Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Late for Work

Volume 10, Issue 46 Friday, November 14, 2008

Hello All,

Did you ever hear about the studies they did on cocaine addiction? In those studies, they gave rats cocaine and, once they were addicted, they put them in cages with two levers. One lever would give the rat food. The other lever would give the rat cocaine. Then the scientists sat back to see what would happen.
Predictably, the rats ignored the food lever and kept pulling the cocaine lever until they either died of an overdose or, if the drug was restricted to prevent overdose, the rat starved to death, vainly continuing to pull on the drug lever.
This sort of reminds me of how our political system works. The voters seem to continue pulling the lever for self gratification and ignoring the lever that will actually result in sustenance. And our elected representatives know that the voters won’t pull the lever to reelect them unless they pour down the easy, tasty things that the voters demand. So there is no incentive to make hard choices that would ultimately result in survival of our society.
~~~~~
Of course, there are some who “go against the flow” and don’t fit into the above example. Such as our soldiers, who have served us before as well as those serving now, have shown themselves more than able to make the hard decisions necessary for survival of them, their buddies and our country.
~~~~~
Last week’s commentary, “It’s an election, not the end of the world” was published as a letter to the editor in Friday’s Banner News. I’ve had some appreciated comments on the commentary in “Da Bleat” as well as the letter in the news paper. In fact, I’ve had so much feedback that I’m sort of wondering when the negative responses will start.
~~~~~
Vanessa and I took Josiah and Ethan to the LSU “Pine Country” Fire School last Saturday. They were having Emergency Equipment demonstrations and otherwise showing folks the fire school.
[http://www.lsu.com/UNV002.nsf/(NoteID)/E89B15698BE7E208862572A6007349C7?OpenDocument] The boys enjoyed the “jumping booth” and chili dogs. I enjoyed networking with other emergency responders.
It was a great, crisp fall afternoon that we enjoyed more by driving on over to Gibsland, LA on US 80. Once there, we stopped by the L&NW rail yard to give the boys a chance to climb on railroad engines. As I was photographing the boys on one of the engines, Vanessa noticed a “No Trespassing” sign. She asked, “Dad, should we be here?” I replied that “technically” we were trespassing but how else were we going to give the boys a chance to climb on a working train engine.
Vanessa wasn’t real satisfied with my answer so it was fortunate that I’d gotten the photos as we left shortly thereafter.
~~~~~
A house fire at the intersection of Bessie and Dudney streets Tuesday morning claimed the life of a four year old boy. According to Capt. Robert Nash of the Magnolia Fire Department, the fire was reported at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and was the result of three brothers playing with the stove.
This home is just up the street from our house. This loss of life saddened us all and led to another round of fire safety discussions with the kids.
Please, check your smoke detectors and teach your kids to get out of the house in case of fire.
~~~~~
Annette has started getting sponsors for “Prison Angel Tree” kids. This program, started by Chuck Colson, seeks to provide Christmas for children who have one or more parents in prison. This is a worldwide ministry that also affects 62 kids in Columbia County. Annette has been assigned 15 of these boys and girls and is working to find sponsors who will contribute about $50 per child to ensure they have a great Christmas.
She has a group of Christians who volunteer to help, including both couples and single individuals. As of today, she’s got all but three sponsored.
~
Ministries like this represent the core of the Gospel to me. How shall we face our Lord if we haven’t provided for these innocents.
~~~~~
Congratulations to Bill and Jamie Wilkie on the birth of their daughter. Madelyn Brooke was born Wednesday night, November 12th at 10:34 p.m. Madelyn weighed 6 lb 14 oz and is 20-3/4 inches long. Be sure and also congratulate Debbie Wright, as she is the proud grandma of Madelyn.
~~~~~
THE COCHRANE MURAL - - For those not living in Canada, Cochrane is NW of Calgary and east of Banff, in the foothills of the Rockies. This mural was unveiled last week at the Cochrane Ranch House. Each tile is 1 foot square, is its own individual picture and each is by a different artist. All of them together form this huge mural. You can click on each of the tiles to see them in detail.
Check it out, especially, the horse's eye. [http://www.muralmosaic.com/Cochrane.html]
Thanks to David Lamb
~~~~~
The following is an excerpt from an actual job listing on Monster.com. The job is located in Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa. Note the requirement for "fluency in English(written and spoken) is a must"....... I guess if this posting was for Houston or New York, that would be breaking some kind of law, right?
Robert
~
Industrial Ports Engineering Services ( Nigeria) Ltd. is a customer oriented and performance driven Engineering Company known in the Port for their outstanding services in Nigeria. Our services include but are not limited to design, procurement, construction, repair and maintenance of Electricity Generating Equipment, Sub-Stations and Electricity distribution up to 11 kV, Compressors, Pumps, Construction of any kind of steel structure, Cranes - Diesel/Electric and Diesel/Hydraulic, any kind of handling equipment, and supply of API line pipes, API Valves. Our qualified local personnel is supported by experienced resident engineers with state of the art tools and machinery for effective services.

Would you like to be part of our international team and provide outstanding service to our customers? Then you should join us on site as soon as possible as Ship-to-Shore Crane Engineer or Service Technician (m/f) with focus on electronics/electrics
* Provide A to Z of technical services for ship-to-shore and Liebherr/mobile cranes for high performance container handling
* Manage your team of trained service personnel (3) directly under your responsibility - fluency in English (written and spoken) is a must
* Ability to work at heights – crane operator height is up to 50 m
* Challenging 2 year term position based in Lagos (Nigeria/West Africa)
~~~~~
Meanwhile, on the other business front;
“Dow Chemical reportedly may take "radical actions" to meet 2009 earnings goals”
Dow Chemical reportedly plans to take "radical actions" such as closing factories and other measures to reach its earnings goals for 2009. CEO Andrew Liveris was quoted as saying that unless a rebound of growth in China gives the global economy a boost, profit may drop to a cyclical low in 2009 and stay depressed until 2010. Meanwhile, the company on Thursday announced the management team that will be formed after the company closes its acquisition of Rohm and Haas. Reuters [http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE4AD28320081114] (11/14) , Forbes/The Associated Press [http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/11/13/ap5690841.html
~~~~~
My employer is in a better shape to weather the economic storm than many of the other companies on the news. We’ve been running “lean and mean” for some time and have gotten to be experts in doing almost anything with almost nothing.
The economy is still going to challenge us but we didn’t have as far to go as many companies who are presently going through the shock of “fat cutting.”
~~~~~
Annette and Vanessa have been “Personality Analyzing” me for years. We’ll here’s a newer way to figure out why your friends and loved ones act the way they do.
~
SCOTT'S CORNER
Understanding The Big Five [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits] Dr. Scott Geller provides a general framework to understand how personality affects safety performance.

Let's examine attempts to put personality types or dimensions into boxes or categories. Leaders in particular need to resist this temptation, this stereotyping.

Many of you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs classification of people along four bipolar personality dimensions: extroversion vs. introversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, and judging vs. perceiving. This is an outdated approach that is not even mentioned in most contemporary psychology texts. Instead, every research-based textbook covering personality traits, among the more than 20 I consulted, identified the same five primary person factors described below.

As a leader, you're sure to encounter these five primary types of personalities. Note that the order of the dimensions presented in Table 1 spell the word "OCEAN," making it easy to remember these critical personality characteristics.

Openness to Experience - (sometimes called Intellect or Intellect/Imagination). This dimension includes having wide interests, and being imaginative and insightful. - appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience.
I am full of ideas.
I am quick to understand things.
I have a rich vocabulary.
I have a vivid imagination.
I have excellent ideas.
I spend time reflecting on things.
I use difficult words.

Conscientiousness - People high in Conscientiousness tend to be organized, thorough, and planful. - a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous
behavior.
I am always prepared.
I am exacting in my work.
I follow a schedule.
I get chores done right away.
I like order.
I pay attention to details.

Extroversion - (sometimes called Surgency). The broad dimension of Extraversion encompasses such more specific traits as Sociable, assertive, talkative, excitement seeking, impulsiveness, and positive emotions. - energy, and the tendency to seek stimulation and the company of others.
I am the life of the party.
I don't mind being the center of attention.
I feel comfortable around people.
I start conversations.
I talk to a lot of different people at parties.

Agreeableness - This dimension includes traits like sympathetic, kind, and affectionate. sympathetic, kind, and affectionate, Soft-hearted, trusting, good-natured - a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others.
I am interested in people.
I feel others’ emotions.
I have a soft heart.
I make people feel at ease.
I sympathize with others’ feelings.
I take time out for others.

Neuroticism - (sometimes reversed and called Emotional Stability). Neuroticism is characterized by traits like tense, moody, and anxious. - a tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability; sometimes called emotional instability.
I am easily disturbed.
I change my mood a lot.
I get irritated easily.
I get stressed out easily.
I get upset easily.
I have frequent mood swings.
I often feel blue.
I worry about things.

These dimensions remain relatively stable over an individual's lifetime and carry across cultural lines, according to substantial research in the 1990s. Plus, the Big Five personality traits have been found to be 40 percent to 60 percent inheritable.

How do the "Big Five" affect safety performance? We don't really know the answer to that - yet. Research to date has not studied specific connections between Big Five traits and tendency to be injury prone or injury prevention.

Still, certain relations between these personality traits and safety-related behaviors seem reasonable and worth the serious consideration of leaders:

For example, a case can be made for a positive correlation between anxiety and proactive injury prevention and the definition of anxiety I used is similar to the neuroticism dimension.

Plus, it is likely individuals scoring high on conscientiousness are more apt to partake in injury-prevention processes.

I also predict those scoring relatively high on openness to experience will be more likely to accept and participate in an innovative approach to preventing injuries.

And common sense suggests injury-prevention procedures requiring interpersonal conversation (such as behavioral observation and feedback) will be more accepted by those who score high on extroversion and agreeableness.

It's also likely the "agreeable extroverts" will be more successful at implementing an interpersonal coaching process, a crucial component of leading People-Based Safety.

These hypotheses reflect only a few of the possible ways the Big Five could influence workplace safety. Clearly, we need systematic research in this area, especially given the pervasive behavioral influence of these five genetically determined dimensions of human personality. As I mentioned at the outset, we have much to learn about personality that could benefit our safety initiatives in the workplace.

Taken from Leading People-Based Safety: Enriching Your Culture.
~~~~~
Our friend Steve Quinn was cut as SAU’s football coach this week. Steve’s a great Christian who had a good win loss record up till the last three years. We feel he’ll have a great job coming in the near future.
~~~~~
Don’t forget to use GoodSearch [http://www.goodsearch.com/] when you search the Internet!
~~~~~
DarynKagan.com - - November 14, 2008
We're off to a great start with our online social community [http://darynkagan.ning.com/]. Please stop by and check it out. It's a place where you can post your own blog, photo, videos. You can also discuss any story that inspires your heart. And starting today, I'll be giving away some fun gifts to some of the folks who sign up. How about an autographed copy of my book, "What's Possible!" [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Possible-Daryn-Kagan/dp/0696238918/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207918693&sr=8-1] or a DarynKagan.com coffee mug? [http://darynkagan.demo.nimbussoftware.com/shop.html] Sign up and one just might be coming your way.
http://darynkagan.demo.nimbussoftware.com/artists/stories/ar_081114_marchingband.html - - Today's Story: Marching Band Plays Through Amazing Obstacles. The first blind marching band in the nation is taking Columbus, Ohio by storm. And, as Steve Hartman reports, one of their next stops is the Rose Parade.
~~~~~
One of our favorite sites is [http://motoart.com/] where obsolete aircraft are turned into furniture that doubles as art. This is another one of those places that I'd like to go, if I ever had the money. My dream is to have one of their coffee tables made from a C-119 door.
~~~~~
And, since Christmas is coming again, here’s my list:
MOTOART C-119 Coffee Table or MotoArt B-25 Bomber Desk or 727 GalleyBar.
Humvee
or, my dream, a Hasselblad H3D-31 kit (camera body, viewfinder, and 80mm lens) is now offered at a new, lower price of only $15,203.66. (If you can’t afford a new one, a 1972 Hasselblad C-500 is about $500 on EBay.
~~~~~
This is just a few thoughts about a holiday which is special. It's one of those few times when I share something serious instead of humorous. -Thomas S. Ellsworth
----------------------------------------------------------
GCF: Veteran's Day 2008 (Serious, not humor)

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

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

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

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

- Tom Ellsworth
(HM2 USN 1965-69)

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

In 2004 it was the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. That can be found in the GCF Archives at this address:

http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2004.htm

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

http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2005.htm

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

http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2006.htm

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

http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/vets2007.htm
----------------------------------------------------------
The Visit
by Tre' M. Barron

My dad, Angelo, was in the hospital in Tacoma, Washington. A former Marine and veteran of the Korean War, he was having his third knee replacement surgery.

A long and very painful operation was going to be made even worse because dad was going through it alone. There was no one to hold his hand, no familiar soft voices to reassure him. His wife was ill and unable to accompany him or even visit during his weeklong stay. My sisters and brother lived in California, and I lived even farther away, in Indiana. There wasn't even anyone to drive him to the hospital, so he had arrived that morning by cab.

The thought of my dad lying there alone was more than I could stand. But what could I do from here?

I picked up the phone and called information for the Puyallup, Washington Marine Corps Recruiting Station, where I joined the Marines ten years before. I thought that if I could talk to a Marine and explain the situation, maybe one of them would visit my dad.

I called the number. A man answered the phone and in a very confident voice said, "United States Marines, Sergeant Vanes. May I help you"?

Feeling just as certain, I replied, "Sergeant Vanes, you may find this request a little strange, but this is why I am calling." I proceeded to tell him who I was and that my father was also a former Marine and 100 percent disabled from the Korean War. I explained that he was in the hospital, alone, without anyone to visit and asked if Sergeant Vanes would please go and see him.

Without hesitation, he answered, "Absolutely."

Then I asked, "If I send flowers to the recruiting station, would you deliver them to my dad when you go to the hospital?"

"Ma'am, I will be happy to take the flowers to your dad. I'll give you my address. You send them, and I will make sure that he receives them," he replied.

The next morning, I sent the flowers to Sergeant Vane's office just as we had planned. I went to work, and that evening, I returned home and phoned my dad to inquire about his surprise visitor.

If you have ever talked with a small child after that child has just seen Santa Claus, you will understand the glee I heard in my dad's voice. "I was just waking up when I thought I saw two Marines in their dress blue uniforms standing at the foot of my bed," he told me excitedly. "I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. But they were really there!"

I began to laugh, partly at his excitement, but also because he didn't even mention his operation. He felt so honored: Two Marines he had never met took time out to visit an old Marine like him. He told me again and again how sharp they looked and how all the nurses thought he was so important. "But how did you ever get them to do that"? he asked me.

"It was easy. We are all Marines, Dad, past and present; it's the bond."

After hanging up with my dad, I called Sergeant Vanes to thank him for visiting my dad. And to thank him for the extra things he did to make it special: wearing his dress blue uniform, bringing another Marine along. He even took a digital camera with him. He had pictures taken of the two Marines with my dad right beside his bed. That evening, he emailed them to me so I could see for myself that my dad was not alone and that he was going to be okay.

As for the flowers, they hardly mattered, but I was glad for the opportunity to express my feelings. The card read: "Daddy, I didn't want just anyone bringing you flowers ... so I sent the World's Finest. Semper Fi."
----------------------------------------------------------
As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer:

"Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or overseas. Hold them in Your loving hands and protect them as they protect us."

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

Remember, we live in the land of the free because of the brave.
~~~~~
Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - - James Brasher - - Hometown: Albuquerque, NM - - Awarded: Silver Star

Army Sgt. 1st Class James Brasher’s “daring acts of intrepidity and gallantry in the face of a numerically superior and determined force,” have earned him a Silver Star according to the citation that accompanied the medal.

Those courageous acts occurred on Dec. 8, 2007, when Brasher was serving as platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The company had been tasked to participate in Operation Mar Kararadad, during which Brasher repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to keep his soldiers out of danger.

The multinational mission to clear insurgents from the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qal’eh, actually began the night before when the company landed by helicopter just outside of the city. Under cover of darkness the soldiers moved to occupy a hill overlooking the city.

At dawn, Company A started taking small-arms and heavy machine-gun fire from a small town at the base of the hill. Brasher and the 2nd Platoon leader decided the town, which was isolated from the rest of Musa Qal’eh by a dry riverbed and already scheduled to be cleared by the Platoon, should be cleared immediately.

As the soldiers began systematically clearing buildings, a Taliban fighter attempted to the lead squad, which included Brasher. He killed the gunman before he could kill or injure any Paratroopers.

The squad began taking small-arms as it advanced to the next compound. Again, Brasher reacted, throwing fragmentation grenades toward the enemy position, thereby suppressing the attack and preventing the enemy from getting a fix on the soldiers’ position.
When the platoon leader’s element was attacked with machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled-grenades, Brasher joined the group to pinpoint the enemy position, once again exposing himself to enemy fire.

Brasher then led a squad to clear a compound that put him and his soldiers in a better position to return fire. As he was directing the Paratroopers, he spotted a Taliban fighter with a machine gun and opened fire. He then led his squad over a mud wall in pursuit of the fleeing insurgent, killing two more gunmen as the squad rounded the corner. When the squad encountered a larger enemy force more insurgents were killed.

As the Taliban forces consolidated into a highly defensible compound with thick walls, Brasher spotted the enemy positions inside and began engaging them. That’s when one of the insurgent’s bullets tore through his right forearm and bicep, which slowed him down, but didn’t stop him from fighting and giving instructions, according to the citation. In fact, the unit’s medics had to force him to submit to medical care.

“SFC Brasher’s fearless actions and dedication to mission accomplishment enabled Second Platoon to destroy over 20 well-trained Taliban fighters. His quick decisions and aggressive stance against the enemy saved the lives of his men,” the citation reads.

For his gallantry in action with marked distinction, Army Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scarparrotti, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division presented Brasher with a Silver Star on October 9. The ceremony was held at the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum at Fort Bragg, N.C.
~~~~~
The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Greetings,

I should land in Iraq Tuesday morning for an embed with U.S. forces. I will give the most candid feedback possible. Immediately after that, I'll head straight from Iraq to Afghanistan and do the same.

Please click "In Time of War" [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/in-time-of-war.htm] for a fresh dispatch.

V/R, Your correspondent,
Michael
Http://www.michaelyon-online.com/index.php
~~~~~
America is not at war. The military is at war. - - America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars.
~~~~~
Last week we watched [Ratings are my own]:
The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) [8.1] Starring Maurice Chevalier ... Claudette Colbert ... Charles Ruggles
Guess Who (2005) [5.7] Starring Bernie Mac ... Ashton Kutcher
Indiana Jones/Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) [7.6] Starring Harrison Ford ... Cate Blanchett ... Karen Allen ... Shia LaBeouf ... John Hurt
Bringing Up Baby (1938) [8.1] Starring Katharine Hepburn ... Cary Grant ... Charles Ruggles ... Barry Fitzgerald
The Iron Giant (1999) [6.6] Starring Jennifer Aniston ... Harry Connick Jr. ... Vin Diesel ... James Gammon ... Cloris Leachman ... John Mahoney ... M. Emmet Walsh
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) [7.9] Starring Peter Sallis ... Ralph Fiennes ... Helena Bonham Carter
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (2008) [7.4] Starring Ben Stein ... Anderson Cooper ... Richard Dawkins ... Adolf Hitler
Caillou: Caillou's Winter Wonders (2008)
James and the Giant Peach (1996) [6.6] Starring Simon Callow ... Richard Dreyfuss ... Susan Sarandon
~~~~~
Last week we read; The faithful spy : a novel / Alex Berenson. - - They marched into sunlight : war and peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967 / David Maraniss. - - The Faith: Chuck Colson
We’re currently reading; Foreign body / Robin Cook. - - The Faith: Chuck Colson
We intend to read; - - The shadow of Reichenbach Falls / John R. King. - - In a strange city / Laura Lippman. - - Breathing the Fire by Kimberly Dozier
We recommend: The Faith: Chuck Colson
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.
com/BugsBleat/shelf?ec=7D790D174EFS18012
~~~~~
Photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include; Josiah and Ethan on the steps of an L&NW EMD train engine. The Methodist Church in Athens, LA, one of the abandoned buildings on the Louisiana Ammunition Plant Property. An EMD wheel set. Another church on US80 just east of Dixie Inn and, another shot of Ethan and Josiah.
~~~~~
We’ve now got several addresses on the web for "Da Bleat." For the latest issue, go to http://www.bugsbleat.blogspot.com. Last quarter’s issues can be seen at http://www.bugsbleat3q08.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
If you want to see more photos of April’s train wreck in Magnolia, go to http://www.bugsbleattw.blogspot.com/
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Dr. Pat Antoon’s Address:
Pat Antoon 06669-010
Federal Prison Camp
P.O. Box 9300
Texarkana, TX 75505
Be sure and keep him in your prayers.
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - - - Kellogg Reveals Consumers' Favorite Recipe Picks
Take Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal beyond the bowl to the dinner table this holiday season
...
The menu includes everything needed to complement a holiday meal, including three side dishes, stuffing and dessert. Whether served together as part of a complete meal or taken separately as a side dish, these a-maize-ing recipes are sure to bring warmth and joy to the dining table this holiday season.

Cheddar Broccoli Corn Bake with Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) Original - - Preparation Time: 30 minutes - - Total Time: 1 hour - - Servings: 6

Ingredients
1/4 cup margarine or butter, divided
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups fat-free milk
1 ½ cups (6 oz.) shredded, low-fat low sodium Cheddar cheese
2 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal (crushed to 1 cup)
1 can (16 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen broccoli spears, thawed and drained

Directions
1. In 2-quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the margarine over low heat. Stir in flour and salt. Add milk, stirring until smooth. Increase heat to medium and cook until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal and corn. Remove from heat.
2. Arrange broccoli in 12 x 7 ½ x 2-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour cheese sauce over broccoli.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons margarine in small saucepan. Stir in remaining cereal. Sprinkle over casserole.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F about 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve hot.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081113/CLTH065-a )
~~
Sweet Potato Bake - - Preparation Time: 15 minutes - - Total Time: 45 minutes - - Servings: 8

Ingredients
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature marshmallows
3 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal (crushed to 1 ½ cups)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

Directions
1. Combine sweet potatoes, the 2 tablespoons softened margarine, orange peel and salt. Spread mixture in shallow 1-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.
2. Arrange marshmallows over potatoes, pressing slightly.
3. Combine Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal with remaining melted margarine. Sprinkle over marshmallows.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F about 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
~~~
Creamy Green Bean Casserole - - Preparation Time: 20 minutes - - Total Time: 40 minutes - - Servings: 8

Ingredients
1/4 cup margarine or butter, divided
2 cup (4 oz.) Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal (crushed to 1 ½ cups)
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 cup low-fat sour cream
1 package (20 oz.) French-style green beans, cooked and drained
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded low-fat Swiss cheese

Directions
1. In 3-quart saucepan, melt margarine over low heat. Remove from heat. Remove 2 tablespoons margarine and mix with Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal. Set aside for topping.
2. To remaining margarine in pan, stir in flour, salt, pepper, sugar and onion powder. Gradually stir in sour cream. Fold in green beans. Pour into 10 x 6 x 2-inch (1 ½-quart) glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese and cereal mixture over casserole.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F about 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve hot.
~~~
Apple-Celery Stuffing - - Preparation Time: 30 minutes - - Total Time: 30 minutes - - Servings: 10

Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped, peeled apples
½ cup finely cut celery
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/3 cup tomato juice, stock or chicken broth
6 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal crushed to 3 cups)
2 cups dry bread cubes
2 egg whites

Directions:
1. In medium saucepan, melt margarine. Add onions, apples and celery. Cook until tender, but not browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in seasonings. Remove from heat.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine tomato juice or alternative, Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal and dry bread cubes.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into cereal mixture together with onion mixture. Mix well.
4. Use mixture for stuffing poultry or fish.
Yield: 5 cups, sufficient for 4-5 pound bird.
~~
Cherry Dot Cookies - - Preparation Time: 30 minutes - - Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes - - Servings: 30

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup finely chopped, pitted dates
1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
2 2/3 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal (crushed to 1 1/3 cups)
15 maraschino cherries, cut into quarters

Directions
1. In mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In large electric mixer bowl, beat margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat well. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture, combining thoroughly. Stir in nuts, dates and the 1/3 cup finely chopped cherries.
3. Portion dough using level tablespoon. Shape into balls. Roll in Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal. Place about 2-inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Top each cookie with cherry quarter.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove immediately from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.
Yield: 5 dozen (60) cookies
For nutrition and other great recipes, visit www.kelloggs.com/recipes
~~~~~
BreakPoint
A Time to Pursue Truth
By Chuck Colson
11/14/2008
The Centurions Program

It’s getting to the point where I hesitate to turn on the TV. From the financial crisis, to hurricanes, to Iran, to fuel prices, you name it. And it’s not just the news, it’s the media’s—and the public’s—voyeuristic preoccupation with chaos that troubles me. The news is grim.

But don’t just hide in bed and pull the blanket over you. We need to understand what’s happening in the world, not as mere spectators, but in order to engage the world in a winsome way, ourselves to be light in the darkness.

I can’t help but be reminded of a lesson taught by a certain Oxford don named C.S. Lewis. Yes, these are frightening times today. But 60 years ago the entire world was at war. It was then that he preached his famous sermon The Weight of Glory. This is what he had to say: “Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun.”

Lewis’ words could not be more appropriate for us today. It’s precisely during times of crisis that we must persevere all the more in our quest for beauty and truth.

Five years ago, sensing that Western culture was being pressed on all sides by relativism, radical secularism, Islamo-fascism, I launched the Centurions Program—an intensive, year-long program designed to equip men and women to understand and articulate a Christian worldview; to teach others to be able to do so; and to engage—and shape—the culture at every level.

Today there are almost 500 men and women who have gone through the program. They form the core of what I hope becomes a veritable movement of cultural change-agents.

One of our graduates, Roger Arnold, has taken his deeper understanding of a biblical worldview to help him combat the cycle of crime in his community as he mentors ex-prisoners. Roger says, “Going through the Centurions program has made me a better mentor on a macro level, because the total immersion in the Word that is required by” the program.

Or take Centurion Peter Johnston of Texas. He is now running for the state board of education and credits the Centurions program for training him to serve.

And there’s Tom Maxwell in Missouri, who worked side-by-side with prisoners on work release to restore a historic home in his community used for civic events.

There's Casey Cook in Texas, who communicates biblical truth about complex issues like bioethics through 3D art renderings of DNA double-helixes.

And in the “timing is everything” department, three of our Centurions are on the front lines of the financial crisis, striving to bring sound ethics and biblical truth to impact their place of work. In their cases, at Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, and J.P. Morgan.

The list goes on and on. And I couldn’t be more excited. As long as God gives me breath, I want to continue to pour myself into these men and women who are bringing truth and beauty to every sphere of life during this critical time in our history. Will you be one of them?

If you would like to find out more about how you can join the ranks of the next class of Centurions, visit us at BreakPoint.org.

This commentary originally aired on October 9, 2008.

Today's BreakPoint Offer - Turn the world right side up. Learn about the 2009 Centurions Program and apply to study Christian worldview with Chuck Colson! [http://www.breakpoint.org/generic.asp?ID=2748]

For Further Reading and Information

Jimmy Davis, “A Growing Movement for Biblical Worldview: An Interview with Centurions Director Martha Anderson,” Worldview Church, September 2008.

Becky Beane, “Salt and Light in the World: BreakPoint's Centurions, Agents of Change,” BreakPoint WorldView, 18 June 2008.

Becky Beane, “Shaking Up Their World: BreakPoint's Centurions, Agents of Change,” BreakPoint WorldView, 21 May 2008.

“Presenting the Christian Worldview: The Centurions,” BreakPoint Commentary, 21 November 2007.

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory.

© 2008 Prison Fellowship - - http://www.breakpoint.org/
~~~~~
Words of the Week:
olfactory: pertaining to smell
resplendent: having brilliant color, beauty
horripilation: goose bumps
intimation: indirect suggestion
sidereal: pertaining to stars, constellations
soiree: nighttime party
obsequies: funeral rites
ensconced: fixed firmly
from http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/
~~~~~
"Innocence always calls mutely for protection when we would be so much wiser to guard ourselves against it: innocence is like a dumb leper who has lost his bell, wandering the world, meaning no harm." - Graham Greene

"The Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have [to] bare the secrets of government and inform the people." - Hugo L. Black

"Thought is the work of the intellect, reverie is its self-indulgence. To substitute day-dreaming for thought is to confuse a poison with a source of nourishment." - Victor Hugo

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." - George Washington

"The love that lasts longest is the love that is never returned." - Somerset Maugham

"By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day." - Robert Frost

"Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments." - John Steinbeck

"Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God."

We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and Duct tape. God did it with nails.
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Three Vets Share Why Veterans should be Honored this Veterans Day
Teresa Neumann (November 11, 2008)
"I hope American citizens will always, every day, be mindful that there have been many who have sacrificed and even given their lives and have not done so in a manner that we should take lightly. We should be cognizant of how grave and how costly their sacrifices were for us to live in this country."
(Nashville, Tennessee)—President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in the United States in 1919 marking the end of World War I. In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in order to honor American veterans of all wars. "It is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations," Congress said in a resolution passed in 1926.
In honor of Veterans Day, Baptist Press has published the unique perspectives of three different combat veterans: Scott O'Grady, a former U.S. Air Force captain who helped enforce the NATO no-fly zone over Bosnia in 1995, Johnnie Caldwell, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy currently engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom, and Vietnam vet Pete Mosley. (Photo: Baptist Press)

"I hope American citizens will always, every day, be mindful that there have been many who have sacrificed and even given their lives and have not done so in a manner that we should take lightly," said O'Grady. "We should be cognizant of how grave and how costly their sacrifices were for us to live in this country."

Said Caldwell: "As a veteran, I also serve a higher purpose. I serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My heart swells knowing that God has put me here to spread His Word by giving testimony to all those who will listen and to my family who reads my letters. God has given me compassion for sailors who need a kind word or simply someone who is willing to listen to their concerns. Although I help fight terrorists and lead men and women in the skies over hostile territory, the real battlefield exists in our hearts as we struggle with sin. I pray to be a leader among men for Christ."

Mosley confessed the hardest thing he ever had to do was lead a Fourth of July parade. "Walking that half-mile was more than likely the hardest thing I've ever had to do because really the veterans that are alive are not the ones that need to be cheered. It's those that give it all [their lives]. As the Bible says, 'Greater love has no man than to give his life for his fellow man.' These things just make me very aware of how precious life is and how lucky we are to have it."
Concluded O'Grady, noting that nations fall because of citizens' lackadaisical mindsets and attitudes of entitlement: "I would like more Americans to be aware of our history as a country so that we can understand how our country came to be where it is today and so that we can know what our constitutional rights are."
Source: Erin Roach - Baptist Press News [http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=29290&ref=BPNews-RSSFeed1107

310 2nd Ave SE
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-928-2642
E-mail editor@breakingchristiannews.com
US Orders: 1-866-358-7426
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
GCF: Late for Work

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

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 guy shows up late for work. The boss yells "You should have been here at 8:30!"

He replies: "Why? What happened at 8:30?"
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Forgetful George

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

"George is so forgetful," the sales manager complained to his secretary. "It's a wonder he can sell anything. I asked him to pick me up some sandwiches on his way back from lunch and I'm not sure he'll even remember to come back."

Just then, the door flew open and in bounced George.

"You'll never guess what happened!" he shouted. "While I was at lunch, I met old man Brown, who hasn't bought anything from us for five years. Well, we got to talking and he gave me this half-million dollar order!"

"See," sighed the sales manager to his secretary. "I told you he'd forget the sandwiches."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Tough Problem

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

Teacher: If you multiplied 50 by 8 and then divided by 4, what would you get?

Student: The wrong answer.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Confession

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

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. For years I've been stealing building supplies from the lumberyard where I work."

"How much did you take?"

"Enough to build my own house and my son's house. And houses for our two daughters and our cottage at the lake."

"This is very serious. I'll have to think of a far-reaching penance for you. Have you ever done a retreat?"

"No, Father, I haven't. But if you got the blueprints I can get the lumber."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Best About Me?

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Howard) -Tom
-------------------------------------

I asked my wife the other day what she liked best about me.

"Is it my firm, trim, athletic, body? Or, rather, is it my astounding intellect?"

She replied, "Oh, it's your sense of humor, dear."
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / "Be nice to your kids. \ /
\ _/ They'll choose \_ /
/ / your nursing home." \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / This sentence have \ /
\ _/ three things rong with it. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / A seminar on time travel \ /
\ _/ will be held two weeks ago. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / There are 10 types of people \ /
\ _/in the world. Those who understand \_ /
/ / binary and those who don't. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Have you ever noticed? \ /
\ _/ Anybody going slower than you \_ /
/ / is an idiot, and anyone going faster \ \
than you is a moron. -George Carlin]
_ ____________________________ _
| Thomas S. Ellsworth |
| tellswor@kcbx.net |
| http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor |
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
1st Jewish President

The year is 2016 and the United States has elected the first woman as well as the first Jewish president, Susan Goldfarb. She calls up her mother a few weeks after election day and says, 'So, Mom, I assume you will be coming to my inauguration?'

'I don't think so. It's a ten hour drive, your father isn't as young as he used to be, and my arthritis is acting up again.'

'Don't worry about it Mom, I'll send Air Force One to pick you up and take you home. And a limousine will pick you up at your door.'

'I don't know. Everybody will be so fancy-schmantzy, what on earth would I wear?'

'Oh Mom' replies Susan, 'I'll make sure you have a wonderful gown made by the best designer in New York.'* * 'Honey,' Mom complains, 'you know I can't eat those rich foods you and your friends like to eat.'

The President Elect replies, 'Don't worry Mom. The entire affair is going to be handled by the best caterer in New York , kosher all the way. Mom, I really want you to come.'

So Mom reluctantly agrees and on 20 January 2017, Susan Goldfarb is being sworn in as President of the United States. In the front row sits the new President's mother, who leans over to a senator sitting next to her.

'You see that woman over there with her hand on the Torah, becoming President of the United States?'

The Senator whispers back, 'Yes I do.'

Says Mom proudly, 'Her brother's a doctor.'*

Thanks to Waneta
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Teenage Rules

Raising teenagers is a challenge, so my hubby and I came up with the following rules to help the kids understand what was expected of them during their pre-adult status.

Rules of This Household

1. If you are not here for dinner, too bad. This is not a fast-food place where the cook is on duty at all times. The cook works full time and does not need a second job.

2. If you make a mess, clean it up. The dishwasher is open 24 hours a day to service you as are the vacuum, broom, and sponge. Please help them to help you by using them. If you need assistance, ask the cook -- she will be happy to give you training on any of the equipment.

3. The taxi service for this household is not on call 24 hours. You must make reservations at least 12 hours in advance. You have two good legs, skateboards, and bikes that are somewhat operational; one of you has a vehicle that works. Use them. By the way, skateboards are to be used on the outside of this house and are never to be used in the living room just because the landing is softer when you fall.

4. We are not a bank and you have no collateral to offer us. Face it: We own everything you have and I have receipts to prove it, so don't ask us for loans. Get jobs! We have them. Try it and you might like it (not so much the work as the money).

5. Curfew is negotiable, but try not to be late too often because it could go either way.

6. Tell us where you are going. GOOD GRIEF! I am way older than you, and I still tell my mother where I am going when I am at her house. Leave us a note or try to form words describing where you are going while we are in the room with you. Honestly, we don't bite unless provoked.

7. You know how to use a phone. Some of you even have cell phones. We like to hear your voice if you are going to be late. You can use a phone to find out what's for dinner, to let us know you made it to wherever all right, or just to let us hear your beautiful voice.

8. No food in your room, the living room, the bathroom, or anywhere in the house other than the kitchen or dining area EVER! How many times do I have to say this?

9. You do not contribute financially in any way, shape, or form to this household, so try to pull your weight in other ways: Clean something, put something away, surprise us by doing it before we ask. Otherwise, you may find yourself financially supporting yourself on the OUTSIDE of this house.

Received from Casey.

(-:][:-)

Mouse Repellent

A couple moved to the country after retirement. One mild winter, they had a bit of a problem with rodents in the garage. So they bought a sub-sonic mouse repellent, a plug-in type that emits some kind of sound that drives off mice. The husband was showing it to their neighbor and explaining that it was an animal repellent. He told her that it worked on everything from mice to elephants.

"Really!?" she said. "Mice to elephants, eh?" sounding a bit skeptical.

"Yes," he replied, seriously. "We've had it here for a couple of weeks now, and we haven't had a single elephant in the garage the whole time!"

Received from Pastor Tim.

(-:][:-)

Puddle Jumper

My mother was recently on a flight returning from Utah. As the plane was a small puddle jumper, the flight attendants were required to demonstrate the life vest, the oxygen mask, etc. instead of turning on a video.

After they finished their presentation, one of them said "To those of you who listened, thank you. To those of you who ignored us, good luck."

Received from castle91.

(-:][:-)

A Wrinkle in Time

/* Thank you to all our veterans in America on this Veteran's Day. We deeply appreciate your service! */

My husband and I both look very young for our ages. In fact, we've hardly aged a day since we first laid eyes on each other in college -- at least, that's what we tell each other. But our children have a way of bringing us crashing back to earth.

Recently, my husband and I were discussing a man who was running for public office.

"He's a Vietnam vet," commented my husband.

"What's that?" queried our young daughter.

Trying to answer the question in terms a four-year-old could readily grasp, my husband replied, "Well, honey, that means that the man fought in a war that happened when Mommy and Daddy were little."

Our daughter regarded us both thoughtfully for a moment, then asked, "So, was he a Viking?"

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Purina Diet

Yesterday I was buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for Toot, the wonder dog, at Wal-Mart and was about to check out. A woman behind me asked if I had a dog. On impulse on this stupid question, I told her that No, I didn't have a dog, but I was starting the Purina Diet again.

Although I probably shouldn't, because I'd ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry and that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was by now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me.

I told her No, I stepped off a curb to sniff noses with an Irish Setter and a car hit us both.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack, he was laughing so hard!

Wal-Mart won't let me shop there anymore!

Received from M. Dean Blanck.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Rate this funny at http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA
To print or email this funny to others, go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/invade_privacy_spam.html - - INVADE PEOPLE'S PRIVACY ... FOR ONLY PENNIES A DAY

Being a work-at-home free-lance writer has some wonderful benefits:

a) The commute;
b) Spending my entire wardrobe budget on a cappuccino machine; and
c) The commute.

But best of all, I have lots of time to read spammy product announcements like this:

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT SLEAZY INTERNET SNOOPS?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A SLEAZY INTERNET SNOOP?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you must order "The Ins and Outs of Internet Snoopery" today. A bargain at ONLY $99.99, this report will keep you one step ahead of nosy folks like Ken Starr, Mike Wallace, and the FBI.

My exclusive report, available for a limited time only, reveals Top Secret Internet Tools known only to computer hackers, private eyes, and the IRS.

For pennies a day learn how to:

Find and/or plant embarrassing information about your enemies and friends.
Locate people, financial data, employment info, driving records, book buying records, viagra prescriptions, and underwear preferences.
Uncover incriminating data you can use against people who have wronged you. Or against dupes you decide to harass just because you're bored.
Find out who voted for whom ... or at least tried to.

Information is constantly being used and sold over the internet. Don't be victimized by Internet Snoopery. Victimize somebody else!

My report will show you how to:

Track down your old flame -- the one who dumped you for some creep and who you've been dying to punish for years.
Find useful data about almost anyone:
That 6th grade teacher who left you back and ruined your life.
Your boss at McDonald's who fired you just because you were selling a little weed on the side.
The customer who ratted you out.

I'll even teach you how to find unlisted numbers. But you have to promise not to violate your ex's Order of Protection.

Are you hard at work on your family tree? With my report you'll soon be on the cyber trail of wealthy relatives. Or filthy rich people who share your last name. People who will hand over huge gobs of cash just to shut you up.

Perhaps you don't quite trust that fellow who's running for office. With a little cyber snoopery, you'll soon become his running mate.

Do you suspect that your fellow employee stole bubblegum when he was five? My report will lead you to sites revealing preferences, predilections, and proclivities galore. And to the promotion that was supposed to be his.

My report tells you where to look on the Internet to find anything you could ever want to know about anybody living or dead. It even includes several clever credit card tricks, legal and (wink/wink) "for informational purposes only."

If you believe you're entitled to private information about innocent, well-meaning people who would never hurt a fly but who could be made to look bad anyway because, let's face it, none of us is perfect, and everything we ever did, said, and/or thought, is accessible somewhere in cyberspace if you know where to look, then you owe it to yourself to purchase "The Ins And Outs of Internet Snoopery."

Buy it now, before it's too late. Because heaven only knows what will happen if your neighbor, boss, or big brother buys it first.

Send money orders only in the sum of $99.99 payable to cash to PO BOX 666, Grand Cyber Station, NY, NY 10001.

Within minutes of receiving my report, you'll be an expert Internet Snoop. You'll even know how to send anonymous e-mail so that when you do illegal stuff that we told you how to do but specifically warned you against doing, you won't get caught.

This is the best Internet Snoopery report on the market -- YOU HAVE MY PERSONAL GUARANTEE.

If you're not completely satisfied, just return it for a full refund within 30 days.

If you can find me.

http://www.madkane.com
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
President Bush, in my thinking, will be remembered far more kindly in the future by honest historians than his current popularity rating (as a side note, remember that his approval rating has been higher than that of the Democrat-led Congress for quite a long time; today for example it was 28% to 17%).

I thought this was a timely, article [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122611181065310615.html] expressing heart-felt appreciation for a good, decent man who was faithful to his job, has accomplished a lot of good, with very little appreciation.
Sam
~
Why I'll Miss President Bush
He had a charge to keep, and he kept it.
By JIM TOWEY

President Bush will soon be heading home and for many that day cannot come soon enough. Count me among those who will miss him and his bedrock decency.

He had a rough road from day one. His first inauguration struck me as a portent. I was there, shivering in the grandstands on Pennsylvania Avenue. At the exact moment the president heard "Hail to the Chief" for the first time and was announced to the audience, a sleet storm descended from the skies.

It has never let up.

Through it all Mr. Bush kept his head up and soldiered on. He took the criticism in stride. I remember riding with him in his presidential limousine to the Washington Hilton for a speech. A woman standing at an intersection directed an obscene gesture at him that I had hoped he missed. The president waved to her and with a bemused look said to me, "Did you see what she did?"

Many other Americans, particularly the "values voters" who helped elect him twice, will miss him because of what he achieved: Samuel Alito and John Roberts on the Supreme Court, children in schools that now are better because they are accountable, African women who now have medicines for their HIV-infected babies, and religious charities that are finally being treated by government as partners instead of rivals.

I remember coming to the West Wing one morning before the daily 7:30 senior staff meeting and seeing Mr. Bush at his desk in the Oval Office, reading a daily devotional. I remember the look of sorrow on his face as he signed letters to the families of the fallen.

When he met with recovering addicts whose lives were transformed by a faith-based program, he spoke plainly of his own humiliating journey years ago with alcohol. When a Liberian refugee broke into tears after recounting her escape to freedom in America, the president went over and held and comforted her.

Little acts behind the curtain like these inspired intense loyalty by staff members. They spoke of someone never too busy or burdened to care -- like when he took time on Air Force One to call my wife when she was sick. The president's true character rendered his media image pure caricature.

Mother Teresa was asked at the end of her life whether she was discouraged because after decades of caring for the dying and destitute in Calcutta little seemed to have changed. She replied, "No. God doesn't call me to be successful. God calls me to be faithful."

History will decide whether George W. Bush was a successful President. But he was faithful. He had a charge to keep and he kept it.

Mr. Towey was director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives from 2002-2006. He is president of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.
~
Thanks To Sam Boggs
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
“Thorns”

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss.

Troubles had multiplied.

Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that

Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended me? For an airbag that saved my life, but took my child's?"

"Good afternoon, can I help you?"

Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. "I . . . I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. "For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories, " she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer,

"Hi, Barbara, let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched - was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.


"Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Ah, that lady just left with . . . uh . . . she left with no flowers!"

"That's right," said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for . She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!' It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then someone else walked in the shop.

"Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man.

"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement . twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"

"Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced," Phil replied. "After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us."
As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life" Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too . . fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully,"my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment.

"I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.
"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute.

" How much do they cost?

The clerk replied,"To allow God to heal your heart the first year's arrangement is always on me."

The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read: "My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."

Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.

Thanks to David Lamb
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------
November 13, 2008
Today's Message is from Karen Drake (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).

OK, here we are entering cold and flu season AGAIN!!!
Keep your hands clean, your work area clean, and regularly wash your hands.
If you're caring for someone with a cold or the flu, consider using a face mask and gloves. Keep trash cans emptied of used tissues.
Keep a travel-sized tube of hand-sanitizer in your purse or pocket, and use regularly, especially after touching a grocery cart.
Be mindful of cold and flu medications, as most contain a substance which will elevate blood pressure. If you're taking blood pressure medication, or are caring for someone with blood pressure problems, only use cold and flu medications recommended for those with high blood pressure.
----------------------------------------------
| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------
November 10, 2008
Here is a handout from the November 10, 2008, Operations Team Meeting safety discussion - our tailgate topic - food safety and the holidays:

The FDA has a neat website with tips on keeping food healthy and safe for use during the holiday season: [http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsholida.html]

Key messages:
Clean: Wash hands and food-contact surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and counter tops.

Separate: Don't cross-contaminate: Don't let bacteria spread from one food product to another. This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Experts caution to keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.

Cook: Cook to a safe internal temperature. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of foods.

Chill: Refrigerate promptly to keep most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Refrigerators should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The accuracy of the settings should be checked occasionally with a thermometer.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.

Here are links to items posted on The Pump Handle over the past week:

** "Cong. Review Act is bad public policy" by Celeste Monforton Some people seem to think that the Congressional Review Act is the answer to their disdain for Bush's policies. In the short term, they may be satisfied, but in the long term, the CRA is bad public policy. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/13/cong-review-act-is-bad-public-policy/

** "Occupational Health News Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Camera crew members documenting horrible conditions for e-waste recycling workers in Guiyu, China are attacked; Russian officials probe the deaths of 20 aboard a nuclear submarine; and Massachusetts nurses pursue solutions to violence against healthcare workers. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/13/occupational-health-news-roundup-89/

** "Fast food = corn, corn and more corn" by revere A new paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences uses stable isotope analysis to trace the input materials in three large fast food chains' meals. The results can be summed up in one word — corn: http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/12/fast-food-corn-corn-and-more-corn/

** "Protecting the Public from Dangerous Products – What's Next?" by Liz Borkowski Members of the media are gravely enumerating all the challenging circumstances that President-Elect Obama faces, so it's worth noting that this is also a tough time for product safety. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/protecting-the-public-from-dangerous-products-%e2%80%93-what%e2%80%99s-next/

** "Aracoma Coal Miners 'Died Over Money'" by Celeste Monforton In a wrongful-death lawsuit related to Massey Energy's deadly Aracoma Alma coal mine fire, an attorney representing the widow of one of the dead mineworkers said Massey CEO Don Blankenship urged the mine's managers to focus on production, instead of maintenance, dust control or other non-production matters. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/aracoma-coal-miners-died-over-money/

** "Farewell Letter from OSHA's Foulke" by Celeste Monforton A farewell letter from OSHA head Edwin Foulke show that he thinks the agency has done well over the past eight years. Readers who know about all of deaths and illnesses from combustible dust explosions, popcorn lung, and crane collapses may have a different assessment. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/farewell-letter-from-oshas-foulke/

** "Letter to Obama on Revitalizing the Rulemaking System" by Peter Galvin A former Department of Labor career employee who is expert in administrative law offers three simple steps for the Obama Administration to revitalize the federal rulemaking system. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/letter-to-obama-on-revitalizing-the-rulemaking-system/

** "Friday Blog Roundup" by Liz Borkowski This edition is devoted to blogging about election results: the performance of state-level ballot measures, what the new Congress looks like, speculation about cabinet picks, and priorities for President-Elect Obama and the 111th Congress. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/friday-blog-roundup-99/

** "FDA and NIH Disappoint on Sweetener Safety" by Myra Karstadt The FDA has approved acesulfame as a food additive, but it based its decision on flawed studies. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/fda-and-nih-disappoint-on-sweetener-safety/

** "More FOIA Abuses at Labor Department, MSHA" by Bob Snashall Under the Bush Administration, the Department of Labor has stopped releasing much of the information that should be available to us under the Freedom of Information Act. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/more-foia-abuse-at-labor-department-msha/

http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
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.
A partial list of workplace fatalities.

Friday, November 14, 2008
Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace
Man dies in fall at steel complex

ALTON - The 27-year-old son of a former alderman and city clerk died after he fell about 60 feet through a roof into an Alton Steel Inc. building Wednesday morning. Police Chief Chris Sullivan said the steel company employee, Jeffrey Thole "J.T." Pace, of the 300 block of Maurice Street in Alton, and another worker had been repairing the corrugated metal roof at the time of the accident. A news release from Chief Investigator Roger Smith of the Madison County Coroner's Office said Pace stepped on a corrugated plastic panel on the roof that covers a hole that allows light to enter the building. Pace then fell 60 to 70 feet to the ground below, Smith said. Sullivan said a co-worker called 911 at 8:35 a.m. to report an "accident" at the steel plant, 5 Cut St. Paramedics from the Alton Fire Department and Alton Memorial Ambulance Service responded to the call. Ambulance paramedics took the man to Alton Memorial Hospital emergency room, where he was pronounced dead at 9:09 a.m.

Man killed in construction accident identified - - Denver,CO - The man killed when a concrete culvert rolled into a trench he was working in, has been identified as 21-year-old Daniel Cleveland. The Mesa County Coroner says Daniel sustained multiple blunt force injuries from the incident. Preliminary toxicology results are negative for drugs and alcohol. The manner of death has been classified as accident. The incident is under investigation by the Grand Junction police Department and OSHA.

Fla. man crushed between vehicles - - PALATKA, Fla. - Authorities say a Palatka man has been crushed after he got caught between a semi-truck and a trailer. The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office is investigating after 54-year-old Gerald Jones was killed. Authorities say he was helping a co-worker hook up and move trailers Wednesday. Jones was directing a semi as it backed up when he got caught between the vehicle and a tractor.

Worker killed in Channelview train derailment - - Houston, TX - The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate a train derailment that killed a man at an east Harris County railway maintenance facility early today, authorities said. Lee Ryans, 58, was found dead about 4:30 a.m. by other workers at Rescar Inc., 407 W. Brentwood in Channelview, Harris County sheriff's officials said. According to initial information, Ryans was killed while helping to switch cars onto other tracks at the railyard, investigators said. "They had three different people at different positions along the track," said sheriff's Capt. John Martin. "At one point, they tried to communicate with the victim by radio and got no response," Martin said. "They walked back and found him pinned between two of the cars." Investigators are trying to determine why the train left the tracks. No information was available on whether the train was loaded, but deputies said the derailment did not cause the loss of any hazardous materials.

Worker on barge traveling near New Haven dies - - NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Coast Guard says a 52-year-old barge worker has died after being found unresponsive on the ship as it traveled near New Haven Harbor. Coast Guard Lieutenant Ellen Phillips says it appears that John Campagno died of carbon monoxide poisoning. An autopsy is planned. Crew members on the barge tried to revive Campagno, but he was pronounced dead Saturday morning at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Authorities say his identifications listed addresses in North Carolina and Florida. The Coast Guard says Campagno apparently worked and slept in a poorly ventilated section of the barge that contains a generator and heating unit. The barge is owned by Burnham Associates Dredging & Marine Contractors of Salem, Mass.

Worker killed when ditch collapses at NY job site - - CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. - Authorities investigating the death of a construction worker buried alive when a ditch collapsed in an Albany suburb say the accident could have been prevented. Brent Peck, 20, of Lenox, Mass., was installing a drainage pipe Monday when the walls of a ditch collapsed at a home in Clifton Park, 15 miles north of Albany, according to Saratoga County sheriff's deputies. A co-worker who had left the area for a brief time discovered what had happened. By the time rescuers could uncover Peck's head and shoulders, he was already dead. It took several hours before emergency crews could remove his body because of the unstable soil.

Man dies at school construction site - - A 51-year-old male construction worker died this afternoon after a crane fell on him at a school construction site. Sgt. Galen Smidt of the Sioux Falls Police Department said a welder was working on a wall at the new elementary school under construction on 53rd Street near the Tea-Ellis Road. Nearby a crane began to sink into the ground and eventually fell on top of the worker. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital. "People were seeing what was going on and yelling at him but he couldn't see or hear them because of his mask," Scmidt said.

Lawrenceburg man killed in forklift accident - - LAWRENCEBURG, KY — The state is investigating the death of a man in a workplace accident in Anderson County. Donald David Soard, 34, of Lawrenceburg died Thursday after a load of steel rebar shifted on a forklift and fell onto him, according to the Anderson County coroner's office. The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Over the Top Rope Inc., a company that builds wrestling rings, said Kembra Taylor, general counsel of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet. An investigator with the Cabinet's Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Program is investigating the accident, Taylor said.

Worker killed after falling into machine - - Camarillo,CA - A worker at a lighting manufacturing company in Simi Valley died after falling into an industrial die-casting machine Thursday morning. Ventura County firefighters had to pull Jose Ayala, 47, of Simi Valley from the machine at the Vista Lighting Co. on the 3900 block of Royal Avenue, authorities said. Ayala suffered severe head trauma and "was in full cardiac arrest when he was removed," according to a statement from the Simi Valley Police Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by firefighters to revive him.

http://weeklytoll.blogspot.com
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
NEVER FORGET! We're listing the names of our soldiers killed weekly. These records can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/

01. Spc. Adam M. Wenger, 27, of Waterford, Mich., died Nov. 5 in Tunnis, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a non-combat incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

02. Pfc. Theron V. Hobbs, 22, of Albany, Ga., died Nov. 6 in a motor vehicle accident in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to the 572nd Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

03. Staff Sgt. Timothy H. Walker, 38, of Franklin, Tenn., died Nov. 8 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

04. Spc. Armando A. De La Paz, 21, of Riverside, Calif., died Nov. 13 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

05. Spc. James M. Clay, 25, of Mountain Home, Ark., died Nov. 13 in Anbar Province, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Arkansas Army National Guard, Little Rock, Ark.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Nov. 12 in Mosul, Iraq, when an Iraqi Army soldier wearing a uniform approached them and opened fire. Killed were:
06. Sgt. Jose Regalado, 23, of Los Angeles. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.
07. Spc. Corey M. Shea, 21, of Mansfield, Mass. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. Times have been and are very tough and it would be nice if you would all just say a prayer for their safety and for their families.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"September 11 WDYTJWD" W. P. Florence
Justice first, then peace."
"September 11" Never forget.--Tony Moses
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD ...the only way"--Phillip Story
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Keeping my head down but face toward Heaven" - - Jody Eldred, ABC News Cameraman in Kuwait
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" --"Bug"
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
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Activities and Events of Interest - - Coming Events
~~~~~
Benefit Crappie Tournament for Karen Nance of Sarepta, LA
Where: Lake Erling Park
When: Saturday, December 13
Check In: 5:00 to 5:50 a.m.
Weigh In: Must be in line by 12:10 pm
Entry Fee: $40 per boat, $10 per boast big fish.
1st Place: $200
Door Prizes and Big Fish Prize.
All proceeds after prizes go to benefit Karen.

For More Information Contact:
Jim Hall 318-578-1981
Charlie Cook 318-904-1665
Harry Nelson 318-539-2760
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Scheduled Activities
~~~
CQ CQ all Hams. We have restarted a 2 meter net on the Willisville repeater, 146.655, every Tuesday evening at 7 PM. Please check in and spread the word. We would like to get some renewed interest in amateur radio and the ARKLA Amateur Radio Association. Will be listening for everyone next Tuesday night.
~~~
Columbia County Amateur Radio Club meets Every second Thursday @ 7:00 p.m. Union Street Station. And YOU'RE invited. Net is every Sunday at 20:30 on 147.105.
~~~
MCC - Mom's Day Out - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 2.$10 for the first child, $5 for the second. Call 234-3225 for reservations.
~~~
MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
~~~
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.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
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: 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.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of one candle."
"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.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Hosea 8:1-4 Psa 119:10-12 Prov 30:24-28 Prov 31:10-12 http://www.e-min.org/
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, or 08). 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 2008 before it was sent.
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>