Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Kiss Goodbye

Volume 8, Issue 43 Friday, October 27, 2006

Hello ALL,

We were saddened to learn of the death of Don Hollensworth, long time Albemarle employee, who passed away on Friday, October 20.
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Our sincere sympathy is extended to Joe Berry in the loss of his mother.
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The Muleriders’s were on TV again this week. Another great, hard fought game that they lost in the last couple of minutes.
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Should politicians follow their faith or their party or the polls? I keep hearing politicians saying that their faith won’t affect the way they vote. Then what do they base decisions on? Flip a coin?
Tell me what’s wrong with making decisions based on ethics, Honesty and our faith?
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Since we’ve suspended many of our constitutional rights, why not infringe on our religious rights and ban the berka? Recently there’s been much discussion as to whether women should be allowed to wear the berka? What’s to discuss? If they want to wear robes, let them.
But, like anything else, the berka doesn’t grant one immunity from reason or law. If they want to wear the berka and won’t remove it for a driver’s license photo, then, they don’t need a driver’s license. Not to mention the fact that a berka would significantly reduce visibility and might increase the chance of accidents.
But as long as the robe isn’t a safety hazard, we shouldn’t restrict its use.
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What’s the real issue with “Stem Cells?” I don’t care if you use hair follicles, mucus or Stem Cells for medical research. I do care if you get any of these substances from dead babies (human embryos.)
We have to “drill down” to the root of this argument and that’s not what’s being discussed in the media. The root is the killing of babies for medical research.
One argument is that the “embryos” used would be discarded anyway. So it was ethical to use the tissue and belongings of those who were slaughtered by the Nazis because “they were going to die anyway?”
If there was nothing wrong with profiting from those who were killed in the Holocaust then why are they returning many of the works of art to the families of those killed?
And if it’s wrong to profit from dead adults, how much more is it wrong to profit (medically or financially) from the deaths of unborn babies?
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Signs are promising for a repair of the aging but popular Hubble Space Telescope, once thought doomed because of worries over astronaut safety. NASA set plans for a big announcement Tuesday after top officials met for three hours Friday to consider the value and risks of sending astronauts to repair the Hubble, extending its life for several more years.
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Daylight Saving Time ends October 29
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The photos on the front of this weeks “Bleat” include Josiah with a friend, “N” Scale Trains, Ethan and Annette and Vanessa hugs her boys on her return from New York.
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The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart:

I have no ... clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is, either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.

Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

Thanks to Eric Morrison
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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. $ 2.08
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
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Don’t forget to check out www.mcc2000.net
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Recipe(s) of the week - We’re sharing recipes from Shannon Voigt’s Taylor Recipe Book
Chicken Soup - - Erin McConnell

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of mushrooms
1 can of chicken
1 can of sliced canned potatoes
Add pepper, garlic salt and Lawrey’s season salt to taste

Method:
Pour all in pot and add seasonings. Cook until warm.

Taco Soup - - Vickie Taylor
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef (brown and drain)
1 chopped onion
1 pkg taco mix (dry)
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (dry)
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans great northern beans
2 cans whole kernel corn
2 cans tomatoes

Method: In an 8-quart pot, brown onion with meat. Add all other ingredients. Mix and simmer 1-½ hours. Freezes well. Note: I also add one more can of stewed tomatoes and if you want it more spicy use Pintos with jalapenos.
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BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson
'Having Undertaken for the Glory of God'
10/27/2006

The Mayflower Compact

In just a few weeks, Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that people of all faiths observe. But between stuffing the turkey and watching football, we ought to make sure our children and grandchildren understand the Christian roots of this holiday, which are often downplayed in school. The first step is to brush up on the details ourselves.

On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower set sail from England. Ten perilous weeks later, the Pilgrims arrived on the northern tip of Cape Cod. As my friend Barbara Rainey writes in her excellent new book, Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember, "This was about sixty miles north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River." Should they sail south, or stay put?

After much discussion and prayer, they decided to stay. But when the passengers learned of this, dissension broke out. The Pilgrims had a charter with a company that was effective only at the original landing site. As Rainey writes, "The bonded servants on board [who were not Pilgrims] argued that [the decision to stay] changed the terms of their work agreement." The Pilgrims were afraid that these men would declare their independence and deplete the labor supply. Something had to be done to restore unity.
As the Mayflower's captain worked his way around the Cape, searching for a place to drop anchor, an intense debate ensued. By nightfall, the leaders had drafted an agreement, called the Mayflower Compact. Among its key clauses were these words: "Having undertaken for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith . . . a voyage to plant the First Colony . . . [we] solemnly . . . in the presence of God and of one another, Covenant . . . ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic. . . . "

As Rainey writes, the compact was a hedge against revolt, but it meant much more. The Pilgrims took it seriously; their Bible told them just how significant covenants were. In the Old Testament, God created covenants between Himself and His people, the Israelites. In the New Testament, God covenants with all who choose to follow Him through the life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As Rainey writes, the Pilgrims "journeyed to this new land to proclaim by their lives this message of redemption, the New Covenant, and the light of Christ. This covenant that God established with His people became their model for the Mayflower Compact as well as for the peace treaty they established with Massasoit and his people. They knew a God who keeps His word, and therefore they were faithful to keep their word, their promises to one another and to others."

The Mayflower Compact became one of the most important documents in American history—and yet, its religious language may make some teachers reluctant to teach it. But that same language reveals the lengths to which the Pilgrims were willing to go to follow the Lord.

If you have youngsters in your family, consider giving them a copy of Barbara Rainey's book Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember. And talk about it at Thanksgiving: Let them learn how a small band of ordinary people covenanted together to build a new life—and to serve one another through Jesus Christ. That's something you can really be thankful for.

This commentary first aired on November 3, 2005.

For Further Reading and Information

Today's BreakPoint offer: BreakPoint's Thanksgiving Book Package includes Barbara Rainey's book, Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember, which includes a worship CD, Radical Gratitude by Ellen Vaughn, and Squanto: The Miracle of Thanksgiving, a children's book by Eric Metaxas—all for a donation of $50 to BreakPoint. Call 1-877-322-5527 to order.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 051122, “Beyond Thanksgiving: The Surprising Power of Family Meals.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 051124, “What Happened AFTER the Feast: The Rest of the Thanksgiving Story.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 971127, “Dead Pilgrims’ Society: Putting the Thanks Back into Thanksgiving.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 991124, “Pilgrim Fathers . . . and Kids: The REAL Reason They Came to America.”

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
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Words of the Week:
ancillary: subordinate, subsidiary; auxiliary.
perfidy: faithlessness; treachery.
felicitous: apt or appropriate; also, delightful.
solicitous: manifesting, expressing, or full of care or concern.
crabwise: sideways; also, in a cautiously indirect manner.
rapport: relation characterized by sympathetic understanding.
inveterate: deep-rooted; of long standing.
from Dictionary.Com
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"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." - Aristotle

"Give a man the secure possession of a bleak rock, and he will turn it into a garden; give him a nine years lease of a garden, and he will convert it into a desert... The magic of PROPERTY turns sand to gold." - Arthur Young

"The nation is burdened with the heavy curse on those who come afterwards. The generation before us was inspired by an activism and a naive enthusiasm, which we cannot rekindle, because we confront tasks of a different kind from those which our fathers faced." - Max Weber

"The great German poet, Goethe, who also lived through a crisis of freedom, said to his generation: 'What you have inherited from your fathers, earn over again for yourselves or it will not be yours.' We inherited freedom. We seem unaware that freedom has to be remade and re-earned in each generation of man." - Adlai Ewing Stevenson

"That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next." - John Stuart Mill

"Don't try to go too fast. Learn your job. Don't ever talk until you know what you're talking about... If you want to get along, go along." - Sam Rayburn

"A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving." - Albert Einstein
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BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Prayer and Action Urged after Shocking Testimony on Appalling Practice of Partial Birth Abortion by Former Clinic Nurse
Canada's Prime Minister Defends Canada 's Support of Israel
Evangelist Empowering Business Leaders in Uganda to Change the Marketplace — Says Miracle of Rain Made Believers Out of People
Armenian-Catholic Patriarchs Meet near Beirut to Voice Concerns, State Importance of Christian Presence in the Middle East
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GCF: Kiss Goodbye

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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"Dad," a teenaged girl says, running into her father's den, "I'd like to kiss you good-bye before I go to school!"

"You're too late, honey. Your mother just did that two minutes ago, and I don't have any cash left on me."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Proposal

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Tim) -Tom
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There were two elderly people living in Trailer Estates, a Florida mobile home park. He was a widower and she a widow. They had known one another for a number of years.

One evening there was a community supper in the big activity center. The two were at the same table, across from one another. As the meal went on, he made a few admiring glances at her and finally gathered his courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?"

After about six seconds of 'careful consideration,' she answered. "Yes. Yes, I will." The meal ended and, with a few more pleasant exchanges, they went to their respective places.

Next morning, he was troubled. "Did she say 'yes' or did she say 'no'?" He couldn't remember. Try as he would, he just could not recall. Not even a faint memory. With trepidation, he went to the telephone and called her. First, he explained that he didn't remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the lovely evening past. As he gained a little more courage, he inquired, "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say 'Yes' or did you say 'No'?"

He was delighted to hear her say, "Why, I said, 'Yes, yes I will' and I meant it with all my heart." Then she continued, "I am so glad that you called, because I couldn't remember who had asked me."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Parachuting

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Howard) -Tom
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On our first day of training for a charity parachute jump, the instructor made an important point. "Start preparing for landing when you're at 300 feet."

One student asked, "How do you know when you're at 300 feet"?

"A good question. At 300 feet, you can recognize the faces of people on the ground."

She thought about this for a moment before saying, "What happens if there's no one there I know"?
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Soccer Identity?

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Eric) -Tom
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My 3-year-old son recently had his first soccer game. The team consisted of 3- and 4-year olds, many of whom our son did not know. We took plenty of pictures, and after the game we used the photos to help him learn the names of his new friends and coaches.

"Who is this?" I asked pointing at one little boy.

"That's my friend Mason" came the reply.

"That's right! And who is this?" I asked pointing at a little girl.

"I don't know," came the reply.

"That's Madison. And who is this?" I asked pointing at Madison's daddy, the coach.

"I don't know," came the reply.

"That's Coach Juan. And who is this?" I asked pointing at Mason's mommy, Paige, the assistant coach.

In a small tentative voice the reply came,

"Coach Two?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Safety at Work

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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Safety is a major concern at the manufacturing company where I work.
So I'm constantly preaching caution to the workers I supervise.

"Does anyone know," I asked a few guys, "what the speed limit is in our parking lot?"

The long silence that followed was interrupted when one of them piped up. "That depends. Do you mean coming to work or leaving?"
_ ____________________________ _
____________________________
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Ambidextrose: \ /
\ _/ being able to put sugar in \_ /
/ / your coffee with either hand. \ ____________________________
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ /The clairvoyant meeting has been \ /
\ _/ canceled due to unforeseen events.\_ /
/ / \ ____________________________
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / No one is ever totally useless. \ /
\ _/ They can always serve \_ /
/ / as a bad example. \ ____________________________
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Living on Earth is expensive, \ /
\ _/ but it does include \_ /
/ / a free trip around the Sun. \ ____________________________
\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Experience is something you \ /
\ _/ don't get until \_ /
/ / just after you need it. \ _ ____________________________ _
Thomas S. Ellsworth
tellswor@slonet.org
http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor
____________________________
Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
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[GCFL.net] College Advice

Don't LOOK at anything in a physics lab.

Don't TASTE anything in a chemistry lab.

Don't SMELL anything in a biology lab.

Don't TOUCH anything in a medical lab.

and, most importantly,

Don't LISTEN to anything in a philosophy department.

Received from Daniel Galvin.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Dueling Barbers

A new hair salon opened up for business right across the street from the old established hair cutter's place.

The owners of the new salon put up a big bold sign that read: "WE GIVE SEVEN DOLLAR HAIR CUTS!"

Not to be outdone, the old Master Barber put up his own sign: "WE FIX SEVEN DOLLAR HAIR CUTS!"

Received from You Make Me Laugh.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Preacher Barber

There was once a small rural community--so small, in fact, that the only church in town was a small Baptist church whose pastor had to double up as the local barber to make ends meet.

A man living in this small community had invested wisely and was enjoying his newfound comfort. This man got out of bed one day to go through his daily routine. He looked into the mirror as he was about to shave and said to himself, "I make enough money now that I don't have to shave myself. I'll go down to the barber and let him shave me from now on." So he did.

He walked into the barbershop and found the preacher/barber was out calling on shut-ins. The barber's wife, Grace, said, "I usually do the shaves anyway. Sit down and I'll shave you." So he did.

She shaved him and he asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"Twenty-five dollars," Grace replied. The man thought that was somewhat expensive and that he might have to get a shave every other day. Nonetheless, he paid Grace and went on his way.

The next day, he woke up and found his face to be just as smooth as the day before. No need for a shave today, he thought. Well, it was a $25 shave.

The next day he awoke to find his face as smooth as a baby's bottom. Wow! he thought. It amazed him, as he normally would need to shave daily to keep his clean-shaven business look.

Day 3, he woke up and his face was still as smooth as the minute after Grace had finished. Now, somewhat perplexed, the man went down to the barbershop to ask some questions.

This particular day, the pastor was in, and the man asked him why his face was as smooth as it was the first day it was shaven.

The kind old pastor gently explained, "Friend, you were shaved by Grace, and once shaved, always shaved."

Received from Pastor Tim.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Anyone For Golf?

I don't say my golf game is bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they'd come up sliced.

I've spent most of my life golfing. The rest I've just wasted.

They call it golf because all the other four-letter words were taken.

Golf is played by twenty million mature American men whose wives think they are out having fun.

It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.

Golf is a game in which you yell "fore," shoot six, and write down five.

Give me golf clubs, fresh air, and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air.

Have you ever noticed what golf spells backwards?

The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course.

Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing.

If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball.

It's good sportsmanship not to pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling.

Golf is a game in which one endeavors to control a ball with implements ill adapted for the purpose.

Gone golfin' ... be back about dark thirty.

The difference in golf and government is that in golf you can't improve your lie.

Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of a bagpipe.

Received from Joke du Jour.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Talking In Your Sleep

A wife and husband both talked in their sleep. She loved auctions; his hobby was golf.

The other night, during a deep sleep, the man yelled, "Fore!"

His wife, also in a deep sleep and not missing a beat, yelled back, "Four fifty!"

Received from Bill's Punch Line.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Rate this funny at http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA
To print or email this funny to others, go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
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A six-year-old boy told his father he wanted to marry the little girl across the street. The father, being modern and well-schooled in handling children, hid his smile behind his hand.

"That's a serious step," he said. "Have you thought it out completely?"

"Yes," his young son answered . "We can spend one week in my room and the next in hers. It's right across the street, so I can run home if I get scared of the dark."

"How about transportation?" the father asked.

"I have my wagon, and we both have our tricycles," the little boy answered. The boy had an answer to every question the father raised.

Finally, in exasperation, his dad asked, "What about babies? When you're married, you're liable to have babies, you know."

"We've thought about that, too," the little boy replied. "We're not going to have babies. Every time she lays an egg, I'm going to step on it!"

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

*Look Like Mom*

A two-and-a-half-year-old walked into the bathroom while her mother was putting on make-up.

"I'm going to look just like you, Mommy!" she announced.

"Maybe, when you grow up," her mother told her.

"No Mommy, tomorrow. I just put on that 'Oil of Old Lady' you always use."

(-:][:-)

*It's Not A Cat*

It's not a cat it's...

A small, four-legged, fur-bearing extortionist.

A wildlife control expert impersonator.

An un-programmable animal.

A four footed allergen.

A hair relocation expert.

A treat-seeking missile.

A lap-warmer with a built-in buzzer.

A small, furry lap fungus.

(-:][:-)

*Dieting Buddies*

Mary announced that she was going to start a diet to lose some pounds she had put on recently.

"Great," Sue exclaimed. "I'm ready to start a diet too. We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. And when I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I'll call you first."

"Wonderful," Mary replied. "I'll go with you."

(-:][:-)

*Textbook For Sale*

Cards offering used textbooks for sale are posted on the college notice board at the beginning of each semester. One read: "Introduction to Psychology, $8, never used." The card was signed, "Must sell."

The next day a note had been added: "Good price. Are you sure it's never been used?" Signed, "Prospective buyer."

Below in a different hand was: "Positive!" Signed, "Professor who graded his exam."

Eye Laugh

"Stubborn"
http://www.cybersalt.org/go.php?id=cw253

"I Love My Job"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g06.php?id=46


"Big Fan"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g06.php?id=47


"Spiritual Rocky"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g06.php?id=48

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Daily devotionals are available at http://link.Crosswalk.Com/UM/T.asp?A1. 39. 17757. 1. 494611 You can access more information on Crosswalk's Fun page http://www.Crosswalk.Com/fun/! Crosswalk gives credit to the author of a joke when author is known. Feel free to send notification to admin@cybersalt.org in cases where credit has not been given to the author! -SUBSCRIPTION INFO- * Copyright2004 Crosswalk.Com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. Introducing www.Crossguide.Com Where Christians find Products, Services & Ministries.
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - Secret Shopper - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/2006/10/17/secret-shopper/ - -
“I’m not going in there. No way. Forget it.” My seventy-something mother’s stance was as rigid as her words; arms folded across her chest, unyielding legs pointed away from the shop I’d just suggested.
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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Daylight Saving Time Ends: October 29, 2:00 a.m. - - http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html - - Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April. Time reverts to standard time at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. On August 8, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This Act changed the time change dates for Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. Beginning in 2007, DST will begin on the second Sunday of March and end the first Sunday of November. The Secretary of Energy will report the impact of this change to Congress. Congress retains the right to revert the Daylight Saving Time back to the 2005 time schedule once the Department of Energy study is complete.
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Magnetic Storms - - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/ - - Is the magnetic field protecting Earth from deadly radiation about to reverse direction or even disappear? This PBS site explores all aspects of Magnetic Storms.
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ScienceWorld - - http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/ - - Comprehensive online encyclopedias of astronomy, math, physics, scientific biographies, and scientific books, with many equations and formulas.
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The Harvard Classics and The Shelf of Fiction - - http://www.bartleby.com/hc/ - - The most comprehensive and well-researched anthology of all time comprises both the 50-volume '5-foot shelf of books' and the the 20-volume Shelf of Fiction. Together they cover every major literary figure, philosopher, religion, folklore and historical subject through the twentieth century.
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Forms.gov - - http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/citizen.portal - - The Forms Catalog provides citizens and businesses with a common access point to federal agency forms.
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SPAM - - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/index.html - - Do you receive lots of junk email messages from people you don't know? It's no surprise if you do. As more people use email, marketers are increasingly using email messages to pitch their products and services. Some consumers find unsolicited commercial email - also known as "spam" - annoying and time consuming; others have lost money to bogus offers that arrived in their email in-box. This website has information about the Federal Trade Commission's recent law enforcement actions against deceptive commercial email and spammers' responsibilities under the CAN-SPAM law.
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Genetics Home Reference - - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ - - Genetics Home Reference is the National Library of Medicine's web site for consumer information about genetic conditions and the genes or chromosomes responsible for those conditions.
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Calendars from the Sky - - http://webexhibits.org/calendars/ - - Calendars are normally based on astronomical events, and the two most important astronomical objects are the sun and the moon. Their cycles are very important in the construction and understanding of calendars. This site lets you explore the history of the human endeavor to organize our lives in accordance with the sun and stars.
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------------ Safety From The Heart ----------
October 25, 2006
Good Health Habits for Preventing the Flu

Today's Message is from Becky Wofford (a Houston Albemarle employee).

With the Flu Season approaching, here are some tips from the CDC website for protecting yourself and your loved ones from seasonal influenza.

Good Health Habits for Preventing the Flu
The single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits and antiviral medications are other measures that can help protect against the flu.

1. Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
3. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4. Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

The website for the Centers for Disease Control has a lot of information about keeping yourself and your family safe from disease. See www.cdc.gov
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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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Terrorist attack gives rise to religion-based hoaxes
By EP News
CHRISTIAN TIMES

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

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Have you heard that the face of Satan appeared in the smoke of the burning World Trade Center? That French astrologer Nostradamus predicted the attack on New York City? That Bishop T.D. Jakes received a private message from President George W. Bush warning him and his congregation to prepare for a "chemical war?" That the Dalai Lama is sending out e-mail urging people to become "spiritual activists?" That an unlucky tourist captured a photo of an incoming plane from the observation deck of one of the World Trade Centers?

If you have an active e-mail account, you've probably heard all of these stories. But what you may not have heard is that they're all false.

Rumors and hoaxes abound in the best of times. But after a national crisis, the rumor mills go into overdrive. Fueled by a combination of hysteria and hope, and spread by e-mail, rumors sweep the nation.

Web site operators stay busy debunking these newly born urban legends. Two of the best are www.snopes.com and www.truthorfiction.com. Both sites work hard to track down the truth behind persistent rumors. Here are some of the current myths in circulation, and the real stories behind them.

Fateful photo
A photo being widely distributed by e-mail purports to show a tourist being photographed on the observation deck of the World Trade Center, just moments before the first hijacked airliner smashed into the building. The e-mail message accompanying the photo claims that the camera was found in the rubble, and the FBI developed and distributed the photo in an effort to identify the man in the photo.

Although the photo is a fairly good example of digital image manipulation, digital imperfections and logistical errors destroy any credibility the photo may have commanded. An analysis of the photo posted on snopes.com notes that the date-time stamp is in the wrong kind of font and shadows of various objects don't correspond to the same light source.

Beyond that, Sept. 11 was a warm, sunny day, so it's unlikely that the tourist shown in the photo would have been wearing a winter coat and hat. The airplane in the photo can be seen approaching from the north, so it would have to be the one that struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. However, that tower did not have an outdoor observation deck. Even if it had been the other tower, that observation deck didn't open until 9:30 a.m.—too late for a tourist to have been there before the 8:49 a.m. collision.

Finally, the aircraft in the picture is a Boeing 757 with American Airline markings. However, the American Airlines plane that hit the World Trade Center was flight 11, a 767.

Face of Satan
Another photo-related rumor said that the face of Satan can be seen in the smoke from the World Trade Center.

This rumor is a little harder to put to rest, because the photos involved do not appear to have been manipulated. One image frequently used to support this theory came from CNN's live television coverage, while another came from free-lance photographer Mark D. Phillips, who sent his photo to the Associated Press within 40 minutes of the attack—so quickly that there wasn't time for digital manipulation of the image. The AP itself has strict policies prohibiting the manipulation of photos.

Phillips said he never noticed a face in the photos he quickly sent to AP, and was surprised the next day to have received dozens of e-mail messages from people who saw a satanic face in the smoke.

Seeing Satan's face in smoke from a disaster is nothing new—the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News has been doctoring up photos like that for years. But even non-doctored photos can appear to have faces in them. The random patterns generated by smoke are likely to resemble a face at some point, and the human tendency to look for an image in the midst of randomness is so well known that there's even a psychological name for it—pareidol. It's an interesting phenomenon that also relates to being able to see images in clouds, but it's hardly necessary in this case to look too hard for the evil force behind the attack.

Nostradamus
The ancient French astrologer Nostradamus is often trotted out after world calamities, with supporters insisting that Nostradamus saw the disaster coming long ago. In the wake of the terrorist attack, a 1654 Nostradamus prediction is being circulated that apparently predicts World War III.

The verse in question allegedly said: "In the city of God there will be a great thunder / Two brothers torn apart by Chaos / while the fortress endures / the great leader will succumb / The third big war will begin when the big city is burning."—Nostradamus 1654.

If Nostradamus really did write that in 1654 it would be nothing short of a miracle, since he lived a century earlier, from 1503 to 1566. His verses tend to be filled with obscure imagery that can be bent to fit the events of the day. Other predictions made by Nostradamus are clearly lifted from biblical prophecy, so even if they come true it's no particular credit to Nostradamus and his methods.

This particular Nostradamus verse can be traced to a student at Brock University in Canada, who posted it on a Web page essay about the ancient seer. The student Neil Marshall, put forth his admittedly fabricated verse as an illustration of how easy it can be to make up an important-sounding prophecy. Some anonymous person took Marshall's prophecy as a true Nostradamus verse, and seems to have added the final line about a "third big war" on their own.

Subsequent Nostradamus fakeries have been circulating, including one that says, "On the 11th day of the 9th month / two metal birds will crash into two tall statues / in the new city / and the world will end soon after."

T.D. Jakes
Another popular rumor claims that Bishop T. D. Jakes, pastor of the 18,000-member Potter's House Pentecostal church in Dallas, returned from a meeting with President George W. Bush and told his congregation to stock up on supplies because a "chemical war" was coming.

An e-mail message used to spread this rumor typically said that Jakes "couldn't disclose the information the president shared with him, but he warned his congregation and told them to contact as many family members and friends as they could and let them know to stock up on bottled water, canned goods and nonperishable food items. Also, be sure to have flashlights, batteries and other items needed in an emergency on hand. The war, when it breaks out, will be a chemical war that will effect [sic] our water system, electricity and crops."

It's not unusual for rumors to circulate claiming that the government is withholding important life-saving information in order to "prevent panic." This rumor is part of that general class of rumors, but lacks even internal consistency. If Jakes couldn't say what Bush told him, why is he issuing a warning to the congregation? And why is he warning of a "chemical war"— a phrase so vague it could cover bioterrorism, poisoning of food and water, or even poison gas?

Jakes is certainly a prominent Christian leader, and he has a personal relationship with Bush—the president has attended Jakes' church, and the two meet on occasion. Beyond that, there is a kernel of truth to this story. Jakes did indeed suggest that people have fresh water and canned goods in their homes as one way to provide for their families in these uncertain times.

"I returned from my meeting with the president with a strong sense of confidence in his ability to handle the situation at hand,” Jakes explained. As a spiritual leader, I certainly believe in peace; yet, feel the need to prepare my congregation with practical tools and guidelines in the event of future terrorist activities. This mindset, however, was not prompted as a result of any secret the president shared with me during our meeting, but simply my responsibility as a 'watchman on the wall' in relation to the people and the congregation I serve."

Lotz of rumors
One popular e-mail purports to convey an on-air discussion between television's Bryant Gumble and Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham. Gumble reportedly asked Lotz why God didn't stop this disaster.

"For years we have told God we didn't want Him in our schools,” she replied. “We didn't want Him in our government and we didn't want Him in our finances and God was being a perfect gentleman in doing just what we asked Him to do. We need to make up our minds—do we want God or do we not want Him? We cannot just ask Him in when disaster strikes."

A stunned Gumble reportedly sat in silence.

Lotz did indeed appear on the CBS "Early Show" on Sept. 13, but Jane Clayson conducted the interview. Asked how God could let this happen, Lotz actually said, “I say God is also angry when he sees something like this. I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want You out of our schools, our government, our business, we want You out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing His hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we're sorry we have treated You this way and we invite You now to come into our national life. We put our trust in You. We have our trust in God on our coins, we need to practice it."

Hello Dalai
An e-mail message being circulated claims that the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet's Buddhists, wrote a letter in response to the Sept. 11 attacks in which he urges the people of the world to be "spiritual activists."

The alleged letter said, in part, "We have not understood the most basic spiritual wisdom. In short, we have not been listening to God, and because we have not, we watch ourselves do ungodly things. The message we hear from all sources of truth is clear: We are all one. That is a message the human race has largely ignored. Forgetting this truth is the only cause of hatred and war, and the way to remember is simple: Love, this and every moment. If we could love even those who have attacked us, and seek to understand why they have done so, what then would be our response? Yet if we meet negativity with negativity, rage with rage, attack with attack, what then will be the outcome?"

The letter certainly has a spiritual message, but that message does not originate with the Dalai Lama. He did send a letter of support to President Bush. And he did send a letter to New York's Mayor Rudolph Giuliani along with a $30,000 donation for relief efforts. But according to the Web site of Tibet's Government in Exile, the letter quoted above is a fake.


Presidential Prayer Team
President George W. Bush has openly called on the American people to join him in prayer for the nation. His openness to prayer has led some to believe that an independent effort called the "Presidential Prayer Team" is endorsed by the Bush administration.
There really is a Presidential Prayer Team, and it's possible that some of its promotional efforts could be misunderstood. Its title and logo look a little like an official government seal, and e-mail messages sent to recruit new prayer partners come from "The Office of the Presidential Prayer Team" with a subject line that reads, "The President of the United States needs you." However, the prayer team is not affiliated with the White House in any way—a fact that is now being made clear on the group's Web site: (www.presidentialprayerteam.org).

Bible that wouldn't burn
Though most stories surrounding the Sept. 11 attack deal with the World Trade Center's destruction, one persistent story is based at the Pentagon, which was also the site of a terrorist attack. According to this story, an unburned Bible was found in the wreckage of the Pentagon.

The story quotes a rescue worker who reportedly found an open Bible on an undisturbed stool. The Bible was not burned, nor was anything around it. The soldier reportedly said, "I'm not as religious as some, but that would have me thinking. I just can't explain it."

This story found its way into USA Today, but only as a second-hand anecdote. Other sources on the site say the book was a phone book or dictionary. The people who run www.snopes.com said they've seen photos proving that the book in question was a dictionary, not a Bible. However, in a rare disagreement between the two leading rumor-hunting Web sites, the people at truthorfiction.com have classified the story as true.

"We spoke with reporter Andrea Stone from USA Today,” they wrote. “She felt enough confidence in having talked with Sgt. Williams and having been on the scene that she reported the story as it was told to her, and she still stands by it. We asked her about the speculation that the book may have been a dictionary, but she said there was no such speculation at the scene. There are pictures of the unburned book on the stool and TruthOrFiction.com has seen them, but there is nothing in them that conflicts with the searchers' reports."

Cross in the wreckage
Fortunately, not every inspiring story that comes out of the World Trade Center disaster is false or questionable. A widely circulated story about workers finding two metal beams in the shape of a cross turns out to be absolutely true.

Rescue workers at the former site of the World Trade Center are turning to a cast iron "cross" found in the wreckage as a symbol of faith. The 20-foot tall cross, made up of two metal beams, fell intact from one of the twin towers into a nearby building. Worker Frank Silecchia, 47, found the cross standing almost upright on Sept. 13.

"Some people will say it's velocity or physics that put it there,” he said. “To me it's an act of God.”

Rescue workers gather at the cross to pray or meditate. Workers recently hoisted the cross onto a 40-foot foundation, which was formerly a pedestrian walkway, then stood by as the Rev. Brian Jordan consecrated the symbol, saying, "Behold the glory of the cross at ground zero. This is our symbol of hope, our symbol of faith, our symbol of healing."

Published by Keener Communications Group, December 2001

All site contents copyright © Christian Examiner™


Christian Examiner™, P.O. Box 2606 El Cajon, CA 92021 • 619-668-5100 • Fax 619-668-1115
Email: info@christianexaminer.com • Web site: www.christianexaminer.com
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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. Kevin M. Witte, 27, of Beardsley, Minn., died on Oct. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during a combat patrol.

02. Staff Sgt. Jesus M. Montalvo, 46, of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, died Oct. 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered from enemy small arms fire during combat operations. Montalvo was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced the death of four Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
03. Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of Chelsea, Mich.
04. Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Elrod, 20, of Salisbury, N.C.
05. Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup Village, Mich.
06. Cpl. Joshua C. Watkins, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla.
These Marines died Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Collinsworth, Elrod and Manoukian were assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Watkins was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

07. Pvt. Edwardo J. Lopez, 21, of Aurora, Ill., died Oct. 19 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

08. Lance Cpl. Eric W. Herzberg, 20, of Severna Park, Md., died Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C

09. Staff Sgt. Ronald L. Paulsen, 53, of Vancouver, Wash., died on Oct. 17 in Tarmiya, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Paulsen was assigned to the Army Reserve’s 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, Utica, N.Y.

10. Maj. David G. Taylor, 37, of North Carolina, died Oct. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Taylor is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

11. Sgt. Willsun M. Mock, 23, of Harper, Kan., died Oct. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Mock was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

12. Seaman Charles O. Sare, 23, of Hemet, Calif., died Oct. 23 from enemy action while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Sare, a Hospital Corpsman, was assigned to Naval Ambulatory Care Center, Port Hueneme, Calif. and was currently serving with Multi-National Corps – Iraq.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
13. Lance Cpl. Richard A. Buerstetta, 20, of Franklin, Tenn.
14. Lance Cpl. Tyler R. Overstreet, 22, of Gallatin, Tenn.
Both Marines died Oct. 23 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Nashville, Tenn.

15. Spc. Carl A. Eason, 29, of Lovelady, Texas, died Oct. 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Eason was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Oct. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when their patrol came in contact with enemy forces. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
16. Spc. Nathaniel A. Aguirre, 21, of Carrollton, Texas.
17. Spc. Matthew W. Creed, 23, of Covina, Calif.

18. 1st Lt. Amos C. R. Bock, 24, of New Madrid, Mo., died on Oct. 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Bock was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

19. Pfc. Donald S. Brown, 19, of Succasunna, N.J., died Oct. 25 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

20. Sgt. Thomas M. Gilbert, 24, of Downers Grove, Ill., died Oct. 25 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Grand Rapids, Mich.

21. Sgt. 1st Class Tony L. Knier, 31, of Sabinsville, Pa., died Oct. 21 in Bayji, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Knier was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

~~
Airman Missing in Action from Vietnam War is Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Maj. Charles L. Bifolchi, U.S. Air Force, of Quincy, Mass. He will be buried on Oct. 27 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

On Jan. 8, 1968, Bifolchi and a fellow crewmember were flying an armed reconnaissance mission against enemy targets in Kon Tum Province, South Vietnam, when their RF-4C aircraft disappeared. A U.S. Army helicopter crew found their aircraft wreckage soon after first light the next day. Search efforts continued for four days; however, enemy activity in the area, combined with the steep terrain and high winds at the crash site, precluded the recovery of the crewmen.

Between 1993 and 2000, U.S. and Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted two surveys of an area that was believed to be Bifolchi’s crash site. One team interviewed two Vietnamese citizens who turned over human remains they claimed to have recovered at the site. Another team found wreckage consistent with Bifolchi’s aircraft.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA from a known maternal relative in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

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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TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 12, Number 16 --- 24 Oct 2006
Tourbus Home -- http://www.InternetTourbus.com
+---------------------------------------+
Howdy, y'all, and greetings once again from deep behind the Orange Curtain in beautiful Irvine, California, a spontaneous, nationwide revolt against the Neo-Stalinist government of Hungary.
+---------------------------------------+
A few riders have wondered if I really do have orange curtains in my home. As much as I would like to pretend that my home was decorated by Howard Johnson [and am I the only one in the world who misses HoJo hot dogs?], the term "orange curtain" refers to the border between Orange County, California and the rest of California, particularly Los Angeles County. It is a sometimes derogatory, sometimes light-hearted term, depending on context.
Residents of Orange County are more conservative and suburban than their more-liberal big-city neighbors...
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_curtain

Of course, if you're like me and think real orange curtains are both hideous and [most likely] combustible, check out http://www.lileks.com/institute/interiors/

On with the show...

------------------------------
Internet Explorer 7
Audience: All Windows XP users
------------------------------

By now, everyone should know that Microsoft has finally released a completely new version of Internet Explorer. I say "finally" because the last version of Internet Explorer was released back in late August of 2001, a millennia ago in internet time.

The new version, now called "Windows Internet Explorer 7" [instead of "Microsoft Internet Explorer"] is available to Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2003 SP1 users for free at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/default.mspx

What if you still use Windows 98, 98SE, or ME? Unfortunately, Microsoft stopped supporting those platforms back on July 11th [see http://tinyurl.com/ynztwp]. Internet Explorer 7 is only available to XP and 2003 users. Sorry about that.

If you choose not to download Internet Explorer 7, you should be aware that Microsoft intends to push Internet Explorer 7 through Windows Update in the next few days [although you will be given the option of not upgrading]. Long story short: You're getting Internet Explorer 7.

And that's not a bad thing. The new Internet Explorer 7 has so many new security features that you'd be silly not to upgrade from Internet Explorer 6, a.k.a. "the world's most dangerous web browser." In particular, IE 7 has a new "phishing" filter that warns you when you visit a site known for stealing personal information. IE 7's address bar also has a color coding system that turns the address bar red when you visit sites that have invalid or expired security certificates. IE 7 also borrows a page from Apple's Safari and Mozilla Firefox by offering you a way to delete your browser cache, history, cookies, saved form data, and passwords in one fell swoop. And, since I am a nice guy, here's how to do that in all three browsers:

In Safari: Safari > Reset Safari
In Firefox: Tools > Clear Private Data
In IE 7: Tools > Delete Browsing History

Besides offering the ability to delete browsing history, Internet Explorer 7 is also similar to Safari and Firefox in that it supports tabbed browsing. Tabbed browsing allows you to open multiple web pages in one window and then switch between those pages by clicking on little tabs at the top of the page. Trust me, you'll love it.

For a video on what's new and different in Internet Explorer 7, check out http://www.cnettv.com/9710-1_53-24159.html

The video was created by CNET senior editor Robert Vamosi who, from what I can gather from this video, doesn't breathe or use punctuation. If you don't mind listening to what is pretty much a fast, long, run- on sentence, this video will give you a good [albeit caffeine-induced] tour of IE 7.

Installing Internet Explorer 7
-------------------------------

Before you download and install Internet Explorer 7, I strongly recommend that you:

1. Read the IE 7 release notes at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/support/default.mspx especially the Late-Breaking Notes and Issues [about halfway down the page]. This will let you know of any known problems or conflicts that may pop up once you install IE7. For example, assistive technology programs like JAWS 7 may not work with IE 7. So, if you use JAWS, when Windows Update asks you if you'd like to upgrade to IE 7, you'll probably want to choose "No."

2. Turn off your antivirus program. IE 7's installation program -- the installer, not IE 7 itself -- may cause some conflicts with your antivirus program during installation. And that's usually a bad thing. Right-click on your antivirus program's icon in the task bar [down by the clock] and choose "close" or "disable." Then install IE 7.

After you've installed IE 7, double-check that your antivirus program is re-enabled [although don't be surprised if your antivirus program magically turns itself back on without you having to do anything. Antivirus programs are smart like that.]

Once you begin installing IE 7, walk away from your computer. The install will take a *LOT* longer than you would expect, your computer will restart TWICE, and on the third boot your computer will take a little longer to boot than normal while Microsoft finishes the installation of IE7. Even I got a little scared at how long it took IE 7 to install on my computer. But, patience is a virtue. Once the install is complete, your computer and browser should work like a charm.

And if it doesn't check out
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/support/default.mspx#ie7Support

------------------
Firefox 2
Audience: Everyone
------------------

Wait. There's more. Fast on the heels of Microsoft Explorer 7, rumor has it that there is a brand new version of Firefox that will be released later this week. Go to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox and you should, after Tuesday, be able to download the final version of Firefox 2. [As of Monday, the site only offers Firefox 1.5.0.7 and Firefox 2 RC 3. Skip those. You're looking for Firefox 2.0, which should be available for download Tuesday-ish.]

Firefox 2 offers built-in phishing protection, search term suggestions, close buttons on each tab, the ability to resume a browsing session after a crash, inline spell checking [YAY!], and much more. For a complete list of what's new, check out http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/2.0/releasenotes/

So, it's browser updating time. Download and install both IE 7 and Firefox 2. Both new browsers incorporate new security features that will make your journey down the internet's series of tubes much safer, and you can't beat the price.

That's it for today. Have a safe and happy week, we'll talk again soon.

+---------------------------------------+
==[ Tourbus Rider Information ]==
The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238 Copyright 1995-2005, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved Tourbus News Service - http://tourbus.com/news.html Subscribe, Signoff, Archives, Free Stuff and More at the Tourbus Website - http://www.TOURBUS.com
========================
.~~~. ))
(\__/) .' ) )) Patrick Douglas Crispen
/o o \/ .~
{o_, \ { crispen@netsquirrel.com
/ , , ) \ http://www.netsquirrel.com/
`~ -' \ } )) AOL Instant Messenger: Squirrel2K
_( ( )_.'
---..{____} Warning: squirrels.
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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.
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Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
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Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
John 11:41-43 John 6:63-68 2 Ki 21:1,2,6 Mat 5:43-47 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

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