Got this PR from NASA today. Felt like sharing it.

Elmo visited NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to see the last launch of the space shuttle and to find out about spaceflight. For more go to www.nasa.gov

You have to admit, Elmo is always cute.

Woodmere Art Museum offering free admission all summer

Two exhibitions showcase objects from the permanent collection

Summer hours now through September 23; Building renovations underway

PHILADELPHIA – Woodmere Art Museum opens its doors to visitors for free all summer long through September 23. The exhibitions Still Life and Selections from the Charles Knox Smith Collection – currently on display in the Founder’s, Parlor and Corridor galleries – showcase works from Woodmere’s permanent collection.

Woodmere’s store, featuring an array of jewelry, ceramics, textiles and more by local artists, will also remain open during the summer months.

Woodmere’s other gallery spaces will remain closed as the museum undergoes building renovations and updates to the museum’s climate control system and roof in the summer months. The roof of the museum has been redesigned by Dan McCoubrey of Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, an architectural planning and design firm in Philadelphia. The renovation will transform what was once a flat roof with longstanding pooling problems into a roof with an increased pitch to ensure that it sheds water quickly and completely. In addition to the roof work, the museum’s Climate Control equipment will be replaced. (Additional renovation details are included below.)

SUMMER HOURS

Now through September 23, the museum will close earlier on Fridays. Summer hours are: Tuesday through Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m., and Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Late Friday evening hours will return in the fall. Woodmere is located at 9201 Germantown Avenue in the historic cobblestoned Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia. For visitor information, call (215) 247-0476 or visit www.woodmereartmuseum.org.

According to the website Pennsylvania's First Lady, Susan Corbett, "has invited all Pennsylvania children 12 and younger to enter the “Name the Pups” Competition, a contest to name the Corbetts’ two new Airedale puppies arriving in late July."
http://bit.ly/ox95ew

Children can submit suggested names by July 25th

For more about the first family, check here: http://bit.ly/qiSYtl

I love watching the Tour de France on TV. Mostly because of the scenery. Thanks to TV producers and directors (among others) we get to admire beautiful views across France. Yes, I do care about the cyclists. And, though am not cheering for anyone in particular, I do admire their resolve and endurance. Mon dieu! You really need energy, endurance and a je ne sais quoi to take that on. Good luck to all.
Alas, since I won't be going to France anytime soon, I'll continue to enjoy the virtual visit I can enjoy through the TV, websites, photos and videos.
Check the Tour de France site at: http://www.letour.fr/us/index.html
Here's an Associated Press photo to enjoy:
The pack passes world heritage site Mont Saint Michel, rear, a rocky tidal island which holds a monastery, during he sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 226.5 kilometers (140.7 miles) starting in Dinan, Brittany, and finishing in Lisieux, Normandy, western France, Thursday July 7, 2011.

If you are into contests, I offer you these two opportunities that showed up in my e-mail inbox. Yes, they are promotional events for sure, but, they could be fun for some. If you win, do let me know.

V.I.P. DAIRY FARM EXPERIENCE: CONTEST GIVES DAIRY FANS A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT FARM LIFE

Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association contest is part of campaign to let public know “Your Milk Comes from a Good Place”

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (July 7, 2011) – Ever wonder where the milk on your breakfast cereal comes from or how it gets from the farm to your refrigerator? The Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association is answering those questions and offering dairy fans a chance to experience the farming lifestyle with a contest that will give six winners a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a V.I.P. guest on a working dairy farm.

Aspiring farmers can enter the V.I.P. Dairy Farm Experience contest by describing, in 50 words or less, why they should be chosen as a dairy farm V.I.P. Entries can be submitted via Mid-Atlantic Dairy’s Facebook page (facebook.com/midatlanticdairyassociation). The deadline for applications is August 31. The contest is open to entrants 18 years and older.

Winners will be whisked away, with a friend, to a local restaurant to be treated to dinner, including an overnight stay. The following morning, they’ll be transported to the farm, where they’ll receive a behind-the-scenes tour and have an opportunity to help out with everything daily farm chores.

After a leisurely lunch with the farm family, winners will embark on an experience unique to each of the regional host farms.

· NEW JERSEY/PHILADELPHIA REGION – At Creamy Acres farm in Mullica Hill, N.J., that experience includes a tour of the farm’s greenhouse (among the region’s largest), corn maze and pumpkin patch.

· WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGION – At Griebel Dairy Farm in Lucinda, Pa., the VIP experience includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the farm’s 15-acre corn maze.

· MARYLAND REGION – At St. Brigid’s Farm in Kennedyville, Md., the winner will attend the farm’s annual Field to Fork dinner celebration, an alfresco dining adventure attended by nearly 100 people and featuring dishes prepared by local farmers.

• WASHINGTON, D.C. REGION – At the Cows-N-Corn farm in Midland, Va., the winner will be treated to a hay ride and have a chance to get lost in the farm’s corn maze.

· CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA REGION – At the Mason Dixon Farm in Gettysburg, Pa., the experience includes a tour of the nearby Gettysburg battlefield.

· DELAWARE REGION – At the Hopkins Farm Creamery in Lewes, Del. the winner will experience a tour of the largest dairy farm in Delaware and a behind-the-scenes taste of farm-made ice cream in the creamery.

Winners will be chosen in five different regions of the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association’s territory, which encompasses Maryland, Delaware, most of Pennsylvania and parts of Virginia and New Jersey.

“A farmer’s job certainly isn’t easy, but it’s definitely rewarding, and it can also be a lot of fun, which is a big part of why we created this contest,” said Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association CEO Patricia Purcell. “We also hope people come away from this with a new appreciation for what dairy farmers do every day to create the nutritious dairy foods we all enjoy.“

The contest is part of a recent Mid-Atlantic Dairy campaign designed to help the public learn more about the organization’s 7,200 dairy farm families. The 2011 campaign, under the tagline of “Your Milk Comes from a Good Place,” also includes sampling events and social media outreach throughout the region. The Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association is one of 19 state and regional promotion organizations working under the umbrella of the United Dairy Industry Association.

Kodak Gives Away Tickets to Kings of Leon Concerts This Summer on FACEBOOK

KOL Summer Concert Series Ticket Giveaway and Exclusive Fan Footage from Video Shoot

Now Available on Kodak’s FACEBOOK Page

ROCHESTER, N.Y., (July 6, 2011) Kodak is giving Kings of Leon fans the opportunity to win tickets to one of the band’s concerts this summer! Through Kodak’s FACEBOOK Page, www.Facebook.com/Kodak, fans can enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets while also getting an exclusive look at fan photos and videos from the set of the “Back Down South” music video shoot. Kodak will be giving away a total of four pairs of tickets through their FACEBOOK Page and one lucky winner will even get the opportunity to meet the band in person!

While filming the Kings of Leon hit music video “Back Down South,” Kodak gifted the 80 fans, who starred in the video and captured exclusive HD videos and photos with new KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Cameras and KODAK EASYSHARE TOUCH Cameras, marking the band’s first brand integration into a music video.

Under the direction of Casey McGrath, “Back Down South” was filmed in Tennessee and debuted on Vevo on May 31. The making-of the Kings of Leon music video documentary, streaming now at www.Facebook.com/Kodak, premiered first, before the worldwide debut of the “Back Down South” music video, exclusively for Kodak’s FACEBOOK Fans.

“We were thrilled to be a part of this experience and to help provide Kings of Leon fans with the ultimate fan experience.” said Phil Scott, Vice President of Marketing, Digital Capture and Devices, Kodak. “The most exciting part about this collaboration was allowing each of the fans to share their experiences with their social networks, like FACEBOOK. Making content sharing easy is what Kodak is all about, so this integration was a natural fit between Kodak and Kings of Leon.”