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Fifty years ago (9 June 1973) today, I watched in real time on TV – what to me – remains the single greatest athletic achievement of my lifetime (68yrs and counting).  I was not physically present, so I can’t say I saw it “live / in-person”;  but I did see it as it was happening…  Secretariat won the third leg of the thorough-bred horse-racing “Triple-Crown” by winning the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths.  “Technically” this (a “length”) is a variable distance of between 8 and 9 feet, as a “length” is measured by the distance between nose and tail of the winner of the race.
 
If you’ve never seen THIS race before, I encourage you to watch this video…
 
 
At that time, Secretariat was the first Triple-Crown winner in 25 years and holds the stakes record time for each of the three races (the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness are the other two).  Secretariat’s time of 2:24 for 1+1⁄2 miles in the 1973 Belmont Stakes also set a world record that still stands.
 
Thanks to YouTube and the Internet, I’ve been able to enjoy this race many times in the last five years(+).  LoL!!  Viewing it still gives me chills!
 
As for human athletic achievement, I would rank Bob Beamon’s long jump at the 1968 Mexico Olympics as #1.  As with Secretariat’s run, I did not see Beamon’s effort “live / in-person”, but unlike Secretariat, I also did not see it in “real-time” (as it happened).  Back then (1968), the Olympics were not shown on TV in real-time (most of it anyway).  It was mostly tape-delayed and broadcast in the evenings / “prime-time”.  So, I saw it “on-the-same-day”, but not as it was happening.  (…And, no, it did not happen on 9 June.  This is just a trip down memory lane…)
 
To put Bob Beamon’s achievement in some perspective:  in a sport where world records are normally increased by 2 to 3 inches (and up until this jump the largest increase in the record was 6 inches), Beamon’s jump broke the world record by 21-3/4 inches (55cm)!!  At a time when the world hoped to see a 28 foot long jump before the end of the century, Bob Beamon jumped OVER 29 feet!  29ft-2+1/4in!!  It took over a decade (12 years) before another human being was able to jump 28 feet, let alone 29 feet.  Beamon’s world record stood for 23 years until it was finally broken in 1991.  It remains the Olympic long jump record.
 
 
Imagine being the first person in human history to jump past 28 feet (other than Beamon) and everyone says:  “Nice jump!  Another foot and you’ll be close to the record…”
 
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On This Day In:
2022 Let Me Tell You An Amusing Story…
2021 Together Forever
  Think It Over
  Small But Fun
2020 Still Learning
2019 Almost Hallmark
  Beyond All Reason
2018 Daydreams And Wanna-Be’s
  Or Work For #45
2017 Summer Pale
2016 Ain’t It Funny
2015 At Both Ends
2014 Whiner(s)
2013 Just Passing Through
2012 Dog-gone Heaven
2011 Occasional, Sad Results
   

We have artists with no scientific knowledge and scientists with no artistic knowledge and both with no spiritual sense of gravity at all, and the result is not just bad, it is ghastly.
    —     Robert M. Pirsig
From his novel:  “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values
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On This Day In:
2022 Let Me Tell You An Amusing Story…
2021 Together Forever
Think It Over
Small But Fun
2020 Still Learning
2019 Almost Hallmark
Beyond All Reason
2018 Daydreams And Wanna-Be’s
Or Work For #45
2017 Summer Pale
2016 Ain’t It Funny
2015 At Both Ends
2014 Whiner(s)
2013 Just Passing Through
2012 Dog-gone Heaven
2011 Occasional, Sad Results
We always condemn most in others, he thought, that which we most fear in ourselves.
    —     Robert M. Pirsig
From his book:  “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values
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2020 Or Frightens Us
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2017 The Best?
2016 Timely Opinions On “The Donald”
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2015 First Things First
2014 Without The Other
2013 Earn This
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2012 Stumblin’ Along My Way
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2011 Simply Unpredictable
Pride And Prejudice    —     BBC TV series review (1980)
Starring David Rintoul as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet, this is the five episode (4-1/2 hour) BBC version which can be purchased on DVD.  Because I enjoyed my recent viewing of the 1940 version, I went looking for this version to add it to my watchlist for viewing and / or potential purchase.  Lo and behold, this version is currently (as of June 2023) available as a playlist on YouTube for free.  Although the YouTube playlist version is patchy – 60-plus mostly 3-to-5 minute videos – the transitions between episodes are fairly smooth.  Most only re-show the final few second or two of the previous video before continuing afresh.  While “smooth”, I was left with the feeling I’d not seen the entire series because, in a number of the videos, there was a near simultaneous change in scene.  My reaction was: “I think they’ve edited something out or put the episodes in the playlist in the wrong order.”  (So much for my comments of the playlist editing.)
The story is essentially:  small village with landowner family of five female daughters is thrown in a tizzy over the arrival of a very “suitable” bachelor.  Even better, the bachelor comes with a friend, who is also a very suitable bachelor (Darcy).  Lizzy takes an immediate dislike to Mr. Darcy while the oldest sister (Jane) falls madly in love with the first bachelor (Mr. Bingly).  Blah, blah, blah, happy ending.  The book – and its movie adaptations – is supposed to be a romantic-comedy / drama.  Like the book, this adaptation is more romantic than comedic.  There are no “ha-ha” laugh scenes, at all.  It’s mostly sarcasm in the dialogue which is, to me, amusing, but not “funny”.  Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this version of P&P in terms of casting and adherence to the original book.  I am a big fan of this book (subject material) and, because I’m so familiar with the story, I’m always looking forward to my favorite parts being portrayed in / with varying interpretations.  As mentioned in my 1940 version review from earlier this week (ok, it was yesterday), I read the original novel (and reviewed it) by Jane Austen back in 2018.
Both Garvie and Rintoul are very good in their lead roles individually, and, to me, demonstrated just enough chemistry to make the story believable, while not trying to bring our current societal standards to the 19th century (the book was published in 1813 AD) where they would have been inappropriate.  Rintoul’s portrayal differs from Olivier’s by playing the role of an English landed-lord with a graceful gentlemanliness, which came across (to me) as effeminate by when done by Olivier.  This portrayal is much closer to the “no grace at all, stiff but manly-man” portrayal of Matthew Macfadyen in the 2005 movie which introduced me to P&P.  A third main point and definite positive for me was the return to character (vis-à-vis the 1940 version) of Darcy’s aunt who refuses to accept the marriage of Darcy to Lizzy for reasons of societal class difference and because the aunt believes Darcy to be “given / promised” to her own daughter since childhood.  The aunt appears as the haughty unredeemable character, which I believe she was meant to be in the original book.
Final recommendation:  Strong to very strong.  This is a very arguably the best interpretation of the book I’ve seen to date.  Rintoul is more manly than Olivier yet still more proud / refined than Macfadyen.  Garvie is not as photogenic as Keira Knightley (2005), but far more so than Greer (1940) or Jennifer Ehle (1995).  Two more thoughts which are probably only of significance to me:  the costumes (women’ dresses) are far better (more appropriate) than the 1940’s verson.  They don’t appear “US civil war era” Southern Bell, like the 1940 movie, but nor do they appear as simple / sturdy as the 2005 movie.  The 1940’s version runs 112 minutes (1 hr 52 min), this 1990 version runs at 265 minutes (4-1/2 hrs), the 1995 runs at 506 minutes (8hrs 26 min) and the 2005 version runs at 129 minutes (2hrs 9min).  Should the run length / duration matter?  I would hope the quality of each version would make them comparable, but, on reflection, it’s probably not so and I am actually comparing apples to oranges.  And, finally, I still think I need to sit down and binge these and some of the other versions (“Bride” and “Zombies”), not to do more head-to-head comparison reviews, just to enjoy them again.  I will almost certainly purchase this version if it ever comes close to my price point and if it is available in a standard US viewing format.
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On This Day In:
2022 Taking The Chance To Improvise
2021 A Bit Like Politics
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2020 Independent Isolation
2019 This Pilgrim Has Had A (Mostly) Happy Road
2018 And Men, Too
2017 Damned If You Do
2016 A Storm Over The Horizon
2015 What About Today?
2014 Idiot, n.
2013 Temporary Reality
2012 The Great Objective
2011 Read A Book
Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving.
    —    Albert Einstein
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On This Day In:
2022 Taking The Chance To Improvise
2021 A Bit Like Politics
How About Tonight?
2020 Independent Isolation
2019 This Pilgrim Has Had A (Mostly) Happy Road
2018 And Men, Too
2017 Damned If You Do
2016 A Storm Over The Horizon
2015 What About Today?
2014 Idiot, n.
2013 Temporary Reality
2012 The Great Objective
2011 Read A Book

More Pride (1940)

Pride And Prejudice  (1940) —  movie review  (update of 2017 review)
Starring Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy and Greer Garson as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet, this is the black and white version which appears on cable channels periodically – which is where I first viewed it one afternoon while casually channel surfing.  Because I enjoyed my previous viewing and the cost of a streamed copy has recently fallen, I picked up a copy to re-watch.  The story is essentially:  small village with landowner family of five female daughters is thrown in a tizzy over the arrival of a very “suitable” bachelor.  Even better, the bachelor comes with a friend, who is also a very suitable bachelor (Darcy).  Lizzy takes an immediate dislike to Mr. Darcy while the oldest sister (Jane) falls madly in love with the first bachelor (Mr. Bingly).  Blah, blah, blah, happy ending.
In this version, I was left with a “satisfied” grin.  It was enjoyable to watch, and, because I’m so familiar with the story, I’m always looking forward to my favorite parts.  I read the original novel (and reviewed it) back in 2018.  Unfortunately, while Olivier and Garson “seemed” good in their roles individually, to me, they lacked the chemistry to make the story believable.  Also, while I realize Olivier is playing the role of an English landed-lord from a prior century, this is the only Darcy portrayal I’ve seen where he (Darcy) comes across as effeminate rather gentlemanly.  I imagine this is Olivier’s attempt to be theatrical rather than masculine “method” acting.  There are also a couple of changes in the film which I found curious.  For one, the costumes seemed more modern and more American than British.  This impression may be just in comparison to the 1995 version.  Another difference was that Darcy’s aunt refuses the marriage to Lizzy as a test of her love, whereas in the other versions, the aunt is doing it for reasons of societal class difference and because the aunt believes Darcy to be “given / promised” to her own daughter since childhood.  Basically, it makes the aunt a redeemable character, which I don’t believe she was meant to be.  (Having read the original book (annotated version), neither it nor any of the other film versions portray the aunt as redeemable.)
LoL!  At some point, I will have to sit down and binge watch through as many versions as I can manage.  I still have to purchase the “Bride and Prejudice” and the “Zombies” versions.  I have never seen the 1980 BBC version and, at the moment, it is both priced beyond my price point and I believe it’s still only in UK / European format, so even if I could find the DVDs, they won’t play on this side of the pond.  There is also another “Utah” version set in the modern day, but I don’t know how much interest I really have in that one.  I guess it’ll come down to “one in, all in”.
Final recommendation:  moderate to strong (upgrade).  It’s an okay version – better received on this second viewing.  I guess anything with Olivier is considered a “classic”.  I say this version has historical interest, particularly if you are a fan of the production period (1940), the lead actors, or a big P&P fan (like me).  Just a final note:  As mentioned above, I’m a P&P fan, and I wanted to “own” a copy of this for future / repeated viewing.  I’ve priced it online and over various streaming services since my initial viewing (2017) and it always ran about $15US.  I was not going to pay that amount for movie approaching 80 years old, particularly since it’s NOT my favorite version.  Anyway, the price has fallen to $5US, on my preferred streaming service, so I bought this copy.  The movie has not been enhanced.  So it is still presented in “SD”  (4:3 TV quality) format.  Which seems to me to be a shame.
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On This Day In:
2022 My Conservative View
2021 Are We Getting Close To Uncertainty?
How It Could Be
2020 Two Loves
A Short Count
2019 Don’t Forget: Fire Burns
2018 Especially In The Middle East
2017 A Good Local
2016 Life Unlimited
2015 Still Trying
2014 Destiny, n.
2013 No Apologies
2012 Utterly Convinced
2011 A Key To Effectiveness
I think one of the noblest projects for anyone in age is to find a shape in his life.  It was a drama in how many acts.  How can he make the last act worthy of the earlier ones?  He is the author, the protagonist, the audience and the critic.  He has to work under handicaps while the stage hands fidget and the audience is eager to go home.  But perhaps he can succeed in acting out “I was” or even “I was this.”
    —    Malcolm Cowley
Letter to Thomas Ferril, 30th Aug 1978
From:  “The Long Voyage
[Found at one of the blogs I follow:  https://news.lettersofnote.com/
The specific post is:  https://news.lettersofnote.com/p/i-think-one-of-the-noblest-projects
Please visit the original site and support it if you are able.     —     kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022 My Conservative View
2021 Are We Getting Close To Uncertainty?
How It Could Be
2020 Two Loves
A Short Count
2019 Don’t Forget: Fire Burns
2018 Especially In The Middle East
2017 A Good Local
2016 Life Unlimited
2015 Still Trying
2014 Destiny, n.
2013 No Apologies
2012 Utterly Convinced
2011 A Key To Effectiveness
To err is to wander, and wandering is the way we discover the world;  and, lost in thought, it is also the way we discover ourselves.  Being right might be gratifying, but in the end it is static, a mere statement.  Being wrong is hard and humbling, and sometimes even dangerous, but in the end it is a journey, and a story.
 
    —    Kathryn Schulz
 
[This quote was found at one of the blogs I follow:  https://aponderingmind.org/
The specific post was located at:  https://aponderingmind.org/2023/05/18/todays-quote-8/
Please check out the original site if you have a few spare minutes…    —    kmab]
 
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On This Day In:
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2021I Better
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2020Necessary Events
2019I May Have Started Too Soon
2018But Me
2017A Little More, Please
2016In Full Vigor
2015A Good Lad
2014Who Dare Not Speak
2013I Love Beer
2012Trial By Jury
2011First Class
 Got Knowledge?
  
We live in a society absolutely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology.  That’s a clear prescription for disaster.
    —    Carl Sagan
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2019 You Really Don’t
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2018 Until Integrity, Decency, Wisdom, And Humility Return
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2017 To Laws, Not Office Or Individuals
Beast / General / Civil
2016 Patronage
2015 For Blogs, Too!
2014 Righteous Anger
2013 An Irish Blessing
2012 But Is It Worth It?
2011 Let Us Start
In science it often happens that scientists say, “You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken,” and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again.  They really do it.  It doesn’t happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful.  But it happens every day.  I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
    —    Carl Sagan
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2019 Right Or Wrong
2018 Open Doors
2017 When It Deserves It
2016 Expiation For Rest
2015 You’ll Get Through It
2014 A Special Kind Of Fall
2013 Very Rewarding
2012 MIB3 – The Team Is Closer Than Ever
Yet
2011 Little By Little
I have been in those rooms with [Trump] when he met with those [world] leaders, I believe they think he’s a laughing fool.
    —    John Bolton
Former National Security Advisor to President Trump
But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.  They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright Brothers.  But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.
    —    Carl Sagan
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2018 Bourne Wicked Blonde
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2017 This Explains A Lot
2016 Me Too
2015 A Proper Price
2014 Well Hard
2013 Because I Can
Eloquence, n.
2012 Why Bother?
2011 Peculiar Notions
Personally, I would be delighted if there were a life after death, especially if it permitted me to continue to learn about this world and others, if it gave me a chance to discover how history turns out.
    —    Carl Sagan
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2019 Belief Buffet
2018 Change Is Law
2017 A Dog Day Of Summer
2016 Chances Are
2015 Truer Spoken
2014 Not Quite There Yet (Either)
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2013 Distance, n.
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2012 Rise Up!
The Gift
2011 Artful Courage
2010 A Handful of Lessons…

Two Brown Miracles

Believe in miracles but don’t depend on them.
    —    H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Never give up on anybody.  Miracles happen everyday.
    —    H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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2019 Walking The Lonely Path
2018 The Ultimate Trial
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2015 What’s In Your Future?
2014 Light In Darkness
2013 How ‘Bout Just Obeying The Law?
2012 Or Maybe Not
2011 My Interval Is Too Short!
You use a glass mirror to see your face;  you use works of art to see your soul.
    ―     George Bernard Shaw
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2020 I’d Include Health Care
2019 Accustomed To It
2018 Booking My Trip Into The Expanding Universe
2017 Fear Instead Of Convictions
2016 Memorial Day – 2016
2015 A Handful Of Reviews
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2014 Get Wisdom
2013 Enjoying The View?
2012 Adam’s Rib
2011 I’m Sure I Remember That…
Memorial Day, 2011
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
    —    Victor Hugo
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Over 50 Years Ago!
2020 The Magnitude Of The Challenge
2019 Still Tearing, Still Being Rewarded
2018 Nothing More, Nothing Less
2017 Memorial Day – 2017
No Wonder I’m Smiling
2016 Thinking Science Fictional
2015 Dawn Is Coming
2014 Back When I Was A Firebrand
2013 Pen In Hand
Word Up!
2012 Disturbing
Trying To Keep Up
2011 Unreliable And Selective
2010 Adult-Onset Athlete
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