Harry Houdini and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle became friends, but Doyle was a Spiritualist, and their friendship ended over Houdini's campaign against phony Spiritualist mediums.

Houdini was James Randi's inspiration, as he was Penn and Teller's.

The two sisters who gave rise to Spiritualism eventually admitted their deceptions. It didn't do a thing to stop Spiritualism.

I saw Penn and Teller on stage many years ago. After the introduction, they performed a "seance" using every trick in the book.

Randi's death comes just before the 84[sup]th[/sup] anniversary of Houdini's (October 31, 1936).

The Amazing Randi..I always had his books in my bookshelf (now mainly virtual) and his stance against pseudoscience and the whole quackery business has influenced my thinking ever since I was a kid.
RIP.

Kenneth Conrow RIP died 28 March 2019, - he is credited in the bibliography relating the search for prime gaps, but his prime gap records have all been superseded so that none of the current prime gap records bear his name.

[url]https://www.friendsjournal.org/kenneth-conrow/[/url]

TaB, diet soft drink introduced in 1963. Announcement made October 16. Very moving eulogy from the company:
[indent]"We're challenging ourselves to think differently about our brands to accelerate our transformation to a total beverage company"

"This isn't about paring down to a specific number of product offerings under our brands. The objective is to drive impact and growth. It's about continuing to follow the consumer and being very intentional in deciding which of our brands are most deserving of our investments and resources, and also taking the tough but important steps to identify those products that are losing relevance and therefore should exit the portfolio."

"We're prioritizing bets that have scale potential across beverage categories, consumer need states and drinking occasions"[/indent]
-- Cath Coetzer, global head of innovation and marketing operations, Coca-Cola company

[quote=Bill Hicks]By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself.[/quote]

The rumors of Cath Coetzer's death from cocaine overdose resulting from attempts at self medication to counter the soul-killing hypocrisy of working in an environment that requires a manic deception level producing such statements, leading to a high speed impact in a sports car with a concrete bridge abutment, attributed to COVID19, are unsubstantiated and may be premature.

Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90

[url]https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54761824[/url]

[QUOTE=xilman;561673]Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90

[URL]https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54761824[/URL][/QUOTE]


Oh...

Really, 2020 is a year which I would like to forget.
Maybe some good news will come in the coming week.

[QUOTE=xilman;561673]Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90
[URL]https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54761824[/URL][/QUOTE]


I cannot believe it, watched some of his famous movies at the beginning of the year i haven't seen before, then searched for his age... i had a bad feeling about it, I-i am devastated, he seems so eternal. Rest In Peace Sir

[QUOTE=xilman;561673]Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90

[url]https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54761824[/url][/QUOTE]
From [url=http://cornemusique.free.fr/ukscotlandthebrave.php]Scotland The Brave - Highland Bagpipes traditional tunes' stories by Stephane BEGUINOT[/url]

[quote]"Scotland the Brave" is a patriotic song and one of the main contenders to be considered as a national anthem of Scotland. In June 2006 the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted an online poll on their website, asking visitors to choose a favourite to be Scotland's national anthem. With over 10,000 votes cast, "Flower of Scotland" came first with 41% of the votes, followed by "Scotland the Brave" with 29% - "Highland Cathedral" 16% - "A Man's A Man for A' That" 7% - "Scots Wha Hae" 6%.

It is of surprisingly recent origin, as it was published first around 1911 in a Boys' Brigade pipe tune book. But the tune appears to date from about 1891-5 when it was published in Norman Macdonald's Gesto Collection of Highland Music under the title "Scotland for Ever” although the sentiment dates back to at least the 1820s. It was probably originally a flute solo.
It is always listed as "Traditional". In other words no one knows for certain who actually composed the tune.

The lyrics to Scotland The Brave were written by Scottish journalist, writer, author, songwriter, raconteur, after dinner speaker, historian and broadcaster Cliff Hanley (1923-1999) in 1951 for performer, producer and music shop owner Robert Wilson who needed a song to close the act of his performance at a Christmas Scottish review musical show at the Glasgow Empire Theatre. Robert Wilson, who was at the time at the peak of his career, paid £25 to Hanley but refused to get the copyright. "Naw, naw son, this is far too good. I'd be cheating you if I took the rights to this" said Wilson. The song soon became popular with Scots people and was quickly adopted as an unofficial national anthem.[/quote]

The last verse seems especially fitting somehow...

[quote]SCOTLAND THE BRAVE LYRICS

The version below is from The Chieftains.[/quote]
[indent][color=red]Chorus

Hark when the night is falling
Hear! Hear the pipes are calling,
Loudly and proudly calling,
Down thro' the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits
of the old Highland men.[/color]

Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards
gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.

High in the misty Highlands,
Out by the purple islands,
Brave are the hearts that beat
Beneath Scottish skies.
Wild are the winds to meet you,
Staunch are the friends that greet you,
Kind as the love that shines
from fair maiden's eyes.

[color=red]Chorus[/color]

Far off in sunlit places,
Sad are the Scottish faces,
Yearning to feel the kiss
Of sweet Scottish rain.
Where tropic skies are beaming,
Love sets the heart a-dreaming,
Longing and dreaming for the homeland again

[color=red]Chorus[/color][/indent]

[QUOTE=Dr Sardonicus;561681]
Hark when the night is falling
Hear! Hear the pipes are calling,
Loudly and proudly calling,
Down thro' the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits
of the old Highland men.[/color]
[/QUOTE]Up where the hands are clapping,
Up where the feet are tapping,
Up where the Jocks are strapping:
Scotland the brave.