a full white beard, a red suit trimmed in white fur, and a large bag filled with toys.  He also gave Santa his North Pole workshop, elves, and Mrs. Claus.

Over the years, there has been some controversy about the authorship of the poem.  There are those who contend that Henry Livingston, Jr., was the true author.  Livingston was distantly related to Moore's wife.  But the general consensus continues to be that Clement Clarke Moore is the true author. 

Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL

We all know Charles Dickens' story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his visits from the ghosts on Christmas Eve. A story of redemption—a miserly man whose concept of the Christmas spirit is "Bah, Humbug!" Then his life is turned around after Marley tells him about his upcoming visits from the Christmas ghosts. The first one from his past to remind him of what was and the promise of what could have been, the second from his present to open his eyes to what he had become and how others felt about him, and the final visit from the ghost of the future to show him where he was headed if he didn't change his ways.

From a writer's perspective, it was the first time a story had been told from the point-of-view of a character within that story rather than an omniscient point-of-view of an unidentified narrator. Point-of-view—something vital for today's writer of fiction.

The novella, first published in London on December 9, 1843, has been a staple of the Christmas season as a movie, television show, or play for well over a century. I wondered how many different versions of Dickens' story there were. So, I did what I usually do when I want a quick answer to something…I Googled it.

And the results came as quite a surprise. Things I knew, things I had known but forgotten, and things I never knew. The Internet Movie Database lists more than one hundred versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, including a videogame, four operas, and two ballets. More than twenty television series have episodes inspired by the novella. There was even a television movie version set in the United States during the Great Depression of the 1930s, and a couple where the character of Scrooge was portrayed as being a woman.

The oldest surviving filming of A CHRISTMAS CAROL was a short British film from 1901. There was a fifteen minute silent movie made in 1908 followed by two other silent versions made in 1910 and 1913. There have been the dramatic theatrical films, television movies, musical versions, and animated versions with very familiar cartoon characters taking on the roles of Dickens' famous characters. There was even one, considered by many to be the fan popular favorite, starring The Muppets.

I have noticed over the last few years that several game shows, especially this time of year, have used this trivia question—How many ghosts visited Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol? And most of the time the contestant got it wrong. They usually answer with the number three when in reality it's four. They seem to forget about the first ghost being that of Marley, Scrooge's former business partner, who sets the scene for the appearance of the next three more famous ghosts.

Even though all the various productions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL tell Dickens' story of Scrooge and the visits from the Christmas ghosts, many had their own unique twist and flavor on the original. I think my favorite is a 1970 theatrical musical version titled SCROOGE which stars Albert Finney as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who learns the lessons of the spirit of the Christmas season.