Save The Night Sky...

Several years ago I read an article in the USA Today about light pollution destroying the views of the heavens that man has enjoyed since the beginning of time...90% of all American live under skies that are "affected" by light pollution... while roughly half can not see the Milky Way from their homes. In fact from space you can see the entire outline of the United States and every major city and the interstates highways that connect them. The night sky on the rest of the world including Africa is facing the same light pollution issues. This is a shame. Mankind has throughout history looked to the stars to try to understand events around them. So I'm into anything that will help bring attention to this environmental pollution issue. Dark Sky Festival in Harmony Florida, is intended to celebrate and promote the benefits of a night-sky free from the effects of excessive artificial lighting is a step in the right direction where one can enjoy viewing the night skies through a variety of telescopes, enjoy lots of music (Rare Earth) and food, numerous specialty booths, an educational zone with presentations from astronomers and other scientists, nocturnal creatures, a Cosmic Kids Zone and so much more without the ever present light pollution.

Get Ready! This Year’s Dark Sky Festival is Out-of-this-World

HARMONY, FL – March 15, 2008 – The 5th Annual Dark Sky Festival at Harmony will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008. Sponsored by the Harmony Institute, the Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureau, several astronomy clubs, the Osceola News Gazette and Florida Travel & Life Magazine, the event will kick off at 7pm in Harmony's Town Square.

“The Dark Sky Festival is intended to celebrate and promote the benefits of a night-sky free from the effects of excessive artificial lighting,” said Greg Golgowski, Harmony’s Conservation Director and a key member of the Dark Sky Festival Planning Committee. “Poor outdoor lighting not only washes out the splendor of the heavens, but also reduces visibility at night, wastes energy, and disturbs wildlife.”

As with the past four Dark Sky Festivals, attendees will be able to enjoy viewing the night skies through a variety of telescopes. There also be lots of music and food, numerous specialty booths, an educational zone with presentations from astronomers and other scientists, nocturnal creatures, a Cosmic Kids Zone and so much more.”

Local favorite, the Silver Clouds Orchestra, will start the entertainment portion of the evening at 7:00pm. This will be followed by a free concert by legendary recording artists, Rare Earth.

Rare Earth will take to Harmony’s outdoor amphitheatre stage at 8:00pm for a live concert chock full of their greatest hits including “Get Ready” and “I Just Want to Celebrate.”

“We are ecstatic to have Rare Earth performing at this year’s Festival,” said Shad Tome, president of Harmony Development Group. “We are encouraging everyone to wear comfortable shoes because Rare Earth is known for getting the whole audience up and dancing.”

The festival will be emceed by Magic 107.7’s afternoon drive on-air personality and program director Ken Payne.

The Festival is open to the general public. Over 3,500 people are expected to attend the event this year. The event will conclude around 11:00pm.

This date was selected because it falls on the heels of National Dark Sky week (March 29 – April 4); where people in the United States are encouraged to turn out their unnecessary outdoor lights in order to temporarily reduce light pollution.

For more information, please visit www.DarkSkyFestival.com or call 407-891-8358

POW*MIA

You don't hear much from the National Media about the Missing or Captured American solders in Iraq...a country under the control of the U.S. Military. There are 4 brave U.S. Army servicemen listed as missing/captured in Iraq:

Staff Sergeant Keith M. Maupin - POW*MIA 16-Apr-2004
Ahmed Qusai al-Taei: Status - POW*MIA 23-Oct-2006
Spc. Alex R. Jimenez: Status - POW*MIA 12-May-2007
Pvt. Byron W. Fouty: Status - POW*MIA 12-May-2007

As we near the fourth anniversary of the capture of Staff Sergeant Keith M. Maupin let us not forget the sacrafice these men are enduring and pray for there speedy recovery.

Seafood...Be Oyster Aware..

What did the boy oyster say to the girl oyster?
Are you my sister?

Oysters are delicious little mollusks packing low calorie proteins, minerals, vitamins and healthful omega-3 fatty acids good things for the body in moderation.
However oysters when eaten undercooked, can pose serious health risks via...Vibrio Vulnificus bacteria. While not a serious threat to healthy individuals the risks are much worse for people with diabetes, liver disease and weak immune systems. If you have any of the above mentioned and consume raw oysters you can fall seriously ill and even die.

So what is one to do...well Gulf oysters are doing everything possible to make consuming raw oyster safe and one way is to educated the public on the benifits and risks of consuming Oysters. So, eat your oyster treats raw, steamed, fried, whatever your appetite desires, just BE OYSTER AWARE!

PhotoHunt # 101: I Spy...

Was having a difficult time coming up with something that would fit the bill for I Spy. I knew if I was patient something would come my way that would satisfy this weeks PhotoHunt. Shadow our family cat was awaken after I got excited about North Carolina's Basketball comeback win over Virginia Tech in this years ACC tournament.

Lets Play Fantasy Baseball...

It's that time of year when the snow melts, flowers bloom, and the sounds of wood hitting balls is in the air...that's right...baseball is back and so is fantasy baseball for all the people to prove they know more than the pros and if your good make money. Sports Prophet's technologically advanced Fantasy Sports Prophet - is a completely Web-based fantasy sports software system designed to deliver the ultimate in fantasy sports experience from anywhere..and its loaded...with a draft assistance tool that uses Artificial Intelligence, Predictive Analytics, and Data Mining concepts to create the most accurate Player Rankings...along with full season roster player management tool to help manage your roster through the season including updated mid-season projections via artificial intelligence. Their scientific team, which includes two PhD scientists, has used Fantasy Sports Prophet technology to create a model to accurately predict player performance. All stats, injury reports and major updates available from within the software. This web site is really, really loaded..full of information and visually helpful, easy to navigate and there is also a $10 off special for using promo code BMC200 if your into fantasy league baseball. Sports Prophet is the web site that will provide fantasy players with the ultimate competitive edge to make real money in a fantasy world.

Daily Walk...

It was 9 degrees when I went walking this morning...the crisp air and the frozen ground made my walk very enjoyable. Part of the trail I was on runs parallel with Swan Creek..and I managed to snap this shot of the frozen landscape.

Best Shampoo Ever...

I was selected to take part in a Naked Naturals sample pack and was pleasantly surprised with the product. Naked Naturals name was chosen to reflect their commitment to formulating hair care products using natural ingredients and is formulated to make your hair 7x stronger and when I was through applying it to my hair...it did feel thicker and refresher not to mention my hair smelled great. Made the safe choice Naked Naturals is the natural shampoo on the market and has no DEA or TEA, no animal By-products, no artificial colors, no harsh chemicals, naked naturals shampoo and conditioners are the best on the market. The secret to Naked Naturals is the key product Keravis. Keravis is a natural plant protein that is exclusive to Naked Naturals. Keravis works on the molecular level making your hair up to 7x thicker and stronger. At the same time, heavy Keravis molecules form a protective outer barrier strengthing and protecting your hair from the inside out. I used the sample shampoo and conditioner and like I said my hair felt refreshed and thicker...not to mention my hair smelled great. I will defently purchase this product at the local drug store and see the effect it has on my hair.

Daily Walk...

I managed to walk this morning for the 15th straight day as part of my wellness plan to make me feel better and took this picture of the winter landscape. These daily walks are also helping me cope with my unemployment anxiety and I hope will give me the edge if and when I get an interview.

Fabric Shower Curtains...

I have been remodeling my bathroom and one big problem is finding a shower curtain that is the perfect shower curtain to suit my taste and decor but also heavy duty able to stand up to kids and functional at keeping water in its place. Well cozyhomes.com has a Hugh collection of shower curtains that fit the bill. Their large selection of shower curtains do more than just keep the water from splashing all over the place, they add personality and I can tell you with free shipping their price is very good. My favorite is the Noonglow fabric shower curtain not your taste then check out the Bamboo Leaf Print or the Bloom Fabric shower curtain and they are heavy duty Poly/Cotton and while your at it don't forget the liner. Check this site out for some awesome ideas for that hard to decorate room.

Calling All Veterans...

To all veterans of the United States Military if you have any medical issues that are not being addressed I would encourage to visit the following link: Veterans Affairs This link will help you in starting to understand the procedures required to help you to receive earned VA medical care. The most important issue to remember is to call or write your local VA Rep. and request parer work to process a medical claim. All major cities in the U.S. have VA clinics where veterans can go for immediate care for colds and flu that sort of thing. In Toledo Ohio the address is Toledo VA Outpatient Clinic 3333 Glendale Ave. phone number 419-259-2000. I encourage all veterans to take care of their bodies and seek preventive medical attention such as a check up, blood pressure, and all other issues.

Oysters Lovers Need to Know...

I like eating raw oysters and have done so on many occasions. Having said that..its been several years since I eaten them because of my concern of eating raw things out of the ever polluted ocean and the ever present Vibrio vulnificus. Gulf oysters are the best and I recently learned that Gulf Coast oyster processors have taken the lead in developing new technologies to ensure safer alternatives to traditional raw oysters for all consumers. Their technologies include individual quick freeze, Heat-cool pasteurization, or High pressurization processing all designed to reassure the consumer that consuming raw oysters is safe and healthy. Thanks to new technology I will eat raw oysters again!

Natures Power..

Wednesday night we had several inches of rain in NW Ohio that melted the 5 inches of snow laying on the groung. The next day the Maumee River was at flood stage covering Providence Dam located in Grand Rapids, Ohio by 2 feet....awesome...the power of nature.