HAPPY NEW YEAR

By Debbie Bulloch















ABBA - Happy New Year



To all my friends, close and far, to my Second Life family and especially to all who have touched my life in oh so many special ways.

I love you all.

May the New Year and the New Decade bring you all the love, all the happiness, and all the good things that you wish for.

SUNDAY COMICS - FINAL DECADE EDITION

By Debbie Bulloch




WOW...the year 2009 has come and gone like a blur. Tempus fugit, indeed.

Here are the SUNDAY COMICS - FINAL DECADE EDITION.

Enjoy, and if I don't see you before the end of the year, have a Very Happy, Very Blessed and Very Safe New Year and New Decade.







(Click on image for larger view)













And here is a story about "Dutchie" hero: Jaspers Schuringa.

(From N.Y. Daily News)

First came a popping noise. Then, Dutch filmmaker Jasper Schuringa saw smoke rising from several seats away inside Northwest Flight 253.

In a flash, Schuringa climbed over the seats and pounced on a terrorist, who was in flames and trying to blow up the plane over Detroit.

"I didn't think," Schuringa said Saturday. "I just went over there to try to save the plane."

Schuringa, his right hand in bandages, described his heroic takedown of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the same day the Al Qaeda-linked terrorist was charged with trying to blow up the jet.

Schuringa told CNN the flight from Amsterdam was uneventful until it prepared to land in Detroit.

Suddenly, the calm was splintered by a series of pops similar to firecrackers. A few seconds later, he saw smoke billowing from the fellow passenger's body.

"When I saw the suspect, that he was getting on fire, I freaked," Schuringa said. "Without any hesitation, I just jumped over all the seats."

Chaos erupted as the flying Dutchman grabbed the fiery suspect and frantically searched him for explosives.

"I took some kind of object that was already melting and smoking out of him," Schuringa said. "He put something on fire that was hidden in his pants."

Schuringa said a liquidy substance dripped onto the floor, causing two pillows to go up in flames. Nearby passengers screamed and scattered as crew members rushed to retrieve fire extinguishers.

"It went very quick," Schuringa said. "We were all just reacting to the fire. Everyone was panicking."

The brave movie man said he screamed for water as he tried to put out the fire with his hands.

Other passengers joined in trying to stamp out the flames, but the fire intensified.

Schuringa said he realized then that he needed to get Abdulmutallab away from the flames.

"I grabbed the suspect out of the seat because if he was wearing any more explosives, it would be very dangerous," Schuringa said.

"We took him to first class ... stripped him and contained him to make sure he had no more weapons, no more bombs."

Schuringa said that throughout the terrifying plane ordeal, Abdulmutallab appeared to be "in a trance."

"He was staring into nothing," Schuringa said. "The whole plane was screaming, but the suspect, he didn't say a word."

The plane landed safely minutes later, bringing relief to the other 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard.

A shackled Abdulmutallab was led off the plane by federal agents. Silence greeted his exit.

When Schuringa rose to leave the jet, his fellow passengers broke out in applause.

Still, Schuringa said he was not the only one who deserved credit for saving the jet.

"A lot of people were trying to help," said Schuringa, who was flying to the U.S. for a vacation in Miami. "We had very brave flight attendants. They're also heroes."



Click here to see Jaspers’ Facebook page: Jaspers Schuringa

Dank Je Jaspers!!!

NORAD TRACKS SANTA - 2009

By Debbie Bulloch




For all of you who have been naughty...but especially for those of you who have been nice...you can track Santa’s progress across the world.

Hope you have been nice.

Love!








Click here to follow Santa: Track Santa Claus



And here are a few views from Christmas 2008:

Canada



France



Australia



Brazil

GIFTS FROM FRIENDS

By Debbie Bulloch



One of my warmest blessings has been all the good people that I have met through my work at Between Homes. Since opening Between Homes at SecondLife, I have met men and women who have enriched my life in ways that I could not have ever imagined. T

One of those individuals is Buccaneer Braveheart. Buc is a cowboy, a gentleman, and the ultimate rugged individualist. Buc is also a true friend who is always ready to lend a helping hand.

One of Buc's gifts is finding music that always seems to hit the right spot.

Here is a song that Buc sent to me today. I really like Jethro Tull, but I must confess that I had never heard this song.

the song hit the right spot for me, I hope it does for you.

Enjoy!

JETHRO TULL – Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow

PRINCE WILLIAM SPENDS NIGHT ON LONDON STREET

By Debbie Bulloch



My respect for the younger members of the British royal family has just gone up after reading how Prince William, second in line to the British Crown, spend a night last week.

A few days ago, Prince William spent a chilly night near Blackfriars Bridge with Seyi Obakin, the chief executive of British homeless charity Centrepoint. William has been the charity's patron since 2005.

"I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night," William said Tuesday. "Poverty, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependancy and family breakdown cause people to become and then stay homeless.”

"I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets."

William, second in line to the throne, was exposed to some of the hardships found on London's streets when his mother, Princess Diana, took him to a shelter in 1996. Just 13 at the time, William spent an hour at the facility with his younger brother, Harry.

Diana was well-known for her charitable work and the homeless was a group she was particularly close to. She had also served as Centrepoint's patron, a position she held at the time of her death in 1997.

As I have previously written on this blog, homelessness is perhaps the single, biggest problem facing our society. How can we even sit around discussing global warming, as the world’s so-called “leaders” recently did in Copenhagen, when men, women and children continue to die on the streets of the world’s greatest cities?

****************************************************
LATE BREAKING NEWS - WINTER STORM KILL 100s IN EUROPE

Wintry storms and freezing weather over the last week have caused nearly 100 deaths across Europe, including at least 42 in Poland, 27 in Ukraine and 12 people in France. Many of those who died were homeless people who froze to death.

****************************************************

Al Gore and his followers in Copenhagen can sit around fretting about how big a cow’s carbon footprint may be. In the meantime, however, millions of our brothers and sisters, spend their days and nights out on the streets, with empty bellies, without a pillow under their heads and with no roof to shield them from the elements.

Hell may not be freezing over after all and Heaven may not be burning down, but until we are able to feed, clothe and shelter those who have no sustenance, cover or shelter, then all other discussions are nothing more than an exercise in intellectual gymnastics. It may feel good to talk about global warming, but in the end, it is all wasted energy.

I applaud Prince William’s efforts to gain first-hand knowledge of what is like to sleep out on the streets. I hope that he takes his newly gained insights and puts them to good use. His mother taught him well, I hope that he continues the journey that his mom was not able to complete.

To read more about Prince William night “sleeping rough,” please click here: Prince William spends night on London streets

To read more about the Centrepoint organization, please click here:

Centrepoint

Don't forget, the Prince of Peace was born homeless...

Hello my friends !

Christmas is coming and i would like to share too with you songs that i listened when i was a child ! This is at first french versions ! Thank you Debbie to give me this idea ! so listen to to the french versions and after there will be different versions ! christmas is magic so please, enjoy it in family or with friends !













This is a version for my german friends and especially for your daddy Debbie ! I pray for him and think of him ! merry christmas !




For my friends from america, England and everyone who is speaking english (lol) in fact for everyone all over the world (hehehe)



We wish you a merry christmas , we wish you a merry christmas and happy new year



And the last one is for fun ! really funny



So my friends, I wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year ! Please enjoy it and have fun !

see you soon

arc

I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS

By Debbie Bulloch




Here are three different versions of an American Christmas "classic."

Enjoy!














THE RONETTES – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus



THE JACKSON FIVE – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus



JOHN MELLENCAMP – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus



Finally, this is a modern version of an old Spanish Christmas song that SanPaul’s mom taught me long time ago. I bet she is now teaching it to the angels. We miss you Mami!

GLORIA ESTEFAN – Arbolito, Arbolito (Spanish song but the lyrics are in Portuguese, go figure!)

NATIONAL HOMELESS PERSONS' MEMORIAL DAY

By Debbie Bulloch



Monday, December 21, is National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. The National Coalition for the Homeless has chosen December 21, the longest night of the year, to commemorate the lives of all the persons who have died on the street while homeless.

I have previously written about the growing homeless population in the U.S.A. The continuing bad economy has pushed more people, including families with children and pets, into the streets. While the fat bastards in Wall Street continue to reap the benefits of our government’s endless generosity towards the rich, thousands and thousands of men, women and children and their pets are forced to sleep on the streets of our cities.

I have first hand experience of what it means to lay down on the cold, hard cement and try to catch some sleep. I also know, first hand, about the dangers that lurk out on the night for those who have no roof over their heads and a bed under their bodies.

Here are some sobering statistics compiled by the National Coalition for the Homeless Coalition. These numbers demonstrate, in black and white, the dangers faced every night by our homeless population.

During the period between January 1, 200, and May 28, 2007, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office reported 2,815 homeless deaths.
As an average, this is more than one per day for the nearly 7.5 year period.

Comparison of Data

The range of homeless deaths spans from a low of 270 in 2002 to a high of 551 in 2006. The largest increase occurred between 2002 and 2003 when deaths increased from 270 to 393, a 45.5% increase in one year.

Demographic Characteristics

Gender: Of the 2,815 homeless deaths, 2,406 (85%) of them were male, and 409 (15%) were female.

Ethnicity: The racial/ethnic makeup of these deaths shows that 1,151 (41%) were Caucasian, 868 (31%) were Hispanic, 717 (25%) were African American, 33 (1%) were Asian, 26 (1%) were American Indian, and 29 (1%) were of other ethnicities.

Age: The average age of death was 48.1 years, falling far short of the 77.2 year life expectancy of the average American. The age range of these homeless deaths was 0-89. The age distribution shows there were 95 (3.3%) deaths in the zero to 24 years-old age group, 918 (32.6%) deaths in the 25 to 44 age group, 1,575 (56.0%) deaths in the 45 to 64 age group, and 225 (8.0%) in the 65 and over age group.

The average life span of the deceased homeless in Los Angeles County covered just 62.3% of the life expectancy of a person living in the United

Leading Known Underlying Causes of Death:

Cardiovascular: The primary cause of death among the 2,815 homeless was cardiovascular problems, accounting for 686 (24.4%) deaths. Again, it is important to note: without access to official death certificates, the primary underlying cause of death (such as alcohol and/or substance abuse) in these cardiovascular cases is unknown.

Unknown: Unknown causes of death ranked second in the listings. The high death rates and low life expectancy highlighted reported constitute an extremely serious health disparity for the homeless population group.

Substance Use: The second most common cause was acute intoxication, which accounted for 619 (22.0%) of deaths. The leading substances abused were: heroin, cocaine, morphine and alcohol.

Trauma: The third most common were trauma related. In a preliminary review of a coroner's list of causes of death (without access to death certificates), we found that 502 deaths (or 17.8%) were caused by some type of trauma, many of which were related to violent acts or suicides.

Geographical Distribution

The largest concentration of Los Angeles County’s homeless deaths occurred within the City of Los Angeles (1,277 or 45 %). Although no other area compares to these figures, there are many neighborhoods with significant homeless mortality numbers. For example, Long Beach is second on the list, with 154 homeless deaths, followed by Santa Monica with 111, Pasadena with 55 and Hollywood with 48. Virtually every single neighborhood has at least a few homeless deaths on its record, which clearly shows that this is not just a phenomena of “Skid Row,” but extends throughout the county.

Seasonal Distribution: Homeless deaths were fairly evenly distributed among the four seasons of the year, and do not appear to be weather-related. (After all, this is Southern California where the weather is mild for most of the year.) Winter was classified as the period of December 23 to March 20, and claimed 770 lives, or 27% of the total deaths. Spring (March 21 – June 20) was the second most deadly season, with 696 deaths [25%] over the seven year span. There were 687 deaths [24%] during the summer (June 21 – September 23) and 660 [23%] during the fall (September 24 – December 22).

Number of Lost Years Due to Early or Untimely Deaths

The 2,815 homeless people in our study were expected to live 211,878 years based on the average life expectancy of their gender and ethnicity. They only survived 135,528 of those expected years. A statistical analysis of the number of years homeless people lived in comparison to the number of years they were predicted to live according to life expectancy revealed that their lives were cut short by 76,350 years. On average a homeless person’s life is 36% shorter than a housed person’s life.

One of the most startling facts is that for homeless Latinas, their lives were 49% shorter than expected. Their lifetimes were cut in half by homelessness. African American females’ lives were 42% shorter than expected and Caucasian females lives were 40% shorter than expected. Latino’s lives were 42% shorter than expected, while Asian males’ lives were 40% shorter .

These figures demonstrate the immensity of the problem and its profound effect on the lives of those who are homeless.

This is the time of the year when Christians around the world get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus. As you do, please remember that Jesus was born homeless. Also please remember that the Bible commands that we open our hearts to the less fortunate.

I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home.

Matthew 25:35

Whatever your faith may be, please take the time to help the most vulnerable members of our society.

Thank you!

To learn more about National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day and to read more about the wonderful work done by the National Coalition for the Homeless, please click here:

National Coalition for the Homeless

(CLICK ON POSTER FOR A LARGER VIEW)



The National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day poster is copyrighted by the National Coalition for the Homeless who owns all the rights to the poster.

CALIFORNIA SUNSET

By Debbie Bulloch




This afternoon I left work early and drove to the beach to watch the sun set. Please join me as we watch Rey Sol dip behind Ventura's Channel Islands.

THE POWER OF LOVE - "FAITH" THE TWO-LEGGED DOG

By Debbie Bulloch



It has often been remarked that there is no greater power than the power of love. When love and faith are joined together, their combined power is enough to move mountains or, at the very least, work miracles in the lives of humans and animals. Case in point: FAITH, the two-legged walking dog.

This story begins seven years ago, in Los Angeles (the City of Angels) on Christmas 2002. That is when in a junkyard a puppy was born without her two front legs. Veterinarians will tell you that in nature this is not an unusual occurrence. Usually, the doctors say, the pup will die shortly after birth and that is the end of the story.

Faith, however, is a not your usual pup and her story was not going to end so quickly. Right after her birth, Faith was rejected by her own mother who tried to smother her. Faith’s mother was not being cruel. The mother was doing what her natural instincts told her was the best possible solution – after all, what are the chances of survival for a two-legged dog?

Well, as it turned out, Faith’s chances of survival were better than most. She was rescued by Rueben Stringfellow, now an Army E-4 specialist, who had been asked to bury other puppies in the litter.

"Can we fix her? Stringfellow (who was then 17 years old), asked his mom. "No” his mom replied, “but maybe we can help her."

What transpired since that Christmas has been nothing short of a miracle. At first, the family had to carry Faith to keep her off her chest and chin. But with lots love, plenty of patience, peanut butter and practice, Reuben’s mother, English professor Jude Stringfellow, was able to train Faith to walk on her two hind legs.

Faith’s triumph on the face of adversity brings a powerful message about overcoming hardships. "Faith has shown me that different is beautiful, that it is not the body you are in but the soul that you have," Jill Salomon of Montreal, Canada, wrote on Faith's Web site.

Then there is the story of the woman that Jude Stringfellow and Faith met on a New York street. According to Stringfellow, the woman was depressed after losing both legs to diabetes. "She was in her wheelchair and saw us.” Stringfellow said. “She was crying. She had seen Faith on television. She just held her and said she wished she had that kind of courage." Stringfellow added. "She told us: 'I was on my way to pick up the gun.' The woman handed the pawn ticket (for the gun) to a police officer and said she didn't need it anymore."

Hope is the most important message that Faith brings along on her visits to Army bases. "She just walks around barking and laughing and excited to see them all," Jude Stringfellow said. "There is a lot of crying, pointing and surprise. From those who have lost friends or limbs, there can be silence. Some will shake my hand and thank me; some will pat Faith on the head. There is a lot of quiet, heartfelt, really deep emotion."

Life is full of obstacles and challenges. Navigating our way around these obstacles can sometimes be a daunting mission; this is especially true during the holiday season.

But please do not be discouraged by the bumps and hurdles that life has thrown on your way. Think about a little Christmas puppy named Faith and how she overcame overwhelming odds and in the process became an inspiration for those who are less fortunate.

Love, faith and the help of caring persons is a potent formula.

As we near the Christmas Holiday, I encourage each of you reading this, to reach and make a difference in the life of another person (or animal). The reward that you will receive will not be measured in dollars and cents; rather, it will be measured in the smiles coming from the hearts of those whom you have helped.

Bless you all!

For more information about Faith, the two-legged dog, and her family please go here: Faith – The Two-Legged Dog

FAITH - The two-legged walking dog.

Mr Bean Animations

Hello my friends,

Today please just have a look at these videos and enjoy it ! Have fun this is funny !

Mr Bean is a very special man , but so funny ! hehehe



A new way to do some bike and to do some cooking !









When you do some hiking, be sure you do it on the right road ! lol




Please, when you park your car; please take care where at the place where you park it ! nobody knows what could happen !




What a nice pic ! please don't forget to smile !!




And the last one !!
Please if you don't manage to sleep during the night, you can change of house, or maybe watch the TV or maybe just have a look at this !hehe




Have a nice day my friends
see you soon
arc

RIDING IN THE RAIN

By Debbie Bulloch



Today, as predicted by the National Weather Service, turned out to be a very rainy day. Rain has been falling for most of the day - very heavy at times.

While rain is great for farmers, it is not so great for bike riders (or for birds). I was able to ride for only a few miles before the heavy rain and wind forced me to turn around. I was soaked to the bone, but happy that I was able to at least ride for a few miles (10 miles).

The birds in the following photographs were not as fortunate, however. Most of them had to be content with just passing the day on the ground, waiting for the weather to clear up.

FAMOS FRENCH SINGER JOHNNY HALLIDAY RECOVERS FROM A COMA

By Debbie Bulloch



French rock legend Johnny Hallyday had a botched operation in France and is now in a medically induced coma in a Los Angeles hospital as he recovers from surgery to fix the damage, his producer said.

Hallyday, 66, is expected to recover, producer Jean-Claude Camus said.

Hallyday is France's biggest rock star, though little known outside of Europe. Beyond his music, Belgian-born Hallyday _ whose real name is Jean-Philippe Smet _ is best known for his glitz, amorous affairs, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and a Frenchness as absolute as Elvis Presley's Americanness.

Hallyday had an operation overnight Wednesday to Thursday at L.A.'s Cedars Sinai hospital to fix lingering back trouble from a Nov. 26 operation in Paris, led by Delajoux, for a herniated disc.

"After (he) had woken up, the doctors preferred putting him in an artificial coma to prevent him from suffering and getting tired, and thus to make the treatment easier," Hallyday's Web site said.

Here is a selection of Halliday’s better-known hits. Please note how, unlike most modern-day rockers, Halliday uses a full orchestra to back him up. The effect is tres bien!

JOHNNY HALLIDAY – Pense à moi!



JOHNNY HALLIDAY - Vivre pour le meilleur!



JOHNNY HALLIDAY – Gabrielle!



JOHNNY HALLIDAY – Requiem pour un fou!




And finally, here is Halliday with famed Spanish singer Julio Iglesias – C’est splendide

JULIO IGLESIAS & JOHNNY HALLIDAY – Me olvide del vivir



We wish Halliday a speedy recovery, so he can return to enchanting audiences with his unique musical style.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON MUSIC

By Debbie Bulloch




Here is a sweet, little song by Canadian songwriter and singer, Michael Buble. At this time of the year, when we all want to be "home," Buble's song hits just the right chord.

Enjoy!











MICHAEL BUBLE - Home



Home - lyrics

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

THE DAY AFTER THE STORMS - DECEMBER 8, 2009

By Debbie Bulloch



On Monday, Southern California (like most Western states) was pounded by an early winter storm. The storm brought us much needed rain. Farmers, who worry about their crops running short of water, breathed a sigh of relief as the storm clouds dumped water on previously dry lands.

By early afternoon, the storm had left the coast and moved inland, headed towards the Rocky Mountain states. This morning, when I woke up, the sun was already shining brightly. Although it was a very cold morning (for Southern California standards), it was nice to see the sun out again. The only reminders of the previous day storm were wet streets and a light dusting of snow on the nearby mountains.









The National Weather Service is predicting more stormy weather for the end of the week. I look forward to the coming rain (we really need it) - but in the meantime I will enjoy the shining sun.

HERE IS A COOL HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA - GO TAKE A PICTURE

By Debbie Bulloch



If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you know by now that we regularly use the blog as a platform to shine a light on issues affecting the poor, the homeless and the hungry - we provide a forum for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Helping the poor and less fortunate members of our society can take many forms. Sometimes helping involves finding shelter for the homeless, other times helping involves getting food to feed the hungry, and sometimes helping involves finding both food and shelter for their pets.

There are times, however, when helping the less fortunate involves thinking outside the proverbial box to do something entirely different – like taking their portrait.

Help-Portrait is the brainchild of celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart. The concept behind Help-Portrait is deliciously simple. On December 12, 2009, photographers from all over the world will grab their cameras, they will find people in need, and they will take their portraits and will deliver the portrait to them.

The idea is to give those who have little, or nothing, an opportunity to have their photograph taken. Single moms and single dads will finally have pictures of their children, homeless couples will have their portrait taken, senior citizens living alone will have an opportunity to chronicle their golden years, people in hospices will have one last portrait photograph taken and many families will have something they may never have had before – a portrait together.

Help-Portrait seeks to photograph those people who the world often does not see.

Most of us in Western society take photography, including portrait photography, for granted. Because we have grown up with photography all around us, we assume that every person has a shoebox full of photographs chronicling the major events of their lives, from their first baby step, to graduations, to marriage, to funerals. Unfortunately, however, that is not always the case. Even in this age of inexpensive digital photography, there are still people who have never actually sat d own to pose for a portrait photograph. It is for these people that the Help-Portrait project was created.

The video clips below explain the Help-Portrait project in more detail. The clips also show the tremendous impact that something as simple as a professionally done portrait can have on the lives of those who have very little else.







Photography has been a very big part of my life - now it is time for it to become a big part of someone else's life. I have already made plans to get involved in this year’s Help-Portrait. I strongly encourage all of you (Help-Portrait is a worldwide project) to visit their website and help this worthwhile cause.

Do it, it will make you feel good.

I promise.

SATURDAY NIGHT MUSIC - THREE FROM THE 70s

By Debbie Bulloch



Three from the 70’s.

Enjoy!















HUES CORPORATION – Don’t Rock the Boat



EARTH, WIND & FIRE – Boogie Wonderland



DONNA SUMMER – Last Dance



Finally, the National Weather Service is predicting that a series of Pacific storms will hit California in the next two weeks. We may not see much of the sun for a while - to prepare for the storms, here are some reminders of what “sunny” Southern California is all about:

Good training

Hello my friends !

If you need to train or do some exercise , please have a look to that video ! that is good for health. Hey hey, you can do the same ! please try just one month or maybe one year ! hehehe

Maybe you will get an opportunity to join the NBA (lol)





And just to have fun and have a look to some of the most beautiful shoots !





Look at this one ! wow ! amazing ! really amazing ! love these top tens !



And last one for fun ! incredible ! wow ! americans are really crazy (lol) ! wow wow




Wow I have to stop now because i am getting an american boy ! lol

Hey you know in France , we also have very good players like Tony Parker (lol)
But we have very good teams too ! nice

Oh please have a look to that ! oh oh that is excellent ! look look and listen , listen and enjoy and dance ! lol



Have a nice day and have fun !
Arc

Les restos du coeur

Hello my dear friends ! I really hope that you are fine and certainly preparing christmas !

So today i would like to tell you about a nice organisation in France called "les restos du coeur" that helps every day and every year people who need help or who have difficulties and problems to live correctly, to eat , to drink some water...

The Restaurants du Cœur (far more familiarly known as the Restos du Cœur; "Restaurants of the Heart") is a French charitable organisation, the main activity of which is to distribute food packages and hot meals to the needy.

The comedian and actor Coluche launched the idea of the Restos du Cœur on 26 September 1985. "I have a little idea, a bit like this... If there are people who would be interested in sponsoring a free soup kitchen, we'd start first in Paris and then spread to France's big cities."

Coluche, or to give him his real name Michel Colucci, became known for his irreverent attitude towards politics and the Establishment and he incorporated this into much of his material.

The first of the Restos opened on 21 December and soon multiplied all over the country. The goal of the founders was to give away 2,000 to 3,000 meals per day; 8.5 million alone were distributed the first winter.

The initiative was supported by a song written by the songwriter and singer Jean-Jacques Goldman called 'Les Restos du Cœur', which included some of the lyrics being sung or read out by other celebrities. A televised show allowed the organization to collect several million euros.




version 2007





In 1986, Coluche died aged just 41 (he was very young) but his voice was heard and in 1987 the surplus was indeed turned over to four organisations.

Coluche pleaded for the Restos' cause at the European Parliament in February 1986 after learning that surplus products cost more to store than to distribute for free to the poor.


Upon his death, both President François Mitterand and Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, who were often the focus of Coluche's comedy, joined the public in expressing sadness for the loss of one of France's national treasures. "He was a great lover of life," said Mitterand.





France has a huge housing problem and it is charitable organizations like this that stops hundreds of homeless people dying each winter.

"Les Restos du Cœur - Relais du Cœur" is a voluntary association as defined by the French association law of 1901. Recognised as being of public interest, its goal is to help the neediest and to fight social marginalisation.


The departmental organisations manage, animate and coordinate activities on the ground with 40,000 volunteers in almost 2,500 Restos, which welcome 600,000 beneficiaries a day. Their aims are to carry out all food aid, lodging, workshop (such as the Jardins du Cœur - "Gardens of the Heart"), and cultural activities.

Voted in 1988, the loi Coluche ("Coluche law") innovated by permitting small donors (the most numerous) to benefit from the same tax breaks as big donors. Its last amendment permits donors to get a tax break of 75% for a donation of up to 470€ (euros). Above that, and within a limit of 20% of income, the tax break is of 66%. Each donor receives a tax form on whose back an accountant will have done all the necessary calculations for a tax break, and a document stating how the money given will be used by the Restos.

The Restos du Cœur have benefited financially from the help of the European Plan to Help the Neediest (Plan européen d'aide aux plus démunis; PEAD) since 1987. The organisation worries about the menace to stop the renewal of this fund.

There are many different kinds of donors:

From children to the elderly, from artisans to multinationals, from housewives to stars, they are, in their own ways, the surest supporters.
Those who generously give their services (loan of buildings, transport, printing...) or participate in authorised protests, which are strictly regulated financially and legally.
Those who give money by buying an Enfoirés CD (les Enfoirés are an annual concert given to raise money for the cause), by bequeathing their goods or money
Those who give goods (books, clothes, food, hygiene products...).


More than five years ago 90,000 people were helped, in the last campaign the number had risen to 700,000 people.

The 16 week winter aid distributes around 60,000 meals to 2,500 households. With the current economic climate the number of people turning to Restos for assistance is expected to rise further.



The unemployed, the elderly, retirees, single parents, students, the elderly and those on low wages there is no doubt the pressure on Restos will be high.

Support comes from Veronica Colucci and various artists who ask for more volunteers and donations who turn to the public at this time of year to assist this important cause.


So thank you for your action which is very important for people , for homeless people and needy people.
As economic situation is hard, a lot of people stay on the road and it is hard very hard for them to live and that concerns everyone : childrens, adults and old people ! we have to help our brothers and sisters and parents !




I do know that all over the world there are organizations like "restos du coeur" that help people to live ! so thank you so much !

Please find a link to restos du coeur site and that will allow you to discover what is "restos du coeur" and what they do !

http://www.restosducoeur.org/

Have a nice day my friends !
arc