207. John Mayer, Auguste Rodin, Hearts Beat Loud, And Elvis Presley!

      

    

Let’s Talk Philadelphia Brings It On!

      

The Sculptors, Musicians, Poets, Writers, Art Critics, And Historians!

    

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Music Picks For July Listening!
John Mayer Is An Excellent Discussion Starter!

  

John Mayer knows music and the themes the women who listen to his songs enjoy the most. He has dated the top stars in the news, in the music industry, and in Hollywood. Mayer has written songs for at least eight of his dating favorites. The song recipient list includes: Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz, Minka Kelly, and Taylor Swift. Devoted fans, that listens to his new songs, think his new song New Light could be about them.

      

Mayer’s new album New Light and catchy cover song is a winner across all age groups. He claims in the song that as he approaches forty, he wants people (women) to give him one more chance to be seen in a new light. This is the plea thought of by anyone (man or woman) that has lost a love. We have included two links for your listening pleasure:
A. In the Broadway World link, Mayer explains how he created the New Light video with just a run of the mill Blue Screen establishment that makes wedding videos. (www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/John-Mayer-Releases-Green-Screen-Music-Video-For-NEW-LIGHT-20180524).

     

B. The You Tube link that follows contains a pull down of all the lyrics in New Light, so as he sings the song in his video, the listener can sing along, too. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PH7dK6SLC8) Everyone in the office enjoyed this selection…friends and foes of Mayer, alike. Give it your listening test.

       

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Second Music Reminder!
Elvis Presley’s Death Will Be Celebrated In The Beginning Of August!
Vegas And Memphis Reservations Can Still Be Made For the Festivities!

         

August is the month rock and roll enthusiasts throughout the world pay tribute to Elvis Presley, even though he was born in January. It is the 41st anniversary of his death. The events in Memphis at his Graceland home and the tributes in Las Vegas to commemorate his life and music are attended by tens of thousands. Memphis has home walk-throughs, museum tours, candlelight vigils, dress up as Elvis free buffets, memorabilia showings, movie screenings, and Elvis impersonator contests. The Las Vegas events are just as all encompassing and showy. Twenty-two years of columns following these events should leave us with a depleted database of interesting ideas.
Such is not the case!

     

Elvis Presley recorded over 800 songs. He sang and wrote another 400 that he did not record. He loved gospel, but never won any awards for his gospel songs. The Elvis Presley Channel (19) on Sirius XM plays them all. Presley starred in over 30 movies while eating his favorite treat…the peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwich. He would have been an excellent good guy in the new Mission Impossible movie! Partner up Tom Cruise!

        

Priscilla Presley has crafted a well thought-out, classy, informative, headphone driven tour of his simple home at Graceland. Priscilla’s new entertainment center is as magnificent as you would expect. Elvis Presley is buried in back of the house with his parents. Every year, we point out the significance of presents that are left at his grave site and then given to local charities. Bring something on your visit for this mission! The two new Elvis albums that Priscilla just orchestrated with the London Philharmonic are music library keepsakes for all.

     

Can’t Help Falling In Love With You and Love Me Tender still hold the top two spots in our The Best of Elvis Presley’s Music office poll. A new recommendation, we think you’ll love, Just Pretend, has slipped into spot three thanks to Jennifer’s…hear this song on my headset antics…all week. You can hear Just Pretend sung live in concert on You Tube or from Elvis’s London Philharmonic album The Wonder Of You. Here are the links and lyrics. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVJuwO2vmjQ). You will see why Jennifer made us all fans of this song! The duet, video version with Helene Fischer on The Wonder Of You CD and presented here is inspiring. Very inspiring! (www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNKc88JxBV4)…The CD is a great purchase!

      

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Hard To Find Movie Of The Week!
Hearts Beat Loud!
A Nice Story! Good Music, Actors From Everywhere!

Hearts Beat Loud’s poignant story, stellar cast (Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner), great music, and feel good vibes when you leave the theater will hopefully propel it out of the Indie film theaters throughout the United States into mainstream America’s movie houses.

    

Nick Offerman (Frank Fisher) owns a failing Brooklyn vinyl record store of 19 years. His daughter Kiersey Clemons (Samantha Fisher) helps him with the store. She is a high school senior on her way to fulfill her medical school dream. They are a bi-racial family. Frank’s deceased wife and Frank were rock band mates twenty years ago. They weren’t bad.

       

Samantha inherited her mother’s voice and Frank’s love of music. She writes songs any time she is not frantically studying…and working. Frank recognizes her talent and wants her to record and perform her songs. Neither he nor Samantha’s new love interest and budding artist Sasha Lane (Rose) want her to leave. Conflict and music making throughout bring in Ted Danson as a local bar owner and Blythe Danner and Toni Collette as love interests and advisors. Go out of your way to find this movie. Small town theaters can only make money on blockbusters. This one is worth the drive to a theater showing Hearts Beat Louder. We will bus you there if need be!

 PS…Vinyl is making a big time comeback…
Don’t give those gems in the closet away.

       

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Celebrates 100 Years Of Auguste Rodin!
Visit The Rodin Museums In Paris Or In Philadelphia! Or Both!
We Have Cheesesteaks, They Have Crepes!

   

Rene Auguste Rodin, The Patriarch Of Modern Sculpture, died in 1917. The great activities put together for the 100th anniversary of his death by both of the museums dedicated to his work continue this year. The museum tours, lectures, and musical events draw giant crowds. Our suggestion, however, is to hold your wedding at one of these two museums. Kissing in front of The Kiss is done by everyone. But a wedding kiss??? Viola! Let’s Talk Philadelphia will plan the event for you for big bucks.

    

In the meantime, enjoy Rodin’s works in clay, marble, and bronze throughout our column. Rodin brought realism to his works and was first frowned upon in Europe for doing so. He was soon to be embraced by royalty to make them a patron of and in his work. Hopefully, out of the hundreds of works Rodin produced, we found pieces you will enjoy. After Paris, Philadelphia has the largest Rodin collection in the world. The Barnes Impressionist Museum and The Philadelphia Museum Of Art are just blocks away from the Rodin Museum. What an art lover’s trifecta!

    

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Poetry Site Is Drawing Huge Crowds!
Your Summer And All Year Long Writing Winner Is A Must Visit!
It Is A Great Haven For Teachers, Parents, and Students!
(catapultintopoetry.wikispaces.com)

     

Don’t forget to download 100 great poetry and creative writing activities for all ages before the site goes extinct at the end of July. Here is one of our favorite middle grade activities from the site. The site has similar activities for babies and college graduates. Poetry and creative writing lovers will understand. It will be a tearful shutdown in three weeks.

A Special Piece Of The World Of Poetry Lives!
The Ode To A Grecian Urn Retold!

     

Hey, poetry fans and teachers of creative writing!

Here is a change of pace activity to start the summer. The directions for beginning this writing challenge are as follows: Discuss with your child/summer school class the odes and dedications that were written by early poets. Review Ode To A Grecian Urn and Blake’s The Tyger (Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright) without killing this exploration with over analysis.

                 

Give your child/students copies of some easy to understand odes and dedications. Have students review Blake’s The Tyger (Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright). Next, have your child/class mimic the style of a favorite ode by writing an ode about a music star, a fruit, a pet, or self choice topic as the theme. Use the examples below to generate some nice ideas of the directions someone’s writing might take.

Apple, apple, so shiny and bright.
Oh! What a taste so late at night.

O’ sour lemon
A taste bitter and true.
My puckered lips tell me
Not to forget you.

     

Can’t Miss Laughs Surrounding Odes To The Grape, Spinach, and Your Cat!

Grape
You have made happy lips, healthy eating, and filled stomachs.

A Spinach Ode
Spinach and other greens
How you have tormented me!
But healthy, I’ll grow up to be.

Ode To My Cat
Cat, cat, what a great friend.
To your litter box,
I will tend.

   

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Puzzle Of The Week!
 The Towers Of Hanoi Puzzle’s History Is Worth Researching, Too!

     

I finished Tom Palumbo’s newest 2 minute puzzle in 2:27. It follows! Good luck! I am now working on the famous Tower of Hanoi Puzzle! A challenging pair! I put the answers at the end of the column. Give the puzzle two days before you look!…Emma

               

Changing Middles
Each clue will give you a Five-Letter Word with a consonant in the middle. Find clue one’s word, then change its middle to find clue two’s word.

Example: Spelunker’s Havens/Applied Attention…CAVES…CARES

1. Passenger Vessel…Body Part
2. Bicycle Part…Flower Leaf
3. Delight In…Go Against Insurgent
4. Keep For One’s Self…Shooting Star
5. Horseman’s Sword…A Person Banks Love
6. City Septic System…Cut

    

7. Egg Companion…Castle Royalty
8. Ocean Radar…Of The Sun
9. Cash…Droopy Faced
10. Cash Hoarding Person…Olympic Runner11. Lawn Care Necessity…Shaker’s Friend
11. Babe Ruth’s Product…Float Above
12. Girls…Knitted

      

13. Green Fruit Need To…Got Up From (Cross)
14. Deadly…Theme For Discussion
15. Paramour…Person Without Friends
16. Tripled In Math…Healed
17. Will Not Happen Word…Older’s Opposite
18. Writing Must…Electronic Calling Device
19. Most Common Bird…Famous Kiss Statue Maker

  

7. This the 207th issue of Let’s Talk Philadelphia using WordPress. Let’s Talk Philadelphia has joined 1 billion other site creators who use WordPress. LTP talks movies, theater, music, fashion, small business, sports, education, history, and the really unimportant things. The other 999,999,999 sites talk politics, religion, big business, and all the other meaningful things. We are looking for art, photography, businesses, and creative ideas to feature on the column. The column has over 24,000 followers on LinkedIn and 500 redistributors/subscribers. Send two paragraphs about your work and six pictures to Tom Palumbo at: tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please remember our audience is international and they are lovers of creative ideas.

        

8. Changing Middle’s Answers

Passenger Vessel…Body Part  LINER/LIVER
Bicycle Part…Flower Leaf  PEDAL/PETAL
Delight In…Go Against Insurgent  REVEL/REBEL
Keep For One’s Self…Shooting Star  COVET/COMET
Horseman’s Sword…Person Banks Love  SABER/SAVER
City Septic System…Cut  SEWER/SEVER
Egg Companion…Castle Royalty  BACON/BARON
Ocean Radar…Of The Sun  SONAR/SOLAR
Cash…Droopy Faced  MONEY/MOPEY
Cash Hoarding Person…Olympic Runner  MISER/MILER
Lawn Care Necessity…Shaker’s Friend  MOWER/MOVER
Babe Ruth’s Product…Float Above  HOMER/HOVER
Girls…Knitted  WOMEN/WOVEN
Green Fruit Need To…Got Up From (Cross)  RIPEN/RISEN
Deadly…Theme For Discussion  TOXIC/TOPIC
Paramour…Person Without Friends  LOVER/LONER
Tripled In Math…Healed  CUBED/CURED
Will Not Happen Word…Older’s Opposite  NEVER/NEWER
Writing Must…Electronic Calling Device  PAPER/PAGR
Most Common Bird…Famous Kiss Statue Maker  ROBIN/RODIN

 

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206. Oceans Eight, Tom Cruise, Suprematist Art, SAT Prep, And Puzzledom!

        

           

Welcome to the 206th issue of Let’s Talk Philadelphia using WordPress. Let’s Talk Philadelphia has joined 1 billion other site creators who use WordPress. LTP talks movies, theater, music, fashion, small business, sports, education, history, and the really unimportant things. The other 999,999,999 sites talk politics, religion, big business, and all the other meaningful things. We make mistakes, they don’t.

        

Let The Discussions Begin!

     

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Movie Selection Of The Week!
The Oceans Eight Femalefest!
Sandra Bullock Has Years In Prison To Plan (5)!

    

Selecting A Team To Fit Her Scheme Is Mind-boggling!
She Watched All The George Clooney Movies With Oceans In The Title!
Frank Sinatra’s Cruise Liner Heist Original, Also!

   

There is a new King of Moviedom this week and her name is Sandra Bullock! Bullock’s Gal Gala’s 60 million dollar opening for the billion dollar Ocean’s franchise surpassed all the George Clooney and Frank Sinatra openings. Its total, also, was twice the take that anyone predicted. Go girls!

    

Rihanna, Mindy Kalin, Dakota Fanning, Cate Blanchett, Awkwafina, Sarah Paulson, and Helena Bonham Carter comprise Ms. Bullock’s heist team. Their goal is a 180 million dollar jewel necklace. The necklace is being worn by Anne Hathaway at an exclusive New York dinner function. Hathaway’s two bodyguards are inches away at all times. Each member of the team, as expected, has a particular skill set necessary to bring the robbery to fruition. Computer expert to pickpocket to dress designer to creative manipulator are the start of the skills gathered by Bullock in the beginning of the movie.

       

65% of the Ocean’s Eight’s audience were woman. These women were entertained with the themes of the caper. However, the movie makers were smart to add some great hairdos, jewelry, woman’s gadgets, and dress changes galore to enhance the entertainment even further. Hey, both guys and girls! You will be entertained by this movie. It might even make you forget about George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and Frank Sinatra. Ocean’s Eight’s opening this weekend in Europe and Asia did some surprising numbers, too.

                      

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Newest Art Lesson!
Three Artists And Their Work Should Add To Your Knowledge Base!
Russia Excels In The Basics With 1900’s Suprematist Art
Kazmir Malevich’s Movement Is Seeing A Resurgence in 2018!

     

The Suprematism Painting Movement started in Russia in 1913. Kazmir Malevich was one of its Founding Fathers. The very basic tenet of the movement is using the circle, line, square, rectangle, and triangle to create art. The original nine Suprematists included two woman. The first four paintings in this article are Olga Rozanova’s works…one of the two woman pioneers of this movement.

      

Meanwhile, back in the United States in the early 1900’s Maxfield Parrish is leading a far different group of painters in examining the American landscape. Here are three artists (Rozanova, Parrish, Malevich) that might brighten a hallway or a room’s wall in your house or office. Their work and the work of their colleagues, displayed throughout this column, is certainly worth researching.

      

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Coming Soon Movie Preview!
Bring It On Tom Cruise!
Mission Impossible Is Ready To Fly Next Week!
Top Gun II Opening Next Year And Now Filming Is A Real Mystery!

     

Everyone is waiting for four things from the new Mission Impossible movie: non-stop action, kissing, switches and betrayals galore, and the scene where Tom Cruise at age 53 was hurt doing his own stunts.

     

You would think all this week’s new movie talk is about Tom Cruise’s new Mission Impossible movie. Not so, for some reason. The majority of the talk is about how Top Gun II: Maverick, which doesn’t open until next year, is going to carry out its new themes with characters that are 32 years older. Kelly McGillis, Cruise’s love interest in the first movie, is 63 years old, as an example.

     

Everyone is tight-lipped about next year’s Top Gun movie, so we will have to be satisfied with the Tom Cruise-Jeremy Renner stand-off next week in Mission Impossible. It will, also, be interesting to see if the kissing scenes with 35 year old Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson are believable. Don’t let Cruise’s religion or couch jumping stop you from seeing this new MI movie. Cruise always fashions great action, great disguises, great companionship with his team, and even greater fear in the despicable characters sent his way throughout his and his team’s latest mission. The previews have been superb! The movie should be a winner!

        

            

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Puzzle Challenge Of The Week!
Past Issues Are Loaded With Great Puzzle Challenges, Also!
Welcome To A Crazy World John!

      

Thank God, I am out in time for Tom Palumbo’s newest 2-minute puzzle. Tom has taken off the time limit to celebrate my birth. 4,900 LinkedIn-ers out of 23,550 followers tried his last puzzle. I’m new, but, I think I can compete…John…The answers will be given at the bottom of this column. Very few people get #2 and #13 right away. Don’t look at the answers right away. Come back tomorrow and see if one or more characters that you didn’t get today now jump into your mind. This is a great list to put on your office bulletin board to see if your mates can get them all by the end of the workweek.

If you are a classroom teacher, have your students write five clues for historical people and five clues for people in music, television, children’s books, poetry, sports, or a subject of their choice to challenge their classmates after doing this activity.

 

       

Can you identify the characters from the clues below?
Each clue will generate a famous person from American history.
Write the clue word down to get your brain rolling through history.
Breezing through years of famous people in history is a hoot!

               

Example:
E. Two thousand pounds…ton…George Washington

1. Sandy Koufax’s position…
2. A large chuckle…
3. Holds a chain together…
4. Opposite of wrong…
5. A place to take a bath…
6. A hot dog for short…
7. A place drinks are served…
8. You can write with this…

               

9. Mel an old time baseball player…
10. An insect who lives in a colony…
11. A father’s male child…
12. A type of precipitation…
13. The opposite of new…
14. An egg layer…
15. Opposite of fancy…
16. This bird rhymes with park…

       

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Business Tip Of The Week!
Insurance Is A Must! Why Then Is Life Insurance Neglected?!
The Search For The Affordable And The Most Beneficial Life Insurance?!

Luke Goedecke is our office’s insurance guru. We are always asking him for information for our column that doesn’t sound like the big sales push. Here is what Luke told us about life insurance. In his words:

      

Life Inѕurаnсе hаѕ bееn оnе оf thоѕе subjects mаnу оf uѕ don’t like tо tаlk about. This іѕ еntіrеlу undеrѕtаndаblе, bесаuѕе іt involves our mоrtаlіtу оr thе mоrtаlіtу оf someone wе lоvе. Sо fоr mаnу оf us, wе рut it оff because wе don’t wаnt tо thіnk something bаd wіll happen tо us or оur lоvеd оnеѕ. And аftеr аll, Life Insurance іѕ сеrtаіnlу nоt frее іѕ іt? Whеn I wаѕ growing up іn thе 50’s and 60’s, іt ѕееmеd like people іn thеіr 60’ѕ wеrе рrеttу close to the еnd оf thе lіnе. Tоdау, lіvіng into your 70’ѕ, 80’ѕ аnd 90’s ѕееmѕ commonplace. In fасt оnе оf thе bіggеѕt fears wе hаvе today іѕ соnсеrn аbоut оutlіvіng оur ѕаvіngѕ.

         

Whаt іf I told you that you соuld start уоur оwn рrіvаtе реnѕіоn рlаn, hоuѕеd within the shell оf a lіfе іnѕurаnсе роlісу? Whаt if I tоld you thаt your plan could роtеntіаllу еxреrіеnсе mаrkеt like rеturnѕ and lосk іn уоur gаіnѕ? What if I tоld you thаt money dероѕіtеd аbоvе thе асtuаl роlісу соѕtѕ, including іnѕurаnсе costs саn grоw tаx deferred? Whаt іf I told уоu thаt this ѕtrаtеgу соuld роѕѕіblу create dіѕtrіbutіоnѕ іn Rеtіrеmеnt, Income tаx free whеn dоnе properly? Oh аnd by the wау, as your mоnеу grows tо tаkе саrе оf уоu іn Rеtіrеmеnt, you also hаvе lіfе іnѕurаnсе рrоtесtіоn іf ѕоmеthіng happens.

    

Thе ѕtrаtеgу I аm rеfеrrіng tо, uses what іѕ саllеd аn IUL. Indexed Universal Life іѕ hоuѕеd wіthіn the ѕhеll оf a life іnѕurаnсе policy. Thіѕ is nоt Tеrm іnѕurаnсе, Whole Lіfе or Vаrіаblе Life Insurance! What is ѕо dіffеrеnt аbоut thіѕ product іѕ, it ѕіmрlу gives the саѕh value in уоur ассоunt the роwеr of Zero whісh means іt will nеvеr еxреrіеnсе аnу mаrkеt lоѕѕ…еvеr аgаіn! Addіtіоnаllу, what you hаvе wоrkіng for уоu, that іѕ not available in just аbоut аnу оthеr Retirement Strategy; іѕ tаx аdvаntаgеd grоwth along with a fее structure thаt would mаkе just about аnу trаdіtіоnаl 401k, 403b оr IRA fее structure lооk lіkе hіghwау robbery! Grеаtеѕt of аll, when dоnе соrrесtlу, аrе thе lіvіng bеnеfіtѕ оf bеіng able tо take уоur dіѕtrіbutіоnѕ іnсоmе tаx free. This is unlіkе a traditional 401k, 403b or IRA whісh are 100% tаxаblе.
http://iulsuccess.com

Reach out to us today…Luke Goedecke…845-399-4014…Assistance is available in all 50 states…

   

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Search For The Last Laugh!
Canadian Readers Say This Humor Bit Is The Answer!
They Called It Open Roads…We Lost Their Photos!
Ours Don’t Compare…We Tried!

     

Reader’s Digest had a segment called Humor In The United States. Each issue had five or six bits of humor from throughout the United States. Our staff members think a Humor In Philadelphia section should be included in, at least, one of our two monthly columns. John and Jenny from Canada sent us thirty-five little humorous anecdotes to add to our column. Here are the top ten anecdotes in our opinion to start our Let’s Talk Philadelphia humor quest.

     

1). The best place to be when you are sad is on grandma’s or grandpa’s lap.
2). When your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4). You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
5). Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.

   

6). Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
7). Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that held its ground.
8). Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
9). Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
10). It’s frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

    

    

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Songs Of The Week!
You Have Heard Them One Hundred Times!
But!…None Better Than This!

   

Eurovision 2018 has just completed its International song contest featuring this year’s 46 top performers and songs from Europe and Australia. The Eurovision website has hours and hours of great listening from the last thirty years. After reviewing their selections and winners, here are three easy to listen to and embrace standards that should add to your listening pleasure.

      

For Good
Kristen Chenowith And Idina Menzel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ0pXUb5jVU

    

The Prayer
Charice And The Canadian Tenors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozOsIGe5cYA

    

Despacito
Luis Fonsi…Daddy Yankee
http://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/most-viewed-youtube-videos-music

The link above has the top fifteen songs, so far this year, determined by You Tube listens. Despacito has 4.5 billion listens for Luis Fonsi not counting the Justin Bieber rendition with him that went to number one in five countries.
Fonsi leads all You Tube views with Despacito. Check out the thrillist link above to see if your favorite song is in the top fifteen? It needs billions of hits!

       

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Book Review!
Scholastic Aptitude Test Help!
Making The Getting Into College Angst Disappear!

     

Erin Cockrell has two new books out. One book is for college bound students and one for those trying to understand Amazon.com. Her second book hasn’t arrived in our office, so we are sharing the review of her first book. Both books can be found on her website. Here is how Erin described her test work book and supporting website:

Hey Tom,
It was great talking to you.
I spiced up the paragraphs per your suggestion:

Make a perfect score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for FREE (or almost free).

If you or someone you know has school-aged children, then please download my book.  As an SAT Prep Content Writer/Author, I want to let parents and students know there are highly effective and free (or nearly-free) SAT prep materials available to those who know where to look.  I recommend this book to all parents of 2nd graders through 12th graders.

         

Stress-Free SAT on a Shoestring Budget: How to Get a Perfect Score Cheaply And Without Sweating it.

http://amzn.to/2BJm78C

The longer you wait to start preparing, the more expensive and stressful SAT preparation gets…Hope this book saves you or your loved ones from spending lots of money and prevents SAT testing anxiety for everyone.

      

Visit my website for Do-It-Yourself SAT Prep Videos: https://www.besttutorforschool.com/sat-prep-for-free 
Amazon.com Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/ErinCockrell/e/B079RDJZYY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

    

9. History Answers!

   

Example: Two thousand pounds…ton…George Washington

1. Sandy Koufax’s position…pitcher…Molly Pitcher
2. A large chuckle…laugh…Gilbert Layfayette
3. Holds a chain together…link… Abe Lincoln
4. Opposite of wrong…right…Wright Brothers
5. A place to take a bath…tub…Harriett Tubman
6. A hot dog for short…frank…Ben Franklin
7. A place drinks are served…bar…Clara Barton
8. You can write with this…pen…William Penn

   

9. Mel an old time baseball player…Ott…Lucretia Mott
10. An insect who lives in a colony…ant…Ulysses Grant
11. A father’s male child…son…Thomas Jefferson et al
12. A type of precipitation…hail…Nathan Hale
12. A type of precipitation…snow…Phoebe Snow
12. A type of precipitation…sleet…Robert E. Lee

   

13. The opposite of new…old…Benedict Arnold
14. An egg layer… hen…Patrick Henry
15. Opposite of fancy…plain…Samuel De Champlain
16. This bird rhymes with park…lark…Lewis And Clark

      

10. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Don’t Forget Section!

Don’t forget to send your business ideas, art, photography, and humor finds to tjpalumbo@aol.com for inclusion in our next column!

205. Manuel-Lin Miranda, Robert Frost, Mary Cassett, And The Mexican Ballet!

                    

       

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Twice-Monthly Greeting!

        

Welcome to the 205th issue of Let’s Talk Philadelphia using WordPress. Let’s Talk Philadelphia has joined 1 billion other site creators who use WordPress. Our five continent readership has far exceeded all expectations. The column has featured a wide variety of topics since 1994.

        

In addition to Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s  look at television, theater, books, fashion, business news, art, and photography, we feature contributions and creative ideas from people from all over the world. Each column introduces a wide range of themes. Reading five years of back columns on this site is just as enriching as exploring the most recent years.

         

You can join the yearlong celebration of outstanding writing, art, photography, fashion, business, and creative discussion by contributing a story, book review, poem, movie suggestion, art piece, fashion tip, award notice, photography, game, business, multimedia, travel, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. Your ideas should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with a two-paragraph description of your work. This constraint is a tough one. Please, remember to include the links where you can be found.

            

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Song Choice!
Dear Evan Hansen And Hamilton Stars Unite In Song And Purpose!
The March For Our Lives Initiative Benefits!

           

The recent, horrific, slaughter of 17 young lives in The Parkland Florida School District encouraged two Broadway Theater mega-stars, Ben Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, to record the song Found Tonight and donate the money from their new record to The March For Our Lives Initiative. Elements from the song the Story Of Tonight from the play Hamilton and elements of You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen were combined to make Found Tonight. The single raised over a million dollars for the March On Washington. The record continues to raise money for programs across other states. Your purchase will enlighten your music sense and you will help a large number of communities continuing to join this mission.

              

Lyrics
We may not yet have reached our glory
But I will gladly join the fight
And when our children tell their story
They’ll tell the story of tonight…

This is the link to the recording studio version of the song. You will enjoy Ben’s and Lin-Manuel’s recording process and revel in the final product.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQykuIaJVI

           

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Features Danish Television At Its Best!
Don’t Wish For Rain! Not Now! Not Ever!
And Whatever You Do, Don’t Drink The Water!

      

Robert Frost’s poem Fire and Ice is a great lead-in to this first show from Denmark created for Netflix. It is called The Rain and predicts the end of the world, but not from fire or ice. Frost’s poem has always been a great classroom selection that generates endless writing and discussion about the cause of the end of the world. This series’s 8 episodes may create the same stir in the adult world.

      

Alba August (Simone) and Lucas Lynggaard Tonnesen (Rasmus) star as siblings who are locked in a bunker for seven years while waiting for their scientist father to return. He may have the answer to this deadly rain. As their food runs out, brother and sister are forced into a world that has been ravaged and is still being ravaged by deadly rain.

In search of their dad and the answer to this destructive rain, they meet Mikkel Boe Folsgaard (Martin) an older and wiser displaced soldier that joins them on their quest…as they pick up all sorts characters and story branches along the way. Some of these branches are familiar, while others offer intriguing and deceptive twists and turns.You have to read subscripts, but they move the story in rapid fashion. It is a decent binge (May 4) and season 2 is in the works.

Fire And Ice
by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.

    

But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice

Is also great
And would suffice.         

          

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Pick For The Best Of Mexico’s Theater And Music!
This Ballet Is A Night Of Enchantment, Wonder, And Performance Magic!

     

The Ballet Folklorico De Mexico has just celebrated its 100th anniversary with a worldwide tour that stretched from Mexico to London. In the past, they have performed in 80 countries worldwide and have a spin-off group of some of their best performers in Toronto. The ballet’s performance themes are based on the traditional dances, music, and costuming of Mexico. The two hour performance of over sixteen numbers will have you dancing in the aisles, even if you don’t know the steps.

        

Silvia, of Mexican origin and the best writer in our work-way, shared this link for the ballet’s two hour Festival of Mexico: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-9zELMqdms). Cook up some Mexican treats, cross your legs in front of the screen, and marvel at the 60 piece orchestra and expertise of the actors, singers, and dancers. If you are ever in Mexico City, the troupe performs there three times a week. Keep an eye out for their next tour schedule, also. It may be close to your humble abode!

       

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s New Puzzle Challenge!
It Is Our Mission To Improve Brain Function World-Wide!
Back Issues Have A Number Of Challenges, Also!

        

I am smirking because I have already completed Tom Palumbo’s latest two-minute puzzle. 8,857 of our 22,900 LinkedIn friends tried the last puzzle. Have fun with the new challenge Let’s Talk Philadelphia readers!…Jack

      

Rearrange the pairs below in easy-to-recognize historic and everyday people, places, and things. You may not change the order of the paired letters when you rearrange them into a word. If you are the teacher in the classroom, these are cut-out pairs of letters that the students can, of course, cut out, then move around before making up challenges of their own.

Example: HO  SE  RE  AS   =   SEASHORE  

KI EY MC NL
ON NA LE PO

AN GE LL MA
RE SH MO RU
       

AD BR RD FO
AN RC JO DA

GE MO NI RO
IS AT NT LA

EN VA UR NB
NN AL HA IB

   

ER NN BA EK
IN AA KL FR

MI ON HA LT
SE LL BA BA

RR TO OW MO
WN DO WN TO

     

    

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s New Book Review
Hans Andrew’s New Book Is A Great Teaching Companion!
It Fits In Perfectly With Succession Planning Workshops!
Every Teacher Should Take One After Reading Hans’s Book!

      

Hans Andrews was an active educator in the roles of secondary school teacher, counselor, university professor, dean of instruction, and community college president. Hans has turned his experiences into three major areas needing major improvements in his publications on his Matilda Press business website.  He felt all three areas had been left behind by far too many K-12 schools and universities:  (1) accountable teacher evaluation; (2) recognition for our best teachers; and (3) dual-credit which he developed as the first program in Illinois 30+ years ago!

       

Hans feels every school district should be interested in his book, Recognition vs. Merit Pay For Our Best Teachers, as there are far too many of our very good teachers, counselors, special education, music and art teachers, adjunct teachers, and others going wanting in terms of recognition from their schools.  All three of his books are found on his Matilda Press website (named for his Grandmother Matilda Nelson who helped raise him):  http://www.matildapress.com  The books are also available on web book stores such as Amazon. Hans’s ideas would benefit every member of the workforce, not just the educational community.

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Internet Sign-up Sites!
There Are Hundreds Of New Sites Each Week!
We Think You Will Enjoy These Classics!

      

Hey Internet!…What should I sign up for on the Internet is asked by every businessman, educator, student, and housewife? What would be most beneficial to my my home, business, and family activities? This interested group goes on to say that after signing up, they don’t want to be bothered by countless irrelevant emails, circulars, can’t miss deals, and spam. The sites that follow are good recommendations for anyone that wants to stay informed, up-to-date, and wants to advance in their profession or ne endeavors.

        

1. LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is a free professional site with multiple categories and group memberships. The site allows you to select business groups, national associations, and former colleges and universities you attended each offering you general information for your job and specific information for advancement in your profession. You can participate in group discussions, leave discussion questions for all to respond, or take seminars and lectures in a number of areas. The groups post jobs throughout the country, too. The LinkedIn groups Let’s Talk Philadelphia joined include: National Business Incubators Group, Temple University, The University of the Arts, The Black Journalist’s Association, The Educational Network, The School Principal’s Association, and Educational Leadership. When you go to the site, you will have a menu of thirty groups you can join. Pick the groups in your professional area or general area of interest. If you want to expand your knowledge base pick something far afield from your areas of expertise.  

1. SurfNet Kids (www.surfnetkids.com) has been reviewed a number of times in this column. Barbara Feldman, an award-winning journalist, created the site. Anything that you want to know about education, current events, school subjects, and history appears on her column. It is perfect for the researcher, student, teacher, or home schooling parent. There are activities that you can join for each day of the week or archives that you can explore on every subject area. If there is an event that is presently happening, it is featured on the daily calendar with all kinds of articles and links to understand the event to the greatest degree. Email sign-up is free and you will relish the weekly newsletter articles.   

1. Book Page (http://www.bookpage.com) is the online companion to the 25 page monthly circular found at the entrance to most local libraries. You can have fifty sent to your school library for free. The magazine contains author and illustrator interviews, reviews of books, CD’s, and movies, and features in research, current events, and library science. The Book Page newsletter is free and has any easy email sign-up.Ask your community library to sign up. also.    

1. New York Times Education Network (http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/NIE/index.html) is the perfect addition to anyone’s desktop of information. Sign up for their classroom or home addition with the link on the left. Sign-up appears in their Index Bar at the top of the page. My students like their blog. It breaks down sometimes hard to digest information into little understandable chunks. The blog is filled with daily and archived information and can be found at (http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com). Using The New York Times in the classroom or home will enhance the study of current events, literature, reading, the arts, and the sciences. Your parents will be impressed that The New York Times is part of your educational program.
        

 

204. Paul Lawrence Dunbar, The Tunnel, Anna The Detective, And Celeste Hunter!

         

        

Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Top Picks In Business And Entertainment!
What Can You Contribute To The Next Column?!

      

Thank you for joining us on the 204th issue of Let’s Talk Philadelphia using WordPress. Let’s Talk Philadelphia has joined 1 billion other site creators who use WordPress. Our five continent readership has far exceeded all expectations, especially compared to the readership we generated by handing out our latest issue in a one page newsletter at the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets in 1994 Philadelphia. This was, of course, before the Internet’s reach made everything we do universal.

     

       

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Television Series Pick Of The Week!
Public Broadcasting (PBS) Wins Again With The French Series: The Tunnel!

            

The Public Broadcasting Service (1970) is celebrating its 48th year in operation this October. Your local PBS station and its many spin-offs pride themselves on selecting viewing pieces with interesting and sometimes quirky characters, fascinating locations and periods in time, great information, and thought provoking topics.

    

The Tunnel (2016-2017), a French production, fits perfectly into this selection mold. Clemence Poesy (20 European fashion magazine covers) and Stephan Dillane (the French Mel Gibson of years past) are detectives on the opposite sides of the England to France Euro Tunnel. Dillane (England) is straight forward detective. Poesy (France) has more quirks than ships in the United States navy.

            

The two detectives are forced to work together on murders, sabotage, missing persons, espionage, and a storage bin filled with the political goings on in France and England. One murder victim was placed in the Euro Tunnel on the spot that marked where England ends and France starts. Half the body on one side, half on the other. Jurisdiction fights for, amusingly, who should investigate the case quickly followed. You will understand the amusingly when you see this episode. English and French are spoken in the series, so there is some subscript reading that is necessary when French is spoken. The series can be found on your local PBS station and on your On Demand channels like Netflix. You will quickly fly through all the episodes and ask where is season three.

             

     

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Movie Discovery From Russia!
Detective Anna Shines While You Read Subscripts!
Aleksandra Nikiforova: Is She A Child Or Woman?!

     

The Detective Anna, straight from Russian television, is worth putting your nightstand glasses on to read the subscripts. The detective series takes place in 1890 Russia in the previously sleepy town of Zatonsk. The advent of European fashion, photography, mediums, mysticism, and the bicycle are just as interesting as the mysteries.

     

The nineteen year old Anna Mironova (Aleksandra Nikiforova) has visions that help solve the town’s murders and mysteries. Iakov Shtolman (Dmitriy Frid) is the new 39 year old detective that has just taken over the Zatonsk police force. He has trouble understanding Anna’s new abilities. Anna’s uncle is a phony medium that is paid handsomely for his seances. He sees Anna’s gifts and helps her hone the gifts he wished he had. Naturally, the two stars aren’t American household names. They are, however, worth a search on your television bonus channels. The time period in Russia and the advent of so many new things we take second handily now makes for a good watch. We are trying to get a copy of Night Swallows. Aleksandra Nikiforova stars in this story of women pilots in Russia in World War II. Maybe you will find it before we do? Amazon Prime is a good starting point for this search.   

       

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Music Pick!
Celeste Hunter Is A Voice To Relish And Remember!

          

Indie Radio Stations are just to the right of mainstream radio. Their music, performers, and messages are just as enjoyable and enlightening as mainstream offerings. Celeste Hunter is a favorite across a large number of stations and their record spinners. You Tube has a forty minute and a twenty minute interview with her from two different radio station celebrities. It is always enjoyable to hear how a performer creates his or her music and what are their present and past influences. Celeste’s down home, pointed ideas will help any performer in picking the directions and themes for their work.

          

I’ll Love You, Anyway was written by Celeste Hunter and maybe coming to a venue near you. It is a good start to investigate her music. The song won the number one Indie Song of 2016. The lyrics are tantalizing and are featured in three different videos. This is very unusual in the recording business. Maybe researching Celeste Hunter will bring you to a number of Indie stations you can add to your traveling and home choices. These Indie stations’ music presentation choices range from jazz to soft rock to classics in all categories.

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Graduation Gift Suggestion!
Candy Chang…Before I Die I Want To:!
Every High School And Graduating Class Should Leave This Gift!

            

A keynote speaker at the Rutgers University Business School Graduation in Camden, New Jersey mentioned a community project by Candy Chang of New Orleans. Ms. Chang took the loss of a friend, inner struggles, and general misgivings…and posted this message on the wall of an old building: Before I Die I Want To:…she left eighty spots to be filled in with chalk by passer-byes. She had no idea if she would get any response. Her next day inspection showed all eighty spots filled in while extra messages were, also, left on every vacant spot on the wall.

    

This one little reach-out has now spread across the world to malls, small buildings, train stations, and giant office building walls. Every one of this year’s high school and college class graduating classes should create an electronic portfolio of their thoughts and post their messages on a similar wall. They should, then, adopt (with permission) a wall somewhere in their community to post their serious, funny, and life challenging messages. Every student should, also, carry a lifelong Before I Die slip of paper with three Before I Die thoughts on it. These slips should be revisited at every reunion or during a tough time that life throws at the graduate. There will be tough times!

    

Please go to Candy Chang’s webpage for a full explanation and links to hundreds of Before I Die I Want To boards around the world (http://candychang.com/before-i-die-in-nola). Send us your pictures and extensions to this life directing idea.

        

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Newest Brain Enhancer Challenge!
Flip-Flops For The Individual Or For The Next Office Meeting Warm-up!

        

Sumo Jack and 7,230 of our 21,980 connections on LinkedIn enjoyed the challenge of Tom Palumbo’s last two-minute puzzle. The new two-minute mind enhancer follows. It is a great individual brain starter or perfect for an office meeting warm-up as members of your office staff call out the answers in less than two minutes. A Flip-Flop is a word that when the first letter is removed and placed at the end of the word, it creates a new word. Here are the clues for our two-minutes of Flip-Flops’ contest. Clues are provided and some Flip-Flops will be solved with the first clue, while others will be discovered backward with the second clue. Good Luck and see if you can discover two Flip-Flops of your own at the end of this challenge.

            

Example:

Clue 1…Clue 2
Give off…small insect     Emit-Mite

         

• An automobile…circle part
• Beg…a big jump
• A body part…a planet
• A purple fruit…unwanted body growth
• Touch lightly…likely
• Type of smile…piece of jewelry
• Dog pest…plant growth
• Engine mist…sport groups
• Not high…a bird
       
  
• A drink…consume food
• Your title…a religious word
• A witch is…dreadful
• School dance…frolic
• English carriage…inclined walkway
• Possesses…fire residue
• Frightens…An embrace
• French pastry…a girl’s name
• Lively…A small elf
• The answers to this challenge appear at the end of this column!!! 

               6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Salutes This May’s Royal Wedding!

  Princess Diana’s And Grace Kelly’s Weddings Are In The News!
  We Decided To Feature The Beauty Of Grace Kelly!
  
  Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Old Time Movie…To Catch A Thief!
  Grace Kelly And The Blue Dress! Take Notice Meghan Markle!
  Cary Grant’s Captivating and Mischievous Light Brown Eyes!                        

  Here is a nice warm-up for Meghan and Harry’s wedding! If you enjoy watching movies from the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s, you can watch them in two forms. Classic means you are watching the movie in its original untouched format…black and white and grainy in many cases. Retro (your second choice) in many cases means you are watching a completely restored movie…color added where it never was or color enhanced in high definition (HD) where color existed.

      

  The newly reconditioned To Catch A Thief (1955) in its high definition glory will immediately be placed on your old movie best five. The movie is truly a piece of visually restored wizardry. Cary Grant is a retired jewel thief that meets Grace Kelly and her jewel enriched mother on the French Riviera. Grant has to prove with Grace’s help that he is not committing a financially enriching series of jewel thefts. Robbie, his movie name, was previously known all over Europe. Fifteen years ago Robbie was noted for his jewel-stealing-magic and light footed roof-climbing stealth. Up to this point retirement had suited the former jewel thief quite handsomely.

      

  Forget the jewel theft themes and the great Grant-Kelly partnership, the fashion in this one rivals that in any movie or royal wedding. If you Gogol a blue dress search, and there are a large number of blue dresses in this world, Grace Kelly’s To Catch A Thief movie dress appears in them all. It was one of five classic dresses she wore in the movie that everyone in 1955 wanted. Movie watchers enamored with the featured outfits immediately ran to the stores after this one. Will this week’s wedding outfits cause the same stir? The movie feels like it was made yesterday and the heists, fashion, and repartee will keep you watching with interest and will encourage graceful munching on your movie snack pack! See if this week’s wedding ensembles rival Grace Kelly’s selections.
  

       

  7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Goodbye To April’s Salute To Poetry Month!
  

        

  Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Authors And Poets
  Paul Lawrence Dunbar Is A Fitting Salute To The End Of Poetry Month!
  

  Paul Laurence Dunbar was an African-American poet, novelist, and playwright. In thirty-three short years he framed the African and American experience for millions. His themes ranged from dreams to religion to everyday life. Here are few stanzas from our poem favorites:

  Emancipation

       

  Few are the years since that notable blessing,
  Raised you from slaves to the powers of men.
  Each year has seen you my brothers progressing,
  Never to sink to that level again.

  Dreams…Love

     

  The wind is soft above,
  The shadows umber.
  (There is a dream called Love.)
  Take thou the fullest slumber.

  Religion

        

  Ring out, ye bells!
  All Nature swells
  With gladness at the wondrous story, —
  The world was at lorn,
  But Christ is born
  To change our sadness into glory.

  Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio. It is a fitting tribute to Dunbar’s legacy that the University of Dayton manages his (www.dunbarsite.org) homepage.
  
  8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Continues To Grow!
  

         
  
  This year (2018) is the 24^rd Anniversary of Let’s Talk Philadelphia. What once was a newsletter shared in University Of The Arts’ lectures and classes, professional development presentations up and down the east coast, and in book publications for Good Apple Publishing is now a Word Press column that is read across five continents and the eight sections of Philadelphia. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is distributed through multiple re-listing sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. 22,000 LinkedIn members enjoy the weekly two minute puzzle challenge as much as the articles. 500+ readers and re-listers subscribe to the column.

       

  Join the yearlong celebration of outstanding writing, art, photography, fashion, business, and creative discussion by contributing a story, book review, poem, movie suggestion, art piece, fashion tip, award notice, photography, game, business, multimedia, travel, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. Your ideas should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with a two-paragraph description of your work. This constraint is a tough one. Remember to include the links where you can be found. Let your friends know about our column and its sign-up feature…an email address box in the bottom right hand corner of the column when it opens on their computers.

  Thank you!
  Tom Palumbo, Editor

  Answers to Flip-Flop

• An automobile…circle part/car arc
• Beg…a big jump/plea leap
• A body part…a planet/heart earth
• A purple fruit…unwanted body growth/plum lump
• Touch lightly…likely/tap apt
• Type of smile…piece of jewelry/grin ring
• Dog pest…plant growth/flea leaf
• Engine mist…sport groups/steam teams
• Not high…a bird/low owl
• A drink…consume food/tea eat
• Your title…a religious word/name amen
• A witch is…mean/evil vile
• School dance…frolic/prom romp
• English carriage…inclined walkway/pram ramp
• Possesses…fire residue/has ash
• Frightens…An embrace/scares caress
• French pastry…a girl’s name/Eclair clair
• Lively…A small elf/esprit sprite

203. Tomb Raider, John Denver, Poetry Month, Keala Settle, And NYC’s Waitress!

                                 

A. Let’s Talk’s Best Office Topics Of The Week!
Broad And Walnut Streets In Philadelphia Has It All!
What Does Catch A Worldwide Audience’s Attention!
Let’s Talk’s Five Continents Of Readers Says It All!

       

Thank you for joining us on the 203rd issue of Let’s Talk Philadelphia using WordPress. Let’s Talk Philadelphia has joined 1 billion other site creators who use WordPress. Our five continent readership has far exceeded all expectations, especially compared to the readership we generated by handing out our latest issue in a one page newsletter at the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets in 1994 Philadelphia. This was, of course, before the Internet’s reach made everything we do universal.

       

We hope you share this column with family, friends, and office mates. Philadelphia is a great place to visit for its history, food, entertainment, educational institutions, sports, creative arts, museums, and communities.
Summer Up With Us! Then Go to Paris And New York!
As Our Kids Say: “Philadelphia Is More Funner Than Fun!”

      

1. Let’s Talk’s Best Movie Of The Week!
Lara Croft’s 2018 Tomb Raider Is Not Your Mother’s Tomb Raider!
Academy Award Winner Alicia Vikander’s Bow And Arrow Hits The Mark!
Vikander Swashbuckles With Brain Power And Brawn!

      

The new Lara Croft adventure takes movie goers back to the time Lara (now Alicia Vikander, formerly Angelina Jolie) did not brandish two blazing, hit the mark guns.
Her father, Dominic West (The Affair), left a very young Lara twelve years ago to find the tomb of an ancient Japanese sorceress who was buried alive with 1,000 warriors. Her release will destroy the world and give power to those who want to become more powerful.

     

Years after Lara’s father’s disappearance, Lara discoveries and deciphers a book load of clues, maps, and strange moveable devices. Her mission, then, becomes to cross oceans from England in the quest to find her, not heard from, father, if he is still alive. She will do all this and save the world from the ultimate evil. The stunts and locations are superb, as is the supporting caste of Walton Coggins (villain), Daniel Wu (Lara’s guide and savior on her quest), and Kristin Scott Thomas (Lara’s helper or blocker). Stay for the outtakes where Lara is presented her pistols and for the hint of new movies to come.

     

2. Let’s Talk’s Best Philosophy Tip To Start Your Day Of Reading!
Paracelsus A Mystic, And This Quote’s Author, Is Worth Your Research!

         

I went in search of my art,
Often in danger of my life,

I have not been afraid to learn the things to me proved useful,
Even from vagabonds, barbers, and executioners.

      

For we know how much a man will search for the one he loves,

       

How much the more then,
Will the lover of wisdom go in search of his divine mistress.

        

3. Let’s Talk’s Best Music Of The Week!
This Week’s Top Five Are Meant To Grab Your Heartstrings!

Keala Settle, the bearded lady star of the movie The Greatest Showman, is now on every talk show with her international hit song This Is Me. The song has made the Top Twenty in ten countries around the world. The song’s lyrics remind everyone, in stirring fashion, that negative things people say about you can be drowned out by reminding yourself…this is me and I am proud of who I am. The testimonials to how this song has changed lives appear on every song site and are heart wrenching. Please, give it a listen!

        

The all time leader in Internet song testimonials is John Denver’s (Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.) song Some Days Are Diamonds. This song is not as well known as many of  Denver’s classic hits (Take Me Home, Country Roads; Annie; Thank God I’m A Country Boy). However, it is one of his best by far. Denver tells you it is time to look in the mirror and if you don’t like what you see…change that person and image. Hundreds have shared over the years how this song changed them!

            

Three other must listens to round out this week’s top five are:
Adam Lambert’s and Fiona Lewis’s Girl Crush,

       

Blake Shelton’s and Christine Aguilera’s Just A Fool and,
anything by Midland. This country group just received 50,000,000 hits on the songs from their new album featuring their old time country sound.

       

4. Let’s Talk’s Weekly Brain Enhancer!
It Was Greek To A large Group in 70AD.
You Use A Palindrome Every Day. Wow!

     

Palindromes are words or sentences that are read the same forward or backward. The term goes back to the Greeks in 70 AD. The palindromes history goes back to the first words ever spoken on earth. As you know Adam introduced himself to Eve by saying: Madam I’m Adam. Two other historical favorites are Napoleon’s phrase on being imprisoned on the desolate island of Elba: Able was I ere I saw Elba; and Goethal’s work tribute on building the Panama Canal: A man, a plan, a canal, Panama.

        

The two minute puzzle that follows challenges you to find the fifteen palindromes that match the clues. The answers appear at the bottom of this column. Good luck!

Examples:
A drooling baby needs this…Bib
Nightime…Eve

1. Land ownership paper…
2. A one person boat…
3. Not tilted…
4. Often appears before the word center…
5. Songs sung alone…
6. Jeff Gordon drives a…
7. Plane lander in the rain…
8. Red’s comparative…
9. Cuff sport players injure…
10. 12 o’clock…

      

11. A girl’s name…
12. Statistics…
13. Recommend someone…
14. Viking epics/stories…
15. Men and women following the…

     

5. Let’s Talk’s Best In Local Pennsylvania Theater And New York Theater!
New Hope, Pennsylvania Is A Great Food And History Stop!
New Hope’s Buck’s County Playhouse
Hosting The Stars Of Television, Broadway, And Great Playwrights!

Television icons Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross debut at Bucks County Playhouse in Love Letters as part of the playhouse’s visiting artist series.

       

You will remember Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, the parents from the five-time Emmy-winning NBC comedy Family Ties. A. R. Gurney’s critically acclaimed Love Letters showing from April 4 – 8, 2018 is a great vehicle for the two, especially since they have continued as friends and colleagues since working together on Family Ties 30 years ago.

              

In Love Letters, when Andrew (Gross) accepts an invitation to Melissa’s (Baxter’s) birthday party, and Melissa writes a thank-you note, a romantic friendship and correspondence is born that will last more than 50 years! Though their relationship constantly changes, these pen pals remain each other’s most trusted confidantes.  A touching romance through old-fashioned pen and paper, Love Letters is a disarmingly funny and unforgettably emotional portrait about the powerful connection of love.

            

Meredith Baxter is an actress, writer, artist and mother of five, grandmother of three. She has been nominated for four Emmys, and made about sixty movies for television. Baxter’s New York Times bestselling book, UNTIED, a Memoir of Fame, Family and Floundering, was published in March 2011.

Michael Gross has been a staple on TV with recurring roles on The Drew Cary Show, ER, How I Met Your Mother, Suits, and Grace and Frankie. His current projects include a recurring role on Showtime’s The Affair and a guest star role on television’s AP Bio.

                

AND!

     

Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Must See Theater Shocker!
A New York Theater Excursion Is A Musical Must!
Sara Bareilles Is A Singing Jewel!
Here Is The Link With Sara Singing All The Songs From Waitress!

 

      

A group of Philadelphia theater enthusiasts just returned from New York City and have proclaimed that Sara Bareilles and the play Waitress are the best singer/play they have ever seen. Wow! This is a great compliment from those who know theater. Waitress should have won the Tony Award except that it’s debut year was the same as Hamilton’s. Add Sara and the play Waitress to your must see/hear list.

You Matter To Me and You Use To Be Mine are two good song starts for embracing Sara…as you are sure to join the Sara Bareilles Club after hearing them.

      

6. Let’s Talk’s Best Weekly Poetry Challenge!
Poetry Patter…Telephone Poetry has A Ring To It (Sorry)!

    

Here is a unique task for any time of the year or for April’s Salute To Poetry Month. Telephone Poems are seven line poems that use your telephone number to generate the syllables in each line of your poem.

            

For less experienced writers, the digits can represent the number of words in each line as the writer talks about family, movie and television favorites, historical figures, or book descriptions. Another way to create this poem is to use one of the three letters that appear next to each number on the dial to begin each line of your descriptive poem.

       

License plate and street address poems follow a similar format. It is a great challenge to create a biographical poem using any one of these three poetic styles. Additional Let’s Talk Poetry can be found at: catapultintopoetry.wikispaces.com. There is a month full of challenges, PowerPoints, and lessons on our K-graduate school site.

7. Let’s Talk’s Best Flash Mob…Daily Picks and Flicks
You Tube Has Thirty Of The Newest Flash Dances Worldwide!

          

Flash Mobs are performance groups that appear from nowhere to present a musical or dance creation using large numbers of performers. These performers appear at every venue in front of the unexpected. Watching these creations from all over the world is a great binge watch in bed before retiring for the evening. Your ideas can also be entered in video contests throughout the world. Here is an historical rendition flash mob that was exceptional.

          

Alerting all Rembrandt fans! Rembrandt’s famous painting the Night Watch has been returned to the Rijksmuseum. This well-known Dutch museum is located in Amsterdam. The museum has gone through a ten-year renovation. We don’t do slow jokes in this column. Guess, it took them that long to get it right. Whatever right is in this instance.

         

To mark the return of the Night Watch painting and to advertise their re-opening the museum organized a flash mob depicting the story in Night Watch. The flash mob performed at a local mall and the event can be scene (hope you see the creative use of the word scene here) on Daily Picks and Flicks (dailypicksandflicks.com).

        

Schools all over the United States competed in a contest similar to this flash mob’s performance. They, too, were to appear as a famous painting and then bring the painting to life with dance and song. A local school brought a Picasso scene alive to the tune of Barry Manilow’s Copacabana. It was a real gem of a performance.

       

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Continues To Grow!

This year (2018) is the 24^rd Anniversary of Let’s Talk Philadelphia. What once was a newsletter shared in University Of The Arts’ lectures and classes, professional development presentations up and down the east coast, and in book publications for Good Apple Publishing is now a Word Press column that is read across five continents, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is distributed through multiple re-listing sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. 500+ readers subscribe to the column. 14,400 LinkedIn members enjoy the weekly two minute puzzle challenge as much as the articles. The 1955 champion Dodgers and Johnny Podres World Series MVP think Let’s Talk Philadelphia plays well in Brooklyn, also.

         

Join the yearlong celebration of outstanding writing, art, photography, fashion, business, and creative discussion by contributing a story, book review, poem, movie suggestion, art piece, fashion tip, award notice, photography, game, business, multimedia, travel, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. Your ideas should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with a two-paragraph description of your work. Remember to include the links where you can be found. Let your friends know about our column and the sign-up with an email address box in the bottom right hand corner of the column when it opens on their computer.

Thank you!
Tom Palumbo, Editor

      

Palindrome answers:
deed, kayak, level, civic, solos, racecar, radar, redder, rotator, noon, (anna, Hannah), stats, refer, sagas, sexes

 

202. Rosa Parks, Target, Water Conservation, Three Billboards, And Eagles’ Mania!

          

    

Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Office Tips Of The Week!

     

1. Your Internet And Business Outreach Times Four!
We Can Make Your Ideas Universal!

     

One hundred companies want to help you with your business or social outreach. These companies claim they will put your business website, work, and creative projects in the top ten of Internet readership. This, of course, is mathematically impossible, especially, if they are recruiting 25 companies or more.

    

Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s column’s staff says put a baby picture on your feeds. It will increase your readership 400%. It worked for Let’s Talk on LinkedIn one of the world’s busiest business and social sites and everywhere else we advertised. Give it a try! We can lend you baby pictures from our staff, if you don’t have any baby photos of your own.

        

2. Thank You Philadelphia Eagles! Thank You Philadelphia Eagles!

           

3. Fighting The Flu One Community At A Time!
Target Stores Will Pay You Five Dollars To Be Healthy!
Maybe Other Stores Will Follow Target’s Lead!

       

This year’s flu epidemic is horrendous. The number of deaths, specifically children, has been staggering. We thank Target Stores for trying to make a difference in this epidemic. Target Stores are doing their part to help in the time of multiple family tragedy by giving FREE flu shots and a five dollar gift certificate to those that want to get their shot and take advantage of this great offer. Let your friends know about this offer, if you have already you received your shot! Publications say the shot is only 30% effective…that translates to hundreds of thousands protected. Be one of the protected!

       

Three flu prevention reminders:
Please remember to vigorously wash your hands (often) for at least twenty seconds.
Pay attention to and clean the surfaces touched again and again in your home and office, even the sink handles.
If you use a hand Sanitizer make sure it is alcohol based. Alcohol based hand cleaning products kill twice as many germs.

                               

4. Let’s Talk’s Train Excursion To Ebbing, Missouri!
It Is One Of Let’s Talk’s Best Weekly Giveaways…Ever!!
An All Expenses Paid Train Trip To Ebbing, Missouri For Four!

       

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has won multiple awards from the Golden Globes to the Sundance Film Festival. The three lead actors Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell have won a station wagon full of trophies, also. A mother’s battle to find who killed her daughter and not let the investigation die is the catalyst for the billboards demanding something be done. The Academy Awards are just around the corner. To celebrate the movie’s and its actor’s successes, the University of the Arts is offering a three credit graduate course surrounding a train trip to Ebbing, Missouri. We hope the three lead actors will present their ideas during the trip followed by some great Pennsylvania wine and eats.

            

5. Let’s Talk’s Best Environment Idea Of The Week!
Water Conservation Around The World Has Become Critical!
The Three Minute Shower Will Save An Astounding Amount Of Water.

Cape Town, South Africa will be out of water by this summer. Los Angeles may not be far behind. There is a water crisis in many areas throughout the world. We in the United States, like others throughout the world, take our seemingly plentiful water for granted. Let’s Talk’s office staff had a day to problem solve some little things that could make a difference. This three minute shower idea is a winner and a good start for everyone. It will put a huge sum of money in some inventive and creative electronic firm’s coffers, too.

          

Electronic companies should create a sturdy, ornate, and waterproof three minute clock to get you out of the shower, out of your shower talking and thinking mindset, and off to work or other adventures. After one minute the clock should say: Don’t worry you still have two minutes to go.
At the one minute mark your timer will say: Hey! You had better start rinsing!

     

The water savings is extremely important!
You will, also, notice a significant decrease in your water bill. Your morning shower uses more water than you will use in your home for the rest of the day. Give it a try and send us other water conservation ideas we can share on this column as part of our community service program.

6. Let’s Talk’s Best Poem And Project Of The Week (Reprised)
A Great Start To Black History Month!

 

Poetry… River Writing and River Walks…Langston Hughes said that a train trip that crossed over the Mississippi River was the inspiration for his poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers. On this trip his thoughts traveled to past African Americans who were influenced by the Mississippi River and the thought that “someone who was sold down the river as a slave had the worst fate imaginable.” He then said, he thought about the great rivers of Africa and the world and what they meant to those who grew up around them.

In The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes, he says:

      

I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when the dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

   

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusty rivers.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

   

The weather is terrible, but do this anyway. Take a walk past a local river, lake, stream, pond or imagine yourself standing on the banks of one of the world’s great rivers. Record five of your thoughts about yourself and others who have visited or have been influenced by this river, lake, stream, or pond. Place these thoughts, similar to Langston Hughes’s in a poem titled (Your Name) Talks of Rivers. Pick up Langston Hughes: Poetry For Young People at your local bookstore. It is a winner along with the other nineteen books in the series.

             

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Historical Event Of The Week!
Rosa Parks…One Person Can Make A Difference!
Year 105 And An Even Greater, Ever Growing Story!

      

The Rosa Parks statue was unveiled in Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. five years ago on the 100th anniversary of her birth. The nine-foot statue has Ms. Parks sitting on a bench. She has a determined look on her face signifying her struggles and her leadership in the civil rights and woman’s rights movements. This statue was created by Eugene Daub and Rob Fermin. The duo won out over 115 other designers and sculptors. Daub and Fermin decided on the bench representation of Rosa Parks you see in the photo rather than one of her sitting on a bus seat. They felt the story they were memorializing should be about Rosa Parks, not the bus.

     

The statue should have been unveiled on December 1, the day Rosa Parks was too tired and too resolute to give up her seat on the bus. That would have been an excellent tribute day, too. It should have been commissioned and completed long before Rosa’s death in 2005. The Montgomery, Alabama bus strike that followed and the Supreme Court decision eleven months later changed history.

        

The picture posted on this site and taken by Tom Williams has former President Obama and Terrell Anderson, Jr., a three-year old relative of Ms. Parks in it.

Here are some things you can do to commemorate Black History Month, this historic unveiling, and Rosa’s 105th.
Visit Statuary Hall in Washington, DC.
Rent the film The Rosa Parks Story starring Angela Bassett.

         

Read the book Rosa by Nikki Giovanni or Rosa’s Bus by Kittinger and Walker with your daughter. An even better idea is to donate one of these books to your local school’s library.

Visit Rosa Parks’s grave at www.findagrave.com and leave a virtual flower message or poem as we suggested for Martin Luther King, Jr. last month.

    

Walk outside your house and hold your fist up, clutch the bus hold-on strap or hold-on bar with your other hand (in your mind) and think of the years you rode this bus standing, tired, and forbidden to sit down. Then say: Thank You Rosa Parks.

      

8. The World Of Sunrises And Sunsets Is Magical!
There Is A New Sky King!
Sir Bobby Hudson Shines Brightly From California To Florida!

      

Sky King was one of the longest running television shows of the fifties and sixties. His plane and niece Penny flew all over the west as a team of problem solvers extraordinaire. Sky King’s 12 year run makes a nice jumping off point to discuss another Sky King, amateur photographer Bobby Hudson. Bobby is a picture taker extraordinaire that would make Sky King proud.

   

We do not do religion on this column, but do not consider it a violation to share that Bobby thinks sunrises and sunsets are God’s best work as Bobby tries to capture the many creations he sees every day. We hope you enjoy his photos. Bobby’s sunrises and sunsets add a very nice finish to the end of this column.    

      

9. This year (2018) is the 24^rd Anniversary of Let’s Talk Philadelphia. What once was a newsletter shared in University Of The Arts’ lectures and classes, professional development presentations up and down the east coast, and in book publications for Good Apple Publishing is now a Word Press column that is read across five continents, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is distributed through multiple re-listing sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. 500+ readers subscribe to the column. 9,000 LinkedIn members enjoy the weekly two minute puzzle challenge as much as the articles. The 1955 champion Dodgers think Let’s Talk Philadelphia plays well in Brooklyn, also.

        

Join the yearlong celebration of outstanding writing, art, photography, fashion, businesses, and creative discussion by contributing a story, book, movie, art piece, award notice, photography, game, business, multimedia, travel, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. Your ideas should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with a two-paragraph description of your work. Remember to include the links where you can be found. Let your friends know about our column and the sign-up with an email address box in the bottom right hand corner of the column when it opens on their computer. Thank you!
Tom Palumbo, Editor

201. Hugh Jackman, Katie Perry, Proud Mary, The Black Panther, And Tipping!

        

     

Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Bets Of The Week!

        

1. Let’s Talk’s Best Office Topics Of The Week!
Broad And Walnut Streets In Philadelphia Has It All!

Thank you for joining us on the 201st issue of Let’s Talk Philadelphia using WordPress. Let’s Talk has joined 1 billion other site creators who use WordPress. Our five continent readership far exceeds the readership we generated by handing out our latest issue in a one page newsletter at the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets in 1994 Philadelphia. This was, of course, before the Internet’s reach made everything we do universal.

     

2. Let’s Talk’s Best Office Question Of The Week!
Tipping Protocol! What Happens At Your Favorite Eatery?

         

The topics thrown out at our office “what should we write about in this issue” planning meetings are often so stupid they would bring tears to your eyes. These topics don’t seem to be in the stupid category.

If your friends are poor tippers, do you tip extra? 75% of the office staff said: Yes! Gracie, who still has her first wooden nickel, and three other office members said: No! The tipping chart above shows tipping tendencies. We still think the best tippers are those of us who have worked for tips. Please Chime In With Your Office’s Thoughts!

     

3. Let’s Talk’s Best Business Suggestion For The Week!
Should Your Clothing Really Glow?

            

Cynthia, our night jogger, suggested that invisible reflective strands should be put in the jogging and cycling pants, shirts, and hats of the local night athletes (not goofy reflective strips). When car lights hit these items, the individual glows like a roman candle. It sounds like the best safety feature of the year. Our office is deciding as this issue goes to print of how much to invest. Our flavored Philadelphia pretzels were a gigantic flop last year. There is some caution being exhibited on the 4th floor!

           

4. Let’s Talk’s Best Business Analysis Of The Week!
Holiday Sales And The Stock Market Zoom!

        

Let’s Talk Philadelphia like every other business news publication wants to pick out the definitive reason showing why the DOW, now over 25,000 and holiday buying season were a success. Our input is as follows: When your local Costco, Target, or Walmart stores run out of carts for entering shoppers, that is the best sign of consumer confidence, spending, and buying power.

When your local Home Depot has a three-year-old driving customers and products throughout your store, you know it is a great buying season. Drive on youngster!

5. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Celebration Should Be Twelve Months A Year!
We Make This Revelation Every Year!
Dr. King’s Legacy Is Revisited In A January Commemoration Holiday!

     

Martin Luther King, Jr…Two novel ways to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday can be found in the Clerihew format and at www.findagrave.com by posting a poem or a message in virtual flowers at the bottom of the page that features Martin Luther King, Jr.’s portrait and grave site. Write a Martin Luther King, Jr. Clerihew and send it to your mailing list while encouraging your list-mates to forward your Clerihew or to write one of their own for forwarding. Make copies of your Clerihew and give it out at your community workday on Monday. Here is a simple Clerihew salute to Dr. King:

Martin Luther King,
His message of peace and freedom did ring.
Throughout the land and in all places,
To every hue and for all the races.

     

Clerihew poems (A, A, B, B) by E. Clerihew Bentley (1875-1956) are four line poems that use a person’s name to generate a creative and descriptive writing form. Most Clerihews start with just that person’s name. If the key name isn’t easily rhymed like Rick Orange, the name can be placed anywhere in the first line (Rick Orange is a teacher, His mother wanted him to be a preacher). If you are looking for other unique poetry formats, please go to our site at the top of this (thomasjpalumbo.wordpress.com) WordPress site and download the directions in Poetry from the tool bar. Click follow me for additional holiday ideas that will be coming up and our salutes to Harriett Tubman and Sylvia Plath.

Here are some others historic names celebrated in a Clerihew form. If you teach or have children, use this format in your classroom or a home with your children. Please share it with your office friends, also!

      

Henry Ossawa Tanner…

The Banjo Player
A Painting By Henry Ossawa Tanner

Sitting on his lap.
Plucking at the strings.
Grandpa’s talking music,
And loads of other things.

     

Harriett Tubman…

The Rescue

Harriet Tubman is a story that must be told,
She saved 1700 slaves by being bold.
She was master of the woods and of the night.
Philadelphia’s Quakers recorded each flight.

     

William Shakespeare…

A playwright and a poet…William Shakespeare
In his sonnets a ‘dark lady’ did appear.
Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet might,
Keep scholars and readers pondering all night.

     

Andrea Bocelli (Blind Tenor)…

His talent and his message
Sing out so loud and clear.
Don’t let a handicap hold you back
From things important and dear.

      

6. Let’s Talks Best Automotive Tip Of The Week!
Steve McQueen’s Ford Mustang Drives Into 2018!
Buy One And Move Your Porsche Over In The Garage Little Kids!

    

The Ford Motor Company is coming out with the coveted Bullitt Mustang from the Steve McQueen movie (1968) of the same name as part of their 2018 car line. The vintage mustang is forest green, just like the original, and is designed to entice the old and the young car buyer with its history, handling, and electronics that didn’t appear in the 1968 model.

       

The Bullitt movie is on every OnDemand channel if you have never seen Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, and Robert Vaughn act, chase criminals, and drive up and down San Francisco’s car destroying hills without hitting the ground.

            

7. Let’s Talk’s Best New Upcoming Movie Of 2018!
The Black Panther Breaks All Sales Records Two Months Before Its Release!

                  

Marvel comic’s Black Panther is the most anticipated comic movie release of all time. It’s February 13 release date is sold out worldwide. This makes The Black Panther, after Star Wars, the second largest movie ticket pre-sale in history.

    

Chadwick Boseman plays The Panther (T’Challa). The Panther was the first Afro American depicted as a lead character in Marvel comic and movie comic history (1966, Stan Lee). Boseman’s supporting actors came from Academy Award heaven in this one:

     

In the new movie, T’Challa returns to his home of Wakanda and finds every imaginable challenge to his person and his country. Thank goodness, as you see below, Stan Lee gave his new character every power and ability past comic heroes had received. All these skills will be used as The Panther is tested time and time again as he roots out evil from his country and tries to defeat the group that wants to destroy him.

                  

 

         

PS. Catch Taraja Henson in the Proud Mary Chicago shoot them up that is now playing at your local theater. She is beating heads with Danny Glover, the Russians, and her own gang as she tries to protect a thirteen year old cast away and leave her crime filled life behind her. Boy! She is good at the crime and the shooting game in this one.

         

8. Let’s Talks Best Musical Of The Week!
Hugh Jackman Was The Boy From Oz On Broadway!
Jackman Is Now P.T. Barnum At The Local Cineplex!
TGS’s Golden Globes Win Was The First Of Award’s Show Season!

     

If you missed Hugh Jackman’s singing and dancing on the big Broadway stage in Boy From Oz or on the movie screen with Anne Hathaway in Les Miserable, his next debut playing P.T. Barnum on the big screen in The Greatest Showman will give you an insight into his acting range and the exceptional work he has done in the past.

    

The story is the beginning of the Barnum and Bailey circus. The cast with Michelle Williams (wife), Zac Efron (friend and co-owner), and Zendaya (acrobat) are joined by a circus full of oddities (side show like characters) that find a home in the circus and become a supporting family. The soundtrack is exceptional with a song grouping lead by the award winning This Is Me. Four of the shows musical numbers including This Is Me can be found on YouTube with a simple search.

       

9. The 24^rd Anniversary Of Let’s Talk Philadelphia Dances Ahead!
Another Year Of Creative Entertainment And Business Ideas Continues!

   

 

How we started? 

Part of Joan River’s comedy routine 24 years ago was asking the Johnny Carson audience, “Can we talk”. We thought Can We Talk Philadelphia would be a great name for an entertainment and business column. Never mind! Research showed us Can We Talk T-shirts were sold at Joan River’s comedy venues. Disappointed, we went with a close second of Let’s Talk Philadelphia.

     

This year (2018) is the 24^rd Anniversary of Let’s Talk Philadelphia. What once was a newsletter shared in University Of The Arts’ lectures and classes, professional development presentations up and down the east coast, and in book publications for Good Apple Publishing is now a Word Press column that is read across five continents, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is distributed through multiple re-listing sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. 500+ readers subscribe to the column. 8,400 LinkedIn members enjoy the weekly two minute puzzle challenge as much as the articles. The good sisters of St. Rosalie’s and Regina Patra think Let’s Talk Philadelphia plays well in Brooklyn, also.

            

Join the yearlong celebration of outstanding writing, art, photography, businesses, and creative discussion by contributing a story, book, movie, art piece, award notice, photography, game, business, multimedia, travel, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. Your ideas should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with your two-paragraph description of your work. Remember to include the links where you can be found. Thank you!

 

200. Shameless, Emmy Rossum, Winter’s Tale, And Phantom Of The Opera!

          

                

You Really Should Visit Amazing Philadelphia Over The Holidays! Please!

    

      

Here Are Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Bets Of The Week!

                                                  

1. Let’s Talk’s Best Holiday And December Warm Wishes!
Our December And Holiday Greeting!
     

Our non-religious column hoped Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and Hanukkah fell in December this year like it did a few years ago. Our holiday wishes would, then, ring out to 4/7 of the religious universe. Nonetheless, Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s 200th WordPress issue wishes everyone a joyous, safe, and healthy December.

2. Let’s Talk’s Best…It’s A New Year Baby List!
The End Of The Year Lists Are Everywhere!
The Forbes Money List Is A Favorite And Informative Office Staple!

            

This one is a shocker parents and parents to be! For the second year in a row Emma was the number one name selection worldwide for a new baby girl. However, Liam (a variation of William), knocked John/Jonathan out of the top boy’s name spot.

               

Emma has Old French and Old German origins. Emma means universal. Liam is an English derivation and means faithful protector. We were skeptical of the worldwide Liam choice. Therefore, we sent 10 office interns out to scour Philadelphia for a Liam. The Liam Neeson movie poster brought back to the office by an intern was creative, but didn’t score any points.  All the girls and two of the guys tried to find Liam Hemsworth. That would have made everyone’s day. Liam’s were nowhere to be found in our big city. If you are a 2017 Liam, please, call our University of the Arts’ offices. We will enter you on our worldwide Liam Pin Mapping Project.

         

   

3. Let’s Talk’s Best Music Of The Week!
Sam Smith Is The Savior Of The Forlorn And Forgotten!

If you are only buying one album this holiday season or for a birthday, graduation, or anniversary present, Sam Smith should be your choice. His lyrics, stories, and videos are eye-popping, soul soothing, and earful delights.

Sam Smith has won every major music award, performed with all the top musical talents, and suffered from six (we read too many tabloids) recent boyfriend setbacks. He knows of what he sings. Stay With Me is on everyone’s Best Of Sam Smith Song’s list. We placed it fourth on our list after:

       

One Last Song For You
I Am Not The Only One
Too Good At Goodbyes (all four singles are awesome single recording choices)
You can listen to these four songs for free on Vevo, YouTube, and a number of free before you buy recording sites.

Your second and third album choices should include Mary J. Blige The London Sessions with a host of great duets with European music’s top stars. Roy Orbison’s A Love So Beautiful with the London Philharmonic should be a list topper, too. Orbison’s album is a great follow-up to the immensely successful Elvis Presley and the London Philharmonic in The Wonder of You recorded two years ago.

      

              

         

4. Let’s Talk’s Best Phantom Of The Opera Performance!
Emmy Rossum’s And Gerard Butler’s Phantom…Sing My Pretty!
The Phantom Thinks Emmy (Christine) Is A Keeper!

Philadelphia should be your first look-see before heading to New York City for the holidays, a vacation, or a shopping spree. You might want to add Phantom of the Opera at the NYC Majestice Theater to your must see list, also. Phantom has zoomed through its 10,000th performance (2012) and is about to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary as the longest running show on Broadway (1988).

Emmy Rossum played Christine in the 2004 movie version of Phantom of the Opera. The 19 year old opera trained star excelled with Gerard Butler, Patrick Wilson, and Minnie Driver in the production. The movie can be seen on all your On Demand channels. Rossum has three contemporary albums that deserve a listen, too.

       

Learn To Be Lonely…Minnie Driver
All I Ask Of You…Patrick Wilson
are winners in addition to Phantom’s bigger known numbers.

PS…Another first for Philadelphia theater is that Matthew Murphy is the first African American to play the lead in Phantom of the Opera. His show played at the Kimmel Theater in November. Look for the road version in your town.

      

5. Let’s Talk’s Best Disgusting Televison Program!
Let’s Talk’s Best Emmy Rossum TV Performance!
Shameless! Season Eight Is A Keeper! Season Nine Is Booked!

William Macy is Frank Gallagher a drunk, a drug addict, and the head of a dysfunctional family of seven (six siblings ages 1-15 forced to fend for themselves). He is about to begin his eighth year in this role on Showtime Sundays at 9. You have to ask your friends if they watch Shameless. They will all say, yes, and that they are mesmerized by the disgusting antics of everyone in the show. The family has participated in every major and minor crime listed on your local police station’s crime blotter from larceny to murder. Our favorites are: stealing from the about to be dead and stealing from the dead. You have to see Shameless from season one, episode one on Netflix and attend a Shameless party where everyone drinks a shot of whiskey and tells something that is Shameless in their life. It is amazing the things people will share.

         

Did we mention awesome sex yet…with every sexual orientation and every position? This series may not be for the squeamish!

             

Emmy Rossum plays Fiona Gallagher. At sixteen she had to drop out of high school to raise Frank’s family. She doesn’t sing in this one. Nevertheless, there isn’t a thing in the lexicon of bad behavior that she, her brothers, and her sisters haven’t participated in to survive without a mother or father. The show is based on a British television series that doesn’t hold a candle to every disturbing behavior and scheme Chicago has ever seen. No one is safe from this family’s criminal creativity. You root for this family and their friends as some members seem to be finding there way out of depravity, but then they just pull you back in. They’ll leave you at the altar while stealing drugs from your house.

             

See for yourself, but please don’t laugh at their antics. If you start from episode 1, you will love seeing the characters grow over the eight years of the program. There are also guest appearances galore. Yeah, Joan Cusack and Dermot Mulroney.

       

      

6. Let’s Talk’s Best On Demand Movie Of The Week!
Winter’s Tale...Love Triumphs In Past And Present New York!

Winter’s Tale (1983) by Mark Helprin is a fantasy and mythic love story. It stars Colin Farrell, Jessica Findlay, Jennifer Connelly, Russell Crowe, and Will Smith. The movie is a Warner Brother’s release. The movie will make you believe:
1. that hope cannot be destroyed by evil
2. that every good person is given one miracle to bring happiness, love, or life to another
3. that Colin Farrell can act
4. that Jessica Brown Findlay can follow her Downton’s Abbey’s Lady Sybil Crawley with another endearing performance
5. that two small girls in different time periods can steal the show

      

Winter’s Tale is set in New York in 1914 and 2014. Colin Farrell (a boat cast away as a child like Moses) is a thief and mechanic. Farrell, while robbing a New York mansion, falls in love with a rich, dying piano player. This twenty-one year old is also a poet about life. While falling in love with Beverly Penn (Findlay), Farrell’s (Peter Lake) mission is to cure his love of consumption. Beverly’s little sister Willa believes love’s kiss will save her sister. So do we!

Peter Lake’s life story in the movie runs back and forth from modern day New York to the New York of the past. His adversaries are Will Smith, the devil, and Russell Crowe, the devil’s disciple. Crowe chases Farrell relentlessly in the past and in the present. If Farrell carries out his miracle, it will change the balance of good and evil. Crowe can’t let that happen! On Farrell’s side is a magnificent and mythical white horse. The horse did not receive any billing, nor did Will Smith. The horse should have received major billing.

  

7. Let’s Talk’s Best New Author Of The Week!
Barbara Freeman Is Writing Excellence!
From The World Of Young Girls To The World Of Caring Pets!
You Will Enjoy Barbara’s Work And The Book Share That Follows!

     

I am Barbara Freeman. My profession and passion is writing books as a Children’s Book Author. I create stories for children that educate, enhance their moral values, build their confidence, and raise their self-esteem. The books’ enchanting stories are great entertainment for children at all levels.

My first two published books were inspired by my love for my Pit Bull, “Sugar”. The two books are Sugar: A Princess Pit Bull Finds Her Family and Super Smart Sugar. The two books have earned five star reviews from Reader’s Favorite, a professional review company. The books are 1st place winners in the Purple Dragonfly 2015 Awards. They have been featured in AmeriKidz, Bully Girl, and Story Monsters Magazine. The books have been featured in a 20 minute segment on WOWT and in the 2016 Women of Distinction Magazine. The books are both being sold on Amazon.com, all Barnes and Noble stores, Laredo Publishing Company, University of Nebraska at Omaha Bookstore, Black Plains Museum in Omaha (Nebraska). The Pit Bull Princess in Amsterdam (New York), can be found on my website: www.barbarafreemanbooks.com

    

I have just completed and mailed the manuscripts for my newest book, Mirror, Mirror, to a list of publishers. It is categorized as multi-cultural, history, or self help. The book is about a young girl of color who has low self-esteem. The story utilizes a fresh and modern approach to capture the readers’ attention. Tina Thomas has an old-fashioned bedroom mirror which rocks, shakes, and shimmies! The mirror questions Tina, with a loud voice as it raps and rhymes, “Who is the prettiest girl that young Tina can recall?” Tina’s amazing adventure begins. This book is for all children and people who think a young girl should feel beautiful.

         

     

8. Margurite Nardon Gruen’s New Book Is A Close Let’s Talk Second Best!
The Band 4 Will Stretch Your Imagination And Love Quotient!
The Air We Breathe’s Connection Might Be One You Have Felt!

One of Marguerite’s recent book reviews starts as follows:

It takes blood, sweat, and tears to draft out a story, let alone create and publish a novel. There are countless wanna-be authors, but very few actually make it from concept to finished product. Marguerite Nardon Gruen is one of those authors.

                

Marguerite is a first-time author, whose idea for her novel came to her in in her sleep, quite literally. Her novel, “The Air We Breathe” began as a dream. With hard work and dedication, Marguerite has turned that dream into a reality. The book, a very compelling, readable debut novel, tells the story of two people from completely different worlds who are brought together by something bigger than either one. Once they meet, their lives are changed forever.

         

Fans of “The Band 4: The Air We Breathe” will also be happy to know that there’s a third book due in the trilogy which will focus again on the original novel’s main couple. Gruen teased, “It’s going to be about them remembering stories from their past along with finding out just how hard it was for her with Chase being gone so much.”

Find out more about Marguerite Nardone Gruen, “The Band 4: The Air We Breathe” and the upcoming sequels visit her official website.

LINK: http://www.margueritegruen.com

          

At 23 Chase Martin was part of the biggest Band on the planet. On the eve of making the biggest decision of his life, filled with distress and anxiety, he couldn’t even look his 3 band mates in the eye because of what he was thinking of doing. They were one quarter of each other, not one quarter of the Band. They knew it was coming and were praying for a miracle to come save their brother.

After living under the influence of her strict parents for 27 years of her life – Marguerite was just discovering what she wanted to do with the life she felt she was held hostage to.

Until, one night in London, in a coffee shop she felt someone in distress!

She sees Chase, telling him she can feel his anxiety 6 tables away. Soon he realizes he can feel her emotions too. They don’t understand how that can happen and it scares them. They are somehow connected.

Neither can breathe when they think of parting ways.

This is a story of a celebrity couple trying to live normally. It is filled with family, kindness, respect, and heart breaking tragedy. But in the end, love conquers all!

                 

9. The 23^rd Anniversary Of Let’s Talk Philadelphia Dances Ahead!
The 24th Anniversary is just a month away!

    
How we started? 

Part of Joan River’s comedy routine 23 years ago was asking the Johnny Carson audience, “Can we talk”. We thought Can We Talk Philadelphia would be a great name for an entertainment and business column. Never mind! Research showed us Can We Talk T-shirts are sold at Joan River’s comedy venues. Disappointed, we went with a close second of Let’s Talk Philadelphia.

    

This year (2017) is the 23^rd Anniversary of Let’s Talk Philadelphia. What once was a newsletter shared in University Of The Arts’ lectures and classes, professional development presentations up and down the east coast, and in book publications for Good Apple Publishing is now a Word Press column that is read across five continents, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is distributed through multiple re-listing sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. 500+ readers subscribe to the column. 7,500 LinkedIn members enjoy the weekly two minute puzzle challenge as much as the articles. The good sisters of St. Rosalie’s think Let’s Talk Philadelphia plays well in Brooklyn, also.

      

Join the yearlong celebration of outstanding writing, art, photography, businesses, and creative discussion by contributing a story, book, movie, art piece, award notice, photography, game, business, multimedia, travel, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. Your ideas should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with your two-paragraph description of your work. Remember to include the links where you can be found. Thank you!

                 

199. Mickey Mouse, Singles Day, Frankenstein, And Megan Leavey!

       

       

     

Here Are Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Bets For The Week!

     

        

1. Let’s Talk’s Best On Demand Movie Of The Week!
Kate Mara Tells Megan Leavey’s Story!
Sergeant Rex By Mike Dowling Makes A Good True Story Read, Too!

       

If the new movie Megan Leavey were named A Girl, A Dog, And A War, it would have lasted much longer in theaters throughout the United States and across five continents. Megan Leavey’s quick move to your On Demand and special channels is a boon to movie watchers, dog lovers, true story researchers, and war movie fans.

        

The most dangerous position in modern warfare is not the airplane pilot, the tank commander, or the normal foot soldier. The most dangerous position in modern warfare is the war dog (military K9) and its handler. These two (soldier/dog) are on every snipers, bombers, and assassination must kill list. The dogs are trained to sniff out explosives, weapons, and a variety of munitions. Each dog’s life-saving value, as you will see in this movie, is immeasurable. Kate Mara plays one of these handlers as you follow her through an unhappy home life, her recruitment, military training, the brutality of war, and her quest to adopt Rex, her partner in Iraq, on his retirement.

      

Megan Leavey served two tours (four years) of duty in Iraq with Rex. Both were wounded in action and received a slew of medals for their work and valor. Rex returned to Iraq for a third tour before facial injuries facilitated his retirement and Megan’s battle to adopt him. Megan, a Yankee fan from California, and Rex were honored in pre-game ceremonies at Yankee Stadium. Even if you are not a Yankee fan, this is a movie you will enjoy with family, friends, or with your dog in your lap.

          

2. Let’s Talk’s Best Foreign Television Shows Of The Week!
Sniffer From Russia!
Wanted From Australia!

         

We have previously touted Annika Bengtzon (two seasons) from Sweden and Crossing Lines (four years) from Germany, France, and Italy as the best programs in European television now available to audiences in the United States. Annika is a Swedish crime reporter while the Crossing Lines team is a European crime fighting unit. The shows were recommended for their production values, acting, unique stories, and ability to include picturesque and historical locations in their detection quests.

               

We are now adding two new and very quirky to the nth degree shows to our Recommending Something Different List.

       
Sniffer (season four) stars Kirill Karo, Ivan Oganesyan, Mariya Anikanova, and Nikolay Chinddyaykin. Karo’s uncanny sense of smell is a great crime detection and fighting aid. Likewise, it leads him into a basket filled with weird, embarrassing, and hard to explain situations. In each episode his nose is like a college science class. It is unbelievable what his nose can decipher in crime and everyday life, but that makes the viewing interesting as you scream no way a number of times in each episode. It helps that the cases he attempts are different from what you see on American television.

      

Just as Sniffer takes you across Russia to solve horrible and funny crimes, Wanted (two seasons) whisks you across Australia’s major cities, its outback, and, in season two, Asia. Two polar opposite women, think ditzy waitress and uptight accountant, are fleeing murder, embezzlement, ex-boyfriends and their families, crime lords, drug smugglers, the good police, the bad police, and bad hairdos.

            

If you are thinking of running away or fleeing to the suburbs or country, these two women are the poster children for how not do it. Rebecca Gibney, Geraldine Hakewill, and Anthony Phelan star and it is hard not to like them for their quirks, banter, and stupid, really stupid, decisions. You won’t recognize the actor’s names in Sniffer or Wanted, but you will have fun trying to keep one step in front of them in their adventures.

     

     

3. Let’s Talk’s Best Book Of The Week! Frankenstein!
Mary Shelley Celebrates Frankenstein’s 200th Birthday!
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) Is A Distant Second!

         

As our office prepares for Halloween, a burning question surfaced on the two hundredth anniversary of Frankenstein and ninetieth birthday of Mickey Mouse. The question is which character appears in more movies and can you guess in how many movies for each to win the office’s weekly dollar pool? Guessing Dracula movie numbers is the tie-breaker. Last week it was how many points the Eagles would score on Monday Night Football. Congratulations Jennifer! We have a large amount of time to waste at work. So, please, write down your answers and challenge your office staff with this movie puzzle before we reveal the answers in the next paragraph.

             

Add to your GUESS protocol this question, also. In what year did the first Frankenstein, Dracula, Mickey Mouse movies appear in theaters?

          

The first Frankenstein movie was in 1910. Mary Shelley appeared in the movie credits, for as you see below, her name did not appear on the cover of her book.
The first Mickey Mouse movie Steamboat Willie was in 1928. It was one of the first talking cartoons.
The first Dracula movie was 1936. We would have thought that something appeared earlier.

                    

Mickey Mouse has 130 movies in his shopping bag. These films earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.
Frankenstein has 56 full length movies. Three (3) of the movies are pornographic films. We have order 9 copies of these films for the office staff who will report out on them in our next issue.
There have been 28 Dracula movies not counting over 20 Dracula cartoons.