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12/13/14 - NNHS Newsletter It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
“Happy, happy
Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions
- Charles Dickens |
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Dear Friends and Schoolmates,
Have I mentioned that this is my favorite time of year? I've never once kept pace with it in all its areas, but maybe that's part of the fun and excitement.
BONUS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFtb3EtjEic - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_the_Most_Wonderful_Time_of_the_Year:
| "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is a popular
Christmas song written in 1963 by
Edward Pola and
George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by pop singer
Andy Williams for his first Christmas album,
The Andy Williams Christmas Album. However, the song was not
released as a promotional single by Williams' record label (Columbia
Records) that year, as they instead opted to promote his cover of
"White Christmas" as the official promo single from the album.[1] The song is a celebration and description of activities associated with the Christmas season, focusing primarily on get-togethers between friends and families. Among the activities included in the song is the telling of "scary ghost stories," a Victorian Christmas tradition that has mostly fallen into disuse,[2][3] but survives in the seasonal popularity of numerous adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Other activities mentioned include hosting parties, spontaneous visits from friends, universal social gaiety, spending time with loved ones, sledding for children, kissing under the mistletoe, roasting marshmallows (presumably over a fireplace and not a campfire as in the summer), sharing stories about previous Christmases (including, presumably, the first Christmas), and singing Christmas carols in inclement weather. In a 2005 interview, Williams discusses how The Andy Williams Show figured into his recording of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year": "George Wyle, who is a vocal director, who wrote all of the choir stuff and all of the duets and trios and things that I did with all the guests, he wrote a song just for the show -- I think the second Christmas show we did -- called "Most Wonderful Time of the Year". So I did that, you know, every Christmas, and then other people started doing it. And then suddenly it's become—not suddenly but over 30 years—it's become a big standard. I think it's one of the top 10 Christmas songs of all time now."[4] In the issue of Billboard magazine dated November 28, 2009, the list of the "Top 10 Holiday Songs (Since 2001)" places the Williams recording of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" at No. 5.[5] 2001 also marked the first year in which the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) started compiling data regarding the radio airplay of holiday songs, and although the Williams classic started out at No. 25 of twenty-five songs that were ranked that year,[6] it gained steam over the next ten years, reaching No. 18 in 2002,[7] No. 13 in 2003,[8] and eventually getting to No. 4 in 2010.[9] The song was also selected as the theme song for Christmas Seals in both 2009 and 2012... |
THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS:
Happy Birthday today to Kay Davis Smith ('57)!
Happy Birthday tomorrow to
Elizabeth Mitchell Hedgepeth ('57) AND
Kathie Avant Taylor ('64) of GA!
Happy Birthday this week to:
15 - Jewell Hamner Crowe
('57) AND
Buster Vest ('63) of VA;
16 -
Betty Brockwell McClure ('58) of VA;
17 -
Norma Helmick Burks ('63) AND 
Tom Oxner
('65) of AR;
18 - James Strickland ('57);
19 - Durwood Adams ('57) AND
The late
Suzie
Bauz ('63)
(11/03/14);
20 -
Ellen Carney Manson ('63) of SC!
Many Happy Returns, One and All!
http://www.nnhs65.com/Happy-Birthday.html
| THIS DAY IN WWII: |
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December 13, 1937 - The Nanjing Massacre: Japanese troops began carrying out several weeks worth of raping and murdering hundreds of thousands civilians and suspected Chinese resistance after the fall of Nanjing. December 13, 1938 - The Holocaust: The Neuengamme concentration camp opened in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany. December 13, 1939 - Battle of the River Plate – Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engaged with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.December 13, 1941 - Hungary and Romania declared war on the United States.
December 13, 1943 - The
Massacre of Kalavryta: by German occupying forces in Greece.
December 13, 1944 - The U.S. cruiser Nashville was badly damaged in a
Japanese kamikaze suicide attack. 138 people were killed in the attack. |
THIS DAY IN
1964:| Sunday, December 13, 1964 - Musician, singer and songwriter (X Japan and Zilch) Hideto Matsumoto (松本 秀人) was born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan. He died on 02 May 1998 in Minami-Azabu, Minato, Tokyo, Japan in a reported suicide at the age of 33. |
| REMINDER: |
DON'T FORGET: The Army - Navy Football Game from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland will be played today, Saturday, December 13, at 3:00 PM, and telecast on CBS.
GO NAVY!
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From
Wayne
Stokes ('65) of VA - 12/12/14 -
"New Email Address":
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Please note that my new email address is
______________@_______.___.
Thank you and Merry Christmas!!
GOTCHA!
Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you and yours, too, Wayne Honey!
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From
Harry Covert
('57) of MD -
12/11/14 - "TRANSPARENCY AND PLAIN OLD TRUTH":
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Snickers, Grins, Guffaws By Harry M. Covert Let’s face it. Ninety-nine and forty-four-one-hundredths percent of people always snicker, then grin or breakout guffawing hearing news that a celebrated institution or person or persons has been caught in some salacious conduct. That could well be human nature. Most certainly it’s true. As is known to some such conduct is used in a variety of ways: selling newspapers, periodicals books, to promote television and movies, to destroy the subjects and put the fear of the Almighty to one and all. In the current time the term transparency is, and is all over the place supplanting such old fashioned words as honesty, veracity and plain old truth. In this age when reporters in all areas want to be investigators the most astonishing thing are contemporary reporters don’t seem to know the basics: – get the facts, attribute the facts, tell the truth. There are several cases in point. They are titillating, scandalous and sensational. These are sad, devastating and need some examination. Titillating, Scandalous, Sensational Newsroom ‘Stretchers’Can Hurt, Destroy For days, the public was accorded a tale from a national magazine describing in detail the gang-rape of a coed at a collegiate fraternity. The young reporter failed to name any names of attackers but recounted the horrific incident. Obviously the student body, faculty, administration and alumni everywhere were disgusted. Promptly, the university president suspended the fraternities. University leaders and law enforcement had difficulty finding any facts. Yes, complete details. Certainly such campus conduct is never to be condoned, at any school or anywhere. There is always going to be interaction on campuses everywhere but alleged gang-raping doesn’t appear in any records. If such conducted is found the culprits should be tried and imprisoned. The University of Virginia is known for its achievements, its quality programs and graduations. To be subject to awful allegations, and in all probably untrue, is a condemnation that borders on libel. Editors and reporters in this incident have a lot to answer for. Since their recent reporting, the magazine, “Rolling Stone” has backed off and said perhaps they didn’t have all of the facts. Shameful beyond measure. Incompetence in media. How about the news of some 20 star-struck women who have made charges of sexual misconduct by comedian Bill Cosby. Obviously the media has raced with the story. Even if just half of the incidents were to be unproven, Dr. Crosby will suffer personally and professionally until the day he dies. Sure, it’s a great story. It is truly shocking though that such a beloved entertainer would be involved in such conduct. The alleged sufferers and purported perpetrator in deed are marked forever. The public does have short memories. Call it amnesia perhaps. The good thing about the news cycle is very simple. People keep doing unpopular things and every day is a new day. However, reporters, journalists and word-merchants of all stripes do bear a heavy burden. Boudoir athletes of both sexes have long been subjects of public interest and always will be. Don’t forget, it is incumbent on journalists to keep the facts true, honest and straight. Readers should be able to believe everything read in public prints, or seen and heard over the wireless. Of course, lots of stories do make us wince or cry. Names make news. A mother stormed down to a daily paper and cancelled her “prescription.” The clerk corrected and said you mean “subscription.” “Whatever,” the unhappy momma said. You always misspell my son’s name.” That was when the daily paper cost five cents, gasoline was 25 cents and journalistic troublemakers included Walter Winchell, Drew Pearson, Quentin Reynolds, Jimmy Breslin, Earl Wilson and J. J. Hunsecker. I should have included these names, Dorothy Parker, Mary McCrory, and William Randolph Hearst. Maybe another time.
Thank you so much for
sharing your insights, Harry!
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From Buster Vest ('63) of VA -
12/12/14 -
"New Christmas Song": | Really very nice! Just a little
over three minutes. New Christmas Song Don't go CHRISTMAS shopping until you watch this YouTube video. Put on sound and Click link below !!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ln01p1M2cH0 (Preview) Thanks,
Buster!
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| “In my office, I have
two portraits of the Savior and a Christus statue that I see every day.
I love these reminders of the matchless gift we have been given by our
loving Heavenly Father—the gift of His Son, the light and the life of
the world. In the New Testament, Jesus spake unto the people, testifying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” ...Notably, we celebrate Christmas with lights—lights on trees and lights in and on our homes. Beautiful lights can be seen everywhere at Christmastime. As you celebrate Christmas this year, I invite you to remember with reverence the light and the life of the world, even the Lord Jesus Christ.” -
David A. Bednar |
From Margaret Elmore Tolly ('58) of VA - 12/12/14 - "Sometimes.....":
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AMEN! Thanks,
Margaret!
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From My Friend, Tina, of SC - 12/12/14:
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I
feel the same way. Hahahaha!
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From My Husband, Paul Harty (Bardolph HS, IL - '61) of
NC - 12/02/14 - "Some Grins (#1 in a series of 15)":
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Laughs for the day………..
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BONUS
CHRISTMAS STORY:From My Friend, Tammy, of NC - 12/07/14 - "Daily Christmas Story (#11 in a Series of 24)":
| This year I decided to
share some of my favorite Christmas stories and quotes. It is a
tradition in our family to read a Christmas story every night in
December culminating with the Nativity on the 24th.
Christmas Story Day 11, A
Brother Like That |
| A
Brother Like That A man named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. "Is this your car, Mister?" he asked. Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish..." He hesitated… Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels. "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that." Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?" "Oh yes, I'd love that." After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front on my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. "There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about." Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when He said, "It is more blessed to give than receive." |
Thank you so
very much, Tammy!
BONUS CHRISTMAS DECORATING IDEAS:
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BOY HOWDY!
