40: Alf

 

79: Stephen King

 

75: Elvira

 

86: Battle Of Britain

 

Today (September 15th) is the 86th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

It remembers how on September 15, 1940 the largest German Air Attack occurred over Great Britain during World War 2.

The Germans launched the Battle of Britain July 10-October 31, 1940 to try and weaken British Defenses before a possible German Invasion of the mainland of the UK could take place (the Germans already occupied the British Channel Islands in June 1940.)

On September 15, 1940 1,500 German planes bombed London with 630 British and Allied Aircraft defending against them.

The British won the day thanks to the Airmen in the air and the vast Air Defense System known as the Dowding System on the ground – with thousands of Men and Women.

The Germans moved away from the Battle of Britain and trying to invade the UK to the Blitz and just trying to kill as many British Men, Women and Children they could.

During the Battle of Britain 1,542 British, Free Poles, Free French, New Zealanders, Canadians, Free Czechoslovaks, Free Belgians, Australians, South Africans, and Americans were killed and another 422 were wounded.

During the Battle of Britain 23,002 British Men, Women and Children were killed and another 32,138 were wounded.

The Blitz lasted from September 7, 1940-May 11, 1941.

During the Blitz 43,000 British Men, Women and Children were killed and another 139,000 were injured.

Note: America was Neutral from September 1, 1939-December 7, 1941 so didn’t actively participate in the Battle of Britain or the Blitz (only American Volunteers did.)

The 1969 British Film “Battle of Britain” with Michael Caine, Laurence Oliver, Christopher Plummer Susannah York, Trevor Howard and more depicts the events of the Battle of Britain.

 

25: Effects

100 Million Americans (out of a population of 330 Million) have no memory of the 9-11 Attacks because they were either Babies when it happened or born after they happened.

For them the slogan “Never Forget” means little because they can’t remember.

Even 25 years later 9-11 continues to shape US Domestic Politics across the country and US International Policies across the world.

That’s why we all (those who were alive and those who were born after the Attacks) need to know what happened on 9-11-01 and what we have done in the past 25 years.

It may seem, for some, to just be a date in a History Book, but it literally dictates your daily life today (ie. when you fly on a plane, get a Driver’s License, Vote,  etc.)

25: 9-11

 

25: Ukraine

Ukraine stood with the United States on 9/11 and 25 years later we stand with Ukraine.

In 2001 the US faced pure evil and in 2022-2023- 2024- 2025-2026 Ukraine faces pure evil.

60: Star Trek

 

AfD

The Alternative for Germany (German: Alternative für Deutschland) or AfD just won the Election in the German State of Saxony-Anhalt.

(One of many Rallies held across Germany in 2026 after the AfD won in the Saxony-Anhalt State Election.

in Saxony-Anhalt is the 8^th largest State in Germany with a population of 2.14 Million People.

Its State Capital is Magdeburg.

From 1945-1990 it was part of Communist East Germany.

AfD won received 43.8% of the vote in the State Election last Sunday so they did not receive a Majority and need another Party to help them govern in the State.

It is the first time that a Neo-Nazi Party won a State or Federal Election in Germany.

What is the AfD?

The AfD is a Neo-Nazi Party created on February 6, 2013.

It follows a belief of “Völkisch Nationalist” (German: Völkischer Nationalismus) or that Germany should only be for the Germans not only by getting rid of Legal Immigrants but also by using the same basic Racial Policies that the Nazis used from 1933-1945 to determine who is a “Pure German” and which led to the Holocaust and the Murder of 6 Million Jews, 1 Million Roma and Sinti, 10 Million Slavs, etc.

In short the AfD is:

Against Non-Germans legally living in Germany

Against Germany being part of the European Union

Against Germany being part of the Schengen Travel Area

Against Germany using the Euro

Against Germany being part of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Is Pro-Russia

Is Anti-United States of America

Want to reintroduce Forced Russian Language Classes in all Schools the way it was in Communist East Germany from 1945-1990

Want to make Gay Marriage Illegal again (it has been legal in Germany since 2017)

Want to make it illegal to be Homosexual - the way it was in Germany from 1871 until 1994 under Paragraph 175 (which saw Homosexuals not only arrested but also murdered under the Nazis)

In December 2023, AfD distributed a flier in Gifhorn titled "Kindheit unterm Regenbogen" ("Childhood Under the Rainbow"), linking the queer community to pedophilia and genital mutilation, speaking of a "rainbow regime.”

Want to ban the flying of the Gay Pride Rainbow Flag in Germany

Alice Weidel, Co-Chairwomen of AfD since 2022 is an open Lesbian with 2 Children.

According to her own AfD Party they would arrest her for being Gay and force her to stay in the Kitchen and not work.

Want to end Germany’s “Culture of Shame” that has been around since 1945 and the World learned that the Germans murdered 20 Million Men, Women and Children.

Are Anti-Semitic (Anti-Jewish) and believe “the Holocaust is propaganda of the Allied Powers (ie the Americans, British, French and Soviets) -according to 10 AfD Leaders who were part of the Facebook Group “The Patriots.”

These 10 Leaders used a Meme of the Holocaust Victim Anne Frank's face edited on a pizza box labelled with the German equivalent of "fresh from the oven."

Believe in Holocaust Denial

Björn Höcke an AfD Leader was fined 13,000 Euros  in 2023 by the German Courts for using Nazi Slogans supporting “Lebensraum” (taking over more living space) and “Alles für Deutschland” or Everything for Germany.

Do not believe Germany should have Holocaust Memorials or Museums

Want to make it illegal to have Kosher Food in Germany

They are anti-Israel

Are Anti-Muslim and want to ban Halal Food in Germany

They used the following slogan on a billboard (in German): “"Islam does not belong to Germany. Its expansion and the ever-increasing number of Muslims in the country are viewed by the AfD as a danger to our state, our society, and our values.”

In January 2025 they distributed flyers resembling flight tickets labeled "Abschiebetickets" ("Deportation Tickets") in mailboxes with Muslim-sounding Last Names

Want to ban Abortion across Germany

Want to ban Circumcision across Germany

Believes Women should only be in the Kitchen cooking and raising Children – not working

Want to bring back Military Conscription in Germany (which was ended in 2011

If you think the Nazis can't happen again think again.

The Nazis started in the 1920s and didn't get a full majority of votes in the Elections but still managed to take over all of Germany and murder Millions of Men, Women and Children.

I believe the AfD are capable of the same.

57: ATM

 

57 years ago today (September 2, 1969) the first Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was used in the United States.

It was only 2 months since the Americans put the first Men on the Moon and it was at a time when American Women had to have Male Permission for everything from Getting their Own Passport to opening a Bank Account.

Unmarried Women had to have their Father or Brother’s permission and Married Women had to have their Husband’s permission.

Chemical Bank (now part of JP Morgan) installed a prototype ATM in the US at its branch in Rockville Centre, New York.

 The first ATMs were designed to dispense a fixed amount of cash when a User inserted a specially coded card.

A Chemical Bank advertisement boasted "On Sept. 2 our Bank will open at 9:00 and never close again.”

ATMs turned Banking from a 9 am to 3 pm chore (at a time when 99% of Americans used cash to buy things) to a 24/7 service.

The only catch was that ATMs only accepted Cards from their own Bank.

It wasn’t until the late 1970s that you could use your Card in any ATM regardless of which Bank owned it.

There are currently 330,535 ATMs across the US and 4.2 Million around the World.

American Winter

 

Peter Cullen

 

Accept Everyone

Dolly Parton accepted everyone.

 

She accepted you if you were:

Gay

Straight

Southerner

Not Southerner

Black

Hispanic

Latino

Asian

White

Republican

Democrat

Independent

Religious

Not Religious

Rich

Poor

Homeless

Hungry

Illiterate

A Veteran

Female

Male

Disabled

Not Disabled

 

We need to ALL be more like how Dolly Parton was.

Like make September 25th  (9-25) Dolly Parton Day.

Dolly Tributes

From Yahoo:

“Dolly Parton tributes include Dionne Warwick, Kacey Musgraves, Jane Fonda and Vince Gill”

Stars are paying tribute to Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, at 80. Parton was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics. Here is a roundup of notable reactions to Parton's death and legacy:

Dionne Warwick, singer "The Heavenly Father has made the decision to bring another of his children to him. Dolly a true child of God is in the best hands now." — via statement

Paul McCartney, singer-songwriter "Her songwriting, her singing and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly. She was a very clever business woman who understood the value of her music and, most importantly, the effect that she had on the people of the world. There was no greater honour for me than to have her sing my song 'Let It Be' and, even though I only made a small contribution to it, I am so honoured that she did it." — via Instagram.

Jane Fonda, actor and activist "I never knew anyone like her. She was simultaneously a naughty, playful southern gal from the hollows of Tennessee and a deep, soulful thinker who could see through people right down to their true selves. She was many things … lyricist, songstress, player of many instruments, writer, prankster, visionary, loyal friend, who'd never go to bed before she and her friends had laughed so hard they'd have to cross their legs." — via Instagram.

Linda Ronstadt, singer-songwriter "I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, Dolly Parton. One of the most extraordinary musical experiences of my life was recording with her. The world is a poorer place without her." — via statement

Bette Midler, actor and singer "Our beloved Dolly Parton has died. I am devastated, and I'm sure the nation will mourn her as I do, and for many years to come. She had a voice of pure gold and a heart to match. What a terrible, terrible loss." — via Instagram

Kelly Clarkson, singer "Dolly Parton had a way of making everyone feel special, and seen, and welcomed, and as if you were old friends. I will miss her heart and her voice as I am sure millions will. What an incredible gift and talent she was and still is with an amazing catalogue of art she has left behind for all of us." — via X

Melissa Etheridge, singer-songwriter "Words fail me today, words to describe the spirit that was Dolly. I was blessed with knowing her, just a little. We all were. I will strive the rest of my days to be as joyful and loving as she was. Her talent and gifts she gave us will live on for generations. We are a better world because she walked among us. May she live in the stars of the night and in the light of our days." — via X

Kristin Chenoweth, actor and singer "Like the rest of the world, I'm immediately heartbroken. I met Dolly on several occasions and she always made me feel like one of her own. She even agreed to sing with me on one of my records. My ultimate inspiration. The world has lost one of the best but I know we will never forget her because she is impossible to forget. I love you Dolly and I will ALWAYS love you." — via X

Vince Gill, musician "We are all crushed here at our house. One of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard was when Dolly and I sang that last note of 'I Will Always Love You' the year we performed it on the CMA Awards." — via a statement

Maggie Rogers, singer-songwriter "One of the greatest songwriters of all time beautiful radiant butterfly human. I played with her at Newport once and I felt like my chest was on fire. I was so wildly awe struck. thank you thank you a million times, dolly." — via Instagram

Elizabeth Banks, actor "This is a really hard one today. Dolly Parton in show business is like the only person to aspire to be. She is the most kind, the most loving, the most talented, the most generous, the most inclusive, the most resilient, the most gritty. She was undeniably a force of nature." — via Instagram

Kacey Musgraves, singer "The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden." — via X

Blake Shelton, singer and judge on 'The Voice' "I can say with absolute certainty that we are all feeling the same heart brokenness today. I only got to spend any real time with Dolly when Gwen and I got to work with her on 'The Voice.' I want everyone to know that she was the EXACT person that you think she is. It was like being with the funnest, most loving, most caring and closest member of your family. Truly a loss for the entire world. We love you Dolly." — via X

Seth MacFarlane, director and actor "The news of Dolly Parton's passing is devastating. I had the extraordinary experience of working with her on 'The Orville,' and it was a joy to discover that she really was exactly the person we all hoped she was. Her kindness, generosity, and authenticity were evident from moment one, and the benign yet assured command she maintained over her empire was obvious from the genuine love and trust you could see from everyone who worked for her. The world is a dimmer place today without her." — via X

Reba McEntire, singer and actor "Well, I just got the news that my buddy Dolly passed onto the higher and greater side. Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth. Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart. There will never ever be another you." — via X

Colman Domingo, actor "Dolly taught us that you can be anything and do anything and to do it with kindness. What a light. We are all grateful that we lived in a time of Dolly Parton. We will always love her." — via X

Ken Burns, filmmaker behind the "Country Music" documentary miniseries "One of twelve children raised in a cabin, Dolly Parton left home carrying nothing but songs to become the most beloved figure in American music. She wrote 'I Will Always Love You' as a goodbye to Porter Wagoner. Today it belongs to all of us." — via X

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/articles/dolly-parton-country-legend-sang-181417714.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Dolly In Pictures

From the BBC:

“Dolly Parton: A life in pictures”

Dolly Parton, the country music superstar from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most beloved entertainers in the world.

(Dolly Parton, bottom right, aged five)

Over a career spanning more than 60 years, she sold more than 100 million records, wrote more than 3,000 songs and won 11 Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement honour.

Yet she has always described herself first and foremost as a songwriter. "It's my way of expressing myself. It's my therapy," she once said.

(Dolly Parton upper right in the back and family at Christmas in 1960)

Dolly Parton grew up in poverty in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, the fourth of 12 children.

(Dolly Parton, aged 14, at Sevier County High School in 1960)

She performed on local radio and television as a child and recorded her first single at 13.

(Dolly Parton pictured in 1965)

After moving to Nashville the day after graduating from Sevier County High School, Dolly Parton scored her first solo hit with Dumb Blonde in 1966.

(Country singer Dolly Parton and her collaborator Porter Wagoner perform onstage in circa 1967.)

In 1967, country star Porter Wagoner invited Parton to join The Porter Wagoner Show, giving her a regular role on his nationally syndicated television programme as well as a place in his touring stage show.

Her breakthrough came with the album Hello, I'm Dolly.

(Parton performing at the Grand Ole Opry)

Dolly Parton became a member of the Grand Ole Opry on January 4, 1969.

She has described the Opry as the "church of my heart" and said performing there was a lifelong dream.

In one remarkable 1973 writing session, Parton penned two of her signature hits – Jolene and I Will Always Love You.

Having written thousands of songs across her decades-long career, Parton said songwriting was her greatest form of self-expression.

Known for her larger-than-life image, Dolly Parton combined rhinestones, wit and charm to sustain a career that crossed from country to mainstream pop.

She headlined festivals and became a global star with albums such as Here You Come Again.

(Kenny Rogers performing with Parton in New York around 1985)

Parton also became known for memorable collaborations, notably with Kenny Rogers, whose duet Islands in the Stream became one of the defining hits of the 1980s.

While Dolly Parton is best known for her decades-spanning music career, her work as an actor has also left a lasting impression on film audiences.

(Workplace comedy film 9 to 5 starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Dabney Coleman)

Parton's breakout screen role came in the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5, where she starred alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman.

Her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes combined comic timing with warmth, helping to redefine expectations of performers crossing over from music into film.

(Steel Magnolias starred Parton, Shirley Maclaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts and Daryl Hannah)

She followed this with roles in films such as The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, alongside Burt Reynolds, and Steel Magnolias.

The latter featured an ensemble cast including Julia Roberts and Sally Field alongside Sylvester Stallone.

In these performances, Parton demonstrated a balance of humour and emotional depth, often anchoring scenes with a distinctly understated presence.

In 1986 Dolly Parton opened Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near her birthplace.

It became a major tourist attraction - one of the most visited regional theme parks in the USA.

The park's success helped fund Parton's charitable foundation and literacy programme.

Through her Imagination Library, founded in honour of her father who could not read, Dolly Parton has given away more than 100 million free books to children around the world.

Her own book, Coat of Many Colours, was the 100 millionth book that programme donated to the US Library of Congress collection.

A council in Scotland announced it would dedicate a day to Dolly Parton every year to mark the impact of her reading scheme.

Parton personally donated millions to medical research and disaster relief.

The singer also led several major disaster-relief efforts, most notably creating the My People Fund after the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires which distributed about $10m to families who lost homes.

She lined up an all-star list of performers for a three-hour telethon to raise money.

In 2024, she pledged $2m for Hurricane Helene relief in East Tennessee and Appalachia, combining a personal donation with matching support from her businesses and foundation.

(Parton performed in the "legends slot" at Glastonbury in 2014)

Parton's 2014 Glastonbury Festival appearance quickly became one of the defining "Legends" slot performances in the event's history.

Drawing one of the festival's biggest-ever daytime crowds - estimated at more than 180,000 - she turned the Pyramid Stage into a mass singalong, with renditions of Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You prompting scenes of near-universal audience participation.

In 2019, Parton celebrated 50 years as an Opry member with a major televised special called Dolly Parton: 50 Years at the Opry.

The event featured performances and tributes from other country artists.

Her decades-spanning relationship with the Opry helped cement its status as both a guardian of country music tradition and a stage for modern stars.

Parton gradually began to step away from major touring, saying she no longer wanted to spend long stretches on the road.

Instead, she focused on selective live shows, new recording projects and screen appearances including Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, Mountain Magic and Christmas on the Square for Netflix.

(Dolly Parton encouraged her fans to get the Covid vaccine during the pandemic)

In 2021, Parton publicly received a Covid-19 vaccine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, using the moment to encourage others to do the same.

She sang an adapted version of her hit Jolene, singing: "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you, please don't hesitate."

Parton's 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame marked a characteristically self-aware turn.

Having initially said she had not "earned" the honour, she later embraced it with humour - declaring "I'm a rock star now" - before performing her new song Rockin', written especially for the ceremony, a symbolic step toward her later rock album Rockstar.

In 2023, Parton delivered another headline-grabbing live moment when she performed at the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving halftime show, appearing in a rhinestone-studded Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders outfit.

More recently, Parton continued to balance personal loss with new creative work.

Following the death of her husband Carl Dean in 2025, she released If You Hadn't Been There in tribute, while also continuing development of Dolly: A True Original Musical, the stage production based on her life and career.

In early 2026, Parton gave a pre-recorded tribute speech for Ozzy Osbourne at the BRIT Awards in Manchester, where Ozzy received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award.

Her speech was short but was one of the emotional highlights of the ceremony.

Parton had been due to return to the stage for a short Las Vegas residency, but announced this month that she was cancelling the run because of health issues, telling fans she needed "a little more time to heal".

She will remain a cultural icon remembered for her generosity and humour, as well as her extraordinary songwriting - the craft at the heart of a catalogue that has shaped modern country music and crossed generations.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx2k07g6ldo

Dolly Parton

 

Legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has died at age 80.

Parton's career spanned decades and included Grammy wins, film roles and, later in life, a musical inspired with her life titled “Dolly.”

Parton was preceded in death by her Husband of more nearly 60 years, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in March 2025.

35: America

As an American and someone who still believes in Democracy I fully-support Ukraine against Russia today (Ukraine's 35th Independence Day) and always!

77: Shelley Long

 

95: Barbara Eden

 

Marion Stokes

Marion Stokes

Marion Stokes was born Marion Butler on November 25, 1929 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

She graduated the Philadelphia High School for Girls.

Stokes worked as a librarian for the Free Library of Philadelphia for almost 20 years.

Stokes started the taping project because she became convinced there was a lot of detail in the news at risk of disappearing forever.

Family outings with her Husband and Children were planned around the length of a VHS tape.

Every 6 hours, when the tapes ran out, Stokes and her Husband switched them out.

Later in life, when she was less agile, Stokes trained a Helper to do the task for her.

The Archives grew to about 71,000 tapes VHS and Betamax tapes (up to eight hours each) stacked in her home and apartments she rented just to store them.

She began recording the news non-stop in 1979 during the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

 Some of Stokes's tape collection consisted of 24/7 coverage of Fox, MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, CNBC, and other networks—recorded on up to eight separate VCRs in her house.

Stokes's final recording took place on December 14, 2012, as she was dying; it captured coverage of the Sandy Hook School Massacre.

Stokes bequeathed the entire tape collection to her son Michael Metelits, with no instructions other than to donate it to a Charity of his choice.

After considering potential Recipients, Metelits gave the collection to the Internet Archive one year after Stokes's death.

Four shipping containers were required to move the collection to Internet Archive's headquarters in San Francisco, a move that cost her estate $16,000.

A Documentary about her life, “Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project” was directed by Matt Wolf  and premiered in 2019.