Bugs Bleat 2Q: April 2006

Volume 8, Issue 17 Friday, April 28, 2006

Hello ALL,

Nancy Terry and I visited with David and Sandy Kirkpatrick yesterday. She’s still at Baptist where they’re working on getting another dose of Chemo in her. David lives in the room with her, attending to her needs. It was great to get to talk to both of them.
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The photos on the front of this weeks “Bleat” include Annette with “Gizmo-Sugar”, Jim McWilliams, Tommy Nance, Roy Speci and Tony Griffin helping prepare last Sunday’s MCC Prayer Breakfast. Also a shot of the serving line at last Saturday’s Albemarle steak and bingo supper.
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“Special People”
When I was growing up, every town had one or more “Special People.” In Taylor it was the guy who rode a bike around town and smoked cigars sticking in the bowl of a pipe. I never knew much about him except he didn’t seem to have a job and he often would ride up and watch us play. I don’t remember him ever saying anything to us.
Nancy Terry told me about “Oliver”, one of the “Special People” in Atlanta, TX. Oliver couldn’t talk very well (like many “Special People”) but he could communicate. Most mornings, “Oliver” would stop in Mr. Kennedy’s shoe store and “visit” until it was time to “get on down to the sewing machine store and check with them.” He’d then spend the rest of the day “making his rounds” from store to store in town, often eating lunch at the Drug Store. (Remember when Drug Stores had lunch counters and soda fountains?)
Occasionally, Oliver would come to Mr. Kennedy with a need (i.e. a flat bicycle tire or holes in his socks.) At those times, Nancy’s dad would enter into negotiation with Oliver such as “O.K. Oliver. If you’ll sweep the sidewalk in front of my store each morning this week, I’ll buy you a new bicycle tire.” If Oliver agreed, he’d sweep the sidewalk that week and Mr. Kennedy would provide him two new tires.
Magnolia had several “Special People” but Lee Jones was probably the best known. Rumor had it that Lee was mentally disabled due to a “Fever” he suffered when he was four or five years old.
Indeed, Lee acted like a preschooler but had adapted to his role as one of Magnolia’s “Special People.”
In my youth, Lee was a main fixture of daily life on the Magnolia Square. Like Oliver, Lee would make “Rounds” of the businesses on the square, often eating his meals at The Chatterbox.
His normal attire was a western shirt, string tie, western pants with cowboy boots and a Stetson Hat. Of course, he also wore a “brace” of cap pistols and a badge.
His outfit helped him “catch” a thief one night. At that time, he was sleeping behind the counter in the service station on the south west corner of the US 79 and US 82 intersection in Magnolia. About 2 am a burglar broke out the glass door and headed for the cash register. The noise woke Lee and he groggily stood up behind the counter. One look at the pistol packing man and the thief turned to run. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view, he didn’t aim back through the door, instead, he ran full tilt into the large plate glass window in the front of the store. The police found him cut and bleeding when they arrived in response to the alarm bell.
A change of outfit got Lee in trouble one summer when several army convoys were traveling through town. Lee always seemed able to get what he wanted despite his difficulties speaking and his lack of ready cash reserves.
He’d obviously observed the convoy’s method of moving through town, especially the job of “road guards” who were stationed at major intersections to direct the trucks. Some how he got a set of fatigues and when the next convoy came through town, he stepped out into the intersection near the Chatterbox and started directing the convoy west, toward Taylor.
He’d successfully snarled up a mile or more of the convoy when a jeep with some officers who knew where they were supposed to be going arrived. I was at the Chatterbox and first heard the shouting from outside. When I got there, the Military Police had Lee and he was shouting his normal “gibberish” language at the top of his lungs.
I ran back and got Tammy who managed to summon the Sheriff . Between them they persuaded the military to release Lee into their custody with assurances that he would no longer be allowed to dress like a soldier.
When Lee wasn’t chasing crooks or directing military operations, he often sold gum. He had a cigar box he would carry and he’d get someone to hand letter a sign on the inside of the lid that explained his current plans for funds collected. For instance, the sign might say “Lee needs a new tie.”
He’d make his rounds from store to store, showing the sign and offering packs of gum for money tendered. Even though he couldn’t read, write or count money, he always seemed to know when he had enough money to purchase what he wanted. He’d then “close up shop” and take his earnings to the store where his desired item resided.
~
Eventually LBJ’s “great society” took over responsibility for Lee and my mother became his guardian, seeing to the disposition of his government disability check, paying his small bills and his room rent. Since she was his guardian, the police called us the night he was found in his motel room, dead of a heart attack.
After the coroner left, we started gathering his belongings and discovered the results of years of selling gum for his small needs. He had hundreds of handkerchiefs, uncountable pairs of socks and ties in abundance.
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HEY EVERYBODY!!! Flywheel fried Pies.. for the Hop-a-long 4H club here in Columbia co.
They turn their order in on May 5th. 1 box of 24 is $24.00 (can be split ½ & ½) Flavors include: Peach, Chocolate, Apple, Sugar free Apple, Blueberry, Coconut, Raisin, Apricot, Sweet Potato, and Pineapple.
If you don't see your favorite flavor we can ask for it!
Please let me know ASAP! They are trying to be the TOP sellers!
Thanks so very much!!!
My daughter (Kodi) is selling them .. if your interested please let me know and I'll come by.
Thanks, Tracy Rabb
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We’ve read several good books lately among them;
“Gates of fire” an epic novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield.
“Bleachers” a story of High School Football by John Grisham.
“Tell them I didn't cry” a young journalist's story of joy, loss, and survival in Iraq by Jackie Spinner and Jenny Spinner.
“Old man's war” by John Scalzi.
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Kerrah Elizabeth Wooten is graduating from Ouachita Christian High School in West Monroe this year.
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Magnolia Internet will be offering broadband service.
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We see Dr. Murphy Monday and expect him to let us start wearing shoes again.
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Lake Erling FD Asst Chief Larry Green requests prayer from all for Lake Erling Fire Chief Robert Mullins. Chief Mullins has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
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Congratulations to Greg and Amy Nelson the birth of Gabrielle Amanda. Gabrielle was 20 ½" long and weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz.
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Don’t forget Mother's Day, Sunday, May 14
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Here are some interesting statistics:
World-wide Jewish population, about 13 million.
World-wide Islamic/Arab/Persian etc. population about 1.3 billion.
(I realize who belongs to these categories can be debated; these are approximations)
Thus Jews are outnumbered about 100:1.
One generally-accepted measure of intellectual achievement is the Nobel Prize.
Jews have been awarded a total of 170 Nobel prizes. In a population ratio, one might expect Islamic folks to have been awarded 100 times that, or 17,000. But in fact, they have been awarded a total of six. And only five if you leave out Yasser Arafat's peace prize! Wonder if it has anything to do with God and His Chosen People, even though they have not been especially faithful to him.
Here's some additional information: http://www.jinfo.org/Nobel_Prizes.html

Thanks to Sam Boggs
~
Another interesting statistic. The total gross national product of all the Islamic nations combined (minus oil revenues) is less than Finland. “Bug”
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Don’t forget to check out www.mcc2000.net
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We recommend the latest dispatch at: www.michaelyon-online.com
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The next Albemarle Kids' Fishing Tournament will be Saturday June 3.
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Magnolia is excited to have Budweiser Clydesdales join us for the entire week of this year's Blossom Festival. Below are some interesting facts about the wonderful animals.

THE CLYDESDALE BREED
Farmers living in the 19th century along the banks of the River Clyde in Lanarkshire, Scotland, bred the Great Flemish Horse, the forerunner of the Clydesdale. These first draft horses pulled loads of more than one ton at a walking speed of five miles per hour. Soon their reputation spread beyond the Scottish borders.

In the mid-1800s, Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to the United States where the draft horses resumed their existence on farms. Today, the Clydesdales are used primarily for breeding and show.

THE BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES
They were formally introduced to August A. Busch Sr. and Anheuser-Busch on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. August A. Busch Jr. wanted to commemorate the special day. To his father's delight, the hitch thundered down Pestalozzi Street carrying the first case of post-Prohibition beer from the St. Louis brewery.

HITCH REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for one of the six hitches (five traveling and one stationary), a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age. He must stand 72 inches, or 6 feet, at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color, have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face, and a black mane and tail.

FEED
Each hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of feed, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.

HITCH LOCATIONS
Five traveling Budweiser Clydesdale hitches are based in St. Louis, Missouri; Menifee, California; San Diego, California; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and San Antonio, Texas. The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis, Merrimack and Ft. Collins, Colorado.

The Budweiser Clydesdales also may be viewed at Grant's Farm, the 281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family, in St. Louis and at the following Anheuser-Busch theme parks: Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida, and at the Sea World theme parks in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California; and San Antonio, Texas.

CLYDESDALE OPERATIONS
Based in St. Louis, Clydesdale Operations is responsible for maintaining and scheduling the five traveling hitches. They receive thousands of requests for the "gentle giants" every year. Each request is evaluated on the type of event, dates, history of appearances in that particular area and other input from Anheuser-Busch management representatives.

STABLES
The official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales is an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis. The building is one of three located on the brewery grounds that are registered as historic landmarks by the federal government.

HANDLERS
Expert grooms travel on the road with the hitch. They are on the road at least 10 months every year. When necessary, one handler has night duty to provide round-the-clock care for the horses, ensuring their safety and comfort.

TRANSPORT
Ten horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor trailers, which weigh 24 tons when fully loaded. Cameras in the trailers (with monitors in the cabs) enable the drivers to keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo during transport. The team stops each night at local stables so the "gentle giants" can rest. Air-cushion suspension and thick rubber flooring in the trailers ease the rigors of traveling.

DRIVERS
Driving the 12 tons of wagon and horses requires quite a bit of strength and skill. The 40 pounds of reins the driver holds, plus the tension of the reins, equals 75 pounds. All hitch drivers are put through a rigorous training period before they are given the reins.

HARNESS
Each harness and collar weighs 130 pounds. The harness is handcrafted from brass and leather. Pure linen thread is used for the stitching. The harness is made to fit any horse, but the collars come in different sizes and must be individually fitted like a suit of clothes.

NAMES
Duke, Captain, Mark and Bud are just a few of the names given to the Budweiser Clydesdales. Names are kept short to make it easier for the driver to give commands to the horses during a performance.

HORSESHOES
Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about five pounds -- more than twice as long and five times as heavy as the shoe worn by a riding horse. A horse's hoof is made of a nerveless, horn-like substance similar to the human fingernail, so being fitted for shoes affects the animal no more than a manicure affects people.

WAGON
Turn-of-the-century beer wagons have been meticulously restored and are kept in excellent repair. The wagons are equipped with two braking systems: a hydraulic pedal device that slows the vehicle for turns and descents down hills, and a hand brake that locks the rear wheels when the wagon is at a halt.

DALMATIANS
Dalmatians have traveled with the Clydesdale hitch since the 1950s. The Dalmatian breed long has been associated with horses and valued for their speed, endurance and dependable nature. Dalmatians were known as coach dogs, because they ran between the wheels of coaches or carriages and were companions to the horses. Today, the Dalmatians are perched atop the wagon, seated next to the driver.

Stacy Ravenscraft
Office: 870-234-4352
Email: director@magnoliachamber.com
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Navy to Base First Four Littoral Combat Ships in San Diego

The Navy announced today that the first four Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) will be homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.

Key in the success of implementing these new concepts is the ability to collocate these ships to achieve readiness alignment and economy of scale. This collocation is especially important for the first ships in the class as waterfront facilities, infrastructure, training and maintenance efficiencies are developed. San Diego was chosen as the initial homeport because of the Navy’s increased emphasis on the Pacific theater based on the Quadrennial Defense Review.

“Homeporting the first four ships in San Diego will enable us to establish synergy between the ships and with local commands,” said Vice Adm. Terry Etnyre, commander, Naval Surface Forces, based in Coronado, Calif. “With the Undersea Warfare Command here in San Diego and the Mine Warfare Command moving here soon, the undersea warfare and mine warfare mission packages will have direct coordination and representation locally.”

LCS will carry some core capabilities, such as self-defense and command and control; but its true war-fighting capability will come from its innovative and tailored mission modules. These ships will be configured for one mission package at a time, consisting of modules, manned aircraft, unmanned vehicles, off-board sensors, and mission-manning detachments. This will operate within open-systems architecture giving it the capability to reconfigure mission modules and ship systems to tailor it for specific warfighting missions.

The Littoral Combat Ships are the first Navy vessels to separate capability from hull form and provide a robust, affordable, mission-focused warship designed to provide assured access for our joint forces. LCS will have the size, speed, endurance, and connectivity to deploy as a member of carrier strike groups, expeditionary strike groups or surface strike groups.

The innovative concepts in LCS do not end with its modularity. LCS will operate with a quarter of the crew normally assigned to ships this size through a combination of technology and process improvements for maintenance, logistics, training and administration.

The keel for the first Littoral Combat Ship, to be named USS Freedom (LCS 1), was laid on June 3, 2005 and the second, to be named USS Independence (LCS 2), on Jan. 19, 2006.

For more information on the Littoral Combat Ship, visit the LCS website at http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/lcs/default.htm or contact the Navy news desk at (703) 697-5342.
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The following article frankly discusses many of the problems with Amtrak, the government run passenger rail service. And we agree with many of the points in the article. However, as we’re struggling with a war on terror where we fund the enemy through purchases of oil and we’re adamant that we must cease the purchase of petroleum from “enemy states.” Remember that railroads carry freight (human or otherwise) for 1/12th the energy per pound mile that trucks do, and trucks are more efficient than cars.
Any future reduction in fossil fuel supplies must include rail passenger service. And rail service (both freight and passenger) can be converted to electricity (which can be produced via nuclear or coal) whereas truck and car transportation is decades away from being able to be weaned off oil.
So the casual dismissal of our nations rail passenger service as unnecessary is not only foolish and short sighted, it’s bordering on suicidal to our society.
As a porter once reminded me, the federal government subsidizes the airlines via airport construction and the air traffic control system, which costs many times what we’re spending on passenger rail.
Yes, we need to work on privatizing our rail passenger service, but not at the expense of the limited service we have remaining. Instead, we ought to be working on expanding it, running rail lines down interstate corridors.
When my mother was young, you could catch a train in Taylor on Saturday morning, ride it to Shreveport and then take the local trolley shopping.
This week we went to Little Rock and spent $70 on fuel to do so. A round trip train ticket would have cost about $25 if such service had been available. Yet for the last 35 years this nation has dribbled funds to Amtrak instead of supporting a real energy saver, national rail service.
~
After 35 Years, Amtrak's Future Uncertain
By DONNA DE LA CRUZ
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON

Last year, President Bush proposed no federal aid for Amtrak. Its highly touted high-speed train was sidelined for months with brake problems and its president was fired. Still, the passenger railroad chugs on toward its 35th birthday Monday.

To mark the occasion, a group of analysts who have followed Amtrak's woes over the years will gather in Washington to discuss what critics call Amtrak's "35 years of subsidies, waste and deception."

"Amtrak keeps making promises that things would get better, one promise after another," said Joseph Vranich, a former Amtrak executive director and former member of the Amtrak Reform Council. "But people fall for the promises, and Amtrak survives."

Keith Ashdown with the group Taxpayers for Common Sense said Congress shoulders some of the blame for Amtrak's financial woes. The railroad always seems to teeter on the brink of failure, only to be pulled back by a last-minute infusion of cash from Capitol Hill.

Amtrak has debt of more than $3.5 billion and its operating loss for 2005 topped $550 million.

"Congress has been practicing schizophrenic leadership, trying to give Amtrak tough love, but then giving them the money anyway, but no real clear consensus opinion on how they want Amtrak to change," Ashdown said. "There's never been any real direction given to Amtrak except saying that they have to be more fiscally responsible."

David Hughes, Amtrak's acting president, said the railroad's future is bright. It has begun a host of initiatives to revamp some long- distance routes, streamline its finances and boost customer service while looking at several cost-cutting initiatives such as revamping its food and beverage service.

Hughes said one important thing Amtrak has accomplished was agreeing on a mission statement with its management, board of directors and the Transportation Department. The mission is to provide the country with "safe, reliable intercity passenger service in an economically sound manner that will exceed customer expectations."

"We have some common ground here that hasn't existed in a long time for Amtrak," Hughes told The Associated Press.

But his predecessor, David Gunn, isn't buying it.

Gunn, fired last November after opposing the Amtrak board on a host of issues, said he believes the board will hire a president who "won't challenge City Hall" and will not block the Bush administration's goal of dismantling Amtrak.

Administration officials say they want to reform Amtrak, not destroy it.

"If they hire a serious person, someone who believes there should be intercity passenger service in this country, that person is being hired by a government that is trying to destroy the company," Gunn said from his home on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.

"Reform is their code word for `Make it go away,'" he added.

Gunn's firing capped off a bad 2005 for Amtrak. It had to suspend all high-speed Acela service in April due to cracks discovered in some brakes. The congressional Government Accountability Office said Amtrak must improve how it monitors performance and oversees its finances in order to reach firm financial footing.

Bush had proposed no money for Amtrak in 2005, but Congress approved $1.3 billion in subsidies. Amtrak's budget request for the next fiscal year is $1.59 billion, while Bush is calling for $900 million.

Gunn said $900 million would force the railroad to "eviscerate the system," saying that is too little for capital costs.

Analysts say Amtrak must stop relying on subsidies. Rail routes with low ridership should be cut, new labor rules negotiated and some operations privatized, they say.

Ronald Utt, a transportation analyst with the conservative Heritage Foundation, said Amtrak should look to Japan, Britain and Canada for some ideas.

In Britain, the country was sliced up into 26 different train routes that were put out for bid. Private companies now operate various routes, with some having turned profits.

In Japan, a big chunk of the rail system was privatized and is now making a profit, Utt said. Canada simply reduced its railroad's annual subsidy.

"Rail problems are not unique to the United States," Utt said.
___
On the Net:
Amtrak: http://www.amtrak.com
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We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://bugsbleat2q.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://bugsbleat.blogspot.com, bugsbleat1q.blogspot.com, bugsbleat3q.blogspot.com, and http://bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com. Our photos are now posted at http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
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Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
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www.aaa.com Regular
Current Avg. $ 2.92
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
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Recipe(s) of the week - We’re sharing recipes from Shannon Voigt’s new Taylor Recipe Book
Fried Rice - Annette McClellan

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked converted or parboiled rice (precooked and cooled.)
Water chestnuts
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons finely grated carrot
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup diced onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt
Pepper

Method:
Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes). Pour rice into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator. Rice must be cold. Cut up chicken, pork, shrimp or ham (or all four), roll in cornstarch and stir-fry in a little oil. Add soy sauce to taste and set aside. Cut up onions and sauté in a little oil. Add cold rice and push to the side of the pan. Scramble the eggs in the pan. Then mix into rice and onions. Add peas, grated carrots, water chestnuts and whatever else you want. Add more soy sauce as desired and cook rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.
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BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson
Starving the Beast

Energy Independence and the War on Terror

Just last week Osama bin Laden declared war not only on the United States, but on all civilization. He urged jihadists throughout the Islamic world to travel to Darfur in western Sudan, where the Islamic government in Khartoum has been massacring hundreds of thousands of Muslims. Bin Laden wants Islamists to go there, not to save the Muslims, but to block the efforts of the United Nations, NATO, and the United States to end the genocide.

What is this madman up to? Simply this: He wants to so destabilize the world that he may usher in his radical version of Islam.

What is particularly galling to me is that we Americans are actually helping to finance bin Laden, thanks to our utter dependence on Middle Eastern oil. As oil prices soar, so do the profits of the Middle Eastern oil interests, some of which, according to reports, are financing bin Laden.

How in the world will we ever stop bin Laden? The answer is by starving the beast: Stop sending dollars to the Middle East. That is why I was pleased by President Bush’s announcement this week of a plan to cut imports of Middle Eastern oil by 75 percent by 2025. Good start, Mr. President. But we have to do more—much more.

When I served President Nixon, there was a serious energy shortage. Gas prices rose to more than one dollar (the equivalent of four dollars and forty-two cents today). President Nixon demanded that the United States become energy independent by 1980 and opened the Alaska pipeline, which turned out to be a very important step. President Ford followed him, setting the target date for energy independence back to 1985. Jimmy Carter, who had to deal with another energy crisis, called achieving energy independence by 1990 the “moral equivalent of war” and enacted a number of measures, most of which were later repealed during the Reagan presidency.

In light of this history, here is what is really shocking: We are more dependent on Middle Eastern oil today than ever before.

I would like to see the president and the Congress set a realistic deadline for energy independence and then take the drastic measures to achieve it. Crack down hard on the oil companies, okay—that is an easy solution for politicians—but at the same time open up the Alaskan oil reserves, increase off-shore drilling, invest resources in developing alternative energy sources like ethanol and wind power, force car manufacturers to increase fuel efficiency, build nuclear plants for energy. Experts say we could achieve energy independence in ten years if we really put our minds to it.

So what’s stopping us? Nothing, except the lack of political will. Any politician voting for these things would be defeated in the next election, unless, that is, there were a resurgence of political will among the American people, a willingness to sacrifice, like the patriotism I saw during World War II.

Look, folks, the survival of Western civilization is at stake. We are up against a dedicated enemy who wants to destroy us and will kill innocent Muslims—his own people—to achieve his ends. We are in a genuine clash of civilizations with jihadists of the Islamic world.

Jimmy Carter was right about one thing: Achieving energy independence is the “moral equivalent of war.”

The only question is: Are we patriotic enough to fight it to win?

For Further Reading and Information

Today’s BreakPoint offer: Subscribe today to BreakPoint WorldView magazine! Call 1-877-322-5527.

Mona Eltahawy, “Once Again, for Muslims, It’s ‘Us Versus Us’,” International Herald Tribune, 28 April 2006.

Robert Rector, “Personal Sacrifices Could Mitigate Gas Prices,” Pasadena Star-News, 28 April 2006.

Charles Krauthammer, “Gas Prices Shouldn’t Surprise Us,” Townhall.com, 28 April 2006.

Clifford D. May, “Break the Oil Monopoly,” Townhall.com, 27 April 2006.

Henry Schuster, “Full bin Laden Message Posted on Web,” CNN, 28 April 2006.

Mark Trevelyan, “Qaeda Tapes Show Zarqawi Rise, bin Laden Decline,” Reuters, 26 April 2006.

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.
© 2004 Prison Fellowship.
~~~~~
Words of the Week:
itinerant: traveling from place to place.
agog: in eager desire.
rebarbative: repellent; irritating.
sporadic: occuring singly, or occasionally, or in scattered instances.
equipoise: equilibrium; also, counterbalance.
harridan: a scolding, vicious woman.
provenance: origin; source.
microcosm: a smaller, representative system having analogies to a larger system.
from Dictionary.Com
~~~~~
"A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury." - John Stuart Mill

"A good parent is only as happy as their most unhappy child." - Mrs. R. C. Goorney

"Life is a voyage that is homeward bound." - Herman Melville

"A person travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." - George Moore

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life, which are the real ones after all." - Laura Ingalls Wilder

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." - Henry Thoreau

"The impulse of tragedy is on to life and more life." - Eugene O'Neill

"They defend their errors as if they were defending their inheritance." - Edmund Burke
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

U.K. "Creationist" College Rated "Oustanding" for Three Consecutive Years
BBC Staff/Teresa Neumann Reporting (Apr 29, 2006)

The BBC reports that Emmanuel College in Gateshead -- sponsored by a fundamentalist Christian foundation -- has been rated as an outstanding school by Ofsted - for the third time in a row. - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2444

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to Heavily Fund Abstinence Education
News Staff / Aimee Herd reporting (Apr 27, 2006)

"We're saying, 'Let's provide an opportunity for parents and school districts to add abstinence to the curriculum.'" - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2435

Children of Chernobyl - Israel Offers them Permanent Refuge, Medical Care and Education
News Staff / Aimee Herd reporting (Apr 26, 2006)

"This outstanding initiative is undertaken in partnership with Jews from every corner of the globe, who believe that life and health are the birthright of every child. We remember the children the world has forgotten." - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2431

Majority of Canadians Like the Phrase "God Bless Canada"
LifeSite Staff / Teresa Neumann Reporting (Apr 25, 2006)

Most Canadians feel the Prime Minister should continue using it. - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2427

Family Values-Minded Citizens Asked to Flood the U.S. Senate with Phone Calls this Week to Help Stop Broadcast Indecency
Gary Schneeberger / Aimee Herd reporting (Apr 25, 2006)

Your phone calls could be key to cleaning up TV and radio. - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2426

U.S. Supreme Court Allows Decision to Stand that Public Schools may NOT Censor Religious Viewpoints of Students in Class Assignments
Matt Staver / Aimee Herd reporting (Apr 24, 2006)

"At the pinnacle of the Bill of Rights is the First Amendment, which enshrines our first liberty. It's about time that school officials learn a simple lesson - private religious speech when expressed on public property is constitutionally protected." - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2418

"Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" -- Non-Profit Service Takes Beautiful, Free Portraits of Parents with Dying Infants
Kelli Lackett/Teresa Neumann Reporting (Apr 23, 2006)

"That night was the worst night of my life. But when I look at the images, that's not what I'm reminded of. I'm reminded of the beauty and blessings he brought." - - http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2414
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GCF: Dangling Participles

Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom
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(Culled from newspapers)

- The burglar was about 30 years old, white, 5' 10", with wavy hair weighing about 150 pounds.

- The family lawyer will read the will tomorrow at the residence of Mr. Hannon, who died June 19 to accommodate his relatives.

~ Mrs. Shirley Baxter, who went deer hunting with her husband, is very proud that she was able to shoot a fine buck as well as her husband.

- Organ donations from the living reached a record high last year, outnumbering donors who are dead for the first time.

- The dog was hungry and made the mistake of nipping a 2-year-old that was trying to force feed it in his ear.

- We spent most of our time sitting on the back porch watching the cows playing Scrabble and reading.

- Hunting can also be dangerous, as in the case of pygmies hunting elephants armed only with spears.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: New Car

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
-------------------------------------------

The first Sunday after my husband and I bought a new car, we parked it in the last row of the church lot, not wanting to be ostentatious.

While talking with friends after the service, my husband accidentally hit the panic button on his electronic key. Immediately our car's horn blared and its lights flashed.

Watching my husband fumble with the button, his friend teased, "Wouldn't it have been in better taste to just put a few lines in the church bulletin?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Golf Bet

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
-------------------------------------------

A fellow is getting ready to tee-off on the first hole when a second fellow approaches and asks if he can join him. The first says that he usually plays alone but agrees to let the second guy join him. Both are even after the first couple of holes. The second guy says, "Say, we're about evenly matched, how about we play for five bucks a hole?" The first fellow says that he usually plays alone and doesn't like to bet but agrees to the terms. Well, the second guy wins the rest of the holes and as they're walking off of the eighteenth hole, and while counting his $80.00, he confesses that he's the pro at a neighboring course and likes to pick on suckers. The first fellow reveals that he's the Parish Priest at the local Catholic Church to which the second fellow gets all flustered and apologetic and offers to give the Priest back his money. The Priest says, "No, no. You won fair and square and I was foolish to bet with you. You keep your winnings." The pro says, "Well, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" The Priest says, "Well, you could come to Mass on Sunday and make a donation. Then, if you bring your mother and father by after Mass, I'll marry them for you."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Baby Wrap

Emailed to me from another humor list (You Make Me Laugh) -Tom
To subscribe to You Make Me Laugh, send a blank email to:
SUBSCRIBE-laugh@lists.crosswalk.com
-------------------------------------------

Part of my job as a public-health nurse is teaching new parents how to care for their infants.

As I was demonstrating how to wrap a newborn, a young Asian couple turned to me and said, "You mean we should wrap the baby like an egg roll?"

"Yes," I replied, "That is a good analogy."

"I don't know how to make egg rolls," another mother said anxiously. "Can I wrap my baby like a burrito?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Sugar Worry

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 fellow nurse at my hospital received a call from an anxious patient.

"I'm diabetic and I'm afraid I've had too much sugar today," the caller said.

"Are you light-headed?" my colleague asked.

"No," the caller answered, "I'm a brunette."
_ ____________________________ _
____________________________
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put
it in the food.
____________________________
Is the kidney a bean shaped
object, or is the bean a
kidney shaped legume?
____________________________
Why do modem manufacturers
have online technical assistance?
____________________________
Broken guitar for sale.
No strings attached.
____________________________
You can take a horse to water,
but a pencil must be lead.
_ ____________________________ _
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/
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[GCFL.net] Zoo Trip

Little Johnny wanted to go to the zoo and pestered his parents for days. Finally his mother talked his reluctant father into taking him.

"So how was it?" his mother asked when they returned home.

"Great," Little Johnny replied.

"Did you and your father have a good time?" asked his mother.

"Yeah, Daddy really liked it," exclaimed Little Johnny excitedly, "especially when one of the animals came home at 30 to 1!"

Received from Pastor Tim.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Not Likely

In my sociology class, we were instructed to write down answers to some questions the teacher was asking.

"Next question," announced the instructor. "How would you like to be seen by the opposite sex?"

I was thinking about my answer when the young woman next to me turned and asked, "How do you spell 'intellectual'?"

Received from Thomas S. Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Translation

A company was producing an English-language movie. In one scene, an exhausted messenger was supposed to dash in, collapse, and gasp out a vital message in Swahili. The company even found someone who knew the language. The scene worked beautifully in the movie -- until it played in an African town where Swahili was well known. A moment of high drama nose-dived into comedy as the panting messenger gasped out:

"I don't think I am being paid enough for this part!"

Received from Thomas S. Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Sister Cheer Up

My sister and I are close, and that allows us to be honest with each other. One evening as I prepared for a date, I remarked, "I'm fat."

"No, you're not," she scolded.

"My hair is awful," I said.

"It's lovely," she encouraged.

"I've never looked worse," I whined.

And she said, "Yes, you have."

Received from You Make Me Laugh.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Oarsmen News

One day, the Captain of the 40-oared royal Nile barge goes down to speak to the oarsmen in the hold of his ship.

"Men, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, the Queen will be joining us today for a trip up the Nile."

The men cheered and sang the praises of the Queen.

The captain then continued, "The bad news is, she wants to go water skiing."

Received from Pastor Tim.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
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
To print or email this funny to others, go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
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EVEN GOD ENJOYS A GOOD LAUGH

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:

1. He called everyone brother .
2. He liked Gospel.
3. He couldn't get a fair trial.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:

1. He went into His Father's business.
2. He lived at home until he was 33.
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:

1. He talked with His hands.
2. He had wine with His meals.
3. He used olive oil.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:

1. He never cut His hair.
2. He walked around barefoot all the time.
3. He started a new religion.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:

1. He was at peace with nature.
2. He ate a lot of fish.
3. He talked about the Great Spirit.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:

1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:

1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food.
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was work to do.

Thanks to David Lamb
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Welcome to You Make Me Laugh, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website.

*Happy Marriage*

On their 50th wedding anniversary, a couple summed up the reason for their long and happy marriage.

The husband said, "I have tried never to be selfish. After all, there is no 'I' in the word 'marriage.'''

The wife said, "For my part, I have never corrected my husband's spelling."

(-:][:-)

*Chair Test*

An eccentric philosophy professor gave a one question final exam after a semester dealing with a broad array of topics.

The class was already seated and ready to go when the professor picked up his chair, plopped it on his desk and wrote on the board: "Using everything we have learned this semester, prove that this chair does not exist."

Fingers flew, erasers erased, notebooks were filled in furious fashion. Some students wrote over 30 pages in one hour attempting to refute the existence of the chair. One member of the class however, was up and finished in less than a minute. Weeks later when the grades were posted, the rest of the group wondered how he could have gotten an A when he had barely written anything at all.

His answer consisted of two words: "What chair?"

(-:][:-)

*Lost Turnabout*

Driving to a new restaurant, a woman took several wrong turns. When she finally found the right road, she asked her husband, "Why didn't you tell me I was lost?"

"I thought you knew where you were going," he replied. "You always know where you're going when I'm driving."

(-:][:-)

*Birthday Wish*

A mother asked her small son what he would like for his birthday.

"I'd like a little brother," a boy said.

"Oh my, that's such a big wish," said the mother. Why do you want a little brother"?

"Well," said the boy, "there's only so much I can blame on my dog."

(-:][:-)

*Church Mice Problem*

Three Pastors were having lunch together at a diner.

The first Pastor said, "Ya know, since summer started I've been having trouble with mice in my church. I've tried everything--noise, spray, cats--nothing seems to scare them away.

The second Pastor then said "Yea, me too. I've got hundreds living in the basement of the church. I've set traps and even called an expert to get rid of them, yet they still won't go away."

With a grin on his face, the third Pastor said, "I had the same problem so I baptized all mine and made them members of the church... Haven't seen one back since!!!"

Eye Laugh

"Shopping Map"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=238

"Love Hours"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=239

"Purpose Driven Turkey"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=240

"Military Cutbacks"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=243

"Graceful Wife"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=242

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Daily devotionals are available at http://link.Crosswalk.Com/UM/T.asp?A1. 39. 17757. 1. 494611 You can access more information on Crosswalk's Fun page http://www.Crosswalk.Com/fun/! Crosswalk gives credit to the author of a joke when author is known. Feel free to send notification to admin@cybersalt.org in cases where credit has not been given to the author! -SUBSCRIPTION INFO- * Copyright2004 Crosswalk.Com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. Introducing www.Crossguide.Com Where Christians find Products, Services & Ministries.
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/guiltsprings.html - - Guilt Springs Eternal "Spring has arrived. Do you feel guilty yet? If not, you apparently don't read women's magazines. Every March and April they're packed with "clean up and organize your life" articles. Stories with catchy titles like Spring Into Action -- Tidy Up Your House. Or Wash Away Winter Blues. Or Banish Clutter Now; Otherwise We'll Keep Torturing You With Articles Meant to Make you Feel Like A Slothful Bum. Personally, I'd rather read Why Clean? It Will Only Get Dirty Again Tomorrow..."
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
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How Cell Phones Work - - http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm - - Millions of people in the United States and around the world use cellular phones. They are such great gadgets -- with a cell phone, you can talk to anyone on the planet from just about anywhere! This HowStuffWorks article explores the technology behind cell phones so that you can see how amazing they really are.
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Google Calendar - - http://www.google.com/calendar - - Using Google Calendar, you can add events and invitations effortlessly, share with friends and family (or keep things to yourself), and search across the web for events you might enjoy. It's organizing made easy.
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The Elegant Universe - - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/ - - Many scenes in NOVA's miniseries "The Elegant Universe" draw directly upon the book by physicist Brian Greene on which the series is based. With its lively descriptions, analogies, and illustrations, Greene's book gave NOVA producers Joe McMaster and Julia Cort a concrete road map for telling the story of string theory, an extremely abstract and counterintuitive subject, to a general audience.
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FedNet: Broadcast Coverage of the U.S. Congress - - http://www.fednet.net/ - - FedNet is the leading provider of Washington based, real-time and archival multimedia information. Headquartered on Capitol Hill, FedNet provides clients the ability to capture, webcast, archive, search, retrieve and bundle events and information related to the client's special interests. FedNet provides news production services and real-time, live webcasts of: - Congressional Hearings; - Floor Debates; - White House briefings; - Regulatory hearings; - Press conferences.
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Interactive Health Tutorials - - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials.html - - The tutorials listed on this U. S. National Library of Medicine site are interactive health education resources from the Patient Education Institute. Using animated graphics each tutorial explains a procedure or condition in easy-to-read language. You can also listen to the tutorial.
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Psychological Help Center - - http://helping.apa.org/ - - This American Psychological Association Help Center is your online resource for brochures, tips and articles on the psychological issues that affect your physical and emotional well-being, as well as information about referrals.
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Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared - - http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Links.Katrina - - Hurricane Katrina turned FEMA into a 'symbol of a bumbling bureaucracy' so far beyond repair that it should be scrapped, senators said April 26, 2006. They called for creation of a new disaster relief agency as the next storm season looms on the horizon. Read the full report at this Senate Committee on Homeland Security site. NOTE: To view this report you will need the PDF Reader.
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Statistical Sites on the World Wide Web - - http://www.bls.gov/bls/other.htm - - Links to statistics and information from more than 70 agencies in the U.S. Federal Government.
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------------ Safety From The Heart ----------
April 27, 2006
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Jimmy Rast.

Near Misses Are Prevention Opportunities Lost

In the course of conducting an injury investigation, nothing is more frustrating than to learn that the same circumstances that led to an injury resulted in prior incidents that went unreported because accidents were narrowly missed and nobody got hurt. You hear: "That guard has been loose for two weeks;" or, "I slipped on that same spot yesterday;" or, "that's been malfunctioning for three days."

It just makes you want to scream. If only the people working in and around the area who knew of the danger had said something to you, action would have been taken and the injury could have been prevented!

Why Near Misses Go Unreported

Employees (and others involved) could do themselves and their co-workers a world of good by reporting near misses to management. So, why don't they? There are several reasons:

They don't recognize the event (incident) as a near miss that needs to be reported. "I didn't get hurt ? so nothing actually happened," the thinking goes.
The employees involved fear discipline for causing the incident and don't want to "turn themselves (or a co-worker) in."
Reporting takes time -- time that no one has. "I have to write a report for this?"
Employees don't know how to report near misses. "Who do I tell?"

Overcoming Reluctance

Everyone -- managers, supervisors, and especially the folks working on the floor -- needs to be educated so that a red light goes off in their heads when they witness a near miss. They need to understand that the same conditions, unless addressed, are likely to result in future incidents and that the next time it might lead to actual amputations, broken bones, head injuries or even fatalities. And they need to understand that the situation might not be addressed, unless they report it.

Supervisors play a key role in education and awareness building efforts. They need to instill the urgency of reporting the near miss into everyone.

5 Ways to Get Employees to Report Near Misses

Here are 5 steps you can take to obtain this valuable information:

1. Require that all incidents be reported immediately.
2. Expand the definition of incident to include not only injuries and illnesses but also near misses and hazards.
3. Educate employees about what constitutes a near miss and why they're to be reported. Employees need to know that reporting a near miss is a Good Thing!
4. Make it easy for employees to report a near miss.
5. When an employee reports a near miss, thank them and use their input to remedy the situation.
Your actions demonstrate your commitment to Safety.

------------ Safety From The Heart ----------
April 26, 2006
This was posted in March - but with all the stress in our lives we needed to be reminded of Dealing With Stress - Today's Safety From the Heart message is from Pam Kemp.

Some ways of dealing w/the stresses and burdens in life: The Light Side

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see them again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
* Never buy a car you can't push.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

IN OTHER WORDS - TAKE TIME TO TAKE TIME- SAVE SOME OF THE STRESSES FOR
TOMORROW TODAY HAS ENOUGH.
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Our Church, Magnolia Christian Center, has the following mission statement. Our purpose is to build a great church for the glory of God through the great commission and the great commandment. MCC' Vision - That MCC will be a place hopping with children, energized with teenagers, balanced with diversity and transformed by the power of God! We want to turn uninterested people into interested people and win the lost to make fully devoted followers of Christ. www.mcc2000.net
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LIST # 1 and LIST # 2
____

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed.

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexicois also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night.

Thanks to David Lamb
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How they vote in the United Nations:

Below are the actual voting records of various Arabic/Islamic States which are recorded in both the US State Department and United Nations records:

Kuwait votes against the United States 67% of the time

Qatar votes against the United States 67% of the time

Morocco votes against the United States 70% of the time

United Arab Emirates votes against the U. S. 70% of the time.

Jordan votes against the United States 71% of the time.

Tunisia votes against the United States 71% of the time.

Saudi Arabia votes against the United States 73% of the time.

Yemen votes against the United States 74% of the time.

Algeria votes against the United States 74% of the time.

Oman votes against the United States 74% of the time.

Sudan votes against the United States 75% of the time.

Pakistan votes against the United States 75% of the time.

Libya votes against the United States 76% of the time.

Egypt votes against the United States 79% of the time.

Lebanon votes against the United States 80% of the time.

India votes against the United States 81% of the time.

Syria votes against the United States 84% of the time.

Mauritania votes against the United States 87% of the time.

U S Foreign Aid to those that hate us:

Egypt, for example, after voting 79% of the time against the United
States, still receives $2 billion annually in US Foreign Aid.

Jordan votes 71% against the United States

And receives $192,814,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.

Pakistan votes 75% against the United States

Receives $6,721,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.

India votes 81% against the United States

Receives $143,699,000 annually.

Thanks to David Lamb
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Innovation Weekly reports on trends, strategies, and innovations in business and technology, and is sponsored in part by Norwich University , Animatrix Inc. , and our loyal individual and institutional subscribers. The editors are John Gehl and Suzanne Douglas, editors@newsscan.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TRENDS
Skyscraper as Ego Trip
Robots on the Front Lines
Services Science

STRATEGIES
How to Nurture Innovation
Scrambled Hackz Challenges Copyrights
Breaking Boundaries -- in Cooking and Business
Multidisciplinary Design

INNOVATIONS
Tiny Wireless Implant to Improve Cancer Treatment
Smartball
More Money for Scientific Research

SPONSORS
Norwich University
Animatrix Inc.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>TRENDS

SKYSCRAPER AS EGO TRIP
Developers around the world have unveiled a flurry of new skyscraper designs that challenge traditional notions of what tall buildings are supposed to look like. For example, a tower in China owned by a tobacco company is shaped like a cigarette pack. It will "breathe in" air to push turbines that will power the entire building. A plan for a tripartite spire in Moscow aims to be not only the tallest building in Europe, but also the only modern skyscraper with a natural ventilation system. A design in Louisville, Ky. looks like a three-legged chair. It's 22-story diagonal elevator accesses a "floating island in the sky" art museum. To some observers, these over-the-top swoops and curves reflect a top-of-the-market mentality, as global real-estate tycoons pour money into notoriously difficult-to-build stylized symbols of ego and economic strength. Strong economies in Asia and the US, as well as oil-fueled booms in the Middle East and Russia, are also driving the soaring spectacles. "Skyscrapers are always a function of good economic times," says Carol Willis, founder of New York's Skyscraper Museum. But the curves, bends and contortions of today's tall buildings might also echo the skyscraper boom -- and eventual bust -- in the late 1920s. While many famous spires went up before the 1929 stock-market crash, Willis says there were "many more announcements for the tallest building or eccentric designs, some brightly colored, that never got built." (Wall Street Journal 19 Apr 2006 sub req'd)

ROBOTS ON THE FRONT LINES
The US military is countering the risks from roadside bombs and terrorist ambushes by replacing troops with battlefield robots, including new versions armed with machine guns. "Just a few years ago we almost had to beg people to try an unmanned ground vehicle," says Marine Col. Terry Griffin, manager of the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office in Huntsville, Ala. Not anymore. In Iraq, where improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are the largest killer of U.S. troops, hundreds of small robots are helping bomb squads examine or disarm explosives from a safe distance. Sophisticated new ground- and sea-based robots are being developed and tested, including an unmanned vehicle intended to patrol around domestic bases, self-driving convoy trucks, and driverless versions of the Army's Stryker armored personnel carrier. Robots that can enter a building, look for an enemy and send back a map of the interior are being tested for the Marine Corps. The military also is responding to some creative tinkering by the troops, who have modified their robots to carry grenades and other weapons into buildings or other potentially unsafe targets. "Soldiers and Marines are very innovative," says Griffin. Meanwhile, much larger and more ambitious robot weapons are in testing, including the tank-like, 1,600-pound Gladiator, which can fire a variety of guns or tear gas. (USA Today 14 Apr 2006)

SERVICES SCIENCE
Although computer science is now a fixture in higher education, a couple of decades ago academic purists scoffed at the idea that it was a real science -- and argued that any discipline to which the word "science" has to be fixed is no science at all. Now the same kind of debate is taking place about "services science." New York Times journalist Steve Lohr says that "scientists and engineers tend to regard what is taught in business schools as a mushy combination of anecdotes, success stories and platitudes, wrapped in jargon. Put a few success stories together, and they become a 'best practice'." But one of service science's strongest defenders, Cal-Berkeley professor Henry Chesbrough, argues: "We in academia have to find ways to contribute research to improving our economic performance in services and to help students succeed in this knowledge-based services economy." IBM, which previously championed computer science, is now championing services science by sponsoring workshops, awarding research grants and helping develop course materials. In fact, IBM is itself one of the best examples of the shift toward services, for it has evolved from being just a computer maker to a company that 's moving into sophisticated technology services for every aspect of business. (New York Times 18 Apr 2006)
>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>STRATEGIES

HOW TO NURTURE INNOVATION
Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated, says Robert B. Tucker, president of the consulting firm The Innovation Resource. If you've always rewarded risk- avoidance and punished failure, and that's what moved managers up the ladder of success, of course your people will be gun-shy about innovating. Tucker recommends getting clear on exactly what actions, decisions, cultural norms and values you've been rewarding. Then look for ways to encourage different behaviors going forward. It's not enough to talk about it. You'll need to get the word out that expectations are changing, and that NOT innovating is the greater risk to one's career. Steer clear of monetary rewards as a way to get attention, Tucker suggests. Recognition is the most reliable reward of all. Properly motivated and recognized, even seemingly ordinary contributors will do amazing things. Publicizing examples of in-house innovation is another way to gain buy-in and reinforce new behaviors. Not only does this shine a spotlight on people who dearly need recognition, but you provide evidence that innovation isn't something that only the Apples and the Googles can do. It's something your people are doing too -- and need to do more of. Look for people who dream up new solutions to customers' problems, who aren't content just to perfect the system but want to originate bold new products, services and solutions and change the system. (ThinkSmart 14 Apr 2006)

SCRAMBLED HACKZ CHALLENGES COPYRIGHTS
Is it a technology breakthrough, a copyright buster, or just a fancy parlor trick? A video reviewed in Wired depicts a man demonstrating new software called Scrambled Hackz. It appears to parse what he's saying fast enough to reassemble the same words by pulling and reordering bits from a recorded Michael Jackson interview. The result: Jackson appears to speak the same sentence right back to him. Scrambled Hackz analyzes the audio portion of a video file to determine the tempo of the incoming audio, and then slices it up into discrete chunks of quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes and so on. These slices are classified into a database according to their sound characteristics. When you send it new audio information -- like your voice -- the software outputs the pre-analyzed sample most similar to that new input. Developer Sven König says, "I believed (and still do) that IP is fundamentally wrongS and if that's the case it must be possible to show that, not just by writing a text but by an artistic project. So the original idea of (Scrambled Hackz) was just to somehow 'hack copyrightS' In the beginning I just wanted to show that any of my own music could be completely reconstructed out of very small samples of copyrighted music, to ask the question of who now owns that music? Do I own it or do 30 other musicians/ labels own my song?" (Wired 17 Apr 2006)

BREAKING BOUNDARIES -- IN COOKING AND BUSINESS
Stanford professor of organizational behavior Hayagreeva Rao studied the French haute cuisine restaurant business to examine the more general phenomenon of category crossover (such as country to pop; Bob Dylan's move from acoustical to electric guitars; etc.). What he found: "Most of the boundary breakers were high-status chefs, and when the high-status person begins to break out, others begin to imitate him. That's how categorical boundaries weaken." His lessons for business people are, first, that there is a strong link between innovation and authenticity. Second, that diversification should not be thought of purely in technological terms but also in terms of its cultural dimensions. Third, that innovation can dissolve existing boundaries. Fourth, that innovators need to be risk-takers, because innovation is a risky business -- in that "when categories are rigid, people may not understand what you're doing when you cross them." Rao concludes: "What managers need to realize is that a lot of times they're operating in cultural space. If they don't come up with new ways of doing things that take this into account, their businesses can sometimes be hit hard." (Stanford Graduate School of Business Research News Apr 2006)

MULTIDISCIPLINARY DESIGN
There's a buzz these days about something called multidisciplinary design, a concept explained this way by Harry West, vice president of strategy and innovation at Design Continuum: "One thing I think we need to be clear on is that multi-disciplinary design, in and of itself, does not deliver real value. It's a means to an end. And the end that we're looking for is that a team be able to have a really holistic view of the problem so that they equally understand and equally respect the consumer's emotional needs around a product or service offering  as well as the technical or financial constraints around delivering that offering. Innovation often happens not in the center of a discipline but in the spaces in-between the disciplines. So, in order to find those opportunities, you need to have a team that can see all of those different aspects and have equal respect for those different considerations of a problem. What we have found is that we need to have teams that include members who are very left-brained and very right-brained with no hierarchy between the disciplines. What that means is that somebody coming in from the best business school in the U.S. works alongside as an equal with someone coming in from a design school." (Innovate Forum 30 March 2006)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INNOVATIONS

TINY WIRELESS IMPLANT TO IMPROVE CANCER TREATMENT
It's about the size of a grain of rice, but a tiny wireless device will soon be telling doctors the exact location of cancer tumors, and even the precise dose of radiation the tumor has received. Researchers at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center have already tested a dime-size prototype to prove the concept, and expect to have the miniature version completed by the end of summer. The passive wireless transponder requires no batteries; it's powered by electrical coils placed next to the body. "It's like a capsule placed into the tumor with a needle," explained Babak Ziaie, an associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The technology uses the same principle as simple electret microphones, which contain a membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves. Between the membrane and a metal plate an air gap serves as a capacitor, storing electricity. As the membrane vibrates, the size of the air gap changes slightly, increasing and decreasing the capacitance, and altering the flow of electric current. This creates a signal that transmits information stored in the dosimeter. The radiation dosimeter includes a tracking device in the same capsule. It's hermetically sealed so that it will not have to be removed from the body. (Purdue University News 17 Apr 2006)

SMARTBALL
The use of RFID (radio frequency identification) tags is by now well-established in shipping, retailing, and other business applications that have requirements to track the precise location of parcels or inventory. Well, why not apply the same technology to the officiating of football, soccer and other sports? Last year the world's governing soccer authority experimented with a specially made ball from Adidas that contained an RFID chip. The RFID tag in the "smartball" sends a signal to antennas arranged around the field, and a computer, after determining the exact location, sends the information to a wrist-worn device that can tell a referee if a goal was scored or a ball went out of bounds. The system needs to be given further testing, but it will surely be used by the NFL one of these days. (SciTech Today 14 Apr 2006)

MORE MONEY FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
2006 may become the year the electronics industry finally got traction in Washington, D.C. At his State of the Union address, President Bush announced his American Competitiveness Initiative. The ACI proposes, among other things, that the federal government double its investment in basic research in the physical sciences over the next 10 years. Without that basic research, many fear that US firms will slowly lose their technological edge to overseas firms. The next step will be to focus on the details of the actual spending bills as they appear in Congress. Four key agencies channel most of the federal dollars dedicated to R&D: the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Defense. Generally, these agencies award grants that support the sort of basic research that may not lead directly to salable product, but that may result in discoveries that advance the industry as a whole. But the reality of this funding increase may not be rosy as it sounds. A preliminary analysis by the American Association for the Advancement of Science found the overall funding for R&D proposed in the Bush administration 2007 budget will increase by only 1.9 percent over the 2006 budget, meaning it won't even keep up with an anticipated 2.2 percent increase in inflation. (Electronic Business 1 Apr 2006)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPONSORS

NORWICH UNIVERSITY

A Student's View of the Norwich University Online Graduate Programs

"Almost weekly now I ponder how much my knowledge and career continues to be strengthened by my relationship with Norwich!"
--Curtis Coleman, Student

ANIMATRIX INC.

Founded in 1984 by CEO and principal designer Marney Morris, Animatrix has created interactive projects that have defined major strategic shifts for clients like AT&T, The Limited, Clinique, Domino's Pizza, Perot Systems, and the Walt Disney Company. Animatrix projects include intranets, web sites, interfaces and stand-alone applications. Visit Animatrix at

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Innovation Weekly is copyrighted, 2006, by NewsScan, Inc., all rights reserved; -- however, please feel free to forward sample copies to your friends! Individual subscriptions are available at US$18 a year.
Company-wide redistribution licenses are also available, and our current clients include computer manufacturers, software companies, marketing organizations, advertising agencies, management consulting firms, academic institutions, and research organizations. For a six-week free trial subscription to Innovation, please send a message to innovation-trial@newsscan.com and in the subject line type the word: 'subscribe'. You can also use the trial registration form on our secure Web site at http://www.newsscan.com.

For a regular subscription, you can either go to our secure Web site at http://www.NewsScan.com and enter your Visa, M/C, or American Express number and expiration date; or you can send the info by e-mail to editors@newsscan.com. Or, if you prefer to pay by check, simply make your check payable to NewsScan Inc. and mail to NewsScan, Inc., 631 East Shore Drive, Canton, GA 30114. Please put your e-mail address on the check or other documentation! Or write to us personally at gehl@newsscan.com or douglas@newsscan.com; call 770-704-7517 (voice); or send a fax to 770-704-7521 (fax).

When you visit us at www.NewsScan.com to subscribe, please give some thought to having us provide special, customized news and information services for your company.

John Gehl & Suzanne Douglas
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TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 11, Number 49 --- 25 April 2006
Tourbus Home -- http://www.InternetTourbus.com
+-----------------------------------------+
TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: People Finders / Online Privacy

Today's TOURBUS is all about finding and connecting with people... whether they be long-lost friends, relatives, classmates, neighbors, co-workers or strangers. Also, learn how to find what information about YOU is publicly available online. Read on...
---------------------------
Research Your Family Tree
---------------------------

Roots, the 1977 television mini-series based on Alex Haley's book sparked a renewed interest in genealogy for many people. Back in the 70's, learning about your ancestors was a tedious job. But now, personal computers and the Internet make it MUCH easier. Here are some of the best online resources for doing genealogical research and charting your family tree...

http://askbobrankin.com/genealogy_research.html

-------------------------
Name and Address Search
-------------------------

A long-time reader recently wrote in and asked about online tools for finding people. Sherry from Birmingham said "I'm trying to reconnect with some old friends, but I'm having trouble finding their addresses and telephone numbers. Can you tell me where to look for good people finder tools that offer free online searches for telephone, email and address listings?"

In addition to residential and business listings for the USA and many other countries, you can do reverse lookups on phone numbers & street addresses. This means you can find a person's name and address if you know just their phone number. Or you could find someone's name and phone number if you know just the street address.

This article will tell you which people search directories I think are the best, and also what to do if you DON'T want to be found in an online directory.

http://www.askbobrankin.com/name_and_address_search.html

---------------------
Is Privacy History?
---------------------

What information about you is publicly available on the Web? In the past, only government agencies and businesses were able to access your personal information. Today, Internet search engines allow almost anyone to find information about friends, co-workers, job applicants, etc.

More and more info, such as property ownership, voter registration and court filings are being made available online. School, club and professional newsletters may unwittingly reveal things about you that you'd rather the whole world didn't know. What information that YOU thought was private is freely available online? Find out!

http://askbobrankin.com/is_privacy_history.html

----------------------------------
Searching for Members in Myspace
----------------------------------

The response to my previous articles about Myspace underscored to me that it's a hugely popular communication medium, so I'll be writing more articles to answer your Myspace questions. One reader wrote:

"I understand that once I'm logged in to Myspace I can search for people that meet certain criteria. For example, I want to locate guys over 40 within 60 miles of me that have "softball" as a searchable keyword. But HOW do I do this? I haven't been able to figure out this advanced search capability."

Finding people in Myspace is a little confusing, because there are at least FOUR ways to search for other Myspace members. This article will show you how to do basic and advanced searches, find classmates, and take advantage of the Affiliations for Networking feature.

http://askbobrankin.com/searching_in_myspace.html

+-----------------------------------------+

That's all for now, see you next time! -- Bob Rankin

+-----------------------------------------+
TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 11, Number 50 --- 27 April 2006

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TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: Firefox Security / Numa Numa!

Howdy, y'all, and greetings once again from deep behind the orange curtain in beautiful Irvine, California, now with 10% more PopoZao.

On with the show...

-------------------------------------------
Fixing a Firefox "Feature"/Security Problem
-------------------------------------------

If you use Mozilla Firefox--and you should--I have something interesting to show you:

1. Launch Firefox.
2. Go to Tools > Options
3. Click on the "Privacy" padlock icon
4. In older versions of Firefox, click on the + sign next to the words "Saved Passwords." In newer versions of Firefox, just click on the "Passwords" tab.
5. Click on the "View Saved Passwords" button.
6. Click on the "Show Passwords" button.
7. When Firefox asks you if you'd really like to show your passwords, click on the "Yes" button.
8. Wail and gnash your teeth.

While it is common knowledge that Firefox can "remember login information for web pages so that you do not need to re-enter your login details every time you visit," most people don't know that Firefox stores your web passwords in PLAIN TEXT.

Should you panic? Nah. Unless you share your computer with others, the only way someone is going to be able to view your saved web passwords is if that person has access to your computer. If you have a firewall on your computer and lock your home's front door when you leave, your saved web passwords are pretty safe.

Of course, that's just my opinion. Let me add that if you share your computer with others, or if you just want to make absolutely sure your saved web passwords are significantly safer, you have three options:

1. "Throw the baby out with the bathwater": Disable the "Remember Passwords" feature in Firefox so that the program never remembers any of your web passwords.
2. "Lock down Firefox": Create a new, master password that automatically locks all of your passwords from snoops.
3. "Lock down your computer": Use your computer's user accounts feature along with a screensaver password to require everyone whose uses your computer to login.

In my humble [controversial] opinion, the last option is the best. It solves not only the Firefox saved password security problem but also a host of other security issues we don't need to go into today. How do you use the accounts feature to lock down your computer? Well, we'll get to that later.

--------------------------
Disable Remember Passwords
--------------------------

If you want to permanently disable Firefox's "Remember Passwords" Feature [which I don't recommend, but that's just me],

1. Go to Tools > Options > Privacy
2. Click on the + sign next to the words "Saved Passwords" or, in newer versions of Firefox, click on the "Passwords" tab.
3. Click on the "View Saved Passwords" button.
4. Click on the "Remove All" button. [To the Firefox gurus out there: Yes, you can do the same thing in "Clear Private Data." But you still have to go to the Passwords tab to disable "Remember Passwords." I just figured we'd take the direct route.]
5. Click on the "Close" button.
6. Uncheck "Remember Passwords."
7. Click on the "OK" button.

Doing this clears all of your old web passwords and prevents Firefox from remembering any new web passwords in the future.

---------------------
Set a Master Password
---------------------

Another way to lock down Firefox is to set a "Master" password. This is a special password Firefox asks you to key in once per session. Key in the correct master password and Firefox works just like it used to work by auto-filling your saved usernames and passwords on your favorite sign-in pages. Key in an incorrect master password, however, and Firefox automatically blocks your saved usernames and passwords from displaying. Sign in pages will still load, but the username and password boxes will be blank.

To set a master password,

1. Go to Tools > Options > Privacy
2. Click on the + sign next to the words "Saved Passwords" or, in newer versions of Firefox, click on the "Passwords" tab.
3. Click on the "Set Master Password" button.
4. Key in a new "master" password.
5. Click on OK.

--------------------
Set Up User Accounts
--------------------

How do you set up user accounts on your PC or Mac? Well, we'll talk about that next time. For now, let me throw in one extra step for you:

--------------
Update Firefox
--------------

Open Firefox and go to Tools > Options. If you see a bunch of icons down the *left* side of the screen -- General, Privacy, Content, etc. -- YOU HAVE THE OLD VERSION OF FIREFOX which, unfortunately, is vulnerable to all sorts of nasty stuff! You really need to download the latest version at:

http://www.mozilla.com

+-----------------------------------------+

----------------------
Meme Review: Numa Numa
----------------------

Finally, if you have ever been caught singing just a little too loudly -- and if you haven't then you are either a liar or you haven't fully drunk from the cup of life -- you will absolutely adore

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/numa.php

This is a video of Gary Brolsma lip-synching the Romanian pop song "Dragostea Din Tei" by O-Zone. A lot of people have made fun of Gary, but he is absolutely my hero. To read more about him and the "Numa Numa" phenomena he sparked, check out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numa_numa

Oh, and I'm not the only one who thinks Gary rocks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce_ElTXSk_4

Have a safe and happy week, and we'll talk again soon.

==[ 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.
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Activities and Events of Interest
~~~
MCC “Just Older Youth” Branson Trip, May 4-6.
~~~
The Barksdale AFB Holiday in Dixie "Defenders Of Liberty" Big Airshow Saturday and Sunday, May 13-14, gates open at 9:00 am, Show starts at 10:00 am
~~~
The Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cook-Off is Coming May 19 and 20. If you enjoy beautiful Magnolia Blossoms, good food, great entertainment, and southern hospitality, Magnolia, Arkansas is where you need to be on the third weekend in May.
~~~
Albemarle Kids' Fishing Tournament - June 3
~~~
The Purple Hull Pea Festival is scheduled for June 23 and 24
~~~
The Emancipation Proclamation will be on display at the Clinton Library September 22-25, 2007.
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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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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. Jason C. Ramseyer, 28, of Lenoir, N.C., died April 20 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

02. Cpl. Eric R. Lueken, 23, of Dubois, Ind., died April 22 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

03. Pvt. Travis C. Zimmerman, 19, of New Berlinville, Pa., died in Baghdad, Iraq on April 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his observation post during dismounted combat reconnaissance operations. Zimmerman was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

04. Capt. Clayton L. Adamkavicius, 43, of Fairdale, Ky., died of injuries sustained in Abu Ghurayb, Afghanistan, on April 21, when he came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations. Adamkavicius was assigned to the Army National Guard's 149th Brigade, 35th Infantry Division, Louisville, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained in Baghad, Iraq on April 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV causing a fire. This occurred during combat operations. All four soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
05. Sgt. Kyle A. Colnot, 23, of Arcadia, Calif.
06. Spc. Eric D. King, 29, of Vancouver, Wash.
07. Pfc. Jacob H. Allcott, 21, of Caldwell, Idaho
08. Pvt. Michael E. Bouthot, 19, of Fall River, Mass.

09. Lance Cpl. Aaron W. Simons, 20, of Modesto, Calif., died April 24 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained in Taji, Iraq, on April 23, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. All three soldiers were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
10. Sgt. Robert W. Ehney, 26, of Lexington, Ky.
11. Cpl. Jason B. Daniel, 21, of Fort Worth, Texas
12. Cpl. Shawn T. Lasswell Jr., 21, of Reno, Nev.

13. Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema, 27, of Jackson, Tenn., died in Baghdad, Iraq on April 25, when he came under enemy fire during combat operations. Herrema was assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

14. Staff Sgt. Metodio A. Bandonill, 29, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died in Baghdad, Iraq on April 24, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Bandonill was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

15. Pfc. Raymond L. Henry, 21, of Anaheim, Calif, died on April 25 in Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Henry was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

16. Lance Cpl. Michael L. Ford, 19, of New Bedford, Mass., died April 26 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx
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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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It’s never too early to start making my Anniversary Present list. (Well, I did get a new medicine bag for my birthday.)
Rechargeable Batteries for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (9.6 volts, 600 mAh battery, 2 each (for our two radios)), Yaesu FT-50 (it takes a FNB-83 7.2V1400mAh battery), Yaesu, VX-1 (it takes a FNB-52LI 3.6V 700mAh Lithium-Ion battery).
New “Rubber Ducky” antennas for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (two radios)
Anything from Larry Norman
Back Scratcher
Basic tools of any kind
Batteries, 9 volt
Batteries, AAA
Blankets or Quilts
Book, “The Good Life: Seeking Purpose, Meaning, and Truth in Your Life” by Charles Colson
“Boot” Horn
Chair, office $49 from SAMS (5 of them)
Cheese Grater
Cordless Drill
Cordless Screwdriver
A DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 device
A copy of DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2006 Plus
A copy of DeLorme Topo USA 5.0
Digital Video Recorder (Pioneer DVR-533H-S $333 at Beach Camera)
Eyeglasses, “Computer type” to use at church (and some new ones to use at home and at work.)
Floor Mats (for the truck)
A new “Gitter”
Handkerchiefs
Hasselblad H2D-39 Digital Professional Camera
Hat (warm, for bald guys winter wear.)
Magnifying Glass.
New Showerhead
Non skid toilet rug
Refrigerator Thermometer
Small, lightweight “head light” so I can see small things on the desk or work bench.
Some Warmup Suits to wear around the house after we get that first gas bill.
Trackball for the home computer
VHS - DVD Recorder (Lite-On LVC-9006 $219 @ Buy.com)
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Scheduled Activities
~~~
Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 8 p.m. Monday - Friday. At noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sunday at 914 N. Vine
~~~
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.
~~~
Columbia County Diabetes Support Group - Every third Monday, 7:00 p.m. room 222, Magnolia Hospital
~~~
"Focus on the Family" with Dr. James Dobson weekday afternoons at 1 PM on KVMA am 630 it's a great show!
~~~
MCC - Abraham Prayer - Sunday at 5:00 p.m and Wednesday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
~~~
MCC - Early Morning Prayer - Monday - Friday, From 6:30 am to 8:00 am
~~~
MCC - "Beth Moore" Video Class - Thursday nights at 5:45 pm
~~~
MCC - "Faith Builders" Small group meets at 1051 Columbia 36 the second and fourth Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm.
~~~
MCC - Firm Foundations Class, Sunday 9:30 to 10:15 a.m
~~~
MCC - Meadow Brook Nursing Home Ministry Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m
~~~
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.
~~~
Narcotics Anonymous 5-6 pm every Monday at 220 Pine street.
~~~
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) 5 pm every Tuesday in the Magnolia Hospital break room.
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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
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Col 3:1-6 Psa 86:5-7 Phil 1:3-6 Mat 13:24-30 John 7:16-18 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@Magnolia-Net.Com. We offer "Da Bleat" as text, a "Blog" and as a newsletter with pictures in Word and PDF format. For the "Blog" version just go to http://bugsbleat2q.blogspot.com/ to see the latest issue. 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@Magnolia-Net.Com and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. Of course "Da Bleat" is now on the web. Just go to http://bugsbleat2q.blogspot.com to see the latest issue (usually updated sometime Friday evening or Saturday morning. 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 2005 before it was sent. ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

Bugs Bleat 2Q

About Me

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Annette & "Sugah", MCC Guys

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Dangling Participles