BLAINESWORLD
#722
8.2.2010
In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. Family gathering
4. Reviews . . . THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Furtiveness
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Why in the world?
10. A quote I like
11. Thought for the day
12. Advance planning department
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1. Reflections
A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I had fun at two separate SART (Southern Regional Appalachian Regional Theatre) functions . . . first was a cocktail party at the home of Dr. Paul and Cherry Saenger . . . members of the community were invited to attend this function to learn about what is happening with SART, as well as to make financial contributions to help secure this fine organization's season and future . . . that's us with Maria Mason (left), SART's marketing and publicity dynamo.
B. Then on Sunday, we journeyed to Wolf Laurel Country Club in Mars Hill for a dinner and musical performances by many of our SART favorites, including Liz Aiello and Bradshaw Call . . . that's a view from the dining room; beautiful, no? (Referring to Cynthia, of course!)
Should you want to help SART--and any contributions would be much appreciated--please click this link for more information:
http://www.sartplays.org/wish.htm
INVITE:
Whatever you do, if you're anywhere near Western North Carolina, plan to see SART's last play of the season: TRADIN' PAINT . . . it's a touching comedy about NASCAR that you'll love even if you know nothing about stock car racing . . . my more formal review will appear next week, so in the meantime, you'll just have to take my word for it that SART has come up with another winner . . . the show runs through August 22 . . . for more information, please click:
http://www.sartplays.org/policy.htm
C. Who says you can't go home again? I'm slated to return "Up North," unfortunately without Cynthia, from August 22-31 . . . I'll be attending some meetings at Bucks County Community College, joining my daughter Risa and her husband JP for dinner I then do have some flexibility to meet other friends and relatives; e.g., in case you're available.
One thing I'm looking to do is catch dinner on Saturday, August 28, at one of my favorite Chinese restaurants: Yao's (formerly Mrs. Chow's) on Route 206 in Skillman, NJ--probably around 5:30 p.m. . . . from
there, it will be on to the Off-Bradstreet Theatre in Hopewell, NJ for dessert and a show called SOUTHERN DISCOMFORTS . . . the latter is billed as a beautiful exploration of the intimate workings of a relationship between a widow and a widower who meet later in life and find a way into each other’s hearts . . . if you care to join me, it would be great to catch up; just send an email to bginbc@aol.com and put AUGUST 28 in subject line.
D. CONGRATULATIONS to:
* Edina and Tunc Hepfugler on the recent birth of their baby, Eren.
* Britt Lippard, Leadership Asheville's dynamic program coordinator, for completing her master's degree in geography and planning from Appalachian State University.
***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****
This week, it goes to Alisha Hawkins--a customer service representative with MMS Direct in Asheville.
I recently had the pleasure of working with her in the development and printing of an informational brochure for our SCORE Chapter. She was always most professional and, in particular, I appreciated the promptness of her return calls and emails. In addition, I was quite pleased with our end product. (If you'd like to see a copy, send an email to bginbc@aol.com and put SCORE BROCHURE in subject line.)
Her company is a full service Marketing Service Provider, offering print, mail, data, fulfillment and media services. You won't go wrong using its services. For more information, please click:
http://www.mailmanllc.com/
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2. FYI
When I was fourteen years old, I found myself utterly terrified looking down a 100-foot sheer overhanging rock face while learning to rappel as part of a rock-climbing course. The anchor gear unexpectedly shifted, and I instinctively lurched to grab the lip of the overhang and let go of my rappel brake hand (the hand you keep on the rope to control your descent). By reacting in fear and trying to "save myself," I'd actually increased the danger. Fortunately, my instructor caught me on a backup safety rope, but an important life lesson has stuck with me ever since.
When we find ourselves in trouble, when we find ourselves on the cusp of falling, our survival instinct-and our fear-can evoke lurching, reactive behavior absolutely contrary to survival. The very moment when we need to take calm, deliberate action, we run the risk of doing the exact opposite and bringing about the very outcomes we most fear.
SOURCE:
HOW THE MIGHTY FALL (see also Section 4C) by Jim Collins
FYI, part 2
* George in Pennsylvania (with a REQUEST FOR HELP):
Do you know anything about Ann's Choice in Warminster. My Mom may consider moving there. If so or if any of your readers know anything about it, please let me know via this email: gwgw1234@hotmail.com. Thanks!
MY REQUEST:
If you share anything with George, kindly copy me as well. I've heard of Ann's Choice, but know little about the place.
* Kristi in North Carolina (with a recipe that I can personally attest to the fact that it is the best of this item that I've ever tasted):
CARROT CAKE
2 CUPS FLOUR
1 TEAS SODA
2 TEAS CINNAMON
1 TEAS SALT
2 CUPS FINELY GRATED CARROTS
1 CUP WELL DRAINED CRUSHED PINEAPPLE
1 CUP COCONUT
1 CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS
1 TEAS VANILLA
2 CUPS SUGAR
1 ½ CUP OIL
3 EGGS
Sift flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside. Beat sugar, oil and eggs with electric mixer until well oiled. Gradually add flour mixture and then fold in the carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts, and vanilla.
Bake in a greased and floured 13" x 9" pan at 350 for 1 hour or until done. Cool and frost.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 8 OZ PACKAGE CREAM CHEESE
½ STICK BUTTER OR MARGARINE
3 CUPS CONFECTIONERS SUGAR
1 EGG
2 TABLESPOONS LIQUID (CAN BE PINEAPPLE JUICE)
½ TEAS VANILLA
Beat all ingredients until creamy.
* Alyson in Colorado (with another recipe . . . it sounds sooooo good):
Chocolate-Covered Caramelized Matzoh Crunch
Makes approximately 30 pieces of candy. This recipe is adapted from Marcy Goldman of Betterbaking.com, whose latest book is A Passion For Baking. For Passover or vegans, Marcy advises that it works well with margarine. And for our gluten-free friends, this would be superb made with any gluten-free cracker.
4 to 6 sheets unsalted matzohs
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks (or salted butter minus
sea salt below)
1 cup (215g) firmly-packed light brown sugar
big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cup (160g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (80g) toasted nuts, chopped (optional)
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet (approximately 11 x 17", 28 x 42cm) completely with foil, making sure the foil goes up and over the edges. Cover the foil with a sheet of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Line the bottom of the sheet with matzoh, breaking extra pieces as necessary to fill in any spaces.
3. In a 3-4 quart heavy duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is beginning to boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the salt and vanilla, and pour over matzoh, spreading with a heatproof spatula.
4. Put the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350F (175C) degrees. Bake for 15 minutes. As it bakes, it will bubble up but make sure it's not burning every once in a while. If it is in spots, remove from oven and reduce the heat to 325F (160C), then replace the pan.
5. Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes, then spread with a spatula to create a creamy layer.
6. If you wish, sprinkle with toasted nuts, coarsely-chopped, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or roasted cocoa nibs. Let cool completely, the break into pieces and store in an airtight container until ready to serve. It should keep well for about one week.
* Rita in North Carolina (on her recent trip to the Bele Chere celebration in Asheville):
For lunch we did food venders. Steve had some kind of chicken on a stick, while Debbie and I opted for a very nutritious funnel cake to share and ice cream cones! For dinner, we took your suggestion for the Sushi Thai place. We split a bunch of appetizers--shrimp dumplings (excellent, though mild in flavor), the beef with scallions (delicious), and one of the cellophane wraps with salmon. Also excellent. Steve and I liked the Rainbow roll chef's special, but Debbie doesn't like seaweed and although the menu doesn't list it, it looked
like there was a little seaweed in the inner part.
This noon, we had brunch at Posatano . . . and all liked what we had. Debbie enjoyed her Southern Eggs Benedict, and I really enjoyed my vegetable omelet, though it did look a little anemic in terms of size and fluffiness. The flavor was good though, especially with some pico degailo (sp?). Steve had the quiche and salad, which he also liked a lot. We also had stopped there on Saturday afternoon for some iced mocha, which was just what the doctor ordered after wandering in the heat with just water all afternoon.
* Nelson in North Carolina:
This is the most amazing website I have ever come across!! If you are unfamiliar with it, please check out this intro video. Trust me, it's worth the 13 minutes--and your mouth will be agape while you do.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/screencast/introducingwolframalpha.html
Then go to the actual website and play/learn/explore/etc.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/
* Mercedes in Georgia:
This is supposed to be a link to a web site that sells inspirational books (very small but well done) that you can send to a friend or as a thank you gift to clients. There are several to choose from but these are two that I especially like. Let’s see if these link work:
http://www.simpletruths.com/flash_files/ibSOWC/ibSOWC.html
http://www.simpletruths.com/flash_files/ibATIE/ibATIE.html
* Natalie in Pennsylvania:
A thing of beauty is a joy forever. I hope this brings you great joy. It did me. Be patient for the fountain to do its thing, and listen to the gorgeous duet.
Turn your lights down. When it starts, click the box at the bottom right to make it full screen. Then sit back and enjoy.
http://www.wimp.com/dubaifountain/
* Barbara in Pennsylvania:
This is really awesome! To all that served in the military, "Thank you for your service!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTb6qdPu8JE&feature=player_embedded
* Craig in Pennsylvania:
Hope all is well. If you enjoyed Anything Goes and the great standards, give a listen to this Internet radio station:
www.martiniinthemorning.com
They play all of the standards by the original as well as contemporary artists. I find myself listening to it all the time.
* Ruth Anne in Pennsylvania:
[Use] "Circle Maps" to set your intentions for an important phone or in person conversations. Create these before blind dates, sales meetings, family meetings, and you'll know if are making the mental and emotional
connection you want to have.
http://bit.ly/CircleMaps
* Robin in Pennsylvania:
THE movie to see is The Kids are Alright. It truly does not get better than this.
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3. Family gathering
At a family gathering, we borrowed a karaoke machine, and my daughter asked her 90-year-old-grandmother what song she'd like to hear. Her choice was “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole.
Three of us decided to give it a try. Afterward, my daughter wrapped her arms around her grandmother and said sweetly, “We sang that because we love you.”
Her grandmother replied, “And I listened because I love you.”
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4. Reviews
A. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT is a smart, funny comedy that also has its serious moments . . . it also has some of the best dialogue that I've heard in a film for quite some time . . . Annette Benning and Julianne Moore are married, and they share a home with their two teenage children . . . all is well until their son decides he wants to both find and meet his biological father . . . his sister agrees to help, and rather than tell you any more about the plot, I'll just tell you to be prepared for an engrossing 104 minutes and an ending that's perfect . . . acting is topnotch too--not only from the two leading performers, but also from Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson . . . rated R.
B. Out on DVD is THE GHOST WRITER, a political thriller about a writer who discovers a long-hidden secret about the subject of his latest book . . . the acting from Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, among others, was OK . . . but I just wasn't very thrilled by this tale that got more convoluted as the film went by . . . rated PG-13.
You'll do much better off renting THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, starring Gary Cooper as New York Yankee great Lou Gehrig . . . he was nominated for an Oscar for his role, as was Terese Wright as his wife (I'm sorry she didn't win) . . . you'll even get to see Babe Ruth . . . I dare you not to shed a tear at the final scene . . . though there weren't ratings when this was made, I'd certainly say it was appropriate for any child over 6.
C. I had previously heard BUILT TO LAST, co-authored by Jim Collins . . . that book talked about what companies had to do to succeed.
But what about when that doesn't happen? What about when companies actually fail?
Being interested in the answer to these questions, I read HOW THE MIGHTY FALL (see also Section 2)--Jim Collins' latest effort . . . it presented an informative, research-based analysis of why such companies as A&P, Circuit City, HP and Rubbermaid, to name just a few, had trouble sustaining their once great heights.
What's scary is the following:
* it turns out that a company can indeed look like the picture of health on the outside yet already be in decline, dangerously on the cusp of a huge fall, just like Bank of America in 1980. And that's what makes the process of decline so terrifying; it can sneak up on you, and then-seemingly all of a sudden-you're in big trouble.
Furthermore, the examples used by the author really got me thinking about what needs to be considered in making certain decisions:
* The Challenger story highlights a key lesson. When facing irreversible decisions that have significant, negative consequences if they go awry--what we might call "launch decisions"-the case for launch should require a preponderance of empirical evidence that it's safe to do so. Had the burden of proof rested on the side of safety (If we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it's safe to launch, we delay") rather than the other way around, The Challenger might have been spared it tragedy.
I also liked how Collins pointed out the obvious that is all too often forgotten:
*You can be profitable and bankrupt. The idea had never occurred to most students who'd worked in big companies. In the entrepreneurial phase, leaders struggle just to get enough cash to become self-sustaining, but as an organization becomes big and successful, cash consciousness atrophies. Leaders in successful companies worry more about earnings. But organizations do not die from lack of earning. They die from lack of cash.
As much as I liked the chapters in HOW THE MIGHTY FALL, I perhaps even liked the several Appendices better . . . and, in particular, the "decline and recovery" cases of both IBM and Nordstrom . . . it was encouraging to find out that the downward trend can be halted.
D. I haven't read anything by James Patterson lately, in large part because I didn't like the fact he has taken to cranking out many different books of varying quality--often with the assistance of a co-author.
So I had never bothered to check out any of his book involving Detective Michael Bennett's character; i.e., until I got the chance to hear WORST CASE, written with Michael Ledwidge . . . what a pleasant surprise!
The story involving a serial killer caught my attention from the very beginning . . . I also enjoyed the subplot, involving Bennet's personal life, and the ending left me wanting to find more about the main character--always a good sign.
I also liked the fact that the book kept me guessing until the very end.
Perhaps best of all was the narration . . . unlike most books on CD, this one featured three different performers: Bobby Cannavale, Orlagh Cassiday and John Glover . . . they were all excellent.
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5. TV alert
A. SHAQ VS. returns to ABC on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. . . . this season, look for the newest member of the Boston Celtics to box Sugar Shane Moseley, compete in golf against Charles Barkley, try to out-cook Rachel Ray and have an eating competition with Joey Chestnut.
B. CRISS ANGEL: MINDFREAK returns for its sixth season on A&E . . . Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on
A&E . . . I'll be curious to see the episode where he has a scorpion vanish and then reappear in a spectator's
mouth . . . as Angel notes, "You won't believe the reaction that gets!"
C. GASLIGHT, one of my favorite movies, airs on Saturday at 3:30 a.m. on TCM . . . Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten will knock your socks off in tale about an English singer who marries a handsome man hiding a dubious past.
D. Christiane Amanpour, after more than two decades as a globe-trotting correspondent for CNN, begins her next tour of duty as she takes the anchor chair on THIS WEEK on Sunday at 9 a.m. on ABC.
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6. Furtiveness
When we lived on the coast, my wife and I used to walk the beach a lot. One summer we noticed a girl who was at the beach pretty much every day. She wasn't unusual, nor was the travel bag she carried, except for one thing: She would approach people who were sitting on the beach, glance around
furtively, then speak to them.
Generally the people would respond negatively and she would wander off, but occasionally someone would nod and there would be a quick exchange of money for something she carried in her bag. My wife and I assumed she was selling drugs and debated calling the cops, but we didn't know for sure so we just continued to watch her.
She didn't approach everyone, though, so we looked for a pattern. Finally, my wife figured it out: "Honey, have you ever noticed that she only goes up to people with boom boxes and radios?"
"Ah! I think you have something there!" I said.
"Tomorrow I want you to get a towel and our big radio," she said, "and go lay out on the beach. Then we can find out what she's really doing."
Well, the plan went off without a hitch: The girl did approach me, and my wife was almost hopping up and down with anticipation when she saw the girl talk to me and then leave.
I walked up the beach and met her at the road.
"Well? Is she selling drugs?" she asked, excitement pouring out with her voice.
"No, she's not." I said, enjoying this probably more than I should have.
"Well? What is it, then? What does she do?" my wife nearly shrieked.
"Her name is Sally," I said, "and she sells 'C' cells by the sea shore."
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7. Websites
A. If you're like me and you love to read, check out this email I recently received. In addition, make sure you read the PS.
One year ago, ArcaMax announced our newest website, BookDaily.com. BookDaily offers the first chapter of 80,000 books, all available for free on the site and by email.
We have worked hard on the site over the past year. We're pleased to have earned book industry recognition, and that so many of you use the site regularly . . . thank you for your support! We invite you to browse BookDaily. It's fun and easy to sample books before you buy them.
Here are today's top 5 books on BookDaily:
1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
3. Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush
4. The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs That Energize Great Performance by Tony Schwartz
5. Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben Macintyre
See any you like? The first chapter of each (and many, many more) is available right now on BookDaily! Please click here to visit the site. Thanks for reading!
PS. We have just released a new ebook for authors, "Online Marketing for Authors". You can get it for free. Download it here. Please feel free to pass it along. http://www.bookdaily.com/assets/authors/online_marketing_for_authors.pdf
B. I love the premise of this clip; i.e., laughter in an instant . . . if you're in the mood
to smile, please click: http://tinyurl.com/27wgwyg
C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view it, please click:
http://www.blainesworld.net
If you ever miss an issue or just want to browse an old one, go "Newsletter" on the left and then "Past Issues" . . . there's also a handy "Search Newsletters" option at the top of the page, which I sometimes use to find a quote or something else that I recall having used--such as this one:
If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is; but if you treat him as if he were as he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), German dramatist
D. Are you on Facebook? In the unlikely event we have not yet contacted
as friends there, please feel free to send me an invite by clicking:
www.facebook.com/blainegreenfield
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8. Computer tip
How to get rid of computer software you don't use
These steps will give you more space on your hard drive and, also, help make your computer run faster:
1. In Windows, start by opening the Control Panel and selecting "Add or Remove Programs." A list will populate of all the programs on the computer.
2. Many off-the-shelf PCs come with pre-installed programs you might not even know were there, sometimes referred to as "bloatware." These may include Internet providers, media players, DVD-burning assistants, photo downloaders, how-to guides, support services, security software, games and more. If you've never used them, these should be the first to go.
3. Next, think about games or programs you haven't used in a while. For example, your old digital camera probably came with software to download and archive your photos, but if you've since moved on to a new camera, the old software probably isn't needed any more.
4. Finally, consider the small programs that we often collect from the Internet, including browser toolbars, security scanners and small utilities or games. Do you still use them? Do you need them?
5. Most programs come with the ability to "uninstall" themselves. But sometimes these uninstallers fail in the middle of the process, and often they leave little traces of the software on your hard drive or registry. So
it's important to do a thorough job of truly sweeping it clean.
SOURCE:
Above information was abstracted from this article, which also contains additional tips:
http://tinyurl.com/2e6dg9e
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9. Why in the world?
The sheriff in a small town walks out in the street and sees a blond cowboy coming down the walk with nothing on but his cowboy hat, gun and his boots, so he arrests him for indecent exposure. As he is locking him up, he asks "Why in the world are you dressed like this?"
The cowboy says, "Well it’s like this sheriff . . . I was in the bar down the road and this pretty little redhead asks me to go out to her motorhome with her. So I did. We go inside and she pulls off her top and asks me to pull off my shirt . . . so I did. Then she pulls off her skirt and asks me to pull off my pants . . . so I did. Then she pulls off her panties and asks me to pull off my shorts . . . so I did.
"Then she gets on the bed and looks at me kind of sexy and says, 'Now go to town cowboy' . . .
"And here I am."
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10. A quote I like
It is good to dream, but it is better to dream and work. Faith is mighty, but faith with action is mightier. Desiring is helpful, but desire and work is invincible.--Thomas R. Gaines, author of FRIENDLY THOUGHTS: A BOOK OF INSPIRATION, PURPOSE AND HAPPINESS (1924)
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK--and to actually read several of the pages, please click:
http://tinyurl.com/26g54y8
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11. Thought for the day
***** FIRST, AN APOLOGY *****
I tried using Google Docs last week to send this piece out, giving you just the first paragraph and then a link to click for the rest of the column. It seems that the link worked fine, but when many folks clicked it, they were asked for a password to read the whole thing. That's a shame, too, in that you really missed a piece that I thought you'd find thought-provoking. So what follows is the original column, reprinted in its entirety.
Of Junk Food and Junk News
On July 21, 2010
by Tina Dupuy*
Once on a flight I ate a cheeseburger-in-a-bag. It was a wonderfully microwaved beefy dough ball of cheesy-type goo. It tasted amazing! Of course, it’s designed to taste amazing. Mission so accomplished. The sandwich had the right amount of fat and salt to appeal to my ancient binge-to-survive-winter DNA. It was laced with artificial scents, laboratory flavors and synthetic colors. It had the proper “mouth feel.” The right size. The perfect temperature. My cheeseburger-in-a-bag was like a friend who had been paid to be nice to me: comforting, as long as you don’t think about it too much.
In short: The meal was manipulated by years of food science and marketing research to manipulate me. The “taste to actual health benefits ratio” was way off. It was more appealing than life sustaining.
It was the definition of junk.
Which is an apt metaphor for the state of cable news in America. Stick with me here:
Watch your average for-profit 24-hour station for one hour. Your pulse will start racing. Something horrible is going down! Something that will kill you and your family and everyone you care about is close and imminent! You MUST stay tuned! There’s something outrageous! That’s why people are yelling at each other!
Cable news starts with a story, removes the grain and nuance then mainlines the fury. It’s all high-fructose hyperbole all the time.
Originally there was one 24-hour cable news channel, CNN. Then there were three. Now the three have spin-offs and there are by my count nine (CNN, HLN, CNN International, CNN en Espanol, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network and Bloomberg) all vying for attention. That’s 216 hours of programming to fill with the news of just one day. It used to be the formula of Fox News to be a parody of Howard Beale in The Network, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Now all the channels are guilty of the same shtick – doing whatever they can to fling themselves to the top of the heap to make their respective Faye Dunaways happy.
In short: The shows are manipulated by years of psychology and marketing research to manipulate us. The “entertainment to information ration” is way off. It’s more appealing than illuminating . . . which also makes it junk.
The literal translation of what locals in Somalia call the man on the BBC who reads the news is “He Who Scares Old People.” For the higher-on-the-dial news shows this moniker is a selling point, if not a requirement.
Because if you’re not afraid, you’re not watching.
Just as an experiment – instead of cable news watch PBS or listen to NPR. Try it. It’s like going from Oreos to oat bran. There’s a sudden withdrawal. You keep expecting someone to yell, shake their fists and proclaim “We’re doomed!” but it doesn’t happen. It seems as if the world might go on – that we have some problems, here they are and here is the context for said problems. No one calls anyone a Nazi…unless they actually served in the SS. It’s very novel and foreign when you’re accustomed to “loud equals accurate.”
A study released at the beginning of the year by Shawn Powers at USC and Mohammed el-Nawawy at Queens University found that the more their subjects in the study watched Al-Jazeera English, the less dogmatic they were in their thinking. Participants retained their opinions but were more open to the views of others. It’s like all the studies that find a diet of real food consisting of vegetables and fiber makes you feel better in every way. It’s interesting…and ignored.
We have too much over-processed junk food available round the clock, and we are fat. We have too much over-sensationalized news available around the clock, and we are miserable. More importantly a giant chunk of us are incredibly ignorant. Just as obese people are often malnourished, there are people who watch the “news” constantly and are horribly uninformed. It’s overconsumption of junk.
What’s the result of an uninformed, frightened and hysterical populace? As the saying goes, we get the government we deserve: shortsighted, petty and trend-obsessed. Which in fairness…is great for ratings.
* Reprinted with gracious permission of the author, a syndicated columnist. For more information, please visit:
http://www.tinadupuy.com/
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12. Advance planning department
A. North Carolina events:
* HOLD THIS DATE (if you're a Biltmore Lake resident)--Sunday, 9/19
Sunday Afternoon Competition on the Courts. Come and join us for some fun and friendly competition for all ages. Your Community Recreation Committee will be hosting a series of competitions including three point
contests, free throw competitions, tennis and other fun activities on the courts. More information will be sent out soon, but save the date . . . Sunday, September 19th from 2 to 5 p.m. In the meantime, go on down to the courts and start practicing as we will be giving away prizes to the winners. Volunteers will be needed to help keep scores, register participants, set up before the event as well as clean up afterward. If you have a special idea for a tennis or basketball game that we can include in this event, please let us know. If you are interested in helping volunteer or have any ideas for this event, please contact Blaine Greenfield at bginbc@aol.com or Lyle Johnson at ljohnson@biltmorefarms.com.
* Marie in New Jersey:
Marshall Crenshaw is fantastic and will be in your area. Catch him if you can!
Thursday, September 23rd at 8:30 p.m. Marshall Crenshaw at Grey EagleLocation:Grey Eagle
B. Pennsylvania/New Jersey events:
* Commemoration of the Anniversary of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings
Friday, August 6
7:30 p.m.
BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
2040 Street Road, Warrington, PA
http://www.buxmontuu.org/
Featured speakers:
Ms. Yasuko Ohta. We will have as our guest this evening a woman who survived the Nagasaki bombing.
Ward Wilson. Senior Fellow at the Monterey Institute and winner of the prestigious McElvany Nonproliferation Challenge Essay Contest with his work The Myth of Nuclear Deterrence.
We are privileged to also have Professor Chris Bursk reading poetry for us. Chris read for us at the Peace is Patriotic Picnic in July and was absolutely phenomenal.
There will be music by CJ Fitts and poetry by the children from the Peace Center. As a special presentation we will be displaying our collection of Origami cranes that were handmade, in cooperation with the Lower Bucks Center for Church and Community, by many children at the Peace Camp at the Peace Center in Langhorne, local church bible schools and by Coalition for Peace Action supporters and members.
This event is free and open to everyone.
www.peacecoalition.org
* Monday, August 30, 7-8:30 p.m.
Singing Crystal Bowls and Meditation, featuring Savannah Hinkle
Singing bowls have an ancient history that dates to at least the 7th century A.D. Most scholars trace their origin to rituals and meditation in Tibetan Buddhism.
Pure Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls powerfully produce pure, solid tones, emitting a higher volume level than many metal bowls. You are gently compelled to relax when you are in the room with these singing beauties.
The known healing benefits of the frequencies of the Crystal Singing Bowls include: deep tissue healing, pain management, stress relief, a natural sense of balance and harmony, as well as calm and peaceful emotions from the meditative state that is induced.
Tonight, through sacred sound and meditation, we will create positive healing energy for ourselves and our beloved Mother Earth. The guided healing meditation and relaxation exercise will create a full sensory experience, including breathing techniques, color imagery, aromatherapy with essential oils, and sound healing.
Be sure to bring along a yoga mat, blanket and/or pillow for your added comfort!
Savannah Hinkle graduated summa cum laude with an MBA. She became interested in the esoteric world after a doctor suggested meditation to ease chronic pain. Sound healing became her passion when she discovered the science and secrets behind the Singing Crystal Bowls. She has studied various forms of meditation and sound healing techniques including: Master Practice Mind Body Healing; The Jose Silva Mind Methods; The Science of Being; Buddhist Meditation with enlightened Master Anam Thubten Rinpoche; and the Secrets of Sound Healing.
$25 registration. Location: Circle of Miracles, 10 Beulah Road, New Britain PA
For more information and/or to register:
https://susanduvalseminars.com/Events.html
* Mark your calendar for September 24, 6 to 9 p.m. for 'Show Some HeART' at Bucks County Community College's Lower Bucks Campus.
For the first time, the Artists of Yardley and the Artists of Bristol will be joining together to raise funds for scholarships for deserving students, allowing them to reach their full potential.
These local, talented artists will be exhibiting their work for the benefit of the students with a portion of the sales being donated to the BCCC Foundation's scholarship fund.
Plan on attending this FREE event, and supporting our local youth. And don't forget to bring a friend.
1304 Veterans Highway
Bristol, PA
215.968.8224
http://www.bucks.edu/about/foundation/events.php
C. Other event:
Scott in Pennsylvania:
Kids Eat Free at IHOP in August
During the month of August, kids 12 & under eat free at IHOP from 4-10 p.m. They have to order from the "Just for Kids" menu. The kids eat free promo is available at participating locations only, and there’s no beverage included unless it’s specified on the menu.
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PS. Methinks that we all need to pray for the folks who died in the BP oil spill, as well as for our remaining soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan . . . while we're at it, include those in Israel and her neighbors who are seeking peace . . . and perhaps most importantly: Make it a great week, too!
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