Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Running Away From Home

Volume 15, Issue 51 Friday, December 20, 2013

Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include;
SAU’s Newer Blue Water Tower Candle



Our Neighbor Pam’s Bow,



The Columbia County Courthouse shines with decorations on a rainy evening.



SAU’s old (and, to me, preferred) water tower candle decorations.



Our fantastic family photo.



Our front decorations.

Hello ALL,

Thought for Today: May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! ~ Author Unknown (via Ron Hazelton)
~
In case you haven’t realized it … Christmas is upon us. To reinforce the point, “Da Boys” have been “uber excited” about the coming toy bonanza.

In fact, they are so excited that I had to quash their constant requests to head on over to Wally World and just get a toy or two to tide them over. I explained that “NO” toys would be purchased this close to their birthdays and Christmas.

Well, yesterday I was running some errands while Annette (hereafter to be known as “The Pushover”) watched them. While I was gone, she realized she didn’t have all the ingredients for her famous “Slayer Pie” (see the recipe in this posting) so she grabbed the boys and went to the store.

When I got back home, Josiah met me at the door and declared; “We told mamaw you’d be angry.”

Hummm … this doesn’t sound good. “Why would I be angry?” I asked.

“Mamaw bought us toys.” He replied.

I walked on into the house and there was Ethan playing with a helicopter and Josiah had a HUGE box of Lego like blocks. I turned to Ethan and, using my sternest papaw face and voice asked; “How did you get that toy?”

Ethan didn’t hesitate, he launched into the explanation; “Well, we were at the store with mamaw and I saw this helicopter and … it was just a target of opportunity.”
~~~~~
Just to prove that even an old crabby guy can still learn a thing or two, a friend posted a comment discussing why the Christian Church chose December 25th to celebrate Christ’s birth.

Martha wrote: "A reminder of why we celebrate the birth of Christ this time of year- to try to win over the Pagans - Happy Solstice and beginning of Winter everyone! ... Here's to December 21st!"

I really appreciate the history lesson. I'm not a bible scholar (my theology can pretty much be summed up in; "Jesus loves me this I know ...) but I have wondered why we celebrated the birth of the Savior in December when pretty much every biblical scholar said he wasn't born in December. Most of the folks I referenced think the actual date of Christ’s birth was in the spring. Life is grand.
~~~~~
There’s joy in Mudville tonight ... Mac’s Fresh Food store here in Magnolia carries Zwolle Tamales. Halleluiah!
~~~~~
When the kids were around 8 or 10, we all went to Arnaud's Restaurant in New Orleans. David was and still is a "Meat and Potatoes" kind of guy.
While we ordered Shrimp Arnaud, Oysters on the Half Shell, Escargots en Casserole, Mushrooms Véronique, Smoked Pompano Bourgeois and , Crab Claws Provencale , David told me, "Dad, can I get a hamburger?"

I turned to the waiter and asked if he could get a hamburger and fries, "dry" with no dressing on the burger. The waiter didn't bat an eye. He just nodded.

When we were served, they laid a plate before David that contained a burger (obviously fresh ground) and fries that were fresh cut. I was proud to get my little guy what he wanted. ... Then he looked at me and said; "I need Ketchup for the fries."

I again turned to the waiter and told him: "My son would like some Ketchup." You'd have thought I'd slapped the guy. He paused, then turned toward the kitchen.

We all started eating and, after a little time, the Matre De came over and pulled a bottle of ketchup out from under his coat. It still had a price sticker from the corner market on it. They had gone down the street and bought this for David.

The Matre De stood there while David dumped ketchup on his fries. Then, after David put the cap back on the bottle, the Matre De swooped it up, again hid it under his coat and went back toward the kitchen.
~~~~~
From the GCF Archives

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: Politically Correct Holiday Greetings

To all my Liberal Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all;

PLUS

A fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or choice of computer platform.

(Disclaimer: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher who assumes no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit.)

To all my Conservative Friends:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
~~~~~
This little story illustrates Real Christmas for me: “The Toothless Grin”

I was doing some last-minute Christmas shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces. A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well, with a roll of money clamped tightly in her little hand. When she came upon a Barbie she liked, she would turn and ask her father if she had enough money to buy it.

He usually said "yes," but she would keep looking and keep going through their ritual of "do I have enough?" As she was looking, a little boy wandered in across the aisle and started sorting through the Pokemon toys. He was dressed neatly, but in clothes that were obviously rather worn, and wearing a jacket that was probably a couple of sizes too small. He too had money in his hand, but it looked to be no more than five dollars or so at the most. He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head, "No."

The little girl had apparently chosen her Barbie, a beautifully dressed, glamorous doll that would have been the envy of every little girl on the block. However, she had stopped and was watching the interchange between the little boy and his father. Rather dejectedly, the boy had given up on the video games and had chosen what looked like a book of stickers instead. He and his father then started walking through another aisle of the store.

The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon games. She excitedly picked up one that was lying on top of the other toys, and raced toward the check-out, after speaking with her father. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl's obvious delight, the little boy and his father got in line behind me.

After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier and whispered something in her ear. The cashier smiled and put the package under the counter.

I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things in my purse when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier rang up his purchases and then said, "Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!" With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon game, and he could only stare in disbelief. It was, he said, exactly what he had wanted!

The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this, and I saw the biggest, prettiest, toothless grin on that little girl that I have ever seen in my life. Then they walked out the door, and I followed close behind them. As I walked back to my car in amazement over what I had just witnessed, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that. I'll never forget what she said to him.

"Daddy, didn't Nana and PawPaw want me to buy something that would make me happy?"

He said, "Of course they did, honey."

To which the little girl replied, "Well, I just did!"

With that, she giggled and started skipping toward their car. Her toothless grin said it all. Apparently, she had decided on the answer to her own question of, "Do I have enough?"

I feel very privileged to have witnessed the true spirit of Christmas in that toy store, in the form of a little girl who understands more about the reason for the season than most adults I know!

Written by Sharon Palmer - - Received from Thomas Ellsworth.
~
http://GCFL.net - The Good, Clean Funnies List
A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a)
Facebook: http://facebook.com/gcfl.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gcfl
Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA
~~~~~
Heard on PBS Newshour; Scrooge Economist who says most gifts are “wasted” money because they aren’t what the receiver wants. The “experts” recommend giving things to folks that they want but normally wouldn’t buy for themselves. Examples were a very nice pen for a businessman or quality earphones for a music lover.

Hummm …. You know that really makes sense. Unless you’re a little kid whose parents aren’t sure what you want (though I can’t imagine a little kid who hasn’t repeatedly told his/her parents that they want everything they see on the children’s cartoon commercials.) If the parents aren’t sure what the kid wants, under this “experts” recommendation, they shouldn’t get the kid anything.

Yeah, that will fly on Christmas morning.

A good fall back is to use my system. I give the kids (both grown and younger) what I want them to have, wither they might or might not want. At least one of us should come out of this deal happy. :0)
~~~~~
Concerning the “Merry Christmas” vs “Happy Holidays” debate; I saw a “Tree Lot” sign posted this week that summed up the issue. The sign said: “Christmas Trees $5 a foot, Holiday Trees $10 a foot.”

Hey. It is funny :0)
~~~~~
If you’ve been conscious this week, you probably have heard the explosion from both conservatives and liberals over comments Phil Robertson made in a GQ article this month.
~
A valued friend had the following to say on the issue; “As far as A&E dropping Duck Dynasty, that is their business decision to make. Not that I like it.

However, I do stand with Phil!

It is hard for people to understand that just because we disagree doesn't mean I don't love you. My wife and I disagree often but I would walk through fire for her!

I just don't want your blood on my head!

We can't just pick the feel good things in the Bible and share them like some of the feel good preachers on TV want us to believe. This is a hard road! We have a Biblical obligation to share the Word and not just the good stuff! And marriage is so plain in the Bible, Man and Woman! To say otherwise is to say God makes mistakes.”
~
I have some comments on Phil’s quotes as well as the backlash from some and outpouring of support from many many others.

1. Phil accurately paraphrased what the Bible says concerning homosexuality. But like my friend above said, that Bible knowledge doesn’t require me to hate or attack those who live an “alternate” lifestyle (in fact it REQUIRES that I love them.) I have “Gay” friends and I cherish their friendship. But, I won’t change my beliefs because of the way my friends feel. Just to be clear here Christ was born, lived and died for us so we wouldn’t have to suffer the punishment for our sins. But that’s not a free pass. As Christians, we are instructed to “Watch over your heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23) and “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). We are also told to “…make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” (Romans 14:19) And we are reminded “… each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” (Romans 14:10-13) “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.” (Romans 14:1) If you still think that our faith is hateful, remember; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

2. At first, when I read what Phil said about working with blacks in the cotton fields, my brain started to mutter “oh no, oh no.” But then I thought back to my own childhood. My mother used to sing a lullaby about a little black boy crying to his mother because the white kids wouldn’t play with him and that song always made me sad. When I’d first learned that African Americans had been slaves in the United States. I was probably around five years old and I was SHOCKED. We’d been taught in Sunday School about the Israelites being slaves to the Egyptians. And when I saw the Ten Commandments Movie, I didn’t remember any Slaves of Color. The knowledge that my mammy, Mrs. Ida, could have been a slave was devastating to me. So, it’s no surprise to me that a poor redneck kid from northwest Louisiana could actually not be aware of the horrible mistreatment of African Americans in this country.

3. The “Free Speech” quotes by many supporters aren’t saying that A&E didn’t have the right to “censure” Phil for what he said. The point is that many so called “Free Speech” advocates have gone into a feeding frenzy over what he said and are praising A&E for “censuring” Phil. “Free Speech” works both ways. Just because we disagree with someone, doesn’t mean we should attack them and/or be glad when they are “censured.” Calling Phil Homophobic is, to me, an attack on the man.

4. A&E has the right to decide who they want on their network, just as viewer have the right to watch or not watch programs on that network and advertisers have the right to spend their dollars with DD or another program or network. I do think A&E’s leadership are misguided for immediately giving in to the “Politically Correct” folks and censuring Phil. Or you could say they had the courage of their convictions when they “suspended” the leader of a program which has drawn in millions more viewers than any other cable “reality” show, not to mention DD beat the finale of “Breaking Bad” by TWO MILLION viewers.

5. And finally … A&E has never really liked the Robertsons because A&E wanted a standard reality show that belittles people and makes fun of southerners. Instead they got a campy, family values show loved by folks from all over the country. Even after DD’s popularity exploded, A&E didn’t know what to do with it as shown by last spring’s ads on DD. Family values programming was interspersed with promotions of the decidedly not family friendly “Bates Motel” show. SHEESH!

Enough from me. Here are quotes from friends on the issue.
~
I think Phil Robertson is a very brave man!
He had to know when he was asked "the question" that his answer could land him with no job, and he still answered honestly. He didn't say what they wanted to hear. I wonder how many people would be willing to do the same, on their jobs, if they knew they would be fired if they didn't answer in a politically correct way? Hmmmmm.....
~
I am so SICK of ALL the ignorance from FB concerning Duck Dynasty!! How can anyone defend the obvious judgment and hate toward other people in the name of FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR CHRISTIANITY ?? It would seem to me that we as a society would be far more Christ Like if we're were quicker to love rather than judge and condemn!!!
~
I absolutely support Phil Robertson & A&E MUST reverse it's decision! There is NOTHING hateful about stating what your beliefs are on a given topic! Disagreement is not hate & I don't have to agree with you to LOVE you BUT I will not be bullied nor intimidated into silence because someone else is insecure in themselves because of what I believe. Come on Americans::: This is about free speech & there are plenty of us that are ready to fight again to not be controlled by the politically correct police of today!
A&E & any & all of it's sponsors will be boycotted by myself & multiplied millions of freedom loving Folks until Phil Robertson is reinstated---/// PERIOD! & we will speak up & out louder than ever before! This is absolutely ridiculous & it's time to bring it to the "intolerant ones"!!!
~
Ok, I've had enough and I don't usually do this, but here it goes. How do the newscasters know how Americans feel?? I am an American and a Christian and a Baptist. I believe in free speech, I believe in the Bible and it's Word. I also have friends that are gay that I love dearly. I also believe God loves them to. According to the word of God, they are sinners. Who among us is not a sinner. God sent his only Son to die on the Cross for our sins. God loves the person, he does not love the sin. I support much of what Mr. Robertson said, and I certainly believe in free speech!! The news is saying that Mr. Robertson said the gays and lesbians are not going to Heaven. I believe their life style is a sin, but I also we are saved by the Grace of God and Jesus died on the Cross for our sins. Only God knows who will be in Heaven. I feel we will all be surprised when we get to Heaven to see just who is there.

Why do we, as Christians, not stand up for our rights when we are the subject to so many jokes and critical remarks on almost ALL of the networks on TV. Why aren't these people banned from their network. Why, because there wouldn't be anything left to watch. I'm mad and I've had enough of all these. I feel if you go to church and say you are a Christian, if your preacher is not telling you that man with man and woman with woman is not a sin, then you need to find another church!

Now, I've had my say, you know who I am and where I stand. I AM A CHRISTIAN!!

You can block me, delete me, whatever you feel like doing. I WILL NOT CHANGE!!
~
And finally, to add a little levity to the discussion, during his monologue on The Tonight Show, Jay Leno said, “It seems Phil Robertson, one of the stars of Duck Dynasty has been suspended from the show after he criticized gays, so gay people are upset with him. Then he went on to criticize adulterers, drunks and swindlers and now congress is mad at him. The guy just can't win." - See more at: http://cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/eric-scheiner/leno-duck-dynasty-star-went-criticize-adulterers-drunks-and-swindlers-and#sthash.zSMCpu2e.dpuf

(The actual GQ article can be found at this link; [http://www.gq.com/entertainment/television/201401/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson] be forewarned … the language the writer uses in the piece is sometimes rather crude.)
~~~~~
Yet another ObamaCare Exemption. The President announced that anyone who had lost their health insurance because their old plan didn’t meet the ACA minimums (such as covering pregnancy wither you needed it or not) AND who couldn’t get a new plan for the same or lower price, would be able to be exempted from the requirements and allowed to purchase a Catastrophic Care policy. This should be cheaper than the new ACA minimum required plan.
Does anyone see a trend here? It’s not because ACA is some giant conspiracy to turn the nation socialist. It’s because this law is a DISASTER and “tweaking” it every week or so is not going to fix it.
SIX MILLION have had their policies canceled!!!!
~~~~~
I think one of the biggest problems with modern society and BIG government or business is the “rule” being blindly followed when common sense would indicate an alternative resolution.
Blind rule following takes away any judgment on the part of the participants and the fact is that no rule written by man is perfect.

For Instance: A good friend stopped in a local “curb side” fast food place a few years ago and ordered a plate of chili cheese nachos. The kid on the speaker said we don’t have those. My buddy then asked, “Don’t you have chili dogs?” “Yes.” came the answer. “And don’t you have cheese nachos?” “Yes.” “Then just give me and order of cheese nachos with the chili you’d normally put on a chili dog.” “I don’t have a button for that.” The voice replied. …

Last night, after a long wait to see the doctor, we were tired and “ran” by the local fast food Mexican place for some tacos and a burrito. It was 7:30 at night, we were tired and, after giving the order and pulling forward, we realized I’d ordered Annette’s food but not mine. No problem, I foolishly thought. We’ll just get some tacos at the window.

Imagine my surprise and consternation when the cashier told me she couldn’t take my order for three tacos, I’d have to drive around and give her the order via the speaker at the menu board. It was company policy.

There wasn’t a long line (there was one car behind us) and I would not have minded pulling up and letting her bring my three tacos to me when they were ready. I wouldn’t have even minded circling the place and picking up my tacos after the guy behind me was served.

But having me drive back around and order on that tinny speaker when I was looking at the girl who would be on the other end of that conversation, was … well … it was a prime example of big organization (corporate or government) insanity.

I tried again to order the tacos. The girl was very polite but firm. She couldn’t take an order directly at the window. It was company policy. So, I breathed in. I breathed out and accepted Annette’s order. Then I drove home and decided to sleep on it. Then today, I calmly wrote the chain as well as calling the local manager and the franchise owner. All assured me that the employee was misinformed, that they could accept orders at the window. “As a matter of fact,” said the franchise representative “we want customers to feel free to make multiple orders, change orders, whatever they want. We want the customer happy.”

Well, I’m happy.
~~~~~
Eccl 3:1-8
~~~~~
Sick of the battle between the left and right, between CNN and Fox? Try Rock City Times (written by Greg Henderson.)

As you can see in the headline examples below, Mr. Henderson, is a funny, talented writer who dishes out a wonderfully biting Satire of news.

"The Capital Hotel Becomes Infested with Squirrels after Installing Christmas Tree"

"Wal-Mart to Install Surface-to-Air Missiles on Store Rooftops to Shoot Down Amazon Drones"

"White Smoke Seen Coming from Longhorn Stadium, No New University of Texas Coach Elected"

"Entergy Issues Warning to Cammack Village Customers to Expect Outages Due to Downtown Bridge Lighting"

"Jerry Jones Announces He will Undergo a Post-Season Brain Transplant"

You can read Mr. Henderson's publication as well as sign up for his newsletter at http://www.rockcitytimes.com
~~~~~
Food Network’s “How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain” - By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D.

Plan Healthy Eats - - Rather than focus on the specific holiday meals that are sure to have a high calorie toll, think about your overall eating patterns during the season. How you eat every day sets the trend for your weight and health, so make healthy choices when and where you have more control, like at home and at work.

Eat Breakfast - - While it might be tempting to skip breakfast during the holiday season (it saves calories, right?) or to go in the other direction and dine on leftover pie, do yourself a favor and start the day off right. A good breakfast will get in some important nutrients, get your metabolism going and set the tone for the rest of the day.

Soup Up Your Meal Plan - - You can count on soup to fill you up with low-calorie, nutrient-dense vegetables. Make a big pot on the weekend and you'll have it on hand for lunch or dinner throughout the week.

Resist Workplace Temptations - - No doubt about it: There will be more candies, cookies and cake staring you in the face at the office during the holiday season. Again, take the long view. Special treats aren't so special when you start to have them every day. Save your calories for the sweets you really don't want to miss (like Aunt Lorraine's peanut brittle).

Reward Yourself - - One of the reasons we get so tempted by the abundance of sweets is that the holidays can be stressful, and indulging is one way to a hit of dopamine (the feel-good hormone) to the brain. Get your dopamine fix with other non-food-related rewards by, say, treating yourself to a massage, heading to a yoga class, taking a bath or carving out time to read a good book.

Bring a Veggie Dish - - "Be the change you want to see in the world" doesn't just apply to how you treat others. It also applies to the food you want to eat. Make sure there's something healthy at a holiday party by offering to bring a vegetable-centric dish.

Sip Seltzer or Water - - Many people tend to let loose this time of year and dip into holiday spirits. While a single drink can be a modest indulgence, having two or more can be like eating an extra dinner. (A glass of wine is 125 calories, an old fashioned is 180 and a White Russian is 270!) Slow your pace by alternating a cocktail with a glass of seltzer or water.

Sneak in Exercise - - The holidays are a busy time, for sure. But rather than throw your exercise routine out the window, or tell yourself you'll start one in January, focus on staying active in simple ways. It doesn't have to be an hour-long class or even a half-hour jog. Instead, find little ways to stay moving, like busting out a plank pose or going for a quick walk between meetings. Also, try to plan family time around active get-togethers, like a walk around the neighborhood or a snowshoe hike in the woods.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/how-to-avoid-holiday-weight-gain/pictures/index.html?nl=EATS_121813_P3-Text3&sni_mid=104963&sni_rid=104963.314.869611&c32={2C4766C1-E79F-4C8E-BBCE-D8B095BE4573}&oc=linkback
~~~~~
“Inside the ‘Killer Robot’ Olympics” - - The research branch of the U.S. Defense Department, DARPA, is putting on a big competition in Florida this Friday and Saturday for the world’s most advanced robots. Many of these “robots” will take the form of airborne drones, big and small; some will be weapons systems on ships; and some will be moving more or less like animals and humans. The Daily Beast’s Christopher Dickey reports. Read it at The Daily Beast http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/19/darpa-s-drone-olympics.html
~~~~~
Speaking of defense … our current Defense Secretary was a member of a group pushing to ban nuclear weapons before being tapped to “take care” of our military. He’s taking care of Vets by working to cut their benefits (if he wants to negotiate with new enlistees, fine. But he shouldn’t renege on the things we’ve previously promised to our armed forces.)
I assume he’s also taking care of our nuclear deterrent the same way. (I understand he’s proposing to do away with all land based ICBMs by the end of 2015.)
“Great” choice B.O. ~~~~~
KEYS FOR LIVING

1. The best way to get even is to forget...
2. Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death...
3. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts...
4. Some folks wear their halos much too tightly...
5. Some marriages are made in heaven, but they ALL have to be maintained on earth...
6. Unless you can create the WHOLE universe in 5 days, then perhaps giving "advice" to God isn't such a good idea!
7. Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, and faith looks up...
8. Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous. You will get knocked down by the traffic from both ways.
9. Words are windows to the heart.
10. A skeptic is a person who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it's a forgery.
11. It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill just add a little dirt.
12. A successful marriage isn't finding the right person-it's being the right person.
13. The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground.
14. Too many people offer God prayers, with claw marks all over them.
15. The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it.
16. To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you.
17. You have to wonder about humans, they think God is dead and Elvis is alive!
18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
19. You'll notice that a turtle only makes progress when it sticks out its neck...
20. If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher.

And last but not least -- God gave the angels Wings, and He gave humans CHOCOLATE.

"The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything."

You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.

-- Author Unknown Thanks to Waneta
~~~~~
Remembering Mom's Clothesline

There is one thing that's left out. We had a long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn't brush the ground and get dirty. I can hear my mother now.

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:

(If you don't even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)

1. You had to hang the socks by the toes... NOT the top.

2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs... NOT the waistbands.

3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes - walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.

4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.

5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders - always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?

6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven's sake!

7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)

8. It didn't matter if it was sub-zero weather... clothes would "freeze-dry."

9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky"!

10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.

11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.

12. IRONED? Well, that's a whole OTHER subject!

Thanks to Waneta
~~~~~
David Ashby's Article: "Tax Free Opportunities That Harry Won't Mention" - - Mustard Seed Financial

Recently I saw a clip of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid being interviewed regarding upcoming budget negotiations. Harry wants to see further tax increases, beyond what happened earlier this year. As a brief review, in January Congress passed the Taxpayer Relief Act which increased the top income and capital gains tax rates for higher income levels. The Act also instituted several brand new taxes to help fund the Affordable Care Act and ended the payroll tax holiday whereby we had seen a temporary two percent drop in Social Security taxes. While we all felt the impact of the payroll tax change immediately, I think some are going to be in sticker shock when they file their tax returns next year. A better name for the law might be the Taxpayer Grief Act.

Anyway, back to Harry and the interview. Harry says that Americans are on his side. That is, they want to see additional tax increases and that they won’t mind a bit paying more taxes themselves. Well, besides the fact that he lives near Las Vegas and I live in Taylor, we must be living on different planets. His comments seem directly at odds with what I hear from folks on Main Street. I don’t know anyone who wishes they were paying more in taxes. I don’t know a single person who complains about their tax bill being too low. Nevertheless, you should be aware that the potential for higher taxes is on the horizon. So does the idea of tax free income appeal to you? No, I’m not talking about mowing yards for cash and not reporting the income. I’m talking legitimate tax free sources of income. If so, here’s a bullet list of some possibilities:

Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k): Contribute to a Roth today and you don’t get a tax deduction. But down the road, qualified withdrawals are income tax free. In general, qualified withdrawals mean you are 59 ½ and have had the Roth account open for at least five years. So all the earnings that accumulated over the years can be tax free income.
Health savings accounts: To qualify, you have to be covered under a high deductible health insurance plan or have no plan at all. As the Obamacare situation continues to unfold, that may end up being all of us! Contributions are tax deductible but can be withdrawn, along with any earnings, to pay for medical expenses. As long as you use the funds to pay medical bills, earnings are tax free. Folks on Medicare do not qualify.
Municipal bonds: interest on most municipal bonds is free of federal income tax and free of state income tax if it’s a bond in your state of residence. These are probably best bought in a mutual fund so you get some diversification. Municipal bonds can end up in default, just ask Detroit.
Flexible spending accounts: if your employer offers this benefit, you can run out of pocket medical expenses, childcare expenses and certain other items through this account, up to $2,500 per year. Funds placed in a flexible spending account escape not only income taxes but payroll taxes as well, an added bonus!
529 savings accounts: these are savings accounts for post-secondary education. Say you drop $10,000 into an account for your kid or grandkids and it grows to $25,000 by college age. If they spend the money on education, including room and board, you never pay taxes on the $15,000 gain. That’s nice. Sort of a Roth IRA for education.
Cash value life insurance: life insurance salesman have told us for decades how to use cash value life policies to reduce tax bills. The main problem: such policies can come with high fees. But find a low expense cash value policy and this might be a good place to stash some funds. Suppose you pay $25,000 in premiums for a policy. Down the road, the cash value grows to $70,000. Now you need funds in retirement to live on. The first $25,000 is tax free because it is simply a return of your investment. Then you can borrow out a chunk of the cash value as well with no tax consequences since loans aren't income. At your death, the death benefit pays off the loan.

You should consult your tax advisor as to which strategies might work for you. Who knows whether higher taxes are in store for us or not? Tax free opportunities still make sense. That is, unless you happen to be one of the folks Harry’s referring to. If that’s the case, keep in mind you are allowed to contribute extra funds over and above your tax bill. Uncle Sam will take your money!
~~~~~
It wouldn’t be a holiday without Annette’s FAMOUS “Slayer Pie.”
(Also known as “Death By Chocolate” or “Chocolate Mousse Pie”)
Warning!!! This is not sugar free, low fat nor low calorie. This is the real thing.

Ingredients

Crust:
3 Cups Oreo cookies (23 cookies) Actually, Annette usually just used a whole big package.
½ Cup melted unsalted butter

Filling:
1 Pound semi-sweet chocolate
2 Eggs
4 Egg yolks
2 Cups heavy cream
6 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar
4 Egg whites

Topping: Whipped Cream

Directions

Crust: Combine the cookie crumbs and the butter and press on the bottom and sides of a spring form pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Filling: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Add the whole eggs and mix thoroughly, then add the egg yolks to the mixture and continue to blend. Whip the heavy cream and add confectioner's sugar. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir the chocolate mixture, the whipped cream, and the egg whites together and pour on top of the crust in the spring form pan. Refrigerate for six hours or more.

Topping: Layer Whipped Cream on top of mousse till even with the top of the pan.
~~~~~
dLife Foodstuff - - Do Supplements Work for Diabetes?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were a side-effect free, all-natural pill or powder that would, in one fell swoop, improve your A1c, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure? A diabetes super-herb, taken twice a day with meals?

While a diabetes cure-all is a pipe dream, scientists are hard at work studying herbs and supplements that show different degrees of promise in the treatment of diabetes and its array of associated conditions. The research is exciting, and your doctor may be willing to work with you to find something that helps. But remember: Dietary supplements are not regulated like drugs are, and extra vigilance on the part of the consumer is crucial. Get expert advice before popping anything new into your regimen.

Important Note: There is limited scientific evidence on the effectiveness of most dietary supplements for type 2 diabetes. A possible exception may be the use of omega-3 fatty acids to lower triglyceride levels. It is very important not to replace conventional medical therapy for diabetes with dietary supplements. To ensure a safe and coordinated course of care, inform your diabetes care team about any dietary supplements you are using or considering.

Supplements can interact with various prescription medications, affecting the action of the medications. People with type 2 diabetes need to know about these risks and discuss them with their health care provider. In addition, prescribed medicines may need to be adjusted if a person is also using dietary supplements.

SOURCE: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Research Report: Treating Type 2 Diabetes with Dietary Supplements (PDF). (Accessed 5/7/08.)

Reviewed by Susan Weiner, RD, MS, CDE, CDN. 10/08
~~~~~
DarynKagan.com - - I have for you today 3 stories of hope, kindness, and love. May they make your day brighter! Enjoy! -Daryn.


Lonely Irish Pensioner Places Ad: "I Don't Want To Spend Another Christmas Alone" #Amazing Worldwide Response
http://darynkagan.com/Love_Stories.html

So Much For Doubters: This Baby Beat The Odds #Story of Hope
http://darynkagan.com/Love_Stories.html

NFL Player Helps Stranded Motorist #That Was Just The Beginning Of Incredible Kindness
http://darynkagan.com/DarynKagan.com_Animals.html

Daryn's Upbeat Stories! Daryn@darynkagan.com
Copyright © *|2013* *|Journeyist, Inc.|*, All rights reserved.
~~~~~
EarthSky News - Most Popular This Week - Deborah Byrd

Everything you need to know: December solstice 2013
The December solstice marks the longest night in Northern Hemisphere and longest day in the Southern Hemisphere. Celebration time!

Largest-ever true-color photo of the night sky
The photographer trekked 60,000 miles (100,000 km) across the western United States and South Africa to create this massive composite image. Be sure to click the link inside this post for the gigantic, high-def, zoomable version.

Rare snow storm hits Middle East
A rare snow storm hit the Middle East, producing record snows and extreme conditions for Syrian refugees.

Milky Way galaxy has four arms again
A debate has been raging about whether our galaxy has four spiral arms, or two. A 12-year study of massive stars suggests that it has four.

http://earthsky.org/?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=a5ae09fe2f-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-a5ae09fe2f-393703501
~~~~~
Rasmussen Reports - -

75% Think Parents Should Decide If There Is Prayer in Their Child's School

66% believe the economy is unfair to the middle class.

65% Say No to Cell Phone Chatting on Airplanes

58% Oppose Health Care Law's Individual Mandate

49% Rate Obama Poorly on Deficit Reduction

46% Approve of Obama's Job Performance

33% See China's Moon Landing as Bad for U.S.

29% Have Favorable Opinion of Federal Government

22% Think Federal Government Needs More Tax Money

21% Favor Amnesty for NSA Leaker Snowden

15% Give the House Positive Marks

13% Give Senate Positive Marks

13% Think Airline Mergers Good for Fliers
~
To find out more about Scott Rasmussen, and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 - - SCOTT RASMUSSEN - - DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM See Other Political Commentaries. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary See Other Commentaries by Scott Rasmussen. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_scott_rasmussen
~~~~~
Favorite Quotes: Via Ron Hazelton

If you think you're too small to make a difference, you've obviously never been in bed with a mosquito. ~ Michelle Walker

Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced. ~ Leo Tolstoy

Exploring the unknown requires tolerating uncertainty.~ Brian Greene

A smile is a facelift that's in everyone's price range! ~ Tom Wilson

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. ~ Calvin Coolidge
~
And one attributed to Phil Robertson; America, you need to be more focused on our veterans losing their benefits than about me being suspended from a television show. The only reason I have the freedom to voice my own opinion is because of them. Stop "Stand With Phil" and stand by the true heroes.
~~~~~
Excerpts from Debbie Troquille’s Big Little Book Of Devotions:

12/14 What a busy Friday night and Saturday morning, we had! Paul and I babysat Nolan and Landon, last night. They survived, and so did we....I'm proud of both! Cami and Abby did some Christmas shopping today, and we made it again, yay!! Anyway, tomorrow afternoon, my side of the family will have our Christmas get together. Family is a blessing, and I won't take our time together, for granted.

12/15 I just found out that my precious Aunt Marge McGough, entered Heaven today! Having lost my parents, I know what my cousins are experiencing right now, but knowing Jesus makes all the difference, for all of us. Heaven really has gotten a little sweeter, and oh, the reunion going on there....today, I'm even more thankful for Jesus and Heaven!

12/16 "A span of life is nothing, but the man or woman who lives that span, they are something. They can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable, though its quantity may be insignificant." (Chaim Potok) I can't be with family members today, as my sweet Aunt Marge is laid to rest, but I'm praying for her children and grandchildren. She lived her span of life, well....and I'm blessed because of that!

12/17 George Herbert Palmer said, "I am defeated, and know it, IF I meet any human being from whom I find myself unable to learn anything." Paul Troquille says some people show us more of what NOT to be like, while others show us fine examples of how to live life. Either way, there's something to be learned. Just like there are "updates" on computers, phones, etc., I've made the decision, to have daily learning "updates" so that I can be at my best! Enjoy this beautiful Tuesday!

12/18 I love the way Matthew 5:5 reads in the Message Bible. It says, “You’re blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." Joy, peace, and contentment, can't be bought with money. They were, however, purchased with the blood of Jesus, and made available, for free, to us. God sure gives good gifts!

12/19 Aren't you glad that the gospel is a "whosoever" gospel? Whew, I am!! There aren't just a select few. Salvation is open to anyone. That's what makes the gospel "GOOD NEWS!" Jesus...Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. There is no other name, under Heaven, by which any person can be saved! (Acts 4:12) He was born, (happy birthday Jesus) He lived, He died, He was raised from the dead, and He's alive now.....my Superhero!

12/20 I think Phil Robertson is a very brave man!
He had to know when he was asked "the question" that his answer could land him with no job, and he still answered honestly. He didn't say what they wanted to hear. I wonder how many people would be willing to do the same, on their jobs, if they knew they would be fired if they didn't answer in a politically correct way? Hmmmmm.....
~~~~~
The following wisdom is shared by our friends and family.
~
Donah Dumas
Have you been outside on this cold dark night and observed all the bright stars in the sky or maybe they could be just nail holes in the floor of heaven!
~
Nancee Law
The best gift around the Christmas tree is the presence of family wrapped in love.

It's not what's under your Christmas tree, it's who's around it that counts

Sitting in the line of fire during a rubber band war is not a good place to be.

I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord forever.

funny how quickly kids straighten up when you start counting.

If you trust God for all you need, He will also give you all you want.

God's Greatest Expressions of Love....Look around at what you have, not what you don't have.

If you give the devil an inch, he will take a mile. Be careful that you aren't equipping him.

In order to get Kindness, you have to give Kindness
~
Rick Pavick
A roadrunner's top speed is 20 MPH, and a coyote's top speed is 43 MPH. So I guess every Saturday morning of my childhood from 7am to 8am was just a big lie!
~~~~~
AskBob - - Bob Rankin - - http://askbobrankin.com/

Get Free TV With Hulu? We'd all love to cancel our expensive cable TV service, if only we could watch our favorite shows for free. Hulu is an online video service that just might deliver on the promise of free TV. But it depends on what, where, and how you want to watch your television. Read on to learn more about Hulu ... http://askbobrankin.com/get_free_tv_with_hulu.html?awt_l=HZr.N&awt_m=IjiZI.geSuP6SL

HOWTO: Boost Cell Phone Battery Life There are two kinds of mobile device users: one rants constantly about the uselessness of the battery in his phone, tablet, laptop, etc.; the other kind shrugs and says, “Mine’s not so bad.” The difference is partly one of temperament; some mobile users take simple steps to extend the time between recharges. Here are some simple ways to conserve a battery’s charge and extend the life of the battery itself...
http://askbobrankin.com/howto_boost_cell_phone_battery_life.html?awt_l=HZr.N&awt_m=ImBf8PrimuP6SL
~~~~~
ACC SmartBrief - - “Survey: Environmentalists, politics trumping science in chemical regulations”
Politics and environmental advocacy have a greater influence on efforts to manage chemical risks than science, according to a recent survey of three professional societies focused on risk management. And when scientific data are used, they are often not available for independent analysis, according to the survey, which was funded in part by the American Chemistry Council. Industry concerns were found to be "the least influential factor in current risk management," this article says. Forbes (12/19)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorbutterworth/2013/12/19/politics-environmentalism-beating-out-science-in-regulating-risk-say-experts/
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

US based Soldier Mysteriously Pretends to be based in Thailand: “A strange story from Texas.”
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/us-embassy-bangkok-us-soldier-running-rogue-operation.htm
~
US Air Force being Shot Down: “This is extraordinary.”
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/air-force-being-downgraded-to-air-persuasion-task-force.htm
~
US Propaganda from the war: for your pleasure: “Worse than Pravda.”
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/afghanistan-talking-points-us-troops.htm
~
In Syria, Christians have no way to play Switzerland
Dec 2, 2013, 10:58am | Ed Morrissey
http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2013/12/02/in-syria-christians-have-no-way-to-play-switzerland/

Michael Yon is working in Turkey to report on the Syrian civil war. A couple of weeks ago, we barely missed each other in Istanbul (my fault, thanks to an ambitious tour itinerary), where he and I planned to meet to discuss the coverage of the war in the US. He has a new post up reporting how al-Qaeda is growing like kudzu in Syria, but also the impossible position in which Christians find themselves in the war:

Despite their long history, some believe the days of Christians in Syria are fading. Many have fled to Turkey, possibly having already spent their final days in their homeland.

In the United States there is a tendency to view this as “Muslims vs. Christians,” yet on the scale of the troubles these are subtopics. Stories that center on the Christian suffering can make it sound like “another Christian village has fallen,” when the stories coming from Syria are “another village has fallen, and this one happens to be mostly Christian.”

The targeting of Christians is often not the result of religious differences.

Politically, some targeting stems from many Christians siding with Assad’s regime, fearing an inevitable pogrom. Assad nurtures Christian fears to gain their support.

But that hardly matters: if they side against Assad, his forces will also attack. The price of being a minority can be dammed if you do and dead if you don’t.

In the ultimate “you are with us or against us, “ there is no option to play Switzerland and pretend lofty neutrality as if that were a choice. Alpine geography and political circumstance afford lucky Switzerland the fantasy of being above it all, yet a desert village on key terrain and crucial routes has less fortunate geography and circumstance. The options are to run, surrender, or fight.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/al-qaeda-in-syria-a-snapshot.htm

Very Respectfully,
Michael Yon
Your Writer,

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

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
~~~~~
If you would like to encourage US Troops overseas, but are not sure just how to begin, visit www.anysoldier.com for ideas.
~~~~~
5 Things New Veterans Expect From All Political Candidates

1. Defend the New GI Bill
2. Employ the New Greatest Generation
3. Prevent suicide among troops and veterans
4. Build a truly 21st Century VA
5. Improve Care for Female Veterans

http://iava.org/blog/5-things-new-veterans-expect-all-candidates-2012
~~~~~
Please remember ... America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the MALL.
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~
For the latest issue of "Da Bleat.", go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include; SAU’s Water Tower Candle, The Columbia County Courthouse shines with decorations on a rainy evening. Pam’s Bow, Our front decorations. Our fantastic family photo. SAU’s old (and, to me, preferred) water tower candle decorations.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Break Point - - Do Your Kids 'Get' Christmas?
More than Rules and Stories
By: John Stonestreet|Published: December 20, 2013 5:30 AM

How do you explain to your kids what Christmas is all about? I’ll tell you how I teach mine.

I remember the first children’s Bible story books we were given when my kids were born—you know, the ones that teach the timeless lessons: Adam and Eve disobeyed God and messed everything up, so you should obey your mom and dad. Noah was the best man of his time, so God saved him. David slew Goliath and Zacchaeus got to have Jesus over for dinner because, well, you know—God loves small people, too.

Most of these children’s Bibles told great stories about heroic men and women who did what God said and everything worked out for them. And if you do what God says, it follows everything will work out for you, too. Right?

Well, that’s the version many kids get from well-intentioned Christian teachers, videos and Sunday school curriculum. The problem is, it’s not the story of Scripture. It’s more like what sociologist Christian Smith once called “moralistic therapeutic deism,” or the idea that Christianity can be summed up as “God wants you to try a little harder to do a little better…just like those great people in the Bible.”

But when you read the Bible cover-to-cover you see just how mistaken this view is. The Bible is a book filled with accounts of broken, sinful, and sometimes downright thick people whom God still chose to use in His redemption plan. And it’s about how all of history ultimately leads up to Jesus Christ, God the Word who became flesh, dwelt among us, and began the re-creation of all things.

That’s why I was so excited to talk on “BreakPoint This Week” to two amazing writers for children, Sally Lloyd Jones, author of “The Jesus Storybook Bible,” and Phil Vischer, creator of “What’s in the Bible?” (and formerly, of course, "VeggieTales”).

These two have produced a goldmine of biblical instruction for children.

Jones says she grew up in a Christian home, but viewed the Bible as a rule book or full of commandments and moral heroes to imitate in order to earn God’s love.

The inspiration behind her wonderful “Jesus Storybook Bible,” she says, hit when she realized that she’d misunderstood Scripture for most of her life.

“…the Bible is most of all a story,” she said, “And it’s the story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them…if I, as a child growing up in a Christian home…missed the whole point of what the Bible was about, I wondered how many other children were missing it.”

And that’s what her children’s books, especially her Christmas gem, “Song of the Stars,” are designed to prevent. Jones says she wants children not to look at Scripture as a collection of moral nuggets, but as a unified epic leading with ever greater clarity to the manger of Jesus Christ, where the only solution to sin and brokenness is found.

Phil Vischer’s journey covered much of the same ground, but he says he didn’t recognize his childhood gospel of moralistic therapeutic deism until well into adulthood. As I shared with you on BreakPoint last year, Vischer—himself the voice of Bob the Tomato—admits the message taught in many “VeggieTales” wasn’t fully ripe Christianity. In his own words, “You can say ‘hey kids, be more forgiving because the Bible says so.’ But that isn’t Christianity.”

Newsletter_Gen_180x180_BHis latest work, especially the children’s puppet series “What’s in the Bible?” with Buck Denver, captures an entirely different message. Children learn about the unity of Scripture, how each piece fits together to form the great story about Jesus Christ, who came to save us from trying to please God ourselves.

And in the remarkable video “Why Do We Call It Christmas?” children can discover the origins of some of our most beloved Christian traditions, and how they each point back to the “upside down” story we celebrate this time of year: that the King of the Universe became a child, to rewrite our story, and make us all His children.

We’re using these incredible resources right now with our family to walk through Advent with our children. So come to BreakPoint.org.

Resources:

What’s in the Bible? video series
Phil Vischer | Jellyfish Labs
http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/advSearch2.asp?txtTitle=whats+in+the+bible%3F&x=0&y=0

Cottages and Vegetables
John Stonestreet | BreakPoint.org | July 6, 2012
http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/19742

Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story
Sally Lloyd Jones | Zonderkidz | September 2011
http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=9780310722915

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
Sally Lloyd Jones | Zonderkidz | March 2007
http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=0310708257

A Nation Divided: Why Do We Call It Christmas?
EMI-CMG Publisher | October 2011
http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=0853026002370

Copyright © 2013 Colson Center. All Rights Reserved

http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries

Copyright © 2013 Colson Center. All Rights Reserved
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Residents of Columbia County, Arkansas are represented in Congress by:
~
Senator John Boozman (R_ AR)
1 Russell Courtyard
Washington DC, 20510
Phone: 202-224-4843
http://boozman.senate.gov/
~
Senator Mark Pryor (D_ AR)
Phone 202_224_2353
FAX 202_228_0908
http://pryor.senate.gov/
~
Representative Tom Cotton (R )
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://cotton.house.gov/

Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

"Literature is news that stays news." - Ezra Pound

"Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns." - John Clarke

"Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh." - W. H. Auden

"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." - Andre Gide

"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight." - Benjamin Franklin

"Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless." - Thomas A. Edison

"If you really want something, and really work hard, and take advantage of opportunities, and never give up, you will find a way." - Jane Goodall
~~~~~
Breaking Christian News

Phil Robertson Breaks Silence During His Sunday Bible Study
by Teresa Neumann : Dec 23, 2013 : Leonardo Blair - The Christian Post
http://www.christianpost.com/news/phil-robertson-breaks-silence-at-bible-study-i-will-not-give-or-back-off-from-my-path-i-am-a-lover-of-humanity-not-a-hater-111357/

"I have been immoral, drunk, high. I ran with the wicked people for 28 years and I have run with the Jesus people since, and the contrast is astounding." -Phil Robertson

Phil Robertson(West Monroe, LA) - Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson chose to finally speak about being suspended from A&E at his church yesterday.

In a Bible study at White's Ferry Road Church of Christ, Robertson, dressed in full camouflage, called himself a "lover of humanity and not a hater."

"I have been immoral, drunk, high. I ran with the wicked people for 28 years and I have run with the Jesus people since, and the contrast is astounding...Jesus will take sins away. If you're a homosexual He'll take it away, if you're an adulterer, if you're a liar, what's the difference? If you break one sin, you may as well break them all."

"I have made hundreds and hundreds of speeches," he added, "and you can pick them apart and the center has always been Jesus Christ...[He] was the most perfect being to ever walk this planet and He was persecuted and nailed to the Cross, so please don't be surprised when we get a little static."

In a separate report, The Daily Mail posted an article on December 21, in which an unnamed Duck Dynasty insider claimed the Robertson family was being "hung out to dry," contending that an A&E official was with Robertson during the GQ interview and therefore knew what the patriarch had said and did nothing to change or prevent the article from being published.

The "unnamed source" reportedly said, "It is our understanding that when the TV executives came up with the concept for the show, they wanted it to be a case of people laughing at a bunch of backward rednecks. But when it didn't turn out like that...it did not sit well with the New York TV types. We believe they were also uncomfortable with the family's insistence that there would be a strong religious presence in the show.

"They knew Phil was the driving force behind this and we think they have used this situation to bring him in line so they could steer the show back down the path they intended. But they may have underestimated how...committed [the Robertson family] is to their beliefs."
~
Carman Asks for Prayer While Undergoing Cancer Treatment
by Jeremy Reynalds : Dec 23, 2013 : Assist News Service
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2013/s13120092.htm

"Folks, this is a battle. A war to really test your mettle. I want to stop this every day and pick it up another year. But I'm almost half way through. I have to find the strength somewhere to keep going." -Carman Licciardello

Carman Licciardello(Tulsa, OK) - Carman Licciardello, the recording artist and Christian evangelist who earlier this year revealed he has terminal cancer, asked for prayer on his Facebook page Saturday.

Carman said he would appreciate prayer that his medical team finds the right treatment formula.

"Everybody's different and you never know what the body will or won't respond to. Folks, this is a battle. A war to really test your mettle. I want to stop this every day and pick it up another year. But I'm almost half way through. I have to find the strength somewhere to keep going."

Carman said he could never have imagined what he is currently experiencing after having his stem cells replaced.

He added, "They give you the heavy dose of chemo. It wipes out the cancer but also everything else, including white blood cells that fight off infection."

Carman said there's a 10-14 day time period while the stem cells are replaced that your immune system is completely disabled.
"Meaning if someone sneezes or coughs near you, you can catch a cold and literally die from it," Carman said.

"I've had my worst week ever," Carman said. "Nights where I laid in bed violently shivering for three hours at a time with a 104 temperature. Then I'd fall asleep and wake up enough to eat a few bites of something, then fall back to sleep."

Carman described Friday night. He wrote (sic), "Last night I slept for the past six hours sweating completely through my T-shirts - wake up change clothes - go back to sleep - did that five times. Body is rejecting extra fluids, I guess, pumped during all these transfusions."

Describing graphically how he feels, Carman said, "Like the Godfather after he was shot, lying in bed dreaming of sunny Corleone, Sicily. Running through the mountains and chasing the goat with the bell. Something that takes me far away from hospitals."

To follow Carman on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/CarmanLicciardello

editor@breakingchristiannews.com
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
GCF: Running Away From Home

Emailed to me another humor list (ArcaMax Jokes) -Tom
To subscribe ArcaMax Jokes, visit the website: http://www.arcamax.com/jokes/newsletter?source=1004
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
-----------------------------------------------------

A man scolded his son for being so unruly and the child rebelled against his father. He got some of his clothes, his teddy bear and his piggy bank and proudly announced, "I'm running away from home!"

The father calmly decided to look at the matter logically. "What if you get hungry?" he asked.

"Then I'll come home and eat!" bravely declared the child.

"And what if you run out of money?"

"I will come home and get some!" readily replied the child.

The man then made a final attempt, "What if your clothes get dirty?"

"Then I'll come home and let mommy wash them," was the reply.

The man shook his head and exclaimed, "This kid is not running away from home, he's going off to college!!"
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Engine Noise

Taxiing down the tarmac, the jetliner abruptly stopped, turned around and returned to the gate. After waiting for an hour, it finally took off.

A concerned passenger asked the flight attendant,
"What was the problem?"

"The pilot was bothered by a strange noise he heard
in the engine," the attendant explained.

"Oh, and it took a while to fix it," said the passenger.

"Not exactly," was the reply. "It just took us a bit
to find a deaf pilot."
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Steak Bone

A steak fanatic, my father always picks out cuts that include a bone because he loves to nibble on it.

One night Father and I were finishing our dinners at a steakhouse, and I could tell he wanted to start gnawing on the bone. But he couldn't bear to do so in public.

"Excuse me," he said, calling the waitress over, "would you please wrap this bone up for my dog?" He has never owned a dog in his life, but the white lie seemed a tactful solution to his dilemma.

A few minutes later the waitress returned to our table. "Here's your bone sir," she said, handing over a large package. "And while I was in the kitchen, I grabbed a few more out of the scrap bucket."
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Telling Time

I was teaching my First Grade class to tell time using a conventional-style analog clock.

"We'll be learning about the hour hand and the minute hand," I explained.

One of the students interrupted and said, "I don't need to learn on that kind of clock. My dad bought me this digital watch, and right now it's ten minutes to 38."
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Bank Software

Working at the call center of a major bank, I deal with customer complaints. A very irate customer called one day to declare, "My new computer banking software doesn't work."

While trying to determine the problem, I eventually realized the software was working perfectly. I began to explain this when the customer interrupted me, saying, "But money isn't coming out of the printer!"
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Windshield

The driver of a car with an ice-covered windshield had several near-accidents before being stopped by a police car.

"Don't you think it would help if you cleaned the ice off the windshield?" the officer asked.

"I don't think so," was the reply. "I left my glasses at home."
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: In Great Detail

One day, at the dry-cleaning shop of a local Air Force Base, I overheard a young airman describe in great detail how he wanted his uniform cleaned and pressed. When he finished, the counter clerk asked, "Are you getting an award, or do you have an important military function to attend?"

"Nothing like that," the airman said. "I'm going home on leave, and my little brother is taking me to his second-grade class for show-and-tell."
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Old Cast Iron Tub

I purchased a Jacuzzi tub to replace the old cast iron tub in our upstairs bath. We got the 300-lb tub out of the bathroom and then decided to gently lower it down our wood staircase to get it outside.

We wrapped a blanket around the legs at the upper end of the tub so my wife could guide that end with a firm hold on the blanket. I was to be at the lower end of the tub. Well, all was going fine until one of the stair nosings broke, causing the tub to jerk and get away from us. (Note for the curious: a "nosing" is that part of the stair tread that extends slightly over the vertical part of the next step).

It started careening down the stairs, and to avoid being bowled over, I hopped into the tub and rode it all the way down. It broke all the nosings before smashing into the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Luckily my wife and I both made it through without a scratch. Unfortunately our remodeling project grew by leaps and bounds.

When I told my father the story, he said we should have left the tub in place, broken it up with a sledgehammer and then carried down the pieces.
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Economic Pressure

Faced with economic pressures and in an attempt to remain profitable, many commercial offices are cutting back on costs wherever possible.

At one particular office, employees are taking management's belt-tightening orders seriously.

"I'm taking two cups of coffee instead of five a day from the office kitchen," said one of the workers.

"I'm only taking home half the office supplies I used to," another worker noted.
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Bad Day

Discovering that I'd overslept, I abandoned my usual morning routine and rushed out. In the van, though, I realized I had time to stop for a take-out coffee. I got my coffee and returned to the van, only to find I had not only left it running, but had locked it!

The day was going from bad to worse. I returned to the shop, sheepishly explained my situation to the clerk and asked if I could borrow a broom.

I managed to open a side window and pop the lock on the back door using the broom handle. When I returned the broom, the clerk said, "I know you're having a bad day, but..."

"I know, I know," I interrupted. "You want to know how I can unlock my van with a broom."

"No," she said. "I wanted to tell you that your shirt is on inside out.
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Hygiene

I have decided that hygiene is in the eye of the beholder. One lunchtime I watched the woman in the sandwich shop spreading mayonnaise on my bread, and noticed part of her grubby work shirt was dragging across it.

"Excuse me," I ventured, "your sleeve is in the mayo."

"No problem," she reassured me. "I need to wash it anyway."
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Get Well Quick

A little boy sent a "get well quick" card to his grandfather in the hospital. Inside the card he wrote:

Dear Grandpa,

Mama tells me that you went to the hospital for some tests.

I hope you get an "A"!

Love, Billy
----------------------------------------------------
GCF: 'HORSE for sale.'

A real-estate agent was driving around with a new trainee when she spotted a charming little farmhouse with a hand-lettered "For Sale" sign out front.

After briskly introducing herself and her associate to the startled occupant, the agent cruised from room to room, opening closets and cupboards, testing faucets, and pointing out where a "new light fixture here and a little paint there" would help.

Pleased with her assertiveness, the woman was hopeful that the owner would offer her the listing.

"Ma'am," the man said, "I appreciate the home-improvement tips and all, but I think you read my sign wrong. It says, 'HORSE for sale.'"
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: The Concept is Lost

My friend a busy mother of five boys, frequently did her own maintenance jobs on her house.

One day, after hours on a ladder painting the upper windows, she complained to her husband that she'd felt dizzy.

For her next birthday she received some scaffolding.
----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Classified Ad

... from the local newspaper ...

2012 Suzuki GSXR 1000, $9,000

This bike is perfect! It has only 1,000 miles and has had its 500 mile dealer service.

It's been adult ridden, all wheels have always been on the ground. I use it as a cruiser/commuter. I'm selling it because it was purchased without proper consent of a loving wife. Apparently "Do whatever you want" doesn't mean what I thought. Call Steve. 555-1212
----------------------------------------------------
Mechanic: "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made the horn louder."
----------------------------------------------------
Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything one learned in school. --Albert Einstein
----------------------------------------------------
I have CDO. It's like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, only in alphabetical order like it should be.
----------------------------------------------------
The amount of time required to complete a government project is exactly equal to the length of time already spent on it.
----------------------------------------------------
The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.
----------------------------------------------------
Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow.
----------------------------------------------------
Consumer Law: If it's good or something that you really like, they will stop making it.
----------------------------------------------------
The mistake a lot of politicians make is in forgetting they've been appointed and thinking they've been anointed.
----------------------------------------------------
Help Wanted: Telepath. You know where to apply.
----------------------------------------------------
You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.
----------------------------------------------------
There is absolutely no substitute for a genuine lack of preparation.
----------------------------------------------------
I have to take my paycheck to the bank.
I's too little to go by itself.
----------------------------------------------------
I don't know the meaning of the word fear.
In fact, I don't know the meaning of a lot of words.
----------------------------------------------------
I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
----------------------------------------------------
A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
----------------------------------------------------
*** Good Clean Fun ***
is brought to you by
Thomas S. Ellsworth
email: tellswor@kcbx.net

Visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/

Stop for a visit, leave with a smile!
_ _______________________________ _
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
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
A Unique Home

I took a real estate client to a handyman special. The place was great, and we couldn't understand why it was so cheap until we turned on the water main and water gushed from the ceiling.

Dripping wet, my client put a positive spin on the showing: "Nice house," he said. "It's even self-cleaning."

-- from Reader's Digest

Received from Doc's Daily Chuckle.

(_:][:_)

50th Wedding Anniversary

On an airplane, I overheard a stewardess talking to an elderly couple in front of me. Learning that it was the couple's 50th wedding anniversary, the flight attendant congratulated them and asked how they had done it.

"It all felt like five minutes..." the gentleman said slowly.

The stewardess had just begun to remark on what a sweet statement that was when he finished his sentence with a word that earned him a sharp smack on the head: "...underwater."

Received from leon_taylor.

(_:][:_)

The Math Exam

Technical/engineering schools such as MIT and Cal Poly pride themselves on their excellence in teaching mathematical skills. They only got in trouble once in a beginning calculus course in which there was a Friday night exam. It seems that many of the students thought they knew the material so well that they drank beer all afternoon before the exam. By the bad grades on their exams, they learned that alcohol and differential calculus don't mix.

By now, most everyone knows, you should never drink and derive.

(By Mike Brimberry and Alan Combs)

Received from Stan Kegel.

(_:][:_)

Lawyer

When my mother was called for jury duty, she felt confident of her ability to answer the questions asked of prospective jurors.

As a young attorney, I had filled her in on what to expect.

Asked about the occupations of family members, Mom answered, "My son is a lawyer."

As a follow-up, she was asked if she had ever used the services of an attorney.

"Only to mow my lawn."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Fishing Angel

Three guys are fishing on a lake when an angel appears in the boat with them. The first guy gets over his shock and humbly says to the angel, "I've suffered from back pain for years. Is it too much to ask that you help me?" The angel touches the man's back, and he feels instant relief.

The second guy points to his Coke-bottle glasses and asks if the angel could cure his poor eyesight. The angel tosses the man's glasses into the lake. When they hit the water, the man's vision clears, and he can see everything distinctly.

The angel now turns to the third guy, who throws up his hands in fear. "Don't touch me!" he cries. "I'm on disability!"

Received from Da Mouse Tracks.

(_:][:_)

Airline Rage

As a guy takes his seat on an airplane, he is surprised to find a parrot strapped in next to him. After taking off, the flight attendant comes around to serve the passengers on the plane. The guy asks the flight attendant for a coffee and the parrot squawks: "And get ME a Coke...NOW!"

The flight attendant, flustered by the parrot's attitude, brings back a Coke for the parrot. However, she forgets the coffee for the guy.

As the guy points this out, the parrot drains his glass and screams:"Get me another Coke or I'll really create a scene!"

Quite upset, the attendant comes back shaking, with another Coke, but still no coffee.

Irritated at her forgetfulness, the man decides to try the parrot's approach. "I've asked you twice for a coffee. Go and get it right now, or I'll create a scene that will make HIS look like a Victorian tea party!"

The next moment, both the guy and the parrot are grabbed and thrown out of the emergency exit by two burly security guards.

Hurtling towards earth, the parrot turns to him and says: "You're pretty bold for a guy who can't fly!"

Received from Steve Sanderson.

(_:][:_)

Alimony

"Mr. Smith, I have reviewed this case very carefully," the divorce court judge said, "and I've decided to give your wife $275 a week."

"That's very fair, your honor," the husband said. "And every now and then I'll try to send her a few bucks myself."

Received from Irene A. Mystery.

(_:][:_)

The College Student

I am a college student studying for my bachelor's degree. For my English class we are reading part of Walden and writing about it. I hope I covered everything. I tried to be Thoreau.

(By Katherine Thomsen)

Received from Stan Kegel.

(_:][:_)

Assistance Please.....

Lisa was out driving her car and while stopped at a red light, the car just died. It was a busy intersection and the traffic behind her was starting to pile up. The guy in the car directly behind her was honking his horn continuously as Lisa continued to try getting the car to start up again.

Finally Lisa got out of her car and approached the guy in the car behind her. "I can't seem to get my car started," Lisa said, smiling. "Would you be a sweetheart and go and see if you can get it started for me? I'll stay here in your car and lean on your horn for you."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Cajun Confession

Boudreaux was feeling guilty, so he went to confession.

"Father, I kinda took a little lumber from that new construction site."

Priest: "What did you do with the lumber, my son?"

Boudreaux: "Well, Father, my porch, she's had a hole for a long time. I'm 'fraid someone will break their leg, so I fix the hole."

Priest: "Well, that's not so bad."

Boudreaux: "Well, Father, I had a little lumber left."

Priest: "What did you do with it?"

Boudreaux: "Well, my poor dog, Phideaux, he ain't never had no place to get outta the weather, so I make him his own little doghouse."

Priest: "OK, anything else?"

Boudreaux: "Well, Father, I had a little lumber left. So you know, my truck, she ain't never had no place to get outta de weather either, so I make her a two-car garage."

Priest: "Now, this is getting a little out of hand."

Boudreaux: "Well, Father, I still had a little lumber left."

Priest: "Yes?"

Boudreaux: "Well, my wife, she always want a bigger house. So I add two bedrooms and a new bathroom."

Priest: "OK! That's definitely too much. For your penance, you are going to have to make a Novena. You do know how to make a Novena, don't you?"

Boudreaux: "No, Father ... but if you got the plans, I got the lumber."

Received from Doc's Daily Chuckle.

(_:][:_)

Traffic Violation 2

A police car pulled me over near the high school where I teach. As the officer asked for my license and registration, my students began to drive past. Some honked their horns, others hooted, and still others stopped to admonish me for speeding.

Finally the officer asked me if I was a teacher at the school, and I told him I was.

"I think you've paid your debt to society," he said with a smile, and left without giving me a ticket.

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Wedding Nerves

As I approached my husband-to-be at the front of the church, I noticed tears in his eyes. I knew he was about to break down. To lighten the moment I made some outrageous faces at him. It worked! The ceremony proceeded smoothly and I was proud of my quick thinking...until I saw the wedding video.

Received from Sermon Fodder List.

(_:][:_)

Electing To Receive

It was Super Bowl Sunday and in our Presbyterian church the time for the collection of tithes and offerings was approaching. The minister, a true sports enthusiast, reached into his pocket, took out a quarter, flipped it into the air, glanced at it as it landed, then in typical referee fashion joyfully announced:

"The ushers have elected to receive!"

Received from sermonfodder.com.

(_:][:_)

Frying Pan

A guy is sitting quietly reading his paper when his wife sneaks up behind him and whacks him on the head with a frying pan.

"What was that for?" he asks.

"That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name Marylou written on it," she replies.

"Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Marylou was the name of one of the horses I bet on," he explains.

She looks satisfied and apologizes.

Three days later he's again sitting in his chair reading when she nails him with an even bigger frying pan, knocking him out cold.

When he comes to, he says, "What was that for?"

"YOUR HORSE PHONED!"

Received from TH&PGEORGE.

(_:][:_)

The Threat

As a fellow policeman and I were eating lunch in a cafe, we heard a woman nearby say loudly, "Jimmy, if you don't eat all your peas, I'll have those policemen come over and talk to you." My friend promptly walked over to the five-year-old who was being scolded.

"Jimmy," he said, just as loudly, "I'm six-foot-two and weigh 200 pounds. And I never ate a pea in my life." As we left, the other patrons were laughing, Jimmy's mother was absolutely silent, and a smiling Jimmy was no longer afraid of policemen.

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address:
GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA

To print or email this funny to others, go to
http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20120420

The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/

Limerick Ode To A Wastrel
December 18th, 2013
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A wastrel received a complaint
That she’d failed to use any restraint
In her credit card use
And spending abuse.
She passed out, but her faint was a feint.
»
Another Snow Job (Limerick)
December 17th, 2013
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Mark, thanks for shov’ling today.
If you hadn’t, that snow’d surely stay
Until I did the chore,
A job I abhor.
It’s more fun to make limerick hay.

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"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
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234_5655
(Non _ Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance _ 234_7371 (24 Hour)
Jail _ 234_5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control _ 800_222_1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Interested in getting in touch with the Banner_News through e_mail? editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events. [http://www.bannernews.net/]
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"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!!!
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP (Retired), NREMT_I, KC5HII

P. S. If you'd like to be added to the distribution, just drop us E_mail at kc5hii@suddenlink.net
. We offer "Da Bleat" as text, a "Blog" and as a newsletter with pictures in Word and PDF format. The latest issue is usually updated sometime Saturday. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>


Annette shows off a new decoration. "Moose"


Jimmy and Josiah show off their new shirts while Dusty watches from the "net book" display.


Annette's front porch snowman.


The western sky after last week's storms.


Monday, November 18, 2013

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Blizzard Conditions


Annette's Plants are settling in after coming indoors.



And Annette making her morning rounds, talking with her plant friends.



David preparing for another cooking road trip.



One of Annette's "kids".



These blooms came from David Wade Prison.



Annette "Pressing The Flesh" at the annual Hannah Pregnancy Resource Center Banquet. Again, she filled her table as well as half of the overflow table.




Annette preparing her booth for Harvest Festival.




Mrs. Mickie greeting Ethan, her first trick or treater of the evening.




The McClellan / Malone gang preparing for their annual Christmas Portrait. This year done by Stephen Burton.



One of Annette's Kitchen Still Life's.



A smile no Grandparent could resist.



As Annette said; "God Bless Him."



Moon Over Jefferson Street.



Sunset over Main Street.



The Old Haynesville Train Station



A great '57 T-Bird



Wilson Bearden is remodeling.



Annette's Front Porch Still Life.





Volume 15, Issue 46 Friday, November 15, 2013

Hello ALL,

There’ve been numerous “ups and downs” since our last issue on Friday, August 23. But, like He promised, we’ve come through them all.
~~~~~
It looked like we were going to be blessed with a fifth grandchild. Vanessa and Jimmy announced that she was pregnant and we all were excited. Vanessa and Jimmy got to see an ultra sound of the baby and started planning for the nursery and discussing what kind of crib and stroller were needed.

Then, she started having problems and ended up going to the Magnolia Regional Medical Center Emergency Room one afternoon. Jimmy was still at work in Louisiana so Annette and I met Vanessa and the boys at the E/R.

I took the boys to get some supper and then take Josiah to football practice while Annette stayed with Vanessa in the E/R. After a stop at Burger King to “fuel up” the boys, Ethan and I dropped off Josiah at the boys club and headed back to the house.

As we drove home, Ethan was pretty quiet and suddenly asked if his momma and the baby might die. I explained that being pregnant is more hazardous than not but most pregnant women and their baby's did just fine. I went on to say that I was sure his mom and little sister would be OK.

Ethan thought for a minute and then said; "That makes sense. If most women died when they got pregnant, there wouldn't be many people. I mean if Eve had died when she was pregnant, Adam would just be walking around with nothing to do."

He's a wise little man.

Vanessa was back to see her doctor on Friday and he told her to get lots of bed rest over the weekend and come back Monday. She was doing well and we were all very confident that everything was fine.

Then, Monday, the doc did a big battery of tests and told Vanessa and Jimmy that she had lost the baby. I was waiting at our house while Annette had gone to Taylor to pick the boys up at school. Vanessa called to tell me what the doctor had said and I told her to come on over to the house and they could meet the boys there.

I had just got off the phone with Vanessa when Annette called on the car speaker phone and asked how the doctor's appointment went. I hesitated and she said: "The boys want to know."

I thought back to when I was a young boy and my dad died. I had woken up to a house full of aunts and uncles and neighbors and both my parents were not there. I asked several folks what was going on but no one would answer me. Finally, my Uncle Paul Robertson squatted down and explained to me that my dad had a heart attack and passed away and my mom was "Making Arrangements...”

There was no way I was going to beat around the bush and refuse to answer Annette and those boys so I told them that Vanessa had lost the baby. The boys immediately began comforting Annette. When they arrived at our home, Annette came in to see Vanessa and Jimmy (who had just come from the Doctors office.) But the boys didn't come in.

I asked where the boys were and Annette replied; "They're telling Mr. Bob (our neighbor) about the loss of the baby. He was outside working in the yard and they knew he would want to know."

Vanessa and Jimmy are handling it pretty well. But it hurts. She and Annette have hugged and cried and we will all get through this and walk out into the sunshine together.

When he heard, David left work and came by to hug his sister and mother. Dusty also called after supper and loved on his Mamaw.

You may have seen this poem that Jimmy posted.

I'm struggling now
Underneath the weight
Of a love I cannot hold
A name without a face.
You've blessed me, Lord
With more gifts than I can count
How can I lay blame
When You keep one for Yourself?

Thus, a family survives and even thrives in spite of heartache. As for me, I have a strong woman, a faithful God and loving friends. How could everything not be good.
~~~~~
Ethan was “deep thinking” again today and told me; “Papaw, you have a lot of rules at your house.” “Really?” I replied. “Yeah, you have rules like: Wash your hands before and after you eat. No shoes on the couch. No fighting. No pops (so called “soft” drinks). No spinning in the rolling chairs. Almost no playing inside when it’s nice weather outside. No TV during meals (which have to be eaten at the table.) Almost no sweets. No eating in the bedroom or living room. No Rude Noises during family meals. No rude language (i.e. the other word for Flatulence, etc.). Put your stuff up. Clean up the table after you eat. Take out the trash when it’s full. This is a “No Whine” zone. … A whole lot of rules.”

Now that he mentions it, I guess we do have a lot of rules. :0)
~~~~~
Ethan and Josiah were riding to church with us one Sunday when Josiah spoke up and said; “You know Ethan always gets in trouble in Sunday School.” Annette turned to him and replied: “Shouldn’t we say positive things about our family as well as other people?” Josiah sighed and then said; “Well, I guess I’ve got nothing to say.”
~~~~~
Jimmy was playing with Ethan and little plastic soldiers. Ethan divided up the soldiers and gave Jimmy all the guys who were crawling, waving, holding metal detectors, and looking through binoculars. Then he took all the bazooka guys, the grenade throwing guys and the prone, sitting and standing guys with rifles.
It was looking grim for Jimmy’s army until he took a closer look at the binoculars. … wait, those weren't binoculars! They were laser devices. So Jimmy fried Ethan’s army.... :0)
~~~~~
How easy it is for a guy to get in trouble. ...

One afternoon, we were putting the patio back together after Annette power washed it that morning. The Patio really looks a lot better and all the dirt she washed into the grass should help it grow. Anyway … Annette suggested that I go bring the flags in while she finished up on the patio.

As I stepped out the front door, I noticed the long hose on the lawn sprinkler under the Crepe Myrtles. The hose supplying it is much too long and I’d been meaning to pull the excess back over to the patio and shorten it so it would be neater when we were watering (old retired folks have time for such falderal.)

At this point, let me explain that the front of the patio is a brick wall with only a 3” square drain hole facing the yard. That hole is where I run my water hose through when watering that side of the yard (old safety guys just can’t abide a water hose stretched across the sidewalk.)

Earlier in the day, I’d disconnected the end of the hose on the patio and connected it to the power washer Annette was using [Thanks to Clink and Gerry for loan of the machine. And thanks to Amanda Warren Newton and crew at Columbia County Ambulance Service for being ready to respond if needed.].

So, I gathered up the surplus hose attached to the lawn sprinkler and pulled it over to the hole in the wall where I began feeding it through onto the patio. Suddenly there was a scream from inside the patio.

Before I could even think of responding the scream stopped and Annette shouted; “James! Was that supposed to be funny?”

It would seem that the sudden appearance of a green, snake sized “thing” writhing through the hole in the patio wall had shocked Annette. … Those of you who know me, know that I love jokes, kidding and fun. But the best ones are probably the unintended ones like this one.

:0)
~~~~~
I developed a "Thang" on my head. It started out as a mosquito bite (I think) and then grew to sort of look like the mark on Russian Premier Gorbachev. We showed it to Dr. Murphy and he sent us to Dr. Jucas, the dermatologist.

Dr. Jucas did a biopsy and when we called back later in the week to get the results, he related that the biopsy was "weird." Said he'd never seen anything like the cells in it. He consulted with another Doctor and they decided to send the tissue to some forensic cell tissue specialist in Little Rock.

Imagine that. Something is weird about my body. Anyway, Dr. Jucas went on to say that it could be a skin thing or an eruption of something going on internally or it could be nothing. In any case, he didn't want to start removing stuff that he didn't know what was. :0)

As instructed, we called the doc back a week later and learned that the lab in Little Rock was still "studying" (playing with) my tissue. The nurse told me they would call when the results were back. Glad I'm entertaining them.

Finally, Dr. Jukas's office called and the THANG is a Cutaneous Lymphoid Hyperplasia (a collection of benign cutaneous lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells in the skin.). Seems that this rare reaction can be caused by skin damage including Insect bites, stings or Infections.

Suggested treatments include; Superpotent topical steroids, corticosteroid injections, Cryotherapy, Photodynamic therapy with delta ALA, Topical tacrolimus, Hydroxychloroquine, Surgical excision, or Radiotherapy. Dr. Jucas went with the Superpotent topical steroids.

Oh yeah, he also told me to cover the “Thang” with saran wrap after I applied the steroid. This was to enhance absorption into the tissue. You haven’t lived till you’ve walked around Wally World with saran wrap stuck to your head.

In only about three weeks, the “Thang” was gone (except for the little crater in the top of my head.)

I'm really going to miss folks pretending not to be looking at my head or asking me if I knew I had saran wrap on my head (I usually replied either; “Really?” or “Yes … I’m saving it to wrap my sandwich with this evening.” :0)
~~~~~
There is no joy in Mudville tonight ... Save-A-Lot grocery no longer carries Zwolle Tamales. At least they haven't had any the last few times I've been in. Brookshire's has had them occasionally but I haven't seen any there for years. Wally world has never had them and I do love me some Zwolle Tamales. The recipe for the Original Zwolle Tamale is from an old Indian recipe consisting mainly of ground corn, pork & a variety of spices wrapped in corn shucks.
They come fully cooked, simply heat & serve! I got hooked on Tamales like this back when the Chatterbox was getting them from a lady in El Dorado. The closest thing we can get now is in Antiquas restaurant here. There’s are the best I’ve had in any restaurant but they’re still not the actual Zwolle Tamales which I prefer steamed with no other accompaniment except fresh tostadas.

They say misery loves company and I'm not alone in craving Zwolle Tamales. There are multitudes of folks on the web bemoaning the loss of Zwolle Tamales from their local grocery shelves.

Oh well, I'm 62 and should be used to an occasional disappointment.

P.S. You can order Zwolle Tamales from the Louisiana Crawfish company but they want $10 a dozen and that's a little steep for me.
~~~~~
After 09/11 the New York Fire Department was in immediate need of equipment to replace trucks lost in the World Trade Center Collapse. The Village of Oak Brook, IL was one of many departments that stepped up and loaned NYFD one of their trucks.

After NYFD received replacement trucks, they returned the equipment they had been loaned.

Then, using Federal Grants, Oak Brook joined Fire Departments across the nation and also began replacing older equipment with new and one of the older trucks they took out of service was #911, the truck that had served in New York after 9/11.

At the same time, David Pry, the Fire Chief of our Albemarle Production Plant in Magnolia obtained funds to purchase a fire truck. As we looked for a vehicle we could afford, we saw that Oak Brook had an older truck for sale. Mechanic Kevin Hollis was dispatched to IL and reported back that the truck was in excellent shape and for sale at a very reasonable price.

That's how Albemarle Magnolia ended up with a fire truck that had served NYFD after 9/11.
~~~~~
I will never forget the first patient to "die on me." We were dispatched in the middle of the night to a two vehicle MVA north of town, single occupants in both. Head on collision.

My partners and I (in the two responding ambulances) transported both. The patient I was tending was BAD ... I didn't expect him to make the hospital ... but he did. After we turned him over to the doc in ER1, we went to help in ER 2 with the "less seriously injured" pt.

Not much real damage apparent and he was talking to us. Then ... suddenly his vitals started “going south”. We tried putting MAST on him to stabilize BP. Didn't help. Tried everything the doctors, nurses and EMTs (no Paramedics in our area at that time) knew to do. ...

He expired.

I was in shock. He had presented as stable. Why had he passed away? The doctors told me that the patient had serious internal injuries and (in those days) there was nothing we could have done.

I helped the nurses prepare him for the coroner. We treated this gentleman with the greatest respect and care.

After the coroner left with the body, I stepped out on the ramp and David Lewis, our service owner, came over and talked with me. At that time, I thought I was o.k., the sun was coming up and I headed back home. Another crew would take the day shift on the unit.

I walked in the house and laid down to get a little rest before the family got to stirring.

When I woke up, everything felt out of place. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and then it hit me. That patient died and we weren’t able to save him. I just couldn't come to grips with it.

It was Saturday morning, a beautiful fall day but that fellow would never see it and I didn’t feel so spiffy myself. Then I remembered a friend (a former EMT) was down the street roofing a house. I walked down there and climbed up on the roof with him. Started telling him what happened. We talked for an hour or two while he worked.

It was enough. I was o.k. again. Thank God for Terry Benefield being there that day.
~~~~~
A paramedic had this motto: POLICE ARE THE FINEST, FIREFIGHTERS ARE THE BRAVEST AND EMS ARE THE FORGOTTEN.

The term Ambulance Drivers really originated a century or so ago when that’s just what they did. Throw bodies in and drive to the hospital or aid station.

Fire fighters never were just drivers. They were fighting fires before they had a truck.

After the feds upgraded the EMS system and EMTs, Paramedics, etc. came on the scene it was hard to get the general public to see the difference. The problem with the name is the indication that our medical personnel are just transporting the victim to a place they can be cared for.

Modern EMS, especially like CCAS here (as well as our own Albemarle medical responders) provides definitive care that has time and again meant the difference between life and death and often between a quick recovery or a long hospital stay.

It’s not an easy profession (physically nor mentally) but it is a very personally rewarding profession.
~~~~~
A while back, I listed to a discussion of the techniques and planning that went into producing a famous photo. The topic reminded me of an interview I saw on PBS with Howard Hawks, the Director of the John Wayne movie "Hatari!" Hatari was shot in and around Arusha, Tanzania in 1962.

A group of Japanese Cinematographers asked Mr. Hawks how he composed the opening scene where John Wayne emerges from the African Plain to track a large Rhinoceros. He looked at them quizzically and they explained; "How did you capture the essence of Man's Domination of the Earth and its Animals in that scene?"

Mr. Hawks paused for a second or two and then replied; "Well ... It just looked good to me."

:0)
~~~~~
A friend recently complained about people who insist on everyone saying “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” and bully others with their “Hyper” Christianity. I replied: We could go back and forth all day but the fact is that God doesn't force the Gospel on us and it doesn't work for us to try to force it on others. These "Gospel Bullies" you describe are NOT sharing the Good News that Christ delivered to us.

With that said, I'm one of those who complain about taking "Christ out of Christmas." I don't mind folks who don't recognize my faith or prefer to not acknowledge the religious side of the holiday that’s their choice. What I mind is folks who say that my observance "offends" them. Gee Whiz. Give Me A Break.

And I also agree that government should stay way way out of the whole faith/religion/church issue. But I still get irritated at folks who comb through government property searching for any "religious" item that they can demand or file suit to get removed, no matter that it was part of the original design or that it's been there for decades or longer. This effort to sterilize any religious expression out of our society is misguided at best.

AS for what being cheap or mean says about church goers? It says that those folks haven't let God transform them. We are supposed to worry about the beam in our eye and not the splinter in someone else’s but it's hard not to assume that folks who stiff wait staff don't know my Jesus (Annette’s mom and mine made their living waiting tables and running a cafe.)

Bottom Line ... We all need to assess our own spiritual condition (if we have one.) Annette and I sometimes counsel young married couples and our main theme is for them to read the sections of Ephesians written for them. Not the sections written for their spouse. Read the sections written to them.

But most folks don't want to hear what God is saying to them. Most folks want to tell other people what they are doing wrong.

Now, to finish up with some quotes from folks I respect.

"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 (Dear Friend and Missionary to Africa.)

"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him." — Hudson Taylor, missionary to China

"Many Christians Daily seek to disprove the Gospel through their actions." -- I Can't Remember Who

Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words. - - Francis of Assisi
~~~~~
Hopefully, this will be my last post on the Government Shutdown / Debt Limit debacle. But I feel compelled to answer those who think it’s a good thing to just shutdown the Federal Bureaucracy for a few days or weeks, or months.

I understand the reasoning. I too feel that the Federal Government is too deeply involved in too many of our day to day activities. In a previous life I saw the depth of control that the federal folks exert over our lives. It is difficult to do anything without involving lawyers and reams of paper. And the problem is not really the federal employees; it’s the convoluted laws that congress continues to pass to entangle our lives.

But as an "Intermittent" Federal Employee of the Department of Health and Human Services, I can assure you that just ordering the government to stop spending money for a day or a week or a month doesn’t make those laws go away. They’re still there, only now, without the authority to spend money on workers and supplies and equipment and such, those laws can prevent any action to improve a business or respond to an emergency or take care of a soldier’s family.

Think of it like a brain tumor. The Federal Bureaucracy is buried in our lives like the tumor is deep in a brain. The Bureaucracy has control of many many things that impact us each day, like the tumor has tendrils that reach far into the tissue.

If you just “turn off” the Bureaucracy, it’s like just ripping out the tumor; the results are usually very detrimental to the patient. Instead, you need to carefully analyze the tumors location and how it is attached and make plans to remove it.

We need to reduce the size and impact of the Federal Bureaucracy the same way. Congress needs to carefully analyze the massive mountain of laws they have enacted and selectively reduce the size of that mountain. It won’t be easy but it needs to be done. Otherwise, we’ll continue to see the hard working rank and file American’s take it on the chin while those in Washington D.C. run this country like elementary students who’ve found a huge bag of money that they can spend any way they want to.
~
The image is enough to bring a tear to even the most hardened of hearts – a little kid wearing a bear costume standing at the locked gates of the National Zoo, on the outside looking in.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/10/10/4544581/kid-in-bear-costume-locked-out.html#storylink=cpy
~~~~~
O.K. peeps. I need a little support here. … Whose fault is it that I’m sick to my stomach?

Is it;

A. Me? The guy who was minding his own business reading the new Faye Kellerman novel; “The Beast” while tending to the bread he was baking.
or
B. The Amazingly Incredible Wife of My Youth? Who conspired to cook beef cutlets, rice, gravy and hot biscuits for lunch. Who then ate her normal little teeny tiny portion and left all that meat, gravy, rice and biscuits sitting on the table just by my elbow while she moved into the living room to work on her puzzle.

What did she expect to happen? Was I supposed to just finish what she’d put on my plate and store the rest of that scrumptious food for another Meal? I mean, it was just staring at me, mocking me, daring me to take another serving.

Am I made of stone? Nay Nay. Now I can assure you that I’m made of beef cutlets, rice, gravy and hot biscuits.

And to add insult to injury, she had the temerity to ask me what happened to all the food left on the table. As if she didn’t know what she was doing! HA!

What say y’all? :0)
~~~~~
Drive-through ATM machines Procedures

MALE PROCEDURE:
1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Put down your car window.
3. Insert card into machine and enter PIN.
4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw.
5. Retrieve card, cash and receipt.
6. Put window up.
7. Drive off.
~
FEMALE PROCEDURE: (What is really funny is that most of this part is the truth!!!!)
1. Drive up to cash machine.
2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.
3. Set parking brake, put the window down.
4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate card.
5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up.
6. Attempt to insert card into machine.
7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car.
8. Insert card.
9. Re-insert card the right way.
10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the inside back page.
11. Enter PIN.
12. Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN.
13. Enter amount of cash required.
14. Check makeup in rear view mirror.
15. Retrieve cash and receipt.
16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside.
17. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back of check book.
18. Re-check makeup.
19. Drive forward 2 feet.
20. Reverse back to cash machine.
21. Retrieve card.
22. Re-empty hand bag, locate card holder, and place card into the slot provided!
23. Give dirty look to irate male driver waiting behind you.
24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.
25. Re-dial person on cell phone.
26. Drive for 2 to 3 miles.
27. Release Parking Brake.
~~~~~
Car Talk - - Jaguar is contemplating a SUV... Genius! We've always thought the perfect Jag would be one that could tow itself. http://bit.ly/139zqqL When I worked for HalMar Studios in Dallas, the owner, Wally had purchased his lifelong dream, a Jaguar. In the first six months he had it, it was in the repair shop about ¾ of the time. That was enough, he sold it and bought a VW Beetle. For the rest of the time I worked there, I don’t ever remember that Beetle being in the repair shop.
~~~~~
SAU (Southern Arkansas University) broke three enrollment records this fall. SAU had an overall record enrolment of 3,404 students. The fall freshman class totaled 663, which was also a record and residence hall enrolment hit an all-time high of 1,452.
The school’s first term began on January 11, 1911, with seventy-five students and five teachers.
~~~~~
I really encourage you to watch the NBC evening news with Brian Williams. Not necessarily for the news, though Annette and I do enjoy most of the reporting. But for the “Feel Good” segment at the end of the program. They are almost always worth watching. If you can’t stand NBC news, record the program and just watch the last segment.
~~~~~
When I start to expound, things tend to go on for a while so I’ve decided to try a “tweet” sized intro to my rants. Here’s the first.
~
People, BO is president. Take a deep breath and remember God is still in charge. We don’t have to panic nor do we have to stoop to personal attacks on folks who disagree with us.

Besides ObamACare, Benghazi, the IRS targeting Conservative Christian Organizations, Increased Drone Assassinations, NSA spying on everyone on the planet and the Justice Department giving guns to drug runners’ fiascos, the biggest complaint I hear is that our President is working to get the vast majority of citizens “On The Dole.”

Concerning helping folks who have less than us … James 1:27 - - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress ...

The Amazingly Incredible Wife Of My Youth was our church "Care Pastor" until her retirement (well actually she still hasn't really retired, just quit going to the office as she's no longer physically able.) Her job was to ensure those in need were properly cared for as well looking out for the sick and bereaved. She was a nightmare for local business people, as she was always convincing them that they didn't really need to sell that used car, washing machine, stove, etc. instead, they could donate it to a family in need. :0)

She also still leads our prison ministry team as they preach the Gospel monthly at the David Wade Prison just across the Louisiana state line from us. Her meetings have the largest attendance of any at the prison. This is probably due to her teams "high energy" presentation as well as their unvarnished and readily apparent care for the inmates.

Of course, she's just my favorite example of many many I know who are serving the body of Christ as well as their Lord. And her activities also illustrate another point about caring for folks. In the prison, you can't just give inmates stuff. "Gifts" are strictly regulated (i.e. it's forbidden to give money.) Annette's ministry to these fellows has to be largely sharing God's Word and praying faithfully with them and for them.

Like the inmates, just giving people stuff often doesn't help them much. Now if a family’s home just burnt down, or some natural disaster struck, by all means let’s get together and see if we can replace their lost clothing, furniture, etc. etc.

But we've noticed over the years that many folks who were "down and out" didn't really benefit from the effort we put out for them. They had become trapped by "free" stuff and were having problems getting back on their feet. Helping them get a job (or a way to get to work) has proven to be a much better investment than just handouts.

Annette also feels it's irresponsible to willy nilly give without knowing what you are giving to. There is a finite pile of money to use and it's a super bad idea to waste it on folks who really don't need it.

And here’s the catch with government “entitlement” programs. Most of them are not designed to get the recipient back up on their feet. For instance, I just saw on the news where a homeless man had applied to get rent assistance so he could get out of a shelter. However he was denied assistance when it was learned that he’d found $850 and turned it into the police. No, that act didn’t disqualify him. He was disqualified when the police couldn’t find the owner of the money and gave it back to him. Since he had received $850 (an amount that wouldn’t even pay a month’s rent in his home town), the Federal program was not available to him.

So here we have a guy who wants to get back in the work force, get his own place, some clothes, a can of beans, etc. But unless he’s willing to be totally dependent on the Government, they can’t help him.

We’ve seen this over and over, folks who want to get off “The Dole” can’t do it in one step but any slight improvement in their circumstances causes them to drop down to an even lower standard of living because they lose the aid they were getting.

What’s the solution? I believe it’s to push the responsibility for helping folks down to the local folks in the area and cut their tax burden a commensurate amount so they can take care of the poor, needy, etc. Sure, they may make some mistakes. But believe you me … it’s much easier to correct a small local mistake than it is to correct a HUGE federal mistake (ObamACare anyone?)
~
By the way, you may be wondering … have we quit giving to people (or ministries we trust)? No. We still give. Even blindly sometimes. But we always also invite folks to hear the Gospel and/or visit our fellowship. We do this with the knowledge that they will be blessed by the Christian family and the Word of God.

Annette is also fond of randomly buying lunch or groceries or fuel for strangers. This is a way of preaching the Gospel without words. And, if we can't give them anything, we just share the Gospel and don't feel bad about it. Our giving and our sharing the Word is done to please God, not man.
~~~~~
The headline read; "EBT (Food Stamp) Glitch packs two Louisiana Wal-Mart stores." The story goes on to tell how a Xerox computer glitch resulted in EBT cards reading "NO LIMIT" at Wal-Mart stores in Springhill and Mansfield, Louisiana Saturday morning.
Word spread quickly and within a half hour, both stores were packed with folks stuffing carts with food to be charged against their now unlimited food stamp accounts. Before the glitch was corrected the shelves in the stores were emptied.
When the glitch was corrected and true account levels were restored, the “shoppers,” who had not yet checked out, just left their loaded carts in the store aisles and went home.
Does it bother anyone that a huge group of folks decided it was o.k. to take all they could, even though they knew they didn’t really have the right to do so? Whatever happened to honesty?
When we were in elementary school in Taylor, Mrs. Gordon taught us about Honest Abe. He was called Honest Abe because of several incidents in his life where he went above and beyond to maintain his reputation for honesty. My favorite is the story of Abraham Lincoln who, when working as a clerk in a store in New Salem, accidentally took 6 1/4 cents too much from a customer. That night when the store closed, he walked three miles to return the woman's money.
We don’t know how many EBT users chose to not rush to Wal-Mart Saturday and act like Wall Street Bankers, grabbing all the “ill gotten” gains they could. But I’m sure some, maybe even a majority, chose to be honest.
Too bad we’ll only hear about the thieves that raided those stores Saturday.
~
As I’ve said before, what gets lost in the “entitlement” discussions is, like I said before, these programs are not only addictive, they are very difficult to escape from. In fact, these programs are designed to keep the “client” on the program roll.

I have a friend who is proud to have “escaped” from a life of welfare in New York City. He’ll tell you it wasn’t just a matter of getting a job and moving to a better neighborhood. It was a difficult process but he succeeded and is glad he did. Unfortunately his parents and siblings are still on welfare in that city.

You see, the programs are structured to keep you there just like working for the company store in years past. We’ve seen employees refuse raises because it would result in having their welfare removed. So they hang there, unable to make enough to live without welfare and unwilling to do anything that would result in loss of their “security blanket.”
~
We don’t know how many EBT users chose to not rush to Wal-Mart Saturday and act like Wall Street Bankers, grabbing all the “ill gotten” gains they could. But I’m sure some, maybe even a majority, chose to be honest.

Would that our congress could look honestly at these programs and work to reform them and free these families from government slavery.
~~~~~
Here are the basics of ObamACare

The majority of Americans felt that everyone should have medical insurance. And, due to the Medicare Law and the way it basically changed how healthcare was distributed and paid for, you just about have to have insurance of some type.

In addition, uninsured patients have been draining to hospitals small and large (when a patient can’t pay, the hospital is required to provide a minimum level of care and they usually don’t get reimbursed for that.)

Sadly to say, for the most part, the Republican party has had its head in the sand to this problem. Hillary’s health care initiative failed due to inexperience on the part of the new Administration. But BO had no such problem. His administration and the Democratic control of congress ensured that comprehensive health care was going to be implemented.

In response to that, the Republicans offered NO alternative, thus ensuring the enactment of ObamACare.

Of course, the country can’t afford to provide healthcare for everyone. So ObamACare is really probably the largest tax increase in US history. In an attempt to pay for this program, almost every form of medical care will be taxed (the infamous “Special Medical Device” tax is just the tip of the iceberg.) Additionally, young, healthy folks have to be forced into the system so their premiums can pay for the expensive care for older Americans.

As far as “improving efficiency” of the system, everything I’ve seen to date indicates that the new law just reduces how much they pay for services. In fact, many of the new pay schedules are lower than the actual cost to the doctor or hospital. How long do you think that can work?

Going back to the original concept … all Americans having access to health care insurance … This could have been done using the Swiss model: A. Requiring all citizens to have medical insurance. And B. Supplementing premiums for those whose income is too low to afford the insurance.

It would have been expensive, but not near as expensive as ObamACare.

I’ll finish with words of wisdom from a Doctor whom I highly respect; “There are two myths associated with the healthcare debate in the US. The first myth is that Canada and Briton have poor health care systems. The second myth is that ObamACare is like the Canadian and British systems.”
~~~~~
FYI - - The first experimental use of hydraulic fracturing was in 1947, and the first commercially successful applications were in 1949. As of 2010, it was estimated that 60% of all new oil and gas wells worldwide were being hydraulically fractured. As of 2012, 2.5 million hydraulic fracturing jobs have been performed on oil and gas wells worldwide, more than one million of them in the United States.
~~~~~
FYI - - Homeland Security News Wire [http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/]

Infrastructure - - A state of disrepair: Thousands of U.S. aging bridges risk collapse

Of the 607,380 bridges listed in the recent U.S. National Bridge Inventory, 65,605 bridges are classified as "structurally deficient" and 20,808 as "fracture critical," with 7,795 of those bridges designated as both structurally deficient and fracture critical. Experts say this indicates significant disrepair and a risk of collapse. These 7,795 structurally deficient, fracture critical bridges carry more than twenty-nine million drivers a day.
Read more
[http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20131004-a-state-of-disrepair-thousands-of-u-s-aging-bridges-risk-collapse]
~~~~~
John Britton, Chi Alpha Missionary to Oklahoma State University - The best line after Chi Alpha last night to was when one of our Chinese guests said that the music in our service made her feel the power of our belief. That's what I call experience. Later 4 of these students downloaded the Bible so they could read it.
John, Teresa, Micah, and Eli Britton
P.O. Box 461
Stillwater, OK 74076
U.S.M. #2660124
870-562-1971
brittonxai@gmail.com
Give online: www.giving.ag.org
~~~~~
The “Happiest Nations” on the globe: Denmark was voted #1 for happiest nations. Poor USA was #17

Twenty Happiest Nations - Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Finland, Austria, Iceland, Australia, Israel, Costa Rica, New Zealand, UAE, Panama, Mexico, US, Ireland, Luxembourg, Venezuela.

Twenty Least Happy - Sri Lanka, Gabon, Malawi, Cambodia, Chad, Yemen, Afghanistan, Bulgariea, Botswana, Madagascar, Senegal, Syrie, Comoros, Guinea Tanzania, Rwanda, Brundi, Central African Republic, Benin, Togo.
~
Twenty Lowest Suicide Rates - Nepal, Haiti, Antigua, St. Kitts, Grenada, Egypt, Syria, Jamaica, Maldives, Azerbaijan, Sao Tome, Peru, Pakistan, Jordan, Bahamas, Kuwait, Armenia, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Tajikistan.

Twenty Highest Suicide Rates - Greenland, South Korea, Lithuania, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Belarus, China, Solvenia, Hungary, Japan, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Russia, Croatia, Latvia, Moldova, Servia, Belgium, Finland, Bhutan.
~~~~~
The Mission Church has been in their new building (across Main Street from Fred’s) for over a year. Wow! It's been a great year.
~ Messages in tongues down among Pentecostals - SARAH PARVINI -
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130831/DA8H4Q6O2.html
~~~~~
http://www.space.com/22669-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-test-milestones.html

Virgin Galactic's (Burt Rutan and Sir Richard Branson) SpaceShipTwo's 2nd rocket-powered
private spaceship flew higher and faster than it ever had before on Thursday (Sept. 5), giving company official’s confidence that the vehicle is on track to start carrying passengers on suborbital jaunts next year.
In its second-ever rocket-powered test flight, which took off Thursday morning from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo reached a maximum altitude of 65,000 feet (19,800 meters) and a top speed of Mach 1.6, or 1.6 times the speed of sound (which is about 761 mph, or 1,225 km/h, at sea level).
The six-passenger space plane got up to 56,000 feet (17,000 m) and Mach 1.2 during its only previous powered flight, which occurred on April 29.
SpaceShipTwo's engine burned for 16 seconds during that first test, compared to 20 seconds on Thursday,
Virgin Galactic officials said.
~~~~~
50 Years of the Civil-Rights Movement—in 10 Charts by Brandy Zadrozny Aug 28, 2013 4:45 AM EDT

In the half century since ‘I Have a Dream,’ African Americans have made some great strides in education, political representation, and voter turnout. In other areas, it’s like nothing has changed. See the data.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/28/50-years-of-the-civil-rights-movement-in-10-charts.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=cheatsheet_afternoon&cid=newsletter%3Bemail%3Bcheatsheet_afternoon&utm_term=Cheat%20Sheet
~~~~~
Are Science Fridays doomed? NPR recently announced that in an effort to decrease staff by ten percent, the company is offering buyouts. The scheme aims to eliminate the radio outlet's $6.1 million deficit. ~~~~~
Naegleria fowleri /n?'gl??ri?/ (also known as the "brain-eating amoeba") is a free-living excavate form of protist typically found in warm bodies of fresh water, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs.
It is also found in soil, near warm-water discharges of industrial plants, and unchlorinated or poorly chlorinated swimming pools in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. There is no evidence of this organism living in salt water.

The case fatality rate is estimated at over 99%. No effective treatment for PAM has been found

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowlerihttp://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

No data exist to accurately estimate the true risk of PAM. However, the recreational risk of Naegleria fowleri infection is very low. There have been 31 reported infections in the U.S. in the 10 years from 2003 to 2012, despite hundreds of millions of recreational water exposures each year 10. By comparison, ... there were more than 39,000 drowning deaths.
~~~~~
EarthSky News - November 16 - Full Moon, Leonid Meteors, Comet ISON

Full moon, Leonid meteors, Comet ISON on November 16-17
The full moon coincides with Leonids' peak. Meanwhile, Comet ISON, only 12 days from its encounter with the sun, is visible with binoculars.

Everything you need to know: Leonid meteor shower
The 2013 Leonid meteor shower is peaking now, as our world moves through space, crossing the orbital path of Comet Tempel-Tuttle, the parent comet of the Leonid meteor shower.

http://earthsky.org/space/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=c71b528c22-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-c71b528c22-393703501

http://earthsky.org/?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=c71b528c22-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-c71b528c22-393703501
~~~~~
How do we balance needs of energy, water, and climate?

A new MIT study underscores the need to examine trade-offs before choosing energy technologies.

In deciding how best to meet the world’s growing needs for energy, the answers depend crucially on how the question is framed. Looking for the most cost-effective path provides one set of answers; including the need to curtail greenhouse-gas emissions gives a different picture. Adding the need to address looming shortages of fresh water, it turns out, leads to a very different set of choices. [http://earthsky.org/science-wire/how-do-we-balance-needs-of-energy-water-and-climate?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=1ead7dc6cf-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-1ead7dc6cf-393703501]
~~~~~
AskBob - - Bob Rankin - - http://askbobrankin.com/

SECURITY TIP: Preview Shortened URLs

URL-shortening services like TinyURL and Bitly are handy for a variety of reasons, but shortened URLs also represent a ubiquitous and very dangerous security vulnerability. You must use your head and technology to avoid becoming a victim of malware, phishers, and hackers when clicking on shortened URLs. Here's what you need to know...
http://askbobrankin.com/security_tip_preview_shortened_urls.html?awt_l=HZr.N&awt_m=JZiXTxe4yuP6SL
~
Can VoIP Service Replace Your Landline?

A reader asks: 'I have a landline and a cell phone, so I'm thinking of dropping the landline phone in favor of VoIP phone service, to save some money. What is your opinion of VoIP, and what are the pros and cons of using it to replace a traditional landline? '
http://askbobrankin.com/can_voip_service_replace_your_landline.html?awt_l=HZr.N&awt_m=Js3RV0hr3uP6SL
~
Ten Tips for Online Holiday Shoppers

Holiday decorations appeared in stores almost two months ago, but there's still plenty of time to find great deals. Shopping online for the holidays is easy and convenient, but when you use the right tools, you can also save a lot of cash. Here are some money-saving tips for the smart online holiday shopper... http://askbobrankin.com/ten_tips_for_online_holiday_shoppers.html?awt_l=HZr.N&awt_m=JG6fC.bUJuP6SL
~~~~~
ACC SmartBrief - - U.S. consumers recycled 6.2% more plastic bottles in 2012 than in previous year
Plastic bottles returned by U.S. consumers for recycling jumped 161 million pounds last year, about a half a pound increase per American, according to the latest statistics from the American Chemistry Council and the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers. Recycling of high-density polyethylene bottles increased by 45.3 million pounds, the groups said. "In the United States, we have the capacity to recycle more used plastics than we are currently collecting, and innovative manufacturers are using these materials in new and exciting ways. Each of us can help by doing our part to get more used plastics into a recycling bin," said Steve Russell, ACC vice president for plastics. PlasticsNews.com (11/7)
http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20131107/NEWS/131109940/us-plastic-bottle-recycling-up-6-2-percent-in-2012#
~
U.S. carbon dioxide emissions dropped by 3.8 percent last year, falling to the lowest level in close to 20 years, the Department of Energy said. Part of the decline is attributed to increased natural gas production, according to this article. "Innovations in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have helped make the U.S. the biggest developer of natural gas in the world, and these technologies are a great example of how we can grow the economy, create jobs and clean the air," said Howard Feldman of the American Petroleum Institute.
~~~~~
dLife Foodstuff - - 6 Great Recipes for Low Carb Comfort Food That Cooks Itself

There's something almost magical about loading up a slow cooker, walking away, and coming back hours later to a perfectly cooked, piping hot meal. This collection of delicious, low carb main dishes and sides should keep you slow cooking all winter.

http://www.dlife.com/dlife_media/diabetes_slideshows/crockpot-favorites?utm_source=Foodstuff-20131112&utm_medium=eNewsletter&utm_content=Foodstuff-newsletter&utm_term=Focused&utm_campaign=dLife-eNewsletter&
~
Without quick and appropriate treatment, blood sugar levels that are too high or too low can quickly turn into a diabetic emergency. Think you know the difference between low and high blood sugar episodes? Want to learn about safe blood sugar levels to increase your d-IQ? Take this quiz and test your knowledge of highs and lows now!

http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/quiz/showQuiz.html?quizId=10593220&utm_source=Update-20131115&utm_medium=eNewsletter&utm_content=Update-newsletter&utm_campaign=dLife-eNewsletter&
~
LIVING WITH DIABETES? WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

If you live with diabetes, you probably watch your diet and nutrition for overall health, but have you considered your oral health?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with diabetes are 2X more likely to develop gum disease. Diabetes makes the body more susceptible to bacterial infections and less able to fight germs that invade the gums.

Good news. Colgate Total® toothpaste can help improve your gum health in as little as 4 weeks* and is approved by the FDA to help prevent gingivitis**, the most common form of gum disease. We’ve assembled a group of diabetes lifestyle and oral health experts and asked them to provide some useful tips about the issue.

http://www.colgate.com/app/ColgateTotal/US/EN/OralHealthAndDiabetes.cwsp
~~~~~
Featured Recipes - - 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe
~~
Ingredients
1 box of angel food cake
1 can of lemon pie filling

Directions
1. Combine angel food cake and lemon pie filling, carefully mix together, the angel food cake mix is super light and will fly everywhere
2. Pour into a 9×13 pan
3. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees
4. Top with powdered sugar as they are cooling

Thanks to "Tammilee Tips"
~~
Back To Pecan Squares - - Recipe courtesy The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, 1999, All Rights Reserved http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pecan-squares-recipe/index.html


Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Serves: 20 large squares


We make these all year long and when we want to go "over the top" we dip half of each square in warm chocolate.

INGREDIENTS


Crust:

1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt



Topping:

1 pound unsalted butter
1 cup good honey
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined.
Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir.
Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans.
Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.
Copyright 2013 Television Food Network G.P. All Rights Reserved:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_34777_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, 1999, All Rights Reserved
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pecan-squares-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback
~~
Crockpot Cabbage Rolls

The nice thing about rolling cabbage rolls, is there is no right or wrong. I like to cut the larger leaves in two and make two smaller cabbage rolls. I also use almost every usable leaf of cabbage. Any leftovers freeze well, or you can make them ahead of time and then cook when you want.
Crock-Pot Freezer Meal: You can freeze the cabbage rolls uncooked ahead of time. Do not steam the leaves prior to doing this.

INGREDIENTS


1 Medium Head of Fresh Cabbage
1 Large Onion, diced
2 lbs of Ground Beef
1 Cup Cooked White Rice
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Pepper
1 Can Tomato Soup
1 11.5oz Can V8
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce



INSTRUCTIONS

On the stove top, cook rice and set aside.
Remove the stem from the cabbage and peel each individual leaf back.
Steam cabbage leaves for 60 seconds and then place in a bowl of ice cold water. Set aside.
In a pan, cook onions until onions are clear in color.
In a large bowl, add ground beef, eggs, salt, pepper, cooked onions and rice.
Mix well.
Taking one cabbage leaf at a time, add a spoon or more of the meat mixture. Using your hand, gather the meat on one end of the cabbage leaf and then roll the leaf.
Layer the cabbage rolls into the bottom of a crock-pot. Layering as you add until all the meat mixture is used.
In a bowl, mix the tomato soup, Worcestershire and V8 juice.
Pour the mixture on top of the cabbage rolls.
Cook on LOW for 4 hours.

Read more at http://crockpotladies.com/recipe-categories/entrees/crockpot-cabbage-rolls/#IxmpbZELH2R4itJQ.99
~~~~~
DarynKagan.com - - I have for you today a heroine dog, and an honored war hero.

Enjoy!

-Daryn.

Dog Rescues Abandoned Baby #See Precious Baby Girl
http://darynkagan.com/DarynKagan.com_Animals.html

Hundreds of Strangers Honor Lonely WWII Vet @His Funeral #How Word Spread
http://darynkagan.com/DarynKagan.com_Animals.html

http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=8fc852c2879912f2f334bb010&id=3a2a4d1f97&e=1f68221cdb

Daryn's Upbeat Stories! Daryn@darynkagan.com

Copyright © *|2013* *|Journeyist, Inc.|*, All rights reserved.
~~~~~
Rasmussen Reports - -

55% Favor Repeal of Obamacare
Most voters view the new national health care law as bad for the country and want to repeal it. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 35% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the trouble-plagued health care law is good for America.
~
56% Oppose Use of Standardized Tests as Chief Measure of School Performance
~
57% Think Private Business Best Bet for Alternative Energy
Most Americans continue to think it's more important to develop new sources of energy than to conserve what we've got. They also remain more confident that the private sector, not the federal government, will be the chief force behind new energy development.
~
62% Consider Clinton Better President Than Obama
Voters still strongly believe Bill Clinton was a better president than Barack Obama. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 62% of Likely U.S. Voters think Clinton was a better president. Just 20% believe Obama is doing a better job than Clinton did when he was president from 1993 to 2001.
~
65% Oppose Use of Drones for U.S. Police Work
Voters show even stronger support for increasing the use of unmanned drone aircraft to kill terrorists overseas, even though most believe the drone attacks are killing more innocents than are reported. But voters strongly oppose police use of such drones in the skies over this country.
~
75% Give Congress Poor Rating
The news goes from bad to worse for Congress, as voters offer their sharpest criticism of the legislature to date.
~
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls in Politics

Obamacare hasn’t been good for the political health of President Obama and his party this past week.

Just 35% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the new national health care law is good for America, and 55% favor repealing it.

Fifty-four percent (54%) oppose the law’s individual mandate which requires every American to have health insurance by January 1 or else face financial penalties. Just 34% support it.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/weekly_updates/what_they_told_us_reviewing_last_week_s_key_polls2
~
To find out more about Scott Rasmussen, and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2013 - - SCOTT RASMUSSEN - - DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
See Other Political Commentaries. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary
See Other Commentaries by Scott Rasmussen. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_scott_rasmussen
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

Don't miss this one. I have been spending long days with Syrian rebels and came across this story. I helped with some editing yet left it his story. http://www.michaelyon-online.com/crash-of-the-mig.htm

If you value this work, please support my mission. https://www.michaelyon-online.com/component/com_jdonation/Itemid,117/view,donation/

Very Respectfully,
Michael Yon
Your Writer,

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

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
~~~~~
If you would like to encourage US Troops overseas, but are not sure just how to begin, visit www.anysoldier.com for ideas.
~~~~~
5 Things New Veterans Expect From All Political Candidates


1. Defend the New GI Bill
2. Employ the New Greatest Generation
3. Prevent suicide among troops and veterans
4. Build a truly 21st Century VA
5. Improve Care for Female Veterans


http://iava.org/blog/5-things-new-veterans-expect-all-candidates-2012
~~~~~
Please remember ... America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the MALL.
~~~~~
From Thomas S. Ellsworth

This wasn't sent to me by another person or list. It's just a few thoughts about a holiday which is special to me. It's one of those few times when I share something serious instead of humorous. -Tom

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

GCF: Veteran's Day 2013 (Serious, not humor)

In the United States, the Veteran's Day holiday is celebrated Monday, November 11th (this is also Remembrance Day in Canada). In the early 1970's, Veteran's Day became a "movable" holiday -- the fourth Monday of October. In 1978, at the urging of veteran's groups who realized the sanctity of the date, Congress returned Veteran's Day to November 11th (if on a weekend, it moves to the closest Friday or Monday). Please remember that this day is not to honor war, but rather to honor the sacrifice made by others for our freedom.

What we call Veteran's Day is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice in the Forest of Campiegne by the Allies and the Germans in 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). This signified the end of World War I and was originally known as Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Congressional Resolution on Nov. 11, 1919, the first Armistice Day.

However, after World War II, the day began to lose meaning and since there were many other veterans to consider, the decision was made to change November 11th to honor all those who fought in American wars. The United States Congress passed an act to change the name to Veteran's Day and in 1954 President Dwight Eisenhower signed the act.

With that in mind, I would like to say "thank you" to all the men and women with whom I served, and to especially remember those who aren't with us anymore. As a former Hospital Corpsman, I wish a heartfelt "Semper Fi" to all my Marine friends.

- Tom Ellsworth
(HM2 USN 1965-69)

Note: In previous years, my Veteran's Day piece has dealt with various topics.

In 2004 it was the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address: http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2004.htm

In 2005 it dealt with a piece called "What is a Veteran?" and was attributed to a Marine Corps Chaplain (Reverend Denis O'Brien). That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address:
http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2005.htm

In 2006 it was simply a story about "duty" that was sent to me. I read it and couldn't help but be moved by its words. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address:
http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2006.htm

In 2007 it was a story about "military spouses" ... we sometimes forget that the sacrifice of the family left behind is just as great as that of the person overseas. That posting can be found in the GCF Archives at this address: http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2007.htm

In 2008 it was a story about the "bond" of Marines. That can be found
in the GCF Archives at this address: http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2008.htm

In 2009 it was a story about servicemen returning from Afghanistan. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address: http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2009.htm

In 2010 there were two items: (1) The Virtual Wall (a tribute to all those lost during the Vietnam war) and "Thank You Soldiers" (an original song sung by the 3rd Grade class at Tussing Elementary School in Colonial Heights, Virginia. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address:
http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2010.htm

In 2012 it was a story about the history of Taps, that haunting song played at all military funerals. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address: http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2011.htm

In 2012 it was a story about The Old Gentleman. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address:
http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2012.htm

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

This year I want to share something different. So many times we think of the veterans themselves on this day, and we should absolutely continue to do so. However, we should also remember their families who remain at home, without their loved ones. Most of those deployed return, some do not. This piece is about the children in military families.

Military Child vs. Civilian Child

1. A Civilian child usually dances around or talks during the National Anthem. A military child stands quietly with his hand over his heart.

2. A civilian child sees race. A military child sees diversity.

3. A civilian child has a best friend in his hometown. A military child has a best friend on almost every continent.

4. A civilian child sees only the plane flying over. A military child not only can identify the type of plane flying but knows someone who works on them.

5. A civilian child sees a person in uniform. A military child can tell you what branch they are in and what their rank is.

6. A civilian child thinks home is where the heart is. A military child knows home is where the military sends you.

7. A civilian child lives for tomorrow, and what it might bring. A military child lives for today, for tomorrow Daddy or Mommy might get called away again.

8. A civilian child gets to kiss Mommy and Daddy goodnight each night. A military child sometimes has to kiss a picture of Daddy or Mommy goodnight.

9. A civilian child talks on the phone for fun. A military child lives for the short phone calls that happen far too few times.

10. A civilian child can read and write in English. A military child can read and write in acronyms.

11. A civilian child says "good-bye." A military child says "see you later."

12. A civilian child will probably go to the same school his entire life. A military child will probably change schools every 2 years.

13. A civilian child might rarely leave his hometown for anything other than vacation. A military child will rarely see his "hometown" for anything other than vacation.

14. A civilian child supports our soldiers. A military child is almost a soldier.

The next time you say a prayer for our troops, please say a prayer for their families, especially their children back home, trying to be strong.

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

As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer:

"Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or overseas. Hold them in Your loving hands and protect them as they protect us. Also remember their families back at home. They sacrifice by being away from their loved ones."

Let's all keep those currently serving and those who have gone before in our thoughts. They are the reason for the many freedoms we enjoy.

Remember, we live in the land of the free because of the brave. (Heroes don't wear capes; heroes wear dog tags.) __._,_.___
~~~~~
Mustard Seed Financial - Who’s Gene Fama and Why Should You Care?

Gene Fama finally won the Nobel Prize in economics. I say finally because he won it based largely on research done when he was barely in his twenties and now he’s 74. In the fall of 1976, I was taking an investments course at Southern Arkansas University as part of my degree program. Each student was assigned a paper to read and report on. My paper was entitled: “The Efficient Market Hypothesis: A Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Work,” by Gene Fama. The paper was published in the prestigious Journal of Finance, the top journal in the field. It was a lengthy paper with lots of squiggles. “Squiggles” is a technical term for mathematical symbols that no one else can understand or even pronounce.

The paper was a summary of Fama’s research and resulting dissertation as a doctoral student at the University of Chicago in the 1960s. By the time I finished reading the paper, I had a headache and only a faint idea of what an efficient market was. But years later, I think I can simplify it for you, with no squiggles. Fama’s basic idea was that the price of a security fully reflects all the public information that is known about the company at the present time. So if Wal-Mart is trading at $75 a share, for example, then that is the consensus estimate of the fair value of Wal-Mart. New information comes to light on virtually a continuous basis. For example, the Department of Labor may announce new unemployment figures reflecting a healthier economy. This is good news for Wal-Mart. Investors around the globe, both professional and amateur, will make a judgment about that news and it will be reflected in the price almost instantaneously. That’s right, almost instantaneously. So any opportunity to earn excessive profits from that new information disappears in a flash.

Notice that the efficient market hypothesis applies to publicly available information. Private information is a different story. Suppose Murphy Oil drills a well that produces a gazillion barrels a day, doubling their capacity immediately. This information, when released to the public, will certainly affect the stock price. If the geologists on the rig call their broker and buy shares ahead of the release of this information, this is profiting from insider, or nonpublic, information. It’s also illegal. By the time I hear about this discovery in the evening paper thrown to me in Taylor, any price adjustments have long been made. Even if I read about it on the Internet, I’m still late to the party.

Fama’s basic conclusion was that prices move up and down during the day based on new information, some good and some bad. In other words, in the short run, stock prices follow a random walk. This was a blow to Wall Street firms, where the story is that smart graduates from Ivy League schools can get ahead of the curve and pick winning stocks. Fama’s work demonstrated that it’s virtually impossible to consistently pick winners because of random releases of information and constantly adjusting stock prices. On the other hand, he readily acknowledged that stock prices generally rise over time. So why is Fama important to you? His research on stock pricing led to the creation of the index fund. With an index fund, the focus isn’t on picking winners and losers. Instead the focus is on the fact that stock prices do rise over time. So all the stocks in a particular index are considered suitable for purchase. Index type mutual funds now account for roughly twenty percent of the money invested in the stock market. And that share is growing rapidly.

Fama didn’t rest on his laurels after developing the efficient market theory. He’s done extensive research in other areas, spending his entire career at the University of Chicago where he earned his degree. As a doctoral student 15 years later, I picked up another Fama paper written with co-author Ken French. Another paper with lots of squiggles, many of which I still don’t understand. That paper ended up being a definitive work on the returns of small cap stocks and value stocks. Over the years, he’s published well over 100 articles and has earned the title, the “father of modern finance.” And finally, he’s been recognized for the work he did back in the 1960s on the unpredictable, random behavior of stock prices and the resulting impact on the investor world. Gene Fama is one of three Nobel Prize winners in economics this year for his work on asset pricing theory. When you take away all the squiggles, it’s a pretty simple idea. Profound, but simple. Congratulations Professor Fama! It’s long overdue.

Published in the Texarkana Gazette on October 27, 2013.
~~~~~
Favorite Quotes:

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast." - - John Gunther via Vanessa Malone
~
Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. ~ Socrates via Ron Hazelwood.
~
I often worry about the safety of my children, especially when they roll their eyes and me and talk back.
~
A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. via Ron Hazelton
~
Every child deserves a champion -- an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be. ~ Rita Pierson via Ron Hazelton
~
Thought for Today: We really teach ourselves. If we want to learn, we will always find someone to learn from, be they dead or alive, great or unknown. We learn from everything we see and hear around us - if we are willing to pay attention. ~ Alexander Volkov
~
Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation. ~ Henry Ward Beecher via Ron Hazelton
~
The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it. ~ Franklin P. Jones via Ron Hazelton
~
Thought for Today: “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. ~ Thomas Jefferson via Ron Hazelton
~
Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. ~ Benjamin Franklin
~
Opportunity is often missed because we are broadcasting when we should be tuning in." ~ Anonymous - - via Ron Hazelton
~
We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” ~ Walt Disney via Ron Hazelton
~~~~~
The following wisdom is shared by our friends and family.
~
God is our helper....if He can turn a shepherd into a king, fishermen into disciples, a murderer into the deliverer of a nation, I know He can help me get through this day with a positive attitude. ~ Mary Louise Brownlee Alexis

From a grandmother--Get your kids up a few minutes earlier and have daily devotions with them. They need Jesus more than a few extra minutes of sleep. ~ Mary Louise Brownlee Alexis
~
"I would rather travel across China by jeep in the will of God than drive across the USA in a Rolls Royce out of the will of God"! ~ Larry Garza via Debbie Troquille and Brian Lester Bohrer.
~
The most valuable things in life are carried in your heart, not in your pockets ~ Nancee Davis Law
Hold those you love close to your heart ~ Nancee Davis Law

If you were the only person on earth, God still would have come and died for you. ~ Nancee Davis Law

I would like to think the temps in Heaven are gonna be Sunny, breezy and about 70 all yr round. ~ Nancee Davis Law
~
"Sometimes the amount of self control it takes not to say what is on my mind is so immense I need a nap afterward." Norma Kay Rowe
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~

For the latest issue of "Da Bleat.", go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Photos on the front of as well as in this week’s “Bleat” include - - Moon over Jefferson Street, The Beautiful Old Haynesville, LA Train Station, A Beautiful '57 T-Bird , Wilson Bearden Remodeling, Annettes new Kitchen Compost Collector, Sunset over Main Street, The view from Magnolia Regional Medical Center's Main Entrance, Annette Power Washing the Patio and our front Patio wall, The "Thang" under wrap, Tamales, Albemarle Fire Fighters with Old Number 911.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Excerpts from Debbie Troquille’s Big Little Book Of Devotions:
Saturday: 11/09 2 Sam. 22:34 says that He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. (NLT) He helps us do extraordinary things, each ordinary day! I'm glad I belong to Him!
Sunday: 11/10 Today I'm thankful for salvation!! I could write that everyday, but that'll be what I'm thankful for today. This is in response to Lawanda Jones' idea, to write one thing you are thankful for, each day between now and Thanksgiving.....good idea, Lawanda.
Monday: 11/11 "We are the "Home of the Free," because of the brave."(author unknown) To all who have served in America's military, THANK YOU! You are our heroes! God bless you, and Happy Veterans Day!
Tuesday: 11/12 No matter how wonderful our life experiences are, there are always the not so wonderful, experiences. The key is to recall the good ones. Psalms 75:1.."We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds." Today, I'm recalling the wonderful deeds of the Lord, in my life, and the name above every name, Jesus! I'm thankful.....
Wednesday: 11/13 Jesus was wounded and bruised for our transgressions and iniquities.(Isaiah 53:5) That same scripture says that He was punished, so that we could have peace of mind, AND that the stripes He received, from the beating He took, were so we could be healed. Jesus bought salvation for us, spirit, soul,(mind) and body, and He handed it to us...a gift of life! I can't thank Him enough, for loving me (all of us) so much!
Thursday: 11/14 He that is discontented in one place, will seldom be happy in another.(Aesop) Paul Troquille says people move about to get away from things, but when they arrive at the new place, there they are!! That's funny, but true. It's not a place or a situation that must always be right. An outlook and attitude adjustment, may be needed. The Lord can help us make those adjustments, AND He'll get us to new places, if need be. Everyone, enjoy this beautiful Thursday!
Friday: 11/15 Colossians 2:10 says that we are complete through our union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. It's vitally important to know, that other people can only add to us in life, but they can never complete us or make us whole. Jesus alone, completes us! It's not fair to our families or friends to expect them to do for us, what only He can do. They all need Him too, to be "whole!" Remember today, no matter how fragmented your days and schedules are, if Jesus is your Lord, you're complete. Nothing is missing, nothing is broken. Now, it is finished, His blood has spoken! (a song we sing at church) Have a happy Friday, friends!
~~~~~
Break Point - - God's Double Agent - - The Dramatic Story of Bob Fu
By: Eric Metaxas

Let me warn you, if you pick up Bob Fu’s amazing story of his defiance of the Chinese government and his escape from China, you won’t be putting it down.

Every day, millions of Chinese Christians are willing to face poverty, prison, separation from loved ones, even death for the sake of Jesus.

One of those Christians is a man named Bob Fu, who now lives in the United States. His new book, “God's Double Agent,” tells the inspiring story of how he stood up to Chinese Communist leaders, was thrown into prison, and escaped to America.

Bob grew up desperately poor during Mao's so-called “Great Leap Forward.” His teachers recognized his intelligence and leadership skills—skills that led to trouble when Bob began criticizing the widespread corruption in the Chinese government.

In college, Bob led fellow students to the Tiananmen Square demonstrations in 1989. He escaped the June 4 massacre unharmed only because his fiancé had become so sick that he left the square to take her to a hospital.

Knowing Bob's leadership role in the demonstrations, the government forced him to write so-calledDaily_Commentary_11_15_13 “confessions.” Former friends were afraid to associate with him—even worse, some denounced him. At a low point, as Bob considered suicide, a classmate slipped him a little book—a biography of a Chinese intellectual who had embraced Christianity through the influence of British missionaries.

Bob writes that the story seemed to be “whispering deep truths to me with each new page.” He joyfully accepted Christ and promptly began evangelizing others. After college he went to work teaching English. But as God's double agent, he opened a secret school to train up ministers of the gospel.

Bob himself was about to receive the education of a lifetime. Christian dissident Alan Yuan had once told him, “If you want to be a faithful minister and follower of Jesus Christ, you should learn prison theology.” Prison, he explained, was where “you find out more about God and his faithfulness than anywhere else.” My friend Chuck Colson would certainly have agreed with that.

And when government officials discovered the illegal seminary, they threw Bob and his wife into prison. Despite harsh conditions, Bob witnessed to his fellow inmates, leading many to Christ.

After their release two months later, the unrepentant Fus added to their so-called “crimes” by purposely conceiving a child without government permission. But now they had to make a fearful choice: Stay in China where they would be forced to undergo an abortion, or attempt to escape the country. If they were caught, they faced long prison terms.

With the help of the underground church, the two fled to Hong Kong. But their troubles were not over. Britain was preparing to hand over control of Hong Kong to the Chinese. And that's when the Fus found out that the U.S. Consulate did not recognize religious refugees—only political ones.

Thanks to constant prayer, a miracle or two, and some determined American religious and political leaders, the Fus escaped on the last working day before the Chinese takeover. Talk about cutting it close!Newsletter_Gen_180x180_B

There is much more to this exciting story, which you can read in “God’s Double Agent.” But let me ask you a question: Are you also willing to be faithful to Christ no matter what it costs—your job, your savings, your freedom?

As our religious freedoms come under increasing pressure (think about the HHS mandate and ENDA, for instance), many Christians here in the U.S. may, along with their Chinese brethren, have to “choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:13).
~
Further Reading and Information

Please, come to the BreakPoint online bookstore to get a copy of Bob Fu’s amazing story, “God’s Double Agent” [http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=9780801015908] to learn more about his experience in China. Let his story challenge you to discover how deep your own faith really is.
~
Resources:

In the Lion's Den: A Shocking Account of Persecuted and Martyrdom of Christians Today and How We Should Respond, audio, 4 CDs Nina Shea | Broadman & Holman Publishers | January 1997 [http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=2191_BKPAD]

http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries

Copyright © 2013 Colson Center. All Rights Reserved
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~

Residents of Columbia County, Arkansas are represented in Congress by:
~

Senator John Boozman (R_ AR)
1 Russell Courtyard
Washington DC, 20510
Phone: 202-224-4843
http://boozman.senate.gov/
~
Senator Mark Pryor (D_ AR)
Phone 202_224_2353
FAX 202_228_0908
http://pryor.senate.gov/
~
Representative Tom Cotton (R )
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://cotton.house.gov/

Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

"In this world, you must be a bit too kind to be kind enough." - Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." - Harvey Fierstein

"My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there." - Charles Kettering

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?' " - Brian Tracy

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." - George Eliot

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." - Anais Nin

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." - T.S. Eliot

"When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about." - Albert Einstein

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

"If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours." - Ray Kroc

"The new source of power is not money in the hands of a few, but information in the hands of many." - John Naisbitt

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." - Abraham Lincoln

'Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty." - Brene Brown

"Don't look where you fell, look where you slipped." - African Proverb

"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." - Ayn Rand

"Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear." - George Addair
~~~~~
Breaking Christian News

China to Change its Decades-old 1-Child Policy, Abolish Labor Camps
Aimee Herd (Nov 15, 2013)

"I think everybody in China should have the right to have any number of kids. I feel so good to raise two children. Nowadays in China, the welfare of old people is not good." -Luo Dongling, Chinese citizen.

Chinese children(Beijing, China)—According to reports, China's officials are planning to institute the first major changes to its harsh "one-child policy" in almost 30 years, following demographics statistics that show a very unbalanced population. (Photo: CNN)

The Communist country's current policy, which was introduced in 1979, limits urban couples to one child, and two for rural families if their first-born is a girl, according to the USA Today report. China's strict rule has cost more preborn babies' lives through abortion than any other nation.

And, the effect after decades of this policy is that the elderly population—which relies upon their children for assistance—is quickly growing, outnumbering the younger generations who could help provide that care.

In addition there is a "long-term gender imbalance," due to the "abortions…and the infanticide of baby girls by parents who cling to a traditional preference for a son."

However, the USA Today report stated, last year, a government think tank urged China's leaders to start phasing out the policy and allow two children for every family by 2015, saying the country had paid a "huge political and social cost."

Following a recent 4-day meeting in Beijing with party leaders, it was decided that changes would be made to the one-child policy and, in addition, the labor (or re-education through labor) camps will be abolished, in an apparent effort to improve human rights.
~~
Massive International Effort Rescues Nearly 400 Children, Busts Horrific Child Exploitation Ring
Teresa Neumann (Nov 15, 2013)

Of those arrested, 76 were said to be Americans. Disturbingly, many of the criminals arrested held positions of influence, including school teachers, doctors, nurses, pastors and foster parents.

Operation Spade(Toronto, Canada)—After working diligently for three years, an international effort called Operation Spade, initiated and based in Canada, has finally been successful in rescuing nearly 400 children after breaking up a child pornography and exploitation ring that investigators said involved some of the most shocking abuse they've ever seen. The sheer amount of images and videos, they added, was "staggering."

"It's a first for the magnitude of the victims saved," said Inspector Joanna Beavin-Desjardins, of Toronto's Sex Crimes Unit.

According to a report in The National Post, police allege Brian Way, 42, had been running an "exploitation movie, production and distribution company" called Azov Films since 2005, and had made more than $4 million from the business. The videos were then distributed from Toronto to customers around the world through the mail and the Internet.

Of those arrested, 76 were said to be Americans. Disturbingly, many of the criminals arrested held positions of influence, including school teachers, doctors, nurses, pastors and foster parents.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

GCF: Blizzard Conditions

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

A government warning was recently issued that anyone traveling in icy or blizzard conditions should take:

- Shovel, blankets or sleeping bag
- Extra clothing including scarf, hat and gloves
- 24 hours supply of food and drink
- De-icer
- 5 lbs of rock salt
- flashlight with spare batteries
- Road flares and reflective triangles
- Tow rope
- 5 gallon gas can
- First aid kit
- Jump cables

I felt like a complete idiot on the bus this morning.

----------- Today's saying or thought --------------
I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail.
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Autobahn

Although he knew it was illegal to hitchhike on the autobahn in Germany, my son, after hours with no cars passing by on the deserted road he'd been dropped off on, decided to take a chance. He ventured down to the autobahn, put up his thumb and optimistically held up his sign with "Denmark" written clearly on it.

His heart sank when, within 15 minutes, a police car pulled up. The officers just looked at him for a minute or two, then one got out of the cruiser, smiling.

As the officer approached he started speaking in a mixture of English and German, "Two things: First, ist verboten, absolutely forbidden, to hitchhike on the autobahn. Second," he continued as he pointed in the opposite direction, "Denmark is that way."

----------- Today's saying or thought --------------
Golf was once a rich man's port, but now it has millions of poor players!
----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------

GCF: Sick Aunt

Finally, the good-natured boss was compelled to call Smith into his office.

"It has not escaped my attention," he pointed out, "that every time there's a home game at the stadium, you have to take your aunt to the doctor."

"You know you're right, sir," exclaimed Smith. "I didn't realize it.
You don't suppose she's faking, do you?"

----------- Today's saying or thought --------------
I used to have an open mind, but my brains kept falling out.
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Socks

When I was working as a clerk at a sporting-goods store, a woman came up to my register with a package of white athletic socks. "Will you open this up so I can see how the socks feel?" she asked.

Reluctantly I tore open the package, and she scrutinized the merchandise. She handed me the package saying, "I'll take them."

Relieved, I started to ring her up, until she interrupted me: "Can I have another pack? This one's been opened."

----------- Today's saying or thought --------------
I am willing to make the mistakes if someone
else is willing to learn from them.
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

GCF: Cute as a Bug

A man was pleased to see his small daughter's fascination as she stared at a bug in their backyard. He thought she was developing an interest in science. Then the child remarked, "Grandma says I'm as cute as a bug. The bugs where she lives must be cuter than ours."

----------- Today's saying or thought --------------
Crime wouldn't pay if the government ran it.
----------------------------------------------------
*** Good Clean Fun ***
is brought to you by
Thomas S. Ellsworth
email: tellswor@kcbx.net

Visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/

Stop for a visit, leave with a smile!
_ _______________________________ _
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
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Murphy's Laws and Others

Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to go to the bathroom.
~
Law of Gravity
Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible place in the universe.
~
Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
~
Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal; someone always answers.
~
Variation Law
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now.
~
Law of the Bath
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
~
Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know INCREASES dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
~
Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, IT WILL!!!
~
Law of Biomechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
~
Law of the Theater & Hockey Arena
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to
go for food, beer, or the toilet and who leave early before the end of the performance or the game is over. The folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies and stay to the bitter end of the performance. The aisle people also are very surly folk.
~
The Coffee Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
~
Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only 2 people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
~
Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor, are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet or rug.
~
Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it, OR the store will stop selling it!!
~
Doctors' Law - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better..
But don't make an appointment, and you'll stay sick.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
NEW CHURCH INSTRUCTIONS (They’re coming) ....

PASTOR: "Praise the Lord!"

CONGREGATION: "Hallelujah!"

PASTOR: "Will everyone please turn on their tablet, PC, iPad, smart phone, and Kindle Bibles to 1 Cor. 13:13.

And please switch on your Bluetooth to download the sermon."

P-a-u-s-e......

"Now, Let us pray committing this week into God's hands.

Open your Apps, BBM, Twitter and Facebook, and chat with God"

S-i-l-e-n-c-e

"As we take our Sunday tithes and offerings, please have your credit and debit cards ready."

"You can log on to the church Wi-Fi using the password 'Lord909887.'

The ushers will circulate mobile card swipe machines among the worshipers:

a.. Those who prefer to make electronic fund transfers are directed to computers and laptops at the rear of the church.
b.. Those who prefer to use iPads can open them.
c.. Those who prefer telephone banking, take out your cell phones to transfer your contributions to
the church account.”

The holy atmosphere of the Church becomes truly electrified as ALL the smart phones, iPads, PCs and laptops beep and flicker!

“Final Blessing and Closing Announcements...

a.. This week's ministry cell meetings will be held on the various Facebook group pages where the usual group chatting takes place. Please log in and don't miss out.
b.. Thursday's Bible study will be held live on Skype at 1900hrs GMT. Please don't miss out.
c.. You can follow your Pastor on Twitter this weekend for counseling and prayers.
d.. God bless you and have nice day.”

Thanks to Waneta
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Tough Account

Jones applied to a collections agency for a job, but he had no experience. He was so intense that the manager gave him a tough account with the promise that if he collected it, he'd get the job.

Two hours later, Jones came back with the entire amount. "Amazing!" the manager said. "How did you do it?"

"Easy," Jones replied. "I told him if he didn't pay up, I'd tell all his other creditors he paid us."

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

(_:][:_)

Think About It

- Is there another word for synonym?

- Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all"?

- What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

- Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

- If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

- Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

- If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?

- Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?

- How do they get deer to cross the road only at those yellow road signs?

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

(_:][:_)

Tom Swift-ly through the Old Testament

"I have sinned," said Adam originally.

"Have an apple," the serpent said fruitfully.

"Come here, Abel," Cain said brotherly.

"You snails almost didn't make it," Noah said wetly.

"No spika de Inglish," they babbled at Babel confusedly.

"Nonsense, I'll look behind me all I please," replied Lot's wife saltily.

"Here's your pottage," Jacob said hairily.

"My thigh is out of joint," Jacob said angelically.

"I was the sun and you were the stars," Joseph said dreamily.

"Hey, fellas, look at my new coat," Joseph said colorfully.

"I feel like traveling on, Madame Potiphar," Joseph said coatlessly.

"Now we can open grain storage area #1," Joseph said leanly.

"See how the reeds made him in just certain spots," Pharaoh's daughter said mosaically.

"Tomorrow, we'll cross the Red Sea," Moses said dividedly.

"But we cannot find water if there is nothing but rocks," the ladies of Israel told Moses gushingly.

"And here is your calf to worship," Aaron said goldenly.

"There are the pieces of the Ten Commandments," Moses said stonily.

"With God, we are bigger than the giants," Joshua and Caleb said largely.

"____________________________________," said Balaam's ass crushingly.

"Sure I'll hide you, spies," Rahab said scarletly.

"Now what could have caused the defeat at Ai?" Achan said guiltily.

"Can you give me a place to sleep and all I need?" Sisera said naillessly.

"Will the fleece be wet this dewy morning?" Gideon asked dryly.

"Your weapons are a trumpet, a pitcher, and a torch," Gideon said generally.

"That makes a thousand Philistines," Samson said hairily.

"Get up, Samson, your enemies are on you!" Delilah said snippingly.

"This is my new husband, Boaz," Ruth said messianically.

"Now, boys, let's subjugate our impulses," Eli said fatherlyly.

"Here am I," Samuel said prophetically.

"Just call me 'Kingy,' boys," Saul said firstly.

"I love you," Jonathan told David brotherly.

"Lion, let go of my lamb," David said barehandedly.

"You'll never conquer me," Goliath said stonily.

"Here, catch the javelin," Saul said jealously.

"Meet my new wife, Bathsheba," David said adulterously.

"Divide the baby with a sword," Solomon said wisely.

"I'm amazed at your wisdom," the Queen of Sheba said regally.

"We'll not have taxation without representation," Jeroboam said rebelliously.

"We've got to pay for our Great Society," Rehoboam said threateningly.

"Thank you, Sir Raven," Elijah said fully.

"Here comes old Elisha," the children said baldly.

"That's the seventh dip," Namaan said cleanly.

"The driver is Jehu," the watchman reported to Jehoram furiously.

"This the new Fury Chariot," Jehu said windily.

"As goes Gomer, so goeth Israel," Hosea said prophetically.

"My feet are cold," Shadrach said fierily.

"Long live, O King," Daniel told Darius sleepily.

"This is where the wall of Jerusalem should be," Nehemiah said constructively.

"I've seen a little trouble during my life," Job said experientially.

"No fish for me," Jonah said greatly.

Copyright (C) 1960, Asa Sparks, 6045 Camelot Court, Montgomery AL 36117

Received from Stan Kegel.

(_:][:_)

Stained Glass

An minister tells of his first Sunday in a new parish and of presenting the children's message. It seems the sanctuary in the new church had some magnificent stained glass windows, so his message centered on how each of us is called to help make up the whole picture of life (the life of the community of the faithful). Like the pictures in the windows, it takes many little panels of glass to make the whole picture.

And then he said, "You see each one of you is a little pane." And then pointing to each child, "You're a little pane. And you're a little pane. And you're a little pane. And..."

It took a few moments before he realized why everyone was laughing so hard.

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(_:][:_)

Clocks

A man died and went to heaven, where he met St. Peter sitting at a desk in the middle of a great hall. On the walls were millions of clocks.

"What are those used for?" he asked.

St. Peter said, "There's one of them for every living person on Earth ticking out the days of their lives."

The newcomer noticed that the hands of some of the clocks were moving faster than others. "Why do they move at different speeds?" he asked.

St. Peter said, "Every time you tell a lie, you lose one hour of your life and your clock speeds up."

The newcomer looked around and then asked, "Do you have one of these for my local politician?"

St. Peter answered, "Sure! It's in the back room. We use it for a ceiling fan."

(_:][:_)

Awful Time

"I've just had the most awful time," said a boy to his friends. "First I got angina pectoris, then arteriosclerosis. Just as I was recovering, I got psoriasis. They gave me hypodermics, and to top it all, tonsillitis was followed by appendectomy."

"Wow! How did you pull through?" sympathized his friends.

"I don't know," the boy replied. "Toughest spelling test I ever had."

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

(_:][:_)

Bass Boat

A good ole Alabama boy won a bass boat in a raffle drawing. He brought it home and his wife looked at him and said, "What are you gonna do with that? There ain't no water deep enough to float a boat within 100 miles of here."

He said, "I won it and I'm a gonna keep it."

His brother came over to visit several days later. He saw the wife and asked where his brother was. She said, "He's out there in his bass boat," pointing to the field behind the house.

The brother headed out behind the house and saw his brother sitting in a bass boat with a fishing rod in his hand down in the middle of a big field. He yelled out to him, "What are you doing?"

His brother yelled back, "I'm fishin'. What does it look like I'm a doing?"

His brother yelled, "It's people like you that give people from Alabama a bad name, makin' everybody think we is stupid. If I could swim, I'd come out there and give you what for!"

Received from westimom.

(_:][:_)

Chemo

My wife, Mary, had a lumpectomy and is going through 12 weeks of chemotherapy. The other day, she told our four-year-old granddaughter, Emily, that, because of the chemo, all her hair would fall out.

Emily looked at Mary with surprise and asked, "Does that mean I'll have two grandpas?"

Received from Richard Newcomb.

(_:][:_)

Bicycling with Granddaughter

Out bicycling one day with my eight-year-old granddaughter, Carolyn, I got a little wistful. "In ten years," I said, "you'll want to be with your friends and you won't go walking, biking, and swimming with me like you do now."

Carolyn shrugged. "In ten years you'll be too old to do all those things anyway."

Received from Penny Bartnicki.

(_:][:_)

Alligators

A blonde camper at Long Pine Key in Everglades National Park decided to take a dip in the lake with her dog, despite signs saying, "No Swimming - Alligators."

She swam to an island about 75 yards from the shore, then saw some alligators and refused to swim back.

"Didn't you see the signs?" asked the ranger who retrieved her in a canoe.

"Sure," the blonde said. "But, I didn't think it applied to me."

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

(_:][:_)

Rate this funny at http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20120420

Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address:
GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA

To print or email this funny to others, go to
http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20120420

The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/

Limerick Jest
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A disheveled young man would ingest
Lots of data, as if for a test.
Then each day, without fail,
He’d attempt to regale
Folks with factoids they wished he’d repressed.
~~
Congratulations to Ann Martin, who wins Limerick of the Week for this funny verse:

A dad who just planned to relax
Didn’t have all the relevant facts;
When his daughter named Lizzie
Said “Dad, are you busy?”
He said, “No, dear, but why do you ax?”
~~
Congratulations to Kathy El-Assal, who wins this week’s Facebook Friends’ Choice Award for this limerick which received the most Facebook “likes.”

Her compliance with rules was so lax,
That Mad gave her lim’rick the ax.
With mission aborted
And craftiness thwarted,
Would syntax require a sin tax?

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"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
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234_5655
(Non _ Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance _ 234_7371 (24 Hour)
Jail _ 234_5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control _ 800_222_1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Interested in getting in touch with the Banner_News through e_mail? editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events. [http://www.bannernews.net/]
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"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!!!
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT_I KC5HII

P. S. If you'd like to be added to the distribution, just drop us E_mail at kc5hii@suddenlink.net
. We offer "Da Bleat" as text, a "Blog" and as a newsletter with pictures in Word and PDF format. The latest issue is usually updated sometime Saturday. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>