Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Mortality

Volume 12, Issue 12 Friday, March 19, 2010

Hello All,

Annette and I were kids when we got married. We didn't get a wedding shower because none of our family or friends thought the marriage would last.
Now this was way back in the time of "flower children" and we thought of ourselves as "free spirits." We were so free that Annette had to borrow $5 from her sister to pay the preacher.
Anyway, we met that Saturday morning at the chapel and the preacher started the service. Things were going O.K. until time to exchange rings. Seems we'd never discussed this and had opposing ideas about the rings.
So, sort of an argument ensued about which ring I was going to wear, her father's or my father's. It got a little heated and the preacher finally sat down to wait us out. When we quit shouting, he asked if we wanted to go ahead with the ceremony, and we said "Why not." So we got married, and a year later, when we hadn't killed each other, our families gave us a nice little wedding anniversary shower.
Oh, by the way, I “won” that day and got married with my dad’s ring. But on our first anniversary, I was wearing her dad’s ring.
~~~~~
I also had to get my mother's permission to get married, while Annette could sign for herself since she was 18 (the legal marriage age for a female in Arkansas) and I was not yet 21 (the legal marriage age for a male in Arkansas). My mother cried all the way to the courthouse and back. And, we didn't drive; we walked from the family café down the street with her "wailing" all the way.
~~~~~
Long term couples either "survive" or "thrive." We're "Thrivers." All those little issues have long ago been dealt with or faded away.
Basically, Annette realizes what she can change and I realize that there are some things she's gonna keep trying on.
A while back, we were driving up I-30 to Little Rock. All during the trip, Annette had been listing things I needed to do around home. As we approached Benton, AR, she paused, looked at me and said; "You're not going to do any of those things are you?" "No." I replied. And we drove on.
~~~~~
Annette, the wife of my youth, called me at work one morning, using her "Angry" voice. She said she was in line at McDonald’s and discovered she didn't have any cash. I told her that I always checked before I got in line, like that morning, and, when I discovered I was “short”, got money out of her purse to get my breakfast. . . .
~~~~~
We don't really fight any more. After 40 years of "wedded bliss" we've said it all. Annette just says a number (i.e. 22) and I reply "15" and it's over. We've already had all those arguments before.
~~~~~
The health care bill currently before congress is a disaster. We need “reform” of the way we pay for and access health care but this isn’t the way to do it. Cutting half a billion from Medicare and raising half a billion in taxes on those who presently have health care is only going to damage the health care available to folks who presently have coverage.
I recommend “fixing” Medicare and Medicaid first by reducing needless regulatory hurdles that care givers have to cross to provide for the patient. Just this week, my insurance company sent me a letter to tell me that they had a claim and were in the process of paying it. They are required by “law” to notify me. How many millions of our dollars are going to comply with stupid regulatory mandates?
Please work for legislation that reduces government control and allows doctors to give patients the treatment they need, not just the treatment that satisfies a government regulation.
~~~~~
One more thing, please vote out anyone who supports passing legislation without voting on the legislation (i.e. the “slaughter” solution. [http://worldnewsvine.com/2010/03/slaughter-solution-and-the-health-care-bill/])
~~~~~
Regulatory penalties aren't a "Main" motivator for providing a safe workplace any more than penalties will make everyone work safe. As with workers, it takes a mix of guidance, cooperation and enforcement to improve safety.
OSHA has contributed to a safer work place. Some of their regulations have enabled employers to justify significant expenditures and others have just caused lots of wasted money to be spent.
My hope would be to have local OSHA folks who work with employers to ensure they are using state of the art protective measures and educating them on the regulations.
Carrying a big stick sounds good, but it doesn't improve communication and cooperation between workers, employers and regulators.
~~~~~
How about most outrageous employer conduct stories? I've got a couple; A place I worked at part time, told us the economy was too "tight" and discontinued all "perks" the employees had enjoyed (i.e. coffee, etc.) O.K. I could understand that, but I couldn't understand how the owner could afford to buy his wife a new Lincoln and him a new Hummer if business was so bad.
Annette worked for a guy who told everyone to bring a baby photo and a dollar bill to the Christmas potluck. He put the baby photos on a cork-board and invited everyone to "vote" on the prettiest baby by pinning their dollar under that photo. The "winner" would get all the money. Then he pinned a 100 dollar bill to his photo, declared himself the winner and collected all the money.
~~~~~
On March 19, 1941 The Tuskegee Airmen were activated for Service. The Tuskegee Airmen, trained at Alabama's Tuskegee Army Air Field during WWII, made up the US military's first African-American flying unit. In 1941, congressional legislation forced the Army Air Corps to create an all-black combat unit, and though the War Department aimed to block its formation by instituting a number of restrictive guidelines for applicants, many qualified for service. In all, these airmen flew 1,578 missions, destroyed 261 enemy aircraft, and were awarded many medals. [http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Tuskegee+Airmen]
~~~~~
Would you please help us get the word out on the upcoming tour focused at stopping the EPA from implementing a Cap-N-Trade Tax Scheme. We are stopping at 14 cities in 2.5 days! Call if you have any questions. 479.531.9778! I really appreciate your help!
Thanks to Teresa Oelke

Stand up and fight back! Join Americans for Prosperity’s Regulation Reality Tour at one of our Arkansas stops March 22-25th and learn about the dangers of the unprecedented EPA power grab that would regulate just about everything with a motor and commercial buildings, such as restaurants, schools, and hospitals. Register -HERE

EPA’s Regulations on Arkansas Family

Remember what EPA Regulation Reality means to Arkansas:

* Churches and Schools would need EPA Permits: EPA admits schools, churches, hospitals and hotels would be subject to the new regulations. These permits cost thousands of dollars and take hundreds of hours to complete.
* Lost Jobs & Income: Arkansas stood to lose 39,583 jobs by 2030 and that annual household disposable income would decline by an astonishing $5,631 during the same period! Our country needs every job it can create right now; we cannot have small businesses choosing between hiring workers and paying EPA bureaucrats to process their permits.
* Permits for Your Family Farm? Tractors, silos and mills would eventually need permits. It will cost farmers thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to comply.
* Forklifts and Generators: EPA’s new regulations will cover eventually cover everything: Forklifts, warehouses, trucks and even generators would eventually need permits.
* Hurts America’s Competitiveness: EPA’s new regulations will hurt the competitiveness of America’s manufacturing sector because China and India, two of our major rivals, have pledged they will not burden their industry with greenhouse gas regulations.
* A Cow Permit? Although the focus of EPA’s regulations is on carbon dioxide, they also want to control methane emissions. Cow flatulence is one of the nation’s highest emitters of methane. Some estimates found that in order to accomplish its regulatory goals EPA would need to regulate any farm with 25 or more cows. The costs associated with permitting would cripple such small farms.
* Government Control of your Thermostat: The California Energy Commission offered a glimpse into the level of control that bureaucracies want over our lives. The commission would have been able to block citizens from controlling their own heat or air conditioning during an “energy emergency.”

Join us in YOUR town!

Monday, March 22
11:00-12:00 El Dorado
Union County Courthouse
101 N. Washington Avenue
Free Lunch!

1:30-2:00 Camden
Ouachita County Courthouse
145 Jefferson Street

3:30-4:00 Magnolia
Chamber of Commerce
529 E. Main

5:30-6:30 Texarkana
Post Office (next to)
500 Stateline Avenue
Texarkana, AR
Free Dinner!

Tuesday, March 23
8:00-9:00 Hot Springs Village
Coronado Activity Center
150 Ponderosa Lane
Hot Springs Village, AR 71909
Free Donuts & Coffee!

10:30-11:00 Benton
Brown's Country Store & Restaurant
18718 Interstate 30

12:30-1:00 Lonoke
Remington Gun Club
2592 Arkansas Hwy 15 N

2:00-2:30 Cabot
Knight’s Grocery Store
906 S. Pine Street

3:30-4:00 Beebe
Knights Grocery Store
1701 W. Dewitt

Wednesday, March 24
9:00-9:30 Searcy
White County Courthouse
300 North Spruce Street

11:00-11:30 Newport
Village Mall Parking Lot
2100 block Malcolm Ave.

2:00-2:30 Pocahontas
Randolph County Courthouse
107 West Broadway Street

4:00-4:30 Paragould
Arrive Doc C’s Building
2709 W. Kingshighway

5:00-6:00 Jonesboro
Rigs Cat Dealership
3701 East Parker Road
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Free dinner!
~~~~~
I encourage all of you to check out "Rational Politics"

All - As the political debates heat up in DC, swing by and discuss the issues with us. We've currently got threads on all the major topics and add new ones every day.
Also, we will be adding some new functions to the webpage soon. I plan to add a site blog among other add-ons. If you're interested in contributing to the blog (topics can be anywhere in the politics, religion or philosophy realm), please let me know. I'm also working on some additional partnerships which will bring more data into our discussions. More to follow on that later.
I look forward to chatting with everyone. Oh, please let others know about our site. Word of mouth remains our best advertising tool!! - -Bryan

http://rationalpolitics.net/forum/index.php
~~~~~
I encourage my conservative friends to check out Kit Lange
http://kitlange.com
http://euphoricreality.com
http://photos.euphoricreality.com
~~~~~
There's a lot of information out there about diabetes, but how much of it is actually true? Is diabetes contagious? Can you get diabetes from eating too much sugar? Can insulin cause impotence? Is all diabetes the same? Can you eat that?!
It seems like too many people are getting their diabetes information from Halle Berry. Looking for the real story? Take our diabetes myth busters quiz and find out the real story behind some of the most common diabetes myths! (And yes, you can eat that.)
[http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/quiz/showQuiz.html?quizId=35&utm_source=Update-20100319&utm_medium=eNewsletter&utm_content=Update-newsletter&utm_campaign=dLife-eNewsletter]
~~~~~
EPA begins 2-year, $1.9 million study into "fracking" for natural gas
The Environmental Protection Agency is in the early stages of a two-year, $1.9 million study into the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," an increasingly popular method of extracting natural gas that involves injecting a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into shale-rock formations, fracturing the rock and generating oil and gas. Critics worry about the method's effect on drinking-water supplies. The EPA science advisory board will hold a public meeting April 7 and 8 to discuss how the agency will study the fracking process. The Hill/E2 Wire blog (3/18) [http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/87649-epa-launches-study-of-controversial-gas-drilling-method] , The Washington Post/Reuters [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/18/AR2010031801282.html]
~~~~~
Ladies Against Feminism was founded by Mrs. Lydia Sherman and Mrs. Jennie Chancey in 2002 as a way to publish thoughtful, biblical responses to feminism and to encourage other women in their God-given roles. Since that time, LAF's readership has grown to hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, and we've published articles by writers in America, Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. We are for maidenhood, modesty, virtue, intelligence, womanly arts, and femininity. Join the new revolution!
LAF is under the oversight of Stanley Sherman, minister of the Lancaster Church of Christ in Junction City, Oregon. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." - Phil. 4:8
http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/artman/publish/index.shtml
~~~~~
We have several local political positions being contested this year.

Present Columbia County Sheriff Denny Foster will run for county judge as a Republican. Foster is running against his former boss, Columbia County Judge Larry Atkinson, a Democrat, in the November general election.

A primary race has developed in the Sheriff’s race -- Johnny Hayes of Magnolia, Mike Loe of Magnolia, and Bret McMahen of Emerson, all Democrats.

Justices of the Peace positions contested include:
District 4 – Penny Cook, Magnolia, Democrat. Tony Young, Democrat.
District 10 – Christine Durham, Magnolia, Republican. David C. Graham Jr., Magnolia, Republican.
District 4 Magnolia South – Donald F. Baker, Magnolia, Democrat. Jiley McCaskill Jr., Democrat. Scotty Young, Democrat.

Arkansas House District 4 (parts of Columbia and Miller counties, all of Lafayette County) – Lane Jean, Magnolia, Republican. Mary Joseph, Stamps, Democrat. Raymond E. Robertson, Taylor, Democrat.

Arkansas House District 5 (parts of Columbia, Nevada and Ouachita counties) – David Fielding, Magnolia, Democrat. Earnestine Allen, Camden, Democrat. LaJoy Gordon, Camden, Democrat.

Arkansas Senate District 21 (southwest corner of Columbia County, all of Lafayette, Miller and Little River counties, parts of Sevier and Hempstead counties) – State Rep. Steve Harrelson of Texarkana, Democrat. Ken Cowling, Foreman, Democrat.

Filing for central committees of the Democratic and Republican parties in Columbia County:

Democrats – Sherry Bell, Patty Clary, Penny Cook, Lynsandra Curry, Phyllis Disotell, Jan R. Duke, David Fielding, Velmarie George, Betty Grace McCollum, James T. McCollum, Bret McMahen, James Moore, Bonnie Parker-Duke, Barb Smith, Margie Chappel Standoak, Winnie D. Talley, Joe T. Todd, Virginia M. Todd, Andrea D. Williamson, Mary E. Wilson, Tony Young, Scotty Young, Bobby Young.

Republicans – Neva Nell Baker, Sonya Berk, William T. Broom, Marilyn Fannin, Lindsay Givens, Michael N. Goodwin, James Lindberg Hughes, Paula Hughes, Merrell Dewayne Jones, Carroll J.Jones, Mary Lyons, Pamela K. McDonald, David L. Nelson, Edward C. Nelson, Sue F. Parham, Beth Anne Rankin, Pamela A. Ravenscraft, Eugene Parks Ravenscraft, Julia Smith, Gisele Souter, Carolyn Terry, Carmen Waller, Ralph Weiser.

Important election dates:

Preferential primary election, May 18.
General primary election (runoff), June 8.
Annual school election, Sept. 21.
General election, Nov. 2.
General election runoff, Nov. 23.

Thanks to the Magnolia Reporter for this information
~~~~~
The Haircut

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a "thank you" card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a police officer came in for a haircut and, when he tried to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The officer was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a "thank you" card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

A Congressman came in for a haircut and, when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Congressman was very happy and left the shop.

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut. And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

Thanks to Gary Foreman
~~~~~
I finally got around to going fishing this mornin' - but after a while, I ran out of worms.

Then I saw a cottonmouth with a frog in his mouth, and frogs are good bass bait...

Knowing the snake couldn't bite me with the frog in his mouth, I grabbed him right behind the head, took the frog and put it in my bait bucket.

Now the dilemma was how to release the snake without getting bitten. I grabbed my bottle of Jack Daniels and poured a little whiskey in its mouth. His eyes rolled back, he went limp! I released him into the lake without incident and carried on with my fishing, using the frog as bait.

A little later, I felt a nudge on my foot. There was that snake with two frogs in his mouth!

Thanks to Waneta
~~~~~
This is my plan

You'll find me at Holiday Inn when we can’t live alone anymore.

No nursing home for us. We are checking into the Holiday Inn!

With the average cost for a nursing home care costing $188.00 per day, there is a better way when we get old and feeble.

We have already checked on reservations at the Holiday Inn. For a combined long term stay discount and senior discount, it's $49.23 per night. That leaves $138.77 a day for: Breakfast, lunch and dinner in any restaurant we want, or room service, laundry, gratuities and special TV movies. Plus, they provide a spa, swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge and washer-dryer, etc ..... Most have free toothpaste and razors, and all have free shampoo and soap.

$5 worth of tips a day will have the entire staff scrambling to help you. They treat you like a customer, not a patient. There is a city bus stop out front, and seniors ride free. The handicap bus will also pick you up (if you fake a decent limp).

To meet other nice people, call a church bus on Sundays.

For a change of scenery, take the airport shuttle bus and eat at one of the nice restaurants there. While you're at the airport, fly somewhere. Otherwise, the cash keeps building up.

It takes months to get into decent nursing homes. Holiday Inn will take your reservation today. And you are not stuck in one place forever, you can move from Inn to Inn , or even from city to city. Want to see Hawaii ? They have a Holiday Inn there too.
T V broken? Light bulbs need changing? Need a mattress replaced? No problem. They fix everything, and apologize for the inconvenience.
The Inn has a night security person and daily room service. The maid checks to see if you are ok. If not, they will call the undertaker or an ambulance. If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip, and Holiday Inn will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.
And no worries about visits from family. They will always be glad to find you, and probably check in for a few days mini-vacation.

The grand kids can use the pool. What more can you ask for? So, when we reach that golden age, we'll face it with a grin.
*************************
You Gotta Love The Irish.....
The Errand

LeRoy R McClelland, Sr, walked into a bar and ordered martini after martini, each time removing the olives and placing them in a jar. When the jar was filled with olives and all the drinks consumed, the Irishman started to leave.

"S'cuse me", said a customer, who was puzzled over what LeRoy R McClelland, Sr, had done, “what was that all about?"

"Nothin said the Irishman, “me wife just sent me out for a jar of olives!"
*********************
The Lost Luggage

An Irishman arrived at J.F.K. Airport and wandered around the terminal with tears streaming down his cheeks. An airline employee asked him if he was already homesick. "No," replied the Irishman. "I've lost all me luggage!" "How'd that happen?" "The cork fell out!" said the Irishman.
*************************
Water to wine

An Irish priest is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding. The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest's breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car.
He says, "Sir, have you been drinking?"
"Just water," says the priest.
The trooper says, "Then why do I smell wine?"
The priest looks at the bottle and says,
"Good Lord! He's done it again!"
************************
The Fall

Murphy was staggering home with a pint of booze in his back pocket when he slipped and fell heavily.
Struggling to his feet, he felt something wet running down his leg.
"Please Lord," he implored, "let it be blood!!"
~
You've Been Drinking Again

An Irishman had been drinking at a pub all night. The bartender finally said that the bar was closing.
So, the Irishman stood up to leave fell flat on his face. He tried to stand one more time; same result.
He figured he'll crawl outside and get some fresh air and maybe that will sober him up.
Once outside, he stood up and fell on his face again. So he decided to crawl the four blocks home.
Again, he fell flat on his face. He crawled through the door and into his bedroom. When he reached his bed he tried one more time to stand up. This time he managed to pull himself upright, but he quickly fell right into the bed and is sound asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
He was awakened the next morning to his wife standing over him, shouting, "SO YOU'VE BEEN DRINKING AGAIN!" Putting on an innocent look, and intent on bluffing it out he said, "What makes you say that?"

"The pub just called; you left your wheelchair there again."

Thanks to Waneta
~~~~~
NINE WORDS WOMEN USE

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' . that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying you are in BIG TROUBLE!

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

Thanks to Waneta
~~~~~
One of my favorite quotes: “I'm a cool person if you give me a chance. Most people think I'm annoying, but I'll tell you one thing I might be annoying, but I'm a cool person” - - Author not revealed.
~~~~~
1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more, is a congress. -- John Adams

2. If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed. -- Mark Twain

3. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain

4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle . -- Winston Churchill

5. A government, which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always depend on the support of Paul. -- George Bernard Shaw

6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. -- G. Gordon Liddy

7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. -- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries, to rich people in poor countries. -- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

9. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -- P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. -- Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

11. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. -- Ronald Reagan (1986)

12. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. -- Will Rogers

13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free! -- P.J. O'Rourke

14. In general, the art of government consist s of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. -- Voltaire (1764)

15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -- Pericles (430 B.C.)

16. No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -- Mark Twain (1866)

17. Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it. -- Anonymous

18. The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end, and no responsibility at the other. -- Ronald Reagan

19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. -- Winston Churchill

20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. -- Mark Twain

21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

22. There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress. -- Mark Twain

23. What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. -- Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995)

24. A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. -- Thomas Jefferson

Thanks to Gary Foreman
~~~~~
You really do need to be reading Jimmy’s blog [http://jhmalone2.wordpress.com/]
~~~~~
DarynKagan.com - - March 19, 2010

I have a cool video yesterday that just might inspire you to go for that dream you've been carrying around. In the very least, it might encourage you to share it. Speak it aloud. Details in my blog [http://darynkagan.demo.nimbussoftware.com/DarynsBlog.html].

Famous Movie Star Receives & Returns Act of Kindness
You don't see this every day---kindness and consideration between a major movie star and a member of the paparazzi! See what started it all between Renee Zellwegger and a certain photographer.
Watch Video >> [http://darynkagan.demo.nimbussoftware.com/celebrities/2010/ce_100319_actofkindness.html]

MIracle Baby Elephant Defies Doubters
There's much joy in Sydney, Australia today where a baby elephant is showing zookeepers--better not bet against him!
Watch Video >> [http://darynkagan.demo.nimbussoftware.com/animals/2010/an_100319_elephant.html]
~~~~~
America is not at war. The military is at war. - - America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars.
~~~~~
Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - - Robert Eldridge - - Awarded: The Bronze Star - - U.S. Army Major Robert Eldridge enlisted in December, 1986, joining the Special Forces Reserves.

"My father was in special forces and I knew quite a few people in Special Forces. I liked it. It sounded like what I wanted to do, so I pursued it," he said.

In 1997 he was commissioned as an infantry officer, where he served briefly before rejoining Special Forces as an officer as well.

In November of 2004 Eldridge deployed to Afghanistan for what should have been a deployment that lasted many months. But on Dec. 17, 2004 while conducting a patrol, Eldridge's vehicle, which was leading the patrol, hit an Improvised Explosive Device.

Eldridge was seriously injured, but the medic on his team, who had been driving the vehicle was able to begin treating him just minutes after the explosion. And within 30 minutes was been evacuated by a Blackhawk, he said.

Eldridge's leg had to be amputated as a result of the injuries, and he spent six months recovering in Walter Reed Medical Center.

Though Eldridge had the option to retire after his injury, he fought to stay in the Army.

"I could have medically retired but I fought to stay in," he said.

The benefits of being in Special Operations, he said, was the support he received from other Special Operations Soldiers up and down the chain of command, who visited him when he was in the hospital in Afghanistan and at Walter Reed.

"I wanted to go back," he said, "and my group commander and battalion supported my coming back."

They were following his recovery, making sure he was ok, and seeing if he wanted to stay in or not. In particular, he said, he benefitted from a Special Operations wounded warrior program called the Care Coalition.

Eldridge also had the support of his family throughout his recovery and decision to stay in the Army. They met him when he arrived at Walter Reed on December 19, 2004, he said.

Eldridge's family "absolutely" supported his going back to Special Operations, he said.

"When I showed up I told them I was going back to my unit, and they thoroughly supported me through the entire process, he said. ?

Eldridge redeployed to Afghanistan in March of 2007.

"Within a month and a half of getting back to my unit, I started conducting airborne operations again," he said.

He said, "it was a good deployment. I got to stay the whole time."

Eldridge earned a Bronze Star with ?Valor? and a Purple Heart for the events of December 17, 2004.
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings from Kandahar,

The U.S. Army follows up with the Spanish Army regarding recent allegations made by an American Army officer. Please see this letter [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/].
--
A short photo dispatch is up: MAN DOGS [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/man-dogs.htm]
--
Very Respectfully,
Your Writer,

Michael Yon
Kandahar

Please remember that this website accepts no advertisement and is dependent on your support.
Very Respectfully,

PS Please sign up for my Twitter.com updates at "Michael_Yon" [http://twitter.com/Michael_Yon] (not Michael Yon).

http://www.facebook.com/#/MichaelYonFanPage?ref=sgm
~
www.michaelyon-online.com
~
Http://www.michaelyon_online.com/index.php
~~~~~
Movies We’ve Watched This Week:

Cause for Alarm Average rating: [6.3]
I Hate Valentine's Day [6]
Love Affair rated this movie: 8.0
My Man Godfrey rated this movie: 10.0
It Happened One Night rated this movie: 10.0
Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring rated this movie: 6.0
Looney Tunes: Back in Action rated this movie: 6.0
Tugger: The Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly rated this movie: 6.0
Sissi: rated this movie: 8.0
King of California rating: 6.295
Possession rating: 6.289
Chances Are rated this movie: 10.0
Shades of Ray rated this movie: 8.0
Nola rated this movie: 6.0
Laura Lansing Slept Here rating: 6.251
On Approval rated this movie: 8.0
As Young As You Feel rated this movie: 8.0
People Will Talk rated this movie: 10.0
The Red Shoes rated this movie: 8.0
Broken English rating: 6.2
Ball of Fire rated this movie: 10.0
The Way We Live Now: rated this movie: 6.0
Middlemarch: Average rating: 6.6
The Young Visitors: Average rating: 6.6
~~~~~
Paper Books We’ve recently read:
I'm still standing : memoirs of a woman soldier held captive in Iraq / Shoshana Johnson with M.L. Doyle: - - rated this book: 7.0
U is for undertow / by Sue Grafton: - - rated this book: 8.0
~
Kindle books we read this week:
Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat Victor Appleton: - - rated this book: 7.0
Red Lightning John Varley: - - rated this book: 8.0
Works of Jack London: - - rated this book: 7.0
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include shots of the Malone Boys with “Bug”
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Other issues can be seen at http://www.bugsbleat1q09.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
If you want to see photos of the April ’08 train wreck in Magnolia, go to http://www.bugsbleattw.blogspot.com/
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Be sure and keep Dr. Pat Antoon and his lovely wife Mandy in your prayers.
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - - Skinless Roast Chicken Chinoise - - Makes 6 servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 223.8
Total Carbs 3.1 g
Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
Sugars 0.6 g
Total Fat 7.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.4 g
Unsaturated Fat 6.5 g
Potassium 476.8 mg
Protein 33 g
Sodium 193.8 mg
Dietary Exchanges
½ Fat, 3 1/4 Meat, ½ Vegetable

Source: Chef Franklin Becker - - Ginger and soy sauce give this roast chicken an Asian flair.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Difficulty: INTERMEDIATE

Ingredients
1 whole roasting chicken, without skin
2 medium garlic cloves , smashed
6 scallions (one bunch)
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 oz fresh cilantro (equal to ½ bunch)
1 oz fresh lemongrass , chopped (equal to 1 stalk)
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp safflower oil
1 pinch black pepper , to taste
1 pinch salt , to taste (optional)

Directions
1 Stuff the chicken with the garlic, scallions, ginger, cilantro, and lemon grass. Rub the outside of the bird with a mixture of soy sauce, safflower oil, and sesame oil.
2 Tuck the legs of the chicken underneath and place on a roasting rack.
3 Season liberally with salt (if desired) and pepper and roast in a 450-degree F oven. Cook until the juices run clear, approximately 45 minutes.
4 Let the bird rest for 20 minutes to collect its juices.

http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/diabetic-recipes/recipeDetailPrint.html?id=1278
~~~~~
BreakPoint
Brouhaha in Boulder
A Tough Witness
By Chuck Colson Date: March 19, 2010

What kind of witness is it for a Catholic school to refuse to enroll the child of a lesbian couple? Find out.

Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder, Colorado, recently informed the parents of two students that their children wouldn’t be re-admitted for next fall’s term.

Normally, that would be a matter between the parents and the school and not the stuff of national news. But not this time.

That’s because the parents in question are a lesbian couple.

Father Bill Breslin, the parish priest, explained that the decision was motivated by concern for the children’s well-being. According to Breslin, “If a child of gay parents comes to our school, and we teach that gay marriage is against the will of God, then the child will think that we are saying their parents are bad...We don’t want to put any child in that tough position.”

That prompted Breslin to ask an obvious question: “Why would good parents want their children to learn something they don’t believe in?” He noted that “there are so many schools in Boulder that see the meaning of sexuality in an entirely different way than the Catholic Church does. Why not send their children there?”

Not surprisingly, what’s best for the children isn’t what’s at stake for the Church’s critics. Students from Iliff School of Theology, a liberal Protestant institution, protested outside of the Archdiocese of Denver’s offices, holding up signs that read “Standing on the Side of Love.”

Please.

As Archbishop Charles Chaput, a formidable defender of orthodoxy, explains, Catholic schools “exist primarily to serve Catholic families with an education shaped by Catholic faith and moral formation.” So it’s reasonable, he says, to expect “school families to live their Catholic identity faithfully.”

Now, Catholic schools do accept students of other faiths and no faith. They accept children of single parents and divorced parents. But they also expect that these parents will not offer a “serious counter-witness” to Catholic teaching in their actions.

It’s difficult to imagine a more obvious “counter-witness” than the case of the lesbian couple in Boulder. Orthodox Christians of all denominations hold that sexual intimacy outside a marriage is morally wrong and that marriage is a covenant which can only occur between a man and a woman.

As Chaput says, these teachings “are central” to a Christian understanding of “human nature, family and happiness, as well as the organization of society.” Ignoring the contradiction would undermine the purpose for which Christian schools exist.

A Boulder gay rights group vowed that “decisions like this aren't going to be tolerated.” I guess that means that in the name of “tolerance” and “love,” they won’t let Christians impose their faith on themselves.

This is exactly why Christian leaders from all denominations, including Archbishop Chaput, wrote the Manhattan Declaration—and why now nearly half a million Christians have signed it. Please, come to BreakPoint.org, and we’ll show you how you can sign the Manhattan Declaration yourself and take a stand for religious freedom, traditional marriage, and the sanctity of life.

We have to act. Because, given the trajectory of our culture, it won’t be long before many, indeed most of us, are facing the kind of challenges the Sacred Heart of Jesus School did. May we, please God, all of us stand for Truth.

Further Reading and Information

Catholic Schools: Partners in Faith with Parents [http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/3517]
Archbishop Charles Chaput | Denver Catholic Register | March 10, 2010

Catholic School Rejects Child Because Of Lesbian Parents [http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/22769137/detail.html?hpt=T2]
The Denver Channel | March 7, 2010

Colo. Catholic School Rejects Gay Parents' Children [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/10/colorado-catholic-school-rejects-gay-parents-kids/]
Washington Times | March 10, 2010

Gay Marriage v. Religious Freedom: A Cautionary Tale [http://www.breakpoint.org/commentaries/14688-gay-marriage-v-religious-freedom]
Chuck Colson | BreakPoint Commentary | March 8, 2010

View and Sign the Manhattan Declaration [http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/]
Manhattan Declaration

Copyright © 2010 Prison Fellowship. All Rights Reserved _ _ http://www.breakpoint.org/
~
Residents of Columbia County, Arkansas are represented in Congress by:

Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D_ AR)
Phone 202_224_4843
FAX 202_228_1371
http://lincoln.senate.gov/
~
Senator Mark Pryor (D_ AR)
Phone 202_224_2353
FAX 202_228_0908
http://pryor.senate.gov/
~
Representative Michael A. Ross (D _ 04)
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://ross.house.gov/

Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
Words of the Day:
erudite: characterized by extensive reading or knowledge.
fulminate: to issue or utter verbal attacks or censures.
gravitas: high seriousness.
hirsute: covered with hair or bristles.
potable: drinkable; also, a beverage, especially an alcoholic one.
cozen: to deceive or obtain by deceit.
matutinal: relating to or occurring in the morning.
from http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/
~~~~~
"If you're strong enough there are no precedents." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

"One must not always think that feeling is everything. Art is nothing without form." - Gustave Flaubert

"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."- Ayn Rand

"What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers." - Logan Pearsall Smith

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." - Jack London

"Mediocre men often have the most acquired knowledge." - Claude Bernard

"Deep versed in books and shallow in himself." - John Milton
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Colorado Church/State Adoption Initiative Spearhead by Focus on the Family is a "Phenomenal" Success - - Teresa Neumann (Mar 15, 2010)
"The success of the initiative has surprised even its many partners—the state, nine counties, New Life Church in Colorado Springs, and dozens of other churches and private agencies."
...Read Full Story [http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=7670]

Non-Political, Non-Religious: Massive "Abortion Changes You" Campaign Greets New York Subway Riders - - Peter J. Smith (Mar 16, 2010)
"I was on a train today here in New York City, and as I sat listening to my iPod, I looked up and saw this advertisement. The ad had a guy on it and over his head was written, 'I wonder if there was more I could have done for her?' Below was written, Abortion Changes You. As I read these three words I began to cry."
...Read Full Story [http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=7675]

310 2nd Ave SE
Albany, Oregon 97321
541_928_2642
E-mail editor@breakingchristiannews.com
US Orders: 1_866_358_7426
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GCF: Mortality

Emailed to me from another humor list (Daily Humor) -Tom To subscribe to Daily Humor, send a blank email to: Daily-Humor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
---------------------------------------------

GCF: Mortality

After I became a widow I began thinking about my own mortality. One day my daughter called home from college and I announced to her, "I think it's time for us to talk about where I would like to be buried."

"It's way too soon to even think of anything like that," she snapped indignantly.

Then there was a brief silence.

"Wait a minute," she said, "did you say married or buried?"

"I said buried."

"Oh, okay, sure."
_ ____________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Daily Humor) -Tom To subscribe to Daily Humor, send a blank email to: Daily-Humor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
---------------------------------------------

GCF: Pumpkin Pie

Our neighbors gave us a pumpkin pie as a holiday gift. As lovely as the gesture was, it was clear from the first bite that the pie tasted bad. It was so inedible that we had to throw it away. Ever gracious and tactful, my wife sent the neighbors a note. It read: "Thank you very much for the pumpkin pie. Something like that doesn't last very long in our house."

_ _____________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Tickled by Tony - Clean) -Tom Subscribe to the Tickled by Tony list by sending an email to: tickledbytony_clean-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
---------------------------------------------

GCF: Kitchen Rules

You can't put plastic in the dishwasher, metal in the microwave or utensils in the garbage disposal. There are so many rules in the kitchen that it's just safer to eat out.
_ ____________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Clean Laffs) -Tom Subscribe to Clean Laffs at the website: http://www.gophercentral.com/
---------------------------------------------

GCF: Gifts For Him

If you are really, really broke, buy him anything for his car. A 99-cent ice scraper, a small bottle of de-icer or something to hang from his rear view mirror. Men love gifts for their cars. No one knows why.

If you cannot afford a cordless drill, buy him anything with the word ratchet or socket in it. Men love saying those two words. "Hey George, can I borrow your ratchet?" "OK. By-the- way, are you through with my 3/8-inch socket yet?" No one knows why.

When in doubt - buy him a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. I have a friend who owns 17 and he has yet to complain. As a man, you can never have too many cordless drills. Again, no one knows why.

Do not buy men socks. Do not buy men ties. And never buy men bathrobes. I was told that if God had wanted men to wear bathrobes, he wouldn't have invented Jockey shorts.

You can buy men new remote controls to replace the ones they have worn out. If you have a lot of money buy your man a big-screen TV with the little picture in the corner. Watch him go wild as he flips, and flips, and flips.

Do not buy a man any of those fancy liqueurs. If you do, it will sit in a cupboard for 23 years. Real men drink whiskey or beer.

Do not buy any man industrial-sized canisters of after shave or deodorant. I'm told they do not stink - they are earthy.

Buy men label makers. Almost as good as cordless drills. Within a couple of weeks there will be labels absolutely everywhere. "Socks. Shorts. Cups. Saucers. Door. Lock. Sink." You get the idea. No one knows why.

Never buy a man anything that says "some assembly required" on the box. It will ruin his Special Day and he will always have parts left over.

Good places to shop for men include Northwest Iron Works, Parr Lumber, Home Depot, John Deere, Valley RV Center, and Les Schwab Tire. NAPA Auto Parts and Sears' Clearance Centers are also excellent men's stores. It doesn't matter if he doesn't know what it is. "From NAPA Auto,eh? Must be something I need. Hey! Isn't this a starter for a '68 Ford Fairlane? Wow! Thanks."

Men enjoy danger. That's why they never cook - but they will barbecue. Get him a monster barbecue with a 100-pound pro- pane tank. Tell him the gas line leaks. "Oh the thrill! The challenge! Who wants a hamburger?"

Tickets to a Patriots game are a smart gift. However, he will not appreciate tickets to "A Retrospective of 19th Century Quilts." Everyone knows why.

Men love chainsaws. Never, ever, buy a man you love a chain- saw. If you don't know why - please refer to Rule #8 and what happens when he gets a label maker.

It's hard to beat a really good wheelbarrow or an aluminum extension ladder. Never buy a real man a step ladder. It must be an extension ladder. No one knows why.

Rope. Men love rope. It takes us back to our cowboy origins, or at least The Boy Scouts. Nothing says love like a hundred feet of 3/8" manilla rope. No one knows why.
_ ____________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
---------------------------------------------

GCF: Get Me Out!

My husband David's colleague at a package-processing center was trapped in a small rest room by a faulty lock.

When he was finally discovered, David and another worker were able to open the door with some difficulty. The lock was still jammed, so they blocked the door open while a maintenance worker was called.

A bit later, David noticed the door was closed again. He jiggled the doorknob and a voice from inside called, "Get me out!"

"Don't worry," David replied, "maintenance should be sending somebody."

"They did," said the voice.
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )___________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If you can read the writing on \ /
\ _/ the wall, it means the kids \_ /
/ / have found the crayons. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )___________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Lawyer (n): \ /
\ _/ Larval stage of Politician. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )___________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I intend to live forever. \ /
\ _/ (So far, so good.) \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )___________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / You are making progress \ /
\ _/ if each mistake you make \_ /
/ / is a new one. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )___________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I love defenseless animals, \ /
\ _/ especially in a good gravy. \_ /
/ / \ \
_ ____________________________ _
/ )| Thomas S. Ellsworth |( \
/ / | tellswor@kcbx.net | \ \
_( (_ | http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor | _) )_
(((\ \>|_/ )___________________( \_| ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Dear Abby

DEAR ABBY: "P.O. in New Jersey" was angry because her sister-in-law purchased an identical wedding dress after seeing hers. Here's another way she could handle the situation:

The wedding day was fast approaching. Everything was ready, and nothing could dampen Jennifer's excitement, not even her parents' nasty divorce. Her mother had finally found the perfect dress and felt she would be the best-dressed mother of the bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn her new young stepmother, Barbie, had purchased the same dress. She asked Barbie to exchange it, but Barbie refused. "Absolutely not! I'm going to wear this dress. I'll look like a million bucks in it."

Jennifer relayed the conversation to her mother, who graciously replied, "Never mind, dear. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day, not hers." Two weeks later, another dress was finally found. When they stopped for lunch that day, Jennifer asked, "What are you going to do with the first dress? Maybe you should return it. You don't have any place to wear it."

Her mother grinned and replied, "Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner!" -- JUDITH, HOUSTON

Abby's Response:
DEAR JUDITH: I like her sense of humor.

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Did Noah Go Fishing?

A Sunday school teacher was teaching her young students about Noah and the ark. She asked them what they thought Noah may have done to pass the time in the ark for forty days.

After waiting a few moments, the teacher suggested, "Maybe he did a lot of fishing. How about that?"

One little boy gave her a funny look and said, "I don't think so. It's kinda hard to fish with just two worms!"

Received from Doc's Daily Chuckle.

(_:][:_)

Irish Blessing

May those that love us, love us.

And those that don't love us, may God turn their hearts.

But, if He can't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we will know them by their limping.

Received from Sandra Farrell-McMackin.

(_:][:_)

Feeding the Baby

My husband is wonderful with our baby daughter, but often he turns to me for advice. Recently, I was in the shower when he poked his head in to ask, "What should I feed Lily for lunch?"

"That's up to you," I replied. "There's all kinds of food. Why don't you pretend I'm not at home?"

A few minutes later, my cell phone rang. I answered it to hear my husband asking, "Yeah, hi, Honey. Uh...what should I feed Lily for lunch?"

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Two Kinds of People

Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."
Received from Larry.

(_:][:_)

_=+=_
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/2009/12/27/wine-humor/ - - Vintage Wisdom - -

Are you a Winus Ignoramus? Do wine connoisseurs make you feel insecure? I once felt the same way … until I discovered that NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING, especially when mouthing off about wine.

It’s shocking but true — most wine aficionados are faking it. Sure they toss around savvy sounding terms like oak, bouquet, finish, and jujubes. But trust me — they simply memorized a few words which they lob randomly, confident that they won’t be challenged. Why? Because they’re surrounded by fellow fakers.

You don’t believe me? Okay, here’s the proof. Several years ago some friends invited hubby Mark and me to a blind wine tasting party. These friends, who I sure hope won’t be reading this, were planning their wedding and wanted to find some great, but affordable wine.

The husband-to-be, who fancied himself a wine expert, had spent thousands of hours studying The Wine Spectator in his quality wine bargain quest, while the bride did what most brides do — everything else.

When we arrived for the tasting, we learned that the groom had narrowed his choice down to eight reds and eight whites, each touted as an “excellent buy” and each hovering at the high end of their wedding budget. Our job as two of a dozen guests was to taste and rank each wine “blind.” Then, through some elaborate coding process (I’m pretty sure the CIA was involved) our host would determine the identity of our favorites.

Being a dedicated Winus Ignoramus, I was embarrassed to be included in this group of wine savvy visitors. But I gamely participated, munching on dry crackers between each taste to cleanse my palate. And trying to follow the Wine Snobus Elitus-speak that kept buzzing around the room. “An amusing white.” “A charming red with just a hint of sassafras.” “A disappointing nose.” “Alluring eyes …” No wait, wrong party.

While everyone else sniffed corks and muttered pretentiously, I concentrated on trying to discern red from white. Finally, when each wine had been sipped and ranked, I sighed with relief … until I found out we had to repeat the tasting to double check the results.

The second round was finally over, and everyone anxiously awaited the verdict. Which red had prevailed? Which white had won?

And then a funny thing happened. (Well, funny to me.) With but one exception, everyone had been inconsistent in his preferences. Each person’s Wine List 1 was dramatically different from his Wine List 2. Everyone’s lists …. but mine.

I tried not to gloat. Okay, that’s a lie. A well-rounded tablespoon of gloating and a dash of strutting seemed about right. With just a soupçon of sass … afras.

So that’s when I learned that NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING … especially when it comes to wine. Which is why I’m no longer intimidated by leather-bound wine lists and patrons who pretend to understand them. I even feel free to make reservations in fancy restaurants … without reservation.

And on the appointed evening I stride in, my head and nose held high. Once seated, I give the wine list just a cursory glance. Who needs a list when you know your stuff?

“Le Boeuf Tartare, my dear sir,” I say, “and your finest applejack on the rocks.”

Just kidding — wine connoisseurs only drink applejack with fish.

MAD KANE’S HUMOR BLOG is © Madeleine Begun Kane

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/
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Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar

No one can make you serve customers well.....that's because great service is a choice.
Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card.. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment...

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice...' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'

Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'

And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always.. In fact, it's only been in the last two years.. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.

He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd..'

'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.

'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting..

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us? Smile, and the whole world smiles with you... The ball is in our hands!
A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up... let us do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.
SORROW looks back, WORRY looks around, and FAITH looks UP...
And while in the storm, give it to God and let Him handle it.
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain .'

Thanks to David Lamb
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The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.

March 19, 2010 in Confined Space @ TPH [http://en.wordpress.com/tag/confined-space-tph/]
| by Liz Borkowski [http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/author/skappliz/]

NPR’s Morning Edition has been running an interesting series by Jennifer Ludden on flexible workplaces, and the third part addresses a question that’s particularly challenging: How can shift workers get the same scheduling flexibility that many cubicle workers already enjoy?

Ellen Kosser at Michigan State University is conducting a National Institutes of Health study on how managers can make it easier for their hourly workers to resolve scheduling conflicts between their job and family responsibilities. Ludden explains that improving workplace flexibility can contribute to better employee health:

The NIH wanted to know whether this kind of flexibility at work can improve employee health, so they matched manager flexibility against various measures of employee well-being. Kossek says those with the most accommodating managers “had better physical health reports, better sleep quality, higher job satisfaction, and less stress over work-life conflicts.” …

Kossek says [improving flexibility] could mean posting schedules farther in advance, making it easier for workers to trade shifts or cross-training more people for the same job — or simply easing rules on cell-phone use.

A five-minute break would allow a cashier to call her child “even if it wasn’t when her official break was, but when she knew the bus got home,” Kossek says.

Parts One [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124611210] and Two [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124705801&ps=rs] of the series are also online.

Read the rest of this entry » [http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/occupational-health-news-roundup-140/#more-8539]

http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/
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Weekly Toll _ _ http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com/
Death In The Workplace w/News & Updates
John Donne _ ...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Construction worker dies after headfirst fall into a hole - - March 17, Hermosa Beach, California - Last week, area emergency and rescue crews spent nearly three hours in Hermosa Beach trying to recover the body of a construction worker who died after falling into a hole. The accident occurred March 10 at around 10:30 a.m. at 402 Sixth St. near Cypress Street. Alejandro Valladares, 29, fell approximately 30 feet headfirst into the bottom of a hole from a raised forklift and was killed. The investigation is still ongoing according to Cal/OSHA, the California branch of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

PG&E worker dies on the job in Benicia - - March 17, Benicia, California - An official with the Solano County Coroner's Office identified Maximilliano Martinez as the worker killed Wednesday. Martinez was from Windsor. PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith says the 26-year-old general construction lineman was electrocuted Wednesday morning.

Man killed while working on lawn mower - - March 16, Bremen, Indiana - Marshall County police reported Jared Smith, 33, was killed after he was pinned underneath an industrial size lawn mower Monday evening. Police, fire and EMS responded to the accident in the 5700 block of 1st road just before 6pm. County police said Smith was working on the lawn mower when the jack failed and fell on top of him. Smith was killed by the weight of the machine. Marshall County police are investigating the accident with the help of the coroner's office.

Police seek driver who struck, killed construction worker in Lake County - - March 16, Lake Station, Indiana — Police are searching for a driver who fled on foot after his speeding car struck and killed a construction worker on a northwestern Indiana highway. State police say a crew was patching potholes in a construction zone on westbound Interstate 80-94 in Lake Station when 45-year-old Christopher Jenkins was hit about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and thrown through the car's windshield.

Minden man dies in work-related accident - - March 12, Minden, Louisiana – A Minden man died today from complications of a fall into rail car at Camp Minden, authorities said. The victim is identified as Shannon Sampson, 30, a supervisor with GATX Rail Field. Sampson suffered a loss of oxygen which caused him to pass out and fall, Webster Parish sheriff’s public information officer Jenny Reynolds said in an e-mail. Sampson was flown from the scene to a Shreveport hospital, where he later died. Bossier Parish Fire District No. 1 Assistant Chief Skip Pinkston told deputies the oxygen level in the rail car was 7.3 percent, “which is about half of what we need to function,” Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton said.

Natural Gas Rig Worker Dead After 20 Foot Fall - - March 12, Towanda, New York - A gas drilling worker is dead after falling from a rig in Towanda. Police say 31-year-old Greg Henry of Athens, Tennessee was trying to dislodge a handrail on a moving drilling unit. The handrail gave way, and Henry fell at about 20 feet. Police say the fall caused a severe head injury and Henry was pronounced dead at the scene. OSHA is investigating. If the inspector finds safety violations at the site, the rig operator, Chesapeake Energy, will be fined.

http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com
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NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers killed since our last Bleat was published. These records can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/

01. Cpl. Jonathan D. Porto, 26, of Largo, Fla., died March 14 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

02. Pfc. Erin L. McLyman, 26, of Federal Way, Wash., died March 13 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked her base with mortar fire. She was assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lews-McChord, Wash.

03. Sgt. 1st Class Glen J. Whetten, 31, of Mesa, Ariz., died March 12 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

04. Spc. Steven J. Bishop, 29, of Christiansburg, Va., died March 13 in Tikrit, Iraq, while supporting combat operations. He was assigned to the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 352nd Civil Affairs Command, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

05. Staff Sgt. Richard J. Jordan, 29, of Tyler, Texas, died March 16 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

06. Gunnery Sgt. Robert L. Gilbert II, 28, of Richfield, Ohio, died March 16 of wounds sustained March 8 while supporting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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Air Force Pilot MIA From Vietnam War is Identified

The Department of Defense announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Maj. Curtis Daniel Miller of Palacios, Texas, will be buried on March 29 in the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery. Miller was part of a 14-man aircrew, all of which are now accounted-for. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group that will be buried together in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

On March 29, 1972, 14 men were aboard an AC-130A Spectre gunship that took off from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. The aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile and crashed. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after a few days due to heavy enemy activity in the area.

In 1986, joint U.S.- Lao People’s Democratic Republic teams, lead by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), surveyed and excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team recovered human remains and other evidence including two identification tags, life support items and aircraft wreckage. From 1986 to 1988, the remains were identified as those of nine men from this crew.

Between 2005 and 2006, joint teams resurveyed the crash site and excavated it twice. The teams found more human remains, personal effects and crew-related equipment. As a result, JPAC identified the other crewmen using forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence, mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at or http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo call (703) 699-1169.
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"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." __ Franklin D. Roosevelt
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. _ _ George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" _ _ Queen E. Watson
“A political class of Republicans and Democrats that look after themselves, not the Nation. A media hostile to the very precepts of this nation. A generation of Americans who see morals as vices, and are ignorant of America's Actual History.”
"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." - - Theodore Roosevelt
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Scheduled Activities
Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
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Central Dispatch 234_5655
(Non _ Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
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http://www. aapcc. org/
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[http://www.bannernews.net/]
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"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." __ "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" __ "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." __ "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." _ _ "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." _ _ Paul Troquille
“Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.” Knowledge is power. _ Francis Bacon
"The problem is here and now. The time for talk is past. The time for action is now."
Comments on the first Earth Day _ James F. McClellan via John "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" __"Bug"
God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Heb 2:9-11 Phile 1:10-11,15-17 Titus 2:1-6 2 Ki 6:16-17 Acts 12:21-24 http://www.e_min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT_I KC5HII

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