Day: April 13, 2021

No Smoking

Fandango15 Comments

“Sir, tobacco use is not permitted in this facility,” the nurse said, pointing to the sign.

“But the building is empty,” Clyde said.

“Au contraire, sir,” the nurse said. “We have some patients in the adjoining ward who have pneumonia and are using oxygen, which is very flammable.”

Clyde took a long drag on his cigarette and exhaled the smoke directly into the nurse’s face. “Is that a fact?” He said sarcastically. “Well, let me cogitate on this a bit more.” Then Clyde once again took a deep drag and blew the smoke in the nurse’s face.

A few hours later Clyde woke up. He was lying in a hospital bed, one leg in a cast and elevated off the bed. Standing next to him was the nurse. “Where the hell am I?” Clyde asked, as pain shot from his leg and up his spine.

“You’re in the hospital in a bed with your leg, which is broken in two places, in traction,” the nurse said. “And I have some advice for you, Clyde. In the future, you should make sure the person in whose face you blow your cigarette smoke does not have a black belt in karate.

Written for these daily prompts: Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (tobacco), The Daily Spur (empty), Ragtag Daily Prompt (pneumonia), Your Daily Word Prompt (cogitate), and MMA Storytime (traction).

Truthful Tuesday — R.I.P.

Fandango12 Comments

Frank, aka PCGuy, has published another one of his Truthful Tuesday posts, only this time, Frank has announced that he’s discontinuing this popular prompt. Frank writes that he has become quite disenchanted with WordPress.com, and that he will be looking for alternatives to keep blogging, alternatives that will fit his sensibilities and relatively nonexistent budget.

I can definitely relate, Frank. Between the block editor and unfixed bugs, I’m frustrated with WordPress as well. Still, it’s tough to see a fellow blogger end a popular prompt as he contemplates his next move.

All the best, Frank. Hang in there.

K is for “Kung Fu”

Fandango30 Comments

“Kung Fu” was an American action-adventure, martial arts, Western drama television series. Created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, the series aired on ABC from October 1972 to April 1975 for a total of 63 episodes. Kung Fu was preceded by a full-length  feature television pilot, an ABC Movie of the Week, which was broadcast on February 22, 1972. “Kung Fu” became one of the most popular television programs of the early 1970s, receiving widespread critical acclaim and commercial success upon its release.

The show followed the adventures of , a Shaolin monk, played by David Carradine, who traveled through the American Old West, armed only with his spiritual training and his skill in martial arts. Kwai Chang Caine was the orphaned son of an American man, Thomas Henry Caine (Bill Fletcher), and a Chinese woman, Kwai Lin, in mid-19th-century China. After his maternal grandfather’s death he is accepted for training at a Shaolin Monastery, where he grows up to become a Shaolin priest and martial arts expert. Keye Luke (as the blind Master Po) and Philip Ahn (as Master Kan) were also members of the regular cast.

Although it was his intention to avoid notice, Caine’s training and sense of social responsibility repeatedly forced him out into the open, to fight for justice or protect the underdog. After each such encounter he had to move on, both to avoid capture and prevent harm from coming to those he had helped.

There was some controversy around the show based upon the notion that the series’ idea was “stolen” from Bruce Lee, but also in the fact that he wasn’t cast for the leading role, and that that decision had racial connotations. In an interview, Lee stated that he had developed a concept for a television series called “The Warrior,” meant to star himself, about a martial artist in the American Old West but that he was having trouble pitching it to Warner Brothers and Paramount.

At the time, George Takei (Sulu from Star Trek) and the Association of Asian Pacific American Artists (AAPAA) filed a formal complaint for unfair hiring practices. They wanted an Asian actor in the leading role. But the studio decided to go with Carradine, an American actor in the role of Kwai Change Caine, believing that an American actor would be more acceptable to American audiences.

Previous BATZAP 2021 posts: A B C D E F G H I J

FOWC with Fandango — Tobacco

Fandango20 Comments

FOWCWelcome to April 13, 2021 and to Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (aka, FOWC). It’s designed to fill the void after WordPress bailed on its daily one-word prompt.

I will be posting each day’s word just after midnight Pacific Time (US).

Today’s word is “tobacco.”

Write a post using that word. It can be prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction. It can be any length. It can be just a picture or a drawing if you want. No holds barred, so to speak.

Once you are done, tag your post with #FOWC and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Please check to confirm that your pingback is there. If not, please manually add your link in the comments.

And be sure to read the posts of other bloggers who respond to this prompt. You will marvel at their creativity.