Fox News has announced plans to change their name to one more suitable to their real mission.
The candidates are:
1. Pravda
2. Izvestia
3. Bush Tales
4. Goose Step News
5. Fascist Road
6. Biased and Don't Care
7. Lie Brary of Knowledge (from CT)
8. All Anti-Hillary, All the Time
9. Fixed News
10.Dumb, So You Don't Have to Be
11.All the Points of View You Agree with Anyway
:>)
Monday, December 31, 2007
Looking at America
Editorial
The New York Times
Published: December 31, 2007
There are too many moments these days when we cannot recognize our country. Sunday was one of them, as we read the account in The Times of how men in some of the most trusted posts in the nation plotted to cover up the torture of prisoners by Central Intelligence Agency interrogators by destroying videotapes of their sickening behavior. It was impossible to see the founding principles of the greatest democracy in the contempt these men and their bosses showed for the Constitution, the rule of law and human decency.
It was not the first time in recent years we’ve felt this horror, this sorrowful sense of estrangement, not nearly. This sort of lawless behavior has become standard practice since Sept. 11, 2001.
The country and much of the world was rightly and profoundly frightened by the single-minded hatred and ingenuity displayed by this new enemy. But there is no excuse for how President Bush and his advisers panicked — how they forgot that it is their responsibility to protect American lives and American ideals, that there really is no safety for Americans or their country when those ideals are sacrificed.
Out of panic and ideology, President Bush squandered America’s position of moral and political leadership, swept aside international institutions and treaties, sullied America’s global image, and trampled on the constitutional pillars that have supported our democracy through the most terrifying and challenging times. These policies have fed the world’s anger and alienation and have not made any of us safer.
In the years since 9/11, we have seen American soldiers abuse, sexually humiliate, torment and murder prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq. A few have been punished, but their leaders have never been called to account. We have seen mercenaries gun down Iraqi civilians with no fear of prosecution. We have seen the president, sworn to defend the Constitution, turn his powers on his own citizens, authorizing the intelligence agencies to spy on Americans, wiretapping phones and intercepting international e-mail messages without a warrant.
We have read accounts of how the government’s top lawyers huddled in secret after the attacks in New York and Washington and plotted ways to circumvent the Geneva Conventions — and both American and international law — to hold anyone the president chose indefinitely without charges or judicial review.
Those same lawyers then twisted other laws beyond recognition to allow Mr. Bush to turn intelligence agents into torturers, to force doctors to abdicate their professional oaths and responsibilities to prepare prisoners for abuse, and then to monitor the torment to make sure it didn’t go just a bit too far and actually kill them.
The White House used the fear of terrorism and the sense of national unity to ram laws through Congress that gave law-enforcement agencies far more power than they truly needed to respond to the threat — and at the same time fulfilled the imperial fantasies of Vice President Dick Cheney and others determined to use the tragedy of 9/11 to arrogate as much power as they could.
Hundreds of men, swept up on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, were thrown into a prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, so that the White House could claim they were beyond the reach of American laws. Prisoners are held there with no hope of real justice, only the chance to face a kangaroo court where evidence and the names of their accusers are kept secret, and where they are not permitted to talk about the abuse they have suffered at the hands of American jailers.
In other foreign lands, the C.I.A. set up secret jails where “high-value detainees” were subjected to ever more barbaric acts, including simulated drowning. These crimes were videotaped, so that “experts” could watch them, and then the videotapes were destroyed, after consultation with the White House, in the hope that Americans would never know.
The C.I.A. contracted out its inhumanity to nations with no respect for life or law, sending prisoners — some of them innocents kidnapped on street corners and in airports — to be tortured into making false confessions, or until it was clear they had nothing to say and so were let go without any apology or hope of redress.
These are not the only shocking abuses of President Bush’s two terms in office, made in the name of fighting terrorism. There is much more — so much that the next president will have a full agenda simply discovering all the wrongs that have been done and then righting them.
We can only hope that this time, unlike 2004, American voters will have the wisdom to grant the awesome powers of the presidency to someone who has the integrity, principle and decency to use them honorably. Then when we look in the mirror as a nation, we will see, once again, the reflection of the United States of America.
The New York Times
Published: December 31, 2007
There are too many moments these days when we cannot recognize our country. Sunday was one of them, as we read the account in The Times of how men in some of the most trusted posts in the nation plotted to cover up the torture of prisoners by Central Intelligence Agency interrogators by destroying videotapes of their sickening behavior. It was impossible to see the founding principles of the greatest democracy in the contempt these men and their bosses showed for the Constitution, the rule of law and human decency.
It was not the first time in recent years we’ve felt this horror, this sorrowful sense of estrangement, not nearly. This sort of lawless behavior has become standard practice since Sept. 11, 2001.
The country and much of the world was rightly and profoundly frightened by the single-minded hatred and ingenuity displayed by this new enemy. But there is no excuse for how President Bush and his advisers panicked — how they forgot that it is their responsibility to protect American lives and American ideals, that there really is no safety for Americans or their country when those ideals are sacrificed.
Out of panic and ideology, President Bush squandered America’s position of moral and political leadership, swept aside international institutions and treaties, sullied America’s global image, and trampled on the constitutional pillars that have supported our democracy through the most terrifying and challenging times. These policies have fed the world’s anger and alienation and have not made any of us safer.
In the years since 9/11, we have seen American soldiers abuse, sexually humiliate, torment and murder prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq. A few have been punished, but their leaders have never been called to account. We have seen mercenaries gun down Iraqi civilians with no fear of prosecution. We have seen the president, sworn to defend the Constitution, turn his powers on his own citizens, authorizing the intelligence agencies to spy on Americans, wiretapping phones and intercepting international e-mail messages without a warrant.
We have read accounts of how the government’s top lawyers huddled in secret after the attacks in New York and Washington and plotted ways to circumvent the Geneva Conventions — and both American and international law — to hold anyone the president chose indefinitely without charges or judicial review.
Those same lawyers then twisted other laws beyond recognition to allow Mr. Bush to turn intelligence agents into torturers, to force doctors to abdicate their professional oaths and responsibilities to prepare prisoners for abuse, and then to monitor the torment to make sure it didn’t go just a bit too far and actually kill them.
The White House used the fear of terrorism and the sense of national unity to ram laws through Congress that gave law-enforcement agencies far more power than they truly needed to respond to the threat — and at the same time fulfilled the imperial fantasies of Vice President Dick Cheney and others determined to use the tragedy of 9/11 to arrogate as much power as they could.
Hundreds of men, swept up on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, were thrown into a prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, so that the White House could claim they were beyond the reach of American laws. Prisoners are held there with no hope of real justice, only the chance to face a kangaroo court where evidence and the names of their accusers are kept secret, and where they are not permitted to talk about the abuse they have suffered at the hands of American jailers.
In other foreign lands, the C.I.A. set up secret jails where “high-value detainees” were subjected to ever more barbaric acts, including simulated drowning. These crimes were videotaped, so that “experts” could watch them, and then the videotapes were destroyed, after consultation with the White House, in the hope that Americans would never know.
The C.I.A. contracted out its inhumanity to nations with no respect for life or law, sending prisoners — some of them innocents kidnapped on street corners and in airports — to be tortured into making false confessions, or until it was clear they had nothing to say and so were let go without any apology or hope of redress.
These are not the only shocking abuses of President Bush’s two terms in office, made in the name of fighting terrorism. There is much more — so much that the next president will have a full agenda simply discovering all the wrongs that have been done and then righting them.
We can only hope that this time, unlike 2004, American voters will have the wisdom to grant the awesome powers of the presidency to someone who has the integrity, principle and decency to use them honorably. Then when we look in the mirror as a nation, we will see, once again, the reflection of the United States of America.
The Great Divide
December 31, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
The Great Divide
By PAUL KRUGMAN
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/pau
lkrugman/index.html?inline=nyt-per>
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/opinion/31krugman.html?th=&emc=th&pagewant
ed=print
Op-Ed Columnist
The Great Divide
By PAUL KRUGMAN
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/pau
lkrugman/index.html?inline=nyt-per>
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/opinion/31krugman.html?th=&emc=th&pagewant
ed=print
Yesterday The Times published a highly informative chart laying out the
positions of the presidential candidates on major issues. It was, I'd argue,
a useful reality check for those who believe that the next president can
somehow usher in a new era of bipartisan cooperation.
For what the chart made clear was the extent to which Democrats and
Republicans live in separate moral and intellectual universes.
On one side, the Democrats are all promising to get out of Iraq and offering
strongly progressive policies on taxes, health care and the environment.
That's understandable: the public hates the war, and public opinion seems to
be running in a progressive direction.
What seems harder to understand is what's happening on the other side - the
degree to which almost all the Republicans have chosen to align themselves
closely with the unpopular policies of an unpopular president. And I'm not
just talking about their continuing enthusiasm for the Iraq war. The G.O.P.
candidates are equally supportive of Bush economic policies.
Why would politicians support Bushonomics? After all, the public is very
unhappy with the state of the economy, for good reason. The "Bush boom,"
such as it was, bypassed most Americans - median family income, adjusted for
inflation, has stagnated in the Bush years, and so have the real earnings of
the typical worker. Meanwhile, insecurity has increased, with a declining
fraction of Americans receiving health insurance from their employers.
And things seem likely to get worse as the election approaches. For a few
years, the economy was at least creating jobs at a respectable pace - but as
the housing slump and the associated credit crunch accelerate and spill over
to the rest of the economy, most analysts expect employment to weaken, too.
All in all, it's an economic and political environment in which you'd expect
Republican politicians, as a sheer matter of calculation, to look for ways
to distance themselves from the current administration's economic policies
and record - say, by expressing some concern about rising income gaps and
the fraying social safety net.
In fact, however, except for Mike Huckabee - a peculiar case who'll deserve
more discussion if he stays in contention - the leading Republican
contenders have gone out of their way to assure voters that they will not
deviate an inch from the Bush path. Why? Because the G.O.P. is still
controlled by a conservative movement that does not tolerate deviations from
tax-cutting, free-market, greed-is-good orthodoxy.
To see the extent to which Republican politicians still cower before the
power of movement conservatism, consider the sad case of John McCain.
Mr. McCain's lingering reputation as a maverick straight talker comes
largely from his opposition to the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, which he
said at the time were too big and too skewed to the rich. Those objections
would seem to have even more force now, with America facing the costs of an
expensive war - which Mr. McCain fervently supports - and with income
inequality reaching new heights.
But Mr. McCain now says that he supports making the Bush tax cuts permanent.
Not only that: he's become a convert to crude supply-side economics,
claiming that cutting taxes actually increases revenues. That's an assertion
even Bush administration officials concede is false.
Oh, and what about his earlier opposition to tax cuts? Mr. McCain now says
he opposed the Bush tax cuts only because they weren't offset by spending
cuts.
Aside from the logical problem here - if tax cuts increase revenue, why do
they need to be offset? - even a cursory look at what Mr. McCain said at the
time shows that he's trying to rewrite history: he actually attacked the
Bush tax cuts from the left, not the right. But he has clearly decided that
it's better to fib about his record than admit that he wasn't always a
rock-solid economic conservative.
So what does the conversion of Mr. McCain into an avowed believer in voodoo
economics - and the comparable conversions of Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani
- tell us? That bitter partisanship and political polarization aren't going
away anytime soon.
There's a fantasy, widely held inside the Beltway, that men and women of
good will from both parties can be brought together to hammer out bipartisan
solutions to the nation's problems.
If such a thing were possible, Mr. McCain, Mr. Romney and Mr. Giuliani - a
self-proclaimed maverick, the former governor of a liberal state and the
former mayor of an equally liberal city - would seem like the kind of men
Democrats could deal with. (O.K., maybe not Mr. Giuliani.) In fact, however,
it's not possible, not given the nature of today's Republican Party, which
has turned men like Mr. McCain and Mr. Romney into hard-line ideologues. On
economics, and on much else, there is no common ground between the parties.
Military Pictures Slideshows
Here are a couple of great slide shows of military pictures. Thanks to Lenny and Bruce for these posts.
Both use PowerPoint Viewer software.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/100greatestmilitaryphotographs.pps
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/awesomeslideshow.pps
Both use PowerPoint Viewer software.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/100greatestmilitaryphotographs.pps
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/awesomeslideshow.pps
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Calvin & Hobbes - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/24/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/25/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/26/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/27/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/28/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/29/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/30/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/25/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/26/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/27/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/28/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/29/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2007/12/30/
Monday, December 24, 2007
God's Cowboy
A phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3.
So profound, the station has it posted on their website.
Click below to listen.
It's short.
http://www.youtube.com/greeting_view?s=WPJ7ajNqJm0&p=A4F1B7EF7822CC2F
So profound, the station has it posted on their website.
Click below to listen.
It's short.
http://www.youtube.com/greeting_view?s=WPJ7ajNqJm0&p=A4F1B7EF7822CC2F
Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Harley
A bit crude, but I still laughed out loud. Thanks, Snuffy!
----------------------------------------------------------
This guy has always dreamed of owning a Harley Davidson. One day he has finally saved up enough money so he goes down to the dealer.
After he picks out the perfect bike, the dealer tells him about an old biker trick that will keep the chrome on his new bike free from rust.
The dealer tells him that all he has to do is to keep a jar of Vaseline handy and put it on the chrome before it rains, and everything will be fine.
A few months later, the young man meets a woman and falls in love. She asks him to come home and meet her parents over dinner. He readily accepts and the date is set.
At the appointed time, he picks her up on his Harley and they ride to her parent's house.
Before they go in, she tells him that they have a family tradition that whoever speaks first after dinner does the dishes.
After a delicious dinner everyone sits in silence waiting for the first person to break the silence and get stuck doing the dishes. After a long fifteen minutes, the young man decides to speed things up, so he reaches over and kisses his woman in front of her family.
No one says a word.
Emboldened, he slips his hand under her blouse and fondles her breasts. Still no one says a word. Finally, he throws her on the table and has sex with her in front of everyone.
No one says a word.
Now he is getting desperate, so he grabs her mother and throws HER on the table.
They have even wilder sex.
Still no one speaks.
By now he is thinking what to do next when he hears thunder in the distance.
His first thought is to protect the chrome on his Harley, so he gets his jacket, reaches in his pocket and pulls out his jar of Vaseline.
The father says, "Okay dammit, I'll do the dishes!
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
----------------------------------------------------------
This guy has always dreamed of owning a Harley Davidson. One day he has finally saved up enough money so he goes down to the dealer.
After he picks out the perfect bike, the dealer tells him about an old biker trick that will keep the chrome on his new bike free from rust.
The dealer tells him that all he has to do is to keep a jar of Vaseline handy and put it on the chrome before it rains, and everything will be fine.
A few months later, the young man meets a woman and falls in love. She asks him to come home and meet her parents over dinner. He readily accepts and the date is set.
At the appointed time, he picks her up on his Harley and they ride to her parent's house.
Before they go in, she tells him that they have a family tradition that whoever speaks first after dinner does the dishes.
After a delicious dinner everyone sits in silence waiting for the first person to break the silence and get stuck doing the dishes. After a long fifteen minutes, the young man decides to speed things up, so he reaches over and kisses his woman in front of her family.
No one says a word.
Emboldened, he slips his hand under her blouse and fondles her breasts. Still no one says a word. Finally, he throws her on the table and has sex with her in front of everyone.
No one says a word.
Now he is getting desperate, so he grabs her mother and throws HER on the table.
They have even wilder sex.
Still no one speaks.
By now he is thinking what to do next when he hears thunder in the distance.
His first thought is to protect the chrome on his Harley, so he gets his jacket, reaches in his pocket and pulls out his jar of Vaseline.
The father says, "Okay dammit, I'll do the dishes!
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
Stroke
Mostly true. See http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/stroke.asp.
My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree.
If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously..
Please read:
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.
They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.
Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke .
Now doctors say a by stander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe t he symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one sid e or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke.
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
Remember The 1st Three Letters.... S.T.R.
More Christmas Music
Here's a link to several Christmas songs performed by the First Baptist Plano choir and orchestra. I sing bass in the choir. Enjoy!
Farmer Gray, "Sleigh Ride" is for you! :)
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/christmasmusic
All music plays with Windows Media.
Farmer Gray, "Sleigh Ride" is for you! :)
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/christmasmusic
All music plays with Windows Media.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Lake Lewisville Views at Sunset
Pictures from Little Elm Park on the northeast corner of Lake Lewisville, about 3 miles from our new home.
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/LakeLewisvilleViews
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/LakeLewisvilleViews
Cuttin' and Burnin'
These are pictures from the lake lot on Friday. A whole lotta cuttin' goin' on!
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/PaulTheLumberjack
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/PaulTheLumberjack
Friday, December 21, 2007
Merry Christmas Music and Pictures
Here's a song to bring you some Christmas cheer! It's from a 2004 recording of The Living Christmas Tree performance by my First Baptist, Plano choir. I'm singing! Enjoy!
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/05NutcrackerJingles.wma
It plays with Windows Media.
And here's some family Christmas pictures from the square in McKinney.
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/McKinneyChristmasPictures
Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!!!!!
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/05NutcrackerJingles.wma
It plays with Windows Media.
And here's some family Christmas pictures from the square in McKinney.
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/McKinneyChristmasPictures
Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!!!!!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Voted the best joke in Australia
Charlie walks into his bedroom with a sheep under his arm and says,
"Darling, this is the pig I have sex with when you have a headache."
His girlfriend replies, "I think you'll find that's a sheep...you
idiot!"
Charlie replies, "I think you'll find that I wasn't talking to you."
"Darling, this is the pig I have sex with when you have a headache."
His girlfriend replies, "I think you'll find that's a sheep...you
idiot!"
Charlie replies, "I think you'll find that I wasn't talking to you."
These are Our Credentials
Thanks to Snuffy for this post.
------------------------------
This is a tribute to the US fighting men.
Opens with Powerpoint Viewer or Powerpoint.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/Credentials.pps
------------------------------
This is a tribute to the US fighting men.
Opens with Powerpoint Viewer or Powerpoint.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/Credentials.pps
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Sugar Plums for Special Interests
Taxpayers for Common Sense
http://www.taxpayer.net/
Dear Friend,
Last night, taxpayers received a lump of coal from Congress. With images of earmarks and campaign cash dancing in their heads, the House of Representatives passed a 3,500 page, $516 billion spending bill.
This legislative giant - a combination of eleven must-pass annual appropriations bills and $31 billion in emergency spending - was made available at 12:20 a.m. Monday morning, and received a vote a mere 22 hours later. That's barely enough time for an accomplished speed reader to read it, much less a busy member of Congress.
Please donate today and help us shed light on Congress' spending priorities.
When I wrote to you last week, I shared with you how my team was working overtime preparing for this bill. We spent all day yesterday combing through the bill to get a tally of earmarks and other egregious provisions in the legislation (we even pushed back the TCS holiday party several hours to finish). So far, our preliminary count found 8,983 earmarks worth $7.4 billion. But our work has just begun.
Please make a donation in support of this work today.
Our experience has taught us that bringing the full light of day to the legislative process is the only way taxpayers can ensure their elected representatives are held responsible for their spending decisions. With your help, we can continue to sift through this bill to find every earmark and make public a complete database of these earmarks as quickly after the New Year as possible.
Thank you for your support,
Ryan Alexander
President
P.S. Every new or increased donation amount will be matched by one of our foundation funders. Please double your gift's impact today.
Make a Donation Today: DONATE
http://www.taxpayer.net/
Dear Friend,
Last night, taxpayers received a lump of coal from Congress. With images of earmarks and campaign cash dancing in their heads, the House of Representatives passed a 3,500 page, $516 billion spending bill.
This legislative giant - a combination of eleven must-pass annual appropriations bills and $31 billion in emergency spending - was made available at 12:20 a.m. Monday morning, and received a vote a mere 22 hours later. That's barely enough time for an accomplished speed reader to read it, much less a busy member of Congress.
Please donate today and help us shed light on Congress' spending priorities.
When I wrote to you last week, I shared with you how my team was working overtime preparing for this bill. We spent all day yesterday combing through the bill to get a tally of earmarks and other egregious provisions in the legislation (we even pushed back the TCS holiday party several hours to finish). So far, our preliminary count found 8,983 earmarks worth $7.4 billion. But our work has just begun.
Please make a donation in support of this work today.
Our experience has taught us that bringing the full light of day to the legislative process is the only way taxpayers can ensure their elected representatives are held responsible for their spending decisions. With your help, we can continue to sift through this bill to find every earmark and make public a complete database of these earmarks as quickly after the New Year as possible.
Thank you for your support,
Ryan Alexander
President
P.S. Every new or increased donation amount will be matched by one of our foundation funders. Please double your gift's impact today.
Make a Donation Today: DONATE
Christmas With Louise
Thanks to Ron for this post; it's a good 'un!
---------------------------------------------
This is an article submitted to a 1999 Louisville Sentinel contest to find out who had the wildest Christmas dinners. This won first prize.
Christmas With Louise
As a joke, my brother used to hang a pair of panty hose over his fireplace before Christmas. He said all he wanted was for Santa to fill them. What they say about Santa checking the list twice must be true because every Christmas morning, although Jay's kids' stockings were overflowing, his poor pantyhose hung sadly empty.
One year I decided to make his dream come true. I put on sunglasses and went in search of an inflatable love doll. They don't sell those things at Wal-Mart. I had to go to an adult bookstore downtown.
If you've never been in an X-rated store, don't go. You'll only confuse yourself. I was there an hour saying things like, "What does this do? You're kidding me! Who would buy that?" Finally, I made it to the inflatable doll section.
I wanted to buy a standard, uncomplicated doll that could also substitute as a passenger in my truck so I could use the car pool lane during rush hour.
Finding what I wanted was difficult. Love Dolls come in many different models. The top of the line, according to the side of the box, could do things I'd only seen in a book on animal husbandry. I settled for Lovable Louise. She was at the bottom of the price scale. To call Louise a doll took a huge leap of imagination.
On Christmas Eve and with the help of an old bicycle pump, Louise came to life.
My sister-in -law was in on the plan and let me in during the wee morning hours. Long after Santa had come and gone, I filled the dangling pantyhose with Louise's pliant legs and bottom. I also ate some cookies and drank what remained of a glass of milk on a nearby tray. I went home, and giggled for a couple of hours.
The next morning my brother called to say that Santa had been to his house and left a present that had made him VERY happy but had left the dog confused. She would bark, start to walk away, then come back and bark some more.
We all agreed that Louise should remain in her panty hose so the rest of the family could admire her when they came over for the traditional Christmas dinner.
My grandmother noticed Louise the moment she walked in the door. "What the hell is that?" she asked.
My brother quickly explained, "It's a doll." "Who would play with something like that?" Granny snapped .
I had several candidates in mind, but kept my mouth shut.
"Where are her clothes?" Granny continued.
"Boy, that turkey sure smells nice Gran" Jay said, to steer her into the dining room.
But Granny was relentless. "Why doesn't she have any teeth?"
Again, I could have answered, but why would I? It was Christmas and no one wanted to ride in the back of the ambulance saying, "Hang on Granny, hang on!"
My grandfather, a delightful old man with poor eyesight, sidled up to me and said, "Hey, who's the naked gal by the fireplace?"
I told him she was Jay's friend.
A few minutes later I noticed Grandpa by the mantel, talking to Louise. Not just talking, but actually flirting. It was then that we realized this might be Grandpa's last Christmas at home.
The dinner went well. We made the usual small talk about who had died, who was dying, and who should be killed, when suddenly Louise made a noise like my father in the bathroom in the morning. Then she lurched from the panty hose, flew around the room twice, and fell in a heap in front of the sofa.
The cat screamed. I passed cranberry sauce through my nose, and Grandpa ran across the room, fell to his knees, and began administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. My brother fell back over his chair and wet his pants.
Granny threw down her napkin, stomped out of the room, and sat in the car.
It was indeed a Christmas to treasure and remember.
Later, in my brother's garage, we conducted a thorough examination to decide the cause of Louise's collapse. We discovered that Louise had suffered from a hot ember to the back of her right thigh.
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
---------------------------------------------
This is an article submitted to a 1999 Louisville Sentinel contest to find out who had the wildest Christmas dinners. This won first prize.
Christmas With Louise
As a joke, my brother used to hang a pair of panty hose over his fireplace before Christmas. He said all he wanted was for Santa to fill them. What they say about Santa checking the list twice must be true because every Christmas morning, although Jay's kids' stockings were overflowing, his poor pantyhose hung sadly empty.
One year I decided to make his dream come true. I put on sunglasses and went in search of an inflatable love doll. They don't sell those things at Wal-Mart. I had to go to an adult bookstore downtown.
If you've never been in an X-rated store, don't go. You'll only confuse yourself. I was there an hour saying things like, "What does this do? You're kidding me! Who would buy that?" Finally, I made it to the inflatable doll section.
I wanted to buy a standard, uncomplicated doll that could also substitute as a passenger in my truck so I could use the car pool lane during rush hour.
Finding what I wanted was difficult. Love Dolls come in many different models. The top of the line, according to the side of the box, could do things I'd only seen in a book on animal husbandry. I settled for Lovable Louise. She was at the bottom of the price scale. To call Louise a doll took a huge leap of imagination.
On Christmas Eve and with the help of an old bicycle pump, Louise came to life.
My sister-in -law was in on the plan and let me in during the wee morning hours. Long after Santa had come and gone, I filled the dangling pantyhose with Louise's pliant legs and bottom. I also ate some cookies and drank what remained of a glass of milk on a nearby tray. I went home, and giggled for a couple of hours.
The next morning my brother called to say that Santa had been to his house and left a present that had made him VERY happy but had left the dog confused. She would bark, start to walk away, then come back and bark some more.
We all agreed that Louise should remain in her panty hose so the rest of the family could admire her when they came over for the traditional Christmas dinner.
My grandmother noticed Louise the moment she walked in the door. "What the hell is that?" she asked.
My brother quickly explained, "It's a doll." "Who would play with something like that?" Granny snapped .
I had several candidates in mind, but kept my mouth shut.
"Where are her clothes?" Granny continued.
"Boy, that turkey sure smells nice Gran" Jay said, to steer her into the dining room.
But Granny was relentless. "Why doesn't she have any teeth?"
Again, I could have answered, but why would I? It was Christmas and no one wanted to ride in the back of the ambulance saying, "Hang on Granny, hang on!"
My grandfather, a delightful old man with poor eyesight, sidled up to me and said, "Hey, who's the naked gal by the fireplace?"
I told him she was Jay's friend.
A few minutes later I noticed Grandpa by the mantel, talking to Louise. Not just talking, but actually flirting. It was then that we realized this might be Grandpa's last Christmas at home.
The dinner went well. We made the usual small talk about who had died, who was dying, and who should be killed, when suddenly Louise made a noise like my father in the bathroom in the morning. Then she lurched from the panty hose, flew around the room twice, and fell in a heap in front of the sofa.
The cat screamed. I passed cranberry sauce through my nose, and Grandpa ran across the room, fell to his knees, and began administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. My brother fell back over his chair and wet his pants.
Granny threw down her napkin, stomped out of the room, and sat in the car.
It was indeed a Christmas to treasure and remember.
Later, in my brother's garage, we conducted a thorough examination to decide the cause of Louise's collapse. We discovered that Louise had suffered from a hot ember to the back of her right thigh.
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
All Things Texan
Here's a site which has all kinds of Texas info, but I've posted the link to the Texas High School football section. Enjoy!
http://www.texasbob.com/fb_hs.html
http://www.texasbob.com/fb_hs.html
A Prayer for Today
A nice prayer from the blog of Tracie's pastor, Gary Long.
http://tothelees.blogspot.com/2007/11/prayer-for-today.html
http://tothelees.blogspot.com/2007/11/prayer-for-today.html
Friday, December 14, 2007
Religious Nuts - from Comedy Central
There were four country churches in a small Texas town: The Presbyterian Church, the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church and the Catholic Church. Each church was overrun with pesky squirrels.
One day, the Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn't interfere with God's divine will.
In the Baptist Church the squirrels had taken up habitation in the baptistery. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the baptistery and drown the squirrels in it. The squirrels escaped somehow and there were twice as many there the next week.
The Methodist Church got together and decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God's creation. So, they humanely trapped the Squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.
But -- The Catholic Church came up with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.
One day, the Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn't interfere with God's divine will.
In the Baptist Church the squirrels had taken up habitation in the baptistery. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the baptistery and drown the squirrels in it. The squirrels escaped somehow and there were twice as many there the next week.
The Methodist Church got together and decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God's creation. So, they humanely trapped the Squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.
But -- The Catholic Church came up with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Paul Newman
Thanks to Worth for this one:
----------------------------
Only women of a certain era will fully appreciate this true story.
(if you don't understand this, tell your mother, she'll get it)
A Michigan woman and her family were vacationing in a small new England town where Paul Newman and his family often visited.
One Sunday morning, the woman got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone.
She hopped in the car, drove to the center of the village and went straight to the combination bakery/ice cream parlor.
There was only one other patron in the store. Paul Newman, sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee.
The woman's heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with those famous baby-blue eyes.
The actor nodded graciously and the star struck woman smiled demurely.
Pull yourself together! She chides herself. You're a happily married woman with three children, you're forty-five years old, not a teenager!
The clerk filled her order and she took the double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and her change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding even a glance in Paul Newman's direction.
When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty. Where's my ice cream cone? Did I leave it in the store? Back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk's hand or in a holder on the counter or something. No ice cream cone was in sight.
With that, she happened to look over at Paul Newman.
His face broke into his familiar warm friendly grin and he said to the woman,
'You put it in your purse.'
----------------------------
Only women of a certain era will fully appreciate this true story.
(if you don't understand this, tell your mother, she'll get it)
A Michigan woman and her family were vacationing in a small new England town where Paul Newman and his family often visited.
One Sunday morning, the woman got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone.
She hopped in the car, drove to the center of the village and went straight to the combination bakery/ice cream parlor.
There was only one other patron in the store. Paul Newman, sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee.
The woman's heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with those famous baby-blue eyes.
The actor nodded graciously and the star struck woman smiled demurely.
Pull yourself together! She chides herself. You're a happily married woman with three children, you're forty-five years old, not a teenager!
The clerk filled her order and she took the double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and her change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding even a glance in Paul Newman's direction.
When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty. Where's my ice cream cone? Did I leave it in the store? Back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk's hand or in a holder on the counter or something. No ice cream cone was in sight.
With that, she happened to look over at Paul Newman.
His face broke into his familiar warm friendly grin and he said to the woman,
'You put it in your purse.'
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Ole and Lena are here again
Good humor! Thanks, Snuffy.
---------------------------
Ole and Lena were out walking and Lena clutched her heart and fell to the sidewalk. Ole got out his cell phone and called 9-1-1. The Operator said "Where are you?" Ole answered, "We were walking and Lena is on the sidewalk on Eucalyptus Street " The operator asked, "How do you spell that?" The phone seemed to go dead. The operator kept shouting for Ole. She could hear him panting. He finally came back on line and said, "I dragged her over to Oak Street , that's O-A-K."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two Norwegian hunters from Minnesota got a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose. They bagged six. As they started loading the plane for the return trip, the pilot said the plane could take only four moose. The two lads objected strongly, "Last year we shot six and the pilot let us put them all on board a nd he had the same plane as yours." Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six were loaded. However, even on full power, the little plane couldn't handle the load and went down a few moments after takeoff Climbing out of the wreck one Norski asked the other, "Any idea where we are?" "Yaaah, I tink we's pretty close to where we crashed last year."
----------------------------------------------------------------
Lena called the airlines information desk and inquired, "How long does it take to fly from Minneapolis to Fargo ?" "Yust a minute," said the busy clerk. "Vell," said Lena , "if it has to go dat fast, I tink I'll yust take da bus."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The judge had just awarded a divorce to Lena , who had charged nonsupport. He said to Ole, "I have decided to give your wife $400 a month for support." "Vell, dat's fine, Judge," smi led Ole. "And vunce in a while I'll try to chip in a few bucks, myself."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lars, the bartender, asked Ole, "Do ya know da difference between a Norwegian and a canoe?" "No, I don't," answered Ole. "A canoe will sometimes tip," explained Lars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole is so cheap that after his airplane landed safely he grumbled, "Vell, Deere gose five dollars down da drain for dat flight insurance!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lars: "Ole, stant in front of my car and tell me if da turn signals are working." Ole: "Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No.."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole and Lena got married. On their honeymoon trip they were nearing Minneapolis when Ole put his hand on Lena 's knee. Giggling, Lena said, "Ole, you can go a little farth er now if ya vant to." So Ole drove to Duluth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole died So Lena went to the local paper to put a notice in the obituaries. The gentleman at the counter, after offering his condolences, asked Lena what she would like to say about Ole. Lena replied, "You yust put 'Ole died.'" The gentleman, somewhat perplexed, asked, "That's it? Just 'Ole died.'? Surely, there must be something more you'd like to say about Ole. If it's money you're concerned about, the first five words are free. We must say something more." So Lena pondered for a few minutes and finally said, " OK. You put, Ole died. Boat for sale"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole and Lars were on their very first train ride. They had brought along bananas for lunch. Just as they began to peel them, the train entered a long, dark tunnel. "Have you eat en your banana yet?" Ole asked excitedly. "No," replied Lars. "Vell, don't touch it den," Ole exclaimed, "I yust took vun bite and vent blind!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole bought Lena a piano for her birthday A few weeks later, Lars inquired how she was doing with it "Oh," said Ole, "I persuaded her to svitch to a clarinet." "How come?" asked Lars. "Vell," Ole answered, "because vith a clarinet she can't sing."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole and Lena went to the Olympics. While sitting on a bench a lady turned to Ole and asked, "Are you a pole vaulter?" Ole replied, "No, I'm Norvegian and my name ain't Valter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And dot's enough!
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
---------------------------
Ole and Lena were out walking and Lena clutched her heart and fell to the sidewalk. Ole got out his cell phone and called 9-1-1. The Operator said "Where are you?" Ole answered, "We were walking and Lena is on the sidewalk on Eucalyptus Street " The operator asked, "How do you spell that?" The phone seemed to go dead. The operator kept shouting for Ole. She could hear him panting. He finally came back on line and said, "I dragged her over to Oak Street , that's O-A-K."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two Norwegian hunters from Minnesota got a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose. They bagged six. As they started loading the plane for the return trip, the pilot said the plane could take only four moose. The two lads objected strongly, "Last year we shot six and the pilot let us put them all on board a nd he had the same plane as yours." Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six were loaded. However, even on full power, the little plane couldn't handle the load and went down a few moments after takeoff Climbing out of the wreck one Norski asked the other, "Any idea where we are?" "Yaaah, I tink we's pretty close to where we crashed last year."
----------------------------------------------------------------
Lena called the airlines information desk and inquired, "How long does it take to fly from Minneapolis to Fargo ?" "Yust a minute," said the busy clerk. "Vell," said Lena , "if it has to go dat fast, I tink I'll yust take da bus."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The judge had just awarded a divorce to Lena , who had charged nonsupport. He said to Ole, "I have decided to give your wife $400 a month for support." "Vell, dat's fine, Judge," smi led Ole. "And vunce in a while I'll try to chip in a few bucks, myself."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lars, the bartender, asked Ole, "Do ya know da difference between a Norwegian and a canoe?" "No, I don't," answered Ole. "A canoe will sometimes tip," explained Lars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole is so cheap that after his airplane landed safely he grumbled, "Vell, Deere gose five dollars down da drain for dat flight insurance!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lars: "Ole, stant in front of my car and tell me if da turn signals are working." Ole: "Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No.."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole and Lena got married. On their honeymoon trip they were nearing Minneapolis when Ole put his hand on Lena 's knee. Giggling, Lena said, "Ole, you can go a little farth er now if ya vant to." So Ole drove to Duluth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole died So Lena went to the local paper to put a notice in the obituaries. The gentleman at the counter, after offering his condolences, asked Lena what she would like to say about Ole. Lena replied, "You yust put 'Ole died.'" The gentleman, somewhat perplexed, asked, "That's it? Just 'Ole died.'? Surely, there must be something more you'd like to say about Ole. If it's money you're concerned about, the first five words are free. We must say something more." So Lena pondered for a few minutes and finally said, " OK. You put, Ole died. Boat for sale"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole and Lars were on their very first train ride. They had brought along bananas for lunch. Just as they began to peel them, the train entered a long, dark tunnel. "Have you eat en your banana yet?" Ole asked excitedly. "No," replied Lars. "Vell, don't touch it den," Ole exclaimed, "I yust took vun bite and vent blind!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole bought Lena a piano for her birthday A few weeks later, Lars inquired how she was doing with it "Oh," said Ole, "I persuaded her to svitch to a clarinet." "How come?" asked Lars. "Vell," Ole answered, "because vith a clarinet she can't sing."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ole and Lena went to the Olympics. While sitting on a bench a lady turned to Ole and asked, "Are you a pole vaulter?" Ole replied, "No, I'm Norvegian and my name ain't Valter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And dot's enough!
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Christmas E-Cards with Music
There are several cards here, all fun and good. Thanks to Diane for getting me to this site for Ashland University in Ohio.
http://ecard.ashland.edu/gallery.php
http://ecard.ashland.edu/gallery.php
Monday, December 10, 2007
Angels Explained by Children
Thanks to Mark for this post.
-----------------------------------------
I only know the names of two angels. Hark and Harold. Gregory, 5
Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it. Olive, 9
It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes. Matthew, 9
Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else. Mitchell, 7
My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science. Henry, 8
Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!! Jack, 6
Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead. Daniel, 9
When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath, somewhere there's a tornado. Reagan, 10
Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter. Sara, 6
Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter. Jared, 8
All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it. Antonio, 9
My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start ..ing me while she was still down here on earth. Katelynn, 9
Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it. Vicki, 8
What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them. Sarah, 7
-----------------------------------------
I only know the names of two angels. Hark and Harold. Gregory, 5
Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it. Olive, 9
It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes. Matthew, 9
Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else. Mitchell, 7
My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science. Henry, 8
Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!! Jack, 6
Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead. Daniel, 9
When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath, somewhere there's a tornado. Reagan, 10
Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter. Sara, 6
Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter. Jared, 8
All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it. Antonio, 9
My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start ..ing me while she was still down here on earth. Katelynn, 9
Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it. Vicki, 8
What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them. Sarah, 7
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Merry Christmas!
Thanks to Lenny and Snuffy for these links!
http://joecarr.ca/xmas/graphics/icqxmas.swf
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ER13610552
http://joecarr.ca/xmas/graphics/icqxmas.swf
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ER13610552
Friday, December 7, 2007
What a Woman Needs
Thanks to Mark for this posting which is viewed with Powerpoint or Powerpoint Viewer.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/awomanonlyneeds.pps
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/awomanonlyneeds.pps
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Parenting
Thanks to Jeanette for this one.
---------------------
The Christmas Pageant
My husband and I had been happily
married (most of the time) for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby.
I decided to do some serious
praying and promised God
that if he would give us a
child, I would be a perfect mother,
love it with all my heart
and raise it with His word
as my guide.
God answered my prayers
and blessed us with a son.
The next year God blessed us
with another son.
The following year,
He blessed us with
yet another son.
The year after that we
were blessed with a daughter.
My husband thought we'd
been blessed right into poverty.
We now had four children,
and the oldest was only
four years old.
I learned never to ask God
for anything unless I meant it.
As a minister once told me,
"If you pray for rain,
make sure you carry an umbrella."
I began reading a few verses
of the Bible to the children
each day as they lay in their cribs.
I was off to a good start.
God had entrusted me
with four children and
I didn't want to disappoint Him.
I tried to be patient the day
the children smashed
two dozen eggs on
the kitchen floor searching
for baby chicks.
I tried to be understanding...
when they started a hotel for
homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours
to catch all twenty-three frogs.
When my daughter poured
ketchup all over herself and
rolled up in a blanket to see
how it felt to be a hot dog,
I tried to see the humor
rather than the mess.
In spite of changing over
twenty-five thousand diapers,
never eating a hot meal
and never sleeping for more
than thirty minutes at a time,
I still thank God daily for my children.
While I couldn't keep my promise
to be a perfect mother -
I didn't even come close...
I did keep my promise
to raise them in the Word of God.
I knew I was missing the mark
just a little when I told
my daughter we were going
to church to worship God,
and she wanted to bring
a bar of soap along to
"wash up" Jesus, too.
Something was lost
in the translation when
I explained that
God gave us everlasting life,
and my son thought it was
generous of God to give
us his "last wife."
My proudest moment came
during the children's
Christmas pageant.
My daughter was playing Mary,
two of my sons were shepherds
and my youngest son was a wise man.
This was their moment to shine.
My five-year-old shepherd
had practiced his line,
"We found the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes."
But he was nervous and said,
"The baby was wrapped
in wrinkled clothes."
My four-year-old "Mary" said,
"That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly.
That's dirty, rotten clothes."
A wrestling match broke out
between Mary and the shepherd
and was stopped by an angel,
who bent her halo and lost
her left wing.
I slouched a little lower
in my seat when Mary
dropped the doll representing
Baby Jesus, and it bounced
down the aisle crying,
"Mama-mama."
Mary grabbed the doll,
wrapped it back up
and held it tightly as
the wise men arrived.
My other son stepped forward
wearing a bathrobe
and a paper crown,
knelt at the manger
and announced,
"We are the three wise men,
and we are bringing gifts
of gold, common sense and fur."
The congregation
dissolved into laughter,
and the pageant
got a standing ovation.
"I've never enjoyed a Christmas
program as much as this one,"
laughed the pastor,
wiping tears from his eyes.
"For the rest of my life,
I'll never hear the
Christmas story without
thinking of gold, common sense
and fur."
"My children are my pride
and my joy and my greatest
blessing," I said as I dug
through my purse for an aspirin.
Jesus had no servants,
yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree,
yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines,
yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army,
yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles,
yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime,
yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb,
yet He lives today.
Feel honored
to serve such a Leader
who loves us.
---------------------
The Christmas Pageant
My husband and I had been happily
married (most of the time) for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby.
I decided to do some serious
praying and promised God
that if he would give us a
child, I would be a perfect mother,
love it with all my heart
and raise it with His word
as my guide.
God answered my prayers
and blessed us with a son.
The next year God blessed us
with another son.
The following year,
He blessed us with
yet another son.
The year after that we
were blessed with a daughter.
My husband thought we'd
been blessed right into poverty.
We now had four children,
and the oldest was only
four years old.
I learned never to ask God
for anything unless I meant it.
As a minister once told me,
"If you pray for rain,
make sure you carry an umbrella."
I began reading a few verses
of the Bible to the children
each day as they lay in their cribs.
I was off to a good start.
God had entrusted me
with four children and
I didn't want to disappoint Him.
I tried to be patient the day
the children smashed
two dozen eggs on
the kitchen floor searching
for baby chicks.
I tried to be understanding...
when they started a hotel for
homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours
to catch all twenty-three frogs.
When my daughter poured
ketchup all over herself and
rolled up in a blanket to see
how it felt to be a hot dog,
I tried to see the humor
rather than the mess.
In spite of changing over
twenty-five thousand diapers,
never eating a hot meal
and never sleeping for more
than thirty minutes at a time,
I still thank God daily for my children.
While I couldn't keep my promise
to be a perfect mother -
I didn't even come close...
I did keep my promise
to raise them in the Word of God.
I knew I was missing the mark
just a little when I told
my daughter we were going
to church to worship God,
and she wanted to bring
a bar of soap along to
"wash up" Jesus, too.
Something was lost
in the translation when
I explained that
God gave us everlasting life,
and my son thought it was
generous of God to give
us his "last wife."
My proudest moment came
during the children's
Christmas pageant.
My daughter was playing Mary,
two of my sons were shepherds
and my youngest son was a wise man.
This was their moment to shine.
My five-year-old shepherd
had practiced his line,
"We found the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes."
But he was nervous and said,
"The baby was wrapped
in wrinkled clothes."
My four-year-old "Mary" said,
"That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly.
That's dirty, rotten clothes."
A wrestling match broke out
between Mary and the shepherd
and was stopped by an angel,
who bent her halo and lost
her left wing.
I slouched a little lower
in my seat when Mary
dropped the doll representing
Baby Jesus, and it bounced
down the aisle crying,
"Mama-mama."
Mary grabbed the doll,
wrapped it back up
and held it tightly as
the wise men arrived.
My other son stepped forward
wearing a bathrobe
and a paper crown,
knelt at the manger
and announced,
"We are the three wise men,
and we are bringing gifts
of gold, common sense and fur."
The congregation
dissolved into laughter,
and the pageant
got a standing ovation.
"I've never enjoyed a Christmas
program as much as this one,"
laughed the pastor,
wiping tears from his eyes.
"For the rest of my life,
I'll never hear the
Christmas story without
thinking of gold, common sense
and fur."
"My children are my pride
and my joy and my greatest
blessing," I said as I dug
through my purse for an aspirin.
Jesus had no servants,
yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree,
yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines,
yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army,
yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles,
yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime,
yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb,
yet He lives today.
Feel honored
to serve such a Leader
who loves us.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
A New York love story
Good one, Roger.
A beautiful young blond, New York woman, was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the ocean.
But just before she could throw herself from the docks, a handsome young man stopped her.
"You have so much to live for," said the man. "Look, I'm a sailor, and we're off to Europe tomorrow, and I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take care of you, bring you food every day, and keep you happy." With nothing to lose, combined with the fact that she had always wanted to go to Europe , the woman accepted.
That night the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he would bring her three sandwiches and make love to her until dawn.
Three weeks later she was discovered by the captain during a routine inspection.
"What are you doing here?" asked the captain.
"I have an arrangement with one of the sailors," she replied. "He brings me food daily and I get a free trip to Europe ! Plus he's screwing me every night."
"He certainly is," replied the captain. "This is the Staten Island Ferry."
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A beautiful young blond, New York woman, was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the ocean.
But just before she could throw herself from the docks, a handsome young man stopped her.
"You have so much to live for," said the man. "Look, I'm a sailor, and we're off to Europe tomorrow, and I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take care of you, bring you food every day, and keep you happy." With nothing to lose, combined with the fact that she had always wanted to go to Europe , the woman accepted.
That night the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he would bring her three sandwiches and make love to her until dawn.
Three weeks later she was discovered by the captain during a routine inspection.
"What are you doing here?" asked the captain.
"I have an arrangement with one of the sailors," she replied. "He brings me food daily and I get a free trip to Europe ! Plus he's screwing me every night."
"He certainly is," replied the captain. "This is the Staten Island Ferry."
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Arlington at Christmas
Arlington National Cemetery
Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell...
Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.
Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell...
Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.
Monday, December 3, 2007
What I Like About Texas
This is a good one: good pictures, good music, good sentiment.
Thanks, Lenny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGukLuXzH1E
Thanks, Lenny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGukLuXzH1E
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Mailman's Last Day
It was the mailman's last day on the job after 35 years of carrying the mail through all kinds of weather to the same neighborhood.
When he arrived at the first house on his route he was greeted by the whole family there, who congratulated him and sent him on his way with big gift envelope.
At the second house they presented him with a box of fine cigars.
The folks at the third house handed him a selection of terrific fishing lures.
At each of the houses along his route, he was met with congratulations, farewells, cards, and gifts.
At the final house he was met at the door by a strikingly beautiful blonde in a revealing negligee. She took him by the hand, gently led him through the door (which she closed behind him), and led him up the stairs to the bedroom where they had a most passionate liaison.
Afterwards, they went downstairs, where she fixed him a giant breakfast: eggs, potatoes, ham, sausage, blueberry waffles, and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
When he was truly satisfied she poured him a cup of steaming coffee. As she was pouring, he noticed a dollar bill sticking out from under the cup's bottom edge.
"All this was just too wonderful for words," he said, " but what's the dollar for?"
"Well," she said, "last night, I told my husband that today would be your last day, and that we should do something special for you. I asked him what to give you." He said, "Screw him.......give him a dollar."
The blonde then blushed and said, "The breakfast was my idea".
When he arrived at the first house on his route he was greeted by the whole family there, who congratulated him and sent him on his way with big gift envelope.
At the second house they presented him with a box of fine cigars.
The folks at the third house handed him a selection of terrific fishing lures.
At each of the houses along his route, he was met with congratulations, farewells, cards, and gifts.
At the final house he was met at the door by a strikingly beautiful blonde in a revealing negligee. She took him by the hand, gently led him through the door (which she closed behind him), and led him up the stairs to the bedroom where they had a most passionate liaison.
Afterwards, they went downstairs, where she fixed him a giant breakfast: eggs, potatoes, ham, sausage, blueberry waffles, and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
When he was truly satisfied she poured him a cup of steaming coffee. As she was pouring, he noticed a dollar bill sticking out from under the cup's bottom edge.
"All this was just too wonderful for words," he said, " but what's the dollar for?"
"Well," she said, "last night, I told my husband that today would be your last day, and that we should do something special for you. I asked him what to give you." He said, "Screw him.......give him a dollar."
The blonde then blushed and said, "The breakfast was my idea".
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Tattoo Remover
This is a funny video from Saturday Night Live. It plays with Windows Media software.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/tatooremover.wmv
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/tatooremover.wmv
Here's to You, Friends!
Here's a nice Powerpoint with music about the value of email friends.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/snoopy_friends_1.pps
It can be played with Powerpoint Viewer or Powerpoint.
http://paulw.gray.googlepages.com/snoopy_friends_1.pps
It can be played with Powerpoint Viewer or Powerpoint.
Cannon Challenge Game
For all you artillery and war games buffs out there, here's a fun, shooting target game.
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/future-weapons/games/cannon/cannon.html
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/future-weapons/games/cannon/cannon.html
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Cal Farley's Boys and Girls' Ranch
http://www.calfarley.org/Press%20Releases%20FORMS%20RUs/Roundups/Cal%20Farley%20Christmas%20Roundup%202007.pdf
This is a very worthwhile charity: raising problem children in a Christ-centered atmosphere. Read the newsletter for some heart-warming stories.
This page is a 3MB download which will take a while on dial-up.
This is a very worthwhile charity: raising problem children in a Christ-centered atmosphere. Read the newsletter for some heart-warming stories.
This page is a 3MB download which will take a while on dial-up.
Fender Skirts
Thanks to Roger for this post.
I came across this phrase yesterday, "FENDER SKIRTS."
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.27)
A term I haven't heard in a long time, and thinking about "fender skirts" started me thinking about other words that quietly disappear from our language with hardly a notice like "curb feelers"
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.28)
And "steering knobs." (AKA) suicide knob.
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Since I'd been thinking of cars, my mind naturallywent that direction first.
Any kids will probably have to find some elderly person over 50 to explain some of these terms to you.
Remember "Continental kits?"
They were rear bumper extenders and spare tire covers that were supposed to make any car as cool as a Lincoln Continental.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.30)
When did we quit calling them "emergency brakes?"
At some point "parking brake" became the proper term. But I miss the hint of drama that went with "emergency brake."
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.31)
I'm sad, too, that almost all the old folks are gone who would call the accelerator the "foot feed."
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.32)
Didn't you ever wait at the street for your daddy to come home, so you could ride the "running board" up to the house?
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.33)
Here's a phrase I heard all the time in my youth but never anymore - "store-bought." Of course, just about everything is store-bought these days. But once it was bragging material to have a store-bought dress or a store-bought bag of candy.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.34)
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.35)
"Coast to coast" is a phrase that once held all sorts of excitement and now means almost nothing. Now we take the term "world wide" for granted. This floors me.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.36)
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.37)
On a smaller scale, "wall-to-wall" was once a magical term in our homes. In the '50s, everyone covered his or her hardwood floors with, wow, wall-to-wall carpeting! Today, everyone replaces their wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors. Go figure.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.38)
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.39)
When'sthe last time you heard the quaint phrase "in a family way?" It's hard to imagine that the word "pregnant" was once considered a little too graphic, a little too clinical for use in polite company, so we had all that talk about stork visits and "being in a family way" or simply "expecting."
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.40)
Apparently "brassiere" is a word no longer in usage. I said it the other day and my daughter cracked up. I guess it's just "bra" now. "Unmentionables" probably wouldn't be understood at all.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.41)
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.42)
I always loved! going to the "picture show," but I considered "movie" an affectation.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.43)
Most of these words go back to the '50s, but here's a pure-'60s word I came across the other day - "rat fink." Ooh, what a nasty put-down!
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.44)
Here's a word I miss - "percolator." That was just a fun word to say. And what was it replaced with? "Coffee maker." How dull. Mr. Coffee, I blame you for this.
?
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.46)
I miss those made-up marketing words that were meant to sound so modern and now sound so retro. Words like "DynaFlow" and "Electrolux." Introducing the 1963 Admiral TV, now with "SpectraVision!"
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.47)
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.48)
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.49)
Food for thought - Was there a telethon that wiped out lumbago? Nobody complains of that anymore. Maybe that's what castor oil cured, because I never hear mothers threatening kids with castor oil anymore.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.50)
Some words aren't gone, but are definitely on the endangered list. The one that grieves me most, "supper." Now everybody says "dinner." Save a great word. Invite someone to supper. Discuss fender skirts
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.51)
Someone forwarded this to me. I thought some of us of a "certain age" would remember most of these.
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.52)
Just for fun, pass it along to others of "a certain age"!
![[]](cid:7.1.0.9.0.20071125163324.01bf5ad0@grandecom.net.53)
IF YOU AREN'T OF A CERTAIN AGE. YOU MUST KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Turkey Trivia
Think you are smart? Let the 'turkeys' decide ! This would be a cute quiz to do around the Thanksgiving table on Thanksgiving Day just to see who knows what about Thanksgiving and the bird sitting in the middle of the table waiting to get gobbled up! Have fun -- you might even learn a few new things.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and friends.
Click here: Turkey Trivia Quiz
Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and friends.
Click here: Turkey Trivia Quiz
Old Age is a Gift
Good one, Jeanette!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
pwg
------------------------------------
Old Age, I decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set . They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive.. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART! MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER!
FRIENDS FOREVER!
Forward this to at least 7 people and see what happens on your screen . You will laugh your head off!!!!!!!!!
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A Serious Giver
In The Giving Myths, Stephen McSwain tells of a Christmas-shopping venture with his wife. While she entered a store, he stayed on the sidewalk, where a shabbily dressed man played carols on a rusty saxophone. "He was not an accomplished musician," McSwain writes. "He reminded you of the days when your younger sister was learning to play the clarinet in the bedroom down the hall."
As his wife came out of the store, McSwain dropped a few dollars in the bucket on the saxophonist's music stand. The words "Thank you and Merry Christmas" were heavily accented.
Walking to the car, she asked, "How much did you give him?" Jokingly, McSwain answered, "Five hundred dollars." Playing along, his wife shared a mild threat.
As they continued shopping, the image remained:
I could not get the saxophonist off my mind. "Instead of five dollars," I silently wondered, "suppose I had given him five hundred. Would that have made any difference, not only to him but to me, too?"
I concluded it would have. Had I been serious enough to give him the larger amount, I would have wanted to stop, talk to him, and get to know more about him. I would have asked, "Sir, do you have a wife? Children? If so, how are they doing? Will you be celebrating Christmas this year? What about food? Do you have anything to eat? Where are you from, anyway? Can I help you in some way other than just paying you a few dollars for playing Christmas carols on your horn?"
Serious, generous giving significantly changes the landscape of your personal involvement. You will always be motivated to make a greater investment of time and energy when you go beyond token giving. Giving your money is like putting money in the bank. The more you do, the more your interest grows.
Interested? Jesus put it this way: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)
As his wife came out of the store, McSwain dropped a few dollars in the bucket on the saxophonist's music stand. The words "Thank you and Merry Christmas" were heavily accented.
Walking to the car, she asked, "How much did you give him?" Jokingly, McSwain answered, "Five hundred dollars." Playing along, his wife shared a mild threat.
As they continued shopping, the image remained:
I could not get the saxophonist off my mind. "Instead of five dollars," I silently wondered, "suppose I had given him five hundred. Would that have made any difference, not only to him but to me, too?"
I concluded it would have. Had I been serious enough to give him the larger amount, I would have wanted to stop, talk to him, and get to know more about him. I would have asked, "Sir, do you have a wife? Children? If so, how are they doing? Will you be celebrating Christmas this year? What about food? Do you have anything to eat? Where are you from, anyway? Can I help you in some way other than just paying you a few dollars for playing Christmas carols on your horn?"
Serious, generous giving significantly changes the landscape of your personal involvement. You will always be motivated to make a greater investment of time and energy when you go beyond token giving. Giving your money is like putting money in the bank. The more you do, the more your interest grows.
Interested? Jesus put it this way: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)
The Long, Dark Night
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/opinion/23herbert.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanTed=print
October 23, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
The Long, Dark Night
By BOB HERBERT
Nashville
I was making small talk with Dan and Sharon Brodrick in a waiting area
filled with anxious-looking patients on the first floor of St. Thomas Hospital. Mrs. Brodrick seemed tired, but she managed a smile. Her husband, a former truck driver who is now an ordained minister, was the talkative one.
"We found out five days after her 56th birthday," he said. "How's that for a happy birthday?"
While maintaining a pleasant facade for the outside world, the Brodricks, married 37 years and still deeply in love, are spinning toward the abyss.
"We're in big trouble," said Mr. Brodrick.
Mrs. Brodrick learned last May that she had cancer of the duodenum, and it had already spread to her liver and pancreas. Not only is the prognosis grim, but the medical expenses will soon leave the couple destitute. Mrs. Brodrick has no health insurance.
The emotional toll has been nearly as devastating as the physical. Mrs. Brodrick told her husband that she wasn't ready to leave him. "I don't want to die," she said. When he told her they had to cling to their faith in God, she replied, "I know that God can take care of this. But how's he going to do it?"
The American Cancer Society has been campaigning to raise awareness of the desperate plight of people trying to deal with cancer without health insurance. I offer Dan and Sharon Brodrick as Exhibit A.
The Brodricks never had much money, but they raised two boys and managed to buy a modest home in Gainesboro, a rural town about 90 miles east of here. Dan Brodrick severely damaged his back in an accident at work several years ago and is disabled. His wife has suffered from a variety of illnesses.
But by carefully managing their meager income, they have lived in reasonable comfort. "With a little bit of savings," said Mr. Brodrick, "and with what I've been drawing in disability, we figured we'd be all right."
But the absence of health insurance for Mrs. Brodrick left a gaping hole in their financial plan, and they knew it. She had been covered by her husband's health insurance while he was driving a truck. But that coverage ended when he was forced to retire.
"We tried to buy insurance for her," said Mr. Brodrick. "We applied to dozens of companies. But they wouldn't touch her because she already had health problems."
Without insurance, Mrs. Brodrick received treatment for her various ailments under a special program for uninsured patients at St. Thomas. But the cancer diagnosis was an entirely different story, a step for the Brodricks into a realm of dizzying, unrelieved horror.
First came the biopsy, accompanied by reassuring comments from doctors. Then came word that the tumor was indeed malignant. That was followed by surgery.
"They opened her up, and then they closed her right up again," said Mr. Brodrick.
Not only had the cancer metastasized, it was moving very aggressively. Various estimates were given, each one shorter than the last, about how long Mrs. Brodrick might live.
While his wife was being prepped for chemo, Mr. Brodrick sat in the corner of another room and spoke about what it was like to have one's life all but literally blown apart.
"It tears you down," he said. "You'd like to fight this with your bare hands, but you can't. We've been married 37 years Sept. 2, and when I think about it, it was the quickest 37 years I've ever seen go by in my life. It went by in a flash. And we have leaned on each other that whole time."
The hospital is not billing the Brodricks for its costs. "But," said Mr. Brodrick, "I've still got to pay the doctors' bills and pay for the drugs. And the drugs are very expensive."
He reeled off a long list of charges that are coming at him like machine-gun fire, bills that he cannot afford to pay.
"So we're selling the house," he said. He sat quiet for a moment, then added in a soft voice, "You shouldn't have to go live in a tent somewhere just because you don't have insurance."
He said he wanted to tell his story publicly because he knew there were millions of others without health insurance, and that there are many families, like his own, facing the long, dark night of devastating illness.
"Something has to be done," he said.
Mr. Brodrick was able to get his wife into a renowned cancer center in the Midwest to get another opinion on the course of treatment she was receiving.
"They said it was the perfect treatment for her and they wouldn't change a thing," he said. "They said the success rate with that treatment was 5 percent or less."
He looked at me. "We've got faith in God," he said. "Without that you might as well throw yourself off a cliff, because there's nothing else left."
After the motorcade
With the Kennedy assassination anniversary looming on November 22nd, here is a first-person account.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-sanderson_18edi.ART.State.Edition1.371fa5a.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-sanderson_18edi.ART.State.Edition1.371fa5a.html
Monday, November 19, 2007
Being Thankful for the Thorns.....
Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a 'minor' automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss.
Troubles had multiplied.
Her husband's company 'threatened' to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. 'She has no idea what I'm feeling,' thought Sandra with a shudder. 'Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?' she wondered. 'For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?'
'Good afternoon, can I help you?'
Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. 'I . . . I need an arrangement, ' stammered Sandra.
'For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories,' she continued. 'Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving? '
'Not exactly!' Sandra blurted out. 'In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.'
Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, 'I have the perfect arrangement for you.'
Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer,
'Hi, Barbara, let me get your order.' She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.
'Do you want these in a box?' asked the clerk. Sandra watched - was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.
'Yes, please,' Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. 'You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again,' she said, as she gently tapped her chest.
Sandra stammered, 'Ah, that lady just left with . . . uh . . . she left with no flowers!'
'That's right,' said the clerk. 'I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today,' explained the clerk. 'She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband,' continued the clerk. 'For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel.'
'So what did you do?' asked Sandra.
'I learned to be thankful for thorns,' answered the clerk quietly. 'I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!' It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others.'
Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. 'I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God.'
Just then someone else walked in the shop.
'Hey, Phil!' the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man.
'My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement . . . twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!' laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.
'Those are for your wife?' asked Sandra incredulously. 'Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?'
'Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced,' Phil replied. 'After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from 'thorny' times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific 'problem' and give thanks for what that problem taught us.'
As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, 'I highly recommend the Special!'
'I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life' Sandra said to the clerk. 'It's all too fresh.'
'Well,' the clerk replied carefully, 'my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns.'
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment.
'I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please,' she managed to choke out.
'I hoped you would,' said the clerk gently. 'I'll have them ready in a minute.'
'Thank you. What do I owe you?'
'Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me.'
The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. 'I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first.'
It read:
'My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.'
Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.
God Bless all of you. Be thankful for all that the Lord does for you.
'Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.'
We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and Duct tape. God did it with nails.
Troubles had multiplied.
Her husband's company 'threatened' to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. 'She has no idea what I'm feeling,' thought Sandra with a shudder. 'Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?' she wondered. 'For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?'
'Good afternoon, can I help you?'
Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. 'I . . . I need an arrangement, ' stammered Sandra.
'For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories,' she continued. 'Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving? '
'Not exactly!' Sandra blurted out. 'In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.'
Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, 'I have the perfect arrangement for you.'
Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer,
'Hi, Barbara, let me get your order.' She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.
'Do you want these in a box?' asked the clerk. Sandra watched - was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.
'Yes, please,' Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. 'You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again,' she said, as she gently tapped her chest.
Sandra stammered, 'Ah, that lady just left with . . . uh . . . she left with no flowers!'
'That's right,' said the clerk. 'I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today,' explained the clerk. 'She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband,' continued the clerk. 'For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel.'
'So what did you do?' asked Sandra.
'I learned to be thankful for thorns,' answered the clerk quietly. 'I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!' It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others.'
Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. 'I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God.'
Just then someone else walked in the shop.
'Hey, Phil!' the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man.
'My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement . . . twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!' laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.
'Those are for your wife?' asked Sandra incredulously. 'Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?'
'Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced,' Phil replied. 'After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from 'thorny' times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific 'problem' and give thanks for what that problem taught us.'
As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, 'I highly recommend the Special!'
'I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life' Sandra said to the clerk. 'It's all too fresh.'
'Well,' the clerk replied carefully, 'my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns.'
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment.
'I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please,' she managed to choke out.
'I hoped you would,' said the clerk gently. 'I'll have them ready in a minute.'
'Thank you. What do I owe you?'
'Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me.'
The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. 'I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first.'
It read:
'My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.'
Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.
God Bless all of you. Be thankful for all that the Lord does for you.
'Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.'
We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and Duct tape. God did it with nails.
Facing a Threat to Farming and Food Supply
Facing a Threat to Farming and Food Supply
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/18/AR2007111800501_pf.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/18/AR2007111800501_pf.html
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sears and Military Call-ups
I know I needed this reminder since Sears isn't always my first choice. Amazing when you think of how long the war has lasted and they haven't withdrawn from their commitment. Could we each buy at least one thing at Sears this year?
How does Sears treat its employees who are called up for military duty? 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. I 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.
Decided to check this before I sent it forward. So 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 company. 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's cheaper at that store.
This is their answer to my e-mail:
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
Please pass this on to all your friends. Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military!!!
It's Verified ! By Snopes.com at: http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/sears.asp (shows the entire article)
How does Sears treat its employees who are called up for military duty? 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. I 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.
Decided to check this before I sent it forward. So 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 company. 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's cheaper at that store.
This is their answer to my e-mail:
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
Please pass this on to all your friends. Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military!!!
It's Verified ! By Snopes.com at: http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/sears.asp (shows the entire article)
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Malachi 3:3
Thanks to Jeanette for this post.
---------------------------------
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it"
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.
And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.
---------------------------------
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it"
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.
And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Iraq Through China's Lens
Thanks to Clyde for this post.
September 12, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
Iraq Through China's Lens
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
http://select.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/opinion/12friedman.html?th=&emc=th&page
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/thomaslfriedman/index.html?inline=nyt-per >
Dalian, China
It's nice to be in a country where Iraq is never mentioned. It's just a little unnerving when that country is America's biggest geopolitical and economic rival these days: China. I heard China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao, address an international conference here in Dalian, and what impressed me most was how boring it was - a straightforward recitation of the staggering economic progress China has made in the last two decades and the towering economic, political and environmental challenges it still faces. How nice it must be, I thought, to be a great power and be almost entirely focused on addressing your own domestic problems?
No, I have not gone isolationist. America has real enemies that China does not, and therefore we have to balance a global security role in places like the Middle East with domestic demands. But something is out of balance with America today. Looking at the world from here, it is hard not to feel that China has spent the last six years training for the Olympics while we've spent ourselves into debt on iPods and Al Qaeda. After 9/11, we tried to effect change in the heart of the Arab-Muslim world by trying to build a progressive government in Baghdad. There was, I believed, a strategic and moral logic for that. But the strategy failed, for a million different reasons, and now it is time to recognize that and focus on how we insulate ourselves from the instability of that world - by having a real energy policy, for starters - how we protect our security interests there in more sustainable ways and how we get back to developing our own house.
By now it should be clear that Iraq is going to be what it is going to be. We've never had sufficient troops there to shape Iraq in our own image. We simply can't go on betting so many American soldiers and resources that Iraqis will one day learn to live together on their own - without either having to be bludgeoned by Saddam or baby-sat by us. So either we get help or get out. That is, if President Bush believes staying in Iraq can still make a difference, then he needs to muster some allies because the American people are not going to sustain alone - nor should they - a long-shot bet that something decent can still be built in Baghdad. If the president can't get help, then he has to initiate a phased withdrawal: now. Because the opportunity cost this war is exacting on our country and its ability to focus on anything else is out of all proportion to what might still be achieved in Iraq by our staying, with too few troops and too few friends. Iraqis can add. The surge has brought more calm to Iraq largely because the mainstream Iraqi Sunnis finally calculated that they have lost and that both the pro-Al Qaeda Iraqi Sunnis and the radical Shiites are more of a threat to them than the Americans they had been shooting at. The minute we start withdrawing, all Iraqis will carefully calculate their interests. They may decide that they want more blood baths, but there is just as much likelihood that they will eventually find equilibrium.
I have not been to Dalian in three years. It is not just a nice city for China. It is a beautiful city of wide avenues, skyscrapers, green spaces, software parks and universities. The president of Dalian University of Technology, Jinping Ou, told me his new focus now is on energy research and that he has 100 doctoral students dealing with different energy problems - where five years ago he barely had any - and that the Chinese government has just decided to open its national energy innovation research center here.
Listening to him, my mind drifted back to Iraq, where I was two weeks ago and where I heard a U.S. officer in Baghdad tell this story: His unit was on a patrol in a Sunni neighborhood when it got hit by an I.E.D. Fortunately, the bomb exploded too soon and no one was hurt. His men jumped out and followed the detonation wire, which led 1,500 feet into the neighborhood. A U.S. Black Hawk helicopter was in the area and alerted the U.S. soldiers that a man was fleeing the scene on a bicycle. The soldiers asked the Black Hawk for help, and it swooped down and used its rotor blades to blow the insurgent off his bicycle, with a giant "whoosh," and the U.S. soldiers captured him.
That image of a $6 million high-tech U.S. helicopter with a highly trained pilot blowing an insurgent off his bicycle captures the absurdity of our situation in Iraq.
The great Lebanese historian Kamal Salibi said it best:
"Great powers should never get involved in the politics of small tribes."
That is where we are in Iraq. We're wasting our brains. We're wasting our people. We're wasting our future. China is not.
September 12, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
Iraq Through China's Lens
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
http://select.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/opinion/12friedman.html?th=&emc=th&page
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/thomaslfriedman/index.html?inline=nyt-per >
Dalian, China
It's nice to be in a country where Iraq is never mentioned. It's just a little unnerving when that country is America's biggest geopolitical and economic rival these days: China. I heard China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao, address an international conference here in Dalian, and what impressed me most was how boring it was - a straightforward recitation of the staggering economic progress China has made in the last two decades and the towering economic, political and environmental challenges it still faces. How nice it must be, I thought, to be a great power and be almost entirely focused on addressing your own domestic problems?
No, I have not gone isolationist. America has real enemies that China does not, and therefore we have to balance a global security role in places like the Middle East with domestic demands. But something is out of balance with America today. Looking at the world from here, it is hard not to feel that China has spent the last six years training for the Olympics while we've spent ourselves into debt on iPods and Al Qaeda. After 9/11, we tried to effect change in the heart of the Arab-Muslim world by trying to build a progressive government in Baghdad. There was, I believed, a strategic and moral logic for that. But the strategy failed, for a million different reasons, and now it is time to recognize that and focus on how we insulate ourselves from the instability of that world - by having a real energy policy, for starters - how we protect our security interests there in more sustainable ways and how we get back to developing our own house.
By now it should be clear that Iraq is going to be what it is going to be. We've never had sufficient troops there to shape Iraq in our own image. We simply can't go on betting so many American soldiers and resources that Iraqis will one day learn to live together on their own - without either having to be bludgeoned by Saddam or baby-sat by us. So either we get help or get out. That is, if President Bush believes staying in Iraq can still make a difference, then he needs to muster some allies because the American people are not going to sustain alone - nor should they - a long-shot bet that something decent can still be built in Baghdad. If the president can't get help, then he has to initiate a phased withdrawal: now. Because the opportunity cost this war is exacting on our country and its ability to focus on anything else is out of all proportion to what might still be achieved in Iraq by our staying, with too few troops and too few friends. Iraqis can add. The surge has brought more calm to Iraq largely because the mainstream Iraqi Sunnis finally calculated that they have lost and that both the pro-Al Qaeda Iraqi Sunnis and the radical Shiites are more of a threat to them than the Americans they had been shooting at. The minute we start withdrawing, all Iraqis will carefully calculate their interests. They may decide that they want more blood baths, but there is just as much likelihood that they will eventually find equilibrium.
I have not been to Dalian in three years. It is not just a nice city for China. It is a beautiful city of wide avenues, skyscrapers, green spaces, software parks and universities. The president of Dalian University of Technology, Jinping Ou, told me his new focus now is on energy research and that he has 100 doctoral students dealing with different energy problems - where five years ago he barely had any - and that the Chinese government has just decided to open its national energy innovation research center here.
Listening to him, my mind drifted back to Iraq, where I was two weeks ago and where I heard a U.S. officer in Baghdad tell this story: His unit was on a patrol in a Sunni neighborhood when it got hit by an I.E.D. Fortunately, the bomb exploded too soon and no one was hurt. His men jumped out and followed the detonation wire, which led 1,500 feet into the neighborhood. A U.S. Black Hawk helicopter was in the area and alerted the U.S. soldiers that a man was fleeing the scene on a bicycle. The soldiers asked the Black Hawk for help, and it swooped down and used its rotor blades to blow the insurgent off his bicycle, with a giant "whoosh," and the U.S. soldiers captured him.
That image of a $6 million high-tech U.S. helicopter with a highly trained pilot blowing an insurgent off his bicycle captures the absurdity of our situation in Iraq.
The great Lebanese historian Kamal Salibi said it best:
"Great powers should never get involved in the politics of small tribes."
That is where we are in Iraq. We're wasting our brains. We're wasting our people. We're wasting our future. China is not.
Candidate Matches and Info
http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460
In this one, my top 3 are Kucinich, Gravel, and Dodd.
Answer the questions to see which candidate matches your desires for the next president:
Match-O-Matic http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/page?id=3623346
Mine came out Gravel, Kucinich, and Huckabee.
Every political leader on every issue
http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm
In this one, my top 3 are Kucinich, Gravel, and Dodd.
Answer the questions to see which candidate matches your desires for the next president:
Match-O-Matic http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/page?id=3623346
Mine came out Gravel, Kucinich, and Huckabee.
Every political leader on every issue
http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm
Garbage Trucks
Beware of Garbage Trucks
By David J. Polly
By David J. Polly
How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do
you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive
employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant
you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a
successful person is how quickly one can get back their focus on
what's important.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of
a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.
I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We
were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car
jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver
slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end
by just inches!
The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big
accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at
us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he
was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy
almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of
the Garbage Truck.'
'Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of
garbage, full of frustration, Full of anger, and full of
disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump
it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just
smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.'
So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking,
how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do
I take their garbage and spread it to other people: At work, at home,
on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.'
I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie 'The Sixth Sense,'
the little boy said, 'I see Dead People.'
Well, now 'I see Garbage Trucks.' I see the load they're carrying. I
see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make
it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did
this every day on the Football field. He would jump up as quickly as
he hit the ground after being tackled.
He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his
best. Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting.
Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from
school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have
to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks
take over their day.
What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if
you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here's my bet. You'll be happier.
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