Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Wedding Vows

Bug's Bleat
The Internet Version of The Ed Sullivan Show
We never let the truth stand in the way of a Good Story"

Volume 8, Issue 05 Friday, February 03, 2006

Hello All,

Some of you may be wondering where we’ve been. Details in the next issue.
~~~~~
Ethan is eating more and gaining weight. Vanessa goes to Shreveport every day to feed and hold him. Still no word on when they’ll finish sewing her up or when he’ll be coming home.
~~~~~
The photos on the front of this weeks “Bleat” include a shot of proud parents and grandparents watching “Upward” basketball at Central Baptist Church, and three shots of Dusty at the game.
~~~~~
A letter to Senator’s Pryor and Lincoln.
Dear Senators, how can I express my disappointment in your partisan vote against Judge Alito? Once again, our elected officials have walked away from taking care of the business of Arkansasans and ran to join a divisive party line.
The decision to vote for or against Judge Alito didn’t bother me near as much as the apparent fact that you didn’t vote the conscience of your constituents. Nor did you vote your conscience. You voted without conscience.
~~~~~
Speaking of political parties, continual bickering along party lines will not ensure your parties ability to get needed legislation through. It will lead to the ultimate end of the two party system in the United States. As a famous person once said (- Santayana or - Socrates or - Sir Winston Churchill, depending on who you ask.) “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
The Democratic Party ruled in Arkansas for about 100 years. Then they failed to see the light at the end of the tunnel and started making decisions based on their ideas to strengthen the party instead of taking care of their constituents business. Before you knew it we had a Republican Governor (not Huckabee, this was much earlier.) and a mass exodus from the party rolls to the independent camp.
Now Democrats are still the strongest party in Arkansas, but not near the political machine of the past. As an independent voter, the fortunes of the Democratic party don’t really worry me except that I do strongly believe in the two party system of government and this constant deriding one party by the other is destroying that system.
I can’t imagine anyone here in the US who would prefer the mass chaos of the multiparty system as practiced in Italy or even Israel.
As Rodney King once said “Can’t we all just get along?”
I’m not asking you to become a Republican (or vice versa) but I am asking our elected officials to spend at least a little time once in a while taking care of business instead of constantly working to promote the party.
~~~~~
Speaking of scary things, Scary Movies have never really been my cup of tea. My first experience with sitting in a dark movie theater and having the living daylights scared out of me occurred in the Springhill theater when I was 4 or 5 years old. My cousin Ronnie had taken me to the movie and everything was going fine until they showed a full screen image of a large toad, leaping toward the camera. I don’t know what the movie was about but that scared me and I started crying. Needless to say, Ronnie wasn’t happy to have to take me out of the theater before the movie was over.
Year later I started “living” in the Cameo Theater and, at that time, there was almost no movie I wasn’t allowed to see (except “Please Don’t Eat The Daises” for some reason Mr. Florence wouldn’t let kids in the theater to see that movie without their parents.)
I watched all the Frankenstein and Dracula and Werewolf movies, which were really more campy that scary. Anything with Vincent Price in it was usually a little horrific, especially “The Tingler.” But then came the night that I saw the scary movie of my lifetime. “The Triffids.”
To make it worse, after the movie, I had to walk home by myself and the path led between a dark cornfield and a looming Victorian home. I must have had a strong heart, since I lived to tell the tale.
Our son David’s movie was “Alien.” Annette and Vanessa didn’t like scary movies and we had to wait until they were out of the house to watch them. On this particular Saturday morning, they’d gone to Texarkana shopping so David and I rented “Alien” and started watching it. Part way into the movie, I got paged out to an ambulance run and had to leave young David “Home Alone.”
When I returned an hour or so later, all the doors of the house were open, all the lights were on and David was sitting in the front yard with his back to a tree, cradling his BB gun. I asked him what was going on and he replied that he’d just decided to come outside.
We went back in the house but, for some reason, he wasn’t interested in watching the movie with me.
Later, I found a copy of the Triffids and showed it to David. I broke out in a cold sweat and trembled as the Triffids came to life and at the night watchman. David thought it was funny and couldn’t understand why I had told him it was scary.
Even later, David and Bobbie attended the CCAPS haunted house one Halloween. Unbeknownst to them, there was a room with the creature out of “Alien” in there. Bobbie related to us that they were having a great time, enjoying the show until they got to that room.
David made a new door in the wall and they didn’t get to see the rest of the show.
~~~~~
That’s the limit of our scary movie life. We never went in for the gore and physiological damage of current “popular” horror flicks. I’m not knocking them but I’m not interested in Night of the Living Dead or Freddie or Jayson. Much less Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
That brings us to a current movie, not listed as a horror flick but I understand it is intense and gory and scary. “King Kong” is the movie and, though it's Rated PG-13 for frightening adventure violence and some disturbing images and is listed as an Action / Adventure / Drama / Thriller, many parents may not realize that this is not suitable for young children.
Yesterday, I heard a critic’s account of sitting in the movie and watching a three-year-old girl squirm and cry at the scenes on the screen.
Let me make a suggestion. Don’t take small children to any movie you haven’t seen of haven’t had someone you trust check out.
I still can’t go in a cornfield by myself.
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Don’t forget to check out www.mcc2000.net
~~~~~
Teaching An Old Suit New Tricks

By Guy Gugliotta
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 4, 2006; Page A03

Thank goodness he's nothing but an empty suit, but as the stuffed dummy known as SuitSat drifted off into the ether late yesterday complete with power pack and helmet, it looked like the climax of a science fiction movie -- the tether broke, the power pack won't work and the astronaut inside is condemned to eternity in space.
...
An old Russian spacesuit, outfitted with a special radio transmitter, was released from the space station for a weeks-long orbit. (Nasa Via Associated Press)

But for the first two to four days, SuitSat will serve as an educational tool and diversion for ham radio enthusiasts worldwide. Outfitted with three batteries, transmitter and sensors, SuitSat will broadcast for as long as the power holds out. Tune in to 145.990 MHz FM with a hand-talkie ham radio or a police scanner.

Be warned that the lineup is limited. First comes an announcement via voice synthesizer that, "This is SuitSat-1, RSORS," followed by greetings in English, French, Japanese, Russian, German and Spanish with "special words" for students to decode.

Then SuitSat relays its vital signs in English -- temperature, available battery power, the elapsed time of the mission. The transmission concludes with a mystery TV picture. The whole thing takes 30 seconds, after which SuitSat rests 30 seconds and broadcasts again.
~~~~~
Blogger Gains Following With Iraq Reports
Feb 05 6:48 AM US/Eastern
By MITCH STACY
Associated Press Writer
WINTER HAVEN, Fla.

He didn't have to go, it wasn't his job and nobody paid him to do it. But Michael Yon says he went to Iraq because he wanted to see for himself what was happening in the war zone.

The 41-year-old former Green Beret and author was embedded as a freelance journalist with troops last year and used an Internet blog to report on car bombs, firefights and fallen soldiers. He also wrote about acts of compassion and heroism, small triumphs in the country's crawl toward democracy and the gritty inner workings of the military.

Yon's dispatches have been extolled by readers as gutsy and honest reporting. His blog has been quoted by major newspapers and TV news networks, and he has drawn comparisons to Ernie Pyle, the renowned World War II correspondent who shared the trenches with fighting soldiers.

Yon followed the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment through battles against insurgents in Mosul. The unit, which is based at Fort Lewis, Wash., is known as the "Deuce Four."

"Deuce Four is an overwhelmingly aggressive and effective unit, and they believe the best defense is a dead enemy," Yon wrote in one dispatch. "They are constantly thinking up innovative, unique and effective ways to kill or capture the enemy; proactive not reactive."

In May, a poignant photo he shot of a soldier cradling a dying Iraqi girl after an explosion brought more attention to Yon's mission of telling the world about the war.

He crossed the line from observer to participant at one point.

During a firefight in downtown Mosul in August, Yon and witnesses say he picked up an M4 rifle, reloaded and fired three times at insurgents as two battalion leaders lay wounded nearby. His actions brought a stern reprimand from the Army.

Yon's blog is unflinchingly pro-military, but he has frequently criticized Army public affairs officers over how news out of Iraq is managed. He hasn't shied away from describing the horrors of war, and he once wrote about an Iraqi taxi driver killed by U.S. troops during a firefight.

"They know I don't follow the party line," says the soft-spoken Yon, whose broad, solid physique makes him seem taller than 5 feet 6 inches. "Like when our guys get killed, I'll write about it and I'll write about it the way it really happened, which sometimes is pretty graphic."

Lt. Col. Erik Kurilla, a Deuce Four commander wounded in the downtown Mosul battle, says Yon was effective because he stayed with the unit longer than most embedded reporters.

"Mike, by spending five months with us, understood the unit, the idiosyncrasies, the good and the bad, and how we made decisions," Kurilla says. "You don't get that from coming in for 48 or 72 hours."

A native of Winter Haven in central Florida, Yon is a professional adventurer of sorts. His tales range from establishing a vending business in Poland to tracking cannibals in India, all after serving five years in the Army in the 1980s. In 2000, he self-published a memoir called "Danger Close."

Yon went to Iraq a year ago, began blogging a few weeks later and gained a strong Internet following within a few months. In the last four months of 2005, his site logged around 1.5 million hits.

Not being a journalist by trade, Yon says he initially had trouble being an objective observer when the explosions and gunfire started.

"In the beginning I would just help people, and I wouldn't get any photos," he says. "I realized that I could do a lot more with my camera and my pen than I could with my hands, and so I disciplined myself to just stay out of the way and photograph, unless somebody really, really needs me."

He felt that was the case in the downtown Mosul battle. Before picking up the rifle, he shot photos of Kurilla crumpling to the ground as an insurgent's bullets pierced both his legs and an arm.

Kurilla and the rest of the Deuce Four are home now, with dozens of Purple Hearts among them. Yon has been interviewing them for a book about the unit and the battles in Mosul.

He recently bought new body armor and, if all goes as planned, he'll return to Iraq later this year.

"It's a very complicated world and you can't learn about it by sitting back and reading about it," Yon says. "Not the way I wanted to learn about it anyway."
___

On the Net: Michael Yon: Online Magazine: http://michaelyon-online.com
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://bugsbleat1q.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at bugsbleat.blogspot.com, bugsbleatnew.blogspot.com, and bugsbleat4q.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
www.aaa.com Regular
Current Avg. $ 2.32
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/
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Recipe(s) of the week - Asparagus, Canadian Bacon, and Cheese Frittata: Low Carb From Food Network Kitchens

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

5 large eggs
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces medium asparagus stalks (about 8), woody stems trimmed, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 medium slices Canadian bacon (about 2 ounces), coarsely chopped

Position an oven rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, 3 tablespoons of the cheese, the milk, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to taste together in a bowl.
Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and Canadian bacon, and cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, pour the egg mixture into the skillet, stirring gently to distribute the fillings evenly. Cover, and cook until the bottom sets, but does not get too brown, about 9 minutes. Remove the cover, scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon of cheese over the surface. Run the frittata under the broiler until the top sets and browns slightly, about 1 minute. Set aside for about 5 minutes before unmolding. Slip the frittata out of the pan onto a cutting board, cut into wedges. Serve warm or room temperature.
Copyright © 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_26304,00.html

Nutrition Information
Calories 372 Fat 26 grams (8 g saturated)
Carbohydrates 6 grams Fiber 1.5 grams
Nutrient Value Per Serving
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson

Musical Mush
Are We Impairing Our Capacity to Think?

When church music directors lead the congregation in singing some praise music, I often listen stoically with teeth clenched. But one Sunday morning, I cracked. We had been led through endless repetitions of a meaningless ditty called, “Draw Me Close to You.” The song has zero theological content and could be sung in a nightclub, for that matter. When I thought it was finally and mercifully over, the music leader beamed at us and said in a cheerful voice, “Let’s sing that again, shall we?” “No!” I shouted loudly. Heads all around me spun while my wife cringed.

I admit I prefer more traditional hymns. But even given that, I am convinced that much of the music being written for the Church today reflects an unfortunate trend—slipping across the line from worship to entertainment. Evangelicals are in danger of amusing ourselves to death, to borrow the title of the classic Neil Postman book.

The trend is also true of Christian radio, historically an important source of in-depth teaching. Many stations have recently dropped serious programming in favor of all-music formats. For example, a major Baltimore station dropped four talk shows to add music. A respected broadcaster recently dropped “Focus on the Family,” claiming it had become too focused on “moral issues.”

When a Cincinnati station replaced “BreakPoint” with music, I told the station manager that believers need to think Christianly about major worldview issues. Her reply? Younger women want “something to help them cope with life.”

This view was confirmed by a Christian homemaker during a TV special on evangelicalism. She is so busy, she explained, with her kids, Bible study, cooking, and all, that she does not even get to read the newspaper. Church for her is getting her spirits lifted. Now admittedly, modern life creates enormous stress, but can’t the Church offer comfort and help people confront the culture? Of course, music is important in the life of the Church. But it cannot replace solid teaching.

The decision by Christian broadcasters to avoid moral controversies could result in the Church withdrawing from the culture as it tragically did a century ago. The great strength of radio, as with books, has been to present in-depth teaching that engages Christians cognitively. Unfortunately, thinking analytically is something Christians find increasingly difficult. According to a government study, the average college graduate’s proficient literacy in English has declined from 40 percent in 1992 to 31 percent ten years later. The study defines proficient literacy as the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences.

This is horrifying. The Gospel above everything else is revealed propositional truth—truth that speaks to all of life. Sure, the Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand. But if you want to study doctrine and worldview, you need the capacity to engage ideas cognitively. Doctrine and biblical teaching does not consist of dry, abstract notions. It is the truth that must be carried to the heart and applied. And there is no escaping that it is truth that must be learned.

When Postman published his book two decades ago, he feared television would impair our capacity to think. He was right. But can we learn from this—or are we destined to follow suit, with the Church blissfully amusing itself into irrelevance?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further reading and information:
Today’s BreakPoint offer: “High-Tech Worship” (CD)—Dr. Quentin Schultze discusses his book High-Tech Worship: Using Presentational Technologies Wisely.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 040414, “Wise-Tech: Computer Technology and Worship.”

Kevin Twit, “Why Hymns?” Worship.com.

Kevin Twit, “What’s in a Song?: Turning Our Hearts,” RUF Music (from February/March 2002 Covenant magazine).

Visit Kevin Twit’s website for Indelible Grace Music, which sets new music to classic hymns.

T. M. Moore, “Whatever Happened to Singing?” BreakPoint Online, 5 December 2003. See also “The Power of Song.”

T. M. Moore, “Seeing with the Eyes of Music: An Interview with Phil Keaggy,” BreakPoint Online, 9 August 2002.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 060131, “Missionaries of Learning: Why Christians Must Be ‘People of the Book’.”

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (Viking Press, 1986).

Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn, Being the Body (W Publishing, 2003).

The BreakPoint Web site and BreakPoint WorldView Magazine feature Colson’s commentaries as well as feature articles by other established and up-and-coming writers to equip readers with a biblical perspective on a variety of issues and topics.
© 2004 Prison Fellowship.
~~~~~
Words of the Week:
wunderkind: one who achieves success or acclaim during youth.
lucre: money; profit.
epigone: an inferior imitator.
sang-froid: coolness in trying circumstances.
consanguineous: related by blood; descended from the same ancestor.
malleable: capable of being shaped; also, adaptable.
parlous: fraught with danger; hazardous.
disparate: fundamentally different; also, composed of dissimilar elements.
from Dictionary.Com
~~~~~
"The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up in the morning, and does not stop until you get into the office." - Robert Frost

"Midlife is when you reach the top of the ladder and find that it was against the wrong wall." --Joseph Campbell (via Steve Hampton)

"There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them." - Sylvia Plath

"Whining is not only graceless, but can be dangerous. It can alert a brute that a victim is in the neighborhood." - Maya Angelou

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward

"It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well." - Rene Descartes

"There are some that only employ words for the purpose of disguising their thoughts." - Voltaire

"Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted." - Aldous Huxley

"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries." - James A. Michener

"The most tyrannical of governments are those which make crimes of opinions, for everyone has an inalienable right to his thoughts." - Baruch Spinoza

"Cushion the painful effects of hard blows by keeping the enthusiasm going strong, even if doing so requires struggle." - Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) American Preacher, Writer
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Prayer Alert: Six Churches in Alabama Found on Fire
Jonathan Serrie / Aimee Herd reporting (Feb 3, 2006)
One church burned on Thursday afternoon, the others on Friday morning, according to FOXNews report. A search for a possible arsonist is underway.
The churches that burned were: Rehobeth Baptist Church in Randolph, Ashby Baptist Church in Briarfield, Old Union Baptist Church in Briarfield, Pleasant Sabine Antioch southeast of Centerville, Antioch Church in Antioch and Older Church in Chilton County. (Photo: FOXNews)
The churches are reportedly within a 15-20 mile radius of one another. In some cases the fires were put out before much damage was done, others burned to the ground.
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2069

Denmark Calls for Calm in Wake of Muslim Anger over Muhammad Cartoon
BBC Staff / Aimee Herd reporting (Feb 2, 2006)
According to the BBC, the Danish Prime Minister has appeared on Arabic TV to apologize for a newspaper cartoon of Muhammad which set off Muslim boycotts, demonstrations and violence that began in Denmark and spread to other countries.
"I have sent a very strong appeal to everyone in Denmark," explained PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen, "that though this dispute may raise many strong feelings, everybody should take the responsibility to ensure peaceful co-operation in Denmark."
Muslim tradition forbids the depiction of Muhammad or Allah.
The BBC article states that the cartoon in question has been reprinted in newspapers in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, in the name of "free speech."
Editor's Note: Since Christians are called "ministers of reconciliation" we can be praying that this anger will subside as well as for protection for these countries.
More...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4675462.stm

Government's Religious Hatred Bill - Denounced by Many Christians - Goes Down to "Surprise Defeat" in UK
CCON / Aimee Herd reporting (Feb 1, 2006)
"What can we say but ‘Praise God'" was the reaction from the Christian Concern for Our Nation (CCON) organization after learning of the UK's controversial Racial and Religious Hatred bill's defeat.
While the government's version of the hatred bill was voted down, the less restricting and much more accepted House of Lords version was voted in to become law. According to the CCON, "the Lords' version was a dramatic improvement in the protection of the uninhibited freedom for Christians to preach the Gospel."
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2059

Increasing Number of Muslims in Norway Sending their Children to Christian Schools
Rolleiv Solholm / Aimee Herd (Jan 30, 2006)
A report states that more and more Muslims in Norway are choosing to send their children to private Christian schools.
The NRK article goes on to say that one reason for the increase over the last few years may be respect. "I believe they feel that their faith is taken more seriously here, that Christian schools have greater respect and understanding for their faith than they find in public schools," explained Dean Lars Bjoerge Holm.
Twenty out of a hundred students are Muslim at Christian Regnbuen school in Oslo, the report says.
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2045

Canadian Building - Once a Convent - Now the National House of Prayer
Pauline Tam / Aimee Herd reporting (Jan 28, 2006)
Fulfilling the mandate to pray "For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all reverence and seriousness."
In November of 2005, the National House of Prayer opened in Ottawa, in a building which formerly housed the Lowertown Convent.
http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2040
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GCF: Wedding Vows

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

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.slonet.org/~tellswor/ Unsubscribe info for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2005 before it was sent.
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My Dad and I were talking the other night about love and marriage.

He told me that he knew as early as their wedding what marriage to my Mom would be like. It seems the minister asked my Mom, "Do you take this man to be your husband." And she said, "I do."

Then the minister asked my Dad, "Do you take this woman to be your wife," and my Mom said, "He does."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: City Fisherman

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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A fisherman from the city was out fishing on a lake in a small boat. He noticed another man in a small boat open his tackle box and take out a mirror. Being curious the man rowed over and asked, "What is the mirror for?"

"That's my secret way to catch fish," said the other man. "Shine the mirror on the top of the water. The fish notice the spot of sun on the water above and they swim to the surface. Then I just reach down and net them and pull them into the boat."

"Wow! Does that really work?"

"You bet it does."

"Would you be interested in selling that mirror? I'll give you $30 for it."

"Well, okay."

After the money was transferred, the city fisherman asked, "By the way, how many fish have you caught this week?"

"You're the sixth," he said.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Hearing Request

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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During a revival meeting, an evangelist asked the people in line what they needed.

One man's request was for his hearing. The evangelist spit on his finger, put it in the man's ear, prayed for him and then asked him, "How's your hearing now?"

He said, "I don't know - it's next Tuesday."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Shoe Store

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 waiting on some customers at the shoe store where I work when I was interrupted by a very determined woman. Pointing to a sneaker made by Reebok, she asked, "Do you have this in a Nike?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Five Myths About Lawyers

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Paul) -Tom
Found at The Wall Street Journal Online
http://www.careerjournal.com/salaryhiring/industries/law/20060127-kelsey.html?cjcontent=mail
27Jan2006
By Robin Kelsey
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As an alumnus of Yale Law School who spent less time practicing law than studying it, I take great pleasure in offering unrequested advice to people contemplating a career in law. Here are five myths about legal education and practice.

Myth #1: A legal education is a great means to embark on any of a variety of non-legal careers.

Absolutely true. If studying law doesn't get you to embark on a non-legal career, then nothing will.

Myth #2: Legal thought is intellectually rigorous.

Also true. Law students have been known to spend days debating whether an italicized comma differs in appearance from a normal comma, and which comma should be employed when citing sections of the United Hairstylists Personal Hygiene Code. As a lawyer might say, "that's not just rigor, that's rigor mortis." (i.e., "that's some deadly serious Latin rigor.")

Myth # 3: Life as a high-powered attorney at a big New York firm is exciting and glamorous.

This is entirely true, if:

1) You laugh uncontrollably when your great uncle Larry does his impersonation of Dwight Eisenhower eating potato salad;

2) Your adrenalin flows when you spot a typographical error in the want ads of the Guilford Post-Gazette; or

3) Your bedroom wall features a large framed photograph of you shaking hands with Home Depot's Vice President in Charge of Shower Curtain Inventory because it's a moment you wish to cherish forever.

Myth #4: Most national leaders went to law school, so if you go to law school, you will probably become a national leader.

If you subscribe to this myth, there are a few things you should know. First, you will bomb the LSAT so completely that your driver's license will be revoked. Second, there are other ways to become a national leader. You could make a billion dollars playing Internet poker, for example. Or you could get married to Renee Zellweger and three days later have the vows annulled. Or you could write a self-help book entitled "Reorganizing the FEMA Within." Remember that this is America and ergo ("ergo" is Latin for "out of the pale, pale blue") leadership is as close as the next episode of "The Apprentice."

Myth #5: Being a lawyer brings with it vast wealth.

The accessibility of big money is undeniable. Let's say you are a first-year associate in New York. Your parents tell all their friends, who experience such acute boredom that they drift away from the conversation to watch their cuticles age. But that is beside the point. The point is that you make about $125K a year. You work the standard 120 hours a week (and bill clients for at least twice that), so your job is equivalent to three jobs of 40 hours a week that each pay you $41,667 per year. Given your high tax bracket and the vodka martinis you feel compelled to buy for friends who are "artists" living off trust funds they never mention, you probably come away dead even with someone working normal hours at $29,000 per year. Namely the guy who conducts Jell-O salad taste tests for a nursing-home chain.

Ah, you say, but here's the rub: Whereas the Jell-O taster may never make anything of himself, you will one day become partner. Yes, partner! When that big ship docks at your port, you will have permission to use the partner-only bathroom, first pick of the firm's Shea Stadium seats right behind the visitors' dugout, and oodles and oodles of cash. You will stuff your mattress so full with Krugerrands that you will sleep with your face squished against the ceiling. Even after making payment on your two alimonies, three mortgages, and endless pharmacy bills for anti-depressants, you will have enough left over each month to buy two decaf triple grande mocha eggnog lattes.

But the question is: Will you be happy? And the answer is simple: Not if they're decaf.
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>_/ )_______________________( \_ \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Everywhere is within walking \ /
\ _/ distance if you have the time. \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>_/ )_______________________( \_ \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / It's bad luck \ /
\ _/ to be superstitious. \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>_/ )_______________________( \_ \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / What is a "free" gift? \ /
\ _/ Aren't all gifts free? \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>_/ )_______________________( \_ \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Knocked; you weren't in. \ /
\ _/ -- Opportunity \_ /
/ / \ (((\ \>_/ )_______________________( \_ \\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / One must wait until evening \ /
\ _/ to see how splendid \_ /
/ / the day has been. \ _ ____________________________ _
/ ) 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] Sarahrella

/* Attention AOL users: If this news article is accurate, it may mean the end of free mailing lists like GCFL to AOL users! Please let AOL know how you feel about this new policy. http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3581301 */

After watching the movie Cinderella, five-year-old Sarah started using her pinwheel as a magic wand, pretending she was a fairy godmother. "Make three wishes," she told her mother, "and I'll grant them."

Her mom first asked for world peace. Sarah swung her wand and proclaimed the request fulfilled.

Next, her mother requested a cure for all ill children.
Again, with a sweep of the pinwheel, Sarah obliged.

The mother, with a glance down at her rather ample curves, made her third wish: "I wish to have a trim figure again."

The miniature fairy godmother started waving her wand madly.

"I'll need more power for this!" she exclaimed.

Received from Thomas S. Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Visual Sermon Demonstration

A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon.

Three worms were placed into separate jars.

1. The first worm was put into a jar of alcohol.
2. The second worm was put into a jar of cigarette smoke.
3. The third worm was put into a jar of good, clean soil.

At the conclusion of the sermon, the minister reported the following results:

1. The first worm in alcohol - DEAD.
2. The second worm in cigarette smoke - DEAD.
3. The third worm in good, clean soil - ALIVE.

So the minister asked the congregation, "What can you learn from this demonstration?"

A little old woman in the back quickly raised her hand and said, "As long as you drink or smoke, you won't have worms!"

Received from Frank.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Bank Trouble

The coed came running in tears to her father. "Dad, you gave me some terrible financial advice!" she cried.

"I did? What did I tell you?" asked the dad.

"You told me to put my money in that big bank, and now that big bank is in trouble."

"What are you talking about? That's one of the largest banks in the world," he said. "Surely there must be some mistake."

"I don't think so," she sniffed. "They just returned one of my checks with a note saying, 'Insufficient Funds.'"

Received from Jason B.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Hard-nosed Mr. Swiller

Mr. Swiller was known far and wide as a hard-nosed boss who watched his employees like a hawk. He was making one of his regular tours of the factory when he spotted a young man leaning against a pile of boxes just outside the foreman's office. Since George, the foreman, wasn't around, Swiller stood off to the side and watched to see just how long the young man would stand around doing nothing.

The young man yawned, scratched his head, looked at his watch, and sat on the floor. He took out a nail file and began cleaning his nails. Then he stretched, yawned again, and leaned back on the pile of boxes.

Swiller stepped from his hiding place and walked up to the young man. "You!" he boomed. "How much do you make a week?"

The young man looked up indifferently. "Two hundred and fifty dollars," he said.

Swiller swooped into the cashier's office, took $250 from the cash box, and returned. "Take it," he said, "and get out! Don't let me see you around here again!"

The young man took the cash, put it in his pocket, and left.

Swiller snorted at his lack of remorse, embarrassment, or any other feeling. Then he went looking for George. When he found him, Swiller was red with anger. "That idler in front of your office," Swiller said. "I just gave him a week's pay and fired him. What's the matter with you, letting him stand around as though he had nothing to do?"

"You mean the kid in the red shirt?" George asked.

"Yes! The kid in the red shirt!"

"He was waiting for the twenty dollars we owe him for lunch," George said. "He works for the coffee shop around the corner."

Received from dledbetter.

(-:][:-)

[GCFL.net] Interesting Pattern

In the year 1981,

1. Prince Charles got married.
2. Liverpool crowned soccer Champions of Europe.
3. Australia lost the Ashes tournament.
4. Pope John Paul II was shot.

In the year 2005,

1. Prince Charles got married.
2. Liverpool crowned soccer Champions of Europe.
3. Australia lost the Ashes tournament.
4. The Pope died.

Lesson learned? The next time Charles gets married, someone warn the Pope!

Received from Doug Burton.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
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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25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.

6. You watch the Weather Channel.

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."

10. You're the one calling the police because those kids next door won't! turn down the stereo.

12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.

14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.

15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

16. You take naps.

17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.

19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.

20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff."

21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.

22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again."

23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.

25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh no what happened?"

Thanks to Ricky and Sarah Shepherd
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Welcome to You Make Me Laugh, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website.

*Four Letter Words*

A young couple got married and left on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother. Her mother asked, "How was the honeymoon?"

"Oh, mama," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic..."

Suddenly she burst out crying. "But, mama, as soon as we returned Sam started using the most horrible language...things I'd never heard before! I mean, all these awful 4-letter words! You've got to come get me and take me home.... Please mama!"

"Sarah, Sarah," her mother said, "calm down! Tell me, what could be so awful? What 4-letter words?"

"Please don't make me tell you, mama," wept the daughter, "I'm so embarrassed they're just too awful! Come get me, please!"

"Darling, baby, you must tell me what has you so upset. Tell your mother these horrible 4-letter words!"

Still sobbing, the bride said, "Oh, mama...words like DUST, WASH, IRON, COOK...!"

(-:][:-)

*Foreign Languages*

A Swiss guy visited Sydney, Australia, and pulled up at a bus stop where two locals were waiting.

"Entschuldigung, koennen Sie Deutsch sprechen?" he asked.

The two Aussies just stared at him.

"Excusez-moi, parlez vous Francais?" he tried. The two continued to stare.

"Parlare Italiano?"

Other than a glance at each other, there was still no response.

"Hablan ustedes Espanol?"

Still nothing.

The Swiss guy gave up and drove off, extremely disgusted. When he was gone, the first Aussie turned to the second and said, "Y'know, maybe we should learn a foreign language."

"Why?" the other replied. "That guy knew four languages, and it didn't do him any good."

(-:][:-)

*Price of Oranges*

Mrs. Goldberg was shopping at a produce stand in her neighborhood. She approached the vendor and asked, "How much are these oranges?"

"Two for a quarter," answered the vendor.

"How much is just one?" she asked.

"Fifteen cents," answered the vendor.

"Then I'll take the other one," said Mrs. Goldberg.

(-:][:-)

*Dusty Comeback*

My mom is a less than fastidious housekeeper.

One evening my dad returned home from work, walked into the kitchen and teased her, "You know, dear, I can write my name in the dust on the mantel."

Mom turned to him and sweetly replied, "Yes, darling, I know. That's why I married a college graduate."

(-:][:-)

*Commercial Reward*

At breakfast one day, I eagerly waited for John to comment on my first attempt at homemade cinnamon rolls.

After several minutes with no reaction, I asked, "If I baked these commercially, how much do you think I could get for one of them?"

Without looking up from his newspaper John replied, "About 10 years."

Eye Laugh

"Just Say Amen"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=200

-=+=-

"Doggy Want a Cracker?"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=223

-=+=-

"Mobile Mechanic"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=224

-=+=-

"Dog Surprise"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=226

-=+=-

"Jet Boy"
http://www.cybersalt.org/g05.php?id=227

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Daily devotionals are available at http://link.Crosswalk.Com/UM/T.asp?A1. 39. 17757. 1. 494611 You can access more information on Crosswalk's Fun page http://www.Crosswalk.Com/fun/! Crosswalk gives credit to the author of a joke when author is known. Feel free to send notification to admin@cybersalt.org in cases where credit has not been given to the author! -SUBSCRIPTION INFO- * Copyright2004 Crosswalk.Com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. Introducing www.Crossguide.Com Where Christians find Products, Services & Ministries.
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/parental.html - - Parental Proposal "The help wanted pages are filled with job descriptions that defy comprehension. This probably explains why so many parents can't quite figure out what it is their children do for a living..."
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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MSN Encarta Encyclopedia - - http://encarta.msn.com/artcenter_0/Encyclopedia_Articles.html - - Search more than 4,500 articles on the world of knowledge - from aardvark to Zambia.
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Global Warming: Frequently Asked Questions - - http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html - - Questions and answers about global warming from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Questions include: is global warming happening, is the sea level rising, definitions of the greenhouse effect, the relationship of El Niños and global warming, and sources for more information.
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China in the Red - - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/red/ - - Companion Web site to a 2003 PBS Frontline documentary that tells the stories of 10 Chinese individuals ... caught up in China's dramatic, ongoing effort to modernize its economy.
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Wi-Fi Free Spot Directory - - http://www.wififreespot.com/ - - The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory is a listing of Wi-Fi enabled locations that offer Free Wireless High Speed Internet Access. USA State-by-State listings come first with other regions of the World listed further down the page. Whether you're a local resident or a business or vacation traveler just passing by, The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory will help you find all types of Free Wi-Fi locations. You'll find cafes, restaurants, coffeeshops, libraries, downtown business districts, malls, stores, laundramats, auto repair shops, RV parks, airports, Hotels, vacation rental properties, etc. that are open to guests, customers and/or the general public.
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eHow - - http://www.ehow.com/ - - eHow.com is the world's most widely read how to manual. Every month over 4 million people visit eHow to learn how to do something. With hundreds of thousands of pages of advice, eHow offers staff-written, reviewed and edited step-by-step solutions. Every eHow is clear, concise, and accurate.
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Map Collections: 1500-2004 - - http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html - - The Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress holds more than 4.5 million items, of which Map Collections represents only a small fraction, those that have been converted to digital form. The focus of Map Collections is Americana and Cartographic Treasures of the Library of Congress. These images were created from maps and atlases and, in general, are restricted to items that are not covered by copyright protection.
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Consumer Sentinel - - http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel/ - - See how law enforcement all over the world work together to fight fraud, using Consumer Sentinel, an innovative, international law enforcement fraud-fighting program. Use this site to: get the facts on consumer frauds from Internet cons, prize promotions, work-at-home schemes, and telemarketing scams to identity theft; report your fraud complaints so they can be shared with law enforcement officials across the U.S. and around the world; learn how U.S., Canadian, and Australian law enforcers work together with private sector companies and consumer organizations to combat fraud; see trends and the types of complaints consumers file.
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State of the Union Addresses of the American Presidents - - http://www.asksam.com/ebooks/StateOfTheUnion/ - - Search and analyze the the full-text of all State of the Union Addresses from 1790-2005. The State of the Union Address is an annual event in which the President of the United States reports on the status of the country. The address is also used to outline the President's legislative proposals for the upcoming year.
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------------ Safety From The Heart ----------
February 2, 2006

Heart Association's website contains great information for men and women about keeping your heart healthy. http://www.heart.org Participate In National Wear Red Day

(Embedded image moved to file: pic18132.pcx)Everyone (men too!) can support the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red on February 3, 2006? National Wear Red Day. It's a simple, powerful way to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke. By joining together with thousands of women, companies and organizations, and cities across America, you'll help the American Heart Association support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease.

Understand Your Enemy

(Embedded image moved to file: pic29956.pcx)Cardiovascular disease is public enemy No. 1, claiming the lives of more women than the next five causes of death combined ? almost twice as many as all forms of cancer. Fortunately, you can do many things to fight cardiovascular diseases.

By learning all you can about these serious health threats, you can work to reduce your risks. More research needs to be done on heart disease and stroke in women, but plenty of life-enhancing information already exists.

Educate yourself and your loved ones about heart disease and stroke. Then do something about it.

 Get quick facts on heart disease and stroke
 Learn about heart disease and stroke
 Are you at risk?
 Know the warning signs

http://www.heart.org
------------ Safety From The Heart ----------
January 31, 2006
Defensive Driving

Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Billy Varn.

We hear it more and more each day about employees having near-miss accidents or accidents while driving to and from work or just wheeling around Orangeburg. It is a very dangerous town to drive in. Not a day goes by that doesn't offer some form of excitement in the daily trek to and from work.

I was coming down the Cannon Bridge Road on my way to work one sunny Saturday morning and as I approached Young's store, a lady was waiting to pull out onto the road. She looked straight at me and at the last second shot right out in front of my truck. I had to use some pretty severe driving tactics to miss hitting her broadside. Thank goodness no one coming from the other direction was close to us, or it would have been a three-car collision or a head-on for me.

Awareness is a major factor in defensive driving. Always watch the person at a stoplight, stop sign or one getting ready to enter the road from a business.

I was attempting to recover from this "clean out your pants scare" and was heading to Dodger's for a tank of gas. Low and behold, less than a mile down the road, a car was stopped in the road waiting to take a left turn. I could see the driver looking at me and he had a cell phone growing on the side of his head. As I got closer, I began to slow a little, still weary from the previous scare. At the very last second, this idiot turned right in front of me and evasive driving combined with the fact that I was alert to my surroundings, helped me avoid another accident. (Yes Dale, I went and bought a bottle of Jack Daniels!) Once again "Awareness" paid off.

I read the other day where the DOT is considering giving driving tests by computer in order to get a driver's license--"Here's your sign!!"--stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!

Another thing that amazes me is the number of vehicles that have one headlight on at night, with all park lights burned out--one doesn't know if the light is on the right or the left. If the light is on the right side of the car and it is near the center of the road, the other side of the car is headed straight for you. How about turn signals, have all these people forgotten what they are for? Maybe the car dealers need to show these people where the turn signal switch is and what it's there for.

One last thing--there are far too many vehicles on the road lately that do not have functioning brake lights--don't follow too closely.

Remember, "AWARENESS" while driving will save you bodily injury and very possibly your life.
------------ Safety From The Heart ----------
January 30, 2006
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Robert Dunning.
Education, not fear, may be the answer.
Even one in a million is too high!

Firearm Safety In America 2005

The number of privately owned guns in the U.S. is at an all-time high, and rises by about 4.5 million per year.

Meanwhile, the nation's violent crime rate has decreased every year since 1991 and is now at a 27-year low.

Below, statistics from 1981 forward are from the National Center for Health Statistics, while those prior to 1981 are from the National Safety Council.

The NCHS' annual numbers, rates, and trends of common accidents and selected other causes of death, for the U.S., each state, and the District of Columbia, are available on the NRA-ILA website in spreadsheet format.

* Firearm accident deaths have been decreasing for decades. Since 1930, their annual number has decreased 76%, while the U.S. population has more than doubled and the number of firearms has quintupled. Among children, such deaths have decreased 89% since 1975.
* Firearm accident deaths are at an all-time annual low, nationally and among children, while the U.S. population is at an all-time high. In 2002, there were 762 such deaths nationally, including 60 among children. Today, the odds are more than a million to one against a child in the U.S. dying from a firearm accident.
* The firearm accident death rate is at an all-time annual low, 0.26 per 100,000 population, down 92% since the all-time high in 1904.
* Firearms are involved in 1% of all deaths, and 1% of all deaths among children. Deaths involving firearms have decreased 19% since 1993.
* Firearms are involved in 0.7% of accidental deaths nationally, and in 1% among children. Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (41%), poisoning (16%), falls (15%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles (1%). Among children: motor vehicles (44%), suffocation (16%), drowning (16%), fires (9%), bicycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (1%), and medical mistakes (1%).

Education decreases accidents. Voluntary firearms safety training, not government intrusion, has decreased firearms accidents. NRA firearm safety programs are conducted by 62,000 NRA Certified Instructors and Coaches nationwide. Youngsters learn firearm safety in NRA programs offered through civic groups such as the Boy Scouts, Jaycees, the American Legion, and schools.

NRA's Eddie Eagle GunSafe(r) program teaches children pre-K through 6th grade that if they see a firearm without supervision, they should "STOP! Don't Touch. Leave The Area.
Tell An Adult." Since 1988, the program has been used by more than 22,000 schools, civic groups, and law enforcement agencies to reach 18 million children.

1. See BATF, "Firearms Commerce in the United States 2001/2002" (www.atf.gov/pub/index.htm#Firearms).

2. FBI, Crime in the United States 2003 (www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm#cius), BJS (http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/), and FBI (www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel04/pressrel121304.htm and www.fbi.gov/ucr/2004/6mosprelim04.pdf).

3. See www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars or wonder.cdc.gov.

4. Available at www.nsc.org/.

5. See www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=127.

6. For more on NRA training programs, visit www.nrahq.org (click "Education and Training") or call 703-267-1500.

7. For more on the Eddie Eagle program, visit www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/ or call 703-267-1573.

8. Pete Shields, quoted in The New Yorker, "A Reporter At Large: Handguns," July 26, 1976.

9. NRA-ILA "Not 12 Per Day" fact sheet, http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=21

10. Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 1, 1997.

Posted: 1/21/2005

*What is The Eddie Eagle GunSafe^® Program? *

Eddie Eagle The Eddie Eagle GunSafe^® Program teaches children in pre-K through third grade four important steps to take if they find a gun. These steps are presented by the program's mascot, Eddie Eagle^® , in an easy-to-remember format consisting of the following simple rules:

*If you see a gun: *

*STOP!
Don't Touch.
Leave the Area.
Tell an Adult.*

Begun in 1988, The Eddie Eagle GunSafe^® Program has reached more than 18 million total today -- in all 50 states. This program was developed through the combined efforts of such qualified professionals as clinical psychologists, reading specialists, teachers, curriculum specialists, urban housing safety officials, and law enforcement personnel.

Anyone may teach The Eddie Eagle GunSafe^® Program, and NRA membership is not required. The program may be readily incorporated into existing school curriculum, taught in a one- to five-day format, and used to reach both levels or simply one or two grades. Materials available through this program are: student workbooks, 7-minute animated video, instructor guides, brochures, and student reward stickers. Program materials are also available in Spanish.

The NRA is committed to helping keep America's young children safe. In efforts to do so, we offer our program at a nominal fee. Schools, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, daycare centers, and libraries may be eligible to receive grant funding to defray program costs. Grant funding is available in many states to these groups to cover the cost of all program curriculum materials.

The purpose of the Eddie Eagle Program isn't to teach whether guns are good or bad, but rather to promote the protection and safety of children. The program makes no value judgments about firearms, and no firearms are ever used in the program. Like swimming pools, electrical outlets, matchbooks and household poison, they're treated simply as a fact of everyday life. With firearms found in about half of all American households, it's a stance that makes sense.

Eddie Eagle is never shown touching a firearm, and he does not promote firearm ownership or use. The program prohibits the use of Eddie Eagle mascots anywhere that guns are present. The Eddie Eagle Program has no agenda other than accident prevention -- ensuring that children stay safe should they encounter a gun. The program never mentions the NRA. Nor does it encourage children to buy guns or to become NRA members. The NRA does not receive any appropriations from Congress, nor is it a trade organization. It is not affiliated with any firearm or ammunition manufacturers or with any businesses that deal in guns and ammunition
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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.
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PARENT - Job Description
This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way, none of us would have done it!!!!

POSITION : Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa
JOB DESCRIPTION : Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES ! : The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION : None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE : None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION : Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When ! you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS : While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Thanks to David Lamb
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Road Rage

An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him.

He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.

She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.

"I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday- School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian Fish emblem on the trunk.

Naturally... I assumed you had stolen the car."

. . priceless
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Never doubt the Word of God!!!

Make a personal reflection about this. Very interesting, read until the end
...
It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7): "Be not deceived; God is not
mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Here are some men and women who mocked God:
JOHN LENNON: Some years before during his interview with an American
Magazine, he said: "Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not
have to
argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too
simple. Today we are more famous than Him." (1966)
Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ,
was shot six times.

TANCREDO NEVES: During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500
votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency.
Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President,
then he died.

CAZUZA: During a show in Canecão ( Rio de Janeiro), whilst smoking his
cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: "God, that's
for you."

I can't even explain how he died.

THE MAN WHO BUILT TITANIC: After the construction of Titanic, a reporter
asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: "Not
even God can sink this ship."
The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.

MARILYN MONROE: She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a
show. He is a preacher and Evangelist and the Spirit of God had sent him to
preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said, "I
don't need your Jesus.
A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.

BON SCOTT: The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang:
"Dońt stop me, Ím going down all the way, wow the highway to hell."
On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked
by his vomit.

CAMPINAS/SP IN 2005: In Campinas, a group of friends, drunk, went to pick
up a friend. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about
the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter - holding her hand,
who was already seated in the car: "MY DAUGHTER, GO WITH GOD AND MAY HE
PROTECT YOU." She responded: ONLY IF HE (GOD) TRAVELS IN THE BOOT, COZ
INSIDE HERE IT'S ALREADY FULL."
Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident.
Everyone had died. The car could not be recognized as to what type of car
it had been, but surprisingly, the boot was intact. The police said there
was no way the boot could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside
the boot was a crate of eggs and none were broken.

Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that
was given so much authority as the name of Jesus. Many have died, but only
Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive. JESUS!!!

Thanks to Ken and Carol Sibley
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This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York Hospital.

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Dr. Dennis Shields, Professor
Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, New York 10461

Thanks to John Chadsey
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To Kill an American
You probably missed it in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is so they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!) "
An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.
An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.
An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.
An American is generous.
Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. Americans welcome the best of everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services. But they also welcome the least.
The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcome s your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists. So you can try to kill an American if you must.
Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But , in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Thanks to John Chadsey
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Nowhere but the Internet can you find a company that penalizes customers who like it too much. That's the case with Netflix, the online company that pioneered DVD movie rentals by mail, causing major headaches for brick-and-mortar operations like Blockbuster.

While most businesses would kill to get more customers to buy products or use their services, Netflix punishes their heaviest users by making fewer movies available to them and delaying shipments.

http://update.internetweek.cmp.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/et7e0GOs7F0G4X0EE7g0Ey

Those who find this hard to believe, only have to read Netflix's Terms of Service, which reads, in part, "In determining priority for shipping and inventory allocation, we give priority to those members who receive the fewest DVDs through our service."

The reason for this less-than-customer-friendly policy is that Netflix makes more money off of the occasional user than from movie lovers who watch DVDs as soon as they get them, and then ship them back in Netflix's pre-paid envelope in order to get more movies. Since everyone pays the same amount each month, it's obvious why film buffs are Netflix's worst nightmare.

Fortunately, there's a way to bypass Netflix's system, so you don't have to be taken to the woodshed for your obsession with Hollywood. You'll have to read the story to find out, or you can tell Netflix to stick it, and head to Blockbuster.
Thanks to Trina Montgomery
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Below please find your 2006 road map.

Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
The road to success is not straight.

There is a curve called Failure,
a loop called Confusion,
speed bumps called Friends,
red lights called Enemies,
caution lights called Family.
You will have flats called Jobs.

But, if you have a spare called Determination,
an engine called Perseverance,
insurance called Faith,
a driver called Jesus,
you will make it to a place called Success.

Thanks to Trina Montgomery
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Thrifty Seniors

We went to breakfast at a restaurant where the "seniors' special" was two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $1.99. "Sounds good," my wife said. "But I don't want the eggs."
"Then I'll have to charge you two dollars and forty-nine cents because you're ordering a la carte," the waitress warned her.
"You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?" my wife asked incredulously. "I'll take the special."
"How do you want your eggs?"
"Raw and in the shell," my wife replied.
She took the two eggs home. And baked a cake.
DON'T MESS WITH SENIORS

Thanks to David Lamb
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Let's all shop at Sears!!!

This e-mail is a positive note about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up. By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up. Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.

Suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

Pass it on.

So I (Beth), decided to check it out before I sent it forward. I sent the following e-mail to the Sears Customer Service Department:

I received this e-mail and I would like to know if it is true. If it is, the Internet may have just become one very good source of advertisement for your store. I know I would go out of my way to buy products from Sears instead of another store for a like item even if it was cheaper at the other store.

Here is their answer to my email......................

Dear Customer:

Thank you for contacting Sears.

The information is factual. We appreciate your positive feedback. Sears regards service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time.

Bill Thorn
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358

Thanks to Sam Boggs
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National Weather Service Southern Region adds regional radar images and loops from the ridge display. This was begun earlier this week. There are several regional displays and a national
display for the country. The thumbnails are at the bottom of the local radar image.

The url for the Southern MS Valley image is...

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ridge/Conus/southmissvly.shtml

The url for the Southern Plains loop is...

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ridge/Conus/southplains_loop.shtml
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BEAUTIFUL STORY OF DREAMS
Do not miss any line from this...............

Sometimes we get what we need and not what we want..........

Once there were 3 trees on a hill in the woods.

They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the 1st tree said, "Someday, I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems and be decorated with intricate carvings. Everyone would see my beauty."

The 2nd tree said, "Someday, I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of other world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally, the 3rd tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time, and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams
would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One came to the 1st tree and said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell th e wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a
treasure chest.

At the 2nd tree, one of the other woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The 2nd tree was happy, because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the 3rd tree, the tree was frightened, because it knew that, if it is cut down, its dream would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, so I'll take this one," and he cut it down.

When the 1st tree arrived at the carpenter's, he was made into a feed box for animals, placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The 2nd tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.
The 3rd tree was cut into large pieces and left
alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one filtered day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth, and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest
treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose, and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace," and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets, and the crowd mocked the man who was carrying it.
Finally, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.

When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that, when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts.
Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best

Thanks to Cecelia Congleton
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Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.
Thanks to Cecelia Congleton
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Activities and Events of Interest
~~~
FBC Ladies Conference, Saturday, February 4, 2006. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
~~~
Banner - News “Ladies Night Out”, Tuesday, February 7, 2006. 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
~~~
Junior Charity League “Follies” Friday night - February 24, and Saturday night - February 25. ~~~
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. Spc. Brian J. Schoff, 22, of Manchester, Tenn., died in Baghdad, Iraq on Jan. 28, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. Schoff was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

02. Lance Cpl. Billy D. Brixey Jr., 21, of Ferriday, La., died Jan. 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, from wounds received as a result of an improvised explosive device while traveling in a convoy in Afghanistan on Jan. 25. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. During Operation Enduring Freedom, his unit was attached to 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

03. Sgt. David L. Herrera, 26, of Oceanside, Calif., died in Baghdad, Iraq on Jan. 28, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Herrera was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
04. Lance Cpl. Hugo R. Lopezlopez, 20, of La Habra, Calif., died Jan. 27 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Rawah, Iraq on Nov. 20, 2005. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, (Forward).
05. Cpl. Felipe C. Barbosa, 21, of High Point, N.C., died Jan. 28 from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Fallujah, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

06. Pfc. Scott A. Messer, 26, of Ashland, Ky., died in Ashraf, Iraq, on Feb. 2, when his HMMWV accidentally rolled over during convoy operations. Messer was assigned to the Army's 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

07. Spc. Walter B. Howard, II, 35, of Rochester, Mich., died in Balad, Iraq, on Feb. 2, of injuries sustained earlier that day in Ashraf, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his M1 Abrams tank. Howard was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Feb. 1, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV. The soldiers were assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
08. 1st Lt. Garrison C. Avery, 23, of Lincoln, Neb.
09. Spc. Marlon A. Bustamante, 25, of Corona, N.Y.
10. Pfc. Caesar S. Viglienzone, 21, of Santa Rosa, Calif.

~

Air Force Officer MIA 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 will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Col. Eugene D. Hamilton of Opelika, Ala. Final arrangements for his funeral have not been set.

On Jan. 31, 1966, Hamilton was flying an armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam when his F-105D ‘Thunderchief’ was hit by enemy ground fire over Ha Tinh province. His mission was part of a larger operation, known as Operation Rolling Thunder, which attacked air defense systems and the flow of supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Airborne searches for his crash site that day were unsuccessful. A radio broadcast from Hanoi reported an F-105 had been shot down but did not provide any details.

Between July 1993 and November 2000, joint U.S.-Vietnam teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted four investigations and one excavation searching for the pilot and his plane.

An investigation team in March 2000 learned from a Vietnamese villager that an area excavated in 1997 was not the location of the pilot’s burial. A second location was then excavated in August and September 2000, which did yield aircraft wreckage, personal effects and human remains.

In 2004, three Vietnamese citizens turned over to a JPAC team remains they had found at the same crash site a year earlier.

In late May 2005, the JPAC team recovered fragments of possible human remains and life support equipment from the 2000 crash site. Personal effects found there also included a leather nametag with the name “HAMILTON” partially visible on it.

JPAC scientists and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory specialists used mitochondrial DNA as one of the forensic tools to help identify the remains. Laboratory analysis of dental remains also confirmed his identity.

Of those Americans unaccounted-for from all conflicts, 1,807 are from the Vietnam War, with 1,382 of those within the country of Vietnam. Another 839 Americans have been accounted-for in Southeast Asia since the end of the war, with 599 from Vietnam.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website 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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It’s never too early to start making your Birthday list. (Well, I didn’t expect to get everything for Christmas.)
Rechargeable Batteries for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (9.6 volts, 600 mAh battery, 2 each (for our two radios)), Yaesu FT-50 (it takes a FNB-83 7.2V1400mAh battery), Yaesu, VX-1 (it takes a FNB-52LI 3.6V 700mAh Lithium-Ion battery).
New “Rubber Ducky” antennas for the following “Ham” radios: Kenwood TH-22-AT (two radios)
Anything from Larry Norman
Back Scratcher
Basic tools of any kind
Batteries, 9 volt
Batteries, AAA
Blankets or Quilts
Book, “The Good Life: Seeking Purpose, Meaning, and Truth in Your Life” by Charles Colson
“Boot” Horn
Chair, office $49 from SAMS (5 of them)
Cheese Grater
Cordless Drill
Cordless Screwdriver
A DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 device
A copy of DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2006 Plus
A copy of DeLorme Topo USA 5.0
Digital Video Recorder (Pioneer DVR-533H-S $333 at Beach Camera)
Eyeglasses, “Computer type” to use at church (and some new ones to use at home and at work.)
Floor Mats (for the truck)
A new “Gitter”
Handkerchiefs
Hasselblad H2D-39 Digital Professional Camera
Hat (warm, for bald guys winter wear.)
Magnifying Glass.
New Showerhead
Non skid toilet rug
Refrigerator Thermometer
Small, lightweight “head light” so I can see small things on the desk or work bench.
Some Warmup Suits to wear around the house after we get that first gas bill.
Trackball for the home computer
VHS - DVD Recorder (Lite-On LVC-9006 $219 @ Buy.com)
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Scheduled Activities
~~~
Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 8 p.m. Monday - Friday. At noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sunday at 914 N. Vine
~~~
Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
~~~
Columbia County Diabetes Support Group - Every third Monday, 7:00 p.m. room 222, Magnolia Hospital
~~~
"Focus on the Family" with Dr. James Dobson weekday afternoons at 1 PM on KVMA am 630 it's a great show!
~~~
MCC - Abraham Prayer - Sunday at 5:00 p.m and Wednesday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
~~~
MCC - Early Morning Prayer - Monday - Friday, From 6:30 am to 8:00 am
~~~
MCC - "Beth Moore" Video Class - Thursday nights at 5:45 pm
~~~
MCC - "Faith Builders" Small group meets at 1051 Columbia 36 the second and fourth Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm.
~~~
MCC - Firm Foundations Class, Sunday 9:30 to 10:15 a.m
~~~
MCC - Meadow Brook Nursing Home Ministry Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m
~~~
MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
~~~
MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
~~~
MCC - Over comers: Fridays @ 7:00 p.m- Director, Traci Foster invites you to a 12 step Christian support program. For anyone with a life controlling problem. Child care is provided.
~~~
Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
~~~
Narcotics Anonymous 5-6 pm every Monday at 220 Pine street.
~~~
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) 5 pm every Tuesday in the Magnolia Hospital break room.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234-5655
(Non - Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance - 234-7371 (24 Hour)
Jail - 234-5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control - 800-222-1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." -- "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" -- "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." -- "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." - - "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." - - Paul Troquille
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Isa 40:27-29 Jer 29:12-14 Isa 12:2-5 Isa 50:10-11 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

P. S. If you'd like to be added to the distribution, just drop us E-mail at KC5HII@Magnolia-Net.Com. We offer "Da Bleat" as text, a "Blog" and as a newsletter with pictures in Word and PDF format. For the "Blog" version just go to http://bugsbleat1q.blogspot.com/ to see the latest issue. This week, "Word" and "PDF" subscribers get to see photos of proud parents and grandparents watching “Upward” baskeball at Central Baptist Church, and three shots of Dusty at the game..
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at KC5HII@Magnolia-Net.Com and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. Of course "Da Bleat" is now on the web. Just go to http://bugsbleat1q.blogspot.com to see the latest issue (usually updated sometime Friday evening or Saturday morning. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2005 before it was sent. ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>