(Haven't added the rugs here yet. Coming soon.)
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Dhimmitude for Dummies
Not a short read, but very, very informative and worth it. From Victor Sharpe who is a featured writer with the Israel Hasbara Committee.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
It's Official!!!
Two days before Brooke's birthday, Brooke and Donnie went out to celebrate at a local restaurant. We hear it was a pleasant dining experience. Afterwards, going back to the car Donnie wished Brooke a happy birthday. However, the glove compartment of Donnie's truck held her real birthday present.
We'll celebrate on the Monday evening after Cory and Danielle's wedding with an engagement party. We consider Donnie a lucky fellow and couldn't be happier for both of them.
What We Do At Work
Shelly, Pretty Girl, Pretty Girl (stroking her hair as instructed. It keeps her sane.)
Grandma Chris on the Down-Low
The Unknown Sorcerer
Karen, Chris (hiding) and Vivian
Yo Yo Yo Karen, Chris & Vivian
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
That James Taranto Again
"A Nigerian murder suspect accused of killing his brother with an axe told police investigators he actually attacked a goat, which was only later magically transformed into his sibling's corpse," the Associated Press reports from Lagos.
Meanwhile, a CNN headline on a Reuters story informs us: "Possible Pope Link to Nun's Death."
We sure hope the Holy Father has a better alibi than that Nigerian guy.
Meanwhile, a CNN headline on a Reuters story informs us: "Possible Pope Link to Nun's Death."
We sure hope the Holy Father has a better alibi than that Nigerian guy.
Bill Vaughan
If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Close Your Eyes...(courtesy of Brandy)
And go back...
Before the Internet or PC or the MAC......
Before semi-automatics and crack....
Before Playstation, SEGA, Super Nintendo, even before Atari...
Before cell phones, CD's, DVD's, voicemail and e-mail....
....way back....
....way.....way.....way back.....
I'm talkin' bout hide and seek at dusk Red light,
Green light
Green ghost
Playing kickball & dodgeball until the first...no...second...no...third Streetlight came on
Ring around the Rosie
London Bridge
Hot potato
Hop Scotch
Jump rope
Duck....duck....GOOSE!!!
TAG Parents stood on the front porch and yelled (or whistled) for you to come home - no pagers or cell phones)
Mother May I?
Hula Hoops
Seeing shapes in the clouds
Endless summer days and hot summer nights (no A/C) with the windows open
The sound of crickets
Running through the sprinkler
Cereal boxes with that GREAT prize in the bottom
Cracker jacks
Ice pops with 2 sticks you could break and share with a friend .
But wait.....there's more....
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons: Looney Tunes,
Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones,
The Jetsons, Fat Albert, The Pink Panther,
The Ant & The Aardvark, Schoolhouse Rock
Watchin' Sunday morning oldies: Abbott & Costello,
Three Stooges, The Bowery Boys,
The Rifleman, The Lone Ranger
The Little Rascals
FONZIE.....AYYYYYYYY
Catchin' lightning bugs in a jar
Christmas morning
Your first day of school
Climbing trees
Swinging as high as you could to try and reach the sky
Getting an Ice Cream off the Good Humor Truck
A million mosquito bites
Sticky fingers from making your own marshmallow taffy
Toasting marshmallows
Jumpin' down the steps
Jumpin' on the bed
Pillow fights Sleep-overs
A 13" black and white TV in your room meant you were RICH
Runnin' till you were out of breath
Maybe getting a ride in your brother's go-cart after you pushed it up the hill Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt
Being tired from PLAYING WORK: meant taking out the garbage or doing the dishes
Your first crush
Your first kiss (I mean the one that you kept your mouth CLOSED and your eyes OPEN)
Rainy days at school meant playing "Heads up 7UP" or hangman" in The classroom,
Remember that?
Oh, I'm not finished yet....
Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
So was a swig from the hose
Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars
Using the toes of your sneakers for brakes when you didn't have any on your bike
Wearing your new shoes on the first day of school
Class Field Trips with soggy sandwiches
When a quarter seemed like a fair allowance;
and another quarter a MIRACLE
When ANY parent could discipline ANY kid,
or feed him,
or use him to carry groceries...
And nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.
When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were COOL
When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.
Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! And some of us are still afraid of em! Didn't that feel good?
Just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that!" Well, let's keep going!! Let's go back to the time when...
Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo"
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
"Race issues" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly" Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening
It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20.
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
Nobody was prettier than Mom
Scrapes and bruises were kissed by mom or grandma and made better
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park.
Getting a foot of snow was normal
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles Water balloons were the ultimate, ultimate weapon.
Older siblings were your worst tormentors, but also your fiercest protector If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!!
Before the Internet or PC or the MAC......
Before semi-automatics and crack....
Before Playstation, SEGA, Super Nintendo, even before Atari...
Before cell phones, CD's, DVD's, voicemail and e-mail....
....way back....
....way.....way.....way back.....
I'm talkin' bout hide and seek at dusk Red light,
Green light
Green ghost
Playing kickball & dodgeball until the first...no...second...no...third Streetlight came on
Ring around the Rosie
London Bridge
Hot potato
Hop Scotch
Jump rope
Duck....duck....GOOSE!!!
TAG Parents stood on the front porch and yelled (or whistled) for you to come home - no pagers or cell phones)
Mother May I?
Hula Hoops
Seeing shapes in the clouds
Endless summer days and hot summer nights (no A/C) with the windows open
The sound of crickets
Running through the sprinkler
Cereal boxes with that GREAT prize in the bottom
Cracker jacks
Ice pops with 2 sticks you could break and share with a friend .
But wait.....there's more....
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons: Looney Tunes,
Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones,
The Jetsons, Fat Albert, The Pink Panther,
The Ant & The Aardvark, Schoolhouse Rock
Watchin' Sunday morning oldies: Abbott & Costello,
Three Stooges, The Bowery Boys,
The Rifleman, The Lone Ranger
The Little Rascals
FONZIE.....AYYYYYYYY
Catchin' lightning bugs in a jar
Christmas morning
Your first day of school
Climbing trees
Swinging as high as you could to try and reach the sky
Getting an Ice Cream off the Good Humor Truck
A million mosquito bites
Sticky fingers from making your own marshmallow taffy
Toasting marshmallows
Jumpin' down the steps
Jumpin' on the bed
Pillow fights Sleep-overs
A 13" black and white TV in your room meant you were RICH
Runnin' till you were out of breath
Maybe getting a ride in your brother's go-cart after you pushed it up the hill Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt
Being tired from PLAYING WORK: meant taking out the garbage or doing the dishes
Your first crush
Your first kiss (I mean the one that you kept your mouth CLOSED and your eyes OPEN)
Rainy days at school meant playing "Heads up 7UP" or hangman" in The classroom,
Remember that?
Oh, I'm not finished yet....
Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
So was a swig from the hose
Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars
Using the toes of your sneakers for brakes when you didn't have any on your bike
Wearing your new shoes on the first day of school
Class Field Trips with soggy sandwiches
When a quarter seemed like a fair allowance;
and another quarter a MIRACLE
When ANY parent could discipline ANY kid,
or feed him,
or use him to carry groceries...
And nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.
When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were COOL
When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.
Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! And some of us are still afraid of em! Didn't that feel good?
Just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that!" Well, let's keep going!! Let's go back to the time when...
Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo"
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
"Race issues" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly" Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening
It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20.
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
Nobody was prettier than Mom
Scrapes and bruises were kissed by mom or grandma and made better
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park.
Getting a foot of snow was normal
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles Water balloons were the ultimate, ultimate weapon.
Older siblings were your worst tormentors, but also your fiercest protector If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!!
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Quotes
" Political correctness -- the art of camouflaging truth
to protect the psyches of the silly -- "
--Kathleen Parker, the Orlando Sentinel
"Liberalism is a pessimistic faith because it never sees the potential in Man, just his flaws. Rather than focusing on ways to free people so they can elevate themselves, liberalism instead concentrates on ways to subsidize people in their current misery. Liberalism is embarrassed by success and prosperity because independent and free people do not need liberals --and above all, liberals need to be needed."
--Cal Thomas
--Cal Thomas
Sunday, September 10, 2006
NOPE, NADA
Didn't feel a thing. Some folks in Kissimmee and Orlando felt a tremor from the 6.0 earthquake out in the Gulf about 260 miles southwest of Tampa. It was supposedly felt around 10:56 a.m. I can't say I've EVER felt an earthquake before. Hurricanes, tornadoes, sinkholes, blizzards--but no earthquake tremor. They are talking now about after-shocks, but I'm skeptical.
So True, Then and Now
"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself."
~~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
Things Left Unsaid
It's been forever and a day since I sat down with my thoughts here. Hopefully, the longer hours at work have subsided, but an early schedule (I mean EARLY--6:50am beginning tomorrow) will require some adjustments as well. I dearly love my late nights in front of the telly or computer.
Working at a different location with different tasks was interesting for a while, however, repeating the same daily deadlines with the same work performed over and over wasn't as appealing. "Let's just get in there and get this done by tonight, staying as late as possible and then we'll be able to have a day off." When you hear that several consecutive days in a row, you begin to realize the powers-that-be are playing the old carrot-on-a-stick routine. I've said it many times, at this stage of my life, I really enjoy working the 10am to 2pm shift. (This is a HUGE joke with my family and co-workers.)
Special projects folks with programs going LIVE on certain dates don't really have much of a sense of humor about such things. They had no qualms about 7am start times and 10pm stops. Isn't there a LAW about indentured servitude? and isn't the Mouse bound by some kind of anti-slavery regulations?
Still, it was a learning experience and the government should be happy with the extra money courtesy of my overtime pay, as they get most of it.
Working at a different location with different tasks was interesting for a while, however, repeating the same daily deadlines with the same work performed over and over wasn't as appealing. "Let's just get in there and get this done by tonight, staying as late as possible and then we'll be able to have a day off." When you hear that several consecutive days in a row, you begin to realize the powers-that-be are playing the old carrot-on-a-stick routine. I've said it many times, at this stage of my life, I really enjoy working the 10am to 2pm shift. (This is a HUGE joke with my family and co-workers.)
Special projects folks with programs going LIVE on certain dates don't really have much of a sense of humor about such things. They had no qualms about 7am start times and 10pm stops. Isn't there a LAW about indentured servitude? and isn't the Mouse bound by some kind of anti-slavery regulations?
Still, it was a learning experience and the government should be happy with the extra money courtesy of my overtime pay, as they get most of it.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Can Westerners Fight An Eastern War?
I can't even wrap my mind around this kind of warfare:
"A husband and wife arrested in the British terror raids allegedly planned to take their six-month-old baby on a mid-air suicide mission.
Scotland Yard police are quizzing Abdula Ahmed Ali, 25, and his 23-year-old wife Cossor over suspicions they were to use their baby's bottle to hide a liquid bomb.
The theory is one of the reasons security chiefs are now insisting mothers taste babies' milk at check-in desks before allowing them to take bottles aboard flights."
"A husband and wife arrested in the British terror raids allegedly planned to take their six-month-old baby on a mid-air suicide mission.
Scotland Yard police are quizzing Abdula Ahmed Ali, 25, and his 23-year-old wife Cossor over suspicions they were to use their baby's bottle to hide a liquid bomb.
The theory is one of the reasons security chiefs are now insisting mothers taste babies' milk at check-in desks before allowing them to take bottles aboard flights."
Monday, August 07, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Ann Coulter Is Funny, Too
Ann says "the following, which were left out of a Baltimore Sun article due to length:
Q: The last time we spoke, you told me you're routinely misquoted by newspaper reporters. What are a couple of the more egregious examples? Why does this happen?
A: It happens so much, I don't even keep track of it anymore. The last one I remember was when I said "cutting the tax rate on capital gains seems to have increased tax receipts for fiscal 2006, just as supply-side economics predicted it would."
It came out in the paper as, "I worship Adolf Hitler and share all of his goals, especially the 'final solution' to the 'Jewish problem.'"
I have no idea how it happens, given the strict objectivity and rigid nonpartisanship of the American media."
Now that's funny!
Q: The last time we spoke, you told me you're routinely misquoted by newspaper reporters. What are a couple of the more egregious examples? Why does this happen?
A: It happens so much, I don't even keep track of it anymore. The last one I remember was when I said "cutting the tax rate on capital gains seems to have increased tax receipts for fiscal 2006, just as supply-side economics predicted it would."
It came out in the paper as, "I worship Adolf Hitler and share all of his goals, especially the 'final solution' to the 'Jewish problem.'"
I have no idea how it happens, given the strict objectivity and rigid nonpartisanship of the American media."
Now that's funny!
Friday, August 04, 2006
Water Tourture?
Silly me!--I thought Florida beaches were crowded!
Somewhere under that lot, there's a beach. This was the astonishing scene yesterday in the northern Chinese resort of Quindao as an estimated 200,000 people flocked to be beside the seaside as temperatures soared.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Bridal Shower Pictures
Danielle and Brooke at Danielle's shower.
We attended Danielle's bridal shower on Saturday. Danielle and Cory have many generous friends and family members.
Move over, Dr. Death, Here comes Dr. Doom
By Alisa Craddock
(here's the link for the full post. It's worth reading.) Dr. Doom
She says:
"And that is the problem with "quality of life" arguments. Sanctity of life gives way to utility. And for that to happen, someone has to play God. Without the respect for life as God-given and sacred, each of us potentially becomes the arbitrary judge of the value of another human being. In the absence of a worldview that comes from a belief in a higher being, and a higher law, each of us may become a tyrant over the lives of others, even if only by our acquiescence in the actions of those making the "who should live/who should die" decisions.
The case of Terry Schiavo was a pivotal case (though by no means the only case of its kind in this country). The temptation to eliminate suffering by eliminating those who suffer widens into eliminating them because their life is a burden or inconvenience to us, they are a reminder to us of the inconvenient and sometimes burdensome expectation of charity commanded by our Lord.
When human beings begin to decide that somebody's life should end, and find their justification in the "letter of law" or the democratic consensus of a "committee" (such as the medical "ethics" boards in hospitals where there is presumably less culpability in numbers), or to cooperate by acquiescence in these decisions, which are guided by economic or ecological considerations rather than moral and spiritual ones, the list of those whose lives are deemed "unworthy" or "too burdensome" begins to widen."
My two cents worth: I'm glad I'm getting older; I don't think I want to be associated with the cloudy thinking that has overtaken my country, the world. The masses can't even tell the difference between good and evil. What's worse--even if they do recognize evil, they are so ingrained with political correctness they want to give real evil a moral equivalence to real justice.
America is "at war" on so many fronts, but most importantly, we are at war with the thoughts and minds of Americans who neglect the stewardship of Democracy. That applies to Israel, Terry Schiavo, abortion and islamo-fascists.
(here's the link for the full post. It's worth reading.) Dr. Doom
She says:
"And that is the problem with "quality of life" arguments. Sanctity of life gives way to utility. And for that to happen, someone has to play God. Without the respect for life as God-given and sacred, each of us potentially becomes the arbitrary judge of the value of another human being. In the absence of a worldview that comes from a belief in a higher being, and a higher law, each of us may become a tyrant over the lives of others, even if only by our acquiescence in the actions of those making the "who should live/who should die" decisions.
The case of Terry Schiavo was a pivotal case (though by no means the only case of its kind in this country). The temptation to eliminate suffering by eliminating those who suffer widens into eliminating them because their life is a burden or inconvenience to us, they are a reminder to us of the inconvenient and sometimes burdensome expectation of charity commanded by our Lord.
When human beings begin to decide that somebody's life should end, and find their justification in the "letter of law" or the democratic consensus of a "committee" (such as the medical "ethics" boards in hospitals where there is presumably less culpability in numbers), or to cooperate by acquiescence in these decisions, which are guided by economic or ecological considerations rather than moral and spiritual ones, the list of those whose lives are deemed "unworthy" or "too burdensome" begins to widen."
My two cents worth: I'm glad I'm getting older; I don't think I want to be associated with the cloudy thinking that has overtaken my country, the world. The masses can't even tell the difference between good and evil. What's worse--even if they do recognize evil, they are so ingrained with political correctness they want to give real evil a moral equivalence to real justice.
America is "at war" on so many fronts, but most importantly, we are at war with the thoughts and minds of Americans who neglect the stewardship of Democracy. That applies to Israel, Terry Schiavo, abortion and islamo-fascists.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Remembering FDR
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world.
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in the world.
The third is freedom from want--which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants--everywhere in the world.
The fourth is freedom from fear--which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in the world.
-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The Phrase "Happy 4th of July"
I don't say "Happy Turkey Day" or "Merry XMas".
The fourth of July is a date on the calendar.
Independence Day was bought and paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of great Americans.
(This may be a small distinction for some, but respect demands as much.)
Monday, July 03, 2006
Another From "Inside The Beltway"
John McCaslin at the Washington Times:
President Bush's motorcade made an unscheduled U-turn and stop -- at a lemonade stand -- while speeding to the airport after Friday's fundraiser in Ohio for Republican Sen. Mike DeWine.
After all, how could the president pass by a young girl sporting pink sunglasses and a sign that reads: "Lemonade, 50 cents. Bush Free." While Mr. Bush posed for pictures, a nearby mother couldn't help but shout, "I love you," followed by this response from her son: "I am so embarrassed."
President Bush's motorcade made an unscheduled U-turn and stop -- at a lemonade stand -- while speeding to the airport after Friday's fundraiser in Ohio for Republican Sen. Mike DeWine.
After all, how could the president pass by a young girl sporting pink sunglasses and a sign that reads: "Lemonade, 50 cents. Bush Free." While Mr. Bush posed for pictures, a nearby mother couldn't help but shout, "I love you," followed by this response from her son: "I am so embarrassed."
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Note To Self
Saving web-links to shuttle and NASA sites: (from Orlando Sentinel)
NEWS & BLOGS
CBS News Space Place
NASA Watch
SpaceRef
Spaceflight Now
spacetoday.net
Space Politics
NASA SpaceFlight.com
The Space Review
SpaceDaily
Jonathan’s Space Report
Inside KSC.com
Kosmonavtka
Russian Space Web
Russian Aerospace Guide
Go Taikonauts!
Lunar Soil
Martian Soil
Out of the Cradle
Tom’s Astronomy Blog
Bad Astronomy Blog
GOVERNMENT LINKS
Kennedy Space Center
Johnson Space Center
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JPL Space Calendar
NASA Human Spaceflight
NASA News
NASA Skywatch
NASA Television
NASA History Division
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Air Force Space Command
FAA Commercial Space Transportation
Florida Space Authority
European Space Agency
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre
China National Space Administration
OTHER COSMIC LINKS
Encyclopedia Astronautica
Hubble Photos
NEWS & BLOGS
CBS News Space Place
NASA Watch
SpaceRef
Spaceflight Now
spacetoday.net
Space Politics
NASA SpaceFlight.com
The Space Review
SpaceDaily
Jonathan’s Space Report
Inside KSC.com
Kosmonavtka
Russian Space Web
Russian Aerospace Guide
Go Taikonauts!
Lunar Soil
Martian Soil
Out of the Cradle
Tom’s Astronomy Blog
Bad Astronomy Blog
GOVERNMENT LINKS
Kennedy Space Center
Johnson Space Center
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JPL Space Calendar
NASA Human Spaceflight
NASA News
NASA Skywatch
NASA Television
NASA History Division
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Air Force Space Command
FAA Commercial Space Transportation
Florida Space Authority
European Space Agency
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre
China National Space Administration
OTHER COSMIC LINKS
Encyclopedia Astronautica
Hubble Photos
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Cory's Holiday
Cory is on his way to Captiva Island.
Danielle's family got to go fishing today,
so things are looking up.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
The Son
Cory's summer has been so hectic with his six-week super-semester, we hardly see him. I took his picture before he left to play golf one afternoon.
Tropical Rains Return
Just before the afternoon showers began.Saint Cloud, Florida from the front yard looking south.
Bring on the Rain, Alberto!
(Actually, Cory hopes the rain ends Monday. He's leaving Tuesday for Captiva to be with Danielle's family for fishing, swimming and vacationing. We're in charge of babysitting Peaches and Roxy, both sweet-natured dogs. Lucy is being as hospitable as can be expected, she's not a fan of sharing.)Tropical Storm Alberto Forms At 11 AM EDT
Tropical Depression One has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Alberto. Alberto is the first named storm of the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Alberto was located near 23.9 North, 88.1West or about 400 miles west of Key West, Florida or 445 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida. Alberto was moving to the northwest near 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph withhigher gusts. The latest minimum central pressure measured by an Air Force aircraft of 1004 mb or 29.65 inches.
Little Samson Goes to The Vet
Yesterday Brooke's little Samson turned four months old. Contrary to estimates, he weighs THREE pounds not four. Brooke had a doozie of a migraine so I went along to ask Vet questions and take photos to commemorate the event.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
The World's Best Joke???
Someone thinks so:
A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: "Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says: "OK, now what?"
A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: "Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says: "OK, now what?"
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Anti-Abortion View from the Heartland
Americans turn against abortion – and liberal orthodoxy behind it A guest column by Robert Rinearson
"But here’s the hard part for the “pro-choice” crowd: Public opinion, for decades cowed to their side, has suddenly turned against them. In a Zogby Poll, 56 percent of the 30,117 respondents agreed with one of three pro-life views: abortion should never be legal, legal only when the life of the mother is in danger, or legal in cases of rape or incest. Plus, 61 percent said no abortions should be performed after brainwaves were detected.
Despite how difficult it might be for senators such as Charles Schumer, Ted Kennedy and Patrick Leahy to accept, 71 percent of Americans disagreed with the statement that “the Senate should confirm only pro-abortion justices.”
Perhaps America is awakening to the idea that life is something to be cherished, even at the very beginning."
This is a perfect example of why the pro-abortion groups are so against ultrasounds. An ultrasound shows abortion for what it is...the extermination of human life, not the removal of unwanted tissue.
If life doesn't begin at conception, tell me where life begins?
"But here’s the hard part for the “pro-choice” crowd: Public opinion, for decades cowed to their side, has suddenly turned against them. In a Zogby Poll, 56 percent of the 30,117 respondents agreed with one of three pro-life views: abortion should never be legal, legal only when the life of the mother is in danger, or legal in cases of rape or incest. Plus, 61 percent said no abortions should be performed after brainwaves were detected.
Despite how difficult it might be for senators such as Charles Schumer, Ted Kennedy and Patrick Leahy to accept, 71 percent of Americans disagreed with the statement that “the Senate should confirm only pro-abortion justices.”
Perhaps America is awakening to the idea that life is something to be cherished, even at the very beginning."
This is a perfect example of why the pro-abortion groups are so against ultrasounds. An ultrasound shows abortion for what it is...the extermination of human life, not the removal of unwanted tissue.
If life doesn't begin at conception, tell me where life begins?
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Woman HIt By Lightning While Praying
‘I’m blessed. That’s the good news,’ she says
AP News
Updated: 3:27 p.m. ET May 30, 2006
DAPHNE, Ala. - Worried about the safety of her family during a stormy Memorial Day trip to the beach, Clara Jean Brown stood in her kitchen and prayed for their safe return as a strong thunderstorm raged through Baldwin County.
Suddenly, lightning exploded, blowing through the linoleum and leaving a pockmarked area on the concrete. Brown wound up on the floor, dazed and disoriented by the blast but otherwise uninjured.
"I said, 'Amen,' and the room was engulfed in a huge ball of fire," she said. "I'm blessed to be alive."
Brown, 65, was hit by a bolt of lightning that apparently struck outside and traveled into the house Monday afternoon. She doesn't know how much time passed while she remained disoriented on the floor before Jamie Matthews, her 14-year-old granddaughter, discovered her after returning from the beach.
"I was just standing there when a huge ball of fire engulfed this whole room. I don't remember much after that," Brown said hours later as her family helped clean her home. "Concrete was everywhere."
Brown was at home alone when the storm hit, while her husband, James Brown, was at the store and her son and his family were on their way back from the beach.
James Brown said fire officials told him lightning likely struck across the street from the couple's home and traveled into the house through a water line. The lightning continued into the couple's backyard and ripped open a small trench, James Brown said. Pieces of concrete were scattered throughout the family's kitchen — ruining day-old brownies sitting on the stove.
"Never in my life did I think something like this could happen," James Brown told the Press-Register in Mobile. "I always thought if you're in a house that you're safe. That's not the case."
Mrs. Brown said paramedics suggested she go to the hospital, but she chose to stay at home with her family.
"I'm blessed. That's the good news," she said.
AP News
Updated: 3:27 p.m. ET May 30, 2006
DAPHNE, Ala. - Worried about the safety of her family during a stormy Memorial Day trip to the beach, Clara Jean Brown stood in her kitchen and prayed for their safe return as a strong thunderstorm raged through Baldwin County.
Suddenly, lightning exploded, blowing through the linoleum and leaving a pockmarked area on the concrete. Brown wound up on the floor, dazed and disoriented by the blast but otherwise uninjured.
"I said, 'Amen,' and the room was engulfed in a huge ball of fire," she said. "I'm blessed to be alive."
Brown, 65, was hit by a bolt of lightning that apparently struck outside and traveled into the house Monday afternoon. She doesn't know how much time passed while she remained disoriented on the floor before Jamie Matthews, her 14-year-old granddaughter, discovered her after returning from the beach.
"I was just standing there when a huge ball of fire engulfed this whole room. I don't remember much after that," Brown said hours later as her family helped clean her home. "Concrete was everywhere."
Brown was at home alone when the storm hit, while her husband, James Brown, was at the store and her son and his family were on their way back from the beach.
James Brown said fire officials told him lightning likely struck across the street from the couple's home and traveled into the house through a water line. The lightning continued into the couple's backyard and ripped open a small trench, James Brown said. Pieces of concrete were scattered throughout the family's kitchen — ruining day-old brownies sitting on the stove.
"Never in my life did I think something like this could happen," James Brown told the Press-Register in Mobile. "I always thought if you're in a house that you're safe. That's not the case."
Mrs. Brown said paramedics suggested she go to the hospital, but she chose to stay at home with her family.
"I'm blessed. That's the good news," she said.
Michelle Malkin Says It Best
"There are countless numbers of anti-war zealots on the American Left rooting for failure. They believe the worst about the troops. They've blindly embraced frauds who've lied about their military service and lied about wartime atrocities. They've allied themselves with socialist kooks and coddled murderous dictators. They are looking for any excuse to pull out, abandon military operations and reconstruction, and impeach the president.
They insist on giving suspected foreign terrorists more benefit of the doubt than our own men and women in uniform.
And that, I know, I am not willing to do.
I will wait. I will pray.
I will wait. I will pray.
And I will remind you that while the murder of civilians is and remains an anomaly in American military history, it is the jihadists' way of life. "
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
From Our Buddy James Taranto at the WSJ
A Washington Post magazine article on "global warming" includes this howler:
James Hansen, the prominent NASA scientist, points out that the models don't realistically include ice sheets and the biosphere--all the plants and animals on Earth. The global climate surely has more surprises for us. . . .
Hansen thinks we have less than 10 years to make drastic cuts in greenhouse emissions, lest we reach a "tipping point" at which the climate will be out of our control.
Someone might want to take Hansen aside and explain that the climate has always been out of our control.
James Hansen, the prominent NASA scientist, points out that the models don't realistically include ice sheets and the biosphere--all the plants and animals on Earth. The global climate surely has more surprises for us. . . .
Hansen thinks we have less than 10 years to make drastic cuts in greenhouse emissions, lest we reach a "tipping point" at which the climate will be out of our control.
Someone might want to take Hansen aside and explain that the climate has always been out of our control.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Thanks, Lucianne
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American G.I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
Thank them both today.
The Stench of Florida's Criminal Justice System
COMMENTARY - The Schiavo Case: Anatomy Of A Cover-Up June Maxam of the North Country Gazette continues to keep score. This commentary covers much more than the Schiavo case. Long but worth it.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Lucy Update and Stuff
Lucy seems to be a bit improved. Cory and I gave her aspirin and we're limiting her activities. By the way, the family is fine. Dwain and I are attending a birthday dinner at an Orlando restaurant for Donnie's mother, Rhonda. Rhonda is 50. I wonder if SHE'S having hot flashes and waking in a pool of her own perspiration? Aging is one of my least favorite things. Danielle and Cory's plans are in the air, maybe Danielle cooking dinner at our house. I figure she might as well get familiar with the layout. Cory and Danielle will be staying here with us after the wedding until Cory's graduation. Danielle finishes her student teaching internship in the Fall.
A Beautiful Day in Downton O-Town
A few scattered, but welcomed showers. Hot and humid. Welcome to Florida!
Speaking of Doggies
TYLER, Texas -- Melissa Lanier's pet dog, Piglet, shows her colors in support at the 7th annual Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's Race for the Cure 2006, in Tyler, Texas. Piglet is 14 years old, and herself a canine survior of breast cancer. (05/16/06 AP photo)
Saturday Morning
This morning I spent my time fretting a bit over Lucy. She's having some problems. She's either bruised a muscle, doing heaven-knows-what or else her hip joints are giving her pain. Lucy hasn't been quite herself all week. Moving slowly, not interacting with family as much, not hopping on chairs and people as normal. I know hip dysplasia is common in Cocker Spaniels, but Lucy is only estimated to be 6 years old. (They told us she was 3 when we adopted her from the Pet Rescue in 2003.) Reading on the Internet this morning, problems with hip joints can occur in dogs as young as 6 months. We're just hoping it's a muscle thing and not a joint thing.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Saturday, May 20, 2006
A Job Interview Gone Terribly Wrong
This was too funny from the BBC.
Because of a studio mix-up, Britain's BBC interviewed a man applying for a job instead of the computer expert the reporter thought he was.
On the day Apple Computer Inc. won a lawsuit over the Beatles' Apple Corps, BBC business reporter Karen Bowerman thought she was interviewing an expert on music downloads named Guy Kewney.
In fact, she was talking with Guy Goma, who was at the studio applying for an information technology position.
After a moment of confusion and a wince, Goma answered Bowerman's questions.
Watch the video here.
Confessing
Okay, I've been watching WAAAAY too much television. My blog has suffered, along with the housekeeping, socializing and various other aspects of real life. But, what's a gal to do?
Here's the deal: for YEARS I've made fun of people who were glued to their TV sets on Tuesday and Wednesday nights watching American Idol. And don't let me get started when they talked about it at work like it was reality. I hooted, I hollered, I doubted. (Shaking head slowly...) Then last year, my family's addiction to AI became even stronger watching Carrie Underwood win. I watched a few shows last season, never expecting to really care one whit this year.
Brother, was I wrong. From the very beginning this season I have been hopelessly transfixed. American Idol should come with suitable warnings about its' power to addict. Now that my favorite Elliott has gone home, I'll still watch. But don't expect me to watch next year. It's too big of an investment.
Man vs. Gator in Doral, Florida
700 Pound Gator Caught In Doral. It took Hardwick three hours to capture the alligator, which at almost 12 feet long is the biggest gator caught this season.Watch the video here.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Discovery Rolls Out
Shuttle Discovery is rolling out to its launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center today amid growing optimism the mission will be ready for a July 1 liftoff.
Friday, May 12, 2006
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