It is not looking vg for Londinium. Did we have any doubts? Saw Sunshine tonight! I enjoyed it but I am sure no one wants to know what DH thought. ;-D

I'm sure we can already guess. ;-D Have just finished watching opening ceremonies. Must give an award. Worst dye jobs for women atheletes' hair: Romania. ;-D

So Merchant and Ivory are now free to shop around for another U.S. distributor. (Evelyn) 1-800-PHAEDRA Days later and it's still hilarious. Thank you, dear. (Moon) It is shocking that Londinium is not showing I didn't know you were so easily shocked. Honey, you've been around here too long for that. ;-) (Karen) However, there are a number of TBAs and Surprise Screenings, so one never knows A surprise screening of Londinium would not surprise me at all. Look at what happened with RV. Thanks for your work, Karen. Worst dye jobs for women atheletes' hair: Romania. ;-D With Katie Couric's coming in a close second but I'll bet it cost her a lot more. The Romanian girls were still quite pretty.

My vote for most obvious geography lession goes to Bob Costas, (whom I like), for stating, "Next is the Olympic delegation from the Central African Republic, which is located surely enough in Central Africa." He did announce it with some style, though.

(Heide) The Romanian girls were still quite pretty. Couldn't tell. Eyes were stuck on some really bad roots. Speaking of eyes...am getting ready for my fav event: men's swimming! oooh baby!! Such eyefuls!

Its the running I look forward to all that bouncing & the slow motion.I'll take a peek at the swimming if you recommend it.

Am not very fond of these new Speedo suits. Bring back the old ones. Fortunately, some boys take down the tops after their race. Will have to console myself watching swimmers from countries that can't afford latest technology. ;-D

Are these the new all in ones I've heard mentioned?

Will have to console myself watching swimmers from countries that can't afford latest technology I'm with you on that one, surely the divers also won't be in such garb so there is extra hope for us. Look out for the Aussie swimmer with, wait for it.........size 17 feet. Say no more!

Did you see the shoulders on that Aussie? Has size 17 feet and is age 17! Oh my God, almost half my age. Is that considered robbing the cradle? Did you notice the gymnists though? That's a lot of pushups!

No haven't seen the gymnasts yet...and yes it probably is robbing the cradle (he's half my age too). I was quite mesmerized (my word of the day incidentally) by our Gold medal winning cyclist (hurrah we have a Gold medal!) in his v.v.v. tight cycling gear.

Imagine how different Olympics would be if we awarded Golds on such criteria (not nearly like the Olympics, but lots of fun -D). BTW, with new bathing technology, MLSO is right at home.

(Sadie)Oh my God ,almost half my age *snort* thats one of your symptoms isn't it?

with new bathing technology, MLSO is right at home Hmmm. Yes plenty of room for .....movement who cares about aerodynamics. *Making mental note* suggest to swim team the need to change kit to 20s stripey jersey suits. D'you think it'd catch on?

Yes indeed Judy. Scratching at keys, although Mr. C did call. At this point, those 20 stripey jersey suits are looking good to me, but as Judy knows, my perception is skewed these days...

(Sadie) Is that considered robbing the cradle? Don't remind me, I get the guilts every time I look at Patrick Rafter. By the way, did anyone ever see his bare-chested pic on the cover of GQ?

No I haven't, but I've seen him bare-chested on TV!!!

RE: the male gymnasts. I want to be the person who grabs hold of them 'round the torso to give them a boost onto the bars.:-)

*hee hee* They're my second fav. Did you catch those arms on whatshisname? ;-D And Heide, I think Bob Costas' color came out of a bottle. eowww!!

You know, the guys batting the ball around in the sand aren't too shabby either. Well, congratulations to any Aussies out there for their team's remarkable swim win on the 400 m relay. :-) I finally got to see a replay of it. V. exciting sports! And wasn't that Canadian, Simon Whitfield impressive on his last sprint of the triathlon! Congrats to my neighbours to the North! These are the only events I've had time to catch so far. That, and whatshisname's arms (LOL Karen, he needs no name!) (Mari)I want to be the person who grabs hold of them 'round the torso to give them a boost onto the bars.:-) A fine idea! Too bad I'm such a lazy out-of-shape type! I was also noticing the camera-work as the swimmers were lining up. I bet what I saw was videotaped by a man. I bet if a woman had the camera, she wouldn't have veered away so quickly from such rich material!

I see you're all talking of Ian Thorpe, nicknamed Thorpedo. Here they keep on saying how he's the perfect swimmer, perfect technique, perfect shape, etc.

Oh no, Tineke. whatshisname is a US gymnast, the one who hurt his finger.

whatshisname = John Roethlisberger (have looked it up)

Roethlisberger He's got the same name as the once almost most hated men in this country for about a week; a swiss referee who refused us a penalty in the quarter finals against Germany during the world cup in the USA. But hey, you were talking of Thorpe earlier on, you know, the 17 footed Australian swimmer.

(Karen) Am not very fond of these new Speedo suits. Bring back the old ones. Fortunately, some boys take down the tops after their race. Will have to console myself watching swimmers from countries that can't afford latest technology. ;-D ROFLMAO! Agree, agree, agree. What's wrong with these boys? Makes the women look even more Amazonian too. Divers are quite fine as are volleyball players (oh Jana!) but for me, bring on the tennis players. Mmmm, that Patrick Rafter. But he's not an American so I doubt NBC will show him changing shirts between games. Like Sadie's idea of awarding medals based on....well, you know. (Karen) I think Bob Costas' color came out of a bottle. What the hell did he do to his eyebrows? Think he's using Fever Pitch's colorist.

Know who this is?? Rosemary Harris "This English born actress began a love affair with America's Broadway at the age of 22. One critic dubbed the newly arrived Rosemary "the prettiest girl on Broadway" Rosemary in Beau Brummell" From a new RH website...

Congratulatiions Moon and DH on Italy winning the heat in Sculling....they're looking good.Catch the rhythm of those legs!!

Thanks, Evelyn! Italy should do very well in Soccer, fencing, waterpolo, and volleyball any other ones are welcome. :-D BTW, there was a very short man (almost midget), in the US team. We are having a hard time knowing what he does. Does anyone know?

As Joan Rivers would say, "can we talk?" I don't know what annoys me more, Costa's carrot-top or the disco-glitter that the lady gymnasts are wearing in their hair. And the other thing that is grating on my nerves is the commentary here in the US. I remember years ago when gymnastics commentators would actually talk about the skills, tricks, give you the names of the individual tricks, talk about why one maneuver had a higher degree of difficulty, talk about the positions of the hands on the bars or the horse and why the different positions increased the degree of difficulty, etc. They would give you the kind of technical commentary that educated the audience and made you more appreciative of what they were seeing. About the only thing I've heard tonight was, "oh, she didn't stick her landing, that's really going to hurt on the score." They are, imo, the worse commentators I have ever heard. Oh my gosh, as I am writing this, the commentator just mentioned an inverted giant. Geesh, that's the only trick he called during her routine. Amy on the beam, and Elsie says, "this is a big skill." Tim says, "she's the only one in the meet doing it." Period. What is the skill? What is it called? Describe it. What makes it a "big skill?" The absolute worst. Rant rant. It's like watching a figure skating routine and the commentator never mentions the names of the jumps, like axel or lutz, and then of course never ever describes the difference between the two or why one is more difficult than the other. And when are we going to get a close-up of the Thorpedo's size 17's? :-) And did I miss a commentary on the difference in equipment, especially on the parallel bars? Anyone remember when the bars were so close together that the women would bounce off of them at the hip? Now the bars are so far apart the women are doing giant swings. Hmm, have the commentators even described a giant swing? If I missed any informative commentary, as Emily Littella would say, "never mind." :-)

(Donna) I don't know what annoys me more, Costa's carrot-top or the disco-glitter that the lady gymnasts are wearing in their hair. *hee hee* You're right, I can't decide either which is more annoying, but we have to watch Costas day after day. The prepub girl gymnasts will only be on for a limited amount of time. You're right about the quality of the "tech" commentary. It's not very technical. However, I've been pretty pleased with the coverage (i.e., after the opening stuff was done). They are actually showing events and not traipsing off to do pointless stuff at bars and restaurants in Sydney. I've been to bars and restaurants in Sydney and I want to see the athletic events, not where the tourists are hanging out. Remember years ago, they used to do those CAD-CAMy graphics to show the physiology or kinesiology of the athletic skill and all those measuring things. Oh well, can do without that stuff. And when are we going to get a close-up of the Thorpedo's size 17's? :-) Camera needs to pan down lower. They've been keeping them at shoulder height. Bummer Anyone remember when the bars were so close together that the women would bounce off of them at the hip? Yeah, but the women were older and bigger than they are now. They also moved slower. Best part of NBC's coverage: they are using music from Wonderland. Have heard it twice so far. Loved it.

They are, imo, the worse commentators I have ever heard. Agreed! And I can do without all the special segment bio.s too. What a bore!

Hi All, just to mention if anyone�s interested that I visited the Donmar last week, saw the play To the Green Fields Beyond, directed by Sam Mendes. Have to admit that I did not go to see the play because of any particular interest in it but because I wanted to see the theatre itself again. But the play is good too. Well I did not like it personally so very much (it�s about a tank crew in war with a load of ugly men and a whore in a forest) but have to admit it�s mostly very well acted. As I said, the theatre itself was my main attraction and how great it was to see it again, and so weird. The lobby really is so small and neutral and the stage soooo close!! Wanted to memorize meeting Colin there but it was kinda hard to imagine. How I really truly and sincerely wish he could return on stage....saw some other plays too (not worth recommending) and thought about Colin all the time while yawning.

Am curious, Elena, was the lobby full of Dougray Scott fans and do you know if he came down and gave autographs, etc., like ODB did night after night?

Thanks for reporting Elena. It's always good to hear reports involving the Donmar!

Hey Mary Murray....I just read your post #291, what CF movie did those delicious snappies come from ? What HBO movie is that ? Lord, he looks gorgeous !! Thanx.

(Donna) They are, imo, the worse commentators I have ever heard. LOL! Yeah, and why are the bars farther apart now? One of those great mysteries... (Karen)Yeah, but the women were older and bigger than they are now. They also moved slower. I remember when the women gymnasts were women, and not ten, or did I dream that? Wasn't Nadia at least 14 when she stunned the world? I have to confess, I'm not getting into it this time. My heart was set on Olympic Soccer ever since Euro 2000 ended, and I haven't seen any coverage of it. :-( (Elena)it�s about a tank crew in war with a load of ugly men and a whore in a forest LOL! Sounds intriguingly different, anyway.

(Elena)it�s about a tank crew in war with a load of ugly men and a whore in a forest Ug...anybody want my ticket;-)

I have to confess, I'm not getting into it this time. My heart was set on Olympic Soccer ever since Euro 2000 ended, and I haven't seen any coverage of it. :-( You and me, Sadie. All I can tell you is that Italy and Chile are leading their respective rounds. I hope they will show some of the games in the future.

The pics on Murph's animation posted at message 291 all came from the movie Wings of Fame. You might be able to find it for rent at Blockbusters and people have been selling them for much more reasonable prices (than list) at eBay.

You want football? I resent the fact that here the games have to make way for the Chamion's League. I'm not interested in seeing Ac Milan, Man U,...I want to see the Olympics. Thank goodness for BBC.

The soccer (football) games are being shown mostly during the day on CNBC and MSNBC. I think NBC has done a good job, and I think they have done well in focusing not just on the American athletes, but on those from many other countries as well. I also like the "up close and personal" behind the scenes stuff, too. To me, it is fascinating to hear the backgrounds and challenges faced by some of these athletes. It really puts a human face--and an international one--on things, instead of just being "the guy from South Africa in lane 6," for example.

I'm not interested in seeing Ac Milan, Hey, Tineke! That's my team, lucky you! To me, it is fascinating to hear the backgrounds and challenges faced by some of these athletes. Mari, they should do it in a less soppy way. The soccer (football) games are being shown mostly during the day on CNBC and MSNBC. Will let hubby know, thanks!

Sadie..(this probably belongs elsewhere) but...DO get hold of Wings of Fame, it's wierd but well worth it, IMO!

(Moon) Mari, they should do it in a less soppy way. Ah Moon, you know I am just an old softy at heart!:-) Olympic cutie pie deserving special mention, IMO: Lenny Krayzelburg Hey, how about those Italian men copping all those medals in the swimming events? They have really turned their program around; good for them.

(Karen)Am curious, Elena, was the lobby full of Dougray Scott fans Ah, a Dougray Scott fan in our midst?! No, nothing like Colin�s treatment. Only a smallish group of people waited in front of the theater and on the pavement and some of them obviously were autograph hunters, male. I took off before Dougray came out and the only one I saw giving several autographs was Ray Winstone. I must say that Colin came down much faster than these guys. (Evelyn)Ug...anybody want my ticket;-) Great, planning to see it? Keep your ticket, it�s worth seeing (except the stupid whore bits, ha!). Btw the setting is wonderful, the stage is full of real birches. Looks nothing like the stage we saw in January.

(Elena) Ah, a Dougray Scott fan in our midst?! Bite your tongue! ;-D Nope, just curious about how different actors deal with fans, and I know Dougray has lots and lots. Remember, neither Stephen Dillane or Jennifer came through the lobby for TRT at the Donmar; they ducked out the back. Of course, they've made up for things with their NY encounters.

Why is there a general CF-related discussion going on here? What's wrong with the main CF board? Or have you discovered that one can't have a sensible CF discussion there any more? Not like in the golden days of Drool... No, don't even bother jumping to my jugular... I'm going away and may be some time... Talk amongst yourselves... :-/

Why is there a general CF-related discussion going on here? What's wrong with the main CF board? Or have you discovered that one can't have a sensible CF discussion there any more? Talking to me? Sorry, just thought that observations about the new play in the D.(totally missing Colin Firth) wouldn�t be what you call a sensible CF discussion.

(Mari) Olympic cutie pie deserving special mention, IMO: Lenny Krayzelburg Yeah, and great personal story too. Liked the close-ups of mom and dad decked out like Uncle Sam. Don't mind Costas that much--anyone see late last night when he donned the dark glasses in manner of Gary Hall Jr.? Pretty funny. Also challenging again this time is trying to avoid hearing results blabbed all over TV, radio and internet before events are televised. (Elena) Talking to me? Don't worry, Elena, most of us aren't such sticklers about these things.

(Moon)All I can tell you is that Italy and Chile are leading their respective rounds. I hope they will show some of the games in the future. (Mari)The soccer (football) games are being shown mostly during the day on CNBC and MSNBC. Hmmm, am seriously considering cable. In meantime, will have to haunt sportsbar for Olympic soccer (football) I guess. Thanks for update, Moon! It's agonizing wondering what is happening. (Karen)The pics on Murph's animation posted at message 291 all came from the movie Wings of Fame (Tracy)Sadie..(this probably belongs elsewhere) but...DO get hold of Wings of Fame, it's wierd but well worth it, IMO! *ding,ding,ding* CF career comment alert! I've been trying for awhile to get hold of it because it sounds hilarious. CF should do more comedy, imo. Will try local Blockbuster again! (Elena) Talking to me? (Eileen)Don't worry, Elena, most of us aren't such sticklers about these things. I really enjoyed your reflections on your recent Donmar experience. As an unserious poster, I should mention that some of us have voluntarily moved our joking over to Darcy Drool these last several weeks, in the interest of respecting others' desire for sensible discussions on the Colin Firth Career Board and here at Odds & Ends. (Ok, so I've made one or two jokes elsewhere, but generally, boards are free and clear of me! -D)

Elena) Talking to me? (Eileen)Don't worry, Elena, most of us aren't such sticklers about these things Or care what others think or say....What..we now have a new host? Thanks Elena...like you..I'm looking forward to the Donmar experience. Did you go down to the Luna Nuova?

(Evelyn)I'm looking forward to the Donmar experience. Did you go down to the Luna Nuova? The first night is on Monday (25th) I think and *you-know-who* might very well be there in the audience. Or later....keep your eyes open, Evelyn! I believe he could be interested in what happens in the Donmar. And while I�m at it: I also went to see a play in the Almeida in Islington, for some obscure reason I wanted to see a theater in that particular part of the city ;-). It was Conversations After a Burial by Yazmina Reza. Boring and conventional but again, the tiny and a little shabby full-packed theater was a great experience in itself.

(Sadie)... but generally,boards are free and clear of me!-D and the same goes for me too.

(Tracy)Sadie..(this probably belongs elsewhere) but...DO get hold of Wings of Fame, it's wierd but well worth it, IMO! (Sadie), *ding,ding,ding* CF career comment alert! I've been trying for awhile to get hold of it because it sounds hilarious. CF should do more comedy, imo. WoF is definitely not a comedy, but definitely worth seeing. :-) Conversations After a Burial by Yazmina Reza. I believe she also wrote Art, which has been a big hit on Broadway and London. I wonder if she is the daughter of the last Shaz of Iran. I believe it is the same name.

Hi Moon and Sadie (waving across cyberspace) and all other Droolers, Have jumped back into Drool after summer of major dental work. Ugh. Neo middle age is not for sissies.... Next summer plan to take wonderful trip instead. In any event, I just read your thread on WOF. Sadie, if you are looking to purchase WOF you might try looking at half.com. This past Spring I purchased four slighty used (can you imagine someone not wearing them out?) CF videos there for under $25, and one of them was WOF. (I almost paid a lot more for it elsewhere, too.) You can even join an email list which will advise you of new CF arrivals. Anyway...it is nice to be back, but it seems kinda slow around here...Hope everyone had a better summer than I did. ;-)

Oops, the link vanished! Here we go: http://www.half.com/products/creator.jsp?creator=1126778&prodtype=videos

What an interesting place, Lisa. Those prices are incredible.

More thoughts on the Olympics (is not Olympics topic but will risk it): 1. Whoever invented sparkly hair gel should be shot. 2. *All* gymnasts deserve gold medal for 'Most in Need of a Makeover'. 3. Gymnasts from Romania deserve gold medal for 'Most Hair Clips'. Gymnasts from USA get silver medal. Most gymnasts from Russia did not require hair clips as had whole heads plastered with sparkly gel (except short-haired blonde who had long bobby pins on side of head in addition to gel. Hair stuck straight out after unfortunate vault experience in manner of Bozo the Clown). 4. Correlation of weight of head with sparkly gel and/or entire package of hair pins with number of falls should be studied. If there were gold medals for announcers, the awards would be distributed as follows: The gold medal for 'Won't You Tell Me Something I Don't Already Know' goes to Elfie whatshername for repeatedly reminding the viewer that steps on landings result in point deductions. The gold medal for 'Won't You Tell Me Something I Don't Already Know, Without Hysterics Please' goes to Tim Daggett. The gold medal for 'Most Comprehensive Analysis of Gymnastic Performance' goes to Tim Daggett for his repeated use of the term 'Wow'. Track and Field is next. Goody.

hee hee Am nostalgically remembering the good old days, when the technical color commentator used to describe the skill being performed in manner of "three half twists with sixteen rotations...or a Tsukaharmaximova" "Wow," just doesn't do it for me. Is there anybody out there who isn't knowlegeable about "sticking the landing"" Since you're into pins, didja notice that the Bulgarian men's gymnasts used safety pins to attach the emblem in front? Probably could've used sparkly hair gel. Think should have special devoted to Svetlana Khorkina. Want to hear her rant and yell with translation. Is definitely on her diva-ish way to film stardom.

Eileen, v. funny post! Karen, I stumbled upon Half.com several months ago, and have purchased quite a few videos without any problems. One should review the seller's track record first, but for those prices, it is hard to go wrong. Half.com was purchased by Ebay not too long ago....

A big disappointment in the Games was that world class athletes expect to compete on the best equipment; if their respective sport so requires equipment. The female gymnastics, however, got a nasty surprise. The vaulting horse was 5 centimeters to low. The competitors were allowed to redo their vaults if they so chose. Some did, others didn't, citing that their bad scores on vault had effected their mental approach to the remaining events. Then again, the Olympics have almost always contained an element of drama. Of course, it might be argued that all major athetic competions containe inate drama.

Thanks, Lisa! Not one Apt.0. ;-( We will be discussing Apt. 0 in Nov. at the CF film disc. topic. Make sure you all put it on your to rent list. I have a hard time watching these Olympics, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ............ I hate the way the evening program is set up. If I am watching the gymnastic competition, why should I want to see a swim semifinal in between?

You're right Moon, the set-up is annoying. Not only are the events broken up haphazzardly and inserted into one another, but I also get the two breaks per evening for "your local news".

Hi Everybody...we're at the internet cafe near the University of London..had a lovely day..hit the London Eye and saw a private showing of TRT... Miss you all....evelyn We sent our donations with evelyn, Karen...don't let her out of Chicago.... Aishling &Lizza...

From the London Theatre newsletter.... ANOTHER COUNTRY by Julian Mitchell at the Arts Theatre OPENS 27th Sep (Already Previewing!!) DIRECTOR: Stephen Henry PERFORMERS: Alex Avery, Jamie de Courcy, Martoin Hutson, Neil Jones, Ben Meyjes, Edward Purver, Ferdy Roberts, Patrick Ryecart, Tom Wisdom. PRODUCER: Background / Guy Chapman / Oxford Playhouse SYNOPSIS: It is the story about two idealistic, rebellious pupils in an elite public boys school during the 1930s

The vaulting horse was 5 centimeters to low. No doubt weighed down by gobs of sparkly gel. Note to self: start movement to have sparkly gel banned from games in manner of performance-enhancing drugs. Noticed last night that Russian blonde giantess (actually, is only 5'5" tall) took razor to head--most likely in response to earlier Bozo the Clown analogy. Hope you're having fun in London, ladies. Stop by the BBC and give them our love, willya? ;-)

Think need another grass-roots movement. Have noticed men seem to be wearing *more* clothing, while women are wearing less. Do not understand why two-piece bathing suits have become athletic uniforms. Do they increase speed or strength? Fully expect to see track stars (among others) wearing thongs in Athens. Have discovered new sport to satisfy my specialized interests: men's water polo. Have excellent physiques not hidden by ugly fast suits. Also, good underwater camera work, showing men treading water. Must get bigger TV. Also need to rethink those baby bonnets. Back to lady gymnasts...did you like the basic black cocktail leotards sported?

Do not understand why two-piece bathing suits have become athletic uniforms Those shark suits as they're called are used because there's less resistance. A lot of experiments and investigations have gone into those suits. Apparently you gain about 3% in speed when wearing such a suit. For a while it wasn't certain whether they'd be allowed to swim in those suits during official competitions. It partly explains why so many world records in swimming have been broken this year.

It is one thing to move ahead with technologie. It is another when you allow professionals to play for gold. I am against all those professional basketball, tennis, etc players playing on the team. I like the water polo too, Karen! ;-)

Tineke, I was referring to the outfits being worn in other sports like track and field and beach volleyball, etc. All midriff-bearing. Does showing one's midriff counter wind resistance? ;-D

that should be "mid-baring" ;-D Must be excitement from news. Can *barely* type as fingers are jumping for joy. :-DDDDDDD

(Moon) I am against all those professional basketball, tennis, etc players playing on the team. I know what you mean. Heard last week that Maurice Greene was tooling around Sydney in his yellow Ferrari while waiting for track and field to begin. Saw him remove his shoes after the race and thought he was going to hold one next to his head for advertising purposes just like the skiers (he threw them into the crowd instead). Am waiting for a winner to say 'I'm going to Disney World!'. Is only a matter of time. (Karen) did you like the basic black cocktail leotards sported? Actually, I did. Thought they went well with the spark...but enough about that ;-)

While we are on the topic of "The Games," I have a question: shot put... what's that all about? Cannot figure out if contestants are judged on distance of "putting their shots," or the decibel level of the primal, guttural screams they emit thereafter. Moreover, why do the participants all look like Jesse Ventura? Perhaps they are in need of disco hair glitter....

v.g. review in The Times for "To the Green Fields and Beyond" at the Donmar.Moreover, Mendes's cast is strong enough to make you credit the talk of fate, angelic support and spiritual togetherness. Some characters are cursorily realised, but several, notably Dougray Scott's battle-scarred commander and Ray Winstone's East Ender, will surely stick in the mind. When Winstone's big, beefy ex-chauffeur quietly admits his terrors, then unpretentiously expresses his love for the men around him, you'll not just be touched. You'll be glad Sam Mendes decided to come home.Full review here: http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/09/26/timnwsnws03021.html Another snippet from The Times: Free dancing Film Four, distributors of Dancer in the Dark, made by the controversial Danish director Lars von Trier and starring Bj�rk, are offering a money-back guarantee. Those who see the film on Friday, and stay for at least half an hour, can seek a refund if they do not like it. Wish that policy applied to the last movie I saw...Circus :-(

Stop by the BBC and give them our love, willya? ;-) Funny you should say that...am going over now..Hmmmmmm

Film Four, distributors of Dancer in the Dark, made by the controversial Danish director Lars von Trier and starring Bj�rk, are offering a money-back guarantee. Those who see the film on Friday, and stay for at least half an hour, can seek a refund if they do not like it. (Karen), Wish that policy applied to the last movie I saw...Circus :-( Or mine Woman on Top. :-( I like the films Lars has made and the Danish film movement. I am also a huge Bj�rk fans and will see it. Loved Almost Famous!

Thank you, Evelyn, for the information on the stage revival of "Another Country".

Moon, I also enjoyed Almost Famous very, very much. Wonderful cast--they are perfect all across the board, aren't they? Especially enjoyed Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand, but almost hate to single anyone out as the ensemble is what makes it work. And Billy Crudup is a hottie!:-) The kid, Patrick Fugit, is a real find. Has anyone else seen it yet?

(Mari) Has anyone else seen it yet? [Almost Famous] Saw it this weekend and loved it. I agree with everything you said - great acting all the way around and a charming script. It was a perfect snapshot of the early 70's and having been entering my teen years at that time it really made me smile.

Last night I went to the vnerable Donmar to see "To the Green Fields Beyond" starring "flavor of the month" Dougray Scott and directed by wunderkind Sam Mendes.Full house..play sold out for the run.Like Elena I had a warm nostalgic feeling going there. (I saw TRT 4 times there too). The play:I hate to be the dissenting voice with critics, but I was disappointed. The play focuses on a tank crew of eight men on the night before battle during WW I.This is a serious topic, and I felt it was trivialized. The dialogue was full of cliches (I didn't even mind the contemporary "you guys", "no way"...unimportant.)But I never felt engaged ..(hey I was sitting in row A)!Ray Winstone was excellent...the only believable character. Dougray Scott was OK. At times over the top...shouting doesn't make good acting! The rest of the cast was abysmal.I espected more from Sam and the Donmar. He shudda stuck with Shakespeare. But that's MO. No one in the audience I recognized except for Sam.There was no intermission...so I had no time to look around.But from Row A side,I got a good look all around.After the show I waited in the lobby and outside (fer olde times sake!). NO ONE was there for Dougray .YEAY!!Only the old pro autograph hounds.

Evelyn, your review is not much different from the ones I read last night. They thought the play wasn't so hot, but the actors were good. One mentioned the use of contemporary language as being out of place and how the whole thing compared unfavorably to works produced by poets/playwrights who had actually been in the war. And there was a particularly snide remark as to something the prostitute says about servicing seven men. Thanks for reporting back.

One mentioned the use of contemporary language That mix might have been an attraction for SM. Thanks for reporting, Evelyn. It is not a play that would interest me. What is SM going to do next?

(Mari) And Billy Crudup is a hottie!:-) Thought he was just awful in Prefontaine (showed the emotional range of a block of wood, IMO) and was surprised at how good he was in AF. 'I am a golden god!' (Jana) It was a perfect snapshot of the early 70's and having been entering my teen years at that time it really made me smile. Me too. My only complaints were that some parts of the script seemed too set up and the actor who played the jealous lead singer was a little too OTT for me. As Evelyn said, shouting doesn't make good acting. Otherwise, it's a movie well worth seeing.

Thanks for the Donmar report, Evelyn. As Karen said, the reviews today have been lukewarm at best, so you are not at all out of step with the critics. Moon, I think Sam's next project is another film for DreamWorks. Spielberg producing, Hanks starring. Something about gangsters, I seem to recall. (Jana2) It was a perfect snapshot of the early 70's and having been entering my teen years at that time it really made me smile. Same here, Jana! To its credit, it does deal honestly with some of the unsavory stuff of the period and the setting, but unlike other films which seem hell-bent on having you go home miserable, this one leaves you with a good feeling. Not treacly good, but just good.:-)

More Olympics talk..sorry you can take a nap if you like, but can I just say .."Deano! Come on you Macey"(in manner of FP-type football yob).. I wouldn't ordinarily bother but he's got the cheekiest of grins and he's our hope in the Decathlon lying in 2nd place after the first day. Check out those tatts. Don't worry my CF allegiances aren't compromised!!

Ssshhh, but tomorrow is a birthday for our favorite intrepid detective.. She's filled our bucket with all sorts of goodies during the past year so let's return the favor and fill hers... and send your Happy Birthday messages to Karen on the 28th.

Hauoli Na Hanau, Karen

Tuberose / Lantern Ilima White tuberose mixed with orange ilima blossoms. Very fragrant. This is my favorite lei and lasts for a long time even in a warm room.

Oooh, it's gorgeous Marcia. I know *exactly* what I'll wear to go with it. (will have to cut back on the jewels though) Thanks so much. Really been looking forward to my lei for quite some time. :-D

To Karen, on her birthday (to be read in manner of the SP as played by Anthony Andrews, 1982 version): (insert throat clearing noise here) You seek them here, You seek them there, You seek those Firth facts everywhere. Whether in the Observer, Times, or Post, You find them all -- our intrepid Drool host. Have a great day. LisaJH

Happy Birthday Karen......all the very best people are born in September !!

Happy birthday Karen

Birthdates which occurred on your SELECTED date of September 28: 551 -BC- Confucius (as celebrated in Taiwan) 106 -BC- Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) Rome, warrior 1573 Caravaggio Italy, painter 1785 David Walker Wilmington NC, a black born free 1824 Francis Turner Palgrave Eng, poet (Golden Treasury)/prof (Oxford) 1839 Frances Willard founded Women's Christian Temperance Union 1841 Georges Clemenceau France, statesman/PM (defended Dreyfuss) 1849 Dudley Allen Sargent US, physician/educator (Harvard U gymnasium) 1852 Henri Moissan France, chemist; isolated fluorine (Nobel 1906) 1856 Edward Thompson US archeologist who explored Mayan ruins 1856 Kate Douglas Wiggins author (Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm) 1870 Florent Schmitt Bl�mont France, composer (Fr�d�gonde) 1880 Ralph Edward Flanders Barnet VT, (Sen-VT) 1882 Jack Fournier 2nd baseman (1917-18 NY Yankees) 1885 Wilbur 'Lefty' Good pitcher (NY Yankees, 1905) 1887 Avery Brundage AAU & International Olympic Committee president 1895 Lawton Whitey Witt outfielder (NY Yankees, 1922-25) 19-- Eloy Phil Casados Long Beach Calif, actor (Young Daniel Boone) 19-- George Lynch rocker (Lynch Mob-Wicked Sensations) 19-- Michael Clayton Staten Island NY, rock drummer (Tyketto-Wings) 19-- Robert Wolders Rotterdam Holland, actor (Erik Hunter-Laredo) 19-- Sam Whipple Venice Calif, actor (Terry-Open All Night) 19-- Susan Walters Georgia, actress (Loving) 1901 William S Paley founder & chairman (CBS) 1902 Ed Sullivan TV variety show host/gossip columnist (Ed Sullivan Show) 1905 Max Schmeling Germany, world heavyweight boxing champ (1930-32) 1905 William Northam Austria, yachtsman (Olympic-gold-1964) 1907 Glen (Turk) Edwards NFL tackle (Boston/Washington Redskins) 1907 Heikki Savolainen Finland, pommel horse gymnast (Olympic-gold-1948) 1909 Al Capp New Haven Ct, cartoonist (Li'l Abner) 1910 Fran Lee NYC, actress (Ms Wong-Major Dell Conway) 1911 Henry Ellsworth Vines Jr tennis (US Open 1931,32)/golf player 1913 Alice Marble tennis player (US Open 1936, 1938-40) 1913 Vivian Fine Chicago Ill, composer (Women in the Garden) 1914 Harold Taylor Canada, educator (Art & the Future) 1916 Peter Finch actor (Network, Windom's Way, Raid on Entebbe) 1917 Michael Somes England, ballet dancer (Royal Ballet in London) 1919 Thomas Harmon football player/sportscaster (Heisman winner) 1922 Joe Silver Chicago Ill, actor (Mr I Magination, Fay) 1923 Fred Robbins Balt Md, DJ (Coke Time with Eddie Fisher, Robbins Nest) 1923 William Windom NYC, actor (Farmer's Daughter, Murder She Wrote) 1924 Marcello Mastroianni actor (8�, La Dolce Vita) 1925 Arnold Stang Mass, comedian/actor (Broadside, Milton Berle, Top Cat) 1925 Seymour Cray inventor (Cray I computer) 1926 Jerry Clower Amite County Miss, country comedian (Nashville on Road) 1933 Madeleine M Kunin Switzerland (Gov-D-Vt), 1st Jewish gov of Vermont 1934 Brigitte Bardot Paris France, sex kitten (And God Created Women) 1936 Robert Hogan NYC, actor (Peyton Place, Operation Petticoat) 1938 Ben E King NC, singer (Stand by Me) 1940 Alexander S Ivanchenkov cosmonaut (Soyuz 29, T-6) 1941 Charley Taylor NFL wide receiver/running back (Wash Redskin) 1942 Grant Jackson pitcher (1972 NY Yankees) 1943 Gertrud "Traudl" Hecher Austria, downhill skier (Olympic-bronze-1960) 1943 Joel Higgins Bloomington Ill, actor (Salvage 1, Silver Spoons) 1946 Fiona Lewis Westcliff England, actress (Stunts, Lisztomania) 1946 Herbert Jefferson Jr Jersey City NJ, actor (Battlestar Galactica) 1946 Larry Breeding Winchester Ill, actor (Who's Watching the Kids?) 1948 Helen Shapiro London England, rocker (Straighten Up) 1948 Marielle Goitschel France, slalom (Olympic-gold-1968) 1948 Phil Hartman comedian (SNL) 1951 Christian Marlowe LA Calif, actor (Bram-Highcliffe Manor) 1951 Dave Rajsich pitcher (NY Yankees) 1952 Sylvia Kristel Holland, actress (Emmanuelle, Priv School for Girls) 1954 Steve Largent wide receiver (Seattle Seahawks) 1958 Lory Del Santo Verona Italy, (Miss Italy-1980) 1961 Anne White Charleston WV, tennis (Wore spandex in '85 Wimbledon) 1962 Luis Enrique spanish singer (Luces del Alma) 1967 Moon Unit Zappa rocker (Valley Girl), Frank's daughter 1968 Carr� Otis SF Calif, actress (Wild Orchid) 19?? Karen, hostess, estraordinaire of Drool born. Deaths which occurred on September 28: 1833 Lemuel Haynes Revolutionary War veteran, dies at 88 1953 Edwin P Hubble astronomer, designer of telescopes, dies at 63 1954 Bert Lytell actor (Henry-One Man's Family), dies at 69 1957 Albert Ascoli Italian developed anti-tuberculosis vaccine, dies 1961 Michael Shepley actor (Dick & the Duchess), dies at 54 1964 Harpo Marx comedian (Marx Bros), dies at 75 1966 Eric Fleming actor (Gil-Rawhide), dies at 41 1970 Nasser Egyptian Pres, dies of a heart attack at 52 replaced by Sadat 1973 Norma Crane actress (Rayola-Mr Peepers), dies at 42 1975 Sidney Fields comedian (Abbott & Costello), dies at 77 1978 Pope John Paul I 65-yr-old found dead, after only 33 days as Pope 1979 Jimmy McCulloch guitarist of Wings, dies at 26 1982 Larry Breeding (Who's Watching the Kids?), dies on 36th birthday 1982 Mabel Albertson actress, dies of Alzheimer's disease at 81 1989 Ferdinand Marcos deposed president of Phillipines, dies 1991 Miles Davis jazz musician, dies at 65 from pneumonia On this day... 1066 William the Conqueror lands in England 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovers California, at San Diego Bay 1781 Siege of Yorktown begins, last battle of the Revolutionary War 1787 Congress sends Constitution to state legislatures for their approval 1829 Walker's Appeal, racial antislavery pamphlet, published in Boston 1850 Flogging in US Navy & on merchant vessels abolished 1858 Donati's comet becomes the 1st to be photographed 1867 Toronto becomes the capital of Ontario 1868 Battle of Alcolea, causes Queen Isabella 2 of Spain to flee to France 1868 Opelousas Massacre at St Landry Parish Louisiana (200 blacks killed) 1879 Sydney Australia innaugurates steam motor tram route 1906 US troops reoccupy Cuba, stay until 1909 1912 "Kiche Maru" sinks off Japan, killing 1,000 1914 German forces move into Antwerp Belgium (WW I) 1919 Fastest major league game (51 mins), Giants beat Phillies 6-1 1920 8 White Sox indicted, threw 1919 World Series (Black Sox scandal) 1922 Mussolini marches on Rome 1923 Yanks slaughter Red Sox 24-4 1924 2 US Army planes end around-world flight, Seattle to Seattle, 57 stops 1928 Juan de la Cierva makes 1st helicopter flight over English Channel 1928 Yanks clinch pennant #6 1930 Lou Gehrig's errorless streak ends at 885 consecutive games 1936 Brooklyn & Boston play a penalty free NFL game 1937 FDR dedicates Bonneville Dam on Columbia River (Oregon) 1939 Soviet-German treaty agree on 4th partition of Poland (WW II) & gives Lithuania to the USSR 1940 Michigan's Tom Harmon runs 72, 86 & 94 yard touchdowns 1941 Phillies lose club record 111th game 1941 Ted Williams assures his .400 avg on last day with 6 hits 1942 NY Americans NHL team folded 1944 1st TV Musical comedy (The Boys from Boise) 1944 Battle of Arnhem, Germans defeat British airborne in Netherlands 1948 WBAP-TV, (NBC affiliate) Fort Worth Texas, begins broadcasting 1951 Allie Reynolds' 2nd no-hitter of 1951; Yanks clinch pennant #18 1951 Norm Van Brocklin of the Rams passes for NFL-record 554 yards 1958 Guinea votes for independence from France 1959 Explorer VI reveals an intense radiation belt around the Earth 1960 Ted Williams hits his final homer #521 1961 "Purlie Victorious," a farce by Ossie Davis, opens on Broadway 1961 Syria withdraws from United Arab Republic 1961 USN Comdr Forrest S Petersen takes X-15 to 30,720 m 1963 Giuseppe Cantarella roller-skates a record 41.5 kph for 440 yds 1963 Italy's Giuseppe Camtarella skates a record 25.78 MPH 1964 Australia beats US in 1st clay court Davis Cup 1965 Jack McKay in X-15 reaches 90 km 1965 Lava flows kill at least 350 (Taal Phillipines) 1967 Walter Washington elected 1st mayor of Washington, DC 1968 Alberto Giolani of Italy roller skates record 23.133 miles in 1 hr 1968 Atlanta Chiefs beat San Diego Toros 3-0 for NASL championship 1968 Beatles' "Hey Jude," single goes #1 & stays #1 for 9 weeks 1968 Chuck Hixson (Southern Methodist) completes 37 of record 69 passes 1969 Joe Kapp (Minn Vikings) passes for 7 touchdowns vs Balt Colts (52-14) 1970 Intrepid (US) beats Gretel II (Aust) in 22nd America's Cup 1972 Japan & Communist China agree to re-establish diplomatic relations 1974 1st lady Betty Ford undergoes a radical mastectomy 1974 Calif Angel Nolan Ryan 3rd no-hitter beats Minn Twin, 4-0 1974 John Lennon appears as guest dj on WNEW-FM (NYC) 1975 Oakland A's Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Linblad & Rollie Fingers, no-hit Calif Angels 5-0 1976 Muhammad Ali retains heavyweight boxing championship in a close 15-round decision over Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium 1978 Israeli Knesset endorses Camp David accord 1979 Larry Holmes (retain championship) KOs Earnie Shavers in 11 rounds 1980 Jaromir Wagner is 1st to fly the Atlantic standing on the wing 1981 Joseph Paul Franklin, avowed racist, sentenced to life imprisonment for killing 2 black joggers in Salt Lake City 1982 1st reports appear of death from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules 1982 NASA launches Intelsat V 1983 STS-9 vehicle moves to launch pad 1985 NASA launches Intelsat VA 1986 Record 23,000 start in a marathon (Mexico City) 1988 Bronx Museum for the Arts opens 1988 LA Dodger Orel Hershiser sets record for consecutive scoreless inns 1990 Marvin Gaye gets a star on Hollywood's walk of fame 1991 NY Yankees set record of 75 games without a complete pitched game Holidays Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week" California : Cabrillo Day discovery of Calif (1542) Guinea : Referendum Day (1958) Kiwanis : Kiwanis Kid Day Libya : Shawwal 14 Republic of China (Taiwan) : Confucius' Birthday/Teachers' Day US : Gold Star Mother's Day (Last Sunday in September) - - - - - ( Sunday ) US : Good Neighbor Day (4th Sunday in September) - - - - - ( Sunday ) US : American Indian Day (4th Friday in September) (1916) - - - - - ( Friday ) Religious Observances RC : Memorial of St Wenceslas, duke, patron of Bohemia, martyr (opt) Christian-Mexico : Feast of San Miguel Religious History 1704 A statute was enacted by the colony of Maryland, giving ministers the right to impose divorce on "unholy couples." 1774 Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'We are always equally in danger in ourselves and always equally safe under the shadow of His wings.' 1808 Andover Theological Seminary first opened in Massachusetts, under sponsorship of the Congregational Church. 1895 At a convention in Atlanta, three Baptist groups merged to form the National Baptist Convention. It is today the largest African-American denomination in America and the world. 1934 The first issue of "The Sword of the Lord" was published. Founded by Baptist evangelist John R. Rice, 39, it became the largest independent Christian weekly for years, and was recognized by liberals as the "voice of fundamentalism." Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987. Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

G'day Karen I hope you have/are having/had a wonderful birthday. Thanks for all the sleuthing you do on our behalf.

Happy, Happy Birthday Karen hope you have a great day and thanks for all you do for us frustrated CF fans By your next Birthday I hope to have mastered the graphics!! some hope.

sorry Help please Karen, I am not sure what I have done wrong.

Happy Birthday Karen. Hope you have a wonderful day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOSS WISH YOU WERE HERE :-(( BUT HERE'S TO CHICAGO ;-)))))

Happy Birthday Karen! Here's what I brought to you from Germany: a Spa treatment at Baden-Baden's Friedrichsbad: Hope you enjoy it! BTW, you masseur is an Olympic medalist ;-) But the gold medal goes to you: in the name of all the Droolers, I award you the SuperSleuth Award of the Millenium!