9/03/18 – Happy Labor Day

CURRENT EVENTS

Happy Labor Day

I hope all of you are having a wonderful Labor Day Weekend

And for those of you that have to work over the Labor Day Holiday, Thank You

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

How fit will you be in your sixties or seventies?

Just about as fit as ever  93.33%  (14 votes) 

I will have a trouble doing every day tasks  6.67%  (1 votes) 

I will not be able to walk very far (less than a mile)  0%  (0 votes) 

I will not make it to my 60s or 70s  0%  (0 votes) 

Total Votes: 15
Regarding the movie “Crazy Rich Asians”?

I don’t want to see it  50%  (8 votes) 

I plan to watch it  37.5%  (6 votes) 

I’ve seen it  12.5%  (2 votes) 

Total Votes: 16
Is that keyboard player in the “Israelites” video super cool?

Yes  54.55%  (6 votes) 

No  45.45%  (5 votes) 

Total Votes: 11
Do you believe that in America, you can become anyone you want to be, if you will work at it?

Yes  52.94%  (9 votes) 

Maybe  35.29%  (6 votes) 

No  11.76%  (2 votes) 

Total Votes: 17
The people around you are mostly?

Positive  57.14%  (8 votes)

Mixture of positive and negative people  42.86%  (6 votes)

Negative  0%  (0 votes)

Total Votes: 14
If you could only chose one reaction to foreign aid?

We need to fix our own infrastructure & help our own people  46.67%  (7 votes) 

We should help our friends, but not our enemies  26.67%  (4 votes) 

We should aid any country that suffers a true disaster  26.66%  (4 votes) 

It is a moral obligation to help all other countries, even our enemies  0%  (0 votes) 

Total Votes: 15

BOOK OF THE WEEK

This is an excellent book and the author, Karen, is particularly interested in helping young girls become more self-confident, develop a strong body image, develop and practice healthy lifestyle habits and successfully manage times of transition.

With that said, I think anyone would benefit from this book.

Strong Beauty – Power Up The Champion Within

By Karen Furneaux

Karen Furneaux, world champion, Sports Hall-of-Famer and international speaker, shares her deepest insights and the golden nuggets that it takes to succeed at your goals.

Karen’s actionable P.O.W.E.R. tools help you to find your unique strengths and bring your best to the world. Building confidence and conviction to energize your life and overcome challenges when you get stuck.

By understanding the energy of emotion and intention, you too can activate your authentic voice and generate the power to succeed through any transition in life.

This is an inspiring resource to have or share with those who have big goals!

Whether you are designing your life, developing your leadership skills or taking on a new opportunity, Strong Beauty gives you the step-by-step tools to POWER UP your inner winner.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Perceptions (2010)

Here is a short film (Five minutes) that I made back in 2010, called Perceptions.  It is a “tongue-in-cheek” view of how people perceive the world around them.  There are better films out there, but I made this one with my friends and so I love the film even with all it’s flaws.

My good friend Bryant died a few years ago.

What a terrible loss, he was a wonderful person.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher (1967)

By Jackie Wilson

The video that goes along with the music features Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth from the 1942 film “You Were Never Lovelier

Jackie Wilson

ART OF THE WEEK

Houses

Houses have often been works to art.  I was really taken by the aerial walkway to this house, that I recently saw on Young Avenue in Halifax.

  EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE OF THE WEEK

Working Men & Women Everywhere in the World

Labor Day in the United States is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend and it is considered the unofficial end of summer in the United States. It is recognized as a federal holiday.

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. “Labor Day” was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. It became an official federal holiday in 1894.

Canada’s Labour Day is also celebrated on the first Monday of September. More than 80 countries celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1 – the ancient European holiday of May Day – and several countries have chosen their own dates for Labour Day.

(Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

There are few greater sartorial power moves than wearing white after Labor Day. Doing so not only bucks the age-old dictate that warns against all shades of ivory after the start of September, but it also establishes the wearer as someone impervious to the grime of daily life. (Source: Vogue)

CHARACTER TRAITS 

SOCIAL TRAITS 

It is alway a good idea to think, before you speak.

LEARNING TRAITS

Oh my gosh, how many of us talk ourselves out of doing something, while someone less appropriate for the task does it.

Some of the best advice I received when I was starting out in my professional career was, “Never let the lack of ability stand in my way.”  Of course, at the time I was told this, I did wonder why is someone saying this to me (smile)

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

8/27/18 – Halifax, Nova Scotia

CURRENT EVENTS

Halifax, Nova Scotia

HALIFAX FLIGHT

HALIFAX HARBOR

And if you don’t believe this is a real picture of the Halifax Harbor,

here is a picture of me with a ship’s captain

HARBOR HOPPER

The USA made these things to go in the water and on land during the Vietnam War.  A tour company bought a few, did some redecorating (no 50 caliber machine guns) and now uses them to provide city and harbor tours.  I was in Vietnam in 1966-67, but we just took a row-boat with an outboard motor down the Saigon River.

HIGHLANDERS PARADE IN HALIFAX

HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS

PIRATES

Halifax isn’t pirate friendly

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

How many books do you read a year?

Between 1 and 5  22.22%  (6 votes)

Between 13 and 25  22.22%  (6 votes)

Between 6 and 12  18.52%  (5 votes)

Between 26 and 51  14.81%  (4 votes)

None  11.11%  (3 votes)

52 or more  11.11%  (3 votes)

Total Votes: 27
Regarding the movie “Gringo”,

I don’t want to see it  66.67%  (10 votes) 

I’ve seen it  20%  (3 votes) 

I plan to watch it  13.33%  (2 votes) 

Total Votes: 15
Regarding the “Hey Mickey” video, who did it better?

Toni Basil  61.54%  (8 votes) 

Both good  15.38%  (2 votes) 

Both bad  15.38%  (2 votes) 

Taylor Swift  7.69%  (1 votes) 

Total Votes: 13
Before today, have you heard of the Woodward Dream Cruise?

Yes and I have been to it  55%  (11 votes) 

Yes, but never went to it  30%  (6 votes) 

No  15%  (3 votes) 

Total Votes: 20
Have you ever seen a powerlifting contest?

No and have no interest in doing so  33.33%  (6 votes) 

No  27.78%  (5 votes) 

Yes  22.22%  (4 votes) 

Yes and I would like to see another one  16.67%  (3 votes) 

Total Votes: 18

BOOK OF THE WEEK

How many times do you need to hear, if you don’t have your health, nothing else matters.  If you are fortunate enough to be able to retire, your new full-time job is either regaining your fitness or keeping it.  But please don’t wait until you retire to work on your health.

Ageless Strength, Strong and Fit For A Lifetime

By Jeff Horowitz

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Crazy Rich (2018)

Check out the trailer and see if this is a movie you want to watch.  I enjoyed it.  Also, for those of you who have never been out of the USA, here is a chance to see how the USA infrastructure compares to other countries.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Israelites (1969)

By Desmond Dekker & The Aces

ART OF THE WEEK

Shed

Even something as utilitarian  as a shed can be art, if done artfully.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

In America, you can be anyone you want to be.

Korla Pandit

Korla Pandit (September 16, 1921 – October 2, 1998), born John Roland Redd, was a musician, composer, pianist, organist and television pioneer of national notability.

A pathbreaking musical performer in the early days of television, Redd is known for Korla Pandit’s Adventures In Music; the show was the first all-music program on television.He also performed live and on radio and made various film appearances, becoming known as the “Godfather of Exotica”.

Beginning in the late 1940s, Redd claimed to be “Korla Pandit”, a French-Indian musician from New Delhi; however, Redd was actually African-American.

Redd maintained the Korla Pandit persona–both in public and in private–until the end of his life. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

This is all you need to know, to be certain the earth isn’t flat.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

I don’t think these commercials represent powerlifting gyms,

but I find them very funny.

CHARACTER TRAITS 

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

8/20/18 – American Royalty

CURRENT EVENTS

American Royalty

If you ever wonder what makes Americans unique in the world?

I think one reason is because we choose our own royalty.

In 1977, our King died on August 16 and now our Queen has died on August 16.

Coincidence?

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

When it comes to politics, Is it possible to respectfully disagree?
Yes  87.5%  (14 votes) 
Depends upon who is holding office  12.5%  (2 votes) 
Never  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 16
Regarding the seven cures for a lean purse:
I understand the seven cures  84.62%  (11 votes)
I don’t understand any of it and don’t really care  15.38%  (2 votes)
I don’t understand, but will look further into the seven cures  0%  (0 votes
Total Votes: 13
I am or have taken action on
All 7  40%  (4 votes) 
6 of the 7  20%  (2 votes) 
5 of the 7  20%  (2 votes) 
None  10%  (1 votes) 
2 of the 7  10%  (1 votes) 
4 of the 7  0%  (0 votes) 
3 of the 7  0%  (0 votes) 
1 of the 7  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 10
Have you ever played “Paper, Rock, Scissors”?
Yes  84.62%  (11 votes) 
No  15.38%  (2 votes)
 Total Votes: 13
Can you dance?
I’m an ok dancer  58.33%  (7 votes) 
I can’t dance  25%  (3 votes) 
I’m a great dancer  16.67%  (2 votes)
Total Votes: 12
Have you ever wanted to have your own zen garden?
No  66.67%  (8 votes) 
Yes, I have wanted one but don’t have one.  25%  (3 votes) 
Yes and I have a little inside one  8.33%  (1 votes) 
Yes and I have one outside  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 12
How hectic is your life style? (More than one answer is ok)
I make an effort to stay in contact with friends & family  37.5%  (6 votes) 
I try to find time each day to truly relax  37.5%  (6 votes) 
I am always on the go  18.75%  (3 votes) 
I neglect important relationships because I am busy  6.25%  (1 votes 
Total Votes: 16
When older people try to pass on their knowledge to you, do you think:
you may be able to learn something useful from them  100%  (14 votes)
their knowledge is dated and of little use  0%  (0 votes)
Total Votes: 14

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Reading

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Gringo (2018)

Check out the trailer and see if this is a movie you want to watch.  I enjoyed it.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Hey Mickey

By Toni Basil

Hey Mickey

By Taylor Swift

ART OF THE WEEK

Woodward Ave. Dream Cruise

You might have to be from Detroit to know that the Woodward Dream Cruise is the largest one-day car event in the country.

I suspect this person has been cruising for too long.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

Chief Boyardee

THE GREATEST AND BRAVEST CHIEF OF ALL

Chief Boyardee (October 22, 1897 – June 21, 1985), was an Italian-American chef, famous for having the courage to put pasta in a can.  

He was a true American hero. For producing rations supplying Allied troops during World War II, he was awarded a Gold Star order of excellence from the United States War Department.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

If you enjoy coffee, you will really like a complimentary coffee

PHYSICAL TRAITS

This is what I do.

CHARACTER TRAITS 

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

8/13/18 – Respectfully Disagreeing

CURRENT EVENTS

Respectfully Disagreeing

Over the past few years I have heard the most vile descriptions of members of either party.  I feel those types of comments say more about the people making them, than it does the members of either party.  

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

What to you think of returning USA Korean War dead to the USA?

A big deal and I have never served in a hostile fire zone  78.57%  (11 votes)

No big deal and I have never served in a hostile fire zone  14.29%  (2 votes)

A big deal and I have served in a hostile fire zone  7.14%  (1 votes)

No big deal and I have served in a hostile fire zone  0%  (0 votes)

Total Votes: 14
Have you ever played “Paper, Rock, Scissors”?
Yes  84.62%  (11 votes) 
No  15.38%  (2 votes)
 Total Votes: 13
Do you believe the Apollo 11 moon landing
actually happened  91.67%  (11 votes) 
may or may not have actually happened  8.33%  (1 votes) 
was faked and never really happened  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 12
When it comes to yoga vs. vodka

I prefer neither yoga nor vodka  41.67%  (5 votes) 

I prefer yoga  25%  (3 votes) 

I prefer vodka  25%  (3 votes) 

I prefer both yoga and vodka  8.33%  (1 votes)

 Total Votes: 12

Which type of dog do you most closely resemble?
Helper dog  54.55%  (6 votes) 
Dog that eats shoes  36.36%  (4 votes) 
Guard dog  9.09%  (1 votes)
 Total Votes: 11
Do you text while driving?
Never  81.82%  (9 votes) 
Once in a while  18.18%  (2 votes)
Yes  0%  (0 votes) 
Total Votes: 11

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Richest Man in Babylon

By George S. Clason

This book was originally written in 1926 and its financial advice will get you wherever you wish to go, so long as you aren’t in a hurry.

Since most of you will never bother to read this excellent book and to prevent you from having to struggle financially in your later years, here are seven cures for a lean purse:

  1. Start thy purse to fattening
  2. Control thy expenditures
  3. Make thy gold multiply
  4. Guard thy treasures from loss
  5. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment
  6. Insure a future income
  7. Increase thy ability to earn

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Mamma Mia 2! Here We Go Again (2018)

Critics Consensus: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again doubles down on just about everything fans loved about the original — and my, how can fans resist it? (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

Personally, I liked it better than the original.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

I Can’t Dance (Remix)

By Genesis

ART OF THE WEEK

Zen Gardens

Zen gardens come in all different sizes from this large one at Meijer Gardens

To this little zen garden in my office

  EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE OF THE WEEK

Geronimo

Geronimo (June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Apache tribe.

From 1850 to 1886 Geronimo carry out numerous raids as well as resistance to US and Mexican military campaigns in northern Mexico and in the southwestern American territories of New Mexico and Arizona.

At any one time, about 30 to 50 Apaches would be following him. However, since he was a superb leader in raiding and warfare he frequently led large numbers of men and women beyond his own following.

During Geronimo’s final period of conflict from 1876 to 1886 he “surrendered” three times and accepted life on the Apache reservations in Arizona. Reservation life was confining to the free-moving Apache people, and they resented restrictions on their customary way of life.

In 1886, after an intense pursuit in Northern Mexico by U.S. forces that followed Geronimo’s third 1885 reservation “breakout”, Geronimo surrendered for the last time to Lt. Charles Bare Gatewood, an Apache-speaking West Point graduate who had earned Geronimo’s respect a few years before.

Geronimo was later transferred to General Nelson Miles at Skeleton Canyon, just north of the Mexican/American boundary. Miles treated Geronimo as a prisoner of war and acted promptly to remove Geronimo first to Fort Bowie, then to the railroad at Bowie Station, Arizona where he and 27 other Apaches were sent off to join the rest of the Chiricahua tribe which had been previously exiled to Florida.

In his old age, Geronimo became a celebrity. He appeared at fairs, including the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, where he reportedly rode a ferris wheel and sold souvenirs and photographs of himself. However, he was not allowed to return to the land of his birth. He died at the Fort Sill hospital in 1909. He was still a prisoner of war. He is buried at the Fort Sill Indian Agency Cemetery surrounded by the graves of relatives and other Apache prisoners of war. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

No matter how famous or important you are or want to be,

you need to take a little time out each day to relax.

CHARACTER TRAITS 

Sometimes You Just Have to Take the Bull By The Horn

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

Too often does youth think that age knows only the wisdom of days that are gone, and therefore profits not.  But remember this, the sun that shines today is the sun that shone when thy [parents] were born … (Source: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason)

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

8/06/18 – Return of USA Korean War Dead

CURRENT EVENTS

Return of USA Korean War Dead

On Wednesday, the US military held a repatriation ceremony at Osan air base in South Korea, where the boxes had arrived the previous week.

“There’s no reason at this point to doubt that they do relate to Korean War losses,” said John Byrd, a forensic anthropologist working for the Hawaii-based agency in charge of identifying the remains. (Source: BBC)

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

Regarding the movie Before Sunrise?

I’ve never seen it and have no plans to watch it.  50%  (6 votes) 

I’ve never seen it, but plan to watch it.  25%  (3 votes) 
I’ve seen it more than once.  16.67%  (2 votes) 
I’ve seen it.  8.33%  (1 votes)
 Total Votes: 12
Have you ever had to have your vehicle repaired while on a vacation?
No  57.14%  (4 votes) 
Yes and it was a good experience  28.57%  (2 votes) 
Yes and it was a bad experience  14.29%  (1 votes)
 Total Votes: 7
Regarding the legend of The Lone Ranger:
If it isn’t true, it should be.  77.78%  (7 votes) 
Just a story written to entertain.  22.22%  (2 votes) 
Essentially true and based upon actual events.  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 9
If you think of clutter as anything that no longer serves you:
I have both physical and mental (e.g. emotions, beliefs, etc.) clutter  66.67%  (8 votes)
I just have physical clutter  33.33%  (4 votes)
I have no clutter in my life  0%  (0 votes)
I just have mental (e.g. emotions, beliefs, etc.) clutter  0%  (0 votes)
Total Votes: 12
Internet dating sites:
I have never used one.  80%  (8 votes) 
Overall, I have had good experiences using an internet dating site  10%  (1 votes) 
Overall, I have had a bad experience using an internet dating site  10%  (1 votes)
 Total Votes: 10

BOOK OF THE WEEK

You may find it difficult to obtain this book, but what an opportunity to learn something of the people who shaped the world during their time.

Richard Nixon knew virtually every major foreign leader since World War II–some at the pinnacle of power, some during their “years in the wilderness” out of power, and still others toward the end of their lives. His was an unparalleled opportunity to gain insight into the nature of the powerful and qualities of leadership.

In “Leaders, “Nixon shares these insights and experiences. He illustrates these leaders in private, assesses their careers, recalls words of wisdom, and brings to bear his own judgments.

We meet the co-architects of the New Japan, Douglas MacArthur and Shigeru Yoshida. Encountering the legendary leaders of China–Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Chiang Kai-shek–we see the men behind the events. We see the intensely private Charles DeGaulle; explore the philosophies of Konraud Adenauer; confront Leonid Brezhnev; and delight in the company of Winston Churchill–not to mention Nixon’s analyses of interactions with dozens of other leaders.

No one but Richard Nixon could have written this book. It is at once as personal as a hand clasp and as objective as only so earnest a student of history could have made it. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Critics Consensus: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets uses sheer kinetic energy and visual thrills to overcome narrative obstacles and offer a viewing experience whose surreal pleasures often outweigh its flaws. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)

It wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Can’t Stop The Feeling

By Justin Timberlake

ART OF THE WEEK

I suspect most of you recognize the inspiration for this piece of art

  EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE OF THE WEEK

APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUTS

Apollo 11 blasted off on July 16, 1969. Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins were the astronauts on Apollo 11.

Four days later, Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon. They landed on the moon in the Lunar Module. It was called the Eagle. Collins stayed in orbit around the moon, [doing] experiments and [taking] pictures.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon. He and Aldrin walked around for three hours, [doing] experiments [and picking] up bits of moon dirt and rocks.

They put a U.S. flag on the moon. They also left a sign on the moon.

The two astronauts returned to orbit, joining Collins. On July 24, 1969, all three astronauts came back to Earth safely. (Source: NASA)

Another Version of the Landing

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

CHARACTER TRAITS 

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

This was one of the many favorite sayings of one of bosses, that I was fortunate to work for and to learn from during my career.

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

7/30/18 -Sergio Marchionne, Fiat Chrysler CEO, Dies

CURRENT EVENTS

Sergio Marchionne

Auto legend Sergio Marchionne, the charismatic executive who turned Fiat and Chrysler around before combining the companies as a profitable business, died Wednesday. He was 66.

“I don’t care what a tough guy he was to work for, he saved our company,” said Cass Burch, a Chrysler and Jeep dealer in Georgia. “He deserves a bronze statue.”

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

How do you start your day?
Positive  70%  (14 votes) 
Depends upon the particular day  30%  (6 votes) 
Negative  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 20
What is your feeling on someone changing their position?
They can be influenced by additional information  77.78%  (14 votes)
They are wise  22.22%  (4 votes)
They are wishy-washy  0%  (0 votes)
Can’t be trusted  0%  (0 votes)
Total Votes: 18
When you forget your cell phone
It is no big deal  53.33%  (8 votes) 
It is a big deal  33.33%  (5 votes) 
I have to immediately retrieve it regardless of the inconvenience  13.33%  (2 votes)
 Total Votes: 15
Do you exceed the daily maximum alcohol consumption of 2 drinks for males and 1 drink for females?
Once in a while  41.18%  (7 votes) 
Yes  29.41%  (5 votes) 
Never  29.41%  (5 votes) 
Total Votes: 17
Are you superstitious?
Yes, a little  50%  (8 votes) 
Not at all  50%  (8 votes) 
Yes, a lot  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 16

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Illustrated Classic Editions is a painless way to read the classics.  Every other page contains a drawing of the page you just read.  I just finished reading the Sherlock Holmes classic, The Case of the Hound of the Baskervilles.  

This is a perfect way to expose your children to the classics or if you are like me, the perfect way to expose yourself to the classics.

Illustrated Classic Editions

Sherlock Holmes

and the Case of the Hound of the Baskervilles

By A. Conan Doyle

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

If you have never seen this movie, you really should.  And it you have seen it before, you may want to watch it again.  It is great.

Before Sunrise (1995)

I

Critics Consensus: Thought-provoking and beautifully filmed, Before Sunrise is an intelligent, unabashedly romantic look at modern love, led by marvelously natural performances from Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

The Talkin’ Song Repair

By Alan Jackson

ART OF THE WEEK

Here is some backyard art.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger was so named [for being] the sole survivor of a group of six Texas Rangers.

A posse of six members of the Texas Ranger Division pursuing a band of outlaws led by Bartholomew “Butch” Cavendish is betrayed by a civilian guide and is ambushed in a canyon.

Later, an Indian named Tonto, stumbles onto the scene and discovers one ranger is barely alive, and he nurses the man back to health. 

Among the Rangers killed was the survivor’s older brother, Daniel Reid, who was a captain in the Texas Rangers and the leader of the ambushed group. To conceal his identity and honor his fallen brother, Reid fashions a black domino mask using cloth from his late brother’s vest. To aid in the deception, Tonto digs a sixth grave and places at its head a cross bearing Reid’s name so that Cavendish and his gang would believe that all of the Rangers had been killed.

Reid continues fighting for justice as The Lone Ranger even after the Cavendish gang is captured. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

PHYSICAL TRAITS

CHARACTER TRAITS 

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

7/23/18 – How to Start Your Day

CURRENT EVENTS

How to Start Your Day

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

Other than yourself, do you believe there is intelligent life on Earth?
Yes  82.35%  (14 votes)
Possible  11.76%  (2 votes)
No  5.88%  (1 votes)
Total Votes: 17
What do you think of Russia?
Trump and Putin meeting is good for world  47.06%  (8 votes) 
Trump and Putin meeting is bad for world  29.41%  (5 votes) 
Russian people are good  23.53%  (4 votes) 
Russian people are bad  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 17
When things go wrong, I usually
Blame Myself  63.64%  (7 votes) 
Blame No One  36.36%  (4 votes) 
Blame Others  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 11

BOOK OF THE WEEK

You may never have heard of Tip O’Neill and you may think this book is about politics.

However, anyone reading this book will find the lessons most useful.  For instance, the book says it is alright to change your position on something because it is more important to be right than consistent.

All Politics Is Local

By Tip O’Neill with Gary Hymel

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

This is a very strange movie, but I sort of enjoyed it, plus I don’t want to mention the three other movies that I watched this week because they  were so disappointing.

The Party (2018)

Critics Consensus: Old-fashioned charm meets sharp wit and modern social satire in The Party, a biting comedy carried by a shining performance from Patricia Clarkson. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

I saw Sara Evans a few years ago at a concert.

As If

By Sara Evans

ART OF THE WEEK

Here is a unique form of art, turning a stable into a bar.

Well, that is what someone did in Bay City. Michigan.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

Marcus Antonius

Marcus Antonius (14 January 83 BC – 1 August 30 BC), was a Roman politician and general.Antony was a supporter of Julius Caesar, and served as one of his generals during the conquest of Gaul and the Civil War. 

After Caesar’s death in 44 BC, Antony joined forces with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, another of Caesar’s generals, and Octavian, Caesar’s great-nephew and adopted son, forming a three-man dictatorship. The Triumvirs defeated Caesar’s murderers, the Liberatores, at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and divided the government of the Republic between themselves. Antony was assigned Rome’s eastern provinces, including the client kingdom of Egypt, then ruled by Cleopatra.

Relations among the triumvirs were strained as the various members sought greater political power. Civil war between Antony and Octavian was averted in 40 BC, when Antony married Octavian’s sister, Octavia. Despite this marriage, Antony carried on a love affair with Cleopatra, who bore him three children, further straining Antony’s relations with Octavian.

Disagreements between Antony and Octavian erupted into civil war in 31 BC. Later that year, Antony was defeated by Octavian’s forces at the Battle of Actium. Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt, where they committed suicide. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE 

PHYSICAL TRAITS

The recommended maximum daily consumption of alcoholic is two drinks for me and one drink for woman.

Exceeding this recommend amounts could result in the following:

CHARACTER TRAITS 

Many people are superstitious, especially when it comes to black cats

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

This is something we all need to learn.

MISCELLANEOUS 

BOOK 

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

7/16/18 – Search for Intelligent Life

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

The Never Ending Search for Intelligent Life

LAST WEEK’S POLLS

Ever want to write a book?

Yes, I have thought about writing a book  50%  (8 votes) 
And I also started writing a book  18.75%  (3 votes)  
And I finished writing a book  12.5%  (2 votes) 
and my book is published  12.5%  (2 votes) 
and my book is available for purchase  6.25%  (1 votes) 
and I have written several books  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 16

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

Unless you are Benjamin Button and growing younger, you may want to take a look at a book on aging like the one below.  And it you are young, you will be amazed at how quickly the time passes.

This particular book is very readable and talks about passive and active aging. You do not want to be a passive ager, but probably will be if you don’t exercise, have a lot of interest, involved in lifelong learning and connect with people different than yourself.

The Gift of Years

By Joan Chittister

MOVIE OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

This was a very suspenseful movie, but it kept my attention.  The acting by Liam Neeson and Vera Farmiga is extraordinary.

The Commuter (2018)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

Russian Rammstein – Du riechst So Gut

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

The first weekend of July, Bay City, Michigan, USA has several days of fireworks climaxing on Saturday evening.  I’ve been there the last two years and it is marvelous.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Sgt. Saman Kunan

A former Thai navy SEAL died early Friday morning trying to free a stranded soccer team from a cave in Thailand,where 12 boys and their soccer coach have been trapped since June 23.  

Former Sgt. Saman Kunan, who was working as a volunteer alongside rescuers, died between 1 and 2 a.m. Friday local time. 

SEAL commander Arpakorn Yookongkaew said Kunan died placing oxygen canisters underwater along the route to the stranded boys. (Source: USA Today)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

Your diet will always trump exercise,

which is why I try to bring you the latest research on food.

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

(La Fundación para Ser Extraordinario)

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

Getting Along with Others

(Llevarse Bien con Otros)

Every significant relationship in your life

has their fingerprints all over you.

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

(El Crecimiento te Mantiene Extraordinario)

This one is for you fellows having a hard time meeting the ladies.

I Got My Game On

By Trace Adkins

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

Well, I guess if it doesn’t kill you; it will make you stronger.

It is just so hard to remember this, when you are facing challenges.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

7/09/18 – Politics

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

I think their doctor gave them some good advice.

[Creo que su médico les dio buenos consejos.]

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

(La Fundación para Ser Extraordinario)
I think it really is this simple.
[Creo que es realmente sencillo.]

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

Getting Along with Others

(Llevarse Bien con Otros)

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

(El Crecimiento te Mantiene Extraordinario)

Change sometimes come painfully slow, but change cannot be stopped.

[El cambio a veces viene dolorosamente lento, pero el cambio no puede ser detenido.]

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

I’ve heard so many people say they want to write a book, but rarely have I met someone who has actually written a book.

[He oído que muchas personas dicen que quieren escribir un libro, pero rara vez he conocido a alguien que realmente ha escrito un libro.]

This is one of the many books I read before publishing my book.  If you are serious about wanting to write a book, there are plenty of books available to help you.

[Este es uno de los muchos libros que leí antes de publicar mi propio libro.  Si usted es serio acerca de querer escribir un libro, hay un montón de libros disponibles para ayudarle.]

APE – How to Publish a Book

By Guy Kawasaki & Shawn Welch

MOVIE OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I really enjoyed this movie.

[Me gustó mucho esta película.]

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

Critics Consensus:Critics Consensus: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle uses a charming cast and a humorous twist to offer an undemanding yet solidly entertaining update on its source material. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

Goody Two Shoes

By Adam Ant

LAST WEEK’S POLL – How Long Has It Been Since You Have Worked Out In A Gym?

How Long Has It Been Since You Have Worked Out In A Gym?
Within the last week  50.00%  (6 votes) 
Longer than a decade  33.33%  (4 votes)
Within the last 3 three years  8.33%  (1 votes) 
Within the last decade  8.33%  (1 votes) 
Within the last month  0%  (0 votes) 
Within the last year  0%  (0 votes) 
Total Votes: 12

 THIS WEEK’S POLL – Ever want to write a book?

Please select all answers in the poll that apply to you.

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

Here is a birthday cake in the shape of a football that Carol made for my friend Coach Jo.

[Aquí está una tarta de cumpleaños en la forma de un balón de fútbol que Carol hizo para mi amigo Coach Jo.]

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

After all these years, people are still falling for schemes of the nature used by Carlo Ponzi. The victims want to make money without a much effort.  Most fraud schemes depend upon the personal weaknesses of their victims.

[Después de todos estos años, la gente sigue cayendo por esquemas de la naturaleza usada por Carlo Ponzi. Las víctimas quieren ganar dinero sin mucho esfuerzo.  La mayoría de los esquemas de fraude dependen de las debilidades personales de sus víctimas.]

Carlo Ponzi

Charles Ponzi, (born Carlo Pietro Giovanni Guglielmo Tebaldo Ponzi; March 3, 1882 – January 18, 1949), was an Italian swindler and con artist in the U.S. and Canada. His aliases include Charles Ponci, Carlo, and Charles P. Bianchi.

Born and raised in Italy, he became known in the early 1920s as a swindler in North America for his money-making scheme. He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeeming them at face value in the United States as a form of arbitrage. 

In reality, Ponzi was paying earlier investors using the investments of later investors. While this type of fraudulent investment scheme was not originally invented by Ponzi, it became so identified with him that it now is referred to as a Ponzi scheme. His scheme ran for over a year before it collapsed, costing his “investors” $20 million. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover

7/02/18 – Experiencing a Heatwave

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

Here is a Heatwave I don’t mind experiencing.

[Aquí hay un ola que no me importa experimentar.]

Heatwave

Martha & The Vandellas

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

I have my reservations about The Newbeats dietary choices,

but it is a good video.

[Tengo mis reservas sobre las opciones dietéticas Newbeats,

pero es un buen video.]

Bread And Butter (1964)

The Newbeats

Bike Safari at Detroit Zoo

What a wonderful experience Carol and I had riding our bikes on the grounds of the Detroit Zoo, where you could stop here and there to look at giraffes, grizzly bears, buffalos, etc.  And it was even better riding with our friends Walter, Tania and Harmony.

[Lo que una experiencia maravillosa Carol y yo teníamos a caballo nuestras bicicletas en los jardines el Detroit Zoo, donde se puede parar aquí y allá para mirar jirafas, osos pardos, búfalos, etc.  Y fue incluso mejor cabalgar con nuestros amigos Walter, Tania y Harmony.]

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

(La Fundación para Ser Extraordinario)
I think it really is this simple.
[Creo que es realmente sencillo.]

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

Getting Along with Others

(Llevarse Bien con Otros)

People, without the interference of governments & political parties, tend to get along with one another; at least that has been my experience.

[La gente, sin la interferencia de los gobiernos y partidos políticos, tienden a llegar junto con el uno al otro; al menos esa ha sido mi experiencia.]

The Snake Charmer

Drowsy Maggie – Scottish Indian Punjabi

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

(El Crecimiento te Mantiene Extraordinario)

I tried to keep all of you aware of recent scientific studies.  Here is another one that just came out.

[Traté de mantenerlos al tanto de los estudios científicos recientes.  Aquí hay otro que acaba de salir.]

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

This book came out in 2012 (I believe there is an updated version) and I first read it in 2013.  I recently reviewed it again and I think it contains some very worthwhile things to consider.

[Este libro salió en 2012 (creo que hay una versión actualizada) y lo leí por primera vez en 2013.  Recientemente lo revisé de nuevo y creo que contiene algunas cosas muy valiosas a considerar.]

The Great Cholesterol Myth

By Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., CNS & Stephen Sinatra, MD, FACC

Heart disease is the #1 killer. However, traditional heart disease protocols–with their emphasis on lowering cholesterol–have it all wrong. Emerging science is showing that cholesterol levels are a poor predictor of heart disease and that standard prescriptions for lowering it, such as ineffective low-fat/high-carb diets and serious, side-effect-causing statin drugs, obscure the real causes of heart disease. Even doctors at leading institutions have been misled for years based on creative reporting of research results from pharmaceutical companies intent on supporting the $31-billion-a-year cholesterol-lowering drug industry.

The Great Cholesterol Myth reveals the real culprits of heart disease, including:

– Inflammation

– Fibrinogen

– Triglycerides

– Homocysteine

– Belly fat

– Triglyceride to HCL ratios

– High glycemic levels

Bestselling health authors Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., and Stephen Sinatra, M.D. give readers a 4-part strategy based on the latest studies and clinical findings for effectively preventing, managing, and reversing heart disease, focusing on diet, exercise, supplements, and stress and anger management. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

Learning to Drive (2015)

This is an enjoyable movie that will result in a better understanding of different cultures.

[Esta es una película agradable que dará lugar a una mejor comprensión de las diferentes culturas.]

Critics Consensus: The story’s a bit predictable, but Learning to Drive is elevated by typically strong work from stars Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

I wanted to watch this last December, but didn’t get around to it until last week. I recommend you make it part of your next Christmas activities.  

[Quería ver esto en diciembre pasado, pero no pude hasta la semana pasada. Te recomiendo que lo hagas parte de tus próximas actividades navideñas.]

Critics Consensus: The Man Who Invented Christmas adds holiday magic to the writing of A Christmas Carol, putting a sweetly revisionist spin on the story behind a classic yuletide tale. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

I recall reading about an Apache warrior explaining to a historian that he had heard that there were people in Europe, who were like Apaches.  He believed they lived in a place called Scotland.  

[Recuerdo leer sobre un Apache warrior explicando a un historiador que había oído que había gente en Europa, que eran como los Apaches. Creía que vivía en un lugar llamado Escocia.]

And although I love the sound of bagpipes, I recall hearing the definition of a gentleman as being someone who knows how to play the bagpipes, but doesn’t.

[Y aunque me encanta el sonido de las gaitas, Recuerdo escuchar la definición de un caballero como alguien que sabe cómo tocar la gaita, pero no lo hace.]

Dueling Pipers

By College of Piping

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Apologies

How do you feel about Roseanne Barr and Peter Fonda’s apologies? 

I would accept both of their apologies  55.56%  (5 votes) 
I would not accept either’s apologies  33.33%  (3 votes) 
I would accept Roseanne Barr’s apology, but not Peter Fonda’s apology  11.11%  (1 votes) 
I would accept Peter Fonda’s apology, but not Roseanne Barr’s apology  0%  (0 votes)
 Total Votes: 9

 THIS WEEK’S POLL – How Long Has It Been Since You Have Worked Out In A Gym?

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

Set Decorating

[Decoración del Juego]

Decorating for the holidays is always a fun thing to do.

[Decorar para las vacaciones es siempre una cosa divertida de hacer.]

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Willis Carrier

Given the heat wave we have experienced, there should be no doubt why Willis Carrier is this week’s extraordinary person.

[Dada la ola de calor que hemos sufrido, no debe existir ninguna duda de por qué Willis Carrier es esta semana la persona extraordinaria.]

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you  Nick, Sheryll & Tania, for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

And my thanks to Liz & Sneha, who started following my blog. Also, thank you Amber & Viswarupa, who liked my Facebook page.

And thank you Carol, Darlene, Doug, Jager, Patty & Shirley, for sharing my FB post.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

My Final Cover