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Carter Joke

The longest living Ex-president, Jimmy Carter likes to tell this joke:

A wealthy cheap-skate dies and presents himself at the Pearly Gates.  He tells Saint Peter that he was really a good guy, in fact, once he gave 50 cents to a homeless person and once he donated 50 cents to a charity.

Saint Peter was intrigued and sent an angel to Earth to check it out.

The angel came back and said, "Yes, it's true."

Saint Peter replied, "O.K. - give him his $1 back and tell him to go to hell!" 

Do we have this facility now?

A few years ago, British scientists were working on a "Soul-Catcher" memory chip. Chris Winter, head of British Telecom Artificial Life, said: "With these chips we wouldn't have to rely on holiday snapshots and our memories."

"... combining this information with a person's genes, we could recreate a person physically, emotionally and spiritually."

Chris promises: "This is the end of death - immortality in the truest sense."

Couldn't we combine all of our Internet activity, the content of our PC's and Cell Phones, all of our photographs and videos, and our medical and DNA information to create a kind of individual "Soul Catcher." 

But wait!  Don't we have that already? Our BRAINS.  So, why don't we just preserve brains?

Beer Lovers' Discovery?

A few years ago, British astronomers studying how stars are born, detected a giant cloud of pure alcohol near the Constellation AQUILA (eagle), about 10,000 light-years from Earth.

The cloud contains the equivalent alcohol content of 400 trillion pints of beer!

Note: as of today, we know that 9 stars in the Aquila constellation support planets. (Beer drinkers all?)

Are the Map-Makers blind?

I'm looking at several maps, some purporting to show the Middle Atlantic area, and several purporting to show the Southern New England area.

The Middle Atlantic maps show Washington, DC, Arlington, Virginia, Wilmington, Delaware, and even Ocean City, Maryland.

Where is Baltimore?  

The city has been losing population for a few years.  It had close to a million inhabitants during WW2, and the number now is over 600,000, a big city.  Much bigger than the other cities shown.

The city has been home to some remarkable persons, such as Edgar Allen Poe and H. L. Mencken, and showcases lots of historical venues, such as Betsy Ross' house and Fort McHenry. 

So, why isn't it shown on some maps?

The Southern New England maps show Mystic, Connecticut, Martha's Vineyard, Chilmark on the Cape, Providence, Rhode Island and even Fall River, Massachusetts.  Sometimes they even show Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

Where is New Bedford?

The city was once the richest place in the world, thanks to whale oil.  Hettie Green lived here, where she became the richest woman in the world. (Called The Witch of Wall Street.) Lots of historical activity occurred here, including service as one of the terminals of the Underground Railroad.

An area of the downtown is designated as a National Park, showcasing reconstructed 19th century buildings and homes as well as the world-famous Whaling Museum, greatly outclassing the museum in Nantucket.  

Today the port contains the largest fishing fleet in the United States.  Its catch appears on the tables of all of the best restaurants just within hours of being caught.

So why isn't it shown on some maps?

Spoiler:  I've lived in Baltimore City and I was raised In New Bedford.  As you can tell I love both places.

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