March 2012 – Page 7 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

On This Day: March 23

Updated March 23, 2012, 2:28 pm

On March 23, 1965, America’s first two-person space flight began as Gemini 3 blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young aboard.
Go to article »

On March 23, 1908, Joan Crawford, the Academy Award-winning actress who epitomized the glamorous Hollywood movie star, was born. Following death on May 10, 1977, obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1743 George Frideric Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” had its premiere, in London.

1775 Patrick Henry called for America’s independence from Britain, telling the Virginia Provincial Convention, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”

1919 Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement in Milan, Italy.

1933 The German Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act, which effectively granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial legislative powers.

1956 Pakistan became an Islamic republic.

1981 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could require, with some exceptions, parental notification when teenage girls seek abortions.

1983 President Ronald Reagan proposed the development of technology to intercept enemy nuclear missiles; the plan was dubbed “Star Wars” by its critics.

1994 Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings broke Gordie Howe’s National Hockey League career record with his 802nd goal.

1998 “Titanic” won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best song, to tie the record set by 1959’s “Ben-Hur.” (The record was tied again by “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” in 2003.)

2001 Russia’s orbiting Mir space station ended its 15-year odyssey with a fiery plunge into the South Pacific.

2003 A U.S. Army maintenance convoy was ambushed in Iraq; 11 soldiers were killed and seven were captured, including Pfc. Jessica Lynch.

2010 President Barack Obama signed a $938 billion health care overhaul.

2011 Actress Elizabeth Taylor died at age 79.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

R&B singer Chaka Khan turns 59 years old today.

AP Photo/Charles Sykes

Actress Keri Russell turns 36 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1949 Ric Ocasek, Rock musician (The Cars), turns 63

1955 Moses Malone, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 57

1957 Amanda Plummer, Actress, turns 55

1959 Catherine Keener, Actress, turns 53

1964 Hope Davis, Actress, turns 48

1966 Marin Hinkle, Actress (“Two and a Half Men,” “Once and Again”), turns 46

1973 Jason Kidd, Basketball player, turns 39

1976 Michelle Monaghan, Actress, turns 36

1978 Perez Hilton, Gossip blogger, turns 34

1978 Nicholle Tom, Actress, turns 34

1985 Maurice Jones-Drew, Football player, turns 27

Historic Birthdays

Joan Crawford 3/23/1908 – 5/10/1977 American motion picture actress.Go to obituary »

52 Margaret of Anjou 3/23/1430 – 8/25/1482
French queen consort of England’s King Henry VI

77 Pierre-Simon Laplace 3/23/1749 – 3/5/1827
French mathematician, astronomer and physicist

70 William Smith 3/23/1769 – 8/28/1839
English engineer and geologist

77 Roger Martin du Gard 3/23/1881 – 8/22/1958
French Nobel Prize-winning author

40 Juan Gris 3/23/1887 – 5/11/1927
Spanish painter in the style of Synthetic Cubism

59 Sidney Hillman 3/23/1887 – 7/10/1946
American labor leader and one of the founders of the C.I.O.

67 Cedric Gibbons 3/23/1893 – 7/26/1960
Irish-born American art director for M.G.M. studios

79 Erich Fromm 3/23/1900 – 3/18/1980
German-born American psychoanalyst and social philosopher

45 Donald Malcolm Campbell 3/23/1921 – 1/4/1967
English motorboat and automobile driver

1743	George Frideric Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” had its premiere, in London.
1775	Patrick Henry called for America’s independence from Britain, telling the Virginia Provincial Convention, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
1919	Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement in Milan, Italy.
1933	The German Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act, which effectively granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial legislative powers.
1956	Pakistan became an Islamic republic.
1981	The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could require, with some exceptions, parental notification when teenage girls seek abortions.
1983	President Ronald Reagan proposed the development of technology to intercept enemy nuclear missiles; the plan was dubbed “Star Wars” by its critics.
1994	Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings broke Gordie Howe’s National Hockey League career record with his 802nd goal.
1998	“Titanic” won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best song, to tie the record set by 1959’s “Ben-Hur.” (The record was tied again by “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” in 2003.)
2001	Russia’s orbiting Mir space station ended its 15-year odyssey with a fiery plunge into the South Pacific.
2003	A U.S. Army maintenance convoy was ambushed in Iraq; 11 soldiers were killed and seven were captured, including Pfc. Jessica Lynch.
2010	President Barack Obama signed a $938 billion health care overhaul.
2011	Actress Elizabeth Taylor died at age 79.

1949	Ric Ocasek, Rock musician (The Cars), turns 63
1955	Moses Malone, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 57
1957	Amanda Plummer, Actress, turns 55
1959	Catherine Keener, Actress, turns 53
1964	Hope Davis, Actress, turns 48
1966	Marin Hinkle, Actress (“Two and a Half Men,” “Once and Again”), turns 46
1973	Jason Kidd, Basketball player, turns 39
1976	Michelle Monaghan, Actress, turns 36
1978	Perez Hilton, Gossip blogger, turns 34
1978	Nicholle Tom, Actress, turns 34
1985	Maurice Jones-Drew, Football player, turns 27

52	Margaret of Anjou 3/23/1430 – 8/25/1482 French queen consort of England’s King Henry VI
77	Pierre-Simon Laplace 3/23/1749 – 3/5/1827 French mathematician, astronomer and physicist
70	William Smith 3/23/1769 – 8/28/1839 English engineer and geologist
77	Roger Martin du Gard 3/23/1881 – 8/22/1958 French Nobel Prize-winning author
40	Juan Gris 3/23/1887 – 5/11/1927 Spanish painter in the style of Synthetic Cubism
59	Sidney Hillman 3/23/1887 – 7/10/1946 American labor leader and one of the founders of the C.I.O.
67	Cedric Gibbons 3/23/1893 – 7/26/1960 Irish-born American art director for M.G.M. studios
79	Erich Fromm 3/23/1900 – 3/18/1980 German-born American psychoanalyst and social philosopher
45	Donald Malcolm Campbell 3/23/1921 – 1/4/1967 English motorboat and automobile driver

via learning.blogs.nytimes.com

Posted on March 23, 2012April 10, 2013 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

March 23

MORNING

“He was heard in that he feared.”
Hebrews 5:7

Did this fear arise from the infernal suggestion that he was utterly forsaken. There may be sterner trials than this, but surely it is one of the worst to be utterly forsaken? “See,” said Satan, “thou hast a friend nowhere! Thy Father hath shut up the bowels of his compassion against thee. Not an angel in his courts will stretch out his hand to help thee. All heaven is alienated from thee; thou art left alone. See the companions with whom thou hast taken sweet counsel, what are they worth? Son of Mary, see there thy brother James, see there thy loved disciple John, and thy bold apostle Peter, how the cowards sleep when thou art in thy sufferings! Lo! Thou hast no friend left in heaven or earth. All hell is against thee. I have stirred up mine infernal den. I have sent my missives throughout all regions summoning every prince of darkness to set upon thee this night, and we will spare no arrows, we will use all our infernal might to overwhelm thee: and what wilt thou do, thou solitary one?” It may be, this was the temptation; we think it was, because the appearance of an angel unto him strengthening him removed that fear. He was heard in that he feared; he was no more alone, but heaven was with him. It may be that this is the reason of his coming three times to his disciples–as Hart puts it–

“Backwards and forwards thrice he ran,

As if he sought some help from man.”

He would see for himself whether it were really true that all men had forsaken him; he found them all asleep; but perhaps he gained some faint comfort from the thought that they were sleeping, not from treachery, but from sorrow, the spirit indeed was willing, but the flesh was weak. At any rate, he was heard in that he feared. Jesus was heard in his deepest woe; my soul, thou shalt be heard also.

EVENING

“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.”
Luke 10:21

The Saviour was “a man of sorrows,” but every thoughtful mind has discovered the fact that down deep in his innermost soul he carried an inexhaustible treasury of refined and heavenly joy. Of all the human race, there was never a man who had a deeper, purer, or more abiding peace than our Lord Jesus Christ. “He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows.” His vast benevolence must, from the very nature of things, have afforded him the deepest possible delight, for benevolence is joy. There were a few remarkable seasons when this joy manifested itself. “At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” Christ had his songs, though it was night with him; though his face was marred, and his countenance had lost the lustre of earthly happiness, yet sometimes it was lit up with a matchless splendour of unparalleled satisfaction, as he thought upon the recompense of the reward, and in the midst of the congregation sang his praise unto God. In this, the Lord Jesus is a blessed picture of his church on earth. At this hour the church expects to walk in sympathy with her Lord along a thorny road; through much tribulation she is forcing her way to the crown. To bear the cross is her office, and to be scorned and counted an alien by her mother’s children is her lot; and yet the church has a deep well of joy, of which none can drink but her own children. There are stores of wine, and oil, and corn, hidden in the midst of our Jerusalem, upon which the saints of God are evermore sustained and nurtured; and sometimes, as in our Saviour’s case, we have our seasons of intense delight, for “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of our God.” Exiles though we be, we rejoice in our King; yea, in him we exceedingly rejoice, while in his name we set up our banners.

via view.lists.biblegateway.com

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Simmi D. Isaac — 4 Comments

346/365/01

Posted on March 22, 2012January 19, 2013 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

A most iconic Bollywood movie starring the big names of the day, i.e., Rajesh Khanna, Rakhee, and Sharmila Tagore, this is one for the files. If it can be said that a movie or a song can define an entire decade of popular culture, it would have had to have been this movie that set the tone for the Seventies in all of India. Floor-length dresses, also known as maxis, beehive hairstyles for the women, long sideburns and handlebar mustaches for the men, and bell-bottomed styled suits–many of them plaid or with conspicuous double-stitching–was the high fashion of the day. And the pale pink lipstick and most exaggerated cat-eye style makeup is how the heroines exuded charm.

The movie is exquisite for all of these iconic styles that defined the pop culture of the day, but even more so because it showcased a certain genre of classic Bollywood romance stories– with just enough suspense to keep us going past the many songs sprinkled liberally throughout the three hours of high drama. This is the stuff that enthralled millions of moviegoers in a day and age when motion pictures were almost sacred to the lives of the common man on the street, and movie-going was almost a religious experience.

How else to explain the thrill of watching Sharmila Tagore prance around the trees, or the outrage of viewing Prem Chopra trying to get fresh with Sharmila, and later Rakhee. Or even Rakhee’s soulful eyes within her exquisite doll-like face when she demands why Rajesh Khanna cannot love her. And then of course, there’s the court room monologue delivered by Mr. Khanna in his own defense which is worthy of being transcribed as a love poem. This is classic Bollywood, no doubt about it.

It is also the debut of the very popular Yash Raj films enterprise, which since this movie, has brought us several other blockbusters over the decades. And, I am told, it is also Rakhee’s first Filmfare award, Bolloywood’s Oscar, if you will. The story, by the way, is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge,’ but in our Bollywood story– spoiler alert: all ends well and they live happily ever after.

For this, and a hundred other reasons– the musical score of the great Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo being another significant one– this is, as I’ve said once already, one for the files.

Oh, and the song of the decade from this “super hit” movie is this one, by the way. Unfortunately, no English translation can truly convey the exquisite pain and pleasure of the lyrics of this song by the great Kishore Kumar, whose playback singing voice seemed to match Rajesh Khanna’s so well.

Posted on March 22, 2012January 19, 2013 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai – Daag

via youtube.com

Inspired to look this up after watching the old Bollywood classic, Daag. Playback singer is Kishore Kumar. Actors: Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore.

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

What?! No Six-Inch Cleats Allowed?

via gocomics.com

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

On This Day: March 22

Updated March 21, 2012, 2:28 pm

On March 22, 1972, Congress sent the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to the states for ratification. It fell short of the three-fourths approval needed.

Go to article »

On March 22, 1908, Louis L’Amour, the best-selling American author who wrote more than 100 books, was born. Following his death on June 10, 1988, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1765 Britain enacted the Stamp Act to raise money from the American colonies.

1882 Congress outlawed polygamy.

1894 Hockey’s first Stanley Cup championship game was played in Montreal. That city’s Amateur Athletic Association beat the Ottawa Capitals 3-1.

1941 The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state went into operation.

1945 The Arab League was formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo, Egypt.

1946 The British mandate in Transjordan came to an end.

1962 Barbra Streisand made her Broadway debut at age 19 in the musical “I Can Get it For You Wholesale” at the Shubert Theater.

1963 The Beatles’ first album, “Please Please Me,” was released in Great Britain.

1965 Bob Dylan’s album “Bringing It All Back Home,” his first featuring electric guitar, was released.

1972 Congress sent the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to the states for ratification.

1990 A jury in Anchorage, Alaska, found former tanker captain Joseph Hazelwood innocent of three major charges in connection with the Exxon Valdez oil spill, but convicted him of a minor charge of negligent discharge of oil.

1991 High school instructor Pamela Smart, accused of manipulating her student-lover into killing her husband, was convicted in Exeter, N.H., of murder-conspiracy.

1995 Colin Ferguson was sentenced to life in prison for killing six people on a Long Island Rail Road commuter train in 1993.

1997 Tara Lipinski of the United States became the youngest women’s world figure skating champion at age 14 years, 10 months.

2006 The Basque separatist group ETA announced a permanent cease-fire with Spain.

2010 Google announced it would stop censoring search results on its site in China by shifting it from the mainland to Hong Kong.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Reese Witherspoon turns 36 years old today.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Actor William Shatner turns 81 years old today.

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

1930 Stephen Sondheim, Composer, lyricist, turns 82

1934 Orrin Hatch, U.S. senator, R-Utah, turns 78

1935 M. Emmet Walsh, Actor, turns 77

1941 Jeremy Clyde, Singer (Chad and Jeremy), turns 71

1943 George Benson, Jazz guitarist, singer, turns 69

1947 James Patterson, Author, turns 65

1948 Wolf Blitzer, Broadcast journalist, turns 64

1948 Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer, turns 64

1952 Bob Costas, Sportscaster, turns 60

1955 Lena Olin, Actress, turns 57

1957 Stephanie Mills, R&B singer, actress, turns 55

1959 Matthew Modine, Actor, turns 53

1975 Cole Hauser, Actor, turns 37

1976 Kellie Williams, Actress, turns 36

1987 Ike Davis, Baseball player, turns 25

Historic Birthdays

Louis L’Amour 3/22/1908 – 6/10/1988 American best-selling author of more than100 books.Go to obituary »

59 Maximilian I 3/22/1459 – 1/12/1519
Austrian archduke, German king and Holy Roman emporer- (1493-1519)

42 Sir Anthony Van Dyck 3/22/1599 – 12/9/1641
Flemish painter, etcher and draftsman

80 Wm. Pulteney Bath 3/22/1684 – 7/7/1764
English Whig politician; opposed Sir Robert Walpole

51 Anton Raphael Mengs 3/22/1728 – 6/29/1779
German painter; leading Neoclassicist

43 Thomas Crawford 3/22/1814 – 10/10/1857
American sculptor of “Freedom” figure on top of the Capitol dome

85 Robert Millikan 3/22/1868 – 12/19/1953
American Nobel Prize-winning physicist

67 Arthur Vandenberg 3/22/1884 – 4/18/1951
American Republican senator

67 Joseph Schildkraut 3/22/1896 – 1/21/1964
Austrian-born American stage, television and film star

92 Ruth Page 3/22/1899 – 4/7/1991
American dancer and choreographer

47 Johannes Brinkman 3/22/1902 – 5/6/1949
Dutch architect

82 James Gavin 3/22/1907 – 2/23/1990
American army commander in World War II

1765	Britain enacted the Stamp Act to raise money from the American colonies.
1882	Congress outlawed polygamy.
1894	Hockey’s first Stanley Cup championship game was played in Montreal. That city’s Amateur Athletic Association beat the Ottawa Capitals 3-1.
1941	The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state went into operation.
1945	The Arab League was formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo, Egypt.
1946	The British mandate in Transjordan came to an end.
1962	Barbra Streisand made her Broadway debut at age 19 in the musical “I Can Get it For You Wholesale” at the Shubert Theater.
1963	The Beatles’ first album, “Please Please Me,” was released in Great Britain.
1965	Bob Dylan’s album “Bringing It All Back Home,” his first featuring electric guitar, was released.
1972	Congress sent the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to the states for ratification.
1990	A jury in Anchorage, Alaska, found former tanker captain Joseph Hazelwood innocent of three major charges in connection with the Exxon Valdez oil spill, but convicted him of a minor charge of negligent discharge of oil.
1991	High school instructor Pamela Smart, accused of manipulating her student-lover into killing her husband, was convicted in Exeter, N.H., of murder-conspiracy.
1995	Colin Ferguson was sentenced to life in prison for killing six people on a Long Island Rail Road commuter train in 1993.
1997	Tara Lipinski of the United States became the youngest women’s world figure skating champion at age 14 years, 10 months.
2006	The Basque separatist group ETA announced a permanent cease-fire with Spain.
2010	Google announced it would stop censoring search results on its site in China by shifting it from the mainland to Hong Kong.

1930	Stephen Sondheim, Composer, lyricist, turns 82
1934	Orrin Hatch, U.S. senator, R-Utah, turns 78
1935	M. Emmet Walsh, Actor, turns 77
1941	Jeremy Clyde, Singer (Chad and Jeremy), turns 71
1943	George Benson, Jazz guitarist, singer, turns 69
1947	James Patterson, Author, turns 65
1948	Wolf Blitzer, Broadcast journalist, turns 64
1948	Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer, turns 64
1952	Bob Costas, Sportscaster, turns 60
1955	Lena Olin, Actress, turns 57
1957	Stephanie Mills, R&B singer, actress, turns 55
1959	Matthew Modine, Actor, turns 53
1975	Cole Hauser, Actor, turns 37
1976	Kellie Williams, Actress, turns 36
1987	Ike Davis, Baseball player, turns 25

59	Maximilian I 3/22/1459 – 1/12/1519 Austrian archduke, German king and Holy Roman emporer- (1493-1519)
42	Sir Anthony Van Dyck 3/22/1599 – 12/9/1641 Flemish painter, etcher and draftsman
80	Wm. Pulteney Bath 3/22/1684 – 7/7/1764 English Whig politician; opposed Sir Robert Walpole
51	Anton Raphael Mengs 3/22/1728 – 6/29/1779 German painter; leading Neoclassicist
43	Thomas Crawford 3/22/1814 – 10/10/1857 American sculptor of “Freedom” figure on top of the Capitol dome
85	Robert Millikan 3/22/1868 – 12/19/1953 American Nobel Prize-winning physicist
67	Arthur Vandenberg 3/22/1884 – 4/18/1951 American Republican senator
67	Joseph Schildkraut 3/22/1896 – 1/21/1964 Austrian-born American stage, television and film star
92	Ruth Page 3/22/1899 – 4/7/1991 American dancer and choreographer
47	Johannes Brinkman 3/22/1902 – 5/6/1949 Dutch architect
82	James Gavin 3/22/1907 – 2/23/1990 American army commander in World War II

via learning.blogs.nytimes.com

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Simmi D. Isaac — 1 Comment

Faith Has Often Had a New York Accent

Faith Has Often Had a New York Accent

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Tim Tebow knelt with his current and future teammates last November after a game against the Jets in Denver.

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Published: March 21, 2012

New York often gets a bad and clichéd rap for being a godless city. Isn’t Brooklyn, after all, the borough of churches? In all likelihood, there are more seriously religious people of more differing faiths in New York than in any city in America. Tim Tebow will have plenty of company, and he will be joining a robust and eclectic lineup of religious New York athletes.

KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR Converted while in the N.B.A. But he’s still a child of the New York projects.

RAY BURRIS Invoked his faith in arguing that female reporters not be allowed in the Mets’ clubhouse.

GARY CARTER A noted abstainer amid a clubhouse notoriously full of bar flies and night owls.

CHAD CURTIS Held weekly chapel meetings, but oddly chastised Derek Jeter for turning the other cheek in a game against the Mariners.

CARL EVERETT He cited his religious beliefs in questioning whether dinosaurs ever existed.

JAY FEELY The only kicker in history to talk conservative politics on Sean Hannity’s Fox show.

YURI FOREMAN Before his fight with Miguel Cotto, Foreman slept at Yankee Stadium on Friday night so he wouldn’t have to travel on the Sabbath.

MIKE GARTNER A newspaper article said he was a member of the first Christian “cell” on the Washington Capitals before he came to the Rangers.

MARK JACKSON An accomplished orator, on the bench and off the court.

PHIL JACKSON Son of Christian preachers is now a Buddhist.

TOMMY JOHN An early medical miracle.

LARRY JOHNSON Converted to the Nation of Islam. Right after a 4-point play in the playoffs against the Pacers, he greeted Jim Gray, the broadcaster, with the Arabic phrase “Peace be with you.”

KHALID KHANNOUCHI The former world-record holder in the marathon, he is a Muslim from Morocco. Moved to Brooklyn in the early 1990s and worked there as a dishwasher.

SANDY KOUFAX Did not pitch on Yom Kippur.

JEREMY LIN Compared to Tebow so often, he may think he was just traded to the Jets.

VINCE LOMBARDI Noted 6:30 Mass attendee.

DAVID NEWHAN Look him up. Mets, 2008. Jews for Jesus.

SIONE POUHA A big man if not a big name for the Jets, who served a Mormon mission.

BOBBY RICHARDSON A faith-based candidate when he ran for Congress in South Carolina.

MARIANO RIVERA Has indicated he wants to be a minister when he retires. If he ever retires.

AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE Claimed some Jewish roots upon arriving in New York.

JOE TORRE Oh, right, his sister was a nun.

DAVID TYREE Even before he made the catch.

CHARLIE WARD Controversial Christian presence in Knicks’ locker room.

KURT WARNER A brief, evanescent stay with the Giants.

BERNIE WILLIAMS Always signs his autograph with “SDG” — “solo a dios Gloria,” only God gets the glory, as he explained it once.