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Notes, comments and observations from the Lifestyle and Entertainment desk by Lifestyle Editor Aixa Torregrosa-Vazquez.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Spectacular view from the sky

You can always count on NASA to provide some spectacular views through their Image of the Day feature. Check out this one of the Tien Shan mountain range .... http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1908.html

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

NASA opens voting for original songs to awaken next shuttle crew

NASA is inviting the public to vote for its favorite original song to wake up space shuttle Commander Mark Kelly and his five crewmates during the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. Voting starts today (Tuesday, March 29) and runs through through launch day, which currently is targeted for April 19, according to NASA. Electronic voting is open to the public on NASA's Space Rock website, which includes the songs, inspiration and biographical information about the 10 finalists: https://songcontest.nasa.gov/ Songwriters and performers from around the world submitted 1,350 songs, including 693 from 47 states, 105 from Canada, and 552 from 61 other countries. The song contest began Aug. 20, 2010 and ended Jan. 31. The finalists were notified on Feb. 18. Below are the original song finalists (alphabetical by song title): "Boogie Woogie Shuttle," by Ryan McCullough (Savannah, Ga.) "Dreams You Give," by Brian Plunkett (Halfway, Mo.) "Endeavour, It's a Brand New Day," by Susan Rose Simonetti (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) "I Need My Space," by Stan Clardy (Statesville, N.C.) "I Want to Be an Astronaut," by Michael J. Kunes (Phoenix) "Just Another Day in Space," by Kurt Lanham (Jacksonville, Fla.) "Rocket Scientist," by Tray Eppes (Cullen, Va.) "Spacing Out," by Jeremy Parsons (Nashville, Tenn.) "Sunrise Number 1," by Jorge Otero (Ovideo, Spain) "The Countdown Blues (Hymn for Tim)," by Sharon Riddell (Nashville, Tenn.) The two songs with the most votes will be the first original songs chosen by the public to be played as wakeup music for a shuttle crew. The STS-134 Original Song Contest ran concurrently with the Top 40 Song Contest for shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission. The Top 40 Song Contest ended earlier this month.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Bone Marrow Transplant program seeking your help

The Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Temple Bone Marrow Transplant Program sent us this. Mark your calendar for April 12 to help save a life. 76’s Louis Williams Partners with Eastern PA Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Temple Bone Marrow Transplant Program to host Bone Marrow Donor Drive The Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) announced today that Louis Williams, point guard for the Philadelphia 76’ers, and The Lou Williams Foundation will be hosting a Bone Marrow Donor Drive in support of LLS and the close to one million currently touched by blood cancer. The event will be hosted at Temple University in conjunction with the Temple Bone Marrow Transplant Program and DKMS. Every year more than 10,000 men, women and children are in need of a bone marrow transplant. Only 30% of patients will find a suitable genetic match donor among family. 70% of all patients in need of a donor must hope to find a compatible match through international donor registries. “Only four out of 10 patients will receive the transplant that can save their lives due to the limited donors. We thank Louis and the Lou Williams Foundation for creating awareness for this crucial need,” says Ilana Benyosef, LLS Patient Services Manager. “I have a little cousin with leukemia. When I looked into his eyes, I knew I needed to make a difference," says Louis Williams. The drive will take place on April 12, 2011 from 12:00-4:30pm at The Learning Center at Temple University Health System located at 2450 West Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. The event is open to the public with no appointment necessary, free onsite parking and cost-free testing. “Many people don’t realize that the test for a donor match takes less a minute and involves a simple cotton swab of your mouth,” says Benyosef. “We encourage as many people as possible to take an hour of their day to stop by and get tested. This simple test can mean a possible match – and a life saved.” The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research and providing education and patient services. LLS is currently investing $19 million in research grants through several leading cancer treatment centers in Greater Philadelphia. LLS provides a range of services for patients and families including support groups, direct patient financial aid and co-pay assistance. For more information on the Bone Marrow Drive or The Eastern PA Chapter of LLS, please call Ilana Benyosef, Patient Services Manager, at 610-238-0360 or visit www.lls.org/epa.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Some like to surf.... some go winch boarding ....

Never heard of this before. But saw this photo and had to share ...
I guess is fun for some, but kids, don't do this at home.


Cam Eberhart, 23, of Albany, Ore., loses his board as he "winch boards" over a jump while being filmed by friend Brady Webster, 18, of Albany, Ore., Thursday March 24, 2011 at Bryant Park in Albany, Ore. Eberhart, who is on spring break from his student teaching duties at North Albany Middle School, uses a 6 hp motor to winch 400-feet of rope over a course of jumps that him and three friends set up at the park, which regularly floods when the WIllamette River rise in the winter. Eberhart and his friends having been doing the "winching" for 5 years. (AP Photo/Albany Democrat-Herald, Mark Ylen)

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