Bug's Bleat - - GCF: Sales Demonstration

Volume 10, Issue 28 Friday, May 16, 2008

Hello All,

The Taylor ball teams were in the Arkansas State Finals this week. The boys baseball team won the 1A state Tournament beating Trinity Christian 12-2. I believe this is the 3rd time in 6 years that the Taylor team has won the state championship. The Tiger girls also did well though they fell short in the final game, losing the Arkansas state softball championship to Nemo Vista 6-0.
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Finally, we’ve got a tankless water heater. And for the second time in our married life, Annette said that I had a good idea. She likes to be able to get up, put on a load of clothes and start the dishwasher and also take a hot shower or bath at the same time.
Of course the real advantage or our new Takagi T-K3 Instantaneous Water Heater [http://www.takagi.com/] is the energy savings. I was watching “This Old House” last night and Richard showed the home utility room along with the new 50 gallon hot water heater. I wanted to shout at the TV “WHY?” Why would anyone install a traditional tank type water heater in a home today?
The tank type water heater technology is literally over 100 years old. The so called “Instant” water heater developed by Edwin Rudd in 1889 was a great step forward for the home of the day. No more heating water on the stove to bathe. But it was also an energy hog. The old tank type heater uses fuel day in and day out to keep the water inside hot and ready for your use. And you only get 15% of the water out of the tank as “hot” water. After you’ve used 15% of the water, dilution of the water in the tank by incoming cold water requires that you continue to mix less and less cold water into your bath or shower in a vain attempt to maintain the temperature you desire.
And to add insult to injury, most people turn up the temperature on their tank type water heater in a vain attempt to get more hot water for that long wished for long hot shower. Causing their old water heater to use even more fuel.
Contrast that with our new Takagi tankless water heater. Annette turns on the faucet in the shower and adjusts the temperature and that’s it. No matter how long she uses the water, the temperature never falls because our new T-K3 really does heat the water instantly. And, since we don’t have to worry about slowly diluting out the hot water in a tank, we can set the heater at a lower temperature (ours is set for 117F) and that’s plenty hot for a soothing shower. Since a tankless heater doesn’t dilute out, we don’t have to start with almost boiling water to keep ahead of the old type heater’s “dilution curve.”
But the real payoff comes when Annette (or I) are not using hot water, the heater remains off, not using fuel at all. Unlike traditional water heaters that use fuel 24/7 to provide that few gallons they are capable of producing before diluting out and cooling off.
Using a traditional water heater is akin to keeping your vehicles running in the driveway 24/7 just so you can get in and drive to work once a day. Even without today’s fuel prices, is anyone doing that? But if you have a traditional tank type water heater that is exactly what you are doing. Running that device 24/7 just so you can take a shower once a day. http://www.foreverhotwater.com/ reports that The US Wastes $3,970,970,511 Heating Hot Water With Tanks every year. So why do people use these old tanks? I guess ignorance.
Admittedly, we did have to invest some money to replace our old water heater with a tankless, instant demand model. But we estimate that it will pay for itself in reduced natural gas bills over the next thirty-six months. At the end of 20 years, we’ll have a 178% ROI. And that doesn’t even count the satisfaction of all those long hot showers we can now enjoy and the pleasure of having unlimited hot water when we want it.
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Speaking of saving energy. Our Congress has allowed (As of December 31, 2007) most of the residential tax credits for energy saving improvements (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters) to expire (including the $300 credit we could have gotten for installing a tankless water heater). Only the tax credit for solar water heaters and solar panels remains in effect through December 31, 2008.
So, true to form, when the nation is faced with fuel bills skyrocketing, Congress has let these vital tax credits expire. Early this year, the House did pass H.R. 5351 that includes an extension of the tax credit for energy-efficient home improvements. But this bill must still pass in the Senate, and be signed by the President to become law. And since they also tacked on roughly $18 billion in tax increases for oil and gas companies, it is expected to cause a contentious debate in the Senate, where it's chances of being approved are uncertain.
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So over 35 years after our initial energy wakeup call from the ‘70s Arab Oil Embargo, our government is still doing little or nothing to encourage energy savings, much less taking steps to make our country energy independent. They are posturing and calling for more taxes to “punish” the evil energy companies. In the ‘70s they called it the “Windfall Profits” tax and the “evil” energy companies just passed it right along to us consumers to pay. If you don’t write your congressman and senator (http://www.opensecrets.org/states/delegatn.php?state=AR), you can’t complain.
~~~~~
And, speaking of wake-up calls, this week Judith Graham wrote in the Chicago Tribune [http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/triage/2008/05/adults-get-vacc.html] about the vaccines that all adults should have.

(1) The newest is the shingles vaccine, recommended for everyone 60 or older without serious immune system problems. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a provisional recommendation that all older adults get the vaccine—a single shot, usually in the upper arm—in November 2006 and finalized that recommendation on Thursday.
The vaccine is effective about two-thirds of the time in preventing this painful, blistering illness but it’s not known yet how long this protective effect will last, Schaffner said.
To date, about 2 million older adults have been vaccinated of an estimated 43 million who are eligible. A key barrier appears to be complex payment issues associated with Medicare drug plans. Some plans are asking people to pay up front for the vaccine, which costs about $150, and submit for reimbursement, Schaffner said. Others are offering only partial reimbursement, and many physicians are turned off by Medicare plans’ burdensome bureaucratic rules, he said.
(2) The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, recommended for all women up to the age of 26, is extraordinarily effective in preventing cervical cancer. This is a three-dose series of shots that has to be taken over the course of several months. The manufacturer, Merck & Co., has submitted an application to extend the vaccine to women through the age of 45.
(3) and (4) The CDC recommends that every adult get a shot protecting against tetanus and diphtheria every 10 years. Tetanus is an infection that can cause severe muscle contractions, including the condition known as lockjaw. Diphtheria is an upper respiratory illness.
(5) The CDC is recommending that the next time you’re due for your tetanus and diphtheria shot you get a reformulated version with protection against whooping cough added in. The shot is called TDAP, and the whooping cough booster component is meant to compensate for the gradual loss of immunity against this illness. At this point, the whooping cough booster is only recommended for those up to age 60.
(6) It used to be that only youngsters or adults thought to be at risk because of their occupations or drug use got shots for hepatitis B, a liver infection. Now, the CDC recommends that any adult who is not in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an infection-free partner get the vaccine, a series of three shots.
(7) The flu vaccine. All adults over 50 should get flu shots annually and anyone under 50 should get it if they’re pregnant during influenza season or if they have underlying illnesses such as heart disease or HIV, Schaffner said.
(8) Pneumonia. One shot is recommended for everyone 65 and older. Experts are looking at whether booster shots are a good idea.

There are some add-ons, as well. If you didn’t get two shots to protect against the measles and mumps as a child, you should get a MMR shot as an adult, the CDC recommends. The same goes for chicken pox.
~~~~~
Speaking of preparedness, Louisiana is offering a "Sales Tax Holiday for Hurricane Preparedness" on May 24 @ 25. Purchases of emergency equipment such as flash lights,
portable radios, tarpaulins, tie down kits, fuel cans, batteries, cell phone chargers, storage coolers (non electric), portable generators and storm shelter devices are exempt from sales tax on those days.
Why couldn't Arkansas do something similar to promote severe weather safety in the early spring?
~~~~~
Now that our blood pressure is up, let’s relax with some photos of flowers, lots of them. This week we discovered a website [http://acornalley.wordpress.com/] that reveals a showplace of natural beauty. And it’s a Magnolia home. After looking at these photos, I’ve decided to concentrate on trains, churches and bridges. Because this lady has the flower photo corner sewn up.
~~~~~
The Lighthouse Church Report: Quarter Evangelism
Monday, May 12, 2008 - jimmy Malone
I don't think I've ever said this, but we had a really good time at a Laundromat last Saturday. Armed with a bag full of quarters, three of us from the Lighthouse Church shared the love of Jesus in a washateria. The first guy I approached was a little skeptical.

"I don't need quarters, I have some."
"Well, nobody really needs quarters," I explained, "but I just want to show you the love of Jesus in a practical way."
"Alright," he said as he received four quarters. "Cool."
"Where did you guys get the idea for this?" he asked.
"We are a small church," I explained. "All we had today was twenty dollars in quarters. If you are going to change the world with a roll of quarters..."
"You go to the Laundromat!" he finished my thought.
"You got it!"

One guy said he was there because he was living without utilities. Then he admitted he was homeless. But he had a job, and was glad to tell us he was working. He was very moved by our small gift and said that he would come to one of our services as soon as he could.
Then a group of Hispanic guys came in who spoke almost no English. Vanessa tried to give them a handful of quarters, but they did not understand that this was a gift. Then the manager of the Laundromat, who had been watching all this through a window, came out and translated for us. I heard her say, "iglesia" (Spanish for church) and they all smiled and nodded. I think she had as much fun as we did.

Maybe a quarter can change the world.
~~~~~
Diabetes is an evil deadly disease. I say that after waking up with spots before my eyes and finding my blood sugar had dropped to 59. It always angers me to lose control of my blood sugar, but it’s one of the realities of “running on manual” that diabetics face. A glass of milk and a few solid carbs and I’m good to go again. But don’t ever let anyone fool you, this stuff is serious.
~~~~~
Each week the Defense Department highlights military personnel who have gone above and beyond in the war. [http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/] - - Michael Murphy - - Hometown: Patchogue, NY - Awarded: Medal of Honor

For a U.S. Navy SEAL, dangerous situations in isolated, treacherous locations are just an average day on the job. This was the case for Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who entered the lonely mountain range of the Hindu Kush between Afghanistan and Pakistan on June 28, 2005. Leading a four-man SEAL element – which included Petty Officers Danny Dietz, Matthew Axelson, and Marcus Luttrell – Murphy and his team were tasked with tracking down Ahmad Shah, a known terrorist.

As the team crept through the rugged terrain, three goat herders came upon the SEALs. Just hours after releasing the local nationals, a large enemy force came pouring over the mountains.

A fierce gun battle ensued between the severely outnumbered SEALs and the larger Taliban force. Murphy realized that his team would not last long without reinforcements, so despite his injuries, he moved away from the rocks that were sheltering him to make radio contact with Bagram Air Base. Without the protection of the terrain, Murphy was a prime target for incoming Taliban gunfire.

As bullets riddled his body, Murphy held on long enough to make contact with the Special Operations Forces Quick Reaction Force at headquarters.

Murphy made his way back to his unit, severely wounded, and continued to fight alongside his comrades. The fighting continued for two hours leaving three out of the four SEALs mortally wounded. The Chinook helicopter that responded to Murphy’s call was shot down by the enemy, killing all 16 men aboard.

Luttrell, severely wounded, traveled seven miles to a nearby Afghan village where he was taken in and sheltered from the Taliban. One villager reported Luttrell’s location to a Marine outpost and U.S. forces launched a rescue mission on July 2 that brought him home. The lone survivor of Operation Red Wing was later awarded the Navy Cross. His comrades, Dietz and Axelson, were posthumously awarded Navy Crosses for their heroic actions.

Murphy’s selfless act was honored by President Bush on October 22, 2007, when Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, making him the first Navy Medal of Honor recipient for actions in the Global War on Terror, and the first to be awarded for actions in Operation Enduring Freedom. On May 7, 2008, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter announced that the newest guided-missile destroyer will be named in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy
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The latest from Michael Yon, the foremost “milnews” blogger on the web.
~
Moment of Truth in Iraq

C H A P T E R O N E

Be Not Afraid
You shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands and all will understand.
You shall see the face of God and live.
Be not afraid. I go before you always;
Come follow me, and I will give you rest.

FROM A PRAYER CARD I FOUND ON A BASE IN ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ

• Baqubah, Iraq, June 19, 2007 •

Thoughts flow on the eve of a great battle. By the time you read these words, we will be in combat. Few ears have heard even rumors of this battle, and fewer still are the eyes that will see its full scope. Even now—for the battle has already begun for some—little news of it reaches home. I have known of the plans for a month, but have remained silent. This campaign, a series of carefully orchestrated battalion- and brigade-sized operations, is collectively the largest battle since “major hostilities” ended more than four years ago. Even the media here on the ground do not seem to have sensed its scale. Al Qaeda and associates had little or no presence in Iraq before the current war. But we made huge mistakes early on and now we pump blood and gold into the desert to pay for those blunders. We failed to secure the streets and we sowed doubt and mistrust. We disbanded the government and the army and we created a vacuum. We tolerated corruption and ineptitude and mostly local talent filled the ranks of an insurgency. But when we flattened parts of Fallujah not once but twice in response to the murders of four of our people, we helped create a spectacle of injustice and chaos. Al Qaeda took entrée while militias and insurgency groups began to thrive. The magnitude of true injustices was magnified line by line, hair by hair, by a frenzied media. But it wasn’t the media’s fault; the media did not flatten Fallujah or rape and torture the prisoners. We did that all by ourselves. We walked into a dry, cracked land, along the two arteries of Mesopotamia that have long pulsed water and blood into the sea. In a place where everything that is not desert is tinder; sparks make fire.

When we devastated Fallujah, al Qaeda grew like a tumor. Before al Qaeda we faced a bewildering complex of insurgent groups with conflicting ideologies and goals, along with opportunistic thugs. The amalgam of men (and women) with guns was so diverse and the affiliations so dynamic that it was hard to track who was responsible for what atrocity. Each attack spawned reprisals that demanded yet another round of revenge. Al Qaeda had been trying to ignite a civil war here for several years; chaos and brutality would become its fuel.
Today al Qaeda is strong, but their welcome grows cold. The Coalition was not alone in failing to keep its promises. Iraqis love to say “America put a man on the moon but cannot turn on our lights,” and the implication was we really didn’t care. In so many ways we lost the moral high ground.................

Please click [http://www.michaelyon-online.com/images/pdf/mot_chapter1.pdf] to read and/or download the entire first chapter of Moment of Truth in Iraq. At the end of the first chapter we have placed the handout for bookstore managers, librarians, or military exchanges. Please feel free to copy the first chapter as is and the handout.

Signed copies are still available [http://yhst-80051593642880.stores.yahoo.net/]. Copies are also available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.
~~~~~
Thinking of working in manufacturing? Do you speak Chinese?
~
This week, China set up a company to build large jets, challenging the dominance of Airbus SAS and Boeing Co. in the market for planes with 150 seats.

China Commercial Aircraft Co. was formed with an initial investment of 19 billion yuan ($2.7 billion), according to a statement on the central government's Web site.
China aims to build a 150-seat aircraft by 2020 to support the expansion of its domestic travel market and to compete with Boeing and Airbus overseas. The plan is also part of China's wider drive to develop more sophisticated products, such as ships, cars and computers
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Matt has put more MCC Worship services on God Tube [www.godtube.com/thamdawg]
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We extend our sincere sympathy to Jewell Poindexter whose mother passed away this week.
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We extend our sincere sympathy to Terry Cook whose father passed away last weekend.
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We extend our sincere sympathy to John Ed Stewart whose son passed away last weekend. Funeral services for Kalon Stewart were held Wednesday.
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We extend our sincere sympathy to David Caldwell on the death of his father.
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The Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cookoff is here!
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Magnolia Blossom Festival (May 16-17) T-Shirts are now on sale! S - XL $11, XXL $13 and XXXL $15.
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Mark Your Calendars!!!! Albemarle Kids' Fishing Tournament - May 31
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Last week we watched (from NetFlix) [Ratings are my own]:
Veronica Mars: Season 2: Disc 1 [7.5] Starring Kristen Bell and Enrico Colantoni
Veronica Mars: Season 2: Disc 2 [7.5] Starring Kristen Bell and Enrico Colantoni
Veronica Mars: Season 2: Disc 3 [7.5] Starring Kristen Bell and Enrico Colantoni
The Bodyguard [7.0] Starring Kevin Costner ... and Whitney Houston
Spencer's Mountain [8.5] Starring Henry Fonda ... Maureen O'Hara ... and James MacArthur
~~~~~
This week we read; “The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea” by Bob Burg and John David Mann
“Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results” by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen
“The Sudoku puzzle murders : a Puzzle Lady mystery” / Parnell Hall.
“Killing Rommel” : / Steven Pressfield.
We’re currently reading; “Judge & jury” / James Patterson and Andrew Gross.
We intend to read; 3rd degree, bk.3: / by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. & “The jester” / by James Patterson and Andrew Gross.
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http://www.shelfari.com/BugsBleat/shelf?ec=7D790D174EFS18012
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The photos on the front of this week’s “Bleat” include photos of our new water heater, Dusty in the McNeil Rail Yard, Tulips from Kay’s web page, David cooking Mother’s day lunch and a train engine in Little Rock.
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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.bugsbleat4q08.blogspot.com.
Our photos are posted at http://www.bugsbleatphotos.blogspot.com.
If you want to see more photos of April’s train wreck in Magnolia, go to http://www.bugsbleattw.blogspot.com/
~~~~~
Feel free to share the "Bleat" with any and all. That's why we publish it.
~~~~~
Dr. Pat Antoon’s New Address:
Pat Antoon 06669-010
Federal Prison Camp
P.O. Box 9300
Texarkana, TX 75505
Be sure and keep him in your prayers.
~~~~~
Recipe(s) of the week - - - Cowboy Rib-Eye Steak Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007
Since it’s “World Championship Steak Cookoff and Blossom Festival” Weekend I’ve modified Emeril’s Rib-Eye Recipe to share with our readers this week.


4 bone-in rib-eye steaks (16 to 22 ounces each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
dry red wine
½ cup Essence, (recipe follows)


Season the steaks with EVOO, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. Pour the wine into a pan and add the steaks. Turn them to get good coverage. Marinate them overnight in the refrigerator, covered.

Prior to cooking, take the steaks out of the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature while you preheat the grill. I prefer charcoal and I don’t like to use lighter fluid. Beg, buy or borrow one of those charcoal starter cans to get your coals going.
Make sure steaks are at room temperature prior to grilling. Season each side of the steaks completely with the Essence.
Once your coals are white, place the steaks on the grill and cook them to taste (rare, medium rare, etc.), turning only once. (After you get the hang of this, you’ll know when your steak is properly cooked without cutting into the steak. Or, you can use a meat thermometer. 145̊F MEDIUM RARE, 160̊F MEDIUM, and 170̊F WELL. These are the USDA recommended internal temperatures for fresh beef.)

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 ½ tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme


Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
Published by William Morrow, 1993.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_72482,00.html
Episode#: EM0820
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
~~~~~
BreakPoint
With Chuck Colson
Without Consent
5/16/2008

Overturning California's Gay 'Marriage' Ban

A decision by the California Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional any ban on gay “marriage” is sending shock waves across the nation. The 4-3 decision announced Thursday not only legalizes gay “marriage” in the largest state in America, but it also overturns both the referendum of the people and the representatives of the people.

The only way the California Supreme Court could override the people is by saying that gay “marriage” is a natural right. But nowhere do we see this in the federal or state Constitutions. While the founders of this country wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men were created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they never would have intended or imagined that those noble words would be used to support something like gay “marriage.”

In essence, these judges have created a new right out of thin air. Now, they base this decision, in part, on a precedent of the case in California declaring the ban on interracial marriage unconstitutional.

But over the centuries in Western civilization, public policy has recognized the vital role of the family—that the heterosexual family needed to be protected and defended in the law, because it provided crucial benefits for the well-being of society and family. That is different than a question of civil rights. Marriage always, everywhere until recent years, has been protected for the good of the state and the families.

Now, the problem is that the people of California cannot overturn this decision. Even an amendment to the California constitution will not help now. It all boils down to this: the need for a federal constitutional amendment—and soon, before other states start doing the same thing.

Well, there is at least one silver lining to this very dark cloud: Politicians can no longer hide behind the argument that we ought to leave this issue to the states.

A few years ago, members of my church sent 1,600 communications to Congress. Most of the congressmen answered by saying that they were against gay “marriage,” but they wanted the states to do it.

As a matter of fact, I talked to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) before the last vote in the Senate, who told me he was against gay “marriage.” But as a federalist, he thought the issue should be left to the states.

Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (D) told me very much the same thing, but said that if the states could not stop it, then he would consider a constitutional amendment. Well, we have just seen the largest state defy the overwhelming majority of public opinion and legalize gay “marriage”—and others will follow.

If these men and women are really against gay “marriage,” as they say, this is the time to put up—to take the only course of action possible to stop it, which is a constitutional amendment. There are no other options.

I guess I am not surprised by what happened in California. I have seen judges out of control for years. What I cannot fathom is how they would do it under the guise of natural rights. If the democratic process means anything, it means the consent of the governed. We cannot let the courts do this, or we do not have a democracy.

So get busy, and start talking to these candidates. I know it is tough; I know we lost some pro-family members in the last election. But we have got to make this effort now. And in all likelihood, one of three candidates is going to be the next president of the United States.

I don’t ever make partisan endorsements. But Christians, I believe, will be watching closely what these three candidates and others running for the House and Senate say about this issue.

Regis Nicoll, “Another Case of Judicial Overreach,” The Point, 15 May 2008.

Travis McSherley, “Re: Another Case of Judicial Overreach,” The Point, 15 May 2008.

Read the full text of the California marriage decision.

Lisa Leff, “California’s Top Court Overturns Gay Marriage Ban,” Associated Press, 15 May 2008.

Adam Nagourney, “Gay Marriage Ruling Vaults Issue Back to Front,” New York Times, 15 May 2008.

Emily Bazelon, “Race to the Altar,” Slate, 15 May 2008.

Joshua Baker, “American Courts on Marriage: Is Marriage Discriminatory? 1998-2008,” Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, May 2008.

BreakPoint Commentary No. 040614, “Fudging with Federalism: FMA and the States.”

BreakPoint Commentary No. 031014, “To ‘Promote the General Welfare’: Marriage and the Common Good.”

See BreakPoint’s information page on the Marriage Debate.

© 2008 Prison Fellowship - - http://www.breakpoint.org/site_hmpg.asp
~~~~~

Words of the Week:
sentient: capable of perceiving by the senses.
parsimonious: frugal to excess.
acumen: quickness or keenness of perception or discernment.
cavil: to raise trivial objections; also, a trivial objection.
umbrage: offense; resentment.
fetter: a restraint; also, to impose restraints on.
paean: a song or other expression of praise or joy.
subfusc: dark or dull in color.
from Dictionary.Com

~~~~~
"The art of medicine consists of keeping the patient amused while nature heals the disease." - Voltaire

"Fortune does not change men; it unmasks them." - Suzanne Necker

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - Albert Einstein

"When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty." - George Bernard Shaw

"Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time." - E. B. White

"The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshiped anything but himself." - Sir R. F. Burton

"We live in our desires rather than in our achievements." - George Moore
~~~~~
BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
http://breakingchristiannews.com/

Canadian Experiment that Initially seemed to Fail, Now Provides Hope for MS Sufferers
Dottie Rambo's Final Interview to Be Seen on the Gospel Music Channel this Saturday and Monday
Prayer Alert: California Supreme Court Rewrites the Definition of Marriage—California voters may have the last word
In Historic Address to Knesset, President Bush Says the Birth of Israel is the Redemption of Ancient Promise to Abraham, Moses and David
Actor Jon Voight in Israel: "God gave this land to the Jewish people"
After Years of Battling University Bias, Clinical Psychologist Set to Teach "A Biblical Approach to Mental Health"
Hiker Gives God the Credit for Saving Him in 100-Foot Fall
As Iranian President Plans to Punish Converts with Death, Christianity Continues to Grow
Economic Opportunity Replaces Conflict in Iraq
9-year-old Boy has Dream and is Saved in Georgia Tornado
Taking Action when Disaster Strikes
Group of UK Christian MP's Claim Disaffection in their Country is Caused from Lack of Faith in God
Millions pray 'Your Kingdom come' on Global Day of Prayer
Join Kim Clement "Live on GOD TV" from the Holy Land, for a time of Worship and Prophecy on Monday, May 12th
Queen of Sheba's Palace Discovered in Ethiopia
Listen to Lattimore's Four Gospels in Scots Language; Closer to the Language Jesus Spoke Than English

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

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GCF: Sales Demonstration

Emailed to me by a friend (Thanks, Lucky) -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.
--------------------------------------------

The salesman was demonstrating unbreakable combs in the department store. He was impressing the people who stopped by to look by putting the comb through all sorts of torture and stress.

Finally to impress even the skeptics in the crowd, he bent the comb completely in half, and it snapped with a loud crack. Without missing a beat, he bravely held up both halves of the 'unbreakable' comb for everyone to see and said,

"And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what an unbreakable comb looks like on the inside..."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Passport Photo

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

Unfortunately, getting a new passport required a new photo. As I handed my ten-year-old passport and the new picture to the clerk, I sighed. "I like the original better," I told her.

"Trust me," she said. "Ten years from now, you'll like this one."
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: A Difficult Question

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

There was a student who wanted to be admitted to the University.

He was smart enough to get through the written test, a GED, and was to appear for the personal interview. Later, as the interview progressed, the interviewer found this boy to be bright since he could answer all the questions correctly. The interviewer got impatient and decided to corner the boy.

"Tell me your choice," said he to the boy, "What's your choice? I shall either ask you ten easy questions or ONE real difficult. Think well before you make up your mind."

The boy thought for a while and said, "My choice is ONE real difficult question."

"Well, good luck to you, you have made your own choice!" said the man on the opposite side. Tell me: What comes first, Day or Night?"

The boy was jolted first but he waited for a while and said: "It's the DAY, sir."

Thinking to himself ("At last, I got you!"), the interviewer smiled and said, "How???"

"Sorry sir, you promised me that you would ask me ONLY ONE difficult question!"

The student was admitted to the University.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: In School

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

A friend of mine has three boys, the youngest of whom, Gregory, had just started school. A teacher commented to Gregory that she couldn't believe he was already in first grade and asked what his mother did all day now that the three boys were in school.

"Cartwheels," Gregory answered.
_ ____________________________ _

GCF: Dangerous Dog

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

Upon entering the little country store, the stranger noticed a sign saying DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG! posted on the glass door. Inside he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor beside the cash register.

He asked the store manager, "Is THAT the dog folks are supposed to beware of?"

"Yep, that's him," he replied.

The stranger couldn't help but be amused. "That certainly doesn't look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?"

"Because", the owner replied, "before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him."
_ ____________________________ _
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / "If you don't read the \ \_/ ////
\ / newspaper you are uninformed. \ /
\ _/ If you do read the newspaper \_ /
/ / you are misinformed." \ \
- Mark Twain
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Laugh every day. \ /
\ _/ It's like inner jogging. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / Pay attention to \ \_/ ////
\ / two-year-olds and puppies. \ /
\ _/ They know what's important. \_ /
/ / \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ /Take responsibility for meeting\ \_/ ////
\ / your own needs, but don't do it \ /
\ _/ in ways that keep others \_ /
/ / from meeting theirs. \ \
(((\ \>|_/ )_____________________( \_|\\\\ \_/ / \ \_/ ////
\ / Be nice to prunes. \ /
\ _/ You may be one someday. \_ /
/ / \ \
_ ____________________________ _
| Thomas S. Ellsworth |
| tellswor@kcbx.net |
| http://www.kcbx.net/~tellswor |
|____________________________|
Stop for a visit, leave with a smile! To join Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com To leave Good Clean Fun, email: good-clean-fun-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.Com Or visit the Good Clean Fun web site at http://www. slonet.org/~tellswor/
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I know we shared this one recently, but it’s still one of my favorites.
~
There I was on my way to work ... Getting into a fight was the farthest thing from my mind ... Wasn't even on the horizon ... I was in a great mood ..And then - I rear-ended the car in front of me.
So there we are alongside the road and slowly the driver gets out of the car ... (and you know how you just get SOOO stressed that stuff seems to get funny)?
Yeah, well, I could NOT believe it ... He was a DWARF!
He storms over to my car, looks up at me and says, 'I AM NOT HAPPY!'
So, I look down at him and say, 'Well, then which one are you?' . . . And that's when the fight started . .
Thanks to Ricky and Sarah Shepherd
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A Politician's PA System

Anyway, what with all the blasting, bleating, whining, shivering, quoting, mis-quoting, orating, berating, extolling, expounding and just general blathering I must confess that it's hard to design a loud-speaking system that is specifically for politicians.

So I set up some design criteria:

1) It has to be portable, sometimes really quickly. It should know when to move on.org.
2) It has to be expandable and collapsible. You need to be able to expand or retract out of all normal sense of proportion.
3) It should have a microphone that lets the person talks out of both sides of their mouth.
4) There should be a switch that selects far-left, left, right, or far-right. There should be a side-chain for middle-of-the- road too.
5) A variable and switchable "moderate" control is a must.
6) It must be able to switch positions instantly.
7) The side-chain must have a polarity reverse switch.
8) It should have "Press" outputs. Unbalanced, of course.
9) It only needs to last until November and can be thrown away. You'll never be able to clean it.

Next quarters article will be on the correct uses of earplugs / noise suppression devices and methods including sticking your fingers in your ears while loudly screaming the National Anthem.

I'm saving the piece on Rubber Boots for November.

from Jim Sorensen in the Syn-Aud-Con Newsletter
Thanks to Claiborne Sharp
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Humor for a Physics Convention

A chicken farmer had exhausted all resources in curing an ailment that had inflected his flock. The local veterinarian suggested he contact a physicist.

The physicist showed up, spent some time with the animals, performed some advanced mathematics and confronted the chicken farmer. "I've got some good news and some bad news" he proclaimed.

The farmer said "Give me the good news first."

"I have found a cure!" proclaimed the physicist.

The delighted farmer replied "Great! So what is the bad news?"

The physicist dropped his head and said "It only works on spherical chickens in a vacuum."

from Jim Sorensen in the Syn-Aud-Con Newsletter
Thanks to Claiborne Sharp
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Married 25 Years

When a man was married 25 years, he took a look at his wife one day and said, "Honey, 25 years ago we had a cheap rented house and a cheap car, slept on a sofa bed, and watched a 19-inch black-and-white TV, but I got to sleep every night with a hot 25-year-old blonde.

"Now we have an $800,000 home, a $45,000 car, a nice bed, and a plasma screen TV, but now I'm sleeping with a 50-year-old woman. It seems to me that you are not holding up your side of things."

His wife, being a very reasonable woman, told him to go out and find a hot 25-year-old blonde and she would make sure that he would once again be living in a cheap rented house, driving a cheap car, sleeping on a sofa bed, and watching a 19-inch black-and-white TV, if he was lucky.

Received from Gary.

(-:][:-)

Caution

A pharmacy major was taking a course in Dispensing. One day they were discussing the various labels affixed to prescription containers, such as, "Take with food," and "Take with water."

At the end of class, the professor passed out a few sample labels.

Days later he noticed that one member of the class had struck one of them onto his chemistry textbook. It read: "Caution: May cause extreme drowsiness."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Good Advice

A man approached a local person in a village he was visiting.

"What's the quickest way to York?"

The local scratched his head.

"Are you walking or driving?" he asked the stranger.

"I'm driving."

"That's the quickest way!"

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

Waiting for the Hostess

The two snooty women were sitting in the living room, waiting for their hostess, who was slightly delayed in another room.

The daughter of the family was with the two women, on the theory that she would keep the visitors occupied during the wait.

The child was about six years old. She was snub nosed, spotted with splotchy freckles, buck toothed, and bespectacled. She maintained a deep silence and the two ladies peered doubtfully at her.

Finally, one of the women muttered to the other, "She's not very p - r - e - t - t - y, is she?"

Whereupon the child piped up, "Maybe not, but I'm very s - m - a - r - t and I can s - p - e - l - l."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

(-:][:-)

-=+=-
Rate this funny at http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a) Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA
To print or email this funny to others, go to http://www.gcfl.net/archive.php?funny=20060113
The latest GCFL funny can always be found on the web at http://www.gcfl.net/latest.php
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Madeleine Begun Kane Latest Columns - - http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/
Threefer Haiku
May 16th, 2008
Impulse purchases
liberate you from your cash,
betray your self-worth.

(Sometimes I like to challenge myself by using several prompts at once, and today’s a threefer: “impulse,” “betrayal,” and “liberation,” all courtesy of Writers Island. And speaking of writing prompts, I’ve just posted a new one whose theme is “warning” and/or “caution.”)

Update: My husband Mark (who seems to be turning into a poet) read my haiku and almost immediately came up with his own. I must confess that I like his better:

That impulse buy —
betrayal of frugality.
Ah … liberation.
~
This Is A Warning (Limerick & Haiku Prompt)
Today’s limerick and haiku theme is warnings and/or caution. First, my limerick:

Please be careful when closing that door.
If it hits you, you’re bound to be sore.
My hand is still numb
From its catching my thumb,
And I’m thinking of suing this store.

And now my warning-related haiku:

Storm clouds fill the sky
as walkers heed their warning
while birds cheer them on.

http://www.madkane.com
Subscribe to MadKane Humor Newsletter (weekly) here:
http://www.madkane.com/email.html
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"Don't strive for recognition, but work for achievement." -- Vanessa Malone
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This is very important information don't you know

RAILROADS

Does the statement, "We've always done it like that" ring any bells?
The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5inches. That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US Railroads.
Why did the English build them like that?
Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used. Why did "they" use that gauge then?
Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.
Okay! Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.
So who built those old rutted roads?
Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since.

And the ruts in the roads?

Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. The United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. And bureaucracies live forever. So the next time you are handed a specification and wonder what horse's behind came up with it, you may be exactly right, because the Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the back ends of two war horses!

Now, the twist to the story

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory at Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site.
The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains. The SRBs had to fit through that tunnel.
The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.
So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's behind.
And - You thought being a HORSE'S Behind wasn't important!

Thanks to Ricky and Sarah Shepherd
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A couple of days ago I was running (I use that term very loosely) on my treadmill, watching a DVD sermon by Louie Giglio...and I was BLOWN AWAY! I want to share what I learned....but I fear not being able to convey it as well as I want. I will share anyway.
He (Louie) was talking about how inconceivably BIG our God is...how He spoke the universe into being...how He breathes stars out of His mouth that are huge raging balls of fire...etc. etc. Then He went on to speak of how this star-breathing, universe creating God ALSO knitted our human bodies together with amazing detail and wonder. At this point I am LOVING it (fascinating from a medical standpoint, you know.) .....and I was remembering how I was constantly amazed during medical school as I learned more and more about God's handiwork. I remember so many times thinking...."How can ANYONE deny that a Creator did all of this???"
Louie went on to talk about how we can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart...how our loving Creator is also our sustainer.
And then I lost my breath.
And it wasn't because I was running my treadmill, either!!!
It was because he started talking about laminin. I knew about laminin. Here is how wikipedia describes them :"Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue." You see....laminins are what hold us together....LITERALLY. They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. And I knew all this already. But what I didn't know is what laminin LOOKED LIKE.
But now I do.
And I have thought about it a thousand times since (already).... Here is what the structure of laminin looks like...AND THIS IS NOT a "Christian portrayal" of it....if you look up laminin in any scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see... [http://hsiapin.blogspot.com/2006/10/laminin.html]
Now tell me that our God is not the coolest!!!
Amazing.
The glue that holds us together....ALL of us....is in the shape of the cross. Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth , visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things HOLD TOGETHER. "
Colossians 1:15-17
Call me crazy. I just think that is very, very, very cool.
Thousands of years before the world knew anything about laminin, Paul penned those words. And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint, we are held together...one cell to another....by the cross.
You would never in a quadrillion years convince me that is anything other than the mark of a Creator who knew EXACTLY what laminin "glue" would look like long before Adam even breathed his first breath!!

We praise YOU, Lord!!

Thanks to Ben Blankenship
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| Safety from the Heart |
----------------------------------------------------
May 6, 2008
Tailgate - Home Safety
Submitted to by Larry Kopira, a Tyrone employee

I have many times asked my wife to use the proper ladders when necessary and to secure them appropriately. My advice has often drawn the response – “I’ve done this many times so I know what I am doing. “
This past week as she was washing windows on the outside of our home, the small step ladder that she was using to reach the window was not properly braced. One of the legs started to sink into the mud. Even though she was only a few feet off the ground she fell and broke multiple bones in her wrist. This required a long day at the hospital to set her wrist.
Now my wife is trying to figure out how to hold and feed our soon to be born first grandchild.
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TOURBUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:) - :)- :)
Volume 13, Number 20 -- 12 May 2008
Tourbus Home -- http://www.InternetTourbus.com
+---------------------------------------+

TODAY'S TOURBUS TOPICS: Privacy / SP3 / Vista UAC / Ubuntu / Backups

In today's TOURBUS, you'll learn that privacy is a slippery thing, and what can people learn about YOU with just a few clicks. I've also got the scoop on SP3 for Windows XP, and how to get rid of those annoying UAC popups on Vista. Thinking of getting rid of Windows entirely? Check out the new Ubuntu Hardy Heron version of Linux. Oh, and if your backup procedures are not fully automated, you NEED to read my tips on how to put backup on autopilot. Read on!

---------------------
Is Privacy History?
---------------------

What information that YOU thought was personal or private is freely available online? In the past, only government agencies and businesses with a 'need to know' were able to access personal information. Today, the web allows almost anyone to find information about friends, co-workers, job applicants, etc.

If you enter your own name into your favorite search engine, you might find hundreds of links. But there are plenty of other ways to "find yourself" online. Learn where YOUR personal information is available to others, what online activities might expose more than you like, and how to limit what others can see. Read on:

http://askbobrankin.com/is_privacy_history.html

----------------------------------------
Windows XP SP3 - What You Need to Know
----------------------------------------

Remember all the hubbub surrounding the SP2 service pack for Windows XP a while back? Well the fun is starting again! The nice folks in Redmond have unleashed Windows XP SP3 - the final service pack for Windows XP. It includes over 1000 patches that have been released since SP2, including some security fixes.

In addition to all those patches, Windows XP SP3 also includes a few new features. Some people are reporting that SP3 gave them a boost in system performance, while others say it stopped them cold. Find out what's new in XP SP3, how to get it, and what you need to know before installing this final service pack for Windows XP...
http://askbobrankin.com/upgrade_to_windows_xp_sp3.html

----------------------------------
Vista UAC - Annoying on Purpose?
----------------------------------

A Tourbus reader who recently upgraded to Windows Vista wrote to me about an annoying feature in this operating system:

"I'm constantly getting popups on Vista saying "Windows needs your permission to continue." Is this spyware or a virus? If it's part of Vista, can I turn this annoying 'feature' off?"

It turns out these popups, generated by Vista's User Account Control feature, and almost universally hated by Vista users. But that's exactly what Microsoft had in mind... they were designed to be annoying on purpose!

Read on to learn more about Vista's UAC feature, and how to disable those annoying popups without sacrificing system security:

http://askbobrankin.com/disable_vista_uac.html

-------------------------------
Ubuntu Hardy Heron Has Landed
-------------------------------

A reader wondering whether to install Windows Vista or switch to Linux wrote and asked:

"I'm hearing good things about the latest Ubuntu Linux. Is there anything compelling enough in the latest release to save me from installing Vista on my next machine? Kinda hoping so..."

This reader is not alone... plenty of people are dreading the move from XP to Vista. So this might be a good time to look into the latest Ubuntu Linux and see if it works well as an XP replacement. Ubuntu's Hardy Heron operating system, released a few weeks ago, has many of the same applications that can be found on Windows, such as a Web browser, email client, instant messaging, games, graphics tools, and software for word processing, charts, and spreadsheets.

The user interface has become much friendlier in recent releases, and now with the Wubi installer, it's much easier to install Linux or just take it for a test drive. Find out what's new in the Hardy Heron release and see if it's the right move for you...

http://askbobrankin.com/ubuntu_hardy_heron.html

------------------------------
Automate Your Backup Process
------------------------------

Sooner or later, data loss will affect all computer users. Are you prepared for the day when you boot up your computer, and it makes a horrible screeching sound, followed by a message like ERROR READING FIXED DISK or HARD DRIVE FAILURE?

You might not have a catastrophic hard drive meltdown, but every day, files are lost due to user error, system malfunctions, viruses and other computer problems. You might be doing backups already, but in my experience, if your backup strategy involves any human intervention, it too will fail at some point.

That's why it's important to have a FULLY AUTOMATIC backup solution. Read on to learn more about backup methods, both online and offline, as well as the software and hardware you can use to protect your important data:

http://askbobrankin.com/automatic_backups.html

+---------------------------------------+
Sorry it's been a while since the last issue. Other projects have kept Patrick and I very busy, but now we're back at the wheel. One of the reasons I've been extra busy is my new puppy. Get a look at Bonzai here: http://askbobrankin.com/bonzai_its_a_new_puppy.html That's all for now, see you next time! -- Bob Rankin
+---------------------------------------+
==[ Tourbus Rider Information ]==
The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238
Copyright 1995-2008, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved
Be Smarter & Better Looking Than [-99.386604-] Percent of Users
The Best of Everything - http://www.InternetTourbus.com/best.html
Tourbus News Service - http://tourbus.com/news.html
Subscribe, Signoff, Archives, Free Stuff and More at the
Tourbus Home - http://www.InternetTourbus.com
========================
.~~~. ))
(\__/) .' ) )) Patrick Douglas Crispen
/o o \/ .~
{o_, \ { crispen@netsquirrel.com
/ , , ) \ http://www.netsquirrel.com/
`~ -' \ } )) AOL Instant Messenger: Squirrel2K
_( ( )_.'
---..{____} Warning: squirrels.
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The Pump Handle. A water cooler for the public health crowd.
http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/

Friday Blog Roundup
May 16, 2008 in Blog roundup by Liz Borkowski
What’s new at the FDA?

Ed Silverman at Pharmalot reports on FDA plans to spend some of its user-fee money on post-marketing safety activities.
Merrill Goozner at GoozNews warns that the FDA is scrapping the Helsinki Declaration on protecting human subjects.
Jacob Goldstein at WSJ’s Health Blog wonders whether pharmaceutical groups’ proposals to pay user fees to fund inspections of foreign drug factories is a good idea.
Elsewhere:

Roy M. Poses MD at Health Care Renewal describes a terrible lack of conflict-of-interest disclosure in an NPR program on antidepressants.

Elizabeth Cooney at White Coat Notes highlights concerns about conflicts of interest among panelists for the psychiatric diagnostic manual DSM.

Kate Sheppard at Gristmill reports on a Senate subcommittee hearing from which EPA administrator Stephen Johnson was conspicuously absent. (The Pump Handle’s own David Michaels testified at that hearing; his testimony is here.)

Amanda at Enviroblog has the details about oil companies’ settlements of lawsuits involving the gasoline additive MTBE.

Matt Madia at Reg Watch considers the federal agencies that could regulate bisphenol A - but probably won’t get around to it this year.

Revere at Effect Measure explains how and why the USDA is trying to stop a company from testing its cattle for mad cow disease.

http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/friday-blog-roundup-75/#more-904

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.

Friday, May 16, 2008
Reasons Behind Trench Deaths

Trench deaths really are one of my pet peeves and it is a good thing that I am not inspecting these places because any company who was found in violation would wish they had never crossed my path.

In a resent article Optimal Trench Protection (A United Rentals Industry White Paper) Paul McDonnell explains the most common reasons for trench deaths.

Reasons for Limited Awareness and Use of Newer Methods
(Theses have been modified of course not his direct wording)

They are not aware of OSHA's state and federal trench regulations & standards.
They can not interpret the regulations & standards.
The regulations & standards increase time frames and net costs.
Trench accidents are rare.
Safety regulations and standards are not enforced aggressively.

Well doesn't this list just kick you in the seat? We all know that for the most part this is true but it was a bit of a surprise when a Construction Magazine spewed forth the information. It really is a good article for newcomers.

Of course I want to add my two cents worth to the list.
For all of the above....Do companies really go into a business blindly? I don't think so! Whether they are just starting out or seasoned they have to check out the cost of equipment, supplies, workers comp, insurance and regulations/standards.

If the company has the nads to chose 2-4 on the list. Well I will not get into what I think of them personally however it may make some since to call someone and ask, I am sure if a contractor doesn't understand a plan they call for help so why is it any different to call OSHA. PICK UP THE STINKING PHONE.

If a contractor choses 3 or 4, well I think maybe a little one on one with the family may be a good idea. Tell a child the reason their Daddy isn't coming home is it cost to much, took too much time to keep him alive or one person for the good of it all is ok.

Now number 5 this is the one that really needs addressed. OSHA involvement can make a difference but as of right now they are lacking the funds and inspectors to do the job. They really need to quit spending money on all the alliance programs and do there job. The don't have to be a butt to do this just be involved.

Anyone who has children knows what works there is a balance to everything. Be involved in the processes, make a presence and lay down the law with no exceptions. It really does no good to be a warlord or make threats as seems to be the method now. Any new business needs to be inspected and given the low down, if they make additions they should be inspected once again. Heck if I want to make an addition to my home I have to get a permit and inspection, then they raise my taxes. As far as the old businesses go they should have to send in paper work stating they have obtained all the standards and regulations that may apply and if not and they really are unsure PICK UP THE PHONE! Well at least that would settle the I had no clue issues. But maybe this is just to easy or it's not political enough.

After my rant we do need to make sure credit is given when due! Thumbs up to www.unitedrentals.com
"Expert Resources for Training and Information
In navigating increasingly complex trench protection issues, contractors, project owners and engineers have many resources for training, information and other support. These sources include companies like United Rentals Trench Safety, governmental agencies such as OSHA, NIOSH, and industry associations such as the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA)."

United Rentals had quite a few references and although I do not know the company personally I would have to say, "If they are willing to address these issues in the open they have my vote."

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. Sgt. Isaac Palomarez, 26, of Loveland, Colo., died May 9 in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his patrol encountered an improvised explosive device and came under small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.


02. Spc. Mary J. Jaenichen, 20, of Temecula, Calif., died May 9 in Iskandariyah, Iraq, of a non-combat related injury. She was assigned to the Brigade Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

03. Pfc. Ara T. Deysie, 18, of Parker, Ariz., died May 9 in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit came under rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

04. Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, 23, of Knox, Ind., died May 10 in Al Asad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry Regiment, 76th Brigade Combat Team, Indiana National Guard, New Albany, Ind.

05. Pvt. Matthew W. Brown, 20, of Zelienople, Pa., died May 11 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Fires Brigade (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

06. Cpl. Jessica A. Ellis, 24, of Bend, Ore., died May 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when her vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. She was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

07. Staff Sgt. Victor M. Cota, 33, of Tucson, Ariz., died May 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Kadamiyah, Iraq, May 13. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

08. Sgt. John K. Daggett, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz., died May 15 in Halifax, Canada, of wounds suffered May 1 in Baghdad, Iraq, when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

~

Soldiers Missing from The Korean War are Identified

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 are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

They are Sgt. 1st Class George W. Koon of Leesville, S.C.; and Sgt. 1st Class Jack O. Tye of Loyall, Ky.; both U.S. Army. Koon will be buried tomorrow in Leesville, and Tye will be buried Monday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

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

In late November 1950, Koon was assigned to the Medical Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, and Tye was assigned to Company L, 38th Infantry Regiment. Both were members of the 2nd Infantry Division advancing north of Kunu-ri, North Korea. On Nov. 25, the Chinese Army counterattacked the Americans in what would become known as the Battle of the Chong Chon (River). This combat was some of the fiercest of the war, and the 2nd Division initiated a fighting withdrawal to the south. Koon and Tye were captured by Chinese forces during the intense enemy fire, and subsequently died while in captivity from malnutrition and medical neglect.

In 2002, two joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), investigated and excavated a mass burial site located 20 miles northwest of Kunu-ri, along the route taken by captured U.S. POWs being moved to permanent POW camps along the Yalu River. The teams recovered remains at the site believed to be those of several U.S. servicemen, including Koon and Tye.

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 Koon’s and Tye’s identification.

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U.S - Japan Search for WWII Japanese MIAs in Alaska

The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a small team of Japanese and U.S. specialists is visiting Attu Island, Alaska, in search of burial locations of the Japanese soldiers who are still missing from a 1943 World War II battle there.

The Department of Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are supporting a team of three Japanese and 11 Americans. The team departed from Kodiak today via a C-130 on a flight to the U.S. Coast Guard Station on Attu Island. Some engineering equipment will be flown to Eareckson AFS on a U.S. Air Force C-17 and from there, the Coast Guard will move the equipment via C-130 to Attu Island.

The team's work on Attu Island will be supported by Army engineers from Ft. Richardson, Alaska, who will also employ ground-penetrating radar to help locate remains and guard against unexploded ordnance.

While visiting the island, the team is being housed at the long range navigation station and will be supported by the U.S. Coast Guard garrison. Attu Island is under the management and protection of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which administers the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. At the end of Alaska's Aleutian island chain, Attu is the westernmost point of land of the United States.

In June 1942, a unit of the Japanese Army occupied Attu, capturing and imprisoning many of its inhabitants. U.S. forces began action to recapture the small island in May 1943, where fierce hand-to-hand battles led to about 540 American and 2,300 Japanese deaths. It was the site of the only land battle in WWII in North America.

In 1953, 235 sets of Japanese remains were recovered on Attu and reburied at Ft. Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska. The Japanese later disinterred those remains, cremated them as part of a religious ceremony and reburied them at the same location.

The Japanese government assisted U.S. investigators in June 2007 in a visit to Iwo Jima in search of information related to American WWII MIAs. This 14-day deployment to Attu Island follows a similar four-day investigation there in July 2007.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
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Please remember to pray for the American soldiers stationed everywhere around the globe and especially in Iraq. Times have been and are very tough and it would be nice if you would all just say a prayer for their safety and for their families.
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"September 11 WDYTJWD" W. P. Florence
Justice first, then peace."
"September 11" Never forget.--Tony Moses
"ONE NATION UNDER GOD ...the only way"--Phillip Story
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Keeping my head down but face toward Heaven" - - Jody Eldred, ABC News Cameraman in Kuwait
"Remember Pearl Harbor? Remember 9/11!" --"Bug"
Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. - - George Carlin
"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!" - - Queen E. Watson
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Activities and Events of Interest - - Coming Events
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Mark Your Calendars!!!! Albemarle Kids' Fishing Tournament - May 31
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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
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Hope you enjoy the newsletter.
Again, thanks to all our contributors this week.

God bless and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Neh 6:5-9 Titus 1:15-16 Psa 89:46-49 1 Cor 15:33-34 http://www.e-min.org/
God is Good and Faithful CU 73 IC JFM CSP NREMT-I KC5HII

P. S. If you'd like to be added to the distribution, just drop us E-mail at kc5hii@suddenlink.net
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