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| Clementa C. Pinckney (41) | the church's pastor and a South Carolina state senator |
| Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd (54) | Bible study member and manager for the Charleston County Public Library system; sister of former state senator Malcolm Graham |
| Susie Jackson (87) | Bible study and church choir member. She was the oldest victim of the shooting |
| Ethel Lee Lance (70) | the church's sexton |
| Depayne Middleton-Doctor (49) | Pastor who was also employed as a school administrator and admissions coordinator at Southern Wesleyan University |
| Tywanza Sanders (26) | Bible study member; grandnephew of victim Susie Jackson. He was the youngest victim |
| Daniel L. Simmons (74) | Pastor who also served at Greater Zion AME Church in Awendaw |
| Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (45) | Pastor; also a speech therapist and track coach at Goose Creek High School; mother of MLB prospect Chris Singleton |
| Myra Thompson (59) | Bible study teacher |
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Game over man
Private Hudson
Portrayed by Bill Paxton
Aliens (1986)
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There is a uniquely human concept known as "the broken heart" whereby people become immensely sad usually as the result of unrequited love and that sequela rejection and moving on.
Sensations include the heart being perceived as a cold lump in the chest which attempts to sustain a person in the absence of that will to go on.
There is an emptiness otherwise said to pervade the very soul.
Happiness appears to depart for parts unknown to the point when those affected are no longer interested in where it's gone.
They shun approach and interaction.
They refrain from interpersonal interaction and decline to smile or speak or even acknowledge that others exist.
There is this dark acceptance of being done and other considerations become secondary.
Its easy to let go. The difficulty lay in attempting to grasp at nothing.
Such is the convoluted recovery process for those who allow others to control their emotions.
I dare say these type of antics are primarily a manifestation of the young crowd and likely dissipate when a person hits their forties.
I know I used to go bat crap crazy over my smattering of lovelorn episodes.
Now, it's move on and stay out of my way.
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
I can think of younger days
When living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do
I could never see tomorrow
But I was never told about the sorrow
How can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart
And let me live again
I can still feel the breeze
That rustles through the trees
And misty memories of days gone by
We could never see tomorrow
But no one said a word about the sorrow
How can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down
How can you stop the sun from shining
What makes the world go round
And how can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart
And let me live again
La la la la la la, la la la la
La la la la la la, la la la la
Please help me mend my broken heart
And let me live again
Da da da da
Da da da da, da da da da da, da
Performed by the Bee Gees
Song by Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb
Lyrics
© Warner Chappell Music, Inc
© Universal Music Publishing Group
![]() Dolly July 5, 1996 - February 14, 2003 |
When your existence is solely for the benefit of others what good is it ?
There was a sheep named Dolly which was cloned from 3 mothers via a process called "nuclear transfer":
| 1 | provided the egg |
| 1 | provided the genetics from a somatic (body) cell |
| 1 | carried and gave birth to the clone |
The birth of Dolly was announced on this day in 1997.
She had six offspring who were normal by all accounts. When she was 4 years old it is claimed that she developed arthritis and began walking stiffly.
This claim has been subsequently disputed in the literature.
On February 14, 2003, Dolly was euthanised because she was suffering with progressive lung disease and alleged severe arthritis. It was discovered later that she had developed cancer as well.
Thus ended the life of "the world's most famous sheep". Sad to think that her total existence was for research.
Nothing left to the imagination. Other clones of this animal have grown normally and lived a full life. As for Dolly, she was stuffed and placed on display as the item of genetic curiosa she is.
Again, nothing in her life really benefited her.
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In my youth there were the Monkees, a bubble gum pop culture icon replete with television program, collectable figures, guest appearances, and of course popular music.
It has been my sad experience to witness the death of Davy Jones who died suddenly in 2012 while tending to horses from the sequela of arteriosclerosis.
A year ago today Peter Tork succumbed to a rare form of cancer.
All in all I'd like to say that The Monkees contributed to that entertainment I enjoyed in my fantasy laden youth and indeed ...
I even sang a number of those songs on occasion and sometimes had the audacity to fancy myself a performer with my own televison show.
Those wistfull daydreams not withstanding, half of the 1960s era icon which were The Monkees are now passed leaving half: Mickey Dolenz and Michael Nesmith remaining.
The days of reunion shows likely have passed as have the heyday of The Monkees, that 1960s innocence they projected, and myself.
Rest in peace.
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![]() Sean Connery as James Bond in Never Say Never Again |
Never Say Never
Never, never, never say never
Ne dis jamais jamais
Better, better believe in forever
And it can be that way
You think that you could never love again
The one time really tore you apart
So don't even try to touch your heart
You're never going to give it again
Never, never, never say never
Ne dis jamais jamais
Better, better believe in forever
And it can be that way
You think that too much joy can only bring pain
Before you know it, it can be gone
But give me a chance to prove you're wrong
You'll never say never again
Never, never, never say never
Ne dis jamais jamais
Better, better believe in forever
And it can be that way
Take time to smell the roses
Don't hold back your one chance
It hardly lasts, it hardly lasts
Better, better believe in forever
Out here I stand with my heart in my hand
My hopes on a wing and a prayer
I must have been born with a hole in my head
Cause I've never said these things before
Never, never, never say never
Ne dis jamais jamais
Better, better believe in forever
And it can be that way
Lyrics by Tommy Shaw
Peformed by Styx on the album Cornerstone
1979
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Yeah, my career path has me working plan B.
Automation support, computers, networks, hardware, software, media ... you know the drill.
Having started quite early in the 'information age' I predate the personal computer by about a decade.
In that beginning of my career, there were minis and mainframes but not much in the way of microcomputers.
These were mostly consumer models such as your commodore 64, tandy color computer, and a few breadboard style LED byte display models which were not really for the uninitated.
In fact a scant month after purchasing a DEC VT-100 (Robin) CP/M conversion package the IBM PC was released and obsolescence was all I really had at that point.
It is my duty to make sure that the operations go smoothly for my assigned areas. I have a number of side interests which also come into play. They all need me.
Today is ENIAC Day, which celebrates the world’s first computer.
On the tenth of February in 2011 the Philadelphia jurisdiction declared that February 15, 2011 as ENIAC Day. This correpsonds to the 65th anniversary of the unveiling of the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC).
ENIAC is the world's first general-purpose electronic computer and was developed at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering.
Thus began what was to become my 'plan b' as it were. I'm very fortunate to have been able to embark on it when 'plan a' became no longer feasible in my existence.
Happy ENIAC Day to you.
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