Pilgrims – Thanksgiving couldn’t take place without the Mustache

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/museum.htm

The 17th-century Pilgrims are known through the writings and artifacts they left behind.  There is much more to their history, however, than the 17th-century facts.  There is also the “Pilgrim Story.”  That “Story” is the celebration of a few selected moments which have fixed the Pilgrims firmly in America’s collective memory.

This Pilgrim Story has grown and evolved over time.  As each succeeding generation looked to the past for inspiration and guidance, certain key elements of the 17th-century Pilgrims were emphasized.  The attention focused on these key elements has sometimes obscured other parts of the Pilgrim Story, changing the perception of the Pilgrim experience.  Often, these later interpretations of the 17th-century Pilgrims tell us less about the Pilgrims than about the emotional and political needs of the era in which the interpretations were created. 

As you scroll through the subject headings listed below, you will encounter key elements of the Pilgrim Story that have been celebrated in stories and in paintings : the Mayflower Compact, the Landing, the First Thanksgiving at Plymouth.  Each of these elements of the Pilgrim Story are based on 17th-century facts.  Each element has also received layers of interpretations and celebrations.  These later interpretations are also history — America’s history of the 18th, 19th, 20th, and now 21st centuries. 

We invite you to search through the layers of retelling to find the foundation of the 17th century.  Where does it all begin?  And where does it end?  You might be surprised!

Captain Kangaroo – a Mustache that could make a million kids smile daily

http://www.tvparty.com/lostterrytoons.html

Captain Kangaroo was the longest running network children’s show of all time – from 1955 until 1984, the good Captain could be seen mornings on CBS. Hugh “Lumpy” Brannum played sidekick Mr. Green Jeans, joining Cosmo Allegretti’s hand-puppets Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit in the Captain’s Treasure House.

Before Keeshan was a captain he was a clown – probably the most famous clown of the 1950s – Clarabell from the ‘Howdy Doody Show’ starring Buffalo Bob Smith.

‘Howdy Doody’ first aired on December 27, 1947 and is credited for selling more people on the future of television than any other single event. Millions of children tuned in to the daily live kid’s show, and Clarabell the clown was an important part of the ensemble – selling millions of Poll Parrot shoes, assorted toys, dolls and packaged cereals for the show’s sponsors.

 

Unfortunately, Buffalo Bob and Bob Keeshan didn’t much care for each other. Keeshan was fired in 1950, and replaced by another performer – but a flood of phone calls and mail from skeptical kids who could tell the difference in the clowns forced producers to re-hire him a few weeks later.

Keeshan was fired again (along with almost all of the rest of the supporting cast of ‘Howdy Doody’), when he led an uprising over more money minutes before going on the air live in December, 1952.

 

Bob Keeshan was only 28 years old in 1955 when he and producer Jack Miller created ‘Captain Kangaroo.’ Television was a relatively new addition to most American homes – there had never been a generation of kids exposed to home-video entertainment before, so the series was designed to give kids a gentle alternative to the frenetic nature of most children’s shows of the day (of which ‘Howdy Doody’ was one of the worst offenders). Watching an episode of Captain Kangaroo show from the early-sixties, one is struck by the achingly slow pace and overall gentle nature of the show.

Richard Branson – Billion dollar Mustache

http://www.woopidoo.com/biography/richard_branson.htm

Richard Branson is a flamboyant British entrepreneur with a seemingly insatiable appetite for starting new businesses. His internationally recognized brand “Virgin” is splashed across everything from credit cards, to airlines and music “megastores”. Branson is continuously seeking new business opportunities and loves a good challenge, especially when he enters a market that is dominated by a few major players.

Richard Branson was born on July 18, 1950. His entrepreneurial ways began early when he was publishing a student magazine at just 16 years. Branson did not go on to graduate school but in 1970 the now famous Virgin brand had its beginnings in the form of a discount records mail order venture that he and his friend Nik Powell worked on.

Virgin Records
Soon after opening a record store on Oxford Street, London, Branson began a recording label in 1972, Virgin Records. This was to be the first major success for the British entrepreneur as he started the label with a hit record. The instrumental artist Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” released in 1973 was a cash cow for Branson’s Virgin Records and it stayed in the UK music charts for 247 weeks. The record label went on to sign top music artists like “Genesis”, “The Sex Pistols”, “The Rolling Stones” and “Simple Minds”. The Virgin Records Group was sold in 1992 to THORN EMI for $1 billion USD.
Richard Branson obviously wasn’t finished with the music recording business as he went on to start V2 Records in 1996. The V2 Music brand has a stable of artists that include “Stereophonics”, “Powder Finger”, “Mercury Rev” and “Tom Jones”.

The Virgin Brand
Richard Branson has created one of the most recognizable brands in the world. In Britain where he focuses much of his attention, Branson has managed to “Virginize” a very wide range of products and services. The variety of businesses he controls is as vast as the geographical coverage the brand has, with business located throughout The United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Asian, Europe and South Africa.
Some of the businesses Branson has collected include:

• Virgin Atlantic – An international airline flying to many major destinations.
• Virgin Megastores – Music Super-markets located in major locations in the UK, USA and Australia.
• Virgin Books – Publisher and distributor of books.
• Virgin Credit Card – Branson’s attempt to provide credit card at a reasonable price.
• Virgin Holidays – Book a holiday and fly Virgin Atlantic?
• Virgin Trains – Virgin making trains sexy in the United Kingdom.
• V2 Music – Largest UK based independent recording label.
• Virgin Active – Chain of fitness clubs throughout the United Kingdom.
• Virgin Galactic – Branson’s planned affordable flight to space venture.
• Ulusaba – Luxury game reserve located in South Africa.
• Necker Island – Branson’s own private island located in the British Virgin Islands.

Saint Patrick “drove” snakes out of Ireland while wearing a Mustache

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=89

St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world’s most popular saints.

Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, 17 March, 461.

Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. This is also a day when everyone’s Irish.

There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick, but this is his story.

Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies.

As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him.

During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote

“The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same.” “I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.”

Patrick’s captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he reunited with his family.

He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him “We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more.”

He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years.

Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick.

Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick’s message.

Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac, (all later canonized as well).

Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461.

He died at Saul, where he had built the first church.

Why a shamrock?

Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and has been associated with him and the Irish since that time.

In His Footsteps:

Patrick was a humble, pious, gentle man, whose love and total devotion to and trust in God should be a shining example to each of us. He feared nothing, not even death, so complete was his trust in God, and of the importance of his mission.

AMI – Mustache of the year voting!

http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/MustacheAmericanOfYear.aspx

Keep an eye out for more info.

Donald Sutherland – Actor, Hollywood Legend and Mustache Walk of Fame

With a career spanning nearly 50 years, Sutherland and his Mustache have starred in such classics like MASH, National Lampoon Animal House and JFK. Great actor and even a greater Mustache.

George Carlin – Mustache brought laughter to millions

http://everything2.com/title/Comedy+Central%2527s+100+Greatest+Stand-Ups+of+all+Time

Ranks him second behind Pryor (also wore a Mustache)

http://www.listology.com/list/comedy-central-100-greatest-standups-all-time

Also ranks him second all-time

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/greatest-comedians-of-all-time.html

Once again, ranked second

Happy Veteran’s Day to all, but a special thank you to our Mustache Service Men

Ted Turner – Mustache worth billions

Owned the Atlanta UHF

Owner of WTBS

Owner of CNN

Owner of Turner Outdoor Advertising

Owner of the Atlanta Braves

Founder of the Goodwill Games

Taking the NBA back one Mustache at a time!

There was an era of NBA history when the greats all had one thing in common. It wasn’t their race. Wasn’t where they grew up. But they all wore Mustaches. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson. Dr. J, Moses Malone and even Larry Bird had the Mustache. All of these men are also in the NBA Hall of Fame. This didn’t happen by chance. It happen due to the Mustache. The 1990’s to present time saw a major decline in Mustaches. But the Mustache has made a comeback in the past couple of years.

Lebron James, mad skills, classic peach fuzz Stache going o n!

Pau Gasol proves that not only white boys can still play Basketball, but that men with Mustaches can still play!

Dwight Howard proves that defense starts with a clean-shaven and well-groomed Mustache.

Garnett has dominated the NBA for nearly a decade and a half along with his Mustache.

Mustache Rookie of the Year Candidate John Wall. Wall hopes to lead the new era of Mustaches to glory much like those that came before him.