my hero section....didier drogba

A native of the Ivory Coast, Didier plays soccer in England.

Through his charitable foundation, Ivory Coast captain and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba will help fund the construction of five clinics specializing in children and women's health spread throughout the country. The announcement was made by Didier Drogba Foundation secretary Guy Roland Tanoh, who said that the projects are being funded by the organization's London galas and Drogba's personal contributions.

The main goal of the Didier Drogba Foundation is to provide financial and material support in health and education to the African people. And the former Chelsea striker is also engaged in the fight against malaria since early 2012, alongside United Against Malaria (UAM), starring in a new campaign to fight this disease, which still kills a child in Africa every 60 seconds.

jpr: The man contracted malaria  while playing soccer in African Nations Cup.

acorns and the weather

Many people believe a large acorn crop is a predictor of a harsh winter. The truth is, the acorns on the ground today are the prediction of weather conditions two or three years ago; Scientists argue.

Favorable weather conditions for acorns mean a bumper crop two or three years later, the crops of 2013-2015 may bring some of the largest crops yet.  "The production of acorns definitely is not forecasting but hindcasting the weather."

jpr  Let's see if hill folk know best as they claim lots of acorns be falling now. They see a snowy winter.

The Passing of A Classic

Tom Magliozzi, co-host (with his brother Ray) of NPR's 'Car Talk' for 35 years, passed away this morning at 77 from complications of Alzheimer's. An auto mechanic with a PhD in finance, he brightened my day every Saturday with his wit, insight, and outrageous humor, plus some great car and relationship advice.  A real character and a class act, I will miss him. Fortunately, the old shows continue to be rebroadcast.  RIP Dr. Magliozzi.

The Tower's Poppies

From 5 August 2014 to 11 November 2014, a major artistic installation entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' sees the Tower of London's famous dry moat filled with over 880,000 ceramic poppies to create a powerful visual commemoration for the First World War Centenary.

The ceramic poppies were on sale for £25 each with net proceeds, hoped to be in excess of £15 million, to be shared equally amongst a group of carefully selected Service charities. At the exhibit's close the poppies will be resold.

Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November, is the day traditionally put aside to remember all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today.  WWI ended on 11.11.11. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war.. 


 The National War Memorial at Islandbridge, Dublin is dedicated "to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914–1918. This casualty rate is ~30% and twice that of all others.

Calling all Scientists!!!!

we are from the future?

if you will indulge me, watch this video (the last half a little frenetic) which posits an interesting quantum physics notion related to life.  JP and any else ones, is this accurate?  If so it is mystical; if not, then oh well..

Remembering Luther

Tradition holds that Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk,  posted his 95 Thesis on this day in 1517, supposedly nailing them to the door of a cathedral.  In reality they were mailed to Bishops and because of the availability of the new printing press widely distributed.  His intentions were not be break away from Rome but to address abuses by the Curia, specifically the Church's selling of indulgences, to absolve past, present and future sin, the money earmarked for renovations in Rome.  His basic premise was that the Church establishment exceeded its authority in a variety of ways.  He was excommunicated and thus Lutheranism.  Imagine what he would have to say today. 

all saints..all souls day

All Saints' Day (also known as All Hallows' Day or Hallowmas) is the day after All Hallows' Eve (Hallowe'en). It is a feast day celebrated on 1st November by Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

It is an opportunity for believers to remember all saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history. As part of this day of obligation, believers are required to attend church and try not to do any servile work.

Charon's "last judgement" is the Sistine Chapel

Shakespeare " So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,
                      And, Death once dead, there's no more dying then