See the Sun on  the Jay Leno Tonight Show

 

 

 

 Dave Phillips is a light-hearted man.  His office has an island ambiance with a chromatic steel drum, tiki hut bar and pirate trappings.   Mr. Phillips has whipped up a stimulus package aimed at Main Street retailers.   His experience with small shops in the islands south of Florida have attuned him to the needs of mom and pop retailers in an era of creeping corporate control.  

 

  

      Workers on utilities are protected by the use of a large beach umbrella.  When the heat index says it feels like 97 degrees, the little patch of shade is important.

 

 

  

 

     The White House has announced that the President signed legislation for a bill of rights curbing bank credit card abuse. 

     Americans need a durable and successful flow of credit in our economy, but we can’t tolerate profits that depend upon misleading working families.  For too long, credit card contracts have been deceptively complicated, often leading consumers to pay more than they reasonably expect due to unfair practices. Every year, Americans pay around $15 billion in penalty fees.  Nearly 80 percent of American families have a credit card, and 44 percent of families carry a balance on their credit cards. 
     "It’s time for strong and reliable protections for our consumers.  It’s time for reform that is built on transparency, accountability, and mutual responsibility – values fundamental to the new foundation we seek to build for our economy," President Obama will say, according to prepared remarks.
     In the Senate and throughout the campaign, President Obama called for measures to strengthen consumer protection in the credit card market. And just last month he met with representatives from the credit card industry to discuss the impact of the current economic crisis on consumers.  The Federal Reserve has taken a strong first step toward improving disclosures and ending unfair practices.  This week the Senate, under the leadership of Chairman Dodd, Ranking Member Shelby and Senator Levin, brought a strong bill to the floor that would codify and strengthen these regulations.  The House, building on the work of Chairman Frank and Representatives Maloney and Gutierrez, already passed such a bill in a strong bipartisan vote. Today,  Congress has taken final action to pass the credit card reform bill that protects American consumers. 
              

                                                               Right:  President Barack Obama and a bipartisan group of lawmakers applaud after the President signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act in the Rose Garden of the White House
Friday, May 22, 2009. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Stimulus Package From Sunstate Academy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Space Station Treadmill Named COLBERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It isn't zero gravity!!!

 Marsha irvins works in micro-gravity.  The Earth keeps the space station and shuttles from falling away, hence, a bit of gravity.

 

The shuttle Discovery safely landed in Florida on its most recent mission.  The next flight is a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

 

  

   Two psychiatrists, Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor, have been arrested along with lawyer Howard K. Stern, Mrs. Smith's boyfriend, in a conspiracy to provide the late actress with thousands of illegal opiates and other prescription medications.  

     The California Attorney General, Jerry Brown, stated that the doctors provided the drugs to a "known drug addict" and that some of the actions involved the use of "false and fictitious names, all in violation of the law and all in furtherance of a conspiracy."

     The doctors have been charged with seven felony counts each, punishable by five years in prison for each count.  Mr. Stern has been charged with six felony counts and is named as the principal enabler in the conspiracy. 

     All of the drugs found in Ms. Smith's room at her death from a drug overdose were prescribed by Dr. Khristine Eroshevich,  shown in the artist's rendition to the left .  Dr. Eroshevich did not immediately post her $20,000 bond.

     Dr. Eroshevich is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  She has maintained that she was trying to protect her patient's privacy.  

     Michele Chase is a fake name that Dr. Kapoor used in writing the prescription, according to the charges.  

     Other charges include unlawful prescription of a controlled substance and prescription of a controlled substance to a known addict.

     The Attorney General speculated that the motive for the crimes may include "glitz and the celebrity."  He noted that a lot of money was "floating around."   There's a lot of money and power involved.

     The arraignment is set for the second week of May.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                 The Humor Harvester Analyzes Liquid Assets

     

Cleave Bailey is a serious fisherman.  With four poles out he hopes to catch his favorites, blue gills and shell crackers

 

"Do you catch and release or catch and eat?" asked Sun  crack reporter, Kathy Baird.

 

Mr. Bailey gets a big grin on his face.  

 

"Most of it gets released."  There's catfish, brim and other stuff.  I don't keep that.  But bluegills and shell-crackers..." he licks his lips..."if they're big enough, they come home for dinner."  The man's smile broadens.

 

When asked if he fishes the lake beside Fairwood Drive often, he replies that he does.  "The water is a bit brackish." 

 

                                                                                                                                         Story: K. Baird, Photo Tiki Parrot

 

 

 

 

Australian Man Wrestles Home Invader

     Beat Ettlin beat an errant kangaroo in a wrestling bout with the animal following a home invasion this past Sunday.  

The kangaroo hopped into Mr. Ettlin's home, breaking a window in the process.  The gentleman's underwear were shredded in the fight, as shown in the photo illustration.  After jumping on the animals back, the Canberra man was able to slide his arms into a headlock on the beast.  He was then able to frog march the animal down the hall away from the bedroom and out the front door.  His wife, Verity Beman, described her husband as "a hero: a hero in Bonds undies."  Bonds is a brand of underwear which is popular down under.

     

     "This was one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen.  The musicianship was absolutely top drawer and the program was awesome.  I played Ligeti's Six Bagatelles  for Wind Quintet years ago.  It's a playful and rich piece.  The Swiss group brought a nice touch to it.  Mozart's Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat major was superb.  Jost Meier's Wind Quintet was fun too!"  

     "I've never heard a better oboe player than Mi-Young Park," added his companion, a lovely lady who bravoed the fine players.

     Mr. Decorso agreed, "We are so fortunate to have had this opportunity." 
The concert was part of the University's Minaret series.  There are 13 silver minarets, one for each day of the Moslem year.

     The other wind players were Liam Mallett, flute, Urs Brugger, clarinet, Henryk Kalinski, French horn, and David Schneebell, bassoon.  Grigorios Zamparas and Michiko Otaki participated on piano for two pieces.

 

The program closed with a romantic work, Ludwig Thuille's Sextet in B-flat major.   It and the Mozart nicely set off the two modernworks. 

 

The university offers majors in music performance, music education with a BA in Music or Performing Arts (musical theater).  The school prepares students for careers in studio instruction, professional musician/entertainer, certified music teacher, promotion, sales, arranging and composition.  

                                                                                                                     - Gypsy Muse

 

     THIS TUESDAY:  free trumpet recital

Photos by Tiki Parrot