A Terror-rific Spirited 13th (ToT fans have lots to fear)...

[rael ramone]

The greatest role a person can play is that of family member (mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son, spouse). That was a point that seemed to come out of Debbie Reynolds statement on the passing of her daughter, referring to herself as 'Carrie Fishers Mom'. An exclamation point unfortunately came to that statement when Debbie Reynolds herself passed the next day...

When I go to bed I'm going to play the Star Wars 'Empire of Dreams' doc that came with the original trilogy set, and then if I'm still awake, next goes in Star Wars...

And I just bought tickets for 65th anniversary release for Singing in the Rain in theatres...

 

[ElreTigo]

There's actually a GoFundMe to protect Betty White from 2016, of all things: https://www.gofundme.com/help-protect-betty-white-from-2016?ssid=854367614&pos=1
The original goal was $2,000, but it's been raised to $10,000 since the original goal was easily beat.

Is the money raised actually going to Betty White herself, or to some charity since it was created in jest?

 

[Nemo14]

Is the money raised actually going to Betty White herself, or to some charity since it was created in jest?

It's to raise money for a local theater. It was done in jest, sort of, and apparently the guy who started it is very well-liked in the community. I think it's hilarious, and I imagine Bette White would too.

 

[Princess Leia]

Why do people keep blaming the calendar year of 2016 for the circle of life? Aside form Harambe, it was not a bad year.

It's the overwhelmingly large amount of celebrities who passed away. I know that it happens every year, but Death seemed to call on a lot of people before it was their time (screw you, Cancer, Drugs, and faulty automobile mechanics). David Bowie and Alan Rickman were both 69. Prince and George Michael were in their 50s. Carrie Fisher was 60. Anton Yelchin was 27.
http://www.freep.com/story/life/2016/12/27/2016-celebrity-deaths/95872686/ This was compiled before Debbie Reynolds died, but it's still a pretty daunting list.

 

[wdisney9000]

It's the overwhelmingly large amount of celebrities who passed away. I know that it happens every year, but Death seemed to call on a lot of people before it was their time (screw you, cancer, drugs, and faulty automobile mechanics). David Bowie and Alan Rickman were both 69. Prince and George Michael were in their 50s. Carrie Fisher was 60. Anton Yelchin was 27.
http://www.freep.com/story/life/2016/12/27/2016-celebrity-deaths/95872686/ This was compiled before Debbie Reynolds died, but it's still a pretty daunting list.

I was just being silly. Not exactly referring to people here on the boards, just people in general. In all fairness to 2016, there were many celebs in 2015 or any other year who passed. I think its mostly people who are upset about the election. (*ducks).

 

[rael ramone]

I don't know anything about this football player (other than a vague memory of the players name) but this is the one that's got me almost at tears:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/...igh-nfl-player-dies-at-39-20161229-story.html

I'm not particularly a fan of Emerson Lake & Palmer, but both Emerson & Lake passed away this year...

I AM a fan of the Pink Panther films, and an underrated part of them, Burt Kwouk (Cato), passed as well...

 

[Phil12]

Don't forget about protecting Tony Bennett! And Angela Lansbury!

And Ice Cube (gangsta rappers need all the help they can get)!

 

[Kman101]

Let's add Mary Tyler Moore to that list while we're at it. She just turned 80. Cloris Leachman is up there ...

 

[MisterPenguin]

Boomers facing their mortality... The Boomers are a large population where the adult entertainers of their youth can no longer escape time (they're now in their 80's and 90's) and the famous people who were their peers are starting to face the dice roll of life spans and a portion of them 'die before their time.' The boomers didn't have to deal with this a decade ago.

 

[Rodan75]

Boomers facing their mortality... The Boomers are a large population where the adult entertainers of their youth can no longer escape time (they're now in their 80's and 90's) and the famous people who were their peers are starting to face the dice roll of life spans and a portion of them 'die before their time.' The boomers didn't have to deal with this a decade ago.

There was a good article in Vulture today about how this seems more painful because there are so many deaths that specifically impact GenX. http://www.vulture.com/2016/12/2016-the-year-gen-x-lost-too-many-touchstones.html

I think that is a good point, this is really the first couple of years where Gen-Xers have lost significant contributors to the 70's-90's culture.

 

[truecoat]

There was a good article in Vulture today about how this seems more painful because there are so many deaths that specifically impact GenX. http://www.vulture.com/2016/12/2016-the-year-gen-x-lost-too-many-touchstones.html

I think that is a good point, this is really the first couple of years where Gen-Xers have lost significant contributors to the 70's-90's culture.

With the advent of more movie releases, more tv channels and more music releases, there are eventually going to be meaningful deaths on a weekly basis. It's just a byproduct of having more and more "celebrities". I used the quotes for so called reality stars.

 

[aladdin2007]

Let's add Mary Tyler Moore to that list while we're at it. She just turned 80. Cloris Leachman is up there ...

Julie Andrews as well

 

[TalkingHead]

Dunno what the crowds have been like in the Orlando parks post-Christmas Day, but Kennedy Space Center was more crowded today than I've ever seen it.

It was more than an hour (probably closer to two) to park, get tickets, go through security and get into the park.

If you haven't seen the Atlantis exhibit, it's wonderful. Very moving if you explore the whole exhibit. It's well worth the drive from Orlando to see it.

 

[flynnibus]

If you haven't seen the Atlantis exhibit, it's wonderful. Very moving if you explore the whole exhibit. It's well worth the drive from Orlando to see it.

It's a cool presentation how it's hung. I like the floor setup they have here in Dulles as you really get the scale.. but we were able to do the MegaTour last time we were at KSC including visiting pad 39a and going through the VAB. Unfortunately that stinker of a film Tommorrowland was filming at the pad and kept us from walking up to the actual tunnel under the pad.

 

[spacemt354]

It's the overwhelmingly large amount of celebrities who passed away. I know that it happens every year, but Death seemed to call on a lot of people before it was their time (screw you, Cancer, Drugs, and faulty automobile mechanics). David Bowie and Alan Rickman were both 69. Prince and George Michael were in their 50s. Carrie Fisher was 60. Anton Yelchin was 27.
http://www.freep.com/story/life/2016/12/27/2016-celebrity-deaths/95872686/ This was compiled before Debbie Reynolds died, but it's still a pretty daunting list.

The Cubs won the World Series too...so death to their curse as well

 

[NearTheEars]

It's a cool presentation how it's hung. I like the floor setup they have here in Dulles as you really get the scale.. but we were able to do the MegaTour last time we were at KSC including visiting pad 39a and going through the VAB. Unfortunately that stinker of a film Tommorrowland was filming at the pad and kept us from walking up to the actual tunnel under the pad.

The exhibit is breathtaking. They really did a great job. And the reveal of the shuttle was awesome.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Heavy crowds were present at Epcot during Christmas afternoon and evening, although I was surprised at how many were heading out at 7-9 PM even though Epcot was open till 10:30 PM. (I'm guessing they were taking the Monorail to MK, which was open till midnight.)

We're leaving today after a 5-night stay at Beach Club Villas. With Christmas on a Sunday, I'm pretty sure we managed to stay just ahead of the crowds for most of our trip by arriving a few days early. Early mornings at the Magic Kingdom (Dec 23) and Disney's Animal Kingdom (Dec. 25) were incredibly light, with almost everything a walk-on or near walk-on for the first couple of hours (7DMT excepted). I guess people were sleeping in.

Afternoons and evenings were crowded but we've seen worse. I suspect Christmas crowds will be in full force for the rest of the week.

Well played...

 

[Cesar R M]

And William Shatner, Julie Andrews, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Kirk Douglas, and Stan Lee. Stan the Man turned 94 today.

There's actually a GoFundMe to protect Betty White from 2016, of all things: https://www.gofundme.com/help-protect-betty-white-from-2016?ssid=854367614&pos=1
The original goal was $2,000, but it's been raised to $10,000 since the original goal was easily beat.

and Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen.

 

[Cesar R M]

Dunno what the crowds have been like in the Orlando parks post-Christmas Day, but Kennedy Space Center was more crowded today than I've ever seen it.

It was more than an hour (probably closer to two) to park, get tickets, go through security and get into the park.

If you haven't seen the Atlantis exhibit, it's wonderful. Very moving if you explore the whole exhibit. It's well worth the drive from Orlando to see it.

I really hope to add a day to Kennedy's next time I visit orlando.
really interested in that.

 

[Mike S]

The Cubs won the World Series too...so death to their curse as well

I wished for that to happen last year for BTTF... So close...