★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
May 15, 2014

★~ Today’s Quote: ‎

“Oh – You’re a very bad man!”

Oh, no my dear. I’m a very good man. I’m just a very bad Wizard.”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

★~ Peace Officers Memorial Day:

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as National Police Week.

Today we honor federal, state and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. We take time, to think of those who lost their lives or have been injured while protecting our communities.  Flags will be flown at half-staff.

★~ Chocolate Chip Day:

Chocolate chip morsels were invented at the Toll House Inn, when Ruth Wakefield added broken up chocolate pieces to add to her sugar cookie batter, and turned her cookies into an American classic! Thank Goodness for Mrs. Wakefield, my heavens,  where would be would be without chocolate chip!s? Chipless that is where!  A few chocolate chip delights…

Original Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Chocolate Chip Bars
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake-Swirl Cupcake

.★~ Today in History:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/6inwzOooXRU[/youtube]

♥~ 1817~ Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason was founded in Philadelphia. It was it was the first private psychiatric hospital in the U.S. It is still in existence but is now called the Friends Hospital.

♥~ 1930 – Ellen Church became the first stewardess for an airline. Flying between San Francisco, California and Cheyenne, Wyoming on Boeing Air Transport (later known as United Air Lines).

♥~ 1940 – Nylon hose went on sale at stores throughout the country.

♥~ 1970 – Close to You, the Carpenter’s second album and the one that launched them to meteoric fame, was released by A&M Records. The title song, (They Long to Be) Close to You, became a pop music standard and the first of six million-sellers in a row for Karen and Richard. In all, The Carpenters would have 10 gold records for singles and a dozen top ten hits to their credit. The duo won Best New Artist honors at the Grammy Awards in 1970.

♥~ 1988 – Carrie, the musical adaption of Stephen King’s novel about a troubled teenager with telekinetic powers, closed in New York after a brief run. It was one of the most expensive flops in Broadway history, losing $8 million.

♥~ 2010 – 16-year-old Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail around the globe solo, nonstop and unassisted. Watson cruised into Sydney Harbor, Australia in her pink, 34-foot (10m) yacht to a rock-star welcome of thousands.

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1856 – Lyman Frank Baum, The house began to pitch / The kitchen took a slich / It landed on the Wicked Witch in the middle of a ditch / Which was not a happy situation for the Wicked Witch! Who can remember where they were the first time they watched the Wizard of Oz?  Baum published Oz in 1900 and dedicated it, “To my good friend and comrade, My Wife.”  He adapted the book into a musical that became the basis the bases for the MGM musical, starring Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, and Billy Burke among others.

♥~ 1935 – Utah Phillips, Labor organizer, folk singer, songwriter, storyteller, poet and self-described “Golden Voice of the Great Southwest”. He described the struggles of working people, labor unions and the power of direct action. He often promoted the Industrial Workers of the World in his music, actions, and words. His original songs include the often-covered “Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia” and “Rock salt and nails.”

★~ Good to Know: 

Lyman Frank Baum, a failed businessman and actor, wrote the first of the Oz books in 1900, becoming an almost immediate success. In 1933, MGM studio head Samuel Goldwyn announced his plans to make a Technicolor, musical version of the movie, and MGM bought the rights to the books in 1937. From there, however, it was rough going: Because it would be one of MGM’s most expensive films to make to date.  In other words, producing The Wizard of Oz movie was no stroll down the Yellow Brick Road.

The costumes were killers: Margaret Hamilton, who  played the  Wicked Witch of the West, was nearly killed when her make up caught fire, while her stand-in was hospitalized after being knocked from her broom during the skywriting scene.

Judy Garland was forced to wear a painful corset to keep her chest Kansas flat.

The Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow weren’t allowed to eat with the other actors in the cantina because their make-up was too frightening (no word on whether the Wicked Witch was welcome).

Buddy Ebsen, who had been cast as the Tin Man and had even recorded his songs for the soundtrack, had an allergic reaction to the aluminum powder used in his make up and had to leave the set, to be replaced by Jack Haley (Ebsen himself had replaced Ray Bolger, who convinced MGM to let him play the Scarecrow instead).

Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, was saddled with 90-pounds of fur and hair to achieve the anthropomorphized lion effect.

A few of the Winged Monkeys were hurt when the wires holding them up broke.

There were even rumors of Munchkin sex orgies at the hotel where the little people were staying, although surviving Munchkins claim those reports were way overblown.

The film was, at first blush, only a moderate success its massive budget threatened to swamp its actual take of around $3 million, although the initial reviews of the film were largely positive (The New York Times called it a “delightful piece of wonderworking”). It was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, and ultimately took home Best Original Song and Best Music, and a special award for Judy Garland.

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If you went to see the Wizard what would you ask him for? Make it something FUN. We all want world peace (well, not everyone- maybe) health, happiness and financial success…Ask for something for yourself….

It’s rainy and chilly in Chicago and I am loving it. So much better than hot and humid.

Odd Loves Company,