Hi, I know I haven't written in a while, but things have been a bit hectic

So it’s been awhile since I posted anything. I haven’t been flying as the airplane I use at the school has been crashed; that I was not on it is the good news, that there were no injuries or deaths is the great news. A good landing is one you walk away from, a great landing is one you can immediately use the plane afterwards... this was merely a good landing.

Speaking of the news, have you caught these stories lately?

From USA Today on 8/22/05:

"Pat Robertson calls for assassination of Hugo Chavez
VIRGINIA BEACH (AP) — Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested on-air that American operatives assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop his country from becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

or this one from yesterday in Yahoo news:

“ Venezuela offers fuel, food to hurricane-hit US
Mon Aug 29, 7:48 PM ET

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to send food and fuel to the United States after the powerful Hurricane Katrina pummeled the US south, ravaging US crude production.

The leftist leader, a frequent critic of the United States and a target himself of US disapproval, said Venezuela could send aid workers with drinking water, food and fuel to US communities hit by the hurricane.

"We place at the disposition of the people of the United States in the event of shortages -- we have drinking water, food, we can provide fuel," Chavez told reporters.

Chavez said fuel could be sent to the United States via a Citgo refinery that has not been affected by the hurricane. Citgo is owned by Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela “

or my personal favorite from something called the Jamaican Observer from today:

“CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that his government could request the extradition of US religious broadcaster Pat Robertson for suggesting American agents should kill him.

Speaking to foreign delegations attending a meeting of the Organisation of American States in Caracas, Chavez said Venezuela would "exercise legal action in the United States" against Robertson.

Robertson's comments last week have increased already tense relations between Caracas and Washington. He called for Chavez's assassination on his TV show The 700 Club, saying the United States should "take him out" because the Venezuelan leader poses a danger to the region.”

yep, you gotta keep up with the news...

23 August: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

Tonight and tomorrow, Tuesday, August 23rd, marks the International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition.

All of us who understand its significance need to work for August 23rd to be observed in the manner it deserves.

On the 23rd I will honor the memory of my ancestors enslaved and free in east Tennessee and western North Carolina. These are just a few. HESTER Young Broyles, born in western NC, and married, lived and died in Greeneville (died 1932); NOAH Gudger, who lived in the part of Asheville known as Lower Hominy, Sulphur Springs Post Office, Buncombe County, NC, in dwelling #10: "Noah Gudger, 45, black, [born in] NC; Jackson Bailey, 35, mulatto, NC; Caroline Bailey, 27, mulatto, NC; James Bailey, 6, mulatto, NC; Cate Lynch, 15 black, NC." (From information sent to me by a kind researcher.)

I'll also remember my Greatgreatgrandfather James Franklin "Frank" Broyles, husband of Hester; Adolphus Gudger, whom I believe to be a son of Noah, born in western NC in October 1846, who created a family with Matilda Rice, born April 1, 1850 to Mary "Polly" Ann ("Pop") Rice, a daughter of the large, Irish Protestant Rice family of Isaac and Nancy (KEITH) Rice who had 16 children.

UNESCO - the Paris-based educational, social and cultural arm of the United Nations - chose this date because the night of 22-23 August 1791, a slave rebellion began on the Caribbean island of Santo Domingo. Today San Domingo is shared by Ayiti (Haiti) & la Republica Dominicana. God bless my ancestors. I thank them for their lives and mine, and will try to honor them by my work.

23 August: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

Pow Wow in DC

Washington, the District of Columbia
Originally uploaded by MarianDouglas.

This past weekend was the Smithsonian NMAI National Powwow. They say about 35 thousand people came through. My Mom and I made it to the last day where I met and bought a couple of things from one Eastern Cherokee vendor who came up from western NC.

Chain mail...

A man wanted to get married. He was having trouble choosing among three likely candidates.

He gives each woman a present of $5,000 and watches to see what they do with the money.

The first does a total make over. She goes to a fancy beauty salon gets her hair done, new make up and buys several new outfits and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much.

The man was impressed.

The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer, and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much.

Again, the man is impressed.

The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $5,000. She gives him back his $5000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much.

Obviously, the man was impressed.

The man thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money he'd given her. Then, he married the one with the biggest boobs.

Men are like that, you know.

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them!

If you don't send this to five OLD friends right away there will be five fewer people laughing in the world.

got some news

I be published...my first article on Metaphilm. I realize this does not prove my existance to Bill. Nevertheless, hit the link; they like extra traffic.

www.metaphilm.com

Thanks, and happy reading!

Happy Birthday (belated)

It appears our little blog just had a birthday. Congrats to Brook, Elizabeth, Tony not Tony and all others.