Bugs Bleat 2Q 08

Volume 10, Issue 26 Friday, June 27, 2008

Hello All,

Funeral services for Doug West will be Saturday, June 28, at 1:30 p.m. at Central Baptist Church with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Doug lost his life in a motorcycle accident last Saturday. His wife Sandy, who was injured in the same accident, should be out of the hospital today.
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If you're having problems with low blood pressure, watch this video clip that Gary Foreman sent us. It should cure it. - - [http://youtube.com/watch?v=e-LOtKIIKcg]
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Higher oil prices push up the cost of all kinds of consumer goods, including plastic bottles. Lawmakers have recently held hearings on whether speculation is to blame for soaring energy prices. Money from institutional investors has flowed into the commodities markets in recent years, and some lawmakers blame them for pushing up prices. American Chemistry Council economist Kevin Swift noted that higher energy prices affect products including food packaging, trash bags, diapers, toys, house wares and crates.
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Want to know what your “oil” dollars buy? Check out a CNBC inside look at an offshore rig. NBC's Janel Shamlian takes a tour of an offshore oil rig in a CNBC video clip [http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=779171562&play=1]
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Want to know what your government would do if they “owned” the oil companies as some are recommending? Here’s a hint. The Bureau of Land Management has frozen solar-energy projects to study the environmental impact. Amid a surge in proposals to build solar power plants on federal land, the BLM has issued a moratorium so it can study their environmental impact, which could take two years. "This could completely stunt the growth of the industry," said Holly Gordon, a vice president of Ausra, a solar-energy company [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/us/27solar.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin].
~
We’re already 36 years behind in developing alternative energy projects so I guess another couple of years won’t matter...assuming that there will be an economy left in the US to support alternative energy products if we continue to wait.
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Please tell Americans....kwityerbelliachin.....diesel is $7.00 a gallon in Arusha, Tanzania. The average Tanzanian makes around $250....a year!
Of course this effects everything so prices of all products have gone up because it takes that much more for the trucks to get the "stuff" to the markets where the price hike in gas is passed on to the poorest of the poor. What this means way out in the rural area is some of the folks low on the totem pole are now eating one meal a day instead of two, again...kwityerbelliachin. To top it all off I am eye witness to the fact, (having preached out in the bush too many times to recall), that most of these people put Americans to shame if you take a reading of their "happy meter". They simply shrug their shoulders and say, "we will make it somehow, God will help us." help me Lord to quit my complaining in Jesus' name ....amen!

Love you and miss you all,

Paul David Troquille- Missionary Arusha Tanzania East Africa
~~~~~
As the cost of oil and related fuel products (such as diesel fuel, particularly in the United States) continues to rise, owners and drivers are looking for new technology to get more miles per gallon. Hybrid technology has the ability to deliver efficiency, but ABI Research asserts that fleet managers and operators need to carefully evaluate the costs and benefits of hybrids.
With daily media coverage and marketing messages from vehicle manufacturers, it is easy to assume hybrids are the solution. The facts, however, suggest something else: that the return on investment can vary dramatically depending on factors such as the type of hybrid, cost of fuel, and the typical usage cycle.
"Drivers with the most to gain will be operating on a frequent stop-start cycle, and, depending on the existing powertrain, may benefit from a mild hybrid retrofit.
~~~~~
Having a problem with your GMC vehicle. You can write:
G. Richard Wagoner, Jr.
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
General Motors Corporation
300 Renaissance Center
P.O. Box 300
Detroit, MI 48265-3000
313-556-5000
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Water department officials in South Hadley, Mass., are offering aluminum water bottles in exchange for plastic ones as part of a campaign to keep the empty bottles out of landfills. The slogan of their "Think Globally, Drink Locally" campaign proclaims tap water as an aid to "your health, your pocketbook and your environment." Nationally, 86% of plastic water bottles are tossed instead of recycled, adding about 2 million tons of plastic to landfills each year.
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Many states are proposing bans on plastic products made using BPA. Can you spell “Junk Science?” Here’s some real science on the subject.
~
The European Commission’s updated risk assessment report of bisphenol A (BPA), published June 11, 2008, confirms that consumers can continue to use polycarbonate and epoxy products with confidence.
In its final report, the European Commission concluded that products made from BPA, such as polycarbonate and epoxy resins, are safe for consumers and the environment in current applications. This conclusion reaffirms the findings of the 2003 European risk assessment of BPA and is consistent with conclusions of the scientific assessments of other regulatory bodies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Japanese authorities and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
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Want to lose weight, take the Food Stamp Challenge. Food Stamps provide $1 per meal per person for food. Hunger is a growing crisis in America. With a stagnant economy and rising fuel prices the cost of food is soaring. The American News Project spent a week with Brian Duss who agreed to take the Food Stamp Challenge and live off a dollar per meal for 7 days. [http://newsproject.org/videos/79]
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The Lighthouse Church Report:
This week we feature our favorite New York City Pastor, Randy Goudeau. You can keep up with his church, “The Gathering” at [http://thegatheringnyc.com/] and Pastor Randy at [Randy Goudeau.com]

FRENZY IN LOS ANGELES
June 20th, 2008

I flew into Los Angeles this morning with a young man from my team, Micah Mixon. Micah is a tremendous dancer and a wonderful son in the Lord. He was one of the men who moved with us to NYC in the beginning. We will be ministering here over the next few days and we look forward to all that God is going to do. We ate lunch with two pastors this afternoon and I worked myself into a frenzy (a state of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior) as we began to discuss evangelism and ministry.

I have preached in various locations over the last couple of months and it seems as though a spirit of REVIVAL is in the atmosphere. I feel that the Church across America is on the verge of something special and I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry and ready for a fresh outpouring. There is definitely a lot of ‘STRANGE FIRE’ out there today, and I’ll pass on that! I’m not looking for another man-exalting move of the flesh that only exists to feed egos and encourage self-promotion. We’ve had enough of those. I’m ready for a move of God that is so Christ-exalting it won’t need to be defended. Some so-called ‘movements’ taking place today are producing nothing more than disgust in the sight of un-believers and a stench in the nostrils of our God.

I see a wave of salvation sweeping across our nation. I see an army of young people stepping out of their boats of security and comfort, as they walk across the water of danger, excitement and the unknown. I hear the cries of intercession coming from Churches as they place a demand upon the Spirit of God for boldness, signs and wonders. I see sleeping saints and discouraged disappointed souls rising out of their misery and once again engaging in their holy calling.

Tonight Todd Dupont preached at our Church in Manhattan and I heard it was AWESOME! He ministered on the subject of endurance and perseverance. He is one of the most qualified men that I know to speak along these lines. He is a tremendous armor-bearer and a faithful friend. We have served together in ministry now for 7½ years. When he heard that we were moving to NYC to plant a Church in this massive mission field, he wept and prayed that God would allow him to come also. He couldn’t stand the thought of my family and I coming to such a spiritually dark region alone. He and his wife Annabella are precious friends and co-workers in this great cause. They are true “Elisha’s”. In our darkest moments they were a bright light, praying for us and believing in us when we couldn’t believe in ourselves. I’m so glad we have not been alone. In the book of Acts we discover that God sent out teams, not individuals. Paul was able to accomplish great things, but only because he had a great team! It wasn’t “Paul”; it was “Paul and his company”. I thank God for our ‘Company’.

Well, time to get back into my ‘frenzied’ state! Here we come Los Angeles!!!
~
http://thelighthousechurch.publishpath.com/
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Finally, something the government is doing that makes sense.
~
U.S. Army Spc. Kendell Frederick lost his life while trying to become a citizen of the country he was fighting for. Now, his mother hopes a bill President Bush signed into law Thursday will make sure no other soldier dies the way her son did.
Frederick, a native of Trinidad who moved to the U.S. in 1999, was killed in Iraq in October 2005 when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. He was only in the convoy because he had to go to another base to get a duplicate set of fingerprints made for his U.S. citizenship application.
After three years of work by his mother and two Maryland Democrats, Bush signed the Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act, which is meant to ease the citizenship process for members of the military. - - [http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=2008-06-27_D91IA3C01&show_article=1&cat=breaking]
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Here’s an address and some ideas for sending supplies to our soldiers in Iraq. Vanessa checked with Todd Raymond who’s just back in the states after a tour in the sandbox. Here are his recommendations for “CARE” packages.
~
Hey Vanessa!
It's Todd. I'm back from Iraq and back to work. I really appreciate the thought though! If you would still like to send something I have a friend there named Stephen Price. There are 9 people in the shop. All guys if that helps with anything. The mailing address is:

SSgt Stephen Price
506 ELRS/LGRF
Unit 70075
APO AE 09359

With summer being in full swing there I think;
Sun screen would be a great thing for them there.
Any "flavor" packs you add to water would be good. Things like Crystal Lite and stuff like that.
But anything else you can think of I guarantee they will be thankful for.
~
My time there wasn't too bad. We did get attacked a few times but no one was hurt thank God! I got some interesting pictures from a friend there. The actual lion’s den that Daniel was thrown into!! It's so cool to see actual places from the Bible. It just brings it more to life that way. I got to see the Apostle Paul’s home when I was deployed to Turkey a few years ago. I even got to see some of the first churches started there. They were just caves but there were crosses etched in the walls and emblems that they told us were Paul’s to show where he had been. I even got to see the road to Damascus. It's still there! ... I'm sure I'll have to go back but not for some time. Well I'm going to go for now. We miss you guys!!!! ... Tell Jimmy I said hi! Love ya'll!!

Todd
~
We checked a few web sites and got the following information about “CARE” packages.

A soldier in Iraq can't see your ribbon,
Or the flag at your front door.
But a letter they hold in their hands,
To them means so much more.

This is about SUPPORT, not just STUFF!
A LETTER, from you, your children, the kids at church or school, is THE BEST THING to send.
A show of personal support is far better than spending a bunch of money that you don't have.

But, if you want to help by sending something, send SMALL boxes (say under 10 pounds) and no more than 3 to any single address in the same day. We suggest The Best Items To Include In Military Care Packages:

Deodorant,
Bath/Body Wash,
Field Towels (singles),
Hand Sanitizer,
Nail Clippers,
Lip Balm,
Tooth Brush,
Tooth Paste,
Razors,
Shave Gel,
Wash Cloth,
Comb and Pic.
Jelly beans
Disposable camera
Rice Krispie treats
Altoids/mints
Beef jerky
Snack mixes
Sunflower seeds
Chewing gum
Nuts
Long-distance phone cards
Little Debbie's snacks
Ziploc bags
Coffee
Gatorade
Jaw breakers
Poker game
Playing cards
Dice
Music CD's
Footbag/hacky-sack
Toothbrushes & toothpaste
Inflatable pillow
Cookies in individual packages (Big bags often fill with dust if not eaten right away.)
Dominoes
Pasta and sauce
Canned food items
Spices, salt, pepper
Smoked oysters and sardines
Squeeze butter
Pringles chips
Individually-wrapped licorice
Microwave popcorn
Ramen noodles
Macaroni & cheese
Disposable shower towels
Olives, pickles, peppers (Be sure to add lots of bubble wrap around these items.)
Cereal bars/granola bars
Microwave pasta that doesn't need refrigeration
Hot cocoa mix
Soup mix
M&M's (plain or peanut)
DVD's
Koozies to keep water bottles and cans cool
Newspapers
Magazines
AA batteries
D batteries
Air fresheners (...like stick-ups, F'breeze.)
Canned air to blow dust out of electronics
Stress relief squeeze balls
Sewing kit
Lysol wipes/hand & face wipes
Poker chips
Board games
Shoe laces for gym shoes and boots
Brown t-shirts
Boot socks
Underwear
Hand warmers
Inflatable seat cushions
Razors
Ink pens
Word Puzzle books
Icy/hot patches
Air activated heat wraps for sore muscles
Foot massager
Microwaveable plates, bowls, paper plates
Foot powder
Vitamins
Paperback books
2 spiral bound notebooks and pens

Beanie Babies! - No kidding! A really good excuse to get rid of those things (don't buy new ones, collect them from your house and ask your friends)!! Send some in every package to ALL units as they are really easy for the Soldiers to carry with them and give to the local kids who love them.

Dunkin Donuts will send a case (24 one pound bags) to service members serving in Iraq. Dunkin Donuts donates the coffee and pays all the shipping costs.
Go to www.dunkindonuts.com

Fill out the form.
Put the soldiers name and APO address.
Click on "submit"
They are getting a lot of requests so it may take a little time.
You can also write with the same info to:
Dunkin Brands
130 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02121
Or call customer relations at 781-737-3000 (they are very friendly and helpful)
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Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - - Kent G. Solheim - Hometown: Oregon City, OR - - Awarded: Silver Star

On July 27, 2007, Captain Kent Solheim, United States Army, participated in Operation VOLCANO II, an operation designed to capture a senior leader of the infamous Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army in the city of Karbala, Iraq.

Solheim’s team "fast roped" from helicopters into the area, and set up their position near the target building. Insurgents viciously attacked the American forces from three sides with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and AK-47s. As the enemy fire got heavier, combat air support was called in to eliminate some of the aggressors, but a significant number of attackers remained to the north of Solheim and his unit. These insurgents used the dust that the assault force’s helicopters had kicked up to conceal their movements.

With the insurgents targeting one of the American positions, Solheim aggressively maneuvered his men to reinforce the beleaguered soldiers. It was then that he noticed an insurgent armed with an RPG, less than ten meters away from his position. Disregarding any concern for himself, he bravely charged forward, shot and killed the insurgent, saving the Americans in the nick of time. Realizing that the US forces in the building were in grave danger, Solheim exposed himself to enemy fire in order to gain a better position to cover the other soldiers in his unit. From this location, he managed to limit the insurgent fire on his team. In the final moments of the engagement he rounded a corner and he found himself face to face with an AK-47-wielding Mahdi fighter. Solheim made a split second decision, firing at and killing the insurgent. However, as the terrorist fell to the ground fatally wounded, he let loose one last burst from his AK-47, which wounded Solheim in the legs and back.

Thanks to Captain Solheim’s selfless and heroic actions, dozens of American lives were saved. His actions demonstrated how he placed the lives of his men over that of his own, earning him the Silver Star.
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DoD Announces Nomination of First Female Four-Star General - - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced that the President has nominated Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody of the Army for appointment to the grade of general and assignment as commander, Army Materiel Command.
"Women continue to achieve great success and make invaluable contributions to the defense of this nation. This is an historic occasion for the Department of Defense and I am proud to nominate Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody for a fourth star,” said Secretary Gates. “Her 33 years of service, highlighted by extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty, make her exceptionally qualified for this senior position.”
Lt. Gen. Dunwoody was commissioned in 1975 and has served in several positions of command, to include commanding general of Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee, and deputy chief of staff, Logistics.
Lt. Gen. Dunwoody is currently the deputy commanding general/chief of staff, Army Materiel Command. If confirmed by the Senate, she will be the first female four-star general in American history.
The first female service member to achieve the rank of Brigadier General was Col. Anna Mae Hays, chief of the Army Nurse Corps, on June 11, 1970. There are currently 57 active-duty female general officers in the Armed Forces, five of whom are lieutenant generals.
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The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
On Joe Galloway

26 June 2008
I read Joe Galloway’s columns and often disagree with him. But Joe usually makes points that deserve consideration. Joe is not weak or weak-minded; I’ve told him to his face that he’s a mean old man. But I respect Joe. He has fought in pitched combat side-by-side with our troops. Joe thinks we’re losing the Iraq War and I believe we’re winning. Even though we disagree about Iraq, Joe and I both believe that torture is wrong.

Last week, I was invited by Dr. Rohan Gunaratna, one of the world’s leading experts on al Qaeda, to speak to a group of about two dozen experts and graduate students at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore. This was a closed-door talk, and I was speaking alongside a close friend of mine who is an expert on Afghanistan. The room was filled with people from countries like India, Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. None of these countries enjoy the freedom of speech that we have in America. No writer from any of these countries could dare publish the things that I can freely publish, or that readers can freely publish as comments. Singapore is a great ally of the United States and one of my favorite destinations. The people are well educated, peaceful and diverse. Still, our friends in Singapore do not have freedom of speech. Despite the limits of expression that they live under, this group of experts and graduate students in Singapore asked some of the most well-informed questions I have heard about the war in Iraq. No doubt, there were some who disapproved of America’s involvement in Iraq, but how can we challenge our own views if we do not listen to others who disagree with us? One of the main reasons we made so many mistakes in Iraq was that high officials in the Bush Administration were often afraid of the truth and viewed a serious foreign policy question with ideological blinders. Instead of honestly appraising the facts on the ground, they saw only what they wanted to see. And instead of encouraging candor and even dissent, they ignored or attacked those who disagreed with them.

Groupthink can be deadly. In my book Danger Close I wrote about the Special Forces Qualification Course (Q-Course), which had a land navigation section so difficult that it caused many people to fail the course. I saw Vietnam combat veterans get lost on land navigation. They flunked the course. Sure, it wasn’t easy to make your way through swamps during heavy rains at midnight while freezing and carrying a heavy load. But worse than the physical challenges were the mental hurdles. Soldiers were strictly forbidden to cooperate with each other on this particular section. But they did it anyway, thinking that they would have a better chance as a group. And they were wrong. I saw soldiers form into groups. The most confident soldier would embark on an azimuth and the others would follow behind. They would all get lost because they were following a leader who was wrong. The soldiers who passed the course tended to be those who thought for themselves. Combat veterans get lost on land navigation.

Even though most of us seem to recognize the perils of groupthink, we still constantly fall into its trap. That’s human nature, our herding instinct, perhaps. Yet one thing that makes America so strong is our ability to break from the herd, or even turn it around. Back in 2005 I wrote what no one else dared to say, or didn’t see – even if it was painfully obvious – that Iraq was falling into civil war. During a period of peak casualties in mid-2007, when folks were saying the Surge had failed, I wrote and said on radio that the Surge appeared to be succeeding. In 2006, when I was in Afghanistan reporting that the war was being lost, many readers were angry. Now we have greater casualties in Afghanistan than in Iraq, while we have far fewer troops deployed to Afghanistan. I believe the war in Iraq is nearly over - knock on wood - while the war in Afghanistan is just getting started.

One way to foil groupthink is to listen to others. Really listen. Not just think up counterarguments while waiting for them to run out of breath. Listening to others does not mean we have to agree with their words. But it does mean respecting them enough to take what they say seriously, especially when we disagree with them. Honest and serious people do this. Meanwhile, there is a lot of noise on both ends of the American political spectrum that deserve our attention even if it is biased and wrong. Read the websites of the far-Right and Left-wing. These groups rarely, if ever, give a dissenting voice the chance to speak. Their sites are examples of groupthink run amok. That doesn’t mean the participants are dumb or bad. Often these sites are created by very smart people who got their brains caught in the ideological bear trap. Getting caught in a trap doesn’t make a bear dumb or deserving; traps tend to be well camouflaged. I saw a bear caught in a trap one time. Boy, was that bear mad. And it sure did stink. It crawled into a trap, right behind our tent in Cataloochee up in the mountains. We kids ran out with a flashlight and peered in at the angry bear. The rangers hauled it off the next day, saying they would release it far away. Some of these far-Right and far-Left websites are like bear traps, only we cannot release those people far away. We live with them, and often they are our friends and family, victims of ideology.

Ideologies traffic in received ideas, which give people the illusion of thinking, without actually having to do the hard work of thought. Received ideas, like some religious and cult beliefs, are not challenged, merely accepted, and repeated until they become so important to those who hold them that to challenge these ideas would be to question one’s very identity. People who hold received ideas seem to feel personally threatened by the prospect of being wrong. Instead of reading and listening to possibly change their minds, they seek to reinforce the received ideas they already hold dear. On the Left, one received idea is that the Iraq War is lost. On the Right, one received idea is that torture is acceptable. The Left is wrong. We are winning the war in Iraq. The Right is wrong. Torture is unacceptable.

There is no way to know how many American lives were lost in Iraq due to the tortures we inflicted upon Iraqis at Abu Ghraib and other places. This is no argument of moral equivalence. I have seen the atrocities committed by al Qaeda and other terrorists, and I am not saying that Americans have ever come close to those acts. New Yorkers saw the atrocities of al Qaeda, as did many others.

Yet, when we tortured detainees, we lost something very important, something that America and its allies need in order to prevail against terrorists, not just in Iraq, but all over the world. We scarred our honor.

Torture works. There is no doubt that we can squeeze information from people. A lot of people say that information derived from torture is useless and suspect, and, of course, torture can make someone say anything just to stop the pain. But the fact is, torture does work. That does not mean we should do it. While torture might provide tactical gains, it delivers a strategic blunder. Let’s not argue whether it works or not. Let’s have the hard argument – whether or not it’s consistent with our values. We can obtain short term benefits from using torture, but in the long run we inflict far more pain on ourselves. The scars of torture never heal. Conversely, when detainees are treated with respect, they never forget it. Obviously, there are some hardcore prisoners who should be kept locked away until they die, but there is a much larger part who just want to go back to life without war.

While stationed in Germany with the 10th Special Forces Group, I spoke to many older Germans. I speak German and many of the older Germans did not speak English. These men and women lived through World War II. They often apologized for the younger generation of Germans who did not respect the United States. They told me stories of their days as POWs under American control, and described the honorable and respectful treatment they received. One of my grandfathers was a guard on a ship that brought German prisoners to the United States. My grandfather said they treated the Germans well. When the ship steamed into New York, the Germans were astonished to see the city lights. They had been told that New York City was being bombed and was blacked out. When those young German soldiers were eventually released, they went on to become thousands upon thousands of ambassadors for the United States. It is difficult to convey how good it made me feel when old Germans would tell me that Americans, our grandparents, were honorable people, far more honorable than the Nazis who committed industrial-sized genocide. The Nazis broke all the rules, and we beat them, not only because of our superior resources and fighting abilities, but the strategic advantage of our values. Atrocities occurred on all sides, but at least we considered atrocities to be war crimes, even when committed by our own people. When our soldiers were convicted of rape, they were executed. Still, our “Greatest Generation” harbored ill feelings toward the “Japs.” These feelings lasted long after the war was over. Why? Because, the Japanese had tortured and murdered our people after they were captured. And no doubt partially because of these crimes, we detonated two nuclear weapons over Japanese cities.

But once we defeated the Axis, we helped rebuild their countries. Our Greatest Generation acted with honor and great wisdom. It was the right thing to do, but also the strategically intelligent thing to do. Now Germany and Japan are stable, prosperous democracies and close allies.

When this war is over in Iraq, we do not want a generation of Iraqis thinking that all we did was invade their country and torture and kill people. We want them to know that, despite whatever mistakes we made, we have no ill-feelings toward Iraqis. A lot of people call this type of thinking “naive,” but I would argue it is the opposite of naiveté. We recognize that there is good and evil in every man. We seek to fight the evil while nurturing the good. We want the Iraqis to know that Americans are warriors, but not barbarians. They already know that our young folks will fight like wolverines. The Iraqi insurgents learned that lesson the hard way. American soldiers and Marines have died fighting, with great honor, to bring the region a step forward. By contrast, al Qaeda has murdered tens of thousands of Iraqis, and committed atrocities that have turned the people against them. Al Qaeda and other terrorists fight without honor. And simply put, that’s why we’re winning in Iraq. We recaptured the most important strategic territory in guerrilla war – the moral high ground, while never laying down our sword. Wars like Iraq and Afghanistan are fought not over land, but for the will of the people. If it was the land we wanted, and if we lacked goodwill and honor, these wars would have been simple matters. Yet we want something better for these nations and the world, as we did following World War II. Honor is never easy to uphold and savage behavior begets savage behavior. That’s why it’s important to remember that when we give up the moral high ground, we lose a fantastically important battle. And we have defeated ourselves.

Ask Colonel Ricky Gibbs (U.S. Army) about high ground. Colonel Gibbs told me the story of an Iraqi man who brought his sons to American soldiers, saying that he knew justice would be served. After an investigation, Colonel Gibbs kept one son and released the other. I have seen so many instances of Iraqis being relieved that American soldiers were holding their sons and not Iraqis, because Iraqis too often mistreat and even torture prisoners. And so, by the hand of his own father, an insurgent was taken off the streets. To defeat the terrorists, we need intelligence, which the people have and will only provide if they trust us. That father likely would never have turned in his sons if he thought we were dishonorable torturers.

Back in 2003-2004, when we were conducting mass arrests and torturing prisoners, al Qaeda and other enemies grew very strong, and our people suffered at the hands of an enemy that we were at least partially responsible for creating. We locked away huge numbers of Iraqis simply because they were “military aged” males (basically, anyone who had reached puberty) at the wrong place at the wrong time, which could be in their homes in a suspect village. I’ve seen men flex-cuffed without the slightest evidence, thrown to Iraqi “justice” and essentially lost. Now imagine that you or your son or husband or brother were arrested and tortured. You might have been neutral to begin with, but you and your entire family might soon learn to hate. Instead of picking up the phone when you saw an ambush being laid, you might simply call the kids inside and go back to washing dishes. Or you might set an ambush yourself.

That’s why I agree with Joe Galloway. He might be a mean old man, and he might be wrong about some things. Wrong in my mind, at least. But he’s right about torture. Now it’s time that our government make a clear and unambiguous promise to the world that Americans will not torture. If President Bush is concerned about a possible scenario where a terrorist under interrogation has precise knowledge of an imminent catastrophic attack, then he can always offer a presidential pardon to an interrogator who, resorting to torture, got accurate information that led to the thwarting of such an attack. In every other case, American government personnel or contractors who commit torture should be prosecuted under American law. And the President should make that clear. If the President believes torture is okay, then he should put his fingerprints on every approval he signs.

We can win without torture. President Bush saw the strategic advantages of the Surge when many thought the Iraq War was lost. Yet he refuses to categorically condemn and outlaw torture. His unwillingness to do so has put the United States and its allies at strategic disadvantage, one that will take us a long time to overcome. And it has cost American lives.
~
Copies of my new book Moment of Truth in Iraq are in distribution, but this [http://yhst-80051593642880.stores.yahoo.net/] is the only place to get signed copies. Moment of Truth is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It is also available in Barnes & Noble and other major bookstores. Download this handout to give to your military exchange, local bookstore or library so that they may order the book.

Please support this mission by buying Moment of Truth today, or by making a direct contribution [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/index.php?option=com_dtdonate&Itemid=117]. Without your support, the mission will end. Thank you for helping me tell the full story of the struggle for Iraq.
v/r
Michael

http://www.michaelyon-online.com
~~~~~
This week we watched [Ratings are my own]:
Mostly Martha (Bella Martha) (2001) [8.5] Starring Martina Gedeck ... Maxime Foerste ... and Sergio Castellitto
A Good Year (2006) [7.5] Starring Freddie Highmore ... Albert Finney ... and Russell Crowe
Hangmen (1987) [2.5] Starring Rick Washburn ... Keith Bogart ... and Sandra Bullock
A Woman's Face (1941) [5.0] Starring Joan Crawford ... and Melvyn Douglas
Murder, She Said (1961) [6.0] Starring Margaret Rutherford
Murder Ahoy! (1964) [6.0] Starring Margaret Rutherford
My Favorite Wife (1940) [8.0] Starring Irene Dunne ... Cary Grant ... Randolph Scott ... and Gail Patrick
The Philadelphia Story (1940) [8.5] Starring Cary Grant ... Katharine Hepburn ... James Stewart ... and Ruth Hussey
~~~~~
This week we read; The great derangement : a terrifying true story of war, politics, and religion at the twilight of the American empire / Matt Taibbi.
We’re currently reading; Devil may care / Sebastian Faulks, writing as Ian Fleming.
We intend to read; "Feasting On Asphalt: Their River Run" Alton Brown, "Hamburger America: One Man's Cross-Country Odyssey to Find the Best Burgers In The Nation" George MotzChild, 44 / Tom Rob Smith, Echo burning / Lee Child. Shadow of power : a Paul Madriani novel / Steve Martini. And “Honor Bound: Inside the Guantanamo Trials” by Kyndra miller Rotunda
We recommend: Final salute : a story of unfinished lives / by Jim Sheeler.
~~~~~
And we’ve got recommendations for your summer reading list; In the tradition of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring", these books seek to scare their readers into environmental responsibility.

Ecological Politics in an Age of Risk 1995 by Ulrich Beck

The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture 2004 by Wendell Berry

When Smoke Ran Like Water: Tales Of Environmental Deception And The Battle
Against Pollution 2003 by Devra Davis

Betrayal of Science and Reason: How Anti-Environmental Rhetoric Threatens
Our Future 1996 by Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich

The War Against the Greens: The "Wise-Use" Movement, the New Right, and the
Browning of America 1994 by David Helvarg

The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made
Landscape 1993 by James Howard Kunstler

Chemical Deception: The Toxic Threat to Health and the Environment 1991 by
Marc Lappe

The Republican War on Science 2006 by Chris Mooney

Not in My Back Yard: The Handbook 1994 by Jane Anne Morris

Living Downstream: A Scientist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the
Environment 1997 by Sandra Steingraber

The Limits of Law: The Public Regulation of Private Pollution 1991 by Peter
Cleary Yeager
~
And a web site on "DHMO" Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division - dihydrogen
monoxide infoDihydrogen Monoxide resources, information, research and more.
Dihydrogen Monoxide is a dangerous chemical. Buy a Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide
T-shirt. - - [www.dhmo.org/]
~~~~~
http://www.shelfari.com/BugsBleat/shelf?ec=7D790D174EFS18012
~~~~~
The photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” were taken during Wednesday’s Regional Hospital Drill.
~~~~~
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.bugsbleat4q08.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 New 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 - - - PurpleHull Reci-peas - We thought we'd pass along some recipes which make use of those blessed lentils we honor each year in Emerson. Try a few. And get ready to enjoy some good eatin'!

2007 Best PurpleHull Peas Category
First Place: Christine Snider

5-6 cups shelled purple hull peas
6 oz. center cut Smokey bacon (use a good brand)
Salt to taste

Cut bacon into inch size pieces and lightly brown in a Dutch oven or deep saucepan. Do
not drain bacon grease. Add washed peas and enough water to cover plus one inch. Add 2
teaspoons salt. Boil over medium heat until tender (about 45 minutes). Taste and add
more salt if needed. Serve with hot, buttered cornbread.
~
2007 Cornbread Category
First Place: Brenda Samples

1 egg, beaten
1-1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup yellow corn mix

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 9 inch iron skillet and place in oven to heat.
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix well. Pour batter into greased pan.
Bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
~
The above recipes are from http://www.purplehull.com/recipes.htm But we can’t leave you with a “pan bread” recipe, even a prize winner, without giving you Annette’s recipe which results in the absolute best corn bread in the world.

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup white cornmeal mix
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup oil

Mix buttermilk and cornmeal mix in large mixing bowl. Set oven to 450 to 525 degrees. Pour oil into 9 inch iron skillet, sprinkle with cornmeal and place in oven to heat. Combine egg with cornmeal/buttermilk ingredients and mix well. When cornmeal in skillet lightly browns, pour the oil from the skillet into the batter and then pour the “greased” batter into the hot pan.
Bake until golden brown. Turn out onto plate. If bottom isn’t brown enough, slide back into the pan and brown under the broiler.
Cut into wedges, slice each wedge and put a tablespoon of butter in the hot bread and place back on the serving plate.

Now, take one of those wedges, open it and pour purple hull peas and pea juice over the cornbread. Try not to grown out loud when you taste it.
~~~~~
BreakPoint
Daughter of the Revolution
By Chuck Colson
6/27/2008
The Legacy of Radical Feminism

Alice Walker, best known as the author of the novel The Color Purple, is one of the most renowned feminist authors and activists of her generation. She is also a mother, and that fact brought her public and private lives into direct conflict.

That is because Alice Walker’s brand of feminism was the kind that taught that “motherhood was about the worst thing that could happen to a woman.” So says her daughter, Rebecca, who suffered the consequences of that thinking. In a recent London Daily Mail article, Rebecca Walker reflected on the neglect she experienced with her divorced father across the country and her mother too busy for her, frequently leaving her alone for long periods as a teenager. With her mother’s knowledge—and even support—Rebecca became sexually active at 13 and had an abortion at 14. She was well aware that her mother thought of her as a burden.

The younger Walker—who lives in England—writes now, “My mother’s feminist principles colored every aspect of my life. As a little girl, I wasn’t even allowed to play with dolls or stuffed toys in case they brought out a maternal instinct. It was drummed into me that being a mother, raising children and running a home were a form of slavery. Having a career, traveling the world and being independent were what really mattered according to her.”

After years of private and public feuding, their estrangement is so deep that Alice has never yet even seen Rebecca’s own son, her grandson. In an early interview, Rebecca suggested that this was the natural result of putting “ideology” before relationships.

As an African-American woman born in 1944, Alice Walker saw her share of injustices. Her instinct to try to put things right was not the problem here. The problem was that she was part of a generation of feminists who believed that the way to correct injustice was to put yourself first and everyone else, including your family, last. Women taught their daughters this by both precept and by example. And as a result, Rebecca says now, “Feminism has betrayed an entire generation of women into childlessness. It is devastating.”

Rebecca has met many women who avoided having children because they thought that it was their duty to do so, and now are despondent that it is no longer possible for them to do so.

Rebecca Walker is no one’s idea of a cultural conservative—she and her child’s father are unmarried by choice, though they are raising their son together; and she still considers herself a feminist. Rebecca wrote in the Daily Mail, “Having a child has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Far from ‘enslaving’ me, three-and-a-half-year-old Tenzin has opened my world. I simply love hearing his little voice calling: ‘Mummy, Mummy.’”

In her own way, Rebecca—like many other daughters of the feminist revolution—is trying to put her own set of injustices right, not through selfishness and neglect, but by loving her child.

Such women, even when they are not coming at family life from a Christian perspective, are living out the larger truth: We find our own fulfillment not by putting ourselves first, but by living for others. And that means accepting our responsibilities, and moving toward—not away from—God’s design for families.

Please help support the Christian worldview ministry of BreakPoint and the prison ministry of PFM and help us continue strong. Donate online today! Or call 1-877-322-5527.

Rebecca Walker, “How My Mother’s Fanatical View Tore Us Apart,” Daily Mail, 23 May 2008.
Marjorie Valbrun, “Mommy Wars,” Slate, 17 June 2008.
Susanna Forest, “Rebecca Walker Responds to Daily Mail Drama,” Lipster, 13 June 2008.
Phyllis Chesler, “The Mother-Daughter Wars,” Salon, 10 June 2008.
Rebecca Walker, “My Response to Salon’s Story about Me and My Mother, Alice Walker,” Huffington Post, 10 June 2008.
Teresa Wiltz, “Rebecca Walker, Measuring out a Mother’s Love,” Washington Post, 30 March 2007.
Christina Hoff Sommers, “Who Stole Feminism? How Women Have Betrayed Women,” (Touchstone, 1995).
BreakPoint Commentary No. 990830, “Founding Feminism.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 040629, “Anything but a Homemaker.”
Gina Dalfonzo, “New Fault Lines for Feminism,” The Point, 9 July 2007.

© 2008 Prison Fellowship - - http://www.breakpoint.org/site_hmpg.asp
~~~~~
Words of the Week:
defenestrate: to throw out of a window.
renascent: rising again into being; showing renewed vigor.
choler: anger.
malediction: a curse.
capacious: able to contain much.
glutinous: gluey; sticky.
forlorn: sad and lonely because deserted, abandoned, or lost.
Cockaigne: an imaginary land of ease and luxury.
from Dictionary.Com
~~~~~
"A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world." - John Locke

"The discipline of the writer is to learn to be still and listen to what his subject has to tell him." - Rachel Carson

"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming." - Soren Kierkegaard

"The average person puts only 25% of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%." - Andrew Carnegie

"Parents were invented to make children happy by giving them something to ignore." - Ogden Nash

"Nothing is so wretched or foolish as to anticipate misfortunes. What madness is it to be expecting evil before it comes." - Seneca

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Most Premature Twins in Britain-who had been Born Dead-Celebrate First Birthday
New Solar Dish Could Revolutionize Global Energy Production Says MIT Team
The Jesus Trail Opens in Galilee Pilgrims Able to Trace Steps of Jesus' Ministry
Operation Lion's Roar "a Success"—Iraqi Security Forces along with U.S. Military Restore Calm and Commerce in Iraq's Third Largest City
Cancer Cure on the Horizon? It is, if New Drug Works as Researchers Hope It Will

310 2nd Ave SE
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-928-2642
E-mail editor@breakingchristiannews.com
US Orders: 1-866-358-7426
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GCF: Walking to School

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

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

You probably know of those "walking to school" stories ... I walked to school each day, 5 miles, uphill, both ways, barefoot, in the snow .....

Well, when I was a kid, I really did walk 10 miles to school every day, sometimes in the rain or snow. Man, did I feel stupid when I found out there was a bus.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Einstein

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Alan) -Tom
-------------------------------------------------------
Back before he became an instantly recognized celebrity, when Albert Einstein was first making the rounds of the speaker's circuit, he usually found himself eagerly longing to get back to his laboratory work. One night as they were driving to yet another dinner, Einstein mentioned to his chauffeur that he was tired of speech making.

"I have an idea, boss," his chauffeur said. "I've heard you give this speech so many times. I'll bet I could give it for you."

Einstein laughed loudly and said, "Why not? Let's do it!"

When they arrive at the dinner, Einstein donned the chauffeur's cap and jacket and sat in the back of the room. The chauffeur gave a beautiful rendition of Einstein's speech and even answered a few questions expertly. Then a supremely pompous professor asked an extremely esoteric question about anti-matter formation, digressing here and there to let everyone in the audience know that he was nobody's fool.

Without missing a beat, the chauffeur fixed the professor with a steely stare and said, "Sir, the answer to that question is so simple that I will let my chauffeur, who is sitting in the back, answer it for me."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Paid in Full

Emailed to me from another humor list (The Funnies) -Tom To subscribe to The Funnies, send a blank email to: andychaps_the-funnies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
-------------------------------------------------------

A woman was getting swamped with calls from strangers. The reason? A billing service had launched an 800 number that was identical to hers. When she called to complain, she was told to get a new number.

"I've had mine for twenty years," she pleaded. "Couldn't you change yours?"

The company refused, so she said, "Fine. From now on, I'm going to tell everyone who calls that their bill is paid in full."

The company got a new number the next day.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Forgiveness

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

Early in their marriage, my Dad did something really stupid. My Mom chewed him out for it. He apologized, they made up.

However, from time to time, my Mom mentioned what he had done. "Honey," my Dad finally said one day, "why do you keep bringing that up? I thought your policy was 'forgive and forget.'"

"It is," she said. "I just don't want you to forget what I've forgiven and forgotten."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: New Fathers

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

A group of expectant fathers sat nervously in the hall. A nurse beckoned to one of them and said, "Congratulations, you have a son!"

Another man dropped his magazine, jumped up and said, "Hey, what's the idea? I got here two hours before he did!"
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Real generosity is doing \ /
\ _/ something nice for someone \_ /
/ / who will never find out. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Never give yourself a haircut \ /
\ _/ after three margaritas. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Laugh often and long. \ /
\ _/ It really does help. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ /Smile when picking up the phone. \ /
\ _/ The caller will hear it \_ /
/ / in your voice. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / \ /
\ _/ The only perfect science \_ /
/ / is hind-sight. \ \
_ ____________________________ _
| 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/
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
You Know You're From Tennessee When...

/* Many of these apply to Alabama as well! - jp */

You've never met any celebrities -- other than Fred Thompson.

"Vacation" means going to the family reunion.

You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Christmas.

You laugh when people from anywhere north of Tennessee try to say or spell "y'all."

It's "Mar-vull," not "Mary-ville."

It's "Knox-vull," not "Knox-ville."

A toboggan is a hat, not a sled.

You butter your hot biscuit by cutting it open, putting a slab of butter inside, and closing it back up again.

Pigeon Forge is not pronounced with a French accent.

Gatlinburg does have an "L" in it and it should be pronounced.

Sales tax is 9.75%.

You shop at Wal-Mart for groceries, not at a grocery store.

You don't drive in Knoxville on game day. EVER.

You or your friends chew.

You can't remember the last time you saw snow.

You know when Elvis Presley Day is.

You know all of the words to "Rocky Top."

You avoid going anywhere near Bristol Motor Speedway on race weekend.

You think it's worth it driving to Alabama just to save 1.25% on the sales tax.

You eat "dinner" at noon and "supper" in the evening.

Your Wal-Mart has specific parking spots for horses and buggies.

You use "commode" in conversations and absolutely no one knows what you're talking about.

You barely get snow days because there's hardly ever any snow. Better yet, you get snow days if your local weather stations predict even the slightest bit of snow!

You and everyone you know goes to one vacation spot: Panama City.

You know how to do the watermelon crawl.

Everything is COKE, and if you don't like it, tough. Ex: "You want a COKE?" "Sure." "Which kind?" "Dr. Pepper."

You're in a Carhartt jacket one day, shorts the next, and no one thinks anything about it.

Everyone you know owns a truck, and at least one of those trucks is just painted with primer or more colors than the rainbow.

You measure distance in minutes, not miles.

You drive through a rich neighborhood and see the wannabe redneck kids with their brand-new Fords and their designer holey jeans and cowboy hats.

Boomsday in Knoxville is equal to New Year's Eve at Times Square.

Knoxville becomes the third largest city every Saturday in the fall.

Sweet tea is THE DRINK...no questions, no exceptions. Most people from Tennessee begin drinking sweet tea even before they can drink out of sippy cups. Iced tea is appropriate for all meals, and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar!

You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.

You use "fix" as a verb. Example: "I'm fixing to go to the store."

All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect, or animal.

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

You know what a "DAWG" is.

You carry jumper cables in your car -- for your OWN car.

You own only four spices: salt, pepper, Tabasco, and ketchup.

The local papers cover national and international news on one page but require six pages for local gossip and sports.

You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.

You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm."

Fried catfish is "the other white meat."

You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good pinto-bean weather.

You're convinced you don't need driver's ed -- your father's and uncles' pickup trucks were training enough.

Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.

There are 5,000 types of snakes, and 4,998 live in Tennessee.

There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Tennessee plus a couple no one's seen before.

If it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites.

Onced and twiced are words.

It is not a shopping cart; it is a buggy.

Fire ants consider your flesh a picnic.

People actually grow and eat okra.

"Fixinto" is one word.

Backards and forwards means "I know everything about you."

Jeet? is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"

You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you're done or it's too dark to see.

Received from Hannah Burch.

(-:][:-)

New NFL and MLB Sponsors

The National Football League and Major League Baseball have found themselves some new sponsors this year -- some individuals, others whole associations. These are the people and groups that have stepped up to the plate:

Edgar Allan Poe - Baltimore Ravens

Bureau of Engraving and Printing - Buffalo Bills

Travel Agents/Moving Companies - Green Bay Packers

Gunsmiths - Indianapolis Colts

Jack - New York Giants & Tennessee Titans

Clergy - New Orleans Saints & San Diego Padres

Paul Revere - New England Patriots

Airline Industry - New York Jets

Thieves - Pittsburg Steelers

Shopaholics - San Diego Chargers

Tanning Salon - Washington Redskins

Jewelers - Arizona Diamondbacks

Shoe Stores - Boston Red Sox & Chicago White Sox

Rocking Horse Association - Colorado Rockies

Paris Hilton - Kansas City Royals

Physicist - Houston Astros

Fugitives - Los Angeles Dodgers

Pubs - Milwaukee Brewers

Johnny Depp - Pittsburgh Pirates

Received from Lindsay Orwig.

(-:][:-)

Blind Date

"How was your blind date?" a college student asked her 21-year-old roommate.

"Terrible!" the roommate answered. "He showed up in his 1932 Rolls Royce."

"Wow! That's a very expensive classic car. What's so bad about that?"

"He was the original owner."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Bewildered

My youngest brother Tony had just completed Army basic training and was on leave prior to his first tour in Germany. I am an Army National Guard pilot, and my other brother is my crew chief. Since we were headed to the air base where Tony was to catch his overseas transport, we offered to take him.

When we landed at McGuire Air Force Base, several of Tony's fellow privates came out to greet him. Tony ran ahead, while my other brother and I followed with his gear. As Tony approached his buddies, he was bewildered by their dumbfounded stares.

Then he realized that his friends weren't seeing his two brothers giving him a lift; they were seeing a new private arrive in his own helicopter -- with a captain and sergeant carrying his bags!

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
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
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/2007/09/01/weeding-out-crazy-lawsuits-outdoor-smoking-ban-limerick/ - - Weeding Out Crazy Lawsuits (Outdoor Smoking Ban Limerick)
As a result of a neighbor’s lawsuit, a Swedish woman can no longer smoke in most of her garden. (And you thought the United States was a litigious country.)
Stockholm - A Swedish woman has been banned by court order from smoking in large parts of her own garden following a complaint from a neighbor…
… The neighbor, a lawyer, filed the complaint with the court in Vaxjo, in southern Sweden, saying he was obliged to wear a mask in his garden when the neighbor lit up.

Weeding Out Crazy Lawsuits (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A cig-hating fellow from Sweden
Sued a gal cause she smoked during weedin’.
Now smoking’s been banned
On much of her land.
What’s next? Litigation o’er readin’?

http://www.madkane.com
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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Is water becoming ‘the new oil’?
Population, pollution, and climate put the squeeze on potable supplies – and private companies smell a profit. Others ask: Should water be a human right?

By Mark Clayton | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor / May 29, 2008 edition
Reporter Mark Clayton discusses the growing market for 'blue gold'.

Reporter Mark Clayton

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

Public fountains are dry in Barcelona, Spain, a city so parched there’s a €9,000 ($13,000) fine if you’re caught watering your flowers. A tanker ship docked there this month carrying 5 million gallons of precious fresh water – and officials are scrambling to line up more such shipments to slake public thirst.

Barcelona is not alone. Cyprus will ferry water from Greece this summer. Australian cities are buying water from that nation’s farmers and building desalination plants. Thirsty China plans to divert Himalayan water. And 18 million southern Californians are bracing for their first water-rationing in years.

Water, Dow Chemical Chairman Andrew Liveris told the World Economic Forum in February, “is the oil of this century.” Developed nations have taken cheap, abundant fresh water largely for granted. Now global population growth, pollution, and climate change are shaping a new view of water as “blue gold.”

Water’s hot-commodity status has snared the attention of big equipment suppliers like General Electric as well as big private water companies that buy or manage municipal supplies – notably France-based Suez and Aqua America, the largest US-based private water company.

Global water markets, including drinking water distribution, management, waste treatment, and agriculture are a nearly $500 billion market and growing fast, says a 2007 global investment report.

But governments pushing to privatize costly to maintain public water systems are colliding with a global “water is a human right” movement. Because water is essential for human life, its distribution is best left to more publicly accountable government authorities to distribute at prices the poorest can afford, those water warriors say.

“We’re at a transition point where fundamental decisions need to be made by societies about how this basic human need – water – is going to be provided,” says Christopher Kilian, clean-water program director for the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation. “The profit motive and basic human need [for water] are just inherently in conflict.”

Will “peak water” displace “peak oil” as the central resource question? Some see such a scenario rising.

“What’s different now is that it’s increasingly obvious that we’re running up against limits to new [fresh water] supplies,” says Peter Gleick, a water expert and president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security, a nonpartisan think tank in Oakland, Calif. “It’s no longer cheap and easy to drill another well or dam another river.”

The idea of “peak water” is an imperfect analogy, he says. Unlike oil, water is not used up but only changes forms. The world still has the same 326 quintillion gallons, NASA estimates.

But some 97 percent of it is salty. The world’s remaining accessible fresh-water supplies are divided among industry (20 percent), agriculture (70 percent), and domestic use (10 percent), according to the United Nations.

Meanwhile, fresh-water consumption worldwide has more than doubled since World War II to nearly 4,000 cubic kilometers annually and set to rise another 25 percent by 2030, says a 2007 report by the Zurich-based Sustainable Asset Management (SAM) group investment firm.

Up to triple that is available for human use, so there should be plenty, the report says. But waste, climate change, and pollution have left clean water supplies running short.

“We have ignored demand for decades, just assuming supplies of water would be there,” Dr. Gleick says. “Now we have to learn to manage water demand and – on top of that – deal with climate change, too.”

Population and economic growth across Asia and the rest of the developing world is a major factor driving fresh-water scarcity. The earth’s human population is predicted to rise from 6 billion to about 9 billion by 2050, the UN reports. Feeding them will mean more irrigation for crops.

Increasing attention is also being paid to the global “virtual water” trade. It appears in food or other products that require water to produce, products that are then exported to another nation. The US may consume even more water – virtual water – by importing goods that require lots of water to make. At the same time, the US exports virtual water through goods it sells abroad.

As scarcity drives up the cost of fresh water, more efficient use of water will play a huge role, experts say, including:

• Superefficient drip irrigation is far more frugal than “flood” irrigation. But water’s low cost in the US provides little incentive to build new irrigation systems.

• Aging, leaking water pipes waste billions of gallons daily. The cost to fix them could be $500 billion over the next 30 years, the federal government estimates.

• Desalination. Dozens of plants are in planning stages or under construction in the US and abroad, reports say.

• Privatization. When private for-profit companies sell at a price based on what it costs to produce water, that higher price curbs water waste and water consumption, economists say.

In the US today, about 33.5 million Americans get their drinking water from privately owned utilities that make up about 16 percent of the nation’s community water systems, according to the National Association of Water Companies, a trade association.

“While water is essential to life, and we believe everyone deserves the right of access to water, that doesn’t mean water is free or should be provided free,” says Peter Cook, executive director of the NAWC. “Water should be priced at the cost to provide it – and subsidized for those who can’t afford it.”

But private companies’ promises of efficient, cost-effective water delivery have not always come true. Bolivia ejected giant engineering firm Bechtel in 2000, unhappy over the spiking cost of water for the city of Cochabamba. Last year Bolivia’s president publicly celebrated the departure of French water company Suez, which had held a 30-year contract to supply La Paz.

In her book, “Blue Covenant,” Maude Barlow – one of the leaders of the fledgling “water justice” movement – sees a dark future if private monopolies control access to fresh water. She sees this happening when, instead of curbing pollution and increasing conservation, governments throw up their hands and sell public water companies to the private sector or contract with private desalination companies.

“Water is a public resource and a human right that should be available to all,” she says. “All these companies are doing is recycling dirty water, selling it back to utilities and us at a huge price. But they haven’t been as successful as they want to be. People are concerned about their drinking water and they’ve met resistance.”
Private-water industry officials say those pushing to make water a “human right” are ideologues struggling to preserve inefficient public water authorities that sell water below the cost to produce it and so cheaply it is wasted – doing little to extend service to the poor.

“There are three basic things in life: food, water, and air,” says Paul Marin, who three years ago led a successful door-to-door campaign to keep the town council of Emmaus, Pa., from selling its local water company. “In this country, we have privatized our food. Now there’s a lot of interest in water on Wall Street…. But I can tell you it’s putting the fox in charge of the henhouse to privatize water. It’s a mistake.”

Water and war: Will scarcity lead to conflict?
Cherrapunjee, a town in eastern India, once held bragging rights as the “wettest place on earth,” and still gets nearly 40 feet of rain a year. Ironically, officials recently brought in Israeli water-management experts to help manage and retain water that today sluices off the area’s deforested landscape so that the area can get by in months when no rain falls.

“Global warming isn’t going to change the amount of water, but some places used to getting it won’t, and others that don’t, will get more,” says Dan Nees, a water-trading analyst with the World Resources Institute. “Water scarcity may be one of the most underappreciated global political and environmental challenges of our time.” Water woes could have an impact on global peace and stability.

In January, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon cited a report by International Alert, a self-described peace building organization based in London. The report identified 46 countries with a combined population of 2.7 billion people where contention over water has created “a high risk of violent conflict” by 2025.

In the developing world – particularly in China, India, and other parts of Asia – rising economic success means a rising demand for clean water and an increased potential for conflict.
China is one of the world’s fastest-growing nations, but its lakes, rivers, and groundwater are badly polluted because of the widespread dumping of industrial wastes. Tibet has huge fresh water reserves.

While news reports have generally cited Tibetans’ concerns over exploitation of their natural resources by China, little has been reported about China’s keen interest in Tibet’s Himalayan water supplies, locked up in rapidly melting glaciers.

“It’s clear that one of the key reasons that China is interested in Tibet is its water,” Dr. Gleick says. “They don’t want to risk any loss of control over these water resources.”

The Times (London) reported in 2006 that China is proceeding with plans for nearly 200 miles of canals to divert water from the Himalayan plateau to China’s parched Yellow River. China’s water plans are a major problem for the Dalai Lama’s government in exile, says a report released this month by Circle of Blue, a branch of the Pacific Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.

Himalayan water is particularly sensitive because it supplies the rivers that bring water to more than half a dozen Asian countries. Plans to divert water could cause intense debate.

“Once this issue of water resources comes up,” wrote Elizabeth Economy, director of Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Affairs, to Circle of Blue researchers in a report earlier this month, “and it seems inevitable at this point that it will – it also raises emerging conflicts with India and Southeast Asia.”

Tibet is not the only water-rich country wary of a water-poor neighbor. Canada, which has immense fresh-water resources, is wary of its water-thirsty superpower neighbor to the south, observers say. With Lake Mead low in the US Southwest, and now Florida and Georgia squabbling over water, the US could certainly use a sip (or gulp) of Canada’s supplies. (Canada has 20 percent of the world’s fresh water.)

But don’t look for a water pipeline from Canada’s northern reaches to the US southwest anytime soon. Water raises national fervor in Canada, and Canadians are reluctant to share their birthright with a United States that has mismanaged – in Canada’s eyes – its own supplies. Indeed, the prospect of losing control of its water under free-trade or other agreements is something Canadians seem to worry about constantly.

A year ago, Canada’s House of Commons voted 134 to 108 in favor of a motion to recommend that its federal government “begin talks with its American and Mexican counterparts to exclude water from the scope of NAFTA.”

[http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/05/29/is-water-becoming-%e2%80%98the-new-oil%e2%80%99/]
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Don't know where this came from but it's something to think about. IOWA vs. LOUISIANA The floods in the Midwest have been devastating. This past week, I've seen images of houses under water and hear that almost 90% of the counties in Iowa have severe water damage. As the images pour onto the screen, I seem to be missing something. I have yet to see a grown man or for that matter a person of any age sitting on their rooftops asking the government for help.
I've yet to see the Governor of the state blame George Bush for the levees breaking.
I've yet to see the local Wal-Mart raided and looted by police women.
I've yet to see someone bringing aid being shot at.
I'm sure the news media has hidden the real news.
People don't really evacuate when they are told to, do they? What a concept!

Thanks to David Lamb
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Girl with an Apple
August 1942. Piotrkow, Poland. The sky was gloomy that morning as we waited anxiously All the men, women and children of Piotrkow's Jewish ghetto had been herded into a square. Word had gotten around that we were being moved. My father had only recently died from typhus, which had run rampant through the crowded ghetto. My greatest fear was that our family would be separated.
"Whatever you do," Isidore, my eldest brother, whispered to me, "don't tell them your age. Say you're sixteen." I was tall for a boy of 11, so I could pull it off. That way I might be deemed valuable as a worker. An SS man approached me, boots clicking against the cobblestones. He looked me up and down, then asked my age. "Sixteen," I said. He directed me to the left, where my three brothers and other healthy young men already stood.
My mother was motioned to the right with the other women, children, sick and elderly people. I whispered to Isidore, "Why?" He didn't answer. I ran to Mama's side and said I wanted to stay with her. "No," she said sternly. "Get away. Don't be a nuisance. Go with your brothers." She had never spoken so harshly before. But I understood: She was protecting me. She loved me so much that, just this once, she pretended not to. It was the last I ever saw of her.
My brothers and I were transported in a cattle car to Germany. We arrived at the Buchenwald concentration camp one night weeks later and were led into a crowded barrack. The next day, we were issued uniforms and identification numbers.
"Don't call me Herman anymore." I said to my brothers. "Call me 94983." I was put to work in the camp's crematorium, loading the dead into a hand-cranked elevator. I, too, felt dead. Hardened, I had become a number. Soon, my brothers and I were sent to Schlieben, one of Buchenwald's sub-camps near Berlin.
One morning I thought I heard my mother's voice, "Son," she said softly but clearly, I am going to send you an angel." Then I woke up. Just a dream. A beautiful dream. But in this place there could be no angels. There was only work. And hunger. And fear.
A couple of days later, I was walking around the camp, around the barracks, near the barbed-wire fence where the guards could not easily see. I was alone. On the other side of the fence, I spotted someone: a little girl with light, almost luminous curls. She was half-hidden behind a birch tree. I glanced around to make sure no one saw me. I called to her softly in German.
"Do you have something to eat?" She didn't understand. I inched closer to the fence and repeated question in Polish. She stepped forward. I was thin and gaunt, with rags wrapped around my feet, but the girl looked unafraid. In her eyes, I saw life. She pulled an apple from her woolen jacket and threw it over the fence. I grabbed the fruit and, as I started to run away, I heard her say faintly, "I'll see you tomorrow."
I returned to the same spot by the fence at the same time every day. She was always there with something for me to eat - a hunk of bread or, better yet, an apple. We didn't dare speak or linger. To be caught would mean death for us both. I didn't know anything about her, just a kind farm girl, except that she understood Polish. What was her name? Why was she risking her life for me? Hope was in such short supply, and this girl on the other side of the fence gave me some, as nourishing in its way as the bread and apples.
Nearly seven months later, my brothers and I were crammed into a coal car and shipped to Theresienstadt camp in Czechoslovakia. "Don't return," I told the girl that day. "We're leaving." I turned toward the barracks and didn't look back, didn't even say good-bye to the little girl whose name I'd never learned, the girl with the apples.
We were in Theresienstadt for three months. The war was winding down and Allied forces were closing in, yet my fate seemed sealed. On May 10, 1945, I was scheduled to die in the gas chamber at 10:00 AM. In the quiet of dawn, I tried to prepare myself. So many times death seemed ready to claim me, but somehow I'd survived. Now, it was over. I thought of my parents. At least, I thought, we will be reunited.
But at 8 A.M. there was a commotion. I heard shouts, and saw people running every which way through camp. I caught up with my brothers. Russian troops had liberated the camp! The gates swung open. Everyone was running, so I did too.
Amazingly, all of my brothers had survived; I'm not sure how. But I knew that the girl with the apples had been the key to my survival. In a place where evil seemed triumphant, one person's goodness had saved my life, had given me hope in a place where there was none. My mother had promised to send me an angel, and the angel had come.
Eventually I made my way to England where I was sponsored by a Jewish charity, put up in a hostel with other boys who had survived the Holocaust and trained in electronics. Then I came to America, where my brother Sam had already moved. I served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War, and returned to New York City after two years.
By August 1957 I'd opened my own electronics repair shop. I was starting to settle in. One day, my friend Sid who I knew from England called me. "I've got a date. She's got a Polish friend. Let's double date."
A blind date? Nah, that wasn't for me. But Sid kept pestering me, and a few days later we headed up to the Bronx to pick up his date and her friend Roma. I had to admit, for a blind date this wasn't so bad. Roma was a nurse at a Bronx hospital. She was kind and smart. Beautiful, too, with swirling brown curls and green, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with life.
The four of us drove out to Coney Island. Roma was easy to talk to, easy to be with. Turned out she was wary of blind dates too! We were both just doing our friends a favor. We took a stroll on the boardwalk, enjoying the salty Atlantic breeze, and then had dinner by the shore. I couldn't remember having a better time.
We piled back into Sid's car, Roma and I sharing the backseat. As European Jews who had survived the war, we were aware that much had been left unsaid between us. She broached the subject, "Where were you," she asked softly, "during the war?"
"The camps," I said, the terrible memories still vivid, the irreparable loss. I had tried to forget. But you can never forget.
She nodded. "My family was hiding on a farm in Germany, not far from Berlin," she told me. "My father knew a priest, and he got us Aryan papers." I imagined how she must have suffered too, fear, a constant companion. And yet here we were, both survivors, in a new world.
"There was a camp next to the farm." Roma continued. "I saw a boy there and I would throw him apples every day."
What an amazing coincidence that she had helped some other boy. "What did he look like? I asked. He was tall, skinny, and hungry. I must have seen him every day for six months."
My heart was racing. I couldn't believe it. This couldn't be. "Did he tell you one day not to come back because he was leaving Schlieben?"
Roma looked at me in amazement. " Yes," That was me! " I was ready to burst with joy and awe, flooded with emotions. I couldn't believe it! My angel.
"I'm not letting you go." I said to Roma. And in the back of the car on that blind date, I proposed to her. I didn't want to wait.
"You're crazy!" she said. But she invited me to meet her parents for Shabbat dinner the following week. There was so much I looked forward to learning about Roma, but the most important things I always knew: her steadfastness, her goodness. For many months, in the worst of circumstances, she had come to the fence and given me hope. Now that I'd found her again, I could never let her go.
That day, she said yes. And I kept my word. After nearly 50 years of marriage, two children and three grandchildren I have never let her go.

Thanks to Waneta
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| Safety from the Heart |
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June 25, 2008
Tire Safety Alert
Today's Message is from Pam Bennett & Freida Morris (a BRT Albemarle employee).
BEWARE!

For the safety of YOU and your children, please be careful buying tires you think are new! I had never heard of this before. This is worth watching and I'm going to start reading the code on my tires now.
Watch this film from ABC news!!!! Click on this link, turn up volume! Semper Fi, Joe Mitchell

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897
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| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
June 25, 2008
Fireworks Safety Tips
Today's Message is from Stuart Turnbull (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).

Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the Fourth of July. But fireworks can be dangerous, causing serious burn and eye injuries.
If fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off on your own, be sure to follow these important safety tips:
Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks Read and follow all warnings and instructions
Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned. Keep a bucket of water in case of a malfunction or fire.
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| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
June 23, 2008
Drowning Dangers at Home
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Keith Black.

Research: Majority of Families Overlook Drowning Dangers at Home

Home Safety Council research shows that drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury-related death across all age groups, yet a recent study commissioned by the nonprofit organization found that only six percent of respondents have taken any action to prevent drowning incidents at home. Of those polled, fewer than 10 percent have put in a four-sided fence that goes all around the pool or installed a gate that closes and locks by itself -- two of the key water safety tips recommended by the Home Safety Council.

"No one should swim alone. Close, active adult supervision is particularly vital when children are around water," said Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "Drowning can occur in just seconds without noise or sign of struggle, so adults need to stay within arm's reach and remain entirely focused on children when they are around any body of water."

In addition to drowning, pools and spas also introduce the risk of injuries from falls, poisoning, scalds, entrapment and electric shock. The Home Safety Council's new, online destination, MySafeHome.org, lets users explore all the areas of a virtual home to understand where potential dangers may be found in their own homes. MySafeHome.org includes an interactive pool and spa area that illustrates the most common injury risks found around backyard pools and spas and demonstrates the safety devices and practices needed to reduce the risk of injury.

Water Safety Tips:

The Home Safety Council offers the following water safety tips for activity in and around pools, spas, ponds and irrigation ditches, bathtubs and buckets.
Install four-sided fencing with self-locking and self-closing gates around pools and spas. Fencing should completely isolate the pool from the home and be at least five feet high.
Always keep gates closed and latched. Never prop a gate open or disable the lock.
Always practice constant adult supervision around any body of water, including pools and spas. Never leave your child alone or in the care of another child.
When hosting a pool party, assign specific adults to keep an eye on the pool at all times.
Enroll non-swimmers in swimming lessons taught by a qualified instructor.
Remember that regardless of age or skill level, no one is "drown proof." Children should always be supervised by an adult while they are swimming.
Never swim alone. Even adults should swim with a buddy.
Learn and practice basic lifesaving techniques, including First Aid and CPR. Insist that anyone who cares for your children learn CPR.
Keep poolside rescue equipment close to the pool area at all times.
Post emergency numbers and CPR instructions near the pool area.
Entrapment underwater can be deadly. Teach children that drains, grates and filters are not toys. Never stick fingers or toes in these openings and stay away from suction devices.
Install anti-entrapment drain covers and replace drain covers immediately if they are broken or damaged.
Always remove toys from the pool area when not in use.
Establish pool safety rules and make sure children are familiar with them.
Keep spas and hot tubs covered and locked when not in use.
Completely remove pool and spa covers prior to use.
Stay out of the pool during severe weather and thunderstorms, especially if lightning is forecast or present.
If a child is missing, check the pool area first.
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The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.
http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/

** "Tonight: PBS Investigates the Poultry Industry" Following up on the Charlotte Observer's excellent series on poultry workers, Bill Moyers' Journal and Exposé: America's Investigative Reports take a look at working conditions and oversight in the U.S. poultry industry. The show airs tonight (Friday, 6/27) on PBS (at 9pm on WETA for DC viewers). http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/tonight-pbs-investigates-the-poultry-industry/

** "Food Stamps: Challenging" by Liz Borkowski Members of Congress and others take the Food Stamp Challenge – living on the average weekly food stamp allotment of $21 for one week – and find that it's hard to keep themselves well nourished. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/food-stamps-challenging/

** "Seeking Government Scientists to Help Strengthen Government Science" by Liz Borkowski The Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy's Scientists in Government project, which promotes public discussion about the rights and responsibilities of government scientists, is recruiting current and former government scientists to participate in this qualitative research. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/seeking-government-scientists-to-help-strengthen-government-science/

** "Occupational Health News Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Soldiers testify about the effects of exposure to the sodium dichromate that contaminated an Iraqi water plant they were guarding; doctors who see patients injured on the job say they're pressured by employers to classify injuries as non-reportable; and the CDC reports on heat-related worker deaths. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/occupational-health-news-roundup-71/

** "Nanotech: Rewards, Risks, and Responses" by Liz Borkowski Three recent stories describe the potential rewards and risks of nanotechnology and some of the efforts to learn more about nanomaterials' effects on humans and our environment. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/nanotech-rewards-risks-and-responses/

** "White House hides behind executive privilege" by Michael Stebbins The White House claims that executive privilege allows it to withhold documents relating to its role in EPA's denial of California's request for exemption from the Clean Air Act to set their own guidelines for the regulation of auto emissions standards. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/white-house-hides-behind-executive-privilege/

** "Voices of Experiences at Firedoglake Book Discussion" by Liz Borkowski Jordan Barab hosted the online discussion of David Michaels' Doubt is Their Product at the blog Firedoglake, and used his extensive experience in worker health and safety to inform predictions about how we can succeed at improving workplace conditions. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/voices-of-experience-at-firedoglake-book-discussion/

** "Friday Blog Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Bloggers tackle the implications of floods in the Midwest, the 20th anniversary of James Hansen's climate-change testimony, and community HIV prevention efforts in India and Vietnam. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/friday-blog-roundup-80/

** "Doubt at Firedoglake, and More Rave Reviews" by David Michaels The blog Firedoglake will hold an online discussion about Doubt is Their Product; meanwhile, reviews in Nature and New Scientist praise the book. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/doubt-at-firedoglake-and-more-rave-reviews/

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

I love George Miller! Finally It was brought to the public’s attention that families and unions have no rights in OSHA proceedings. OSHA, The Company in question and their lawyers are able to whittle down the fins and citations to nothing and not one person representing the worker is involved.

Thank You! You can't even imagine what this means to the families. It may not have changed however now people get it and it's on the record!

This was an awesome hearing and you really need to watch this if you want to see the real deal.

"Is OSHA Failing to Adequately Enforce Construction Safety Rules?" [http://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/fc-2008-06-24.shtml] Full Committee

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

01. The Department of Defense announced the death of Hospitalman Dustin Kelby Burnett, 19, of Fort Mohave, Ariz., was assigned to First Marine Division Detachment, Twentynine Palms, Calif. He died June 20 while conducting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

02. The Department of Defense announced the death of Sgt. Matthew E. Mendoza, 24, of San Antonio, Texas, died June 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

03. Staff Sgt. Du Hai Tran, 30, of Reseda, Calif.,died Jun. 20 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on patrol during combat operations. He was assigned to the Fires Squadron,2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck,Germany.

The Department of Defense announced the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died June 21 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. Killed were:
04. Lt. Col. James J. Walton, 41, of Rockville, Md., who was assigned to a Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
05. Spc. Anthony L. Mangano, 36, of Greenlawn, N.Y., who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard, Geneva, N.Y.
06. Sgt. Nelson D. Rodriguez Ramirez, 22, of Revere, Mass., who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard, Geneva, N.Y.
07. Sgt. Andrew Seabrooks, 36, of Queens, N.Y., who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard, Geneva, N.Y.

08. Capt. Gregory T. Dalessio, 30, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, died June 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Salman Pak, Iraq, when his patrol encountered small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

09. Sgt. Ryan J. Connolly, 24, of Vacaville, Calif., died June 24 in Khogyani, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck a suspected landmine. He was assigned to the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Bamberg, Germany.

10. Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Strickland, 25, of Labelle, Fla. died June 25, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

11. Pfc. Bryan M. Thomas, 22, of Lake Charles, La., died June 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Salman Pak, Iraq, when his patrol encountered small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.
12. The Department of Defense announced June 25 the death of Capt. Gregory T. Dalessio, who was killed in the same incident.

13. Spc. Joshua L. Plocica, 20, of Clarksville, Tenn., died June 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died June 25 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device on June 24. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
14. Sgt. Alejandro A. Dominguez, 24, of San Diego, Calif.
15. Spc. Joel A. Taylor, 20, of Pinetown, N.C.
16. Pfc. James M. Yohn, 25, of Highspire, Pa.

The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died June 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a bomb blast. Killed were:
17. Chief Warrant Officer Robert C. Hammett, 39, of Tucson, Ariz., who was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
18. Maj. Dwayne M. Kelley, 48, of Willingboro, N.J., who was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, Green Bay, Wis.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three Marines who died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq:
19. Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai, 42, of Pago Pago, American Samoa.
20. Capt. Philip J. Dykeman, 38, of Brockport, N.Y.
21. Cpl. Marcus W. Preudhomme, 23, of North Miami Beach, Fla.
The Marines were assigned to 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
~
Soldier Missing in Action From The Korean War is 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 will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Sgt. Gene F. Clark, U.S. Army, of Muncie, Ind. He will be buried June 28 in Muncie.

Representatives from the Army met with Clark's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.

In September 1950, Clark was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position along the Nammyon River near a bend known as the “Camel’s Head.” On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division’s lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Clark was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.

Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. Among several boxes turned over in 1993, one contained a dog tag for Clark, and the accompanying North Korean documents indicated that the remains were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County, North Pyongan Province. This location correlates with where Clark’s unit fought during the battle at Unsan.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of Clark’s remains.
~
Soldier Missing In Action From The Korean War Is 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 will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Sgt. Edward J. O’Brien, U.S. Army, of Omaha, Neb. He will be buried July 2 in Minneapolis, Minn.

Representatives from the Army met with O’Brien’s next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.

In late November 1950, O’Brien was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, then deployed north of the Chongchon River, along the main road running south out of Unsan, North Korea. On Nov. 26, the Chinese army struck the U.S. and Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) forces during the Battle of the Chongchon River. As a result, U.S. and R.O.K. forces, including the 35th Regiment, were forced to withdraw to the south. O’Brien was last seen when opposing forces overran his company’s position about 10 miles southwest of Unsan.

In 1998, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), excavated a site containing the remains of a U.S. soldier who died south of Unsan in the general vicinity where O’Brien was last seen. The team found human remains and two military identification tags with O’Brien’s name on them. A North Korean national told the team that he first uncovered the remains while constructing his house, and that he buried them at the nearby site which was excavated.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of O’Brien’s remains.

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.
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Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq. 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.
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"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
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Activities and Events of Interest - - Coming Events
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MCC Grilled Hamburger Lunch Fundraiser for Youth & Children's Camp, Thursday, July 10 @ Atwoods parking lot.
Please remember on this day to go by Atwoods and buy your lunch. You will get a hamburger, chips and a drink for $5.00. If you would like to help with this fund raiser, you can see Miss Karen or Donna.
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Scheduled Activities
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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.
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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.
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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.
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MCC - Nursing Home Ministry - Meadowbrook Every Tuesday from 10 to 11 am. Taylor, the last Thursday each month.
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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: 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.
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"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
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out." - - Tony Blair
"Information is the currency of democracy." - Jefferson
“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 "Fuzzy" Thurman
~~~~~
Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Acts 16:25-26 Mat 22:34-40 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

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Bugs Bleat 2Q 08

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Saturday, June 28, 2008

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Walking to School - - Photos

Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Walking to School