Bugs Bleat

Bug's Bleat - - Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T22:02:00.000-08:00

The wife of my youth.

Bug's Bleat - - Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

The back of our new home.

A last look at Lucy Circle

Annette directing Jimmy in placing some of her "pretties"

Boys playing ball on Christmas day.

The view out our front door.

Bug's Bleat - - Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T21:53:00.000-08:00

I like bridges.

And Fall Colors

And Grandkids

And Pets

And Family

Bug's Bleat - - Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T21:48:00.000-08:00

One final look at my trains.

"Uncle Bob's Bridge"

Zac's Baptism in Lake Calion

Another Josiah Self Portrait

Dorcheat

Bug's Bleat - - Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T21:40:00.000-08:00

Dustin at Civil Air Patrol

One of the oil wells drilled by my dad in the early '50s

Ethan Shows off his sun glasses.

Josiah Reflected.

Josiah Self Portrait

Bug's Bleat - - Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

Volume 13, Issue 52 Friday, December 30, 2011

Hello All,

Happy New Year Y’all.
~~~~~
We’re settling into our new home with only about 20 boxes still to unpack. Hopefully my laptop and the missing chamber pot is in one of them.

Though only 300 ft2 larger than our old home, we have tons more closet and cabinet space. However the “open” concept has robbed us of some walls that would have been used to display photos and such so we’ll probably have to rotate them every few months.

Annette has “given” me the top of the chest of drawers in the bedroom to display my things (such as old cameras, train souvenirs, etc.)

Strangely, this home has far fewer windows than our old home but, due to the placement of the ones we have, the house is brighter and airier. Annette commented that we are closer to the out doors than before. This is probably due to the large french doors leading onto the patio that gives us ready outside access. Our previous home required a trip down stairs to get into the outdoors.

Our neighbors are great and, so far, my only problem is the weekly race to get to my trash can before my neighbor brings it back to our garage after it’s emptied.

If you have time, feel free to stop by. We’d really like the opportunity to show you our new home. We’re normally open from 9 am to 9 pm each day.
~~~~~
It’s been a sobering year for the class of ‘69 as we’ve begun to lose members from heart disease and other causes. I was thinking about the folks no longer with us when a documentary about the National Film Registry showed on PBS. It got me thinking about other folks that affected our lives such as W.P. Florence. Working for him taught me the importance of quality and dependability as well as much about entertainment and it’s meaning.

When Mr. Florence built the Cameo Theater, the new trend was to have glass doors, like the newly rebuilt Chatterbox did. But he opted to stay with the “old fashioned” solid wood doors. Because he wanted people to leave the world behind when they entered the theater.

And I still think that the best movies take us out of our lives and put us into another world. I guess that’s why I don’t like sad or depressing movies. There’s enough of that in the world we live in. I like movies that lift me up, show me the beauty of the world and the possibility of good in our lives.

But not everyone agrees with me and that’s o.k. In the end, it’s the way a movie affects you that draws you to it. Whether it’s an action thriller or a “chick flick.”

Each year since 1989, the Librarian of Congress has named 25 films to the National Film Registry that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant. "These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture."
[http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2011/11-240.html]
Films Selected to the 2011 National Film Registry include:

Allures (1961)
Bambi (1942)
The Big Heat (1953)
A Computer Animated Hand (1972)
Crisis: Behind A Presidential Commitment (1963)
The Cry of the Children (1912)
A Cure for Pokeritis (1912)
El Mariachi (1992)
Faces (1968)
Fake Fruit Factory (1986)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Growing Up Female (1971)
Hester Street (1975)
I, an Actress (1977)
The Iron Horse (1924)
The Kid (1921)
The Lost Weekend (1945)
The Negro Soldier (1944)
Nicholas Brothers Family Home Movies (1930s-40s)
Norma Rae (1979)
Porgy and Bess (1959)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Stand and Deliver (1988)
Twentieth Century (1934)
War of the Worlds (1953)
The list of Films Selected to The National Film Registry, 1989-2010 (550 films) can be viewed at: [http://www.loc.gov/film/titles.html]
~~~~~
Some of you know our Friends Brandt and Pam Prince, missionaries to the Congo. They have three sons and have just adopted a baby girl. Unlike me, they love living in primitive conditions, in Africa. Their love and dedication never cease to amaze me. I'm sharing some of Pam's posts about their struggle to adopt this child.
~~~
Pamela Prince - A few days ago, I asked for prayer regarding a big decision we had to make. Yesterday we took in a little 3 month old baby girl whose mother died of Aids and her father abandoned her. She is precious to us and we are trusting God for all the steps ahead of us in this new venture. Thanks for your prayers.

Pamela Prince - Have you ever seen the movie Spy Kids? Where the parents use their daughter's extremely long name as their password- Austin says that's what our baby will be like. We have a name finally: Shukuru Juliana Marie Prince! That's not too long is it?

Pamela Prince - I received a wonderful package today from some awesome missionary ladies in Kigoma, Tanzania full of fun things for Juliana! Thanks to Karen Rasmussen, Nicola Evans, Gina Johnson, Ruth Johnson, Tim Barb Kelly, and I don't know who else was in on that but we appreciate it very much!!!! Love you all!

Pamela Prince - I think I'm going to have to learn to drink coffee if baby Juliana doesn't let me sleep more! I can barely make it through the day I'm so tired!

Pamela Prince - The DNA test I need for Juliana is not available in this country so now I have to get special court permission to take her out of the country so we can test her in Kigoma. Praying for favor and for QUICK action in a SLOW- MOVING country!

Pamela Prince - Have gone to court the last two days to be told, Come back tomorrow! It's interesting to me that the court reporter writes everything down (no computer or typewriter to help him keep up) and he's completely the worst cross-eyed man I've ever seen. I have no idea how he can see to read or write and he's the court reporter!

Pamela Prince - After 15 days of going back and forth to government offices and countless hours of waiting and pushing and fighting, I have the last document that is required for our court session tomorrow morning at 9. I am expecting the adoption to be finalized tomorrow. I need to be able to travel with Juliana to a doctor in Tanzania, that's why everything has been so rushed. But we're close to the end now! Prayers please!

Pamela Prince - Pray. Push. Fight. Pull. Pray harder. Threaten. Beg. Smile. Plead. Scream. Cry. Wait. Pray some more. Stand. And then it happened! Today in court, the judges declared Juliana to be ours! That may actually be a record: 16 days from start to finish for an adoption to take place. Of course that's only on the Congo side. I think I'm gonna rest awhile before I even start the American side of things. But she's ours! Praise God!

Pamela Prince - I hate traveling in Congo. We get all ready and packed up and then they say, "oh it will be tomorrow" I HATE BOATS AND CARGO SHIPS for a million reasons but especially when they don't stick to a schedule.

(NOTE: She made it across the lake to have the baby tested. Now she's trying to get back home.)

Pamela Prince - Still stuck in Kigoma, waiting on a ship to take me home. So today I took Juliana swimming for the first time! She liked it and so did I. It was very refreshing in this intense heat.
~
The ship she's talking about is to take her from Tanzania, back across Lake Tangayika to their home in the Congo.
~~~~~
The Good, Clean Funnies List gcfl-info@gcfl.net

Good, Easy New Year's Resolutions

Just for today, I will not sit in my living room all day in my nightdress. Instead, I will move my computer into the bedroom.

I will not bore my boss by with the same excuse for taking leaves. I will think of some more excuses.

I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.

I will avoid taking a bath whenever possible and conserve more water.

I will give up chocolates totally. 100%. Completely. Honestly....

I will try to figure out why I *really* need nine e-mail addresses.

I will stop sending e-mails to my wife (husband).

I resolve to work with neglected children -- my own.

I will stop sending e-mail, ICQ, and Instant Messages while on the phone at the same time with the same person.

I will spend less than one hour a day on the Internet. This, of course, will be hard to estimate since I'm not a clock watcher.

I will read the manual ... just as soon as I can find it.

I will think of a password other than "password."

I will not tell the same story at every get together.

I won't worry so much.

I will cut my hair.

I will grow my hair.

I will be more imaginative.

I will not ring the stewardess button on airplanes just to get her phone number.
--
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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

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To print or email this funny to others, go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20111230

The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
~~~~~
"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 "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, 07, 08 or 09). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at kc5hii@suddenlink.net and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2011 before it was sent.
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Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Missing Homework - - Photos

2011-09-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

The NASA Astronaut Memorial Patch I bought recently from an estate sale. It’s 12" in diameter.

Another “Katrina Cottage” moving into Magnolia to serve as rental property. These cottages were built for the less than the cost of the famous Katrina Trailers. They are really pretty nice.

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Missing Homework - - Photos

2011-09-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

“Da Boys” playing with the pens, pads and stencils MaMaw got them. Eat your heart out Nintindo!

The “Gang” at a recent Albemarle Steak and Bingo Supper

The street view of our (soon to be) new home.

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Missing Homework - - Photos

2011-09-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

Da Boys visiting the local National Guard.

They were all over these Humvees.

Da Boys “Swangin” behind our new home.

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Missing Homework - - Photos

2011-09-04T15:56:00.000-07:00

The "Wife Of My Youth" on "Western Day" at Magnolia Christian Center

Our new patio.

Looking out on the patio and the front door in our new home.

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Missing Homework

2011-09-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

Volume 13, Issue 34 Friday, September 02, 2011

Hello All,

Well gang, believe it or not, we’ve decided to purchase a new "Garden Home" here in Magnolia. This small (though it is 200 ft2 larger than our present domicile), detached residence will meet our need to get out of our split level that has eight steps to get into the house and up from the living room and to the bedroom / kitchen area. Folks our age don't really need to have to constantly go up and down stairs.
This home has an enclosed garage with only one step up into the back door. I should be able to navigate this without much problem and, as I told Annette, now I'll have a "shop" to putter around in.
Of course Annette's mumbling something about setting up times when I'm allowed to "mess up" the garage and she's adamant that I have it cleaned up and put away before supper each evening. :0)
The garage discussion came about because this home is much nicer than where we presently live. I like that because it meets my desire to give Annette something she can be proud of and enjoy decorating, etc. In fact, she's already told me that our clothes aren't nice enough to live there much less some of our furniture. :0|
Another feature of the new home is that it has three bathrooms and two bedrooms. Sort of a challenge at my age to have to decide which toilet to use. :0)
~~~~~
Our youngest grandson has started kindergarten. It’s a slippery slope from here till he’s grown.
~
When David came home from his first day at Kindergarten, Annette asked him; "How did you like it?" He replied; "Well ... they won't let me talk and I can't write or read. Seems like a waste of time." LOL :0)
~~~~~
When we were young, our families had “accounts” at the grocery store. If mom needed flour or sugar or bread, she’d just send us to the store with a list and the grocer would “charge it” to our family. Then, at the end of the month, mom would get the bill from the grocer and pay him. Sort of like a credit card except you didn’t need the card. But the ability to charge stuff at the store could also complicate things when parents tried to keep us from things that were available at local stores. As a very young child, my mother decided to "wean" me off the bottle by throwing it away and telling me it was lost. When I couldn’t find my bottle, I just walked down to the grocery store, charged a new bottle, brought it home and surprised her when she found out that I wasn't bottle "weaned." She finally sent me to the country for a couple of weeks to stay with my Aunt and Uncle. When I got there, my bottle was again "lost" and I couldn't figure out how to get into town nor which store in that town I could charge at.
~~~~~
Check out MCC’s new website [http://magnoliachristiancenter.org/] Stephen Burton is an awesome web designer.
~~~~~
Herschel Baker was one of our heroes when we were young marrieds. A quick Herschel story: When they first came out with "Police" Radio Scanners, Herschel came in the Chatterbox talking about all the things he could hear on the new one he had purchased. My mother, who wasn't nosey but hated the thought of ANYTHING happening in Columbia County that she didn't know of, told Herschel that she wished she had one. He thought for a few seconds and then told her; "Iris, I'll put it in my will that if I die, you'll get my scanner." She told him that was GREAT!. From then on, whenever he came in the Chatterbox, she asked; "Herschel, how are you feeling?" It only took two weeks and he purchased another one and brought it to her with the explanation; "I don't want anyone looking forward to my death." :0)
~~~~~
They recently demolished the last structure on the old 66 Kitchen property here in Magnolia. A lot of us have fond memories of that “truck stop” diner. My favorite 66 Kitchen story involves the "Wife Of My Youth" and some Onion Rings. Annette has never had a problem saying what she thinks. One evening, we were driving by and saw some friends in "The Kitchen" so we stopped to visit. As we came in the door, there was a truck driver sitting at the first booth and the waitress had just set a HUGE platter of onion rings in front of him. As I headed back to see our friends (thinking Annette was still with me) Annette stopped and exclaimed; "Those are the best looking onion rings I've ever seen." The truck driver (foolish man that he was) said; "Would you like to share them?" "Why Yes!" announced Annette and sat down across from him. When I got down to our friends' booth, I couldn't find Annette and then saw her, sitting with this stranger, eating onion rings. I went back to get her but it was in vain. She told me she' be back to see us after "they" finished the onion rings. :0)
~~~~~
McClellan's three or four rules: 1. Rejoice in that this is the will of the Lord concerning you. If that doesn't seem to be working, remember; 2. All things work together for the good of them who love the Lord. If that doesn't seem to be working, remember; 3. All things are subject to change. And finally; 4. Don't let the son of a guns get you down!
~~~~~
Car Talks Tom and Ray - "I get by with a little help from my Depends"
~~~~~
A friend failed his certification test this week. I should have given him my GUARANTEED NOT TO FAIL test taking method (only works on multiple choice.) First - of course, make sure your study plan leaves your properly prepared to challenge the test. Second - get plenty of rest the night before. Third - wear a watch with a sweep second hand. Fourth - Once the test begins, carefully read each question and ALL the answers provided. Sixth - Give yourself a moment or two to consider the question and the answers. Fifth - If after reading the question and ALL the answers, you still have absolutely no idea what the answer is, look at your watch. If the second hand is between 12 and 3, the answer is "A". If it's between 3 and 6, the answer is "B". If it's between 6 and 9, it's "C". If it's between 9 and 12, the answer is "D". This method has successfully taken me to certification as a Boiler Operator, An EMT and a Certified Safety Professional. :0)
~~~~~
I don't believe in the "Illuminati" because, if they existed, they should do a better job of running the world. But I do believe in human nature and it's not as espoused by Lt. Cable in "South Pacific": "You've got to be taught to hate and fear,, etc." Without the restriction of definite moral boundaries, everything becomes a judgment call and in most folk’s judgment, "#1 comes first." So those who are benefitting from the wars will fight Ron Paul with all their might (and they have a lot.) Just as those who are pandering to the "masses" and buying their votes with the taxpayer's money will continue to do so until physically forced to stop. But we CAN make a difference by actively supporting the "Don Quixote’s" of our age. They may not win often, but if we do what is right (and trust God to do the rest), we'll be able to sleep at night.
~~~~~
Rosemary Cragan Dolliver - - The economy is so bad that: I received a pre-declined credit card in the mail. CEO's are now playing miniature golf. Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen. Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America. Motel 6 won't leave the light on anymore. A picture is now only worth 200 words. They renamed Wall Street " Wal-Mart Street". Finally, I called the Suicide Hotline. I got a call center in Pakistan and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.
~~~~~
I hate to see our railroads go away (like the Arkansas Louisiana up through Taylor.) The railroads are much more efficient and, eventually, we're probably going to turn back to them for human travel. My mother used to ride the "doodlebug" (a passenger car with its own gasoline engine) from Taylor to Shreveport, catch the trolley at the train station, go shopping and then catch the "doodlebug" back to Taylor. Switch Taylor for any large city suburb and switch "doodlebug" for "mass transit rail" and you've got a good plan for massive fuel savings. I envision in our lifetimes catching High Speed Rail at Prescott, traveling to Little Rock, transferring to the Little Rock area Trolley (or equivalent) and shopping or going to the doctor and then returning to Prescott where we'd use our auto to get home.
~~~~~
I'm surprised that face book still allows the quotation of bible verses. Don't they know that's very politically incorrect. They should automatically replace bible verses with a quote from the Koran or Budda, Confucius, Taoism, etc. Just to keep from offending any minority.
~~~~~
I invite my more liberal readers to peruse the following article with an open mind. [http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nuts/2011/08/tales-told-fools-why-media-cant-get-anything-right-about-guns]
~~~~~
Many fortune 500 companies encourage "high energy" management. At many locations, that means that employees are lambasted and belittled no matter what the outcome of their work. Competent, intelligent employees are gradually reduced to quivering in the presence of management. Or, conversely, they copy the management and began attacking their co-workers. At my on employer, my last meeting with management was to review an extensive audit that resulted in nine "findings" (items that we could improve on.) Even though the auditors told management that they rated us "World Class" and that all similar audits at other locations had resulted in excess of forty findings, our management kept us all after the review and through much shouting and screaming told us that we all should be fired as there was NO EXCUSE for having any "findings" on an audit.
Shortly after that I "moved on to another company" where I was surprised to find management that was able to run a very profitable operation without bulling and verbal abuse.
Will wonders never cease?
~~~~~
Some memories of our youth and local history:
~
The Chatterbox Café was named after a night spot in New York City that sponsored a radio show that Tamey listened to when young. He started selling burgers in a stand next to the current location of Wilson Bearden Drugs when he was 10 years old. The Chatterbox was his third or fourth café as he worked his way up the business ladder. When constructed, the Chatterbox was the FIRST restaurant west of the Mississippi River with a stainless steel kitchen (it was featured in the National Restaurant Magazine). It was also one of the first restaurants in Arkansas to be air conditioned. Over the years, as we traveled, we almost always ran into someone who had eaten in the Chatterbox since it was located at the intersection of two US highways (79 and 82). In the days before Interstates, Magnolia was a major east west and north south highway intersection. Many of these folks mentioned that "It was the first place we could sit in the air conditioning while traveling on vacation." If I get time, I'll share some of our favorite Chatterbox stories, such as; "Lena was a fantastic example of the "typical" waitress, Flaming Red hair, gravelly voice and not much patience with idiots. One evening a customer of Lena's complained about the quality of the food she'd been served. Tamey apologized and refunded the ladies money. Lena, seeing this commented; "I can't figure out what she was dissatisfied about. She ate everything except the design on the plate.""
~~~~~
My mother also related that, as kids, she and her siblings didn't know they were "poor." My grandfather slowly sold off his assets to keep the family fed. They didn't have a lot of material things but they did have a home and food on the table (much of which came from their own garden.) But, as a result of that experience, my uncles refused to ever borrow money. They had seen too many families lose all that they had when the banks foreclosed. Instead, they saved and paid cash for cars, homes, land, etc. Of course, this meant that they never had a good credit rating, but, who needs that when you have all the money you would have paid out in interest, sitting in your bank account.
~~~~~
"Small World" incidents - - I ran into Daryl Cox in Dallas around 1971. I was getting out of my car behind our Studio (where the current Dallas Museum of Art is located.) Daryl was fast walking down the alley beside our building, between St Paul and Harwood streets. I don't remember whither he saw me first or what but we stopped for a moment and, I believe, he told me he was in school there. Then he was gone on to his car and I headed into HalMar to finish setting up a shoot for Borden's we had scheduled that day. Wow! I'm getting flashbacks thinking about that time. Daryl, feel free to correct my recollection.
Daryl Cox Good recall James... I was living in Dallas attending computer programming school, and I was walking fast when we met, headed to a part-time job downtown. I ran (figuratively) into Bud Russell outside the tag agency in Tulsa, about 2 years ago.
James F. McClellan Thanks for helping prove I'm not totally senile (unless we both had the same dream:0) I looked up the Dallas Museum and the lab where I processed Ectacrome Film was just about where the current Stake Hitch Sculpture by Claes Thure Oldenburg sits. By the way, Bud's mom told me that he's getting hitched.
~
Bradford and Son's BBQ.
2 hours ago  Like
James F. McClellan
I loved to be there when someone ordered more than one sandwich (say 4 or 5 for a work lunch order.) Mrs. Bradford would go to the left side of the kitchen and open the bread bag and get out two slices of bread, then she would walk across the room and get a piece of wax paper to put the bread on, then back to the stove to take the lid off the pot of BBQ, then back across the room to the cabinet to lay the lid down, then back to the stove to spoon the BBQ on the bread, then back across the room to pick up the lid and put it back on the pot, then back to the counter to wrap the sandwich and put a tooth pick through the wax paper, then back across the room to put the sandwich in a sac. Repeat however many times equals the number of sandwiches you ordered. :0)
about an hour ago  Like  2 people
Ge Johnson Sounds like you have a photographic memory!
about an hour ago  Like
James F. McClellan
You have to know two things; 1. I'm an old crabby guy and my "memories" may or may not be associated with reality. and 2. I never let the truth stand in the way of a good story. But, in this case, that's how I remember her serving us. If you got one sandwich, she prepared it that way. If you ordered 10 sandwiches, she prepared them all the same way, one at a time. Oh Yeah I forgot the step where she came back to the bread bag and replaced the twist tie before she went to the pot to take the lid off.
~
Mr. Florence - - Graduated with an MBA from Harvard. He also was a navigator on C-46s flying "The Hump" in Burma during WWII. This was one of the most dangerous air missions of the war, losing an average of 20 planes a month. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T?he_Hump]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wien.wikipedia.org
Mike Dunn posted "James, Mr. Florence was the only Harvard MBA in Magnolia at the time. Brilliant man."
Mr. Florence was very very generous but didn't want anyone to know. He would do things for people "on the sly." But often my mother would find out (she always seemed to know everything) and when she did, she often tried to thank him for his kindness to whomever. She'd bake a cake or pie and send me to the theater with it. I absolutely HATED this task because Mr. Florence would never accept free gifts. He'd always send me back, then my mother would send me back to him with a note insisting that she wanted to do this for him. Then he'd send me back to her insisting that someone else was more deserving of the gift. etc. etc. etc. After a while I learned to just take the gift to someone else on the square. My mother was always confused when someone would thank her for a gift she didn't remember giving them.
A while before he Passed away, Mr. Florence learned that Annette was going on a mission trip to Romania and he donated some money to her. While in Romania, Annette bought small gifts for everyone that had sponsored her. When she returned, she handed me a small chess set she had bought in Romania (it cost a dollar or so if I remember correctly) and told me to take it to Mr. Florence as a thank you gift. I begged and pleaded with her to not do this. I'd already been down that road. But she insisted so I delivered the chess set. And ran before Mr. Florence could give it back.
Betty Anderson Haisten Posted "I remember being told that he and his mother bought identical cars so no one would think they were extravagant for each having a car. I also understand that he had another person contribute to the First Presbyterian collection plate for him, once a year, in cash, so his contribution, which was significant, could not be tracked."
~
Many of us delivered "show calendars" (a thick paper sheet like a calendar page that showed which movies were showing At the Cameo each day of the month) each month for Mr. Florence? I remember we went all over Magnolia and nearby towns including Stephens. We got paid with passes to the theaters. Door to door delivery.
Yep and part of the pay was in movie passes! LOL had to love Mr. Florence. - Darrell Walker
All my pay was in movie passes. He'd be jailed today for filling the back of that stake side pickup with kids and driving them all over a several county area.
~
“Old Mike” the petrified man...... Old Mike is the name given to a traveling salesman who died in 1911 in Prescott (Nevada County). The people of Prescott only knew him by his first name, Mike. Apparently no one claimed the body when he died. He was subsequently embalmed and the embalmers did a really, really good job. After embalming him (and giving him his creepy trademark wooden eyes) they propped him up in a window hoping a family member or friend would recognize him. Nobody ever did. The funeral home kept the body publicly displayed for over sixty years and he became somewhat of a minor tourist attraction. His face adorned the front page of one of the Halloween editions of the SSC student newspaper (74 - 76?).
"Mike" was an "Unadvertised" tourist attraction in Prescott, Arkansas. The last time I saw him (yes, my family stopped there more than once) was probably the summer of '69. Annette was in one of the first Upward Bound classes at SSC (now SAU) and they took a field trip to Mena and I tagged along part of the way. Coming through Prescott they stopped to see "Mike." He was in a white wooden box in the funeral home hallway. It was actually Hillary (HRC) who had him buried. After she and Bill gained the governorship, she was HORRIFIED to learn of Prescott's "claim to fame" and had the state Health Department issue orders for his interment.
[http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4924]
~
Olive's! On North Vine - - That was the first permanent building of the AoG church....it actually started in a tent revival up by Lawhons, and then moved "temp" wize into a building where the hayride bldg is.....and then over on Washington...
Annette attended church there at the Assembly of God on North Vine. It kind of bothered her when we'd go into Olives and they had minnows in the former baptismal tank. By the way, the Assemblies are starting a New Assembly of God church on West Main in the old Captain Video building. Right next door to the original tent revival spot and not too far from their first building on North Vine.
~
Remember your smallpox vaccination? And the little plastic bubble they taped over it so you wouldn't scratch it (like those cone shaped dog collars for your pet?) How about your Polio vaccine? Did you get yours in a sugar cube?
Dr. Knighton (of Willis Knighton in Shreveport) removed my aunt Margaret's Appendix on their kitchen table one evening while visiting Magnolia (she was a teenager at the time). My mother hated calling Dr. Sizemore at night. He was always rude and belittling for you not bringing in your child during office hours. But what really made her mad is that he would often meet her at the clinic and was nice as could be when she got there, denying her the opportunity to gripe back at him.
Dr. Wilson was also my Doc. That gives me the chance to totally embarrass myself. I was 8 or 9 years old, playing with my cousins when a discussion of "the birds and the bees" started. Both my cousins were astounded at my ignorance but declined to enlighten me. Dinah Sue told me to go ask my mother. So I did. She seemed sort of "nonplussed" and sent me to Tamey to get the question answered. Tamey listened to me, then picked up the phone and called the Magnolia Clinic. When he got off the phone, he sent me to see Dr. Wilson. I was ushered into his office with the giant modern leather and chrome couch and he shut the door and asked me what my question was. After I asked him, he sat there for a minute and then asked me ... "Do you know to keep your pants zipped?" "Yes Sir." I replied. "Good." he said. Then he let me get an ice cold 6 oz. bottle of coke out of the Coke cooler he kept in his office and sent me back to the Chatterbox. If it hadn't been for the boy scouts, I'd have entered my teen years totally ignorant of reproduction.
~
Buzz Sawyer was the local Civil Air Patrol cadet commander when he was in high school. He joined the air force and graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1968 [http://www.usafa68.org/photos/ph20.htm]. He then flew in the Vietnam war theater (you can read about the war he fought there in "The RAVENS" by Christopher Robbins). He married a lovely woman "Kasanee" from Thailand. After leaving the US Air Force, Buzz went on to join the CIA's "front" airline, Southern Air Transport (as did a few other Magnolia folks. {NOTE: My research indicates that the CIA actively recruited Air Force Personnel for Southern Air Transport and Buzz was probably recruited while still serving.} I have some souvenirs of SAT that came from another Magnolian that worked for enterprise.) On October 3, 1986, while co-piloting a SAT C-123K, N4410F, formerly USAF 54-679 (c/n 20128), cargo plane supporting US covert activities in Nicaragua, Buzz was shot down and killed along with the pilot. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Air_Transport] Kasanee still lives in Magnolia. She and Buzz had a son, who has since passed away.
~~~~~
How to succeed in this life.

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
FOUR When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.
FIVE.. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.
SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
NINE..... Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.
TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.
SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice
TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

Thanks to Daphne Roberts
~~~~~
So some of our leaders were quick to run out and blame the TEA Party and other anti-tax groups for the down rating or our nation’s credit. But I didn't hear S&P say that our credit was down rated because we didn't raise taxes. What I heard them say was they didn’t believe that our government could work together to approve a budget (much less balance our budget) and address our debt addiction.
Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think this is a Democrat nor a Republican problem. This is OUR problem. Both parties have continued to vote for spending beyond our means for years. And pointing fingers at each other never solved any problems. But it’s hard to come to an agreement when it seems that everywhere there are “experts” telling us that there is only one solution (theirs) to our problems. And all the “experts” disagree.
If we (you, me, congress and the President) are serious about facing this problem, then we need to get serious about standardizing the message we are sending.
How about we look at it this way? If we really have to tax ourselves more to get out of the hole that we and our government have gotten into (and I list both of us since we elected the idiots) then let's be specific about the taxes, their life span and what we expect them to do. Here in "normal" America we've voted to tax ourselves a couple of times to pay for needed public works projects. Two out of three times, we put a time limit on the tax (the other one is expected to continue paying for the required service for perpetuity.) In the '70s we voted in a sales tax to build a lake as a drinking water source. Once the lake and associated hardware was built and installed, we rescinded the tax. Later, we decided to enact a sales tax to pay for home garbage and lawn debris pickup county wide. This was considered to be a more healthful solution than having folks dump their garbage all over the county or (as previously tried) having piles of garbage at various "pick up points" throughout the county. The home pickup works and our populace is probably more healthful as a result. This tax will stay on the books as long as the service is provided. Recently we enacted another tax to build a new Hospital. The hospital is finished and, once the bills are paid, the citizens expect this tax to be rescinded.
Given those examples, I'd be willing to consider a new tax to say, support the James Webb telescope or to provide for construction of new veterans hospitals. But I won't support adding to the money pouring into Washington for them to flitter away as THEY see fit.
Crabby Old Guy
~~~~~
Here are a few “Words of Wisdom” from my friends, relatives and neighbors:
~
Jimmy Baugh - And just how does "the cow eat the cabbage"?
~
Jessica Bomar - What makes loneliness an anguish is not that I have no one to share my burden, but this: I have only my own burden to bear.
Dag Hammarskjold
~
Mary Louise Brownlee Alexis - There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you that it's going to be a butterfly." William Danforth
~
JoAnn Dempsey Best - Military retirement is not a Entitlement, it was earned! Our benefits aren't some kind of charity or handout! Congressional benefits = free health care, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick days - now THAT'S welfare. And Congress has the nerve to call a Military retirement an Entitlement?
~
Ricci Leever Black - I met a fairy today who said she would grant me one wish.
"I want to live forever," I said.
"Sorry," said the fairy, "I'm not allowed to grant wishes like that!"
"Fine," I said, "then I want to die when Congress adheres to the ultimate rule of law, the U.S. Constitution."
"You crafty devil, you!" said the fairy.
~
John Britton - I find many people trying to build a hospital for well people.

I know this is old , but true: going to church makes you a Christian is equal to going to Mcd's makes you a hamburger
~
J.r. Bunner - why do politicians say, "make the hard decisions to cut spending"? I bet in their personal finances they don't borrow 42 cents of every dollar they spend and give their money to neighbors who would like to burn their houses down.
~
Michael Burdine - - (Speaking of Spudnuts) It is an interesting concept isn’t it. Most folks are like 'Doughnuts that are made from potatoes?"," That doesn’t sound very good" I tell them that those things are so good that if you sat one on top of your head your tongue would beat your brains out trying to get to it
~
Shelly Marks Burgess - "Wisdom always chooses to do now, what it will be satisfied with later on." - Joyce Meyers
Every action and word plants a seed, whether good or bad. Can you live with the results of your actions or words.
PRAY now or Act now it is your choice.
~
Michael E. Dunn - posted to “You know you from Magnolia if.....”
If you have never met a stranger, and some people think you are strange because you talk to EVERYONE!
~
Paul N Deborah Dodson-Ebarb - When I woke up this morning, I asked myself, ''What is life about?'' I found the answer in my room.... the fan said '' be cool.'' The roof said, ''Aim high'' The window said, '' See the world! '' The clock said, ''Every minute is precious.'' The mirror said, '' Reflect before you act. '' The door said, '' Push hard for your goal ''The floor said, '' Kneel down and pray''

What I was taught as a child:
Religion - "You better pray that comes out of the carpet"
Logic - "Because I said so, that's why."
Irony - "Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about."
Wisdom - "When you get to my age you'll understand."
Justice - "One day you'll have kids, I hope they turn out just like you!!"
~
Kristy McWilliams Ellington - Don't let the wrongful actions of others ruin your day...if you do then you both lose.
~
Steve Ford - I think it was Churchill who said if you weren't a liberal when you were 21, you had no heart; if you weren't a conservative by the time you were 40 you had no brain. Something like that. I personally am going to vote what I call the Schwarzenegger plan--you know, TOTAL RECALL, buddy! Bring 'em all home, put in some term limits on the new ones, and make them have the same retirement and health insurance plans WE have. They'll be a little more careful with Social Security if that's where they draw their retirements. Oh, and add a balanced budget amendment--if outgo exceeds income, there would be jail terms for the ones who vote that sort of budget. THAT would bring about change we could count on in D.C., don't you think?
~
Gena Risher Hammock - Never criticize your wife's faults.
It might have been those faults that kept her from getting a better husband.
~
Emily Harris - "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." Albert Einstein
~
Thought for the day: There are those, I know, who will say that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is the American dream. ~ Archibald MacLeish via Ron Hazelton
~
David Lamb - True Love.... Lock your spouse and your dog in the trunk of your car....wait an hour and see which one is happy that you let them out!!
~
Kit Lange - Democracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and everyone of these will soon mold itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit, and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few." - John Adams
~
Nancee Davis Law - If you always look at negative things, you will never see how blessed you are.

We had social networking when we were kids .. it was called "outside" back then

I can't wait to get old so I can move in with my kids, pay no bills and throw my clothes on the floor and say.... I didn't do it!

Labor Day: When we celebrate having a job by getting paid to not go to that Job

New York City Policemen and Firefighters "NOT INVITED" to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 at Ground Zero. The Mayor claims "there isn't enough room for them"....Funny enough, they weren't "invited" on that fateful day in 2001 either....THEY JUST SHOWED UP AND DID THEIR JOB!

When I look into my children's eyes, I can see God looking back at me with a smile saying "You're welcome!"
~
Robert Lyons - I would love to say my mind is empty, but it is full of nothing.

Will Rogers was funny and he never mentioned Wal-Mart.

Religion: the things we do to avoid a relationship with God. Jesus was the first to say "no rules, just right."
~
The Mission - - Today, everyone of us is either a missionary or a mission field.
~
Norma Kay Rowe - Enjoy all the little things in life; you'll look back one day and realize those were the big things.

The attitude we have while we're in the wilderness determines how long we're going to stay there. COMPLAIN & REMAIN or PRAISE & BE RAISED.

HOW TO TREAT A WOMAN: Wine her. Dine her. Call her. Hold her. Surprise her. Compliment her. Give her a wink;). Smile at her. Listen to her. Laugh with her. Cry with her. Romance her. Encourage her. Believe in her. Cuddle with her. Shop with her. Give her jewelry. Buy her flowers. Hold her hand. Write love letters to her. Go to the ends of the earth and back again for her.
HOW TO TREAT A MAN: Show up naked. Bring chicken wings & beer. Don't block the TV please...lol
~
Dee Dee Fitzhugh Snyder
Salary of retired US Presidents .............$180,000 FOR LIFE
Salary of House/Senate .......................$174,00?0 FOR LIFE
Salary of Speaker of the House ............$223,500 FOR LIFE
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders ...... $193,400 FOR LIFE
Average Salary of a teacher ................ $40,065
...Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN $38,000
I think we found where the cuts should be made.
~
Tawana Robertson Staten - A friend posted this today and I love it, so I am re-posting -(kind of sums up my feelings right now)- words to live by: If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway!
~
Mary Ruth Stockwell - A town builds a bypass to route traffic around the town. Then the town moves to the bypass, installs traffic lights. reduces speed limit!!!!! ??????????
~
Nancy Burnett Watson - "If you can't be generous when it is hard, you won't be when it's easy". Zig Ziglar/Confessions of a Happy Christian
~~~~~
America is not at war. The military is at war. - - America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars. [http://icasualties.org/]
~
31 lost, 31 unwanted visits, 31 doors receive that dreaded knock, 31 families with shattered hearts, 31 pairs of boots lined up with rifles, dog tags and helmets, 31 comrades remembered and grieved for, 31 funeral services, 31 names on newly made grave markers, 31 empty places at the table, 31 souls who gave all and whose lives leave a void.... [http://www.godvine.com/Rhema-Marvanne-Sings-a-Tribute-for-Soldiers-238.html]
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

An Army officer came to my tent and delivered a message today. He later showed me an email. A certain US Army General wants me to unpublish a dispatch. The dispatch violates no rules, and there are no security considerations. Just censorship.

Please read Censoring Afghanistan [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/censoring-afghanistan.htm]

Please sign up on my Face book [https://www.facebook.com/MichaelYonFanPage] for daily updates.

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.
~~~~~
My favorite Diabetes Nurse (that's you Sandy) turned me on to this information. Diabetics, sit up, read and heed. - - Fast-Acting Carbohydrate

A form of carbohydrate that will raise blood glucose levels relatively quickly when ingested. The term “fast-acting carbohydrate” is generally used in discussions of treating hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. However, as research accumulates on the subject of carbohydrates and how quickly they are absorbed, some diabetes experts say the term has become outdated.

What defines hypoglycemia varies from source to source, but it generally refers to a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dl. In many cases, this will produce the typical symptoms of low blood sugar, which include trembling, sweating, heart palpitations, butterflies in the stomach, irritability, hunger, or fatigue. Severe hypoglycemia can cause drowsiness, poor concentration, confusion, and even unconsciousness. Diabetes care experts generally recommend checking one’s blood sugar level whenever possible to confirm hypoglycemia before treating it.

To treat hypoglycemia, the standard advice is to consume 10-15 grams of “fast-acting” carbohydrate. Each of the following items provides roughly 10-15 grams of carbohydrate:

5-6 LifeSaver candies
4-6 ounces regular (non-diet) soda
4-6 ounces of orange juice
2 tablespoons of raisins
8 ounces of nonfat or low-fat milk
One tube (0.68 ounces) of Cake Mate decorator gel.

There are also a number of commercially available glucose tablets and gels. Benefits to using commercial products include the following:

They aren’t as tempting to snack on as candy is.
They contain no fat, which can slow down digestion, or fructose, which has a smaller and slower effect on blood glucose.
The commercial products are standardized, so it’s easy to measure out a dose of 10-15 grams of carbohydrate.

If someone is unconscious from low blood sugar, don’t attempt to give him anything to eat or drink. Rather, take him to the nearest emergency room, or inject glucagon if you have been instructed how to do it. If you can’t get emergency help fast enough and can’t inject glucagon, it may help to rub a little glucose gel between the person’s gums and cheek.
~~~~~
Special Fork - - Mediterranean Barley-Almond Salad - - Prep Time - 5 min - - Cook Time - 15 min - - Servings - 4

Healthy salad that is portable, good for picnics, potlucks - - Nationality - Mediterranean

Ingredients

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup quick-cooking pearl barley
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup diced zucchini
½ cup slivered almonds, roasted
1/3 cup diced scallions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium pot. Stir in barley. Cover and reduce heat; simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place kidney beans, bell pepper, zucchini, almonds and scallions in a large salad bowl. Transfer cooked barley to colander and rinse with cold water (both to cool it down and keep it from getting sticky). Transfer cooled, drained barley to salad bowl. Add oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste; toss and serve.
Cooking Tips

To roast slivered, chopped or sliced almonds : Spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in 350ÂºF oven and bake 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant; stir once or twice to assure even browning. Note that almonds will continue to roast slightly after removing from oven.
© 2011 Special Fork Inc.
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include - - The NASA Memorial Patch I bought recently from an estate sale. It’s 12" in diameter, another “Katrina Cottage” moving into Magnolia to serve as rental property, the “Gang” at a recent Albemarle Steak and Bingo Supper, our new house, “Da Boys” playing with the pens, pads and stencils MaMaw got them. Eat your heart out Nintindo!
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
BreakPoint - - Welcome Aboard - - BreakPoint's First Broadcast
Published: September 1, 2011 8:00 AM
Topics: Apologetics, Arts & Media, Chuck Colson
Note: This commentary first aired on September 2, 1991. In light of the twentieth anniversary of "BreakPoint," we're reairing it today.

Chuck Colson

Welcome to "BreakPoint." Since this is our first broadcast, I'd like to begin by telling you what I hope to accomplish in the five minutes I'll be spending with you on the air each day.

I can do that best with a story.

When my work keeps me holed up in my study all day, my wife, Patty, is my eyes and ears to the outside world. She monitors what's on news and television, and then she fills me in at the end of the day.

One day she simply couldn't wait till the end of the day. She saw a program so jarring that she burst through the door of my study.

"Come on," she said. "You've got to see this."

She had been watching the "Phil Donahue Show." The guests that day were mothers talking about their children's sex lives. How did they know about their children's sex lives, you may ask. It turned out they were allowing their kids to engage in sexual activity right in their home, under the watchful parental eye.

These families had told their kids that sex was not something done in the back seat of cars. It was safer and cleaner in one's own bedroom. One family even came up with a special code: When the daughter stuck a piece of green tape to the bedroom door, that was the signal for "Keep Out--Intercourse in Progress."

Okay, you say, what do we expect from Donahue? Donahue, Oprah, Geraldo--they scour the earth for the most bizarre people to put on display. The programs are modern-day freak shows, just like the kinds of things I used to pay a nickel to go see when I was a kid.

But what struck me most about the program was the audience reaction. While the mothers were explaining the modus operandi of parent-supervised sex, the audience was nodding sympathetically! It's the attitude so common on [all of] these programs: If this is what you feel is right for you, who are we to judge?

No one stands up and challenges it all.

Oh sure, people in the audience will sometimes say, "I don't feel comfortable about that." But it's phrased only in terms of what offends me personally.

They simply aren't asking the right questions.

What are the right questions? Simple. Things like, What is truth? What is ultimately real? What are we living for?

Unless we realize that there are such questions--that all through history the great pursuit of humanity has been for answers to these questions--then we simply flounder along, drifting with popular trends.

As Christians we are often offended by the immorality portrayed on television, in films, and in tabloids. And rightly so. But I suggest that we should also be disturbed by something much deeper: that our culture has stopped asking the big questions about the meaning and purpose of life.

Remember the bumper sticker a few years ago that said, "Jesus Is the Answer"? Well some wise guy shot back, "What's the Question?" That was intended as a put down, of course. But it is precisely the point today. People no longer know what the great questions of life are.

So this is what I hope to accomplish on Break Point: to ask those questions, to take the issues of the day and hold them up to examination in the light of God's truth. To show that each issue reflects some facet of the big truths, the ultimate truths, that should guide our lives.

Big answers for the big questions.

I hope you'll join us.

Further Reading and Information

How Now Shall We Live? [http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=0842318089&affiliate=8774780100B]
Charles W. Colson & Nancy Pearcey | Tyndale | 1999

The Faith [http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=2191_BKTFA&affiliate=8774780100B]
Charles W. Colson & Harold Fickett | Zondervan | 2008
~~~~~

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 Michael A. Ross (D _ 04)
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://ross.house.gov/
Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Stand proud you noble swingers of clubs and losers of golf balls ...

A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon.

Kind of makes you proud.

I Almost feel like a hybrid.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
GCF: Missing Homework

Emailed to me another humor list (Clean Joke of the Day) -Tom Subscribe to Clean Joke of the Day by visiting the website: http://www.cleanjokeoftheday.com

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

A fifth grader looked downcast, so her teacher decided to investigate.

"What's the problem, Carol? I hope it's not homework again."

"Well... yes, it is." replied Carol, reluctantly. "I was stupid and made my homework paper into a paper airplane."

"Carol, you're right, that wasn't a very bright thing to do," said the teacher, "but this once I'll let you just unfold the paper and hand it in."

"Oh, but that won't work," said Carol, looking even sadder. "You see, the plane was hijacked."
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Clean Joke of the Day) -Tom Subscribe to Clean Joke of the Day by visiting the website: http://www.cleanjokeoftheday.com
------------------------------------------
GCF: Hard Times

Faced with hard times, the company offered a bonus of one thousand dollars to any employee who could come up with a way of saving money.

The bonus went to a young woman in accounting who suggested limiting future bonuses to ten dollars.
_ ________________________________ _
From the collection of Flem Winders.
Shared with to me by a friend (Thanks, Martha) -Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: At the Doctor's Office

The doctor's office was crowded as usual, but the doctor was moving at his usual snail's pace. After waiting two hours, an old man slowly stood up and started walking toward the door.

"Where are you going?" the receptionist called out.

"Well," he said, "I figured I'd go home and die a natural death."

_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
------------------------------------------
GCF: Electrical Officer

My daughter is in the Navy and is assigned as an electrical officer on a carrier. Recently I asked her what her duties were. She answered, "To fix electrical problems."

When I asked what was considered an electrical problem on a carrier, she replied, "Anything you can't fix with a hammer."

_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Good Clean Funnies List) -Tom To subscribe The Good Clean Funnies List, (not to be confused with this list, which is Good Clean Fun) send an email to: gcfl-request@gcfl.net with subject = add
------------------------------------------

GCF: Toothpaste

Our local paper runs a popular column called "10 Questions" that spotlights people who live in our community.

In addition to the usual inquiries about occupation and age, people are asked questions that give a snapshot of their personalities.

Recently one woman was asked, "What's the strangest thing you ever bought?"

She answered, "Dog toothpaste."

Next question: "What is the most common thing people say to you?"

Her answer: "Where did you get such white teeth?"
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
------------------------------------------
GCF: Fly Problem

A doctor received an emergency call from a patient.

She had a fly in her ear. He suggested an old home remedy. "Pour warm olive oil into your ear and lie down for a few minutes," he said. "When you lift your head the fly should emerge with the liquid."

The patient thought that sounded like a good idea, but she still asked, "Into which ear should I pour the oil?"
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Laugh & Lift Daily) -Tom To subscribe Laugh & Lift Daily, send an email to: list-subscribe@laughandlift.com
------------------------------------------
GCF: Comatose

After a long and serious operation, Lena ended up in a coma. Try as they might, the doctors just couldn't bring her out of it. When her husband Ralph came into the intensive care unit to see her, the doctors gave him the bad news.

"We just can't wake her. It doesn't look good I'm afraid," the doctor told Ralph in a quiet somber voice.

Ralph looked at Lena and with a soft trembling voice said, "But doctor, she's so young. She's only 45."

"37," came the weak reply from Lena.
_ ________________________________ _
From the collection of Flem Winders.
Shared with to me by a friend (Thanks, Martha) -Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: Unclear on the Concept

Voice mail was the man's sworn enemy. He never really understood how it worked. Finally he broke down and called the office operator to get instructions.

"I can send you an instruction sheet," the operator offered.

"Great, fax it right over."

"Sure thing," the operator replied, "but fax it right back. It's my only copy."
_ ________________________________ _
From the collection of Flem Winders.
Shared with to me by a friend (Thanks, Martha) -Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: High Cost of Free

Outraged by the high charges that the computer service wanted for repair work, one employee asked her co-worker which service she used.

"My sons," was the reply. "They both have degrees in Computer science."

"So you get that kind of work done for nothing," the friend marveled.

The co-worker smiled. "Actually, I figured that it cost me about $140,000 for my kids to fix my computer for free."
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Daily Humor) -Tom To subscribe to Daily Humor, send a blank email to: Daily-Humor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
-------------------------------------------
GCF: At the Doctor

I went to my doctor yesterday. After a long wait in the outer office, my name was finally called. When I got into the examining room, the nurse pointed to the scale and said, "I need to get your weight today."

I immediately replied, "One hour and 5 minutes."
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
------------------------------------------
GCF: Do Not Touch!

Our supply clerk at the factory was in a dither. A box had been left on the loading dock with this warning printed on it: "Danger! Do Not Touch!"

Management was called, and we were told to stay clear of the box until it could be analyzed. When the foreman arrived, he donned safety goggles and gloves, and then he carefully opened the box.

Inside were 25 signs that read: Danger! Do Not Touch!
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me another humor list (Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh List) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
------------------------------------------
GCF: Where?

A torrential rainstorm was knocking down power lines all over town. That meant, as a customer service rep for the electric company, I was dispatching repairmen right and left.

When one lineman called a customer to get her exact address, he was told, "I'm at Post Office Box 99."

The weary lineman replied, "Ma'am, I'll be coming to you in a truck, not an envelope."
_ ________________________________ _
From the collection of Flem Winders.
Shared with to me by a friend (Thanks, Martha) -Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: Doctors vs Lawyers

The doctors may have won the annual softball game between themselves and their lawyer opponents, but they lost the public relations war. Here's how the lawyers reported the game: "The lawyers powered their way to a second place finish, while the doctors managed to finish next to last."
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Joanna's Jokes) -Tom To subscribe to Joanna's Jokes, send a blank email to: JoannasJokes-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
------------------------------------------
GCF: Workaholic

As an attorney in a major New Mexico law firm, I have many colleagues who work long hours.

However, the reputation of one of my partners' workaholic ways even extended beyond the office. He not only had to leave work early one day because of a medical problem, but was also told by his doctor to stay home until the end of the week.

My colleague grudgingly agreed to comply. In the middle of the week, our receptionist received a call for him.

She announced that the partner was out of the office until Friday.

"Good," the caller said. "That's all I wanted to know." It was my partner's doctor.
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Joanna's Jokes) -Tom To subscribe to Joanna's Jokes, send a blank email to: JoannasJokes-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
------------------------------------------
GCF: Speeding Ticket

A West Virginia state trooper, stopped a woman for going 15 miles over the speed limit. After he handed her a ticket, she asked him, "Don't you give out warnings?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "They're all up and down the road. They say, 'Speed Limit 55.'"
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Joanna's Jokes) -Tom To subscribe to Joanna's Jokes, send a blank email to: JoannasJokes-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
------------------------------------------
GCF: Secret Party

The workers in a large office were making secret plans to stage a big office party for the 70-year old cleaning woman who had spent the better part of her life with the company.

Somehow the secret leaked out and the woman got wind of it.

Much perturbed, she rushed to the office manager. "Please sir," she cried, "Do not let them do it! Do not let them do it!"

"Oh, come now, Mrs. Smith, you must not be so modest. After all, they simply want to show how much you are appreciated."

"Appreciated, my foot," exclaimed the woman. "I am not going to clean up after a mess like that!"

_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me from another humor list (Joanna's Jokes) -Tom To subscribe to Joanna's Jokes, send a blank email to: JoannasJokes-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
------------------------------------------
GCF: Never Represent Yourself

A man was on trial for robbing a convenience store. He didn't like the job his attorney was doing, so he fired him and represented himself. He was doing a fine job until the manager of the store got to the stand. When she identified him as the robber, he jumped up and yelled, "You're lying! I should have shot you!!!"

He paused, wide-eyed, then added, "Uh, if I had been the one that was there."

It took the jury only twenty minutes to find him guilty.
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Steve) - Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: Knock on the Door

The fist knocking on the door belonged to a cop. Bracing for the worst, my husband, who was working on a job site, opened up. "Is that yours?" asked the officer, pointing to a company van that was jutting out into the narrow street.

"Uh, yes, it is," said my husband.

"Would you mind moving it?" asked the officer. "We've set up a speed trap and the van's causing everyone to slow down."

_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Andrew) - Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: Display

I do in-store demonstrations, and I had my table set up, my product was on display and I was ready to start my day.

A woman came down the aisle towards me, and I said, "Good morning, have you tried..."

But before I could finish, she hurried by and said, "My husband can't eat that, so I never buy it!"

I was displaying facial tissue.
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Mark) - Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: Seen This?

I had trouble with the idea of turning 30 and was oversensitive to any signs of advancing age. When I found a prominent gray hair in my bangs, I pointed to my forehead and asked my husband, "Oh no, have you seen this?"

"What?" he asked. "The wrinkles?"
_ ________________________________ _
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Sue) - Tom
------------------------------------------
GCF: Short and Stout

I am a prosecuting attorney in a small Mississippi town and will admit to having a few extra pounds on me. Not long ago, I was questioning a witness in an armed robbery case. I asked, "Would you describe the person you saw?"

The witness replied, "He was kind of short and stout."

"You mean short and stout like me?" I asked.

"Oh, no," the witness said. "He wasn't that fat."
_ ________________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Ambivalence may or \ /
\ _/ may not be my problem. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / I wish the chemists who \ \_/ ////
\ / successfully removed the lead \ /
\ _/ from gasoline would try the \_ /
/ / same with our congressmen. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / If you become dissatisfied \ \_/ ////
\ / and want to go back \ /
\ _/ to your youth, \_ /
/ / just think of Algebra. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / "Government is like a baby: \ \_/ ////
\ / An alimentary canal with a big \ /
\ _/ appetite at one end and no sense \_ /
/ / of responsibility at the other." \ \
- Ronald Reagan
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I hate mornings. \ /
\ _/ They're so early. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Too many couples marry for \ /
\ _/ better or for worse, \_ /
/ / but not for good. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / How do those dead bugs get \ /
\ _/ into those closed light fixtures? \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / "People will believe anything \ /
\ _/ that is whispered." \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Some people try to turn back \ \_/ ////
\ / their odometers. Not me, \ /
\ _/ I want people to know "why" I look\_ /
/ / this way. I've traveled a long way \ \
and some of the roads weren't paved.
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Some people try to turn back \ \_/ ////
\ / their odometers. Not me, \ /
\ _/ I want people to know "why" I look\_ /
/ / this way. I've traveled a long way \ \
and some of the roads weren't paved.
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Imagine what the world would \ \_/ ////
\ / sound like if the inventor of \ /
\ _/ the telephone had been \_ /
/ / Alexander Graham Siren. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / "How long have you \ \_/ ////
\ / been working here?" \ /
\ _/ \_ /
/ / "Since they threatened to fire me." \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / "The most terrifying words in \ \_/ ////
\ / the English language are: \ /
\ _/ I'm from the government and \_ /
/ / I'm here to help." \ \
-Ronald Reagan
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Why does the sun on the \ /
\ _/ Raisin Bran cereal box \_ /
/ / wear sunglasses? \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I ordered a pizza online. \ /
\ _/ How do I download it? \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Eventually you will reach \ \_/ ////
\ / a point when you stop lying \ /
\ _/ about your age and start \_ /
/ / bragging about it. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Alarm Clock: \ \_/ ////
\ / A small mechanical device \ /
\ _/ used to wake up people who \_ /
/ / don't have children. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / \ /
\ _/ I have an exceptionally high Q.I. \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If you have everything, \ /
\ _/ you value nothing. \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / I've gotten to the age where \ \_/ ////
\ / I need my false teeth and \ /
\ _/ hearing aid before I can \_ /
/ / ask where I left my glasses. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / The difference between gossip \ /
\ _/ and news is whether you \_ /
/ / hear it or tell it. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / The most efficient labor-saving \ /
\ _/ device is still money. \_ /
/ / \ \
_ ________________________________ _
/ )| Thomas S. Ellsworth |( \
/ / | tellswor@kcbx.net | \ \
_( (_ | http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor | _) )_
(((\ \>|_/ )____________________( \_| ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
A guy goes to the post office to apply for a job.

The interviewer asks him, "Are you allergic to anything?"

He replies, "Yes, caffeine. I can't drink coffee."

"Ok, Have you ever been in the military service?"

"Yes," he says, "I was in Iraq for one tour."

The interviewer says, "That will give you 5 extra points toward
employment." Then he asks, "Are you disabled in any way?"

The guy says, "Yes. A bomb exploded near me and I lost hearing in my right ear."

The interviewer grimaces and then says, "Okay. You've got enough points for me to hire you right now. Our normal hours are from 8:00 am to 4:00 p.m. You can start tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., and plan on starting at 10:00 a.m. every day."

The guy is puzzled and asks, "If the work hours are from 8:00 am to 4:00 p.m., why don't you want me here until 10:00 a.m.?"

"This is a government job," the interviewer says. "For the first two hours, we just stand around drinking coffee. No point in you coming in for that."

Thanks to Jeanette Ford
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/speech_humor.html - -

In a moment of weakness you agreed to give a speech. What are you in for? If you're lucky, it won't be any worse than this:

1. Receive invitation to speak because of your expertise in tapestry, arachnids, the World Wide Web. Succumb to flattery and say yes.

2. Spend the next week scheming to extricate yourself from your commitment. Suffer from nightmares featuring you, your microphone, and three angry apes.

3. Rehearse potential excuses. Try to talk your spouse into phoning your regrets. Wonder if your doctor would give you a note diagnosing laryngitis of indeterminate duration.

4. Decide you should really give speech because it will enhance your reputation, be educational, build character. And because it's too late to pull your name from the publicity.

5. Talk about writing speech. Read about writing speech. Obsess about writing speech. Notice an entire month has passed and you haven't started writing speech.

6. Sit down in front of computer and stare at screen. Vow to start writing this very minute and not leave room until you've finished first draft. Leave room to fetch snacks.

7. Enjoy leisurely coffee break, basking in your new found discipline. Start laundry, read mail, make several phone calls. Check e-mail for the fourth time today. Decide it's too late to start speech, but you'll definitely write it tomorrow.

8. Spend the next few days studying books on "writer's block." Decide all you need is a really good title. Once that's in place, your speech will surely write itself.

9. Wake up in cold sweat, overwhelmed by realization that you're giving the speech in fewer than 48 hours and all you've written is title. Wonder whether Toastmasters operates a crisis hot-line.

10. Write feverishly, without taking time to think, proof-read, or visit the john. Read speech many times to spouse, parents, children, pets. Watch spouse vacuum house for first time in recorded history --- anything to avoid another encore.

11. Attempt to memorize speech. Practice eye contact techniques in front of mirror. Practice reading speech while appearing not to be reading speech. Practice presenting speech to bellowing vacuum cleaner. Pretend it's an unruly audience.

12. Ransack closet searching for appropriate speech-giving garb. Something dignified, yet not stuffy. Stylish and attractive, but not sexy. Comfortable and easy to move around in. Something you don't own, so your stodgy, confining, dark navy suit will have to do.

13. Travel to speech venue by train, car, plane. Arrive late and/or in the wrong city because of breakdowns, traffic jams, canceled flight. Unclench your fingers just long enough to shake hands with fellow speakers. Realize you're the only one who doesn't have an Ivy League degree.

14. Politely listen as presenters ahead of you speak eloquently about their areas of expertise. Make noble efforts not to hate them. Fail.

15. Hear your name called and struggle out of seat. Panic. You've lost your speech. No, it's merely squashed into a ball in your fist. Attempt to smooth wrinkles as you stagger up aisle.

16. Disappear behind podium. Discover the mike's been set for someone twice your height. Enter a trance-like state during which you presumably gave speech. Awaken to enthusiastic applause.

17. Bow and skip off stage, fantasizing about new career earning hefty speaker's fees.

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers (114) killed since our last Bleat was published (July 01). These records can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died June 29 in Badrah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire. They were assigned to 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
01. Capt. David E. Van Camp, 29, of Wheeling, W.Va.; and
02. Spc. Robert G. Tenney Jr., 29, Warner Robins, Ga.

03. Sgt. Chad D. Frokjer, 27, of Maplewood, Minn., died June 30 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

04. Spc. James A. Waters, 21, of Cloverdale, Ind., died July 1 at Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

05. Capt. Matthew G. Nielson, 27, of Jefferson, Iowa, died June 29, in Badrah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.

06. Staff Sgt. Michael J. Garcia, 27, of Bossier City, La., died July 4 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 63rd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 20th Support Command (CBRNE), Fort Polk, La.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died July 5 in Paktia province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Hohenfels, Germany. Killed were:
07. Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Throckmorton, 28, of Battle Creek Mich.;
08. Spc. Jordan C. Schumann, 24, Port Saint Lucie, Fla.; and
09. Spc. Preston J. Suter, 22, Sandy, Utah.

10. Sgt. Nicanor Amper IV, 36, of San Jose, Calif., died July 5 in Khowst, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

11. Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Dodds Dudley, 29, of Tega Cay, S.C., died July 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Air Group 26, 2nd Marine Air Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died July 7 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked their convoy using an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to 145th Brigade Support Battalion, 116th Cavalry Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Post Falls, Idaho.
Killed were:
12. Spc. Nathan R. Beyers, 24, of Littleton, Colo. and
13. Spc. Nicholas W. Newby, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

14. Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker, 39, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died July 9 in Panjshir province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 334th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

15. Sgt. Steven L. Talamantez, 34, of Laredo, Texas, died July 10, in Al Amarah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

16. Spc. Rafael A. Nieves Jr., 22, of Albany, N.Y., died July 10 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

17. Sgt. Christopher P. Soderlund, 23, of Pineville, La., died July 9 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

18. Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez Hernandez, 22, of Logan, Utah, died July 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

19. Lance Cpl. Robert S. Greniger, 21, of Greenfield, Minn., died July 12 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

20. Seaman Aaron D. Ullom, 20, of Midland, Mich., died while conducting a dismounted patrol in the Now Zad district, Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 12. He was assigned as a hospitalman to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

21. Sgt. Jeremy R. Summers, 27, of Mount Olivet, Ky., died July 14 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, after enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire on July 13. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

22. Staff Sgt. Wyatt A. Goldsmith, 28, of Colville, Wash., died July 15 at Camp Bastion Hospital, Afghanistan of injuries suffered July 15 when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenade fire in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

23. Staff Sgt. Lex L. Lewis, 40, of Rapid City, S.D., died July 15 after injuries suffered July 15 when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

24. Cpl. Frank R. Gross, 25, of Oldsmar, Fla., died July 16 at Kandahar province, Afghanistan of wounds sustained at Khowst province, Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device caused a military vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

25. Spc. Daniel L. Elliott, 21, of Youngsville, N.C., died July 15 in Basra, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 290th Military Police Brigade, 200th Military Police Command, Cary, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died July 17, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Killed were:
26. Master Sgt. Kenneth B. Elwell, 33, of Holland, Pa.; and
27. Pfc. Tyler M. Springmann, 19, of Hartland, Maine.

28. Lance Cpl. Jabari N. Thompson, 22, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died July 17 of wounds sustained July 13 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

29. Sgt. Mark A. Cofield, 25, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died July 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.

30. Lance Cpl. Christopher L. Camero, 19, of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, died July 15 of wounds suffered July 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died July 18 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their convoy with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 131st Transportation Company, 213th Area Support Group, Williamstown, Pa. Killed were:
31. Staff Sgt. Kenneth R. Vangiesen, 30, of Erie, Pa.
32. Sgt. Edward W. Koehler, 47, of Lebanon, Pa.
33. Staff Sgt. Brian K. Mowery, 49, of Halifax, Pa.

34. Cpl. Raphael R. Arruda, 21, of Ogden, Utah, died July 16 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Command, Ogden, Utah.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died July 19 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Killed were:
35. Staff Sgt. James M. Christen, 29, of Loomis, Calif.
36. Sgt. Jacob Molina, 27, of Houston, Texas.

37. Sgt. Omar A. Jones, 28, of Crook, Colo., died July 18, in Balkh province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 126th Chemical Battalion, 92nd Troop Command, Nebraska Army National Guard, Wahoo, Neb.

38. Master Sgt. Benjamin A. Stevenson, 36, of Canyon Lake, Texas, died July 21 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died July 29 at Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Tulsa, Okla. Killed were:
39. 2nd Lt. Jered W. Ewy, 33, of Edmond, Okla., and
40. Spc. Augustus J. Vicari, 22, of Broken Arrow, Okla.

41. Sgt. William B. GrossPaniagua, 28, of Daly City, Calif., died July 31 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

42. Pfc. Brice M. Scott, 22, of Columbus, Ga., died July 31 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

43. Staff Sgt. Leon H. Lucas Jr., 32, of Wilson, N.C., died Aug. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

The Department of Defense announced the death of three Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
44. Staff Sgt. Patrick R. Dolphin, 29, of Moscow, Pa.,
45. Sgt. Dennis E. Kancler, 26, of Brecksville, Ohio, and
46. Sgt. Christopher M. Wrinkle, 29, of Dallastown, Pa.,
died July 31 while supporting combat operations in Herat province, Afghanistan. Dolphin, Kancler and Wrinkle were assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

47. Staff Sgt. Kirk A. Owen, 37, of Sapulpa, Okla., died Aug. 2 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard.

48. Spc. Barun Rai, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 3 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. He was assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 3 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La. Killed were:
49. Pfc. Cody G. Baker, 19, of Holton, Kan.
50. Pfc. Gil I. Morales Del Valle, 21, of Jacksonville, Fla.

51. Capt. Waid C. Ramsey, 41, of Red Bay, Ala., died Aug. 4 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Ala.

52. Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson, 24, of Chelsea, Okla., died Aug. 4 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Okla.

53. Sgt. Daniel D. Gurr, 21, of Vernal, Utah, died Aug. 5 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Okinawa, Japan.

54. Spc. Jinsu Lee, 34, of Chatsworth, Calif. died Aug. 5, in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

55. Spc. Mark J. Downer, 23, of Warner Robins, Ga. died Aug. 5, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

56. Sgt. Daniel J. Patron, 26, of Canton, Ohio, died Aug. 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The Marines were assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Killed were:
57. Sgt. Adan Gonzales Jr., 28, of Bakersfield, Calif.; and
58. Sgt. Joshua J. Robinson, 29, of Omaha, Neb.

59. Sgt. Alessandro L. Plutino, 28, of Pitman, N.J., died Aug. 8 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of 30 servicemembers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 6 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed.
The following sailors assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:
60. Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, La.,
61. Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.,
62. Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Ark.,
63. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii,
64. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Conn.,
65. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis, Minn.,
66. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Mass.,
67. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Mo.,
68. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas,
69. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of Washington, W.Va.,
70. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, La.,
71. Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit, Mich.,
72. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, Calif.
73. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.,

74. Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah,
75. Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.,
76. Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pa.,
77. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa,
78. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Fla., and
79. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah.
The following sailors assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:
80. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, Calif., and
81. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, ofSaint Paul, Minn.
The soldiers killed were:
82. Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Aurora, Colo.;
83. Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.;
84. Staff Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Neb.;
85. Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.; and
86. Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.
The airmen killed were:
87. Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Fla.;
88. Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Calif.; and
89. Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pa.
All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.

90. Cpl. Nicholas S. Ott, 23, of Manchester, N.J., died Aug. 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

91. Hospitalman Riley Gallinger-Long, 19, of Cornelius, Ore., died Aug. 11 while conducting a dismounted patrol in the Marjah district, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Gallinger-Long was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 11 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed were:
92. Sgt. Edward J. Frank II, 26, of Yonkers, N.Y.
93. Sgt. Jameel T. Freeman, 26, of Baltimore, Md.
94. Spc. Patrick L. Lay II, 21, of Fletcher, N.C.
95. Spc. Jordan M. Morris, 23, of Stillwater, Okla.
96. Pfc. Rueben J. Lopez, 27, of Williams, Calif.

97. 2nd Lt. Joe L. Cunningham, 27, of Kingston, Okla., died Aug. 13 at Laghman province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Stillwater, Okla.

98. Master Sgt. Charles L. Price III, 40, of Milam, Texas, died Aug. 12 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 14 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, while conducting vehicle recovery operations, and encountered a secondary explosion while dismounted. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Grafenwoehr, Germany. Killed were:
99. Sgt. Matthew A. Harmon, 29, of Bagley, Minn.; and
100. Cpl. Joseph A. VanDreumel, 32, of Grand Rapids, Mich.

101. 1st Lt. Damon T. Leehan, 30, of Edmond, Okla., died Aug. 14 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Stillwater, Okla.

102. Spc. Dennis G. Jensen, 21, of Vermillion, S.D., died Aug. 16 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 153rd Engineer Battalion, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Sioux Falls, S.D.

103. Spc. Joshua M. Seals, 21, of Porter, Okla., died Aug. 16 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Okla.

104. Lance Cpl. Travis M. Nelson, 19, of Pace, Fla., died Aug. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

105. 1st Lt. Timothy J. Steele, 25, of Duxbury, Mass., died Aug. 23 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

106. Sgt. Andrew R. Tobin, 24, of Jacksonville, Ill., died Aug. 24 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

107. Pfc. Brandon S. Mullins, 21, of Owensboro, Ky., died Aug. 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

108. Pfc. Jesse W. Dietrich, 20, of Venus, Texas, died Aug. 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

109. Spc. Michael C. Roberts, 23, of Watauga, Texas, died Aug. 27 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 561st Military Police Company, 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, Fort Campbell, Ky.

110. Spc. Douglas J. Green, 23, of Sterling, Va., died Aug. 28 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 25 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle using an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 546th Transportation Company, 82nd Sustainment Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed were:
111. Sgt. Devin J. Daniels, 22, of Kuna, Idaho; and
112. Sgt. Colby L. Richmond, 28, of Providence, N.C.

113. Pfc. Alberto L. Obod Jr., 26, of Orlando, Fla., died Aug. 28 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Bamberg, Germany.

114. Spc. Dennis James Jr., 21 of Deltona, Fla., died Aug. 31 from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.
~
Air Force Pilot Missing From Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Major Thomas E. Reitmann of Red Wing, Minn., will be buried on Sept. 8 in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1965, Reitmann was assigned to the 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed out of Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., to Takhli Air Base, Thailand. On Dec 1, 1965, he was flying a strike mission as the number three aircraft in a flight of four F-105D Thunderchiefs as part of Operation Rolling Thunder. His target was a railroad bridge located about 45 nautical miles northeast of Hanoi. As the aircrew approached the target area, they encountered extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). While attempting to acquire his target and release his ordnance, Reitmann received a direct AAA hit and crashed in Lang Son Province, North Vietnam. Other pilots in the flight observed no parachute, and no signals or emergency beepers were heard. Due to the intense enemy fire in the area a search-and-rescue team was not able to survey the site and a two-day electronic search found no sign of the aircraft or Reitmann.

In 1988, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated remains to the United States believed to be those of Reitmann. The remains were later identified as those of another American pilot who went missing in the area on the same day as Reitmann.

Between 1991 and 2009, joint U.S.-S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), analyzed numerous leads, interviewed villagers, and attempted to locate the aircraft. Although no evidence of the crash site was found, in 2009 and 2011 a local farmer turned over remains and a metal button he claimed to have found in his corn field.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of his brother -- in the identification of Reitmann’s remains.
~
Soldier Missing in Action from WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being buried with full military honors.

Army Pfc. William F. Stehlin of Dayton, Ky., will be buried on Aug. 11 in Arlington National Cemetery. On Nov. 20, 1944, Stehlin, as part of the 333rd Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division, went missing near Süggerath while his unit conducted a largely successful offensive to capture towns in Western Germany. In 1951, after an extensive search, his remains were determined unrecoverable by U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel.

In 2009, a German citizen digging in a wooded area near Süggerath, discovered a grave with the remains of two individuals, military-related equipment and identification tags.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command laboratory also used dental comparisons in the identification of the remains. The other individual, Pfc. Edward L. O’Toole, was identified and buried on July 15 in San Bruno, Calif.

Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~~~
Air Force Pilot Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Maj. Richard G. Elzinga of Shedd, Ore., will be buried on July 8 in Arlington National Cemetery. On March 26, 1970, Elzinga and his co-pilot went missing when their O-1G Birddog aircraft failed to return to base from a familiarization flight over Laos. Fifteen minutes after the last radio contact, a communication and visual search showed no sign of the men or their aircraft. Search and rescue missions continued for two days with no results.

Between 1994 and 2009, joint U.S.-Lao People’s Democratic Republic teams led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, analyzed leads, interviewed villagers and surveyed possible crash site locations. During several joint field surveys, teams recovered human remains, aircraft wreckage, and crew-related equipment.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of his aunt and cousin -- in the identification of Elzinga’s remains.
~~
Missing World War II Soldiers Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Pfc. Lawrence N. Harris, of Elkins, W.V., Cpl. Judge C. Hellums, of Paris, Miss., and Pvt. Donald D. Owens, of Cleveland, will be buried as a group, in a single casket, on July 20 in Arlington National Cemetery. In late September 1944, their unit, the 773rd Tank Battalion, was fighting its way east to France’s eastern border, clearing German forces out of the Parroy Forest near Lunéville. On Oct. 9, 1944, in the final battle for control of the region, Hellums, Harris, Owens and two other soldiers were attacked by enemy fire in their M-10 Tank Destroyer. Two men survived with serious injuries but Harris, Hellums and Owens were reported to have been killed. Evidence at the time indicated the remains of the men had been destroyed in the attack and were neither recovered nor buried near the location.

In November 1946, a French soldier working in the Parroy Forest found debris associated with an M-10 vehicle and human remains, which were turned over to the American Graves Registration Command. The remains were buried as unknowns in what is now known as the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. A year later the AGRC returned to the Parroy Forest to conduct interviews and search for additional remains. Investigators noted at that time that all remains of U.S. soldiers had reportedly been removed in the last two years and that the crew was likely buried elsewhere as unknowns.

In 2003, a French citizen exploring the Parroy Forest discovered human remains and an identification bracelet engraved with Hellums’ name, from a site he had probed occasionally since 1998. The information was eventually sent to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). In April 2006, the man turned over the items to a JPAC team working in Europe. A few months later a second JPAC team returned to the site and recovered more human remains, personal effects and an identification tag for Owens.

Historians at DPMO and JPAC continued their research on the burials at the Ardennes Cemetery, and drew a correlation to those unknowns removed from the 1944 battle site. In early 2008 JPAC disinterred these remains and began their forensic review.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons for the men and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of each soldier’s relatives in the identification of their remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover, identify and bury approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 72,000 remain unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~
Missing World War II Soldiers Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced Monday that the remains 12 U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

They are Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Jack E. Volz, 21, of Indianapolis; 2nd Lt. Regis E. Dietz, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; 2nd Lt. Edward J. Lake, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; 2nd Lt. Martin P. Murray, 21, of Lowell, Mass.; 2nd Lt. William J. Shryock, 23, of Gary, Ind.; Tech. Sgt. Robert S. Wren, 25, of Seattle, Wash.; Tech. Sgt. Hollis R. Smith, 22, of Cove, Ark.; Staff Sgt. Berthold A. Chastain, 27, Dalton, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Clyde L. Green, 24, Erie, Pa.; Staff Sgt. Frederick E. Harris, 23, Medford, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Claude A. Ray, 24, Coffeyville, Kan.; and Staff Sgt. Claude G. Tyler, 24, Landover, Md. The remains representing the entire crew will be buried as a group, in a single casket, Aug. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Eight of the airmen were identified and buried as individuals during previous ceremonies. Shryock, Green and Harris were also individually identified and will be interred individually at Arlington on the same day as the group interment.

These 12 airmen were ordered to carry out a reconnaissance mission in their B-24D Liberator, taking off from an airfield near Port Moresby, New Guinea, on Oct. 27, 1943. Allied plans were being formulated to mount an attack on the Japanese redoubt at Rabaul, New Britain. American strategists considered it critical to take Rabaul in order to support the eventual invasion of the Philippines. The crew’s assigned area of reconnaissance was the nearby shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. But during their mission, they were radioed to land at a friendly air strip nearby due to poor weather conditions. The last radio transmission from the crew did not indicate their location, and in the following weeks, multiple searches over land and sea areas did not locate the aircraft.

Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service conducted investigations and searches for 43 missing airmen, including these airmen, in the area but concluded in June 1949 that they were unrecoverable.

In August 2003, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received information on a crash site from a citizen in Papua New Guinea while they were investigating another case. He also turned over an identification card from one of the crew members and reported that there were possible human remains at the site of the crash. Twice in 2004 other JPAC teams attempted to visit the site but were unable to do so due to poor weather and hazardous conditions at the helicopter landing site. Another team was able to successfully excavate the site from January to March 2007 where they found several identification tags from the B-24D crew as well as human remains.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of some of the crewmembers’ families—in the identification of their remains

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~
Soldier Missing from Vietnam War Identified

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

Army Chief Warrant Officer George A. Howes, of Knox, Ind., will be buried Aug. 5 in Arlington National Cemetery. On Jan. 10, 1970, Howes and three aircrew members were returning to their base at Chu Lai, South Vietnam aboard a UH-1C Huey helicopter. Due to bad weather, their helicopter went down over Quang Nam Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.). A search was initiated for the crew, but no sign of the helicopter or crew was spotted.

In 1989, the S.R.V. gave to U.S. specialists 25 boxes that reportedly contained the remains of U.S. servicemen related to this incident. Later that year, additional remains and a military identification tag from one of the other missing servicemen were obtained from a Vietnamese refugee.

Between 1993 and 1999, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted three investigations in Ho Chi Minh City and two investigations in Quang Nam-Da Nang Province (formerly Quang Nam Province). A Vietnamese citizen in Ho Chi Minh City turned over a military identification tag bearing Howes’ name and told the team he knew where the remains of as many as nine American servicemen were buried. He agreed to lead the team to the burial site. In 1994, the team excavated the site and recovered a metal box and several bags containing human remains. In 2006, the remains of three of the four men were identified and buried. No remains could be attributed to Howes given the technology of the time. In 2008, given advances in DNA technology, the remains were reanalyzed.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Howes’ sister and brother—in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.
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Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship Little Rock

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today that the next freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named the USS Little Rock (LCS 9).

Little Rock is the second ship to bear the name of the capital city in Arkansas. The USS Little Rock (CL-92/CLG-4/CG-4) was originally a Cleveland-class light cruiser that served after World War II, and was one of six to be converted to a Galveston-class guided missile cruiser. She was decommissioned in 1976 and now holds a place of honor as a museum ship in Buffalo, N.Y

Little Rock will be designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal waters. A fast, agile surface combatant, the LCS provides the required war fighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions close to the shore, such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and surface warfare.

The LCS Class consists of two different hull forms, the Freedom variant and Independence variant – a semi-planing monohull and an aluminum trimaran – designed and built by two industry teams; Lockheed Martin and Austel USA. These seaframes will be outfitted with reconfigurable payloads, called mission packages, which can be changed out quickly as combat needs demand. These mission packages are supported by special detachments that will deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine, undersea and surface warfare missions.

Little Rock will be 378 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 57 feet, displace approximately 3,000 tons, and make speed in excess of 40 knots. The construction will be led by a Lockheed Martin industry team in Marinette, Wis.

Additional information about Freedom class Littoral Combat Ships is available online at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4 .
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"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." __ Franklin D. Roosevelt
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. _ _ George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" _ _ Queen E. Watson
“A political class of Republicans and Democrats that look after themselves, not the Nation. A media hostile to the very precepts of this nation. A generation of Americans who see morals as vices, and are ignorant of America's Actual History.”
"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." - - Theodore Roosevelt
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234_5655
(Non _ Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance _ 234_7371 (24 Hour)
Jail _ 234_5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control _ 800_222_1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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Interested in getting in touch with the Banner_News through e_mail?
E_mail addresses for communicating with the newspaper’s various departments are:
editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events.
advertising@bannernews. net For retail and classified advertising.
circulation@bannernews. net To start, stop or cancel newspaper delivery or for comments about delivery.
outfitters @bannernews.net For Office Outfitters, the office supply division of the Banner_News.
[http://www.bannernews.net/]
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"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." __ "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" __ "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." __ "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." _ _ "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." _ _ Paul Troquille
“Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.” Knowledge is power. _ Francis Bacon
"The problem is here and now. The time for talk is past. The time for action is now."
Comments on the first Earth Day _ James F. McClellan via John "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" __"Bug"
God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
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 "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, 07, 08 or 09). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at kc5hii@suddenlink.net and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2011 before it was sent.
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Bugs Bleat - - Debt Limit - - Photos

2011-08-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

Zac Rodeoing

Sunset over a cemetery,

Bankcorp South

Bugs Bleat - - Debt Limit - - Photos

2011-08-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Josiah watching TV while PaPaw Naps.

Josiah Self Portriat

Josiah after swimming lessons

Da Malone Boys

Bugs Bleat - - Debt Limit - - Photos

2011-08-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

The old Magnolia Ice Plant and West Main "Quick Sac" Store

One of the old oilfield supply houses, now Wholesale Battery.

One of the old mills in west Magnolia along the L&NW railroad.

Construction on the new Magnolia Kindergarten

Bugs Bleat - - Debt Limit - - Photos

2011-08-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

Zac being baptized in lake Calion

One of Kelly Davison's presentations at supper.

Josiah at an SAU art class.

Josiah at Swimming Lessons

Bugs Bleat - - Debt Limit

2011-08-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Volume 13, Issue 30 Friday, August 05, 2011

Hello All,
Congress approved—and President Barack Obama immediately signed—the long-awaited deal to raise the nation's debt limit from 14 Trillion to 17 Trillion Tuesday. Our debt now equals roughly one half of the entire world’s money supply. How much is 17 Trillion anyway? Does anyone know?
But wait, the bill also “cuts” federal spending by 917 billion over 10 years with another$1.5 trillion in cuts (over 10 years) to be “promised” by a bipartisan panel. Humm ....
Didn’t we already have a bipartisan panel and the president ignored their recommendations? But this time there are “triggers” that will automatically cut defense and social security if congress doesn’t. Unless they vote to turn off the triggers. Wonder if they will ....?
Oh, and by the way, these “Cuts” are to be implemented over a 10 year span while the extra THREE TRILLION in borrowed dollars is only supposed to hold us for 2 years when we will AGAIN be required to raise the debt limit!
BO and others who think that government spending is the solution to all our ills, ran out before the ink was dry to announce that it would require more revenue to meet the spending cut goals. ??? How does taking more of our money equal cutting spending? Oh, I understand. They didn’t mean to cut the federal government’s spending, they meant to cut the citizens spending by ensuring that they had less money to spend!
Now I understand.
~~~~~
Speaking of voters ... Check out Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball » Setting the Record Straight: Correcting Myths about Independent Voters. [www.centerforpolitics.org]
[http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/aia2011070702/]
~
I'm a registered Democrat with Republican leanings who votes independent. My question is; "If independents don't matter, why do we have Democrats and Republicans elected to the Presidency? Could it be that some of these "independents" switch choices from one party to the other on different elections? Or, is it that the party that "energizes" their base best will win? In any case, I believe that those of us who identify as "independents" are basically dissatisfied with the traditional parties. We are looking for candidates who will vote for preservation of the union instead of spending 90% of their time promoting their own party and only allocate 10% (if that) to the Nation. Of course, these mythical candidates would also have to meet my basic litmus tests (i.e. pro-life, fiscal conservative, Libertarian leanings, etc.)
~~~~~
My friend and brother in the Lord, Buddy Farrar, shared this with us.
“This was sent to me by one of my closest friends, the Hawk. He reminds me so much much of my cussin, Jerry Matthews. We were in a lot of classes together, but I must not been listening! Where do they come with all these words? Hope all enjoy. Lol”
~
Subject: Arguing with Fools

Hawk: Yesterday on the news there was an announcement by the Atlanta Office of Sustainability, (just the fact that there is such an office is a story in itself) that they are looking into a "fee" (read TAX) on citizens of Atlanta that collect rainwater and use it in their homes. With a straight face a bureaucrat explained that by collecting this water off roofs and filtering it and using it, it would then enter the sewer system, thereby creating a burden on the city. They had a tree-hugger woman on the news that had installed a system to collect the water off her house and filter it in the basement and store it to use, thereby reducing her water consumption from the city, and she actually thought it was a good idea to be taxed for "going green" and spending all the money to filter and store rainwater. Neither of these two addressed the fact that the rainwater was going into the sewer system whether she caught it or not, so evidently she's already drinking the kool-aid and believing that she and everybody else should pay to catch water.......BUT, it should be good for the economy, because now we will have to have Water Wardens to go around and check people's houses to see if they have a collection system, thereby creating thousands of new jobs, which will be paid for from the revenues from the "water collection tax". Now all of us need to go out and start working on a system to collect our rain, use it in our homes, save money by reducing our water bills, and then take the money we save and pay our collection fees before the Water Wardens lock us up for pilfering rainwater. Ain't bureaucrats wonderful?

Back around 1990, I had a customer who ran a fairly large sawmill in East Texas. As you know, logs have to be cut and hauled out of the woods when the ground is dry, so the log trucks won't get stuck in areas where there are only crude "logging roads" ... They were then stacked on the "yard" during dry times so they would have logs to saw during wet periods. In order to keep the logs from drying out (dry logs don't make good lumber cuts), they had a "sprinkler system" using well-water that showered the stacks of logs and kept them moist. Makes perfect sense... except to the govm't. You see, the water ran off of the logs, and eventually some of it found its way into a nearby little stream (or "branch").. which, supposedly found its way into a lake in the vicinity. The EPA said the runoff water was "polluting the lake" ... Now, that doesn't make much sense to me, since we're talking about trees and well water... But anyway, the EPA made him discontinue his sprinkler system.. which created lots of problems with having a backup supply of logs.... But he made considerable adjustments to his work/operating schedule, and accepted the fact that he'd have dryer/tougher logs, which caused problems with equipment, required frequent shut downs to rotate/sharpen saw blades, etc... Then the EPA came back and said that every time it rained, the rainwater fell on the logs and then found its way to the stream, and eventually polluted the lake... and that there would be a substantial fine of several thousand dollars EVERY DAY IT RAINED when he had logs on the yard. He shut down the sawmill, putting 80 men out of work... Far as I know, every time it has rained since then, the rain STILL falls on the trees and finds its way into the branch... but the EPA is satisfied.
I had another customer, in Dallas, whose facility had a roof-top air conditioning unit... and as you know, AC removes moisture from the air, and typically is drips down onto the ground.... His water dripped onto his parking lot.... It gets HOT is Dallas, just like in Atlanta... Most of the time, however, the condensated water evaporated on the parking lot concrete.. But the EPA folks didn't like that. Called CONDENSATED WATER a "polluting factor" and forced him to make extensive and expensive changes to his AC system... flushing the dripping water into his facility sewer system (which was the regular city system)... You cannot argue with Fools... They'll win every time.
You CANNOT have a rational nor reasonable discussion nor debate with someone who is totally irrational. I quote from G.K. Chesterton's book, "Orthodoxy":

If you argue with a madman, it is extremely probable that you will get the worst of it; for in many ways his mind moves all the quicker for not being delayed by the things that go with good judgment. He is not hampered by a sense of humor or by charity, or by the dumb certainties of experience. He is the more logical for losing certain sane affections. Indeed, the common phrase for insanity is in this respect a misleading one. The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything EXCEPT his reason. The madman's explanation of a thing is always complete, and often in a purely rational sense satisfactory. Or, to speak more strictly, the insane explanation, if not conclusive, is at least unanswerable; this may be observed specially in the two or three commonest kinds of madness. If a man says (for instance) that men have a conspiracy against him, you cannot dispute it except by saying that all the men deny that they are conspirators; which is exactly what conspirators would do. His explanation covers the facts as much as yours. [snip] Or if a man says that he is Jesus Christ, it is no answer to tell him that the world denies his divinity; for the world denied Christ's.

Nevertheless he is wrong. But if we attempt to trace his error in exact terms, we shall not find it quite so easy as we had supposed. Perhaps the nearest we can get to expressing it is to say this: that his mind moves in a perfect but narrow circle. A small circle is quite as infinite as a large circle; but, though it is quite as infinite, it is not so large.

Now, speaking quite externally and empirically, we may say that the strongest and most unmistakable mark of madness is this combination between a logical completeness and a spiritual contraction. The lunatic's theory explains a large number of things, but it does not explain them in a large way. I mean that if you or I were dealing with a mind that was growing morbid, we should be chiefly concerned not so much to give it arguments as to give it air.
*************
"All along," [Poirot] said, "I have been worried over the why of this case... It is no answer to say the man was mentally unhinged. To say a man does mad things because he is mad is merely unintelligent and stupid. A madman is as logical and reasoned in his actions as a sane man given his peculiar biased point of view. For example, if a man insists on going out and squatting about in nothing but a loin cloth his conduct seems eccentric in the extreme. But once you know that the man himself is firmly convinced that he is Mahatma Gandhi, then his conduct becomes perfectly reasonable and logical." Agatha Christie, "The ABC Murders"
~~~~~
If you’re on Face book, check out the "Columbia County Historical Society (Magnolia, Arkansas)" Facebook page. This page is an offshoot of the "You know you from Magnolia if....." Facebook page.
~~~~~
Here are a few “Words of Wisdom” from my friends, relatives and neighbors:
~
… remember that we are saved by our faith in Jesus, by grace, and not by having our doctrine correct in every detail. - - Joe Tudor via Patrick Mead
~
Amy Staten McNeil - - All I ask is the chance to see if money will make me happy...Just sayin' ...
Treat every stressful situation like my dog does: just pee on it and walk away...

Never confuse caring about someone with feeling sorry for them. It just don't work...
~
Jimmy Malone - - Be a fountain, not a drain. ~ Church Sign

If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself. ~ D.L. Moody

The number one exercise in America is jumping to conclusions. Often practiced in a group setting. Also a great team sport.
~
John Britton - - The confusion that comes in this world many times comes from the people talking not from the people doing.
~
Larry Joe Kingsbury - - A word on integrity from a former NCAA player from OU, of all places: Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. ~J.C. Watts
~
Michael Maris - - "If you wait to get faith when u need it, you've waited too long!" -Smith Wigglesworth
~
Nancee Davis Law - - Thought for the day: Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can spare it.

copied from KLOVE-- I was going to complain again about how hot it is, and then I realized that at least... 1) It isn't 110 degrees; 2) I'm not 5,700 miles from home; 3) I'm not dressed in a full BDU uniform & helmet & carrying 70+ lbs.; & 4) There is very little chance that anyone will shoot at me or that I might drive over a bomb in the road today! Thanks to all who serve!!

needs some retail therapy with someone else's money. :)

OK, the Devil can breathe now. I'm going to bed.

"Good morning! I will be handling all your problems today. I will NOT need your help, so just sit back, relax & enjoy your day!" ~~GOD

Resentment is letting someone live rent-free in your head. Forgiveness is handing that person an eviction notice.

If you're having a tough time thanking Him for what you got, try thanking Him for what you don't got: HIV, AIDS, Sugar-diabetes, Cancer, and the list goes on!!

You know that feeling when you arrive at work in the morning excited for the new day; looking forward to new challenges? Me neither.
~
Norma Kay Rowe - - Never allow yourself to be defined by someone else's opinion of you...

The difference between a friend and an enemy is you know who your enemies are

?If we ever forget that we're one nation under GOD, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan
~
Kit Lange - - "When somebody loves you, there's no comfort like that. When somebody needs you, there's no drug like that."--Heather Nova, "London Rain"
~
Ricci Leever Black - - TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE, SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.
~
Robert Lyons - - Give the federal government control of the Sahara desert and in five years there will be a sand supply crisis.
~
Rosemary Cragan Dolliver - - What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it’s all about?
~~~~~
America is not at war. The military is at war. - - America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars. [http://icasualties.org/] [http://www.godvine.com/Rhema-Marvanne-Sings-a-Tribute-for-Soldiers-238.html]
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

Excellent initiative by Soldiers' Angels is moving forward.

Please see, "Day of the Deployed." [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/day-of-the-deployed.htm]
--
Please see this short dispatch.
[http://www.michaelyon-online.com/the-texan-who-would-be-king.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.
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include - - Zac Rodeoing, Construction on the new Magnolia Kindergarten, Sunset over a cemetery, Bankcorp South
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
BreakPoint - - Crying
The Tragedy of Sex-Selection Abortion
By: Chuck Colson|Published: July 8, 2011 1:30 PM
Topics: Gender Issues, Health & Science, Human Rights & Persecution, Life Issues, Marriage & Family, Politics & Government, Sexual Ethics

Did you know that abortion fuels the sex trade? It’s a tragic truth that abortion advocates can’t admit.

On Sunday, June 26, CNN aired a heart-breaking report, “Nepal’s Stolen Children.” The documentary, narrated by actress Demi Moore, told the story of Nepalese girls who were sold into slavery and turned into prostitutes in neighboring India.

During the broadcast Moore broke down and cried and spoke about making sure this kind of thing never happens again.

While no one can disagree with that. The problem is that we are ignoring an important part of what is driving this inhumane traffic in innocence.

That “part” was the subject of a New York Times column the day after the broadcast. The title, “160 Million and Counting,” referred to the number of “missing” women in the world. Not “missing” as in “disappeared,” rather, as in “never born in the first place.”

As Times columnist Ross Douthat reminded readers, twenty years ago the number of “missing” women was estimated by experts to be 100 million. They examined the skewed sex ratios in places like China and his native India and rightly concluded that something terrible was happening.

Twenty years later, the estimate has grown by 60 percent and now, as then, people who ostensibly are concerned about these sorts of things are still reluctant to name the cause: abortion.

Citing the work of social scientist Mara Hvistendahl, Douthat points out an uncomfortable truth: what Times readers would no doubt see as “female empowerment” lies behind the missing women. According to Hvistendahl, in places like India, “women use their increased autonomy” to abort their daughters and “select for sons,” who enhance their social status.

While the practice of sex-selection abortion originated among the more affluent, it eventually spread down the social ladder. And this brings us back to the tragedies in Nepal.

The impact of selective abortion goes beyond the lives ended in the womb, horrid as that is, it affects society. A 2008 article by two Loyola Law School professors found that by reducing the number of potential brides, selective abortion in India increased the demand for sex workers.

And one way that “demand” is being filled is through the Nepalese girls featured in the CNN documentary. The “lucky” ones are “smuggled and purchased from poor countries like Nepal and Bhutan to be brides for Indian men.”

The more unfortunate are sold into the Indian sex trade.

The social ills and the accompanying suffering caused by sex-selection abortion is why India and China have outlawed the practice. But the practice and suffering still continues. Cultural norms are hard to overcome.

That’s as true in the West as in Asia. Douthat notes that sex-selection abortion puts Western liberals “in a distinctly uncomfortable position.” They can’t deny the reality of the practice but, at the same time, their own worldview leaves them hanging in mid-air.

After all, they insist “that the unborn aren’t human beings yet, and that the right to an abortion is nearly absolute.” 160 million missing women and the suffering that radiates in all directions tells you where that kind of thinking inevitably leads.
It’s hard to imagine a better example of the poverty of modern thinking: faced with a great evil and unable to address the answer. That’s something more to cry about.

Further Reading and Information

Saving Nepalese Children From a Life in Slavery
The CNN Freedom Project | thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn..com | http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/22/saving-nepalese-children-from-a-life-in-slavery/

Gender Discrimination Fuels Sex Selective Abortions
Kristi Lemoine & John Tanagho | Loyola University of Chicago School of Law | http://www.luc.edu/ministry/pdfs/conference%20docs/CallingToJusticeConferenceFeb232008TanaghoLemoine.pdf

United for Children
UNICEF | www.unicef.org | http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.html

160 Million and Counting
Ross Douthat | New York Times | http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/opinion/27douthat.html?_r=4&ref=opinion

It's Raining Men
Kim Moreland | BreakPoint Blog | http://www.breakpoint.org/tp-home/blog-archives/blog-archives/entry/4/16686
~~~~~

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 Michael A. Ross (D _ 04)
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://ross.house.gov/
Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/

Limerick Ode To A Plunging Stock Market
August 5th, 2011

Limerick Ode To A Plunging Stock Market
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The stock market’s falling apart,
And it takes neither science nor art
To see that we’re screwed.
Wall Street matches our mood.
Yes, we’re losing both money and heart.

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/
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"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." __ Franklin D. Roosevelt
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. _ _ George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" _ _ Queen E. Watson
“A political class of Republicans and Democrats that look after themselves, not the Nation. A media hostile to the very precepts of this nation. A generation of Americans who see morals as vices, and are ignorant of America's Actual History.”
"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." - - Theodore Roosevelt
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234_5655
(Non _ Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance _ 234_7371 (24 Hour)
Jail _ 234_5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control _ 800_222_1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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Interested in getting in touch with the Banner_News through e_mail?
E_mail addresses for communicating with the newspaper’s various departments are:
editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events.
advertising@bannernews. net For retail and classified advertising.
circulation@bannernews. net To start, stop or cancel newspaper delivery or for comments about delivery.
outfitters @bannernews.net For Office Outfitters, the office supply division of the Banner_News.
[http://www.bannernews.net/]
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"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." __ "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" __ "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." __ "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." _ _ "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." _ _ Paul Troquille
“Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.” Knowledge is power. _ Francis Bacon
"The problem is here and now. The time for talk is past. The time for action is now."
Comments on the first Earth Day _ James F. McClellan via John "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" __"Bug"
God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
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 "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, 07, 08 or 09). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at kc5hii@suddenlink.net and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2011 before it was sent.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

Bug's Bleat - - July 4th - - Photos

2011-07-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

Bug's Bleat - - July 4th

2011-07-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

Volume 13, Issue 26 Monday, July 04, 2011

Hello All,

Special 4th of July issue!
~~~~~
With the times we’re in, I felt that this was a day that we need to pay a little extra attention. So here’s “Da Bleat’s” Independence Day Special Issue. Some serious comments and a lot of humor, because we all need to smile while we reflect on our history.
~~~~~
Rosemary Cragan Dolliver - Happy Birthday!!! Flags all put up on the square in Magnolia this morning...go by a take a look-see.
~~~~~
GCF: Independence Days (Serious, Not Humor)

Dear GCF,

Those of you who have been around this list for awhile know that there are a few times during the year that I post something serious. 99.9% of what is sent to the Good Clean Fun mailing list is humor, however tonight I need to be serious for a moment.

Most of us, and by that I mean most of us in the United States, know that the Fourth of July is the "birthday" of the United States of America. It actually marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress. Often marked by parades and community celebration, it is a symbolic time for American families to gather and reflect on their heritage.

Most of us take for granted that this day and all the other U.S. holidays are "national" holidays. Did you know that the United States observes no national holidays? Specifically, that means holidays mandated by the Federal Government. The United States Congress and/or President can only legally establish an "official" holiday for the District of Columbia and for federal employees. In fact, it wasn't until the 20th Century that an order was issued giving federal employees a "day off" from work. A public holiday can only be established at the local level. Typically the observance of holidays happens at the state level with the enactment of a state law or by an executive proclamation by a state governor.

I first started posting this piece in July 2000. After I posted it, I received an email from Jen in Alberta, Canada. She asked me why I only mentioned the U.S. holidays. She surmised that it was because I was from the U.S. and to that extent, she is right. The U.S. holidays, especially the ones dealing with independence, veterans, and those who died for this country, are special to me. And since Good Clean Fun is 99.9% humor, I certainly don't want to veer from that basic premise and turn this into a history site. But Jen did start me to thinking, so I did a bit of research about my neighbors: Canada and Mexico.

Look back at the subject of this email. It is Independence "Days", plural. So let me take a moment and briefly honor my neighbors:

1. Canada celebrates its Independence on July 1st. The British North America Act created the Canadian federal government on July 1, 1867. This Act proclaimed "one Dominion under the name of Canada," hence the original title of the holiday as "Dominion Day." July 1st has also been known in Canada as "Confederation Day." On October 27, 1982, the Canadian Parliament officially renamed the holiday as "Canada Day."

2. Mexico celebrates many national and religious holidays. I must admit that I always thought that Cinco de Mayo, the Fifth of May, was Mexico's Independence Day, but a bit of research proved me wrong. While Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday, it honors the Mexican defeat of the French army at Puebla in 1862. September 16th is Mexican Independence Day and it celebrates the day that Miguel Hidalgo delivered "El Grito de Dolores", and announced the Mexican revolt against Spanish rule.

3. Let me add a third "neighbor" albeit one a bit farther away than just north or south of the US. A ways back, Michelle emailed me to tell of Australia Day which is celebrated down under on January 26th. That is the day Australia became a nation in its own right.

So, let's all be proud of and reflect on our heritage.

Have a great holiday,
Tom

PS: Don't forget to fly the flag!

As an added thought, why not visit "Don't Get Me Started," written by Former Sergeant of Marines, Andrew C. "Andy" Hefty. Andy's column comes from Jacksonville, Florida via Jacksonville.Com. In 2004 he wrote a piece about the Star Spangled Banner where his thoughts include breaking the lyrics down into individual phrases and explaining what each one meant. That piece can be found at:

http://www.jacksonville.com/community/cc/hefty/stories/062804/062804075059.shtml

My favorite piece of this genre was done many, many years ago by Red Skelton where he broke the Pledge of Allegiance down into individual words and phrases in order to explain the meaning of each one. The piece can be found at:

http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/redskel1.htm

It also contains a link where you can hear Red's comments in his own voice. I highly recommend it.

Finally, let's remember that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July is more than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

-Tom

Thomas S. Ellsworth - tellswor@slonet.org

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
~~~~~
Here’re the “4th” thoughts of some of my Face book Friends.
~
Michael Yon
An American to be admired and thanked.
[http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/military-draft-draftee-service-us-13990692]

Daryl Cagle
Cartoonists are all about symbols, and there is no more memorable symbol of our country, especially on Independence Day, then the stars and stripes.
Cagle Post » American Flag Cartoons
blog.cagle.com [http://blog.cagle.com/2011/07/american-flag-cartoons/]
Political cartoonists are a patriotic lot. You may not think it as they bash every politician that passes by and criticize nearly every aspect of the apparatus of our government, but their ultimate goal is to embarrass our current crop of Washington inhabitants into living up to the promise.

Norma Kay Rowe
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

Judy White Scott
Happy 4th of July everyone!

Paula Johnson Porter
Happy 4th to everyone. I'm proud to be an American. I am thankful for those who serve and have served our country. I am hopeful that Freedom will ring for the USA forever!

Tawana Robertson Staten
Wishing everyone a blessed and happy 4th of July!!:)

Brian Lester Bohrer
Happy Independence Day! Lev. 25:10 Proclaim Liberty!

Michael E. Dunn
Happy 4th of July America. Because Americans of 1776 insisted on being free, we celebrate our continued freedom today. God bless all who serve to protect that freedom.

Jimmy Malone
The great forces which threaten our liberties this Fourth of July are from within, not from without. God-given rights are always stripped away by the godless. What are we willing to risk to preserve America the way it was delivered to us? A city on a hill, the beacon of freedom to mankind.

Larry Lyons
Thanks to the Soldiers who fought near and far!

The Mission
It's Independence Day! Thank God for the freedom to worship without fear.

Darrell Walker
Have a GREAT 4th of July everyone !

Ozark EMS
Wishing all a Safe and Happy 4th of July.

Joshua Wines
The Declaration of Independance; July 4, 1776
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of ...

Debra Nash
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY Hope you all have a Great day !!!!!!

Linda Mitchell
Happy 4th of July! I am thankful for our God-given gift of freedom and all the men that have fought for our one nation under GOD.

Nancee Davis Law
John Wayne "America - Why I Love Her"
www.youtube.com [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQM1oLnMLNU&feature=share]

Martha Chapman via Edmund Roush
watch ALL THE WAY TO THE END, just like it says -
The Muppets: Stars & Stripes FOREVER! 720p HD
www.youtube.com [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAaMKsOziD8&feature=share]

Ron White
Happy 4 th of July to all AND thank you to all those past and present military who have afforded us this privilege!

Nancee Davis Law
Thank You!!!
American Soldier- Toby Keith (tribute)
www.youtube.com [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctVI5baftFo&feature=share]
This is a tribute movie that I made for one of my english classes. Hope you like it, feel free to comment.

Peggy Bertrand
A great BIG THANK YOU to all the men and women in service past and present. Their unselfishness and sacrifices are the reason we can celebrate our freedom today. If I could, I'd hug them all. So here's to our men and women in service!!! GOD BLESS YOU and GOD BLESS THE USA!

Nicole Peace Coarsey
"The longer I live,
the more convincing proofs I see of this truth:
'that God governs in the affairs of men.'
And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,
is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid"-Ben Franklin
Happy 4th of July every one!!!-

Mindy Phillips Lawrence
Happy 4th of July to everyone!

Michael Yon
Happy Birthday America!

This morning over chow in Kandahar, one trooper said to another, "Happy birthday". July 4th.

Anita Brant Lyons
Happy and Safe 4th of July to all my FB friends and a special thank you to all of our soldiers past, present and future!

Tonja Kelly
Happy Independence Day! Thanks to all those that made it and keep it that way!!!

Martha Chapman
You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

Phil Lester
40 burgers later,,,,and a dozen hotdogs,,,,,I am COOKED,,,,,,(no I didn't eat them,I cooked them),,,,,,,Happy 4th of July ,,,,,at all my friends,,,,,,yes,even you,,,,:)

Jo Cromwell
Have a blessed 4th of July.
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
BreakPoint - - The American Creed
''We Hold These Truths...''
By: Chuck Colson | Published: July 4, 2011

Today is the great American holiday: The Fourth of July. But do we Americans truly understand what we are celebrating, and why it so important?

The great British intellectual G. K. Chesterton wrote that “America is the only nation in the world that is founded on [a] creed.”

Think about that for a moment. Other nations were founded on the basis of race, or by the power of kings or emperors who accumulated lands -- and the peasants who inhabited those lands.

But America was -- and is to this day -- different. It was founded on a shared belief. Or as Chesterton said, on a creed.

And what is that creed that sets us apart? It is the eloquent, profound, and simple statement penned by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

I’ll never forget when I graduated from Brown University during the Korean War. I couldn’t wait to become a Marine officer, to give my life if necessary, to defend that creed. To defend the idea that our rights come from God Himself and are not subject to whims of governments or tyrants. That humans ought to be free to pursue their most treasured hopes and aspirations.

Perhaps some 230 years later, we take these words for granted. But in 1776, they were earth-shaking, indeed, revolutionary.

Yet today, they are in danger of being forgotten altogether. According to Gallup, 66 percent of American adults have no idea that the words, “We hold these truths . . .” come from the Declaration of Independence. Even worse, only 45 percent of college seniors know that the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are proclaimed in the Declaration.

As America grows more and more diverse culturally, religiously, ethnically, it is critical that we embrace the American creed. Yes, America has always been a “melting pot.” But what is the pot that holds our multicultural stew together? Chesterton said the pot’s “original shape was traced on the lines of Jeffersonian democracy.” A democracy founded on those self-evident truths expressed in the Declaration of Independence. And as Chesterton remarked “The pot must not melt.”

Abraham Lincoln understood this so well. For him, the notion that all men are created equal was “the electric cord in that Declaration that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world.”

So go to the Fourth of July parade. Go to the neighborhood barbecue and enjoy the hot dogs and apple pie.

But here’s an idea for you. Why not take time out at the picnic to read the Declaration of Independence aloud with your friends and neighbors.
Listen -- and thrill -- to those words that bind us together as a nation of freedom-loving people: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

These are the words that Americans live for -- and if necessary, die for.
Further Reading and Information

"What Is America?" [http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/27250-h.htm#What_is_America]
G. K. Chesterton | What I Saw in America | 1922

Link to The Declaration of Independence [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/]

"Electric Cord" [http://www.vindicatingthefounders.com/library/index.asp?document=47]
Abraham Lincoln | Speech in Chicago | July 10, 1858
~~~~~
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 Michael A. Ross (D _ 04)
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://ross.house.gov/
Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
GCF: The Gift

After spending 3-1/2 hours enduring the long lines , surly clerks and insane regulations at the Department of Motor Vehicles, I stopped at a toy store to pick up a gift for my son.

I brought my selection - a baseball bat - to the cash register.

"Cash or charge?" the clerk asked.

"Cash," I snapped. Then apologizing for my rudeness , I explained , "I've spent the afternoon at the motor-vehicle bureau."

"Shall I giftwrap the bat?" the clerk asked sweetly. "Or are you going back there?"
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Government Checks

There were many delays after the Army decided to purchase property from a civilian owner. The Army intended to convert the property into military housing. The owner's lawyer became very frustrated that it took so long to close the deal, and said, "I don't like working with the government. I'm not sure I'd even trust one of their checks."

"I wouldn't worry," was the government lawyer's reply. "Not only do they print their own checks, but they also print the money to back them up."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: At the Bank

I had just finished my dental appointment when I decided to stop at my bank. Barely able to enunciate, I told the teller, "I'm sorry about not speaking more clearly. I've had Novocaine."

"You should have used the drive-through," she said.

"Why?"

"Everyone who goes through sounds like you," she explained.
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Vet Appointment

In his younger days our golden retriever, Catcher, often ran away when he had the chance. His veterinarian's office was about a mile down the road and Catcher would usually go there. The office staff knew him and would call me to come pick him up.

One day I called the vet to make an appointment for Catcher's yearly vaccine.

"Will you be bringing him in yourself," asked the receptionist, "or will he come on his own?"
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Police Academy

My sister felt she was well prepared for her in-depth interview with the Police Academy Board who would determine her suitability as a candidate.

The first situation they presented to her was: "On routine patrol you see a car traveling at excessive speed, with undue care and attention. You pull it over and discover that the driver is your brother. What do you do?"

Without hesitation she replied, "Tell Mom!"

She was accepted.
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Bill Paying

A wholesale dealer who had a lot of trouble in getting a certain retailer to pay his bills finally lost patience and wrote the merchant a threatening letter.

He received the following reply: "Dear Sir: What do you mean by writing me a letter like that? Every month I place all my bills in a hat and then figure out how much money I have to pay on my accounts. Then I have my bookkeeper draw as many bills out of the hat as I have money to pay. If you don't like my way of doing business, I won't even put your bills in the hat."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Job Application

An applicant was filling out a job application. When he came to the question, "Have you ever been arrested?" he wrote, "No."

The next question, intended for people who had answered in the affirmative to the previous question, was "Why?"

The applicant answered it anyway: "Never got caught."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Medical Error

At the outpatient surgery center where I work, the anesthesiologist often chatted with patients before their operations to help them relax.

One day he thought he recognized a woman as a co-worker at the hospital where he had trained.

When the patient confirmed that his hunch was correct, he said, "So, tell me, is the food still as bad there as it used to be?"

"Well, I suppose," she replied, "I'm still cooking it."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Burnt Potato

Laura and Freddy are cousins, and their grandmother is babysitting them for the day.

Although Freddy's mom is the renowned chef in the family, Laura's mom prepared lunch earlier, including potatoes in the oven. But one fell and got badly burnt, almost like a piece of charcoal. Grandma jumped on the occasion to show the kids how to draw with it on a piece of paper.

Feeling sad, Freddy observed: "My mom would NEVER burn potatoes for me!"
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Scrubbing Bulkheads

I was scrubbing a bulkhead on the USS Kitty Hawk one Sunday morning when the loud-speaker announced:

"Religious services. Maintain silence about the decks. Discontinue all unnecessary work."

An hour later, the opinion many of us held regarding our daily routine, was confirmed with this announcement:

"Resume all unnecessary work."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Didn't See That Coming

The minister's little six-year-old girl had been so naughty during the week that her mother decided to give her the worst kind of punishment. She told her she couldn't go to the Sunday School Picnic on Saturday.

When the day came, her mother felt she had been too harsh and changed her mind. When she told the little girl she could go to the picnic, the child's reaction was one of gloom and unhappiness.

"What's the matter? I thought you'd be glad to go to the picnic." her mother said.

"It's too late!" the little girl said. "I've already prayed for rain."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Impartiality

A friend of mine had just become a district court judge and was nervous about presiding impartially over his first criminal trial. As a former prosecutor, he could see the preponderance of evidence was clearly against the defendant.

The proceedings went smoothly, until it was time for him to instruct the jury.

"The jury," he began, "is to convene in the guilty room."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Secret Shopper

As a secret shopper for a large department store, my sister made purchases at various chains and then reported back to supervisors on the clerks' performances. After a few weeks, I asked her if she was enjoying her new job.

"I love it!" she replied. "I'm getting paid for doing two of my favorite things in life -- shopping and criticizing people."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Bus Home

I was out at a bar, celebrating the weekend. At the end of the evening, I was totally wasted and decided to take a bus home. I arrived home safe and warm, which surprised me because I had never driven a bus before.
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Memento

Friend: "I suppose you carry a memento of some sort in that locket of yours?"

Woman: "Yes, it's a lock of my husband's hair."

Friend: "But your husband is still alive."

Woman: "Yes, but his hair is gone."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Shaking Hands

"Doctor, you've got to help me - I just can't stop my hands from shaking!"

"Do you drink a lot of coffee?"

"Not really - I spill most of it!"
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Marksman

One of the best marksmen in the FBI was passing through a small town. Everywhere he saw evidence of the most amazing shooting. On trees, on walls, and on fences there were numerous bull's-eyes with the bullet hole in dead center.

The FBI man asked one of the townsmen if he could meet the person responsible for this wonderful marksmanship. The man turned out to be the village idiot.

"This is the best marksmanship I have ever seen," said the FBI man. "How in the world do you do it?"

"Nothing to it," was the reply. "I shoot first and draw the circles afterward."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Casserole

Before rushing to work, I prepared a casserole for that evening's dinner and put it in the fridge. As I turned to leave, I told my son to stick it in the oven when he got home from school. "Make sure to put it in at 350," I said.

"Sorry, can't," he replied. "I don't get home until quarter after four."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Dining Out

One evening, I went with my parents to a fancy restaurant. Dad was about halfway through his meal when he took a hard look at the potato, called the waitress over and said, "This potato is bad!"

To my utter amazement, the waitress at this "5-Star" place, picked the potato up, smacked it, put it back on the plate, then told my Dad, "If that potato causes any more trouble, just let me know."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Flag Pin

I was touring a British naval vessel, wearing my American flag lapel pin. As I asked the tour guide a question, he called out, "Sir, you are in distress!"

I was greatly confused, until he pointed out that the flag on my lapel was upside down, the naval symbol for a ship in distress.

I fumbled with the sticky clasp for a moment, but was only able to turn the flag 90 degrees. "Ah," he said sternly, "now you're being boarded by pirates."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Marathon

It was the finish line of the Boston marathon. A first time runner is hobbling away, having just finished.

A grizzled old marathoner looks at him and says "You'll feel a lot worse tomorrow."

He pauses and then says, "But the really bad news is that in about 3 days, you're going to think you had fun today."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Courtroom Oops

Judge: I know you, don't I?

Defendant: Uh, yes.

Judge: All right, tell me, how do I know you?

Defendant: Judge, do I have to tell you?

Judge: Of course, you might be obstructing justice not to tell me.

Defendant: Okay. I was your bookie.
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Library Confusion

The college football player knew his way around the locker room better than he did the library, so when the librarian saw the gridiron star roaming the stacks looking confused, she asked how she could help.

"I have to read a play by Shakespeare," he said.

"Which one?" she asked.

Still scanning the shelves, he answered, "William."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Where's the Paper?

"Have you seen this morning's paper?"

"Yes, I wrapped the garbage in it."

"But I hadn't seen it yet!"

"You didn't miss much. Just some coffee grounds and a few orange peels."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Driving Around

I tell you, men drivers are a hazard to traffic. Driving to work this morning on the freeway, I looked over to my left and there's this man in a Mustang doing 95 miles per hour with his face up next to his rear view mirror ... shaving!!!

I looked away for a couple of seconds and when I looked back, he's halfway over in my lane.

It scared me so bad I almost dropped my eye liner pencil in my coffee.
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Company Examination

A company was hiring new staff. One question in the written exam was:

You are driving your car in a wild stormy night. You pass by a bus station, and you see three people waiting for the bus: an old lady who looks as if she is about to die, a doctor who had once saved your life, a person you have been dreaming to be with. You can only take one passenger in your car. Which one will you choose? Please explain your answer.

Think about it before you continue reading.

This must be some kind of personality test. Every answer has its reasoning.

You could pick up the old lady. She is going to die, and thus you should save her first. You could take the doctor, because he once saved your life. This will be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you could always pay the doctor back in the future, but you may never be able to find the perfect love once you pass this chance.

The candidate who was eventually hired (out of 200 applicants) did not have to explain his answer.

WHAT DID HE SAY?

He simply answered: "Give the car key to the doctor. Let him take the old lady to the hospital. I will stay and wait for the bus with the person of my dreams."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: A Touch of Home

Although we were being married in New Hampshire, I wanted to add a touch of my home state, Kansas, to the wedding. My fiancee, explaining this to a friend, said that we were planning to have wheat rather than rice thrown after the ceremony.

Our friend thought for a moment. Then he said solemnly, "It's a good thing she's not from Idaho."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Telemarketers

I used to hate it when telemarketers would call but nowadays I welcome them with open arms. Their calls are opportunities for me to turn the tables and inconvenience them instead of them inconveniencing me. Perhaps they have now blacklisted me because I don't get as many calls as I used to but when my caller ID box shows "Private Caller" my adrenaline rushes and I am ready to play.

One of the new ploys that telemarketers are using is to call you electronically. You pick up the phone to hear a recorded voice say, "Please stay on the line for an important message." They actually expect you to wait on hold while they take their sweet time before getting around to selling you something.

The last time I got one of these calls, I put on some classical music and waited for someone to greet me. As soon as I heard the telemarketer say hello, I said in my best radio advertiser voice, "Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line. Our next available representative will be with you shortly." I let the music play and would repeat those phrases at thirty second intervals.

Finally I turned off the music and said, "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Jane with Allied Travel. How are you today?"

"Well, my gouts been acting up, I've got terrible hemorrhoids, I've got poison ivy on the bottom of my feet and I just ate a pizza so the heartburn will be coming on soon."

"I'm sorry to hear that sir but I'm calling to tell you about some of our exciting travel packages that ..."

I interrupted her, "You don't really care about how I'm doing, do you?"

"Why, sure I do?"

"You want to come over and throw some horseshoes?"

"Well sir, I can't do that right now. I have to call people and tell them about our travel packages."

"You can use my phone. Come on over."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"You don't like me do you?"

"Of course I like you sir."

"So why won't you come over?"

"Well, I'm working."

"I got some pork rinds and some Pepsi and I could fry up a little fatback if you'd like."

"Boy, that sounds real tempting but I'll have to take a rain check on that."

"Okay, how about tomorrow then?"

"I can't. I'm working."

"How about the day after tomorrow then?"

"Actually sir, I'm not supposed to get too personal with the people I call."

"Why'd you ask me how I was doing then?"

"That's just a courtesy."

"You don't like me do you?"

"Yes sir. I like you just fine."

"So ... You want to come over and throw some horseshoes?"

(click)
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Intercom Repair

My friend's son worked at a fast-food restaurant when he was in high school.

One night while he was manning the drive-thru, a customer told him that the Intercom wasn't working properly. My friend's son went about filling the order while a female co-worker fiddled with the intercom.

She asked, "Is that okay now?"

"Well, no," the customer replied. "Now you sound like a girl."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Salesman Visit

One day a salesman stopped by the Jones farm, knocked, and Mrs. Jones came to the door.

"Is your husband home, Ma'am?" he asked.

"Sure is. He's over to the cow barn."

"Well, I got something to show him, Ma'am. Will I have any difficulty finding him?"

"Shouldn't have any problem ... He's the one with the beard and mustache."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: Management vs. Solutions

After moving in to our new office space, I was given the job of completing an Occupational Health and Safety report about the building. I discovered that the building had been built with no fire exit!
If a fire starts at the entrance, the only way out would be to smash through the manager's office window. So I put these comments down and submitted my report to the manager before it got sent to head office.
In all seriousness he added the following comment to the head office about smashing the window, "Please confirm that this is an acceptable option by returning your approval."
_ _____________________________________ _
GCF: The Stockbroker

The phone rang in the stockbroker's office.

"May I speak with Mr. Bradford?"

"I'm sorry. Mr. Bradford is on another line."

This is Mr. Ingram's office. We'd like to know if he's bullish or bearish right now."

"He's talking to his wife. Right now I'd say he's sheepish."
_ _____________________________________ _
/ )| Thomas S. Ellsworth |( \
/ / | tellswor@kcbx.net | \ \
_( (_ | http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor | _) )_
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / When I'm feeling down, \ \_/ ////
\ / I like to whistle. It makes \ /
\ _/ the neighbor's dog run to the \_ /
/ / end of his chain. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Learn from the mistakes of \ /
\ _/ others. You can't live long \_ /
/ / enough to make them all yourself. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Learn from the mistakes of \ /
\ _/ others. You can't live long \_ /
/ / enough to make them all yourself. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Birthdays are good for you; \ /
\ _/ the more you have, \_ /
/ / the longer you live. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Real friends are those who, \ \_/ ////
\ / when you feel you've made a \ /
\ _/ fool of yourself, don't think \_ /
/ / you've done a permanent job. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If you're going to draw on the \ /
\ _/ wall, do it behind the couch. \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Don't cry because its over; \ /
\ _/ smile because it happened. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / How do you tell when you \ /
\ _/ run out of invisible ink? \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / A budget is just a method \ /
\ _/ of worrying before you spend \_ /
/ / money, as well as afterward. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I'm not afraid of heights, \ /
\ _/ I'm afraid of widths. \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ /If your dog doesn't like someone,\ /
\ _/ you probably shouldn't either. \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Why doesn't "onomatopoeia" \ /
\ _/ sound like what it is? \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I've changed my mind \ /
\ _/ a dozen times. \_ /
/ / It seems to work better now. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Winter is the season in which \ \_/ ////
\ / people try to keep the house \ /
\ _/ as warm as it was in the summer, \_ /
/ / when they complained about the heat. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Never lend your car \ /
\ _/ to anyone to whom \_ /
/ / you have given birth. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / The sole purpose of a \ \_/ ////
\ / child's middle name is so \ /
\ _/ he can tell when \_ /
/ / he's really in trouble. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / To err is human; \ /
\ _/ to blame it on someone else \_ /
/ / is more human. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / My mind works like lightning. \ /
\ _/ One brilliant flash \_ /
/ / and it is gone. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / A truly happy person is one \ /
\ _/ who can enjoy the scenery \_ /
/ / on a detour. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / The speed of light is 186,000 \ \_/ ////
\ / miles per second, or the \ /
\ _/ distance a baby can crawl \_ /
/ / when you turn your back. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If you can't be kind, \ /
\ _/ at least have the decency \_ /
/ / to be vague. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Experience is a wonderful thing.\ /
\ _/ It enables you to recognize a \_ /
/ / mistake when you make it again. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Let's face it. Traveling \ \_/ ////
\ / just isn't as much fun when \ /
\ _/ all the historical sites \_ /
/ / are younger than you are. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ /A husband is someone who takes \ \_/ ////
\ / out the trash and gives the \ /
\ _/ impression he just cleaned \_ /
/ / the whole house. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / A cement mixer collided \ \_/ ////
\ / with a prison van. \ /
\ _/ Be on the lookout for \_ /
/ / hardened criminals. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / My children never understood \ \_/ ////
\ / my logic. Both of them failed \ /
\ _/ to see why they had to go \_ /
/ / to bed when I was tired. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / STRESSED spelled \ /
\ _/ backwards is DESSERTS. \_ /
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / The only thing wrong with \ /
\ _/ a perfect drive to work \_ /
/ / is that you end up at work. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Ever wonder what the speed \ /
\ _/ of lightning would be \_ /
/ / if it didn't zigzag? \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / If the horse you're drawing \ /
\ _/ looks more like a dog, \_ /
/ / make it a dog. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / I hope they don't raise the \ /
\ _/ standard of living any higher. \_ /
/ / I can't afford it now. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / You know those wheezing and \ \_/ ////
\ / popping noises the refrigerator \ /
\ _/ makes? It just means that it's \_ /
/ / making ice. I'm not getting old. \ \
I'm just making ice!
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"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?
E_mail addresses for communicating with the newspaper’s various departments are:
editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events.
advertising@bannernews. net For retail and classified advertising.
circulation@bannernews. net To start, stop or cancel newspaper delivery or for comments about delivery.
outfitters @bannernews.net For Office Outfitters, the office supply division of the Banner_News.
[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 "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, 07, 08 or 09). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at kc5hii@suddenlink.net and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2011 before it was sent.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

Bug's Bleat - - Transformers III

2011-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

The grave of my great grandfather - William Franklin McClellan at the Emma Cemetary

Ethan reflecting Josiah

The Cotton Valley Railroad

Zac riding at the BarJRanch.

Bug's Bleat - - Transformers III

2011-07-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Red River during our latest drought.

Ethan in normal portrait pose.

Josiah self portrait.

David and I at my 10th High School Reunion.

Bug's Bleat - - Transformers III

2011-07-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

My great grandmother Emma Roberts McClellan's Gravestone in the Emma Cemetery.

Dusty adjusting his Uniform at the Monticello CAP squadron meeting.

an oil well on the east side of the Red River drilled by my dad, James Curtis McClellan in the early '50s.

The Cotton Valley Railroad

Bug's Bleat - - Transformers III

2011-07-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Volume 13, Issue 25 Friday, July 01, 2011

Hello All,

Happy 4th of July everyone!
~~~~~
Let's talk biscuits. Annette makes great biscuits, but we used to occasionally get a McDonald’s biscuit for breakfast when we were out and about early. Then, they quit making fresh biscuits and switched to frozen. The current McDonald’s biscuits are very similar to hockey pucks.
We called McDonald’s corporation and learned that this is a corporate wide change. And they are proud of it.

So someone told us Tasty Doughnuts had good biscuits ... WRONG. They are canned. The one we tried even had a little sliver of foil in it from the can.

Again, we don't eat a lot of biscuits out but we'd still like to be able to get one occasionally. After some more thought, we decided to try Dairy Queen. So, today we stopped by Jack and Donna Gaye's DQ and got a Biscuit. It was Good!

So, if you're looking for a breakfast biscuit, go to Dairy Queen, in Magnolia.
~~~~~
My Cousin Lynn corrected my story of Aunt Sis’s getting her toe chopped off. “Uncle Bud had the story of Mother's toe being chopped-off correct except it was Hershall who did the dastardly deed. Funny was always very sweet to his twin. Poor Hershall was jealous of his younger siblings and I can see why. They were petted by the whole family, including him. The story I was told is that the chopping block was a favorite sitting place for Mother and she told Hershall to stop cutting it up. He wouldn't so she put her foot on top of it. He kept getting closer and closer thinking she would move...but she didn't. My dad (who was only 10 at the time drove to Springhill and got Dr. Pou (must have been very young) who sewed the dangling part back on and put a wee cast around it.
~~~~~
My dad worked seven days a week but still had time to take me to see construction projects and oil rigs in the evening. He was McAlester's tool pusher and many times my mom took me out to a rig to visit. I'd get a dollar if I'd come up on the platform to him.
He died young (at age 51 in 1955) and Tamey Duke stepped up to the same bar. I've been blessed beyond measure by my fathers.
“Tamey” James Watson Duke, went to work at age 10 when his father was blinded by diabetes. He continued his education while selling Hamburgers out of a blacksmith shop on the north east side of the square and opened his first Café after graduating from Magnolia A&M. Before WWII he had opened the Chatterbox (named after a New York eatery) and prospered. He served with the 1st Army in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. My mother went to work for him in 1958 and he married her in 1966. He was a great businessman, father and grandfather.
~~~~~
One of our readers told me; “The Chatterbox was long gone by the time I arrived on the scene, but I heard some good stories. My favorite was from a lady at a museum in Little Rock (I think it was Little Rock). When she heard I lived in Magnolia, she started in with her memories. "There was this café that had the best pie, and the crust had so much butter in it, it was yellow." I came home and shared that with James - and he says "yeah, we put yellow food coloring in the crust so people would think it was full of butter." :) True story. They were made with butter but not enough to make it yellow.
Another one I like to tell is "Do you know the difference between a beef enchilada and a cheese enchilada at the Chatterbox?" And the answer is ... $25 cents. We made up the enchiladas daily and each one had onions and cheese in it. If you ordered a beef enchilada, we just with poured chili over it before cooking. (Yes, we did actually "cook" our Mexican food when it was ordered. No micro waving frozen ingredients.)
~~~~~
Federal edict has mandated "approved" shower heads, toilets, light bulbs, etc. - to ill effect. I’ve been buying energy saving bulbs for years, not because the government required me to, but because they saved me energy and money. However Annette and I both have cataracts and we need more light to see up close and read, so I use old fashioned bulbs in the bedside lamps. The energy savers just don’t cut the mustard in that application. I’m thinking about buying a pallet load of them to have after “Big Brother” forbids their manufacture and sale. Toilets now often use MORE water due to multiple flushes needed to handle business. And yet, our beloved federal bureaucracy continues to issue more and more such edicts. "The definition of insanity is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over and expecting different results." Or even "the desired results."
~~~~~
The "turf" wars in congress are costing us Trillions and giving our armed forces substandard equipment. The F-35 was "sold" to congress by including an extra, unneeded replacement engine to satisfy congressional members who wanted part of the production in their home state. No telling what we could get for our forces if we didn't have to pay off congress to get it approved.
~~~~~
Once again, our bureaucrats have shown that they don't care about the soldiers they send into battle nor do they have any concern for those soldier's families. Tens of thousands of children of U.S. military personnel attend military-base schools that are falling apart from age and neglect. From safety risks such as fire hazards and tainted brown drinking water to makeshift boiler rooms used as study areas.
[http://www.newsweek.com/2011/06/26/military-children-s-schools-in-disrepair.html?om_rid=NsfhVb&om_mid=_BOCHyTB8cFhzP0]
~~~~~
Speaking of our military, our friend Seth Borchert writes; “Hey everybody, my address for anyone who wants to send me any mail (which would be greatly appreciated) is
OC Borchert, Seth
P.O. Box 317
Fort Meade, SD 57741-0317
~~~~~
Delta Soldiers Bags - Another sample of corporate ignorance and a culture of responsibility without authority. Delta had a policy of only allowing 3 “free” bags for soldiers on their DOD flights. When some soldiers showed up at the desk with four, the Delta employee charged them extra. After the HUGE public outcry, Delta changed the policy. All this could have been avoided if the Delta employee had felt they could bend the rules a little and use common sense. Instead, Delta had a HUGE public relations black eye.
Of course, if the employees feel they can’t make a simple decision about bags, do they feel they can make decisions to improve safety or prevent accidents? Inquiring minds want to know. [http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/08/6813391-delta-charges-returning-soldiers-2800-in-bag-fees]
~~~~~
Here’re the latest thoughts of my Face book Friends.
~
Carl Fredrick Roach posted to George Wheatley - A wise man once told me. "Before you criticize another man, walk a mile in his shoes, that way when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and you got his shoes." No. Wait. I'm wrong. It was the drunk panhandler who calls himself "the Preacher" that said that.
~
Chuck Jackson - Having busted three of the things in as many years, I made my own toilet seat out of two-inch thick oak stock. After rasping and sanding the doughnut to store-boughten contours, I soaked it for three days in creosote to protect it from various bathroom associated chemicals and biological fluids. ... On another topic, does anyone know a good ointment for inexplicable stinging butt rash?
~
David Childs - AFGHANISTAN WOMEN WALKED 3 PACES BEHIND MEN BEFORE WE INVADED. NOW THEY WALK 15 PACES. WHEN ASKED WHY ONE WOMAN REPLIED...."LAND MINES".
~
Haagon Lister - just saw a lady wearing a shirt that said: "live your life so the preacher won't have to lie at your funeral"
~
Leslie R. Kent - No one has ever become poor by giving. ... Anne Frank
~
Martha Chapman - My father's favorite quote was from Shakespeare’s "King Lear" and I think it bears my repeating it today "How sharper than a serpent's tooth is a thankless child".
- He is a poor patriot whose patriotism does not enable him to understand how all men everywhere feel about their altars and their hearthstones, their flag and their fatherland. ~Harry Emerson Fosdic
~
Nancee Davis Law - Remember to keep your sunny-side-up, even when you're feeling fried.
- I wanted to buy myself something expensive, so I filled up my gas tank!
- If you hold on to yesterday's garbage, sooner or later, it will start to STINK !
- Getting older gives "Twist and Shout" a whole new meaning...
- At the end of the day it doesn't matter how others treated you, what matters is how you treated others.
~
Ricci Leever Black - If truth-in-advertising laws governed tattoos, here's what the ink would actually say:
Still in my rebellious rite-of-passage phase. I anticipate always feeling as whimsical as I was when I chose this. Personal names on my body are not necessarily indicative of my relationship with that person when you read this. I regretted this one almost immediately. -- Darren Addy in Reader’s Digest
~
Robert Lyons - URGENT WARNING! Face book now automatically scans your brain through your monitor. To block, go to kitchen, get aluminum foil, and wrap it around your head. Stay calm and breathe through your left nostril ONLY. This is a SERIOUS problem and has been confirmed by a friend's cousin's girlfriend's neighbor's son's baby's mama and her pet Chihuahua. Copy and paste as your status to SAVE YOUR FRIENDS!
- The problem with socialism is that eventually, you run out of other people’s money. - Margaret Thatcher
- Bureaucracy (Washington) gives birth to itself and then expects maternity benefits. - Dale Dauten
~
Timothy Tackett - If people had their priorities in order, there would be a shortage of fishing poles...
~
Vanessa McClellan Malone posted to Jimmy Malone - Hey, I was thinking about that democrat video you were watching. What I thought about was that girl who said, "I am a democrat because I believe the government should take care of its people." Here's my side, "I am not a democrat or a republican, because I believe the government should provide defense so the citizens of our country can live in peace and have the freedom to take care of themselves."
~~~
Humor from our classmate Daryl Cox - A second act? Yeap, I could teach dig a jig for a college course .... don't think I could handle any kiddos after some of Bren's stories. But it maybe time to part with some wisdom for the blossoming generation.... Let’s see, a class on "Bubba's Pickup Lines 101".......

1) Are yer parents retarded? coz you sure are special.
2) My Love fer you is like diarrhea. I can't hold it in.
3) Do you have a library card? cuz I'd like to check you out
4) Is there a mirror in yer pants? cuz I can see myself in em.
5) Man - 'Fat Penguin!' Woman - 'WHAT?' Man - 'I just wanted to say something that would break the ice.'
6) I know I'm not no Fred Flintstone, but I bet I can make yer bed-rock.
7) I can't find my puppy, can you help me find him? I think he went in da this cheap motel ...
8) If yer gunna regret this in the mornin, we can sleep til afternoon.
9) If I received a nickel for everytime I saw someone as beautiful as you, I'd have five cents.
~~~~~
And, this week’s cooking tips - Best and Worst Carbs - When faced with everyday food decisions, have you ever wished someone would just tell you what to eat and what not to? Wish granted! Read on.
~

EAT…
Scrambled eggs with vegetables and cheese. Two scrambled eggs with a tablespoon of milk contains 197 calories and 1.5 grams of carbs. Add cheese
and fresh, low carb veggies to up the nutrient quota.
NOT…
An egg-white omelet on a "multi-grain" bagel. For one, the vast majority of an egg's amazing array of nutrients are in the yolk, so keep it in there! Second, a multi-grain bagel is likely to have very little whole grain or fiber in it and a huge amount of carbs. Starbucks' Multigrain Bagel packs 62 grams, along with a whopping 320 calories.
~
EAT…
Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. A 4-ounce serving of 4% milkfat cottage cheese has 6 grams of carbs (lower fat varieties will have more), 12 grams of
protein, and 120 calories. Full-fat Greek yogurt contains about 4 grams of carbs per 4 ounces, 150 calories, and 8 grams of protein.
NOT…
Low fat fruit yogurt. Eight ounces of fat free, fruit flavored yogurt contains 43 grams of carbs. Low fat and fat free yogurts are chock-full of hidden carbs and sugar; they need it to replace the fat! Stick to plain, full-fat yogurts or go for lowcarb fruit versions.
~
EAT…
Whole fresh fruit. A half-cup of strawberries has 23 calories and 5.5 grams of carbs.
NOT…
A fruit smoothie. A small Strawberry Fruit Coolatta from Dunkin Donuts weighs in at 72 grams of carbs and 300 calories.
Plus, fruit is best eaten the way it came from nature. The fibrous membranes, pulp, and flesh keep the sugars from being absorbed so quickly into your
bloodstream.
~
EAT…
Crispbread. One-half of a big slice of Wasa Whole Grain crispbread (5 grams of carbs) quenches a crunch craving without all the junk. Its ingredients are simply whole grain rye flour, water, yeast, and salt. For a snack, have a half topped with a soft cheese and some diced veggies.
NOT…
Rice cakes. Confused? Aren't rice cakes a health food?
Not really. One serving of salt and pepper mini rice cakes contains 11 grams of carbs and 70 calories. (To top if off, the third ingredient is "corn syrup solids," and the sixth ingredient is sugar! Is that really necessary?)
~
EAT…
Nuts. One quarter-cup of nutrient-rich pistachios delivers 8.5 grams of carbs along with a healthy 3 grams of fiber. Almonds are one of the lowest carb nut varieties; one-half cup of almonds contains just 3.6 grams of carbs.
NOT…
Snack mix. One cup of cereal snack mix has 40 grams of carbs. There are a few nuts in the recipe but, but most of this mix is made of refined flour and sugar (not to mention salt), in the form of cereal, pretzels, and bagel chips. It’s a blood
sugar disaster waiting to happen.
~
EAT…
Barley. Barley is the lowest-glycemic grain tested so far, which means it has a more moderate effect on blood sugar than other grains. One-half cup of cooked, pearl barley contains 21.6 grams of carbs (3 grams of fiber) and 94 calories. And if you can find the less processed, hulled barley or Scotch barley, the carbs and glycemic index will be lower.
NOT…
Rice. Rice is a high-glycemic grain, unfortunately, and all varieties will cause blood sugar to rise fast. One-half cup of cooked white rice has 26.6 grams of carbs and no fiber to speak of. Go for barley or quinoa. And if you choose rice, remember to go with brown rice, which is at least a whole grain.
~
EAT…
Spaghetti squash. A half cup of boiled or baked spaghetti squash has 19 calories and 4.7 grams of carbs.
NOT…
Pasta. You may not need us to tell you this, but one cup of cooked spaghetti contains 43 grams of carbs. When it's pasta night, make sure you buy whole
grain, low carb noodles and keep portions small.
~
EAT…
Dark chocolate mini chips. One tablespoon of Hershey's semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips has 4 grams of carbs and 80 calories. Minis are the way to go; you'll be surprised how satisfying a small amount of these can be.
NOT…
Dried fruit. A 1.5-ounce serving (one small box of raisins) of dried fruit has 34 grams of carbs. Stick to fruit in its fresh form.
~
EAT…
Popcorn.
One cup of air-popped popcorn has 6.2 grams of carbs and 31 calories. And popcorn is a whole, unprocessed food. Now, that's a great snack!
NOT…
Potato chips. One ounce (20 chips) of plain, thin potato chips contains 15 grams of carbs and 150 calories. Count out 20 chips, lay them next to about three cups of popcorn, and decide which is a better investment for your 15g of carbs.

You're off to a great start!
printed from dLife.com
~~~~~
America is not at war. The military is at war. - - America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars. [http://icasualties.org/] [http://www.godvine.com/Rhema-Marvanne-Sings-a-Tribute-for-Soldiers-238.html]
~~~~~
Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - - Troy Scott - Awarded: The Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for his service.

"We have the world's largest, baddest army," said Major Troy Scott of the Army National Guard, while explaining how easily stereotypes against other nations' militaries can often arise. "But when you're building a coalition, you have to get past those obstacles."

MAJ Scott ‘s deployment to eastern Afghanistan in 2008- his first, was spent in the company of those whom many back home may not have expected. Two thirds of the "Herculean" Task Force he commanded were members of the Polish military brigade - not American soldiers.

MAJ Scott was assigned as Senior U.S. Advisor to the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan, operating as the Deputy Commander of the 1200 man Task Force White Eagle- predominately Poles- from March 2008 to October 2008. It was the only coalition battalion-size task force under the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division.

On October 31, 2008 the Polish Military Contingent assumed responsibility of their own Brigade battle space, with MAJ Scott continuing on as advisor to the Polish brigade.

Said MAJ Scott, "Sometimes U.S. Forces, we look at ourselves- and rightly so- as a superior force." But, he explained, to watch one of our NATO partners (particularly the Poles) operate in Afghanistan and exceed expectations proved to be a tremendously gratifying experience

There has been a further impact to maintaining such a partnership as well. Keeping the Poles in Afghanistan allows the U.S. to keep 3 times the number of our soldiers out of Afghanistan.

"The value is expediential- a combat multiplier," he said.

It was MAJ Scott's job to ensure that the American expectations were understandable for the Poles, for whom English was not their second language, but their third. Scott, who had no previous experience with the Polish military or even the Polish language, observed the melding of two differing armies and cultures, fighting alongside one another for a shared goal in a foreign space.

Learning the land and history of the region was key to both MAJ Scott and his Task Force. During his deployment, his brigade participated in the largest coalition movement of personnel in Afghanistan, moving battle spaces from the Paktika province to the Ghazni province.

"You have to be a little bit politician, engineer, city planner, lawyer," described MAJ Scott.

For his service and leadership, MAJ Scott has also been recommended for the Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross.
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

Haunting Images from last night's attack. [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/cheering-for-mass-murder.htm]

Your support is very much needed and appreciated.

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.
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include - - Zac riding at the BarJRanch, the grave of my great grandfather - William Franklin McClellan, Ethan reflecting Josiah, The Cotton Valley Railroad, an oil well on the east side of the Red River drilled by my dad, James Curtis McClellan, another CVR shot, the grave of Emma Roberts McClellan - my great grandmother and Dustin adjusting his uniform at the Monticello CAP squadron meeting.
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
BreakPoint - - The Book that Made Your World
The Bible and the West
By: Chuck Colson | Published: July 1, 2011
Topics: Apologetics, Culture/Institutions, Religion & Society, Worldview

A man from the East clearly sees how the Bible built Western Civilization. I’ll tell you about his new book.

Vishal Mangalwadi, a native of India, is one of the greatest Christian worldview thinkers of our day. He believes that much of modern India, including its language, educational system, and political freedom, developed not out of Hinduism, but out of Christianity.

His newest work, The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization explores the Bible’s impact, not only in leading the West to unparalleled liberty and prosperity, but in helping India and other nations to share in the West’s success.

Mangalwadi carefully examines the intellectual roots of Western concepts of human dignity, reason, morality, science, liberty, and self-sacrificial heroism, explaining how each of these concepts grew out of Biblical principles. He then contrasts the biblical view of life with alternative worldviews like Secularism, Islam, and Hinduism.

His own extensive experience doing relief work in rural India showed him the dehumanizing consequences of false worldviews.

For instance, he tells how he and his wife tried to take care of a baby girl whose parents refused to provide her with medical care that she needed to digest food. As unbelievable as it sounds, the parents refused to let the Mangalwadis rescue their daughter because their fatalistic, karma-based worldview taught them that their daughter had no hope for a happy, successful life.

The tragic story illuminates the importance of the biblical worldview, which sees all people as valuable because they are made in the image of God. And because we are made in the image of Him who freely chose to create the world, we are free to work to change our lot in life, not bound by fate or karma to a life of misery.

As Mangalwadi documents so well, the Bible and the biblical worldview also spurred remarkable technological development. Monks created labor-saving technologies (like the watermill and the flywheel) because while they saw work as valuable Christian service, they saw repetitive “toil” as a result of sin. They sought to minimize toil so that they could have more time to pray. These and other technologies spread in order to liberate others made in God’s image.

Mangalwadi also shows how translating the Bible into vernacular languages brought about a social revolution in literacy even among the poorest peasants. Those peasants had as much right to study the word of God as priests and nobles. Bible translation also helped to create writing systems and unite various dialects into national languages, such as modern Hindi.

In one especially interesting chapter, Mangalwadi shows how the biblical view of marriage and family life -- which emphasized the equal dignity of women -- helped lead to Western prosperity.

Mangalwadi credits the Bible for everything we value in Western civilization, but he also warns that by abandoning biblical beliefs and practices, the West has lost its soul and begun to degenerate. But there is hope. God’s Word still has the power to transform individuals and resurrect entire cultures.

I recommend a lot of books on BreakPoint, but this is a must-read. If Western civilization and our way of life are to survive, we must understand and re-embrace the biblical principles and values they were built on.
Please, come to our bookstore at ColsonCenter.org and get your copy of The Book That Made Your World. It’s that important.

Resource:

The Book That Made Your World: How The Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilzation
Vishal Mangalwadi | www.ColsonCenter.org [http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=9781595553225&affiliate=8774780100B]
Freedom: 'The World as It Should Be' [http://www.breakpoint.org/listen/entry/38/17197]
John Stonestreet | The Point Radio | June 01, 2011
~~~~~
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 Michael A. Ross (D _ 04)
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://ross.house.gov/
Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/

Dear Emily Dickinson, Please Forgive Me
April 6th, 2011

As part of its National Poetry Month and Poem In Your Pocket Day “Envelope Project” celebrations, New York City is running an Emily Dickinson related poetry contest. Basically, it involves writing your own poems using Dickinson first lines.

Although I didn’t enter the contest (I wasn’t thrilled with its reprint permission form) I chose four Emily Dickinson first lines and wrote four short, whimsical, New York City-inspired poems. Here they are, with Dickinson’s words noted in italics:

I shall keep singing though I’m bad,
and those who hear me shout, “Egad!”
You’ll never see me on Broadway,
unless you mean my street display.

*****

The Cricket sang.
My sleep is done.
I’d sooner hear an engine run.

*****

I started Early–Took my Dog –
unleashed — don’t fret —
Just franks and grog.

*****

A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!
I wish sometimes they’d go away.
I much prefer the dark of night
So daylight please, go fly a kite.

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/
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NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers (161) killed since our last Bleat was published (March 25). These records can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/

01. Cpl. Justin D. Ross, 22, of Green Bay, Wis., died March 26 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by small arms fire. He was assigned to the 863rd Engineer Battalion, Wausau, Wis.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died March 29 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with small arms fire in Konar province. Killed were:
02. Staff Sgt. Bryan A. Burgess, 29, of Cleburne, Texas.
03. Pfc. Dustin J. Feldhaus, 20, of Glendale, Ariz.
They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died March 29 of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with small arms fire in Konar province, Afghanistan. Killed were:
04. Sgt. 1st Class Ofren Arrechaga, 28, of Hialeah, Fla.;
05. Staff Sgt. Frank E. Adamski III, 26, of Moosup, Conn.; and
06. Spc. Jameson L. Lindskog, 23, of Pleasanton, Calif.
They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

07. Pvt. Jeremy P. Faulkner, 23, of Griffin, Ga., died March 29 of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Konar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

08. Spc. Dennis C. Poulin, 26, of Cumberland, R.I., died March 31 in the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained on March 28 in Konar province, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts National Guard, Milford, Mass.

09. Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, 21, of Santa Clara, Calif., died April 3 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

10. 1st Lt. Robert F. Welch III, 26, of Denton, Texas, died April 3 in Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his base with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

11. Sgt. Jorge A. Scatliffe, 32, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, died April 3 in a non-combat related incident at Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

12. Maj. Wesley J. Hinkley, 36, of Carlisle, Pa., died April 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, as a result of a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, Fort Stewart, Ga.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died April 4 of wounds suffered from small arms fire in Faryab province, Afghanistan. Killed were:
13. Staff Sgt. Scott H. Burgess, 32, of Franklin, Texas.
14. Staff Sgt. Michael S. Lammerts, 26, of Tonawanda, N.Y.
They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died April 2 of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their position with indirect fire in Babil, Iraq. Killed were:
15. Staff Sgt. Quadi S. Hudgins, 26, of New Orleans, La.
16. Sgt. Christian A. S. Garcia, 30, of Goodyear, Ariz.
They were assigned to the Maintenance Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.

17. Spc. Gary L. Nelson III, 20, of Woodstock, Ga., died April 5 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

18. Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Smith, 26, of Arlington, Texas, died April 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Houston, Texas.

19. Seaman Benjamin D. Rast, 23, of Niles, Mich., died April 6 while conducting a dismounted patrol northeast of Patrol Base Alcatraz, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Rast was assigned as a hospitalman to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Rast was stationed at Naval Medical Center, Expeditionary Medical Force Detachment, San Diego, Calif.

20. Staff Sgt. Jason A. Rogers, 28, of Brandon, Miss., died April 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

21. Sgt. Keith T. Buzinski, 26, of Daytona Beach, Fla., died April 7 in Logar province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

22. Staff Sgt. Jose M. Caraballo Pietri, 32, of Yauco, Puerto Rico, died April 10 in Badghis province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany.

23. Sgt. Vorasack T. Xaysana, 30, of Westminster, Colo., died April 10 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained April 9 in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, Fort Hood, Texas.

24. Sgt. Brent M. Maher, 31, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, died April 11 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, Iowa National Guard, Shenandoah, Iowa.

25. Pvt. Brandon T. Pickering, 21, of Fort Thomas, Ky., died April 10 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire and a rocket propelled grenade in Wardak province, Afghanistan, April 8. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

26. Spc. Donald L. Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, Iowa, died April 13, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, Waterloo, Iowa.

27. Spc. Joseph A. Kennedy, 25, of St. Paul, Minn. died April 15, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered April 16, in Nimroz province, Afghanistan when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed were:
28. Spc. Paul J. Atim, 27, of Green Bay, Wis.;
29. Spc. Charles J. Wren, 25, of Beeville, Texas; and
30. Pfc. Joel A. Ramirez, 22, of Waxahachie, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died April 16, at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an Afghan National Army soldier attacked them with multiple grenades. Killed were:
31. Capt. Charles E. Ridgley Jr., 40, of Baltimore, Md. He was assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska; also,
32. Sgt. 1st Class Charles L. Adkins, 36, of Sandusky, Ohio;
33. Staff Sgt. Cynthia R. Taylor, 39, of Columbus, Ga.;
34. Sgt. Linda L. Pierre, 28, Immokalee, Fla.; and
35. Spc. Joseph B. Cemper, 21, Warrensburg, Mo. They were assigned to the 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

36. Petty Officer 3rd Class Micah Aaron Hill, 27, of Ralston, Neb., died April 19 as a result of a non-combat related incident. Hill was assigned to the USS Enterprise as a machinist’s mate. Enterprise is currently deployed to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting operations in support of Operation New Dawn.

37. Pfc. John F. Kihm, 19, of Philadelphia, Pa., died April 19 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

38. Sgt. Sonny J. Moses, 22, of Koror, Palau, died April 18 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered as a result of a grenade attack at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, April 16. He was assigned to the 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

39. Sgt. John P. Castro, 25, of Andrews, Texas died April 22 at Paktika province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by small arms fire. He was assigned to1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died of wounds suffered April 22, in Numaniyah, Iraq when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
40. 1st Lt. Omar J. Vazquez, 25, of Hamilton, N.J.; and
41. Pfc. Antonio G. Stiggins, 25, of Rio Rancho, N.M.

42. Staff Sgt. James, A. Justice, 32, of Grimes, Iowa died April 23 at Kapisa province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Le Mars, Iowa.

43. Chief Warrant Officer, Terry L. Varnadore II, 29, of Hendersonville, N.C. died April 23 in Kapisa province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his helicopter went down due to an undetermined cause. This accident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The following Marines died April 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan:
44. Sgt. Sean T. Callahan, 23, of Warrenton, Va.
45. Lance Cpl. Dominic J. Ciaramitaro, 19, of South Lyon, Mich.
Callahan and Ciaramitaro were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

46. Master Sgt. Benjamin F. Bitner, 37, of Greencastle, Pa., died April 23 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

47. Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Hughes, 41, of Newark, Ohio, died April 24 of a non-combat incident, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 528th Sustainment Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.

48. Sgt. David P. Day, 26, of Gaylord, Mich., died April 24 while conducting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

49. Capt. Joshua M. McClimans, 30, of Akron, Ohio, died April 22 at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 848th Forward Surgical Team, U.S. Army Reserve, Twinsburg, Ohio.

50. Lance Cpl. Joe M. Jackson, 22, of White Swan, Wash., died April 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

51. Cpl. Adam D. Jones, 29, of Germantown, Ohio, died April 27 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

52. Spc. Andrew E. Lara, 25, of Albany, Ore., died April 27, of a noncombat related incident, in Babil province, Iraq. He was assigned to F Company, 145th Brigade Support Battalion, attached to the 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of eight airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died April 27, at the Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from gunfire. The incident is under investigation. Killed were:
53. Maj. Philip D. Ambard, 44, of Edmonds, Wash. He was assigned to the 460th Space Communications Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. For more information media may contact the Air Force Academy public affairs office at 719-333-7731.
54. Maj. Jeffrey O. Ausborn, 41, of Gadsden, Ala. He was assigned to the 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. For more information media may contact the 502nd Air Base Wing public affairs office at 210-652-4410.
55. Maj. David L. Brodeur, 34, of Auburn, Mass. He was assigned to the 11th Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. For more information media may contact the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson public affairs office at 907-552-2341.
56. Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, of Deltona, Fla. She was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Joint Base Andrews, Md. For more information media may contact the Air Force Office of Special Investigations public affairs office at 571-305-8010.
57. Lt. Col. Frank D. Bryant Jr., 37, of Knoxville, Tenn. He was assigned to the 56th Operations Group, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. For more information media may contact the Luke Air Force Base public affairs office at 623-856-6011.
58. Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, of New Haven, Conn. He was assigned to Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. For more information media may contact the Headquarters Air Combat Command public affairs office at 757-764-5007.
59. Capt. Nathan J. Nylander, 35, of Hockley, Texas. He was assigned to the 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. For more information media may contact the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base public affairs office at 520-228-3406.
60. Maj. Charles A. Ransom, 31, of Midlothian, Va. He was assigned to the 83rd Network Operations Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. For more information media may contact the 24th Air Force public affairs office at 210-977-5796.

61. Lance Cpl. Ronald D. Freeman, 25, of Plant City, Fla., died April 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

62. Sgt. Matthew D. Hermanson, 22, of Appleton, Wis., died April 28, in Wardak province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

63. Pfc. Jonathan M. Villanueva, 19, of Jacksonville, Fla., died April 27, in Wardak province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

64. Spc. Preston J. Dennis, 23, of Redding, Calif., died April 28 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

65. Pfc. Robert M. Friese, 21, of Chesterfield, Mich., died April 29 in Al Qadisiyah province, Iraq, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.

66. Sgt. Adam D. Craig, 23, of Cherokee, Iowa, died March 4 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of a non-combat related illness. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Sioux City, Iowa.

67. Sgt. Kevin W. White, 22, of Westfield, N.Y., died May 2 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

68. Spc. Riley S. Spaulding, 21, of Sheridan, Texas, died May 4 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

69. Sgt. Ken K. Hermogino, 30, of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., died May 9 in Herat province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

70. 1st Lt. Demetrius M. Frison, 26, of Lancaster, Pa., died May 10 in Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

71. Sgt. Amaru Aguilar, 26, of Miami, Fla. died May 13, at Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit encountered small arms fire. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
72. Sgt. Kevin B. Balduf, 27, of Nashville, Tenn., and
73. Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Palmer, 43, of Modesto, Calif., died May 12 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Sgt. Balduf was assigned to 8th Communications Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Lt. Col. Palmer was assigned to Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Cherry Point, N.C.

74. Spc. Brian D. Riley Jr., 24, of Longwood, Fla., died May 15, in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

75. Sgt. Robert C. Schlote, 26, of Norfolk, Neb., died May 14, in Omaha, Neb., from a non-combat related medical illness. He was assigned to the 195th Forward Support Company, Nebraska Army National Guard, Omaha, Neb.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 16, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using an improvised explosive device in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Killed were:
76. Staff Sgt. David D. Self, 29, of Pearl, Miss. He was assigned to the Fires Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; also,
77. Spc. Bradley L. Melton, 29, Rolla, Mo.;
78. Pvt. Lamarol J. Tucker, 26, of Gainesville, Fla.; and
79. Pvt. Cheizray Pressley, 21, of North Charleston, S.C. They were assigned to the Brigade Troops Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Anchorage, Alaska.

80. Cpl. Brandon M. Kirton, 25, of Centennial, Colo., died May 18 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire and mortar rounds. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died May 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Killed were:
81. Sgt. 1st Class Clifford E. Beattie, 37, of Medical Lake, Wash., and
82. Pfc. Ramon Mora Jr., 19, of Ontario, Calif.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 23, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Killed were:
83. Staff Sgt. Kristofferson B. Lorenzo, 33, of Chula Vista, Calif.,
84. Pfc. William S. Blevins, 21, of Sardinia, Ohio,
85. Pvt. Andrew M. Krippner, 20, Garland, Texas; and
86. Pvt. Thomas C. Allers, 23, of Plainwell, Mich.

87. Chief Warrant Officer Christopher R. Thibodeau, 28, of Chesterland, Ohio, died May 26 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his helicopter crashed during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The airmen died May 26 in the Shorabak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Killed were:
88. Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Hamski, 28, of Ottumwa, Iowa. He was assigned to the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. For more information, media may contact the 52nd Fighter Wing public affairs office at 011-49-171-331-4921.
89. Tech. Sgt. Kristoffer M. Solesbee, 32, of Citrus Heights, Calif. He was assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 26 of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. They were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were:
90. 1st Lt. John M. Runkle, 27, of West Salem, Ohio;
91. Staff Sgt. Edward D. Mills Jr., 29, of New Castle, Pa.;
92. Staff Sgt. Ergin V. Osman, 35, of Jacksonville, N.C.;
93. Sgt. Thomas A. Bohall, 25, of Bel Aire, Kan.;
94. Sgt. Louie A. Ramos Velazquez, 39, of Camuy, Puerto Rico; and
95. Spc. Adam J. Patton, 21, of Port Orchard, Wash.

96. Pfc. John C. Johnson, 28, of Phoenix, Ariz., died May 27 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

97. Spc. Adam S. Hamilton, 22, of Kent, Ohio, died May 28 in Haji Ruf, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

98. Lance Cpl. Peter J. Clore, 23, of New Philadelphia, Ohio, died May 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

99. Pfc. Anthony M. Nunn, 19, of Burnet, Texas, died May 30, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 29, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed were:
100. Capt. Joseph W. Schultz, 36, of Port Angeles, Wash.
101. Staff Sgt. Martin R. Apolinar, 28, of Glendale, Ariz.
102. Sgt. Aaron J. Blasjo, 25, of Riverside, Calif.

103. Spc. Richard C. Emmons III, 22, of North Granby, Conn., died May, 31, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

104. Sgt. Jeffrey C. S. Sherer, 29, of Four Oaks, N.C. died June 2, in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

105. Cpl. Paul W. Zanowick II, 23, of Miamisburg, Ohio, died June 3 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered June 4, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 793rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska Killed were:
106. Sgt. Christopher R. Bell, 21, of Golden, Miss.;
107. Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 28, of Quitman, Texas;
108. Spc. Devin A. Snyder, 20, of Cohocton, N.Y.; and
109. Spc. Robert L. Voakes Jr., 21, of L’Anse, Mich.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died June 5, in Khost province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered as the result of a helicopter crash. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed were:

110. Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth R. White, 35, of Fort Collins, Colo., and
111. Chief Warrant Officer Bradley J. Gaudet, 31, of Gladewater, Texas

112. Sgt. Joseph M. Garrison, 27, of New Bethlehem, Pa., died June 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

113. Cpl. William J. Woitowicz, 23, of Middlesex, Mass., died June 7 while conducting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of five soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died June 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire. They were assigned to the1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. Killed were:
114. Spc. Emilio J. Campo Jr., 20, of Madelia, Minn.;
115. Spc. Michael B. Cook Jr., 27, of Middletown, Ohio;
116. Spc. Christopher B. Fishbeck, 24, of Victorville, Calif.;
117. Spc. Robert P. Hartwick, 20, of Rockbridge, Ohio; and
118. Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, 26, Chicago, Ill.

119. Cpl. Matthew T. Richard, 21, of Acadia, La., died June 9 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

120. Pfc. Matthew J. England, 22, of Gainesville, Mo., died June 8, in An Najaf province, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.
121. Lance Cpl. Nicholas S. O’Brien, 21, of Stanley, N.C., died June 9 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, IMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

122. Capt. Michael W. Newton, 30, of Newport News, Va.,died June 11 at Faryab province, Afghanistan,of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany.

123. Lance Cpl. Joshua B. McDaniels, 21, of Dublin, Ohio, died June 12 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

124. Lance Cpl. Sean M. N. O’Connor, 22, of Douglas, Wyo., died June 12 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

125. Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill, 20, of Poway, Calif., died June 11 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died June 13 in Wasit province, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
126. Staff Sgt. Nicholas P. Bellard, 26, of El Paso, Texas; and
127. Sgt. Glenn M. Sewell, 23, of Live Oak, Texas.

128. Staff Sgt. Jeremy A. Katzenberger, 26, of Weatherby Lake, Mo., died June 14 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

129. Pfc. Eric D. Soufrine, 20, of Woodbridge, Conn., died June 14 in Farah province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

130. Pvt. Ryan J. Larson, 19, of Friendship, Wis., died June 15 at Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

131. Sgt. Mark A. Bradley, 25, of Cuba, N.Y., died June 16 from wounds received June 3 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

132. Spc. Marcos A. Cintron, 32, of Orlando, Fla., died June 16 at a medical facility in Boston, Mass., of wounds suffered June 6 at Baghdad, Iraq, when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

133. Spc. Scott D. Smith, 36, of Indianapolis, Ind., died June 17 at Khowst province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 81st Troop Command, Indiana Army National Guard, Indianapolis, Ind.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died June 18 in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered during a vehicle roll-over. The soldiers were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Baumholder, Germany. Killed were:
134. Sgt. 1st Class Alvin A. Boatwright, 33, of Lodge, S.C.,
135. Sgt. Edward F. Dixon III, 37, of Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.,
136. Staff Sgt. Alan L. Snyder, 28, Blackstone, Mass., and
137. Spc. Tyler R. Kreinz, 21, Beloit, Wis.

138. Pfc. Brian J. Backus, 21, of Saginaw Township, Mich., died June 18, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

139. Pfc. Josue Ibarra, 21, of Midland, Texas, died June 19 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

140. Pfc. Gustavo A. Rios-Ordonez, 25, of Englewood, Ohio, died June 20 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

141. Sgt. James W. Harvey II, 23, of Toms River, N.J., died June 20 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

142. Lance Cpl. Jared C. Verbeek, 22, of Visalia, Calif., died June 21 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

143. Pfc. Joshua L. Jetton, 21, of Sebring, Fla., died June 20 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

144. Spc. Levi E. Nuncio, 24, of Harrisonburg, Va., died June 22 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

145. Cpl. Gurpreet Singh, 21, of Antelope, Calif., died June 22 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

146. Spc. Nicholas C. D. Hensley, 28, of Prattville, Ala. died June 24, in Landstuhl, Germany from injuries sustained in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on June 15 when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

147. Sgt. Marlon E. Myrie, 25, of Oakland Park, Fla., died June 25 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

148. Gunnery Sgt. Ralph E. Pate Jr., 29, of Mullins, S.C., died June 26 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

149. Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Douville, 33, of Harvey, La., died June 26 as a result of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device on the border of the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

150. Spc. Matthew R. Gallagher, 22, of North Falmouth, Mass., died June 26 in Wasit province, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn. They died June 26, in Diyala province, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
151. Staff Sgt. Russell J. Proctor, 25, of Oroville, Calif.; and
152. Pfc. Dylan J. Johnson, 20, of Tulsa, Okla.

153. Spc. Kevin J. Hilaman, 28, of Albany, Calif., died June 26, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died June 25, at Kunar province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their units with small arms fire. Killed were:
154. 1st Lt. Dimitri A. Del Castillo, 24, of Tampa, Fla. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and
155. Staff Sgt. Nigel D. Kelly, 26, Menifee, Calif. He was assigned to 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

156. Cpl. Michael C. Nolen, 22, of Spring Valley, Wis., died June 27 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

157. Staff Sgt. Donald V. Stacy, 23, of Avondale, Ariz., died June 28 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

158. Lance Cpl. John F. Farias, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, died June 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

159. Lance Cpl. Mark R. Goyet, 22, of Sinton, Texas, died June 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

160. Spc. Nicholas P. Bernier, 21, of East Kingston, N.H., died June 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered June 22 when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire in Kherwar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

161. Cpl. Kyle R. Schneider, 23, of Phoenix, N.Y., died June 30 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
~~~
Soldier Missing from Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. John W. Lutz, 21, of Kearny, N.J., will be buried tomorrow at Arlington National Cemetery. From May 16-20, 1951, Task Force Zebra, a multinational force made up of Dutch, French, and U.S. forces, was attacked and isolated into smaller units. Lutz, of the 1st Ranger Infantry Company, part of Task Force Zebra, went missing while his unit was attempting to infiltrate enemy lines near Chaun-ni, South Korea, along the Hongcheon River Valley.

After the 1953 armistice, surviving POWs said Lutz had been captured by enemy forces on May 19, marched north to a POW camp in Suan County, North Korea, and died of malnutrition in July 1951.

Between 1991-94, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 servicemen. North Korean documents turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains inside were exhumed near Suan County. This location correlates with the corporal’s last known location.

Analysts from DPMO developed case leads with information spanning more than 58 years. Through interviews with surviving POW eyewitnesses, experts validated circumstances surrounding the soldier’s captivity and death, confirming wartime documentation of his loss.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of his niece—in the identification of the remains.
More than 2,000 servicemen died as prisoners of war during the Korean War. With this accounting, 8,001 service members still remain missing from the conflict. For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703- 699-1169.
~~~
Airman Missing in Action from WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Martin P. Murray, 21, of Lowell, Mass., will be buried on April 16 in Marshfield, Mass. Murray, along with 11 other crew members, took off on Oct. 27, 1943, in their B-24D Liberator from an airfield near Port Moresby, New Guinea. Allied plans were being formulated to mount an attack on the Japanese redoubt at Rabaul, New Britain. The crew’s assigned area of reconnaissance was the nearby shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. But during their mission, they were radioed to land at a friendly air strip nearby due to poor weather conditions. The last radio transmission from the crew did not indicate their location. Multiple search missions in the following weeks did not locate the aircraft.

Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service conducted searches for 43 missing airmen, including Murray, in the area but concluded in June 1949 that all were unrecoverable.

In August 2003, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received information on a crash site from a citizen in Papua New Guinea while it was investigating another case. The citizen also turned over an identification card from one of the crew members and reported that there were possible human remains at the site of the crash. Twice in 2004 other JPAC teams attempted to visit the site but were unable to do so due to poor weather and hazardous conditions at the helicopter landing site. Another team was able to successfully excavate the site from January to March 2007 where they found several identification tags from the B-24D crew as well as human remains.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA in the identification of Murray’s remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 74,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict. For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.
~~~
Missing WWII Airman Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S. Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. James G. Maynard, of Ellenwood, Ga., will be buried on April 22 at Arlington National Cemetery. On March 12, 1945, Maynard and five crew members aboard a C-47A Skytrain departed Tanauan Airfield on Leyte, Philippines, on a resupply mission to guerilla troops. Once cleared for takeoff, there was no further communication between the aircrew and airfield operators. When the aircraft failed to return, a thorough search of an area ten miles on either side of the intended route was initiated. No evidence of the aircraft was found and the six men were presumed killed in action. Their remains were determined to be non-recoverable in 1949.

In 1989, a Philippine National Police officer contacted U.S. officials regarding a possible World War II-era aircraft crash near Leyte. Human remains, aircraft parts and artifacts were turned over to the local police, then to U.S. officials at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC).

From 1989 to 2009, JPAC sought permission to send teams to the crash site but unrest in the Burauen region precluded on-scene investigations or recovery operations. Meanwhile, JPAC scientists continued the forensic process, analyzing the remains and physical evidence already in hand.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of Maynard’s cousin—in the identification of his remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 72,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~~~
Missing WWII Airman Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S. Army Air Forces Pfc. Mervyn E. Sims, 23, of Petaluma, Calif., will be buried Friday in his hometown. On April 24, 1943, Sims and four crew members aboard a C-87 Liberator Express departed from Yangkai, China, in support of “the Hump” resupply mission between India and China. Prior to takeoff, a ground crew determined the aircraft had sufficient fuel for the six-hour flight to the air base on other side of the Himalayas in Chabua, India. Once cleared for takeoff, there was no further communication between the aircrew and airfield operators. Army officials launched a search effort when the plane did not arrive at the destination. No evidence of the aircraft was found and the five men were presumed killed in action.

In 2003, an American citizen in Burma reported to U.S. officials at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) that he had found aircraft wreckage he believed to be an American C-87 in the mountains 112 miles east of Chabua. He was detained by Burmese officials when he attempted to leave the country with human remains and artifacts from the site. The remains and materials were handed over to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon. Attempts to excavate the site are being negotiated with the Indian government.

Meanwhile, JPAC scientists continued the forensic process, analyzing the remains and physical evidence already in hand.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of Sims’ sister, in the identification of his remains.

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 72,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.
~~~
Soldier Missing in Action from WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Pfc. Robert B. Bayne, of Dundalk, Md., will be buried on May 7 in his hometown. On March 28, 1945, while patrolling the Rhine River in an inflatable raft, Bayne, a lieutenant and two other enlisted men were attacked near Schwegenheim, Germany. Bayne and the officer were wounded, forcing all four men into the swift waters of the river. The lieutenant was rescued but the enlisted men were not found.

Between 1945 and 1946, Army Graves Registration personnel exhumed remains of three men from two different locations when German citizens reported the graves contained remains of American soldiers recovered from the river in March 1945. Among items found with the remains were military identification tags. Two of the men were identified as enlisted men from the raft -- Pvt. Edward Kulback and Pfc. William Gaffney -- but due to limited forensic science of the time, the remains of the other individual could not be identified and were interred at the U.S. Military Cemetery in St. Avold, France as “unknown.”

In 1948, the remains of the unknown soldier were exhumed to compare them to available records for Bayne. After several years of analysis the remains could not be identified and were reinterred as unknown at the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial in Draguignan, France, in 1951.

More than 60 years later, analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) developed case leads, evaluated records and determined that modern forensic technology could offer methods to identify the remains. In 2010, the remains were exhumed once again for analysis.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of Bayne’s brothers -- in the identification of his remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 74,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~~~
U.S. Soldier MIA from Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. Primo C. Carnabuci of Old Saybrook, Conn., will be buried May 12 in his hometown. On Nov. 1, 1950, Carnabuci’s unit, the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, occupied a defensive position along the Kuryong River, near Unsan, North Korea. Chinese units attacked the area and forced a withdrawal. Almost 600 men, including Carnabuci, were reported missing or killed in action following the battle.

In 2000, a joint U.S-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), excavated a mass grave discovered earlier in Unsan County, south of the area known as “Camel’s Head.” The team recovered remains of at least five individuals as well as military clothing.

Analysts from DPMO and JPAC developed case leads with information spanning more than 58 years. They evaluated the circumstances surrounding the soldier’s death and researched wartime documentation on the movements of U.S. and enemy forces on the battlefield.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of Carnabuci’s brother -- in the identification.
With this identification, 7,997 service members still remain missing from the conflict.
~~~
Missing Vietnam War Airman Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Capt. Darrell J. Spinler of Browns Valley, Minn., will be buried on June 18 near his hometown. On June 21, 1967, Spinler was aboard an A-1E Skyraider aircraft attacking enemy targets along the Xekong River in Laos when villagers reported hearing an explosion before his aircraft crashed. The pilot of another A-1E remained in the area for more than two hours but saw no sign of Spinler.

In 1993, a joint U.S.-Laos People’s Democratic Republic team, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed villagers who witnessed the crash. They claimed Spinler’s body was on the river bank after the crash but likely washed away during the ensuing rainy season. The team surveyed the location and found wreckage consistent with Spinler’s aircraft.

In 1995, the U.S. government evaluated Spinler’s case and determined his remains unrecoverable based on witness statements and available evidence. Teams working in the area revisited the location in 1999 and 2003 and confirmed Spinler’s remains had likely been carried away by the Xekong River. However, in 2010, JPAC conducted a full excavation of the location and recovered aircraft wreckage, human remains, crew-related equipment and personal effects.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental x-rays in the identification of Spinler’s remains.

With the accounting of this airman, 1,689 service members still remain missing from the conflict.
~~~
Soldier Missing from Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. A.V. Scott, 27, of Detroit, Mich., will be buried June 22 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. On Feb. 12, 1951, Scott’s unit, the 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, was supplying friendly forces approximately 70 miles east of Seoul, South Korea, when Chinese Communist units attacked the area and forced a withdrawal. Scott was captured by enemy forces and marched north to a prisoner-of-war camp in Suan County, North Korea. Surviving POWs within the camp reported Scott died in April 1951.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200 to 400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains were exhumed near Suan County, which correlates with Scott’s last known location.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental comparisons, and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of Scott’s cousins, in the identification.

More than 2,000 servicemen died as prisoners of war during the Korean War. With this identification, 7,993 service members remain missing from the conflict.
~~~
Airman Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force 1st Lt. David A. Thorpe of Seneca Falls, N.Y., will be buried June 23 at Arlington National Cemetery. On Oct. 3, 1966, Thorpe’s C-130E, with four other men aboard, failed to arrive at Nha Trang Air Base following their departure from Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam. Rescue personnel found their remains at the crash site in South Vietnam eight days later approximately 40 miles west of Nha Trang. The cause of the crash is not known.

Between 1984 and 1996, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received human remains tentatively linked to Thorpe and the other crew members from various sources including refugees from the Vietnam War and Vietnamese citizens. Lacking advanced scientific tools and complete records during this time period, JPAC was unable to make an individual identification of Thorpe’s remains, so he was buried as part of a group at Arlington. Other remains associated with the entire group were held at JPAC’s laboratory for future testing.

As DNA testing procedures improved in the late 1990s, JPAC’s forensic anthropologists applied the latest technologies from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory to include mitochondrial testing, a sample of which matched the DNA from Thorpe’s sister. His dental records also helped confirm the identification.

With the accounting of this airman, 1,687 service members still remain missing from the Vietnam War.
~~~
Airman Missing in Action From WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Staff Sgt. Marvin J. Steinford, of Keystone, Iowa, will be buried on June 21 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. On March 24, 1945, Steinford, along with nine other crew members, bailed out of their B-17G Flying Fortress bomber over Gic, Hungary. It had been hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire while on a bombing mission over Germany. Steinford and another crew member were struck by small arms fire while parachuting into a firefight between Soviet and German forces. The remains of the other crew member were found after the war where they had been buried by Hungarian villagers. The remaining eight members of the aircrew were captured by the Germans, held as POWs, and released at the end of the war.

According to accounts gathered by U.S. Army Graves Registration Service personnel in the late 1940s, Steinford’s body was seen beside a German tank near Gic, but no further details about his exact whereabouts were recorded. Growing tensions in Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe closed off further U.S. access to Hungary.

In January 2003, in an effort to develop archival leads in Hungary from the Vietnam War, Korean and Cold Wars and World War II, a U.S. commissioner with the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs met with Hungarian officials in Budapest. Additional follow-up in Hungary by a DPMO researcher began to uncover specific information related to Steinford’s loss. A second DPMO staff member, assisted by Hungarian academics and researchers, discovered archives and interviewed villagers who related first-hand information about the B-17G crash. Shortly thereafter the U.S. Embassy in Budapest notified DPMO that a local cemetery director had information directly related to Steinford.

He related that during a 2004 excavation and transfer of Soviet soldiers’ remains at a war memorial and grave site in the city of Zirc, Hungarian workers discovered remains with a set of identification tags that bore Steinford’s name. The dog tags were removed and all remains were transferred to another site on the outskirts of Zirc. What was believed to be Steinford’s remains were marked with the Hungarian word “Cedulas,” [translation: the one with the tags] and reburied. The dog tags were returned to U.S. officials in March 2005.

From 2005 through late 2007, DPMO facilitated negotiations between U.S., Hungarian and Russian officials. Finally, in December 2007, the U.S. chairman of the commission secured agreement with the Russian first deputy minister of defense to allow a July 2009 exhumation from the war memorial site by specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons in the identification of Steinford’s remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~~~
Airmen Missing In Action from WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five Army Air Forces servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Capt. Leonard E. Orcutt, Alameda, Calif., was buried on May 5 in Oakland, Calif; Tech. Sgt. Louis H. Miller, Philadelphia, was buried on June 17 in Arlington National Cemetery; Staff Sgt. George L. Winkler, Huntington, W.Va., was buried May 5 in Arlington National Cemetery; 2nd Lt. Harry L. Bedard, Minneapolis, will be buried on June 25 in Dayton, Minn.; and 2nd Lt. Robert S. Emerson, Norway, Maine, will be buried July 9 in his hometown.

On April 3, 1945, Orcutt and his crew took off in their B-25J Mitchell bomber from Palawan Field, Philippines. The pilot of another aircraft in the flight reported seeing Orcutt’s plane stall out and crash about one mile northeast of the village of Consolacion in a swampy area. There were no survivors.

In early 1947, personnel from the Army’s Graves Registration Service recovered additional remains from the crash site and buried them as unknowns in Leyte, Philippines. Later that year, they were exhumed and transferred to Manila for possible identification. In 1949, a military review board declared these unknown group remains to be those of the aircrew and re-buried them at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo.

Two years later, the Graves Registration Service returned to the crash site and recovered additional remains. The case was reanalyzed and a recommendation was made that the group remains at Jefferson Barracks be disinterred for individual identification. All remains from the crash site were examined with no resulting identification. They were reburied at the same location. A sister of one of the airmen contacted the Army in 2001 upon learning of the recovery of additional remains in the 1950s. The Army then disinterred the group remains at Jefferson Barracks in 2008 which were taken to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) in Hawaii for identification.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of relatives of the aircrew -- in the identification of these airmen.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
~
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1420 or visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.
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"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." __ Franklin D. Roosevelt
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. _ _ George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" _ _ Queen E. Watson
“A political class of Republicans and Democrats that look after themselves, not the Nation. A media hostile to the very precepts of this nation. A generation of Americans who see morals as vices, and are ignorant of America's Actual History.”
"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." - - Theodore Roosevelt
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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?
E_mail addresses for communicating with the newspaper’s various departments are:
editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events.
advertising@bannernews. net For retail and classified advertising.
circulation@bannernews. net To start, stop or cancel newspaper delivery or for comments about delivery.
outfitters @bannernews.net For Office Outfitters, the office supply division of the Banner_News.
[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 "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, 07, 08 or 09). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at kc5hii@suddenlink.net and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2011 before it was sent.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

Bug's Bleat - - Spinward Fringe - - Photos

2011-05-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

An oil well drilled by my dad about 60 years ago.

UP "Highballing" Through South Arkansas.

"Bug"

Annette exercising after surgery.

Bug's Bleat - - Spinward Fringe

2011-05-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ethan and Josiah at McNeil "Train Days"

Dusty helping get our rolling stock on the track.

Ethan and Josiah enjoying the trains.

Ethan helping me run trains.

Bug's Bleat - - Spinward Fringe

2011-05-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

Volume 13, Issue 18 Friday, May 06, 2011

Hello All,

On the day we celebrate our Savior's Resurrection, I also celebrate the life of one of his servants, Larry Norman, who now resides with Christ. Ben Eiler loaned me some Larry Norman 8-track tapes when I first got saved in 1974. Those songs rode with me as I drove a company truck around the county each day. And those songs helped me know Jesus better.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUq5jp-R3mQ&feature=related]
~~~~~
Annette has C-Spine surgery April 18. Doc said there was more damage than expected. But he cleaned it up and put her back together. Should be MUCH LESS PAIN when healed. It’s been a rough time but she’s still got a positive attitude. She’s kept me busy checking on people for her while she’s not able to do so herself.
The doctor’s next plan is to work on her back. But first she has to heal from this surgery and her Cardiologist says he wants to run a couple of more tests before having his final consult with her. She’s not happy about this. It’s been a busy month, health wise.
~~~~~
Tuscaloosa Tornado: Videos, Photos - - [http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-28/tuscaloosa-tornado-video-photos/?om_rid=NsfhVb&om_mid=_BNubp$B8aq$wtY]
~~~~~
We've got weather disaster and a Royal Wedding on our minds but this young man has fallen soldiers and their families on his. Thank you Ricky Gilleland.
Teen makes digital record of Arlington graves - www.ivpressonline.com
Rosemary Brown is standing over the grave of her son at Arlington National Cemetery when someone catches her eye. It's a boy in khaki shorts and muddy shoes, juggling a clunky camera and the Motorola Xoom he got for his 17th birthday five days earlier. [http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/la-na-arlington-graves-20110427,0,152927.story]
~
This is a prime example of why I believe we need to "Push" as much as possible for local solutions (and financing) of our problems. Here's an 11th grader who has solved the problem of record-keeping at Arlington National Cemetery while our elected officials and the Cemetery staff continue to "investigate" what to do.
~~~~~
Happy Earth Day! Did you know that passenger rail travel is 20% more efficient than airline travel and 30% more efficient than automobile travel? Learn more about how trains help the environment http://bit.ly/b9Bar3
[http://www.nationaltrainday.com/articles/moving-green/]
~
"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 "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Defenders of Liberty - - 2011 Air Show - - Barksdale Air Force Base
Date: May 7 and 8, 2011 • Gates Open: 9am • Show Time: 10am
Free Admission • Free Parking
~~~~~
One man who hated us is dead. There may be some positive results of this, such as more radicals quitting the fight against us or even joining us to keep from being targeted by predators, etc.

However, there are still schools churning out thousands who believe the lie that we are the infidels and killing us gives them a "free pass." We may very well see an uptick in attempted terror attacks.

This is not a "brush war." This is a fight for our existence. It's not over and we need to be more vigilant and support those who are working and fighting to protect us.

A big way to show our support is to insist that the military services move further into a long term war footing. We must give our troops more time between deployments and take other actions to preserve our fighting forces.
~~~~~
John Harden shared this song which doesn't just "touch" me. It grabs me up, hugs me and whispers . . "I did it for you."
~
And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided his garments and cast lots. [Luke 23:33-34]
One of my absolute favorite hymns out there. Only three short verses, but they really hit home the message of Easter as well as any I've heard. Very much worth three minutes of your time this Good Friday. - - John Harden
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV2zMZ-nZ7k]
~
Here are some more friends “Easter Thoughts.”
~
Donna Hinshaw
Why Jesus died for us?
http://www.klove.com/ministry/why-jesus.aspx
~
Janet Holiman Dickinson
I love Thee, I love Thee, and this Thou dost know. How much I love Thee, my actions will show.
~
Jodi Wreyford McClellan
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
Make the time to listen. It will set the tone of your whole day.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWgJRh4U4w&feature=share]
~
Laura Baker
Friday looked hopeless... but Sunday was on its way!!! Whatever Friday you are facing in your life... know that Sunday is on its way!

Leon N Kathy Cheatham
Praise GOD for the empty tomb, it provided me a way to eternal GLORY with my LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~
Nancee Davis Law
What makes this a Good Friday is that the story doesn’t end here…
~
Nicole Peace Coarsey via Deb Harrison Kuhns
Dance Your Shoes Off
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KX2-J6uS-o]
~
Rebecca Williams
Jesus not only died for us...He rose from the grave to make intercessions for us.....he is no longer bound by the grave ....He took back the keys to death hell and the grave......he allowed the greater one to come....to indue us with power ......in his death he multiplied his life through us.....
~
Royce Prince likes a link.
Glorious Day - an Uplifting, Must-see Video for Good Friday
[http://www.godvine.com/Glorious-Day-an-Uplifting-Christian-Music-Video-382.html]
www.godvine.com
~
Wendell Franks
God, the Creator of the universe, died for mankind. A thousand lifetimes would not be enough to comprehend His love and mercy.
~~~~~
Dustin and I finished wiring the turnouts on the “Cotton Valley” railroad. Annette’s started discussing“scenicking..” In the meantime, we’re enjoying running trains.
~~~~~
Postcards From Stupidsville
By Christel Marchand

I grin when someone asks a question about diabetes. I always attempt to respond gracefully, despite my desire at times to bonk the individual on the forehead as if to say “Duh!” I’ve got the answers (or most of them) from years of sharing the same information over and over. As many of us who have had diabetes and actively seek out education about the disease, I supposedly know a lot about the day-to-day management.

Why can’t I listen to myself?

I had become (and am still, in unguarded moments) complacent. It’s not that I don’t care about my diabetes. I am aware of all the statistics and complications, what happens when things go wrong, how to deal with high and low blood sugars. I have, in the past, been fastidious about keeping on top of the disease. (After years of not keeping on top, I know the difference.)

A few months ago, I began a new job. New city, new transportation options, and well, a whole new life. It used to be that I drove everywhere, worked from home most of the time, and had access to all sorts of supplies.

Now, I take the subway to work, alleviating the rise in blood sugars due to stress that my city’s traffic notoriously causes. I don’t need to leave my building to grab lunch – there is a veritable cornucopia of dining options downstairs. Where does this leave me?

Stupidsville.

I sat in a meeting in the first week of my new employment that (as meetings are wont to do) ran over the time allotted. I knew my blood sugar was dropping, but we were in the middle of a very intense discussion, so I quietly patted my pocket for some readily available Starburst. Umm … not wearing pockets. The train pulled into the Stupidsville station and I struggled with excusing myself or riding it out. (For all of us who have experienced a “riding it out” low blood sugar, you can explain to the others about that feeling of panic. Sheer panic.)

I didn’t move. The meeting continued, and thankfully, we decided to break for lunch. I made it back to my office, where my stash of sugar hides itself in a top drawer and my meter stared accusingly at me on my desk. It beeped “43” and I shoveled sugar into my mouth. I used to tell people about the importance of keeping some type of sugar with you at all times, because “you never know when you might need it”.

Not three weeks later, after checking my blood sugar before I left for work, I skipped the train to Stupidsville and took a jet plane. I had placed a new insertion set in that morning, and it malfunctioned. Big time. I shot up 250 points in less than two hours. Easy fix, right? Put a new insertion set in and take extra insulin to cover the high blood sugar. Yeah, that’s what I tell people to do, along with the need to have an “emergency kit” at work that includes a vial of insulin, syringes, a glucagon kit, pump supplies, and sugar.

I never brought my “emergency kit” to work. At that moment, the airplane door opened, and the flight attendant pushed me out over Stupidsville, smiling sweetly while saying: “Thank you for flying with us. Watch that step. It’s a doozy!”

I was able to hightail it out of Stupidsville, but only because my coworkers know that I am diabetic. (I am always a firm believer that at least one person at your job should know you’re a diabetic, in case something happens.) A frantic phone call, a quick ride on the subway, and less than an hour later, I had a new vial of Humalog and a package of syringes. I was able to bring my blood sugar down through manual injections, but the day left me exhausted and angry at myself.

New job, new city, new life … old routines that I had forgotten – and needed more than ever.

I now make sure that before meetings, I check my blood sugar at my desk. I keep supplies with me at work. I carry supplies with me wherever I go, which amuses people who watch me dig through the depths of my purse for a wayward cracker package. I haven’t visited Stupidsville in a while, but it looms in the distance. I know the main road to get there is named complacency, and it’s not a long road. I’m just trying, as we all are, to avoid speeding in that direction.

Disclaimer
dLife's Daily Living columnists are not all medical experts, but everyday people living with diabetes and sharing their personal experiences. While their method of diabetes management may work for them, everyone is different. Please consult with your diabetes care team to find out what will work best for you.
~~~~~
As I've said over and over, I support reducing funding for ALL the Federal Government until we get "back in the black." However, congress is bent on defunding the “other guy” and maintaining funding for “their” projects. It will never work. This is just more of the same nonsense that will result in our nation’s bankrupcy.
~~~~~
Speaking of vaccinations, Annette’s Aunt Jeanette commented; “I don't know if you knew that Charles had Post Polio Syndrom. It occurs usually around your 40es if you have ever had polio and he had polio when he was 4 yrs old before the vaccine. He was quarantined in Children’s Hospital and away from his parents. Imagine, leaving you Child alone in a hospital at 4yrs old. I don't think I could do it. He was in a body cast and could hardly move. This caused the Post Polio Syndrom and it caused him to lose the use of his left arm when he was in his 40es. He worked and was a good provider anyway. There’s a Dr. Garrison retired now here in Texarkana that had Polio. He told Felecia a few years ago that he had Post Polio Syndrom too and he had to retire. My Mother had smallpox when she was little. All my brothers and sisters and myself from me on up had whooping cough when we were little. The older ones had it when I was born and then I caught it. Just a little ancestor vaccine history.
~~~~~
All aboard for the fourth annual National Train Day!

Amtrak is calling all kids, young and old, to join the coast-to-coast celebration of train love! The fourth annual National Train Day arrives on Saturday, May 7, so make your plans today to attend one of the major events at train stations in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Los Angeles or Chicago from 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Festivities will feature:

live entertainment
interactive and educational exhibits
model train displays
train equipment tours
culinary demonstrations by Amtrak and celebrity chefs
K-9 demonstrations
Radio Disney
AmtraKids Depot birthday party to celebrate Amtrak's 40th Anniversary

Not near one of these cities? National Train Day celebrations are happening around the country. Visit NationalTrainDay.com for even more locations.

Find National Train Day on Face book [https://www.facebook.com/NationalTrainDay?WT.mc_t=NTD_GENERIC_EMTR&WT.mc_n=NtdFacebookPage&WT.mc_r=365&audienceId=4015085&tiid=22068&rtTracking=1] and Twitter.
~~~~~
Even if the wealthy didn't pay more than their share of our taxes, it ain't right to MAKE a minority of the folks support the majority. The income tax was "sold" to the American people as a way to "get" the wealthy. All it's done is "get" folks who work. Beware, you'll hear more about how "we" need to make "them" pay more. And in the end, "we" will turn out to be "them." [http://reason.com/archives/2011/04/22/the-truth-about-taxes-and-redi]
~
I'm not against taxes. I'm against folks deciding that I should pay more than them just because I worked harder. Remember "The Little Red Hen?" There are federal, state and local expenditures that I heartily support. However, we all need to feel the same pain instead of trying to get "someone else" to feel ours for us. As long as the budget issue is couched in "who can pay more terms" instead of "how can we spend less" there are going to be "victims" instead of citizens.
~
What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin. - - Mark Twain - - via Michael E. Dunn
~
Janet Holiman Dickinson - - "Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are a gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever." Thomas Jefferson
~~~~~
We have a main intersection in Magnolia which floods anytime there is a large rain. If it's a significant rain, the businesses located at the intersection also flood. This has been going on for YEARS. The city has contended that there is nothing they can do. BALDERDASH! It will be expensive, but they could enlarge the drainage at that intersection and route it to the creek located 50 yards downstream.
~~~~~
Healthy Swaps

The ultimate guide to having your cake and eating it too.

Intro_Page_Eating_Cake With the right ingredient swapping, you can indulge in most of your favorite foods without suffering the consequences. Below, click on one of dLife's Healthy Swaps for user-friendly tips and tricks to transform high-carb indulgences into healthy dishes that won’t send your sugar soaring. Sometimes you can switch out an ingredient and not even notice the difference. Other times, simply adding an extra healthy food to your dish is a great way to increase the nutrition quotient without giving up all that is yummy. Are you a Healthy Swapping expert? Post your ideas in the Food Talk forum, and we will select the best ones to include in these pages.

[http://www.dlife.com/diabetes-food-and-fitness/what_do_i_eat/meal_planning/healthy_swaps?utm_source=Foodstuff-20110426&utm_medium=eNewsletter&utm_content=Foodstuff-newsletter&utm_campaign=dLife-eNewsletter]
~~~~~
Nancee Davis Law - - Faith can make a tadpole slap a whale

Norma Kay Rowe - - Life is about learning what is worth fighting for, and realizing when strength is more than muscle.

Suzi Bennett Ingram - - "I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with pleasure." Mark Twain

Dee Dee Fitzhugh Snyder - - Couldn't help but post this statement: Only one man's death changed the world, and we celebrated that last week. AMEN!

Leon N Kathy Cheatham - - You hear Osama is dead with no proof of a body and you celebrate/ You hear Christ died and rose again with no proof of a body and you speculate"

Pamela Prince
Benji: "Why do we hold hands when we pray over our food?"
Me: "It's just a sign of unity in our family."
Benji: "Oh, I thought it was to keep someone from stealing our food while our eyes are closed!"
~~~~~
DarynKagan.com
~~~~~
http://rationalpolitics.net/forum/index.php
~~~~~
http://kitlange.com
~~~~~
soldiersangelsforum.com
~~~~~
America is not at war. The military is at war. - - America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars. [http://icasualties.org/]
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

President Obama has decided to withhold photos of the body of Osama bin Laden. This must have been a big decision for a President who campaigned on government transparency, and the idea that Americans should not be shielded from the horrors of war. Please see the new INFOSEC guidelines issued by the White House, effective Monday, 09 May 2011.

Please click: PARODY [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/from-the-white-house-new-infosec-guidelines.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.
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com
http://www.shelfari.com/bugsbleat/shelf
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this weeks “Bleat” include - - Bug, Annette exercising after surgery, Trees, One of the oil wells my dad drilled around 1950, & a Union Pacific Engine “Highballing.”
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
BreakPoint - - Big Brother Uses an iPhone
Technology and Human Dignity
By: Chuck Colson|Published: May 6, 2011
Topics: Business & Economics, Politics & Government, Technology

Big Brother is watching. More than that, he’s tracking your every move.

Chuck Colson

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I’ve got to tell you, the recent news reports that Apple’s iPhone and iPad can track your location moment by moment reminded me of George Orwell’s 1984. Media outlets were all -- excuse the pun -- a’twitter about how iPhones store users’ unencrypted information for a year.

Fortunately for Apple, it was able to credibly deny the reports. A data file publicized by security researchers, it turns out, doesn't store actual locations. But what it does is keep a list of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers, which means, potentially, Apple can track the location of the iPhone I’m carrying in my pocket. For me, that’s too close for comfort. Apple promises it will fix the problem to ensure our privacy is protected.

Well, do you trust Apple to act in an unbiased way in the public interest? Remember, Apple banned the Manhattan Declaration app from its app store because gay-rights groups were angry about the Declaration’s support of marriage as being between a man and a woman. Apple squelched one side of a raging public debate. But Apple, as a public corporation and major carrier of information has a responsibility to encourage open debate. That’s vital to democracy.

But even if Apple hadn’t dropped our app, I’d still find this brouhaha about the iPhone troubling. Apple says nothing untoward is happening, and perhaps this time it isn’t, but how can we be sure that they won’t change their mind? Remember in 1984 where those reverse televisions kept a merciless eye on the people?

Today’s technology goes far beyond that. Facebook, for example, will reportedly be using facial recognition to suggest the names of friends who appear in newly uploaded photos. One commenter responded to this news by saying, “Awesome! Now I can take pictures of cute girls at the grocery store or at the park, upload them and Facebook will tell me who they are!”

From all that we’ve seen with computers, cell phones, and the Web, I think it’s safe to assume our private information won’t remain private. And do we really want to entrust our personal security to a faceless corporate or government bureaucracy? And gamble that Big Brother won’t get his unsavory paws on our private data?

To paraphrase President Ford, a company or government big enough to give you everything you want is a company or government big enough to take from you everything you have. Through the technological advances of Apple, Facebook, and other corporations, we now have the technology we want. But they have enormous access into our lives, and they must be held accountable.

Beyond the obvious concerns about maintaining our privacy, we need to ask some deeper questions: What do all these digital intrusions tell us about human beings? We’re not here to simply serve the marketing or financial needs of Big Brother. We’re made in the image of God. We have intrinsic dignity. I’m not the first to worry about the dehumanizing tendencies of technology.

We Christians, along with everyone else in our complex technological society, face difficult choices when it comes to using, benefiting from, and sometimes protecting ourselves from our electronic creations. The digital age has much that is praiseworthy -- and much that is perilous. A crucial part of Christian discipleship in the 21st century is learning to tell the difference.

Further Reading and Information

Facebook Facial Recognition Could Get Creepy
Megan Geuss | PC World | April 26, 2011

Apple: iPhone not Tracking Users, Will Get Update
Peter Svensson | Associated Press | April 27, 2011

Manhattan Declaration
Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty | ManhattanDeclaration.org

http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/17023?tmpl=component&print=1
~~~~~
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 Michael A. Ross (D _ 04)
Phone 202_225_3772
FAX 202_225_1314
http://ross.house.gov/
Other states congresspersons can be found at: [http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/]
~~~~~
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." - Ernest Hemingway

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly." - Siddhartha Gautama

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein

"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage." - Maya Angelou

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Column - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/

Dear Emily Dickinson, Please Forgive Me
April 6th, 2011

As part of its National Poetry Month and Poem In Your Pocket Day “Envelope Project” celebrations, New York City is running an Emily Dickinson related poetry contest. Basically, it involves writing your own poems using Dickinson first lines.

Although I didn’t enter the contest (I wasn’t thrilled with its reprint permission form) I chose four Emily Dickinson first lines and wrote four short, whimsical, New York City-inspired poems. Here they are, with Dickinson’s words noted in italics:

I shall keep singing though I’m bad,
and those who hear me shout, “Egad!”
You’ll never see me on Broadway,
unless you mean my street display.

*****

The Cricket sang.
My sleep is done.
I’d sooner hear an engine run.

*****

I started Early–Took my Dog –
unleashed — don’t fret —
Just franks and grog.

*****

A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!
I wish sometimes they’d go away.
I much prefer the dark of night
So daylight please, go fly a kite.

© Madeleine Begun Kane. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.madkane.com/

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Weekly Toll _ _ http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com/
Death In The Workplace w/News & Updates
John Donne _ ...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com
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The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.
http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/
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[http://internettourbus.com/]
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Movie Reviews - - [http://www.pluggedin.com/]
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"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." __ Franklin D. Roosevelt
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. _ _ George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" _ _ Queen E. Watson
“A political class of Republicans and Democrats that look after themselves, not the Nation. A media hostile to the very precepts of this nation. A generation of Americans who see morals as vices, and are ignorant of America's Actual History.”
"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." - - Theodore Roosevelt
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Scheduled Activities
Men's Prayer Breakfast held every Tuesday morning at 6 AM in Miller's Cafeteria. If you aren't a regular participant at the Men's Prayer Breakfast, you're missing some great food, fellowship and inspired teaching of the Word. Hope to see you there.
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Emergency Phone Number 911
(Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sheriff, etc. )
Central Dispatch 234_5655
(Non _ Emergency Number)
Direct Numbers
Ambulance _ 234_7371 (24 Hour)
Jail _ 234_5331 (24 Hour)
Poison Control _ 800_222_1222 (24 Hour)
http://www. aapcc. org/
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Interested in getting in touch with the Banner_News through e_mail?
E_mail addresses for communicating with the newspaper’s various departments are:
editor@bannernews.net For the editor, news@bannernews.net For news and sports items, Coming Events, Diary, Church News, school and civic events.
advertising@bannernews. net For retail and classified advertising.
circulation@bannernews. net To start, stop or cancel newspaper delivery or for comments about delivery.
outfitters @bannernews.net For Office Outfitters, the office supply division of the Banner_News.
[http://www.bannernews.net/]
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"Laugh whenever you can and cry if you need to." __ "Bug"
"I read the end of the book. We win!" __ "Bug"
"We may not be able to cure the world, but we don't have to make it sicker." __ "Bug"
"There just ain't enough fingers for all the holes in the dike." _ _ "Bug"
"It's no big deal doing what God tells you to do. A big deal would be NOT doing what God tells you to do. Just ask Jonah." _ _ Paul Troquille
“Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.” Knowledge is power. _ Francis Bacon
"The problem is here and now. The time for talk is past. The time for action is now."
Comments on the first Earth Day _ James F. McClellan via John "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" __"Bug"
God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
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 "Blog" version just go to one of the several addresses on the web. For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Older issues can be found at http://www.bugsbleat_q__.blogspot.com, where _ is the quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) and __ is the year (05, 06, 07, 08 or 09). We also have a site [http://bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com/] where we post photos that I like.
Let us hear from you if we can switch you over to the "Word" or "PDF" version of "Da Bleat".
If you'd prefer to read "Da Blog" version, just drop us a note at kc5hii@suddenlink.net and we'll switch you from e:mail delivery to "Da Bleat" Blog. We appreciate your encouragement. We also appreciate your communication when you desire to be taken off our mail list. If you are on this mail list by mistake or do not wish to receive "Da Bleat," please reply back and tell us to discontinue service to you. This email was scanned by Norton AntiVirus 2011 before it was sent.
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Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Just Hanging Out

2011-03-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

The "Wife of my Youth"

Master's Hands at work.

Dusty storing his "cover" when wearing his new uniform.

Da Malone boys

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Just Hanging Out

2011-03-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Our Amtrak and freight cars.

We built david a table so he can get his trains out of storage.

I think this church is in El Dorado

Josiah working on his Pinewood Derby Car