Bug's Bleat 4Q 06

Volume 8, Issue 49 Friday, December 08, 2006

Hello All,

We’ve started our annual “Trash” production. I’m still tweaking this year’s recipe but I’ve already delivered two batches to rave reviews. The problem with my tweaking is that I sometimes keep tweaking after I get it just right.
At least Annette says so.
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I finished Lou Holtz’s “Win’s, Losses and Lessons” this week. I recommend it.
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One of the more interesting routes on Amtrak lies between Chicago and New Orleans. This train, known as the City of New Orleans, travels between some of the best-known cities in the country. On the one end is Chicago. Known for its location on the shore of Lake Michigan and the wonderful shopping along the Magnificent Mile, Chicago is a city that offers up a world class Symphony Orchestra. Nearly halfway on the route is Memphis, the "Birthplace of the Blues" and the final resting place of Elvis Presley. Time is well spent in this city nestled against the banks of the mighty Mississippi. Then there is New Orleans serving up fine Cajun food, unique jazz and a fascinating history. Visiting Jackson Square and Bourbon Street is something you won't forget. Arlo Guthrie, who recorded the famous folk ballad, City of New Orleans, recently rode the train to raise money in support of those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
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Michael Yon writes, “I am still awaiting permission to embed with troops in Iraq. The Army embeds have been approved, but there was a hold-up with a request to embed with the Marines. Unfortunately, word is just getting out that Public Affairs lost three excellent people to a bomb in Ramadi. One of those was Major Megan McClung, a Marine about whom journalists spoke with great appreciation and admiration for her professionalism and courage. Also killed was Captain Travis Patriquin, another officer whom journalists regarded in a very positive light for his dedication to his profession and his willingness to get the hard work done. After volunteering to go on the same mission to escort journalists, Specialist Vincent J. Pomante III was also killed in that blast. Knowing that Vincent volunteered to go on a mission in the most dangerous place in Iraq says it all. The thoughts and prayers of many journalists are going out to the families of our fallen.
Another dispatch is posted: No Darker Heart. - - http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/no-darker-heart.htm
Michael Yon”
~~~~~
The photos on the front of this weeks “Bleat” include a shot of Kelley and Annette in MCC’s Cotton Candy Booth as well as a shot of them coming down the 50' slide and a photo of “Sugar”.
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Navy to Christen USNS Alan Shepard

The Navy will christen the USNS Alan Shepard, the newest ship in the Lewis and Clark class of underway replenishment ships, on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006, during an 8 a.m. PST launching at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), San Diego, Calif.

The ship honors the first American in space, Rear Adm. Alan B. Shepard Jr. Like the legendary explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, for whom the first ship of the class was named, Shepard bravely volunteered to explore the unknown and became the first American in space. Thus began one of the most challenging endeavors in human history: the manned exploration of space.

Shepard graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in 1944. He served aboard destroyers in the Pacific during World War II and later entered flight training, receiving his designation as a naval aviator in 1947. Shepard served several tours in fleet squadrons and was selected to attend the Navy Test Pilot School in 1950. He logged more than 8,000 hours of flying time.

In 1959, Shepard was one of seven men chosen by NASA for the Mercury manned space flight program. Two years later, he became the first American to journey into space in the Freedom 7 spacecraft launched by a Redstone rocket on a suborbital flight. He reached an altitude of 116 miles.

In 1963, he was designated chief of the Astronaut Office with responsibility for monitoring the coordination, scheduling and control of all activities involving NASA astronauts. Shepard made his second space flight as spacecraft commander on Apollo 14 in 1971. He was accompanied on the third U.S. lunar landing mission by Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot, and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot. Shepard logged 216 hours and 57 minutes in space, of which 9 hours and 17 minutes were spent in lunar surface extravehicular activity. He resumed his duties as chief of the Astronaut Office in June 1971 and served in this capacity until he retired from NASA and the Navy on Aug. 1, 1974.

After his Navy and NASA careers, he entered private business in Houston and served as the president of the Mercury Seven Foundation, a non-profit organization now known as the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation that provides college science scholarships for deserving students. Shepard died July 21, 1998, at the age of 74.

John H. Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire, will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Laura Churchley will serve as sponsor of the ship named for her father. The launching ceremony will be highlighted in the time-honored Navy tradition when the sponsor breaks a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship “Alan Shepard.”

The USNS Alan Shepard is the third ship in the Navy’s new 11-ship T-AKE 1 Class. T-AKE is a combat logistics force vessel intended to replace the current capability of the T-AE 26 Kilauea-Class ammunition ships, T-AFS 1 Mars-Class combat stores ships and, when operating with T-AO 187 Henry J. Kaiser-Class oiler ships, the AOE 1 Sacramento-Class fast combat support ships. To conduct vertical replenishment, the ship will support two military logistics helicopters.

Designed to operate independently for extended periods at sea while providing replenishment services to U.S., NATO and allied ships, the USNS Alan Shepard will directly contribute to the ability of the Navy to maintain a worldwide forward presence. Ships such as Alan Shepard provide logistic lift from sources of supply either in port or at sea from specially equipped merchant ships. The ship will transfer cargo (ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items, and expendable supplies and material) to ships and other naval warfare forces at sea.

The USNS Alan Shepard is 689 feet in length, has an overall beam of 106 feet, a navigational draft of 30 feet, and displaces approximately 42,000 tons. Powered by a single-shaft diesel-electric propulsion system, the ship can reach a speed of 20 knots. As part of the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force, the ship will be designated USNS. The term stands for United States Naval Ship. Unlike their United States Ship (USS) counterparts, USNS vessels are manned primarily by civil service and civilian mariners working for the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C.

Additional information about this class of ship is available on line at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4400&tid=500&ct=4 .
~~~~~
[aresraces] What is wrong with Field Day

Part of a training session. Thanks to John Nordlund AD5FU who sent me an article that was the inspiration for this. 73 Dale
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What is wrong with Field Day

First, what is the stated purpose of Field Day? One purpose is to practice setting up and operating. Another purpose is to interest non Hams in the Hobby. Another purpose is to involve young people. What do most Clubs do at Field Day? Oh, they make lots of contacts, but these are POINTLESS contacts. If you weren't a ham, you would not even know Field Day happened. That is, in my opinion, what is wrong with Field Day. There are plenty of other contests in Ham Radio to hijack Field Day into just another Contest or DXpedition. We can reverse this trend and make Field Day what it was intended to be. Public awareness begins with you. News media, served agencies the public look to you to demonstrate what Ham Radio is all about.

The second area where most Field Days fail is in public relations. What about setting up Field Day in the parking lot of a mall, Wal Mart or a Public facility, like a ball field? That would allow a relationship with local government, the public to see how Ham Radio really works and to participate by getting on the air and talking to someone a long way away. Scouts, church youth groups could be invited. Big signs announcing what is going on and that the Public is Invited, welcoming anyone who could read the signs from across the parking lot. People will become curious when towers suddenly spring up from the parking lot. When they see the "Public Invited" sign, they stop in and hear someone from the other end of the country giving a signal report. Invite them and give it a try, under the supervision of skilled and licensed control operator ham and before they go, tell them that it's easy to get the ham license and there is a ready pool of inexpensive older radios available for new hams to start with. A couple of weeks and maybe $50 dollars later, they have their "ticket" and own radio to work with, and maybe the rest of the family will become interested.

Then we will be doing what Field Day was intended to do, before it was hijacked by the contesters. The ability for government officials to drop in and see what ham radio can do to help their town or state is not to be overlooked. EC’s contact your Emergency Managers and find out what would entice them to come out and try their hand at Ham Radio. Good Food is always tempting.

Think about what you can do to hone your skills and help others find out about the Amateur Radio Service. Join the CAREN Club and help plan the next years Field Day, in a city park or on the lawn of the State Capitol or any other public place. And, since any ham can supervise a non-ham at the mike as a control operator, don't forget to include in the signs to invite people to come closer and see what's going on and participate.

Thanks to Joe S. Mullins
~~~~~
Serious use for Silly String
By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press Writer Wed Dec 6, 3:14 PM ET

STRATFORD, N.J. - In an age of multimillion-dollar high-tech weapons systems, sometimes it's the simplest ideas that can save lives. Which is why a New Jersey mother is organizing a drive to send cans of Silly String to Iraq.

American troops use the stuff to detect trip wires around bombs, as Marcelle Shriver learned from her son, a soldier in Iraq.

Before entering a building, troops squirt the plastic goo, which can shoot strands about 10 to 12 feet, across the room. If it falls to the ground, no trip wires. If it hangs in the air, they know they have a problem. The wires are otherwise nearly invisible.

Now, 1,000 cans of the neon-colored plastic goop are packed into Shriver's one-car garage in this town outside Philadelphia, ready to be shipped to the Middle East thanks to two churches and a pilot who heard about the drive.

"If I turn on the TV and see a soldier with a can of this on his vest, that would make this all worth it," said Shriver, 57, an office manager.

The maker of the Silly String brand, Just for Kicks Inc. of Watertown, N.Y., has contacted the Shrivers about donating some. Other manufacturers make the stuff, too, and call their products "party string" or "crazy string."

"Everyone in the entire corporation is very pleased that we can be involved in something like this," said Rob Oram, Just for Kicks product marketing manager. He called the troops' use of Silly String innovative.

The military is reluctant to talk about the use of Silly String, saying that discussing specific tactics will tip off insurgents.

But Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said Army soldiers and Marines are not forbidden to come up with new ways to do their jobs, especially in Iraq's ever-evolving battlefield. And he said commanders are given money to buy nonstandard supplies as needed.

In other cases of battlefield improvisation in Iraq, U.S. soldiers have bolted scrap metal to Humvees in what has come to be known as "Hillybilly Armor." Medics use tampons to plug bullet holes in the wounded until they can be patched up.

Also, soldiers put condoms and rubber bands around their rifle muzzles to keep out sand. And troops have welded old bulletproof windshields to the tops of Humvees to give gunners extra protection. They have dubbed it "Pope's glass" — a reference to the barriers that protect the pontiff.

In an October call to his mother, Army Spc. Todd Shriver explained how his unit in the insurgent hotbed of Ramadi learned from Marines to use Silly String on patrol to detect boobytraps.

After sending some cans to her 28-year-old son, Shriver enlisted the help of two priests and posted notices in her church and its newsletter. From there, the effort took off, with money and Silly String flowing in. Parishioners have been dropping cans into donation baskets.

"There's so much that they can't do, and they're frustrated, but this is something they can do," said the Rev. Joseph Capella of St. Luke's Church in Stratford.

The Shrivers said they would not mind seeing the string as standard-issue equipment, but they don't blame the military for not supplying it.

"I don't think that they can think of everything," said Ronald Shriver, 59, a retired salesman. "They're taught to improvise, and this is something that they've thought of."

Marcelle Shriver said that since the string comes in an aerosol can, it is considered a hazardous material, meaning the Postal Service will not ship it by air. But a private pilot who heard about her campaign has agreed to fly the cans to Kuwait — most likely in January — where they will then be taken to Iraq.

Shriver said she will continue her campaign as long as her son is overseas and she has Silly String to send.

"I know that he's going come through this. I hope they all do," she said.
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We had a GREAT time at The Magnolia-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce annual Christmas parade. John Burge and Sean Herold took the Albemarle Fire truck to the parade. It was COLD but there was still a crowd.
MCC’s booth at “Merry ChristLand” didn’t enjoy large sales but we all had fun. It just seemed too cold for cotton candy and popcorn. Immanuel’s hot chocolate booth was doing a land office business.
The rides were full most of the time and we all enjoyed the spectacle of Annette and Kelly Davidson going down the 50' slide with the kids Saturday.
Dusty and Zac spent most of the day on the rides and even had time to come by for some popcorn.
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Don’t forget to check out www.mcc2000.net
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We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com or http://www.bugsbleat2q.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleatfirst.blogspot.com, http://www.bugsbleat1q.blogspot.com, http://www.bugsbleat3q05.blogspot.com, and http://www.bugsbleat4q05.blogspot.com. Our photos are posted at http://www.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. $ 2.18
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
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Recipe(s) of the week - We’re sharing recipes from Shannon Voigt’s Taylor Recipe Book

Manny's Divinity

SYRUP
2 cups sugar

1/3 cup Karo

¼ cup water

Boil syrup until you can spin a thread. Pour into two beaten egg whites. Beat till fluffy. Add nuts to taste. Pour onto greased plate. Cut after it firms.
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BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson

The Faith of a Child
12/8/2006
Doubt and Belief in The Polar Express

Jesus’ saying in Mark 10 is a familiar one: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Children show us how to approach Jesus: with wide-eyed belief and unquestioning faith.

One animated film worth seeing again this Christmas reminds us of what it means to have faith like a child’s. Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express takes us on one boy’s journey from doubt to belief. On one level, the story can be interpreted as a retelling of The Miracle on 34th Street, but for Christians, this film can also be seen as a tale about a return to untainted belief.

In the movie, a young boy struggles with his belief in Santa Claus. He lies in bed on Christmas Eve, hoping to hear the bells on Santa’s sleigh, but his doubt grows. Later, he is awakened by the loud and surprising arrival of a train in his front yard. Walking outside, the boy is greeted by a conductor, who asks, “Well, are you coming?” Boarding the train, we find, is the most important decision he makes.

Along with many other children, the boy travels to the North Pole, where Santa will present the first gift of Christmas. During the trip, the boy continues to struggle with doubt, at one point trying to wake himself up.

There are two messages from the movie that stand out. First, as the conductor later remarks to the boy, “It doesn’t matter where you’re going; what matters is deciding to get on.” Often we allow life’s disappointments to make us cynical. Or we expect to get something for our faith. But life usually doesn’t work out according to our plans. So yes, what’s important isn’t where we end up or what we get, but that we trust God enough to act on faith.

Second, the conductor also reminds us: “The most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.” That’s when we need the faith of a child to ask what Max Lucado calls the “fundamental question”: “Can I afford to believe in what I have never seen?”

I first recommended The Polar Express two years ago on “BreakPoint.” This year, I have another reason to recommend it. With its release of a new two-disc DVD set of The Polar Express, Warner Brothers and Motive Entertainment are promoting Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program. That’s our ministry to the children of prisoners that is so close to my heart. They are also providing 1,000 promotional copies of the DVD for giveaway to prisoners’ kids. I am deeply grateful to Warner Brothers and Motive Entertainment for their efforts.

Bill Broyles, the film’s screenwriter, notes: “We all go through that passage . . . to that world of adulthood where that magic and wonder is gone—or maybe deeply buried.” As we enter the Christmas season, this is a good time to rekindle a sense of wonder and awe of our Creator and Savior. The Polar Express is a great holiday film with a story even the youngest child can understand—and a profound message about faith and belief that no adult can miss.

The original commentary first aired on November 10, 2004.

For Further Reading and Information

Order the new two-disc DVD set of The Polar Express.

Learn more about Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program.

Please give a generous gift today to help Angel Tree reach prisoners’ children this Christmas.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 041110, “The Faith of a Child: Doubt and Belief in The Polar Express.”

Visit the Polar Express website, and find materials from HomeWord parents and pastors can use in discussing the film with children and others.

Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express (Houghton Mifflin, 1985).

Mark Moring, “From Doubt to Belief,” Christianity Today, 3 November 2004.

“The Polar Express Journeys to Real Meaning of Christmas,” Christian Activities Online, 12 October 2004.

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.
© 2004-2006 Prison Fellowship
~~~~~

Words of the Week:
machination: a crafty scheme intended to accomplish some usually evil end.
unguent: an ointment.
skulk: to hide in a sneaking manner.
dictum: an authoritative statement.
risible: exciting or provoking laughter.
sartorial: of or relating to a tailor, tailoring, or clothing.
interstice: a space between things or parts.
from Dictionary.Com
~~~~~
"I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - Confucius

"Sympathy: Two hearts tugging at one load." - Charles H. Parkhurst

"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers." - Robert Quillen

"To be yourself in a world that is doing its best, day and night to make you like everybody else - is to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." - E.E. Cummings

"The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses the right questions." - Claude Levi-Strauss

"I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man." - Alexander Hamilton
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Remains of St. Paul the Apostle May Have Been Unearthed
NBC Chooses Not to Edit Out References to God from Last Few Episodes of Veggie Tales
Although Fetal Pain Awareness Act Voted Down in House — U.S. Rep. Smith Says: Majority of House Votes Show "Overwhelming" Concern for Pain Suffered by Unborn Children during Abortion
Christians Urged to Show Compassion to Young Actress Who Portrays Mary in The Nativity Story

U.S. National Study Shows Volunteering at 30-Year High with Boost from Teen Participation
For Katrina Victims, the "Picture Project" is Making a Difference One Photo-at-a-Time
Prayer Alert: Missing Man's Body Found in Oregon Wilderness
Jewish Pundit Elaborates on Supremacy of Bible in Founding, Maintaining American Values in Government

After World-wide "Gigantic" Outcry for British Airway's Employee's Right to Wear Cross, Airline "Back-peddles"
Outpouring of Love for Family that Was Lost, While Search Continues for Missing Man — Mother Kept Children Alive by Nursing Them
One of World's First Christian Churches Uncovered in Shiloh — Possibly on Site of the Ark of the Covenant
Swaziland's Ambassador to the U.S. Notes Progress, and Stresses Abstinence in Fight against HIV/AIDS

Pastor Joel Osteen to be Featured on Barbara Walters Special: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006
Nativity Screenwriter Shares "Wow" Moment During His Research for Film
Hungry Pastor Who Has Vision of Hungry People Plants Church and Names it — What Else? — the Hungry Church
Prayer Alert: Typhoon/Mudslides Kill Dozens in the Philippines — Ministry Sending Help

An Amazing 4-D Look at Pre-Born Babies in the Womb
Patient's own Stem Cells Could be the Answer to Chronic Lower Back Pain
Out of Tragedy, a Purpose, and a "Heart for Africa"

Another Win for the Cross at Mt. Soledad
Remarkable Discovery of Roman Burial Site in London May be Earliest Evidence of Christianity in Britain
Feminist Doctor Admits Science Trumps Political Correctness: Girls Come Wired as Girls, and Boys as Boys
Nurturing the Arts within the Church

Reconciliation and Forgiveness between Japanese Soldiers and American Pearl Harbor Veterans
Pakistan Official Applauds Christian Mission Schools — Calls Schools "An Unmatched Contribution to Pakistan's Progress"
In "Remarkable Turnaround" Tony Blair Warns: Conform to Western Values and Integrate or Citizenship Will be Denied
Evangelists in Kenya Acquitted of Charges They Incited Muslims to Violence
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GCF: Construction Noise

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

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@egroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor/ UNSUBSCRIBE INFO for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus before it was sent.
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During a beautiful spring afternoon, I was attending a music festival. Just as I stopped to listen to a folk singer, a group of exhibitors, dragging out tools and sawhorses, began setting up their display booth nearby. All their shouting and hammering made it difficult to enjoy the music. The noise they made got louder and even more obnoxious and intrusive as time went on.

Finally, to everyone's relief, they completed the construction.

As a finishing touch, they hung a sign on their booth. It read "Silent Auction."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: The "Forwarder's" 12 Step Program

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
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Sometimes friends have to tell you things you might not like to hear, but need to. If you are one of those people who like to forward every e-mail you get, please repeat the following ...

1) I will NOT get bad luck, lose my friends, or lose my mailing lists if I DON'T forward an e-mail!

2) I will NOT hear any music or see a taco dog, if I do forward an e-mail.

3) Bill Gates is NOT going to send me money. Victoria Secret doesn't know anything about a gift certificate they're supposed to send me.

4) Ford will NOT give me a 50% discount even if I forward my e-mail to more than 50 people!

5) I will NEVER receive gift certificates, coupons, or freebies from Coca Cola, Cracker Barrel, Old Navy, or anyone else if I send an e-mail to 10 people.

6) I will NEVER see a pop-up window if I forward an e-mail! (If you do, you have a virus or trojan.)

7) There is NO SUCH THING as an e-mail tracking program and I am not STUPID enough to think that someone will send me $100 for forwarding an e-mail to 10 or more people!

8) There is NO kid with cancer through the Make-a-Wish program in England collecting anything! He did when he was 7 years old. He is now cancer free and 35 years old and DOESN'T WANT ANY MORE POST CARDS, or GET-WELL CARDS!

9) The government does not have a bill in Congress called 901B (or whatever they named it this week) that, if passed, will enable them to charge us 5 cents for every e-mail we send.

10) There will be NO cool dancing, singing, waving, colorful flowers, characters, or program that I will receive immediately after I forward an e-mail. NONE, ZIP, ZERO, NADA!!

11) The American Red Cross will NOT donate 50 cents to certain individuals dying of some never-heard-of disease for every e-mail address I send this to. The American Red Cross RECEIVES donations.

12) And finally, I WILL NOT let others guilt me into forwarding at email by telling me if I don't I am not their friend or that I'm a bad person.

Now, repeat this to yourself until you have it memorized, and send it along to at least 5 of your friends before the next full moon or you will gain twenty pounds in the next three months! (No, not really! If you believe that last statement, go back and read this message again!)
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Fiddle or Violin?

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
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Since he runs a pawnshop, I decided to ask a friend of mine to appraise my grandfather's violin.

"Old fiddles aren't worth much, I'm afraid," he explained.

"What makes it a fiddle and not a violin?" I asked.

"If you're buying it from me, it's a violin. If I'm buying it from you, it's a fiddle."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Votive Candles

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
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Visiting St Patrick's Cathedral on a tour of New York City, my daughter and her children were awed by the sight.

The kids were especially curious about the votive candles, so my daughter asked if they'd each like to light one - which they did. She explained that is it customary to say a prayer of petition or thanks, and she was careful to tell them that these are not like birthday candles.

"Do you have any questions?" she asked.

"No," said the five-year-old, "but if there's a pony outside, it's mine."

_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Stinky Advice

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
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I was in my car one day listening to a guy on the radio help callers
with their home problems. One woman called up hysterical after
finding a skunk in her basement.

"Leave a trail of bread crumbs or cat food from your basement to your
backyard," suggested the show's host. "That'll get rid of it."

An hour later the woman called back, even more upset. "Now I have TWO
skunks in my basement!"
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(((\ \>_/ )______________________( \__/ )______________________( \__/ )______________________( \_<> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
[GCFL.net] Getting Old

I felt like my body had gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor's permission to join a fitness club and start exercising. I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over.
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A reporter interviewing a 104-year-old woman: "And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?" the reporter asked.

She simply replied, "No peer pressure."
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The nice thing about being senile is you can hide your own Easter eggs.
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Just before the funeral services, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, "How old was your husband?"

"Ninety-eight," she replied. "Two years older than I am."

"So you're 96," the undertaker commented.

She responded, "Hardly worth going home, isn't it?"
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I've sure gotten old. I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, and new knees. Fought prostate cancer and diabetes. I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, and take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation; hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends. But, thankfully, I still have my driver's license.
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An elderly woman decided to prepare her will and told her preacher she had two final requests. First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart. "Wal-Mart?" the preacher exclaimed. "Why Wal-Mart?"

"Then I'll be sure my daughters will visit me twice a week."
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My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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Don't let aging get you down. It's too hard to get back up.

Received from martysjotd.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Bubba Goes Hang-Gliding

Back in Kentucky, you didn't see too many people hang-gliding. Bubba decided to save up and get a hang-glider. He takes it to the highest mountain, and after struggling to the top, he gets ready to take flight. He takes off running and reaches the edge--and into the wind he goes!

Meanwhile, Maw and Paw Hicks were sittin' on the porch swing talkin' about the good ol' days when Maw spots the biggest bird she had ever seen! "Look at the size of that bird, Paw!" she exclaims. Paw straightens up and says, "Git my gun, Maw."

She runs into the house and brings out his pump shotgun. He takes careful aim. BANG...BANG.....BANG.....BANG! The monster-size bird continues to sail silently over the tree tops.

"I think ya missed him, Paw," she says.

"Yeah," he replies, "but at least he let go of Bubba!"

Received from J. E. Hughey.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Thank You Cards

My first stop on my vacation was my sister's house in Montana. She's extremely organized. Before she leaves on a trip, she always types up address labels for her postcards.

This time, I figured I'd done her one better. I boasted, "You'll be impressed. I've already written thank-you notes to everyone with whom I'll be staying. They're all stamped and ready to go."

My sister was silent for a moment, and then she said, "You mean those little envelopes I saw in your room and mailed this morning?"

Received from Pastor Tim.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have SOME standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and screaming,

"WOO HOO what a ride!"

Received from Gary Miskimon.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Marriage Counseling

A husband and wife go to a counselor after 15 years of marriage. The counselor asks them what the problem is. The wife goes into a tirade, listing every problem they have ever had in the 15 years they've been married. She goes on and on and on.

Finally, the counselor gets up, goes around the desk, embraces the woman and kisses her passionately.

The woman shuts up and sits quietly in a daze.

The counselor turns to the husband and says, "That is what your wife needs at least three times a week. Can you do that?"

The husband thinks for a moment and replies, "Well, I can get her here Monday and Wednesday; but Friday, I play golf."

Received from Case A. Bonebrake.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Rate this funny at http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA
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A blond goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.
She says to the clerk,"may I have 50 Christmas stamps"?

The clerk says, "what denomination?

The blond says, "god help us. Has it come to this? Give me 6 catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptist!"

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

*Restroom Bugs*

I took my granddaughter to church camp for the first time last weekend. Behind the sanctuary is a restroom facility that is separate from other buildings. A common topic of conversation was a problem that was occurring this year - bugs and crickets seem to seek refuge in the restroom.

One evening during church service, my granddaughter asked me where the bathroom was because she needed to use it. I told she could use the restroom behind the sanctuary.

She exclaimed, "Grandma, I am afraid to go to that restroom because there are a lots of bugs and hypocrites in there."

(-:][:-)

*As It Lies*

Bill and Bob, longtime golfing buddies, were involved in a match-play contest with the score "all-square" at the 18th tee.

Bill slices his tee shot way left, and the ball finally stops on the cart path. Meanwhile, Bob smashes his first shot straight down the middle.

"Oh well," says Bill, "I should get a free drop from there."

"No way!" says Bob, "We play the ball as it lies."

And so Bill did.

After dropping his opponent on the middle of the fairway, Bill took the golf cart to his lie on the concrete path. Sparks fly from the cart path, as Bill makes a few aggressive practice swings.

Finally, Bill hits the ball off the cart path, leaving a miraculous shot only 3 feet from the pin.

As the two meet in the fairway, Bob comments, "That was a great shot...what club did you use?"

"Your 6 iron," says Bill.

(-:][:-)

*Water Pistol*

When my three-year-old son opened the birthday gift from his grandmother, he discovered a water pistol. He squealed with delight and headed for the nearest sink. I was not so pleased.

I turned to Mom and said, "I'm surprised at you. Don't you remember how we used to drive you crazy with water guns?"

Mom smiled and then replied....."I remember."

(-:][:-)

*In Charge*

One evening a preschooler, Krystal, and her parents were sitting on the couch chatting. Krystal asked, " Daddy, you're the boss of the house, right?"

Her father proudly replied, "Yes, I am the boss of the house."

But Krystal quickly burst his bubble when she added "Cause Mommy put you in charge, huh Daddy?"

(-:][:-)

*Window Entry*

A jeweler standing behind the counter of his shop after hours was astounded to see a man come hurling headfirst through the window.

"What on earth are you up to? What just happened?" he demanded.

"I'm terribly sorry," said the man, "I forgot to let go of the brick."

(-:][:-)

Eye Laugh

"Spare Car"
http://www.cybersalt.org/go.php?id=cw299

"Crime Does Pay"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g06.php?id=77

"Complaining"
http://www.cybersalt.org/go.php?id=cw296

"Love Your Kids"
http://www.cybersalt.org/go.php?id=cw297

"Pray Without Ceasing"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g06.php?id=79

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
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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The return of the Christmas List. It didn’t really work last year but “Hope Springs Eternal” so here again this year is an old guy’s wish list. I’m going to keep this one running here for the benefit of my family (and anyone else who is so inclined).

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)

Heavy Duty Back Scratcher

Basic tools of any kind

“Boot” Horn

Chair, office $49 from SAMS (5 of them)

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

Eyeglasses, “Computer type” to use at church (and some new ones to use at home and at work.)

Floor Mats (for the truck)

Handkerchiefs

“Happy Birthday” Jesus Offering

Hat (warm, for bald guys winter wear.)

Magnifying Glass.

New “Rain” Style Showerhead

Refrigerator Thermometer

Some Warmup Suits to wear around the house after we get that first gas bill.

Trackball for the home computer

VHS - DVD Recorder

This will continue to grow as the season approaches.
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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/false_alarm.html - - False Alarm
October 4th, 2006
My husband Mark and I have a weekend hideaway, a respite from the pace of New York City life. Our country haven is smaller than most; it was once optimistically measured at 400 square feet. In fact, it's so petite that the very act of staying there more than a day without a single quarrel is persuasive proof of a sound relationship.

On a recent weekend there we were happily hiding out, luxuriating in nature, listening to the birds, and breathing in the fragrant non-New York City air. Suddenly, we were assaulted by a distinctly unpacific sound. No, not sundry talking heads screaming about Iraq. It was even worse than that.

It was a car alarm.

Mark and I stared at each other in horror as the blare invaded our rustic surroundings. This had never happened before. Who was responsible, and when would it end? Was it a harbinger of other city evils yet to beset us?

We looked about for the culprit as the noise finally ceased, then sounded again. "I think it's coming from there," I said, pointing to a neighbor due south. "What's wrong with these people? Why don't they do something? And why on earth do they need a car alarm in the country?"

We discussed the pros and con's of calling the police, shouting to hear our voices over the din. The cons, of course, were affronted neighbors and reluctant police. On the pro side the noise, presumably, would stop.

We talked about another possibility - walking over to our neighbors and telling them to fix their $#$$%$#@!@ alarm. But we decided against it. After all, if they were home they would surely have done something by now.

In desperation, I boosted the stereo volume, hoping to fight car alarm cacophony with rock. I raised it so high, that I could barely hear Mark say, "Oh my God, it's our alarm."

And I'm afraid it was. Like many "loaded" cars, ours tells us when we've left our lights on. But its timing could be better; it waits until the lights have almost completely drained the battery, then proclaims our disaster by tripping the alarm.

Yes, Mark had left the lights on yet again - the fourth time in a year. Usually he tries to do it in a parking lot; it improves the odds of getting a jump.

But this time we were stranded in the country with the closest service station a half-hour away. And naturally, it was a holiday weekend.

But I'm proud to say we didn't argue - there's no room for bickering in a 400-square-foot house. Instead, we waited patiently until a neighbor came home and gave us a jump. And never one to waste a good "making fun of the husband" story, I sat down at my laptop and began writing this piece.

"What would you do without me to inspire you?" Mark joked as he sneaked a peak at the screen.

And he's right. With a spouse like Mark, I'll never run out of material. But even if his antics didn't provide a constant stream of column fodder, how could I be riled at his trapping us in so beautiful a place? A place that's blissfully peaceful, where we can escape just about anything?

Anything, that is, except our own car alarm.

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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http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/oecon/ An Outline of the U.S. Economy
This report, released by the U.S. Department of State, charts the challenges and risks facing Americans and their economic well-being. The site examines how the American economy works, and explores how it evolved.
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http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/moolah/history.html The History of Money
Barter is the exchange of resources or services for mutual advantage, and may date back to the beginning of humankind. Some would even argue that it's not purely a human activity; plants and animals have been bartering - in symbiotic relationships - for millions of years. In any case, barter among humans certainly pre-dates the use of money. This PBS/NOVA site provides brief details of the how money was created and how it was used through the ages. It is a sub-section to the larger site, Secrets of Making Money. Related site: The World of Paper Money.
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http://www.us.map24.com/ Map24
This site provides online maps of USA, Canada and Europe. Also available, are free driving directions on detailed, interactive, and dynamic street level maps. Search for addresses and plan your itinerary with Map24. Calculate your route; look for hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, or other points of interest. International routing across borders with street maps, city maps, and house number accurate address search.
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https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp Free Annual Credit Report
This central site allows you to request a free credit file disclosure, commonly called a credit report, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to help consumers to obtain their free credit report.
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http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm FBI: Uniform Crime Reports
The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program was conceived in 1929 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police to meet a need for reliable, uniform crime statistics for the nation. In 1930, the FBI was tasked with collecting, publishing, and archiving those statistics. Today, several annual statistical publications, such as the comprehensive Crime in the United States, are produced from data provided by nearly 17,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States. Related site: Bureau of Justice Statistics.
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http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/mer-year One Year on Mars
In January 2004, Mars had two new visitors. The Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, were about to begin an amazing year of exploration. Look back at their scientific adventures and discoveries, and stay tuned as the rovers welcome a brand new year on Mars. Related site: Latest Images from Mars Rovers.
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http://nces.ed.gov/ National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), located within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences, is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education. Search for statewide information in elementary/secondary education, postsecondary education, public libraries and selected demographics for all states in the U.S. using a variety of NCES data sources.
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Safety from the Heart
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December 6, 2006
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Pam Kemp.

Tis the Season to Be Jolly???

I have had more than one occasion to run into someone who is out in the
hustle and bustle of this" HAPPY HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON" and saw looks and
actions that were far from being Jolly. You would think that for some
people buying Christmas gifts for friends and family was a sentence for
something they had done terribly wrong...a hurried driver trying to get the
parking space that hasn't quite vacated the car that was in it, pushing
past you with no regard as to whether they just stepped over you or on you
for that matter. I stand back and watch some of them as they look as if it
was just a horrible job that "had" to get done.

A few comments/suggestions about that and that:

THE TWELVE "SAYS" OF CHRISTMAS

No. 1 It only comes once a year...you WILL get through it.

No. 2 Smile...it will make you feel much better and takes far less muscle use.

No. 3 Wait as patiently as possible for that driver who is taking a little too long moving from "your" now parking space.

No. 4 Take just a minute to say a word of encouragement to someone standing in front or behind you in line...it will make the time pass faster and who knows, you might be the only person who speaks to that person that day.

No. 5 Go shopping w/a happy attitude..after all, you are buying for the most important people in your life...FAMILY and FRIENDS...keep that thought in mind and it will help ease your burden.

No. 6 Stay OFF that cell phone when you are in busy traffic (that means in all the heavily shopped areas) You want to be a part of your family's holidays don't you. Keep your hands free and your mind alert for that driver who's not as mentally centered as you are.

No. 7 Try to make a phone call or a visit to an elderly person you may have in your church or neighborhood..this can be a very depressing season for some old and young alike but the elderly are unable to do as much as the younger people can so try a little thing called conversation to help them get through.. especially someone who is alone.

No.8 Give Thanks for All You HAVE....some have none.

No. 9 Spend as much time w/your family as possible...work will be there tomorrow and the day after... concentrate on being the best Mom or Dad there could ever be....and time is the most valuable gift you can give a child or other family member.

No. 10 Always keep in the back of your mind while shopping.....there is a recliner with my name on it waiting for me at the end of this wonderful shopping day.

No. 11 Don't drink and drive ... have a designated driver with you if you just have to have a drink at that party.

No. 12 Stay warm, stay calm, stay focused but most of all.............STAY SAFE.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas To You ALL

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Safety from the Heart
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December 5, 2006
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Lisa Dutton (a Houston Albemarle employee).
Christmas Tree Safety

Consider an artificial tree (they are much safer and cleaner).

A real tree should not lose green needles when you tap it on the ground.
Cut 1 inch off the trunk to help absorb water.
Leave the tree outside until ready to decorate.
The stand should hold at least 1 gal. of water.
A 6' tree will use 1 gallon of water every two days.
Mix a commercial preservative with the water.
Check the water level every day.
Secure the tree with wire to keep it from tipping.
Keep tree away from floor heaters, fire places, or other heat sources.
Use only UL-listed lights, and no more than 3 strands linked together.
Use miniature lights--which have cool-burning bulbs.
Turn off the Christmas lights when you sleep, or if you leave your home for very long. Never use candles, even on artificial trees.
Clean the tree stand to improve the tree's water intake, use one capful of bleach to a cup of water. Dispose of the tree properly.

NEVER BURN A REAL TREE IN THE FIREPLACE.

Home Safety

Install a smoke detector or new batteries in the one(s) you have and TEST it.
Use only outdoor lights outside your home.
Examine light strings each year, discard worn ones.
Fasten the bulbs securely and point the sockets down to avoid
moisture build up.
Connect no more than three strands together.
Never use indoor extension cords outside.
Avoid overloading wall outlets and extension cords.
Keep outdoor electrical connectors above ground and out of
puddles and snow.

Unplug light string before replacing a bulb. Review the original package to verify
proper wattage and voltage.
When connecting light strands, wrap a plastic bag around connections and tie ends
with Teflon tape.
Never use electric lights on a metallic tree, use colored spot lights.
Make sure trees hung with Christmas lights are not touching power lines.
When using candles, place them a safe distance from combustibles.
Place candles in sturdy containers. Remember, hot wax burns kids.
Extinguish candles prior to going to bed.
Dispose of fireplace ashes into a metal container until cold.
After parties, check around and under sofa and chair cushions for smoldering
cigarettes. (Provide lots of ash trays)
Install at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home.
Have an operable fire extinguisher readily available.

"Safety" gift ideas

Put together a gift basket containing one or more of the following items:
Three smoke detectors and batteries.
A quality fire extinguisher.
A flashlight and batteries or light sticks.
A first-aid kit.
A carbon Monoxide detector.
A mobile phone.
A second floor escape ladder.
"Emergency kit"- energy bars, water, battery radio, flashlight/light sticks and a
first-aid kit packed in a small travel bag.

Please have an enjoyable and safe Holiday season.

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Safety from the Heart
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December 4, 2006
Why Procedures

Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Dale Mann.

I know most people have likely been drinking or sober at times and sang along with "The gates of Hell are open wide, beckoning me to come inside," la la and on and on. It seems the beckoning has been far too often at times for me and likely all of us, but we need to make sure we don't hasten our departure to Glory or the depths of Hell by doing foolish things that after the fact someone can make the statement "What a fine fellow he was, always the best, never did any harm, etc, etc." This is bad news, because when people start talking about you this way, you're either beyond recovery or have already received your promised reward.

Procedures are the results of someone else learning the hard way. I remember the time there were no procedures in Orangeburg that we had to follow to do our work. One time my foreman instructed me to go load an OSBP tank car on the spot so off I went. I started opening the dome and got a full whiff of Ammonia. I couldn't stand it and my way to the ground was blocked by the loading arm. All I could do was jump over the rail of the car and run to the end. I was on the verge of jumping off the car to the ground but the smell eased. I looked over toward Plant 8, which used Ammonia and everything seemed normal there. The smell had diminished, so I went back and started loosening the bolts on the car again. I'm kind of thick, but the pressure from the car started again, and the Ammonia smell was overwhelming. Back to the end of the car I went. This is when I realized that the car on the spot was not an empty OSBP car but a loaded Ammonia car that the railroad had mistakenly spotted on the wrong spot.

Paperwork procedures seem at times overwhelming but it is a necessary and absolute part of doing your job safely. Before procedures, material was constantly being unloaded into wrong tanks, so many cases I can't remember them all (EPAL 610 into a 2 Ethyl Hexanol storage tank, Monoglyme into the Toluene storage tank, etc, etc, etc.) The list can go on and on.

Double checks on procedures are good. Having someone else sign that what you are about to unload is the correct material for that tank is good. Redundancy is good where someone's life is at risk, for people's lives are at risk if the wrong chemicals are mixed.

Let us all focus. We are safer at work than anywhere if we think before acting. We only go around once and there ain't no spaceship up behind a comet to go to. At least nobody has come back from Heaven's Gate or whatever the cult was named that committed mass suicide. Let us all go at our own natural pace and let be what will be.
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Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Thanks to Scott Bennett
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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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Does He Exist?]

This is one of the best explanations of why God allows
pain and suffering that I have seen. It's an explanation other people will
understand:

A lady went to a beauty shop to have her hair cut and her nails painted and trimmed. As the lady began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and
various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the beautician said : "I don't believe that God exists."

Why do you say that?" asked Sheryl who has MS.

Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these
things."

Then Sheryl thought for a moment, but didn't respond because she didn't want to start an argument. The beautician just finished her job and Sheryl left the shop. Just after she left the beauty shop, she saw a woman in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and not groomed at all. She looked dirty and unkempt. Then Sheryl turned back and entered the beauty shop
again and she said to the beautician: "You know what? Beauticians do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised beautician. "I am here, and I
am a beautician. And I just worked on you!"

No!" Sheryl exclaimed. "Beauticians don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and be very unkempt, like that woman outside."

"Ah, but beauticians DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me."

"Exactly!"- affirmed Sheryl. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!

What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

Thanks to Laurel Becnel
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Letter to Sen. Kerry
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a very well written letter I found from a Marine wife
written by her husband... the end the Sincerely part got to me the most!!! God Bless our troops

*******************************
{This was written by my husband, Aaron, who is currently deployed to Iraq, in defense of a recent comment made by Senator John Kerry. Pass it along, it might inspire someone else to speak up! ~ Michelle}

Yesterday John Kerry said, "You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well, and if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq"

So I wrote him a letter:

I am a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. I am currently on my second tour in Iraq, a tour in which I volunteered for. I speak Arabic and Spanish and I plan to tackle Persian Farsi soon. I have a Bachelors and an Associates Degree and between deployments I am pursuing an M.B.A. In college I was a member of several academic honor societies, including the Golden Key Honor Society. I am not unique among the enlisted troops. Many of my enlisted colleagues include lawyers, teachers, mechanics, engineers, musicians and artists just to name a few. You say that your comments were directed towards the President and not us. If we were stupid Senator Kerry, we might have believed you.

I am not a victim of President Bush. I proudly serve him because he is my Commander and Chief. If it was you who was President, I would serve you just as faithfully. I serve America Senator Kerry, and I am also providing a service to the good people of Iraq. I have not terrorized them in the middle of the night, raped them or murdered them as you have accused me of before. I am doing my part to help them rebuild. My role is a simple one, but important. You see Senator Kerry, like it or not, we came here and removed a tyrant (who terrorized Iraqis in the middle of the night, and raped them and murdered them). And we have a responsibility to see to it that another one doesn't take his place. The people of Iraq are recovering from an abusive relationship with a terrible government and it's going to take some time to help them recover from that. We can't treat this conflict like a microwave dinner and throw a temper tantrum because we feel like it's taking too long.

Senator Kerry, you don't have to agree with this war. You don't have to say nice things about those of us who choose to make sacrifices for the rights of every American rather than sit back and simply feel entitled to it. But please Senator Kerry, if you're going to call me a stupid murdering rapist, stick by what you say. Don't tell me that I misunderstood or that you would never insult a veteran because you're one too. Having been there and done that does not give you a free pass to insult me.

My suggestion for you, Senator Kerry, is to remember that your speeches are recorded, and broadcast to us simpletons over here. You may want to write down what you want to say before you say it, maybe have somebody look at it before you say it and tell you what others might hear. Remember that we can't read your mind, if there are any misinterpretations in what you say, it's because you didn't communicate clearly.

Good luck to you Senator Kerry, if nothing else it's always entertaining to watch you try and climb out of the holes that you constantly dig for yourself.

Sincerely,

Somebody who is watching his daughter grow up in photographs so that you can have the right to say whatever you want about him.

Thanks to David Kirkpatrick
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Why go to Church?

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained
that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them.
So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this.. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

Thanks to David Kirkpatrick
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TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 12, Number 19 --- 28 Nov 2006
Tourbus Home -- http://www.InternetTourbus.com
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TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: TSA Carry-On Rules / Test Prep

Howdy, y'all, and greetings once again from deep behind the orange curtain in beautiful Irvine, California, the city that took a hat- trick in their second Test match, at Lord's in 1960, but was no-balled repeatedly for throwing in the same match and in the exhibition match that followed it, and never played Test cricket again.
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On with the show...
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TSA's New Carry-On Rules
Audience: All airline passengers in the US
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If you have been reading BoingBoing.net recently -- and if you haven't, SHAME ON YOU! -- you know that the United States' Transportation Security Administration [TSA] is waging both a war on terror and, more importantly, a global war on moisture. There are some new carry-on rules you need to read if you plan to take a flight within the United States this holiday season and plan on carrying pretty much anything onto the airplane, especially liquids.

Under TSA's new rules,

- All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.

- All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip- top, clear plastic bag.

- Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening [along with their shoes, laptop computers, and camcorders]. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

Check out http://www.tsa.gov/311/311-carry-ons.shtm for more infor.
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Number 2
Audience: All college admission test takers
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With the college entrance exams just around the corner for millions of students [including me -- I am going to sit for the GRE in January in the quixotic hope of getting into the Ed. D. program at USC], let me put in a plug for number2.com, a free, online test preparation site that will help you prepare for the ACT, SAT, and, yes, even the GRE. You can find number2.com at

http://number2.com/

Number2.com offers an in-depth vocabulary builder that remembers the words you missed, tutorials for each subject area covered on the test, adaptive quizzes whose questions get more difficult the better you do, and extensive tips and strategies that will help you perform [or guess] better on the test. I've been impressed with what I've seen so far, as was Consumer Reports who wrote in their September 2006 issue that

Testers thought Number2.com, a free site with no time limit, was as helpful as Kaplan and Princeton Review (not affiliated with the university), which charge $399 for limited-time access. Source: http://tinyurl.com/y7o62g

If using a free online test prep site doesn't feel right to you [and you live in California], let me put in a plug for the face-to-face courses taught by Bowbrow Test Preparation Services at

http://www.bobrowtest.com/

Bowbrow's courses are between one-half and one-third of the cost of other test prep courses, and the GRE course I'm currently taking on the weekends is team taught by the testing director for the Los Angeles Unified School District ... so, yeah, she knows a little about standardized testing.

Keep checking back over the next couple of months and I'll let you know how I did on the GRE and what happens with USC.
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Meet the New Bear, Same as the Old Bear
Audience: College football fans
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[The following is an admittedly sarcastic editorial from Patrick Crispen, a 1998 graduate of the University of Alabama.]

Alabama fans, true Alabama fans, firmly believe in the "Bryant Conjecture." We believe that Paul W. "Bear" Bryant was so special, so exceptional, that he wasn't just one in a million or even one in a billion. He was on in three. Maybe four. Alabama fans, true Alabama fans, believe that just by being in the presence of the Bear one actually became Bear-like, an exact replica of his greatness without ever having to exert the Herculean effort it took Coach Bryant to personally transform himself from a mediocre University of Maryland football coach into a coaching legend.

Any true Alabama fan can tell you: There wasn't just one, unique Bear Bryant. There are millions. They're everywhere. It didn't matter if you coached for the Bear, played for him, or passed him on the street. Alabama fans, true Alabama fans, believe that Bear Bryant was coaching carbon paper -- he copied himself onto everyone he encountered, however tangentially. That sick kid Bryant visited in Children's Hospital before the Iron Bowl? He's a coaching legend, just like the Bear. Of course, the kid's never actually touched a football, let alone called a play. But that doesn't matter. He's Bear-like. Bryant's barber? Bear-like. The state trooper who stood by Coach Bryant every Saturday afternoon? Bear-like. Attend an Alabama game in the 50s, 60s, 70s, or early 80s? You're Bear-like too, ready to take the sidelines and coach the Tide to another winning season ... just like the Bear.

As the University administration looks for a replacement for Coach Shula, Alabama fans, true Alabama fans, should remember the Bryant Conjecture. Only then will you understand why the University has fired Coach Shula and hired Ellie Mae from the Faunsdale Bar and Grill. What makes her qualified to coach the University of Alabama Crimson Tide? Well, she once served the Bear a patty melt.
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Volume 12, Number 21 --- 07 Dec 2006
Tourbus Home -- http://www.InternetTourbus.com
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Howdy, y'all, and happy December from deep behind the orange curtain in beautiful Irvine, California, named after the French capital in memory of Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813.
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Today's post is a completely updated version of a post I've sent out every year for the past five years. Hopefully, the links in today's post will save you some time and money this holiday season. On with the show...
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Family Fun 2006 T.O.Y. Awards
Audience: Everyone who will be buying toys in the next few weeks
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When I was kid, I really wanted a green "Stretch Monster" toy [see http://tinyurl.com/6zyve ]. Or at least I *thought* I wanted a Stretch Monster. Those commercials that aired during Uncle Zeb's Cartoon Camp on KTUL-TV in Tulsa made Stretch Monster look so COOL. I mean, it was a green monster. And it STRETCHED!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a Stretch Monster for Christmas. Instead, my parents gave me a children's citizens band radio base station. [It was the 1970s. Deal with it.] Terribly disappointed, I ended up trading my CB radio to a friend for his Stretch Monster.

It was possibly the worst trade of my life. The novelty of the Stretch Monster wore off within a day, and he/it was quickly thrown into my toy chest where he/it slowly dripped red ooze over all of my other discarded toys.

If you have the riches of Bill Gates, buying your children toys that lose their appeal within 24 hours is fine. But with normal, non- Gates-ian family budgets stretched to the breaking point, how can you ensure the toys you buy this holiday season are truly great playthings and not just Stretch Monster-esque television hype?

Well, each year Family Fun magazine holds a Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) competition. This year, the magazine's writers collected 480 brand new toys from 146 manufacturers, dropped the toys in front of more than 100 elementary school kids in Kennebunk, Maine, and then seriously reconsidered their career choices. [As a wise man once said, "And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That's *one* thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!"]

Anyway, after destroying as many of the toys as is humanly possible, the kids in Kennebunk narrowed down the field of 480 toys to only 63 finalists, the toys the kids wanted to take home with them. And that's when the fun began. The 63 finalist toys were sent to 15 different KinderCare facilities around the United States where 1,200 children spent a combined total of 30,834 hours of play time hitting each other over the head with assorted Tonka trucks.

At the end of the play testing/pummeling, each child voted privately for their absolute favorite toys. The results were compiled by Digital Research on behalf of Family Fun magazine. Oh, and the surviving toys were donated to local charities.

Long story short: The toys on the 2006 T.O.Y. awards list are literally the best of the best, the toys your kids WILL want to play with well after you take down the holiday decorations. For a complete list of this year's winners, just point your favorite web browser to

http://tinyurl.com/yftj4k

[The full URL is http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday-seasonal/specialfeature/famf0906-toy-main/ ]

The T.O.Y. Awards themselves are pretty self-explanatory, and the layout of the Awards site hasn't changed much since we first visited it back in 2001. Click on the appropriate age group on the left side of the page to see a list of the top three toys by category for that age group. There are two dozen award categories that cover both the type of toy and the age group for which that toy was designed. Click on the name of any of the award-winning toys and you are taken to a page that shows you

- A picture of that particular toy;
- The toy's manufacturer and suggested US retail price; - A one-paragraph description of what makes that toy so cool; and - Either a telephone number you can call, or a link you can click, to locate a store in your area that carries that particular toy.

The reason why Tourbus keeps coming back to the Family Fun magazine T.O.Y. Awards year after year is that it is hands-down the best, most up-to-date toy buying guide around. If you are looking for a toy that your kids will play with long after the holiday season is over, check out Family Fun's toy list before you even THINK about bravely venturing into the eternal nightmare that is a toy store during the holiday shopping season.
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A quick note before we wrap up for now - the DollsAndFriends store is run by Kathy and Leo Notenboom, good friends of the TOURBUS. Stop in and tell 'em the Bus brought you by!

That's it for today. Have a safe and happy week, and we'll talk again soon.
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==[ 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
~~~
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. Jeremy W. Mulhair, 35, of Omaha, Neb., died Nov. 30 in Taji, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during reconnaissance operations. Mulhair was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

02. The Department of Defense announced the death of an airman deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Troy L. Gilbert, 34, of Litchfield Park, Ariz., died Nov. 27 when his F-16C fighter crashed 20 miles northwest of Baghdad, Iraq.
Maj. Gilbert was assigned to the 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and was previously carried as "Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown," awaiting positive DNA identification of remains from the crash site.

03. Lance Cpl. Jesse D. Tillery, 19, of Vesper, Wis., died Dec. 2 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Tillery was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 2 in Fallujah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during security operations. They were assigned to the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry, Crookston, Minn. Killed were:
04. Spc. Bryan T. McDonough, 22, of Maplewood, Minn.
05. Spc. Corey J. Rystad, 20, of Red Lake Falls, Minn.

06. Staff Sgt. John L. Hartman Jr., 39, of Tampa, Fla., died Nov. 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

07. Spc. Dustin M. Adkins, 22, of Finger, Tenn., has been unaccounted for since Dec. 3 in Haditha, Iraq, when the CH-46 helicopter he was in made an emergency landing. He is assigned to the Group Support Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.

08. Capt. Kermit O. Evans, 31, of Hollandale, Miss. died when the U.S. Marine Corps CH-46 helicopter he was riding in made an emergency water landing in western Al Anbar Province, Dec. 3.

He was assigned to the 27th Civil Engineer Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. and was deployed with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq.

09. Pvt. Troy D. Cooper, 21, of Amarillo, Texas, died Dec. 3 of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Balad, Iraq. Cooper was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

10. Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis, 19, of Knox, Pa., died Dec. 4 of injuries suffered when a grenade was thrown into his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. McGinnis was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

11. Hospitalman Christopher A. Anderson, 24, of Longmont, Colo., died Dec. 4 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Anderson was a Navy Corpsman assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

12. Lance Cpl. Thomas P. Echols, 20, of Shepherdsville, Ky., died Dec. 4 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

13. Capt. Shawn L. English, 35, of Westerville, Ohio, died Dec. 3 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. He was assigned to the 577th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
14. Maj. Joseph T. McCloud, 39, of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.
15. Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va.
Both Marines died Dec. 3 when the CH-46 helicopter they were in crashed in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

16. Pfc. Nicholas D. Turcotte, 23, of Maple Grove, Minn., died Dec. 4 in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, from injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry, West St. Paul, Minn.

17. Sgt. Keith E. Fiscus, 26, of Townsend, Del., died Dec. 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

18. Spc. Kenneth W. Haines, 25, of Fulton, N.Y., died Dec. 3 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol in Abu Hishma, Iraq. Haines was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

19. Sgt. Yevgeniy Ryndych, 24, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died Dec. 6 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on patrol. Ryndych was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

20. Spc. Jordan W. Hess, 26, of Marysville, Wash., died Dec. 5 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of injuries suffered on Nov. 11 in Ta'Meem, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his combat patrol. Hess was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
21. Staff Sgt. Robert L. Love Jr., 28, of Meridian, Miss., died Dec. 1 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Love was assigned to the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany.
22. Spc. Marco L. Miller, 36, of Longwood, Fla., died Dec. 5 at Landstuhl Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered Dec. 3 in Taji, Iraq, from enemy indirect fire while conducting an escort mission. Miller was assigned to the 3rd Battalion Support Company, 20th Special Forces Group, Camp Blanding, Fla.

23. Lance Cpl. Brent E. Beeler, 22, of Jackson, Mich., died Dec. 7 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Beeler was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Lansing, Mich.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
24. Cpl. Billy B. Farris, 20, of Bapchule, Ariz., died Dec. 3 in Taji, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while conducting escort operations. Farris was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
25. Sgt. Jay R. Gauthreaux, 26, of Thibodaux, La., died Dec. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in Baqubah, Iraq, when in improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol. Gauthreaux was assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

26. Spc. Nicholas R. Gibbs, 25, of Stokesdale, N.C., died Dec. 6 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when he came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire while conducting observation and security operations. Gibbs was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany.

27. Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, 22, of Presque Isle, Maine, died Dec. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Libby was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, 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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Scheduled Activities
~~~
Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
~~~
MCC - "Faith Builders" Small group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm.
~~~
MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
~~~
MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
~~~
Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Luke 10:40-42 Psa 109:3-5 Gal 1:10-12 Rev 3:20-21 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. The latest issue is usually updated sometime Saturday. For the "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com or http://www.bugsbleat3q06.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleatfirst.blogspot.com, http://www.bugsbleat1q.blogspot.com, http://www.bugsbleat3q05.blogspot.com, and http://www.bugsbleat4q05.blogspot.com. 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. 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 2006 before it was sent. ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

Bug's Bleat 4Q 06

About Me

Friday, December 22, 2006

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Construction Noise - - Photos

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Construction Noise

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: First Day at the Spa - - Photos