Friday, May 6, 2016

Betty MacDonald and her very witty sister Alison Bard Burnett


Alison S. Beck
Here's a 4 generation picture taken with mom on Vashon
Island (on my 61st birthday in July)--best birthday 
present ever. 
we'd all gathered for Jordan and Thomas' wedding
the day before.
from l to r: Me, Jenny, Jordan, Oliver, Darsie,
Marilyn, Darise Jr., Bard, Matthew. 
in the front: Mom, Carver, Griffin and Courtney
Alison S. Beck's photo.



Betty MacDonald in the living room at Vashon on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post.
Betty MacDonald fan club fans,

i can't wait to see the new Alison Bard Burnett CD/DVD.

Alison Bard Burnett born June 25, 1920 at the family home in Laurelhurst, Washington and passed away December 23rd 2009 at Vashon Community Care Center where she had resided for the past four years.

Alison loved to entertain, was a passionate gardener, fabulous cook, talented decorator, and a gifted writer. She loved music, especially jazz, and was a wonderful dancer. She loved dogs and was a fierce champion of fairness. She will be best remembered for her warmth, generosity and infectious laughter.

We can read this in Alison Bard Burnett's obituary.

 
Alison Bard Burnett was a gifted writer and storyteller.
Alison Bard Burnett wanted to write her autobiography. It's not easy at all to do this if you have two worldfamous sisters, authors Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard.
We all know Alison Bard Burnett never wrote her book but something happend.

Wolfgang Hampel, author of the Betty MacDonald Biography and winner of first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award, interviewed Alison Bard Burnett several times in Seattle in 1996. 


Years later Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund and other Betty MacDonald Fans heard of Wolfgang Hampel's interviews and eventually these Betty MacDonald treasure items had been published on CD and DVD. 

More Wolfgang Hampel interviews will follow. 

Thanks a Million dear Linde Lund and your Betty MacDonald Fan Club Team for doing this!

We guess Alison Bard Burnett would be very surprised about this but you are delighted if you listen to her golden Bard Memories about her father Darsie Bard, who died 6 months before she was born. Alison Bard Burnett's magical stories about her mother Sydney Bard, grandmother Gammy, sister Betty MacDonald, Betty's husbands Robert Eugene Heskett and Donald MacDonald, Betty's daughters Anne and Joan, sister Mary Bard and her husband Dr. Clyde Jensen,. brother Cleve Bard, adopted sister Madge Baldwin, Betty MacDonald's friend Monica Sone, the 'Kettle' family, Nancy and Plum and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle are unique.


The favourite Alison Bard Burnett memories are about her sister Dede whose real name was Dorothea Goldsmith and her very good friend Mike Gordon who felt in love with Betty. 

Especially touching are Alison Bard Burnett's memories of family life in Laurelhurst, Chimacum, the University District in Seattle, on Vashon Island and in Carmel Valley. 

It is moving to see Betty MacDonald's sister Alison Bard Burnett visiting the houses in the University District and Laurelhurst, where she was born. Alison visited it with Wolfgang Hampel. She saw it again for the first time after the Bard family left it. A very special moment!

As other Betty MacDonald and Alison Bard Burnett fans mentioned: 


Betty MacDonald wasn't crazy about Sport. 


Betty MacDonald's very witty sister Alison Bard Burnett was the opposite. She loved it. 

I have to laugh tears about Betty MacDonald's very witty sister Alison Bard Burnett describing the behaviour of men in her interviews with Wolfgang Hampel. This is so real and funny.

Wolfgang Hampel, author of the Betty MacDonald Biography and winner of the first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award founded Betty MacDonald Fan Club and Society in 1983. 


That's what Wolfgang Hampel wrote about his experiences with unique Alison Bard Burnett.

Alison Bard Burnett (June 25, 1920 - December 23, 2009)

I met Alison Bard Burnett in Seattle and we had such a great time. She told the most interesting and very funny treasure stories about her family especially her famous sisters Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard.

We visited all the places, the house in the University District, Roosevelt High School and the house in Laurelhurst where Alison was born 6 months after her father Darsie Bard died.

I won't ever forget it because it was such a wonderful experience to meet this great lady! How we drove with Alison's VW through Seattle. She was full of life and so very, very witty!

Thanks A Million dear Alison! You are always in my heart!!

All my love to you and your wonderful family!

Wolfgang Hampel

As Wolfgang Hampel wrote, Alison Bard Burnett was full of life and so very, very witty. 


Although Alison Bard Burnett never wrote a book of her own she is as popular now as her sisters Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard. 


Alison Bard Burnett's gift as a storyteller delights her fans in 40 countries. 

Alison Bard Burnett is word famous and in our hearts forever! 

CD and DVD interviews are different ones.

New  Betty MacDonald documentary will be very interesting with many new interviews.

Alison Bard Burnett and other Betty MacDonald fan club honor members will be included in Wolfgang Hampel's new project Vita Magica.
 
Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Mr. Tigerli is so very busy now because of his private and many complicated political affairs

Mr. Tigerli is a winner and we know the winner takes it all. 

Don't miss new breakfast with Brad and Nick, please.

Mount Rainier National Park is a magical place.
 
Yours,

Vera 


Don't miss this very special book, please.










Vita Magica 

Betty MacDonald fan club

Betty MacDonald forum  

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) 

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) - The Egg and I 

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )

Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )

Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )

Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )

Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French ) 


Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)

Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University 

Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel 

Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD

Betty MacDonald fan club items 

Betty MacDonald fan club items  - comments

Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I  

Betty MacDonald fan club groups 

Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund  
 
















Rita Knobel Ulrich - Islam in Germany - a very interesting ZDF  ( 2nd German Television ) documentary with English subtitles






            Very exciting ESC 2016 news


Romania expelled from the Eurovision Song Contest
(Picture: YouTube)
For the first time in the 61 year history of the Eurovision Song Contest, a country has been expelled from the competition. Romania has been thrown out of the competition after its national broadcaster TVR failed to make payments to the European Broadcasting Union (the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest) that date as far back as 2007. Romania have one of the strongest Eurovision Song Contest records, having a 100% record for qualifying for the Eurovision final. They were due to take part in the Second Eurovision Song Contest semi final on Thursday 12th May. The running order of the show will not be recast following Romania’s elimination.

Ovidiu Anton was due to represent Romania with his pop-rock entry Moment of Silence. Romania will be silent for a lot longer than a moment. Ovidiu promoted the song at the London Eurovision Party on Sunday and was expected to reach a strong position in the Eurovision final on May 14th. In a statement released moments ago on the European Broadcasting Union website, it says:

TVR will now no longer be able to participate in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest and will lose access to other EBU member services including the Eurovision News and Sports News Exchanges, the right to broadcast specific sporting events, legal, technical and research expertise and lobbying services.
Romanian national broadcaster TVR’s debts to the EBU date back to 2007 and with no other Romanian broadcaster a member of the European Broadcasting Union, it is unlikely that Romania will return to the Eurovision Song Contest for a number of years. ‘This is of course disappointing for the artist chosen to represent Romania, for our colleagues at TVR who have prepared their participation so well this year and, not least, for Romanian viewers and the many Eurovision fans in the country,’ says Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the EBU. Asked what this means for host broadcaster SVT, Sand replied: ‘As with all participants, SVT has been preparing for Romania’s act thoroughly over the past weeks. To take an act out at such late stage is of course a little disruptive, but it will not negatively affect the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in any other way.’ Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest Romania have twice finished third at the Eurovision Song Contest, in 2005 with Luminita Anghel & Sistem with the song Let Me Try and in 2010 with Paula Selling & Ovi and their entry Playing with Fire. Their 2006 entry Tornero by Mihai became one of the biggest summer chart and club hits across Europe in 2006. Mihai took part in the Romanian national final again this year, losing out to Ovidiu. In 2011, Romania was represented by Hotel FM featuring British singer David Bryan. They campaigned extensively in the United Kingdom but failed to pick up any points from the UK, finishing 4th in their semi final, but only 17th in the final.

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/22/romania-expelled-from-the-eurovision-song-contest-5833623/#ixzz46g9XpH39





















Donald Trump backs Brexit: Britain would be better off outside EU, says Republican candidate













Cameron Trump
Donald Trump has waded into the Brexit debate by stating that Britain would be "better off without" the European Union. 
The Republican presidential candidate, said "migration has been a horrible thing for Europe" and that Britain should leave. 
His statement came as David Cameron vowed to oppose Mr Trump's Muslim ban if the billionaire becomes president.
"I think the migration has been a horrible thing for Europe. A lot of that was pushed by the EU," Mr Trump said.
"I would say they are better off without it, personally, but I'm not making that as a recommendation, just my feeling.
"I know Great Britain very well, I know the country very well, I have a lot of investments there.
"I would say that they are better off without it, but I want them to make their own decision."
Mr Trump's comments came two weeks after President Barack Obama, writing in The Daily Telegraph, urged Britain to stay in the EU when it votes on June 23.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump criticised Barack Obama for supporting Mr Cameron in his campaign for Britain to remain in the EU.
"I didn't think it was a good thing for him to do it," he said.
Mr Trump had previously indicated he would not take sides in the Brexit debate.
He said in March: "I don't want to make a comment about the UK leaving, but I think they may leave based on - I'm there a lot, I have a lot of investments in the UK and I will tell you that I think they may leave based on everything I'm hearing."

Mr Cameron said at a press conference on Thursday that he "respects" Mr Trump for “making it through the gruelling nature of the primaries” and becoming the Republican candidate at November’s election.
Mr Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the US came in response to the Isil-inspired terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California.
He called late last year for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” until “we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses”.
He went on to claim that parts of London are "so radicalised" that police officers are "afraid for their own lives".
Appearing at a press conference with Japanese premier Shinzo Abe in Downing Street, Mr Cameron was asked if he owed Mr Trump “an apology”.

Mr Cameron replied: “I have to say that knowing the gruelling nature of the primaries and what you have to go through, anyone who makes it through that extraordinary contest to lead their party into a general election deserves our respect.
"What I said about Muslims, I won't change that view, I'm very clear that the policy idea that was put forward was wrong, is wrong and will remain wrong."
Number 10 sources said later that Mr Cameron was likely to hold off congratulating Mr Trump until the result of the November Presidential election in America.