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Volume 10, Issue 14 Friday, April 04, 2008
Hello All,
I apologize for missing last week’s “Bleat” but we were both out of town the week of March 24 - 29 and there was just never time to catch up. We’ve included much of last week’s “items of interest” in this issue.
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My week away was spent at Brayton Fire Field with about half of our fire fighters. This was a really great group of volunteers that did a fantastic job of firefighting during the day and had a super time fellow shipping in the evenings. Then, Saturday, John Burge, Sarah Shepherd and Steve Savoy took me to a Disaster Medical Team meeting in Little Rock where I got with another great group of emergency responders.
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Annette, Vanessa and Ethan were in Missouri visiting with Aunt Shirley and Uncle Herb and family. They told me that the Albrights treated them like royalty, and they really enjoyed the trip.
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This year’s “Prom Night” - Cheat The Reaper Drama was staged at the fairgrounds Wednesday morning. Our Albemarle Emergency Response and Safety Excellence Teams assisted Columbia County Ambulance Service as well as local law enforcement and rural fire departments in staging this production. “Prom Night” is designed to encourage students to not drink and drive and not ride with anyone who is drinking.
Wednesday’s production was one of the best I’ve seen. The bleachers were silent as the emergency responders gently cradled the dead body of the prom queen and zipped her body into a black bag. Several students began to cry as Jeff Grey picked up the queen’s corsage and laid it on her body bag.
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My picks as “Most Important Issues” for the President are “The War On Terror” and “Energy Policy”. Wait, you say, what about the economy? If we don’t get our head out of the sand and move our society away from dependence on imported Energy, we won’t have an economy to improve. And, our enemy in the War On Terror is not someone we can ever negotiate with. They won’t accept our surrender nor will they ever agree to a cease-fire. The only solution is to continuously defeat them battle by battle. Remember, they attacked us long before we occupied Iraq. If we fail in our vigilance to defend against these Islam terrorist, again, we will watch our economy crumble along with the shattered buildings and lives that are the result of the latest terror attack.
So we need to force our executive and legislative branches to face reality and start promoting energy conservation and alternatives to petroleum. It’s been over 30 years since OPEC showed their true colors and cut off our oil imports. Yet, our US government has done next to nothing to foster alternatives to oil and gas. It still penalizes companies that coproduce steam and electricity. We’re still subsidizing air travel while telling the much more efficient rail roads to make a profit or else. There are some minor tax credits out there for energy conservation, but nothing like we see in other modern nations that have spent the last 30 years developing ways to function on less oil and more ingenuity.
At the same time, we need a strong defense/offense that not only attacks those who seek us harm but reveals them to be the purveyors of evil that they really are. And we must find ways to fight this enemy without destroying the very society we are trying to protect. We must preserve our basic liberties.
“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” - Benjamin Franklin
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Fact vs. Fiction: The notion that guzzling glasses of water to flood yourself with good health is all wet, researchers said on Wednesday.
People in hot, dry climates and athletes have an increased need for water, and people with certain diseases do better with increased fluid intake, they found. But for average healthy people, more water does not seem to mean better health.
While it may not help a person to drink lots of water, it may not harm them much either.
"A little mild dehydration for the most part is OK, and a little mild water excess for the most part is OK. It's the extremes that one needs to avoid."
Reuters.com - Research debunks health value of guzzling water - - http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSN0236679720080402
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Mark Your Calendars!!!! Albemarle Kids' Fishing Tournament - May 31
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Management That Works - - In 1994, William Bratton was appointed the 38th Commissioner of the New York City Police Department by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. He had success in this position, and introduced the CompStat system of tracking crimes, which proved successful in reducing crime in New York City and is still used to this day. A new tax surcharge enabled the training and deployment of around 5,000 new better-educated police officers, police decision-making was devolved to precinct level, and a backlog of 50,000 unserved warrants was cleared.
In 1996, Bratton was featured in a business case prepared by James L. Heskett and published by Harvard Business School (Ref 9-396-293). Bratton's efforts to effectively turn around the New York City Police Department is used by many business schools as a tool for teaching organizational design and change.
Changes initiated under Bratton are still affecting crime rates in New York where he started (crime rates are the lowest there since 1963) and in Los Angles where he is now police Commissioner (crime rates are the lowest there since 1970.)
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If you look at the changes instituted by Bratton, they closely copy “Deming's 14 points” - The 14 points are a basis for transformation of industry. Adoption and action on the 14 points are a signal that management intend to stay in business and aim to protect investors and jobs. Such a system formed the basis for lessons for top management in Japan in 1950 and in subsequent years.
The 14 points apply anywhere, to small organizations as well as to large ones, to the service industry as well as to manufacturing. They apply to a division within a company.
1. Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs.
2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change.
3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first place.
4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead, minimize total cost. Move towards a single supplier for any one item, on a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust.
5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.
6. Institute training on the job.
7. Institute leadership. The aim of supervision should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of management is in need of an overhaul, as well as supervision of production workers.
8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.
9. Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the workforce asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and thus lie beyond the power of the work force.
11. a. Eliminate work standards (quotas) on the factory floor. Substitute leadership.
11. b. Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers, numerical goals. Substitute leadership.
12. a. Remove barriers that rob the hourly paid worker of his right to pride in workmanship. The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer numbers to quality.
12. b. Remove barriers that rob people in management and engineering of their right to pride in workmanship. This means, inter alia, abolishment of the annual or merit rating and management by objective.
13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.
14. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The transformation is everybody's job.
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As we enter a recession, it would behoove corporate management to look at what works as a business model instead of what they THINK is a good idea. Many corporations have turned Deming’s 14 points on their head, driving fear INTO the work place and assuming that everyone in the hierarchy below the corporate tower is an idiot and can’t be trusted to make a decision or have responsibility for their job.
Such tactics work, for a while. But eventually the house of cards collapses and the business crashes and burns, leaving only the CEO and his staff, floating in the sky on their golden parachutes.
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We extend our sincere sympathy to Terry Fields in the loss of his mother (also mother-in-law of John Gosdin). Funeral services for Elizabeth "Betty" Fields were held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Springhill, LA.
The family has requested memorials be made to Magnolia Specialized Services or Beehive Industries in Arkadelphia.
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Helmets to Hardhats, Assisting Military Personnel in Starting New Careers
Helmets to Hardhats is a national program that connects National Guard, Reserve and transitioning active-duty military members with quality career training and employment opportunities within the building trades and other industry leaders. Candidates can access information about careers and apprenticeships via the Internet at www.helmetstohardhats.org . To apply for work or membership, candidates complete a comprehensive profile that helps the building trades hiring managers transfer valuable skills they acquired during their military service. With over 2,000opportunities posted nation-wide and a team of experienced field representatives, Helmets to Hardhats is helping America's military veterans build tomorrow's skilled work force.
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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/] - - W. Bryan Jackson - Hometown: Whidbey Island, WA - Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross
Called a hero by his former Task Force commander and later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, 1st Lt. W. Bryan Jackson’s utter disregard for his own well-being likely saved the life of a fellow soldier, while jeopardizing his own.
Deeply involved in combat operations on September 27, 2006 in Anbar province, Iraq, Jackson attempted to recover a disabled vehicle when his unit was attacked by a hail of enemy machine gun fire, wounding several. Instead of seeking cover, he rushed to the aid of his injured first sergeant and began life-saving first aid.
An insurgent’s bullet ripped through his thigh, but did not take Jackson out of the fight. Regaining consciousness after the initial shock of the injury, Jackson’s first thought was about his severely wounded comrade. He alternated between returning fire on the suspected enemy position and administering first aid to his compatriot with life-threatening wounds. Ignoring his own severe injuries and relying on his tenacity and strength, Jackson carried his first sergeant to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle 30 feet away for evacuation. Even as he was hit a second time by enemy fire, Jackson never faltered in his aid. Once clear of the engagement and despite the severity of his own injuries, Jackson still refused medical aid until the man he helped save was treated.
The first words from Jackson after undergoing emergency medical evacuation and the first of several surgeries to come were of concern for the man he saved. For his injuries, his selfless courage under extreme enemy fire and extraordinary heroism in action, Jackson was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross, becoming only the seventh soldier since 1975 to receive the later award.
Humbly, Jackson reflected: "I believe I just had to do what I had to do in that situation… I think many soldiers would have done the same thing."
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The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milblogger” on the web.
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March 24 - From Western Nineveh Province, Northern Iraq
Despite recent news reports, progress in Iraq continues. The 5th year, the 4,000th death... these are sad truths. Also true is that violence is down and al Qaeda loses ground day by day. The biggest challenge now is national reconciliation.
Nevertheless, I've planted myself up here in Nineveh where al Qaeda is making a last stand. They are putting up a good fight, but my gut instinct is that AQI will essentially be finished in Iraq by the end of this summer. This does not imply that they will be completely exterminated or that attacks will cease, but, for all intents and purposes, al Qaeda will have suffered a devastating defeat in Iraq.
Al Qaeda Central seems to have finally realized that the United States and Great Britain are the wrong animals to kick. They might prefer easier targets in Europe. Whatever happens, it's clear that al Qaeda is devastated here. What is left of al Qaeda here is being mulched, mostly up here in Nineveh, where I think there will be more fighting in the coming months.
Please read "Stake through their Hearts"
[http://67.192.120.151/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=519:stake-through-their-hearts-killing-al-qaeda&catid=34:dispatches&Itemid=55] to learn more about the fighting in Nineveh.
And please buy an advance copy of Moment of Truth [http://yhst-80051593642880.stores.yahoo.net/] in Iraq to help keep me on the battlefield. Looks like I've got Nineveh mostly to myself, again.
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March 31 - From Iraq:
A new dispatch with interesting photos awaits here Color of War [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=657:colors-of-a-war&catid=34:dispatches&Itemid=55].
My book, Moment of Truth in Iraq is printed and just now arriving to the publisher. Your advance signed-copy can ship immediately if you purchase here Moment of Truth in Iraq. Copies will hit bookshelves on 23 April.
I am still in Iraq but plan to land in El Paso on roughly 8 April to see the 2-7 Cav redeployment ceremony. Few people know that a single battalion of American troops held down the fort in Mosul for a full year. I am coming all the way back from Iraq to see the 2-7 Cav award ceremony. Outstanding soldiers.
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April 2 - A very short dispatch is published. The photo is a classic: Holy Brothel [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=654:holy-brothel&catid=34:dispatches&Itemid=55].
Moment of Truth in Iraq has arrived to the publisher's door. Please buy a copy now, three weeks before it hits bookshelves.
V/r
Michael Yon
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Just to show that "Da Bleat" is the source for all important information, here's a recipe for getting rid of skunk odor:
2 quarts of hydrogen peroxide (3%)
½ cup baking soda
10 drops of liquid dish washing soap
For those of you with pets, this is the magic mix. I’m guessing my dog thought the skunk was a cat. Boy was he surprised. It's 12:00 in the morning and he's had 3 baths in tomato juice which did not work. But this last bath did the trick. Just keep lots of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda & dishwashing soap.
Thanks to Gena Hammock
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COMMUNICATION NOTICE: We have switched Internet Service Providers and our e-mail address is now kc5hii@suddenlink.net.
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The last two weeks we watched (from NetFlix) [Ratings are my own]:
Conquest of Space (1955) [5.7]; Starring Walter Brooke, Eric Fleming and Mickey Shaughnessy
Nacho Libre (2006) [4]; Starring Jack Black
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) [5]; Starring Uma Thurman, and Luke Wilson
Saving Grace (2000) [5]; Starring Brenda Blethyn, Craig Ferguson and Martin Clunes
Gracie's Choice (2004) [8]: Staring Kristen Bell, Diane Ladd, and Anne Heche
On Moonlight Bay (1951) [7]; Staring Doris Day, and Gordon MacRae
Frequency (2000) [8]; Starring Dennis Quaid, and James Caviezel
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The last two weeks we read; The shooters / by W.E.B. Griffin. City of the sun : a novel / by David Levien. The coldest winter : America and the Korean War / David Halberstam. And Condi : the Condoleezza Rice story / Antonia Felix.
We’re currently reading; The shell game / by Steve Alten. & Reconciliation : Islam, democracy, and the West / Benazir Bhutto.
We plan on reading:“A war of gifts : an Ender story” by Orson Scott Card.
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http://www.shelfari.com/BugsBleat/shelf?ec=7D790D174EFS18012
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If you’d like to write Dr. Antoon, he’d like to hear from you. This is his current address, the latest of the three federal prison’s he’s been in.
Patrick Antoon #06669-010
Federal Prison Camp-La Tuna
P. O. Box 8000
Anthony, NM/TX 88021
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The photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include photos of this year’s “Prom Night” - Cheat The Reaper Drama.
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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.bugsbleat4Q07.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
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Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
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Recipe(s) of the week - - - Roast Pork Tenderloin with Prunes - - Recipe courtesy EatingWell.com
We have adapted the traditional Scandinavian stuffed pork loin roast to use the far leaner tenderloins.
24 pitted prunes (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 1/4 cups Madeira
4 pork tenderloins, about 3/4 pound each, trimmed of fat
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (2 large)
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine prunes and Madeira in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; cover and set aside. Let the prunes plump for at least 1 hour. Drain, reserving the prunes and Madeira separately.
Lay one of the tenderloins on a large cutting board. Steadying the meat with one hand, place a slicing knife along a long side of the meat. Keep the blade parallel to the board and cut through the meat, stopping short of the opposite edge so that the flaps remain attached. Repeat with the remaining 3 tenderloins.
Working with one tenderloin at a time, open up the flaps as you would open a book. Cover with plastic wrap. With a meat pounder, rolling pin or heavy pan, pound the meat to an even thickness of about 3/8 inch. Repeat with the remaining tenderloins. Discard the plastic wrap.
Overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface to make a large rectangle. Set 2 of the flattened tenderloins on the plastic wrap, slightly overlapping them along a long edge, to form a rectangle approximately 8-by-13 inches. Leaving a 1-inch border at each end, place 10 of the prunes, in a row just to one side of the overlap. Beginning with a long edge, roll the meat as you would a jelly roll, using the plastic wrap to assist and lift in the rolling. Tuck in the ends as best you can, and use butcher's twine to secure the roll with crosswise ties at 1-inch intervals. Repeat these steps with the remaining tenderloins.
Preheat oven to 425̊ F.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add one of the tenderloin roasts and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large rack set over a baking sheet. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil to the pan, brown the second roast and transfer it to the rack. (Do not wash the pan—you will need it later to prepare the sauce.)
Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 150̊ F, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
While the pork is roasting, chop the remaining 4 prunes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan used to brown the meat and heat over medium-high heat. Add shallots and the chopped prunes; cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the Madeira left from soaking the prunes and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Boil until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in broth and boil until the sauce has reduced to 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce through a sieve into another saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
Stir together cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk into the sauce and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.10. Remove the twine from the roast tenderloins and carve into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a heated platter and serve with the sauce.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
User Rating: No Rating
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Green & Yellow Beans with Wild Mushrooms Recipe courtesy EatingWell.com
Simply prepared green and yellow beans with wild mushrooms are easy holiday fare.
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, oyster or porcini, trimmed and sliced (see Substitution Note)
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and wax beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. (Cook for another minute or two if you like your green beans more tender.) Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the mushrooms for garnish. Add the cooked beans to the mushrooms in the pan and cook, stirring to combine, until heated through, 1 to 3 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Serve topped with the reserved mushrooms.
Substitution note: If you can’t find wild mushrooms, use button or cremini mushrooms.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 10 servings, about 3/4 cup each
User Rating: No Rating
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_30878_101220_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_30878_100715_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
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BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson
Light in the Shadows
3/28/2008
'Arts of Darkness'
There is a certain type of film that has captivated audiences for decades. It is dark and eerie. There is mystery, and always something lurking around the next corner. I am talking about films like The Maltese Falcon starring Humphrey Bogart, Double Indemnity with Fred MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson, Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Vertigo, and The Third Man starring Orson Welles.
These films are considered part of a genre known as film noir—films that typically involve an effort to solve a mystery in a “disorienting, threatening” world full of “unprincipled” characters. And as Dr. Thomas Hibbs suggests in his marvelous new book, Arts of Darkness: American Noir and the Quest for Redemption, they have something important to teach us about the modern-day religious quest.
Hibbs borrows Pascal’s concept of a “hidden God” to help show the motive that drives many of the characters in film noir. Films like Double Indemnity and Maltese Falcon, Hibbs explains, show a reaction against the kind of shallow, facile optimism born out of the Enlightenment period—a mentality that taught that all things were possible through rational thinking and scientific observation. Film noir, by contrast, is all about the restraints on humans in a sinful world. It tells us that we cannot just do anything we feel like doing with impunity.
As Hibbs writes, “In its assumption that a double”—that is, “a dark self”—“lurks just beneath the surface of the most ordinary individuals, noir punctures naïve, conventional assumptions about human behavior. But the dark side is [not] liberating. . . . The characters who try to exercise a Nietzschean ‘will to power,’ to exist beyond good and evil, destroy themselves instead of triumphing.”
But just because a film has elements of darkness and mystery does not make it a good example of film noir. More modern films like Basic Instinct, for example, let their characters get away with just the sort of nihilistic, inhuman triumphs that classic noir did not. But just as these films do not fit the mold of true film noir, Hibbs argues, neither do they faithfully reflect human reality. They are fundamentally flawed as works of art, not simply because they fail to reward virtue and punish vice, but because they fail to acknowledge some of the most basic truths about human nature.
And one of the biggest of those truths is that it is not enough just to search for meaning. As Hibbs dryly notes, the villain of M. Night Shyamalan’s film Unbreakable, who murders ruthlessly in a quest to find the meaning of his existence—sick though it is—“has a purpose-driven life.” To find true meaning, we must search for something that transcends ourselves: “a lost code of redemption” that has its roots not in humanity, but in God.
That is why the modern Christian tendency to think that only bright and sunny films are good for us can be so misleading. Films like that, while inspirational, generally do not express the sense of loss and need that drives people to undertake the quest for God.
You can visit BreakPoint.org for a list of film noir classics. And while you are at our website, you can find out how to get your copy of Hibbs’s Arts of Darkness. You will get a whole new perspective on how sometimes we need to look at the shadows in order to see the light.
Arts of Darkness: American Noir and the Quest for Redemption by Thomas S. Hibbs
For Further Reading and Information
See BreakPoint’s list of film noir classics.
Listen to National Review’s “Between the Covers” with John J. Miller on Thomas Hibbs on Arts of Darkness.
Further research on Thomas Hibbs at the Mars Hill Audio Journal: Segment Profile.
S. T. Karnick, “The Light in ‘Dark’ Fiction,” The American Culture, 5 March 2008 (reprinted from the National Review).
Gina Dalfonzo, “Sign Language: Signs and the Biblical Worldview,” BreakPoint Online, 30 August 2002.
Gina Dalfonzo, “Digging Too Deep,” BreakPoint Online, 21 September 2004.
Gina Dalfonzo, “Buffy Fades to Black,” Boundless, 2003.
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Beyond Conversation
By Chuck Colson
4/4/2008
One in Christ
Forty years ago today, Martin Luther King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. His murder not only cut short one of the most remarkable lives in American history, it also cut short a long-postponed conversation about race in America.
There has been no shortage of attempts to restart that conversation. When he was president, Bill Clinton tried to jump-start it during the 1990s. The recent controversy over Senator Obama’s pastor’s hateful tirade, and Obama’s speech suggesting a new conversation, is yet another attempt.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to avoid the feeling that these “conversations” are like all conversations: talk and little else. They are a way of putting off what needs to be done, the goal King gave his life for: “All God’s children” coming together and being one people.
For the process to move beyond words to the realm of action, Christians must set the example.
And it will not be easy. As many people, recently Senator Obama, pointed out, the most segregated place in America is church on a Sunday morning. Some downplay the importance of this fact, arguing, among other things, that it reflects housing patterns and worship styles.
Well, even if this were an acceptable explanation, many Christians do not attend their neighborhood churches—they get in their cars and drive to another neighborhood on Sunday mornings.
In other words, the segregated nature of Sunday mornings in America is the result of choices made by individual Christians—both black and white. Likewise, undoing this segregation and setting an example for the rest of the culture can also be the result of individual choices—that is, if we care to set such an example.
Like the men at a prison in Darrington, Texas, this past Easter: Mark Earley and I joined some 500 prisoners and Prison Fellowship volunteers to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection. Both on the platform and in the prison yard, I saw black and white, Anglo and Latino, worshipping the risen Christ together. As I looked over the crowd, I did not think about people as being one color or another. I thought about them as people, and they thought the same way about themselves and about us.
Now, if you know anything about American prisons, you can appreciate how unusual this was. In a world where racial and ethnic identity can literally be a matter of life and death, these men transcended race and embraced their true identity as brothers in Christ. And what happened this past Easter was far from unique. This unity is one of the greatest joys of our prison ministry.
Look, if it can happen behind bars, there is no excuse for business-as-usual outside prison walls. This is especially true when we realize that King’s vision was one driven by a Christian understanding of man’s relationship to God and his fellow men.
On the night before he died, King spoke at Mason Temple Church. He warned of hard times to come, but added that God had shown him “the promised land.” And while he might “not get there with you . . . we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”
Forty years later, we are not there yet. As Francis Schaeffer wrote, we give the world the right to judge Christ by the way we treat each other. I wish the world could judge Christ by what I saw in the Darrington prison.
Charles Colson on Politics and the Christian Faith—call 1-877-322-5527 to learn more about this four-part DVD curriculum.
For Further Reading and Information
Martin Luther King, Jr., “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” AFSCME, April 1968.
Martin Luther King, Jr., The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Grand Central Publishing, January 2001).
Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love (Augsburg Fortress Publishers, May 1981).
Martin Luther King, Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. (HarperOne, December 1990).
Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (Plume, April 1995).
BreakPoint Commentary No. 080326, “A Storm of Unity: Non-Segregated Sundays.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 080226, “That All of Us May Be One: Reconciliation Blues.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 080121, “Truth, Love, and Endurance: Dr. King and Christian Activism.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 070115, “King’s Dream: The Good Society and the Moral Law.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 040119, “One Nation under Whom: The Founders’ Compact.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 030120, “Fighting Unjust Laws: Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 020121, “The Duty to Disobey: Remembering martin Luther King, Jr.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 980218, “Letter from the Birmingham Jail: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Natural Law.”
The BreakPoint Web site and BreakPoint WorldView Magazine feature Colson’s commentaries as well as feature articles by other established and up-and-coming writers to equip readers with a biblical perspective on a variety of issues and topics.
© 2008 Prison Fellowship - - http://www.breakpoint.org/site_hmpg.asp
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Words of the Week:
jollification: merrymaking; revelry.
deus ex machina: an agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently insoluble difficulty.
bellwether: a leader or leading indicator.
ostentation: excessive or pretentious display.
remunerate: to pay an equivalent to for any service, loss, or expense.
anathema: a curse; a person or thing cursed, or intensely disliked.
plethora: excess.
repine: to feel or express discontent.
misnomer: a misnaming.
acrid: sharp and harsh; bitter.
hullabaloo: a confused noise; uproar.
excrescence: something growing out from something else; also, a disfiguring or unwanted part.
obsequious: servilely attentive; fawning.
xenophobia: fear or hatred of what is strange or foreign.
from Dictionary.Com
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"Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark. The pleasure they give is steady, unorgastic, reliable, deep and long-lasting. In any library in the world, I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed." - Germaine Greer
"If a man doesn't delight in himself and the force in him and feel that he and it are wonders, how is all life to become important to him?" - Sherwood Anderson
"The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it." - Lou Holtz
"It is in virtue that happiness consists, for virtue is the state of mind which tends to make the whole of life harmonious." - Zeno of Citium
"A technical objection is the first refuge of a scoundrel." - Heywood Broun
"Our power is in our ability to decide." - R. Buckminster Fuller
"Optimism doesn't wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time." - Norman Cousins
"The course of true love never did run smooth." - William Shakespeare
"Flowers grow out of dark moments." - Corita Kent
"All the great blessings of my life are present in my thoughts today." - Phoebe Cary
"Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long they live, although it is in the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man's power to live long." - Seneca
"If you're strong enough, there are no precedents." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
"There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves."Albert Guinon
"Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca
~~~~~
Featured Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk thanks to Norma Kay Rowe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA thanks to Sean Hyman
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/
King David Museum Opens in Jerusalem's Old City
Jews across Israel Gather to Repent and Pray
Students Longing for Revival Attest to Fruit Born of Prayer Vigils
Another State—this time Florida—Officially Apologizes for its History of Slavery - Aimee Herd (March 28, 2008)
"'All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing,' I think we are reminded of that today because it takes courage to do the right thing, and it's not always easy."
(Tallahassee, Florida)—This week Florida joined five other states in issuing an apology for the state's "shameful" history of slavery.
The state legislature overwhelmingly passed a resolution that "expressed profound regret" for its role "in sanctioning and perpetuating involuntary servitude upon generations of African slaves."
Larry E. Rivers, author of Slavery in Florida noted that "from 1845 to 1860, it was one of the fastest-growing slave states in the union." Senator Anthony C. Hill Sr., of Jacksonville—one of several senators who had pushed for the resolution—said, "I think now we can begin the healing process of reconciliation."
Quoting the philosopher Edmund Burke, Governor Charlie Crist said, "'All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.'" He added, "I think we are reminded of that today because it takes courage to do the right thing, and it's not always easy."
After Falling Through Window, Christians at Restaurant Pray over Woman with 8-inch Glass Shard in Her Chest until Medics Arrive
City Rebuffs County by Awarding Fired Librarian Who Reported Illegal Internet Activity to Police
Newly Released Census Bureau Statistics Show Traditional Families are on the Rebound
310 2nd Ave SE
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-928-2642
E-mail
US Orders: 1-866-358-7426
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GCF: Dressed Alike
Emailed to me a friend (Thanks, Yolanda) -Tom
If this was forwarded to you, please consider your own subscription to Good Clean Fun. It's free! A smile will enhance the quality of your life. Just send an email to: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit the Good Clean Fun web site http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor/ Unsubscribe info for Good Clean Fun is at the end of this email. This email was scanned by F-Secure before it was sent.
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I come from a large family, five sisters and three brothers. My sisters and I were looking through the family photo album one day. Picture after picture, we were all dressed in matching clothes. I asked my mother why she dressed us all alike, right down to the baby.
She explained, "When we had just four children, I dressed you alike so we wouldn't lose any of you. Then," she added, looking at the pictures in the album, "when the other five came along, I started dressing you alike so we won't pick up any that don't belong to us."
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Spin the Bottle
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
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We used to play spin the bottle when I was a kid. A girl would spin the bottle and if it pointed to you when it stopped, the girl could either kiss you or give you a dime.
By the time I was 14, I owned my own home.
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Switching Trains
Emailed to me from another humor list (Daily Humor) -Tom To subscribe to Daily Humor, send a blank email to: Daily-Humor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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I was in New York's Grand Central Terminal on my way to visit friends in Connecticut. I had never taken the trip before and was wondering if I needed to switch trains in Stamford.
Walking to the train, I saw the conductor and asked, "Do I need to change?"
"No," he replied immediately. "You're fine the way you are. Your bag matches your shoes and your earrings are the same color as your outfit. Very coordinated."
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Six Again
Emailed to me a friend (Thanks, victoria) -Tom Subscribe to Pastor Tim's Clean Laugh list at the website: Subscribe
--------------------------------------------
A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday.
"I'd love to be six again," she replied.
On the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a local theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park: the Death Slide, the Screaming Loop, the Wall of Fear everything there was! Wow! Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park, her head reeling and her stomach upside down.
Right to a McDonald's they went, where her husband ordered her a Big Mac along with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake. Then, it was off to a movie - the latest sci-fi epic, and hot dogs, popcorn, Pepsi Cola and M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally, she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed. He leaned over and lovingly asked, "Well, dear, what was it like being six again?"
One eye opened and she said, "You idiot, I meant my dress size."
The moral of this story is: If a woman speaks and a man is actually listening, he will still get it wrong.
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: The End Is Near
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
--------------------------------------------
A local priest and pastor stood by the side of the road holding up a sign that said, "The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it's too late!" They planned to hold up the sign to each passing car.
"Leave us alone, you religious nuts!" yelled the first driver as he sped by.
From around the curve they heard a big splash.
"Do you think," said one clergyman to the other, "we should just put up a sign that says 'bridge out' instead?"
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Diagnosis
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Virginia) -Tom
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A man walks into the doctor's office.
He has a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear.
"What's the matter with me?", he asked.
"You're not eating properly", replied the Doctor.
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Last Wishes
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Dorothy) -Tom
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A woman was talking to her friends about her husband who mad passed away.
When her husband was on his death bed, and he told her that he had three envelopes in his desk drawer that would "take care" of all of the arrangements. Well, he died shortly thereafter, so the wife opened the drawer and there were 3 envelopes just like he said.
One the first envelope it said "for the casket". There was $5,000.00 in the envelope, so she bought him a very nice casket.
The second envelope said "for the expenses" and had $4,000.00 in it so she paid all the bills from the funeral.
The third envelope said "for the stone" and had $3,000.00 in it. She then held her hand out to her friends and said, "Isn't it beautiful!!!"
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Remembering the Names
Emailed to me from another humor list (Daily Humor) -Tom To subscribe to Daily Humor, send a blank email to: Daily-Humor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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When I was introduced to a couple visiting our congregation, I decided to remember their names by noting they were the same as those of two characters in a popular children's story.
After the services I stopped to talk to them, and as they were saying goodbye I teased, "Be careful going up that hill! But you must get that all the time."
They smiled politely but said nothing. After they left, my wife asked, "What was that all about?"
"Jack and Jill. Up the hill. Remember?" I said.
"Yes, but what does that have to do with," she pointed to the couple, "Dick and Jane?"
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: A Great Cup of Tea
Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Woody) -Tom
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This is taken from the Dr. James Dobson Bulletin for June, 1998
Have you noticed that children sometimes try to be helpful, but it makes your life more complicated?
I heard a story about a mother who was sick with the flu. Her darling daughter wanted to be a good nurse. She fluffed the pillows and brought a magazine for her mother to read. And then she showed up with a cup of tea.
"You're such a sweetheart," the mother said as she drank the tea. "I didn't know you could make tea."
"Oh, yes," the little girl replied. "I put the tea leaves in the water like you do, and I boiled it, and then I strained it into a cup. But I couldn't find a strainer, so I used the flyswatter."
"You what?"
And the little girl said, "Oh, don't worry, mom. I didn't use the new flyswatter. I used the old one."
_ ____________________________ _
GCF: Just Thankful
Emailed to me from another humor list (Daily Humor) -Tom To subscribe to Daily Humor, send a blank email to: Daily-Humor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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In my senior year, I reluctantly took a required psychology course. The first day, the professor commented on each student's major, trying to provoke a response. It was working - some students were becoming defensive. When it was my turn, I told him I was a music major.
"So," asked my professor, "what does your father think of your wasting your education to study music?"
"He's just thankful," I shot back, "that I didn't go into psychology."
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / A father is a guy who has \ /
\ _/ snapshots in his wallet \_ /
/ / where his money used to be. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Scratch a dog and \ /
\ _/ you'll find a permanent job. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ /I contend that for a nation to \ \_/ ////
\ /try to tax itself into prosperity\ /
\ _/is like a man standing in a bucket \_ /
/ / and trying to lift himself up by \ \
the handle. - Winston Churchill
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / \ /
\ _/ "I never make misakes." \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / My doctor told me to start my\ \_/ ////
\ / exercise program very gradually\ /
\ _/ so today I drove past a store \_ /
/ / that sells sweat pants. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / "Art is not what you see, \ /
\ _/ but what you make others see." \_ /
/ / - Edward Degas \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / My wife and I had words, \ /
\ _/ but I didn't get to use mine. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / "Save the earth. It's the \ /
\ _/ only planet with chocolate." \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / "Johnny, name the Ten \ /
\ _/ Commandments, in any order." \_ /
/ / "3, 6, 1, 8, 4, 5, 9, 2, 10 and 7." \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )______________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / The irony of life is that, by \ /
\ _/ the time you're old enough to \_ /
/ / know your way around, \ \
you're not going anywhere.
_ ____________________________ _
| Thomas S. Ellsworth |
| tellswor@slonet.org |
| http://www.slonet.org/~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/
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Two 90-year-old women, Rose and Barb, had been friends all of their lives.
When it was clear that Rose was dying, Barb visited her every day. One day Barb said, "Rose, we both loved playing women's softball all our lives, and we played all through High School. Please do me one favor: when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's women's soft-ball there."
Rose looked up at Barb from her deathbed and said, "Barb, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you." Shortly after that, Rose passed on.
At midnight a few nights later, Barb was awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to her, "Barb, Barb."
"Who is it?" asked Barb, sitting up suddenly. "Who is it?"
"Barb -- it's me, Rose."
"You're not Rose. Rose just died."
"I'm telling you, it's me, Rose," insisted the voice.
"Rose! Where are you?"
"In Heaven," replied Rose. "I have some really good news and some great news."
"Tell me the good news first," said Barb.
"The good news," Rose said, "is that there's Softball in Heaven. Better yet all of our old buddies who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we're all young again. Better still, it's always springtime, and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play softball all we want, and we never get tired."
"That's fantastic," said Barb. "It's beyond my wildest dreams! So what's the great news?"
"You're pitching today."
Life is uncertain - eat dessert first
Thanks to Norma Kay Rowe
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11 people were hanging on a rope under a helicopter, 10 men & 1 woman.
The rope was not strong enough to carry them all, so they decided that one had to leave, because otherwise they were all going to fall. They were unable to decide who would let go, until the woman gave a very touching speech.
She said that she would voluntarily let go of the rope, because, as a woman, she was used to giving up everything for her husband and kids and for men in general, and was used to always making sacrifices with little in return.
As soon as she finished her speech, all the men started clapping......
SEND THIS MAIL TO AN INTELLIGENT WOMAN, SO THAT SHE HAS SOMETHING TO SMILE A BOUT TODAY*^^*
Thanks to Norma Kay Rowe
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Not the brightest Bulbs in the Lamp:
They told me to meet them at the corner of "WALK" and "ONE WAY."
At the bottom of the application where it says "sign here", they put Sagittarius."
They asked for as price check in the dollar store.
They studied for a blood test.
They thought they needed a token to get on "Soul Train."
They sold the car for gas money.
When they went to the airport and saw a sign that said, "Airport left," they turned around and went home.
If they spoke her mind, they'd be speechless.
They thought they could not use their AM radio in the evening.
They had a shirt that said, "TGIF," which they thought stood for: "This Goes in Front."
Thanks to Waneta
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Management Course
Lesson 1:
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.
The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.
Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.'
After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.
The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.
When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?' 'It was Bob the next door neighbor,' she replies.
'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?'
Moral of the story:
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.
Lesson 2:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.
They rub it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.'
'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk. 'I want to be in the Bahamas , driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.'
Puff! She's gone.
'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.'
Puff! He's gone.
'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager.
The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'
Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.
Lesson 3
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.
A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, 'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?'
The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.' So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
Thanks to John Burge
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If You'll be Quiet
It was a hectic day of running errands with my wife and son. As if the stress weren't enough, four-year-old Christopher insisted on asking questions about everything, told me how to drive better, and sang every song he knew.
Finally, fed up with the incessant chatter, I made him an offer: "Christopher, if you'll be quiet for just a few minutes, I'll give you a quarter." It worked.
But when we stopped for lunch, I unknowingly began to harp on him. "Christopher, sit up straight ... don't spill your drink ... don't talk with your mouth full."
Finally he said seriously, "Dad, if you'll be quiet for just a few minutes, I'll give you a quarter."
Received from Pulpit Supply.
(-:][:-)
New Restaurant
I almost got thrown out of my sister-in-law's house one year at the holidays. I told them that I was thinking of opening a restaurant (I did this with a straight face, so they thought I was serious).
She and her family at the time were vegetarians, but I said
I was going to open a restaurant that specialized in venison dishes. I was going to call it "The Buck Stops Here," and my slogan was going to be "Bambi: You've seen the movie. Now, eat the star!"
Received from Steve Sanderson.
(-:][:-)
Service Bill
Harry, a TV repairman, was called to fix a television set that had neither sound nor picture. Left alone in the room, Harry spotted the cause immediately: the set was unplugged. Harry faced a dilemma -- one part of him said he shouldn't charge the woman while the other insisted he be paid for his time.
Finally, he presented her with a minimum-charge service bill, which read, "Restored isolated connecting cable to primary power source. $25."
Received from Clean Humor Digest.
(-:][:-)
Separation
A man is waiting in line for a hit movie. Behind him are two women. The usher comes along and says that he has two seats together. Seeing the problem, the usher says to the man, "Let them go first. You wouldn't want to separate a woman from her mother, would you?"
The man says, "No, sir. I did that once, and I've been sorry ever since."
Received from ArcaMax Jokes.
(-:][:-)
I Hope I'm Sick
A fellow was sitting in the doctor's waiting room, and said to himself every so often, "Boy, I hope I'm sick!"
After about the fifth or sixth time, the receptionist couldn't stand it any longer, and asked, "Why in the world would you want to be sick, Mr. Adams?"
The man replied, "I'd hate to be well and feel like this."
Received from Pulpit Supply.
(-:][:-)
A Terrible Night
It was a terrible night, blowing cold and rain in a most frightful manner. The streets were deserted, and the local baker was just about to close up shop when a little man slipped through the door. He carried an umbrella, blown inside out, and he was bundled in two sweaters and a thick coat. But even so, he still looked wet and bedraggled.
As he unwound his scarf, he said to the baker, "May I have two bagels to go, please?"
The baker said in astonishment, "Two bagels? Nothing more?"
"That's right," answered the little man. "One for me and one for Bernice."
"Bernice is your wife?" asked the baker.
"What do you think?" snapped the little man. "My mother would never send me out on a night like this!"
Received from Thomas Ellsworth.
(-:][:-)
High Blood Pressure
When a physician remarked on a new patient's extraordinarily ruddy complexion, the patient said, "High blood pressure, Doc. It comes from my family."
"Your mother's side or your father's?" the doctor asked.
"Neither," the patient replied. "It's from my wife's family."
"Oh, come now," the doctor said. "How could your wife's family give you high blood pressure?"
He sighed. "You oughta meet 'em sometime, Doc!"
Received from ArcaMax Jokes.
(-:][:-)
Deacon Meeting Minutes
The newly elected secretary for the Deacon Board at church submitted this report:
October the something Deacon's meeting
Present was most of the deacons; one was absent.
Chairman Tad asked Luke to say something, and he did.
New officers were needed; some of us were arm twisted into taking the positions.
Some old business was remembered, and most of it had been approved. What wasn't was not important.
We tried to think of some new business, but it was decided that we're too old to be new.
Some of the deacons were getting tired so we decided to get out of the meeting.
(Secretary's note: I said I would type the meeting minutes; not that they would be worth a hoot!!)
Received from Danny Wilder via Carole Johnson.
(-:][:-)
Baptism
A friend of mine took her four-year-old daughter to a baptismal service at her church. Later that night, her daughter took all of her dolls into the bathtub with her and held her own "baptism."
As she dunked each doll under the water, she repeated, "Now I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and hold your nose."
Received from DOC'S DAILY CHUCKLE.
(-:][:-)
24 Pigs
A young lawyer, just out of law school, was pleading his first case in South Carolina.
A train had killed twenty-four pigs, and the young attorney was trying to impress the jury with the magnitude of the injury.
"Yes, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, twenty-four pigs. Imagine, twenty-four pigs. Twice the number that are in the jury box."
Received from Thomas Ellsworth.
(-:][:-)
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/interactivetaxes.html - - INTERACTIVE TAXES
Hello. Welcome to Taxtime, your Interactive Tax Preparer Program. Do you feel like doing your taxes today?
I see. Well, don't you think you should do them anyway? After all, it's April 14. And who knows? Maybe you'll get a refund.
That's the spirit. Let's begin with your name, address, and marital status.
Sorry to hear about the divorce. But don't let it get you down. That alimony deduction will come in handy.
Please don't cry. Things are bound to improve. In the meantime, let's talk about dependents. Do you have any children?
Wow! I hope they're not all in college.
You're having visitation problems on top of everything else? Gee, I can't help you there. But you might try our Interactive Matrimonial Lawyer Software.
I hate lawyers too. But we're really veering off track. Do you have any other dependents?
Sorry. You can't deduct your dog, even if she's your only friend.
I agree. The IRS is unreasonable. But let's move on to income. What were your wages in 2007?
Wow! You're having a bad go of it. But at least you're getting the Unemployment Benefits max.
I'm afraid Unemployment Benefits are taxable. The government giveth and the government taketh away.
Hey, don't blame me. I'm just the messenger. Anyway, did you have any interest or dividend income or capital gains?
Your spouse got everything, huh? Well, look on the bright side. If you don't earn it, they can't make you pay taxes on it.
Please don't exit. It was just a joke. I don't suppose you were able to sock anything away into an IRA.
I didn't mean to insult you; I'm just doing my job. They make me ask about IRA's and Keogh Plans too.
Okay, okay. I get the point. You're broke. So let's go over your deductions and see about getting you a healthy refund.
And speaking about health, I need a complete list of your non-reimbursed medical expenses.
That's great -- a fractured sacroiliac. And your income was so low that most of it will be deductible.
You're absolutely right. I should have asked you how you're feeling. That was inconsiderate of me. But in my defense, we're really fighting the clock.
Okay, I apologize. Let's move on to your state income taxes and real estate taxes.
Boy, they weren't kidding about New York taxes. But that huge mortgage tax deduction should really increase your refund.
You had to sell the house to pay for the divorce? What a shame. But I thought you said you didn't have any capital gains.
You sold it at a loss? So tell me. Are there any good housing buys out there? One of my other users is looking for a home.
You're absolutely right. That was a selfish and thoughtless thing to say. I'm a new program, and I guess they haven't gotten all the bugs out.
Let's go back to your deductions. What did you pay in mortgage interest?
I'm afraid deducting credit card interest is a major no-no. But you may want to consider our Interactive Bankruptcy Software.
Don't get your nose out of joint. It was just a suggestion. Anyway, it's time to list your charitable contributions.
I know you can't afford them, but list a couple hundred in cash anyway. Everybody does it, and it's impossible to check.
Good. Now I'm almost afraid to ask, but did you suffer any unreimbursed casualty or theft losses last year?
That's pretty much what I expected. Just give me the numbers and I'll take it from there.
Is there anything else you want to tell me?
Well, of course they canceled your policy. They always cancel your policy. But what I meant was, did you have any other income or expenses?
Fine. Now why don't you rest for a second, so I can do some quick calculations.
I have good news. You're entitled to a $157 refund. Would you like to apply it to your 2008 tax?
I beg your pardon. They don't pay me enough to listen to that kind of language.
http://www.madkane.com
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
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The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental.
1. Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.
2. If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
3. I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy.
4. When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.
5. A reporter did a human-interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him 'Why do you carry a 45?' The Ranger responded, 'Because they don't make a 46.'
6. An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.
7. The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his sidearm. 'Sheriff, I see you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?' 'No Ma'am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle.'
8. Beware the man who only has one gun. HE PROBABLY KNOWS HOW TO USE IT!!!
But wait, there's more!
I was once asked by a lady visiting if I had a gun in the house. I said I did. She said 'Well I certainly hope it isn't loaded!' To which I said, of course it is loaded, can't work without bullets!' She then asked, 'Are you that afraid of someone evil coming into your house?' My reply was, 'No not at all. I am not afraid of the house catching fire either, but I have fire extinguishers around, and they are all loaded too.' To which I'll add, having a gun in the house that isn't loaded is like having a car in the garage without gas in the tank.
I'm a firm believer of the 2nd Amendment!
Thanks to Waneta
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Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was:
A four-year-old child, whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the Little boy just said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."
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Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family.
One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, "I know all about adoption, I was adopted.." "What does it mean to be adopted?", asked another child "It means", said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!"
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On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League base ball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was.
"We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile.
"Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look very discouraged."
"Discouraged?", the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face... "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."
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Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think About little Jamie Scott.
Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what, Mom," he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me....."I've been chosen to clap and cheer."
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An eye witness account from New York City , on a cold day in December, some years ago: A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold.
A lady approached the young boy and said, "My, but you're in such deep thought staring in that window!"
"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,"was the boy's reply
The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel. By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes.
She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him.. She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, you will be more comfortable now." As she turned to go, the astonished kid caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her .
"Are you God's wife?"
Thanks to David Kirkpatrick
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Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
1. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
2. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"
3. Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.
4. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first.
5. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.
6. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.
Is that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the mast er had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now if the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done". But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because..........
The folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"
Thanks to David Lamb
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When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.
It became very quiet in the room.
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Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day,
And they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'
Once again, dead silence.
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A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'
Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'
You could have heard a pin drop
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AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
A group of Americans, retired teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentlem an of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.
Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.
"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."
The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained. "Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find any danged Frenchmen to show it to."
Thanks to David Lamb
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Remember...a layer of dust protects the Wood beneath it.
'A house becomes a home when you can write 'I love you' on the furniture'
I used to spend at least eight hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect - 'in case someone came over'
Finally I realized one day that no-one came over; they were all out living life and having fun!
NOW, when people visit, I don't have to explain the 'condition' of my home .
They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun.
If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice.
Life is short. Enjoy it!
Dust if you must ....... but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake cookies or a cake and lick the spoon or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?!
Dust if you must,but there's not much time . . . . with beer to drink , rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around, again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,old age will come and it's not kind. . .
And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust!
It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.
Thanks to Claiborne Sharp
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Richard, (my husband), never really talked a lot about his time in Viet Nam other than he had been shot by a sniper. However, he had a rather grainy, 8 x 10 black and white photo he had taken at a USO show of Ann Margaret with Bob Hope in the background that was one of his treasures.
A few years ago, Ann Margaret was doing a book signing at a local bookstore. Richard wanted to see if he could get her to sign the treasured photo so he arrived at the bookstore at 12 o'clock for the 7:30 signing.
When I got there after work, the line went all the way around the bookstore, circled the parking lot and disappeared behind a parking garage. Before her appearance, bookstore employees announced that she would sign only her book and no memorabilia would be permitted.
Richard was disappointed, but wanted to show her the photo and let her know how much those shows meant to lonely GI's so far from home. Ann Margaret came out looking as beautiful as ever and, as second in line, it was soon Richard's turn.
He presented the book for her signature and then took out the photo. When he did, there were many shouts from the employees that she would not sign it. Richard said, 'I understand. I just wanted her to see it.'
She took one look at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes and she said, 'This is one of my gentlemen from Viet Nam and I most certainly will sign his photo. I know what these men did for their country and I always have time for 'my gentlemen.''
With that, she pulled Richard across the table and planted a big kiss on him. She then made quite a to-do about the bravery of the young men she met over the years, how much she admired them, and how much she appreciated them. There weren't too many dry eyes among those close enough to hear. She then posed for pictures and acted as if he were the only one there.
Later at dinner, Richard was very quiet. When I asked if he'd like to talk about it, my big strong husband broke down in tears. 'That's the first time anyone ever thanked me for my time in the Military,' he said.
That night was a turning point for him. He walked a little straighter and, for the first time in years, was proud to have been a Vietnam Vet. I'll never forget Ann Margaret for her graciousness and how much that small act of kindness meant to my husband.
I now make it a point to say 'Thank you' to every person I come across who served in our Armed Forces. Freedom does not come cheap and I am grateful for all those who have served their country.
Thanks to Gary Foreman
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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| Safety from the Heart |
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April 3, 2008
Pay Attention While Driving
Today's Safety From the Heart message is from Pam Kemp.
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I know , here I go again
In route home the other afternoon I actually noticed how many people were on cell phones while trying to maneuver thru traffic...out of the first 6 cars I passed, 5 of the drivers were on cell phones. You could tell by the way they are all laughing that they were having quite a conversation w/the person on the other end....not one thought for the stop sign or the oncoming cars. One of the other drivers was a young girl w/an IPOD and ear plugs in jammin to the tune she was listening too...I mean really jammin' too...back and forth in front of the steering wheel all the way over to the middle part of the dash of the car without a care in the world. I could see this plainly because I was sitting at a yield waiting for a car to pass. What was scary is that she was on the opposite side of the road doing the same thing but still jammin' while she waited for the cars to pass in her lane she was trying to merge into.
I would like to think that no adult would do this..the ear plugs in the ear while driving??.....not a good idea. I am aware that all kids have IPOD's but they need to really be talked to about listening to it while they are behind the wheel of a car. We love our kids so much, let's let them know that before we forbid them to listen to their IPOD while driving. it could save their lives, and some other person's life.
Lethal: a vehicle, a cell phone, a loud radio, an IPOD ear plug in the ear, and a teen or young person..these things won't mix. If you observe for a short time you will see some pretty scary situations drivers put themselves and us in....drive as if you were driving for two...you and the one who isn't paying attention.
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| Safety from the Heart |
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April 2 , 2008
Get Latest Information
Today's Message is from Stuart Turnbull (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).
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If you need specific information on topics concerning Occupational Safety and Health try The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at NIOSH.com. Here you will find topics that cover the industry from A to Z. Topics like Emergency Preparedness and Response, Safety and Prevention, Chemicals, Diseases and Injuries and Hazards & Exposures, to name a few. Want to know what the industry has to say about wearing contact lenses in a chemical environment. Go to NIOSH.com TRY IT.
Want to get an update on the latest information concerning an Avian Flu (strain H5N1) Pandemic? You can find that information from The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention at www.CDC.com. Since both the CDC and NIOSH are government agencies, you can get to NIOSH through the CDC website, as well. If you are on the CDC website, search for NIOSH and you will go to that website. TRY IT.
Here is a quote from George Benard Shaw that is easily applied to safety:
If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable man must be of learning from experience.
Have a safe day.
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| Safety from the Heart |
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April 1, 2008
It's Up to Me
Today's Message is from Bruce Compton (a Pasadena Albemarle employee).
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IT'S UP TO ME....I want a workplace that's injury free and if that's going to happen, then it's up to me. I can't take for granted that anyone has done all the things that I should have done.
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| Safety from the Heart |
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March 31, 2008
More on office safety:
http://www.pacificemployers.com/Safety/Office_02.htm
Striking against an object can also cause many office injuries. These accidents result when employees do not notice open desk or file drawers and other office equipment. Whether seated at your desk or walking, you should be aware that hurrying can produce such injuries. Always walk in designated aisles--avoid shortcuts. Striking against sharp burrs on metal filing cabinets and office furniture can cause injuries. These burrs may also tear or damage clothing, they can be eliminated by filing the rough metal edges. Splinters and loose veneer on desks and chairs can produce similar results. Repairs to chipped or broken furniture should be made immediately.
Workers being struck by objects are usually attributed to falling equipment. Small index card files, calculators and typewriters, for example, should not be placed near the edges of desks, filing cabinets or tables because these items can slide onto the floor. If a filing cabinet is unbalanced, with heavier material in the top drawers, it could easily fall over when drawers are pulled out. Personnel may also sustain injuries when caught in or between machinery or equipment.
When closing drawers in desks or filing cabinets make sure your hands, with the fingers brought into the palm, are held against the drawer face to avoid caching your fingers. Always use the handle when opening or closing the spring-loaded shelf on a typewriter desk; these shelves may open and close rapidly and present a definite hazard. Doors, windows and some office machinery are similar handtraps.
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| Safety from the Heart |
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March 31, 2008
Today's Safety From the Heart message was submitted by Keith Black.
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Natural Gas Safety Tips
CenterPoint Energy (CNP) reminds customers to take natural gas leaks seriously and to immediately notify their utility if they detect one.
Natural gas has an odorant added to it to help make it detectable. If you smell natural gas, which smells like rotten eggs, take the following precautions:
Leave the property immediately! Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones) or anything that could cause a spark.
Go to a safe location and call your utility's natural gas leak hotline. Don't assume that someone else has reported the leak. Alert your neighbors.
Never try to repair a natural gas leak. Leave all repairs to a trained technician.
The heating season also is a good time to remind customers the importance of having their heating systems inspected annually by a qualified technician to ensure its safe operation and to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Any fuel-burning equipment or appliance, including wood stoves, fireplaces, space heaters, barbecue grills, furnaces, water heaters, boilers and ranges, has the potential to produce CO which is a poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating.
CenterPoint Energy recommends:
Follow manufacturers' operating instructions properly for their gas heating equipment.
Do not use stovetop burners or ovens to heat a room since they are not designed for this use.
Make sure to follow the blue flame rule. Natural gas flames should burn blue except natural gas fireplace logs which burn orange to have a more realistic wood burning look.
Crack windows slightly if using unvented space heaters.
Consider buying a CO detector as another line of defense against CO poisoning. CNP recommends buying one with an audible alarm and continuous digital display; make sure it is tested to the national standard for residential CO detectors (UL2034 or IAS NO. 6-96).
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| Safety from the Heart |
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March 24, 2008
Combustible dusts
Combustible dust explosions have been in the news in the past few months - the most recent, unfortunate one occurring in a sugar plant in Port Wentworth Georgia. The energy behind these explosion is unbelievably devastating.
OSHA is attempting to increase awareness and is sending information about combustible dusts and how to prevent explosions to chemical company presidents and others in the industry. Attached is a link to a document that they sent to Albemarle. Please look at it to learn more about dusts and their hazards. It is a pdf file so you will need to have Adobe Acrobat reader on your computer.
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The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.
http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/
Here are links to items posted on The Pump Handle over the past two weeks:
** "Diacetyl in Kitchens – Investigations Underway" by Liz Borkowski Investigators from NIOSH and a Washington state agency are studying commercial kitchen workers' exposure to diacetyl from butter-flavored cooking products. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/diacetyl-in-kitchens-2/
** "EPA Tightens Diesel Ship & Train Standards," by Liz Borkowski In a welcome contrast to the disappointing ozone rule the agency announced last week, EPA has issued tougher air-pollution standards for diesel locomotives and marine engines within the U.S. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/epa-tightens-diesel-ship-train-standards/
** "Guns in DC: What Will Stop the Violence?" by Liz Borkowski As the Supreme Court hears a case involving DC's handgun ban, and it's a good time to look at public-health strategies for reducing the toll of gun violence. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/guns-in-dc/
** "OSHA, Small Businesses and Beryllium" by Celeste Monforton A report on a meeting between OSHA, the Small Business Administration, and small business representatives about OSHA's draft beryllium regulation includes some interesting information about the small-business perspective on exposure limits, medical surveillance, and beryllium's carcinogenicity. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/osha-small-businesses-and-beryllium/
** "Occupational Health News Roundup" by Liz Borkowski On the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the toll on members of the military is substantial: 3,988 U.S. personnel have died, and 29,395 more have been wounded. The numbers don't reveal the toll on wounded soldiers, or on the families and communities dealing with the impact of dead and wounded members. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/occupational-health-news-roundup-57/
** "Ruminations on Combustible Dust" by Celeste Monforton During last week's congressional hearing on combustible dust, Ranking Member Howard "Buck" McKeon's performance left a lasting impression. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/ruminations-on-combustible-dust/
** "Environmental Film Festival in DC" by Liz Borkowski The DC Environmental Film festival runs through March 22nd in Washington, DC, with a special series of films Saturday for World Water Day. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/environmental-film-festival-in-dc/
** "Good Environmental News" by Liz Borkowski Seattle bans city purchases of bottled water, the Beluga Skysail proves ships can use towing kites to reduce their energy requirements, and solar power is spreading in Oregon and India. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/good-environmental-news/
** "No Apologies for Standing Up for Workers" by Celeste Monforton Former Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH) passed away at age 90; he was a committed advocate for all workers' rights to safe and healthy workplaces, to being able to complain about potentially dangerous workplace conditions without fear of retaliation, and to a robust enforcement system with meaningful penalties. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/14/no-apologies-for-standing-up-for-workers/
** "Friday Blog Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Bloggers consider NIH research funding levels, a House hearing on combustible dust, and the PEPFAR prostitution pledge. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/14/friday-blog-roundup-66/
** "States Back in Court Over EPA and Emissions" by Liz Borkowski A year after the Supreme Court ruled that EPA should regulate greenhouse gas emissions if they're found to affect human health, the agency has decided to hold off on addressing the problem – and eighteen states have filed a petition in federal court to force EPA to act. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/states-back-in-court-over-epa-and-emissions/
** "Consumer Reporting of Adverse Events to FDA" by Susan F. Wood Consumer and drug-safety advocates call for direct-to-consumer drug ads to include information about reporting adverse events to FDA. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/consumer-reporting-of-adverse-events-to-fda/
** "Doubt is Their Product – Early Reviews are In" by David Michaels Doubt is Their Product, scheduled for official release on May 1, has already been reviewed by two journalists who do an excellent job describing the problems that decades of manufactured uncertainty have created for today's health and environmental advocates. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/doubt-is-their-product-early-reviews-are-in/
** "Occupational Health News Roundup" by Liz Borkowski South Africa announced its prohibition on the use, processing, or manufacturing of any asbestos or asbestos containing products; an explosion at a Chinese mine leaves nine dead and five missing; and NIOSH is asking for comments on a draft action plan addressing personal protective equipment for healthcare workers in an influenza pandemic. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/occupational-health-news-roundup-59/
** "IG Report on MSHA and Crandall Canyon" by Celeste Monforton The Department of Labor's Inspector General has issued a new report stating that MSHA was negligent in its responsibility to protect miners at Crandall Canyon, where nine workers were killed. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/ig-report-on-msha-and-crandall-canyon/
** "What are we, a discount house?" by Celeste Monforton At a Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety hearing, former OSHA Assistant Secretary Jerry Scannell spoke some memorable words to remind the audience about OSHA's priorities. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/what-are-we-a-discount-house/
** "Deaths on the Strip" by Liz Borkowski The Las Vegas Sun publishes a special series on the workplace accidents that have killed nine construction workers since the end of 2006. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/deaths-on-the-strip/
** "'Greening' of Ellis Island" by Vera Toulokhonova Ellis Island its touting its green restrooms – a good sign, even if the impact of their steps is small. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/greening-of-ellis-island/
** "MSHA Releases Data on 40 More Deaths" by Celeste Monforton In response to a recommendation from the Department of Labor's Inspector General, MSHA released data on 40 additional deaths which occurred (mostly) in 2007 at U.S. mining operations but were deemed not "chargeable" to the mining industry. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/msha-releases-data-on-40-more-deaths/
** "Friday Blog Roundup" by Liz Borkowski Bloggers have a lot to say about how food is produced; plus, they tackle tobacco-funded research, emerging pox viruses, and the demand for gasoline. http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/friday-blog-roundup-68/
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.
UK The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act
April 4th a news release announcing the long awaited and toiled for The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act comes in to play on April 6th. It took the unified efforts of families, unions and same page organizations to get the job done.
The new law focuses on the mind sets of companies, organizations and, and government bodies. If any are inordinately negligent and have caused a death they will be fined (for which there are no caps, unlike our OSHA fines) and they will face some rel jail time for their profits before people positions.
I am sure the UK had the same issues to overcome as do the US. Many companies protest this health and safety approach feeling that their are to many regulations but for these companies who are truly trying to do the right thing and have an effect health and safety structure they have no need to fear. It is the companies such as BP and Mcwane that will be effected because their corrupt way of doing business by ensuring employers know that people are not a cost of doing business.
For those who are truly trying The Institute of Directors and Health and Safety Executive have published guidance for directors on their responsibilities for health and safety entitled 'Leading health and safety at work: leadership actions for directors and board members', available on the Health and Safety Executive website.
The arguments are over and now there is a standard set forth as to how, who and when manslaughter comes to play in the workplace. I know this has been a discussion in BC, AU and the states and now that we have a basis we should act upon such an act in our realms.
Congratulation on this Monumental win!
Man killed in accident at steel plant - SAPULPA, Okla. - Creek County authorities say a 23-year-old man was killed while trying to hook a boom dolly to a crane when the dolly he was standing on rolled out from under him, trapping him between the two pieces of machinery.
One Dead after Industrial Accident in Anderson - SC - An Anderson man is dead tonight after being killed when the operator of a Bobcat utility tractor ran over Fuller as he walked into the tractor's path.
Farmer dies when tractor flips into ditch, pinning him - Denver,CO - An eastern Colorado farmer using a tractor to make a firebreak for an out-of-control burn died Wednesday when the tractor's wheels caught the edge of an irrigation ditch, flipped into the ditch and pinned the man.
Railroad Worker Struck, Killed By Train, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Employee Hit By Train Near Emporia - EMPORIA, Kan. - A Burlington Northern Santa Fe employee was killed when he was hit by a train just west of Emporia.
Lawnmower crushes worker on Soda Canyon - Napa,CA - A man died in an industrial accident Thursday afternoon at an Atlas Peak vineyard. The victim was working under an industrial lawnmower at a site off Soda Canyon Road when the machine fell on his head.
Person dies after incident at oil rig near Platteville
Greeley,CO - A man died Thursday morning after an incident at an oil rig near Platteville. The person was injured when he became trapped between a vehicle and a piece of equipment.
Worker at Pepsi Bottling Plant Killed by Truck
Charleston,SC - Officials say the driver of the truck did not know the mechanic was underneath at the time.
Name Released of Man Killed in Pocatello Industrial Accident
Pocatello,ID - The man killed in Tuesday's accident at Pacific Recycling is now known. Forty-nine-year-old Devearl Stowell died around 1:15 Tuesday afternoon when a forklift driver turned a corner and hit him.
L.A. firefighter killed in massive explosion
One Los Angeles firefighter was killed and another injured Wednesday afternoon in an explosion that rocked a Westchester business district as rescuers were investigating reports of earlier blasts and smoke pouring from buildings.
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. Tech. Sgt. William H. Jefferson, Jr., 34, of Norfolk, Va., died March 22 near Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
02. Pfc. Tyler J. Smith, 22, of Bethel, Maine, died Mar. 21 at Forward Operating Base Falcon near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the base received indirect fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
03. Pfc. Antione V. Robinson, 20, of Detroit, Mich., died March 19 in Nawa, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the vehicle he was repairing collapsed. He was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
The Department of Defense announced the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died March 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 237th Military Police Company, New Hampshire National Guard. Killed were:
04. Sgt. Thomas C. Ray, II, 40, of Weaverville, N.C.
05. Sgt. David S. Stelmat, 27, of Littleton, N.H.
06. Sgt. David B. Williams, 26, of Tarboro, N.C.
07. Staff Sgt. William R. Neil Jr., 38, of Holmdel, N.J., died March 21 in Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
08. Lance Cpl. Dustin L. Canham, 21, of Lake Stevens, Wash., died March 23 from a non-hostile incident in Djibouti. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Portland, Ore.
The Department of Defense announced the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died March 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive on March 23. They were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Killed were:
09. Pvt. George Delgado, 21, of Palmdale, Calif.
10. Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Hake, 26, of Enid, Okla.
11. Pfc. Andrew J. Habsieger, 22, of Festus, Mo.
12. Cpl. Jose A. Rubio Hernandez, 24, of Mission, Texas.
13. Staff Sgt. Joseph D. Gamboa, 34, of Yigo, Guam, died Mar. 25 of wounds suffered when he came under indirect fire in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.
14. Spc. Gregory B. Rundell, 21, of Ramsey, Minn., died March 26 in Taji Iraq, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
15. Cpl. Joshua A. Molina, 20, of Houston, Texas, died Mar. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.
16. The Department of Defense announced the change in status of a soldier supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom from missing-captured to deceased. The armed forces medical examiner confirmed on March 29, human remains recovered in Iraq were those of Staff Sgt. Keith M. Maupin, 24, of Batavia, Ohio. Maupin had been listed as missing-captured since April 16, 2004. His convoy came under attack by individuals using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire on April 9, 2004. He was assigned to the 724th Transportation Company, Bartonville, Ill.
17. Cpl. Steven I. Candelo, 20, of Houston, died March 26 in Baghdad, when his vehicle was struck by a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.
18. Sgt. Terrell W. Gilmore, 38, of Baton Rouge, La., died March 30 in Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 769th Engineer Battalion of the Louisiana Army National Guard in Baton Rouge.
The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died March 29 in Baghdad from wounds suffered when they encountered an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. Killed were:
19. Spc. Durrell L. Bennett, 22, of Spanaway, Wash., and
20. Pfc. Patrick J. Miller, 23, of New Port Richey, Fla.
21. Maj. William G. Hall, 38 of Seattle, died March 30 from wounds he suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq, on March 29. He was assigned to 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
22. The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Jevon K. Jordan, 32, of Norfolk, Va., died Mar. 29 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, from wounds suffered Mar. 23 in Abu Jassim, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
23. Sgt. Dayne D. Dhanoolal, 26, of Brooklyn, died March 31 in Baghdad, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.
24. Staff Sgt. Travis L. Griffin, 28, of Dover, Del., died April 3 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 377th Security Forces Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
25. Spc. Charles A. Jankowski, 24, of Panama City, Fla., died March 28, in Arab Jabour, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
~~
Missing WWII Airman is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is 2nd Lt. Arthur F. Eastman, U.S. Army Air Forces, of East Orange, N.J. He will be buried in September in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Eastman'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.
On Aug. 18, 1944, Eastman departed the airdrome at Finschhafen, New Guinea, on a test flight of his F-5E-2 aircraft, but never returned. Subsequent searches failed to locate Eastman or his aircraft.
In 2003, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) found documents in the Australian National Archives about an earlier site visit believed to be associated with an F-5E crash. According to the archives, an Australian official had visited the crash site in 1950 in Morobe province near Koilil Village, but there was no subsequent recovery.
In 2004, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) investigated the crash site in the mountains of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The team found aircraft wreckage and recommended the site be excavated.
In February-March 2007, a JPAC team excavated the crash site and recovered human remains, pilot-related items and other personal effects, including Eastman's military identification tag.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC also used dental comparisons in the identification of the remains.
~
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office 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 U.S. Army Sgt. Harry J. Laurence of Cleveland, Ohio. He will be buried April 9 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Laurence'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.
Laurence was a member of L Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, then making up the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division. The team was engaged against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, from Nov. 27-Dec. 11, 1950. The unit was forced to retreat to the south due to intense enemy fire. Laurence was among many soldiers reported missing in action.
In 2001, joint U.S. and Democratic People's Republic of Korea teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted two excavations of a mass grave near the Chosin Reservoir. The site correlates closely with defensive positions held by the 31st RCT at the time of the Chinese attacks. The teams recovered remains believed to be those of 11 U.S. servicemen. Analysis of the remains subsequently led to the identifications of three individuals, including Laurence.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC also used dental comparisons in Laurence's identification.
~
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Capt. Edward B. Scullion of Norfolk, Va; and Pfc. Elwood D. Reynolds of Schoolfield, Va.; both U.S. Army. Reynolds will be buried April 18 in Danville, Va., and Scullion will be buried this summer in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Scullion's and Reynolds' 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.
Both men were members of A Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, then attached to the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division. The team was engaged against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, from Nov. 27-Dec. 1, 1950. Both soldiers died in late November as result of intense enemy fire, but their bodies were not recovered at the time.
Between 2002 and 2005, joint U.S. and Democratic People's Republic of Korea teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted excavations of three burial sites near the Chosin Reservoir. The sites correlate closely with defensive positions held by the 31st RCT at the time of the Chinese attacks. The teams recovered remains there believed to be those of several other U.S. servicemen. Analysis of the remains recovered from the sites led to the identification of 10 individuals, including Scullion and Reynolds.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory and JPAC also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in both Scullion's and Reynolds' identification.
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
The Magnolia Hospital Relay for Life team is selling chances to win a "Steak Dinner Party for 10." Dinner includes a rib-eye steak, baked potato, salad, rolls dessert and tea. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from any hospital Relay for Life team member or by calling Julia Whitehead at 235-3333. Drawing will be Friday, April 11 at the Relay for Life event at Panther Stadium. The winner does not need to be present to win.
~~~~~
Free Tai Chi classes will be offered beginning at 1:30 p.m. Monday’s at the Hospitality House at Magnolia Housing Authority. Men and women 60 and older are invited to participate. For more information, call 1-888-882-4464 or 234-7410.
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The Christies Chapel Cemetery Association is in need of donations for the upkeep of the cemetery and the church building. Anyone interested may send donations to Christies Chapel Cemetery Assoc, PO Box 166, Emerson, AR. 71740-0166.
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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!!!
Eph 5:6-10 1 Sam 15:19-22 Neh 13:10-12 Rev 1:7-8 John 16:32-33 Jer 36:23-24 Mat 13:1-2 Luke 5:4-6 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII
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