You Think What?

Blanche Africa Reilly Dark has another report on more educated young people who are giving back to their community and the world at large.

You may remember LaDonna and Darnell Suggs

from their June 2008, five week appearance on the Today Show as contestants in the Race to The Altar competition; where one lucky couple wins an all expense paid televised wedding and private, lavish honeymoon.

I knew they were winners going into the competition. Handsome, confident, intelligent Darnell from St. Louis, Missouri and Decatur, Georgia along with, at the time his lovely fiance LaDonna from historic Tuskegee, Alabama–a true southern beauty, who is as brilliant as she is good looking, were the couple to watch.

And indeed millions did watch, as I did , as these two very accomplished young adults won the competition and were married on June 25, 2008, live, on the NBC television network.

Well this is what electrical/computer engineering professionals do after they marry each other. They establish a foundation. The Suggs Foundation, Inc, is a non-profit corporation, to promote scholastic values for those who follow them. (more…)

Blanche Africa Reilly Dark, the mother of Clark, is with us today to present some young people who deserve your support as they perform work for a worthy cause.

Miracles Global, Inc is a non profit corporation begun by young
Jeffrey C. Jones.  Jones, a native of New Jersey, is the son of a successful businessman and a well known poet.

As Jones relates the moment he decided to do something to help others:

“On my 20th Birthday, I had an epiphany. I was no longer a teenager and began to think over my life. Eighty-five percent of my childhood was spent in Camden, New Jersey. I thank God for allowing me to survive and find happiness in such a negative setting. I thank my parents for protecting me from the harsh realities of life in that city.  Still, I knew that there were other people suffering. People who couldn’t say they had parents like mine. Individuals who couldn’t claim to have found happiness.”

Jeff Jones was inspired by his recollection of visits as a youngster to the Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia (CHOP).  He recalls the disabilities he witnessed and the miracles of those disabled children reaching their full potential in spite of what seemed to others as negative circumstances. (more…)

We just love the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We recall the giant replica of the human heart that once guaranteed to please visitors to the world famous science museum.

The unique characteristic of the heart was its size. It was big enough for little children, accompanied by their adult teacher or parent to walk through;  the tour through the heart intended to replicate the same path blood travels through the real thing. The path in the Franklin Institute heart was backwards. We would enter on the left side and pass thought the heart.  It was the opposite direction the life giving fluid flows in the real cardiac organ. Blood enters through the right ventricle of the heart. Ah, those were the days.

Fastfoward to the 21st Century.  October 17th 2009 a fascinating exhibit opens to the public for 18 weeks only.  It’s BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain. This is the original exhibition from innovative anatomist Dr. Gunther Von Hagens who presented and astounded the world with Body Worlds. It is somewhat reminiscent of the anatomy of the human heart in the way a Toyota Camry Hybrid is reminiscent of a Model T Ford. (more…)

The Unitarian Universalists Society of Daytona Beach Area, Florida always have interesting programs of note. Read on about what’s coming up in November.

The Unitarian Universalists Society’s Religious Education Committee’s successful Explorations collaborative, now presented on Wednesday evenings as the Wednesday Evening Explorations, (WEE), will be featuring two Life Long Learning series with Jim Strayer, biologist and lecturer, as moderator. Both programs will be covering the subject How Science is Done:Two Examples and will begin at 7pm. Contact 386-441-2811 or 386-672-2556 for more information. (more…)

Blanche Africa Reilly Dark, our senior contributor, who is our senior contributor has a report:

According to a recent report in the New York Times Business section,

“…there are more Americans 65 and older in the job market today than at any time in history, 6.6 million, compared with 4.1 million in 2001.”

(more…)

Speaking of money matters, Peter Schiff, an economist who wants to be a U.S. Senator, has another prediction about our American economic future:

Regular readers of this site are familiar with the items we publish from time to time as a public service providing information the consumer can use about banking. The following is another in the continuing series of banking updates:

National City Bank is finally manifesting the results of the merger announced last year with PNC Bank. All changes will be effective early in November 2009.

We’re not so sure this is a good idea. Right now our local National City Bank offers services and features we really like. This actual real life merger with PNC threatens to change all the things we like about National City and deprive us of the convenience of services we came to National City for in the first place. (more…)

“This is a testament to the Brumos legacy. To put an old guy in the car with hardly any practice time, and to have Joao bring the car home in the dramatic fashion he did, well, that is Brumos. I don’t think anybody thought we could win today – it’s just overwhelming.” ~ Hurley Haywood, 61-year-old, co-driver with Joao Barbosa of #59 Brumos Porsche Prototype

Despite the abrupt vacancy caused by the suspension from the racing team Brumos Porsche for irrational loutish behavior-the “smarter dumbbell” got himself arrested in his hometown of Daytona Beach, Florida just days before the race– by a grandson of NASCAR founder, the late Bill France Sr., son of Jim France, founder of the Grand-Am circuit; and cousin to Brian France, NASCAR CEO and chairman;  Team Brumos won, with skill and determination, the season-ending Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in Miami at Homestead Miami track on Saturday, October 10, 2009!

The leadership displayed in the midst of a disruption by a rich, middle-aged, self-centered, near-do-well is exemplary of these champions’ ability to focus their purpose to win.

CONGRATULATIONS to Joao Barbosa, to legendary champion Hurley Haywood for reliable consistent performance. and to all the members of Team Brumos.

News reports out of Jacksonville, Florida, today indicate smart leadership at NASCAR/Grand-AM headquarters and team Brumos.

Hurley Haywood, a legend in sports car auto racing, will be filling the spot abruptly left vacant by grandson of NASCAR founder, the late Bill France Sr., son of Jim France, founder of the Grand-Am circuit and cousin to Brian France, NASCAR CEO and chairman; Jamie France.

“As far as we’re concerned, J.C. has been a very loyal teammate for seven years. We’re going to support him throughout this.”

Fortunately for auto racing fans there are people at the top of the company who are infinitely smarter than the smarter dumbbell. (more…)

“France has been with the No. 59 Brumos Porsche since the inception of the Daytona Prototype class in 2003. He was the first overall winner in the history of the class, joining Hurley Haywood in the No. 59 Fabcar for back-to-back victories at Homestead and Phoenix in 2003. He has co-driven the No. 59 Riley for the past two seasons with Joao Barbosa. His best finish since then was third in the 2009 Rolex 24, joined by Haywood, Barbosa and Terry Borcheller. A veteran of three different types of motorcycle racing – flat track, road racing and motocross – France drove in the KONI Challenge in 2002 before joining the Rolex Series.

France and Barbosa are currently eighth in the Daytona Prototype standings, only two points out of sixth. The 2008 winner of the Jim Trueman Award, France holds a 202-point lead over Rob Finlay as he bids to become the first two-time winner of Grand-Am’s  ‘Gentleman Driver’ award.”~ from news item August 2009.

The recent arrest and subsequent charges surrounding the adolescent episode of 44 year-old Jamison C. (Jamie) France, grandson of NASCAR founder,the late Bill France Sr., son of Jim France, founder of the Grand-Am circuit and cousin to Brian France, NASCAR CEO and chairman; reminds us of a scheme that might have been concocted by two characters from the Will Ferrell, John C. Riley film called “Step Brothers”. It’s the 21st Century version of “Dumb and Dumber” starring middle-aged men.

The film comedy is the story of Brennan Huff and Dale Dobeck two middle aged, very spoiled guys, who become competitive step brothers when their formerly single parents marry. We had no idea, in addition to being local ce-lout-brities big deals, a Hollywood film had been made about France and his step brother. (more…)