Power Chair Update - I Wrote President Obama and He Helped!

 I Wrote President Obama and He Helped!

This week was a terrible week for my funding campaigns, but I did have closure with the letter I wrote the President. If you didn’t read about it, before, I wrote President Obama about the difficulties I was having with ‘Medicare Authorized Vendors’ in my area that supply ‘power chairs’. Both told me,, that I qualified for the benefit, that I was disabled enough for the benefit and that they really wanted to sell me a power chair. However, (and both said the exact same thing)

        “It is your doctor’s fault; he is not providing the documentation we need… (for an audit!)…”

[As I explained to President Obama, these Vendors are using the AUDIT standard for procurement. It is NOT how Medicare designed the benefit, but these vendors are using the two standards (Purchase and Audit) to weed out Medicare beneficiaries]

 

Therefore, I am revisiting this issue because there has been movement since I wrote last. Yes, since my last campaign update I have seen ‘the ball move’ on my power chair benefit from Medicare and I simply must tell you all about it… ;)

 

This first image is the first page of the letter I sent to President Obama. Now, for all my detractors; I was writing this letter to illicit a response, to get a reaction, to get assistance and one simply must garner ‘mutual respect and admiration’ (in a letter) to gain the type of answer I wanted, and eventually received. Go ahead, take a read… I will just wait here…

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[caption id="attachment_415" align="aligncenter" width="189"] Page One of My Letter To President Obama. In this letter I tried to ask for assistance, from President Obama, in getting the power chair my doctor prescribed and my neurologist and neurosurgeon BOTH told me will keep me from paraplegia or death.[/caption]

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This first page is introductory in nature. I have written the President, before, so I was introducing my situation and building ‘mutual respect and admiration’. The last paragraph begins the chronology of my disease… actually, just the past few years of the disease. I wish he could read Daniel's Disability and How it All Began then President Obama would have a very good idea of exactly how long I have fought this disability. He would also have a very good idea of how hard I have fought to get every treatment I have received. Now, I am in desperate need for a power chair and to be able to use the power chair in my day-to-day life.

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The second page of the letter covers all the bases. I finish my explanation of my condition and medical necessity for the power chair. I elaborate on the roadblocks I have encountered, with my doctor, to getting the mobility device approved and delivered to me. Let me take a moment to make an aside: Dr. Laurence Gorlick of Pro Health Partners @ Los Alamitos Medical Center is the single most; professional, proficient, detailed oriented, physician I have ever met in my entire life… and I had Liz Taylor’s neurosurgeon (before I was fired… for doing my job… and lost everything).

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[caption id="attachment_416" align="aligncenter" width="187"] Page Two of My Letter to President Obama[/caption]

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This is the final page; I include the URL for my Power Chair Campaign my email address and a closing salutation.

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[caption id="attachment_417" align="aligncenter" width="237"] Page Three of My Letter to President Obama[/caption]

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Finally, for the letter part, here is the ‘Return Receipt’ card signed for by ‘The White House’ received on July 25^th, 2012. Kind of make note of that day, it is kind of important, later.  

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[caption id="attachment_418" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Return Recpt Card from THE WHITE HOUSE[/caption]

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Now, for the update! Yesterday, September 27^th, I received a call from a representative from Health and Human Services Overseeing Medicare. (This would be the Cabinet Office of President Obama that oversees Medicare) The woman that called me; had already read my whole three page letter, had looked up my file and familiarized herself with everything I have been through since May 2003, and really was prepared to help me any way she could help.

 

She couldn’t understand why the two companies had refused my a power chair, when I (and my doctor) had demonstrated a genuine medical need to both Medicare providers. An investigation, of these two Medicare Vendors, has been started and they will be questioned on their handling of my claim. They are going to research and see if there is any way that they can override the process, with one of the providers, and get me the power chair (Hi, this is _____ from Health and Human Services… yes, it seems you gave the shaft to this client… well, we can pull all your Medicare authorizations for the past twenty years… or, yes… as a matter of fact Mr. Hanning does STILL need a power chair…) Only in my dreams.

 

So, I have ran the Daniel’s Power Chair Assistance Fund, for the past two months, in an effort to raise the money for a power chair (configured the way I need it) and the money to move to a place where I can use the power chair by myself. I currently live in a building, on the second floor, that has no elevator. It is also full to the brim, now, with drug dealers and drug addicts. In just the past two, out of eight I have been here, there have been two shootings (resulting in deaths) and one riot.

I am desperate to not be alone in this building, riding my power chair. I, at first, just tried to expand the first campaign (Daniel’s Power Chair Assistance Fund) but people did not give any more than $600 over the original goal. I understand, you see the green line all the way over, and there really is no need “he met his goal!”. I thought about it the other way, the ‘bus lady’ way… she started her campaign (that we all saw on Nightly News) @ $5,000 for a nice vacation. She ended up, after 90 days, with $680,000.00 and a new car, and a new home and retirement paid for… in full.

I never expected that from either of my Indiegogo campaigns, never in a million years.

However, I had hoped to meet the goals of both campaigns. I am going to keep working as hard as my disability will allow to provide; stories, and entertainment, and information and recipes to give you motivation to help me, help myself.

 

Thank you, for your generosity and kindness in this, my time of need!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

Daniel's White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie

This recipe is going to be a little different from your mass produced recipe. I ask you to go through steps, you might not be familiar with, and to use ingredients that you might not be familiar with, either. The cookie recipes I am going to share, I liberated from The Broadmoor Hotel back in 198?. They made incredible cookies, back then, and I figured I was just helping to preserve the recipes!

Today’s recipe is one of my favorite to make, and eat. When made ‘just right’ they taste of vanilla ice cream and have a crunchy caramelized sugar bottom. Disclaimer: I assume no responsibility for any weight gain or health problems associated with/from eating these cookies. ;)

First, let’s preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Get these ingredients together and set aside; dry and wet:

v    Dry Ingredients-

• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (If you like a more ‘cake-like’ cookie you can use bread flour instead)


• ¾ teaspoon baking powder


• ½ teaspoon baking soda


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon


• ½ teaspoon salt


• ½ cup granulated sugar


• ¾  cup light brown sugar


• 1 tablespoon wheat gluten


• 2 cups (12 oz package) Nestle Premier White Chocolate Morsels


• ¾ cup chopped Macadamia nuts (coarse not fine)

v    Wet Ingredients-

• ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks) OR 3/4 cup Crisco Butter Flavored Baking Sticks + 2 tablespoons of bottled water


• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (Pure Vanilla Extract not Imitation)


• One Tablespoon Molasses (Non-Sulfured/Sweet)


• 1 Large Egg (or two egg whites for low cholesterol ) - For Cake-Like cookies use Two Eggs or one whole egg and one egg white (low cholesterol) add 1 tablespoon gluten to balance cookie.


• One-teaspoon cool water (refrigerated bottled water is best)

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[caption id="attachment_410" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Macadamia-Nut-White-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies: Note the dark brown edges and the golden brown cookie. These are cooked to perfection and will be crunchy on the bottom and soft in the center.. and taste like Vanilla Ice Cream![/caption]

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Now the first thing is to make sure you have ALL the ingredients together before starting. This cookie batter really depends on timing, if something sits too long the dough can stiffen and result in a brittle cookie instead of a soft cookie.

Take all the dry ingredients and put together in a mixing bowel or sifting colander. (I use the sifter, I find cookies are more consistent and uniform in taste, size, shape and quality when I use a sifter and wheat gluten) Put in flour, salt, gluten, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, in a sifter and shake/agitate. Set aside some place cool and dry.

Now mix the butter (or Crisco/water) and sugars together. As you mix these two slowly mix in the egg. Fluff this compound with a hand beater or egg wisk. You want an airy light mixture. Fold in the vanilla and molasses and quickly take the dry ingredients mixture and fold that into the wet ingredients.

Folding the dry to wet ingredients you will come to a point where the texture is ‘cornbread’ this is when you want to fold in the Macadamia nuts and then the white chocolate chips. Thoroughly mix this but try to fold, not mix, to keep the air in the dough.

Place one tablespoon of the cookie dough on the parchment paper placing each two inches apart. (this should give you two cookies beside each other and three or four rows).

Bake for 8-12 minutes until the cookie is golden brown and the edges are slightly brown. This will ensure that the sugar/molasses caramelizes on the bottom and makes a sweet crunchy crust on the bottom of the cookie.  Should make about three dozen cookies. Enjoy!

Thank you for  your generoisty and kindness in this my time of need.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

The Mars Report - September 28, 2012

Welcome back, my dear readers! I have a simply astounding The Mars Report for you, today. However, first, a little science. Now, you know that one of the major reasons that America is going to Mars is to find signs of life, right? Well, the first sign of life is find if there was/is water on Mars. This week NASA/JPL has found evidence of flowing water on Mars, and I am going to show you images of the proof.

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That takes us to our first image of the day, an ancient streambed, found by Curiosity, on the Martian surface. Below is a picture of a rock outcrop in an area named, by NASA/JPL, as "Hottah" after Hottah Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories. What you are seeing, in this image, is actually exposed bedrock. Yes, it kind of looks like broken sidewalk, but this is called a sedimentary conglomerate. It is broken bedrock mixed with other sedimentary deposits left ages ago.

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[caption id="attachment_384" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Curiosity rover found evidence for an ancient, flowing stream on Mars at a few sites, including the rock outcrop pictured here, which the science team has named "Hottah" after Hottah Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories. It may look like a broken sidewalk, but this geological feature on Mars is actually exposed bedrock made up of smaller fragments cemented together, or what geologists call a sedimentary conglomerate.[/caption]

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Our next image is the first time the 100 millimeter main Mast Camera has been used to take images of this area. This area has been dubbed Goldburn Scour and it actually the very area that was burned by the decent rockets from the Sky Crane. These are marks made, by the rocket engines, of the Sky Crane. The Sky Crane is what that lowered Curiosity down on to the Martian surface. These images are three times the resolution of any released, of this area, yet. As well, these images were the first take of the sandy conglomerate pictured above.

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[caption id="attachment_379" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This image from NASA's Curiosity Rover shows a high-resolution view of an area that is known as Goulburn Scour, a set of rocks blasted by the engines of Curiosity's descent stage on Mars. It shows a section from a mosaic of a pair of images obtained by Curiosity's 100-millimeter Mast Camera, with three times higher resolution than previously released. Details of the layer of pebbles can be seen in the close-up.[/caption]

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The next set of images compares high definition images of Martian sedimentary soil to Earth sedimentary soil. Now, this gets a little scientific here, so I am going to quote what NASA/JPL has written;

        “This set of images compares the Link outcrop of rocks on Mars (left) with similar rocks seen on Earth (right). The image of Link, obtained by NASA's Curiosity rover, shows rounded gravel fragments, or clasts, up to a couple inches (few centimeters), within the rock outcrop. Erosion of the outcrop results in gravel clasts that fall onto the ground, creating the gravel pile at left. The outcrop characteristics are consistent with a sedimentary conglomerate, or a rock that was formed by the deposition of water and is composed of many smaller rounded rocks cemented together. A typical Earth example of sedimentary conglomerate formed of gravel fragments in a stream is shown on the right.

An annotated version of the image highlights a piece of gravel that is about 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) across. It was selected as an example of coarse size and rounded shape. Rounded grains (of any size) occur by abrasion in sediment transport, by wind or water, when the grains bounce against each other. Gravel fragments are too large to be transported by wind. At this size, scientists know the rounding occurred in water transport in a stream.”

So, if I am reading this correctly, the images we are seeing from Curiosity on Mars are showing geological formations that are similar to those found on Earth. That through these images, and the comparison to Earth images, we can conclude that the same geologic forces present on Earth were (at some time) present on Mars. Hence, there was flowing water on Mars, at least right here.

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[caption id="attachment_381" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This set of images compares the Link outcrop of rocks on Mars (left) with similar rocks seen on Earth (right). The image of Link, obtained by NASA's Curiosity rover, shows rounded gravel fragments, or clasts, up to a couple inches (few centimeters), within the rock outcrop[/caption]

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In yet another first on Mars (and for us) our next image is a shot of the robotic arms making contact with a Martian rock for the very first time. One might think that this is an easy task. Anyone that has ever controlled a remote controlled plane or other device might think now big deal.However, keep in mind in this situation you only get one chance. As well, there is a seven minute delay for every action you take. In gaming, we call it lag and it can mean (in gaming) the difference between life and death. However, imagine that you are playing a game at home, and each time you moved your cursor or joystick you had to wait seven minutes before the action reached your television! Now you have an idea of how hard it is, to lock a robotic arm to a rock, safely.

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[caption id="attachment_383" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This image shows the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity with the first rock touched by an instrument on the arm. The rover's right Navigation Camera (Navcam) took this image during the 46th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Sept. 22, 2012).[/caption]

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Our next image, and the next to the last, is the close-up on the rock. This is one of the images, taken by the robotic arm, once it was in contact with the Martian rock. Geeze, this is a close-up!

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[caption id="attachment_378" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This image combines photographs taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at three different distances from the first Martian rock that NASA's Curiosity rover touched with its arm. The three exposures were taken during the 47th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Sept. 23, 2012)[/caption]

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That brings us to the last image of this edition of The Mars Report here @ The Other Shoe. Our last image of the day shows the dedication plaque on Curiosity. My fellow Pearlanders will remember the plaque that was left on the L.E.M. that took Neil Armstrong to the Moon. Now, there is a similar plaque on Curiosity. It will be there, on Mars, for the rest of time. Here it is!

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[caption id="attachment_382" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This view of Curiosity's deck shows a plaque bearing several signatures of US officials, including that of President Obama and Vice President Biden. The image was taken by the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the rover's 44th Martian day, or sol, on Mars (Sept. 19, 2012). The plaque is located on the front left side of the rover's deck.[/caption]

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That brings us to the very end of today’s The Mars Report. It is with heavy heart that I write my next words. For the past three months I have been working as hard as I can to bring you, my dear readers, stories and images from far away places and entertainment for your reading pleasure. I do have an ulterior motive, though. I am still raising money for my funding campaigns. I have yet to order my Power Chair, and just how much is in the campaign, the day it ends, dictates the type of Power Chair I get and what I get to add to the power chair (i.e., cane holder, backpack for carrying medications and documentation… a cup holder…). As well, I have not mentioned it before, but Indiegogo will be taking 6% of all contributions.

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Last, Daniel’s Moving Assistance Fund is doing poorly. Now, let me be frank, I am thrilled with the outpouring of generosity and support. However, the success of this campaign dictates if I get to move, or remain in a building of less desirable(s) whom, their drug dealing friends, they know I had kicked out of the building. I am not asking to be moved from a place with an elevator for my power chair and building security. The place I am living in, I will only be able to usemy power chair if my caregiver is here! Yes, it is freedom and mobility I haven’t had in years and years…  but is it truly freedom if I can’t get in my power chair, get on an elevator and go outside alone and get some fresh air? I will leave it up to you, my dear readers.

Please, take a moment… and help me… help myself.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

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Power Chair Assistance Fund - UPDATE

Do any of you remember when I wrote the President about my Power Chair problem? It was July 25^th when my letter was received @ The White House. Well, guess what?

I just NOW got a call from: Health and Human Services (H.H.S.) overseeing Medicare. Well, actually I got a call from Merle AT H.H.S. today. SHE WAS SO NICE TO ME!

Ok, be a skeptic… tell me how because they are sitting there with a letter from the White House… forwarded by one of his assistants… how they wouldn’t dare to not be nice to me… Horsefeathers. Merle didn’t have to listen to the whole story. Merle didn’t have to talk with me and ask questions and actuallytake ownership of the problem… BUT Merle DID! It is so refreshing to see government work. Seems now; I am going to get a follow-up call from the person in the office most familiar with the P.M.D. benefit AND there is going to be ‘questions asked’ of the two vendors that refused to help me in the first place. GOOD!Merle was bothered by the fact that one vendor had; Radiology reports, Physical Therapy reports, MRI reports, MRI scan images, an complete physical with me (video taped, too), an entire hourwith my doctor and, yet, still refused to provide me with the prescribed mobility device.

This is GREAT news. No, it will not result in me getting my power chair. I know… this is my life. When I was fired from my last job, did I get the benefit of the Department of Labor Investigation? Nope. BUT, every employee of Domino Realty NOW is covered by F.M.L.A. So, all those people DID benefit from my efforts. Same here, will I get my power chair? Not bloody likely. However, people behind me that go to get a power chair, they will have an easier time than I. Loverly.

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Thank you for your geneoristy and kindness in this, my time of need!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

Daniel's YouTube Video Campaign Statistics

I was just doing some evaluation of; my blogs, my funding campaigns and YouTube videos. My blogs are getting improving traffic, and people are spending more and more time reading. My funding campaings... make me gravely depressed. Last, my YouTube videos are getting a ton of traffic. Between the top three videos? I now have over 1,500 views, and I guess that is a 'Good Thing'. Yet, for the life of me I have yet to see a corellation between YouTube video views and donations to my campaigns. See, that is the only reason I had for making the videos, to drive traffic to the funding campaign @ Indiegogo for donations. There really isn't a good reason for me to do videos otherwise.

Here is the first chart I have for the #1 video, of mine. This is the video introducing the Moving Assistance Fund @ Indiegogo. There were 882 views in the past thrity days. Of those 882 viewers 69.1% were male and 30.9% were female. See the image below:

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[caption id="attachment_372" align="aligncenter" width="300"] YouTube Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund Video Traffic Report Page One This shows the number of visits and the top countries of origin.[/caption]

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Our next image shows the age breakdown of my viewers. Unfortunately for me, most of my viewers are between 13 and 17 years of age. That really doesn't help me at all. Young people of that age generally do not make, or have the ability to make, charitable contributions. The majority of viewers are from America. However, just behind American viewers are 157 viewers from the United Kingdom. I am pretty happy that I am getting exposure in England. Now, if I could just get a contribution, from England, then THAT would be something to write about, eh?

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[caption id="attachment_373" align="aligncenter" width="300"] YouTube-DMAF Video Stats by Demographics of Age and Gender[/caption]

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Now, the last iamge for today is all about where my viewers live. Just now I stated that the United Kingdom was second in views after America. However, I look at this breakdown and see that India is actually second, and the U.K. is third. Don't know why the previous page was wrong, but this is Google and it IS a free service. So, as you can see, the order of nations by views is; United States, India, England, South Korea then Japan. I am still pretty stoked that I am getting views in South Korea and Japan. I have some internet friends in Asia, and it would be a gas if I ever got to visit them and they had seen my videos!

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[caption id="attachment_374" align="aligncenter" width="300"] YouTube-DMAF Video Stats by Location[/caption]

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Well, that brings us to the end of this short but informative article. I hope that you got a smile and maybe a laugh, and hope to see you here again soon!

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Thank you for all your generosity and kindness in this, my time of need.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

P.S. This statistic refers to 'The Other Shoe' @ Blog.com (http://theothershoe.blog.com/)

100 Articles and 1,000 Views = Today @ The Other Shoe

As I have announced, late last week, ‘The Other Shoe’ published the 100^th article since I began in March 2010. I am very proud of this accomplishment, and working hard to make sure this is just the first one hundred articles @ 'The Other Shoe'. Since the seventh grade, I have dreamed of being a writer. I often dreamed of writing for and being an editor for a magazine. I simply adore magazines and have since childhood. I mean, really, what young American boy/girl didn’t just love; Life magazine, Look magazine, and Time magazine. They were always on the coffee table in our home, and I loved the glossy pictures and wonderful articles. When I wasn’t holed up in my room, reading books, I had my head buried in a magazine.

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For me, 'The Other Shoe', is the culmination of a life-long dream. lol Imagine that, while I was on stage performing the many plays at Pearland High I was dreaming of being the owner of a magazine (and writer, and editor). Bet you guys didn't know that about Danny. So, this week I published my 100^th article, here at 'The Other Shoe' (I have written for three other web sites previously) and I just discovered that The Other Shoe has now reached the lofty goal of 1,000 page views in just one month. That is correct, in just thirty days; readers @ The Other Shoe have viewed one thousand pages. I am stoked!

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[caption id="attachment_364" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This is a image of the Google Analytics page showing; One Thousand Page Views @ The Other Shoe[/caption]

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In just the last week two real and substantial goals have been meet @ 'The Other Shoe', and both happened without me knowing first. So busy I am with Daniel’s Moving Assistance Fund @ Indiegogo (http://www.indiegogo.com/DannyHanning), Daniel’s Power Chair Assistance Fund @ Indiegogo (http://www.indiegogo.com/DanielHanning) [Yes, I have revived the original campaign in an effort to raise the money I need any way I can. I am getting quite desperate, you see.], and both 'The Other Shoe' blogs that I did not even see these goals approaching! What a pleasant surprise, for me. I try to spend, about, two to four hours each and every day working/writing/promoting. Yet, I keep falling short…

Nevertheless, I really wanted to share with you, my dear readers, the milestones that 'The Other Shoe' reached, this week, this is an accomplishment that I could have never achieved with you! I am happy to share this news with you, and overjoyed that we made it here, together.

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“Thank you, my dear readers. Thank you for reading, and being here @ The Other Shoe.”

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Thank you for your generosity and kindness in this, my time of need.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]
P.S. This statistic refers to 'The Other Shoe' @ Blog.com (http://theothershoe.blog.com/)

The Problem with Mitt!

We all have been watching. We all have seen it happen, time and again. We all can feel it, and those of you that are Republicans? I know that it has Republicans concerned. If it doesn’t have you concerned you must not be paying attention. Most recently, we witnessed the horrific comment Mitt made just after he found out that the American Embassy in Libya was attacked. Never in my life have I seen a Presidential contender, more quickly, throw away hundreds of years of Presidential etiquette for (what he thought would be) momentary political gain.

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Four Americans were murdered, and before he (or anyone) had all the facts (of course, I was already posting on threads that the attacks were made by Egyptian para-military and unrelated to the video) Mitt went out in front of cameras and did the unthinkable. Mitt tried to use American blood to lubricate the wheels of his faltering campaign. As Americans? We can all be very happy; we Americans, that tactic failed, or we would be living in a political system devoid of soul.

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Now, there is a great deal of hubbub in the Republican Party. Just this week Peggy Noonan wrote an article, for the Wall Street Journal that (I thought) hit the nail on the head, about what is wrong with Mitt’s campaign, but put her in very hot water with her party.

“"The pendulum has swung toward Obama." Mitt Romney has "a damaged political persona." He is running behind in key states like Ohio and Virginia and, to a lesser extent, Florida. The president is reversing the decline that began with his "You didn't build that" comment. For three weeks he's been on a roll. The wind's at his (President Obama’s) back”

(From: http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html)

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I just watched ‘Face the Nation’, where Peggy not only defended her remarks (quite well, I might add) but went even further.

““There was a lot of formal, official and public blowback from the Romney campaign, Romney surrogates, et cetera,” said Noonan. “What was interesting to me was that privately the constant communication I got was, ‘Thank you for saying that.’”

“They need help at the Romney campaign,” Noonan continued. “They need to be woken up. They need to raise their game.”” (FROM: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/peggy-noonan-claims-republicans-privately-thanked-her-for-slamming-the-romney-campaign/)

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Therefore, for those that would defend Mitt Romney, and by extension his campaign at this point, you are in an ever-shrinking circle of blind supporters. The Romney campaign is off rails, and there is no more denying the truth. However, that is not just what I want to talk about today. What I want to do is break news!

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Peggy Noonan, and her fellow panelists @ ‘Face the Nation’, were correct. Romney’s campaign needs “An Old Hand” at the helm of his campaign. So far, Mitt has run the campaign himself with dire results. He has run it like a business, and politics is not business (and neither is governance, but I am getting ahead of myself). In business you put money ahead of personal exposure, correct? This past month Romney has made few PUBLIC appearances and focused on fund raising. Mitt was putting the dollar ahead of the person, just like in business. (Unfortunately for Mitt, here in America we electPEOPLE and not wealth, i.e. Meg Whitman in California spent $132 Million and LOST to aged Jerry Brown!)

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Therefore, Mitt has been running his campaign like a business (hence, we can expect the same dynamic if he were to govern) and the results have been disastrous. Now for my perception and I didn’t steal this idea nor have I heard this in print, yet. Starting about September 12^th, 2012 Mitt Romney began his debate preparations for the Presidential Debates. These preparations have stopped in order for Mitt and Paul to go ‘On the Road’ in Ohio, next week.

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This swing, through Ohio, should take Mitt right up to the day before the first Presidential Debate. Just like a business, he is reacting to the criticism of his campaign and dropping his debate preparation to “hit the road” just like Conservative pundits have written he should do, right now.  Just like a business, leaving behind conventional wisdom of hundreds of years of campaigning, to follow some ‘business plan’ for election.

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Mitt will have left his debate preparations, early, and have been campaigning right up until it is time for him to step on stage to debate President Obama. This will be the execution of a  brilliant business strategy, but extremely poor politics, on the part of Mitt Romney. Someone experienced at national politics would counsel that you should be in debate preparations right up to the time you debate. Debating, for those of you that have never really done any debating, is a particular frame of mind. You have to be mentally nimble, and ready to shift topics quickly. You have to be apprised of the most recent news in national and international affairs, and you have to be mentally ready.

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When Mitt steps up on that stage, to debate President Obama, he will have spent the last two weeks; shaking hands, kissing babies, and telling the faithful what they want to hear. His head will be in campaign mode and not of the mind to debate. Mark my words, my dear readers, and mark them well; this business attitude about political campaigns will bite Mitt in the butt on national television. You will be able to see, in Mitt, the wrong dynamic. You will see Mitt campaignfrom behind a debate lecturen.

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This will give the advantage to President Obama, and an opening that could well cement the course of the remaining election. All this will transpire simply because Mitt used business timing (and methodology) not political timing (and methodology) in a political campaign. Moreover, this is just the beginning, my fellow Americans. This is what I have been trying to write about, for the past three years. I have born witness to a portion of America fervently support the extension of business practices in GOVERNANCE. I just can’t even begin to tell you, just how ignorant that idea really is in the real world. Oh, wait… I just did!

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 Thank you for all your generosity and support, in this my time of need. 

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]
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Part Two - Late Spetember Update - Video

Part Two - Late Spetember Update

For everyone that tuned in and watched my video update, yesterday, I have finished the video today. I had some difficulties at the end of the video yesterday that prevented me from finishing. I have taken the time, this morning, to finish what I had to say. Please, check it out and ‘Share’.

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As I explain, in this second half of the update, my condition is taking spontaneity from my life, to a certain extent. Example, yesterday I was shooting the video and all was going well when I suddenly had problems breathing. This is happening, now, due to the pressure on my spinal cord. This is not uncommon in cervical spinal cord stenosis, just really unwelcome.

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Therefore, I have made this second part of the September update and it is right here for your viewing. As I ask, in the video, any ‘Likes’ and ‘Shares’ by you, dear reader/supporter, are greatly appreciated and help me in reaching a larger audience.

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The Moving Assistance Funding campaign is just @ $300. Whereas I greatly appreciate any and all contributions, I am concerned. Concerned that I am not:

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1. 
   

   Providing adequate content to merit your support

   
   


2. 
   

   Providing adequate motivation or justification for your support.

   
   


3. 
   

   Properly communicating my need

   
   

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Any input you might have on what I am doing wrong and what I can do better or right, let me know. I have added ‘Perks’ for the $10 and $20 level of contributions, and have seen no takers. I am still working diligently to reach any media outlet with my cause(s), to no avail. I am doing my best to not let this tepid response to dampen my spirits. But, I do still require your assistance and support.

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Please, enjoy today’s video and drop me a line if you have any ideas.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/_yGtnyTyTlQ]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]
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The Mars Report - September 21, 2012

September 21, 2012

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An incredible ‘Mars Report’ I have for you, today. We have the regular updates on Curiosity’s Martian travels, and another ‘self-portrait’ by Curiosity (in unique circumstances, through) and a closing shot that is just incredible. I have been absent, for the past five days, and for that I apologize. My condition has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and I have been working to find some amount of comfort with these changes. I promise, I am ‘back’ and will redouble my efforts to keep you informed and entertained.

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Now, for our first image of this ‘Mars Report’ maps the movement of Curiosity since it landed on Mars. We can see where Curiosity started in ‘Bradbury Landing’ and is headed toward ‘Glenelg’. The numbers, in the image, are the Sol ‘days’ of Curiosity’s Martian adventure. Curiosity arrived on the 16^th day, since launch, and is now stopped in its 42^ndday.

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[caption id="attachment_340" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Curiosity's Martian Journey So Far[/caption]

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Our next image is a panoramic of the Glenelg area that Curiosity’s destination. If you look very closely (at the larger image, when you click on the image) you can ‘see’ the reason NASA/JPL have Curiosity headed to this area. Note the large dark bands in the rock face in this area. They are looking to see if these ‘bands’ are made up of volcanic rock. If these bands are volcanic rock this would be a great place to start to ‘date’ the volcanic incident and maybe gain insight as to ‘where’ the Martian water (and atmosphere) went at the end of Mars’s life.

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[caption id="attachment_343" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A Panoramic View of Glenelg, Curiosity's Current Goal[/caption]

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Here is the most recent shot, from Curiosity on Mars. This is an unusual rock that Curiosity has stumbled upon. “The rock is about 10 inches (25 centimeters) tall and 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide. The rover team has assessed it as a suitable target for the first use of Curiosity's contact instruments on a rock. The image was taken by the left Navigation camera (Navcam) at the end of the drive.”  As quoted from the J.P.L. web site. I don’t usually ‘do’ that, but I thought they had explained about the rock just about as well as anyone could!

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[caption id="attachment_341" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Curious Rock found by Curiosity[/caption]

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Wow, this next image gives us some idea of the conditions Curiosity is dealing with on its Martian adventure. This is a ‘self-portrait’ of the mast cam, during a sand storm on Mars. This was a particularly bad sand storm and NASA/JPL wanted to see how the mast cam faired in these conditions. It seems that the mast cam is going to weather the Martian storms in stride.

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[caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Curiosity Self-Portrait in Sand Storm[/caption]

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Our next to the last shot is of the underside of Curiosity. This is done, periodically, to check on the status of the rover. To see if any objects have attached themselves to Curiosity and to make sure that there is no leakage or damage. I just like seeing the underside of the rover, and we can see ALL the larger wheels in this shot.

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[caption id="attachment_338" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Another Unique Image of the Underside of Curiosity[/caption]

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Now for the last image of this issue of ‘The Mars Report’ and the best image I could find. This is an enhanced color image of dunes trapped in an impact crater in Noachis Terra, Mars. This image was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This mission to Mars is unique in many ways. However, the fact that we have three orbiting platforms active while Curiosity is roving the Martian terrain makes this mission once in a lifetime. We can see areas and objects on the Martian surface, from orbital platforms, then approach and investigate the same features via Curiosity. This is an incredible time, in non-manned space exploration and thereason I am spending all this time writing about Mars and Curiosity. Enjoy!

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[caption id="attachment_342" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dunes in Noachis Terra Region of Mars[/caption]

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That brings us to the end of this 'The Mars Report'. I hope that you have enjoyed your time here @ The Other Shoe, and that you will find your way back here, soon. I greatly appreciate your 'Sharing' and 'Liking' my articles and stories. You doing that, sharing my work with your friends, helps me reach a larger audiance and improves my chances of meeting my goals.

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Thank you for your generosity and kindness in this my time of need.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]
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100 Articles @ The Other Shoe and Counting!

Today, September 21, 2012, The Other Shoe has reached the lofty goal of publishing ONE HUNDRED articles! That is correct, since I started The Other Shoe in March 2010, I have written and published 100 articles. If I were a television sitcom or drama, I would be looking @ syndication. When I started The Other Shoe I had no idea that two years later I would have written and published one hundred articles for my dearest readers, but here we are.

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Looking back, I can see that The Other Shoe has been here through the health care debates and the end of military action in Iraq. I have written; political works, comical works, historical works and (most recently) the synopsis of my life. The Other Shoestarted out to be a voice of reason and facts in an ocean of falsehoods and vitriol. That was my goal that was my motivation.

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[caption id="attachment_327" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Other Shoe - Original Site Design from March 2010[/caption]

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Medical circumstances have, kind of, high jacked The Other Shoe. When I started I had imagined that in September of 2012 I would be posting, everyday, political articles and supporting the truth in politics. From the very beginning I have not wanted to be partisan. I was a ‘Reagan-Democrat’ and know all too well that no single party has ‘cornered the market’ on what is best for our nation. I understood that if I sought to share truth and ‘out’ lies and deception, that would be the best thing I could do for my country.

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Things change. “The best laid plans of mice and men…” or, another one I heard today; “If you want to see God in action, make plans.” Aye, there is ‘The Other Shoe’!

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I want to thank everyone that is reading this, today. I want to thank everyone that has ever visited my blog or liked an article. Because if it were not for YOU?  Why, I would just be talking to myself! I don’t need to exacerbate my pain; writing, editing (the best I can, of my own work), publishing and promoting my work and this blog just to hear the sound of my own voice. Right now, today, I keep working and keep pushing the limits of me bearing pain for one reason. HELP

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[caption id="attachment_328" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Other Shoe August ReVamp[/caption]

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I understand, today better than any other time, which I have reached out and asked for assistance at the single worst time in recent American history. This is the absolute worst possible time to reach out to my fellow Americans and ask for their assistance. Yet, you (my readers, supporters, funders and friends and family) have beaten the odds, dug deep and given me the resources I need for my mobility. For that, I am forever in your debt and those are not just words spoken without thinking. From the very first day, I was overwhelmed by the generosity I received. I was in a state of grace, and knew.

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Now you might understand the shame I felt when I realized I made a terrible mistake. So focused on the mobility device I stupidly overlooked the ‘how’ of my situation. Yes, I will now have a mobility device in my home and in my home I will use it as much as I can but in my home it will stay. It will stay, in my home, because of the overlooked ‘how’. How will Danny get a 200-300 pound ‘Power Chair’ down a flight of concrete steps that separates my residence from the rest of the world? How stupid can one man be?  

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At first I tired to ‘extend’ the parameters of Daniel’s Power Chair Assistance Fund (and why not, it was a huge success), but that dog won’t hunt. I received strong and adamant backlash from people whom I hold great respect. Still, I desperately tried to extend the success of the first campaign and met with failure. I received a private comment that I should start another funding campaign “just for the moving expenses”. I initially resisted this idea. I was seriously concerned with ‘appearances’.

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[caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Other Shoe 8-17-12[/caption]

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I didn’t want to appear as some internet panhandler, which was/is my greatest fear. This is the very moment when The Other Shoe stopped being a political blog and became the ‘Home’ of ‘The Story of Daniel’ and both my Indiegogo funding campaigns. I decided that I would do my level best to write, inform, and entertain and that in so doing I was providing a service. That my requests for assistance, coupled with my regular efforts @ The Other Shoe, were an equitable exchange. I thought I had found a way out of my shame.

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I don’t know, right now. Yes, I am discouraged. However, right now is a time for celebration and accolades. I am extremely happy to have posted my 100^th article @ The Other Shoe (@ blog.com, the Word-Press blog is @ 20) and I am proud of myself. Through all the pain, through all the self-doubt, through all the naysayers and doubters I have prevailed.

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[caption id="attachment_330" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Other shoe 8-18-12 the very last design, before our current. This design is slated to reappear in October. There will be a 'Harvest' theme for November and a Christmas theme from the Holidays.[/caption]

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It was via my work on this blog that my words reached around the globe. On July 31^st, 2011 these words were spoken on ‘Face the Nation’ (and they were MINE!)

        “Why are Republicans ALLOWING ‘Freshman’ Congressmen CONTROL this debate? They are the LEAST experienced members of Congress and know the LEAST about real governance. It is like letting teenagers control the family budget.”

(Found here: http://theothershoe.blog.com/2011/07/danny-hanning-quoted-on-face-the-nation/)

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Bob Shieffer asked this, my question, of Senator Mitch McConnell on Face the Nation! It was one of the greatest days of my life, and I think of it often.  

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However, if it had not been for the work I was doing here @ The Other Shoe I am certain those words would not have formed in my mind on that day. The mental political exercise I experienced @ The Other Shoe honed my ability with words so that I might make the statement Mr. Shieffer asked of Senator McConnell.

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On this, the anniversary of the 100^th article, I reflect on one of my greatest moments in political writing. Thank you for being part.

P.S. The "100 Articles" is @ the Other 'The Other Shoe' @ http://theothershoe.blog.com/

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

 

 

Late September Update - Danny's Personal Video

Late September Update

Danny's Personal Video

I shot this video, today. I have been wanting to start recording videos, again, but my pain has been such that it is not feasible for me to get moved from bed and get everything set up. It actually takes me about an hour to get set up to make one video, unscripted. If I am shooting something scripted, like say 'The Story of Daniel' that time frame extends to several hours.

I have made a promise, to all of my dear readers, a promise of unfiltered honesty and truth. For the past several weeks I have been in new and much more pronounced pain. It started the end of July, and it has taken me until the first part of this month to admit to these new pains and communicate them to my care giver and my doctor. I will outline these new pains and difficulties in an article later today. I hope to make a video so that I can better communicate my pain and difficulties.

Now, on to the video I have prepared for you, today. This is an honest and frank video, that comes to an abrupt end. I started having significant pain, and had to cut the video short. I apologize, and will work to continue this update, later this week or over the weekend. I hope that you enjoy this video update.

Thank you. Danny

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 [youtube=http://youtu.be/-1YEIe_Rklg]

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Thank you for your generosity and kindness in my time of need.  .

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

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The Greatest Day of Danny's Life - The Story Of Daniel Special Episode

The Greatest Day of Danny's Life

The Story Of Daniel Special Episode

[caption id="attachment_292" align="aligncenter" width="204"] The Father Under The Mission Cross[/caption]

So, I have been intending to write this episode for the longest time but just couldn't seem to get 'round to it. Now, I have. The year was 1981, the place San Diego California. The glorious human beings involved? Rebecca Lynn Segers, the love of my life, the shine in my eyes, the muse of my life and apple of my eye. Daniel Louis Hanning, that would be me. Joseph E. Tilbury, Best Friend, Senior Trip to Colorado Buddy, and Best Man. Last, but certainly not least, Julie Tilbury (though, at that point it was Alf), Best Friend to Becky and Very Close friend to me and Bride’s Maid to Becky. There was Becky’s father, Joe Segers, and her Mother Gale Segers, and a BUNCH of friends/residents of the building that Becky and I managed and lived in off of University and 44^th street in San Diego.

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[caption id="attachment_291" align="aligncenter" width="204"] Becky Wedding Day[/caption]

(Rebecca Lynn Segers About To Become Mrs. Becky Hanning)

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Oh, it was a brilliant time in my life, in Becky’s life, in our life together. IF, when you die, you can pick where you spend the rest of your life? THIS this time, right here, right now this is where I would choose to spend eternity. And, Becky would too. We were so deeply in love, and so deeply tied together. We would spend hour upon hour talking aboutbooks and plays and all forms of literature. This, was a first my dear readers. For the very first time in my life, I was in-love with someone like me. Someone who loved  books and loved to read books and a great afternoon would be snow outside, a fire roaring in the fireplace, a great comfy couch, a couple of big dogs, and a stack of books and each other. All but the two dogs (Becky and I only ever had one dog at a time), and Becky and I had lived that dream, in Colorado.

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[caption id="attachment_293" align="aligncenter" width="203"] Becky and Danny At Dusk @ The Old Mission Cross[/caption]

(With the sun setting to my right, Becky Stands Before Me)

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We had not moved to Colorado, yet, when this picture was taken. I remember this day as if it were yesterday. Joe and Julie had arrived the day before, and spent the night in our apartment in San Diego. Becky’s parents had, surprisingly,showed up for the wedding. Becky’s Mother, simply put, hated me. Becky had graduated summa cum laude from her old sorority @ University of Arkansas and Becky was to follow her footsteps and marry a good doctor or lawyer… like she did… and hated every day of it… and he (I would soon find out) hated his life with his wife (Becky’s Mother). So, the ‘Danny Hating In-Laws’ had arrived in town, just the same afternoon as Joe and Julie and our wedding was on the morrow. To be followed with a trip to the San Diego Zoo, the day after the wedding.

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[caption id="attachment_294" align="aligncenter" width="204"] Proudly Standing With Becky In Front Of Family Firends and God[/caption]

(Me, with Becky Standing Before Me and Our Friends and Family)

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Now, back to the day of the wedding and the single most brilliant day of my life, and Becky’s. The morning started with Joe and Julie, Becky and I all trying to get in and out of the shower before the limo got there to take us to the site. The four of us had done some celebrating the night before, and we were all a little blurry. I remember that I let Becky go before me, so that I ended up being the last person out of the shower and dressed.

The wedding was being done on a shoestring budget. Becky and I were both working, but I had taken some time off to deal with a medical problem that had recently reared its ugly head. (More of that later) Now, the limo was being provided by a nice lady couple upstairs over the laundry room. One of the women worked with a limo service, and managed to get the limo for us to use, free for the day. It wasn’t a new one, and it wasn’t in perfect condition. Regardless, Becky and I were thrilled not to have to drive our beat up car to our wedding.

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[caption id="attachment_295" align="aligncenter" width="204"] Rebecca Lynn Looking Her Finest and Melting My Heart[/caption]

(I Am One Lucky SOB)

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The reception was being held by the nice guys that lived together across from the really nice lady couple. Yes, of this eight unit building, Becky and I were only two of the six straight people living in the building. It was totally cool, it was 1981 and everything was cool! Thing of it was, they were great people. They didn’t have to help us out. They didn’t have to, they wanted too!

They saw a lovely young couple wanting to plan to spend the rest of their lives together, and they genuinely wanted to be a part of the beginning of that union. Becky and I were touched by their generosity and kindness, and it help make that day all that more magical. WE, Becky and I, rode together in the back of the limo together.

As soon as the doors closed, Becky and I flashed on the same first thought;

“This is the first time we have been alone in two days.. How are you?”

Instead of speaking, we both just giggled like schoolchildren and began wondering at our clothes and the inside of the limo. We both were in such a state of grace; we were filled with love and hope for the future. We hold hands, gaze silently into each other’s eyes. Becky had such incredible blue eyes, bright like the sky and deep as the darkest depths of the ocean. In her eyes I saw love. I saw her love for me, and I saw my love for her; they were both intertwined in our hearts and our eyes. At that moment, in that instant, Becky and I were the closest to what either of us had ever been taught or imagined as/was happily in-love with another human being intent on spending a lifetime with, and for.

We talked, in the rear of that limo, of dreams of lifetimes and aspirations of our lives. We shared our fears and mutual trepidation, and we met fates to face them together. We held each other, and watched as the scenery changed and our lives with it. As we pulled into Old Town I turned to Becky and said, in my softest kindest voice;

“Becky, I will never been unfaithful. Fidelity is my motto, to you.” 

For every day, and every hour of every year, of the time I spent with my Becky dear. I kept that pledge, I kept it true.

When we got to the site; and oh what a wonderful site, too. When we got there, everyone had already arrived and the friends and family had positioned themselves around the base of the cross.

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[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Becky, Joe Segers, Julie Tilbury and the Friends all along behind us[/caption]

(Becky with Joe Behind and Julie Beside Her)

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We were getting married in the most beautiful place Becky and I knew of in San Diego. In San Diego there is the Old Town, where the sity started out at the base of a mission. On the grounds of the mission, and overlooking Mission Bay, is a huge cross. I mean it is a magnificent brick and mortar cross that stands, easily, thirty feet. It is dusk, and the sun is falling rapidly out of the South California sky. We all get into place, and the priest begins the  ceremony with us taking communion. As he holds the sacrament above him, it covers the falling sun. When he breaks the sacrament, the sun bursts through the division and washes over the crowd. An audible gasp ripples through the loved ones gathered.

Have I failed to mention? When we pulled up, I handed a cassette to our friend, the limo driver, and asked her to please play the music qued loud. I had just handed her a tape qued to Beethoven’s ‘Ode To Joy”! As Becky and I are married the single most moving piece of human music plays in the background.

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[caption id="attachment_292" align="aligncenter" width="204"] The Father Under The Mission Cross[/caption]

(The Brick Cross At Mission Bay)

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Something special is happening. It is not an expensive wedding, the way that Becky (and her Mom) had imagined but something magical was happening and everyone was feeling the magic. As the priest spoke the words of the union, he came to Becky to speak her oath. Becky spoke so clearly. Becky spoke without hesitation, and with deep conviction and fidelity. It as moving, not just for me but for everyone gathered. Then it came time for Danny’s oath.

I remember this so clearly, as though it happen just last night. The priest turns to me, and I turn slightly towards him without letting go of Becky’s hands. He finishes and it is time for me to repeat. I turn back, towards Becky, and in my clearest sharpest voice I speak the words of union directly to her heart. I feel a tear begin to form in my left eye, of course, in the eye closest the crowd.

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[caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A Magical Time On A Magical Day With The Woman I Loved[/caption]

(Now Moving Into A New Life As Man And Wife)

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The priest begins the last stanza I am to repeat. I turn away from him, and to Becky. Again, I speak with clarity and force, then I falter. Tears are rolling down my cheeks, and there is a catch in my voice. Here I am, an seasoned actor and I can’t keep my emotion from overtaking me. I go to finish and my voice breaks, not since I was a freshman had my voice broken, yet today it does. I speak the last of my oath of fidelity to Becky and we stand there smiling hugely at each other. As the priest is pronouncing us “Husband and Wife” the crowd breaks out in to spontaneous laughter and applause. And the coral voices of ‘The Ode to Joy’ ring out  behind us! We run away as they throw rice on the four of us, and Becky and I reenter the limo now man and wife.

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[caption id="attachment_299" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A Magical Day, In A Magical Time[/caption]

(Looking At That Image Makes My Heart Ache)

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With each passing week I come to you and share. And, each week I say to you "that was the hardest thing I have ever shared...". Again, the next week I do the same. I have not reached into this place, for nearly a generation. Becky and I divorced, in Colorado, in 1986. Five incredible years of my life I would not trade for twenty. I lived in the most fantastic place, I have been to so far, in America to live. I experienced "White Christmas(s)' and being 'snowed In' with Becky for days with noting... nothing to do. Days and nights of passion and never-ending love. We felt we were tied on a deeper level, our love for books and literature gave us something special.

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[caption id="attachment_315" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A Toast To Seal Two Lives[/caption]

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Well, dear reader, we were right. We did have something special. It was not just special to us, it was not just 'Once in a Life Time' this was a love that came not often in life. We saw the world through same eyes, and knew the other's thoughts without speaking. Then, it all changed.

Thank you for your generosity and kindness!  

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

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what are you doing, looking down here???

Here's a fact, little know. These stories, that I share for free... they are but the bones of the body of work that is my life... It is a story that longs for life... Will you help me bring my story to life ? Just click... and give... I will do all the rest, and a story will be told that will fill your heart.

Daniel

The Greatest Story Ever Told - Teaser

It is 2:30AM in sunny southern California. My pain refuses to let me sleep… so I write. Late at night… or in the early hours of the morning everything is so still… you can go places, both present and past… Tonight, I went a place I

thought was gone forever… nothing ever dies… I went to a place… a time… a person that brought me great happiness… then great pain… Tonight has been a dark journey through time… and pain… But, now, as was then at the end of all darkness is light of another day… another day, in a different time. In just one night I have made a journey of a lifetime, and want to share it with you. If you dare venture, where I have tonight. Join me @ The Other Shoe on Saturday and I will tell you a tale, show you a love, and share of my life.

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[caption id="attachment_299" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A Magical Day, In A Magical Time[/caption]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

The Mars Report - September 15, 2012

The Mars Report

September 15, 2012

Welcome back, my groovy readers! I know that ‘The Mars Report’ is becoming a thrice-weekly affair, and I know that you are really loving it. ;-) I keep going to pick up images, and they just keep having new material each day that I go! Therefore, I dig through everything that they have, ready, and bring the best to YOU! Remember, you can always show your appreciation for my work… by making a donation. Just click the image at the end of this (or any other) piece. You will be helping me move to a safe apartment, and in a building that will accommodate my new home a powered wheelchair. [You have no idea just how happy this makes me. I always did imagine being in a wheel chair @ 55… groovy!]

Our first image of the day is of small spherical objects that fill the field in this mosaic combining four images from the Microscopic Imager on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The view covers an area about 2.4 inches (6 centimeters) across, at an outcrop called "Kirkwood" in the Cape York segment of the western rim of Endeavour Crater. The individual spherules are up to about one-eighth inch (3 millimeters) in diameter.

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[caption id="attachment_280" align="aligncenter" width="292"] Small spherical objects that fill the field in this mosaic combining four images from the Microscopic Imager on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity[/caption]

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Now we will see, in our next image, just how they keep the cameras in focus and calibrated. In order to bring us back such fantastic images time after time. This is also the image that I mentioned takes us back to our last issue of ‘The Mars Report’. Do you, my dear readers, remember the 1909 penny on Curiosity? Well, now we get to see where that penny is and how it figures into the calibration system for the cameras on Curiosity!

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[caption id="attachment_278" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Well, now we get to see where that penny is and how it figures into the calibration system for the cameras on Curiosity![/caption]

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OK, now we have seen some of the smallest objects ever photographed on Mars, and then we caught up with our 1909 penny on Curiosity. We now move in a totally different direction, under! That’s right, in order to orient yourself to our next image you have to know we are going under Curiosity! Yes, it is quite a different take on our Martian rover, Curiosity. This shot takes us under the rover, and looking at the undercarriage of Curiosity.

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[caption id="attachment_281" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Under Carriage Curiosity -- A Shot From Down Under Curiosity![/caption]

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And, another image from ‘down under’…

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[caption id="attachment_277" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Best Shot From Under Curiosity I Have Seen So Far[/caption]

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The next to the last shot, for today, is more of the promised (by me, and NASA) Three-Decisional images from the multi-exposure and angle camera on the mast of Curiosity. Bummer is? I found my 3D glasses, but they are ‘Red/Green’ and NASA is using the ‘Red/Blue’ system. Going to have to find some ‘Red/Blue’ 3-D glasses, somewhere, so I can check these bad boys out!

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[caption id="attachment_276" align="aligncenter" width="274"] 3D Taget Image Curiosity - However, you will need Red/Blue 3-D Glasses to see this image from Mars properly.[/caption]

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Our last image of the day, is my personal favorite. This is a shot of the discarded heat shield from the craft that brought Curiosity 227 million kilometers from Earth to Mars. The depth of this image, the clarity of the high-definition gives me the feeling of height so much it almost triggers my acrophobia.

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[caption id="attachment_279" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This Is the Heat Shield from the space craft that brought Curiosity 227 million kilometers and now lays on Mars.[/caption]

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That brings us, again, to the end of this issue of The Mars Report. Thank you, my dear readers, for joining me, again, here at The Other Shoe. You, readers, are the reason I do this. You are the reason I rise in the morning, and sleep in the night. Thank you, thank you for a purpose to this dark life and broken body. Thank You!

 

 

Thank you for all your generosity and kindness.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]

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