HDTV And What YOU Need To Know

Buying an HDTV Soon? 10 Essential Things to Know

Prices for high-definition TVs keep tumbling and the technology is better than ever, but buying a set is not as easy for consumers as it should be.

Since HDTVs come in a variety of sizes and technological "flavors," it pays to do a little homework and comparison shopping. You can find a wealth of information on the Web, including reviews by professionals and users. Check magazines such as Sound & Vision, Home Theater and Perfect Vision or Web sites such as CNET or AVS Forum.

To get you started, here are 10 things to consider before buying that big screen TV during the holiday season.

1. Think big. "High-def" looks best on a large TV. Buy the biggest set you can afford, but make sure it fits the space. A 37-inch screen may work best in a bedroom, but a 60-inch screen is ideal in a large entertainment center. "The most important thing is deciding what TV is right for the room it will be in," said Phillip Swann, who runs HD Predictions, a consumer Web site dedicated to industry news.

2. Know your ABCs. HD sets come in a confusing variety of technologies -- plasma, LCD, DLP, LCOS and SXRD (Sony's version of LCOS). What the letters mean is unimportant. These technologies all show a high-quality picture. They just deliver it in different ways.

Yet there are important differences. Plasma is generally seen as best for movies, LCDs for daytime viewing and sports. DLP and LCOS sets might provide the best value and overall picture. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

3. Avoid a numbers game. The latest HDTVs tout a "1080p" signal and carry a higher price, but the advantage is small. Older models with a "resolution" of 1080i, 720p or 768p (LCD and plasma) also deliver a great picture. Unless you like to sit close to a big TV, sets based on lower resolutions are perfectly fine and less expensive while supplies last.

4. Thin is beautiful. But don't limit yourself to a pricey flat-panel plasma or LCD. Sets based on DLP, LCOS and SXRD technology are cheaper and can deliver a superior picture. Most are less than 15 inches deep or half the thickness of big tube TVs popular a decade ago.

5. Count the total cost. While sets based on DLP and LCOS technology are cheaper, they may cost more to own in the long run. Why? These sets use bulbs (average cost: $300) that need to be replaced after roughly 3,000 to 5,000 hours of viewing. To fix that problem, Samsung has introduced a line of DLP sets based on so-called LED technology that do not require extra bulbs. LCDs and plasmas generally last at least 20,000 to 30,000 hours.

6. Look outside the box. Big box stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City offer great deals and cheap financing and it's easy to make returns. Yet the biggest savings are to be found online at e-tailers such as Amazon. Shipping is often free and there's no tax. Just make sure the site is an authorized dealer or is rated highly by customers, especially on product returns.

7. A plug for HDMI. This new plug is the best way to hook up your high-def set to a set top box or DVD player that also includes an HDMI connection. HDMI carries both video and sound on one cable and eliminates the need for multiple wires. Beware of unreasonably high prices, however. Retail stores can make a big profit on surge protectors and special cables such as HDMI. The cheapest 3-foot HDMI cable at Best Buy, for instance, is $50. And longer cables cost more than most DVD players.

Yet a reputable online dealer such as Blue Jeans Cable sells 3-foot HDMI cables for $15 or less and also lets buyers customize their own length. Shipping is cheap and fast, usually just a few days. "Cable is fundamentally wire and plastic stuck together," said Blue Jeans owner Kurt Denke. "There's nothing in a $100 HDMI cable that's not in a $5 cable."

8. Get the picture. About 20% of consumers who own an HDTV think they are seeing high-def shows when they are not, the market researcher Leichtman Group found. To get an actual HD picture, customers have to order high-def service from their cable or satellite provider. It costs about $10 a month. Some over-the-air HD channels -- ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS and Fox - can also be seen for free with an old-fashioned antenna.

9. Do some fine tuning. Most HDTVs are not picture-perfect out of the box even if they look good. To cite one problem, contrast is usually set too high, which could shorten the life of the set. A cheap and simple way to improve the picture is to use the THX Optimizer tests found on popular DVDs such as "Star Wars," Monsters, Inc." or "Finding Nemo." This article at EndGadget explains how.

10. Listen up. You've bought an expensive TV, but save some cash for a decent sound system. Home theaters are not the byproduct of tinny speakers that rattle at higher volumes. A nice high-def picture deserves great sound to go along with it.

Okay, there YOU have it in a nutshell pretty much. Just remember, "don't buy a tv that is TOO BIG for your viewing area". YOU don't want to watch tv like your sitting in the front row at the movie theatre. Be smart and enjoy what YOU get.

"The more YOU know, the more YOU grow,

The more YOU grow, the further YOU go"

Bobby Sharpe Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Best Country To Live In Is...!

Iceland Named Best Country to Live In

BRASILIA (Nov. 27) - Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table published on Tuesday that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom.

Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year in the U.N. Human Development Index.

But the index, blending 2005 figures for life expectancy, educational levels and real per capita income, finds that all 22 countries falling into its "low human development" category are in sub-Saharan Africa, with Sierra Leone last.

In 10 of these countries, two children in five will not reach the age of 40, said the compilers at the U.N. Development Program. Last year's report said HIV/AIDS had had a "catastrophic effect" on life expectancy in the region.

The index ranks 175 U.N. member countries plus Hong Kong and the Palestinian territories. It does not include 17 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, because of inadequate data.

Norway had held top spot for six years but was edged into second place by Iceland this year because of new life expectancy estimates and updated figures for gross domestic product, or GDP, the report said.

U.N. officials played down the significance of minor short-term shifts in the rankings including the slide in the U.S. position. They said if subsequent data for the year in question been available for last year's report, the United States would have been in 10th, not eighth place.

The United States scores high on real per capita GDP, which at $41,890 is second only to that of Luxembourg ($60,228), but less well on life expectancy -- joint last in the top 26 countries, along with Denmark and South Korea, at 77.9 years.

Japanese have the longest life expectancy -- 82.3 years -- and Zambians the lowest, at 40.5.

The report said most countries had seen their human development index rise over the last 30 years, but in 16 it was lower than in 1990, and in three -- the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe -- lower than in 1975.

Per capita GDP is 45 times higher in Iceland than in Sierra Leone.

The United Nations has published its human development index every year since 1990.

I have been saying for awhile now that Iceland is the place to be. However, if I lived there, I would certainly have to have a place in Florida, Hawaii or the Caribbean somewhere. Yes, I do plan on visiting there one of these days sooner than later.

The top ten places to live are: 1) Iceland 2) Norway 3) Australia 4)Canada 5)Ireland 6) Sweden 7) Switzerland 8) Japan 9) Netherlands 10) France. The good ole USA came in at number 12. So, when are we moving? lol

Iceland Rocks,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Dragon, Book of Shang

Super Mario Galaxy

SUPER MARIO GALAXY

Wii

Classification: G

Rating: 5/5

If YOU are stumped or, looking for something cool for the young kids and family, YOU might want to try this for Christmas. Granted, YOU obviously need a Wii first. They may be a little hard to find. However, if YOU get your hands on one, then this is the game to get!

In the past decade, developers have struggled to reach Mario 64's lofty heights, let alone push the platform genre forward. But finally, Nintendo has delivered a sequel as entertaining and inventive as its 1996 magnum opus. This glorious galaxy of wonders is one of the finest platform games ever made.

Super Mario games have always provided wonderful, imaginative worlds to traverse but now you have entire galaxies to explore in a delightful romp the whole family can enjoy.

An interstellar observatory acts as your hub as Mario is flung to distant planets in search of precious power stars and a showdown with the villainous Bowser, who is back to his snarling best after the indignity of bit parts in countless sports and kart racing games.

Galaxy is not only the most visually dazzling Wii game to date but it is also light years ahead in its clever and novel use of the remote. Controls are accessible, allowing players easily to perform spinning attacks, swing from plant stems, slide, stomp, skate, collect star shards and health-boosting coins, fly between planets, or whiz around as a bee or ghost.

The mustachioed marvel can also surf on manta rays, roll on giant orbs, hurl fireballs, walk on water, float inside bubbles and battle foes like giant robots. The variety is fantastic and the blend of environmental puzzles, platform-leaping challenges, exploration and combat works beautifully. The difficulty curve is also smartly judged.

Inevitably, Galaxy can feel more fragmented or disjointed than previous Mario adventures but the lure of visiting each new planet to discover its surprises is irresistibly strong.

The space theme has let Nintendo experiment with gravity, with dizzying and spectacular results. You will discover see-through planets traversable on multiple planes and wonderful old-school stages enlivened with changeable gravity, enabling Mario to literally walk on walls or ceilings.

ENDGAME A hugely inventive and varied galaxy of wonders bursting with clever ideas and fun challenges. Out of this world.

Game On,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Dragon, Book of Shang

Iceland, Northern Lights, Dragons & Me

In this life, as I have learned to believe intently over the last year or so, nothing happens by chance. It is all "synchronized". That is kind of what happened with me and Iceland.

First, my book "Dragon, Book Of Shang", ends in Iceland. Therefore, I started doing some research on Iceland. That really peaked my interest in this fascinating country. Then, from out of nowhere, I got this overwhelming urge from within telling me that I needed to go to Iceland. Why, has not manifested itself to me yet. And lastly, I started getting friends on my myspace profile from Iceland that turned out to be really great people and friends. In the last couple of months, I have actually met people in Orlando, Florida who are from Iceland. Reykjavik to be exact. They have convinced me that Iceland is a place I should really visit. Hopefully, sometime in 2008, when the book is out, I will get a chance to go there.

In the meantime, I am putting up a couple of links to sights that may make YOU want to go to Iceland also. The pictures at the top of this blog are an Iceland geysir, and, on the right, midnite sun in Reykjavik. Enjoy! Iceland Tourist Board: Destinations Iceland Worldwide - Northern Lights PlanetIceland

Love, Peace & Dragons,

Bobby Sharpe reggae8@aol.com Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Hy Lit, 73, pioneer DJ, dies in Philadelphia

Hy Lit, 73, one of Philadelphia's pioneer disc jockeys, died yesterday at Paoli Memorial Hospital of what his son termed "bizarre complications" after a knee injury.

Sam Lit said his father fell on Nov. 4 and was admitted to Lankenau Hospital to have the knee drained. What followed, the son said, was a "terrible situation that should have never happened."

Over the next week and a half, the DJ, heavily sedated, was transferred to Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital and, on Thursday, to Paoli Memorial, Sam Lit said.

A spokeswoman for Paoli Memorial last night referred questions to Mr. Lit's family. No cause of death has been announced.

Hy Lit, who lived in Lower Merion, had suffered in recent years from Parkinson's disease, but his son said it hadn't slowed him down. Father and son had started a music Web site, http://www.hylitradio.com/. Mr. Lit had cut audio for the site the day before he went into the hospital.

"This should not have happened," Sam Lit said last night. "We didn't have to lose him now."

"Hyski," or "Hyski O'Rooney McVoutie O'Zoot," as he called himself - or Hyman Litsky, as he was born in South Philadelphia - came of age with rock-and-roll, in an era when disc jockeys talkedlikethis.

Mr. Lit, whose family moved from Fifth and Ritner Streets to 46th Street and Osage Avenue when he was young, got started in the business in 1955, fresh out of the University of Miami.

He flourished in radio alongside such popular Philadelphia DJs of the early rock era as Frank X. Feller, Dean Tyler, Jimmy Bishop, and Joe Niagara.

Mr. Lit's biography credits Georgie Woods, another influential radio personality, with saving him one night during an early appearance, when the mostly African American audience did not believe that the white man at the microphone truly was Hy Lit.

It's said that in the 1960s, Mr. Lit's nighttime show on "Wibbage" (WIBG) drew three-quarters of the listening audience, many under covers defying parents' direct orders to shut off that music and go to bed.

The roster of Mr. Lit's stations - WHAT, WRCV, WIBG, WDAS-FM, WPGR, WSNI and WOGL - reads like a roll call of Philadelphia music. Mr. Lit also had the distinction on Aug. 15, 1990, of launching the oldies format on WCAU (1210).

"Hi, this is Hy Lit. Welcome to Oldies 1210," he said, leading into "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay." His signature tunes were "Quarter to Three" by Gary U.S. Bonds and the instrumental "A Night with Daddy 'G' " by the Church Street Five.

Mr. Lit was on hand for much rock-and-roll history as it played out in Philadelphia. He played Rolling Stones music early on and accompanied the Beatles to the city in 1964.

A dashing figure with a face for television, he also hosted dance shows on WKBS in Philadelphia and a New York station.

Another longtime fixture in local radio, disc jockey Jerry Blavat, last night called Mr. Lit's death "the end of the era for personality radio."

"I would be nothing if not for him," said Joe "Butterball" Tamburro, program director of WDAS, whom Mr. Lit took under his wing in the early 1960s. Tamburro remembered Mr. Lit as a "fascinating, dynamic impresario."

"There's a piece of Hy Lit in all of us," said DJ Bob Pantano last night from his dance party, a concept that Mr. Lit embraced and helped to develop in the late 1950s. "My greatest thrill was working with him."

"Here's a guy who made it for all of us," said Don Cannon, another radio personality. "He was kind of wild back then."

In recent years, Mr. Lit endured financial strain, and friends rallied around him with fund-raisers. After his last station, WOGL, reduced his hours, Mr. Lit sued it for age discrimination. The case was settled in December 2005. Mr. Lit then retired.

Jim Loftus, general manager of WOGL, said, "It's a sad day for Philadelphia and a sad day for radio. He was one of a kind."

His son last night called him "the magic man. When he spoke, people listened. People were interested in what he had to say. A lot of people say that anyone can spin records. That's wrong. There's a science to it. He knew it."

His many honors include a spot on the Avenue of the Arts Walk of Fame; the first March of Dimes Lifetime Achievement of Radio Award in 1994; an AIR Award for best show in 1997; and Radio and Records magazine's Oldies Personality of the Year for 1999. He also was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003.

Besides his son, he is survived by a daughter, Benna, three grandchildren, and a sister. Mr. Lit was divorced from the former Miriam Uniman in the 1970s. His second wife, Maggie, died in 2000.

Once again, we lose another kind, gentle, talented, funny, caring and compassionate soul to the other side. And yes, when the day comes that we cross over, we will see Hyski once again.

As a kid growing up in the South Jersey/Philly area during his heyday, I listened to Hyski on the radio and also attended his dances and sock hops around the region. Along with Jerry Blavat, Jocko Henderson, Georgie Woods, Grady and Hurst, Joe Niagra and Dick Clark, Hy Lit and crew raised a generation of rock n rollers and r & b fans.

While djing on "Hot Hits" WCAU-FM in the late 80's in Philly, I had the pleasure of getting to work with Hy Lit when the radio station became "Oldies 98" WOGL FM. I had the job of teaching Hyski our on air studio and control board so that he could be comfortable doing his shows. As time progressed, we became the best of friends. Hyski and Maggie were the closest thing my son Sean had to "god parents". They loved him and thought the world of him. There was nothing Hyski wouldn't do for me and my family. He was truly one of the best friends I will ever have.

With all the talent and charisma this man possessed, he was never above himself and was always the most humble and caring person YOU could ever expect to meet. Too bad more of his peers did not learn the lessons of the "master". You will be missed Hy Lit, but, YOU will never be forgotten! See YOU on the other side Hyski.

As Hy used to tell me all the time, "don't get comfortable"!

Rock n Roll and Hy Lit are here to stay,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Dragon, Book of Shang

Alien Lesbian Sex Video Game? No Way

Singapore Bans Video Game Over Alien Lesbian Sex Scene

SINGAPORE — Singapore has banned an Xbox 360 video game because it contains a sex scene between a woman and a female alien, the city-state's censors said Thursday.

"Mass Effect," a futuristic space adventure published by Microsoft Corp., has been banned because of "lesbian intimacy," Chetra S., deputy director of the Board of Film Censors, in a statement.

Players can engage their avatars in a variety of sexual encounters during the game, though none between men or between men and male aliens, according to reports on several blogs.

The human-alien duo are depicted kissing and caressing each other in a sex scene that The Straits Times English-language newspaper in Singapore reported ends with the alien saying, "By the gods, that was incredible, commander."

A Microsoft spokesman in Singapore said Microsoft respected Singapore's decision to ban the game, which is to launch globally on Nov. 20.

"'Mass Effect' features realistic content and interactions in the context of the science-fiction story line," Ian Tan, marketing communications manager for Southeast Asia said. "The game takes a mature approach to various relationships amongst characters throughout the game and the content in question is another dynamic of that."

Chetra, of the censors' board, said Singapore's video games industry is largely self-regulated, with game importers responsible for declaring to the censorship board that the game content falls within a set of guidelines.

"This helps to ensure that games are suitable for a general audience and do not feature exploitative or gratuitous sex and violence, or denigrate any race or religion," Chetra said.

Other video games that have been banned this year include "God of War II," for nudity, and "The Darkness," for "excessive violence and religiously offensive expletives," Chetra said.

Chetra said the city-state's Media Development Authority, which oversees the censors' board, will introduce classification for video games next year, a move that could allow games such as "Mass Effect" to be passed under a mature classification.

Authorities in Singapore have banned gay festivals and censored gay films, saying homosexuality should not be advocated as a lifestyle choice.

Under Singapore law, gay sex is deemed "an act of gross indecency," punishable by a maximum of two years in jail. Despite the official ban on gay sex, there have been few prosecutions.

Okay, alien lesbian sex, in a video game. Got the game banned in Singapore. Can't imagine why that would happen. What is this world coming to? And, what is more beat up, "the action in the game, or, Singapore's government for banning it"? I'll let YOU make up your mindz on this one. Personally, I think..nah, ain't going there. Anyway, here is a link to the video of the "love scene" from the game as posted on Youtube.YouTube - Mass Effect - Alien Sex Scene

Games People Play Are Different Today,

Bobby Sharpe Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

UFO Investigation To Resume?

Ex-Pilots Call for New UFO Investigation

WASHINGTON (Nov. 12) - Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich may have been ridiculed for saying he had seen a UFO, but for some former military pilots and other observers, unidentified flying objects are no laughing matter.

An international panel of two dozen former pilots and government officials called on the U.S. government on Monday to reopen its generation-old UFO investigation as a matter of safety and security given continuing reports about flying discs, glowing spheres and other strange sightings.

"Especially after the attacks of 9/11, it is no longer satisfactory to ignore radar returns ... which cannot be associated with performances of existing aircraft and helicopters," they said in a statement released at a news conference.

The panelists from seven countries, including former senior military officers, said they had each seen a UFO or conducted an official investigation into UFO phenomena.

The subject of UFOs grabbed the spotlight in the U.S. presidential race last month when Kucinich, a member of Congress from Ohio, said during a televised debate with other Democratic candidates that he had seen one.

Former presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter are both reported to have claimed UFO sightings.

Most turn out to be misidentified aircraft, satellites or meteors. A panelist who once worked for Britain's Ministry of Defense said 5 percent of incidents cannot be explained.

But the sightings are often dismissed by authorities without proper investigations, UFO activists say.

"It's a question of who you going to believe: your lying eyes or the government?" remarked John Callahan, a former Federal Aviation Administration investigator, who said the CIA in 1987 tried to hush up the sighting of a huge lighted ball four times the size of a jumbo jet in Alaska.

The panel, organized by a group dedicated to winning credibility for the study of UFOs, urged Washington to resume UFO investigations through the U.S. Air Force or NASA.

"It would certainly, I think, take a lot of angst out of this issue," said former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington, who said he was among hundreds who saw a delta-shaped craft with enormous lights silently traverse the sky near Phoenix in 1997.

The Air Force investigated 12,618 UFO reports from 1947 to 1969 in what was known as Project Blue Book. Investigators concluded that the incidents posed no threat and there was no evidence of space aliens or a super technology in operation.

"Since the termination of Project Blue Book, nothing has occurred that would support a resumption of UFO investigations," the Air Force said on its Web site.

YOU know, every time I read a story or report like this, it reminds me of a single word that has become quite prevalent in the USA lately. That word is, "DENIAL"! This country denies and sweeps under the rug more stuff than the rest of the Earth combined. Deny it, and it does not exist. That seems to be the rationale. Hey, ask Ripley if UFO's or Aliens exist. lol If YOU need me to explain that, just forget it!

Peace and Extraterrestrials,

Bobby Sharpe Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Dragon, Book Of Shang Sneak Peek

While my book is being edited and readied for publication, this is the first of a couple of excerpts I will preview for YOU. Enjoy!

The fishermen saw nothing unusual at first. They all piled out of the truck to prepare for the morning fishing. The kids prepared to take their morning dip and just be kids having some fun.
As they all started walking toward the placid water, the mist and low fog started to lift. As the group suddenly stopped, two of the boys headed to their favorite tree.

The fishermens eyes became wide with disbelief. From a few feet back, to the waters edge, the ground was littered with partial fish skeletons, empty turtle shells, skeletons of birds and skeletons of some of the small animals that drink and feed from the lake.

As the astonished fishermen stood perspiring with fear, they heard two splashes in the water nearby. The two young boys had either not seen the skeletal remains, or, paid them no attention. They just wanted their morning swim.

As the fishermen ran to where the boys had jumped into the water, they yelled for the boys to get out.

As the boys reached the edge of the water, they suddenly doubled over and let out unearthly screams. They both fell on the sandy ground writhing in agony. Just as the men started to reach for them, they froze. As the two boys lay stretched out, their flesh started to desintegrate exposing their bones.

Within minutes, there was nothing left except the skeletal remains of the two. Skin, hair and organs were all gone. The rest of the group stood wailing and screaming in agony. Some were doubled over and throwing up after witnessing the grotesque sight before them. They were overcome with horror and fear. How could this have happened? What caused this, they wondered.

Dragon, Book Of Shang,

Bobby Sharpe reggae8@aol.com www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

"Ten Commandments" Of The Mafia

The Mafia's 'Ten Commandments' Found

ROME (Nov. 8) - Thou shalt be faithful to the Mafia.

Italian police said Thursday they have found a list of 10 commandments for mobsters in a house near Palermo, where a top Mafia boss was arrested this week.

Salvatore Lo Piccolo, who had been on the run since 1993, was vying to become the next "boss of bosses" of the Sicilian Mafia, according to Italian investigators. He was apprehended Monday by police raiding a house in the countryside outside Palermo, the Sicilian capital.

The list was found among his coded notes about the administration of Cosa Nostra that were delivered by Lo Piccolo's aides.

Police in Palermo said that the list opened with a preamble that said: "I swear to be faithful to Cosa Nostra. Should I betray, my flesh will burn." Under the category "Rights and Duty" were the 10 entries, meant to be a sort of users' manual for the good mobster.

The list was typewritten in uppercase letters, police said.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica published a photo of what it said was the list, under the headline: "The Godfather's Ten Commandments.

"The list bars mobsters from hanging out in bars, from befriending police and being late for appointments. It also bars them from "taking possession of money that belong to others or other families."

How to treat women also features in the decalogue.

"You shall not look at wives of our friends," says one entry. "You shall respect your wife," says another. However, the Mafia comes first, as the fifth "commandment" orders a mobster to "be available for Cosa Nostra at any moment, even if your wife is about to give birth.

"The last part of the list sets out application rules, saying that those who have a very bad behavior and no moral values cannot join.

Investigators believe that the 65-year-old Lo Piccolo could have eventually emerged from a power struggle as the Mafia's new top boss following the capture of Bernardo Provenzano, the reputed No. 1 of the Cosa Nostra crime syndicate. Provenzano was arrested on a farm near Corleone, Sicily, in April 2006, after more than 40 years on the run.

Say what YOU want about organized crime, if some governments, and, households subscribed to some of these "commandments", the world and society might be alot better off than we are.

Peace and rules,

Bobby Sharpe Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe myauntberenice

Observations, Thoughts & Opinions

Okay, by now, most of YOU that read my stuff know pretty much that I basically "tell it like it is". Everybody is fair game. Even though I will get on someone's case in a hurry, I will also give props and respect where they are do. That's only the right thing to do, most of the time.

This past week, November 3rd-November 8th, I spent the majority of it with people from around the globe who were here in Orlando for a major convention. I'm talking about people from The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Russia, France, UK, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Canada, Pakistan, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Norway, Italy, China and on and on. Some of the things that were said to me matter of factly, or, presented as questions were:

1) Everyone noticed the big differences in neighborhoods and the disparities between races. They mentioned how they were responded to so much differently depending on whether they were dealing with whites, blacks, hispanic or asian.

2) A majority of my clients, in round about ways, basically said "we have very little class". Actually, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Just go out in public these days and even YOU could figure that one.

3) A significant number also voiced their opinion that "we have so much in this country to be thankful for, yet seem not to appreciate it". Amen to that.

4) And last, but certainly not least, everybody wanted to know "why the people of this country voted for George Bush the second time"? "What were these people thinking"? Well, I gave them the answer they were trying to infer, "the people that voted for Bush the second time were freaking brain washed asleep at the wheel IDIOTS"! "That do not have a clue what is going on in the real world".

In short, it was a very good mind stimulating week for me and a couple of my buddies. To sum things up on behalf of pretty much the rest of the world, "the stature, influence, importance, class, leadership and direction of the United States of America, is pretty much in the toilet these days. We need a serious awakening and rethink moving forward. If not, we will wind up being some other major power's bitch! YOU can bank that!

Peace and Renaissance,

Bobby Sharpe Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Dragon, Book Of Shang

Dragon, Book of Shang

Here, YOU can get a sneak peek at the book etc.

I am also listing some info in case YOU have a book YOU want to get out and published.

Jane Rubeck

Author Services Representative

AuthorHouse

1663 Liberty Drive,Suite 200

Bloomington, IN 47403

http://www.authorhouse.com

jrubeck@authorhouse.com

Toll Free: 1-888-519-5121 ext. 5386

Fax: 1-812-349-0786

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe myauntberenice

Speak Your Mind:

"Those that matter, don't mind,

Those that mind, don't matter"

This Hot Enough For YOU?

Hottest Chili Pepper Shatters Record

It's hot. Scorching hot. Guinness World Records hot.

Researchers at New Mexico State University have discovered the world’s hottest chili pepper. It's called the Bhut Jolokia, a variety originating in Assam, India.

In tests that yield Scoville heat units (SHUs), the Bhut Jolokia reached 1 million SHUs, almost double the SHUs of former hotshot Red Savina (a type of habanero pepper), which measured a mere 577,000. The result was announced today by the American Society for Horticultural Science.Chili is spelled "chile" by some, including Paul Bosland, director of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State’s Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences.

Bosland collected seeds of Bhut Jolokia while visiting India in 2001. He grew the plants for three years to produce enough seeds to complete the field tests.

"The name Bhut Jolokia translates as 'ghost chile,'" Bosland explained. "I think it’s because the chile is so hot, you give up the ghost when you eat it!

"The intense heat concentration of Bhut Jolokia could have a significant impact on the food industry as an economical seasoning in packaged foods, he said.

All I have to say is, "if this bad boy is hotter than habanero peppers, I don't wanna know". Eat some of these and YOU might be a ghost!

Peace & Peppers,

Bobby Sharpe Dragon, Book of Shang www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Led Zeppelin Concert Update

Led Zeppelin Reunion Show Postponed

LONDON (AP) - Led Zeppelin fans awaiting the rockers' reunion will have to wait a little longer.
The band's first concert in two decades, scheduled for Nov. 26, has been postponed until Dec. 10 after guitarist Jimmy Page fractured a finger, organizers said Friday.

"I am disappointed that we are forced to postpone the concert by two weeks," Page said in a statement.

"However, Led Zeppelin have always set very high standards for ourselves, and we feel that this postponement will enable my injury to properly heal, and permit us to perform at the level that both the band and our fans have always been accustomed to."

Led Zeppelin, who split up in 1980 after the death of drummer John Bonham, announced in September they were reuniting for a one-off show. The lineup includes Page, singer Robert Plant and bass player John Paul Jones, along with Bonham's son Jason.

More than 1 million fans entered a draw for a chance to buy one of the 10,000 tickets to the concert at London's O2 Arena, a tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, who died last year. The lineup also includes former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, Foreigner and young Scottish singer Paolo Nutini.

Organizers said tickets for the Nov. 26 gig will be honored at the rescheduled show.

Led Zeppelin Rules,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Animalz"