Monday, December 17, 2012

Stop And Smell The Roses . . .

This is the time of year where the "hustle and bustle" part of life is at its peak for a lot of us.  People are running around buying gifts, going to work parties, decorating, baking, traveling, Stressing, etc. 
Living Dead Girl
Please remember to stop and take the time to tell your family and friends you love them.

Stop making the season about the gift(s) and make it about family and friends.

And keep in mind there are a lot of people out there who do not enjoy the holiday season because they have lost someone close to them, they don't have family or a special someone in their life to share this time with or there was some sort of tragic moment in their lives.

We as the human race are "lost" and have been for a long time.   Let's stop feeding the negative in the World.  And stop waiting for a tragedy to finally realize that there is a huge problem out there.

Maybe 2013 can be about compassion, caring, loving . . .

Help a stranger in need, tell a family member you love them, tell someone they matter, donate to a cause, adopt a shelter animal, visit a nursing home, simply give someone a smile  . . .

Let's stop judging each other and start loving each other.

I'll start . . . YOU Matter to me!

From our house to yours, we wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and an even Happier, Healthier New Year.

Living Dead Girl

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Trick or Treat!




"Trick or treat . . . smell my feet . . . give me something good to eat . . . if you don't . . . I don't care  . . . I'll pull down your underwear."

Living Dead Girl

Halloween is my all-time favorite Holiday.  I love everything about it; the candy, dressing up, decorations and decorating, carving pumpkins AND scary movies. 
Did you know that Halloween is fairly new to America?   It actually became popular in America in the early 1900s.  Originally called Samhain (which means summer’s end in Gaelic) it is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31st - November 1st.  This date was associated with the Catholic All Saints' Day from as early as the 8th Century.  And the secular customs that are now connected with Halloween have been influenced by both the Gaelic and the Catholic liturgical festival. 
It’s said, that during Samhain, the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest.  And the ghosts of the deceased can mingle with the living. 
Today’s Halloween traditions evolved from the ancient symbols of Samhain.  One example of that is Celtics carved turnips into skulls.  They placed these carved turnips in their windows to ward off evil.  This tradition evolved into today’s jack-o-lanterns.

Below are a few Halloween superstitions, folklore and a phobia:
  • If you hear footsteps behind you while you’re walking on Halloween, DO NOT turn around . . .  if you do, you may be staring Death in the face.
  • If you want to run into a witch on Halloween, a sure-fire way to do this is by wearing your clothes inside out and walk backwards.
  • If you are born on Halloween, you will have the gift of communicating with the dead.
  • If you feel a chill up your spine, someone is walking on your future grave.
  • A medieval superstition that is still around today; doorbells, chimes or any type of bells ringing are supposed to chase away evil spirits.
  • Walk around your home three times counterclockwise and backwards before sunset on Halloween to ward off evil spirits.
  • For the Ladies, if you carry a lamp to a spring of water on Halloween night, you can see your future husband in the reflection.
  • Place a burning candle inside a jack-o-lantern on Halloween to keep evil spirits and demons at bay.
  • Cucurbitophobia is the fear of pumpkins.
Living Dead Girl


And here are some neat U.S. Halloween facts:
  • Halloween is the Holiday when the most candy is sold.
  • Halloween is the second most commercially successful Holiday; Christmas being the first.
  • Halloween is the third-largest party occasion next to Christmas and New Year's Eve.
  • There are approximately 25 million Halloween cards sold annually.
  • The top four states for pumpkin production are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.
Living Dead Girl

I'll end my blog with a short (but cute) Halloween poem:

"We mask our faces

and wear strange hats,
and moan like witches
and screech like cats,
and jump like goblins
and thump like elves,
and almost manage
to scare ourselves!"
~Author Unknown

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

All Good Things Must Come To An End . . .

One of my hobbies is paranormal investigating.  It's something that I have been interested in from an early age.  And it has been something that has been following me around since the age of 12.  Over the years I have researched more and more to try and figure out what is going on out there in the 'spirit world'. 

During this time, I have met some great people that have become some of my closest, dearest friends; and even one of them my husband.  I have made so many lasting friendships with some great individuals. 
And if it wasn't for a close friend of mine and his radio show called Darkness On The Edge Of Town (aka Darkness Radio), I wouldn't have met any of these people.  Here is a link to the official page:  http://www.darknessradio.com/.
Dave Schrader is the host of Darkness Radio which can be found on Twin Cities News Talk:  http://www.twincitiesnewstalk.com/pages/darknessradio.html .   You are able to stream it live or listen to the archives.  And if you are listening live, you are also able to chat with other listeners through a chat window that is available on Darkness Radio's website.
Darkness Radio is the best paranormal talk radio show out there.  Dave is absolutely amazing at what he does.  You will be hooked after listening to just one show.  He will keep you up to date on anything/everything supernatural and paranormal; and he interviews all types of Para-celebrities in the field. 

Along with doing the radio show, Dave also hosts conferences/events that people are able to attend and investigate haunted locations.  These events are truly like no other.  You get to go to some of the coolest places around the United States ... and you get to investigate and hang out with para-celebrities; not to mention attend lectures from these greats in the field.

I am sad to say that this November will be the final event for Darkness Radio.  The radio show itself is still going strong, but will no longer offer ghost hunts.   And if you ever wanted to have a chance to investigate a famously haunted location with people, like Aaron Goodwin and Billy Tolley from Ghost Adventures, now is your time to do so.  Follow this link to see the Final event (and complete list of para-celebs) which is being held at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado: http://www.darknessradio.com/TRIPS/endofdays/index.html.

The Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for Stephen King to write his novel, The Shining.   Both television shows, Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters have investigated and filmed there.   Check out the hotel's website to see for yourself how picturesque this place truly is:  http://www.stanleyhotel.com/. 
Thank you, Dave Schrader, Mallie Fox and Tim Dennis (aka Darkness Radio) for some of the best memories and lasting friendships ... you guys and gal R-O-C-K!
 


 Darkness Dave and myself
 My Husband and I with Mallie Fox (Mark Constantino photo bomb)
Tim Dennis and myself

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Free The Rockville 15

"Be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves" is a phrase spoken and/or practiced by many on a daily basis.  I am proud to say that I am one of those people.

There are so many animals out there being hurt, abused and/or neglected all around us.  And it's time that we step up and speak out for these beautiful creatures no matter how great or small.
If you are a Facebook friend of mine or are a frequent visitor of my blog, you know that I am involved in the well-being of Orangutans, Gorillas and Chimpanzees.  I sign at least one or two petitions a day dealing with the safety of these precious creatures who will someday (not too far off) be extinct.

I recently came across a situation that is happening in Rockville, Maryland.  I have decided to share the article and Petition in my blog to ask for you to please sign and help "Free The Rockville 15".
The following article is from July 4th, 2012 explaining the meaning behind "Free The Rockville 15".

And here is the link to the Petition.

The Petition was created by Elizabeth Kucinich.  Elizabeth is a sustainable food & vegan advocate, a champion for peace, human rights, animals and the environment.  Elizabeth is married to US Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

So far there are well over 23,000 signatures.  The goal of the Petition is 25,000 as of right now.  Once that goal is surpassed, there is a goal of 30,000 signatures.
Help abused animals in any way possible; whether it be signing a petition, sharing a website about adopting a pet, saving an animal that is in trouble/distress or reporting animal abuse to your local authorities.

Animals have hearts and souls; they have feelings and emotions . . . Be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves . . .

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Health And Safety Hazards Investigating Hales Bar

 UPDATE:  Monday, July 23, 2012

Hales Bar will no longer be open for paranormal investigating. Here are some links to webpages regarding Hales Bar Marina and future paranormal investigating at this location!  The following links are pages from Team PROSE and Hales Bar:

http://www.halesbarmarina.com/haunted.php

http://www.teamprose.com/

http://www.hauntedhalesbar.com/

UPDATE:  Monday, June 11, 2012


Michelle from PROSE has been working with Pete since June 3rd to try and resolve things after our experience at Hales Bar on that Saturday.  As of today, thanks to Michelle, the manager/owner of Hales Bar has refunded us our money for the night of our investigation due to the experience we had encountered.  Also due to our experience, along with Michelle and the rest of her group sharing our concerns with the owner, he has decided to take action and make changes so that the place is more secure from here on out.  A happy ending to a bad experience!


First and foremost, this blog entry is not meant to 'attack' or 'bad mouth' anyone.  It is my own personal experience at a haunted location.  I am simply putting it out there to let other investigators know about the health and safety issues of this location.  And I strongly urge any and all investigators to think twice before going to Hales Bar to investigate.

My husband and I have been all over the United States investigating haunted locations.  We have been to places that are rundown and dirty.  We are in no way new to paranormal investigating.

On Saturday, June 2nd, 2012 my husband, Mike, a good friend of ours, Pete, and myself were set to investigate Hales Bar in Tennessee.  We had heard negative things about this location from several investigators after putting the deposit down on the location.  We decided to go and check it out for ourselves ... not everyone is going to like every place out there or the people associated with the location.

To start off, the place is an active Marina and Hales Bar Dam is located at the marina.  Before we even started our tour we knew that the investigation that evening was going to be difficult due to outside noise interference.

There are at least five open doors and/or entryways that are not locked and cannot be locked from the general public.  ONE, a fence across an open archway that can easily be scaled; TWO, a big wooden red door (main door) cannot be locked and (if you're lucky) can be pulled shut at least; THREE, an open area that you can walk through (stepping over some debris) and go right through an open doorway into the building; FOUR, a door in the tunnel system that has chains draped on the outside to make it look locked but doesn't actually lock; FIVE, a double door in another section of the tunnel (control room) that doesn't lock, but closes.  There is, in fact, ONE door in the tunnel system that is welded shut for your safety.

As for security, which is included in the price for investigating ... he does not stay at the location while you're there.  You can only reach him via text message due to the lack of cell phone service at the marina.  He does live somewhere at or around the marina though.

As for the general safety of the location, Hales Bar is an active marina with people staying on boats and rented cabins.  Music, voices, boat engines, et cetera can be heard at all times.  Birds actively nest and fly around inside as all the windows are broken out.  With birds comes bird droppings and that is dangerous.  Birds can carry all kinds of infectious diseases and parasites.  And bird droppings are especially dangerous when dried, because fine particles can be released into the air and then inhaled ... and it was basically everywhere.  In the short amount of time we were there Saturday night we all had headaches, to some degree, from breathing in all that stuff.

The railing around the whirlpool area on the inside is not safe at all.  Do not lean on it or you are falling into the water below.  There is a spiral staircase in the floor that is open with tiny orange cones circling the opening for your safety.  There are nuts/bolts protruding out of the floor throughout the dam that are not marked or identified.  There are some pretty hazardous openings in some places that can cause some real damage if you fall.

The upper front of Hales Bar where the show Ghost Adventures had captured a pretty interesting thermal image has an open floor right outside the doorway with a 50-foot drop into the water.  There is an actual door there than can be closed but the gentleman giving us the tour stated that he is afraid to even try and shut the door because it swings right over the opening.  So if you are investigating there at night, this could be a disaster waiting to happen.

There is an enclosed rec area which we had a key for.  This is where we were told we could lock our equipment in.  Apparently the keys to this building are not always returned (either from being lost or misplaced) after they are given out.  Coincidentally that night, when our 'tour guide' went to look for the key in the designated 'hiding' spot it wasn't there.  Not to worry, he had an extra key that he had brought with them.  We decided not to use the rec area to house our equipment for this exact reason.

Here is a link to Hales Bar Marina and Resort regarding tours (and ghost hunts):

http://www.halesbarmarina.com/haunted.php

Please note #12 on the list of ghost hunting guidelines.

“12. Keep in mind that a lot of the places you will be investigating will be secluded.  Because of this you should always bring along some form of protection.  I suggest pepper spray or a stun gun.  I am of course talking about protecting yourself from bad people, not bad ghosts. *smile*”

I think it's pretty tacky to add a "*smile*" to the end of this guideline considering this is a hot spot for drunks to wonder into ... and obviously by this guideline a known fact.

Now the group that gave us the tour and set up the investigation for us is PROSE.  PROSE members were extremely nice and gave us a tour of Hales Bar.  But after the tour neither security nor the team were present during the investigation.  If PROSE is going to actually associate themselves with Hales Bar, I would think that their team has to take some of the responsibility to make the location safer for investigators.  They are branding their team name with the location and organizing the investigations.  I would think it's a huge liability and wouldn’t want to be them if someone was assaulted and/or hurt.

The price PROSE quotes is $350 (for up to six people) for overnight stays and $50 per person after that with a $100 deposit.  Now, PROSE does state that their team is available for security for your group for a separate charge.  It's stated on the following website:

http://www.hauntedhalesbar.com/overnightinvestigations.htm

“8. Our team is available to run security for your group. This is a separate charge. Please inquire when you book your investigation if this a feature you would like to add. "

I find this to be a complete joke because you are already paying for security in the initial payment.  Remember the guy who apparently doesn't stay on location and can only be reached via text message.

I also wonder why you really have to pay all of this money when apparently anyone can and has walked right into the location without paying.

With all of this being said; here is an account of our $350 investigation:

After the tour PROSE left for the night.  Mike, Pete and I walked over to the red door to enter Hales Bar and start our investigation.  Mike pulled as hard as he could on the red door until he was able to pull it shut.  We decided to do an EVP session by the opening in the floor where the spiral staircase is located.  While we were recording, two people were wondering around outside the fence with flashlights.  Shortly after that, the same two people scaled the fence and started shining flashlights down our way.  They were there for a good 15 minutes or so.  Luckily they decided (for whatever reason) to turn around and leave.  During this incident I had sent my first text message to our security guard.  I received no response back from my text message nor did we see him at all.  Keep in mind that the security guard isn't right outside keeping people away from the entryways.

After this the three of us decided to hit some of the 'hot spots' before being interrupted again.  We decided to check out the tunnel system to conduct a few EVP sessions.  We set up in the tunnel system in the area where there is a 'reported' ghost of a little girl.  This section is the only section with a door to the outside that is welded shut.  We no sooner started an EVP session and heard people outside lurking around.  We stopped for a bit until the people decided to leave.  Then we started back into our EVP session only to be interrupted by a group of people outside again.

This time the group of people, which consisted of SIX drunken young adults (totting beer bottles AND flashlights in their hands) decided they were coming into the tunnel system.  They entered through the door that "appears" to be locked by having chains draped over the outside of the door.

This was only TWO hours into our night of investigating.  And instead of attempting to confront them by telling them that we paid to be there and that they would have to leave, we chose to play it safe and just leave for our own safety.  Keep in mind that I did, in fact, send security a second text message stating that there were six drunks that just entered the tunnel system with no response back via text or in person.

Everything we were told about the location and the difficulties people have had were absolutely correct.  And we just so happened to have experienced it all in a two-hour time period Saturday night.

Now, with all that being said, Pete has spoken with Michelle from PROSE about the incident.  She apologized and offered us another overnight stay at no charge but we declined.  She asked what she could do and Pete mentioned a partial refund. She said she would contact the owner about it and would get back to him this week.

This is place is totally unsafe for people to go and investigate.  Before we started our tour we had asked about security, about doors being able to lock, people breaking in, asbestos, et cetera  ... all of these questions were sidestepped in one way or another.

Please think twice about spending money to investigate Hales Bar for your own safety and the safety of your team members.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Don't Sit Still.

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month.  And part of that is 'What will I (or anyone) do to help get awareness out there?"  What better way to get awareness out there then to blog about it . . . 

~  I am a member of the Fox Trial Finder which was developed by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (http://www.michaeljfox.org) to help people find opportunities to participate in clinical trials.
~  I will be participating in upcoming Parkinson's Walks throughout the year.
~  And I recently added two tattoos to my current collection.  In December I had the MJF Foundation 'Fox' logo tattooed on my wrist; and the phrase, "I'm in.  Are you?" tattooed on the top of my foot.  The phrase can be found on T-shirts that are available for purchase; and it's used in video campaigns.



I decided to get more involved because my Father was diagnosed about five years ago with Parkinson's disease.  Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the brain that leads to shaking (tremors), difficulty in walking, movement and coordination.  As of now, there is no cure for the disease.  And anyone who has a family member or themselves that have been diagnosed knows that it is both hard on that person and their family. 



I'd like to share a cute story involving my dog, Ellie and my Father. 
Whenever my husband and I go on a trip, my parents will watch Ellie.  She loves going to 'Pappy and Grandma's house.'  And, of course, she gets spoiled while she's there; my Father gives her ice cream (frozen yogurt) every night, and my Mom takes her for several walks throughout the day.

Back in November Ellie had gone to stay with my parents while my husband and I were traveling.  And on one of those days my Father had one of his 'bad days'.  His bad days can vary with different levels of symptom severity.  On this particular day my Father was feeling sick to his stomach, he had the shakes and he had a nervous, agitated feeling ... he just couldn't 'get comfortable in his own skin'.  So he was sitting up on the edge of his recliner with his hands on his face, elbows resting on his legs.  

Now, when my Father is nervous, Ellie is nervous.  So Ellie had been pacing the floor in the living room and dining room; keeping an eye on my Father.  Then Ellie walked over to him and sat down in front of him as if he had a toy or a treat for her.  My Father knew she was there, and without moving or looking, said, "Hey, Dog!" which is how he normally addresses her.  She wagged her tail and then walked away only to walk back over to him and sit down in front of him again.   Before my Mother or my Father knew it, Ellie took her head and laid it down on my Father's knees and looked up at him with her puppy-dog eyes.  I truly think she was trying to comfort my Father right then and there.  It's moments like this that warm my heart.  And for that short moment in time my Father had some comfort from that stupid disease that has taken over his body and his entire life!

My dream is that one day there will be a cure for Parkinson's disease.  And as for right now, I will do everything that I can to help in finding that cure and getting awareness out there about this disease.  "I'm in.  Are you?"

(
The Title of my blog, "Don't Sit Still", is taken from one of the T-shirts that can be purchased on the MJF Foundation website, http://shop.michaeljfox.org/.  I love this phrase because it is a very powerful saying when you relate it to Parkinson's; both as a patient and someone who is active in finding a cure.)

(Side-note:  I believe that animals are truly the most sensitive beings on Earth.  You can most likely find me signing petitions for animal rights and posting articles and/or photos of animals on several of my profile pages.  I am involved with the Jane Goodall Institute, the Centre For Orangutan Protection and Red Apes
out of Borneo, just to name a few.  I help spread the word about how important it is to help save these orphans and our environment.  I also make donations periodically, and purchase orangutan and chimp-related items, to help out these causes . . . . . .  I am a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves!)

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Wail like a banshee.

St. Patrick’s Day is only days away.  So I thought I would write about a particular piece of Irish Folklore; one that has caught my curiosity for years . . . The Banshee.   According to Irish folklore, the Banshee (reported sightings dating back to the 1800’s) is a spirit who visits a household and wails to warn them of impending death.

Merriam-Webster
defines a banshee as:
  “a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die (Irish – bean sidhe and Scottish Gaelic – bean sith; meaning woman of fairyland).”

A Banshee, in Irish Mythology, is a female spirit which is usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld.
  Although not always seen, her mourning call is heard, usually at night, when someone is about to die.  In Ireland banshees were believed to warn only families of pure Irish descent.  And when several banshees appeared at once, it indicated the death of someone great or Holy.

She appears in one of three forms; as a beautiful young woman, as a stately matron or as a terrifying old hag.
  She is often described as being dressed in white or grey with long pale hair which she brushes with a silver comb.  Sometimes it’s mentioned that if you see a comb lying on the ground in Ireland, you are to never pick it up.  The banshee placed it there to lure unsuspecting humans.

The Banshee myth first started from an Irish tradition of the lament.
  Women would sing a lament for the dead at funerals.  This song would carry through the air and become the first signal that someone had died.  These singers were known as ‘keeners’; and their services were highly respected.  From the natural honoring of the dead, the legend of the Banshee began.  And as time went on the myth and legend became more and more colorful.

There have been several television shows out there that have had episodes regarding the banshee.
  Two that I have watched and enjoyed:

*     
Charmed, "Look Who's Barking", Season 3, Episode 7, air date ~ May 10, 2001.
*     Destination Truth, "Live From Ireland — The Search for the Banshee Ghost," air date ~
       March 17, 2011.

I'll end this blog with a few photographs, from this past November, of my version of a Banshee . . . and my husband portraying the Grim Reaper aka Death. 

Have a safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO


Sunday, February 26, 2012

365.242199 days to be exact.

The 29th of February is a date that occurs every four years; also known as leap day.  Leap years are considered necessary because the actual length of a year is 365.242199 days (also known as a tropical year).  And they are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun.  If we didn't add a day on February 29th nearly every four years, we would lose almost six hours every year.  After 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days.

Julius Caesar was behind the origin of leap year in 45 BC (Julian Calendar).  The early Romans had a 355-day calendar. To keep festivals occurring around the same season each year, a 22- or 23-day month was created every second year.  Caesar decided to simplify things and added days to different months of the year to create the 365-day calendar . . . calculations that were actually made by Caesar's Astronomer, Sosigenes.  Every fourth year following the 28th day of Februarius, (February 29th) one day was to be added, making every four year a leap year.

The Julian Calendar was refined in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII.  A new rule that a century year is not a Leap Year unless it's evenly divisible by 400 (Gregorian Calendar or Christian Calendar).

The Gregorian Calendar (AKA Western Calendar or Christian Calendar) is today's internationally-accepted civil calendar.

There are also several traditions and superstitions for leap year.  Some examples of those are as follows:

  • There is an old Irish Legend stating that St. Bridget struck a deal with St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men . . . every four years.  It is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how Leap Day balances the calendar.
  • People that are born on February 29th are all invited to join The Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies.
And lastly some famous people born on February 29th:
  • Pope Paul III, (1468 - 1549)
  • Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer {EX: The Barber of Seville} (1792 - 1868)
  • Morarji Desai, Former Indian Prime Minister (1896 - 1995)
  • Dinah Shore, American Singer (1916 - 1994)
  • Al Rosen, American Baseball Player (1924 - )
  • Carlos Humberto Romero, Former President of El Salvador (1924 - )
  • Tony Robbins, American Motivational Speaker (1960 - )
  • Lyndon Byers, Canadian Hockey Player (1964 - )
  • Antonio Sabato, Jr., Italian-Born Actor (1972 - )
  • Ja Rule, American Rapper and Actor (1976 - )
  • Chris Conley, American Musician and Songwriter/Composer (1980 - )



Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Prince Philip is a Duke; and a God!

There is a tribe on the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu that has caught my eye . . . particularly for whom they worship as a God.

The Prince Philip Movement is a religious sect followed by the Yaohnanen tribe.  The tribe believes that the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, is a divine being.  They display portraits of the Duke and hold feasts on his birthday.

The Yaohnanen people believe he is originally from their island and is the son of an ancient spirit of a local volcano.  The legend states that a white man emerged from the volcano and traveled abroad to marry a powerful Queen.  The Yasur volcano is still active to this day and discharges ash and fire daily. 

In 1974 Her Majesty, along with  her husband, briefly stopped in what was then called New Hebrides during their voyage abroad the Royal Yacht Britannia.  Local men (including the chief (Chief Jack) of the Yaohnanen tribe) rowed out to meet them.  And it appears that was when the connection with Prince Philip was made.

Chief Siko has been quoted stating: "He is a God and when we talk about him and believe in him, it gives us life.  We are sure that one day he will come back, and when he does we will organize a toka dance for him."  (Chief Siko is the grandson of the late Chief Jack).

Their village has many photographs of the Duke, most strewn across a clothesline-type display area in the village.  There is also a particular photograph of the Duke displayed in the village’s shrine.  Apparently, there were doubters amongst the tribe, 30 some years ago.  So Chief Jack arranged for a traditional club to be sent to Buckingham Palace as a gift.  Prince Philip responded to this gift by posing with the club for a photograph.  He then signed the photograph and it was sent to the tribe.  Since receiving this photograph, it has been the centerpiece for the shrine in the village.

















What fascinates me most about this tribe is how happy and blessed this group looks and feels.  They live in an entirely different World then what most of us know and/or care about.  This group of men, women and children spend their days worshiping Prince Philip, smiling and having so much fun___loving life.  These people are poor (so to speak); none of them can read or write … they live in a village in amongst nature.  We could all learn a lesson from this tribe about beliefs, worship, community and true happiness.

Here is a two-minute video from YouTube that shows the tribe celebrating Prince Philip:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gws046zcrVQ

May 2012 bring you a World of true happiness  . .

Thursday, January 5, 2012

A Fistful Of Eastwood!

Like my Father, I am a HUGE Clint Eastwood fan, especially his spaghetti western days!

Clint Eastwood, now 81, has acted in 60 movies, produced 36 and directed 35 (to date) . . . he's been on screen and in the 'BIZ' for 56 years. And that's not including his TV roles. He has won four Oscars, 78 nominations and 118 other wins. Check out the link below for his IMDB profile.


Clint Eastwood ~ The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Spaghetti Westerns, also known as Italo-Western, originated in the mid 60s. Most of these films were low budget. The films were produced and directed by Italians actually in Italy; along with other European countries, such as Spain and Germany. Many of the supporting cast and extras were Spanish.

The name "spaghetti western" originally was meant as a derogatory name given by critics. The name has since stuck and is mostly used as a term of endearment.

Sergio Leone, director and writer, is best known for his creation of the (most) famously known spaghetti westerns that are also referred to as "Man With No Name Trilogy" starring Clint Eastwood (see the list below). Sergio was born in Rome in 1929 and is the son of silent film director, Vincenzo Leone.

Spaghetti Westerns are known to be more violent than traditional westerns.

* Fun Fact: In Japan they are called "Macaroni Westerns".

So grab some garlic bread and a ten-gallon cowboy hat and make your day (or night) with one of Mr. Eastwood's classics!

Clint Eastwood's "pasta" lineup:

A Fistful Of Dollars ~ 1964
For A Few Dollars More ~ 1965
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly ~ 1966

Now, Clint Eastwood is not the only actor in spaghetti westerns. Here is a link to a list of 110 actors who have starred in these films. Click on a certain name to be directed to a detailed page of each person.