Showing posts with label Taco Supper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taco Supper. Show all posts

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Employment Search

Volume 10, Issue 05 Friday, February 01, 2008

Hello All,

COMMUNICATION NOTICE: We are switching Internet Service Providers and, as of February 28, our e-mail address will change. You can contact us at kc5hii@gmail.com.
~~~~~
As Winston Churchill said; "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried."

Our form of government guarantees that we will seldom look past the end of our nose. But this flawed system has produced a nation like no other on earth. We've offered up our youth time and again to support the oppressed. In war, we often left the nations we defeated better off than they had been originally.

I don't have a solution for the short sightedness of the electorate. But we can't stop trying. Like Rodney King said; "Can't we just all get along?"

Until that happens, I would hope that those with a national audience would use it to remind people to "Cast their bread upon the water" and not seek immediate benefit.

After all, we'd like for our kids to have a home.
~~~~~
The Albemarle Relay for Life Team needs your help for our "eBay for Relay" fundraiser. We really need any items you could donate for our eBay sales. The guidelines are posted on the bulletin board explaining what "eBay for Relay" is.

Please, if you have any items you could donate that would bring a minimum of $25.00, contact one of the Relay Team and we'll see that it gets posted.

The money is going to a really great cause, and with the $25.00 minimum, we can get the Albemarle matching funds.

Thanks for your help and continued support of RELAY!

Cindy Borne
~~~~~
Congratulations to Matt Morse and Sarah on the birth of their daughter! Charlotte Marie was born 1/29/08 at 4:12 p.m. - she was 20" long, 7 pounds, with a head full of brownish auburn hair!
~~~~~
First Baptist Church Open Taco Supper is coming Feb 21, from 5-7:00 pm. Tickets are $8 each. The meal includes beverage & dessert.
~~~~~
This past weekend Albemarle was featured on the entire first page of the business section of The (Baton Rouge) Advocate. The article referenced a $26 million expansion in the Baton Rouge area in the next two years. The article features the history of Albemarle and the future for Albemarle.

In case you missed the article we have attached a link for you: http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/14399157.html

Another article about Albemarle in the same section: http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/14400327.html
~~~~~
Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - -
~~~~~
Greetings:

I am back in Iraq, currently in South Baghdad on FOB Falcon with 1-4Cav. This battalion is doing so well with counterinsurgency that it has not been attacked a single time since 9 September 2007. Their area was one of the worst in all Iraq before they got here.

Men of Valor Part VII [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/men-of-valor-part-vii-of-viii.htm] (from my time with British troops in late 2007) is published.

My book "Moment of Truth in Iraq" [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/moment-of-truth-in-iraq.htm] is a work in progress; information about ordering advance (signed) copies is available here: Moment of Truth in Iraq.

There is not enough time to write long dispatches while the book is still in progress; I plan to run a lot of missions during February. But I will try to publish short dispatches nearly daily through February. I will not send an email with each new dispatch, so please check the site frequently.
There likely will continue to be an increase in US casualties as a result of the fact that Iraqi and American forces have their teeth sunk deeply into al Qaeda in northern Iraq. Iraqi and American forces are crushing the wind out of al Qaeda, but the enemy still has strength and is fighting hard.

V/r,
Michael Yon
Baghdad
~~~~~
This week we continued reading; “The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War" by David Halberstam
We plan on reading: “The innocent man” by John Grisham, “A war of gifts: an Ender story” by Orson Scott Card, “Death benefits: a novel” by Thomas Perry, “Sliver of truth” by by Lisa Unger.
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com/BugsBleat/shelf?ec=7D790D174EFS18012
~~~~~
If you’d like to write Dr. Antoon, he’d like to hear from you. This is his current address, the latest of the three federal prisons’ he’s been in.
Patrick Antoon #06669-010
Federal Prison Camp-La Tuna
P. O. Box 8000
Anthony, NM/TX 88021
~~~~~
The photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include photos of local EMTs at Amanda Warren’s recent refresher training as well as a GREAT shot of Ethan.
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Last quarter’s issues can be seen at http://www.bugsbleat4Q07.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - - - Oven Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is a prime candidate for a healthy makeover. We decreased the calories and fat by almost half with the following changes:

The first step was to remove the skin, since that contains the most fat.
Second was to bake the pieces. We knew we would be halfway home simply by changing the cooking technique, but then had to create a faux fried texture.
We sampled many different coatings, from bread crumbs (even Japanese panko) to cereals of all types, falafel mix, crackers and crushed corn chips. We liked the flavor that a corn and rice cereal added and the crispiness a dry bread-cracker (like bagel chips or Melba toasts) gave the chicken, so we combined the two for a tasty, crispy coating.
Getting the coating to stick was another matter — we tried buttermilk, egg white, plain milk and yogurt coatings. A light brushing of low fat mayonnaise finally did the trick. Not only did the mayonnaise make the coating stick, it mirrored the texture of the removed skin. The combination coating, with a hint of mustard in the mayonnaise, garnered rave reviews from all tasters. (Check out the entry on developing this recipe in the Food Network Blog.) - - Make this recipe

Oven Fried Chicken From Food Network Kitchens

1 1/3 cups rice-corn crispy cereal, (recommended: Crispex)
2 1/4 cups broken bagel chips or melba toast
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 bone-in, skinless chicken pieces (about 6 ounces each) See Cook's Note

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Spray the rack generously with cooking spray.
Finely grind the cereal and toasts together in a food processor. Transfer crumbs to a large gallon size plastic bag. Add the oil, salt, cayenne, paprika, and ground pepper and toss to mix thoroughly. Whisk the light mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a medium shallow bowl. Add chicken to mayonnaise and turn to coat all the pieces evenly. Drop the chicken into the plastic bag, seal and shake until each piece is evenly coated. Place coated pieces on the prepared rack. Spray the chicken pieces evenly with cooking spray, and bake until the coating crisps and browns and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pieces registers 160 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

Cook's note:
We like to cook the chicken on the bone for a real moist and juicy chicken experience. If you can't find bone-in skinless chicken, simply pull off the skin before coating. Chicken breast halves can be quite large. To get a healthy 6 ounce portion, cut the breast pieces crosswise with a heavy knife into pieces about the same size as a chicken thigh.

Nutrition Information
Calories 434 Total fat 18 grams
Saturated fat 2.7 grams Carbohydrates 25 grams
Protein 42 grams Fiber 1.7 grams
Sodium 1550 mg
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_34564_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson
'Follow the Lord Jesus'
2/1/2008

Black History Month

It’s Black History Month—and in classrooms around the country, children have been learning about famous African-Americans and their contributions to our culture. That’s a good thing. But there is one thing most kids have not been learning about many of these famous men and women: that is, their Christian faith and how it motivated their lives and their work.

For instance, Sojourner Truth is often identified as a women’s rights advocate and abolitionist. Overlooked is the source of Sojourner’s fiery devotion to human rights: That was her commitment to Jesus Christ. “The Lord gave me the name Sojourner,” she declared, “because I was to travel up and down the land, showing people their sins, and being a sign unto them.” At age 88, her dying words were, “Follow the Lord Jesus.”

And then there is Rosa Parks. Many people know the story of the seamstress who helped ignite the modern civil-rights movement. But far fewer people know that Parks is a devout Christian and that it was her faith that gave her the strength to do what she did that day in 1955. “Since I have always been a strong believer in God,” she says, “I knew that He was with me, and only He could get me through that next step”—that is, refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man.

Our kids have also been hearing a lot about Jackie Robinson’s quiet dignity in the face of racial bigotry on the ball field. But many do not realize the source of Robinson’s ability to turn the other cheek: It was his faith in Jesus Christ. During his 10 years with the Dodgers, he endured racist remarks, death threats, and unfair calls by umpires. But Robinson’s faith helped him keep his anger in check. Every night, he got on his knees and prayed for self-control.

Most people know that George Washington Carver was a chemist and agronomist. Born a slave in 1860, Carver rose to become director of agricultural research at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He is remembered for developing 118 derivative products from sweet potatoes and 300 from peanuts—including my favorite food, peanut butter. Thanks to his efforts, by 1940, peanuts were the second largest cash crop in the South. But go to his name in the encyclopedia, and you will find no reference to the most important aspect of his life: how his faith in God inspired his creativity.

“I didn’t make these discoveries,” Carver once said. “God has only worked through me to reveal to His children some of His wonderful providence.”

Stories like these are a reminder of what a central role the Christian faith has played in the lives of many great Americans. We Christians need to reclaim our cultural heritage from those who seem intent on deleting it from history books—and from Black History Month celebrations. So I urge you: Before the month ends, make sure your own kids learn about the abiding faith of Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, George Washington Carver, and, of course, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. And consider donating some of the good biographies written about these people to local schools and libraries—biographies that tell the whole story.

Our kids deserve to know, not only of African-American contributions to science, politics, and culture, but also of those individuals’ commitments to Christ.

This commentary first aired on February 24, 2003.

Please help the worldview ministry of BreakPoint with a generous tax-deductible gift today to help us continue strong this year. Donate online or call 1-877-322-5527.

Mary G. Butler, “Sojourner Truth: A Life and Legacy of Faith,” Sojourner Truth Institute of Battle Creek.

Mary G. Butler, “The Words of Truth,” Heritage Battle Creek: A Journal of Local History 8 (Fall 1997).

W. Terry Whalin, Sojourner Truth: American Abolitionist, from the Heroes of the Faith series (Barbour, 1997).

BreakPoint Commentary No. 990625, “The Woman on the Bus: The Faith of Rosa Parks.”

Rosa Parks and Gregory J. Reed, Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope, and the Heart of a Woman Who Changed a Nation (Zondervan, 2000).

BreakPoint Commentary No. 980217, “Baseball’s ‘Great Experiment’: The Jackie Robinson Story.”

Sally M. Walker, Jackie Robinson (Carolrhoda Books, 2002).

Sam Wellman, George Washington Carver: Inventor and Naturalist, from the Heroes of the Faith series (Barbour, 1998).

BreakPoint Commentary No. 030117, “Fighting Unjust Laws: Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Mervyn A. Warren, King Came Preaching: The Pulpit Power of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (InterVarsity, 2001).

Kevin Belmonte, William Wilberforce: A Hero for Humanity (Zondervan, 2007).

© 2008 Prison Fellowship http://www.breakpoint.org/
~~~~~
Words of the Week:
disheveled: in loose disorder; disarranged.
disheveled: in loose disorder; disarranged.
caterwaul: to make a harsh cry or screech.
indelible: incapable of being removed or erased.
neophyte: a novice.
sylvan: pertaining to woods or forests.
canorous: melodious; musical.
irascible: easily provoked to anger.
from Dictionary.Com
~~~~~
"Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

"Our life is what our thoughts make it."
- Marcus Aurelius

Don't fight the problem, decide it.
George C. Marshall

I was very careful to send Mr. Roosevelt every few days a statement of our casualties. I tried to keep before him all the time the casualty results because you get hardened to these things and you have to be very careful to keep them always in the forefront of your mind.
George C. Marshall

If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known.
George C. Marshall

When a thing is done, it's done. Don't look back. Look forward to your next objective.
George C. Marshall
~~~~~
Link List
[http://gasprices.mapquest.com]
[http://thelighthousechurch.publishpath.com/]
[www.terryscomputertips.com]
[www.mcc2000.net]
[http://blog.safetyservicescompany.com/Default.aspx]
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Ethiopian Woman Raised from the Dead after 12 Hours—Tells about Heaven
Arizona "Choose Life" License Plate Ruled Constitutional by Appeals Court
Pastor Starts New Program to Put Chaplains in Bar
300 New York Church Leaders Meet in Rural Pennsylvania for Upper Room Experience with Jesus

A Vision of Heaven Turns into Reality as Committed Youth Prepare for Pure, Simple, Undistracted Jesus Worship in Kansas Field
Athletes in Action Hosts Superbowl Breakfast 2008
Canadian Newspaper Revisits Archaeological Evidence of Race of Giant Men
Evangelicals in German Speaking Europe: Focus on Prayer

Middle East Blanketed by Rare Snowfall
Transplant Breakthrough could Mean the End of Long-term Anti-rejection Drugs
Boy Who Found and Returned Lost Cash Says God Taught Him to be Honest
College That Was Going to Deny Certificate to Journalism Student Because She Wrote About Her Faith Reverses Its Decision

Amazing Scene as 200 Kenyan Children, On Their Own Initiative, Pray for their Country and Get Miraculous Results
Missionaries in Kenya relate stories of hope despite ongoing tension
Scientists, Intrigued by Mystery of Starling Formations, Make Surprise Discovery
Christians around the World Focus on Praying for France

310 2nd Ave SE
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-928-2642
E-mail
US Orders: 1-866-358-7426
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GCF: Employment Search

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/ Unsubscribe info for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by F-Secure before it was sent.
---------------------------------------

My employment search preoccupied our family for months. One day my husband told our three boys that to make things easier for me, he had a list of jobs for them.
They were all silent until our six-year-old spoke up: "When are the interviews?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Grandpa's Driving

Emailed to me another humor list (Tickled by Tony - Clean) -Tom Subscribe to the Tickled by Tony list by sending an email to: tickledbytony_clean-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
---------------------------------------

Grandpa was driving with his 9 year old granddaughter and beeped the horn by mistake. She turned and looked at him for an explanation.
He said, "I did that by accident."
She replied, "I know that, Grandpa."
He replied, "How did you know?"
She said, "Because you didn't say, 'Idiot!' afterwards."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Memory Improvement

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------

I knew that as I was getting older, I was finally able to admit that certain things were starting to "slip". In an effort to prevent this memory "slippage", I went enthusiastically to a three-hour seminar on memory improvement.
After an hour I slipped out. I took the same course, given by the same professor, last year.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Country Tunes

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------

My wife and I were browsing in a crafts store when I noticed a display of country-style musical instruments. After looking over the flutes, dulcimers and recorders, I picked up a shiny, one-stringed instrument I took to be a mouth harp. I put it to my lips and, much to the amusement of other shoppers, twanged a few notes on it.
After watching from a distance, my wife came up and whispered in my ear, "I hate to tell you this, honey, but you're trying to play a cheese slicer."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Jean Squeeze

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------

A woman had gained a few pounds. It was most noticeable to her when she squeezed into a pair of her old blue jeans. Wondering if the added weight was noticeable to everyone else, she asked her husband, "Honey, do these jeans make me look like the side of the house?"
"No, dear, not at all," he replied, "Our house isn't blue."
He is almost over the cold he caught sleeping in the garage for 3 nights.
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / "Laughter is the shortest \ /
\ _/ distance between two people." \_ /
/ / -- Victor Borge \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / "I know that you believe that \ \_/ ////
\ / you understood what you think \ /
\ _/ I said, but I am not sure you \_ /
/ / realize that what you heard \ \
is not what I meant."
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / The most destructive force \ /
\ _/ in the universe is gossip. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If you have trouble getting \ /
\ _/ your children's attention, just \_ /
/ / sit down and look comfortable. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / On anniversaries, the wise \ /
\ _/ husband always forgets the past \_ /
/ / ... but never the present. \ \
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| _ ____________________________ _
| Thomas S. Ellsworth |
| tellswor@slonet.org |
| http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor |
|____________________________|
Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards were flying to a convention.
Barack looked at Hillary, chuckled and said, 'You know, I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy.'
Hillary shrugged her shoulders and replied, I could throw ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy.'
John added, 'That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy.'
Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his co-pilot, 'Such big-shots back there'. I could throw all of them out of the window and make 156 million people very happy.'
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
This reminds me of the time my mother’s brother, Fort, challenged her to a cussing contest (I’d guess they were about 10 years old at the time.)

Iris said “Sure.” and Fort challenged her “You go first.”

Iris looked around and shouted “D__n Fly!”

Whereupon Fort ran to their mother shouting “Iris said a bad word. Iris said a bad word.”

My mother chased him and caught him just as their mother came out the back door.

Miss Mary listened to Fort and then asked my mother “Did you say that?” My mother tried to explain but Miss Mary cut her off and asked again “Did you say that?”

My mother had to admit that, yes, she had said that. So she got a whipping.

Unusually, I don’t think she ever got Fort back.
~~~
LEARNING TO CUSS

A 6 year-old and 4 year-old are upstairs in their bedroom.

'You know what?' says the 6 year-old. 'I think it's about time we started cussing.'

The 4 Year-old nods his head in approval.

The 6 year-old continues, 'When we go downstairs for breakfast, I'm gonna say something with 'h__l' and you say something with 'B__t.'

The 4 year-old agrees with enthusiasm.
When their mother walks into the kitchen and asks the 6 year-old what he wants for breakfast, he replies,

'Aw h__l Mom, I guess I'll have some Cheerios.'

WHACK! He flies out of his chair, tumbles across the kitchen floor, gets up, and runs upstairs crying his eyes out with his mother in hot pursuit, slapping his rear with every step. She locks him in his room and shouts, 'You can stay in there until I let you out.' She then comes back downstairs, looks at the 4 year-old and asks with a stern voice, 'And what do YOU want for breakfast, young man? 'I don't know,' he blubbers, 'but you can bet your b__t it won't be Cheerios.'

Thanks to Ronnie Reynolds
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A passenger in a taxi leaned over to ask the driver a question and tapped him on the shoulder.
The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, drove up over the curb, and stopped just inches from a large plate glass window.
For a few moments everything was silent in the cab, and then the still shaking driver said, "I'm sorry, but you scared the daylights out of me."
The frightened passenger apologized to the driver and said he didn't realize a mere tap on the shoulder could frighten him so much. The driver replied, "No, no, I'm sorry, it's entirely my fault. Today is my first day driving a cab.

I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years."

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
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Saw a billboard that said:

"Need help, call Jesus."
1-800-005-3787
...Out of curiosity I did.
A Mexican showed up with a tow truck

Thanks to Daphne Roberts
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A leading Presidential candidate is for banning all guns in America. She is considered by those who have dealt with her as a little more than just a little self-righteous. At a recent rural elementary school meeting in north Florida she asked the kids audience for total quiet.
Then, in the silence, she started to slowly clap her hands, once every few seconds. Holding the audience in total silence, she said into the microphone, 'Every time I c lap my hands, a child in America dies from gun violence.'
*
*
*
A young voice with a proud southern accent (probably Little Johnny) from the front of the crowd pierced the quiet! 'Well, stop clapping, stupid'.

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
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A WOMAN was flying from Seattle to San Francisco. Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.
Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. The man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Seeing Eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight.
He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, "Kathy, we are in Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?" The blind lady replied, "No thanks, but maybe Buddy would like to stretch his legs."

Picture this:
All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Seeing Eye dog!
The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!
True story... Have a great day and remember... THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
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JOKES THAT CAN BE TOLD IN CHURCH:
Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride dressed in white?"" The mother replied, "Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life." The child thought about this for a moment the n said, "So why is the groom wearing black?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!"While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again! As she ran she once again began to pray, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late...But please don't shove me either!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three boys are in the school yard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50."
The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon, and it takes eight people to collect all the money!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service, she wrote, "They wouldn't take me out while I was alive, I don't want them to take me out when I'm dead."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A police recruit was asked during the exam, "What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?" He answered, "Call for backup."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Sunday School teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem . A small child replied, "They couldn't get a baby-sitter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "Honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she said, "Johnny, what is the matter?" Little Johnny responded, "I have pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two boys were walking home from Sunday school after hearing a strong preaching on the devil. One said to the other, "What do you think about all this Sa tan stuff?"The other boy replied, "Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out. It's probably just your Dad."

You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing!

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
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Football Newby

A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game. Afterward he asked her how she liked the game.
"I liked it, but I couldn't understand why they were killing each other for 25 cents," she said.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well, everyone kept yelling, 'Get the quarter back!'"

Received from AcraMax Jokes.

(-:][:-)

Accident Report

Because I was processing my first accident report at the transport company where I worked, I was being particularly attentive.
The driver had hit a deer on the highway, and the result was a severely damaged hood and fender. My serious mood was broken, however, when I reached the section of the report that asked, "Speed of other vehicle?"
The driver had put, "Full gallop."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Wal-Mart Greeter

Charley, a new retiree greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, sometimes 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean shaven, sharp minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.
One day the boss was in a real quandary about how to deal with it. Finally, he called him into the office for a talk. "Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang on job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome."
"Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."
"Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear. It's odd though, your coming in late. I know you're retired from the Armed Forces. What did they say if you came in late there?"
"They said, 'Good morning, General. Tea or coffee this morning, sir?'"

Received from Rhonda Shiffler.

(-:][:-)

Vacuum Salesman

An enthusiastic door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman goes to the first house in his new territory. He knocks, and a really mean, tough-looking lady opens the door. Before she has a chance to say anything, he runs inside and dumps garden soil all over the carpet.
He says, "Lady, if this vacuum cleaner don't do wonders cleaning this up, I'll eat every bit of it."
She turns to him with a smirk and says, "You want ketchup on that?"
The salesman says, "Why do you ask?"
She says, "We just moved in and we haven't got the electricity turned on yet."
Received from AcraMax Jokes.

(-:][:-)

A Great Cup of Tea

This is taken from the Dr. James Dobson Bulletin for June 1998.

Have you noticed that children sometimes try to be helpful, but it makes your life more complicated?
I heard a story about a mother who was sick with the flu. Her darling daughter wanted to be a good nurse. She fluffed the pillows and brought a magazine for her mother to read. And then she showed up with a cup of tea.
"You're such a sweetheart," the mother said as she drank the tea. "I didn't know you could make tea."
"Oh, yes," the little girl replied. "I put the tea leaves in the water like you do, and I boiled it, and then I strained it into a cup. But I couldn't find a strainer, so I used the flyswatter."
"You what?"
And the little girl said, "Oh, don't worry, Mom. I didn't use the new flyswatter. I used the old one."
Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/musical.html - - One afternoon your ten-year old daughter comes home from school, enthused about learning to play an instrument. Your eyeballs start to throb. Your head begins to pulsate. You ask yourself whether tin ears are passed down from parents to their children. How do you resolve this dissonant dilemma?

AGREEMENT entered into on ___________, 200_ , by noise-averse Parents and instrument wielding Child.

WHEREAS, Child has expressed an interest in studying the sax;
WHEREAS, Parents hate the sax and don't even consider it a real instrument;
WHEREAS, Child argues that playing the sax may lead to the Presidency or at least to a shot on Arsenio Hall;
WHEREAS, Parents concede the worthiness of such goals, but remind Child that after three years of piano lessons she didn't even master Chopsticks and, anyway, shouldn't Child play something feminine like the flute?
WHEREAS, Child's best friend's mother is letting her take up the sax, and if Parents let Child do this one little thing, she promises she will never again crush her cousin's accordion.

NOW, THEREFORE, Parents and Child agree to the following terms:

1. In lieu of studying the sax or the flute, Child shall play the clarinet which is sort of like the sax but much less annoying. The parties further agree that if Child complies with this contract for a year, she may, if she deems it appropriate, switch to the sax. Parents feel safe in making this concession because Child has never complied with anything for longer than a nanosecond.
2. Parents shall pay all clarinet rental bills. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Child doesn't practice at least one-half hour per day, the obligation to pay such bills shall revert to Child who shall pay them out of her allowance, even if it takes the rest of her life. However, Child's duty to practice shall be void when her body temperature exceeds 101 degrees and when Parents are entertaining guests.
3. Practice sessions shall take place in Child's bedroom with the door tightly shut at all times. In the event a Parent is ill or had a bad day at the office, such session shall at Parents' option be canceled or be conducted in the basement tool closet. Child hereby waives any right she may have to claim that closet clarinet practice constitutes child abuse.
4. Phrases like "But I don't wanna practice" are hereby be banned. Any utterance of same by Child shall increase her practice time, except in the event of a Parental headache.
5. Child shall not be required to regale relatives with clarinet renditions of "Doe A Deer," "Jingle Bells," or "Mary Had A Little Lamb". Nor shall Child inflict same on guests without the mutual written agreement of all interested parties. If Child does in fact perform, phrases such as "she's such a cute little talent" shall be strictly prohibited, especially when accompanied by head patting or cheek pinching.
6. Child acknowledges that she will have to carry the clarinet to school twice a week for lessons and band practice. The weight of such instrument shall not entitle Child to a ride to or from school. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Child carries more than four school books on any given day, she shall be given a lift by a Parent to be selected in rotation, provided that Child establishes to said Parent's satisfaction that Child used said books within fifteen hours of said ride. Parents concede that Child's arithmetic book is unusually heavy and that it should count as two books in making the aforesaid textbook calculation.
7. Child acknowledges that clarinet reeds are expensive and delicate and agrees to use them only for the purpose of emitting clarinet type sounds. In return for Parents' agreement to supply her with reeds, Child agrees not to chew them, bend them, or feed them to the dog.
8. Parents shall attend Child's band concerts and shall abstain from all embarrassing auditorium activity including but not limited to taking flash photos, jumping up and down in their seats and waving, or yelling "That's my kid. Isn't she great?" Parents further agree to applaud with enthusiasm no matter how much their ears hurt.
9. Child promises that if she ever becomes a famous musician she will give Parents complete credit, especially when she accepts her first Grammy.

WHEREFORE, we affix our signatures.

http://www.madkane.com
http://www.madkane.com/notable.html (Notables Weblog)
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Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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I am thankful:
For the wife who says it's hot dogs tonight, because she is home with me, and not out with someone else.

For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato, because he is home with me and not out at the bars.

For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes because it means she is at home, not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay because it means I am employed .
For the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine

For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home

For all the complaining I hear about the government because it means we have freedom of speech. .

For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking and I have been blessed with transportation .

For my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.

For the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means I can hear.

For the pile of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means I am alive.

And finally, for too much e-mail because it means I have friends who are thinking of me. live well, laugh often, & love with all of your heart!

This is to brighten your day. Be thankful for what you have. And remember........
Attitude isn't everything.........It's the only thing.
So choose everyday to see the positive and find the best in everything.

Thanks to Anne Oldham
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Everyone has a personality of a cartoon character. Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble?

A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test.

Answer all the questions (only 10)with what describes you best, add up all your Points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results.

Do not cheat by looking at the end of the e-mail before you are done

1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?
a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.)
b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.)
c) Painting in the park (5 pts)
d) Rock concert (1 pt.)
e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)

2 What is your favorite type of music?
a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.)
b) Alternative (1 pt.)
c) Soft Rock (4 pts.)
d) Country (5 pts.)
e) Pop (3 pts.)

3. What type of movies do you prefer?
a) Comedy (2 pts.)
b) Horror (1 pt.)
c) Musical (3 pts.)
d) Romance (4 pts.)
e) Documentary (5 pts.)

4. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these?
a) Waiter (4 pts.)
b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.)
c) Teacher (3 pts.)
d) Police (2 pts.)
e) Cashier (1 pt)

5. What do you do with your spare time?
a) Exercise (5 pts.)
b) Read (4 pts.)
c) Watch television (2 pts.)
d) Listen to music (1 pt.)
e) Sleep (3 pts.)

6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?
a) Yellow (1 pt.)
b) White (5 pts.)
c) Sky Blue (3 pts.)
d) Dark Blue (2 pts.)
e) Red (4 pts.)

7. What do you prefer to eat?
a) Snow (3 pts.)
b) Pizza (2 pts.)
c) Sushi (1 pt.)
d) Pasta (4 pts.)
e) Salad (5 pts.)

What is your favorite holiday?
a) Halloween (1 pt.)
b) Christmas (3 pts.)
c) New Year (2 pts.)
d) Valentine's Day (4 pts.)
e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)

9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?
a) Paris (4 pts)
b) Spain (5 pts)
c) Las Vegas (1 pt)
d) Hawaii (4 pts)
e) Hollywood (3 pts)

10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?
a) Someone Smart (5 pts.)
b) Someone attractive (2 pts.)
c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.)
d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.)
e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)

Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for!

(10-16 points) You are Garfield : You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others.

(17-23 points) You are Snoopy: You are fun, you are very cool and popular. You always know what's in and you are never are out of style You are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times

(24-28 points) You are Elmo: You have lots of friends and you are also popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.

(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants: You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it's funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people, and you will be stress free.

(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown: You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion confuse you with reality.

(44-50 points) You are Dexter: You are smart and definitely a thinker... Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over thinking every once in a while to spice things up a bit with spontaneity!

Thanks to Anne Oldham
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Cutting down on caffeine could help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels, according to a new study by scientists at Duke University Medical Center.
The researchers studied a small group of people with established type 2 diabetes who drank at least two cups of coffee everyday and who were trying to manage their disease through diet, exercise and oral medications, but no insulin. Scientists used new technology — a tiny glucose monitor embedded under their abdominal skin — to continuously monitor sugar levels over a 72-hour period.
Participants took capsules containing caffeine equal to about four cups of coffee on one day and then identical capsules that contained a placebo on another day.
The researchers found that when the participants consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight percent. Caffeine also exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals — increasing by nine percent after breakfast, 15 percent after lunch and 26 per cent after dinner.
"We’re not sure what it is about caffeine that drives glucose levels up, but we have a couple of theories," said lead author of the study Dr. James Lane from Duke University Medical School in a news release.
"It could be that caffeine interferes with the process that moves glucose from the blood and into muscle and other cells in the body where it is used for fuel. It may also be that caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline — the ‘fight or flight" hormone that we know can also boost sugar levels."
There are no current guidelines suggesting diabetics shouldn’t drink coffee, but Lane said that day may soon come.
"Coffee is such a common drink in our society that we forget that it contains a very powerful drug — caffeine. Our study suggests that one way to lower blood sugar is to simply quit drinking coffee, or any other caffeinated beverages. It may not be easy, but it doesn’t cost a dime, and there are no side effects," said Lane.

The findings appear in the February issue of Diabetes Care.

Thanks to Barry Brownlee
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Decline in Snowpack Is Blamed On Warming
Water Supplies In West Affected

By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 1, 2008; A01

The persistent and dramatic decline in the snowpack of many mountains in the West is caused primarily by human-induced global warming and is not the result of natural variability in weather patterns, researchers reported yesterday.

Using data collected over the past 50 years, the scientists confirmed that the mountains are getting more rain and less snow, that the snowpack is breaking up faster and that more rivers are running dry by summer.

The study, published online yesterday by the journal Science, looked at possible causes of the changes -- including natural variability in temperatures and precipitation, volcanic activity around the globe and climate change driven by the release of greenhouse gases. The researchers' computer models showed that climate change is clearly the explanation that best fits the data.

"We've known for decades that the hydrology of the West is changing, but for much of that time people said it was because of Mother Nature and that she would return to the old patterns in the future," said lead author Tim Barnett of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego. "But we have found very clearly that global warming has done it, that it is the mechanism that explains the change and that things will be getting worse."

Many in the West and the Southwest depend on the snowpack's springtime melt for power, irrigation and drinking water. When the snow fields melt earlier and more suddenly, dams are able to capture less of the water and must release more of it to flow on to the ocean.

"Our results are not good news for those living in the western United States," the researchers wrote, adding that the changes may make "modifications to the water infrastructure of the western U.S. a virtual necessity."

Although parts of the West have been hit by record snowfalls this winter, the data collected by the team showed that since 1950, the water content of the snowpack as of April 1 each year has decreased in eight of the nine mountain regions studied, by amounts ranging from 10 percent in the Colorado Rockies to 40 percent in the Oregon Cascades. Only the southern Sierra Nevada range did not show a drop.

The study is part of what has become a drumbeat of dire assessments based on reports of quickening climate change caused by the buildup of carbon dioxide from vehicles, power plants, industry and deforestation. Last week, the American Geophysical Union, a leading scientific group in the field, issued a warning that "Earth's climate is now clearly out of balance and is warming."

"Many components of the climate system -- including the temperatures of the atmosphere, land and ocean, the extent of sea ice and mountain glaciers, the sea level, the distribution of precipitation and the length of seasons -- are now changing at rates and in patterns that are not natural and are best explained by the increased atmospheric abundances of greenhouse gases and aerosols generated by human activity during the 20th century," the organization said, in its strongest statement to date on the subject.

Although the decline of the Western snowpack over the past few decades has been documented before, yesterday's study is the most definitive in assigning the blame to human-induced climate change.

Barnett said his team used computer models to assess what natural climate variability, sun spots, volcanoes and climate change could do to the snowpack. The climate-change model best matched the actual trends of the period from 1950 to 1999.

The chance that the model is incorrect, he said, is somewhere between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000.

"Given the amount of carbon in the air and the trends for future releases, we have to expect that conditions will get progressively worse for some time, no matter what we do now," he said. His team included researchers from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the University of Washington and the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Japan.

Researchers have also predicted that the Southwest is likely to get less winter rainfall as a result of the buildup of greenhouse gases. Because the region gets much of its water from the Colorado River -- one of the rivers affected by the reduced snowpack -- the already-dry area could be losing water from both of its main sources, Barnett said.

Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson, said the new study "closes the circle" in terms of understanding what is happening to the climate of the West.

"Almost all of the models we've seen in recent years show the area becoming warmer and more arid due to climate change, but the question was always whether we could believe them," he said. "Now someone has done the statistical analysis to connect the dots so they can say with real confidence that this is happening because of greenhouse gases."
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This is a very good letter to the editor, and though written in 2006 is still appropriate during this election year. For some reason, people have difficulty structuring their arguments when arguing against supporting the currently proposed immigration revisions. This lady made the argument pretty simple. NOT printed in the Orange County Paper...................
Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which does not agree with the philosophy they're pushing on the public. This woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published; but, with your help it will get published via cyberspace!

New Immigrants

From: "David LaBonte"

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined.

Dave LaBonte (signed)

Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States , people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought alongside men whose parents had come straight over from Germany , Italy , France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France , no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life . I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
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Many years ago, while watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I watched a Church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the Church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age.
After a warm welcome, introduction of this speaker, and as the applause quieted down he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gate to the podium. Without a note or written paper of any kind, he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak.
"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 odd years of Preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials.
The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me... the only thing that would comfort was this song..

Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong, we are weak but He is strong.....
Yes, Jesus loves me...
The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his footsteps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it. A pastor once stated, "I always noticed that it was the adults who chose the children's hymn 'Jesus Loves Me' (for the children of course) during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because I could see they knew it was the best."
Senior version of Jesus Loves Me; here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others, check out this newest version of "Jesus Loves Me".

JESUS LOVES ME
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.

(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME... YES, JESUS LOVES ME... YES, JESUS LOVES ME FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.

(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."

(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love.

(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
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| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
February 1, 2008
February is Heart Health Month

Today's Message is from Dorothy Weston - Albemarle Corporation - Orangeburg, SC

Amazing Heart Facts

Sure, you know how to steal hearts, win hearts, and break hearts. But how much do you really know about your heart and how it works? Read on to your heart's content!
Put your hand on your heart. Did you place your hand on the left side of your chest? Many people do, but the heart is actually located almost in the center of the chest, between the lungs. It's tipped slightly so that a part of it sticks out and taps against the left side of the chest, which is what makes it seem as though it is located there.
Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.
Give a tennis ball a good, hard squeeze. You're using about the same amount of force your heart uses to pump blood out to the body. Even at rest, the muscles of the heart work hard--twice as hard as the leg muscles of a person sprinting.
Feel your pulse by placing two fingers at pulse points on your neck or wrists. The pulse you feel is blood stopping and starting as it moves through your arteries. As a kid, your resting pulse might range from 90 to 120 beats per minute. As an adult, your pulse rate slows to an average of 72 beats per minute.
The aorta, the largest artery in the body, is almost the diameter of a garden hose. Capillaries, on the other hand, are so small that it takes ten of them to equal the thickness of a human hair.
Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6 liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)--that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast.
The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime--that's enough to fill more than 3 super tankers.
Three years after a person quits smoking, their chance of having a heart attack is the same as someone who has never smoked before.
The human heart can create enough pressure that it could squirt blood at a distance of thirty feet.
The first open heart surgery was performed by Dr. Daniel Hall Williams in 1893.
The right lung of a human is larger than the left one - because of the space and placement of the heart.
Olive oil can help in lowering cholesterol levels and decreasing the risk of heart complications.
In 1967, the first successful heart transplant was performed in Cape Town, South Africa.
People that suffer from gum disease are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack.
Most heart attacks occur between the hours of 8 and 9 AM.
A woman’s heart beats faster than a man’s.
Happy St. Valentine’s Day!

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| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
January 29, 2008
Something to Think About

Today's Message is from Dick Waller (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).
..............................................................

I responded to a house fire in my neighborhood on Monday, 1-21-08. Since it was a couple of streets over, I went to the scene instead of the fire station. When I got there, a lady was in the driveway crying, telling me they had the fire out. I went to the backyard and found her husband spraying water on the outside of the garage. I asked him what happened and he told me they had plugged in a light and placed it on the ground under a canopy for the dog to keep warm.

"Somehow" a piece of plastic came in contact with the light and caught fire. There was a four wheeler close by and the heat got to the fuel line and melted it which allowed the gas to flow and fuel the fire. The damage was minimal but could have been much worse. The family was just about to leave to go eat lunch and do some shopping. They could have come home to a burned garage or worst a burned down home. Something to think about, huh.
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The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.
http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/

Here are links to items posted on The Pump Handle over the past week:

** "'Efficiency' at EPA" by Liz Borkowski White House demands for efficiency at EPA are not very helpful, finds a new National Research Council report. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/efficiency-at-epa/

** "Welsh Coal Miners Did it Their Way" by Celeste Monforton In 1994, 240 coal miners in Hirwaun, Wales were slated to be unemployed due to their mine's closure – so, the miners contributed their severance pay and other funds to buy the mine and keep their jobs. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/welsh-coal-miners-did-it-their-way/

** "Why Do OSHA Standards Remain the Same, Even When the Science Changes?" by David Michaels The beryllium industry's efforts to slow further regulation of their products have been largely successful, even in the face of scientific evidence that OSHA's current beryllium exposure standard is insufficiently protective. Tune into a Public Health Reports webcast on Monday (2/4) to learn more. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/why-do-osha-standards-remain-the-same/

** "Maybe Global Warming Just Isn't a Problem" by David Michaels In candidate debates sponsored by a coal industry astro turf group, questions about global warming haven't been asked. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/maybe-global-warming-just-isnt-a-problem/

** "Don't Turn Off That TV!" by David Michaels, Devra Davis, author of The Secret History of the War on Cancer, will be on Book TV this weekend (2/2 and 2/3).http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/don%e2%80%99t-turn-off-that-tv/

** "Occupational Health News Roundup" by Liz Borkowski China acknowledges that six workers have died in the construction of Olympic venues; plus, news about mine-safety violation fines, an environmental whistle blower lawsuit, and safe patient handling at Minnesota hospitals.http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/occupational-health-news-roundup-50/

** "Banning the Bag" by Liz Borkowski Cities, retailers, and countries around the world act to slash plastic-bag waste.http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/banning-the-bag/

** "Bush's Actions Louder than SOTU Words" by Liz Borkowski In his last state of the union address, President Bush invoked technology as the cure for our energy and health care woes – but his prescription for treatment of scientists is at odds with his administration's actions.http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/bush-actions-louder-than-sotu-words/

** "Bush's FOIA Antics" by Celeste Monforton New Freedom of Information Act legislation requires the Administration to create an "Office of Government Information Services" in the national Archives and Records Administration to review agencies’ compliance with FOIA and serve as an ombudsman for FOIA users. Why is president Bush trying to put that office in the Department of Justice instead?http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/bushs-foia-antics/

** "Stop Toying with the CPSC" by David Michaels President Bush has evidently decided to replace current Consumer product Safety Commission Chairman Nancy Nord with someone more competent to safeguard the interests of manufacturers of dangerous products.http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/stop-toying-with-the-cpsc/

** "December T2 Lab Explosion Injured Dozens Outside the Plant" by celeste Monforton The Chemical Safety Board released new information concerning the massive December explosion at the T2 Laboratories plant in Jacksonville: In addition to the four worker deaths, 33 people -- more than double the number originally reported -- were injured by flying debris.http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/december-t2-lab-explosion-injured-dozens-outside-the-plant/

** "Friday Blog Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Science bloggers convene in North Carolina; bloggers look at funds dedicated to science and healthcare; and there's both good and bad environmental news from Pennsylvania. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/25/friday-blog-roundup-59/
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Weekly Toll - - http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com/
Death In The Workplace w/News & Updates
John Donne - ...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
A partial list of workplace fatalities.

Hello Tammy and all at USMWF,

Just wanted to let you know we're still fighting for worker's safety, remembering those who die on the job and supporting the Protecting America's Workers Act. Here are the videos that were in ABC News NOW's coverage of the State of the Union. These videos are also featured on ABC News NOW's homepages & related items on the ABC News Politics pages. Thanks for checking it out.
Take care!
Michelle Lewis

I'm so proud of my peeps!

Watch Michelle...asking the President to address the unsafe working conditions, week laws and support the Protecting Americas Workers Act and later Michelle asks "when we will have a President who works together with the government to protect American workers."

Talk Back: 2008 State of the Union [http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4207165]
Eight avid viewers discuss what issues the President should focus on.

Talk Back: State of the Union Reactions [http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4207216]Allie, Michelle, Scott and Melinda review the President's speech.

I have been sitting here just trying to think of something to write and all I keep coming up with is I'm just proud. Proud to know Michelle and know she is out there doing all she can to make a difference for families she don't even know. Michelle is not sitting back waiting for an opportunity she is making opportunity. I know it's not much from us all here but the big thumbs up to you and keep up the good work.

One day all of our puzzle pieces will fit together, people will see the full picture and we'll have done it but it takes all the pieces so don't hold back we need your piece to be complete.

http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com
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NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers killed weekly. These records can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/

01. Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, 24, of Iowa City, Iowa, died Jan. 25 in Barikowt, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered small arms fire while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

02. Sgt. Tracy R. Birkman, 41, of New Castle, Va., died Jan. 25 in Owesat, Iraq, from non-combat related injuries. She was assigned to the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
03. Cpl. Duncan C. Crookston, 19, of Denver, Colo., died Jan. 25 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, of wounds suffered Sep. 4, 2007, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

04. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew R. Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls, Minn., died Jan. 26 at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire in Waygul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

05. Staff Sgt. Robert J. Wilson, 28, of Boynton Beach, Fla., died Jan. 26 of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a dismounted patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

06. Maj. Alan G. Rogers, 40, of Hampton, Fla., died Jan. 27 of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a dismounted patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

07. Sgt. Mikeal W. Miller, 22, of Albany, Ore., died Jan. 27 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds suffered in Baghdad, Iraq on July 9, 2007, when the vehicle he was in encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

The Department of Defense announced the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died from wounds suffered when their unit encountered an improvised explosive device during convoy operations Jan. 28 in Mosul, Iraq. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. Killed were:
08. Sgt. James E. Craig, 26, of Hollywood, S.C.
09. Staff Sgt. Gary W. Jeffries, 37, of Roscoe, Texas.
10. Cpl. Evan A. Marshall, 21, of Athens, Ga.
11. Spc. Brandon A. Meyer, 20, of Orange, Calif.
12. Pfc. Joshua A. R. Young, 21, of Riddle, Ore.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
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Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq. Times have been and are very tough and it would be nice if you would all just say a prayer for their safety and for their families.
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"September 11 WDYTJWD" W. P. Florence
Justice first, then peace."
"September 11" Never forget.--Tony Moses
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD ...the only way"--Phillip Story
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Keeping my head down but face toward Heaven" - - Jody Eldred, ABC News Cameraman in Kuwait
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" --"Bug"
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. - - George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" - - Queen E. Watson
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Activities and Events of Interest
~~~~~
First Baptist Church Open Taco Supper tickets-they are $8 each.
It is Feb 21, 5-7:00 pm @ First Baptist Church & includes beverage & dessert.
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Scheduled Activities
~~~
CQ CQ all Hams. We have restarted a 2 meter net on the Willisville repeater, 146.655, every Tuesday evening at 7 PM. Please check in and spread the word. We would like to get some renewed interest in amateur radio and the ARKLA Amateur Radio Association. Will be listening for everyone next Tuesday night.
~~~
Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
~~~
MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
~~~
MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
~~~
Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
“Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.” Knowledge is power. - Francis Bacon
"The problem is here and now. The time for talk is past. The time for action is now."
Comments on the first Earth Day - James F. McClellan via "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Col 2:18-19 Phil 1:9-11 Eph 6:12-13 1 Tim 4:12-16 Psa 62:4-7 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

P. S. If you'd like to be added to the distribution, just drop us E-mail at KC5HII@Gmail.Com
. We offer "Da Bleat" as text, a "Blog" and as a newsletter with pictures in Word and PDF format. The latest issue is usually updated sometime Saturday. For the "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, or 07). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at KC5HII@Gmail.Com and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2008 before it was sent.
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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: The "Real" World

Volume 10, Issue 03 Friday, January 18, 2008

Hello All,

Annette’s mother, Dorothy Jean Montgomery, 77, of Magnolia, Ar. went to be with her Lord Wednesday, January 16, 2008. She was born June 13, 1930 in Magnolia, Arkansas to Elmer L. and Evelyn E. (Wilson) Green.
She was preceded in death by her parents and Jessie Montgomery, her husband.
She is survived by two daughters, Beth Waller and husband Gary of Willisville, Ar., Annette McClellan and husband James of Magnolia, Ar., one son, Michael Kelley of Camden, Ar., eight grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, two brothers, Wayne Green and Gary Green of Magnolia, Ar. and one sister, Shirley Albright and husband Herb of California, Mo.
She was a member Magnolia Christian Center. She was morning manager / waitress at The Chatter Box Café for 25yrs. and worked at the Magnolia Bake Shop the last 18 years before she retired.
Graveside Service was held at 10:30am, Friday, January 18, 2008 at Lydesdale Cemetery with Pastor Jimmy Malone and Brother Herb Albright officiating under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home in Magnolia.
~~~~~
Mamaw suffered a stroke Thursday, January 10. This was followed by a heart attack, pneumonia, and other systemic failures. She was treated at Magnolia Hospital and South Arkansas Medical Center. I want to thank her sitters (Linda, Irene, Nikita, and Trina) Columbia County Ambulance Service as well as the Doctors and Nurses at both hospitals and especially Dr. Barnett, her primary care provider. They all did an excellent job.
As her condition deteriorated, we were comforted by our friends, family and church. Her sitters all came by the hospital to check on her and to ask if they could help us.
Annette stayed with her mother almost the whole week she was in the hospitals. When Annette wasn’t there, Beth, David, or I stayed with Mamaw. Beth understood that her baby sister needed to be with their mother but also that she needed a break once in a while. I really appreciate Beth for supporting Annette through this.
After we’d moved Mamaw back to Magnolia Hospital and Dr. Barnett told us that there was little that could be done except keep her as comfortable as possible, we started making arrangements for Hospice. But Mamaw was eager to go on and didn’t wait on our arrangements.
Tuesday evening, Annette said that she believed that her mother would “go home” on Wednesday. Mamaw was still communicative but she had quit eating and her breathing difficulties were worse. On Wednesday morning, Mamaw told Annette that she loved her. That day, I’d gone in to work but I went by the hospital at lunch. I’d been there a couple of minutes when Mamaw quit breathing. I checked her, then opened the door and asked RN Mitzie Ammons to check her. Mitzie came in, assessed Mamaw, and then looked at Annette and said “Honey, your mother’s gone.”
Thanks to the Lord that I and Annette were both there.
~~~~~
Beth and Annette gathered with family to plan the service. Claiborne was in Magnolia Wednesday and, as always, was a great help to us. He went to the funeral home with us and provided a calm presence as we struggled with basic decisions. David and Bobbie were true servants, ensuring that anything we needed was taken care of. Wednesday evening, family started arriving and we had the pleasure of having all our kids with us through this. Beth’s family and ours had a great time visiting and reminiscing.
It was a little bit of a challenge arranging sleeping quarters for so large a group but with David and Bobbie’s help, everyone had a bed or pallet or couch to sleep on. In our own small home we had an inflatable double bed in the living room, one in the kitchen and one in the dining room.
Close fellowship is the best kind.
~~~~~
One of Jimmy and Vanessa’s challenges was to explain to Josiah that his great grandmother Mamaw Dorothy had died. He listened and then went on irritating Ethan. On Thursday morning, Beth and Annette headed to the funeral home to perform the first stage of the old Southern ritual of “viewing the body.” Josiah asked where they were going and Annette said that they were going to see Mamaw. Josiah replied; “Mamaw’s dead.” So another explanation ensued. Then, on Friday morning when the larger family went back to the funeral home, they found Josiah sitting in the room with the casket calling out for “Mamaw”. They thought he was calling for his great grandmother but he wasn’t. He was calling for Annette to tell her he’d found her mother.
After the family came into the room, Josiah asked; “Is this Heaven?” It seemed logical since we’d told him that Mamaw went to heaven.
~~~~~
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MPL Creative Resources
Mindy Lawrence
614 Wal-Mart Drive #114
Farmington, MO 63640
Mplcreative1@aol.com

Two more chances to hear Dr. Dan Skelton, former professor at SAU, speak online.
[Farmington, MO] January 5, 2008 -- Dr. Dan Skelton, a former professor of English and theater at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Arkansas, has two more Podcast interviews scheduled in the first months of 2008.
Skelton will be the guest at the International Order of Horror Professionals, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/IntlOrderHorrorPros, on January 20 at 8pm Central. Listeners may follow the link to hear him and call (347) 205-9157 to ask questions about his writing while he is on the air.
Perceptive Marketing of Houston, Texas will host Dr. Skelton on February 11 at 7:00 pm Central Time. Tony Kay of Artist First (www.artistfirst.com) will talk to Dr. Skelton about his previous work and about Renascence, his Christian fantasy told through the voice of a teenaged drug addict, which he hopes to finish by the end of 2008.
Dr. Dan Skelton holds a doctorate in education from the University of Mississippi, Oxford and a Masters from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Central Arkansas, Conway and at Arkansas State University, Beebe. As well as a novelist, he is a poet, an actor, and a board member and play director at the Conway Community Arts Association in Conway, Arkansas where he recently won Best Director in 2007 for his direction of the play, “Greater Tuna” by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard.
For more information on Dr. Skelton, or to schedule him for a speaking engagement, book signing or workshop, send a note to Mindy Lawrence at mplcreative1@aol.com with [Query – Skelton] in the subject line. A full media kit and photos are available upon request.
~~~~~
First Baptist Church Open Taco Supper tickets are now on sale at $8 each. It’s scheduled for Feb 21, 5-7:00 pm @ First Baptist Church & includes beverage & dessert.
~~~~~
Romney 'Disses' Amateur Radio In Televised Town Meeting
Governor Mitt Romney dismissed the role of Amateur Radio operators in emergency communications during a televised 'town meeting' program last night on WCVB's 'When Disaster Strikes: Segment Two.' The program featured public safety and volunteer organization officials from across Massachusetts among its audience.
Host and moderator Natalie Jacobson asked an increasingly-agitated Governor Romney questions about communications interoperability, and communication without commercial power. Romney was next asked by Jacobson, '...so does it come down to ham radio?...'
The Governor replied in a disgusted tone, 'No, we don't need to deal with ham radio operators...'
Embarrassed public safety officials later tried to put in a good word for Amateur Radio. National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Glenn Field was prepared to state the importance of Amateur Radio, when Salvation Army Colonel Fred Van Brunt was called upon. Van Brunt remarked about his organization's quest to improve its communications capabilities and how Amateur Radio has aided his organization. 'The ham radio situation helps a great deal,' he stated.
'I have already written and submitted a letter to the Governor's Office,' wrote Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY. 'I have also written an email to Natalie Jacobson.'
ARRL Section Manager Mike Neilsen, W1MPN sent a section-wide email today to all Eastern MA ARRL members describing the incident along with actions he and his staff were taking to mitigate the situation.
'[Romney's] attitude about us sets an unfortunate tone within the state's executive branch,' wrote Neilsen. 'As a former military officer, I see
this as a failure in leadership. My immediate concern is our working relationship within the [Massachusetts Emergency Management Team] environment.' Neilsen intends to address the Governor's comments as 'an urgent matter' at a meeting on November 17 with Don Carlton from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
'I was very disturbed about what the Governor stated on the program,' wrote Ron Wood, W1PLW, the section's Public Information Coordinator. 'It does show that more work is needed by all hams in the section. It's a great idea to write letters explaining the good we do.' Wood is attempting to schedule a meeting with the Governor's office tomorrow so that EMA ARRL staffers might discuss the matter further.
Tom Kinahan, N1CPE wrote that Governor Romney's comment has made 'a PR problem' for Kinahan in his role as MA State RACES Officer.
'I've got a roster of over 150 Amateur Radio operators that support local communities, and those of us that directly support the state government. There are at least double that in terms of people that are actually out there that I don't have formal paperwork on that support Amateur Radio emergency communications in some organized manner... The Governor has said that he 'certainly doesn't need to rely on ham radio' -- where does that leave the RACES program now?'
'I am ashamed tonight that I am a Republican!' remarked one ham radio viewer. '[Romney] speaks in derogatory tones about hams. He certainly shows an ignorance as to what we do and are capable of. I suggest a grass roots campaign of local hams calling the State House and The Governor's Office to protest.'
Thanks to Joe Mullins
~~~~~
We recently received an e-mail from what appeared to be from the IRS. They said that I had a refund coming and to download a form to fill out in order to receive this refund.
I called the IRS who gave me a number to call and report phinsing as they DO NOT send info through e-mails.
Thanks to Ricky and Sarah Shepherd
~~~~~
January 11, 2008 The KATV, Channel 7 transmitting tower, built in 1965 which was 2000 feet high. fell.
It was one of eight towers of that particular design in the world, and the only one left standing.
At the time it was built, it was the second highest man-made structure in the world, second only to a tower in the then Soviet Union. The analog antenna was at the very top of the tower. A new digital antenna had been mounted on the side about a year and a half ago.
Evidently, there was some sort of work being done to the tower at the time. Initial reports are that there was one slight injury. And no, I didn't have anything to do with it.
This is really sad. I climbed this tower many times and there were some great views from up there.
Bill Dailey
~~~~~
Congratulations to Justin and Laura Gage! They have a new baby boy. Francis Persing Gage, 8 lb. 10 oz, born January 8, 2008, will be welcomed home by older brothers, Brandon and Bridger.
~~~~~
From the “As If We Didn’t Have Enough To Worry About” list:
Low-energy or compact florecent light bulbs pose an own environmental risk. Experts recommend that if such a bulb is broken, the room in which it smashed should be vacated for at least 15 minutes, a vacuum cleaner should NOT be used to clean up the mess, and rubber gloves should be used when putting the debris into sealable plastic bags.
All florescent bulbs contain mercury. There’s not enough of the toxic substance in one bulb to be of concern. However, mercury can accumulate in the environment and any quantity, no matter how small should be handled with care.
We should encourage our retailers to accept used bulbs for recycle. They don’t want to, but it’s better than putting them in landfills.
~~
The FAA and airplane manufacturers are studying onboard systems planned for the next generation of jetliners to make certain that in-flight Internet access won't have any unintentional or unwanted impact on a plane's vital systems. Like a hacker using an on-board Internet system to infiltrate a plane's computer, seizing control of its navigation systems, communications and flight controls.
In a little publicized Federal Register notice published in April and updated this month, the FAA imposed "special conditions" on Boeing, manufacturer of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which will be the first plane to offer Internet hookups. The notice requires Boeing to demonstrate the safety and security of its systems.
Who needs box knives when you can sit at your seat and fly the plan into the White House?
~~~~~
And a report of another Hoax email from a Marine who says some Marines wrote to Starbucks to say how much they liked Starbucks coffee and to request some donated coffee for the Marines.
The eRumor says Starbucks responded by saying they don't support and war and will not send any coffee. The writer urges a boycott of Starbucks.
The Truth TruthOrFiction.com contacted Starbucks about the story.
Starbucks says that the originator of the email, Sgt. Howard Wright, and talked with him about his complaint. He has now sent a follow-up email to his email list, which appears below.
~~
Almost 5 months ago I sent an e-mail to you my faithful friends. I did a wrong thing that needs to be cleared up. I heard by word of mouth about how Starbucks said they didn't support the war and all. I was having enough of that kind of talk and didn't do my research properly like I should have. This is not true. Starbucks supports men and women in uniform. They have personally contacted me and I have been sent many copies of their company's policy on this issue. So I apologize for this quick and wrong letter that I sent out to you.
Now I ask that you all pass this email around to everyone you passed the last one to. Thank you very much for understanding about this.
Howard C. Wright
Sgt USMC
1st Force Rcon Co
1st Plt PLT RTO
~~~~~
Pajamas Media reported that Milblogger: Andrew Olmsted, was killed in Sadiyah, Iraq on January 3. “Pajamas Media offers its deepest condolences to the friends and family of Major Andrew Olmsted, a brave soldier and blogger killed in Iraq on Jan. 4. Olmsted’s moving final post, which he asked to be published in the event of his death, is here.
[http://andrewolmsted.com/archives/2008/01/final_post.html]”
We published The Department of Defense report of his death last week when they announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small arms fire during combat operations. A sniper killed Olmsted as he was trying to talk three suspected insurgents into surrendering. A sniper's bullet also cut down Capt. Thomas J. Casey. They were in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad. Both Soldiers were assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. Killed were:
08. Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colo.
09. Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.
~~~~~
Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - - James Herring
Hometown: Roanoke Rapids, NC
Awarded: Silver Star

Just two days before Christmas 2006, then-Chief Warrant Officer 3 James B. Herring, 46, was leading a five-vehicle patrol near Baquabah, Iraq, searching for a Sunni-Arab insurgent cell responsible for assaults on Coalition Forces, when they were attacked. His heroic efforts saved the lives of 23 American and Iraqi men and earned him the Silver Star.

On December 23, 2006, CW3 Herring, a North Carolina National Guardsman, was the Detachment Commander for Operational Detachment Alpha 2084, Special Operations Task Force – North and was serving as the Ground Force Commander of the mission.

As he led his force down the narrow streets of the nearby village of Tahrir, they were fired upon by three insurgents with machine guns. As they moved forward, Sgt. Broughton Aragon, the gunner on Herring’s Humvee, was able to kill the first three insurgents, only to face 20 more pouring over a concrete wall less than 30 feet away.

As the gunner began to fire upon the large group of insurgents, the driver Spc. Stephen Haas was shot through his right thigh, and the vehicle came to stop. As Sgt. Aragon continued to fire, CW3 Herring noticed another group of insurgents coming from the opposite direction.

CW3 Herring jumped from the vehicle and fired his rifle, killing two of the enemy gunners. The other insurgents then fled into nearby buildings.

Alone against the larger enemy force, CW3 Herring, his gunner, a medic, and a now-wounded driver were blocked from support by an immobilized Iraqi vehicle. Realizing his driver was critically wounded, immobile and in need of immediate medical care, CW3 Herring left the relative safety of the vehicle again. He was knocked to the ground by the impact of a rocket propelled grenade, but got up and – covered by his gunner – ran to the driver’s side of the vehicle. Fearing that Spc. Haas’ femoral artery was hit, CW3 Herring successfully removed Spc. Haas from the vehicle and placed him in the rear seat so the medic Sgt. 1st Class John Masson could continue treatment.

CW3 Herring then climbed into the driver’s seat, advised headquarters of the situation, called for medical evacuation, and maneuvered the vehicle – with a heavily damaged ballistic windshield obscuring his view – and led the combined ground assault force through the narrow side streets and back to Forward Operating Base Gabe.

CW3 Herring’s heroic efforts turned the tide against a well-prepared enemy, killing many and preventing any member of the combined force from being killed or wounded. The decorated law enforcement officer in the Chesterfield County (Va.) Police Department remains on leave from his civilian job and continues to serve on active duty with the North Carolina National Guard.

He told the Army Times, “I think that we spent about 400,000 minutes in Iraq and you get recognized for something that took three minutes. I want to reiterate I wasn’t the only hero out there. All those guys out there are heroes to me. They did things that warrant the same award, in my opinion.”
~~~~~
Greetings:
01/07/2008 - - Back to Iraq, Again
I will leave the US Tuesday morning for another long year of war reporting.
The latest dispatch is up: Men of Valor, Part V of VIII [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/men-of-valor-part-v.htm]
~~
01/14/2008 - - A Moment of Truth in Iraq
There have been tremendous changes in Iraq over the past year. Folks who are tracking the war might notice an upsurge in US casualties over the next couple of months. Al Qaeda is on the ropes in Iraq and suffering strategically due to operations at this time. These operations will likely lead to an increase in our own losses in the short term. My advice would be this: Do not despair if you see our casualties increase in January and February. Our forces are in hot pursuit and I plan to be back there with them soon. (Contingent on Army blessings.)
Progress in Iraq is clear and palpable, but is of course tenuous. We can do well there if we listen to those commanders on the ground who know what they are doing, and if we do not let politicians unravel the growing strategic progress for short term political gains.
My book, "Moment of Truth in Iraq" [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/moment-of-truth-in-iraq.htm] is scheduled for April release and is available for sale now. In this book, readers will find information they've not seen anywhere else. By purchasing an advance (signed) copy before the book hits stands readers can help support my work now, as a result of a special arrangement with the publisher that is explained at the end of the linked dispatch.

Separately, my first book "Danger Close" is available online for immediate shipment. Readers of "Danger Close" should come away with a few answers to any questions about to why this writer is wary of some media outlets, while constantly on the lookout for the good ones. Please read the first chapter [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/danger-close-chapter-one.htm].
I have strived to bring you truth no matter what the repercussions, and there have been many for me. I was first to deliver the news about the Civil War in Iraq (which has mostly ended), and to openly call the emperor naked in Afghanistan where we are still losing ground. I've exposed problems with the military's media interface that were contributing greatly to the problems with the quantity and quality of the news coverage coming out of Iraq. Along the way, I've discovered quite a few people who speak the truth about the war. Many of these people will be discussed in the book.
Recent updates to the site will make it easier for readers to search the hundreds of dispatches and news items in the archives to find particular titles or look at the work from a year or more ago. We've added a series of pages that contain links to all the archived content, organized according to various schemes. Please click [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/archives-table-of-contents.htm] for the Table of Contents for the new archive pages. Reader support made this enhancement possible, and it is much appreciated.
~~
01/16/2008 - - Ebay and Intsum
There is a new (brief) dispatch on the site. Please click [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/news-flash-dragon-skin.htm] to read it.
Also, I have published material about my first book, Danger Close [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/danger-close-chapter-one.htm] and also about my newest book, Moment of Truth in Iraq. [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/moment-of-truth-in-iraq.htm]
We have added new directories that will make it easier to search the archives [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/archives-table-of-contents.htm] to find dispatches from 2005 forward.
V/r
Michael
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com/BugsBleat/shelf?ec=7D790D174EFS18012
~~~~~
This week we read; “Justice denied” : a J.P. Beaumont novel by J.A. Jance, Book of the dead / by Patricia Cornwell, Vanishing act, and Dance for the dead by Thomas Perry.
Now we’re reading; The face-changers by Thomas Perry.
We plan on reading: "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War" by David Halberstam and An Innocent Man, by John Gresham
~~~~~
An Innocent Man, by John Gresham - - In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory. Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa. In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder. With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row. If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.
~~
On April 11, 2007, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper dropped all charges and declared the three players "innocent." Cooper stated that the charged players – Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and David Evans – were victims of a "tragic rush to accuse."[5] The initial prosecutor for the case, Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong, who had been denounced as a "rogue prosecutor" by Cooper, withdrew from the case in January 2007 after the North Carolina State Bar filed ethics charges against him. That June, Nifong was disbarred for "dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation," making Nifong the first prosecutor in North Carolina history to lose his law license based on actions in a case. Nifong was found guilty of criminal contempt and served one day in jail.[6]
~~~~~
If you’d like to write Dr. Antoon, he’d like to hear from you. This is his current address, the latest of the three federal prison’s he’s been in.
Patrick Antoon #06669-010
Federal Prison Camp-La Tuna
P. O. Box 8000
Anthony, NM/TX 88021
~~~~~
The photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include Jimmy Malone and “Uncle Herb” Albright conducting Mammaw’s service. Uncle Herb, and Beth Rowan visiting with Tammy Waller as Mike Waller looks on.
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Last quarter’s issues can be seen at http://www.bugsbleat4Q07.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Treat Breast Cancer? Not in My Backyard

Saving lives, if we let them
Nuclear plants do more than provide energy and jobs, writes Linda Halderman. Their radioactive products are the linchpin in various medical treatments and techniques — not that it’s any concern to anti-nuclear activists.
http://pajamasmedia.com/2008/01/treat_breast_cancer_not_in_my.php
~~~~~
Link List
[http://gasprices.mapquest.com]
[http://thelighthousechurch.publishpath.com/]
[www.terryscomputertips.com]
[www.mcc2000.net]
[http://blog.safetyservicescompany.com/Default.aspx]
[http://www.team-ninja.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=41321]
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - - - Chicken stir-fry with eggplant and basil
Dietitian's tip: This colorful main dish requires a fair amount of chopping, slicing and dicing, but the cooking takes only minutes. Wait to cut up the eggplant until just before cooking to prevent discoloration, which occurs when the flesh is exposed to air. SERVES 4

Ingredients
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
3 green (spring) onions, including tender green tops, 2 coarsely chopped and 1 thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small eggplant, with peel, diced (about 4 cups)
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

Directions
In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, mint, 1/4 cup of the stock, the chopped green onions, garlic and ginger. Pulse until the mixture is minced but not pureed. Set aside.

In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, yellow onion and bell peppers and sauté until the vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the basil mixture and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken strips and soy sauce and sauté until the chicken is almost opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup stock and bring to a boil. Return the eggplant mixture to the pan and stir until heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and garnish with the sliced green onion. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis
(per serving)
Calories 248 Monounsaturated fat 5 g
Protein 30 g Cholesterol 66 mg
Carbohydrate 13 g Sodium 408 mg
Total fat 8 g Fiber 4 g
Saturated fat 1 g

Source: This recipe is one of 150 recipes collected in The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, published by Mayo Clinic Health Information and Oxmoor House, and winner of the 2005 James Beard award.

By Mayo Clinic Staff
Aug 5, 2005
© 1998-2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00610
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson

Pascal's 'Pensées'
1/18/2008
Thoughts Worth Thinking

With the help of Dr. Ken Boa, each month on “BreakPoint” we discuss one of the monumental books of Christendom. This month, we focus on a work by a man who most people agree, secular and Christian, was a genius: Blaise Pascal.

Pascal’s legacy of scientific achievement is almost without equal. By age 30, Pascal had made vital contributions to mathematics, physics, meteorology, and what would become computer science.

But as impressive as all of these accomplishments are, Pascal’s most important legacy is his apologetic for the Christian faith, the Pensées.

At age 31, Pascal had a religious experience that made all of his achievements seem insignificant by comparison. He described his experience: “ . . . about half past ten in the evening until about half past twelve, fire.” The God he encountered was the “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob,” and “not of the philosophers and scholars.”

The experience so changed Pascal that he devoted the rest of his life—sadly, only eight years—to defending the Christian faith. The Pensées, which is French for “thoughts,” are the product of this desire.

Unfortunately, the Pensées live up to their name. They were literally written one thought at a time. Pascal never finished them, and what he wrote was never systematically organized.

So, you need a guide to the Pensées, and you cannot do better than Ken Boa, whose “Great Books Audio CD” series will help you appreciate the Pensées and other seminal works of Western civilization.

As Boa tells us, the Pensées are “300 years ahead of [their] time.” In them, Pascal anticipates much of the way our postmodern world thinks and feels: our sense of boredom and the desire for distraction that it creates. As Pascal put it, “if we were happy, the less diverted we would need to be.”

But we are not happy. According to Pascal, the human condition was characterized by pain, ambiguity, and a lack of clarity, all of which gave rise to anxiety and angst. But rather than deal with “the tough questions of life,” we distract ourselves with what Pascal calls “vanity,” including the desire for fame and notoriety.

Sound familiar?

The goal of his Pensées was to create an apologetic that described and spoke to the “whole of our experience”: our hearts and wills, as well as our minds. As Pascal famously put it, “the heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing.”

According to Boa, the message of the Pensées is that man is both fallen and is redeemable. As Pascal put it, “the grandeur of man is great in that he knows himself to be miserable.” This misery can make us aware of our need for God and point us in the direction of the only One who can deliver us from our misery: Jesus Christ.

The Pensées’ insight into the human condition is why Pascal is probably more influential 340-plus years after his death than during his short life. His ability to depict postmodern man is even more remarkable than his anticipation of the computer.

That is why you should learn more about Blaise Pascal. And a good place to start is by listening to Ken Boa. To find out how you can subscribe to this wonderful “Great Books Audio CD” series, visit our website, BreakPoint.org.

Subscribe today to the “Great Books Audio CD” series from Dr. Ken Boa and BreakPoint. Call 1-877-322-5527 to learn more.

Blaise Pascal, Pensées (Penguin Classics, 1995).

T. M. Moore, “Desperate for Significance,” BreakPoint Online, 8 February 2007.

Gary D. Robinson, “The Price of Fame,” BreakPoint Online, 23 March 2007.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 060721, “Who Needs Philosophy?: Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult.”
~~
For Such a Time as This
By Chuck Colson
1/11/2008
The Suffering Church

For the next 10 months, presidential candidates will be telling us how they plan to make the world a safer place for Americans. Now, that’s good, of course, but there are other people whose safety American Christians ought to be concerned about: that is, Christians suffering for their faith around the world.

Sadly, as you know, there are many examples of this suffering. A recent story in Al Jazeera’s English-language service described how Islamic radicals are “testing” Indonesia’s reputation for “for tolerance and moderation.”

Moderation? I wonder what the Christians of East Timor, an estimated 200,000 of whom died during Indonesia’s 25-year occupation, would say about that reputation. Needless to say, this example of Indonesian “moderation” goes unmentioned in the Al Jazeera article.

Instead, we are told about a Muslim group called the “Anti-Apostasy Alliance.” This group targets churches and Christians throughout the island of Java, Indonesia’s most-populous island.

As its name suggests, the greatest object of the Alliance’s ire are converts to Christianity. A spokesman told Al Jazeera that “Conversions to Christianity in Indonesia . . . have become increasingly serious.” He then added that “in my judgment I think it is a bigger evil than terrorism.”

Given the well-documented willingness of Islamic radicals to use violence to further their ends, calling anything a “bigger evil than terrorism” is no idle threat. It is the verbal equivalent of painting a “bull’s-eye” on the back of every Javanese Christian.

While Islam is the religion typically associated with the persecution of Christians, it does not have a monopoly on the practice.

In the week following Christmas, Hindu extremists burned 14 churches and killed one Christian in the Indian state of Orissa. The attacks are part of a larger campaign of violence prompted by Hindu fears over—that’s right—people converting to Christianity.

As I have told you all before, many of the converts come from India’s lowest castes, particularly the Dalits. Rather than allowing these poorest of the poor the consolation that Christianity offers, Hindu nationalists attack them, their churches, and target their clergy.

Worst of all, they often do so with the complicity of government officials: Orissa is governed by an ally of the Hindu nationalist BJP party. An archbishop told local television that the “government has allowed [the attackers] to continue.”

You probably will not hear this issue brought up at a presidential debate. That is why American Christians have to make the mistreatment of their brethren an issue in this year’s elections.

This is especially true given our privileged position: We are citizens of the most powerful nation on earth, a nation for whom freedom of religion is, arguably, the first freedom.

We also have experience at bringing the suffering of people in faraway places to the attention of our fellow Americans, whether it has been the plight of North Koreans, the Sudanese, or the global AIDS crisis.

God has put us in this privileged position so that we will speak out for those around the world who are being persecuted. So, pressure the candidates whom you encounter. They want to know what you think? Tell them.

The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters by Chuck Colson with Harold Fickett. Call 1-877-322-5527 to pre-order! (Suggested donation: $13)

For Further Reading and Information

“Radicals Test Indonesia Tolerance,” Al Jazeera, 27 December 2007.

“One Killed, 14 Churches Attacked in Orissa,” Reuters, 26 December 2007.

“Christians Fear Attacks by Indian Hindus,” New York Times, 29 December 2007.

Ashok Sharma, “Hindu Extremists Burn Down Village Churches,” Independent (London), 27 December 2007.

Yaroslav Trofimov, “Brutal Attacks in India Shows How Caste System Lives On,” Wall Street Journal, 27 December 2007, A01. (Subscription required.)

David Aikman, “Suffocating the Faithful,” Christianity Today, 17 December 2007.

Mariam Bell, “Freedom and Dignity for the ‘Untouchables’,” BreakPoint WorldView, November 2007.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 071109, “The Other India: Dalits and Religious Persecution.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 021024, “Carnage in Bali: The West Learns What Indonesian Christians Already Know.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 051110, “Our Particular Concern: Praying for the Persecuted Church.”

The BreakPoint Web site and BreakPoint WorldView Magazine feature Colson’s commentaries as well as feature articles by other established and up-and-coming writers to equip readers with a biblical perspective on a variety of issues and topics. © 2008 Prison Fellowship
~~~~~
Words of the Week:
lacuna: a blank space; a missing part.
friable: easily crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder.
scrabble: to scrape or scratch with the hands or feet.
mimetic: imitative.
pertinacious: holding obstinately to a belief, purpose or design; also, stubbornly persistent.
remonstrate: to present and urge reasons in opposition.
imprimatur: approval or sanction.
raillery: good-humored banter or teasing repartee.
supplicate: to make a humble and earnest petition.
primogeniture: the state of being the firstborn; also, an exclusive right of inheritance that belongs to the eldest son.
inculcate: to teach and impress by frequent repetition or instruction.
nonagenarian: someone whose age is in the nineties.
upbraid: to scold or criticize harshly.
stoic: indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; also, one who is stoic.
from Dictionary.Com
~~~~~
"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing." - Michael Pritchard

"Eat a little of everything and a lot of nothing." Anonymous

"If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves." - Confucius

"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure - which is: Try to please everybody." - Herbert B. Swope

"Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we resort to to hide them." - Francois de La Rochefoucauld

"Let your capital be simplicity and contentment." - Henry David Thoreau

"There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second." - Logan Pearsall Smith

"I always felt that the great high privilege, relief and comfort of friendship was that one had to explain nothing." - Katherine Mansfield

"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself." - Michel De Montaigne

"Most of us love from our need to love, not because we find someone deserving." - Nikki Giovanni

"Explore, and explore. Be neither chided nor flattered out of your position of perpetual inquiry. Neither dogmatize, or accept another's dogmatism." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in." - Robert Frost

"Those who say they give the public what it wants begin by underestimating public taste and end by debauching it." - T.S. Eliot

"The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos." - Stephen Jay Gould
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

President Bush's Proclamation: January 16th is Religious Freedom Day
Dallas Man's First Amendment Right Restored so He can continue to Share His Faith
Newly Published "French Anne Frank" Journal is Enthralling France
Record number of churches to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 in Europe

Patient Treated with their Own Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury
Three Pro-Life U.S. Congressmen in Israel to Promote Cooperation against Abortion
Church Offers "Ask Anything" Sunday Night Meeting to Address Sensitive Spiritual Issues in the Open
Patriotic Woman Honored in Washington, D.C. for Blessing Wounded Soldiers with Blankets and Words of Encouragement

New TV Documentary: THE BETTER HOUR: The Legacy of William Wilberforce to Air in February
VeggieTales Creator Shares Hollywood Insights; Personal Struggles
Healing Properties of the Lowly Cranberry Extend Beyond UTI's
Deer vs. Man and the Battle to Prevent Collisions; Experiments in Two States are Working

Majority of Unsaved Adults Willing to Listen to a Christian Discuss their Faith
New Barna Report on Growth of Charismatic Churches Debunks Myths—Indicates Growth Will Continue
Twenty-Six Words to Change the World—an Interview with Max Lucado on his New Book, 3:16

President Bush Visibly Moved During Visit to Holocaust Memorial
Christus Gardens: A Man and His Dream
Students Desire to Grow Spiritually during College, According to Study

"Jesus Moment" at Colorado Springs Church Where Gunman's Parents Visit for First Time With Family of Murdered Sisters and Security Guard
Save Our Kids Petition Effort Gathers More than Enough Signatures to Overturn Dangerous California Legislation
Former Klansman and His Victim Reconcile During an "Extraordinary Event" in Alabama
A Blessing of Snow in Baghdad

Symptoms of Alzheimer's Reversed in Minutes
Human Trafficking Awareness Day is January 11th
GM Announces Revolutionary Driverless Cars Could be For Sale Within a Decade
Pro-Life African-Americans Set to Tackle Abortion Crisis this Month in Berkeley

In First Lawsuit of Its Kind, Brave Chinese Couple Confront Chinese Officials in Court to Stop Forced Abortions
New Jersey First Northern State to Offer Official Apology for Slavery
Residents of Wichita, Kansas, Tell Adult Businesses to "Get Out of Dodge"
Mission Aviation Fellowship Doesn't Ask Who's a Christian or Not When Evacuating Refugees from Kenya

Two Missing Families Rescued After Surviving Three Days in a Blizzard
Jesus-Loving Warden at Angola Prison Credited with Prison's Miraculous Turnaround
Two Brothers Honor their Father's Martyrdom in Award-winning Movie: A Cry From Iran
French-American Evangelist Reiterates Sarkozy's Gratitude to America

Sarkozy Offers French Christians Hope for Change
Wife of Slain Missionary Husband and Sons Appeals to Indian Prime Minister to Quell Violence against Christians
Chief Rabbinate of Israel Rules that Abortion is "Grave Sin"

2,500-Year-Old Seal of First Temple Family Mentioned in Nehemiah Discovered in Jerusalem
arrow Curator at Library of Congress Discovers Four Rare Photos of Abraham Lincoln's 1865 Inauguration
arrow Abortion Rate in the U.S. Falls to its Lowest Level in Decades
arrow On Heels of Abortion Decline Stats, Cal Thomas Makes Plea to End Abortion Once and For All

310 2nd Ave SE
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-928-2642
E-mail
US Orders: 1-866-358-7426
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
GCF: The "Real" World

Emailed to me from another humor list (Marty's Joke of the Day) -Tom To subscribe to Marty's Joke of the Day, send a blank email to: martysjotd-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/ Unsubscribe info for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by F-Secure before it was sent.
---------------------------------------------

My brother was recently launched into the "real world" and, shocked by the expenses that came with it, he was complaining about the high cost of auto insurance.

"If you got married," teased my dad, "the premium would be lower."

He smiled and said, "Dad that would be like buying an airline just to get free peanuts."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Potato Problem

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------------

GCF: Wedding Blessing

At a wedding ceremony that I was performing, I raised my hand to give the final blessing. The bride misunderstood my gesture and surprised me with a high-five. Not wanting to exclude the groom, I offered him a high-five, too.

I was finally able to get my blessing in, amid the laughter of the guests.
_ ____________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------------

Upon going away to college, my former brother-in-law received a hand mixer from his mother because of his fondness for mashed potatoes.
Later that semester, she asked him how the mixer was working for him.

"Not very good," Terry said, "the potatoes keep flying all over the kitchen."

After a perplexed pause, his mother asked, "Terry, did you cook the potatoes first?"

To which a surprised Terry responded, "You have to cook the potatoes first?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Piedmont Doors

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------------

We got lucky when we heard that the old Piedmont Hotel in Atlanta was getting a face-lift and its beautiful maple doors became available for sale as salvage items. We bought several and had them installed in our 19th-century home.

Showing a friend around the house, I pointed out the doors saying, "You know, these doors are from the Piedmont Hotel."

He raised an eyebrow. "Most people just take the towels."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Calling in Sick

Emailed to me from another humor list (Marty's Joke of the Day) -Tom To subscribe to Marty's Joke of the Day, send a blank email to: martysjotd-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
---------------------------------------------

My co-worker was being let go due to a nasty habit he had of not always showing up for work. As the union steward, I was preparing to argue on his behalf when he took matters into his own hands and insisted, "But I really WAS sick this time!"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Age Barometer

Emailed to me a friend (Thanks, Paul) -Tom
---------------------------------------------

How many of these do you remember?
(No right or wrong answers, just a measure of how old you are and what you remember).

Blackjack and Beeman's gum
Powerhouse candy bars
Licorice records
Wax teeth, lips and mustaches
Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
Candy lipstick
Candy cigarettes
Fizzies
Soda pop machines that dispense bottles
Pull tabs that snapped off soda cans
Tableside jukeboxes in coffee shops
Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
Movies preceded by cartoons and newsreels
Party lines
Rotary phones
Drive-ins with car hops
Sock hops
Winter rubber boots with metal latches
Coonskin caps
P.F. Flyers
Angora sweaters
Bouffant hairdos
Spoolies
Hair dryers with plastic caps
Butch wax
Dart guns with rubber-tipped darts
Tin-can telephones
Peashooters
Cork popguns
Roll of cap-gun caps
Howdy Doody puppets
Beanie and Cecil dolls
Two-bladed ice skates that clip onto shoes
Roller skates that clip onto shoes
Roller skate keys
S & H green stamps and Plaid stamps
Metal lunchboxes
Winky Dink kits for drawing on the TV screen
Crystal radios
Console hi-fi's with 78's
45-rpm records
Hand-crank wringers on tub washing machines
Slide rules
Levered metal ice trays
Mimeograph paper
Carbon paper
Flash bulbs
Eight-track tape decks
8mm Home movie cameras
Dick and Jane readers
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Alligators

Emailed to me a friend (Thanks, Herman) -Tom
---------------------------------------------

A New York boy was being led through the swamps of Louisiana by his cousin.

"Is it true that an alligator won't attack you if you carry a flashlight?"

The cousin smirked and replied, "Depends on how fast ya carry the flashlight."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Pink Humvees

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
------------------------------------------------

Before our division was deployed, we had to repaint our Humvees from their normal "olive drab" camouflage to a "sand" color.

The result was a pinkish hue ... and then the jokes began.

One guy renamed us the Pink Panzer Division, but the best was the bumper sticker that said: "Ask me about Mary Kay."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Busy Button

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: http://cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/
------------------------------------------------

I was shopping with my roommate, and I saw a humorous button that said, "It might look like I'm doing nothing, but on a cellular level, I'm quite busy."

I showed it to her, and her response was, "Oh, I should buy that one, I'm always talking on mine."
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Ambivalence may or \ /
\ _/ may not be my problem. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\\ \_/ / I wish the chemists who \ \_/ ////
\ / successfully removed the lead \ /
\ _/ from gasoline would try the \_ /
/ / same with our congressmen. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / If you become dissatisfied \ \_/ ////
/ and want to go back \ /
_/ to your youth, \_ /
/ just think of Algebra. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / "Government is like a baby: \ \_/ ////
/ An alimentary canal with a big \ /
_/ appetite at one end and no sense \_ /
/ of responsibility at the other." \ \
- Ronald Reagan
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
/ "People will believe anything \ /
_/ that is whispered." \_ /
/ \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
/ I hate mornings. \ /
_/ They're so early. \_ /
/ \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
/ Too many couples marry for \ /
_/ better or for worse, \_ /
/ but not for good. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
/ How do those dead bugs get \ /
_/ into those closed light fixtures? \_ /
/ \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_| \\\ \_/ / Some people try to turn back \ \_/ ////
/ their odometers. Not me, \ /
_/ I want people to know "why" I look\_ /
/ this way. I've traveled a long way \ \
and some of the roads weren't paved.
_ ____________________________ _
| Thomas S. Ellsworth |
| tellswor@slonet.org |
| http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor |
|____________________________|
Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
This is a hoot, but I suspect the minister didn't appreciate it.

A minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great emphasis he Said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into The river."

With even greater emphasis he said, "And if I had All the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."

And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he Said, "And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."

Sermon complete, he sat down.

The song leader stood very cautiously and announced With a smile, nearly laughing, "For our closing song, Let us sing Hymn #365, "Shall We Gather at the River."

Thanks to Anne Oldham
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The owner of a drug store walks in to find a guy leaning heavily against a wall. The owner asks the clerk, "What's with that guy over there by the wall ?"

The clerk says, "Well, he came in here this morning to get something for his cough. I couldn't find the cough syrup, so I gave him an entire bottle of laxative."

The owner says, "You idiot ! You can't treat a cough with laxatives!"

The clerk says, "OH YEAH ? Look at him, he's afraid to cough!"

Thanks to Denni Peek
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Babysitting

A young man volunteered to babysit one night so his mom could have an evening out. At bedtime he sent the youngsters upstairs to bed and settled down to watch football. One child kept creeping down the stairs, but the young man kept sending him back.

At 9:00 p.m., the doorbell rang. It was the next-door neighbor, Mrs. Brown, asking whether her son was there. The young man brusquely replied, "No."

Just then a little head appeared over the banister and a voice shouted, "I'm here, Mom, but he won't let me go home."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Hardware Store Sign

My local hardware store puts its customers in their place before they even enter. The sign on the door reads:

"Shoes required, because you might hurt yourself. Shirts required, because you're not as good-looking as you think."

Received from Becky D..

(-:][:-)

Fast Driver

My mother has a "lead foot," so I was not surprised when a state trooper pulled us over as we were speeding through Georgia.

Hoping to get off with a warning, Mom tried to appear shocked when the trooper walked up to the car.

"I have never been stopped like this before," she said to the officer.

"What do they usually do, ma'am," he asked, "shoot the tires out?"

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Two-Day Course For Men

EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN!

OPEN TO MEN ONLY - ALL ARE WELCOME

Note: Due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants. The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS
Step-by-step guide with slide presentation

TOILET ROLLS - DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?
Round table discussion

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR
Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)

DISHES & SILVERWARE - DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES?
Debate among a panel of experts.

REMOTE CONTROL
Losing the remote control - Help line and support groups

LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS
Starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming - Open forum

DAY TWO

EMPTY MILK CARTONS - DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN?
Group discussion and role play

HEALTH WATCH - BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH
PowerPoint presentation

REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST
Real life testimonial from the one man who did

IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?
Driving simulation

LIVING WITH ADULTS - BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER
Online class and role playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION
Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE
Bring your calendar or PDA to class

GETTING OVER IT
Learning how to live with being wrong all the time

Received from Max Lee.

(-:][:-)

Let's Be Honest

Taking his seat in his chambers, the judge faced the opposing lawyers.

"So," he said, "I have been presented, by both of you, with a bribe."

Both lawyers squirmed uncomfortably. "You, attorney Paulson, gave me $15,000. And you, attorney Hendren, gave me $10,000."

The judge reached into his pocket and pulled out a check. He handed it to Paulson. "Now then, I'm returning $5,000, and we're going to decide this case solely on its merits!"

Received from Steve Sanderson.

(-:][:-)

Legal Eyesight

The old man was a witness in a burglary trial.

The defense lawyer asked Sam, "Did you see my client commit this burglary?"

"Yes," said Sam, "I plainly saw him take the goods."

The lawyer asked again, "Sam, this happened at night. Are you sure you saw my client commit this crime?"

"Yes," said Sam, "I saw him do it."

Then the lawyer asked, "Sam, listen: you are 80 years old and your eyesight probably is bad. Just how far can you see at night?"

Sam replied, "I can see the moon -- how far is that?"

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Car Wash

A church choir was putting on a car wash to raise money for a special trip to Bethlehem.

They made a large sign that read:

CAR WASH FOR CHOIR TRIP.

On the scheduled Saturday, business was very good. But, by two o'clock the sky clouded, the rain poured, and there were hardly any customers. Finally, one of the soprano singers had an idea.

She printed a very large poster with the words:

WE WASH. GOD RINSES.
(Next to the words was an arrow pointing skyward.)

Business boomed!

Received from Lift and Laugh.

(-:][:-)

Jump Start

About five years ago, the battery in my beat-up VW Beetle had died because I left the lights on overnight. I was in a hurry to get to work on time, so I ran into the house to get my wife to give me a hand in starting the car.

I told her to get into our second car, a prehistoric oversized gas guzzler, and use it to push my car fast enough to start it. I pointed out to her that because the VW had an automatic transmission, it needed to be pushed at least 30 MPH for it to start. She said fine, hopped into her car, and drove off.

I sat there fuming, wondering what she could be doing. A minute passed by, and when I saw her in the rear view mirror coming at me at about 40 MPH, I realized that I should have been a bit more clear with my directions!

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Little Old Lady

There was a little old lady, who every morning. stepped onto her front porch, raised her arms to the sky, and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD!"

One day an atheist moved into the house next door. He became irritated at the little old lady. Every morning he'd step onto his front porch after her and yell: "THERE IS NO LORD!"

Time passed with the two of them carrying on this way every day.

One morning, in the middle of winter, the little old lady stepped onto her front porch and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD!
Please Lord, I have no food and I am starving, provide for me, oh Lord!"

The next morning she stepped out onto her porch and there were two huge bags of groceries sitting there.

"PRAISE THE LORD!" she cried out. "HE HAS PROVIDED GROCERIES FOR ME!"

The atheist neighbor jumped out of the hedges and shouted: "THERE IS NO LORD; I BOUGHT THOSE GROCERIES!!"

The little old lady threw her arms into the air and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD! HE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH GROCERIES AND MADE THE DEVIL PAY FOR THEM!"

Received from Donald Pohlner.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Rate this funny at http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA
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><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/madness/2008/01/16/hey-pundits-stifle-yourselves/ - - Hey Pundits, Stifle Yourselves! (Limerick)
I can’t decide what’s more annoying — when pundits are wrong, or when they insist on finding meaning in the meaningless, deep significance in utter nonsense. Digby provides a fine example of the latter:

Matthews, Olbermann, Norah O’Donnell and David Gregory are sitting around interpreting the Michigan Democratic vote and examining the exit polls to determine meaningful trends about the upcoming primaries.

Michigan means nothing, good or bad, for Democrats. … [CLINTON] WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE TOP THREE ON THE FRIGGING BALLOT! …

… The primary doesn’t count. …

But they’re out there spewing crap anyway, trying to impact the race, making predictions, being fortune tellers as usual …

And that brings me to my latest limerick:

Hey Pundits, Stifle Yourselves!
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The pundits opine and expound:
On sheer nonsense they chew and they pound,
Finding meaning in stuff
That means nothing. Enough!
Watch them frown as they wax so profound.

http://www.madkane.com
http://www.madkane.com/notable.html (Notables Weblog)
http://www.madkane.com/bush.html (Dubya's Dayly Diary)
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Pastor Doug McAllister has worked hard for Jimmy and Vanessa, helping them get started with the Light House Church in Covington, LA. I was looking at Pator Doug's website and he recommended that we look at his friend Mark Batterson's manifesto at www.markbatterson.com It is on his January 1st post. You can read it for yourself. I did and it was inspiring. It's called the Lion Chasers Manifesto. Good stuff.

Lion Chaser's Manifesto

As we kick off a New Year, I thought I'd post the lion chaser's manifesto.

Read it. Print it. Post it. Live it.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church ( www.theaterchurch.com ) in Washington DC . Targeting emerging generations, 73 percent of NCCers are single twentysomethings that live or work on Capitol Hill. Currently one church with three locations, the vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters @ metro stops throughout the DC area. The theaterchurch.com podcast is one of the fastest-growing church podcasts in America . Mark is also a daily blogger @ www.markbatterson.com . Mark lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and three children.

www.theaterchurch.com

pastordoug@jfcemail.com
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| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
January 10, 2008
Deers
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Keith Black.
.......................................................................
MAN!!!! And I thought the deer that landed on my windshield did some damage!
They were traveling in southern Arkansas , between Mena and DeQueen. Oncoming car clipped a deer and sent it straight up into the air. The deer came down head-first into Clayton's brand new truck. The deer's head went thru the front windshield, cutting the head (plus some) off, and landed in Jill's lap. The body of the deer flipped up, smashed in the top of the truck, and landed in the bed. Clayton couldn't see Jill from his side, because the top of the truck was smashed in so horribly.
He got out of the truck, went around, and opened the door on her side...only to start flipping out, because she was literally drenched in blood. However, neither one of them was hurt. Her parents were following in a separate vehicle and didn't see it happen...but drove up on it right afterward. I can't imagine what they were thinking!
----------------------------------------------------
| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
January 2, 2008
Today's Message is from Karen O'Connor (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).
------------------------------------------------------
The ABC's of Managing Anger...

Aim to be a good role model by learning to control anger.
Breathe slowly and deeply 10 times to cool down.
Count to 10 before you respond or react.
Discuss minor problems so they don't grow into arguments.
Eat right and exercise regularly-your health makes a difference.
Forgive others instead of holding grudges.
Go for a quick walk or bike ride to blow off steam.
Have realistic expectations of others.
Identify "triggers" that spark your anger and do your best to avoid them.
Jot down a list of proper ways to handle your anger.
Keep calm when someone else is angry. Don't take it personally.
Learn to accept the things you cannot change.
Make time to relax and do something you enjoy every day.
Never use physical violence, no matter how angry you are.
Offer an apology to others, if anger gets the best of you.
Practice patience with everyone-including yourself.
Question why something upset you and what you could do differently next time.
Repeat a calming word of phrase to yourself, such as "take it easy" or "relax".
Splash cold water on your face to cool off.
Try writing down your feelings to get them out.
Use humor when appropriate to lighten tense situations.
Visualize a relaxing scene or pleasant experience from your past.
Walk away if a situation causes you anger.
eXpress your frustration by using "I" statements. "I feel angry because______".
You sometimes need help to make changes. Seek a counselor's advice if needed.
Zzzzzz.. Get enough sleep. Your patience level is lower when you're tired.

Have a safe Holiday!!!
Karen
----------------------------------------------------
| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
December 21, 2007
Have a safe Holiday,
Dorothy
Christmas Safety Poem
On the night before Christmas you and your spouse Should check all plugs and light cords throughout your house.
Make the stockings that hang on the bricks near the fire Safe from combustion before you retire.
Inspect that old furnace that warms up your hide For deadly leaks of carbon monoxide.
Look in on your children, nestled snug in their beds, And check all the smoke alarms fastened tight o're their heads.
These few safety items I ask you to remember, For a safe holiday season, this end of December.
By Gord Taylor
http://siri.uvm.edu/ppt/christmas/xmaspoem.htm
----------------------------------------------------
| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
December 19, 2007
Safety Guards
Today's Message is from Jamie Lemley (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).
Many tools are equipped with a safety guard, for example, a table saw. The purpose is to keep you safe, so do not tie back or remove them.
REMEMBER
S - saving
A - arms
F - fingers
E - ears & eyes
T - takes
Y - you
----------------------------------------------------
| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
December 14, 2007
Worst Disaster in Chemical History
Today's Message is from Joe Coury (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).
.............................................................
On December 3rd, 1984, the worst disaster in the history of the chemical industry occurred in Bhopal. Methyl isocyanate had been contaminated with water and chloroform which caused a runaway reaction. Because a number of safety systems were shutdown at the time, the relief valves relieved directly to the atmosphere. As a result, 2000 people were killed.
One of the most important lessons to be learned from Bhopal has been overlooked by most commentators. The material, methyl isocyanate was not a raw material or product in the plant. It was an intermediate. Plant designers did not hesitate at that time to design large storage facilities for raw materials, intermediates, and products. Keeping large inventories of hazardous materials is often not really necessary. Within a year of the Bhopal disaster, Union Carbide, the owner of the Bhopal site, reported world-wide reduction of methyl isocyanate inventories by 75% -- without affecting business operations.
All of this illustrates an important safety principle: "What you don't have can't leak."
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 13, Number 16 -- 08 Jan 2008
Tourbus Home -- http://www.InternetTourbus.com
---------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: Leopard / Blu-Ray or HD-DVD / Tech Reviews

Happy New Year! I'm back after a bit of holiday merriment, a little skiing, and a valiant attempt to do a really hard jigsaw puzzle. :-) In today's TOURBUS, you'll find a review of the new features in OS X Leopard, the latest operating system for Macs. Will it convince you to switch? I've also got some facts on the Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD controversy, and some advice for folks who want to buy a high-def DVD player.

Oh, and if you're thinking of buying a cheap desktop computer, a touchscreen laptop, a portable inkjet or fast laser printer, a digital camera, pocket-sized videocam, or a kid-friendly MP3 player... I have some great advice and product reviews for you. Read on!

-------------------------------
Mac OS X Leopard: What's New?
-------------------------------

Apple's newest operating system, released in the Fall of 2007, is Mac OS X Leopard. Like it's feline namesake, this OS is slick and sleek and features all the multimedia bells and whistles Apple users have come to expect.

>From Stacks to Spaces, to the new Finder that looks just like iTunes, Leopard has some cool new features, and even a Time Machine! Apple claims the new Safari browser will render pages 2-3 times faster than Firefox v2. Is it really true? Read on to take a look at some of the new features of Leopard, the pros and cons, and see how it compares to the competition...

http://askbobrankin.com/mac_os_x_leopard.html
-----------------------------
DVD Players: HD or Blu-Ray?
-----------------------------

Remember the days of VHS versus Betamax? Consumers didn't know which type of VCR to buy while that battle raged. In a similar scenario, backers of the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats are each hoping to triumph in the marketplace. Blu-Ray is generally regarded as technically superior, but it could flop in the marketplace like Betamax.

Today you can find high-def DVD players that are able to play HD-DVD or Blu-Ray DVD discs. A few combo players will accept both formats, but they're much more expensive. So what should you do? Here are my reviews of three high-def DVD players, and my recommendations:
http://askbobrankin.com/dvd_players_hd_or_bluray.html

Want more background info on Blu-Ray? Read this article:

http://askbobrankin.com/what_is_bluray.html

---------------------
Out With the Old...
---------------------

Just before the holidays, I wrote a series of articles about buying desktop computers, laptops, printers, cameras, and related gadgetry. Many manufacturers are still offering great deals or sales this month so if you're thinking of a post-holiday purchase to replace some of your electronic stuff, I'm sure you'll find these articles helpful:

* Cheap Desktop Computers
http://askbobrankin.com/cheap_desktop_computers.html

* Touchscreen Laptops

http://askbobrankin.com/touchscreen_laptops.html

* Portable Inkjet Printers

http://askbobrankin.com/portable_inkjet_printers.html

* Fast Color Laser Printers
http://askbobrankin.com/fast_color_laser_printers.html

* MP3 Players for Kids
http://askbobrankin.com/mp3_players_for_kids.html

* Automatic Digital Cameras
http://askbobrankin.com/automatic_digital_cameras.html

* Pocket Sized Video Cameras
http://askbobrankin.com/small_video_cameras.html

+-------------------------------------------------+
That's all for now, see you next time! -- Bob Rankin
~~~
Volume 13, Number 17 -- 10 Jan 2008
-----------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: Blu-ray wins / Ad-Aware / YouTube Research

Howdy, y'all, and happy new year from deep behind the orange curtain in beautiful Irvine, California, where cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of today's post. Thank you for helping us help you help us all.

After taking a much-needed break to study for my first semester in the doctorate program at USC, deal with some family issues back in Alabama [see http://tinyurl.com/28vdmn and http://blog.crispen.org/], and spend WAY too much time playing Bioshock and The Orange Box on my Xbox 360, you fearless bus driver is back! Thank you for your patience during my absence. On with the show...

---------------------------------------------
Over, the high definition DVD format wars are
Audience: Everyone
---------------------------------------------

In my "Crispen's Guide to What's New and What's Next" presentation at http://www.netsquirrel.com/powerpoint/, I *strongly* recommended that you stay away from next generation DVD players until the HD DVD/Blu- ray format war is over.

It's over. Blu-ray won.

Last week Warner Bros. announced that they would exclusively support Sony's Blu-ray format, leaving only Paramount, Universal, and Dreamworks aligned with the HD DVD camp. You can read Warner's announcement at http://tinyurl.com/ysuljw

There's more. According to the Financial Times [via Gizmodo], Paramount has

a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp that would allow it to switch sides in the event of Warner Bros backing Blu-ray, according to people familiar with the situation. [Source: http://tinyurl.com/2lorj6 ]

Without Paramount, Blu-ray now has 70% of Hollywood's next generation DVD market. That's *without* Paramount. And don't forget that Paramount distributes Dreamworks Animations films, making it hard to imagine that Dreamworks won't follow if Paramount abandons HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray.

Folks, it's over. Blu-ray won. The HD DVD camp may not realize it yet, and Universal may drag its feet for a few months before finally throwing in the towel and following 20th Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer, Sony, Walt Disney, and Warner Bros. and the rest of the Blu-ray camp, but Blu-ray won.

Long story short: if you're in the market for a next generation DVD player, make sure it can play Blu-ray discs.

--------------------------------------------
It's time to upgrade Ad-Aware
Audience: All Windows users who use Ad-Aware
--------------------------------------------

I've been a huge fan of Lavasoft's free Ad-Aware for the past three years and have strongly recommended that you download, install, and use the program frequently. Ad-Aware is a program that scans for, and removes spyware and malware from, your Windows-based computer.

In his most recent Washington Post Security Fix blog entry [see http://tinyurl.com/3y75ul ], Brian Krebs points out something that I forgot to mention earlier: It's time to upgrade from Ad-Aware SE to Ad-Aware 2007. Why? Lavasoft stopped shipping updates for Ad-Aware SE on December 31. Yikes.

Fortunately, the upgrade process is relatively painless. Just download the free Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 at http://tinyurl.com/3xsz48, install it, and ... well ... that's it. The installer removes the old version and installs the new version.

That's the good news. The bad news is that if you're still running Windows 95, 98, or 98SE, or ME, you're kind of stuck. Your old version no longer works, and the new version only works on Windows 2000, 2003, XP, or Vista. Fortunately, Spybot Search & Destroy--available for free at http://tinyurl.com/yrwy2 --still works with legacy versions of Windows.

-----------------------------
Bonkian Youtubian Researchian
Audience: Everyone
-----------------------------

If you have been to an educational technology conference in the last few years, you've most likely seen a presentation by Dr. Curt Bonk. Bonk is a Professor of Instructional Systems Technology and adjunct in the School of Informatics at Indiana University (IU). One of the topics he's currently researching is YouTube, in particular

why people post, view, share, comment on, or subscribe to a YouTube video. Areas of interest include motivation, engagement, instructional design, and learning or educational value in a YouTube video.

So, Bonk and his colleagues at Indiana University recently created a survey that asks about 40 questions ranging from "how often do you watch YouTube videos" to "have you ever shared a YouTube video link with a friend?" If that sounds like something that interests you, point your favorite web browser to

http://trainingshare.com/video/

and click on the link at the top of the page to start the survey. You can preview all of the survey questions before you participate, and you don't have to enter any personally-identifiable information other than your email address ... and even that's optional. [You only need to enter your email address if you want to be entered into a drawing to win an Apple iPhone.]

If you don't want to participate in Bonk's survey but would like to view the results when they are published, that's cool too. Just make sure to bookmark Bonk's "Bonkian Youtubian Researchian" page at
http://indiana.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6703696942

or his blog at

http://travelinedman.blogspot.com/

because I am betting that Bonk will post the results to either or both of these pages in the not-too-distant future.

And if you know anyone who would be interested in Bonk's YouTube research--or, for that matter, in having a chance a winning an iPhone for taking an online survey--feel free to forward today's post to others.

That's it for today. Have a safe and happy week, and we'll talk again soon. No, really.
+---------------------------------------+
==[ Tourbus Rider Information ]==
The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238 Copyright 1995-2005, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved Tourbus News Service - http://tourbus.com/news.html Subscribe, Signoff, Archives, Free Stuff and More at the Tourbus Website - http://www.TOURBUS.com
========================
.~~~. ))
(\__/) .' ) )) Patrick Douglas Crispen
/o o \/ .~
{o_, \ { crispen@netsquirrel.com
/ , , ) \ http://www.netsquirrel.com/
`~ -' \ } )) AOL Instant Messenger: Squirrel2K
_( ( )_.'
---..{____} Warning: squirrels.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.
http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/

Here are links to items posted on The Pump Handle over the past week:

** "CPSC's New Budget Needed for Long-Overdue Tasks" by Liz Borkowski Congress didn't pass a comprehensive overhaul of product safety before leaving town last month, but it did give the CPSC its biggest budget increase in 30 years. The agency will need to replace an iconic toy tester on its staff and deal with some of the many products it hasn't adequately addressed, including waterproofing sprays linked to respiratory problems. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/cpsc%e2%80%99s-new-budget-needed-for-long-overdue-tasks/
** "Science Debate on Science Friday" On January 11th, the NPR show Science Friday will cover the campaign for a presidential science debate – something The Pump Handle supports, and for which we supplied questions we'd like candidates to answer. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/science-debate-on-science-friday/
** "Occupational Health News Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Investigations by labor rights groups find that dangerous and unfair working conditions persist in China, despite high-profile efforts by corporations; plus, there's news about asthma and pesticides, an update to OSHA's shipyard standard, and death by overwork in Japan. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/occupational-health-news-roundup-47/
** "NIOSH Too Slow Answering a Simple FOIA" by Celeste Monforton Why is NIOSH taking so long to respond to a simple Freedom of Information Act request about part of its process for awarding mine safety research grants? http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/niosh-too-slow-answering-simple-foia/
** "Salvaging EPA Libraries" by Liz Borkowski Congress is requiring the EPA to restore the library services it had begun to cut. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/salvaging-epa-libraries/
** "Open Laboratory 2007" by David Michaels A post from The Pump Handle is included in an anthology of 2007's best science blogging – along with several other posts likely to interest those in the public health field. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/open-laboratory-2007/
** "Where Old Computers Go to Die" by Liz Borkowski A National Geographic article explains how discarded electronics flow to developing countries, where the workers who break them down end up with a small amount of cash and a lot of hazardous exposures. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/07/where-old-computers-go-to-die/
** "Jacksonville T2 Site Still Too Dangerous for Investigators" by Celeste Monforton Three weeks after the deadly explosion at the Jacksonville T2 laboratory that claimed the lives of four workers, the accident scene is still too hazardous for investigators to enter. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/07/jacksonville-t2-site-still-too-dangerous-for-investigators/
** "Mazzocchi Book Events in DC" by David Michaels Les Leopold, author of The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor: The Life and Times of Tony Mazzocchi, will be in DC to talk about Tony's life and legacy. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/mazzocchi-book-events-in-dc/
** "Friday Blog Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Bloggers are summing up developments from 2007 and looking ahead to 2008; responding to news that a highly successful hospital infection-control program was shut down by the federal Office for Human Research Protections; and looking at sources of mercury in water. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/friday-blog-roundup-56/

** "Oy! Not Good-bye to MSHA's Stickler?" by Celeste Monforton Rather than nominating Richard Stickler to head MSHA – which isn't allowed because Stickler's recess appointment has ended – President Bush has "designated" him as MSHA chief. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/oy-not-goodbye-to-mshas-stickler/
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Weekly Toll - - http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com/
Death In The Workplace w/News & Updates
John Donne - ...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
A partial list of workplace fatalities.

NFPA WORLD SAFETY CONFERENCE & EXPOSITION

June 2-5, 2008
Pre-Conference Seminars May 31-June 1
Las Vegas, Nevada
Registration and housing are now open for the NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition. Join your peers in Las Vegas, June 2-5 and take advantage of this powerful professional development opportunity!
• Learn from the most respected code experts in the industry at over 150 select education sessions in 11 tracks including the enhanced Building and Life Safety Code® track and sessions in the expanded necforum™ track
• Experience the magic of the award winning duo Penn & Teller as a Special Presentation during the General Session
• Save 25% off regular seminar prices when you register for one of 24 pre-conference seminars scheduled May 31 - June 1. These intense one and two-day seminars taught by leading experts cover a wide range of topics, and meet the highest standards for professionalism and technical expertise
• Take action on the codes and standards you use every day and make your voice heard in the Association Technical Meetings
• Earn valuable CEUs and AIA LUs
• Save an additional 20% off Conference Registration costs as a Technical Committee member
• Meet with over 300 exhibitors at the expo. - See the latest products and services for the fire, life safety, electrical and security industries
• Register now for a Free Expo Only Pass! - Free when you register online (A $50 savings!)
• Learn from industry experts and network with colleagues
Click here to register for this dynamic event for life safety, fire protection, electrical and security professionals!

http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com
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NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers killed weekly. These records can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/
01. Cpl. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, Wis., died Jan. 5 in Ibrahim Al Adham, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
02. Petty Officer Second Class Menelek M. Brown, 24, of Roswell, N.M., was declared dead Jan. 4 after apparently going overboard from USS Hopper in the Arabian Sea Jan. 3. Navy aircraft and ships conducted an extensive search but did not locate him. USS Hopper is homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
03. Cpl. James D. Gudridge, 20, of Carthage, N.Y., died Jan. 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

04. Pfc. Timothy R. Hanson, 23, of Kenosha, Wis., died Jan. 7 in Salmon Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Jan. 7 of wounds suffered when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Laghar Juy, Afghanistan. Killed were:
05. Maj. Michael L. Green, 36, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, who died in Laghar Juy, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Headquarters, V Corps, Heidelberg, Germany.
06. Sgt. James K. Healy, 25, of Hesperia, Calif, who died at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 703rd Explosive Ordnance Detachment, Fort Knox, Ky.
The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 8 of wounds sustained during combat operations in Samarra, Iraq. The incident is under investigation. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
07. Sgt. David J. Hart, 22, of Lake View Terrace, Calif., who died in Balad, Iraq.
08. Pfc. Ivan E. Merlo, 19, of San Marcos, Calif., who died in Samarra, Iraq.
09. Pfc. Phillip J. Pannier, 20, of Washburn, Ill., who died in Samarra, Iraq.
10. Sgt. David J. Drakulich, 22, of Reno, Nev., died Jan. 9 in Chagali, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The Department of Defense announced the death of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. They were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany. Killed were:
11. Cpl. Todd E. Davis, 22, of Raymore, Mo.
12. Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, of Rutherford, Tenn.
13. Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul, 29, of Reno, Nev.
14. Sgt. Zachary W. McBride, 20, of Bend, Ore.
15. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk, 30, of Superior, Wis.
16. Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders, 22, of Roswell, N.M.
17. Lt. Col. Richard J. Berrettini, 52, of Wilcox, Pa., died Jan. 11 in San Antonio of wounds suffered on Jan. 2 in Khowst Province, Afghanistan, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Medical Detachment, Erie Clinic, Erie, Pa.
18. Pfc. Keith E. Lloyd, 26, of Milwaukee, died Jan. 12 in Tal Afar, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.
19. Lance Cpl. Curtis A. Christensen Jr., 29, of Collingswood, N.J., died Jan. 11 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 16 of wounds suffered in Balad, Iraq, when they were attacked by grenade and small arms fire during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
20. Pfc. Danny L. Kimme, 27, of Fisher, Ill., who died in Balad, Iraq.
21. Pfc. David H. Sharrett II, 27, of Oakton, Va., who died in Pallouata, Iraq.
22. Spc. John P. Sigsbee, 21, of Waterville, N.Y., who died in Balad, Iraq.
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Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq. Times have been and are very tough and it would be nice if you would all just say a prayer for their safety and for their families.
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"September 11 WDYTJWD" W. P. Florence
Justice first, then peace."
"September 11" Never forget.--Tony Moses
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD ...the only way"--Phillip Story
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Keeping my head down but face toward Heaven" - - Jody Eldred, ABC News Cameraman in Kuwait
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" --"Bug"
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. - - George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" - - Queen E. Watson
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Activities and Events of Interest
~~~~~
GARDEN SEMINAR - - Sponsored by Columbia County Master Gardeners
Saturday, January 26 - 9:00 am - 12:00 noon - - Immanuel Baptist Church Fellowship Hall
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To all members and prospective members, the next AR-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team meeting will be Saturday, January 26 at the AR-1 Cache in Little Rock. [http://www.ar1dmat.com/]
~~~~~
First Baptist Church Open Taco Supper tickets-they are $8 each.
It is Feb 21, 5-7:00 pm @ First Baptist Church & includes beverage & dessert.
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Scheduled Activities
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CQ CQ all Hams. We have restarted a 2 meter net on the Willisville repeater, 146.655, every Tuesday evening at 7 PM. Please check in and spread the word. We would like to get some renewed interest in amateur radio and the ARKLA Amateur Radio Association. Will be listening for everyone next Tuesday night.
~~~
Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
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MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
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MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
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Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
“Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.” Knowledge is power. - Francis Bacon
"The problem is here and now. The time for talk is past. The time for action is now."
Comments on the first Earth Day - James F. McClellan via "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Luke 1:30-35, 38 Rom 3:20-24 Psa 119:162-165 Acts 14:3,5-7 Rev 19:19-20 Mat 22:15-18 Jer 6:27-29 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

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