LONGEVITY OVERRATED?

On slow news days, some reporter will interview an extremely old person to find out their secret to a long life. Their answer, invariably, includes some combination of the following: don't smoke, don't drink alcoholic beverages, don't over eat, don't eat red meat, don't have unprotected sex, don't engage in hazardous activities, don't quit working, don't break any laws, and don't forget to wash your hands. That's a lot of "don'ts" just so you can live long enough to experience pain in your joints, loss of memory, regret for not having any fun and enjoyment in your lifetime. I don't think "don'ts" are the answer. One of my heroes is George Burns. He lived to be 100 years of age and while drinking a martini and smoking a cigar every day. Not all of us can be that lucky but whatever age we can attain while we DO ENJOY  life is the right age for us. That is my recommendation and I am sticking to it!


p.s. Some moderation should apply to your favorite vices.

DID SHAKESPEARE HAVE A RELIGIOUS FAITH?

We do not know the religion practiced by William Shakespeare. He could have been a Catholic, a Protestant, an Atheist or who knows what. The scholars, who study his works and his history, have not been able to determine his religion. To me, this is a surprising mystery. He is the most influential literary figure of the last 500 years but we know very little about this genius. He left no memoirs, he did not write an autobiography. Through the characters in his many plays, he commented on religion in all its aspects but what were Shakespeare’s beliefs? He was a dramatist who made his characters express opinions that were suitable for them, but which may not have been those of the poet. Knowledge of his religion would be very helpful in understanding the man and his works. All he left us is, “Shakespeare’s Complete Works”. No personal notes and no clues as to his private beliefs. He is the greatest playwright who ever lived but his religion remains a mystery.

DID YOU KNOW?...

Presidents, Spies, Poets, Cowboys, and common men, they all played poker but Wild Bill Hickok was, perhaps, the most famous poker player of all. He died in Deadwood, South Dakota in July of 1876. He was playing draw poker in the Nuttal and Mann’s Saloon #10. There were a lot of gamblers and gunmen in town, including Johnny Varnes, who had lost all his money to Hickok in a game at the Senate Saloon of Denver, Colorado. Varnes was afraid of Wild Bill and he tried to hire quick draw artists to kill Wild Bill but they all turned done the offer. So, he hired “Crooked Nose” Jack McCall to do a cowardly, sneak attack. He shot bill in the back of his head as he sat at the poker table with Mann, the gunman Charles Rich, the Irish Wrestler Con Stapleton, and Captain Willie Massie, a steamboat pilot. Bill’s fingers were still holding his poker hand_two pair, aces and eights and a kicker, nine of diamonds. Thus was born the legend of the dead man’s hand.

The name of the book is, COWBOYS FULL, THE STORY OF POKER. The author is: James McManus. I found this book to be a wonderful history of how poker has affected America from Teddy Roosevelt to Barack Obama. The riverboat gamblers were fascinating! The story is filled with interesting history. Yes, I recommend this book.

I BET YOU DID NOT KNOW…

There are 5000 varieties of potatoes and they are one of the most cultivated vegetables in the world. Because of their high nutritional value, it is possible to live on only a diet of potatoes. They enhance the function of the brain. They are recommended to cure intestinal inflammation. The antioxidants from potatoes make your skin healthy. They strengthen your immune system and help protect you from cancer. They are rich in vitamin B6, which enhances brain cell activity, which can keep depression away. It is impossible to gain weight by eating potatoes unless you make French fries out of them. If you have a weakened digestive system, it is beneficial to eat potatoes because the rich carbohydrate content is easily digested and gives you energy.

When I climbed the Andes to reach Machu Picchu, my Inca Indian guides fed me delicious potato dishes on the trail. Nobody knows potatoes like the Inca Indians. After all, they discovered and cultivated them thousands of years ago in Peru. Ireland has some wonderful potato recipes but the potato did not reach Ireland until the sixteenth century. I have enjoyed famous potato dishes in Dublin, as well. The Spanish like potatoes and they became popular in Spain after a sudden belief started gaining ground that the potato tuber contained aphrodisiac qualities. I did not like the potatoes that I had in Barcelona.

Today, I have harvested some beautiful red skin potatoes from my garden. I will prepare them for tonight’s dinner. I am certain they will keep me healthy and sexy!


I love potatoes, they're awesome, they're great,
I eat potatoes when I awake,
Dream of potatoes as I sleep,
Oh how many potatoes I will eat,
Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes,
For everyone, friend and foe,
Never can you have too many,
God forbid you not have any,
Potatoes with every meal,
Even eat them when you're ill,
French fries, and tater tots,
I love potaoes with all I've got!

I BET YOU DID NOT NOTICE…

This year, woman became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. Most managers are now women. More women than men get a college degree. For years, women have struggled for equality but, now, modern, postindustrial society has enabled them to surpass men in economic importance. Physical strength and size are no longer more important than social intelligence and good communication skills, areas in which women have an edge. Women are more empathetic, better consensus-seekers, better lateral thinkers, and bring superior moral sensibility to bear on the business world. Women tend to be cool and levelheaded. Men, spurred by testosterone, tend to make reckless decisions. In the future, women will dominate the middle class. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women earn 60% of college degrees. Men dominate just two of the 15 job categories projected to grow the most over the next decade: janitor and computer engineer. Women have everything else!

The unprecedented role reversal now under way will have vast cultural consequences. Men will no longer dominate positions of control and influence. Global culture is already reflecting the economic and political power of women. In 162 countries, the greater the power of women, the greater the country’s economic success. My advice for today’s young men is: learn how to do house work and become a good lover!

I BET YOU DID NOT KNOW...

An African bull elephant can weigh as much as 20,000 pounds. They can run 25 miles an hour for short distances. Their skin is one inch thick and extremely tough. Even with a high-powered big game gun, a shot in the body will not stop a charging bull. The skin on the head is easier to pierce with a bullet but a bullet in the head will not necessarily stop the elephant. In order to stop the charge, you must hit the brain. The brain, which is hidden inside the massive head, is only the size of a football. You must wait until the charging elephant is within 30 yards of you before you shoot. You only have one chance to hit the brain within the bouncing head that is coming to trample you to death.

I was recently in Africa visiting some of my friends who are members of the Masai Tribe. They gather the wild bee honey that I use to make the mead that I sell under the brand name of, “GET MERRY WITH HARRY ON MEAD”. There was a mad bull elephant that was terrorizing their village. They wanted Bwana Harry to rid them of this menace. So, I took up the hunt. I was cautiously tracking the beast through dense jungle when suddenly he appeared 20 yards in front of me. He shook his head violently, gave a loud trumpet blast through his trunk and charged directly at me! Calmly, I aimed at the second crease of his trunk and between his eyes. It was a perfect brain shot. The giant animal fell dead at my feet.

That evening, we feasted on elephant’s testicles and drank mead until we were merry. Wow, an imagination is a wonderful thing; don’t you think?

I BET YOU DID NOT KNOW

There is a bird in Africa that helps the natives find honey. It is called the Honeyguide bird (Prodotiscus Insignis). For thousands of years, this bird has helped human beings to find hidden bee hives in hollow trees. It loves to eat the wax and larvae of the honey bee but it needs help to break into the bee collonies. A remarkable partnership has developed between these birds and the African natives. It has a unique chattering song that attracts the attention of the natives. Then, it flies ahead, making sure the native is following to the hidden bee's nest. Once the native opens the hive and takes the honey, the bird feasts on the remaining wax and larvae. This is a marvelous, symbiotic relationship between bird and man.


Next month I am going to bring some Honeyguide birds to Michigan to assist me in finding honey for my new business, "GET MERRY WITH HARRY ON MEAD". I will be prancing through the jungle with a large butterfly net capturing these birds. Please wish me luck!
Click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVtSYRmlirg&annotation_id=annotation_736699&feature=iv