Cory Booker Superhero Mayor of Newark NJ

Mayor Cory Booker was already a super mayor – now he is a super hero by saving a woman from a burning house


NY Post

Newark Mayor Cory Booker appeared on Ellen today to talk about his adventure saving his neighbor from her burning home.

Update – for some reason the “Ellen” clip was removed from YouTube.

There are some men who are heroes and Cory Brooker is one.  Continue reading

Depression is an Offline Event

In the last several weeks, two people that I’ve known from online have taken their lives.

By Chris Brogan G+ – In both cases, there were tweets or Facebook posts or Google+ updates that hinted that things might be falling apart.

But we rarely notice such posts. We rarely hear them loudly, because they aren’t Siri jokes or cats dressed like astronauts.
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Father’s Day enjoy it

Clary Pottie, Halifax Herald Reporter circa 1948

Today is Father’s Day when we remember our fathers, mainly remembering after they have passed on.

Somewhat less frequently we celebrate the fathers who are still alive.

Fathers won’t get a fill measure of praise since the man haters have already started posting stories about lazy and good for nothing husbands. Shame on them.

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Surviving Mother’s Day

Surviving Mother’s Day is up there with Christmas unless you’re proactive

Mother's Day, the ideal family somewhat of an illusion (photo Megan Cooley, about.com)

The heat is on in the media to celebrate Mother’s Day.

For many sons and daughters, Mother’s Day is not a happy time for a thousand reasons.

A little creativity can turn it around and put a smile on your face and on the face of a mother.

Haven’t got a mother who you can spoil, cherish or take out to diner?  Continue reading

Invisible death of an invisible woman

The tall, beautiful woman lay on the floor of her apartment dead and invisible for 5 months

Elizabeth Berrigan invisible in death (roses from Island Deaths)

She was a tall, beautiful and intelligent Irish woman of a proud Prince Edward Island family.

Those eyes of hers could flash with wit, laughter and life.

They were also windows to a tortured soul who struggled for 30 years with mental illness and disability.   Continue reading

Christmas concerts now are here

Photo Fransen all rights reserved

Christmas Concerts now are here,

full of laughter, sometimes tears,
Suzie’s singing far off key,
Jimmy stands too close to me……
Mary’s dad is very proud,
Johnny’s drum is much too loud,
Everyone please sing along,
With our Christmas Song.

(to the tune of the Chipmunks Christmas Song)
2010 Children’s Sunday School Christmas Concert.

By Fransen, all rights reserved

You gotta have heart

My uncle has his first heart attack in his mid 50′s.

We were very worried about him being so young and all.

One day I went to see him at home and asked him how he felt.

“Great,” he said. “I follow the doctor’s orders.”

“He said cut back to one beer a day.”

“So I switched to quarts, one in the daytime and one at night.”

He just celebrated his 86th birthday.

(dedicated to Chuck Arsenault, who after I told him my uncle’s true funny story realized he steal might abscond with it, Chuck being a better comedian than I)

John Ewart passed away

Well known writer, farmer, computer expert, newspaper editor, wit and humanitarian died June 25th in his 82nd year

John Ewart image: Island Deaths

It makes me profoundly sad to write about the passing of an old friend John Ewart who died on Friday.

Everyone who knew John Ewart can tell you stories about him. He was a great guy who pretended to be tight with the penny but had great generosity of the spirit.

John was well liked by everyone he met. His sense of humor and intelligence were unforgettable as was his desire to help others.

I will try to give you my remembrance of John. If any facts are confused, feel free to correct them. They are based only my memory of John’s numerous stories from the countless hours we spent together.

He was born in Montreal and had a Montrealer’s sensibility about many things.  Montrealer’s have the duality of English and French along with a wonderful internationalism from the many immigrant communities that share the city. I had lived there for 9 years so when we met there was an instant affinity for shared experiences.

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