September 21, 2021
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hung onto power on Monday as his main rival conceded defeat. Trudeau said he had won a clear mandate to govern although he fell short of his goal for a majority win. Trudeau, in power since 2015 and governing with a minority of House of Commons seats since 2019, decided to gamble on an early vote and capitalize on his government’s handling of the pandemic, which included massive spending to support individuals and businesses and a push for high vaccination rates. Instead, he will end up where he started after an unexpectedly tight election race characterized by a lackluster campaign and voter anger at an election during a pandemic.
👉 It is 1933, and in New York City. A Broadway audience thrills to an exciting premier. Photographers flash bulbs capture the image of the star. Terrified, the star escapes, and the audience flees in horror.
Wreaking havoc throughout the city, the last images of the star are at the top of the Empire State Building with a beautiful, frightened blonde in his control. He puts the woman aside and battles fighter airplanes, destroying one, but succumbing the gunfire of the rest, he plunges to his death. The impresario who organized the premier looks at his dead headliner and says, “Beauty killed the Beast.”
Well, by the time you got to the second paragraph you knew the “star” was King Kong, and the “blonde” was Ann Darrow as portrayed by Fay Wray.
And with that introduction, here is a brief look at the seventh tallest building in New York City (and even though it is only # 7 on the list, I can only think of one other – One World Trade Center). Construction on this iconic building started on March 17, 1930, and the building opened thirteen and a half months afterward on May 1, 1931. More than 3,500 workers were involved during the peak of the project and only 5 deaths were recorded.
The design for the Empire State Building was changed fifteen times until it was ensured to be the world’s tallest building. It stood at 1,250 feet until the radio antenna was erected in 1953.
Completed during the Great Depression much of its office space was vacant from its opening. In the first year, only 23% of the available space was rented, as compared to the early 1920s, where the average building would have occupancy of 52% upon opening and 90% rented within five years. The lack of renters led New Yorkers to deride the building as the “Empty State Building.” It did not become profitable until the 1950s.
The Empire State Building’s spire was intended to be an airship docking station. Dirigible ticketing offices and passenger waiting rooms were proposed for the 86th floor, while the airships themselves would be tied to the spire at the equivalent of the building’s 106th floor. The idea, however, was impractical and dangerous although one blimp did manage to make a single newspaper delivery.
Today the building with its own zip code welcomes 3.5 million visitors annually.
👉 More pictures of Maggie and Rachel from Arts in the Heart of Augusta. The pictures are courtesy of “KW and CJ's Most Excellent Adventure.” In the blog, “Pool Covering Day at 233,” KW is the guy sitting on the diving board.
👉 I missed telling you yesterday that September 20 is Sophia Loren’s birthday. The Italian actress, and one of the greatest female stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema, turned 87 yesterday. A film critic once said, “Her eyes are too big, her nose is too long, and her lips are too full, but she is the most beautiful woman in the world.”
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| Sophia Loren posing at the Grand Canal in Venice |
👉 Pfizer said Monday its COVID-19 vaccine works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon – a key step toward beginning vaccinations for youngsters. The vaccine is already available for anyone 12 and older, but with kids now back in school and the extra-contagious delta variant causing a huge jump in pediatric infections, many parents are anxiously awaiting vaccinations for their younger children.
For elementary school-aged kids, Pfizer tested a much lower dose – a third of the amount that’s in each shot given now. Yet after their second dose, children ages 5 to 11 developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as teenagers and young adults getting the regular-strength shots, Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president, told The Associated Press.
The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary side effects – such as sore arms, fever or achiness – that teens experience, he said.
👉 I love great word play:
👉 QB 416 recounted the story behind John Newton’s great hymn, “Amazing Grace.” For today's close, just click on this link, listen and worship.
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