Congratulations President O'Bama !

The United States of America won last night as Barack O'Bama was elected the 44th President of The United States of America.This was an exceptionally joyous night for many ! By nightfall, O'Bama had won 349 electoral votes to Mc Cain's 162. John Mc Cain's concession speech was
one of the best that this ole hoboclown had ever heard. Yes, John Mc Cain was presidential at that moment as well and the United States won in that spirit of solidarity!
On the way in to work today, I saw a sign that said it all, " Renew,Rebuild,
Rejoice " .I don't know the author of that quotation but somehow I believe it is connected to the " change" that the USA electorate voted for.
What a couple of weeks in Philadelphia, PA, USA : The Phillies won the World Series on a busy Halloween while the very next day, Christmas music was already playing on the radio and last night Barack O'Bama becomes the first Black President of The United States of America .The blitz almost leaves me speechless !

Congratulation Phillies !

What a party! The Phillies won the World Series and the Fans painted the town Red. What a sight.So many people,it took the ole clown two hours to get back to his cave from downtown Philadelphia ! Way to go Philadelphia Phillies !!

The Child Support Movie (A Sneak Peek)

As a fictional hoboclown detective,I stumbled into a gathering of sorts when my alter-ego,Norm Johnson, auditioned for the role of Fred in The
Child-Support Movie (A Sneak Peek).
Philadelphia, PA,USA, film maker,Ngozi Thomas, had little idea that Norm had a hoboclown detective inside him who could not resist the puzzling question as to why actors,actresses,production crew and other talented resource people would volunteer to help Ngozi Thomas win out with a successful production on such a controversial subject.
Perhaps it was not the subject at all.Maybe it was just the gathering
of kindred souls.Maybe it was the awareness that somehow today's
children need support more than ever!But what is "child support" ?
Writer,producer,director, Ngozi Thomas, offered some creative evidence that "child support" is multi-dimensional ! That's just what I needed-
a fresh trail of inquiry in trying to unravel another mystery of human
behavior and frailty.Since Norm has infiltrated the ranks of creativity in this project, I may soon be able to bring this investigation to a successful
conclusion as well! Hmmmmnn.

And the Winner Is...

It's wake up time and yes I'm bleary-eyed.Last night for me, there was a double-header: Obama vs. Mc Cain in the last 2008 debate of the US Presidential Campaign and the Phillies against LA Dodgers. I couldn't decide what to watch since both spectacles occurred around the same broadcast time. Amidst the financial recession on Wall Street,Main Street and around the globe, skills and wits were matched against worthy opponents! Winners emerged: Some 58 % (of debate watchers polled by CNN)gave it to Obama but the resounding applause and cheers went to the Philadelphia Phillies.The Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 to take the National League Pennant (after a 15 year hiatus). Now, they're on to The World Series !
This is great news for the local Philadelphia economy,which is suffering
as much as the Main streets around the globe.It's hard times but the Phillies provided us with much needed relief from the recent doldrums of
harsh world news. Go Phillies !!

The Illusion

The dreamlike insight awakened me at 3:00 a.m. In sleep my mind tried to unravel what I saw earlier in the day on the way back to my cave.Earlier in the day,I was strolling back to my cave by way of a narrow sidewalk in Germantown/Mt.Airy,Philadelphia,PA USA. The sidewalks are narrow in that part of town and often one pedestrian walking in one direction would side- step the pedestrian coming from the opposite direction. If two pedestrians are approaching and one has a dog then it's another story.Yesterday, I was approaching an intersection where two frail, old ladies were ,walking a bear-sized brown and black adult Rottweiler. They stopped for the red traffic light.They spotted me and I spotted them and I momentarily thought I would have to give them a very wide berth because of their dog.I knew that one good leap and bite from that dog would make my knee bones history! I also thought that I might have to live up to my given name,F-L-A-S-H . Suddenly,I noticed that the dog had two leashes attached to his neck.Each leash was held by a little old lady on either side.The sense of dread came over me.
As the traffic light turned green, the two old ladies and the dog walked in my direction. They crossed the intersection and as the light was about to turn red again,a small car barreled past the four of us to make the right turn.Inside the car and leaning out the passenger window was a smaller mongrel in the car who growled and barked at the Rottweiler.
Both women pulled their leashes to the left to allow me to walk pass them on their right as they approached me.The mongrel in the passing car on their right startled them and they were trying to console the Rottweiler by telling her that the mongrel sounded like her.I was in the line of attack between them and the barking mongrel in the car. As the women tensed up and crept to their left away from me and my red nose, the Rottweiler kept its' composure and unnerved by the growling mongrel and me, led the two timid women past me in close proximity.I am an imaginary hoboclown but I had a bead of sweat on my brow. After I slept on it, it hit me!
What appeared to be a Rottweiler dog being walked with two leashes by two little old ladies was actually two old ladies being walked by the their dog. Each old lady was attached to a leash to be led by their dog through the troubles of their day! The ladies were not blind and the Rottweiler was not a seeing-eye dog yet their dog was able to see through them and helped them through their anxious moments! Oddly enough, the Rottweiler was able to see through me too!

Fat Cats & The Economy

Hello Everybody! The United States of America is a peculiar place!Who would know better than me,Flash Mc Cool,the great hoboclown detective? While the US Congress is debating the bail out of Wall Street and the American financial system to the tune of 700 billion dollars,more important things are going on!
This morning, upon leaving my cave and arriving on the train platform to Center City, I finally saw the Cat Woman up close. After surveilling her for two years as she fed 12 feral cats in a small field beyond the opposite side of the
rail road tracks,I finally observed her close up.She was nervously, frantically and impatiently pacing the platform that I usually stand on to board the R8 train. Her usual daily morning ritual was to exit her old apartment building, grab a bag of dry cat food out of the trunk of her car and feed the already FAT feral cats gathered at their feeding sites.Today, it was none of that as she was now literally on the opposite sides of the tracks-my side where Nature seamlessly meets the world of mankind.On my side,just beyond the platform was the woods, full of Nature's Imperative: The long bare ivory tail of a mole danced amongst the weeds and leaves of the underbrush.Six feet away, under the protective thicket of a thorn bush was a Fat feral cat nursing and grooming her new litter of tan and white kittens. My red nose was put off by the pungent aroma of ragweed.In the center of this scene a nosy squirrel scampered down his tree to see what was going on, as the mole casually and unconcerned went about his search for food. Her ususal routine broken, the Cat Woman continued to pace back and forth. Thinking that she would miss the feral kitten's lair and the nonchalant mole,I pointed them out to her.I also thought she might take a concern and later include them in her next morning's feed.She was as awestruck as I was and captivated by the feral cat, her kittens and the cycle of life.Surprisingly,the Cat Woman admitted that she would really like to get all the feral cats captured and spayed to get them out of the area and into some nice human homes.I told her I've been observing her from afar for years and I complimented her on her fine work in feeding the cats.She smiled and said that she was sad that she could not tend to them this morning because she had, "Jury Duty"...another man-made thing that seemed to pre-empt Nature's Imperative.Somehow, there seemed to be more important things going on than spending 700 billion dollars to bail out an economy's
financial market !

It's Hillary Clinton,"By Acclamation!"

I'm just an ole hoboclown but I have been known to set my sights on the TV tube to occasionally take in a spectacle.Last night, the 2008 Democratic National Convention was being televised from Denver, Colorado,USA. It was not the proverbial "3:00 a.m. telephone call" but a call nonetheless that gave Hillary Clinton her 'Presidential Moment'. Hillary Clinton made the motion to suspend the
Democratic Convention rules to end the role -call delegate vote and accept Barack Obama ,"by acclamation" as the Democratic Nominee for
the Presidency of the United States.Nancy Pelosi,Democratic Speaker of The House, entertained the motion, had it voted upon with a Yea or Nay vote and the rest is history.
What I, as a humble hoboclown, saw was Hillary Clinton, making another tremendous crack in the glass ceiling of politics, enabling Barack
Obama to be the first african-american nominee of a major political party to run in the general election for the Presidency of the United States.Hillary was presidential at that instant! The political tag team of Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi in that historic moment was followed by another political tag team of William Jefferson Clinton, former US President and Senior Delaware Democratic US Senator, Joe Biden, generating rousing support for Barack Obama.What a spectacle!

What? A Klowne for President ?

Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award

Hey Humanity! My fictional boss,Flash Mc Cool,hoboclown detective, is annoyed with the attention taken away from the thrilling display of athletic talent in the 2008 Olympics,hosted by China.The athletes and China did a splendid job!

Real people have said that ,"Truth is stranger than fiction".I agree.So, today's Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award goes to the real USA Pollsters of the 2008 USA Presidential Campaign Politics, who appear to support their findings to the Court of Public Opinon by citing fictional case law from the Brother's Grimm Snow White Fairy Tale,"Mirror, mirror on the wall who in the land is..."

Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award

Hi Humans! Today's Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award goes to the US tabloid journalists. I am too young to run for President but before I ever decide to do so, let me apologize now for any mistakes I might make in the immediate future!

All right! I confess. I may have been attracted to some finely crafted fire hydrants in the neighborhood.OK! OK! I did have an affair with that trim,shapely hydrant with the flaming orange make-up at the corner down the street! So what ! I must have done it outta instinct or a lapse in judgment. Then, again -I am a dog! Enough of this! You tabloid papparazzi guys, just meet me at the corner of Main Street and Elm. There's a hot, little , green fire hydrant waitin' for me there.

Take plenty of pictures-I need to get a 3 million dollar house in California !

The Invisible Letter

While tidying up my cave this morning,I came across a letter to me from my imaginary friend.I thought I would share it with you. It reads," Dear Robust, Long-time Friend,
I trust that you will keep the contents of this letter most highly confidential, if not Top Secret! Since you are a fictional character, it would be very hard for you to convince others that you have had an imaginary friend.
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate our friendship over the years.Letting me hide in your closet,under your bed,inside your big red bobo shoes and in your red wine sack,exhilirated me to no end!
You are a true friend indeed.No man,not even a fictional one should ever be alone in his thoughts.
Our late night conversations have held me in good stead.I will always be there for you to lean on.
When times are hard,call on me.When you're afraid, holler.When you're joyous, let's rock.When you wanna pat your feet, let's dance.
The miracle of friendship energizes the Imagination.Because I know you are kind-hearted and like to share,I'm writing this letter to you in invisible ink to safeguard our sacred trust.
Stay strong! Stay spirited!
Your Enduring Imaginary Friend,
ME "(The Clown of The Lollipop Forest.See you on youtube!)

The Sorry Critter !

There it was! A giant ant, walking leisurely half- way down a 60 foot tree! Yes, I can see pretty good at a distance.The ant amazed me with this feat.I pondered for a moment and recalled seeing other critters doing similar things.Like, the raccoon climbing up the wall of a house and a squirrel or a woodpecker climbing up the side of a tree .I have also witnessed spiders spicing things up as they rappelled (from tree branches) on a thin thread of their best made silk .
Cool bats hang upside down to fall into their flight while the sleepy-eyed possums and sloths love to hang around upside down without a care in the world! These creatures are the so called lower forms of animals.The 'sorry critter' in terms of climbing or descending from trees of great height, is Man.
While the lower animals mentioned here have all their bio-engineering built within (such as low
centers of gravity, tails or claws etcetera ), Man amusingly confounds the high climbing/descending feat with assorted devices such as, cranes, ropes,scaffolds, ladders, spiked or steel-toed boots,helmets, harnesses, hooks,parachutes and a lot of false bravado.How is it that the lower forms of animals are better equipped than Man( the higher animal) to accomplish such feats? As a simple hoboclown detective,I can only conclude that Man is a sorry critter ! Hmmmmm...

Nature's Tonic

As an old hoboclown with tired feet and aching ankles, I was trudging along this morning feeling quite tired and outta sorts. I decided to take a short cut through the Philadelphia City Hall Courtyard and spotted a man ( about 35 years old) born with no arms, sitting on a small garden retaining wall.He had no shirt on and was wriggling his bare torso.Just as I was walking past him thinking about how he managed without arms for all these years, he bent over from his seated position and with his long hair hanging toward his feet, picked up a plastic bag (of his personal items) with his teeth , got up and trudged along his way.That was an obvious message for me today. What do you think it means?
While wondering about this encounter, I rounded a corner to see two parked cars with the drivers standing outside exchanging information. The woman with a late model Mercedes had obviously bumped the older car in front of hers.The woman said to the man who owned the other car," I'm a good and normal person and I'm good for it." The man, holding up a piece of paper said, "Can you write that on here?"

Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award

Hi Humans! Today's Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award goes to Tom Brokaw,new moderator of NBC's Meet The Press.Tom interviewed former US Vice-President,Al Gore, this morning and talked about Al Gore's and T. Boon Picken's proposals for alternative energy.While he presented these two luminaries' ideas,Tom later suggested that the place best- positioned to move the world in the direction of alternative energy solutions is 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Well, my boss,Flash Mc Cool,hoboclown detective says that Mother Nature is better- positioned to pull the alternative energy solutions off becaue she and The Sun( the greatest luminary for all ages) have honored passports to all the horizons around the globe and the teats to nourish newborn alternative energy ideas worldwide.Well, smart money has it that investment in alternative energy enterprise is the way to go!At the moment , the smartest money is my boss's play money;Fannie May and Freddie Mac can't get their hands on that!

I Been Blogged !

As Flash Mc Cool, the great hoboclown detective,I,ve been roasted, toasted, hosted and
posted.Now, just the other day I was ambushed and blogged! The editors at blogged.com gave me a Grade Point Average of 8.3 . What a bunch of clowns! Any self-respecting hoboclown like me knows that a GPA can't be that high ! I think they were trying to clock my pedaling speed in miles per hour.Now that I got their number, where do I stash it so Butterfly-Pup won't chew it up ?

Butterfly-Pup's Leg-Up Award

Woof! Doggie-dog here! Today's Butterfly-Pup's Leg-Up Award goes to all world leaders who ignore non-fossil fuel energy sources.
Kudos goes to former U.S. Vice-President, Al Gore, who today strongly pushed for development of non-fossil fuel sources to generate electricity. Sounds like a great start to me!
How about using synthetic hot springs as new energy sources! Now you heard it from a lowly, non-authoritative source, Me-
the d-o-g !
My master, Flash Mc Cool, will let me share my favorite meal (a serving of chopped lettuce & apple & a chicken-flavored dog biscuit) with the first scientist who
patents a synthetic hot spring to generate electricity! Now that's what I call walkin' the dog!

Butterfly Pup's Leg-Up Award

Hi People! Today's Butterflypup's Leg-Up Award comes after review of this past week's street-corner politics.Today's award is shared by Senator Phil Gramm and Rev. Jesse Jackson for standing by their men: respectively, Sen. John Mc Cain and Sen. Barack Obama. Hey Guys! It's OK to stand by your man but not at this spot.Move over a few steps.It's my turn to use this fire hydrant.

Butterflypup's Leg-Up Award

Butterflypup's Leg Up Award

Today's Butterflypup's Leg-Up Award goes to Bob Herbert,Op-Ed Columnist for the NY Times.com July 8,2008 Opinion:Lurching With Abandon.

Mr. Herbert portrays Senator Barack Obama,"...tacking gently toward the center...zigging so fast it's guaranteed to cause disillusion..."

My best friend,Flash Mc Cool, offers the clarification that " Some people forget that the Presidency of the United States is not the person! It is an institution or office,far more vulnerable than flesh and bones-yet, at times, as indefinable as the true spirit of the person holding that office. It's tough to tailor-make an institution to fit the person.Occasionally and most often politically- incorrect, wedgies do have to be gently adjusted !"

The Stowaway

Hi Everybody! This morning Flash Mc Cool reflects on his experiences last evening.Here's what Flash Mc Cool reports," As a hoboclown, I love to hop trains and did so last evening.I hopped the 5:47 p.m. commuter train to Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia,PA USA . As soon as I boarded, I heard a young lady scream something spelled like, eeeeeeeeek...oh sheesh ! A split second later,a
tiny sparrow flew past my red nose, veered to the right, made a turn and flew back in the opposite direction.He was trying to avoid the onslaught of passengers boarding the train. He turned back and came towards me again.This time I grabbed him.It was Buzz, a member of the
Philadelphia City Boy's Flying Aces Squadron.I asked Buzz what was up and he said that he had just left a Happy Hour and was about to meet up with his squadron when they got word that
Presidential Candidate, Barack O'Bama's plane was having flight control problems in St. Louis,
Missouri. The squadron scrambled to reach Missouri to see what they could do.Buzz still had a buzz and his squadron left him. In Philadelphia, birds have a license to pretty much go anywhere- like the movies, inside malls, supermarkets and so on with impunity.I learned that big word from a hotshot Philadelphia lawyer. So, he decided to hop a train to get to the Northwest woods to meet up with his boys later. It's sorta like a lazy car that hops an auto-train to meet up with its' driver later.As the train conductor came around to collect the tickets,I lifted my Derby and let Buzz hide under my hat.Cell phone conversation on the train had it that Barack O' Bama's airplane had flight control problems and had to make an unscheduled landing in St. Louis, Missouri.According to Buzz, his Philadelphia City Boy's Flying Aces Squadron spotted a partially deployed emergency exit putting pressure on the O' Bama plane's rear flight controls.The squadron signaled the pilot and the plane was able to land safely.Buzz explained that you cannot always be at the right place at the right time but if you always hang with birds of a feather who do right together, things will work out! When the train reached the Tulpehocken Station, I dis-embarked, tipped my hat and Buzz soared off to join his boys!"

Butterflypup's Leg-Up Award

Today's Butterflypup's Leg-Up award goes to the Editorial Department of The New York Times.com for their July 4,2008 editorial comment,New and Not Improved,"We are not shocked when a candidate moves to the center for the general election.But Mr. Obama's shifts are striking because he was the candidate who proposed to change the face of politics,the man of passionate convictions who did not play old political games."

Well my best friend,Flash Mc Cool says, " My reaction to the New York Times editorial is that truth is always somewhere in the middle.Only a dictator can do all of what he wants to do when he wants to do it.In a Democracy,by definition there is always some measure of give and take.It's a matter of how much give and take.I think Barack was suggesting not as much give and take as usual."

I love Flash Mc Cool! I'll lick his big red nose for that comment !

ButterflyPup's Leg Up Award

Hi Fans! Periodically,Flash Mc Cool's best friend,Butterflypup, will present a 'leg-up' award to someone so deserving.Today, here's the award:

Butterflypup says,

"Leg Up to the writers of Hancock,Will Smith's new film, where Hancock's story-line resembles my best friend,Flash Mc Cool, hoboclown detective.I'm goin' to sneak into the movie to see Hancock because Will Smith is from Philly & is so cool! I wonder if I can get a veggie pizza & a teaspoon of cherry coke?"

Intimacy

Flash Mc Cool is somewhat of a voyeur at times.This morning he was deriving great pleasure from what he encountered near the woods.This is Flash's account- "As I made my way through the underground tunnel to hop a train into town, I saw a wondrous sight.There they were, unashamed,embracing in the moment in full daylight and public view.One wrapped around the other, as if clinging for dear life.A few feet away there was another couple, also unafraid to displaying their obvious affectional relationship in public. Four in all,the winding vine and the chain-link fence and the clinging vine and the tree were teaching me the lesson of intimacy.The clinging vine and the tree,two living things embracing to sustain life.The tree was tall,upright and strong and the clinging vine was delicate but crafty enough to climb about and wrap around the tree to reach the life sustaining sunlight.The chainlink fence, a non-living thing-so I am told, was host to the weaving vine that spiraled in and out of the fence's links in an upward fashion to also gain strength and support from this bond. On the fence was a small tender weaving vine that had a 1/8 inch diameter.It was just beginning to grow in intimacy with the fence.A few feet away was a mature weaving vine of nearly a 1/2 inch diameter that obviously was in an enduring intimate relationship with the fence for many years. All four subjects of my voyeuristic scrutiny surely weathered many storms together to later relax and share the gentle and fertile seasons of life.It made me wonder if I could bond with a few giant rocks. If you ever see me clutching to some giant rocks, the simplest explanation may be that Flash Mc Cool has big stones! " Have a great day! Love,Hoboclown Copyright,2008

A Fifth For The Fourth

As Flash Mc Cool,hoboclown detective,I often call upon a few friends in high places.Just the other day,Wilson, the pidgeon ,asked me to help him get flight clearance to fly in formation over the Independence Hall in Philadelphia,PA this July 4th.Wilson promised me a fifth of the crumbs he collected from the sidewalks around the Independence Mall if I came through with the clearance.Wilson is a lonely,scraggly-feathered,one-legged pidgeon who spends most of his time in the south wing of Philadelphia's City Hall.He claims that he is a veteran.I never could figure out what war he fought in but I thought that fact was useful when I telephoned Pennsylvania Governor,Rendell to request an order giving Wilson clearance to fly in formation with the 111th jet fighter squadron over Independence Hall on July 4th.Wilson once wanted to be my pet but he couldn't fetch;wouldn't take to a leash;was always jay- walking and kept begging for crumbs! The Governor's order came today.So,when the Liberty Bell is rung this year, you can look to the sky to see the scraggly-feathered, one-legged,veteran pidgeon flying in formation with the 111th Fighter Squadron over Independence Mall. Now all I have to do is make all these extra bread crumbs disappear! Happy 4th of July from Flash Mc Cool ! :)

Caught Red-Handed!

Good Morning Crew! Flash Mc Cool seldom engages in self-doubt but this morning he has some issues.Here's what he said,"I always pondered whether there was some hidden meaning in these red-gloves that I wear. This morning I got a peculiar notion about them.In downtown Philadelphia, PA, USA , I invited myself to breakfast at a small Cafe' on Walnut street.As I sat at a small table facing the door consuming the the eggs, bacon and coffee, I noticed that women were coming in.They came in the door one by each, cheek to cheek in many assorted shapes,sizes and hues .The Cafe' air was still and yet without a breeze the women appeared as a bouquet of collective, radiant motion with a startling arrangement.I thought-WOW !..FLOWERS! I began to stare at each petal and savoring the beauty of the moment.Suddenly, a pair of twinkling eyes fixed on my intruding gaze. I was caught red-handed.I never touched a thing but realized that this may be the reason why I wear my red-gloves. Below the pair of twinkling eyes that stared back at me was an emerging, kind, gentle and captivating smile .It was breath-taking! I never had a flower stare back at me... but then again, Nature is full of surprises ! " Have a great day! Love, Hoboclown Copyright, 2008

Nature's Embrace

Hi everybody! Flash Mc Cool has another insight about Nature.Here it is in his words, "I had left my cave this light rainy morning and was on the train platform adjacent to the woods.I felt like I was being watched and turned around.I looked down a few feet away and I saw a bluejay perched on a fallen tree branch some ten feet in the air.I was awestruck by the radiantly colorful,beautiful bird.It seemed oblivious to the turmoils in the human world and was relaxed and casually observing the sights and sounds of the woods from its perch.I stared at the bird nearly 5 minutes ( a long time in the woods).A mental nudge made me peer to the right 15 feet from the bluebirds perch and 10 feet below at ground level. At that spot I saw a stray black and white cat nestled under a thicket of branches,vines and thorns ,taking a morning nap on a bed of damp leaves. This was the same cat I saw a few days ago, 25 feet from this spot napping out in the open. The revelation that came to my mind was that Nature is always there to provide comfort and shelter if you let it.Then, I wondered if the bluebird was there guarding the cat by distracting my gaze from the cat's napping lair.Was that Nature's second layer ( above the thicket) of protection for the napping cat ? What was was very clear was the notion that if you stop,look, listen and really observe Nature-you will get the comfort and nurturance you really need ! " All Flash Mc Cool fans can now get a free download of Flash Mc Cool's Peace of Da Rock photo at www.freerangestock.com Happy Father's Day to ALL Dads ! Love, Hoboclown Copyright, 2008

The Value of The Mirror

Hi Guyz! Who's lookin' while you're lookin' at you? Today,I looked into the mirror and realized that I'm still here! Yesterday, a friend asked me to investigate the music he heard comin' outta the wall in his office .He said it was the same music he heard comin' outta the wall in the men's room. Thinkin' he was a victim of a cruel hoax and partly outta concern,I did a crime scene investigation of both rooms. Nothin' in the men's room.Yet, while the both of us were in his office, I heard the wild music suddenly jumping off my friend.Yep, he had a tiny cell phone in his left jacket pocket that he forgot about and didn't realize he set the ringer to a wild musical rendition.What a clown ! On that note I returned to my cave, looked in the mirror and wondered why I'm still here ! Love, Hoboclown

The King Tut Fascination

Good Morning everybody!I'm hoboclown,spokesperson for Flash Mc Cool,imaginary hoboclown detective.Last night Flash was incognito and observed a Panel Discussion at the Franklin Institute,Philadelphia,PA,USA. The topic was, The Peopling of Ancient Egypt:Indigenous African Civilization,Pharaoh Tutankhamun and His Family.The internationally acclaimed panelists included: Dr. Theopile Obenga (via videotape),Dr. Charles Finch, III,Dr. Maulana Karenga & Dr. Molefi Asante with a video in memoriam (by MEE Productions, Inc. ) of Dr. Asa G. Hilliard,III .This event was as inspirational as the King Tut Exhibit itself( at The Franklin Institute). It was as if the Egyptian Boy King himself had returned to stoke the coals of African heritage and ancestry to ignite a surging and sorely needed philosophically- blazing flame of African American interests in tradition,cultural transmission ,hope,survival and purpose. Here's what Flash had to say," As a fictional hoboclown detective I was interested in the trail of evidence associated with the physical description of King Tut as having indigenous african features.There was a preponderance of evidence in that regard. I was also interested in the possible impact of the cultural transmission the ancient Egyptian way of life to today's African American urban scene. The distinguished expert panelists made a most appealing case for the value of Ma'at ( pronounced Muh-aht) -the Ancient Egyptian concept of law,morality and justice.The panel discussion and the concept of Ma'at alone could generate more academic and urban cultural interest in reviving various aspects of the ancient Egyptians' way of life to strengthen the african-american family and community .Even an ole clown like me can see the merits of putting a good face on real history." ___________ That's it folks.Until next time, Love, ~Hoboclown Copyright, 2007

Battle At Kruger

Hi everybody!Hoboclown here with Flash Mc Cool.Flash has been away investigating the great 8 minute 23 seconds youtube video,Battle At Kruger. Here's what Flash has to say," In September,2004 (according to Wikipedia) tourists,Dave Budzinski with Photographer, Jason Schlosberg, were fortunate to witness a spectacular natural event at Kruger National Park,South Africa.So far more than 13 million viewers have seen the amazing battle between a herd of Cape Buffalo,a pride of Lions and two crocodiles at a waterhole over a baby buffalo.The baby buffalo, snatched from a fleeing herd fell into the waterhole trying to escape the Lions.The Lions,attempting to pull the baby back onto land to devour it, were suddenly attacked from the water by two crocodiles.A tug of war ensued and the Lions won.So at least they thought, until the fleeing buffalo herd returned to route the Lion pride and reclaim the baby buffalo who apparently survived. A University of Pennsylvania Veternarian(Dr. Sue Mc Donnell) is quoted to have said that such behavior exhibited by the buffaloes is not unusual.Dr. Mc Donnell decribed the herd as broken down into smaller harems with a dominant male,several females and their babies. Mc Donnell says that if a youngster is threatened, both harem males and bachelor males who usually fight each other will get together to try to rescue it. What a great lesson from Mother Nature! In the United States, the increasing national prevalence of gun violence against youngsters warrants a reorganization of men at every urban ecosystem where predatory violence of every sort threatens our young.In the U.S. the herd mentality is misdirected and needs to fall in step with Mother Nature's mandate to protect the young for survival of the species". _____________Well guys, Flash has said his piece and if off to his next investigative assignment.Until next time, Love, ~Hoboclown Copyright, 2007

July 4th Reflections

Hi Everybody,I'm Hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool has been in his cave searching for evidence that Thomas Jefferson was a serious student of Nature.Here's what Flash has to say," As the american revolution was uniting the colonies and as the newly- formed government was in its infancy,Thomas Jefferson demonstrated that he was a student of Nature,when he said,"Under the law of nature,all men are born free,every one into the world with a right to his own person,which includes the liberty of moving and using it at his own will.This is what is called personal liberty and is given him by the Author of nature,because necessary for his own sustenance"-Thomas Jefferson:Legal Argument: 1770 FE 1:376. Thomas Jefferson has also said the following,"I have sworn upon the altar of God,eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Jefferson frequently talked about the condition of man in the world," An equal application of law to every condition of man is fundamental"(Thomas Jefferson to George Hay,1807. ME 11:341). A similar quote was, " To unequal privileges among members of the same society the spirit of the nation is with one accord,adverse."(Thomas Jefferson to Hugh White,1801, ME 10:258 ). Likewise, Jefferson stated,"When one undertakes to administer justice,it must be with an even hand and by rule;what is done for one,must be done for everyone in equal degree." (Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 1803, ME 10:420). The following quotes were also recorded: "I have supposed the black man in his present state might not be (equal to the white man) but it would be hazardous to affirm that equally cultivated for a few generations, he would not become so."(Thomas Jefferson to Chastellux,1785.ME 5:6,Papers 8:186). Lastly,"Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people(blacks) are to be free.Nor is it less certain that the two races,equally free cannot live in the same government.Nature,habit,opinion has drawn indelible lines of distinction between them."(Thomas Jefferson:Autobiography,1821.ME 1:72) . Yep, just when I thought I was the only one kept awake at night by old Mother Nature I concluded that she kept Thomas Jefferson up many a night as well, pondering about the fundamental questions of mankind. As night falls on Independence Day will you have a little insomnia from nagging thoughts ?" _____________ Happy 4th of July ! Love, Hoboclown Copyright,2007

A Walk In My Shoes

Good Morning everyone! I'm hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool tells us about his morning walk," This morning I decided to leave my imaginary haunts and go in town to work amongst the mortals. My new pair of shoes are still not broken in after three days and I decided to wear my old bobo comforts with the hole in the left shoe.I left my cave and warily eyed the surroundings to see if the thievin' racoon was back in the neighborhood.No sign of him as I pondered about an article about a rabid bobcat that attacked a man a few days ago.With this skittish frame of mind,I rounded a corner to take the train into town and saw a large cat sitting near the train's entrance- way.We locked eyes and as I approached the entrance the cat bolted like a zig-zag streak of lightning and beat it for the woods. I entered the entrance tunnel and exited near a fence.On the other side of the fence about fifteen feet away a whitetail deer caught my scent and did a 180 (or was it a 181 ? ) and jetted into the woods.Yes, a little adrenalin rush sharpened my senses. As I waited for the train,I savored the momentary view of the intensely bright, rising sun flickering through the canopy of leaves some 100 yards away. A slowly racing wind began to rustle gently about the leaves of some 60 or 70 trees as the flickering sunlight danced and sent messages to me.After all these years I'm still unable to decipher the sun's messages to me. A sudden,deafening blare of noise from a jet aircraft passing overhead broke the moment of reflection.I remembered that today is the birthday of a very dear friend.I could smell the lemony flavored vanilla icing on the cake that I hadn't bought yet. I then remembered the frantic telephone call I received yesterday from a dear friend with an impending mortgage foreclosure and sheriff's sale date. I tried to figure out how to get more mileage out of my play money to help that family.I finally got into the town's concrete jungle and as I sat peering out the window of a fastfood restaurant I saw a tough little weed sprouting out of the bits of gravel carefully placed around a city tree.Somehow the weed survived despite the bleak environment.I then looked down at the bottom of my left shoe and through the hole I saw the soul of my foot.I momentarily thought about plugging the hole up with some chewing gum and a drop of exceptionally krazy glue but I realized that if I did that, I would no longer be able to walk on my soul and feel the real meaning of Life . I still have the new pair of shoes back at the cave but right now the old pair of bobo comforts are feeling just fine! " ________ Flash wants everybody to have a great day until he gets back to you. Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright, 2007

The Father's Day Mystery

Hi Everybody! I'm Hoboclown and I'm with Flash Mc Cool as he concludes a most difficult investigation of The Father's Day Mystery.Here's what Flash has to say, " Modern day hoboclown detectives like myself use the internet to track down the facts when conducting investigations.The Father's Day Mystery was particularly difficult because I kept getting stuck on the definition of Father,Daddy,Fatherhood and Father's Day! It used to be far easier to determine maternity because the baby was born to the mother.Now even that's difficult because there are some women who bear babies of other women (who are unable to conceive or withstand the rigors of pregnancy )by a contractual arrangement. By definition, a Father used to be the male parent who kick-started the biological conception process for the baby.

Wikipedia has copyrighted articles with definitions of Parent,Father,Dad,Father's Day,Fatherhood and beyond.As if Life wasn't complicated enough! Wikipedia also says that the officially recognized date of Father's Day varies from country to country and that United States President Lyndon Johnson (in 1966) made Father's Day a holiday to celebrate on the third sunday of June.Wikipedia further described Father's Day as a 20th century inauguration to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and parenting by males to honor and commemorate fathers.The popular encyclopedia describes Fatherhood by noting that in many cultures,fathers have important roles in raising offspring and that the title can be given to a non-biological father that fills this role. For example, it is said that in east asian and western traditional families,fathers are the heads of the families and provide financial support and make critical decisions that should be obeyed without question....and that in the bourgeois family model the father acts as the financial support and sometimes the disciplinarian of the family, while the mother or other female relative oversees most of the childrearing.

Wikipedia also reported that both feminist and masculists authors have criticized such predetermined roles as unjust.To confuse things further,Wikipedia acknowledges what most of us do-that anyone can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Dad.Wikipedia further expounds on the terms: Non-parental Father,Sperm Donor,Step-Father,Father-in Law,Adoptive Father,Mother's Partner,Mother's Husband,DI (Donor Insemination) Dad.We are also familiar with the term, my baby's daddy. As old Flash Mc Cool,hoboclown, I like to keep it simple! As a fictional clown character, I was created by my Father, daddy, long-legged, Norm Johnson (comedian-writer) .However, as Flash Mc Cool,hoboclown detective, I have many daddies, including Mother Nature's ole man. I extend warm greetings and thanks to all the men who voluntarily donated fatherhood time,devotion,knowledge,skills,finance, protection ,counsel and sacrifices to me! HAPPY FATHER's DAY !" ____________ Until next time..Love yo Daddy! Signed, ~Flash Mc Cool~

Yo Mama's Nature

Hi Everyone! This is Hoboclown and I've been talking to Flash Mc Cool for the past several days about his plans to get a nice Mother's Day gift for a special mom . You see, Flash lives in a cave and for 4,000 years Mother Nature has tucked him in at night and he's most grateful for her loving care.This is what Flash Mc Cool has to say- " I couldn't wait 'til morning to meditate on the Mother's Day gift because this year the gift is going to Mother Nature! I have two weeks left before Mother's Day and decided to start my investigative quest early.When you give a good gift for someone you love, you think about who they are, what they like and what they need. Gettin' a gift for Mother Nature is hard because she's the Mother of all creatures around the globe. She provides for all of us and takes us all to task when we're outta line. She has the biggest kitchen I know and the most plentiful cornucopia of all time. She nurtures and nourishes all men,women,children,animals and other creatures and Life forms indexed,categorized, discovered and yet unknown to mankind.Her intuition and mother's wit is legend and inescapable.She has eyes and ears in the back of her head and will give all of Us a backhand if we sass her ! Mother Nature has unwritten House rules and everyone, the world over knows that you don't mess with Mother Nature!When it comes to Big Mother Nature all mankind,the animal and plant kingdoms and creatures as yet unknown -are kin . That's right, we have equal standing as we benefit from the never-ending nurturance, inheritances and discipline from Mother Nature.Mankind has modeled everything in it's myriads of world cultures and technology from Mother Nature's prototypes.Mother Nature cloaks all Life forms in her very best practical and affordable designs. There are no labels on her designs yet there are supermodels for every species and inanimate Life forms.She provides accomodations mostly in the form of shared housing and shared communities . Frequently, she bestows rank, privileges and private domains for the creatures or inanimate objects that can be toxic to some species' social groups.She harnesses the power of the universe and shares energy with a pattern of delicate equilibrium amongst all Life forms. What on earth can a clown like me give Mother Nature for Mother's Day ? Ahaaa, my best gift would be a stout measure of RESPECT ! " ___________ Well, guys Flash Mc Cool has laid it out for you.You know what to do! Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright, 2007

School of Hard Knocks

Good morning everyone!I'm hoboclown. This is the time of the year when commencement exercises are planned .Yesterday,Flash Mc Cool received an anonymous invitation to attend and receive an Honorary degree from the School of Hard Knocks.Here's what Flash has to say about the matter, "I don't mind being recognized for my contribution to the world of knowledge. The problem is that I've been searching for the School of Hard Knocks for hundreds of years! This search poses one of the most baffling and herculean challenges to my investigative methods.I've searched the yellow pages ;called 411;reviewed wikipedia and even searched Google and cannot locate the school.The invitation advised me to just show up. Don't get me wrong.I know a lot of tenured professors from The School of Hard Knocks but none of them can tell me how to get there. I have half a mind ( and sometimes much less ) to just file a petition with the Court of Public Opinion to have the school disclose it's whereabouts. I may do just that-as soon as I find out where the Court of Public Opinon is !". ____________ Well, there you are guyz.Flash Mc Cool & I hope you're finding your way through Life's problems successfully today.Until next time, Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright, 2007

The Blarney Stone Quest

Hi Everybody! It's me,Hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool is on a very special case and has a guest in his cave this morning.Here's what Flash Mc Cool has to say, " It's a snowy 17 degree morning in Philadelphia, PA.My friend, Phil (the groundhog in these parts) has been in my witness protection program since his lousy testimony in February.I gave Phil a spare rock in my cave to lay his head on .I'm trying to keep Phil from becoming road kill.We just shared a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of herbal tea.Phil convinced me that snowy weather in early March is the perfect time to try to find the Blarney Stone which I have been searching for- for hundreds of years. Phil told me he spotted a clan of Leprechauns drinking green beer a quarter mile beyond my cave.This would be the time to follow the green snowtrail of the little squirts that might lead to the coveted Blarney Stone. We followed them and followed them early this morning but so far all we got was worse for wear.The Leprechauns made a lot of chitter-chatter and noise digging their pots of gold in the soil at the ends of the rainbows. The gold didn't bother me because I use play money for all my needs.It was the re-arranging of the rainbows that upset me.The Leprechauns would change the locations of the rainbows to keep the fortune-seekers from finding the pots of gold too easily. There's nothing like a hoboclown detective going around the bend in the road on a bicycle at 20 miles an hour and bumping head-on into a misplaced rainbow! How can I find the Blarney Stone if I keep getting concussions! " __________ Well fans, I think Flash Mc Cool and Phil the groundhog need to change to a weaker tea .Happy St. Patrick's Day ! Love, ~ Hoboclown~ Copyright, 2007

Black History Month ?

Hi Folks,I'm Hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool has been busy investigating one small feature of Black History Month and this is what he has to say: "I've been trying to figure out where the concept of Black History Month came from .Through my methodical approach, I came upon a website with information copyrighted by Dr. Karen Carr,Associate Professor of History,Portland State University- http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/africa/history/index.htm At that site,Dr. Carr details Early African History in a section entitled, Kidipede-History For Kids:Early African History. As I suspected for a long time, Black History Month (in the USA) has been preceded by some 60, 000 years of African History. The web masters at that site tell who they are and even offer Teacher Guides for teaching History of many ethnic groups. They reportedly get 22,000 visitors a day.Sounds like quite a big interest group to me! As for the compression of 60,000 years of African History into one Black History Month, just think about all the dreams that our African ancestors have had over the past 60,000 years !." ____________ Well, there you have it from Flash Mc Cool. Have a great Black History Month! Signed, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright, 2007

Three things

It's a wintry morning with snow flurries falling.Three things come to mind: 1) 20 feet away is a haggard-looking tree, twisted, mangled and scarred-still standing ! 2) A small island of green grass surrounded by the dark gray and brown ragged- leaf winter ground-Spring is a breath away! 3) If you stand motionless amongst the Trees-no one will find you.If you move about the Trees -you will be discovered!. ~ Flash Mc Cool~ Copyright, 2007

Universal Love ?

Hello cupids!This is Hoboclown here.Flash Mc Cool talks about LOVE this morning.While some people walk in revelation,Flash Mc Cool stumbles into revelation as he conducts his surreal investigations.Here's what Flash has to say about LOVE: " First of all, you have to take what I say with a grain of salt because I am afterall a fictitious man and a hoboclown detective at that . As a fictitious man I may be closer to some forms of Love than most real people because Love is often viewed in an imaginary way.That is, real people often imagine Love to be what it isn't.I first noticed Love when I thought I received it.I really didn't know what it was except that I had an indescribably and instantaneously good feeling from those who said they loved me. Later, I dispensed Love as I thought it to be.With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, I speeded up my investigation of the cold case involving the characteristics of LOVE.Somehow I was slightly diverted from this pursuit as I made another remarkable discovery: The ages of the people receiving and giving LOVE had a lot to do with the perceptions and quality of LOVE demonstrated.Further, I observed that some young people can give an old Love while some oldsters have never even experienced LOVE . What emerged was a concept of a Love Quotient.That is, just as people have a chronological age and a differing biological age,there also seems to be a Universal age for receiving and giving LOVE. In other words, in the grand scheme of the development or maturation of Universlal LOVE ( defined as LOVE at a 100 % to infinity quotient ) Nature gave the cave man the capacity to love like a 5 month old.Nature then gave Chiefs, Kings,Queens and Dynasties the capacity to Love like a one year old, relative to the Universal Love Quotient ( of 100% Love to infinity).Nature then (for practice) gave the modern world the capacity to Love like a two-year old. Today, Nature continues to practice by giving the two-year old Universal Love Quotient to the superpowers . As you can see the Universe has a long way to go to achieve the pure Universal LOVE amongst the givers and receivers of LOVE." ___________ Well, good lovin' guyz from Hoboclown and Flash Mc Cool ~Copyright, 2007 ~

Happy New Year ?

Hi Everybody.I'm Hoboclown.Christmas was rough on Flash Mc Cool and I this year.Flash Mc Cool is looking forward to a better year and began his preparation by consulting the nightly visiting stars. As Flash's longing and searching eyes intently scanned the heavens ,I heard the North Star tell Flash the following: "Flash, as demonstrated by The Nativity Story, our family of stars guided the 3 wise kings from the east to Bethlehem.Today, from our celestial vantage point we continue our vigilant observation of mankind around the solar system. Just as mankind studies us more this Past century with modern telescopes placed in orbit, we have been studying mankind every night for eons.In other words,the solar system's Past is a part of mankind's Future ! We have two great observations: 1) that mankind completes the cycle of life and death much faster than we stars, irrespective of mankind's culture, technology or country of origin 2) our Solar system's past, present and future is so vast and continuous that mankind cannot compress it into his limited timeframe of existence.If we could advise you to do anything in preparation for the New Year, we stars would advise you to continue to study the Past as its' relevance is too vast to be discounted from the very short Future of mankind.For instance, many, many generations of mankind in various cultures, countries and civilizations around the globe have come and gone since Egyptian Medicine began around 2900 B.C. At that time,the ancient egyptians had medical handbooks (The Papyrus Ebers) with at least 800 prescriptions and 700 drugs in their formulary.Medical advancements (based on earlier civilizations ) although impressive, still find mankind with a short shelf life.Today, with computers, more and more information and knowledge is harvested to bring about more rapid technological advancements. Yet, relative to the Solar system, mankind's cycle of life and death remains the same.Some of mankind's greatest ancestors wished upon the same stars yesteryear as their descendant children do today . The stars say that mankind's futherance of Humility should be the focus for the New Year ". _________Love,Hoboclown, Copyright, 2006

Oh Christmas Tree

Hi Fans.I'm Hoboclown and I've been watching Flash this morning.Flash is a little upset after reading the first few pages of a new book on a universal topic.Here's what Flash said, " Contrary to public opinion,Hoboclowns do read from time to time.Hoboclown detectives also testify in court sometimes as Expert Witnesses because they have a little more knowledge than the average person about a limited field of endeavor.In court the Expert Witness has to be qualified.He or she states their credentials and experience and then rants on about the question at hand.There is nothing worse than reading the first page of a book and having the writer qualify his expertise by mentioning 15 famous people he met from one isolated culture or continent, who were alledgedly great thinkers or Experts in Universal Phenomena. As a Hoboclown detective, I am an Expert on Universal Phenomena because when I open my eyes-I see the Universe . When I close my eyes-I sense the Universe. I listen with my ears and hear with my heart. I think with my being . I listen to nature and the Universe because they have a lot to say.Sometime back,one Xmas season a Dad set off to dig up a small Xmas tree for his family.He encountered a nice little fir tree that he thought would be just right.He started to dig up the tiny tree and the tree cried," OUCH !". Unaccustomed to listening to trees, the Dad was startled by what he heard. The Dad asked ,"who is there?".The little tree answered, " I am here.I am a tree and you are hurting me". The Dad replied,"Don't be silly, trees don't talk". The little tree replied,"Oh, but we do and we have a lot to say.Afterall , what is more upstanding,sturdy and well-rooted than a tree? Year after year we stand tall and testify to all that has happened around us.We are part of Nature's Universal scheme and respect each other. We have no government,no politics and we've learned to transcend borders with the help of the wind, rivers and oceans to propagate forever. We also depend on the boulders to guard and protect us so no one runs over us.The boulders are as loyal and as sturdy as rocks.They never leave their posts. Nature does a lot of cooperating to promote Life. Some vines are also very loyal to us . They will cling to us for life,if we let them. And some weeds are the spunky role models of Life. They grow and thrive in the toughest neighborhoods. What is tougher than a weed growing within a crack in a rock ? When you dig up a tree you're upsetting the balance of a universal natural family." The Dad began to use his shovel to throw the dirt back onto the roots of the little tree to preserve its' Life. The little fir tree mused, " Now you're diggin' where I'm coming from ! Instead, of uprooting us-just visit us for the Holidays and wish us well ". ___________Well, fans where are you coming from this Christmas ? What is your Xmas gift to Life in this Universe? Love, ~Hoboclown ~ Copyright, 2006

Nature's Xmas Party

Hi Fans! This is what Flash Mc Cool told me this morning about strange happenings in the woods last night, " Last night , Mother Nature, Old Man Winter and Father Time got together and threw a wild and frigid blast of a party in the woods outside my cave! The wind chill was 8 to 18 degrees!It was so cold that the raccoons took their black bandit's masks off and curled them up into black hoodies to keep their heads warm.Mother Nature, Father Time and Old Man Winter kicked up a stomp down, rip-roaring wang dang doodle all night long! Mother Nature gave Brother Wind a whistle and he whistled and howled all night long to the woodpecker's beat and the crow's rappin' and the mourning dove's cooin' . The Great Owl didn't give a hoot and just kept snackin' in the moonlight while white-tailed deer frozed still as their brightly lit eyes peered impatiently through the trees.The chipmunks were krumpin' (Tommy The Clown-style) between their chit chats.Even the ground hog moved to the beats as he showed off his long grey overcoat to a group of rabbits who wore their very best furs to the event. Every year at this time,I notice that Mother Nature will produce a series of events to get our attention before a bigger event occurs.She usually creates a tempest before the calm and sometimes a calm before the main event.Every year at this time, she throws this big Xmas party to announce the main event, the telling of The Nativity Story. Shortly, all around the world and in places well beyond a calm will take place and The Nativity Story will be told. Amazingly,it happens every year !That's why I'm here, every year, every Xmas! " __________ Well fans! Warm up to this cool Nativity Story.Flash and I are sitting back sipping a hot cup of ginger tea with a clove of garlic and a teaspoon of honey, waiting for the Story to begin . Love, Hoboclown Copyright, 2006

The Oldest Toymaker Still Lives

Hi Fans.I'm Hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool and I are in his warm cave watching and studying the holiday toy season. For centuries as a hoboclown detective ,Flash Mc Cool has been trying to identify and locate the oldest Toymaker in the world.Flash has just told me that he has just cracked this cold case and has proof.Here's what Flash had to say, " My great, nimble and superior simplistic mind has tracked down and found the oldest Toymaker in the world! I will offer proof momentarily.While many toys are being sold for profit at sky-high prices, more of the best toys are still being made by the oldest Toymaker in the world ! The oldest Toymaker has been making the toys for free for ages long before your ancestors and mine.Yet, the Toymaker continues to make the toys today and gives them away for free as I speak. The great Toymaker was and is existing in all parts of the world- mysteriously at the same time.How can this be you ask? Well, today I watched a squirrel and his actions and play revealed the Toymaker's identity to me.Ahhaaaah ! Like a dyslexic child who sometimes confuses the letters P and b, I sometimes get my trees confused. Anyway, I stood under this big Elder or Maple tree while a squirrel was some 20 feet atop it eating. As the squirrel ate,quivered and shaked-so did the tree branches to dislodge winged seeds that spiraled down to the ground.One by one( through twenty or thirty )winged seeds were dislodged by the squirrel and spiraled gently in the wind to the ground around my feet. Some I caught on the fly as they spiraled in front of me, around my head or off to my side. I found myself foolishly playing with the winged seeds that some people call Helicopters or Whirlybirds. Some trees use this dispersal method of ,riding the wind and air currents around the world. These trees have been doing this for ages.For instance, the tropical Asian climbing gourd has a measured wingspan of 5 inches and glides through the air of the rain forest in wide circles.There is evidence that this seed inspired the design of early aircraft and gliders and even kites! Some say that the modern Stealth Bomber resembles the shape of the flying wing seed .A scientific expert by the name of Peter Loewer has written a guide in 1995 about such seeds.Some of the seeds have been described as having papery,membraneous wings.What I saw falling around me today looked like seeds with one papery wing, resembling a bird's feather. Very fascinating because it was a plant and not a bird. Other clues kept me hot on the trail of the oldest toymaker.I also found out about a parachute of western salsify, that can be hit by a gust of wind and sail across valleys and over mountain tops.Then, I recalled what we all have played with at one time or another,the western salsify or goatsbeard that we used to call santa clauses.You place them to your mouth and blow and numerous clusters of white parachute seeds become airborne.Dandelion seeds also have such a crown of white parachute-like hairs.L Watson and M.J. Dallwitz, 1992 also illustrated the families of flowering plants and many have been illustrated by W.P.Armstrong.The seeds of the hopseed bush has been said to extend from Arizona to South America.Waynesword.palomar.edu described fuzzy brown cattail spike containing a million tiny seeds with each seed with a tuft of silky white hairs small enough to pass through the eye of an ordinary sewing needle. Now that's what I call a mass producing toy factory .As you can see from this sizable body of evidence,it can only be concluded that the oldest and currently still living Toymaker is Mother Nature, who does it all for free in every corner of the globe." ___________Well, fans there you have it! Flash Mc Cool has solved the case of the oldest and still living toymaker.Find some free toys for some kids this holiday and do like Mother Nature-give them away for free ! Love, Hoboclown Copyright, 2006 . Give The FUN of Flash Mc Cool:Something's Fishy Here-a DVD by Norman Johnson, available at eBay,Amazon.com ; www.CreateSpace.com/206825 or telephone 1(888)304-0043 .

Tom Turkey & Rudolph

Hi Fans! This is hoboclown here.Flash Mc Cool and I were in his cave talking about Flash's exhausting week and just as Flash wished he had more joy and happiness in his life,he opened his mail and there was a book on Happiness by Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk.Before Flash could read the book his old friend,Tom Turkey, flew into Flash's cave in a sweat.I heard Tom Turkey tell Flash that he needed a place to hide out since he had a price on his head and an invitation to a Thanksgiving Dinner.Now, this is what I heard Flash say, " Tom Turkey, I know the most frightening thing for a Turkey is to receive an invitation to a Thanksgiving Dinner! You can bet your gizzard that the gravy will be all over you in a second.Why, you have to learn to do animal clown tricks to keep the humans happy-so they won't want to eat you! You can be like the Hooded Seal.He carries a balloon on his head and blows bubbles threw his nose. No body will wanna eat after they see that ! Or you can disguise yourself like a Platypus.He has the bill of a duck and the body of a rat! Absolutely unappetizing ! If that don't turn you on, you can do like Penguins and jump 6 feet in the air! Keep the humans entertained! Or flap your wings fast like a Woodpecker.They can peck 20 times per second..faster than a car's turn signals flash in a minute.Dazzle 'em Tom ! Or if you really wanna excite the humans.Do like the Praying Mantis and turn your head 360 degrees.That'll turn their gravy green ! And then when it's time to eat, do like the Butterflies and taste your food by standing on it. My animal clown friend, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, was about to be eaten but he was saved by that fat jolly old elf in the North Pole. You see, Rudolph was hoboing at the North Pole and went to apply for a job at Santa's toy factory. At first, Santa wanted Rudolph to work at a Drive-thru igloo.However, Santa chose Rudolph to lead his sleigh in the frigid weather because Rudolph ate super-sized moss that had a chemical that kept Rudolph's body from freezing. Santa also knew that Rudolph was a clown reindeer who could do magic tricks and light up his big red nose.Tom you gotta learn some tricks or at least learn to run like The Philadelphia Eagles' wide receiver, Reggie Brown, or your second cousin, The Road Runner ! Act like a chicken Tom ! Runnn Tomm..RUNNNN! " _____________ That's it for The Holidays Fans.Keep your warm thoughts while livin' it cool like Flash Mc Cool. Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright 2006

Holiday Guests Anyone?

Hi Fans.It's Hoboclown here. Sometimes, I shadow Flash Mc Cool to watch out for him as he travels alone from his cave to Philadelphia by train.This morning I saw him looking down at a puddle of water in the City Hall Courtyard and this is what I heard Flash saying, "Archy! Is that you ? I haven't seen you in nearly ninety years! Why you must have been the most famous cockroach on Broadway.I heard you used to help that Marquis fella write his news column in The New York Tribune.How's the wife and kids ? Thousands of grand kids ? No kidding ? I always wondered if you were German, Australian or American . German huh? Yeah, that's right! You come from hardy stock ! I heard you rode with the best of them : Kings,Princes,Dukes, movie stars, presidents.Your favorite spot was inside the upholstery of those fancy automobiles ? These days, I still travel by train, bicycle or by foot.Well, good to see you passing through Philly. I got a nice little spot in a cave nearby and you're welcome to stop by for the holidays for a few crumbs but leave the grand kids at home ..." ____ Well fans as you can see, Flash is somewhat neighborly and generous but he places a higher premium on solitude! Until next time, remember your cool friends over the holidays ! Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright 2006

The Halloween Tail

Hi Fans.It's Hoboclown here.Flash and I are in his cave with One Fang,one of Flash Mc Cool's friendly wolves who keeps in touch ,and tells us the tale of why the wolves howl at the moon- "A long time ago on a chilly full moon night when I could taste the bitter chill in the air,I joined my brother and sister wolf cubs on a romp through the woods.We heard about an old clown who would sleep-walk through the woods with a big magnifying glass to help him find his way.We pretended the clown was our next meal and practiced stalking him .However, Flash's colorful costume with red gloves and red rags fascinated us so much that we decided not to try to eat him but to watch in amusement. Flash was sleep-walking after eating nearly- fermented apples.Now, I used to have two razor sharp fangs and I leaped up to grab one of Flash Mc Cool's red rags from his pocket.Flash spun around with his magnifying glass to see what grabbed him. One of my fangs got caught in the red rag and I was spun around and hit a small tree and fell to the ground. I lost one fang and yelped. Flash was startled,turned quickly and stumbled over his big feet,stepping on my tail. I yelped loudly and Flash took off again and crashed his big red nose into a nearby tree.Flash yelled in pain,ooowwwwwooooh,oooooowwwwoooohh. The other cubs and I laughed and laughed and laughed. To this day, on a full moon night whenever we romp through the woods we laugh and joke and imitate Flash Mc Cool's blindly howling through the woods ". _______ Well, Flash Mc Cool and I enjoyed One Fang's story of the The Halloween Tail .Hope you did too! Until next time, Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright 2006

Masquerade?

Hello Fans!. I'm Hoboclown. Last night ,I asked Flash Mc Cool about the origin of his current costume.This is what he told me, "Many ages ago a great King wanted to find out what his subjects thought about the kingdom and how he could help them best. The king decided to travel incognito amongst the common people.If they recognized him, they would be reluctant to offer up real criticism about him as a ruler.So, one Halloween he decided to masquerade as a clown and go out amongst the people. The king disguised himself with a wig,a long multi-colored robe, red gloves and a big red nose.Before he sat out on his journey he consulted his famous clown friend,Chuck Darwin, an alumnus of clown college class of 1836.Chuck advised the King to be very careful not to use his royal methods in interacting with common people, who can be very suggestible.The king heeded Chuck's advice and went out to greet his people. Unfortunately,the king disguised his appearance but could not disguise his royal outlook. You see the king spoke by decree . That is, when the king spoke- what Wasn't suddenly WAS . As the king walked amongst the people he wondered why everyone walked forward and wondered what would happen if everyone walked backwards.Suddenly, everyone began to walk backwards.He then thought there were too many small orphan children in the kingdom and thought if they were older then they could fend for themselves.Suddenly, everyone in the kingdom was old and no children could be found.The king then saw the homeless street beggars and thought how nice it would be for them to have their own homes and a bountiful existence.Suddenly, the beggars were all gone and more kingly castles sprung up in the center of town.The clown-king became distressed and began to ask the common people what they really needed to be happy.The commoners advised the clown-king that they needed someone to look up to;to be a friend; to tell them what to do; to help them make a living ;to protect them and to blame for their misfortunes.The king stopped in his tracks and thought-"these people need a king!" Suddenly, his clown costume disappeared and he stood before the crowds of commoners who quickly carried him back to his castle to rule over them. The orphan children re-appeared, everyone walked forward again and the king sat on his throne in the only castle in the land.The king summoned his clown friend,Chuck Darwin, to his court to explain.Chuck advised the king that people need to adapt slowly to new challenges before they can significantly change and increase their chances of survival.The king learned that masquerading has magical effects and needs to be prescribed cautiously! Like the great king ,I decided to use my pauper-like hoboclown detective costume to enable me to bring about magical effects with masquerade- when needed ..." ________ There you have it fans. View Flash Mc Cool's magical masquerade in Flash Mc Cools' short videos at Google Video and Customflix.com ! ~Love, Hoboclown~ copyright 2006

Tricks Or Treats?

Hi Fans! I'm hoboclown.I asked Flash Mc Cool if he had any Tricks or Treats to share and this is what he had to say, "Slimey,sluggish snails steadily slobbering sticky substances on the ground.Daddy-long legs scurrying across the rocks.Mama short legs somewhere nearby? Scary wide-eyed owls hooting as they wait around the bend in the trail for unsuspecting prey.Fireflies doing aerial light shows at night while fools chase rainbows during the day. Mother nature's has about just as many Tricks as Treats. As a hoboclown,who is all about F-U-N , I like to turn the Tricks into Treats with a little magical intent.For instance, spiders are nature's tiny engineers who strive for perfection in creating symmetrical silk webs to trick and snare unsuspecting prey like numb clowns . There's nothing like leaving your cave at 6:00 a.m. and getting a face full of spider web silk in your nose, eyes and hair. A spider had created the fibery structure overnite! So, to return the favor and have some F-U-N, I doused the web with talcum powder and used the center of the web as a bull's eye for small blades of grass or twigs.The creepy, eight-legged crawler frantically appeared to seize the prey or re-construct a broken thread of silk on the web. I believe mother nature gives us the Tricks to keep us on our toes and the Treats to keep us from being bored..." __________ Well guys, there you have it.Just like Flash Mc Cool, have safe F-U-N with your cool Tricks and Treats this season! ~ Love, Hoboclown~ copyright 2006

Horse Sense

Good Morning Fans!I'm hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool has some feedback about his investigation at a horse stable yesterday- There's too much violence in the world! Yesterday,I visited a horse stable in Philadelphia to find some ways to curb youth violence in Philadelphia,PA. I grabbed my magnifying glass and note pad and spirited over to the Bill Pickett Riding Academy to begin my investigation with the stable managers: Ike,Martin and Tweety. Ike is a retired Police Lieutenant and Equine Specialist.Martin is a retired Philadelphia Mounted Policeman.Tweety is a horse riding instructor and adolescent psychotherapist.You see, about three weeks ago,Ike put the word out that he wanted to offer at-risk youth, families & volunteers access to Equine Assisted Psychotherapy at the Bill Pickett Riding Academy as a path away from youth conflict and violence.Four hundred people answered the call announced in the Philadelphia Daily newspaper.I wanted to find out the true ingredients of this Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. The minute I set foot on the stable grounds, I was followed by the eyes of some ten horses in the corral.I found Ike and Tweety counseling ten new visitors (parents with their children) who also answered the call. Tweety and another stable- hand groomed a mare while she and Ike instructed the visiting on-lookers in basic horsemanship.A stable tomcat greeted each arriving visitor. Two experienced adolescents (one boy & one girl) were busy cleaning stalls.Ike explained that they were working fast to earn the Riding Lessons at the end of their chores.According to Ike, the boy would visit everyday after school if he could. There were some 25 or 30 horses in the stalls with 10 corraled outside. Before the three hour investigation,observation and interaction with some of the horses and on the spot tutorials with Ike & Tweety, I had researched the Psychology of Horses.The horse riding demonstration by Tweety put the icing on the cake. I discovered that the relationship of trust, on-going non-verbal communication ( i.e. the rider's posture,handling of the reins, use of legs & feet and verbal commands) facilitates an enjoyable and safe riding experience for the horse and rider. Equally important was the horse herd's acceptance of the rider as a leader of the herd.That is, the tranformation of the predatory human rider into a prey/leader of the herd.Once that bond is accomplished,respected and maintained , the potential conflict between an 800 to 1200 pound horse and rider can be neutralized. Ike and other seasoned Equine specialists recognize that once man (the predator) confines the horse (the prey animal) he has a responsibility to protect the horse's welfare since man is allegedly smarter. My investigative observation was that the horse rider's mental shift from superior intelligence to the lower form of horse sense or herd mentality yielded less conflict between the rider and the horse. You would think that people would get along better with each other if they just used Horse Sense! ____ Until next time, keep cool! Love, ~Hoboclown~ copyright 2006

Wash Your Mind

Hello Fans, I'm hoboclown here.Now that school is open,Flash is questioning what is taught in schools.Here's what he has to say- I attended the old and new schools but nobody ever taught me all that I really needed to know.Think about it. In early childhood your parents and teachers told you to wash your face and hands with soap and water several times a day.They also told you to groom yourself.But they didn't tell you what you needed to know!. They also told you to wash your booty.If that was an early lesson to learn, then how come so many politicians don't know their butts from a hole in the ground? If you don't know where your booty is-ask your momma! Later in life when I learned to drive a car the car mechanics told me to change my car oil every 3 thousand miles.Well, humans are more complicated than cars but nobody told me when to change my mind! If you wash your hands and face with soap and water several times a day, should you wash your mind also? Well, the answer is YES ! The secret is knowing how to do it. I saw a teenager the other day wearing a Tee shirt that read -OUTTA MY MIND-BE BACK IN 5 MINUTES . I had my ahaaaahhh moment. I learned a long time ago that if you leave your mind for a few minutes everyday you can re-energize yourself and focus better later. Some teachers called it,DAYDREAMING and they don't like it when you do it because it feels good to you but not to them.They think you're ignoring them. Later I learned that I could wash my mind of the troublesome thoughts that cluttered it up by staring ( for a few minutes) at a small dot on the wall and screening everything else out. This was similar to daydreaming and gave my mind a needed cleansing and rest. Washing my mind this way helped me to study and do my very best hoboclown detective problem-solving! So if you're a student and you really want to do well in school-you have to periodically wash your mind ! _________ Well, Flash has made my day.How about yours? It's already a cool indian summer day in Philadelphia,PA so you know what to do!Until next time- Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright 2006

Learning by Osmosis

Hi Fans, Hoboclown here.Flash Mc Cool has some Back to School thoughts- "Going back to school takes a lot of adjustment, especially after a long summer of impulsive habits.I am a four thousand year old clown but my earliest memories of school seem like they occured just yesterday!The first thing I remember is how big and strange everything was and that there were always new rules to get used to such as: Quiet! Stand still! No talking! Raise your hand if you have a question! Take your hands out of your pocket! No sleeping in class! Stay in your seat! Do your homework! Study! Study! Study!No chewing gum ! Also, every year you have to get used to the new students in your class. Sometimes your grades are affected by your interaction with other students.Each year is more dificult and you get to appreciate the fellow students who help you with your assignments.When I got to High School one teacher used to tell the class clowns that they were learning by osmosis because they had not studied. Actually, we were learning by Rosmosis. You see, Rosmosis was a bop clown with a bright pink wig.She was an A+ student and knew everything.Roz was also cute.She was so smart that she never had to study and just seemed to soak up knowledge like a sponge.I thought I could learn a lot by just watching Roz. As time went by, Roz got prettier and prettier and I found myself just staring and staring at her while the teacher taught us Biology, the science of life.The more the teacher taught, the more I just stared at Roz. I couldn't quite understand the teacher's instruction and illustration of anatomy .However, when I stared and stared and stared at Roz the whole anatomy thing began to sink in.There it was ! I was soaking up knowledge just like a sponge.I managed to get an A+ in Biology that year. So,if a teacher tells you that you must be learning by osmosis because you surely haven't studied ...just grin, press on and keep staring..." _______ Well,as you can see Flash Mc Cool has a different slant on the lessons of life. LOL, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright 2006

The British Are Coming

Hi Gang! I'm Hoboclown.Flash Mc Cool & and I have been very busy getting the facts on Flash's latest investigation.This is what Flash told me, " The British are coming! The British are coming!That's what Paul Revere told me many years ago. He was another class clown who played a lot of pranks.No one ever really believed him until it happened. A few weeks ago he told me the British were coming AGAIN. I put on my gloves,my derby and my magic bag and pocketed my magnifying glass.Then I hopped on my bike and zipped thru cyberspace looking for clues. I came upon a fella named Dave, who had been tracking me on YouTube.com.Dave saw my film and liked it and thought I might like to play games so he invited me over to see his place.I do leave my cave to visit people every now and then but Dave told me he lived in Great Britain. The most direct route was through cyberspace. I didn't even have to use my siren.I got there in 5 seconds flat. Dave had a nice spread of games laid out in perfect hi-tech order.When Dave told me I could select any FREE gadget for my cyberspace mission, he reminded me of a certain Q who supplied gadgetry for a 007 agent. All I had to do was link him up to my website and then he would link me up to his.I liked the gadgets and thought they would bring a lotta FUN to my audience and I took him up on the offer. Now, it's back to school time and time for college football and monday night football.So I decided to use Dave's gadgets to beef up my sites for more action for my audience while they viewed my 4 new Flash Mc Cool clips that now total 7 in number.My audience can now view my clips,read my blogs and play Free Flash games at http://www.myspace.com/klowne1 By the time I left Dave's place in Great Britain and got back here to the United States, the British gadgets were not ONLY coming.THEY WERE ALREADY HERE !? " _________ Well guys,needless to say Flash Mc Cool is still a little bewildered by this investigative outcome.See how Flash relaxes in his short clip,Flash Mc Cool:Playing The Slots. Until next time, LOL, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright 2006

Treading Air

Hi Everbody.Hoboclown here.Flash Mc Cool has been very busy in cyberspace and is back with a reflection- "I've been in cyberspace so long,I feel like I'm imaginin' things.You see,in cyberspace just about anything is possible with your imagination!But when you get back on real ground, things appear differently. Take the spectacle I saw this morning at my train stop.Nearly 50 feet above the commuter train track there's a cable that holds up the high voltage wires.For some reason I looked up (a few minutes before the train came) and saw a small bird in flight suddenly stop in mid air and then gingerly descend on the cable.An illusion I thought,since I was some fifty feet down on the ground looking up.I didn't need my magnifying glass because I can see better at long distances.I shook my head for a split second and in my mind played back what I saw.Right before the bird stopped in flight,it appeared to be treading air the way people tread in a pool of water.This couldn't be,I thought! But I saw what I saw.And the great hoboclown observation skills never lie. I once saw a few humming birds stop in flight and suck a drop of nectar out of a flower.Perhaps, this was another kind of humming bird on the cable wire 50 feet up.I really don't know. It reminded me of a famous classmate at the ancient school of comedy.That's before the old school and way before back in the day. Anyway,his name was Icarus.He was a class clown and once waxed on some wings and jumped off a cliff to try to fly like a bird.Icarus tried to tread air too but it wasn't working.You see, the Goddess of All Fools (Gravity) would not help Icarus that day. Icarus treaded and treaded and even dropped a few quarts of fuel and still couldn't fly.He fell against the rocks.All the clowns had a big laugh, because as you can see The Goddess of All Fools (Gravity) was teaching us how to make money . We laughed and laughed and as for poor Icarus,as he nursed his sores-he hummed and hummed and hummed all the way home .." ________ Well, that's Flash's reflection today.Until next time try not to get too hot under the collar this August.. Love, ~Hoboclown~ Copyright, 2006