Vacationing Like the Kennedys' :: PR Nightmares, Cruises

The call came into the Lake Worth Coast Guard at 2:52 a.m.
Retrieved by Pat Darnell  |  May 28, 2013  |  Bryan TX

Here's the Advertisement:
Cruise from Baltimore on the newly renovated Grandeur of the Seas! There is no limit to the possibilities for fun and relaxation on this reimagined cruise ship.

BBC News - Royal Caribbean cruise cancelled in Bahamas after fire:   EXCERPT  |   "A fire has broken out aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, forcing more than 2,200 passengers to end their trip early.

"The Grandeur of the Seas had left Baltimore on Friday and was en route to CocoCay in the Bahamas when fire broke out in the mooring area in the early hours of Monday, the company said. Passengers were mustered to assembly points for several hours while the fire was put out.

"No serious injuries were reported."

'via Blog this'
Come hell or low water, and fire, many people will still go on cruises. Each of modern cruise ships today carries upwards 2000 passengers and 700 or more crew members. The fire on this vessel was a "Class A" which means wood and combustibles were on fire. On today's calamity at sea, aboard the Grandeur of the Sea, "... all 2,224 guests and 796 crew have been accounted for, and there have been no injuries of guests or crew reported. The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and we will continue to focus on their needs and concerns. ( WPTV Web Team. 5.27.2013. LINK) ... "

One passenger tells of her 3AM "abandon all hope" cruise ship experience:
  

________________Reference
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22685364
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/fire-onboard-royal-caribbean-grandeur-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-out#ixzz2UZCfUmEO

BBC News - Costa Concordia: What next for the stricken ship?

Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Jan 28, 2012 | Bryan TX
Originally published Feb 14, 2012

UPDATED Today [May 10, 2013]

Published on Apr 15, 2013
More than a year after the Costa Concordia sank, a major salvage operation is underway to stabilize the wreck before floating it and towing it to a port for dismantling. VIDEOGRAPHIC




BBC News - Costa Concordia: What next for the stricken ship?: "This goes on all the time but you don't hear about it because they aren't as spectacular as this one. But there's always a ship in trouble somewhere."

'via Blog this'

___________________Reference
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16573312
http://www.marinelink.com/news/concordia-salvage-update353812.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19962191

Vacationing like the Kennedy's :: "Medical Tourist Adventures?"

All is Vanity? Nope.
Retracted Opinions by Pat Darnell  |  Apr 7, 2013  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK] The source of inspiration for Adad Hannah’s installation is an image made in 1892 by an eighteen-year-old illustrator named Charles Allan Gilbert (1873-1929). Gilbert’s drawing, entitled All Is Vanity, remains one of the world’s most famous optical illusions.

This summer, millions will be headed out to foreign lands for vacation, adventure, tourism, or just a beautiful beach.

But how about hip surgery or a multiple bypass or a facelift? You might find yourself on the Buddha tour to save your life, or improve your looks. For example, Thailand is an exotic vacation spot known for its Buddhas, its beaches, its brothels, and the bustle of Bangkok. It is also a medical vacationer's hotspot.

One thing remains totally common to all humans -- their bodies. A doctor, surgeon, nurse, or dentist can live anywhere in the world, and practice his trade. Humans will be humans. Is it vanity that delivers us to foreign countries for medical touch ups? Not really. It is mainly about money.

Quietly, American retirees have moved to Mexico for "a health care plan with no limits, no deductibles, free medicines, tests, X-rays, eyeglasses, even dental work — all for a flat fee of $250 or less a year." Retiree emigrants call it the "healthcare alternative." There are "between 40,000 and 80,000 U.S. retirees living in Mexico."

" ... Bob Story, 75, of St. Louis, had prostate-reduction surgery at an IMSS hospital in Mazatlán and discovered that patients were expected to bring their own pillows. It was a small price to pay, he said, for a surgery that would have cost thousands of dollars back home.
"I would say it's better than any health plan I've had in the States," he said. (Chris Hawley, USA TODAY. Updated 9/1/2009) ... "

Most of the following referenced articles are from a year or more ago.

Vacation, Adventure And Surgery? - CBS News: "A growing number of tourists are doing just that, combining holidays with health care, and that's because a growing number of countries are offering first-rate medical care at Third-World prices. Many of these medical tourists can't afford health care at home (the 40 million uninsured Americans, for example). Others are going for procedures not covered by their insurance: cosmetic surgery or infertility treatment, for example."

'via Blog this'

" ... The Bumrungrad hospital, in Bangkok, treats four hundred thousand foreign patients annually. Malaysia had almost six hundred thousand medical tourists last year. And South Korea had more than a hundred thousand, nearly a third of them American.
For Americans, the attraction is obvious: medical care is a lot cheaper abroad. At CIMA Hospital, in Costa Rica, for instance, hip-replacement surgery costs around fifteen thousand dollars, roughly a sixth of the average here. (April 16, 2012. James Surowiecki. LINK) ... "

" ... A few years ago, the grocery-store chain Hannaford set up a partnership for the benefit of its employees with a well-accredited Singaporean hospital. Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, but medical care there is still significantly cheaper than in the U.S., so the arrangement looked like a model for how medical tourism might work. But none of Hannaford’s workers were interested in going to Singapore. (ibid. Surowiecki.) ... "

Uncertainty has kept companies and institutions from signing up for cheaper overseas healthcare. Terrorists attacks in India. Hamas rockets in Israel. Kidnappings in Mexico. Concerns about security in foreign countries might have dissuaded medical tourism and surgery vacations, but the idea is in its infancy. US Healthcare providers, soon to be reformed by Obama-care, have high deductibles on medical procedures and surgeries. Healthcare companies for profit will have to revamp their fee basis, but:

" ... That’s because often the incentive for individuals is cost. In the U.S., a hip-replacement surgery can cost $30,000 to $40,000 for uninsured patients, according to BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, compared with about $9,000 in India and $12,000 in Singapore.

But unless employees are uninsured or underinsured—that is, they have high out-of-pocket costs associated with surgeries—there is no financial incentive steering them overseas for care.

In 2007, some 750,000 Americans traveled abroad for care, according to estimates by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, which is part of the Deloitte audit and advisory firm. Most were uninsured or under-insured individuals. A few were employees whose firms gave them an incentive to go. (Jeremy Smerd. Published: January 13, 2009 Updated: September 15, 2011. LINK) ... "

This medical vacation concept is unusual because the patient -- in need of less costly healthcare -- is traveling across national borders from a more highly economically developed country to less developed countries. Providing the patient can survive the rigors of the trips, the new model of the medical tourist is "one jetting around the world for often serious, and complex, medical and surgical care."

The United States spends two-and-a-half times more than OECD countries,  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, average health expenditure per person ... USA even spends twice as much as France, for example, a country which is generally accepted as having very good health services. "At 17.4% of GDP in 2009, US health spending is half as much again as any other country, and nearly twice the average. (ibid. LINK) ... "

The traveling out of US for healthcare is a symptom rather than a solution. It is a way of getting around the problem rather than fixing it.

Table. Percentages of How Patients get information about Overseas facilities

Method ... Alternate Medicine -- Modern Medicine

Word of mouth from old patients ... 19 (100%) -- 15 (88.24%)

Own Website ... 14(73.68%) -- 10 (58.82%)

Website of Tourism Department ... 5 (26.32%) -- 3 (17.65%)

Advertising ... 1 (5.26%) -- 1 (5.88%)

Direct Marketing ... 1 (5.26%) -- 1 (5.88%)

Fairs ... 1 (5.26%) -- 0

(This Table shows the passive attitude of both Alternate Medicine as well as Modern Medicine by stressing on ‘Word of mouth from old patients’. Website development is the only serious effort the majority of players take as an individual initiative.)

All Is Vanity :: Original source image by Charles Allen Gilbert, 1892

" ... ENTER the main cardiac operating-room at Bangalore's Wockhardt hospital ... many innovations in health care that have been devised in India. Its entrepreneurs are channelling the country's rich technological and medical talent towards frugal approaches that have much to teach the rich world's bloated health-care systems. Dr Jawali is feted today as a pioneer, but he remembers how Western colleagues ridiculed him for years for advocating his inventive “awake surgery”. He thinks that snub reflects an innate cultural advantage enjoyed by India. (Health care in India. the economist. Apr 16th 2009. LINK) ... "

SUMMARY
Rich countries spend more than poor countries.... for nearly every country, if you know how rich they are, you can predict their health spending per person per year to within a few hundred dollars. The United States is an exception – "Americans spend nearly $3000 per person per year more than Swiss people, even though Swiss people have about the same level of income. (Source: OECD Health Data 2011.)"

That is why for pure vanity, or for saving on costly medical procedures and surgeries, many patients take the option to travel to less rich countries.

__________________________Reference
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-689998.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/21/60minutes/main689998_page4.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism
http://www.indushealth.com/news_articles.aspx
http://www.epicski.com/t/112386/my-excellent-toe-surgery-adventure-hallux-rigidus-plate-screw-fusion-and-osteotomy/210
http://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/buenos-aires-vacation-is-an-urban-adventure/1238856
http://www.continentalmedicaltourism.com/news/
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57496219/72-rescued-from-ship-taking-on-water-in-alaska/
http://www.bbb.org/myrtle-beach/business-reviews/marketing-programs-and-services/vacation-adventures-international-in-little-river-sc-8000407/complaints
http://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/49084355.pdf
http://www.economist.com/node/13496367?story_id=13496367
http://www.facs.org/fellows_info/bulletin/2009/unti0409.pdf
http://www.smartmoney.com/spend/column/consumer_action/?story=20070312

MooPig's Vacation like a Kennedy :: "Taking a Tour?"

Ghost Hunters DC
Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Apr 3, 2012 | Bryan TX

[Picture LINK]
First lady, Google announce White House digital tours - POLITICO.com:

'via Blog this'
Interesting things we learned:

The White House has a bowling lane, a tennis court, a basketball court, a putting green, a jogging track, a swimming pool, 132 rooms, 4 dining rooms, 1 dentist office, 28 fireplaces, 12 chimneys, 3 elevators, 4 floors, and 2 basements.

Members of the first family and their guests use the rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors. There are 16 family and guest bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a sunny family room, a kitchen, and a dining room. Special guests stay in the Queens' Bedroom and the Lincoln Bedroom.

In 1835, Andrew Jackson received a strange gift: a huge wheel of cheddar cheese, 4 feet round and 2 feet thick, weighing 1,400 pounds. It sat in the Entrance Hall for two years while it cured. Jackson invited the public to visit and eat the cheese on Washington's Birthday, 1837. Within two hours, the cheese was gone but the smell remained.

The President's salary is $400,000.

We liked reading all about the various White House pets.

[Picture LINK]

_________________________Reference
http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/04/first-lady-google-announce-white-house-digital-tours-119425.html

[Picture LINK]

MooPig's Vacation like a Kennedy :: "Taking a Cruise?" PART TWELVE

More Ship Disasters on Ultimate Travel and Vacation Cruise
Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Feb 12, 2012 | Bryan TX

[Picture LINK]

After disaster of Costa Concordia, Carnival faces new troubles with a ...
... Voyager of the Seas ...
6 days ago – About 158 people were infected by the virus on that ship. ... usually lasts from one to three days, is debilitating for the very young, the very old and those with weakened immune systems; norovirus is an ... people, items they touch, such as food in buffets, and human waste. ...

Vacation-goers were told their cruise would be delayed a few hours while the ship was being cleaned.

Norovirus strikes 3rd American cruise ship - Health - CBC News:
Anyone still up for a cruise? (CBC News Posted: Feb 5, 2012)

About 200 passengers became ill with the gastrointestinal illness, which causes vomiting and diarrhea. The company did not immediately return a call and email seeking further details.

Earlier in the weekend, two Princess cruise ships were forced to undergo a complete disinfection at their home port of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after dozens of passengers and crew fell ill.

Norovirus, which usually lasts from one to three days, can be debilitating for the very young, the very old and those with weakened immune systems. It is easily spread through contact with infected people, items they touch, such as food in buffets, and human waste.

'via Blog this'

Norovirus -- aka Norwalk-like viruses or caliciviruses ... Noroviruses are a group of related viruses. Infection with these viruses affects the stomach and intestines and causes an illness called gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis; inflammation of the stomach and intestines).

Many Names, Same Symptoms
Norovirus Outbreaks
Oysters linked to norovirus outbreak in Washington State FDA is warning consumers to not eat certain ASSI Brand frozen oysters following a norovirus outbreak in Washington State in October 2011

Norovirus outbreak strikes NBA in 2010 ... Overall, 21 players and three staff from 13 National Basketball Association (NBA) teams in 11 states were affected by a norovirus outbreak from November to December 2010 ...

[Picture LINK]

Impact of new norovirus strain on outbreaks Norovirus caused the majority of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in the United States from 2007 to 2010. However, a new strain that emerged in 2009 did not lead to more outbreaks.

You may hear norovirus illness called "food poisoning" or "stomach flu." It is true that food poisoning can be caused by noroviruses. But, other germs and chemicals can also cause food poisoning. Norovirus illness is not related to the flu (influenza), which is a respiratory illness caused by influenza virus.

Symptoms of norovirus infection usually include diarrhea, throwing up, nausea, and stomach cramping.

Other, less common symptoms may include low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and general sense of fatigue.

__________________Reference
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/02/05/cruise-ships-disinfected.html?cmp=rss
http://www.ultimatetaxi.com/caribbean_cruise/voyager_of_the_seas1.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Norovirus/

MooPig's News Up Department :: "Cruise Ship Search Off Italy Finds 12th Body"

Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Jan 24, 2012 | Bryan TX

Cruise Ship Search Off Italy Finds 12th Body, Hard Disk | Europe | English:
Italian media say police divers searching the Costa Concordia cruise liner, which ran aground earlier this month off the Italian island of Giglio, have found a hard disk containing data of the voyage, as another body was pulled from the wreckage, bringing the death toll to 12. (VOA. Jan 21, 2012. )
'via Blog this'

Divers Find 2 More Victims of Italian Cruise Ship Disaster | Europe | English:
Italian officials say two more bodies have been found on the capsized Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, bringing the number of confirmed dead from the disaster to 15.

Italy's civil protection agency chief, Franco Gabrielli, said Monday divers found the bodies of two women near the ship's Internet cafe. Most of those killed in the January 13 sinking have not been identified. (VOA. Jan 23, 2012. )
'via Blog this'

______________________Reference
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Search-Resumes-on-Wrecked-Cruise-Ship-137815248.html
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Divers-Find-2-More-Victims-of-Italian-Cruise-Ship-Disaster-137894018.html

*

*

*

Vacationing in the South?

Don't shake hands with the Tar Baby...

The Tar Baby Review
[SOURCE]
All week long the Southern Blacks taught us Northerners about the South. And to demonstrate their warnings, which had been unheeded before, they staged a TAR BABY REVUE, in case we didn't remember. See, as I see it, the Tar Baby never speaks. No matter how sullen or downcast the Tar Baby is, don't approach him. And worse, never sock him because you'll never free your hand. Anyway, the FROGS performed beautifully and everybody was allowed to attend, even the Whites.

UPDATE: Vacationing like the Kennedy's -- Part Eight -- Land Mines...? hmmm... Just takes a Little Common Sense!

WAR ATROCITIES/NUDITY :WARNING

And Other Vacation Destinations Summer 2008

I don't suppose they are talking about the dog-walking area has land-mines?

Cambodia

No tourists ventured to Cambodia during the madman reign of Pol Pot in the '70s. Even after he was driven from power, Pot's jungle insurgency delayed his country's return to normalcy by at least a decade. But Cambodia has since reclaimed its proper role as a "must" on the Southeast Asian travel circuit. Sure, there are still areas dotted by landmine warning signs, but if you use common sense, there's no reason you shouldn't find Cambodia as safe as Thailand. The countryside is lush, the capital city is colorful and the ancient temples of Angkor Wat are Southeast Asia's finest.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua's reputation for violent civil war outlasted the war itself -- by decades. Traveling across this volcanic country is now safe and cheap, even on the public buses. On the Pacific coast, beach towns like San Juan Del Sur are booming with new hotels and restaurants eager for greenbacks and euros. But the true gem of Nicaragua is Granada -- the quiet colonial town with cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages. Nearby, the stunning Ometepe Island was created when two volcanoes merged in the center of Lake Nicaragua.

Tajikistan

This hospitable country of seven million offers opportunities galore for alpine mountaineering (93 percent of the country is surrounded by mountains), rock climbing, hiking, high-level walking tours and horse or camel riding. Don't forget to relax alongside Tajikistan's numerous mountain lakes and lush valleys. After recharging, explore the country's rich store of rare Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian ruins. Even in the capital, Dushanbe, high-end hotels are few. Most travelers arrange homestays with Tajiks when they arrive, or they coordinate their trip through an agency.

Bosnia

These days, Bosnia is best described not as a simmering conflict zone, but as one of the last undiscovered and most beautiful regions of the southern Alps -- a haven for nature-lovers looking for some of Europe's most pristine forests. However, for much of the '90s, Bosnia & Herzegovina evoked images of refugees, snipers, mortar attacks and ethnic cleansing. But the fighting has been over for a long time, and the peace is now firmly secured by the presence of NATO troops and heavy doses of European aid. Here are some more not-so-dangerous travel destinations.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The fighting ended a decade ago, but the words "Bosnia and Herzegovina" still scare away travelers. A tour through the scarred, but charming, Bosnian towns and monasteries prove that Bosnia has plenty to offer -- the Adriatic seaside resort of Neum, the stunningly rebuilt Ottoman bridge in Mostar, and the 16th-century dervish monastery at Tekija. For hikers and nature-lovers, Sutjeska National Park is home to one of Europe's last remaining primeval forests as well as Maglic Mountain, Bosnia's highest peak at more than 7,000 feet.

--Or-- Stay in the USA, say Washington, DC !!!

Old naked guys ride through DC on bikes for the environment
by Jonathon Morgan
Jun 9th 2008 @ 4:15PM
Photo: Tim Sloan/Getty Images

If you need some inspiration, check out these guys! These old nude dudes are taking part in the World Naked Bike Ride -- an event created to raise awareness about oil dependency and the negative environmental impacts of our car dominated existence. This year's excursion took green-leaning nudists and cycling enthusiasts past the Capitol Building and in front of the White House.

Potentially the most interesting aspect of this ride is that, according to organizers, "there are no leaders" -- so people just show up, strip off, and ride away. Sounds like with a few friends, a little elbow grease, and a lot of nerve, you might be able to start a Naked Bike Ride in your area. (If you do, please send pictures, I promise I'll post them on the Internet!)

Of course, DC wasn't the only swinging city this weekend -- the inhabitants of Madrid staged a nudie bike ride of their own. Be warned, however, these photos are even less appropriate for the office.

--And-- a Standard European Tour is still available!!!

Naked Bike Ride Madrid

ll contents copyright © 2003-2008, Weblogs, Inc. All rights reserved

Green Daily is a member of the Weblogs, Inc. Network.

UPDATE JUST IN: 06.11.2008
RJP, III, our field reporter in Madrid, interviewed the female rider at left in the photo sidebar, reportedly said the following:

Excuse me Senora, why is your face painted?
"...old, naked guys on bikes-We have now come to the end of the road, I'm afraid. People have [been] predicting the downfall of civilization since before civilization but, it's not a case of crying wolf anymore and it isn't a cry for help."

"No, I'm afraid that history will judge us harshly and, in the end, our collective downfall will be attributed to 'raising awareness.'"

"Any abhorrent act can now be justified and even revered under the guise of raising awareness."

"Put some clothes on and get off that bike old man! I am aware you ignorant bastard."

Thank you RJP, III and senora with face paint -- see: also comments
MOINJK Madrid; update; 06.11.2008
(Retrieved at http://www.forbestraveler.com/ and Vacation Destinations for the High Flyers)

Vacationing Like the Kennedy's: after a Hard Day's Night -- Part Seven

Celebs Kite the Life Fandango as if... they were vacationing like the Kennedy's

In Truth THERE is more strange stuff than there is in fiction. Who can ever get a foot in the door with so many high-flying kites of Celebs tearing it up for so many decades.

Connected; you will fly.




I never noticed till now that much of super celebs' life is spent aloft. Come to think of it -- I think the purpose is after all to make their hair look fluffy and windblown.

Bangs like Kennedy kites, Beatles and Elvis, hair do's aloft

In the opening scene of Hard Day's Night, three of the foursome are running flat out toward the camera, on a narrow sidewalk, with a hoard of teenagers filling up the screen on their tails. The three running are George, Ringo, and John.

The film is from 1968. The best part of an old film is paying attention to the backgrounds and watching for irregular events.

In the opening chase George Harrison is running as fast as he can just to John Lennon's right hand. George trips and falls flat on his face, and Ringo Starr trips on him and lands right on top of him. It looks like a flying loose ruck rugby tackle, as much as a bone breaking tumble, on the pavement.

The oddity is that this is a one shot scene. George leaps right back up like Walter Payton, and Ringo the same... and they run as fast as before. John looks around and probably says "Are you okay?" George smiles sheepishly at Lennon, looks at Ringo, and gives a nod.

I look for it everytime the movie starts up. They eventually meet up with Paul at the train station that takes them to London. But the foot chase continues right up to the ramps and doors of the train. Several teens boys and girls alike take hellacious spills as well.

Now tell me that isn't odd. But it makes for great action, and great hair.

Hey it sounds like sour grapes, but there is more to it. I think there is a VERTICAL market after twenty to twenty-five years pass... so hang on to Bobby Darin's hair-piece there Gov'nor.

CINEMA.retro 17.APR.2008

[Cinema retro vintage media] discovered a great site run by an unidentified Beatles memorabilia collector who has meticulously cataloged a vast number of interesting items from the days of early Beatlemania. Among the gems are these magazines one of which is a souvenir magazine based on A Hard Day's Night. Unlike most movie programs, this was sold on newstands, not in theaters. The other magazine is dedicated entirely to the craze for Beatle haircuts. Talk about niche marketing!

[click Here for Beatlemania trifle and gigaw]

Wow; pretty girl !!

Hey, Jude, when all else fails, VACATION like the Kennedy's to make it better, better, better.!!!

Part 6 Vacationing like the Kennedy's: Can we get a live feed hookup here?

[2020] -- 2008 -- 1997 -- 1961 -- 1958: Cycles of Seasonal Deaths -- Altruism Kennedy Style

The word for May 26, 2008 is Earn Your Turn

Phrase originating in the Back Country Skiing arena. To trek up through the back country usually to a summit so as to descend. Usually in a remote area of the back country not accessible via ski lifts.

AKA: EYT : To ski that mountain you gotta Earn Your Turn.

1997

December 31, 1997
Web posted at: 10:32 p.m. EST (0332 GMT) ASPEN, Colorado (CNN) -- Michael Kennedy, the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who gained notoriety for an alleged affair with his family's baby sitter, was killed Wednesday in a skiing accident in Colorado. He was 39.
In a statement, the Aspen Ski Co., which runs the resort where Kennedy died, said he collided with a tree about 4:15 p.m. (6:15 EST) while skiing with members of his family.
Last spring [1997], Michael Kennedy became enmeshed in a very public scandal after he allegedly had an affair with his family's 14-year-old baby sitter.
Despite the fact that sex with a minor constitutes statutory rape in Massachusetts, no charges were filed against Kennedy after the baby sitter refused to cooperate with prosecutors.

Michael Kennedy's Uncle JFK kicked off a space exploration program in in his *Presidential inaugural speech 1961* that has led to this development today:
2008
Spacecraft Looks at Mars' North Pole, By ALICIA CHANG, APPosted: 2008-05-26 06:38:08

"While you are barbecuing steaks and munching on large big dumb animal parts today, major benchmarks are being memorialized in human history..."
The $420 million Phoenix mission is led by University of Arizona and managed by JPL.

So is that a Million Dollars per mile... ? Wow !! Not bad: that's a bargain !!

After a 422-million-mile journey, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander touched down on the red planet's north pole Sunday to collect samples from what's believed to be a reservoir of ice. Scientists hope the finding will determine whether life could have ever emerged on the planet. Above, a drawing depicts the craft landing on Mars.

Phoenix joins the twin rovers on the Martian surface, which have been exploring the equatorial plains since 2004. Unlike the mobile rovers, Phoenix was designed to stay in one spot and dig trenches in the soil.

1961

*Moments after John F. Kennedy was sworn in as president of the United States, he presented a speech that moved most of America. Even today, those that hear a re-play of his inauguration speech feel the same excitement that filled the air on that day in 1961. President Kennedy was an eloquent speaker who appealed to the younger generation of the United States. He wanted to develop a program that would send Americans to the moon first. Walton's book quotes Kennedy, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth."
ESTABLISHMENT OF NASA Contrary to President Kennedy's strong opinions, President Eisenhower did not see the necessity to explore space or even land on the moon in order to surpass the Russians. According to Giglio's book on the Kennedy administration, he wrote that Eisenhower "soon labeled a lunar space race as nothing more than an extravagant stunt."
1958
Despite his personal feelings, Eisenhower did establish NASA in July 1958 shortly before the Kennedy administration came to Washington.

2020 Conclusion: So in the future there will be an altruistic, albeit, sex addict descendant of John Fitzgerald Kennedy killed while vacationing and skiing the slopes of Mars !!

UPDATE: Vacationing Like the Kennedy's

If you have been taught only to focus on the assasination of JFK, you might want to revise your historical perspective !! There is a much bigger picture that like a jigsaw puzzle might take a lifetime to understand.

The key to this Regime lies somewhere in this mysterious dissapperance in WWII:
"Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., the man who would be president. His father dreamed of the day when he would become the first Irish Catholic President of the United States. In 1944 he signed on for a second tour and in July volunteered for a special attack unit secret mission to knock out Hitler's V-1 rockets.
"Project Anvil involved using explosive-filled bombers which were piloted part way to their target, and after the pilot bailed out, were then guided by radio control to smash into German submarine pens or rocket-launching sites. On August 12, Joe Kennedy's plane exploded shortly after takeoff, killing him and his co-pilot instantly. Project Anvil was so secret the Kennedy family was told few details."

...and in the news yesterday the hospital visit by Teddy Kennedy:

"Kennedy is the last son from his generation of a famed political family. When older brother John F. Kennedy won the presidency in 1960, Ted Kennedy stepped into his Senate seat, and has held it since.

Sen. Kennedy Recovers After Seizure
By GLEN JOHNSON,
Posted: 2008-05-17 19:47:11

In this photo from 1960, Ted Kennedy is seated to the right; brothers John and Robert are standing, center.

In the Kennedy's youth is a unique relationship of sons and fathers, mothers and daughters.

For instance Fathers of the sixties have a unique tool called "master plan."

Let me explain. JFK was elected for reasons set in motion by his wondrous Dad, many years before Jack was even walking. Joseph Kennedy had a "master plan" on his children, and it came to pass.

It so influenced the nation of post WWII working class, I found myself part of that "Kennedy Master Plan." Happily it was not one of those "mein Kampf" plans, rather a plan of free-thinking and free association to the ideal of USA all the Way! It was party time, I believe; our fathers' responses to interruption of their youths, lives mucked up by dipshit Hitler brought on with his boyscout bullshit...

Photo: I remember my and all my friends' dads thought they were only two situps from dating this woman------}

What a sad lot we are: I am not complaining, and not whining: I am here to report on the long term result of Kennedy regime.

Every politician has compared himself and herself shamelessly to JFK every since the Jackie Lee Bouvier days.

Yes even Nixon said: "I'm not a crook... " could be a throw back to Joe Kennedy's rum runner days.. who might have said 'I'm not a crook' as well while his master planned kingdom developed in the first part of last century.

Was Joseph Kennedy really a Rum Runner?

"Joseph Kennedy, son of Irish Catholic immigrants and patriarch of the infamous Kennedy family was a client of Rocco Perri’s.

(retrieved from 100 Years of Wooden Glory - The Rum Runners Lavida Lifestyle - September 2007 )

"Joseph Kennedy, who was most recognizable as the father of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, became affectionately known as a “Baptist Bootlegger”.

"By the mid 1920’s the Volstead Act was being reviewed by his allies in the American Government with a view to repealing it, but Kennedy was making so much money while prohibition was in existence, that he secretly aligned himself with Temperance Movement supporters in an effort to keep prohibition in place.

"With a certain degree of control at that point and insider information during the prohibition period, he positioned himself as the sole import agent of several brands of alcohol, purchasing millions of dollars worth of stock. The day prohibition ended in 1933 his company re-sold the stock legally making tens of millions of dollars of profit.

"While subversively controlling the distribution of illegal alcohol during prohibition, Kennedy disguised his activities as the legitimate owner of an investment firm, trading in the largely unregulated stock market.

"In what would be considered highly illegal by today’s governance of the stock exchange, Joseph Kennedy manipulated the stock values of companies in cooperation with a pool of investors up or down depending on the position of the pool at the time.

"In 1928 Kennedy pulled hundreds of millions of dollars out of the markets just prior to the market crash of 1929 and then subsequently made a secondary fortune on his short positions.

"In the early 1930’s Joseph Kennedy funded the election of President Theodore Roosevelt who made him Chairman of the Securities Exchange Commission, closing the door behind him to anyone else intent on amassing a fortune in illegal trading practices.

In the long term Roosevelt helped groom Joseph’s eldest son Robert Kennedy for the White House job, until his assassination on the campaign trail some time after. Later, Joseph Kennedy would live the Presidency vicariously through his second son John F. Kennedy who was elected in 1961 and subsequently assassinated in 1963." (retrieved from 100 Years of Wooden Glory - The Rum Runners Lavida Lifestyle - September 2007 )

"With the significant connections Rocco Perri and Bessie Starkman had made from the eastern seaboard of the United States through to the mid-west, the trafficking of heroin and morphine ran alongside the sale of illegal alcohol through an established network in all major U.S. cities." ( Lavida Lifestyle - September 2007 )

Summary [sort of]

Okay, so the last of the Catholic cowboy Kennedy's is up for health and prosperity review. Poor Edward Kennedy is having to unbutton his button-down collar to allow some blood to get to his head.

"Hey, Teddy, I know what it's like," says MooPig, who can't button anything anymore.

Besides his dip in the icy waters, his legacy might be: "No one tried to kill me, yet" oldest legislator in House, second only to some unknown Senator. [Gee I hope it's not McCain they're saying is older.]

I know it is low to pick on a man when he is down, but that doesn't stop Randy Couture. Tonight I feel like a little ground and pound; as I know pundits are reading my stuff, because it keeps showing up on talk shows. So you guys too, I want to ground and pound... some day. We have a date in the Octagon, eh, Pundits?

Now in hopes my own Dad does not take too much issue, I remember at 8 years old I knew I was psychic. You see my dear Dad was so in tune with JFK that I too knew the exact moment JFK was killed. I stood up in Mrs Bickman's 3rd grade class and said: "Did the President get killed?" She hustled me out in the hall, and said, "How do you know that?"

In conclusion today: Potato Famine; Rum Running; Vacationing

Here is the "Master Plan" as it is understood by me -- "Work hard all year, and take a well earned vacation with your family, that involves kid's athletic prowess: Revelation !!"

Because tomorrow might bring another potato famine, and our service-based work-force might have to learn to use its hands.

I truly believe we live in the past in "goddamn the USA," [Rev Wright, 2008] as direct response to the bad times spanning 1840 to 1940 --

"Beginning in 1845 and lasting for six years, the potato famine killed over a million men, women and children in Ireland and caused another million to flee the country.

"Ireland in the mid-1800s was an agricultural nation, populated by eight million persons who were among the poorest people in the Western World. Only about a quarter of the population could read and write. Life expectancy was short, just 40 years for men. The Irish married quite young, girls at 16, boys at 17 or 18, and tended to have large families, although infant mortality was also quite high." (Retrieved 17/May/08: from History Place)

Therefore, if your old man's master plan is in its third level of completion -- after fleeing the potato famine, and making illicit millions of dollars -- you too can Vacation Like the Kennedy's !!!

...But be careful you might become target practice for some unforgiving clansmen with long memories and no written history.