235. Adelina, Blake Lively, The Wheel of Time, Putin As Hitler, Jack Reacher, And Beth Wrobel’s New Book

                       

A. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Readies For Spring!

           

Philadelphia Is The It City For History, Music, Museums, Nightlife, Sports, And The Creative Arts. 

    

Plus…We Are An Hour From North America’s Most Beautiful Beaches And Everything They Offer!
     

Plus…We Are An Hour From Picturesque Mountains And Everything They Offer!

     

Plus…We Are Fifteen Minutes Away From The Areas Best Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Football, and Soccer. Join Us This Spring Or Summer!

       

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Welcomes, Adelina, Blake Lively, And The Age Of Adeline!

    

Adelina (bold/kind) is the newest edition to the Let’s Talk Philadelphia column’s family. She was scheduled to join us on 2.22.22 which really would have been memorable, but she decided an earlier arrival better suited her.

Adelina likes quiet walks on the beach, piano music with a little percussion behind, older men (there are no younger men in her neighborhood), a meaningful hug, and milk.

Everyone that comes into our office (three so far) and sees Adelina’s picture and her name below it asks if she was named after the Blake Lively movie. This gives us a chance to say NO and to feature the Blake Lively movie The Age Of Adeline.

The Age Of Adaline…A Story Of A Very Long Life And Great Loves!

            

Blake Lively is Adaline Bowman. Adaline Bowman is twenty-nine years old. She has been twenty-nine years old for eighty-six years due to an mysterious quirk in the space time continuum. Initially at age twenty nine she was married, had a daughter, and lost her architect husband to a Golden Gate Bridge construction accident.

    

It is now 2014 and we see eighty years of Adaline’s life through flashbacks. She has been on the run with her daughter from groups that want to make her a research guinea pig and from those that see she is not aging. Her daughter, played by Ellen Burstyn, is now eighty. Ten years is the most Adaline has stayed in any location. With minor changes Lively beautifully plays Adaline through all these decades of major and minor turmoil.

    

As a San Francisco librarian in 2014, she is recognized by people from her distant past. Adaline is ready to flee again. She meets her best friend of twenty years at their traditional New Year’s Eve party get-together. Her friend, Lynda Boyd, is singing at the New Year’s Eve celebration. Lynda is blind. She doesn’t realize Adaline hasn’t aged as she has. Adaline, also, meets Michiel Huisman at the party, falls in love with him, and has to decide whether to flee or watch him grow old as she stays the same age. This fact and her unavoidable predicament of fate is greatly disturbing to Adaline and has caused her to flee past loves. She keeps a notebook of the lives she has lead so far…dogs included.

         

Harrison Ford, Kathy Baker, and Amanda Crew join the perplexing problem the movie presents as Michiel’s (Ellis Jones) parents and sister. Ford, at first, thinks Adaline is after his son’s money. Ford’s advice will bring further uncertainty into Adaline’s life. Love story devotees will surely like this one! Blake Lively will lead ‘many a more’ films after this one! Her ‘second place in a movie’ days are over! This is an easy to find and enjoyable film on a number of On Demand channels.

    

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows A Thing Or Two About Time!
The Wheel Of Time (Amazon Prime) Is A Great Gothic Fantasy Journey!
Women Rule Four Tribes That Are Trying To Save The World!

   

The Wheel of Time, Amazon’s newest gigantic dollar adventure, is for you, if:

A. You like gorgeous Spanish, Croatian, Slovenian, and Czech Republic scenery for the story’s journeys and battles…
B. Exploring the mindset of four tribes of multi-powered women trying to prevent, through countless struggles, the end of the world interests you…The men in these kingdoms do not have any powers.

    

C. You believe Ogre and Troll warriors running wild will rule the kingdoms by series end…
D. You enjoyed previous Rosamond Pike movies and would like to see if she can pull off the very different role of warrior and huntress, as she searches for and battles for the secret person who can restore her brittle, plague and monster overtaken world…

    

E. You don’t mind battle scenes where good people are burned at the stake or killed as their internal and external body parts are skewered and eaten…
F. You like love scenes and kissing in the woods, fields, inns, and tents…

Amazon has paid over 250 million dollars to bring this 12 of 15 book series to television. 10 million dollars an episode were for the book rights. The first 12 books were written by Robert Jordan (James Oliver Rigney, Jr.) starting in 1990. Jordan died in 2007 at age 58 of cardiac amyloidosis, a blood disease. Jordan/Rigney completed 12 books in the series. The last three books were finished by his wife, Harriet Mc Dougal and author Brandon Sanderson. Jordan’s notes helped them with their three book effort.

    

Amazon built amazing studios in Prague and paid Rosamond Pike 10 million dollars to star in this 16 part series. We thought this was an outrageous amount of money until we researched and found out that Jennifer Aniston and Reese Withersoon are being paid 20 million dollars each for Disney’s, The Morning Show.

    

The production’s main hub of operations is Jordan Studios, a massive complex that Amazon built for the show in the Czech Republic city of Prague. Series watchers and book readers can’t wait for the second part of the series to premier in May. When the series was first released in November 2021, you watched one episode a week. The first 8 episodes can, now, be binge watched before the one at a time May release.

   

    

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Quickly Explores The Ukranian/Russian War!
Putin Looks Like Hitler’s Brother!
His Actions Show That He Is The New Hitler!
The Picture Should Go Viral With Your Help!
When Is A War Crime A War Crime!

Here are our three quick takes on the war in the Ukraine where staff member’s parents and grandparents emigrated.

1. 30 percent of Americans think we should send troops over there. That is a scary thought!
2. Putin’s army is killing thousands of innocent civilians each week, but that is not a war crime! C’mon! We have to send investigators over to see if war crimes were committed. C’mon, open your eyes!
3. The Russian fleet in the Black Sea is 200 miles from Odessa. The fleet is firing at civilian locations every hour, killing thousands and laying waste to cities and towns. We should give the Ukrainians weapons to destroy this fleet.

    

    

Let’s Talk Philadelphia Highlights The Ukrainian Artist Maria Prymachenko!

                  

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And How To Enjoy The Return Of Jack Reacher!
Tom Cruise vs Alan Ritchson As Jack Reacher!
It Is An Ongoing Debate!
Officer Willa Fitzgerald Steals The New Television Show Series!
She Is Not In Book Two, The Next Episodes, But She Should Be!

   

The British author, Lee Child, has written 26 Jack Reacher books with the 27th coming out in the fall of this year. The last few books were written with his brother.         

Jack Reacher was an army major busted down to captain and then back to major. As a major he ran a number of military police offices and operations. At age 36, Reacher retired from the army, because, he said, there was so much for him to see in the form of towns, streams, valleys, mountains, music, art, and more. He took off to see them starting in book one. His traveling companions in this search are his credit card, passport, toothbrush, and thumb.

        

In Killing Floor the first Child book, Reacher’s thumb and a bus ride take him to Margrave, Georgia. He is looking for information concerning Blind Blake, an old blues singer…We found out later that Blake was buried in Milwaukee and not anywhere in the South, though one of Margrave’s townfolk sang with him when he was there.

     Reacher finds things everywhere he goes. Most of the things he finds start with the letters T.R.O.U.B.L.E. as he tries to help everyone. There are a lot of those letters in Child’s 26 books.

    

On the way into Margrave, Reacher passes a murder scene. Naturally, he gets arrested for the murder as soon as he reaches the town diner. He is freed after someone confesses to the murder. Still under suspicion, he teams Willa Fitzgerald (Roscoe Conklin) and Malcomb Goodwin (police captain Oscar Finlay) and later and old army friend, Marie Sten (Frances Neagley) to find the murderer. More murders and missing people hamper the investigation. Everyone in town is more crooked than the Yellow Brick Road. We think you will enjoy Ritchson’s Reacher as much a Tom Cruise’s Reacher.

      

Main Cast And Characters…as shown on wikipedia…

• Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, a decorated former major in the U.S. Army military police and drifter. Maxwell Jenkins plays the young Reacher.
• Malcolm Goodwin as Oscar Finlay, a police captain and Margrave’s chief detective, formerly a detective in Boston

   

• Willa Fitzgerald as Roscoe Conklin, a police officer in Margrave who joins Reacher and Finlay in their investigation
• Chris Webster as KJ, Kliner Sr.’s only son
• Bruce McGill as Grover Teale, Margrave’s corrupt mayor and interim police chief
• Maria Sten as Frances Neagley, a private detective and former army investigator who was a member of Reacher’s military police squad

    

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Salutes Beth Wrobel And Her New Book!
The World Is Yer Oystah!
How Does One Prepare For An Audition Or The Start Of A Play?!
Beth’s New Book Has The Answers And Thespian Magic!

       

The University of the Arts, where this column originated, supports theater, music, and the arts. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is always looking for authors, artists, photographers, and businesses we can feature. Beth Wrobel is well known teacher and creative program presenter throughout the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area. Beth’s work in theater and statewide presentations to parents, teachers and students on theater and English Language Arts is a must see and participate.

         

There is a Thespian in everyone. You can celebrate your Thespian with Beth Wrobel’s relatable and signable, gift ready, new book. The book is the perfect gift token for a post performance at your local school, community center, theater, or even before an appearance on Broadway.

         

Performance flowers are great, but lasting keepsakes like this book are better. Much better! The book is filled with quotes, quirkies, and sometimes humorous, unsolicited advice. All these and more will keep the calmness backstage and the frights away during shows and auditions. The Show Will Definitely Go On Through The World Is Yer Ostah’s Shared Spirit.

Here is the link for purchasing Beth’s book: https://www.amazon.com/World-Yer-Oystah-Beth-Tuchay/dp/B09XMMQ8WC/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr3_1?keywords=the+world+is+yer+ostah+beth+tuchay&qid=1650362277&sr=8-1-fkmr3#immersive-view_1650362353189

     

Enjoy The Spring And The Summer In Philadelphia!

6. Let’s Talk’s Monthly Call-out For Contributors!
Your Ideas Will Attract A Large Audience!

Every column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, movie reviews, book talks, fashion news, and local business news to the Let’s Talk Philadelphia column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is FREE and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures. If you can’t come up with a column idea of your own, suggest an interesting topic for our staff to review and write up for our column. Look at the write-ups in past columns of contributors like Beth Wrobel’s in this column.

        

 

234. The 355, Jessica Chastain, The Kingsmen III, Laura Wheeler Waring, And The Two Minute Puzzle!

                      

A. Year Thirty Of Let’s Talk Philadelphia Rolls On!

   

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Features The Spy Movie The 355!
Jessica Chastain’s Spy Team Numbers Five!
The Search For World Destroying Technology Begins!

   

Before starting this movie review, it is important to know the origins of the 355 and the women/woman involved as Revolutionary War patriots and spies. Anna Smith Strong was the original 355. Strong was the only female member of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring. Washington recruited Benjamin Tallmadge of Setauket Long Island to head this spy ring. Tallmadge in return enlisted Strong and other members of his Setauket community, as well as, friends throughout Long Island to join him on secret missions. This is a nice research and report school project.

   

Jessica Chastain, the star of the new 355 movie, proposed the idea for the film and the 355 update while working with director Simon Kinberg in the year 2018. Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the X-Men film franchise, and Sherlock Holmes are six of Kinberg’s many successful directing credits. Chastain and Kinberg met on the film Dark Phoenix.

     

If you are with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and have seen, at least, some of Chastain’s Oscar nominated performances, wouldn’t you want her to head one of the most important world saving spy missions of the decade?

A piece of electronic wizardry has been created that will read, disable, and re-image any piece of electronics on the Internet, on a computer, or any system that involves technology. We can’t think of any system that doesn’t use technology! World-wide trouble as a prelude to World War III is about to commence.

   

The weapon’s creator is killed and the weapon in the shape of a large IPhone 12 is about to travel the world in a number of mercenaries’ hands. Chastain is going to need a team of world wide agents to secure this phone-like device. Like any team former, Jessica recruits a martial arts specialist, a computer specialist, a mission planner, an electronics expert designer, and a chocolate chip cookie maker. These recruits are all women! These roles are filled by a who is who team of movie stars: Penelope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Fan Bingbing, and Lupita Nyong’o. Jason Flemying (bad), Sebastian Stan (bad), and Édgar Ramírez (good) are some of the supporting male cast members.

   

After fascinating chases and individual battles galore that would make Daniel Craig’s James Bond proud, the world destroying device is put up for auction in a casino in Morocco. Every evil deed planner and monster world wide is invited. The casino admit tickets are forged and the team of women in gorgeous electronic jewelry and designer clothes get to show their stuff and grab the device to save the world. But!

This is a great movie to rent a theater for as a Valentine’s Day gift to your friends. Most theaters including AMC have this program. Contact your local theater for their rates and show time arrangements. This is a nice Valentine surprise for family and friends!

   

   

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Goes Back To World War I!
The Origin Of The Kingsmen Will Be Revealed!
The King’s Man Wheels And Deals In This One.
Stay In The Theater Until The Final Credits Are Over For
There Is The Next Movie In The Series Reveal!

     

The new Kings Man movie is the third in the Kingsmen series, but completely different from its predecessors. Kings Man is a story surrounding World War I that previous Kingsmen watchers and history buffs will really enjoy. It is, also, the origin of how the Kingsmen agency was created in 1918.

     

World War I causes are still being debated a hundred years later. We know the war started in 1914 after Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife were assassinated. We know the war ended four and a half years later with Germany’s surrender in November of 1918.

    

The war left 17 million soldiers and civilians dead and another 25 million wounded. It ravaged most of Europe with a book-load of firsts that include:
Women enlistings
Aerial warfare
Aircraft carriers
Chemical warfare
Gas masks
Blood banks
Guide dogs

   
Wireless communication
Flamethrowers
Massive artillery
Tanks
Movie propaganda
Steel helmets
Medical firsts like x-rays

In the movie, Ralph Fiennes plays The Duke Of Oxford (Orlando). Fiennes leads a loosely knit group of English spies whose mission is to stop the world’s worst rulers, maniacs, and devious masterminds from beginning World War I. It is a well done movie that places Fiennes at the site of all the major events leading up to the war and while the war is progressing. He is even in the carriage when the Arch Duke and his wife are killed.

    

Our favorite Fiennes’ segment is that in 1918 The Duke Of Oxford is credited in the movie for killing Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans) the Russian monk and mystic healer that is encouraging the Czar to withdraw from the war and leave the rest of Europe vulnerable since the Germans would no longer have to fight on two fronts. Polly (Gemma Arterton) and Shola (Djimon Hounsou) as members of Oxford’s spy team and time and again play important parts throughout the movie.

    

Germany invaded Belgium on August 4, 1914 to begin the war. Their siege of the city of Liege lasted 11 days and was the beginning test for Germany’s powerful new weapons and massive cannons. They proceeded to level everything and kill everyone in their path on their way to Paris. The Germans left death and destruction never seen before in their wake as they advanced through Belgium toward France. The first Battle of the Marne, Verdun, and the Battle of the Somme stopped the German advance 30 miles from Paris as the war raged with 1 and a half million deaths from these battles alone.

   

Fiennes’ under age son Conrad Oxford (Harris Dickson) wants to join the war. Fiennes will do everything in his power to stop this from happening. But!

         

   

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Salutes Painter Laura Wheeler Waring!
She Certainly Made Philadelphia And Nearby Cheyney University Proud!
A World Renowned Artist And A College Teacher!

      

The Barnes Museum in Philadelphia is a must see for every visitor and art lover vacationing in or passing through Philadelphia. The Barnes’ audio virtual tour  will amaze you to no end as you sit in front of your computer before and after your visit or if you can’t make it to Philadelphia. Mary Cassett introduced Albert C. Barnes to the spurned, fledgling post impressionist and impressionist art movement in Europe as he bought up everything (now valued at 2 billion dollars) he could find from Monet to Renoir to Degas.

        

As you move on from the Barnes to research Mary Cassett and other Philadelphia painters, the name Laura Wheeler Waring (1887-1948) pops up first on every list. Waring was a prominent Afro-American artist in the United States and Europe. Her scenic paintings and portraits brought the Harlem Renaissance to life and many black leaders like Webb Du Bois to the artistic forefront. Waring’s awards and accolades are numerous including the Connecticut Hall of Fame and the Laura Wheeler Waring School 1801 Green St, Philadelphia, PA 19130 being named after her.

      

Much of Waring’s training took place at Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (six years) and in France where she gathered a European following.

     

Waring died in Philadelphia in 1948, but before that she spent 30 years at Cheyney University and Teachers College chairing the music and art departments. Thousands of students studied with her at Cheyney as she was continually designing new programs for both the music and art departments. She, too, is a great research subject.

       

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Puzzle!
We Hope Ants Don’t Make You Squirmy!
These Little Creatures Are Quite An Interesting Topic!

    

Three Ant Books from National Geographic at our local doctor’s office made for some fascinating reading and the impetus for this months two-minute puzzle challenge. We only read one magazine, because we couldn’t pull the other two out of child patient’s hands sitting next to us. Five quick facts to share before starting our monthly puzzle are:

        

A. There are 10,000 variety of ants…
B. There are over 20 billion ants world-wide
C. Ants can swim…
D. Ants have two stomachs…
E. Fire ants are used in Venezuela Ganache hot sauce

      

To salute these crawly creatures we challenge Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s readers with our best Ant Clue’s Puzzle. The clues below will generate a word that has ANT in its beginning, middle, or end. The ANT is in exact order wherever it appears. The two-minute time allotment makes the puzzle especially difficult.

   

Answers appear at the end of this column.

What ANT is:
Example. A piece of clothing…Pants

        

1. A school skipper
2. A New York Yankee baseball hero
3. A deer’s pride
4. An American President
5. A garden shop find
6. Something 100 years old
7. Against
8. A won’t do
9. A bridge
10. Big

       

11. Very, very big
12. A scary spider
13. One if by land, two if by sea must
14. A poker must
15. A fireplace display top
16. A patriotic song
17. A must have
18. Empty, like a lot
19. Raves partner
20. A small shack

   

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Invites World-Wide Contributors To Help
Start Year 30 Off With Some Great, New Content!
Everything is FREE. We Do Not Make Any Money On WordPress Ads!
27,000 Followers On LinkedIn Receive Our Column Notice Each Month!
Let Friends Know About Our Column, So We Can Expand Our Readership!

   

In 1994 Joan Rivers had a part of her concert where she asked the audience…Can We Talk? We, at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, thought Can We Talk Philadelphia would be the good name of an international themed entertainment and business column until we found Can We Talk was copyrighted for Rivers’ T-shirts.

     

The Let’s Talk Philadelphia column then emerged and went from classroom discussions, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now sometimes read by 30,000 plus readers across five continents. Every column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, movie reviews, book talks, fashion news, and local business news to the Let’s Talk Philadelphia column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is FREE and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures. If you can’t come up with a column idea of your own, suggest an interesting topic for our staff to review and write up for our column.

   

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Two Minute Puzzle Answers!
Go Back And Try To Solve The Clues You Didn’t Get Before Looking Below!

   

What ANT is:
Example. A piece of clothing…Pants

   

1. A school skipper…Truant
2. A New York Yankee baseball hero…Mantle
3. A deer’s pride…Antlers
4. An American President…Grant
5. A garden shop find…Plant
6. Something 100 years old…Antique
7. Against…Anti
8. A won’t do…Can’t
9. A bridge…Cantilever
10. Big…Giant

          

11. Very, very big…Gigantic
12. A scary spider…Tarantula
13. One if by land, two if by sea must…Lantern
14. A poker must…Ante
15. A fireplace display top…Mantel
16. A patriotic song…Anthem
17. A must have…Want
18. Empty, like a lot…Vacant
19. Raves partner…Rant
20. A small shack…Shanty

 

233. Wayne Thiebaud, Detroit Music, Annika Bengtzon, And Sarah Weddington!

         

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Thirty Year Call-Out!
What Kind Of Business, Educational, Or Fashion Ideas Can You Contribute?!
You Will Reach A Giant Audience! Everything Is FREE!

We are zooming into our thirtieth year, so Let’s Talk Philadelphia needs your help for our thirtieth year to be successful. Let your friends and Email list know about our work. Send us a Quick Note for our Quick Note section or send us six pictures and two paragraphs on a topic of your choice that would interest 27,000 sometimes worldwide readers. This column and past columns will give you ideas of the varied topics shared by readers. Make your creations/contributions similar of completely different! Reading past columns is a great way to catch up on a wide variety of subjects.

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Salutes Morton Wayne Thiebaud!
November, 15, 1920-December 25, 2021!
He Was Still Painting At 101 Years Old!
Thiebaud Died Last Week On Christmas Day!

        
Wayne Thiebaud was a California painter known for his unique depictions of common place things like paint cans, ice cream, cakes, pies, and candy. It was very strange to see these type of themed paintings embraced by such a large audience.


    
As you can see from our selected painting inserts, we, however, at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia enjoyed his self portraits, general portraits, cityscapes, and landscapes as much as his ice
cream cones.

    cream
If you are out California way, collections of Thiebaud’s art can be found at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum. The National Medal of Art (1994) is one of his many awards. Virtual tours of these museums are a nice precursor to any trip to the West Coast.


                    
3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Embraces Swedish Television!
Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter Is Good Start For A Swedish Neophyte!
Liza Marklund’s Books Should Be Added To Your Reading List!

If you subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, a similar service, or do an Internet search look for Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter. This hour and a half program from Swedish television is an enjoyable change from American programming. The production values, filming locations, and stories
are outstanding.

    
Malin Crepin plays the foot soldier of a Swedish newsroom. She would rather be in the field chasing stories than behind a desk. Motherhood and relationships problems complicate her work. Malin makes this series fly, even though, the viewer would, also, like the inner stories of those working around her to be told, as well. The stories are very different from the normal American fare.

         
Liza Marklund is the author of Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter. The television series is partially based on the eleven books that feature/depict Annika. Starting in 1995, the books, probably, should be read in order. Marklund wrote a 12th book, The Postcard Killers with James Patterson and a 13th book, The Black Pearl Farm apart from the Bengtzon series.

    
Marklund’s books are translated into 40 different languages and have sold over 24 million copies. She continues to be a crime journalist in Sweden and is the co-owner of Sweden’s third largest publishing
house Piratförlaget.

     

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Second Salute Goes To Sarah Weddington!
At Age 26 She Won The Roe v Wade Supreme Court Case!
More Astonishing Is The Fact That It Was Her First Case!

      
Sarah Ragle Weddington is a name few would know before reading this article. No one in our office knew of her before this week. Her death at age 76 on December 26th probably would have been overlooked by us if it weren’t for Roe v Wade being back in the news to be reheard again.

    

Sarah Ragle Weddington is best known for representing Jane Roe in the Roe v Wade case before The Supreme Court in 1972. One of Sarah’s best quotes was that one day she was asked to do a little research and the next day she was before The US Supreme Court. She wouldn’t have looked up her assignment, if she knew this was going to happen.

   
In addition to being a successful attorney, she was an assistant to President Jimmy Carter an accomplished author (A Question Of Choice), law professor, and a member of the Texas House of Representatives. A Texas native, her work in Washington D.C., lead to her becoming the first female General Counsel of the United States Department of Agriculture.

      Above (s), Sarah is standing and smiling in front of her grave marker. The grave marker lists 8 of her accomplishments. Her arguments in front of the Supreme Court can be heard on C-Span as well as a large number of her talks and interviews. We searched everywhere to find out how many copies, going into its Third Edition, A Question of Choice sold, but could not come up with any statistics. Signed copies of her A Question Of Choice can be purchased at Internet book stores from $15 to $125. 


        
5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Investigates The Detroit Music Scene!
We Love Featuring Artists’ Submissions!
Tony Muggs And His Band Dude I

Here is what Tony shared with us on our way to Detroit to see a Lions, Red Wings, and Pistons game:


           
I started my band Dude out of my absolute love of late 1960’s and early 1970’s psychedelic pop, power pop, soft rock and rock. Bands like The Pretty Things, Badfinger, Big Star and Todd Rundgren are
a few groups who inspired my work.

         

I recorded the 1st Dude album entitled, Kid Gloves as a solo album (with a who’s who of Detroit musicians learning my songs) in 2012. I’ve been The Muggs (Detroit blues rock band) : bassist for 20 years now, but always wanted to write my own songs. I remained a member of The Muggs, but branched off on my own. In fact, I’m in 4 bands! I assembled the live Dude band in November 2015 and by November 2016 Dude toured the country of Spain and was playing festivals and venues in the
Midwest and Metro Detroit!

   

I am currently putting the finishing touches on the first of two autobiographical books and getting ready to release Dude’s 2nd full length album. Both the book and the Dude 2nd album will be titled Autobiograffitti, and released as a package deal. We have released 3 singles off Autobiograffitti on
Spotify and Bandcamp to tease our fans.

     
This upcoming album is very dense. It is filled with lots of harmonies, guitar-monies, and fun panning. The songs tell a tale (8 rockers selections, 2 ballads, and an alternate country western song. The album has it all. Join us and the Detroit scene by using the links below.

Bandcamp: https://iamdude.bandcamp.com/music

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1PWmnJmYtq3gtoGjskGgza?si=G8PFhLc2SgeqSpJUvRDXjQFB

: https://www.facebook.com/dude.detroit/

    

232. Litwa Art, Suicide Prevention, Blue Jeans, Quick Notes, And The Two Minute Puzzle!

    

                  

1. Let’s Talk’s Best Holiday And December Warm Wishes!
Our December, New Year, And Holiday Greeting!
     

Our non-religious column hoped Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and Hanukkah fell in December this year like it did a few years ago. Our holiday wishes would, then, ring out to 4/7 of the religious universe. Nonetheless, Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s 232nd WordPress issue wishes everyone a joyous, safe, and healthy December and New Year.

1A. Let’s Talk Philadelphia…29 Years And Counting!
At One Time We Were Just A One Page Newsletter Handed Out At The Corner Of Broad And Walnut And University Of the Arts Classrooms In Philadelphia!
Wow! 29 Years Is Almost Three Decades Of Writing!

     

Let’s Talk Philadelphia needs your help for our thirtieth year to be successful. Let your friends and Email list know about our work. Send us a Quick Note for our Quick Note section or send us six pictures and two paragraphs on a topic of your choice that would interest 27,000 sometimes worldwide readers. Lauren Litwa’s art piece and Terri Erbacher’s suicide prevention submissions in this column will give you some idea on how to structure your thoughts. Everything is FREE!

Send your work to Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com!
Looking forward to featuring your ideas…Thank You For The Help!

          

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia…This Month’s Three Most Important Topics!
Suicide Prevention, Mental Health and Children…And School Safety!
Dr. Terri Erbacher Has Suicide Prevention, Health, and Safety, And More In Her Books, Website, And Internet Shares!
They Are Must Reads And Must Visits!

    

Terri A. Erbacher, Ph.D. is an author, distinguished speaker, consultant, and guest expert in the media, including NPR. She is in her 23^rd year practicing as a School Psychologist and she founded her private practice, Erbacher Consulting Associates, PLLC, in 2014 (found at erbacherconsulting.com). Terri’s practice focuses on training, coaching and consultation, and procedure development. She has presented widely on the topics of school crisis response, suicide prevention, assessment and intervention, as well as threat assessment. Her work, also, focuses on trauma. She conducts trauma evaluations both privately and through the juvenile court system.

    

Dr. Erbacher served as a Clinical Associate Professor of School Psychology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for over 13 years where her coursework and research focused on school-based crisis intervention and suicide risk. Dr. Erbacher has written extensively on the topics of suicide and crisis response in book chapters, journal articles, and newsletters. She is the lead author of the text Suicide in schools: A practitioner’s guide to multi-level prevention, assessment, intervention and postvention released in 2015. Dr. Erbacher is a co-author on a text that was just published entitled Developing Comprehensive School Safety and Mental Health Programs: An Integrated Approach.

    

Dr. Erbacher currently serves as the Crisis Committee Chairperson for the Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania, is past President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, past Chair of the Delaware County Suicide Prevention Task Force, served as clinical advisor to Survivors of Suicide, Inc., and served on the executive committee of the Pennsylvania Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative. Dr. Erbacher has been active in the enactment of Pennsylvania legislation and is currently serving on the Pennsylvania Commission for Crime and Delinquency’s School Safety and Security Committee Workgroup and is a subject matter expert for developing Pennsylvania’s Act 18’s model policy and training, which includes the assessment and management of both suicide risk and threat risk. Dr. Erbacher’s passion for helping children in crisis and training schools and mental health professionals has led to her receiving multiple awards for her service to the community including those from the Survivors of Suicide, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and she has been named Pennsylvania’s School Psychologist of the Year.

    

Don’t forget to visit erbacherconsulting.com. Dr. Erbacher’s and her writing partner Jeffrey Roth’s ideas and resources are life changing and life saving.

     

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Features Lauren Litwa’s Art For The Holidays!
Multiple Award Winning Painter Lauren Litwa Puts The A In Artist!
Thank You Again Lauren For Brightening Another LTP Column!

Lauren shares: Below is Eternal November Bonfire II which is newly completed. I am working on a new painting influenced by a visit to the Grand Canyon with a white flower called Sacred Datura. It is interesting that this perennial is sometimes used as a hallucinogen due to its psychoactive alkaloids. It will be fun to see how this one ends up. Each painting is a journey.

    

    

Hello Tom

My Painting Eternal November Bonfire 1 was accepted into the annual Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts Virtual Exhibition. This is a wonderful selection of paintings and sculptures and I am thrilled to be included in this year’s show. This year the juror was Rebecca Segall of Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia.

        

                                                                             Tuscany Dream 30 by 30 Oil/Linen

We made it to the Vista in upstate Pennsylvania on a beautiful fall day. Nature always keeps me grounded and inspired, especially, in these crazy times. Thank you for keeping in touch with me about my paintings. Studio visits are available. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving. Best wishes, Lauren.

Additional paintings and prints can be found on Lauren’s website: https://laurenlitwa.com/

Lauren’s mailing address is and should be added to you address book:
Lauren Litwa
5131 Russett Road
Rockville, Maryland 20853

    

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Quick Notes!

    

A. A Holiday Gift…Bose Alto Frames!
Bluetooth Audio Sunglasses Are Calling You!
Forget The Ear Plugs And Giant Speaker Headsets!
The Sound Is Amazing!
Definition Of Cool! The Look Is Great, Too!

The product reviews are excellent and there are a great many reasons you should get these musical Bluetooth activated (phone/computer) sunglasses featured on every product review site. Here is our favorite reason why:

    

You are sitting at a meeting or lecture with my sunglasses on listening to Elvis Presley’s Just Pretend (an office favorite by him). Everyone’s asking you why you have sunglasses on. You tell them you just got your eyes checked and the eye drops in your eyes are killing you. What a way great way to spend a business meeting or lecture. A boring business meeting or lecture! Music up Bose sunglasses fans!

B. Business Help For Wrangler And Levis Jeans!
Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On!
Sing It Mel McDaniels!
You Wore Them Well Jessica Simpson Here And In The Video!

        

If you haven’t heard Mel McDaniel’s song of an unassuming lady walking down the street in her blue jeans, then you should listen to the four versions on You Tube. Our local country and western bar (with dancing) features a contest, the song, and five ladies in jeans from the dance floor to do their best shaking to the tune in a thirty second time slot. Crowd applause and whistles determine the winner. It is less sloppier than a wet T-shirt contest! There are prizes!

     

Wrangler Blue Jeans or Levis Blue Jeans should take this contest nationally. The contests would shake hundreds of thousands of dollars ($) of sales into their pockets as the contest videos go viral. It will, also, give a nice modeling stage for their other clothes lines that winners would receive.

           

Wrangler/Levis should approach Mel McDaniel and see if a tour bus of the jean company’s best dancers can come along and dance at his concerts. There, too, new lines of clothing would be displayed and handed out to the crowd. You heard it first here Levis/Wrangler. Contact us. We have a jean’s pocket filled with groundbreaking money makers.

C. This May Not Be Your First Rodeo!
What Kind Of Crazy Brainstorming Things Do You Do At Your Meetings?!

      

When someone tests your intelligence or know how, do you use one of these two sayings on them?:
1. I just didn’t get off the turnip truck yesterday…
2. This isn’t my first rodeo…

   

Our staff thought there are other things that could be said. Everyone wrote down two of their best thoughts and in a share out, here are the top three comebacks our staff members selected:
1. This isn’t my first trip to the grocery store won out over a number of other trips shared.
2. This isn’t my first martini won out over this is not my first light beer. (brother/sister) sitting next to each other.
3. There is a reason the limo stops at my house. My exaggerated!

    

Here is next week’s meeting challenge if you want to chime in. One of our office mates says that every time his wife asks him where he is going…he says Chicago…and it is amazing how times this comes up in a week…and she keeps asking him knowing what he is going to say. What other crazy thing could we say?
There is a children’s book by Judi Viorst titled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day where the lead character, Alexander, says he is going to Australia.

    

D. Supermarket Help!
Listen Up Acme, Shoprite, Aldi, Walmart, And Friends!
We Can Put Money In Your Pockets, Too!
        

Most supermarkets have small carts, big carts, and arm baskets in the front of the store that a shopper grabs/uses depending on what they are going to buy. They are losing thousands of dollars by not have arm baskets and small carts in the back of the store.

Shoppers sometimes rush into a store needing two items. They get to the back of the store and start seeing other things they should buy. They don’t buy these things because who wants to run all the way to the front of the store and then back again with a cart. Case solved! Easy to reach carts in the back of the store! Money! Money!

                         

E. Left And Right Brain Researcher Stephanie Is Driving Us Crazy Again!
She Needs A Life!

Here are her three questions for this week:

When crossing your legs, do you cross your right leg over your left or left over right. Does the leg on top match up, to your being right handed or left handed?

    

When brushing your teeth did you ever try using your other hand for brain expansion?

When clicking your car closed do you click the one time click that is needed or do you click twice.

   

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows Creative Thinking!
27,000 LinkedIn Readers, Also, Got A Chance To Solve These Puzzles, Too!

Here is Tom Palumbo’s latest Two Minute Puzzle: The Name Game!

   

Each clue below will generate a word that has a name as its counterpart. See how many clues you can solve in two minutes. The answers will be at the end of this column. Previous columns, also, have puzzles that will challenge your ability in critical thinking. Previous solvers have reported that it is faster if someone reads the hints to you and having you say pass on the ones you do not get immediately.

    

Example:
Placed in front of your door…Mat/Matt

1. A high force wind storm…
2. Go to court to do this…
3. Cowboy jacket…
4. A color (a girl’s name)…
5. A singer’s prop…
6. Two Christmas songs…
7. A flat tire need…

   

8. A soft touch…
9. A duck body part…
10. Wall repairer…
11. A dinner prayer…
12. A season…
13. A deer seeker…
14. A Scottish musician…

   

15. A green gemstone…
16. A green wall climber…
17. A staple in the world of money…
18. A sweet…
19. A beach/ballgame staple…
20. A deep green…
21. Death certificate…
22. The bathroom…
23. Distance traveled…
24. The key part of a song…
25. A horse…

        

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Our Favorite Christmas Movies!
What Is Your Favorite Christmas Movie?
Ours Will Brighten Your Day!

Movies I…Love Actually…With Hugh Grant And Friends!

It is surprising how many people have not seen or heard of our “start the holiday’s” movie choice: Love Actually. The movie tells the story of eight relationships during the holidays in London. The lovers range in age from ten to sixty. Love Actually is the story of love in all its forms: the overlooked love, the didn’t know you cared love, the new love, the impossible to repair love, the re-found love, the person that is loved and thinks there is something better out there, and the search for love. We missed some love categories along the way as we will miss some of the twenty stars like Hugh Grant, Keira Knightly, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Heike Makatsch, Alan Richman, Sienna Guillory, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thomas Sangster, Olivia Olson, Claudia Schiffer, Liam Neeson, Martine McCutcheon, Colin Firth, and Emma Thompson, that had key roles in the story.

      

Love and the holidays, naturally, are the key ingredients in the movie. The main theme of Love Actually is defined by Liam Neeson’s ten-year-old son. He seems to be in the doldrums after his mother’s death. “What is wrong,” is asked by his father in a sit down and talk session? The ten year old talks not as much about his mother as he does about his new love.

He states: “I’m in love.” Then he goes on to say: “Is there anything worse than the total agony of being in love?” Wow!…from the mouths of babes (a ten year old). Dad thought his problems after his mother’s death were far worse.

The movie unquestionably depicts the joy and agony of love and is worth discovering or re-discovering to start the holiday.

    

Movies II…The Twelve Dates Of Christmas

After you roam your television and movie package channels for the best that is out there, (The Hallmark Channel has 40 Christmas movies) you might like the predictable Amy Smart romp called The Twelve Dates Of Christmas. Amy is trying to reconnect with an old love and on the way she sees people all around her who need to make a connection. She can’t help herself, but she seems to understand everyone else’s problems. She is more of a connector than a matchmaker!

     

Mark-Paul Gosselaar from Franklin and Bash is Amy’s standby love if she can’t recapture her past favorite. He is her Christmas Eve blind date. This blind date is relived 12 times. Hence, The Twelve Dates Of Christmas. Amy can’t get old or new relationships right. When watching this movie or Love Actually, you ask yourself how the author is going to bring all these relationships together at the movie’s conclusion….if that is the goal! The matches seem so far from each other. Somehow, in both movies, this accomplishment brings each movie to a really satisfying conclusion.

          

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows Creative Thinking!
27,000 LinkedIn Readers Also Get A Chance To Solve These Puzzles, Too!
Here are the answers to Tom Palumbo’s latest Two Minute Puzzle: The Name Game!

   

Each clue below will generate a word that has a name as its counterpart. See how many you can solve in two minutes. The answers will be at the end of this column. Previous columns, also, have puzzles that will challenge your ability in critical thinking.

Example: Placed in front of your door…Mat/Matt

1. A high force wind storm…Gail
2. Go to court to do this…Sue
3. Cowboy jacket…Jean
4. A color (a girl’s name)…Amber/Scarlett/Violet/Hazel
5. A singer’s prop…Mike
6. Two Christmas Songs…Carole/Noel
7. A flat tire need…Jack
8. A soft touch…Pat
9. A duck body part
10. Wall repairer
11. A dinner prayer
12. A season…Autumn
13. A deer seeker…Hunter
14. A Scottish musicians…Piper
15. A green gemstone…Jade

     

16. A green wall climber…Ivy
17. A staple in the world of money…Penny
18. A sweet…Candy
19. A beach/ballgame staple…Frank
20. A deep green…Kelly
21. Death certificate…Will
22 The bathroom…John
23. Distance traveled…Miles/Myles
24. The key part of a song…Melody
25. A horse…Colt

231. Incubator Babies, Quick Notes, Socks, Brain Studies, And The 2 Minute Puzzle!

    

     

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Call Out For FREE Column Submissions!

    

The Let’s Talk Philadelphia international business and entertainment Internet column is going into its 29th year of publication. It is sometimes read by 27,000 LinkedIn followers and 350 re-listers and their contacts.

   

Articles on adult and children’s books, fashion, music, health, food, travel, education, business, movies, television, and the arts are featured every month from our staff and worldwide contributors. Do you have an interesting topic readers would enjoy? Two paragraphs and six pictures, on your topic, are all we need.

   

     

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And The Incubator Babies!
A Heart Warming Rescuing Hug Saves Her Sister’s Life!
Medical Practices Changed Because Of These Two Premature Infants!
Thanks Canada Jenny For Sending Us This Amazing Endearing Story!

Here is how CNN told the story:

Kyrie and Brielle Jackson were born on October 17, 1995, a full 12 weeks ahead of their due date. The standard practice, at that time, at The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts in Worcester, where the twins came into the world, was to place them in separate incubators in order to reduce the risk of infection. Both babies were placed in separate incubators, a standard practice to reduce the risk of cross-infection. Kyrie, who weighed 2lbs 3 oz, was making good progress and gaining weight, but her tiny sister had breathing and heart-rate problems, there was little weight gain and her oxygen level was low.

    

On November 12, tiny Brielle went into critical condition. Her stick-thin arms and legs turned bluish-gray as she gasped for air. Her heart rate soared. The Jackson parents watched, terrified that their little daughter might die.

It is said that desperate moments call for desperate measures. Nurse Gayle Kasparian, after exhausting all the conventional remedies, decided to try a procedure that was common in parts of Europe, but virtually unknown in the United States. With parental permission, she placed the twins in the same incubator bed. No sooner had she closed the incubator door, Brielle snuggled up to Kyrie and began to calm down. Within minutes, her blood-oxygen readings improved. As she dozed, Kyrie wrapped her left arm around her smaller sister. Brielle’s heart rate stabilized and her temperature rose to normal.

Let’s Talk Philadelphia found out that a photographer walking the hospital halls got the incredible picture. We still haven’t been able to track down his/her name. In due time, the twins went home. Their parents placed them, once again, in the same bed where they continued to thrive. Even after five years, according to mom and dad, the twins still slept together and, not surprisingly, still snuggled.

   

It is now twenty five years later and CNN has a great snapshot video of the girls and what they are doing. The link for the video follows: (thelifeinstitute.net/learning-centre/life/premature-birth/brielle-kyrie). Just like the hugging picture above, the video will brighten your day.

Here is a nice, similar follow-up story with the Jayson’s of Canada and their struggling to breathe twins followed by a picture of Nurse Gayle Kasparian, the lifesaver and changer of medical practices that have saved thousands.

   

        

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Quick Notes!

Here are four ideas that didn’t warrant being included in this column by our staff selection committee:

   

A. Socks!
The American Sleep Foundation has reported that 18% of Americans sleep with their socks on. They, also, confirmed that 48% of those interviewed would never sleep with their socks on. They did not tell what the missing 34% thought nor was their study broken down into men and woman.

    

The United States is not the only country study socks and sleep. Switzerland’s Sleep Institute research and Nature Journal article confirmed that warm feet can actually make you fall asleep faster. They stated that this is because warm feet causes your your blood vessels to dilate and notifies your brain it is time to sleep. This might be exactly what an insomnia patient might need

If you are church going and don’t want to see the word SEX in an article, skip the next paragraph, please!

   

The Netherlands, not to be outdone by their Swiss counterparts, released an article and some stimulating news from the University of Groningen  about couples who wear socks during sex. They proved that sex partners wearing socks had an 80 percent orgasm rate as opposed to only 50 percent who climaxed of those not wearing socks.

We, Let’s Talk Philadelphia, should say something after this revelation, but no one in the office knew what would be appropriate to say.

    

B. Business Hints!
Here are two things that might help your business:
If you own a motel, restaurant, grocery store, garden business or any business that is car accessible then park multiple cars in front of your business. It suggest to people to stop now or it registers in their mind that this frequented place may be a good selection later.

   

This hint reminds us of a Yogi Berra…ism where he said: that is a great restaurant nobody is ever there.

On Berra’s recent death USA Today said Yogi Berra added just as much to modern language as he did to baseball. They published their favorite fifty Yogi…isms, here are our five favorites from the fifty.
1. When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
2. You can observe a lot by just watching.
3. Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.
4. Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was broken.
5. You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six. (ftw.usatoday.com/2019/03/the-50-greatest-yogi-berra-quotes).

    

    

Our second business hint involves signage and letterheads. Never use Gothic lettering in either one. People can’t determine if your name or your business name starts with an S, B, Z, F, or G…and other letter choices have the same problem! Gander below!

    

Make sure your signage can be completely read by someone driving the speed limit or faster by your sign. Put your phone number at the beginning of your sign, not the end. They driver or passengers may not read fast enough to record your number mentally at the end of your billboard or signage.

   

C. Left And Right Brain Studies!

Stephanie, in our office, is always coming up with left and right brain observations and right and left hand observations. Do you remember the one about the percentage of redheads in the world, followed by the number percentage wise of left handed people in the world, followed by how hard, percentage wise again, would it be for a left handed redhead to fall in love with a left handed red head?…or if you are right handed, do you put your right sock on first.

     

Her new research revolves around eating. She claims right hand people chew on the left hand side of their mouth and conversely left handed people on the right. She gave everyone a doughnut before bringing this unproven fact to our attention. Lo and behold it held up for 6 of our eight eaters and both left handed staff members. What next Stephanie?

D. James Bond

Don’t panic James Bond fans. The new Bond movie from the 20 billion dollar franchise which opened October 10th in the United States has only made 500 million dollars worldwide. It has to make an astonishing 900 million dollars to break even.

      

We are trying to gather everyone who hasn’t seen the movie to meet at Macy’s entrance in the Cherry Hill Mall at six o’clock on Black Friday and walk across the street to the AMC theater where it is showing. Let’s Talk Philadelphia is treating to popcorn. As the children in our fourth grade demonstration classroom would say: Be There Or Be Square.

     

         

4. UP Words! Our Monthly Puzzle Is Back!
There Will Be A Mind Freeze And Teeth Gnashing!

    

UP Words Puzzle…Tom Palumbo’s award winning Two Minute Puzzles have been dormant for a while…Too much crying from puzzle doers, we guess. The clues that follow will give you words that starts with up. Good luck! The timer starts now! Answers to follow at the end of the column…

    

Example:
The cat’s position in the column’s picture…Upright

1. Overturned
2. The new go getter at the office
3. An Indian rebellion
4. Not off
5. Word on a train’s sleeper
6. House’s second story
7. Great for your stocks

   

8. A commotion
9. Dance music
10. Crowd noise
11. Angry
12. The good in a move
13. Great fishing place
14. Boxing move

    

15. Car change for the better
16. Many living room chairs are or need/two words
17. How you were raised
18. Result of eating spoiled food (slang)
19. Sky bound
20. A preacher’s sermon

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Plans To Release The Degas And Cassetts In Everyone!
A Thoughtful Gift Or A Night Out For You And Your Friends!

             

Paint and Sip, PaintNight, and Art Parties are being conducted in over 100 cities throughout the United States. These outings stress a good time as you paint, enjoy the hosting restaurant or bar’s food and drink, and meet singles, couples, and groups of people from everywhere. These paint nights and art afternoons accommodate wedding parties, birthday fetes, school groups, church outings, couples, and anyone interested in a creative and different experience.

          

The hosting organization, usually lead by a local artist, provides multiple sized brushes, easels, the paint colors for the evening, canvases, rinse cans, and aprons. Local artists guide participants through each step of the painting process to bring the selected painting to life. You learn how to mix colors, play with brush strokes, and are encouraged to be non-judging and creative. You pledge this at the beginning of the workshop.

             

Check your local directories for similar events or create one of your own. It is a great job for the contemporary artist with organizational skills and helpful friends looking for work until their masterpieces are sold. Restaurants and bars will love the added business on slow nights. When you research established paint nights, you can chose the painting you wish to create. Each night features a different painting from seascapes to pastoral scenes. Some people follow directions word for word while others go out in all sorts of artistic and humorous directions.

6. The Answers To The UP Words Puzzle…

    

Example:
The cat’s position in the column’s picture…Upright

1. Overturned…Upended
2. The new go getter at the office…Upstart
3. An Indian rebellion…Uprising
4. Not off…Upon
5. Word on a train’s sleeper…Upper
6. House’s second story…Upstairs
7. Great for your stocks…Upturn

   

8. A commotion…Upheaval
9. Dance music…Uptown Funk (there are others)
10. Crowd noise…Uproar
11. Angry…Upset
12. The good in a move…Upsizing
13. Great fishing place…Upstream
14. Boxing move…Uppercut

    

15. Car change for the better…Upgrade
16. Many living room chairs are or need/two words…Upholstering/Upholstered
17. How you were raised…Upbringing
18. Result of eating spoiled food (slang)
19. Sky bound…Upward
20. A preacher’s sermon…Uplifting

230. J. L. Witterick (It Was Always Her), Dawn Santoriello (The Spiritual Path To Prosperity), Tattoos, Sweet Tooth, And The Halocaust!

         

         

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Editor’s Note!
Here are three books you should add to your summer reading list:

I. It Was Always Her by J. L. Witterick
This story about men and women who dream and love and their links to time travel is a must read.

    

II. My Mother’s Secret by J. L. Witterick
Why isn’t this international best seller in five languages on everyone’s reading list this summer?
   

III. The Spiritual Path To Prosperity The Truth About Money Revealed by Dawn Santoriello will answer a myriad of your financial questions!

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And The Thought Provoking Read,
It Was Always Her!
Love, Politics, Family, Science, And Time Travel!
It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This!

      

It is the year 2025. Millions, throughout the world, are being killed by drought, the Coronavirus, and the sophisticated weapons of World War III. The death of an Archduke started World War I when everyone took sides. Just as simply World War III started over water rights in a river separating two meaningless countries and everyone in multiple alliances took sides and started shooting.

With a world at war, once again, blame is everywhere. Could any one person have stopped the crazy events that have lead to this catastrophe? In the United States everyone looks to President Campbell for the answer. He, however, is incapable of any type of global leadership. He is, also, floundering at home in all aspects of the war and virus.

     

A cabal of the power brokers in industry, the military, and the political sphere meet in Washington to create their own action plan. Unfortunately, the plan, after much debate, calls for assassinating the President. This is an impossible task to accomplish and then get away with without discovery. The killer or killers would be hunted endlessly. Enter Project Yesterday.  

   

Project Yesterday is a recently discovered wormhole in time that can be traveled to any year in the past. The group surmises that if the President is killed in 1985, his Senior Year in high school, there would be very few repercussions. Tom Waites, the United States top expert in five fields and General George Emmerson, Chief of Staff, are given the lead on this assassination undertaking and the recruiting of Professor Nathan Lore and his time portal.

        

A West Point cadet and orphan, Bruce Meyer, is selected for the task. On arriving in 1985, Bruce’s basketball skills mesh perfectly with Jack Campbell’s and they become instant friends on the way to the state championship. This was a very nicely developed segment of the story. Rachel Lee is Jack’s girlfriend and the three become inseparable. Luckily Bruce’s plans are changed and he is instructed to save Rachel Lee’s life at the prom from a deranged student’s random bullet. Waites predicts she will marry Bruce Campbell and will be the driving force in Campbell’s career that will guide him in stopping World War III. Bruce’s ultimate sacrifice, now, that he, too, is enamored with Rachel, is that he must tell her how to save the world and help her accomplish this task.

The five twists and turns from this point are just as fascinating as the beginning of this fantasy and love adventure.

      

Our favorite line from the story is a real thought enhancer: “Our lives are spent building castles in the sand. Large or small, grandiose or simple, it is inconsequential—all washed away when the tide comes in. Nothing lasts. Nothing endures. To love and be loved, it is the only thing that is real…the only thing that matters to me now.”

You will love this love story!

          

    

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And The Can’t Put Down Halocaust Read,
My Mother’s Secret by J. L. Witterick! A Reprise!

   

Anita Pyclik in an email to Jenny (J. L.)Witterick summed up Ms. Witterick’s work far better than I could ever do. Jenny said I could share it in my column. She let me read it on her iPad. After reading what Anita said, I suggested to Jenny that she use Anita’s comments on her book cover or in her forward. After reading this moving description, you will want to buy Jenny’s new book, immediately. It can be found everywhere.

Anita said: Please find my heartfelt and honest thoughts on the novel, My Mother’s Secret below:

   

When J. L. Witterick first handed me a copy of her manuscript, I was excited …but there was a bit of skepticism as well. As J. L. explained, her first novel My Mother’s Secret was a story about the Holocaust of WWII … a truly tough subject for anyone. Having completed a double major in History and Theology, I like to think of WWII novels as something that I have already read thoroughly. In my years of study, I must have covered countless topics, each providing me with vivid details and horrific accounts of the holocaust. Nevertheless, having been born in Poland and coming from a strong Polish background, I started to read out of nostalgia.  Unexpectedly, I could not stop once I started and continued to read for almost the full day until I finished. I did not want to leave one word behind.

       

J. L.’s  book has an incredible capability to draw you in. The story is about compassion and our hope for humanity all in one. I felt emotional and proud to be reading this book on heroism, love and hope during a dark time in history that aimed to destroy all such notions. Coming from a Christian-Polish background, I do not have any ties to Judaism … so perhaps many will wonder why this book appeals to me?

This book is not just a tale about how Jewish families (and a German Soldier) were saved by a Polish woman. It is the story about a compassionate and brave soul, who in the midst of the horrors around her, still followed her conscience. You do not have to be Jewish, or religious, or a history enthusiast to have this novel appeal to you. It will seep into your heart and stir up powerful and beautiful emotions, no matter who you are or where you come from.

     

At first glance the novel seemed short to me, but I realized by the time I completed one third of it that J. L. did exactly what a powerful and memorable book does …it leaves you in awe!  Sometimes this can happen 50 pages into a book, sometimes 400 pages, and sometimes not at all. But just a few chapters into J. L.’s  book and I felt a swell of inspiration … a moment where I was deeply moved and intrigued and I dare not put the book down. J. L. filled the book with such powerful characters, drawing on facts, data, accounts, emotions and, of course, love. I can see this novel changing and touching many hearts…including mine.  I wish nothing more than to see My Mother’s Secret have the same effect on millions as it did for me as I share it in my column.

         

      

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Would Like To Know More About Money!
The Spiritual Path To Prosperity The Truth About Money Revealed!
by Dawn Santoriello Has The Answers!

   

Dawn Santoriello has answered questions from every member in our office in the form of her weekly Internet webcast discussions, weekly Email column, personal visits, and group talks. The topics of her help have ranged from the new baby to houses purchase/sales to retirement and beyond. She has great financial ideas in every area and we are continually, unsuccessfully trying to stump her with a financial question. We owe Dawn more than the two customary paragraphs on our column…therefore…

        

“Be Prepared to be Inspired to Reach your Financial Health and Wellness” The author of the new book The Spiritual Path to Prosperity: The Truth About Money Revealed, (July 2021, believes there are simple steps to financial wellness. “It’s all about getting out of your way,” says the Certified Financial Planner™and accountability coach and inspiring mentor. “We need to combine spirituality with the know-how to figure out how to manifest money, and properly invest it; I keep it simple and I know that it works.”       Santoriello has lived through her own financial difficulties, from growing up poor and living in and out of foster care as a five-year-old child, because her grandmother couldn’t afford to care for her and her sister and brother. In fact, she developed a black hole in her front tooth because going to a dentist was considered to be an extravagance. “I learned that I never wanted to be poor again, so I became fascinated with making and saving money,” she explains. “I also wanted to help and inspire others who may be in the situation that they think is impossible to overcome, and show them they can meet any challenge.”        But by using determination and drive as an adult, she was able to turn her own finances around. In fact, her advice is not only in the U. S. and Canada, but as far as the Philippines, India, and Qatar. “A few years ago,” she explains, “I was trapped in a parking lot with $200 to my name and I was a financial planner.”       “I knew how to make money for my clients and had all the analytical skills I needed, but because I was spiritually blocked around money, I wasn’t making it for myself,” Santoriello said. “Once I cleared my blocks, used the law of attraction, and used my own principles, I set forth my own financial health, and began making 6-figures that year.” How did she transform her own financial wellness? “I let go of my fear and I let my mess be my message. I am a spiritual/metaphysical person, so, I’m not afraid to show that, and it has actually become my niche: combing spirituality and money.”       Her method was to let go of fear and have faith that everything would work out for the best. “The prayer that I teach in my webinars are “Releasing the 5 Biggest Money Blocks That Are Holding You Back: How A Prayer for Abundance and Real-World Investment Strategies Changed my Life and Change Yours, Too!” Santoriello is more than a typical financial adviser, she is a coach and a guide. For many individuals, this is an extremely confusing, complicated, and daunting process. So, she helps them “reach their financial goals with peace of mind. “I simplify financial topics for my clients including budgeting, investments, and insurance. I educate them, and help them create a flexible financial plan that ebbs and flows as their needs change.”      She also helps her myriad of clients, with diverse backgrounds, implements the solutions that she recommends for them. “Money doesn’t have to be a scary or taboo topic. I am passionate about helping people gain confidence and clarity around their finances.” What sets Dawn Santoriello apart from others in the financial planning industry is clear.     “I am passionate, as anyone who has spent 10 minutes with me can attest to,” she explains. “I am committed to the success of my clients and I put my whole heart into what I do. I help my clients with their money mindset, and I give them the tools to clear any of their money blocks.” When she hears that her clients have made a major leap in their financial health, her heart swells with joy. “It is truly one of the greatest feelings when others achieve something based on my advice.”          Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647196671/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Spiritual+Path+To+Prosperity…The+Truth+About+Money+Revealed&qid=1626959527&sr=8-1 Dawn Santoriello, CFP® | President O: (215) 660-0288  C: (570) 499-4821  F: (215) 660-0218 King of Prussia, PA 19406 www.dsfinancialstrategies.com

    

     

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Its City Are The Tattoo Capitals Of The World!
If You Can’t Find It Here, You Can’t Find It Anywhere!
Let’s Talk Philadelphia Answers A LinkedIn Question
For Its 27 Thousand Followers!

     

LinkedIn has 17 million followers. It is the largest business, professional, and social media site for business professionals in the world. It has connections for its members to everything in the business world, as well as, courses for honing new skills, enhancing your skills, and getting the work results you desire. Everyone should sign up and post their job expertise. Twenty job choices in the exact areas you have outlined will be sent to you each day. You can set the job search for anywhere in the United States or in the world.

    

Each week LinkedIn asks specific members to post on important business subjects. We were shocked when LinkedIn asked about Tattoos In The Workplace. As you can see from our answer, we jumped on their question and immediately shared our answer with 2,000 LinkedIn readers. Here is what we shared…

   

Hi Katie (One of the LinkedIn editors),
Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to respond to your tattoo question, it is the first time I have been in front of a computer in two weeks.

   

I write an entertainment, business, and education column called Let’s Talk Philadelphia that 27,000 of my LinkedIn followers can read each month. The column started 27 years ago at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Our university (UA) is the tattoo and piercings capital of the United States. Every tattoo subject and theme can be seen in our classrooms and on our school grounds in the heart of Philadelphia. Religious symbols, animals, folklore, names, his and her combos, mythology, movies, famous people, flowers, stars, science symbols, and bands are just a few of the recognizable themes seen everywhere.

      

Ipsos, one of the worlds three top research firms, says that their 2020 Tattoo Survey shows that 30 percent of Americans have tattoos…up 20% from their study eight years ago. Our survey from our beach chairs in Ocean City, New Jersey this weekend had a 60% tattoo rating of beach walkers over 15. Ipsos had every age group rated by percentage and the number of tattoos. Their study is worth a look! College graduates at 27% and those over 50 at 25% were the smallest of the tattooed demographic groups.

          

I told my university student teachers to cover up their tattoos for teaching interviews with the Philadelphia School system, as I knew I would sit on one of the interview teams. One of the parents on my interview team commented that she couldn’t believe how accident-prone these candidates were. Band-aid Power Worked!

Every work climate will decide the company’s dress code and if tattoos can be visible or not. I don’t think Einstein would be passed by for a job opening, if he had a tattoo. On the other hand, your trial lawyer’s tattoo would surely be covered.

       

   

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Really Likes Sweet Tooth!
The Office Poll Was Strangely Unanimous!
We Were Wondering If It Were An Everyone Type Of Show!

   

Sweet Tooth is an eleven year old comic series with a great following. Netflix with Robert Downey, Jr’s help shaped it into an enjoyable television series (8 episodes in season 1, Season 2 is in the works).

           

The world is being ravaged by a plague. As the plague swirls from region to region a second happening emerges. Every new baby that is born is a half human and half animal hybrid. A third of the survivors think the hybrids are causing the killing virus, while another third are hunting them for testing and body parts usage to find a cure. The last third have a somewhat helpful, common, but confused sense.

Ten year old Gus (Sweet Tooth) played by Christian Convery is a stolen lab experiment, hidden for ten years, and protected and taught by a man (Pubba, Will Forte) who Gus thinks is his father. Their ten year seclusion, hidden in Yellowstone Park, is interrupted by hybrid hunters carrying the plague. Gus is a wanted human and half deer with amazing antlers. Now, on his own, Gus leaves the protection of the compound and goes in search of his mother somewhere in a place called Colorado.

     

At the start of his journey Gus meets and is saved from hunters by an unlikely, gruff companion, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Jepperd is an ex-football star and ex-hybrid hunter who after saving Gus want to get rid of Gus and send Gus on his way. Jepperd doesn’t have the time or patience to be a ten year old’s escort. Naturally, they will bond after saving each other numerous times in crazy situations.

    

Sweet Tooth has four stories going on at the same time and everyone that Gus meets, good and bad, has a back story. Gus, Pubba, and Tommy’s stories are joined by the scientist’s good and bad undertakings, the hybrid hunter’s battles, and the families that are dying or have hybrids born into them. You might also call the hybrid sanctuary builders the fifth story. A shoot-them-up protector, Stefania LaVie Owen (Bear) will join Gus and Jepperd’s traveling team after battles of her own are lost to build a hybrid sanctuary. It is too bad about the show’s violence, ten year old Gus is a great role model…

           

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And A Wealth Of Summer Thinking Projects!
It Is Worth A Look!
Score Ten Points For Each Item You Complete!
Try To Make It A 100 Point Summer!

 

Creative Writing and Reading Development For The Summer!

1. Write a haiku or short poem
2. Highlight the main idea or a story, lecture, or speech
3. Create a student interest survey
4. Highlight and archive vocabulary from books, stories, and word lists
5. Create a word collage for the book be presented in the classroom
6. Develop character traits of minor and major characters and represent their characteristics in various size form
7. Design a movie, rock star, or product poster
8. Develop a school motto or slogan and its creative graphic
9. Use word art and graphic in combination to create journal articles
10. Create lists of attached homonyms, antonyms, and synonyms



 

11. Connect descriptive adverbs and adjectives to their noun
12. Place the words that would appear on a dictionary page between its much larger guide words
13. Record three, four, or five letter words that start with the same letter but meet the criteria for the category where they will be placed
14. Design decals and logos for mugs, t-shirts, and hats
15. Write words that begin and end with a blend or similar word challenges that you have devised to correspond to your curriculum
16. Create the refrain for a song or a product promo
17. Place the different types of dogs, birds, reptiles, or mammals throughout the graphic
18. Depict family members and their likes and dislikes
19. Make a table of contents or chapters for a book you are reading that has neither
20. Send/create a western union cable from a time in history like the Titanic sinking or WW I starting or from some famous discovery.

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Call For Help?

   

Help The Reach Out Efforts Of Let’s Talk Philadelphia By Sharing The Column With Your Friends And Contributing Your Ideas And Projects!

               

Your ideas, creative column contributions, and future column suggestions should be sent to Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send a photo or two with your two-paragraph contribution. We’d love to display your art and photography in a personal section, as well as, throughout the Let’s Talk’s discussions. Thank you for adding your work and expertise to this column! Your varied ideas, experiences, products, and insights will surely bring a larger audience to the column and make the column’s content more interesting and far reaching. We hope you like the contributions Jenny Witterick, Dawn Santeriello in this column, and those contributions from dozens of past readers from throughout five continents.

 

229. The Underground Railroad, Maria Popova, Carey Furze On Education, Queen Of The South, And Reader’s Digest

         

    

 

   

A. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Welcome And Call Out For Contributors!

   

This Let’s Talk Philadelphia international business and entertainment Internet column is in its 28th year of publication. It goes out to 27,000 LinkedIn followers and 350 re-listers. It features articles from its staff and from contributors all over the globe on fashion, music, health, food, travel, education, business, movies, television, and the arts.

   

Let’s Talk Philadelphia naturally highlights articles about Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the northeastern United States‘ best history, art, music, and visit locations, but our touch stretches to Europe, Australia, Asia and beyond.

           

Our column started long before the word blog existed and is the perfect spot for your art, photography, business acumen, book, theater, travel suggestions, home design ideas, and movie reviews. Your creative ideas, of course, make the column so much better and universal. As you read past columns, you will see the creative ideas of the experienced and the soon to be experienced. Everything is easy and FREE to initiate.

    

Just send two paragraphs about your work or share and six pictures to, editor, Tom Palumbo’s email (tjpalumbo@aol.com) and up you go on the column. Don’t forget your contact information for your readers. We do not change anything you have written. You can look at reader’s contributions on past columns or call Tom for assistance or advice at 215-262-9986. Just think what a universal audience might like to hear!! No politics or religion, please! You should see the spam we get for always being positive. Imagine what we would get in spam, if we entered the worlds of politics and religion.

          

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Amazon Prime’s The Underground Railroad!
Did Georgia Actually Have A Hidden Railroad That Ran Underground!
They Certainly Had Unimaginable Cruelty As This Show Immediately Depicts!
Please Read Amazon’s Warnings Before Starting This New Series!

     

The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime 2021) was crafted by Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins (Director…Moonlight). The story is from the book of the same name and Pulitzer Prize winner (2016) by Colson Whitehead.

    

The Underground Railroad Stars Thuso Mbedu (Cora), Aaron Pierre (Caesar), Joel Edgerton (Ridgeway), and Chase Dillon (Homer). The story begins on a Georgia plantation where brutality now reigns after the owner’s heart attack death and his brother’s takeover of the plantation.

Cora, A fifteen year old slave girl, is left behind after her mother flees the plantation by way of the Underground Railroad. Cora is distraught and alone. Caesar, a slave hand, takes a fancy to her and wants her to escape with him. She says no to him and to the escape as brutality increases all around her. Cora is brutally whipped after trying to save a little boy from being whipped. She, then, witnesses in a public plantation ceremony, which all are forced to see, a fellow slave being whipped and burned alive.

   

Cora and Caesar take off for a house in the underground chain. While making their way through the Georgia swamps, they are set upon and attacked by hunters. Cora kills the hunter that attacks her and she and Caesar both escape and find the red roofed house on their first stop to freedom. They meet the first of many of the abolitionists who through pain of death orchestrate slave escapes. Under the house is an actual underground railroad tunnel and train fictionalized by Whitehead.

   

The train takes them close to Griffin, South Carolina an idyllic and progressive town of seemingly interracial harmony…seemingly the writer says! The story goes from nice jobs, to dances, to the hidden secrets of Griffin. Arnold Ridgeway (Joel Edgerton), a bounty hunter and a young boy guide, Homer, are after Cora for the hunter killing and for Ridgeway’s loss/escape of Cora’s mother. The back and forth chases across the South highlight its history and depict gruesome slavery with a bright abolitionist light few and far between. The show is recommended everywhere in spite of the unprecedented violence. Be concerned!

   

This is a perfect time to read Ann Petry’s story of Harriet Tubman and compare it to your viewing or reading of The Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman worked for the Quakers in Philadelphia and the Union Army bringing 17 family members and friends to freedom and freeing somewhere between 700 and 1,000 others on her trips back south.
Melissa Gouty has a nice article about Whitehead‘s book titled On Reading Colson Whitehead’s Underground Railroad In The Aftermath of George Floyd’s Death (medium.com/literature-lust/on-reading-colson-whiteheads-underground-railroad-in-the-aftermath-of-george-floyd-s-death-ad2094774a86). Her articles prepares you for the story and gives additional background for the new show.

    

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Asks A Simple Question!
Have You Seen Alice Braga’s And Kelly Burnett’s Queen Of The South?!
Five Episodes Remain, But Five Years Of Viewing Are A TV Click Away!
60 Fast Moving Globe Trotting Episodes In All!
Year Five’s Conclusion Is Featured Wednesday’s On The USA Network!
Year 1-4 Can Be Found On Netflix Or On Your On Demand TV Function!

Queen of the South, previously reviewed in season one, is one of the most watched programs on the USA Network, Netflix, and On Demand. It is being cancelled in spite of being the Number 1 Drama on the USA network. It has 250,000 more viewers the the second place drama Dirty John. The network says they are moving away from drama and all three dramas will be cancelled. So much for being good storytelling!

      

Season five of Queen of the South has more surprises and switches than the Pennsylvania AmTrak train yard (this analogy beat out more switches than the Westinghouse light bulb factory…switch analogies are hard to come by).

       

Teresa Mendoza (Alice Braga) comes from Sinaloa, Mexico. Her boyfriend is in a drug cartel. She is poor and has every menial job there is. When her boyfriend is killed, she is forced to flee to the United States. She is forced into mule carrying work and there she seeks her revenge against his killers and begins a slow rise in the drug business. Her reach and battles will soon travel across the globe. Everyone protects their territory, but at the same time wants the best product and best deals.

   

Teresa’s inner circle and trustworthy companions are:
James Valdez (Peter Gadiot) her trusted first lieutenant…
Pote Galvez (Hemky Madera) a trusted advisor, trouble shooter (literally), and bodyguard…
Kelly Anne Van Awken (Molly Burnett) the financial guru and business manager…

Her adversaries are:
Don Epifano Vargas (Joaquim de Almeida) and his whole family…Vargas runs Vargas Cartel the largest cartel in Mexico and is quickly expanding it out of Mexico to throughout the United States. His high quality drugs are in demand everywhere…
Boaz Jimenez (Joseph T. Campos) the most ruthless killer and side switcher in carteldom…He will eventually run Theresa’s business in Sinaloa and Miami before trying to take over both operations and destroy her empire…
Judge Cecil Lafayette (David Andrews) He runs New Orleans and is doing everything possible to stop Teresa from going legitimate and getting out of the drug business…

    

As Teresa’s drug business expands, so do the luxury accommodations, locations, travel, and dress. Paris, London, Monaco, Dallas, and New York are just a few of the new venues for her drugs. Each of the partnerships in these areas show Teresa’s budding business intelligence. Her business ownership includes banks, bars, restaurants, office buildings, and waterfronts. Every one of these expansions and new dealings bring trouble and make each episode a very interesting watch. Once again, we recommend Queen of the South! Start with season one on Netflix and you will be amazed with Alice Braga’s change throughout the sixty shows! Cry to USA Network for more!

          

         

       

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Asks A Simple Question!
What Are You Reading On Your Computer/Phone This Summer?!
Is it Shareable, Important, Worthwhile, Meaningful, Or Just Interesting?!

     

Let’s talk Philadelphia’s two recommendations for your new favorite’s file are Reader’s Digest Canada, Asia, or Australia and Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings.

Brain Pickings and its spin-offs have 3 million readers. It is the brain child of Maria Popova who has (solely) been writing two issues (Wednesday, Sunday) for 15 years. Maria’s curating ability is unmatched in the fields of writing, books, art, philosophy, history, poetry, self help, and feelings.

   

After her new issue and this quote from Emily Dickinson (Grief is the shadow cast in the light of loss…The grander the loss, the vaster the shadows), we are now researching the eight types of love…join us! Signing up for Brain Pickings will send it to your inbox and you can access it and read it at your leisure.

   

Meet the 8 Different Types of Love

1. Philia — Affectionate Love. Philia is love without romantic attraction and occurs between friends or family members. …
2. Pragma — Enduring Love. …
3. Storge — Familiar Love. …
4. Eros — Romantic Love. …
5. Ludus — Playful Love. …
6. Mania — Obsessive Love. …
7. Philautia — Self Love. …
8. Agape — Selfless Love.

    

Reader’s Digest has been an institution for over 100 years. It has the largest circulation of all the world’s periodicals. It was first printed in 1920 with 25 articles taken from other publications. The founders DeWitt Wallace and Lila Acheson Wallace believed too much information was crushing the American public. They thought that sorting out the best ideas would be a universal help…so right they were! We recommend subscribing to a foreign Reader’s Digest to increase your world view.

       

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Education With Carey Furze
Family Book Form Has Some Unique And Creative Ideas!
After Viewing These Ideas Below Check Out Carey’s Work With Immigrant Children (https://youtu.be/gvGhrIeRe3g)!

   

Her are some unique and creative ideas from Carey Furze to better engage students in the classroom and with their home studies. Her website offers even more…

   

Gamify Literacy, Engagement And Well Being

The Family Bookform dashboard scaffolds students in inquiry learning; they interview themselves or others, using templates and question prompts, speech-to-text (any language), and collect original content into published books, developing 21st century skills, empathy and knowledge.

    

Collaborative Class Book – Grade 6-12
Mother’s Day Book – Students contributed a poem and picture of their hero or special person.
Student’s Favorite Food Book – Grade 7-12
My Family’s Favorite Recipes Book – Students collect their favorite recipes and cultural stories into books.
Student’s Family Book – Grade 8-12
My Granddad’s Memoir – Students interview family or community to create personalized memoirs.
Book-creating competition
Monthly competition & prizes – Students speak, write, interview & collect content into original books.

   

Social Emotional Intelligence
Students have agency & emotional connection to content, generating oxytocin and an interest in learning, their content enriches lessons and books can be graded, included in portfolios, gifted or sold to families.

Examples:
COVID-19 And Me – Students collect family & community experiences as primary source historical records.
My Favorite Recipes Book – Students collect their family’s dispersed cultural food stories and photos.
My Granddad’s Memoir – Students collect precious family stories, experiences and ancestry information.
My Town’s History – Students collect oral histories from their community, developing empathy and EQ.

    

Fun Activities:
Students use technology-as-a-tool to scaffold STEAM/PBL pedagogy and interview themselves or others to collect original content into published digital books of value.
Template questions guide and speech-to-text captures oral information in any language.
Invited others contribute text and photos directly into the book.
Students edit, critically analyze & reflect on the content, for imaginative essays, research reports or major writing projects.

   

Engage & Motivate:
Students have agency to achieve personalized and differentiated learning and present their collected audio files and text in classrooms for fun story-sharing and collaborative editing activities.
Develops 21st century skills, communication, empathy and well being. Strengthening peer, family & community relationships.
Students are engaged & their content enriches lessons.

Present & Share:
Students are proud to present their published books to family and community at celebration ceremonies. Books can be graded, included in portfolios and higher education
applications, gifted or printed and sold for fundraising.

     

Assessment:
Teachers easily assign through Google Classroom to a whole class or year group or send the unique link via email. Available on Chromebooks and any device.

Resources: Lesson plans, explainer videos, case studies and testimonials: https://familybookform.com/

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Reviews Its Memorial Day Book Suggestions!
The Reluctant Dragon, The Wall, The Big Book For Peace Are Great Gifts!

Books That Salute Memorial Day…The Reluctant Dragon

    

The Reluctant Dragon was written in the year 1898 by Kenneth Grahame (Wind In The Willows). Michael Hague’s new and vibrant illustrations bring the story to life once again. The book makes a great present. It was originally a chapter in a larger book. Reluctant is the story of the last dragon left on earth and St. George, the last dragon fighter left on earth. The dragon is the last one left of his kind because he enjoys discussion, good food, poetry, reading, and art, not fighting.

The townsfolk want them to battle until only one is left. The two friends do not want this fight. A young shepherd boy designs a fake fight to appeal to the townsfolk. The make believe killing of the dragon is cheered by the townsfolk.

The last illustration in Michael Hague’s book of the boy, dragon, and knight skipping down the road holding hands is precious.

Books That Salute Memorial Day…The Wall

    

Eve Bunting is the author of a library of books everyone should own. Her themes are universal. This is her finely illustrated story of a family’s trip to The Wall in Washington that commemorates those that died in the Vietnam War. The name of oldest child in this family’s appears on The Wall. Mom is crying in the car before they even get to The Wall. When the younger daughter asks why mom is crying the father tells her it is a woman’s thing. Dad is shortly overcome by the woman’s thing, when they get to the wall.

    

Books That Salute Memorial Day…The Big Book For Peace

Greenpeace the world’s largest support peace organization receives the money from the sale of this book. It is twenty authors and illustrators talking about peace in stories and illustrations. It has been featured in this column before. This is a timely reminder of a great gift whose proceeds go to a worthy cause.

228. Queen Latifah, The Equalizer, Foo Foo Fighters, Name Change, And Joan Miro!

         

        

Don’t Miss The May Flowers Issue Of Let’s Talk Philadelphia Next Month!

    

     

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Has A Problem!
Reader Help Has Been Suggested!
Should It Be Put To A Vote Or Remain The Same?
Inquiring Minds Want To Know!

     

For 27 years starting in The University of the Arts’ classrooms as a discussion topic in 1994 and then to the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets as a one page handout, we have prided ourselves that, in spite of our name, Let’s Talk Philadelphia is an international business and entertainment column with a far reaching audience and extensive array of diverse and worldwide topics…many sent in by readers from the far reaches like Australia and England.

   

     

Readers have consistently suggested we change our name to something not as misleading appearing as the word Philadelphia…meaning it seems like we only talk about Philadelphia. The office name change winner was Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Beyond. We need some suggestions from readers away from Philadelphia. Do we need a name change and what would you suggest? After you vote on our name change problem, vote on whether you like Billie Eilish’s new hair. Go Billie!

        

Don’t forget to check out our previous column. It starts with:

     

FOR MEN ONLY! Good in the kitchen, good in the bedroom is an old Italian saying. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s (thomasjpalumbo.wordpress.com) 227^th column will get you out of the kitchen faster (she will be impressed) and provide you with some can’t miss sultry music recommendations for the bedroom. You will thank us big time! We are trying to find some way to accept your kind payment of appreciation for helping you.

    

LinkedIn banned this notice (they didn’t see the joke), thinking we were actually a sex column which is against their policy.

    

Take It Away Queen Latifah!

     

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And All Hail The Queen!
CBS Television Has A Sunday Night 8 PM Winner!
The New Equalizer Is Popcorn Perfect!

        

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Evans in 1970 Newark, New Jersey. Her artistic  successes in music, she was called the Queen of Hip-Hop, are now being surpassed by her acting prowess. Long before this new version of the Equalizer, Queen Latifah had starred in 26 different movies and television shows. Our favorite is the 2014 comedy Bringing Down The House with Steve Martin, Eugene Levy and Betty White. You can find this funny, dating romp on all your On Demand and regular channels.

      

Her Equalizer, following the Super Bowl, was a great jump start was for this new, but, third in the series of the Equalizers. Edward Woodward as Robert McCall started the series over thirty years ago. His television version of the Equalizer was followed by Denzel Washington’s interpretation in 2014 and 2018 at your local theater. Part three for Denzel Washington is in the works for 2022.

      

The Equalizer is a fixer of cases that no one can solve or wants to undertake. As half policewomen, half bounty hunter, half villain, and half mother, you will enjoy all the queen’s roles. Queen Latifah is perfect for the part. Her father and cousin were policeman. This has to bring in some previous pointers on how to balance family (teenage daughter) and out of the norm criminal pursuits.

           

The police are after her. They are lead by Captain Tory Kittles, who is not happy with her law stretching problem solving and gun usage. Chris Noth (CIA type), Adam Goldberg (computers/tech), and Laya Hayes (creative thinker) help her as a formidable undercover team. The show’s themes have been very different from other police dramas.

    

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows A Foo Foo Fighter Or Two!

         

The Foo Foo Fighters were founded in 1994 after Kurt Cobain’s death and the breakup of the band Nirvana. Foo Fighters are extraterrestrial aircraft. Lead by David Grohl, the Fighters have sold over fifteen million albums. A side note: They are Prince Harry’s favorite musical group.

        

The Fighters have joined with BBC Radio to host a Live Lounge All-Stars singing event featuring their song Times Like These. The Live Lounge All-Stars are a BBC Radio 1 concept as they put together people from everywhere in entertainment to complete a musical composition. A song is selected and everyone sings their part in an audio collage. A similar concept was created by the Michael Jackson We Are The World video.

     

Times Like These has 15 million views as the Foo Foo Fighters try to raise money for Covid Relief. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GElP4YdrBE). They have an easy click on and donate at the conclusion of the song.

      

BBC Radio 2, also, has a Stay Home Live Lounge with similar music collages.

     

We enjoyed Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis with an opening by Cher before being joined by twelve other singers (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfo1pS4L2Zk). It is a nice follow-up to the Foo Foo Fighters.

     

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Joins The Surrealist World!
Step Back Dali, Picasso, And Miro!
Two Office Posts Were A Unique Catalyst!

     

When two office, cat lovers come in to work unbeknowst to each other with similar paintings for their cubby wall, brains start clicking and research began. There is a camera phone application that you point at a flower or plant and it identifies that object. There should be the same type of application for paintings to identify the artist and the year the painting was created.

           

The first painting had Miro on it. The second was different enough to not suspect it was, also, a Miro. The five dollar reward was not much of an impetus to painting research.

   

Mr. Joan Miro (1893-1983) is a Spanish painter, ceramicist, and sculptor. Seventy years of work creations make for a giant collection of his artifacts. Museums in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca house a large collection of his creations.

    

Surrealism started in 1930 Europe. It defined an writer, artist, or sculptor that wanted to release the creative and unconscious mind of its viewer or reader. Wild fantasies were easily put to literature and art to accomplish this goal.

     

       

Miro was a very outspoken artist unlike most of his fellow surrealists and dadaists. He hated contemporary painting and freely expressed those beliefs to many a cringed ear. It doesn’t however take away from his brilliance or life of being different in the art world.

        

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Birthday Of The Week!
April 23, 1616-2021 Starts A Year Of Celebrations!
405 Years! Go Shakespeare! Go Shakespeare!

          

Shakespeare Turns Four Hundred And Five And Is Still Writing Great Works!
Don’t Miss The Shakespeare Show On PBS Or At Your Local Theater.

      

The Shakepeare Show is a two and a half hour show featuring every star from the music stage, on screen, on the dance floor, and in the theater as they talk about their connections to Shakespeare, their performances with Shakespeare’s work,