I'll Put It On The List, Part the Second

 PART 2

 Italy

 

·         World Cup Championship – 1982, 2006: Italy won their 3^rd and 4^th FIFA championships. In 1982, Italy defeated West Germany 3-1 in Spain. In 2006, Italy defeated France 5-3 in Berlin.

·         Vasco Rossi: Popular Italian singer, songwriter and poet. He has over 30 albums and written over 250 songs. He has upcoming concerts and is popular enough to be known by one name: “Vasco” or “Il Blasco.” He’s lived the life of a rock star and can be considered controversial.

·         Berlin Wall up + down

·         Roberto Benigni: Italian Director known for winning the Academy Award in 1999 for Life is Beautiful; he climbed over the backs of chairs and ran around before giving an excited speech. He continues to act and win international awards.

·         Ferrari's victories at F1 Grand Prix: Scuderia Ferrari is the most successful team in Formula 1 history with 241 Grand Prix victories since 1951. Their most successful driver is Michael Schumacher with his 72 wins.

·         Thai Food

·         Star Wars/Trek

·         Nirvana (Band)

·         Rocky (Rocky II?)

·         Troubleman (Soundtrack)

 

Australia and New Zealand

 

·         AC/DC: Tony Stark’s favorite band. Founded by two brothers, Angus and Malcolm Young, they have been rocking the world since 1973. Angus is known for blues-based guitar riffs and a schoolboy uniform. The band suffered a loss in 1979 when lead singer Bon Scott died and Brian Johnson was brought in. The band became even more popular and is still touring today. While the album “Back in Black” is a modern classic, I believe “Ballbreaker” is just as incredible.

·         Space Travel: Refers to The Australian Space Agency that deals with space travel and other aerospace endeavors. It’s only been around since 2008, is well-funded and well-known in the space industry and has produced one trained Australian astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg. The agency is currently headed by Enrico Palermo.

·         Steve Irwin: One of the most popular people in the world, he was a conservationist, TV star, educator, environmentalist and zoo keeper. He became internationally known as The Crocodile Hunter, also the name of his TV show. Irwin dealt with the most dangerous animals in Australia and the world. He was tragically killed doing what he loved by a stingray. His legacy continues with his kids, his son Robert winning Dancing with The Stars.

·         Skippy the Bush Kangaroo: An Australian TV show that ran for 3 seasons beginning in 1968. It was about a young boy named Sonny (played by Garry Pankhurst) and his pet kangaroo, Skippy, in Waratah National Park. It guest-starred many well-known Australians, had over 91 episodes and a movie. It was heavily merchandised, had a fan club and you could buy hundreds of Skippy products.

·         Tim Tams: A popular Australian snack. It’s a chocolate biscuit with a cream filling. It’s made by Arnotts and is considered “Australia’s most loved and most iconic” biscuit. In my research, there’s also something called the “Tim Tam Slam,” where you use the biscuit as a straw to drink coffee or tea. You can buy it in America in stores like Walmart or through Amazon.

·         Thai Food

·         Star Wars/Trek

·         Nirvana (Band)

·         Rocky (Rocky II?)

·         Troubleman (Soundtrack)

 Russia

 

·         Yuri Gagarin: A Soviet Union-era Cosmonaut and pilot from the Cold War in the 1960’s. He was the first human in space, orbiting the earth on April 12, 1961. He became world famous, highly decorated and was a hero in the Soviet Union. He was killed during a training mission aboard a MIG-15 fighter jet crash in 1968.

·         Vladimir Vysotsky: A Soviet singer, poet, writer and actor. He had a huge effect on the Soviet people and their culture, he even commented on political life as well. He was active in film and music from the 1960’s to the 1980’s, when he passed away. He starred in dozens of films in the USSR and released a lot of influential music.

·         Soviet Union Dissolution – 1991: The government of Communist Soviet Union collapses in 1991 after being in power less than a century. It started with the Revolution in 1917 and established itself as a legitimate government. Throughout WWII and the 1950’s, the Soviet Union was controlled by brutal dictator Josef Stalin. The Soviets were on the world stage during the Cold War and Space Race (putting up the first satellite Sputnik). It was then ruled by a series of other Premiers until Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980’s. He was overthrown in 1991 but the coup didn’t last and the Soviet government collapsed.

·         Moscow doesn't believe in tears: An immensely popular Soviet romantic comedy/drama from 1980. It takes place over 20 and involves 3 women moving up in Soviet society. It is one of only four Soviet films to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

·         Disco

·         Thai Food

·         Star Wars/Trek

·         Nirvana (Band)

·         Rocky (Rocky II?)

·         Troubleman (Soundtrack)

 France

 

·         France 98: 1998 FIFA World Cup where France defeated Brazil 3-0. Obviously a big deal in France.

·         Louis de Funes: A French actor and comedian, he is considered France’s favorite actor and worked prolifically. He’s internationally known and starred in over 150 movies and stage productions. He was known primarily for his facial expressions. He died of a heart attack in 1983 and subsequently had 2 museums named after him along with a stamp.

·         Coluche: Another French comedian and actor in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. The name is a parody of the comedian’s own name, Michel Colucci. He was a stand up comedian and movie star, controversial for using profanity during his act. He was also a TV star and even ran for President. He was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1986. He was also known for his philanthropy and ran a charity.

·         Daft Punk: A French artistic/musical duo who wear helmets and shiny costumes. They play electronic dance music and are considered the best. They’ve been around since 1987 but got popular in the 1990’s and have released several albums. They consist of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo.

·         The Fifth Element: A great sci-fi movie from 1997. Directed by Luc Besson with design help from French comic book artist Moebius and costume design by Jean Paul Gaultier. From Wikipedia: “Primarily set in the 23rd century, the plot involves the survival of planet Earth, which becomes the responsibility of Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), a taxi driver and former special forces major, after a young woman named Leeloo (Mila Jovovich) falls into his cab. Dallas joins forces with her to recover four mystical stones essential for the defense of Earth against the impending attack of a malevolent cosmic entity.”

·         Thai Food

·         Star Wars/Trek

·         Nirvana (Band)

·         Rocky (Rocky II?)

·         Troubleman (Soundtrack)

Brazil

·         Ayrton Senna: A record-breaking Formula One driver from 1984 to 1994. Racing for Mclaren, he won 3 Formula One Championships and 41 Grand Prix. He was tragically killed at the San Marino Grand Prix and left behind a great racing legacy.

·         Wagner Moura: A Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Known for the streaming show “Narcos,” he has dozens of acting credits and numerous awards. He actually just won a Golden Globe only a short time ago.

·         Xuxa: I know this name because of an assignment I did for Spanish class.  She’s a Brazilian TV host, actress, singer, etc. Nicknamed “Queen of the Children,” she’s an immensely popular and successful kid’s entertainer, appearing on TV on several shows and movies. She also branched out from music with philanthropy and real estate.

·         Mamonas Assassinas: Formerly known as Utopia, they were a comedy rock band (but utilized many musical styles) from the mid-’90’s. Their name translated into “Killer Big Breasts.”  They only had 2 albums and another two were released posthumously. One of the most popular bands to come out of Brazil, the members of the band were tragically killed in a plane crash in 1996. I really dig this song:

·         Chaves: This refers to a popular Spanish program from the ‘70’s called El Chavo del 8, which means “The kid from number 8.” It’s about a boy called El Chavo and his friends (all adults dressing and acting like little kids) in his poor neighborhood; it’s a slapstick sitcom with heart. The name “Chaves” is the Portuguese translation of the show and continues to air today. It was also recently made into a cartoon series, statues and games.

·         Thai Food

·         Star Wars/Trek

·         Nirvana (Band)

·         Rocky (Rocky II?)

·         Troubleman (Soundtrack)

 

Germany

 

·         Currywurst: A popular German dish consisting of sausage (bratwurst), fries and lots of different curries.

·         Moon Landing

·         Berlin Wall up + down

·         Oktoberfest: The world’s largest and most well-known Beer Fest. It takes place September 19 through October 4 in Munich, Germany. The men usually wear traditional German clothing like lederhosen and the women waitresses dress like beer wenches. Originating in 1810 (which probably meant Cap heard of Octoberfest, the Allies were fighting the Nazis), it’s still active and popular today.

·         Disco

·         Thai Food

·         Star Wars/Trek

·         Nirvana (Band)

·         Rocky (Rocky II?)

·         Troubleman (Soundtrack)


And yes, Troubleman is up next!