TGIF

Well I don't know if anyone out there believes in UFO's but I do. Yeah, I know it's crazy to think there could be any intelligent life forms outside of the Human Race. I mean, really...... The picture below was taken by Voyager 1 almost 4 billion miles from Earth and from there it looks pretty small..In fact the picture was dubbed "The Pale Blue Dot"

Carl Sagan, reflecting on this image said: " Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us. It's been said that astronomy is a humbling, and I might add, a character-building experience. To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known. "

Well, he certainly had no faith that aliens from another planet were ready to help! I think it's a job we have to take on..and pretty soon.

There are those, including a former President of the USA, that think that Aliens have visited our little blue oasis in the universe...



How are we ever going to save ourselves from ourselves?

Detroit Breakdown-Motor City Shakedown

Searching for good real estate buys. maybe you should be shopping in Detroit..I just read an article in the China Daily News...I guess this wasn't something the American Public is ready for but Houses are selling for less than Cars in the "Motor City." This doesn't bode well for what once was the Industrial Heartland of the USA. The failing automobile industry has laid thousands of workers off. People, unable to pay mortgages, see their houses end up in auction.

"At least 16 Detroit houses up for sale on Sunday sold for $30,000 or less."

"A boarded-up bungalow on the city's west side brought $1,300. A four-bedroom house near the original Motown recording studio sold for $7,000."

What will likely happen here is that conditions will get worse and speculators/investors will feed off the misfortune of people that were unable to make that house payment. Maybe dad worked for FORD and lost his job to someone making cars in Mexico or Canada.

Another story by CNBC correspondent Sharon Epperson :Reports on the sagging prices for Real Estate in the Detroit area. She focused on the Million Dollar mansions that are up for sale at bargain prices. Her article is more like a sales pitch for a 30 room, 2 acre mansion that's been up for sale for 2 years now.

Too bad the leaders of our Government and Industry have been so hell bent on the continuing dependence on oil and the internal combustion engine that we haven't been the leaders in a much needed industrial boom in alternative energies and fuel efficient cars.

Instead we are focused on being the World Police and producing and selling enough weapons to keep that industry alive and well. In a 2006 report the USA led other nations in Arms Sales at over 97 Billion dollars worth or 36% of total arms sales worldwide. Russia only accounted for 16% and the peaceful French a mere 11%, or 30 billion.

So an American City once famous for it's cars dies slowly. It's industry, like the dinosaur, could not or would not adapt to the ever changing world. A place once alive with busy factories and where Music too once called home is now just up for auction. It's truly a Motor City Shakedown.

Gail's Benefit and Sorry St. Patrick

Well, it's been 5 days since my last post....wait this sounds like a confession!!

I've been sick and the mind has been blank,I hope all that visited in the past few days were able to craft some nice Shakesperean Insults. I totally missed any celebrating on St. Patty's day and as I'm part Irish that in itself is almost a sin , maybe this is a confession ....

I did however make it to the Benefit for the Tanzanian Hope Fund...Awesome turnout, a great time and I think a big success...A lot of mouths will be fed. The entertainers were wonderful and I can't wait for the next one...Kinda wish Gail could come back and speak about her work over there..It would be great to give her a hug too.

Reading a book by Deepak Chopra titled "The Return Of Merlin" I've never read anything by Chopra but this seems to be pretty good so far...the following really parallels my thoughts exactly:

" What society thinks of as reality is the hypnosis of social conditioning, an induced fiction in which we are all collectively participating. It is the melodrama of a humdrum existence, filled with trite obsessions and trivial pursuits, wherein our only fate is to be born, grow old, and die."

"If we could just realize it, the keys to the miracle of life lie in our own consciousness."

"Life will bestow miracles on us when we begin to see it as an expression of the miraculous. Life itself is a miracle. We are here now---that is a miracle"

Okay, can't give you the whole book but I'll let you know what I think of the rest!!

Insults Shakespeare Style

Hear me NOW! thou impertinent sheep-biting canker blossoms!!

Oh, that felt good...Yes you too can insult people with all the flair of Shakespeare. We grow weary of the same old tired sayings like "He's a couple sandwiches short of a picnic" or "Your mother wears army boots.." Hell today she may very well wear army boots. Now you can really dress up your insults. After you read this: "Go bathe thyself, thou ill-nurtured, fly bitten foot licker and visit Shakesperean Insults and you can fire off some good ones

pic listed as public domain

Tanzanian Hope Fund

I just received a letter from my friend Gail in Tanzania and she has thanked everyone for their comments on my last post...and while she told me NOT to put her joke up it seems to me everyone that read it were happy they did. Plus, she's in Tanzania and she can't stop me from doing it ..HAHA. I will probably set up a page for just her pictures and some of the things she is and has been doing since September 2006. Right now I'd just like to show you some more of the photos she's sent me and some excerpts from her letters:

Our newest Orphan, only 10 days old.

"THIS IS THE AFRICAN "HILTON" ON THE WAY TO THE ARUSHA ORPHANAGE"---and below
This IS "46TH STREET, NYC.," JUST BEFORE THE ARUSHA ORPHANAGE!!!!

JUST GIVING YOU A FEEL FOR LIFE IN TANZANIA !!



The girls cooking the Kibowa (Arusha) Orphanage

The 2 "MAMAS" at this orphanage presented Gail with a Konga, a 2 piece traditional dress, as a way for them to say Thanks to Gail and all those who have helped..In Gail's letter she said "The Mamas sewed it themselves" ..."It was such a Gift" There's a picture of her wearing it in previous post.

The Gifts people make themselves are always the most cherished ones!

There's a benefit for Gail's Tanzanian HopeFund in Gloucester, MA on Sunday..March 18th at from 3-6pm .

UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS FUNDRAISER,?
PERHAPS YOU COULD SEND A CONTRIBUTION TO GAIL BY MAIL

MAKE CHECK OUT TO THE TANZANIAN HOPE FUND.

P.O. BOX 872, GLOUCESTER, MA 01931

"I LOVE YOU ALL, I NEED YOU ALL, I THANK YOU ALL.........MAMA GAILSIE"

(THE HOME KNOWS YOU ARE ALL ANGELS....AS I DO)

More details .....
GREAT PARTY TO BENEFIT THE “TANZANIAN HOPE FUND”, ESTABLISHED BY GAIL AHERN, HELPING ORPHANS IN TANZANIA.

The Benefit :
WHEN? SUNDAY, MARCH 18. 2007 AT 3 – 6 PM

WHERE? RHUMB LINE (upstairs), RAILROAD AVE. IN GLOUCESTER

PROGRAM:

• MUSICAL GUESTS: – BARBARA KOEN

with DAVID KOEN (GUITAR)

- JIMMY LOUNSBURY
and FRIENDS

(KEYBOARDS, VIOLIN)

• READING OF GAIL’S LETTERS FROM TANZANIA
• RICH LOTTERY WITH GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES
• OTHER SURPRISES AND FUN

Flying in to Tampa

A jumbo jet is just coming into the Tampa Airport on its final
approach. The pilot comes on the intercom, "This is your
Captain. We're on our final descent into Tampa. I want to thank
you for flying with us today and I hope you enjoy your stay
in Tampa Bay".

He forgets to switch off the intercom. Now the whole plane can
hear his conversation from the cockpit. The copilot says to
the pilot, "Well, skipper, watcha gonna do in Tampa?"

"Well," says the skipper, "first I'm gonna check into the hotel
and take a big crap.... then I'm gonna take that new stewardess
with the huge tits out for dinner..... then I'm gonna wine
and dine her, take her back to my room and put it to her big
time all
night."

Everyone on the plane hears this and immediately begins looking
up and down the aisle trying to get a look at the new
stewardess.

Meanwhile the new stewardess is at the very back of the plane.
She's so embarrassed that she starts to run to try and get to
the cockpit to turn the intercom off. Halfway down the aisle,
she trips over an old lady's bag and down she goes.

The old lady leans over and says: "No need to hurry, dear.
He's gotta take a shit first.

This Joke was sent to me by my late girlfriend's Mom, she now works as a missionary to orphans in Tanzania. Incredible how she maintains her sense of humor.

She cooks....





Helps with surgery assisting Dr. Sam who I met last year when he was getting some help from some of the Boston Area hospitals.

Gail and Sam delivering shoes to one of the Orphanages.

Gail in traditional Tanzanian Garb with 2 of her Angels

Gail is over 60 years old...She'll probably whack me for saying that..but her love for these children knows no limits and I am proud of her and all she is doing to spread her loving spirit .

We'll be having a party to support Gail's efforts in Gloucester, Massachusetts on Sunday, March 18th..If you live in the area or are interested in what Gail is doing in Tanzania you can email me at:
glosta161-at-gmail-DOT-com

You'll want to change the "-at-" to "@" and the " -DOT-" to " ."

Voting, Losing and The C Word,- No not THAT one

The voting continues and I am sure that by Monday we will have a good idea which of the "Issues" I've presented in my Poll are considered to be the "Biggest Problem Facing The World" Now I know I haven't put all the issues up there, but believe me, we will get to the bottom of it..Monday's post will point us in the right direction..

My BIGGEST problem now is that I failed to win the Mega Million Jackpot tonight, again !!

My Losing Ticket !!

They aren't my real numbers, I'm too superstitious to post them. Of course now these numbers will probably come out next time!! If YOU use them and win...remember where you got them !!

Final thought of the moment.... I Watched a great documentary today called "TheCorporation" It was a Sundance Film Festival Winner in 2003 so I guess I'm a bit late seeing it; however , for those who haven't you can download it free at Bit Torrent

What's In Your Milk??

So Far Global Warming is Ahead...

I'm hoping for more voting on my last Post. It seems that people are only allowed to vote once from their computer, which is good if you are the only one that uses it. I'll try another polling widget in the future, however, the map that Blogflux uses with their poll is kinda cool and I wouldn't want the same visitors making multiple votes...

I am surprised that slave trading, yes it still happens, hasn't registered even one vote.

Also, while the Anna Nicole choice was a bit of comedy, I do believe the world faces an increasing number of people who feed off Tabloid News..I do believe they represent a growing problem. If you haven't voted yet...PLEASE DO, as of 9AM Thursday, March 1st..there have only been 15 votes..VOTE today!!