Africa 1

~~~ Provocative Quote

“If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.“

“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.“

Nelson Mandela

~~~Free Ramblings

I have a friend who has traveled and had some unusual experiences. She has told me about them, and I found them interesting. When I was on Robben Island, standing in Nelson Mandela's cell, I had an unusual experience.

As I was standing in the prison, I could feel myself getting angry and sad at the same time. I am not the kind of person who does that. I suddenly realized that, even though I lived through the Civil Rights changes here during the 60’s, I never really understood what was happening. While I could easily talk the talk, I never had to walk the walk. My two minute or less cell time makes it hard for me to forgive. I will never understand how one group of human beings can possibly oppress another group of human beings. Knowing that it happened, seeing that it happened, standing in that cell, I don’t know how anyone could forgive. Nelson Mandela has changed the world. He opened eyes and hearts. He always has worked to ensure freedom for all. Amazing.

Robben Island has allowed many to see and hear and feel the Apartheid times. After a short boat ride to the island we were greeted by a man who had worked on Robben Island during Mandela’s imprisonment. He told stories of what happened to the many prisoners who had been placed there. He told how the many nations of the world worked to end apartheid. Scotland began a boycott of South Africa’s fruit in 1959. The AAM—anti-apartheid movement—continued until the end of apartheid. In 1973 the United Nations stated that the South African Apartheid was a crime against humanity. The US never signed that document. Reagan even supported the white government. In 1986, after the ANC had started using a violent approach to end apartheid, our congress passed an Anti-apartheid bill that called for the end to the violence by the ANC and said the US would work to find a peaceful resolution to end South African Apartheid. Apartheid did not end until 1994.

After touring the island, we entered the prison. We were greeted by another former Robben Island resident. He had been a political prisoner. Now he did tours of the place he had lived because he believed in freedom. While his stories were horrifying, he, like Mandela, had forgiven. His fight for freedom had taken him to prison, then freedom came and now he was free to tell his story, the story of apartheid, the story of reconciliation.

On June 26, 1876 the US Calvary suffered one of its greatest defeats in Montana. While in Elementary school I learned about Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn. I was working in Pine Ridge South Dakota one June 26th many years later. On that day, Lakota Tribal Offices were closed. This was the annual Victory Day Holiday. It’s all about perception. Now I realize that the Lakota had no Nelson Mandela, had no Martin Luther King, had no Gandhi, had no one that stood out to lead them to reconciliation, to lead them to forgiveness. I also realize the conquerors didn’t have a chance to hear that message either. So the anger, frustration, and fear continue.

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~~~Random Facts

In Oblong, Illinois, it's punishable by law to make love while hunting or fishing on your wedding day.

~~~Unusual News

SALT LAKE CITY – A Salt Lake City man victimized by one

burglar set a trap that helped nab a suspect in an attempted break-in, police say. Police Lt. Craig Gleason said the unidentified homeowner, who lost jewelry and a laptop during a previous burglary, created a makeshift alarm device that alerted him a would-be burglar was attempting to enter his home Tuesday, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Thursday. Gleason said hearing the alarm, the homeowner chased a 50-year-old suspect and, thanks to the help of three other men, captured him. Gleason said in addition to his homemade alarm system, the homeowner also used information from police officers to lure in the unidentified suspect. “As it turns out, in the course of investigating the first burglary, the officers kind of mentioned to the homeowner that if you leave all your newspapers in the driveway and mail in the mailbox, that can make you a target for burglars,” he told the Tribune.

“This homeowner, instead of removing the papers and mail, left the stuff there — specifically with the intent of luring the burglar back in.”

~~~Before They Were Famous

Megan Mullally (Karen on Will and Grace) said that she used to teach ballet to young kids.

Bill Murray sold chestnuts outside of a grocery store.

Myers started his career on a Canadian kids show - "Range Ryder and the Calgary Kid."

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~~~November Month Long Observances

Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month ~ American Diabetes Month ~ American Indian Heritage Month ~ Lung Cancer Awareness Month ~ Military Family Appreciation Month ~ National Homeless Youth Awareness Month ~ National Inspirational Role Models Month ~ National Novel Writing Month ~ Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month ~ Transgender Awareness Month ~ Vegan Month

~~~Week of 14 November

World Kindness Week

~~~14 NOV Observances

319 days so far this year…49 days remain in 2009

America Recycles Day
I Love to Write Day
National Bundt Pan Day
World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims
^Brazil: Republic Day 1889
^Japan: 7-3-5 Festival Day—Rights of Passage Day
^Palestine: Independence Day since 1988

~~~Births on this day
~ The ARTS)
1887 Georgia O’Keefe artist

^^^
1905 Mantovani Venice Italy, orchestra leader
1919 Joseph A. Wapner judge, actor: The People’s Court
1928 C.W. McCall (William Fries) singer, songwriter: Convoy
1929 Edward Asner Emmy Award-winning actor
1932 Petula Clark Grammy Award-winning singer:Downtown
1937 Yaphet Kotto NYC, actor
1957 Kevin Eubanks musician: guitar: bandleader: The Tonight Show

~ATHLETICS
1951 Bo Matthews football: Univ. of Colorado, San Diego Chargers, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins

~POLITICS/BUSINESS/EDUCATION
1891 W. Averell Harriman U.S. diplomat
1891 Erwin Rommel ‘The Desert Fox’: WWII German field marshal

~SCIENCE/RELIGION
1397 Nicholas V pope (1447-55); ended schism, founded Vatican Library
1738 Sir William Herschel astronomer (discovered Uranus)
1815 John Banvard NYC, painted world's largest painting (3 mile canvas)
1882 Felix Frankfurter Vienna Austria, US supreme court justice (1939-62)

~~~In Remembrance–

1954 Lionel Barrymore, American actor @ 76
1958 Tyrone Power actor, heart attack @ 44
1978 Margaret Mead anthropologist, @ 76

~~~Historical Events on this day
1791 1st Catholic college in US, Georgetown, opens
1806 Explorer Zebulon Pike sights Pikes Peak
1884 Colonization of Africa organized at international conference in Berlin

^^
1932 Walt Disney Art School created
1939 Social Security Administration approves 1st unemployment check
1940 A 35-mile well-populated area of Greece (Ioannina) had been seized by Italian fascists
1986 The first case of BSE or "mad cow disease" is found in cattle in England .
1993 The Maastricht Treaty formally starts, establishing the European Union (EU).

~ Holy Mackerel
1660 1st kosher butcher (Asser Levy) licensed in NYC (New Amsterdam)

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