102109: Water Cooler News
Water Cooler News – October 21/09
We’ve arrived at the middle of another week already!
This week is flying by as we find ourselves at the mid-point already. As usual, you can be prepared for small talk around the water cooler with your friends and colleagues. In this edition of the Water Cooler News there’s some great music and general historical facts. You will also find a rather lengthy list of birthdays for today’s date too.
Then there’s the collection of some off-beat news!
- Australian Chooses Tree Over Croc-Infested River
- Bride Slugs Police Officer, Spends Wedding Night Behind Bars
- Woman Sets Home On Fire Trying to Get Rid of Raccoon
Daily Mindbender Question
18% of people will do this activity this fall. What is it?
Answer at end of post!
Off-Beat News
“Australian Chooses Tree Over Croc-Infested River”
An Australian man spent 12 hours in a tree after his boat ran aground in a crocodile-infested river. Stan Martell says he fell asleep while on his boat and awoke to find the boat jammed under a tree and filled with water. He quickly scurried up the tree when he spotted two crocodiles and spent 12 hours clinging to a branch. He was rescued the next day after he activated his satellite phone and an emergency beacon.
“Bride Slugs Police Officer, Spends Wedding Night Behind Bars”
A bride in Barcelona, Spain spent her wedding night in jail after she allegedly assaulted a police officer who was trying to break up a brawl between her relatives and the groom’s family. Authorities say the fight broke out just as the newlyweds and their guests were about to leave the reception. When officers arrived on the scene to break up the fight, the bride grabbed one officer by the neck and slapped him. She was reunited with her husband after spending the night behind bars.
“Woman Sets Home On Fire Trying to Get Rid of Raccoon”
An Indiana woman accidentally set fire to her mobile home while trying to scare off a raccoon with fireworks! Fire officials in the town of Portage say the 52 year old woman told them she lit and tossed 8 to 10 smoke bomb fireworks under her mobile home to chase away a raccoon. She called 9-1-1 after she saw smoke and flames. Firefighters arrived on the scene and extinguished a small blaze. Damage to the mobile home is estimated at 500 dollars.
Historical Notes
Today is…
National Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day
Notable birthdays…
Joyce Randolph 84/actress, Trixie Norton, TV’s The Honeymooners
Manfred Mann 69/keyboards, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”
Judy Sheindlin 67/TV’s Judge Judy
Elvin Bishop, 67, musician
Lee Loughnane 63/trumpet, Chicago
Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go’s is 56
Carrie Fisher 53/actress-author, Princess Leia in Star Wars
Jeremy Miller 33/actor, Ben Seaver on TV’s Growing Pains
Born on this date…also known as the late…
Alfred Nobel–1883-1896/developed dynamite and now has a prize named after him.
Dizzy Gillespie–1917-1993/trumpet master, helped invent bebop.
Music History
1999 – Beatles producer Sir George Martin announced he would serve as chairman of the advisory board for Internet startup, Garageband.com.
1998 – Elton John’s Candle in the Wind 1998 became the best-selling single of all time, just 37 days after its release. The Princess Diana tribute song beat out Bing Crosby’s White Christmas.
1998 – Paul Stanley and Bruce Kulick of KISS were sued for copyright infringement over the song Dreamin’. The suit claims the song sounds too much like Alice Cooper’s 1971 hit, Eighteen.
1992 – Elton John filed a 35-million-dollar lawsuit accusing a reporter from the TV show Hard Copy of falsely stating that he had moved to Atlanta to be near an AIDS treatment center.
1975 – Elton John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1972 – 17 years after writing, recording, and releasing his first rock & roll classic Maybellene, Chuck Berry got his first, and only, American #1 pop chart entry with My Ding-A-Ling.
1966 – The Who appeared on Britain’s Ready Steady Go!
1961 – Bob Dylan recorded his first album, Bob Dylan, for Columbia Records.
1958 – Buddy Holly had his last studio recording session. Holly and the Crickets recorded True Love Ways, Moondreams, It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, and Raining in my Heart.
1957 – Elvis Presley’s film Jailhouse Rock premiered.
General History
1879–Thomas Edison invented a workable electric light at his lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
1975–The Cincinnati Reds used eight pitchers in the sixth game of the World Series, but Carlton Fisk broke up the thrilling contest with a homer in the 12-inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 7-6 victory.
1998 – The New York Yankees set a major league baseball record of 125 victories for the regular and postseason combined.
Daily Mindbender Answer
18% of people will “visit a haunted house” this fall.
Yours in Water Cooler News Fun!
Dr. Rus
