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"

Argentina's Lady President Cristina Fernandez

First Lady Claims Victory in Argentina

(AP) Argentina's presidential candidate of the ruling Frente Para la Victoria party, Cristina Fernandez...Full Image

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - First lady Cristina Fernandez claimed victory in Argentina's presidential election Sunday, with early results and exit polls suggesting she had avoided a runoff and become the first woman elected to the post.

Fernandez's husband, President Nestor Kirchner, is credited with Argentina's rebound from a 2001 economic collapse, and much of her support is due to his popularity.

She has been compared to U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who like her is a lawyer and senator who soldiered alongside a husband as he rose from small-state governor to his nation's presidency.

"We have won amply," she proclaimed, Kirchner standing at her side. "But this, far from putting us in a position of privilege, puts us instead in a position of greater responsibilities and obligations."

Supporters jumped up and down and embraced one another.

"I'm so excited," screamed Maria Isabel Francia, a 50-year-old street merchant. "Cristina is going to pull us out of poverty!"

Her challengers were trying to force her into a Nov. 25 runoff. She needed 40 percent of the vote, with a lead of more than 10 percent over her nearest rival, to win outright.

With a third of the polling places reporting, Fernandez had 43 percent of the vote, compared with about 20 percent each for former lawmaker Elisa Carrio and former Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna. Eleven others split the rest.

Six independent television networks, a private radio station and an opposition newspaper reported their exit polling indicated Fernandez has easily won a first-round victory. Five of the news organizations released their numbers, giving Fernandez between 42 and 46 percent of the vote, with advantages of 19 to 23 percentage points over Carrio.

But no opposition candidates conceded defeat, and Carrio spokesman Matias Mendez said seven parties had filed a complaint alleging that ballots were missing or stolen in Buenos Aires province, the country's most populous.

Electoral officials denied any irregularities, but a judge extended voting by an hour in the capital after many of Argentina's 12,700 polling stations opened late. A representative of the ruling party was arrested on suspicion of trying to vote twice.

The next president, who begins a four-year term on Dec. 10, faces challenges including high inflation, an energy shortage and rampant crime. And the legacy of the economic crisis can still be seen in high unemployment and widespread poverty in a country that a century ago ranked among the world's 10 richest.

Fernandez, 54, refused to debate and spent much of the campaign abroad in photo-ops with world leaders. Her chic European dresses and designer bags drew comparisons with "Evita" Peron, another fashion-conscious and politically influential Argentine first lady.

Fernandez, who built her own independent career as her husband rose to power, has rejected comparisons to both Clinton and Evita.

She boasts that she won her first national election, as senator for Santa Cruz province, when Kirchner was a mere state official - the governor. She is now a senator for powerful Buenos Aires province.

The first couple voted early in Santa Cruz, before heading back to the capital to await the outcome. Fernandez told the crowd of reporters that voting was especially joyful for her because she grew up under the 1976-83 dictatorship.

"I'm part of a generation that grew up in a country in which nobody could say anything, so we value this in a very special way," she said.

Voters were also filling dozens of House and Senate seats and nine governorships. Exit polls indicated Vice President Daniel Scioli won the governorship of Buenos Aires province, the country's second most powerful post.

Argentina's 27.1 million registered voters are required by law to cast ballots, and one couple showed up early after a night of partying in a car festooned with "just married" signs. The bride wore a white wedding dress as she filled out her ballot.

This is a great story! Since I am one of the biggest feminist movement people around, I love it when a qualified woman attains a position of power, intellect, influence and integrity. Men have screwed it up long enough. Let the women spirits take the reins for awhile.

Congratulations President Cristina Fernandez! Much success to YOU.

Peace and goodwill to Argentina,

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

Ugly, Fat & Losers Equals, Philadelphia

The Least Attractive People Are In ...

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 2007) - Philadelphia is home to the least attractive people in the United States, a survey of visitors and residents showed on Friday.

The city of more than 1.5 million people was also found to be among the least stylish, least active, least friendly and least worldly, according to the "America's Favorite Cities" survey by Travel & Leisure magazine and CNN Headline News.

About 60,000 people responded to the online survey -- at www.travelandleisure.com -- which ranked 25 cities in categories including shopping, food, culture, and cityscape, said Amy Farley, senior editor at the magazine.

For unattractiveness, Philadelphia just beat out Washington, D.C. and Dallas/Fort Worth for the bottom spot. Miami and San Diego are home to the most attractive people, the poll found.

But Farley pointed out the results don't mean people in Philadelphia are ugly or the city is a bad place to visit.

"We were asking people to vote on attractiveness, not unattractiveness. Travel & Leisure editors believe there are a lot of attractive people in Philadelphia," she said.

"The relative attractiveness of its residents is only a minuscule factor in evaluating a city's merit."

Philadelphians' self-esteem has been undermined by national surveys showing they are among the fattest people in the United States. The American Obesity Association ranked the city in the top 10 for overweight people every year between 2000 and 2005.

And sporting pride in a city known for the fierce loyalty of its fans has been hurt by not having had a national champion in any of its four main sports since the 76ers won the National Basketball Association title in 1983.

Look, YOU can cut this up anyway YOU want to. Fact is, their sports teams have not won a championship since the Sixers almost 30 years ago. Fat? Well duh! Hey, Philly is the home of the infamous "cheesesteak". Plus, TastyKake and Breyers Ice Cream. That stuff all adds up to fat. It also adds up to some "good eating"!

Oh, in case YOU missed it, Orlando came in 5th for least attractive. Hey, I don't live in Orlando. I live in Winter Park! All together different.

Butterscotch Krimpets Rule,

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

Singapore, "NO GAY SEX"!

Singapore retains its gay sex ban

Singapore's parliament has voted against a proposal to decriminalise sex between men, despite receiving a petition signed by thousands of people.

The plan was part of a wider reform of sex laws, many dating from the British colonial era half a century ago.

The chamber passed a bill legalising oral and anal sex for the first time, but only between heterosexuals.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the government did not consider gays to be a minority with minority rights.

In a rare speech to parliament, he said Singapore was a conservative society, and he wanted to keep it so.

Tuesday's vote means Singapore's anti-gay law 377A remains, although prosecutions are rare.

Under the legislation, a man caught committing an act of "gross indecency" with another man could be jailed for up to two years.

Hey, whether YOU are pro or con on the "gay" issue, it doesn't matter. What matters is that, this country had the stones to stand on what it believes and did not try to do the "politically correct" copout crap that leaders with NO stones do. If YOU don't like the law, "don't go to Singapore"! It's that simple.

"Speak Your Mind"

Those that matter don't mind,

Those that mind, don't matter

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

Lucky Dube, Rest In Peace

Memorial Service Held for Reggae Star
By CELEAN JACOBSON

(AP) Members of Lucky Dube's band perform during the memorial service for the slain reggae star in...Full Image

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - Slain reggae star Lucky Dube was remembered at a memorial service by friends and family who railed against his senseless shooting death and his bandmates who entertained a dancing crowd outside by playing some of his songs.

Dube, 43, was gunned down in front of two of his children last week in an apparent carjacking attempt in suburban Johannesburg. Four men who were arrested in connection with the murder appeared briefly in court Tuesday.

"We have lost a legend, an icon," said Skipha Shabalala, lead guitarist with Dube's band, said Wednesday. "Why was this man killed in such a brutal and barbaric manner?"

Posters of the star with his trademark waist-length dreadlocks covered the walls of the packed Bassline, a popular downtown music venue. Seated on the floor, barefoot and dressed in white, were members of the Shembe, a Zulu Christian sect to which Dube belonged.

Outside, up to 1,500 fans - many wearing the Rastafarian colors of green, gold and red - gathered to watch the service on a large screen.

"Today we are here to mourn, but also to celebrate the life of someone who made us very proud as South Africans," musician Sipho Mabuse said.

Dube, who launched his career in the 1980s with criticism of the apartheid regime, went on to become a huge international star recording more than 20 albums and sharing stages with the likes of Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel, Ziggy Marley and Sting.

Ivor Haarburger, chief executive of Gallo Records, described Dube as an "enormous talent" who was a quiet and reserved man, but whose stage performances were "amazing."

"We as a nation are shocked and saddened at the news. With this senseless and disturbing act a great spirit has been taken from us. It is a loss felt by millions throughout the world," he said.

Members of Lucky Dube's band perform during the memorial service for the slain reggae star in...Full ImageSouth Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world, recording an average of 50 murders each day. U.N. crime statistics say one in three Johannesburg residents has been robbed. Rapes and assaults also are common.

Dube expressed his concerns about crime in his lyrics, most notably his 1999 song "Crime and Corruption," in which he wrote: "Do you ever worry about leaving home and coming back in a coffin, with a bullet through your head?"

Messages of condolences were read out during the service, including statements from Peter Gabriel and the presidents of the Gambia and Senegal.

Interspersed throughout the service were performances by some of Dube's fellow musicians, as well as the artist's band. "I am sad. Even if the people who did this are arrested, they will still live," said musician Bhekumuzi Luthuli, barely able to sing for the tears choking him.

In another heartbreaking moment, two of Dube's seven children took to the stage at the end of the service to read out a statement from the family.

"We are going to miss you forever," said a sobbing Laura, holding on to her elder sister Bongi.

Then as Dube's band broke into song, the crowd outside paid tribute to their hero the only way they knew how - by taking to their feet and dancing.

"Love those who gimme war," they cheered as the band played the title song from Dube's latest album "Respect."

"I love those who hate me. I bless even those who curse me. Gimme, gimme respect," they sang.

You know, this is so sad. It breaks my heart. And, "it really pisses me off". This is so senseless and, "you see this crap every day". When is humanity ever going to learn? When are blacks ever going to stop with the black on black crime? Based on what some folks say, "NEVER". Can't prove anything one way or the other, however, based on my time on this Earth, my experiences, my associations, makes me think that maybe some races of people are "mentally inferior". And dont give me that "not politically correct" bs. People, quit the tap dance and see things how they really are!

Rest in peace Lucky.

"The more YOU know, the more YOU grow,

The more YOU grow, the further YOU go'

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz"

"Star Wars" TV Series Coming

George Lucas Plans `Star Wars' TV Series

(AP) In a file photo University of Southern California alumnus George Lucas is shown with an artist's...Full Image

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Force may soon be coming to a television near you.

George Lucas is planning a live-action television series spinoff of the "Star Wars" film franchise.

Lucas told The Los Angeles Times he has "just begun work" on the series, which will not include the films' major characters Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader.

"The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters," Lucas told the Times on Tuesday.
Lucas wouldn't reveal details, but joked that the series would be about "the life of robots."

Lucas, 63, already has another television series in the works. Lucasfilm Animation has been working for months on the computer-animated "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

Star Wars Lives On,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Orlando Sentinel - Community Winter Park Blog -

Bobby Sharpe Rant & Thoughts

With all the sabre rattling going on in the world today, it makes YOU stop and wonder, "did I miss something, or, are all these political leaders and heads of state freaking crazy"? Here are a couple examples in case YOU missed some of this.

1) Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin in Iran talking trash about anybody attacking Iran and, especially from a Caspian Sea country base. A Russian leader has not been in Iran in 6 decades but, all of sudden they are buds talking crap. Hey Putin, go home and fix your countries broke economics and other problems.

2) Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, what else can YOU say, "this guy is sitting around selling "wolf tickets" that, sooner or later somebody is going to buy one and cash it in on his wannabe "nuclear ass".

3) Turkey has their blood pressure in a tizzy because the U.S. wants to say they comitted atrocities against Armenians 100 years ago. In a way, I can see where they are coming from. It was 100 years ago and the people that are their now, had nothing to do with that. However, 40 plus other countries have already signed off on the condemnation of these acts. So, what's the big deal? YOU have other stuff YOU need to be tending to that is more pressing. Get over it!

4) One of the most exciting things going on in the world today is the immergence of China as a big time player on the world stage. Me and a couple of my buds are even planning on learning Mandarin Chinese. However, China has to stop acting like a petulent spoiled child that is all that. Here, this major empire is having a hissy fit because the United States wants to recognize a nobel peace prize winner and the greatest person on this planet, for all of his great deeds. It's not like the Dalai Lama is trying to take over your country. If his being and presence is that much of a threat to your narrow minded thought processes, then your whole existence is "standing on shaky ground"! Get a grip! The Dalai Lama is bigger and better than you will ever know. Deal with it.

Well, there YOU have it. As I always say, "speak what is on your mind, those that matter dont mind, those that mind, don't matter". The Dalai Lama is the best person on this Earth, in this dimension, and now!

"The more YOU know, the more YOU grow,
The more YOU grow, the further YOU go"

Bobby Sharpe reggae8@aol.com Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz"

Imagine Peace Tower, Reykjavik, Iceland

Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison

Yoko Ono unveils imagine peace tower

Mon Jul 09 2007

On October 9th, which would have been John Lennon''s 67th birthday, Yoko Ono will unveil IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, dedicated to her late husband, in Reykjavik, Iceland.

In 1967, John Lennon predicted that the conceptual light tower, envisioned by Yoko Ono, would one day become a reality. On October 9th of this year, exactly 40 years later, IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, a permanent landmark for peace will be unveiled in Reykjavik, Iceland.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is surrounded by a Wishing Well Wall on which the words "IMAGINE PEACE" are engraved in 24 languages.

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER gives light and power to the realization of World Peace, which was John Lennon''s lifetime wish, and what he had worked for. For this day, October 9th, 2007, like minded friends from all over the world have been invited to Reykjavik, Iceland to join Yoko Ono for the special ceremony, lending their spiritual power to the tower, and their affirmation of unity for it''s unveiling.

Joining those present will be over 100,000 written wishes collected from all over the world through Yoko''s Wish Trees presented in different countries. They are put in a series of capsules and will be placed on the Island of Viðey, surrounding IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.

More wishes are being sent every day for IMAGINE PEACE TOWER to the P.O. Box set up specially for it in Iceland (IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, P.O. Box 1009, 121 Reykjavik, Iceland.) You, of course, are more than welcome to send your wish as well.

Yoko Ono said today; "I have chosen Iceland for IMAGINE PEACE TOWER because it is a very unique eco-friendly country. 80% of Iceland''s energy is provided by water, not oil. Because of this, the air, water and earth are surprisingly pure and clean. The energy for the Tower is also provided by water.

I hope IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will give light to the strong wishes of World Peace from all corners of the planet and give encouragement, inspiration and a sense of solidarity in a world now filled with fear and confusion. Let us come together to realize a peaceful world. I consider myself very fortunate to see the dream my husband and I dreamt together become reality."

What a great honor for the great people of Iceland to have had Yoko Ono choose Reykjavik as the spot for the Imagine Peace Tower. Iceland deserves it. Hopefully, one day soon, I will get to see it first hand.

Peace and Love to Iceland,

Bobby SharpeBobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz" www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

World's Thinnest TV'S: Need A Xmas Present

First they got flat, then they got big, and now, with nowhere else to go, TVs are getting thin, thin, thin! At least that's the trend we're extracting from all of the ultra-slim TVs on display at CEATEC, the annual Japanese consumer electronics show we're currently checking out in Tokyo. Take a look at the above-pictured Hitachi super-flat 32-inch LCD-TV prototype, which, at just .72-inches thick, makes the average flat-panel TV look like huge slab of thickly-cut meat (or something like that). After all, .72-inches thick is more like a cell phone than a TV, in terms of thickness.

But Hitachi, which unveiled its super-thin prototype to the public today for the first time, isn't alone in the ultra-flat-panel game. Thin LCD TVs are also on display from Sharp (52-inch TV that's .78-inches thick), JVC (42-inch TV that's only 1.4-inches thick, pictured, right), and even Fujitsu, which can only mean one thing: That even flatter panels are on their way to your local Best-Buy-Circuit-City-Fry's within the next five years.

You can even throw Sony's groundbreaking 22-inch Organic Panel, a 1.1-inch thin portable display that uses OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode Technology). Though shown in prototype form at places like CES, the Organic Panel in its more-or-less ready-to-ship version is being shown here in Tokyo for the first time. And it's actually coming out, in Japan, anyway: The set will be in stores on December 1st for around $2500, which is a lot for a 22-inch TV. That said, we are blown away by the rich colors and crisp, 1,000,000-to-1 contrast ratio that the OLED screen brings to this widescreen wonder. The Little flexible arm that lets you adjust the screen's position is a nice detail, too, in that nifty, Sony-gadget way.

We took a bunch of pictures, but since we wanted to show you some other TVs in this post, check out Engadget's gallery on the Sony Organic Panel.

Now, does the new you-can-never-be-too-thin TV trend mean you should wait before you buy that flat-panel? Not at all -- all the TVs we mentioned are prototypes, so we don't know when they'll actually come out for real. (Regardless, when they come out, they will be pricey). Only the Sony Organic Panel is actually coming out in Japan-only, and it's expensive.

It's likely some of these TVs will be the star of the CES Show come January, but the earliest any of these models (other than the Sony) come out would be late next year, so we're betting it'll be a good half-decade before these are even remotely affordable for the rest of us.

In the meantime, we're gonna keep dreamin' about 'em!

Yeah, I'm licking my chops, but, "wont be getting one of these bad boys any time soon". My day will come though.

Technology Rules,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Orlando Sentinel - Community Winter Park Blog -

Candace Poblador, Artist & Web Designer

You know, a bunch of the people that know me, think alot of weird stuff about me. I'm arrogant, pushy, conceited, a jerk, an idiot, a mister know it all and on and on. Well, guess what, "they are right". If YOU don't believe in yourself and what YOU bring to the table, how are YOU going to get anyone else to believe? And as hard as I believe in myself, that is how hard I believe in my niece, Candace.

Ever since I first met Candace, when she was 15 years old, I knew she was someone special. She has proven over the years that she is. Not only is she one of the nicest caring people YOU will ever meet, she is also an "awesomely talented" soul. That is why I have asked her to design the dragons and book cover for the novel I am in the process of completing. Her art work, creativity and imagination are unique and stand alone.

If YOU need some art work or a web page design, Candace Poblador is no further away than an email. If YOU would like to check out some of her work, go to myauntberenice This is her website which is being updated and refreshed on a regular basis. Here, YOU can get a feel for her work and energy. You can also contact her through the site. Hey, check it out before she gets totally swamped. I will have some stuff up also of some of her dragon sketches in the near future.

If for nothing else, stop by her site and say hello to a really cool human being.

Peace & Love,

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz"

Winter Park Florida 1st Fashion Week

It gives me great pleasure to be able to talk about something really cool and positive for Winter Park! Fashion Week! One week from today(Oct. 5th), Fashion Week kicks off on Park Ave in downtown Winter Park. Running October 5 thru October 11. The show is presented by the Park Avenue Area Association. Tickets are $25 for admission to all fashion shows. VIP tickets are $100 and include extra goodies. I have been told that the VIP tix are going really fast, soooo, if YOU plan on getting one, don't wait!

You can purchase tickets from the Winter Park Chamber Of Commerce, participating retailers, or, call 407 644-8281 for more info. It's going to be a really great event, don't miss out. Let's make Winter Parks first fashion show a huge success!

I will have more pics on featured retailers and updates thru the week. Thanks to Jean Patteson for her great article in September 20th Sentinel.

Peace & Fashion,

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Online Gambling vs The Feds

Online Gambling Law Challenged

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - A gambling industry group argued in federal court Wednesday that a new federal law against transmitting online bets outside the United States violates people's right to gamble in the privacy of their own homes.

The group's lawyers said that, because filtering technology already exists to make sure children and compulsive gamblers cannot access offshore betting sites, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act serves only to stifle gambling companies.

The federal government has not yet applied the law.

The Internet Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, which sued the federal government in U.S. District Court in Trenton this summer, ultimately wants the law declared unconstitutional.

The U.S. Justice Department wants the lawsuit dismissed.

Judge Mary L. Cooper heard arguments in the case Wednesday morning and said she expects to rule within 30 days.

Edward Leyden, president of the industry association, said the law is limiting an industry whose revenues he estimated at $50 billion to $60 billion a year.

"It's a large market now, and it's growing," he said.

But the federal government's stance is clear: online gambling is illegal.

"You can go to Vegas. You can go to Atlantic City. You can go to a racetrack," Leslie Bryant, head of the FBI's Cyber Crime Fraud unit, wrote on the agency's Web Site earlier this year. "You can go to those places and gamble legally. But don't do it online. It's against the law."

Leyden said the online gambling industry wants the government to monitor and even tax it. U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., is sponsoring a bill that would regulate the industry, but not tax it, Frank spokesman Steve Adamske said.

"That's exactly what we want - that kind of protection for our customers, kind of like a Securities and Exchange Commission for online gambling," Leyden said. "Nobody in this industry wants to be tagged with the reputation of not being straight with the players."

The law is also under attack internationally. Several countries are seeking compensation from the U.S. on the basis of a World Trade Organization ruling that American Internet gambling restrictions are illegal.

The Justice Department did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday.

In court papers, it said that the association does not have the legal standing to challenge the law and that there is no constitutional violation.

What can I say, "once again, the good old government has their "we are going to protect you from yourself" nose in stuff they should not even be involved in. Don't they just tick you right off?

"Baby needs new shoes",

Bobby Sharpe Orlando Sentinel - Community Winter Park Blog - www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

PS3 Video Game Reviews Plus "Dragon Wars" Movie

Review: 'Lair' and 'Warhawk' Exclusive
Sep 15, 7:11 AM (ET)By MATT SLAGLE

It's been a long year for PlayStation 3 owners with very little in the way of new, exclusive content. As good as they are, "MotorStorm" and "Resistance: Fall of Man" are wearing thin for me.

Finally, two new PS3 exclusives are available: "Warhawk" and "Lair."

Being an exclusive game doesn't guarantee greatness. Five minutes with "Lair" makes that painfully clear.

"Lair" (Rated T, $59.99) kicks off well enough, with a gorgeous animated sequence involving warriors on fire-breathing dragons.

The aerial spectacle is tremendous, the cinematic effect stirring.

So how can the actual game - a title with battle-tested, fire-breathing dragons, mind you - be so utterly terrible?

It's a classic case of a game that looks phenomenal but plays horribly. The controls quickly kill any sense of fun.

Flying dragons around the war-torn landscape is maddeningly tough in "Lair." Too tough.

That's because you have no choice but to move the controller in the direction you're trying to go. The PS3's controller has always had a motion-sensing capability, but it's very imprecise when you're trying to guide a dragon through a narrow canyon.

To do a quick 180, you can flick the controller up - but, often, my flicks didn't do anything or sent me in the wrong direction.

If only "Lair" would let me use the controller's traditional joysticks and buttons for movement.

"Lair" just isn't worth the effort.

One star out of four.

At least "Warhawk" delivers what it advertises: a quick, responsive multiplayer combat game. Nothing more, nothing less.

The game feels a bit generic compared to more established online shooting franchises like "Unreal Tournament," but there's plenty to like about "Warhawk." Namely, big, sprawling online matches against up to 31 other real players.

There are the usual online modes like Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, which span a diverse array of maps. There are plenty of weapons like machine guns and grenades, plus you can drive around tanks and jeeps, or control turrets to defend your base.

Some weapons seem overpowered, namely the flame thrower, which can somehow mow down armored tanks with relative ease.

But the game's biggest rush comes from piloting the warhawk fighters. They're able to transform from hovercraft to fighter jets and back again.

They pack an arsenal of weapons that includes missiles and mines. They're extremely maneuverable, too, able to perform all sorts of aerial tricks such as loops and spinning turns.

There are two ways to buy "Warhawk," which is rated T. You can download it directly from Sony and pay $39.99, or buy a boxed copy that includes a wireless headset for $20 more.

That way, you can talk trash right back to the online strangers who will taunt you after they've blasted you from the sky.

"Warhawk" is the sort of game the PS3 desperately needed. It's an approachable title that delivers all the online mayhem you can handle.

Three-and-a-half stars.

If YOU would like some more review on either of these games, go to Lair for PlayStation 3 Review - PlayStation 3 Lair Review Warhawk for PlayStation 3 Review - PlayStation 3 Warhawk Review .

"Dragon Wars" Movie

Just got home from seeing the movie. Not sorry I went to see it. It was pretty decent. A little to much on the goofy side though. I almost felt like I was watching one of those Saturday night "Sci Fi Channel" made for movies.

The special efx were pretty decent. it seemed to me that if the makers of this movie would have taken a little more time and concern, this could have been even a step higher.

As I said though, "it was good entertainment for what it is supposed to be ". I would give it 2 out of 4 stars. The best dragon story ever written is three quarters of the way done. It will be finished by this Halloween! I promise and guarantee that!

Dragons Rule, They did, and they will,

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz"

Led Zeppelin- One Concert, One Time, Nov. '07

Led Zeppelin Taking Flight for Rare Show

LONDON (Sept. 12) - Led Zeppelin will perform a one-time comeback concert in memory of Ahmet Ertegun, a co-founder of Atlantic Records.

The band will perform together for the first time in 19 years on Nov. 26, at London's The O2 venue, on the banks of the River Thames.

'Dazed and Confused,' 1969
AOL Music: Watch More Led Zeppelin Videos

Promoters said the concert would pay tribute to Ertegun - the label boss who popularized Ray Charles , Aretha Franklin and Led Zeppelin - who died in December at age 83.

"During the Zeppelin years, Ahmet Ertegun was a major foundation of solidarity and accord," Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant said in a statement. "For us he was Atlantic Records and remained a close friend and conspirator."

Ertegun, who co-founded the Atlantic Records label with Herb Abramson, signed Plant's band in 1968 and later snapped up the Rolling Stones.

Led Zeppelin's remaining original members Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones will headline the concert with late drummer John Bonham's son, Jason, on drums, organizers said Wednesday.

The quartet is expected to perform a full set lasting up to two hours.

Promoter Harvey Goldsmith said Led Zeppelin would play one show only and there was no commitment or discussion of playing beyond that.

The Who 's Pete Townshend , Bill Wyman, Foreigner and young Scottish singer Paolo Nutini - the last British act Ertegun signed - will also play at the tribute concert.

All proceeds will go to the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund to establish music scholarships for students at institutions in Britain, the United States and Turkey, Goldsmith said.

I am really looking forward to this and hope, they do a good job and pull it off. Zeppelin is one of the greatest bands ever. "Whole Lotta Love" and "Stairway To Heaven" are hits for eternity and beyond. Can't wait!

Rock n Roll,

Bobby Sharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz" www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Question That Needs An Answer

Say hello to my furrie friend

Just wanted to start this post Labor Day week off by wishing everyone a great fall season. Hope your summer was inspiring, productive and, fun. Now it is time to get down to reality and move forward.

Question

While sitting at the breakfast table this past Sunday morning with my wife Mary engaging in a little worldly conversation, this question came to mind. "How come our 17 year old son can go to war, and possibly get killed, in Iraq or Afghanistan, but, he can not get a job as a game tester for video war games etc at Electronic Arts video game company"? He has to be 18 to be a game tester, but, can play real life war games with real weapons and consequences at 17! Excuse me, but, "what kind of American, democratic, political, moralistic, ignorant bullsh_t is that"?

I really would like an intelligent answer to this question. YOU can leave a comment or email me at reggae8@aol.com. Now is a good time to use your "OPYN MINDZ".

"The more YOU know, the more YOU grow,

The more YOU grow, the further YOU go"

Bobby SharpeBobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz" www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

"Goat Sucker" Chupacabra, Real Or Not

Chupacabra Head, Nice

Has a Mythical Beast Turned Up in Texas?

CUERO, Texas (Sept. 1) - Phylis Canion lived in Africa for four years. She's been a hunter all her life and has the mounted heads of a zebra and other exotic animals in her house to prove it.

But the roadkill she found last month outside her ranch was a new one even for her, worth putting in a freezer hidden from curious onlookers: Canion believes she may have the head of the mythical, bloodsucking chupacabra.

"It is one ugly creature," Canion said, holding the head of the mammal, which has big ears, large fanged teeth and grayish-blue, mostly hairless skin.

Canion and some of her neighbors discovered the 40-pound bodies of three of the animals over four days in July outside her ranch in Cuero, 80 miles southeast of San Antonio. Canion said she saved the head of the one she found so she can get to get to the bottom of its ancestry through DNA testing and then mount it for posterity.

She suspects, as have many rural denizens over the years, that a chupacabra may have killed as many as 26 of her chickens in the past couple of years.

"I've seen a lot of nasty stuff. I've never seen anything like this," she said.

What tipped Canion to the possibility that this was no ugly coyote, but perhaps the vampire-like beast, is that the chickens weren't eaten or carried off - all the blood was drained from them, she said.

Chupacabra means "goat sucker" in Spanish, and it is said to have originated in Latin America, specifically Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Canion thinks recent heavy rains ran them right out of their dens.

"I think it could have wolf in it," Canion said. "It has to be a cross between two or three different things."

She said the finding has captured the imagination of locals, just like purported sightings of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster have elsewhere.

But what folks are calling a chupacabra is probably just a strange breed of dog, said veterinarian Travis Schaar of the Main Street Animal Hospital in nearby Victoria.

"I'm not going to tell you that's not a chupacabra. I just think in my opinion a chupacabra is a dog," said Schaar, who has seen Canion's find.

The "chupacabras" could have all been part of a mutated litter of dogs, or they may be a new kind of mutt, he said.

As for the bloodsucking, Schaar said that this particular canine may simply have a preference for blood, letting its prey bleed out and licking it up.

Chupacabra or not, the discovery has spawned a local and international craze. Canion has started selling T-shirts that read: "2007, The Summer of the Chupacabra, Cuero, Texas," accompanied by a caricature of the creature. The $5 shirts have gone all over the world, including Japan, Australia and Brunei. Schaar also said he has one.

Look, after some of the blog post I have put up in the last year or so, I don't doubt anything. There are a lot of strange things being discovered and found on this planet recently. Chupacabra or not, "it's ugly"! You be the judge as to what YOU choose to believe.

Animalz Rule(even ugly ones)

Bobby Sharpe

Venetian Casino Resort Macau

Venetian Aims to Make Macau Resort City

MACAU (AP) — American billionaire Sheldon Adelson opened what he says is the world's largest casino floor, housed in Asia's largest building Tuesday, adding credence to this coastal Chinese city's stature among major gambling centers.

Adelson and his wife Miriam inaugurated the $2.4 billion Venetian by smashing a bottle of champagne against the front of one of the casino and hotel complex's gondolas.

Casinos like the Wynn and Adelson's Sands have led this small city in southern China past the Las Vegas Strip as the world's most lucrative gambling center.

Las Vegas Corp. Chairman Adelson wants to take it a step further with the 10.5 million square foot Venetian.

He hopes the complex will transform Macau from a gambling pit stop for Chinese tourists to a vacation and business convention destination, where visitors shop, watch shows — and roll the dice.

Today is the beginning of what has been a dream of mine for some time — to reproduce the capital of entertainment in Asia for Asians," Adelson said Tuesday at a news conference.

Macau's casinos are currently scattered across the territory, a peninsula connected to mainland China and two outlying islands by a reclaimed strip of land called Cotai.

Adelson said his Venetian Macao Resort Hotel on Cotai is the cornerstone of what will become a concentrated resort area he calls the Cotai Strip.

Las Vegas Sands claims the 10.5 million square foot Venetian — twice the size of the Las Vegas original — is the largest building in Asia and the second largest in the world. Boeing Co. claims it has the world's largest building — a plant in Washington state.

The Venetian boasts what it claims to be the world's largest gaming space of 550,000 square feet, housing 3,400 slot machines — with room to expand to 6,000 — and more than 800 gambling tables.

It has 3,000 rooms, a 15,000-seat sports arena, retail space for 350 stores, 1.2 million square feet of convention space, fine dining and a Cirque du Soleil-produced show.

Its decor is Venice inspired — with a Chinese touch. Chinese-style sampans as well as gondolas will sail down canals. The resort also features a replica of Venice's St. Mark's Square.

Adelson also plans to open more hotels under brands such as Four Seasons, Sheraton and St. Regis. In all, his Las Vegas Sands Corp., which also runs the Sands Macao on the Macau peninsula, plans to invest up to $12 billion and build 20,000 hotel rooms on the Cotai Strip by 2010.

Some analysts say Adelson is smart in trying to lure new tourists to Macau. The convention business — a specialty of the Las Vegas Sands — is a lucrative one, they say.

"The Venetian will get new customers who are right now not going to Macau at all," analyst Billy Ng at JPMorgan Securities said.

Las Vegas Sands President William Weidner said 44 major conventions have already been scheduled at the Venetian over the next two years.

He also said he expects the Venetian Macao to lengthen the average guest stay to three to four days, from 1.2 days in other Macau hotels.

But it may take time to make Macau a major tourist destination.

It may take a little while, but, at least Macau is headed in the right direction. Hats off to Sheldon Adelson for having the foresight and stones to move forward and make things happen. Those are the elements needed to succeed in today's business/entertainment world. Too bad more "so called business people" do not possess this acumen. However, that is what separates the winners from the "wannabes".

"Free YOUR Mind, Go For It"

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe Bobby Sharpe's "Indigo Spiritz"