THE SPACE ALIEN PREPARES FOR ELECTION DAY 2020

     Election Day 2020 is just around the corner on Tuesday, November 3rd.  Absentee voting has already begun!

     The Space Alien is not a citizen of the United States and therefore cannot vote, but can still show voters where to get the information they need to cast absentee ballots and help the postal workers deliver them!  

      Because of COVID-19, so many voters have decided to vote by mail that the Space Alien fears the post offices will be swamped.  

     Fortunately the U. S. Postal Service says it is prepared and not to worry about this!  

     If you have not yet voted, here are some resources the Space Alien recommends: 

1. The U. S. Government website where you can find your state's rules: 

https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting

2. The United States Postal Service information on voting by mail: For this link, please Click Here

We urge Loyal Readers to take advantage of these resources and be sure to VOTE!   

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THE SPACE ALIEN GREETS 5781

The Space Alien has been busy in the kitchen baking a delicious Honey Cake to welcome the New Year, 5781!  (This year this will begin at sunset on the evening of Friday, September 18.)

Here is the Space Alien's delicious honey cake! 

And for a sweet year, the Space Alien has Apples to dip into Honey!

All of us at the Space Alien Gazette wish everyone a good, sweet and healthy year!

To all our Loyal Readers: Shanah Tovah!

A Good Year!

THE SPACE ALIEN EXECUTES A THRILLING RESCUE AT SEA!

(Note: While this may not go out as a separate issue of the Space Alien Gazette, it will surely be of interest to Loyal Readers!)  

A Loyal Reader sent Your Editor this article from the  New York Times dated September 5, 2020, about a thrilling rescue of boatloads of Trump supporters at a large reservoir lake in Texas.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/05/us/Texas-boat-parade-trump.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage

Your Editor believes the picture in this New York Times article may have been "doctored" to remove a very important element: the role of the Space Alien in rescuing people from the foundering boats.

As the article above notes: "Firefighters pulled some people out of the water" but it does not say exactly how the others were rescued.  

Fortunately Your Editor was able to obtain an original copy of this photograph making it clear that the Space Alien played an important role in this thrilling rescue!    

As you can see, the Space Alien bravely places saving lives above political considerations!  

THE SPACE ALIEN HONORS LABOR DAY

The Space Alien works hard on the assembly line when this plant is short-handed, performing assigned tasks with speed and precision.

On Labor Day, the Space Alien joins workers everywhere, celebrating the advances workers have made while considering goals yet to be met.    

This year the Space Alien will march in parades, and then then relax with friends at a picnic to say goodbye to summer.

Here are some interesting websites about Labor Day: 

https://parade.com/1081089/jessicasager/labor-day-history/

and: 

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1

and:

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-labor-day-holiday/

and:

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-labor-day

and:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveodland/2012/08/29/10-labor-day-facts/#6225b1775af3

While puzzled by seeming inconsistencies between these accounts, the Space Alien was still fascinated to learn more about this holiday honoring our workforce, and hopes that as Loyal Readers enjoy these last days of summer, they will also think about the meaning of Labor Day.

Labor Day, observed on the first Monday in September, will be observed this year on September 7th.  Whatever your plans, the Space Alien and Your Editor wish you a wonderful weekend!

THE SPACE ALIEN MAKES A BIG MOVE

One of many executive decisions the Space Alien recently made was to move internet hosting from Jacksonville, Florida to Mountain View, California, nearly 3,000 miles away! 

(Loyal Readers may recognize these cities as the homes of Register.com and Google.com, not a surprising coincidence given the Space Alien's long interest in modern technology.)  

The Space Alien normally travels at tachyonic velocities exceeding the speed of light, but there was concern that bringing needed information from Florida to California in this manner could totally vaporize these valuable files!     

Commercial airline travel was not practical because many commercial airlines had cut back on flights due to COVID-19, and also because the Space Alien has encountered difficulties with commercial airlines (mainly involving disputes over bags of peanuts).   

So the Space Alien decided to take a leisurely drive to the new internet headquarters with the valuable files safely packed in the trunk!   

Hopefully not too many of these valuable files will be lost in this move, and the Space Alien looks forward to many more years of producing the very highest quality journalism for Loyal Readers of the incomparable Space Alien Gazette!  

THE SPACE ALIEN CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

Your Editor encountered the Space Alien viewing past issues of the Space Alien Gazette.

"Look how proudly I marched on July 4th last year!" cried the Space Alien.  "I beat the drum in a Spirit of '76 reenactment so all the marchers could keep in step!"

http://spacealiengazette.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-space-alien-celebrates-our-nations.html

"And this July marks the completion of our fourth year of online publication of the Space Alien Gazette," added the Space Alien. "I think we should have a big party to celebrate that as well!"

"But you know we can't have a big party now because of COVID-19," said Your Editor.

"So what shall I do instead on July 4th?" cried the Space Alien.

Your Editor paused before answering.
"Do you know what the Fourth of July is all about?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," answered the Space Alien. 
"Maybe the invention of firecrackers?"

"Not at all," said your Editor.  "Just look at this!" she continued, taking a framed reproduction down from the wall.  

"This document, written over 200 years ago and signed on July 4, 1776, declared the independence of the United States of America from the British Empire," she explained.

And you may read it here:
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript


The Space Alien looked over this document thoughtfully, and then read these words aloud:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." 

"These are very important words!" said the Space Alien.  "I am going to spend the rest of the day studying them and thinking about their meaning!" 

"That's a good idea," agreed Your Editor.  "I'll join you -- we'll do this together!  And then we'll act to assure that our government today will actually live up to these words with fairness for all!"

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This issue of the Space Alien Gazette is lovingly dedicated to the memory of my dear Uncle Al who reminded us each year to re-read the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July. 

THE SPACE ALIEN SHOWS UP FOR JUSTICE

Your Editor came upon the Space Alien carrying a small case neatly packed with containers of food.

"Where are you going?"  She asked. 

"I don't know," answered the Space Alien, "but I'm leaving here and I may never come back!"

"What?" cried Your Editor.  "But why?"

"Just look at this picture!" cried the Space Alien pulling out a cell phone.  "I took it the other day!"     

"This is a land of cruel and murderous people who torture and kill people who don't look like them, or who don't think like them!  Even some who promise to serve and protect people commit murder as if it were a commonplace event!   How can I stay in a place like this?  I'm leaving!"

Your Editor was silent.  For a moment she considered asking the Space Alien to take her along, to take her far from a place where small children could sing about "crowning good with brotherhood" while their elders did exactly the opposite.  An image of another woman came into her mind.  

Then she spoke:  "Space Alien, please stay!  You are needed here!  I need you here!  We have work to do!  We may not finish this work in my lifetime, but we still need to do the work!"   

"Just look!" she continued.  "There are lots of good people!  They are marching right now and we can join them!" 

"More and more will join us!   This is where change can start!  This is not the time to leave!  This is the time to remember why we are here and to take back our country for justice!"

And together, with millions of others, they did!

Never Forgotten!
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For more information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_George_Floyd

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THE SPACE ALIEN ENTERS A "WEAR A MASK" CONTEST

[Editors Note: This post, intended for early June, 2020, was not sent to subscribers, as the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police officers rightfully preempted it.  It may be sent to e-mail subscribers at some future date, but for now it is only here on the website.] 

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In a campaign to stop the spread of COVID-19, New York  Governor Andrew Cuomo recently sponsored a "Wear a Mask" contest to produce a Public Service Announcement (PSA).     

Hundreds of people submitted entries, and a reported half-million voted!   

On May 26, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced a tie for winner, and both will be used in PSA's.

You may view the top entries here: 
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/wear-mask 

While immune to the terrible COVID-19 virus, the Space Alien nevertheless wears a mask to set a good example for human friends and decided to write a poem for Governor Cuomo's contest.

Unfortunately the deadline for entries had already passed, but the Space Alien wrote a poem anyway and put on a brand new mask to celebrate.    

Here's the poem the Space Alien wrote and recited as a rap wearing the brand-new mask!  

You don't have to ask,
I'll still Wear a Mask!
At home or in space,
I'll cover my face!
Our friends will admire us,
And not catch this virus!
It's fashionable too!
And shows I love you!

The Space Alien is sure this would have won a prize in Governor Cuomo's contest and believes Loyal Readers would agree!  

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A note from Your Editor:

Loyal Reader, if the COVID-19 situation is still with us as you read this, please follow the Space Alien's lead and protect those around you by wearing a mask!  

This post is repeated at Your Editor's COVID-19 blog: 

https://joanscovid19blog.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-space-alien-enters-new-yorks-mask.html

And to read more about the importance of wearing a mask -- especially to protect others -- see https://joanscovid19blog.blogspot.com/2020/05/to-mask-or-not-to-mask-and-if-so-how.html

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