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BLAINESWORLD
#669
7.27.2009 In this issue: 1. Reflections 2. FYI 3. Some rules just need revisiting 4. Reviews . . . THE UGLY TRUTH, etc. 5. TV alert 6. Palin update 7. Websites 8. Computer tip 9. Couplets 10. A quote I like 11. Thought for the day 12. Advance planning department _________________________________________________________ 1. Reflections A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I chose not to go into Asheville for this year's Bele Chere celebration . . . for those not familiar with the event, that's when thousands of folks come into town to enjoy four stages of free live music, street entertainers, arts, crafts and a lively children's area . . . for more information or in case you want to come next year (when we'll probably check it out again), please click: http://www.belecherefestival.com/ Instead, on Saturday, we went with our friends Bob and Leslie for dinner at Thai Spice in Hendersonville . . . we had originally planned to go elsewhere, but when we couldn't get a reservation at the original place, we chose this one . . . and we were all pleasantly surprised. The decor is attractive, the service is friendly and the food is excellent . . . we liked the fact that each of the dishes contained a lot of vegetables (something you often don't see), and there's another nice feature . . . for almost any dish, you can have your choice of sauces . . . in addition, these sauces can be served with no spice up to a lot of spice. For more information, please click: www.thaispicenc.com From there, we went a few blocks to the Hendersonville Little Theater . . . this is the third time we've been there, and we have never seen a show that we didn't like. The string continued with ON GOLDEN POND, the love story between a couple who have come for the 48th year to spend the summer in their home on the water . . . you may be familiar with the movie version of this play, starring Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn . . . those roles here were played by Sy Berg and Nancy Colangione, and they both did an excellent job . . . we also liked the work of Charlie Martin, who nearly stole every scene he was in. Unfortunately, we saw the above on the last night of its run . . . however, do be on the lookout for the upcoming production of GOD'S FAVORITE by Neil Simon . . . it's slated to run from September 18 to October 4 . . . for more information, please click: http://www.hendersonvillelittletheatre.org B. On Sunday, we visited our friends Debbie and Nick's " Hole in the Sky," the name they call their home in Burnsville . . . we thought we'd have a nice relaxing day, but can you believe it they put us to work? We had to do some farming, tend to the goats, operate the tractor, etc. . . . in fact, that's us hard at work:  OK, ok . . . just kidding about the work part . . . that picture was somewhat "staged," in case you could not figure that out . . . but overall, we had a blast . . . and their home, which they built from scratch, just had to be seen to be believed. The views, in particular, were breathtaking . . . the home is located some 4,500 feet up in the air . . . see below for a picture of our gracious hosts on their deck, giving you some idea of what we could see:  C. I'm so glad to be able to reports lots of good news . . . personally,
I came back with some better numbers from my recent visit to the doctor . . . my cholesterol numbers, while still not where I want them to be, have improved dramatically from where they were a year ago . . . I'm now at 226, total; 146, LDL; 70, HDL; and 49, triglycerides . . . my Vitamin D level was tested for the first time ever (something that I'm glad my new doctor, Dr. Weizman, had checked) . . . that result came back at 20.6, which is low . . . so I was told to start taking 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 on a daily basis. Overall, Cynthia and I have been impressed by Dr. Weizman and his staff . . . for more information and/or an appointment, call 828.252.2511. CONGRATULATIONS to my following friends and colleagues at Bucks County Community College: * Allen Hoey, whose eighth book, ONCE UPON A TIME AT BLANCHE'S, was recently published by Tamarack Editions . . . for more information and/or to order your own copy, please click: http://tinyurl.com/mgrekz . * Kathleen Dominick, who was elected board president of the Bucks County Economic Development Corporation, the first woman to hold the post in its 51-year history. * Kat Morgan, who won a scholarship to attend the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania's annual convention June 22 -23. She is the grandmother of a survivor. Plans are underway to start a support group in Upper Bucks for teens and young adults with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Contact Kat at 215.968.8144. * Kelly Gredone, Business Studies, Marilyn Puchalski, Learning Resources, and Jim Sell, Lower Bucks Campus, who won a prestigious Judges’ Choice Award June 11 at the New Media Consortium Conference in Monterey, Ca., for their Mashing It Up interactive session. Mike DiFiori, Public Relations and Marketing Communications, developed the graphic used on postcards, posters and tee-shirts. And, also, KUDOS to two of my friends not affiliated with the College: * Anh Le Molloy, who was named District Manager for Arbonne. * Edwin Knight, whose company (EventQuip) recently received the 2009 Philadelphia International Special Events Society Award for Best Tenting Production. D. CONDOLENCES to Betsy Sell and family on the loss of Betsy's mother, Susan Edwards . . . the family requests memorial donations be made in her name to the Katherine Sell Memorial Scholarship, c/o Bucks County Community College Foundation, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940. ***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD ***** This week, it goes to Caroline Witek--a Customer Support employee with one of my favorite online companies (restaurant.com). I recently had a problem with a discount coupon I had purchased from restaurant.com . . . it was not that firm's fault; rather, a restaurant in my area had closed--and I therefore could not use the coupon that I had. Caroline immediately returned my email . . . she solved my problem quickly (sending a replacement coupon) and offered to be of further assistance . . . she subsequently helped me with another minor problem that I was having that involved promotional materials not being sent to my account. WHAT THAT PROBLEM WAS/AND A RECOMMENDATION: I typically get an email from restaurant.com every week or so, alerting me about sales . . . I REALLY like this information and look forward to it . . . so when I noticed that I haven't been getting this information lately, I naturally contacted Carol who is now in the process of resolving the problem for me. And how many folks write to companies about the fact that they are not getting advertising? You will; i.e., if you join me in becoming a restaurant.com fan . . . you get $10-$50 coupons off the price of meals at hundreds of restaurants at a cost to you of $10 or less . . . I've been using these for several years now . . . they're great. That's the recommendation! For more information, please click: http://www.restaurant.com
Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 2. FYI There are four major Types of Annuities and each one has their advantages and disadvantages. A good/smart Financial Consultant can determine if one of the four or a combination of the four is right for you. The four types are Fixed, Indexed, Variable, and Immediate Annuity. The main advantages of all four are the guarantees that are built in and the tax advantages of each one.You do pay a small fee for some of the guarantees. Many of my clients own all four depending on their goals and needs . Basically, an Annuity is sold by a Life Insurance Company, and we make sure we only deal with the companies with the highest ratings. This is why the Annuity can have the guarantee attached to it. If you Acquire a Variable Annuity, you must see and read the prospectus and YOU must know that past performance does not guarantee future performance.
If you want my informative booklet on Annuities, feel free to email me your address, and I will mail one out.Or of course, feel free to call me, and we can discuss if an Annuity is right for you. I will also mail you a report on CDs and what your Banker does NOT want you to know. Jerry Gross grossfin@aol.com 215.355.4544 http://www.jerrygrossfinancial.com PS. There was a recent article in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, dated 7.22.09. Its heading says it all: "Long Derided, This Investment Now Looks
Wise." It is all about annuities and is an article you will want to read.
MY TWO CENTS: Annuities are not for everybody . . . but they are definitely something to consider, especially as you approach retirement age (or at least start contemplating that possibility) . . . I invested somewhat heavily in them several years ago and was glad that I did, given the present state of the economy . . . the guaranteed rates of return that I locked into then, in large part, have helped make my retirement possible. FYI, part 2 * Jean in Pennsylvania: Neat idea: Companies encourage employees to stimulate the local economy by giving them $2 bills to spend locally. When you come across a $2 bill in circulation at a neighborhood business, you'll know it's the "people's stimulus." You might want to share this site with readers, especially business owners. http://peoplesstimulus.org/ * Scott in Pennsylvania: Sage Hospitality Specials . . . give a day get a night promotion, volunteer and receive 50% or a complimentary room at all 53 Sage hotels For more information, please click: http://tinyurl.com/n9xry2
* Sally in North Carolina: In case you hadn't heard, Buster did not win the Last Band Standing competition, but they did great, and the show was a blast. Their latest attempt at glory is to be voted Asheville's best rock band in the MountainX. Click on the link below and fill out the form. It is kind of a pain because you have to vote for a minimum of 30 things. I filled in all I could think of, and it was 49. Didn't have to strain my brain too hard. So if you're willing to take a few minutes to vote for Buster in the rock band category, that would be great! Please click: http://www.mountainx.com/bestof/vote Thanks so much for your vote! * Two readers provided me with the answer to my question of last week about the difference between MY SISTER'S KEEPER, the movie and the book . . . SPOILER ARERT! Hillary in New Jersey: In the book version of MY SISTER'S KEEPER, the younger sister is killed in a car accident with her lawyer driving. Her kidney is then donated to the dying sister, and she lives. I preferred the book, but I cried through the whole movie. Robin in Pennsylvania: Haven't seen My Sister’s Keeper but I'm aware of the ending as a friend and fellow book group member told me about it. Both endings are a cop out to my way of thinking because they get to avoid the ramifications of the donor sister taking legal action to protect her body from being used to help her sister. In the book, the donor sister is killed in a car accident. The sick sister gets what she needs and goes on to live a long, healthy life. * Andrew (Blechman): * I just wanted to let you know that my book, Leisureville: Adventures in a World Without Children (Grove Atlantic), has just been released in paperback (with a dandy new cover to boot!). MY RECOMMENDATION: This is a great book to read if you've ever visited or wanted to visit The Village in Florida . . . or if you're contemplating moving into any 55+ community. * Earl in Pennsylvania (on the trick in Section 7A of last week's issue): The secret is easy. What is the difference of your subtracted number from the original? Hmmm . . . a multiple of nine, I'd guess . . . like it has to be ! LOL . . . it's math! * Janeen in Pennsylvania, providing still more of an explanation: Ask any math teacher friend of yours, and they will tell you that as long as you choose any two digit number and subtract itself, the answer is always the same. It is hard for me to explain, but I had a teacher in high school that taught us that trick. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 3. Some rules just need revisiting Mr. T hates playing "Rock Paper Scissors" because he doesn't believe anything can beat rock. He always chooses rock, and when someone throws paper, he says, "I win." If someone is foolish enough to dispute this, he takes his clenched fist and punches them in the face, then says, "I thought your paper would protect you." Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 4. Reviews A. THE UGLY TRUTH is a romantic comedy about a morning show TV producer, Katherine Heigl, who has never been able to find Mr. Perfect . . . things only get worse when she gets paired with a male chauvinist, Gerard Butler, who has been brought in to help the show's sagging ratings . . . yet they soon strike up a friendship of sorts and Heigl even starts taking the dating advice of Butler . . . if this all sounds formulaic, it is because it is . . . yet I had a fun time watching this film and actually laughed out loud at several spots (as did many others in the audience) . . . forget that most of the critics bombed it; methinks you'll enjoy it--particularly because of the banter between two leads . . . rated R. B. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is now out in DVD format . . . my review from BLAINESWORLD #647 follows: CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, a romantic comedy about a shopaholic who accidentally gets a job writing a column for a finance magazine, surprised me. . . . I went into it not expecting much; by the end, I appreciated the fact that it made me laugh . . . and, also, it had me caring for the main character--a very funny Isla Fisher (who first caught my attention in WEDDING CRASHERS) . . . my only disappointment was that Joan Cusack, one of my favorite actresses, was wasted in a role that had too few lines . . . rated PG. C. I've probably read every book that John Grisham has ever written and can say that I've enjoyed them all . . . that is, until his latest: THE ASSOCIATE. It starts out promisingly enough . . . a young lawyer has a dark secret that others know about . . . so they blackmail him into taking a job he doesn't want . . . so now he not only has to work ridiculously long hours, but he also must steal company secrets. I was interested for the first 100 pages or so, then it fell apart completely . . . the ending, in particular, was terrible . . . it's almost as if Grisham called it into his publisher while he was perhaps working on his next novel. The main character, Kyle McAvoy, at least held my interest . . . I also liked learning about the grind the he and many others young lawyers face as they begin their ascent up the corporate ladder. However, most of the other characters were poorly underwritten, and I was also surprised how they got moved out of the plotline (too often just disappearing and leaving me wondering what happened to them). If you want to read a good legal thriller, start with THE FIRM (one of Grisham's first novels) if you've never read it or virtually anything else he wrote in the 1990s . . . you might also like his one piece of non-fiction, THE INNOCENT MAN, written in 2006. D. I've read several books by Richard North Patterson, but for some reason had missed DEGREE OF GUILT . . . that's unfortunate, too, in that it was written prior to some of the other stuff I had read by this gifted author And so I recommend that if you're in the mood for a well-plotted legal thriller, read this one first if for no other reason that you'll get to meet Judge Caroline Masters (who later appears in FINAL JUDGMENT and if memory serves me correctly, probably some of his other books as well). This particular story involves the murder of a celebrated novelist by a famous TV journalist . . . you know she killed him, but that's what makes this such a fascinating tale . . . how guilty was she or if you will, what's her degree of guilt? She's defended by Christopher Paget, a lawyer who also appears in other novels by Patterson . . . he just so happens to be the defendant's former lover. There are plenty of twists and turns, as well as riveting courtroom scenes . . . the ending doesn't disappoint, either . . . I also enjoyed the fact that I got to listen to this book while driving, and that the narration by one of my favorite character actors (Ken Howard) was excellent. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 5. TV alert A. THE SECRET LIVES OF CHARLES LINDBERGH airs on Monday at 9 p.m. on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL . . . to those that think they know everything worth knowing about the once-celebrated aviator, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL notes that it "provides documentary material that argues otherwise, and then some" . . . for other times it will be shown, please click: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/tv-schedule B. KATHY GRIFFIN: MY LIFE ON THE D-LIST airs every Monday at 10 p.m. on BRAVO . . . it is one of my favorite comedies . . . you can still catch a recent episode that I found particularly funny: "Kathy at the Apollo" . . . she is trying to reach out to the black community via a gig at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, only to find out that it's on amateur night . . . repeats are on Saturday at 1 p.m. and on Monday at 4 p.m. C. BLOOD IN THE WATER is a historical docudrama that inspired both the book and movie JAWS . . . it tells the story of the 1916 feeding frenzy along the Jersey shore . . . Sunday at 9 p.m. on DISCOVERY. D. DEFYING GRAVITY stars Ron Livingston in a thriller about eight astronauts embarking on a mysterious mission to Venus . . . Sunday at 9 p.m. on ABC. Does name of that actor sound familiar? He was the star of the classic OFFICE SPACE, but also look for him in another film that you probably never about: MUSIC WITHIN . . . it's about a guy who was one of the movers behind the Americans with Disabilities Act that's accompanied by a great soundtrack. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 6. Palin update The November election is now just a memory. The rest of the world cannot understand how, after bitter election campaigns, American politicians can kiss and make up. But that they do! Governor Sarah Palin, who ran for Vice President on John McCain's Republican ticket, is doing her part to do just that. For example, she has invited the men who defeated her, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, to visit her great state of Alaska, now that she has more time after resigning from her post. To celebrate her new-found freedom from the toils of office, she has set up a moose hunting trip for their enjoyment and hired three prominent experts in their field to assist them: * Dick Cheney will lead them on the hunt; * Ted Kennedy will drive them back to their cabins each evening; and * Bill Clinton will entertain their wives and daughters. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 7. Websites A. Even if dancing is not your thing, please click: http://tinyurl.com/l6hup2 It features a couple getting married that you may have seen on the TODAY show or via emails that have been circulated . . . but even if you have already seen it, view it again if you'd like a guaranteed smile for the day . . . I can't believe that some folks actually didn't like it because they thought it was "inappropriate" for a church ceremony For a very different dance performance--this one a breast cancer tribute that was on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE--please click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBlRvrIWC-4 To hear what the judges had to say about the performance, please click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pWv-WhapM0 B. THANKS to Pat in Pennsylvania for submitting the following: Of all the things I've sent, this is probably one of the neatest! Put your viewing on full screen when you view the link below and be sure your sound is up. (Watch it on a PC and not a cellphone.) Very relaxing. And good for meditation and a real show of God's gifts. Check out the divers on the left side at the bottom inside the tank. They give you a perspective on how large this is. Enjoy! http://tinyurl.com/lpcesh C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view it, please click: http://www.blainesworld.net In case you've always wondered how many others have viewed this particular website, make sure you look to the bottom left of your screen. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 8. Computer tip I've recently taken the suggestion of Danny Brice, my computer guru . . . he said to give Firefox a try as my Internet browser . . . I find it quicker than Internet Explorer, and it has a lot of additional features; e.g., option to keep several windows in use at the same time, a most visited icon (showing you sites you've used), etc. For more information, please visit: http://www.mozilla.com/
I also tried another browser that Danny mentioned: Chrome, put out by the folks at Google . . . that was good, too, but there was one big problem with it; i.e., there was no toolbar at the top to do such things as File, Edit and the like . . . but do feel free to see it for yourself by clicking: http://www.google.com/chrome
Let me know what you think about both of the above and/or any other browsers you use, including Internet Explorer. YOU WON'T GO WRONG: Should you ever need any computer help, do contact Danny . . . he is great on networking, as well as being able to help personalize new systems to meet your needs . . . perhaps best of all is the fact that he can solve many computer problems via a remote log-in capability, which means that you often won't have to give up your system to get it repaired. For more information, call him at 828.683.4912 or via email, dnbrice@gmail.com. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 9. Couplets These are couplets taken from the Rhyme Zone where there’s this competition for writing the most romantic first line and most unromantic second: Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you. But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl’s empty and so is your head. After you, my love, my only prize. Would be a bullet between my eyes. Of loving beauty you float with grace. If only you could hide your face. I thought that I could love no other. Until, that is, I met your brother. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot. This describes everything you're not. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes Damn, I'm good at telling lies! Every time I see your face. I wish I were in outer space. My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife: Marrying you screwed up my life. Beauty is on the inside, but some may doubt, If it’s true, I'd prefer you inside out. I see your face when I am dreaming. That’s why I always wake up screaming. My love you take my breath away. What have you stepped in, to smell this way. My feelings for you no words can tell. Except for maybe "go to hell." Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 10. A quote I like Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.--Mark Twain (1835-1910), American author and humorist Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 11. Thought for the day Morning view A young couple moved into a new neighborhood. The next morning, while they were eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbor hanging the wash outside. "That laundry is not very clean," she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap." Her husband looked on, but remained silent. Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this." The husband said, '" got up early this morning and cleaned our windows." And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the window through which we look. Author unknown (if you know who wrote this and/or the source, please let me know) Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 12. Advance planning department A. Cathy in Pennsylvania: Hiroshima Day Events * Tuesday, August 4, 2009 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Pennswood Village (Next to George School) Rt. 413/ Langhorne, PA Two survivors of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings will be speaking on their personal experience of this horrific event. Please join us to hear Mr. Tanaka and Mr. Nagahisa for this informative, moving talk. All are welcome, refreshments will be served. Cosponsored by BuxMont Coalition for Peace Action and The Bucks County Chapter United Nations Association-USA * Thursday, August 6 6:30 p.m. BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 2040 Street Road, Warrington, PA Commemoration of the Anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing: Coalition for Peace Action’s Associate Director, Ward Wilson, a nuclear weapons scholar who is increasingly the source of fundamental challenges to the nuclear status quo will speak about rethinking nuclear weapons in light of Hiroshima. His work has been described as “some of the most original and exacting thinking being done about nuclear weapons today.” The movie “Above and Beyond,” a fictionalized account of the B-29 unit chosen to drop the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, and the effect it had on the personal life of the pilot, Paul Tibbetts will be shown following Ward's presentation. This is a powerful program that will educate as well as provide opportunity for reflection. B. Lorraine in New Jersey: * August 5. Start a New Business Question & Answer Workshop . 10:00-12:00 p.m. The College of NJ. REGISTER HERE * August 18. Doing Business with Mercer County: For Contractors Only: Heating System. 6:00-8:00 p.m. Lawrence Township Library, Darrah Lane. REGISTER HERE * Doing Business in Mercer County en Espanol "Crezca Su Negocio en el Condado de Mercer" New program sponsored by the Mercer County Office of Economic Development and Sustainability and supported by the following partners to help our growing Latino community start and develop their businesses here in the region: UCEDC, Regional Business Assistance Corporation, Princeton Public Library, Mercer County Connection, Mercer County Library's Hightstown Memorial branch, YWCA of Trenton, and RISE Inc. August 5. Como Financiar Su Negocio en el Condado de Mercer (How to Finance Your Business in Mercer County), Princeton Public Library. 6-8 p.m. REGISTER HERE August 11. Como Iniciar Su Pequeño Negocio de A-Z (How to Start a Business from A-Z). Mercer County Connection. 6-8 p.m. REGISTER HERE August 12. Consulta Individual (One-on-One Counsel), Princeton Public Library. Debe hacer una cita previa. Llame al 609.771.2947. (Appointment required. Call 609.771.2947.) C. Adrienne in Pennsylvania: On Monday, August 24, Bucks County Community College Foundation will be holding its 15th Annual Golf Classic at Philmont Country Club North Course in Huntingdon Valley, PA. Lunch and dinner are included with registration. New this year: forecaddies for each foursome and action swing video of each golfer’s swing. Golf Classic proceeds support the College’s general scholarship fund and contribute toward the completion of innovative campus projects and programs, both academic and athletic, that are not funded through traditional resources. Since 1995, the Golf Classic has raised $425,000. Sponsorships are still available. Registration fee is $350. For more information or to register, go to: htttp://www.bucks.edu/foundation or call 215-968-8224. D. Berta in New Jersey: "Visions of a Better World Conference" October 10, 2009 at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ The purpose of the conference is to inspire a humanitarian consciousness and to motivate people to make a personal contribution to creating a better, more compassionate world. It could be something as easy as smiling more at others to brighten their day. There will be free Seminars, Movies and Workshops all day. We are showing people how they can make a difference in the world through small acts. Many gifts will be presented to attendees, to demonstrate random acts of kindness. More information online: http://www.suntfprograms.iwarp.com/index.html
ADDED BONUS: Berta will presenting at least one workshop, and that's something you won't want to miss . . . in addition, she'll be coordinating the "kindness room." Back to Top _________________________________________________________ PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers back from Iraq and Afghanistan and, also, that peace comes to Israel and her neighbors. . . make it a great week, too! ---------------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBCRIBE INFORMATION To subscribe to this publication, please send an email to: bginbc@aol.com and put SUBSCRIBE in subject line . . . if you wish to unsubscribe, just send an email to same address and put UNSUBSCRIBE in subject line. |
