What Planet Am I On?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T11:12:00.000-05:00

May you know Him as..
The God who sings over you and with you in Joy
The God who rejoices over you and with you.
The God whose mountains and hills break forth before you into singing;
and all the trees of His fields clap their hands
The God who walks beside you, delighting with you as He directs your every step.

May you know Him as.. The God who compassionately comforts you as a Father in all your troubles
The God who strengthens your inner man by His Spirit that is always with you.
The God who is your strength, your refuge and a very evident and present help.
The God who is your shield and protection when you are under attack.
The ever present God who is eternally your peace.

For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given:
And the government shall be upon his shoulder:
And his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace. Isa 9:6

And that child grew up..
To become....
our Saviour.
Our Redeemer
Our Portion
Our Strong Tower
Our Friend.

©2005 Katherine Walden

The Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-25T07:48:00.000-05:00

Today we held our 2nd annual Christmas party for the homeless community in our area. This 2nd year brought in twice as many donations as last year. It was honestly overwhelming as we laid out the goodie bags, toys and toiletry bags to see just how many there were.

But this isn't about us or the many other volunteers who shared their time, talents and gifts for this special Christmas party.

This isn't even about the smiles and hugs our most honored guests shared with us.

No; this is about one woman in particular. She doesn't live in the homeless camp; she's one of the fortunate ones with a roof over her head. She doesn't have much else, though. She's an alcholic and always comes in with liquor breath.

After the meal was served, she went around to all the volunteers with a garbage bag in her hand. Then one by one, she handed out handmade yarn crafts she had made. There were adorable Christmas stocking and whimsical pot holders. She would hand one to a volunteer and joyfully exclaim "Merry Christmas!"

It's funny the things that pop in your head. As she handed me her gift, the song "Little Drummer Boy" rang in my ears.

Everyone has something to give.

After handing out all of the gifts she had to give, she darted out the door with one last wave and one more exclamation.

"Merry Christmas! God bless you all!"

And I have been given yet another memory to cherish the rest of my life.

Best Jeep Ad Ever

2011-12-24T07:46:00.001-05:00

If I were the marketing director at Jeep, I would use this video in a new ad campaign.

Back story; two thugs broke into a home to rob it. A 17-yr old girl was home & called police while hiding in her bedroom closet. The thugs took off and a 40-minute police chase began.

There were 2 people (and 2 dogs) in that jeep. The driver (and passenger) of the Jeep suffered bumps and bruises. The driver is probably in a lot of pain this Christmas, but not only is he alive; he walked out of the hospital using his own two legs.

In a phone interview, he said his memory of the crash is foggy. "The light turned green. I went across. Next thing I know, I'm unconscious," Persing said. "I am glad one to be alive and even more glad to be walking ... It's amazing that I'm able to talk to you today."

Persing is a civil engineer, and he credited the sturdy construction of his Jeep with sparing his life.

I hope Persing gets a nice check from Chrysler.

Jabulani Africa

2011-12-19T18:48:00.001-05:00

What makes this so significant is that The Episcopal Church of Sudan has chosen not to just walk away from The Episcopal Church here in the States; but in doing so, turns away TEC's money as well.

The Gospel, in other words, is not for sale in Sudan.

Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) officials have withdrawn an invitation for a visit by the head of the U.S.-based Episcopal Church (TEC) because of TEC’s liberal stances on sexual issues. It is a stinging rebuke of the official American branch of the global Anglican Communion. Equally striking, the Sudanese have recognized the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the Episcopal Church’s conservative American rival.

With about 4.5 million members, the growing church in Sudan outnumbers the declining U.S. based denomination, which has fewer than 2 million. Overwhelmingly poor and besieged for years by war and persecution, mostly from the Islamist regime in Khartoum, ECS is strongly theologically conservative, like most African churches. Many Anglican churches in Africa and elsewhere in the Global South have distanced themselves from TEC even as they remain in the global Anglican Communion of about 80 million believers.

The statement of recognition is a significant move for the Sudanese bishops, who, unlike other Anglican provinces in Africa, had been reluctant to distance themselves from TEC, even as they openly criticized TEC moves...

...“[The Episcopal Church] has pushed itself away from God’s Word and from Anglican Communion,” the Sudanese determined. “TEC is not concerned for the unity of the Communion.”

“The Episcopal Church of Sudan is recognizing the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) fully as true faithful Orthodox Church and we will work with them to expand the Kingdom of God in the world,” the statement announced. The bishops wrote that they would also work with those parishes and dioceses in TEC “who are Evangelical Orthodox Churches and faithful to God.”

The full story can be found here.

As for me, I think this sums up how I'm feeling.

Thanks be to God

2011-11-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

All charges and case dismissed against Bishop Mark Lawrence. The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson Jr., president of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops has issued a statement

Twas the Day After

2011-11-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

While some people were standing in lines and fighting with each other over stuff, I'm enjoying what's left of my Slack Friday.

Yesterday was rough. I knew it would be. It was my job to say the blessing; I managed to make it through without choking up. I waited until the blessing was over to shed my tears. My mother-in-law wandered over to a window, stared outside and sobbed.

I miss the stories he tells at Thanksgiving and I miss the eggnog he serves with a smirk on a face. "Just how much brandy did you put in it, Dad?" "Just enough".

I miss him.

We went to bed earlier than usual and we all slept in. The morning has been spent doing some laundry, watching some TV and playing those stupid games on Facebook. We're well rested.

Tonight it's Crash-a-Rama. There's about 17 of us going tonight. We'll be doing some tailgating before the madness begins and then we'll drag our ringing ears back home in the wee hours of the morning.

Slack Friday beats Black Friday every time. =)

Why It's Really Called "Black Friday"

2011-11-25T14:02:00.000-05:00

Rome, N.Y., man was charged with disorderly conduct after a fight that broke out the moment Black Friday shopping began at midnight

Several shoppers at the electronics department at a Wal-Mart store were pushed to the ground, and several fights broke out, Oneida County sheriff's deputies said. Two shoppers were taken to a hospital for minor injuries

Police said they were investigating a possible shooting in the parking lot of Valley West Mall in West Des Moines, Iowa

A 55-year-old shopper was shot and wounded during a robbery near a Wal-Mart in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Tonia Robbins, 55, was shot in the foot after two men demanded her purse shortly after 1 a.m. ET Friday as she stood by the trunk of her car with friends

An explosive device was found at a break room at a Wal-Mart in Cave Creek

Black Friday shopper was shot and critically injured during a robbery outisde a Wal-Mart in San Leandro, Calif., early Friday

An angry woman used pepper spray when Black Friday bargain-hunters tried to cut in line at a crowded Wal-Mart store in Los Angeles late Thursday, leaving 15 people with minor injuries

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said detectives were looking for two suspects after gunfire rang out at Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville early Friday

Litany of Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:10:00.000-05:00

Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so
freely bestowed upon us.

For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and
sky and sea.
We thank you, Lord.

For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women,
revealing the image of Christ,
We thank you, Lord.

For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and
our friends,
We thank you, Lord.

For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,
We thank you, Lord.

For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,
We thank you, Lord.

For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering
and faithful in adversity,
We thank you, Lord.

For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,
We thank you, Lord.

For the communion of saints, in all times and places,
We thank you, Lord.

Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and
promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;

To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the
Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Come Ye Thankful People, Come

2011-11-24T07:05:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all a very blessed Thanksgiving

Seasons Change

2011-11-23T07:13:00.000-05:00

And here it is the day before Thanksgiving.

Earlier this year, my father-in-law passed away. Whenever there is a death in the family, the first year contains a lot of firsts. We've already had the first birthday without him. Now we'll have our first Thanksgiving without him. It weighs heavy on me this week. How do we surround and lift a woman who will have a Thanksgiving without her true love by her side for the first time in 53 years?

I know that for many, Thanksgiving also triggers another season; a season of shopping. But for our family, it triggers a very different season. It's funny; I realized this morning that our pre-teen hasn't mentioned once what she wanted for Christmas. She knows what season it is; and she's been looking forward to it for months.

My sister and I have had the tradition for many years and that tradition has been passed down to the next generation. Tis' the season for baking and crafting. It's funny because when my sister and I started, it was because we didn't have any money for store-bought gifts. By the time we had the money for store-bought gifts; we didn't want to buy any of them. And so it was; a tradition was born and now even my 12 year old has written off the mall completely. A few weeks ago, she decided we were going to make snow globes this year. This should be interesting.

The change of season also means something else. Although we serve the homeless community throughout the year; there is just something extra special when we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with these families. This weekend will be the weekend when I begin sorting and organizing everything for our Christmas Eve celebration. Last year, we served over 200 families on Christmas Day and distributed gifts to around 25 children. In other words, it does take some planning ahead of time!

It's the day before Thanksgiving. There will be some very sad moments and some very joyful moments in the next few days. Today, we rest.

But I Like Thanksgiving

2011-11-20T10:27:00.000-05:00

I know I complain about this every year, but it really irks me. Not to mention that it seems to get worse and worse every year.

The Christmas decorations are on the shelves right next to the 1/2 price halloween stuff. That's when it starts. Then... it just goes downhill from there.

This year, some retailers have made the decision to not only rush through Thanksgiving, but to bypass it completely.

I have never been a "black Friday" person. Actually, gifts haven't been a focus of Christmas for many years. Sure, when our kid was smaller; it was a little different. Now she's old enough to wean her off of gift exchange.

I found it ironic that "black Friday" has been moved up from the day after to the day set aside to be thankful. Go straight to Want; do not pass Thankful and do not collect Peace. Even if I was a "black Friday" person; I can't imagine giving up Thanksgiving for a "good deal".

I like Thanksgiving. Come to think of it, I need Thanksgiving. I need that day to focus on the blessings given. If I lose being thankful for what I have, I will lose the ability to be thankful for things I receive.

Where's the peace in that? Where's the joy? I can't see how we can truly appreciate the peace and joy of Christmas if we don't take the time to stop and be thankful.

Diocese of CFL Elects a Bishop

2011-11-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

I would have posted the results yesterday, but I was wide awake @ 4am, on location @ 7am and didn't get home until 3pm; at which point I took a much needed nap.

There are still procedural items before an actual consecration, but the election process is over and we now have our bishop-elect...

The Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, rector of Calvary-St. George’s Church in New York City, was elected on Nov. 19 as the fourth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, pending the required consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and standing committees of the Episcopal Church.

Fr. Brewer was elected on the 4th ballot out of a field of seven nominees. He received 141 votes of 241 cast in the lay order and 110 of 192 cast in the clergy order. An election on that ballot required 125 in the lay order and 95 in the clergy order.

The full announcement can be found here.

I am still suffering from a convention hangover, so I haven't had much brain capacity to process everything quite yet. Also, the lack of sleep plus the all the excitement added to food I probably shouldn't have eaten has triggered my fibro to flare up. I'm not in horrendous pain this morning, but I'm sore and very foggy.

I will probably post more about the convention and the results when my head is a bit clearer and I've had more time to process everything.

Prayers Please

2011-11-17T06:47:00.000-05:00

This coming Saturday

by Cheryl M. Wetzel, November 16, 2011 Dallas, TX

The Diocese of Central Florida (Orlando) will elect a new bishop. The Rt. Rev. John Howe has been the bishop here for 20+ years and will retire at the end of this year. Bishop Howe has been a staunch conservative who refused to leave TEC. He has used every opportunity to rebut the liberal trend within TEC, faithfully continuing to attend House of Bishop’s meetings and speak for the Authority of Scripture and the “faith once delivered for the saints”. This is an important election, with many candidates. The first ballot will determine who the actual three candidates are that will then stand for election. Prayers for this election greatly appreciated as election and then confirmation of a conservative is always in doubt in today’s Church.

I will be serving as a volunteer (which is both exciting and humbling) so I'll be "on location" at 7:15am until after a bishop is elected (however long that takes).

My priest is one of the nominees for bishop. May the LORD's will be done... but my bias thinks Fr Jim will soon be Bishop Sorvillo.

Government Math

2011-11-08T06:41:00.000-05:00

This was on the local news last night. To highlight how absurd this is, our 11 year-old blurted "seriously?" when the reporter reported the math. Even a middle-schooler is better at math than government leaders.

DELAND -- The city plans to replace five of its aging vehicles with electric cars and install charging stations at City Hall.

The City Commission voted Monday night to buy five Chevrolet Volts for about $40,000 apiece from Starling Chevrolet in DeLand. The electric cars will replace four utility meter-reader trucks and a community-development passenger van.

The cars, which carry a combined price tag of about $200,000, are expected to save the city roughly $125,000 in fuel over 10 years.

No Bullying & No Hugging

2011-11-04T06:50:00.000-04:00

This certainly isn't the first time this subject has come up, but I do believe it's the first time I've heard it actually implented.

This is such a strange planet.

From here

A 14-year-old Florida student who hugged his friend was suspended as a result of his middle school's zero-tolerance no-hugging policy.

Nick Martinez said he gave a quick hug to his best friend, a female student, between classes.

The public display of affection was spotted by the principal of Palm Bay's Southwest Middle School, 74 miles southeast of Orlando. While the principal said he believed the hug was innocent, he brought the two students to the school's dean, who penalized them with in-school suspensions.

According to the Southwest Middle School's student handbook, students can receive a one-day out-of-school suspension for kissing, while students caught hugging or hand-holding are penalized with a dean's detention or suspension.

"A lot of friends are hugging. I just happened to be the one caught doing it," Nick said. "Honestly, I didn't know because I didn't think hugging was a bad thing. I didn't know you could get suspended for it."

That's Disturbing

2011-10-23T14:30:00.000-04:00

Due to "high fructose corn syrup" being linked to serious health concern, the corn peeps have now changed the name to "corn sugar". Granted, they've done it without permission; the FDA has not approved the name change.

I'm one of those people who suffer adverse reaction to high fructose corn syrup/corn sugar. It also deeply concerns me that the corn peeps have the audacity to change the name in an attempt to fool people into buying it.

But I digress....

My husband and I are looking to tear out and replace the carpet in the bedrooms. So today I was looking at some possibilities. And then I made a face as I was reading this paragraph;

Mohawk leads innovation in sustainable flooring with SmartStrand® carpet with DuPont™ Sorona® renewably sourced polymer. In a partnership with DuPont, this carpet exclusively offers fiber made with Bio-PDO™ (the key Sorona® ingredient), which is produced from corn sugar.

Oh. My. God.

I know they want us all to take in a little more fiber, but seriously?

So the next time you pick up that tasty looking pre-packaged pastry, or that yummy looking juice, soda, etc... just do yourself a favor and read the ingredients. Does this product contain carpet? Am I in the mood to eat some carpet today? It is stain-resistant after all. And durable. Just think how clean and sturdy your stomach will be.

Myers-Briggs Prayers

2011-10-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

Because it's Friday. (click image to enlarge)

A Love Story

2011-10-19T12:15:00.000-04:00

I couldn't possibly add any comment that could make this love story any sweeter.

Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands
An Iowa couple who was married for 72 years died one hour apart last week in the hospital as they held hands.

Family said the story of Gordon and Norma Yeager is a real-life love story.

On the day she graduated from high school, Norma Stock said yes to Gordon Yeager's marriage proposal. The couple got married on May 26, 1939 in State Center.

"They're very old-fashioned. They believed in marriage til death do you part," said son Dennis Yeager.

The way the kids tell it, dad was the life of the party while mom kept everything together.

"Anybody come over -- she was the hostess with the mostess. She just seriously -- the more she did -- the more she smiled," said Dennis Yeager. "Dad would be the center of attention, like, 'Weee look at me,' and mom was like 'get him away from me!' You know we even got a picture like that."

Norma didn't really want the distance, and family said she hardly left Gordon's side for 72 years.

Dennis Yeager said the couple left home last Wednesday to go into town, but they didn't make it.

At the intersection of Highway 30 and Jessup Avenue just west of Marshalltown, state troopers said Gordon pulled in front of an oncoming car.

"I rushed from Des Moines where I was working and saw them in the hospital," said Dennis Yeager.

In the intensive care unit of Marshalltown's hospital, nurses knew not to separate Gordon and Norma.

"They brought them in the same room in intensive care and put them together -- and they were holding hands in ICU. They were not really responsive," said Dennis Yeager.

Gordon died at 3:38 p.m. holding hands with his wife as the family they built surrounded them.

"It was really strange, they were holding hands, and dad stopped breathing but I couldn't figure out what was going on because the heart monitor was still going," said Dennis Yeager. "But we were like, he isn't breathing. How does he still have a heart beat? The nurse checked and said that's because they were holding hands and it's going through them. Her heart was beating through him and picking it up."

"They were still getting her heartbeat through him," said Donna Sheets.

At 4:48 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed too.

"Neither one of them would've wanted to be without each other. I couldn't figure out how it was going to work," said Donna Sheets. "We were very blessed, honestly, that they went this way."

At their funeral on Tuesday, Norma and Gordon held hands in their casket. Family said they will be cremated and their ashes mixed together.

Snickers

2011-10-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

Countdown

2011-10-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

Well it's October 15th. The election of our next bishop is now just around the bend; November 19th to be exact.

I have listed the nominees before, but I again ask for prayer for them. As the tension between the "two sides" continues to escalate, much is riding on this election.

To "meet" the candidates, click here

To read some of the questions posed and answered, click here

Be with us and guide us, Holy Spirit, as we seek your will for the future of our Diocese. Help us to discern the needs and hopes of your people in Central Florida, so that our search for a Bishop may proceed with clear vision and joyful obedience. We pray this through the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Someone Takes Notice

2011-10-15T09:07:00.001-04:00

Much of what has been taking place in the TEC/AC circus has gone completely unnoticed by the mainstream media.

Until now.

Mollie Hemingway of the Wall Street Journal "breaks" the story

The Least of These

2011-10-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

You may not know this, but among the homeless, there is a community structure. There are typically a few "homeless camps" (aka "tent cities") in any one area. These camps are generally separated; some are designated for families, some are designated for wanderers and some are created by those who don't "belong" in other established camps.

In each camp, there is also a structure. Women and children are the highest priority within these camps. Certain men are given charge to protect the camp. Others are given charge to obtain resources. The list goes on. Very few people outside the established community are permitted to know where the camp is; it's kept hidden and protected from the outside world. My husband is one of those few trusted "outsiders" who is given access to this secret world of those separated from mainstream society. Because of this, we have some insight into the homeless community that many others never see. That is both a blessing... and a curse.

It is a blessing because we get to connect to the homeless in a very personal and intimate way. When there is a need in the community, those in charge of the camp let us know and we can help. We can respond in a very specific way as opposed to a mere general donation of goods. We know when there is a new family with children; what size clothing the children wear and whether or not baby food is in need.

It is a curse because on severe weather days, we know who has the resources (tarps, blankets, etc) and we know who does not. The outsiders. The outcasts of the homeless community. It's their faces I see when I lay my head down to rest. There is nothing we can do to change the situation. They are outcasts because they tend to have psychological problems which make them dangerous to the others. They tend to be very unpredictable in their behavior. They will never be acceptable into one of the established camps. They are simply on their own.

These are also the ones we can keep an eye out for as we drive around town. A few days ago, we were heading to Subway to pick up some sandwiches for dinner when we spotted one of them sitting on a bench. My husband dropped myself and my daughter off at the door and then turned around to go check in with him.

Much to our surprise, he told us that he had been banned from the service center. The service center provides daily meals and supplies to the homeless community. I don't know what he did to obtain the 6-month suspension from the center; he says he didn't do anything, but what else would he say? We know him well enough to know that when he doesn't have access to his meds, he can be very violent so I suspect he must have acted out after given a warning. I understand that the staff at the center must keep the center a safe place- particularly for the women and children. So although the news deeply saddened me; I have to accept that the decision was made with just cause.

But I am still left pondering this man's fate. Sure, my husband gave him a box of clothes and some money, but it seems so small. Is he eating? Has he found a new place to stay out of the rain? And since we haven't seen him in the "normal" places for several days now; is he okay?

All I can do is wait. My husband has gone looking for him a few times with no luck. We simply don't know where he is right now.

And so, as I continue to watch the rains fall (over 24hrs now), I see his face.

Rainy Day

2011-10-08T18:41:00.000-04:00

So it hasn't stopped raining now for 14 hours. The latest weather update says to expect another 24-36 hours. So I've spent a lot of time today watching TV and wandering online. Neither is very uplifting.

Perhaps my saddest moment of the day was reading the latest Q&A's on our Diocesan Bishop Nomination site. We elect a new bishop next month. The Q&A section was set up so anyone could pose a question and the nominees could respond. The first week or so, I really enjoyed reading the questions and all of the responses from the nominees.

Today was different.

I hadn't been on the site for about a week so I guess I was just a little caught off-guard. My dear husband seeing how upset I was did his best to calm my anxieties. It's tough though; y'know?

For the most part, the Diocese of Central Florida has been protected and shielded from the TEC circus folk. I never have to worry about going to a service and hearing about "them" or politics or social justice. I always get to go to a service, listen to amazing worship, hear the Word of God, experience an annointed sermon (that has a habit of making me do some serious inward analysis for days), share the love of Christ with my brothers & sisters and then go home refreshed and renewed.

So when I began reading the questions posed to our bishop nominees, my heart sank. Question after question; thread after thread... the ugliness of the TEC circus reared its head. See, to "them", the only way to be a true Christian and a member of the national church is to support same-sex marriage. There are no other qualifications to their definition of Episcopal Christian. None.

I read the responses from our orthodox nominees and couldn't help but feel they were on the defense. The defense. Never you mind that these are some of the most godly people I have ever known; they said they wouldn't allow same-sex marriage in our diocese... therefore, they are unqualified to lead it.

And there it is. I had worried that once our current bishop retired, we would no longer be immune from the ugliness that has spread through the national church. The division, the hatred & the insatiable need to for the "other" to lose.

There is no escape, is there? What we see happening in the Diocese of South Carolina will come knocking on our doors eventually. The amazing community I have come to know and dearly love may be eradicated.
I will miss it when it's gone, but like so many others have done over the centuries; I will press on. After all, if my fellow brothers and sisters are being executed for our LORD, finding a different church building to worship Him in doesn't seem so dire after all.

And with that, my husband just annouced that "End of Days" is on. Guess I'll go watch some more TV.

Astroturf

2011-10-08T11:31:00.000-04:00

So how bizarre is that whole "Occupy Wall Street" thing?

I admit; I am quite amused.

Some in the media and White House are trying to convince the general public that there is little difference between the "Wall Street" movement and the "Tea Party" movement. Really?

So I guess that makes the "Occupy Wall Street" people racists and terrorists, right?

No? Okay, well then let's look for some other similiarities.

Tea Party movement- increase free market, lower government spending, limit congressional terms
Occupy Wall Street movement- eliminate free market, increase government spending, empower politicians

Hmmm. Okay; let's try again.

Tea Party movement- dismantle corrupt special interest groups
Occupy Wall Street movement- piggy-back on corrupt special interest groups

Damnit. One last attempt.

Tea Party movement- civil, non-violent protests; follow the laws in place and clean-up afterwards
Occupy Wall Street movement- make a bunch of noise, break laws, get arrested and leave behind a big mess for someone else to clean up.

Le sigh. I give up.

Seriously though, how hilarious is it that the "Occupy Wall Street" group is protesting against greed and corruption by joining forces with groups notorious for greed and corruption?

Where Was I?

2011-10-08T10:43:00.001-04:00

It's not like I haven't had anything to say; I've just been too tired and stretched to spend time on the blogosphere.

After a brutal fight with a rather stubborn fibromyalgia flare, I am feeling much better these days. However, work has been demanding and stressful.

Today (and tomorrow) are rainy, gloomy days which leaves little to do. So I guess it's a good time to peruse and post and comment.

I also added a new section to this site called "Stranger Than Fiction". It's over there on the right beneath "Issues & Topics". See it? There you will find some of the posts written over the years that highlight why I call this site "What Planet Am I On?" I do find that in many cases; reality truly is stranger than fiction.

Sinners on the Left of Me; Martyrs on the Right

2011-10-05T20:01:00.000-04:00

Urgent prayers for Diocese of South Carolina and +Mark Lawrence. We knew this day was coming; it doesn't make it any less tragic.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Thursday, September 29, 2011 the Bishop received communication from the President of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops that “serious charges” have been made under Title IV of the canons of The Episcopal Church

In order to understand the possible implications and to engage in corporate prayer for the diocese, I, as bishop, have called a meeting of all our active and canonically resident clergy for this coming Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Rest assured we will do all in our power to defend gospel truth and catholic order. We and the members of our Standing Committee ask your prayers for God’s guidance and wisdom.

Thanks to the MCJ for having enough brain cells left to put a coherent post together.

My post would look like this

%$#^&^&*%$%#%$#%

Youcef Nadarkhani

2011-09-29T07:13:00.000-04:00

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown." ~ Rev 2:10

Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor, faces execution for refusing to recant his Christian faith.

When asked to repent, Nadarkhani stated: "Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?"

"To the religion of your ancestors, Islam," the judge replied, according to the American Center for Law & Justice.

"I cannot," Nadarkhani said.

Modern Medicine Fails Again

2011-09-19T07:22:00.000-04:00

The super-duper anti-inflammatory did nothing. The idea of seeing a specialist to have my jaw operated on- I think I'll pass. Pain killers did little.

Nope; after a week of dealing with this horrific pain, only one thing got me to the point where I could talk without crying.

Acupuncture.

I go for a 2nd round this morning, but after the first round on Friday; I'm already feeling normal again. The pain is all but gone.

I really should have saved that $75 copay for the urgent care and had just called my guru in the first place.

I am feeling SO much better.

Diocese of CFL; The Next Chapter

2011-09-19T07:14:00.000-04:00

I post this only as a request for prayers. Prayers for all of the candidates and their families. Prayers for our diocese as we enter the next chapter. Prayers that the national church will not intervene and allow our diocese to elect a conservative, orthodox Christian to lead us. Prayers for Bishop Howe as he enters retirement.

On behalf of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, I am pleased to announce the nominees to be the Fourth Bishop of Central Florida:

The Rev. Gregory O. Brewer
Rector, Episcopal Parish of Calvary-St. George’s
New York, New York

The Very Rev. Anthony P. Clark
Dean, Cathedral Church of St. Luke
Orlando, Florida

The Rev. R. Jonathan. Davis
Vicar, Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
Director, Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center
Oviedo, Florida

The Very Rev. Charles L. Holt
Rector, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Dean, Central Deanery
Lake Mary, Florida

The Rev. Timothy C. Nunez
Rector, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Belleview, Florida

The Rev. Mary A. Rosendahl
Rector, Episcopal Church of the Nativity
Port St. Lucie, Florida

The Rev. James A. Sorvillo, Sr.
Rector, Episcopal Church of the Ascension
Orlando, Florida

The Nominees’ biographical information, responses to questions, video greetings and more are being assembled at the Bishop Search website: bishopsearch.cfdiocese.org. A Forum is also being prepared where members of the Diocese may post questions to the Nominees. Another notification will be sent as soon as the site is ‘live.’ We apologize for the delay in the website information, but did not want to further delay publishing the names of the nominees while the finishing touches are being put on the website. We anticipate that this will be completed tomorrow. Another note will be sent out at that time.

The election of the Fourth Bishop of Central Florida will be held at a Special Convention on November 19, 2011 at Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park, Florida.

The Rev. Timothy Nunez remains a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Central Florida, however, he has recused himself from all discussions and decisions relating to the election of our next Bishop, until we have completed the election successfully. He will continue to participate normally in other Standing Committee business.

Little Green Kitties

2011-09-17T09:43:00.001-04:00

I am not a cat person. I'm a dog person. And not one of those carry it around in my purse and paint their nails kind of dog person either. One of our dogs hovers around 90lbs. The other one weighs in over 100. We lovingly refer to him as "the beast"; he has broken a window, broken the wheels right off our sliding glass door, re-arranged furniture and broke my elbow. None of it was on purpose; he's just too big and clutsy for his own good sometimes.

I don't hold anything against cat people; there are many cat people that I know and love. I'm just sayin' that I find cats pretty creepy.

This doesn't help.

Why on earth would anyone come up with the idea of making cats glow in the dark? Well, it's called research.

U.S. scientists have developed a strain of green-glowing cats with cells that resist infection from a virus that causes feline AIDS, a finding that may help prevent the disease in cats and advance AIDS research in people.

"This provides the unprecedented capability to study the effects of giving AIDS-protection genes into an AIDS-vulnerable animal," Dr. Eric Poeschla of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who led the study, said in a telephone interview.

To make it easier to check which cells had the monkey gene [for the restriction factor], the team also inserted a green fluorescent protein gene from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria that makes them glow green.

The team has mated two of the three original green-glowing cats, which have produced litters totaling eight kittens which make glowing cells as well.

But the point is not to breed generations of disease-resistant, glowing cats. Rather, the team plans to study these felines as a new way to develop treatments for HIV and the feline version of the disease.

Researchers said the work has several potential uses.

Read more...

One of the comments on the article made me squirm even more. The commenter wanted to know if that's the direction we're headed; making people glow different colors based on what kind of disease they have.

It's bad enough that we've created glow-in-the-dark cats; the day people start glowing in the dark... I am so outta here.

Quote of the Day

2011-09-17T09:27:00.000-04:00

My husband posted this on his FB page yesterday and it just made me laugh and laugh. My husband is the coolest person I know.

So the US Supreme Court has ruled that you have the right to protest military funerals. I invite you to start your protest in my front yard; we can see if your First Amendment right is better than my Second Amendment right

What He Said

2011-09-16T19:32:00.000-04:00

Pat Robertson is one of those people that you just know, when he opens his mouth; something really stupid is going to come out of it.

Since I haven't been clever enough this past week to come up with anything on my own to say, a h/t to Santus for finding this.

Pat Robertson's cruel marriage statement is no anomaly. He and his cohorts have given us for years a prosperity gospel with more in common with an Asherah pole than a cross. They have given us a politicized Christianity that uses churches to "mobilize" voters rather than to stand prophetically outside the power structures as a witness for the gospel.

...Sadly, many of our neighbors assume that when they hear the parade of cartoon characters we allow to speak for us, that they are hearing the gospel. They assume that when they see the giggling evangelist on the television screen, that they see Jesus. They assume that when they see the stadium political rallies to "take back America for Christ," that they see Jesus. But Jesus isn't there.

Jesus tells us he is present in the weak, the vulnerable, the useless. He is there in the least of these (Matt. 25:31-46). Somewhere out there right now, a man is wiping the drool from an 85 year-old woman who flinches because she think he's a stranger. No television cameras are around. No politicians are seeking a meeting with them.

But the gospel is there. Jesus is there.

Amen.

Not Cool

2011-09-16T07:08:00.000-04:00

Well this is new. My symptoms of fibromyalgia haven't changed all that much over the past few years. I've heard that new symptoms could pop up out of nowhere, but I've had the fibro fairly under control through diet for the last 2+ years. Sure I have a flare-up every now and again; once... maybe twice a month, but the flares last little more than a day. That changed a week ago.

At first I thought it was an ear infection. A few days later, I ended up at an urgent care center only to discover that the fibro may have struck the joint in my jaw. I have a follow-up with my primary a week from today, but this morning... I don't know if I can take this for another week.

I've been told for years that I need to have surgery on the vertebrae in my neck. I haven't had it done because, as I said, I've managed to keep the fibro under control well enough. When those nasty little vertebrae flare, a neck brace and a pain pill calms the area down within a few hours.

With this jaw issue; nothing is helping. For a week I've been limited to soft foods, yawning or sneezing brings me to tears and just talking is downright brutal. A. Week. Now.

I'm a little at a loss to be honest. I don't understand why jaw joint deterioration would be so much more painful than vertebrae C4-C6 deterioration. I don't understand why the meds prescribed aren't doing anything. I don't understand why the pain pill I take when my neck area flares isn't working for my jaw joint.

All I know is this sucks. I've been so very unhappy this past week.

Tea Party Terrorists in Waco, TX

2011-09-11T13:21:00.001-04:00

Because on this very solemn day, we need a break.

Remember Us

2011-09-11T09:51:00.000-04:00

8:46

2011-09-11T08:46:00.003-04:00

I Do It Anyway

2011-09-10T10:05:00.001-04:00

I'm been feeling rather blue the last few days. I admit that I struggle a bit every 9/11 anniversary, but with all the attention of the 10th anniversary; it seems I'm more bombarded this year with images and stories which has only made me feel more down.

I suppose it would be bad enough if that was all, but it isn't. This week, I've been bombarded with images from fires to floods. So many lives turned upside down. So many fellow Americans in desperate need and not enough resources available to wave that imaginary magic wand to make it all better. It also makes me wonder whether these catastrophes have been included in the debt calculations.

Add to that yet another political speech jam packed with promises and void of substance. The call to pass a bill that doesn't technically even exist yet, the urgency to spend now & pay later and the building up of expectations incapable of being met.

Yesterday morning, I stopped at the corner convenience store only to see a homeless man that I hadn't seen before. I asked him if he knew about the center down the road and he said "no, but thank you". He was "just passing through"; walking from town to town looking for a job. It's those moments when even my prayers seem little more than a drop in the ocean.

I pray anyway.

Israel's Embassy Attacked

2011-09-10T08:31:00.000-04:00

As the fragile ally agreement continues to fray between Israel and Turkey, the fragile ally agreement between Israel and Egypt has been unraveling. The violence has been escalating since Mubarak's departure and one has to wonder how soon these fragile ally agreements will be severed.

A senior Israeli official on Saturday denounced an overnight attack on his country's embassy in Cairo as a "blow to peaceful relations" between the two Mideast neighbors, adding to already growing tensions between the two nations six months after the ouster of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, Israel's closest Arab ally.

Egypt put its police force on a state of alert after the overnight violence during which angry protesters broke into the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, tearing down a cement barrier around the high-rise building and trapping six staff members inside. The protesters dumped Hebrew language documents out of the embassy's windows.

The rampage, in which three were killed and hundreds injured, further worsened already deteriorating ties between Israel and post-Mubarak Egypt.

Read more...

Because

2011-09-09T21:52:00.000-04:00

I've been feeling blue today.

Surprisingly Surprising

2011-09-09T18:10:00.000-04:00

It's weird what surprises me these days. This didn't surprise me...

On Thursday, hundreds of International Longshore and Warehouse Union members (ILWU) stormed a new grain terminal at the Port of Longview that they are battling for the right to work at.

They overwhelmed guards, smashed windows in the guard shack and dumped grain. Six guards were trapped for a couple of hours, Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha said.

"The guards absolutely could not get out," Duscha said. "They feared for their lives because of the size of the crowd and the hostility of the crowd."

But this did...

The National Labor Relations Board succeeded in getting a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction Thursday against further union activity at the Port of Longview after the union ignored the temporary restraining order that he issued a week earlier.

"Today, the ILWU took its criminal activity against EGT to an appalling level, including engaging in assault and significant property destruction," the company's chief executive, Larry Clarke, said in a written statement. "This type of violent attack at the export terminal has been condemned by a federal court, and we fully support prosecution of this criminal behavior to the fullest extent under the law."

I can honestly say that I'm surprised. It has seemed to me that any violence, vandalism, threats (and the list goes on and on) committed by union members has been just as shoved under the carpet and ignored as similiar acts committed by (shhhh... don't say it) muslims.

I should add that I am pleasantly surprised. I hope they are prosecuted to the fullest extent under the law.

Celebrity Rehab; Bullwinkle

2011-09-08T13:07:00.000-04:00

According to his close friend, Rocky the Squirrel, Bullwinkle has struggled ever since losing his celebrity status. "I was afraid something like this would happen sooner or later." Rocky said to reporter Yogi Bear from Hanna-Barbera Production News.

A boozed up moose in Sweden ended up getting stuck in an apple tree in an attempt for just one more taste of the fermented fruit that put the animal in its condition.

According to Swedish newspaper The Local, Per Johansson came home from work on Tuesday and heard a bellowing noise coming from the garden next door.

“I thought at first that someone was having a laugh. Then I went over to take a look and spotted an elk stuck in an apple tree with only one leg left on the ground,” he told the paper.

The elk most likely got stuck while it was reaching high to get more apples at the top of the tree. After it was freed, it passed out on the ground for awhile, but emergency services ascertained that it was still alive.

“My neighbor recognized it as the animal that almost ran into her car earlier in the day. She was pretty sure the elk was already under the influence,” Johansson said.

(no really)

I Just Don't Know

2011-09-08T06:38:00.000-04:00

Flipping through radio stations during my long drive from the office to home, a talk radio show piece caught my attention.

I generally try to stay away from talk radio shows, particularly while driving home from work; it's hard to decompress and listen to world events at the same time.

But when the scan button went to the talk radio station, I heard a caller say "I'm an atheist"... and I was hooked. Like the host, I can't grasp believing in nothing so when given the opportunity to have a conversation (not a fight) with an atheist; it's an opportunity that can't be passed up.

The caller was intelligent and sensible. The topic was the some multi-faith prayer thingy scheduled for a 9/11 event that, for whatever reason, included "all" faiths... except Christianity. The caller agreed that the idea of excluding Christianity from a prayer event was bizarre. The host, however, was more intrigued by the caller's atheism than the topic at hand so the conversation continued on that path.

The caller was very "scientific" in his thinking which was the platform for his side of conversation. Then the host said something that really struck me; "Next time you look at the skies, with all their majesties, all the universes within universes; wouldn't it be the most scientific and honest approach to say 'I just don't know'?".

The conversation continued with the general "advice" from the host to the caller to be "more open" to the possibility that there is a Creator and that by being more open; the Creator just might surprise him.

However, it wasn't the faith aspect of the conversation that had my attention at that point. It was the idea of being honest enough with ourselves to see such a mass complexity before us... and admitting that we just don't know.

I have watched and heard and experienced all the political and economic disaster for years now. I have seen the name-calling, the threats and the violence. I have seen families lose everything. I have seen desperation rise to crippling levels. I have heard the speeches. I have watched the rallies.

You know what? I just don't know.

I don't know if we, as a country, will pull ourselves up and out of this. I don't know if things will get better or if they will get worse. I don't know if we will come together or if we will break apart. I don't know what strategy will get us moving in the right direction. I don't know what plan will both help our present and our future.

I do know there is a Creator. A savior. A King above all kings. I know He has a plan. I know He is in control. I know He is not troubled nor surprised. I know that for all the things I do not know, I know enough to know that there will come a day...

I Don't Remember Forgetting

2011-09-08T05:49:00.000-04:00

The TV stations have been promoting their weekend shows on 9/11 all week. What's so strange to me is how, no matter the station or the show, all the previews begin or end with the statement "remembering 9/11".

"Remembering"? I don't remember forgetting.

Maybe it's just me, but all it takes is a song on the radio, a low-flying airplane, another (quickly buried) news story about an "isolated incident" that involved a muslim... and I remember 9/11.

I saw someone on FB posting that everyone should fly an American flag in front of their house this Sunday. I fly an American flag in front of my house every day.

I read the stories about who's invited to what 9/11 event and who isn't and I think to myself... how far we've fallen.

Like so many others, I remember where I was and I remember nearly every step I took that dark day nearly a decade ago. Like so many others, just the glimpse of the twin towers in a movie makes me tear up. There was a Fringe episode a couple years back and in the "parallel universe" one of the main characters ended up in... she looked out the window and the towers were there; my heart fell in my chest.

No, I can't remember forgetting at all. I can't imagine a time when I will need a reminder.

Okay, That Was Awesome

2011-09-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

Our intranet went down at work so I decided to take a stroll outside and by the pond. Much to my surprise, I wasn't alone; there was a bald eagle sitting at the edge of the water.

He didn't seem to be all that bothered by my presence. Except for a keeping a watchful eye on me, he didn't move. I creeped a little closer; he didn't move.

After a while, I began to wonder if he was okay so I moved even closer. He got up and walked a little further away. I creeped closer still. He walked the same distance further away.

Somewhat giddy, I decided to push my luck and took some cautious steps in his direction. He jumped off the ground and landed. Then he did it another 3 times; spreading his wings as far as he could.

I stepped towards him again... and he lifted off. He soared in a circle twice and then headed straight up to the top of a nearby tree.

Now that was an awesome break in this otherwise uneventful work day!

All American Burger & Fries

2011-09-07T12:30:00.000-04:00

I, for one, am not surprised that Five Guys topped the list for best burgers yet again. Why? Because when my family is in the mood for the all-American burger & fries, we drive by a dozen mega-chain burger joints to get to the nearest Five Guys.

The Five Guys logo may not be as ubiquitous as the golden arches or the pig-tailed red head along U.S. roadways, but its burgers are near and dear to the hearts (and stomachs) of Americans.

For the second year in a row, the Virginia-based chain claimed the coveted “Best Burger” award in Zagat’s annual Fast Food Survey.

Aside from serving the best burgers around, there's a little something else about Five Guys that keeps me coming back for more.

1st Monday of Each Month at Five Guys® Burgers and Fries; 10% of sales from 5-9 p.m. will go toward Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Thank you Five Guys for this commitment to help fight hunger in Central Florida.

Five stars for Five Guys.

Generation WTF

2011-09-06T19:57:00.000-04:00

I saw this table today and it made me chuckle

According to the chart, I'm a Gen Xer. I don't really feel like a Gen Xer; I feel like a Gen WTFer.

During my childhood, we went from lower income to higher middle class. I still rode my bicycle to and from work as a teen until I was able to save enough money to buy a car. I worked 2 to 3 jobs at a time in my early twenties and was more than willing to work myself up the ladder.

Work hard; play hard. You want something; you earn it. You work hard enough and smart enough and you'll make it in this crazy world.

I reached my thirties; got married and had a child. I didn't need to work 2 jobs anymore and still managed to save enough money for a home. My husband retired from law enforcement and opened his own business. We bought a boat and a big truck; anything we wanted, we could buy. We donated quite a bit and volunteered often. After all, those who have... give.

And then it all came crashing down. Inflation went up, business went down and before we could blink; bankruptcy.

As it turns out, you can do everything right... there are no guarantees.

And I'm okay with that. I didn't used to be; I went through the anger and the depression. It was easy to point fingers at those who stole America from me and so many others just like me. It was too easy, perhaps.

All the anger in the world isn't going to change this course. At least not for me. At the end of the day, and after all the insults I've been called... from racist to terrorist to whatever comes next... begin to fade away; it's all good.

I have my family, my friends, my home and (praise the LORD) we're back to a two-income household again. We never received an unemployment check, food stamps or any other government handout. We did things the way we were taught; we dusted ourselves off, worked hard, saved whatever we could, got rid of whatever we couldn't save and volunteered often.

And the sun will come out tomorrow.

As The Rain Falls

2011-09-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

September tends to be very stormy for us Floridians. Today and tomorrow are a couple of those typical days when the wind is blowing and rain bands sweep through on and off constantly.

I was really praying that TS Lee would head west instead of north. I watched over the weekend as the Gulf states got way more rain than they needed. And now I watch the rains fall outside my office window and shake my head.

More than 1,000 homes have burned in at least 57 wildfires across rain-starved Texas

At least 5,000 people were forced from their homes in Bastrop County and about 400 people were in emergency shelters, officials said Monday. School and school-related activities were canceled Tuesday.

On Sunday, about 200 miles to the northeast in Gladewater, a 20-year-old woman and her 18-month-old daughter died when a fast-moving wildfire gutted their mobile home.

O God, heavenly Father, who by Thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all those who seek Thy kingdom and its righteousness all things necessary to sustain their life: Send Texas, we entreat Thee, in this time of need, such moderate rain and showers, that they may receive the fruits of the earth, to their comfort and to Thy honor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jimmy Hoffa Has Been Found!

2011-09-05T19:16:00.000-04:00

And, as it turns out; he's still a thug.

“We got to keep an eye on the battle that we face: The war on workers. And you see it everywhere, it is the Tea Party. And you know, there is only one way to beat and win that war. The one thing about working people is we like a good fight. And you know what? They’ve got a war, they got a war with us and there’s only going to be one winner. President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let’s take these son of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong."

Goodness. Where do I begin?

Well let me start by the obvious; "the war on workers"? Seriously? Yes because you know it's the Tea Party that's filled to the rim of lazy, useless people who want the government to take care of them. It's all those damn Tea Party people raking in those government checks and entitlements. Those losers have insanely bloated pensions and free healthcare for their entire families.

Oh wait... oh I see... Jimmy Hoffa meant that the Tea Party has issued a war on union workers. Now I get it. In that case, I agree.

Then there's this gem; "The one thing about working people is we like a good fight". If Jimmy is still referring to union working people, then HAHAHAHA! Now that's precious. Union workers don't like a good fight; they like to ditch work, walk around in circles and when they do actually want to cause harm; they do it in the dark and in costumes. You wanna see someone who likes a good fight, Jimmy? Go to small town USA and kick someone's dog or insult a man's wife.

"They’ve got a war, they got a war with us and there’s only going to be one winner." From your mouth to God's ear, Jimmy.

"President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march." Yes Mr President; your faithful people are ready to walk in circles for you. Just tell them when and they're off.

"Let’s take these son of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong." Was that a threat? It sounded like a threat. I'm not quite sure what the 2nd part of that sentence was supposed to mean, but I'm pretty sure the first part is a threat.

Hey Jimmy... bring it on. See, as a member of the Tea Party, I'm not going to walk in circles. I'm not going to tell my boss I'm sick so I can go eat hot dogs at the park downtown. I'm not even going to call you names because my mama taught me better than that. So what will I do?

Your worst nightmare; I'll vote. I'll get my friends and family to vote. I'll tell all my peeps on Facebook to vote. Oh and buddy, don't consider this a threat because as long as you stay on your side of the property line; you don't have anything to worry about. But as the sign above my front door suggests; you best be sure you stay on your side of the street.

Interior Design Cartel

2011-09-05T14:26:00.000-04:00

While the battle between union thugs and State officials is going on in Wisconsin, there is another fierce battle going on in Florida that isn't getting a whole lot of attention.

Forget the drug cartels; the real danger is interior designers. This battle has been going on in Florida for nearly a year now. Any minute now, the ribbons and paint chips are gonna start flying, too. But never fear, my dear readers; my life is safe. For now anyway...

The young woman stepped to the podium, eager for a chance to address Florida lawmakers.

“I came to this country for two reasons. I came for freedom, and I also came for a dream, a dream which you want to take away from me,” said Llilian Perez, of Miami, her voice shaking. “You just don’t care. I see your faces.”

You might expect such passion to be about education, taxes or immigration.

Her plea? Save interior design.

Forget about the tussles between unions and lawmakers, the Legislature and governor, Democrats and Republicans.

The real knock-down, drag-out fight this session is over commercial interior design.

Tears and cheers have punctuated hours of testimony as licensed interior designers warn lawmakers that lives will be lost to flammable fabrics and paints if they don’t keep regulation of the profession in place.

“Buildings do not burn. Interiors do,” Gail Griffin, a professor at Miami Dade College’s School of Architecture and Interior Design, told the House Appropriations committee Wednesday.

She scolded the panel for their ignorance.

“Do you know the color schemes that affect your salivation, your autonomic nervous system?” she said. “You don’t even have correct seating. And somebody chose that for you.”

Deregulation of the profession is covered in a massive House bill intended to boost the economy by ending regulation of about 20 professions, including auto repair shops, hair braiders, charities and intrastate movers.

The thinking is that getting rid of regulations will save business owners money on fees and make it easier for new people to set up shop. It’s part of the end-job-killing-regulations mantra from Republicans.

But no deregulation proposal has generated more controversy in Florida than the one targeting interior design.

Ninety people signed up to speak at Wednesday’s hearing about HB 5005, including dozens of interior design students who fought back sobs as they talked about worrying they had wasted time and money on degrees. Others highlighted the potential for bad design to result in materials being used for weapons in prisons, flooring that causes falls and fabrics that lead to death.

“Part of my job is to ensure the finishes that I select cannot be made into weapons,” Terra Sherlock, a licensed interior designer from Tallahassee, told lawmakers. “We do that in jails, and we do that in schools.”

A couple of weeks ago, Tampa interior designer Michelle Earley told the House Business and Consumer Affairs subcommittee her expertise means she knows to avoid fabrics that contribute to the spread of hospital-acquired infections.

“By not allowing interior designers to be specialists and focus on the things they do, what you’re basically doing is contributing to 88,000 deaths every year,” she said.

Since it was so obvious that not having curtains matching the couch could be life-threatening to Florida residents, the attempt to deregulate interior design (and 22 other professions including hair-braiding and ballroom dancing) failed back on May 6th.

However, it IS an election year next year and you just never know what kind of sick bastards will get elected. This is no time to take a deep breath and let our guards down; the newbies could resurface the bill AND pass it.

Then? Oh I don't even want to think about it! The horror! Oranges and browns in the same room! Or... oh... no... not a yellow vinyl couch in the family room!

I can't think about it anymore. I just can't. I won't be able to sleep as it is tonight.

Parades Are For Children

2011-09-05T10:05:00.000-04:00

Across the country, the union thugs are losing their clout. Several states have removed entitlements from them and have put in place some standards to keep the unions under control. Although it's happening nation-wide, the unions have chosen Wisconsin to be their front line.

I don't know why. I'm not even they know why. But for whatever reason (if there is one), Wisconsin has been the territory chosen for the unions to throw their temper tantrums.

First, the unions got their elected puppets to play hide-n-seek. When that didn't work, they bullied and vandalized. And when that didn't work, they called for a do-over.

But just when I didn't think it was possible for adults to behave any more childish, the union thugs made an announcement last week.

A Wisconsin group of unions has barred Republican officials from attending a local Labor Day parade as payback for controversial collective bargaining legislation earlier this year

I would actually gain some respect for these people if they had barred anyone and everyone who voted for the officials. It would have been a bit more honest on their part. After all, all those "officials" didn't get there all by themselves. Just sayin'.

And then the other "grown-ups" responded;

According to a statement issued Monday afternoon by Mayor Jim Tipple's office, the city would require the labor council to reimburse all expenses unless the decision to prohibit a GOP presence is reversed.

So where are we at today? Well, as they say; money talks.

A Wisconsin union group has decided to reverse its decision to ban GOP lawmakers from their Labor Day parade.

According to the Associated Press, the Marathon County Labor Council changed their original decision thanks to pressure from Wausau Mayor Jim Tipple. Tripple threatened to withhold financial support for the parade if the ban remained intact.

It is after all, all about the money.

Racist Bastards

2011-09-03T15:22:00.000-04:00

This is really beginning to get quite childish. It seems that if anyone, and I do mean ANYONE, who says "no" to anything Obama; the mad libs start snickering.

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Four NASCAR stars will take a pass on meeting President Obama at the White House. When word got out that Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards wouldn't be going to the White House next Wednesday, it sparked plenty of chatter on talk shows and social media networks. There was speculation the four were making some sort of protest about Obama's policies on behalf of a generally conservative sport.

You can tell this article was on FoxNews 'cuz if it had been on MSNBC, it would have read like this;

~~There was speculation~~ the four ~~were~~ are making ~~some sort of~~ a protest about Obama's ~~policies~~ presidency on behalf of a ~~generally conservative~~ right-wing extremist sport.

The drivers have, of course, responded to the allegations;

Harvick said it's a tough time of year to find some spare time in his already crowded schedule. The Washington visit was scheduled three days before the race at Richmond, Va., that will set the 12-driver field competing for the Sprint Cup championship. "Most everything we do is scheduled months in advance," Harvick said. "I have been to the White House before and it's an honor just to go the White House and be in the Oval Office and on the premises at the White House. I understand the honor. Just with everything we have going on right now, there is no way to reschedule the things we have going next week."

The MSM media, of course, prodded;

Such as?

And the boys, as always, got the last word;

"I don't think that is anyone's business," Harvick said. "It is just a bad week for us."

Touche!

It seems to have escaped the possibility that people in this country actually have lives and stuff. Not all of us have the time to cling to "The One" everywhere he goes. And just because we don't ask "how high" every time "The One" asks us to jump doesn't make us racist bastards either.

All Things New

2011-09-03T10:40:00.000-04:00

Every time I start getting used to a new layout from Blogger; they go and change things up on me. I'm getting too old to keep having to adjust to new technology.

Here it is "Labor Day Weekend" which means a 3-day weekend. I'm hoping to take advantage of the time to get caught up on events (and my reactions to them).

But how in the world to I respond to a week's worth of chaos in a mere weekend? Especially when Blogger has gone and changed everything on me?

Perhaps I should start with another cup of coffee first.

September Dogs

2011-09-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

September...

That means that the worst of the dog days are behind us. Yay! I have successfully survived another brutal Florida August. Sure I haven't had a lot of energy and complain nearly every time I step outside, but here it is September 1st and I'm still breathing.

That being said, there won't be many deep breaths for the next 30 days either. After all; it's September... the triple digit heat indexes will be replaced by active storm alerts. It's not unusual to keep a wary eye on 2-4 "tropical disturbances" at a time during September. Particularly since we Floridians remember all too well the 4 back-to-back hurricanes to blow through here within a 6-week period a few years back.

So yeah; right on time... here we go.

We have a system in the Gulf. Typically I dislike those the most; they are highly unpredictable. Even the "experts" hesitate to make any sort of predictions in regard to landfall and intensity. Their advisories typically include the phrase "all Gulf states should monitor closely". Sometimes they bounce around like ping-pong balls, sometimes they explode in intensity, sometimes they fizzle out completely and sometimes they linger for days. Fortunately, the current "disturbance" is well into the Gulf as disorganized so concern is low. I'm hoping Texas gets this one; they sure could use the rain.

Then there's Katia out there in Atlantic. The odds for a "miss" are much higher for Floridians with Atlantic systems. They have a habit of that northward turn before they get too close to our coastline. Way too early to get a handle on this system as it is still way out there... however, after such a brutal beating from Irene, I'm sure our NE coast residents are a little jumpy right about now.

Elsewhere, "tropical development isn't expected during the next 36-48hrs". Considering it's September, "the next 36-48hrs" is about the best prediction range we can expect.

Is It Over Yet?

2011-08-28T21:30:00.000-04:00

Or can I expect another 12hrs of Irene coverage? I mean really; I know I'm a little jaded (being a Floridian and all), but I think we can stop talking about the EX-hurricane now.

On a serious note; kudos to Christie and Bloomberg for the warnings and preparations. For us Floridians, a Cat 1 isn't much different than our daily afternoon thunderstorms; but a Cat 1 could have been disastrous for the Jersey Shore and Manhatten if people hadn't been warned effectively.

For the families who did lose their loved ones, my prayers are with them. All the preparing in the world can never prepare you for that level of tragedy.

And for the news peeps ~ stop it. Just stop it. There are plenty of other disasters to talk about; let it go. Seriously.

It's Just Shameful

2011-08-28T15:54:00.000-04:00

I seem to be doing my very best imitation of a sloth ever. I don't even have a real excuse for it or anything. Perhaps I should just blame Bush.

I got up Saturday morning fairly well and my family headed over to the Christian Service Center. We prepared all the food, put together necessity bags, served & visited with the homeless, cleaned up and headed back to the house.

And then...

Well nothing. We all just kinda laid around like a bunch of old dogs. I slept most of the afternoon and into the evening. Then we watched a family movie (Walk in My Shoes) and went to bed.

I didn't get up until nearly 9am! Shameful.

Somewhat embarrassed by my own laziness, I sprinted through laundry, went grocery shopping and did a project left over from the work week.

But now here it is nearly 4pm and I'm doing everything I can to fight the urge to take a nap. Shameful!

I'm telling you; Bush just must have something to do with it. There can be no other explanation.

Being Offended Daily

2011-08-23T19:10:00.000-04:00

There are two ways for me to get home from my office; one way takes about 30 minutes and costs just over $5.00 in tolls. The other way takes me over an hour, but there's no tolls.

A couple of weeks ago, I was driving home and was so offended that I had to call my husband. There was a billboard that said

Do You Know Who Your Baby Daddy Is?

The billboard the brilliant idea of some company called Prove It which provides DNA testing.

There was a brief story about the billboard last week and I was hoping that (since others were also offended), the billboard would come down.

But no. It's still there.

I just think it's horrible. And yeah, I may be white, but it offends me daily.

Quote of the Day; Bread Upon the Waters

2011-08-23T15:25:00.000-04:00

Gotta give kudos for this one;

Founders Rolling Over in their Graves Cause 5.9 Magnitude Quake in DC

That's comedic genius right there.

Here Comes Irene (Update)

2011-08-22T21:11:00.000-04:00

We now have our official real possibility of a hurricane strike. The path continues to shift north which has taken us out of the direct hit zone to a possible hit zone. Expect that path to change a zillion times between now and Friday, but as it looks right now; I'll have a 3-day weekend!

It must be August.

Update: Ugh. Irene continues to not pay attention to computer models and has remained over water. It is now a Cat 2 hurricane. I was looking forward this morning to having a nice & easy Cat 1 hit SE Florida; now (if Irene decides to pay attention to computer models), it may not strike Florida. Unfortunately, it may stay over water and strike further up the east coast... as a much stronger and dangerous storm. We've had enough natural disasters this past year; we certainly don't need a Cat 3 hurricane striking a US coastline.

A Cold Summer's Day?

2011-08-16T19:45:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Floridians enjoyed the annual "tax relief weekend". It's a weekend set aside before school starts to help save a few dollars on clothes and school supplies. The "tax-free" only applies to items under $50, but with stores doing what they can to outsell their competitors; it's like a mini Black Friday. So, like so many other parents; we braved the stores.

I found the selection of clothes quite odd. It is after all, ridiculously hot. Our heat index has been well over 100 for well over a week. And yet...

There were no shorts.

There were lots of jeans and leggings. There were lots of hoodies and sweaters. But shorts? No. I found it a bit strange. Then I heard the DJ on our local Christian radio station air the same complaint today so I guess I'm not the only Floridian wondering why the selection of summer clothes were so limited. It is Florida... we won't see any sign of winter until mid-November if we're really, really lucky. And they are kids... they won't fit in anything we bought this past weekend when the first cold front arrives.

So I have to ask the northerners... do you guys have shorts in your stores? Bathing suits? Flip-flops? 'Cuz I'm thinking we might be able to work something out next year.

Bang Head Here

2011-08-13T09:06:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, our VP was telling us about a problem in South Florida (that didn't really have anything to do with us, but he thought it was interesting). With so many abandoned homes sitting around, some people are having the locks changed (I didn't realize it was so easy to do that) and renting out the properties as if they were theirs.

I laughed. It made me wonder why banks weren't renting out the bank-owned properties. It seems like it would be a good way to actually make some money off the properties in their possession and I wondered why every day people seemed to be smarter than the bank execs.

Then I heard about the government considering doing just that; renting out properties that are "government-owned" to generate some income and "stabilize" housing values. At first, I was actually impressed. Like totally oh my God; common sense approach to a growing problem.

But then comments began popping up on these stories and I realized that we are, after all, dealing with the government. Is it possible that the government could take such a common sense plan... and screw it up? Would they, could they be so head-in-the-sand as to turn these properties into Section 8 properties?

They would and they could. Warm and fuzzy feeling fading...

Mr Toad's Wild Ride

2011-08-13T08:46:00.000-04:00

Okay, for those who have never been to Disney World;

Mr Toad's Wild Ride was an attraction Disney World used to have (they've since closed it down) that was a crazy mix of roller coaster, haunted house and circus.

I told you last week that America is in unchartered territory and that there was no one to predict the future. Judging the action on Wall Street this week; I'm not alone. Mr Toad's Wild Ride kept popping up in my head every time I looked at the numbers.

The "experts" are continuing to guess what tomorrow will bring; is this the new norm or will Wall Street settle down? They don't know. I think that is painfully clear as we listen to them talk.

One snippet that did give me quite a chuckle this week was when the Fed issued their statement. In short, the statement said; "You're on your own".

Why did it make me chuckle? Well because if the Fed had taken that approach 2 years ago, America's economy would probably be in recovery right now. If the Fed had just stopped trying to "fix" things; we all wouldn't be in the mess we're in right now. But they didn't, did they? So now that we're in crisis; they say "you're on your own".

Nice. Thanks. No, really.

Please keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times... and good luck.

They Aren't Numbers; They're People

2011-08-11T20:07:00.001-04:00

For the past few years, my family has been involved in serving the homeless in our community. I can't tell you how it feels to have someone look you dead in the eye and say "If it weren't you all, I wouldn't eat today."

The numbers you see on unemployment aren't numbers; they're people. The stories I hear from those I serve are at times unbearable to hear, but of course; I listen anyway. The hardest stories to hear are from those who served in the military, have a spouse actively serving or have lost a spouse during their time serving. I have found that a listener is just as needed as a bottle of water and a plate of food. They want to be heard. They want to be seen. They want to smile. They want a hug.

On the sidebar, you will see a widget to find a food bank in your area. I urge you to do more than write a check or donate a bag of groceries; lend a hand, an ear, a hug... they are your fellow Americans.

While millions of Americans hold their collective breath as Wall Street wreaks havoc with their life savings and retirements, residents of Tent City, a tiny makeshift community about 70 miles south of New York City, have more immediate concerns: finding their next hot meal.

For this collective of homeless and unemployed former landscapers, service industry workers and military veterans, the mention of "tarp" is sure to start a conversation about temporary rooftops, rather than a debate over President Obama's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program.

At Tent City in Lakewood, N.J., very few are lucky enough to leave.

It seems like a scene straight from "The Grapes of Wrath," but this is no Great Depression novel. This story takes place in 2011, and this New Jersey tent city is one of an untold number of such encampments across the United States, where unemployment has reached 9.3 percent and approximately 3.5 million people are likely to be homeless in a given year, according to the most recent estimates by the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Read more...

Who Moved My Cheese?

2011-08-10T19:25:00.001-04:00

Okay, I know I'm anal. Too strong of a word? How about particular. Better? The point is that I like things to be where they belong. Every thing has a place and in its place every thing should be. I'm not one of those people who have an anxiety attack if someone moves my stapler, I just don't like the "c"s; clutter, chaos and confusion.

I recognize that there is a severe work ethic deficiency these days so although I would prefer to only work with people who had a high standard when it came to their work ethic; I know no such dreamworld exists. I do my best to maneuver without causing too much distress as that results in "doesn't work well with others" showing up on my annual reviews... annually.

I've tried these past few days not to get overly frustrated. However, if I don't rant here; I suspect I won't be able to keep calm at the office tomorrow. So here it goes...

In my particular position, there are two levels of work; a) way too much work to even be considered reasonable and b) absolutely nothing to do. That's it; there is no in-between. 60hr weeks or stretching 15hrs of actual work to last 40. This is one of those weeks where I have nothing to do. So what does one do in these situations? I go snooping around in other people's offices.

Ah; there's one. An office loaded with piles of paper that don't belong there. I will scan them, file them and make the office orderly. Oh if only it were that easy. But no.

As I begin to put files in the folders in which they belong, I discover that the folders and the entire filing system is sloppy (and that's being nice). The folders have prongs... you hole-punch the docs and the prongs hold the docs in place. But no. Every folder had papers crammed in them. Docs weren't hole-punched nor were they secure. Worse yet, documents were in the wrong folders and in many cases, in the wrong cabinet altogether.

Oh. My. Lord.

What truly blows my mind is that there isn't one person in and out of these files. Several people have seen these files, saw the mess that they were and then put them back the way they found them. Seriously? I mean, c'mon; there's a hole-puncher and a stapler RIGHT THERE IN THE ROOM. It's right there! See it?

So I have spent the last 3 days reorganzing all the files and all the documents in them. I could be one of those people who say "Hey, I'm a manager; this isn't my job." But I'm not one of those people. I'm one of those people who, now that I know the clutter, chaos and confusion exists; it will drive me insane until it's rectified. And yeah, since I don't really have anything else to do; I'll do it. Besides, at least that way, I know it's done correctly.

We Interrupt This Program

2011-08-09T20:25:00.001-04:00

... for some good news.

After months of tests, retests and a biopsy; I know have a confirmation that my tumor was benign. Most of the tumor was removed during that last procedure and they have decided there's too many unnecessary risks to go after what's left. The plan is to leave what little is left alone and do another ultrasound in 6 months to see if a) it starts growing again in size or b) my body was able to dissolve it on its own.

Much to my dismay, TS Emily wasn't able to hold together long enough to make it to Florida so instead of a rainy weekend; it was just more hot air. However, it was a whole different story on Monday when tropical moisture graced our state; it's been raining since and we're expecting another day of rain tomorrow. It's very exciting.

I think it's important to stop frequently and acknowledge the good things that come our way. It's healthy to take a deep breath and be thankful.

Thank You LORD for the blessings You give us even when they are not deserved. Thank You for reminding us how close You are and how much You're paying attention to our needs and our desires. I am humbled by Your grace; I am lifted high by Your love.

Toby Nails It Again

2011-08-07T09:53:00.002-04:00

Deadliest Day in Afghanistan

2011-08-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

Almighty God, we commend to Your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with Your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of Your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A helicopter crash in Afghanistan's eastern Wardak province killed 31 U.S. special operation troops and seven Afghan soldiers, the country's president said Saturday. It was the highest number of American casualties recorded in a single incident in the decade-long war.

We Love Lucy

2011-08-06T11:59:00.001-04:00

Cal Thomas sums it up;

It doesn't seem possible that Lucille Ball would have been 100 years old today. Her preserved work will keep her forever young and forever in the hearts of those of us who grew up with her. Future generations, too, will love Lucy, because she is timeless.

I believe there are certain things that must be passed on from one generation to another. Much thanks to modern technology, I get to show our child some genuine, timeless humor. I've introduced her to The Muppets, Carol Burnett and of course; Lucille Ball. It never fails that when one or more of her friends come over for a sleep over, she shows them this;

Vitameatavegamin - watch more funny videos

Thanks Lucille and happy birthday. Thanks for the laughter you gave to so many generations.

Unsustainable

2011-08-06T10:42:00.002-04:00

There's going to be a lot of anger expression; it's human nature to react with anger when faced with things we cannot control. I've always been one of those people who try to use humor in bad situations; there are some situations where that doesn't work.

There will finger-pointing, name-calling and lots of accusations to go around. Some people will explode and do things that may shock us all. Some will declare it's over and prepare for the acapocalypse of the USA. Others will declare that we are the greatest and will overcome.

So who's right?

No one knows. This is uncharted territory. Never before has the USA been in this position in a world that exists as we know it today. It is human nature to respond in fear and it's that fear that triggers reactions scaling from anger to grief to denial.

I don't really know what to say except that we... well, some of us anyway... aren't surprised by the downgrading. It had to happen; it was seemingly inevitable.

So now what?

I don't know that either. All I can say is that for me and my family; we all took a deep breath, closed our eyes and prayed. Then I started a load of wash while my husband washed the cars. Later, I'll get an oil change and do some more laundry.

We've prepared as best as we could. One vehicle is paid off; the other has a very low fixed rate leaving us with a payment under $200 & should be paid off within the next couple years. Our home also has a low fixed interest rate, was purchased before the bubble and no equity loans against it. We haven't had credit cards in 12 years; everything we own (exluding the one car and the house) was paid for in cash or bartered. We grow our own fruits & vegetables and we have an assortment of guns from rifles to shotguns. We don't keep our money in a bank and we aren't invested in stocks. We've done our best to secure ourselves for an uncertain future and only time will tell if we've done enough.

Tomorrow will be here soon enough; there's no need to spend too much time thinking about it today.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you— you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6:25-34

When Legos Fly

2011-08-05T12:44:00.001-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – They have launched aboard the space shuttle, visited the space station and flown to Mars. Now, three more "very special" LEGO figurines are set to fly to Jupiter with NASA's Juno spacecraft.

The specially-constructed LEGO Minifigures are of the Roman god Jupiter, his wife Juno, and "father of science" Galileo Galilei.

Juno and the minifigures are scheduled to arrive in July 2016 and orbit Jupiter for a year (33 revolutions) before intentionally crashing into the giant gas planet.

The trio resemble the typical small toys that LEGO sells, but are made out of metal.

"They are basically the size of the normal LEGO figures which you will see, but they are made out of aluminum, very special aluminum and they have been prepared in a very special way," Bolton said. "They are made out of a special space-grade aluminum. They have gone through all the testing to make sure that they fit on our spacecraft in a way that is like our other science instruments."

The three figures are covered for the flight under thermal blankets, like much of the spacecraft.

"They are all together, right next to each other [on board Juno], being friendly," Bolton said smiling. "They are the special passengers."

Okay...

Let's say an "alien spacecraft" crashes into earth. Inside are three Lego figurines that aren't really made out of Legos, but aluminum... and they're all huddled under a blanket & smiling.

How much time and money do you think our rocket scientists would spend studying the "advanced species" found inside the UFO?

I hope that wouldn't be the case; I would hope that we would react much more like this...

"What the hell? What kind of moronic alien species sends toys into outer space?"

More Stuff I Couldn't Make Up If I Tried

2011-08-04T19:06:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the ole MCJ for this laugh. Aw, c'mon; laugh. It's funny... in an appalling kind of way.

Providence Journal dessicated old harridan Froma Harrop comments on the recent debt ceiling debate and the Tea Party’s role therein:

Make no mistake: The tea party Republicans have engaged in economic terrorism against the United States — threatening to blow up the economy if they don’t get what they want. And like the al-Qaida bombers, what they want is delusional: the dream of restoring some fantasy caliphate in which no one pays taxes, while the country is magically protected from foreign attack and the elderly get government-paid hip replacements.

Americans are not supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but that’s what Obama has been doing. Obama should have grabbed the bully pulpit early on, bellowing that everything can be discussed but America’s honor, which requires making good on its debt obligations. Lines about “we’re all at fault” and “Republicans should compromise” are beyond pathetic on a subject that should be beyond discussion.

That the Republican leadership couldn’t control a small group of ignoramuses in its ranks has brought disgrace on their party. But oddly, Obama’s passivity made it hard for responsible Republicans to control their destructive children.
And now for the punchline. Froma’s getting another job.
Froma Harrop, a member of The Journal’s editorial board and a syndicated columnist, has been named president of the National Conference of Editorial Writers.

The NCEW is a 64-year-old professional organization. Its members include editorial writers, editors, broadcasters and online opinion writers. One of its new missions, the Civility Project, endeavors to improve the quality of political discourse.

That's comedic genius right there... even if it wasn't intended to be.

I'm Confused

2011-08-04T12:59:00.000-04:00

I thought raising the debt ceiling was going to avert crisis.

Tumbling energy and materials stocks launched the markets to session lows, with the Dow sinking more than 200 points and the broad S&P 500 shedding 2.2%, as traders grappled with economic fears and a soaring greenback.

The U.S. debt surpassed 100 percent of gross domestic product after the government's debt ceiling was lifted, Treasury figures showed Wednesday, according to AFP.

I'm not even sure who I'm talking to; those who read this blog are all too aware of the scam being pulled on Americans. Y'all are just shaking your heads and thinking "told ya".

The office building where I work has several nests around it of bald eagles and hawks. It isn't uncommon to take a walk outside and watch an eagle or hawk perched high being harassed by a mockingbird. It's always entertaining to watch, but it's also quite inspiring. Those mockingbirds mock and peck those large magnificent birds to no avail. The eagle or hawk stands firm; holding it's ground despite the assault. They know that despite all the noise and pecks, there is a mission at hand. They must find food for their young and no amount of pecking will deter them from that mission.

I too, will stand firm and hold my ground to provide for our child. And if the day comes when there is no fish in the pond; I will turn my attention on one of those damn mockingbirds. Just sayin'.

Let the Guessing Game Begin

2011-08-03T12:17:00.001-04:00

We Floridians are always in for some entertainment whenever a tropical system is anywhere relatively close. The meteorologists and news peeps get just so darn excited.

So right on time (August) we have our first "close" system. It's disorganized and doesn't stand much of a chance of developing into anything worth paying attention to, but don't let that discourage the weather peeps away from squealing like little girls about how important it is for us to go buy supplies.

Emily is still days away and as usual, the cones and computer models change with every update. At 8am, I was disappointed that the projected path had shifted east; at 11am, I was pleased to see it shift west. Yeah, I know; way too early to get excited, but I could really use a rainy day. There's nothing quite as nice as chilling on the couch and watching TV while the rains fall. Could I get so lucky this weekend? Time will tell.

Selfishness aside, there's nothing like a tropical rainmaker to give the air a good scrub down. I don't personally have allergies, but I know lots of people do and they have been suffering horribly for the last few months.

So c'mon Emily; do us all a favor and hug that west-side edge of the cone.

Hobbits Are People, Too

2011-08-01T09:05:00.002-04:00

A big shout-out to Conservative Girl for a most excellent post.

The vast majority of people I know that are involved in the tea party are middle class people who struggle with money issues. Just like the majority of Americans. I know of one who has told me on several occasions she really struggles with money every month. Things are tight for her and her husband. I know people in the tea party who are single and renters. I know people who are just starting out in their lives. Only out of college a few years. I know several people who are in the medical field and what drove them to the tea party was Obamacare. They know what is going to happen to our medical care in this country when this fully takes hold. (If is more like it). I know some military people who have defended this country for a small amount of money who are really worried about the direction we are going in. One of which has spent time in a war zone. His voice has the right to be heard.

Do yourself a favor and read the whole piece.

When Statues Crumble

2011-07-30T09:37:00.001-04:00

I watched a documentary a couple of weeks ago called "Our Time". For those unfamiliar, a group of college kids drove an RV across the country and back, talking to people along the way.

What struck me was that although I've always known the greatest differences between one person and the next is their environment, hearing the voices back-to-back was quite startling.

And my thought at the end of the documentary?

"We are so screwed."

I am blessed to have never grown up in a big city. I am blessed to have small-town USA branded into my core. Like all those young adults interviewed in their own version of small-town USA, I know who I am, I know what I believe, I know how to adjust to change and I know how to survive. I am aware of other people. I understand that my actions come with consequences (good or bad). I hold doors open for people, I cheerfully talk to the cashier at the grocery store and I help my neighbors.

I began to imagine a country where the majority of people, who happen to live in small town USAs, were the ones in charge of running the country. How different things might be today.

But we're not; are we?

No. We're taking care of our families and our neighbors. We're quietly preparing for the collapse we all know is coming. At first glance, it may seem like we've dropped the ball. The extremists have taken over our country and we did little to stop it. But you know what; I don't think we dropped the ball. I think we did what our previous generations have passed down to us; we assessed the situation, we identified priorities, we thoughtfully ran through various scenarios and we made a decision.

No matter how war-torn a country may be, there are pockets of people in their own versions of small towns making due and surviving. While some stand in line for hours waiting for the UN to hand them a bottle of water, others are building their own wells. While others stand in line waiting for a cup of rice or a loaf of bread, others are picking vegetables and shooting wildlife. While others walk through war zones of hate & violence, others are rocking their babies to sleep or helping a neighbor reinforce his fence.

So it is here in the USA and so it shall be. Some have been called to battle on the front lines while others are preparing the next generation to survive in a world we haven't experienced. We tell our children stories that our grandparents told us; stories of a great nation that once stood as a lighthouse to the rest of the world. We pass those stories on because as long as America lives in the hearts of children, she will never cease to exist.

Real Men Don't Eat Soy

2011-07-24T10:05:00.002-04:00

This certainly isn't the first time I've ranted on this subject and sadly; it probably won't be the last. I continue to try to figure out what the hell happened to men. Not males; men. I find myself more and more grateful each day that I'm married to a man. You would think that isn't something a woman should feel grateful about; it should be a given. But it isn't, is it?

The rapid feminization of men over the past years is down-right startling. I've found a lot of scapegoats for this de-evolution over the years;

The femi-nazi women's movement
Fabio
Hollywood

And now it seems I have another scapegoat to add to the list; soy.

Thanks to my fibromyalgia, we don't have too many soy products in the house. We do try to avoid it as much as possible which brings me back to the fact that my husband is still manly. Coincidence? Perhaps.

On one of those "how is it made" shows a couple of weeks ago, they talked about the soy bean and all of the really weird stuff we westerners do to that little bean in the attempt to turn it into something else. This is one of those little red flags that should go up; we humans aren't very good at creation. The results of us pretending to be a god generally do not turn out well.

But I digress.

So as it turns out, higher levels of soy intake raise estrogen levels. This has been linked to not only an increase in breast cancer in women, but also a loss of manliness in men. Men become more emotional, less firm and develop a weaker sense of self.

Now granted, this was in cases of higher doses of soy, but...

Next time you go to the store, read the ingredients of everything you buy. See, we have to do this because of my fibro so I know what they're feeding us; it's not good. Give it a try and count how many foods and drinks and condiments contain soy. It isn't even that difficult because as it turns out (and you might find this a bit interesting) they have to warn us. You will find those bold letters at the end of the ingredient list;

WARNING: CONTAINS SOY

Now the soy peeps have rejected and disputed any and all claims that soy gives women cancer and turns men into girly-boys, but I challenge you to use a little commen sense and start connecting dots.

So you women out there; save the ta-tas and reduce your soy intake. You men out there; man up already and just stop eating soy altogether. Survival of the human species depends on it.

Yeah, That's Right

2011-07-23T08:50:00.000-04:00

Hey look who has a computer again! It's me! It's me! Actually I guess it's JustMe! It's JustMe!

Hello world. Miss me? I didn't think so.

So much to catch up on; so little time. Although I'm sipping on my first cup of coffee for the day, I have to leave shortly for the day. Today is another one of those blessed days when I have the opportunity to serve the homeless in our community. How my family looks forward to our turn on the docket.

So since I'm short on time this morning; I'll make it brief.

Thoughts and prayers to those affected by the brutal attack in Norway. Children. Even if I was able to get my mind around killing of adults to make a statement; I pray to the LORD that I will never understand the slaughter of children. They are saying today that it isn't a terrorist attack; really? The sudden brutal massacre of human beings isn't terrorism? Go ahead and try to figure that one out. What happened yesterday was horrific and should bring every single one of us to tears.

In other news... anyone in the mood to overturn our government? Anyone? I can't even watch any of them talk anymore. As a matter of fact, at this point I think every one in Congress should just allow Harry Reid to write and pass all the bills; go ahead... just give the progressives every thing they want. We're screwed anyway and anyone with a little commen sense is already preparing for what's coming.

Okay well now that I've got that off my chest; it's time for me to ready. TTFN ~

As Seen on TV

2011-07-22T20:01:00.001-04:00

If you can't beat 'em; laugh at 'em.

Just Sayin'

2011-07-22T18:10:00.000-04:00

Generation Gap

2011-07-20T06:38:00.001-04:00

I was sitting in the waiting room at the surgical office yesterday when an observation made me chuckle. There were several older people in the waiting room; all with magazines in hand. They were all very content reading and waiting for their turn with the doctor.

Due to my own nerves, I wasn't much in the mood for reading so I just sat and watched and waited.

Then a family came in; mom, dad, 2 kids - a boy and a girl. The typical American family right there in the waiting room. The dad signed in and they all sat down. Within seconds, the 2 kids had their handheld gaming devices out and the parents had their all-in-one phones in their hands. The 4 were very content with their handheld toys.

I sat back and smiled as I took a look around the waiting room. The older generation reading magazines and the younger generation on their handheld gadgets.

After a few minutes, I picked up a magazine.

Obladi Oblada; Life Goes On

2011-07-08T12:43:00.000-04:00

Goodness gracious me; it's been a while. Life is what happens...

Thank you to those who sent well wishes and prayers. On some level, things are a bit easier; on other levels, there are not. I suspect no one ever "gets over" the death of a loved one and the vibrations of that loss are felt even in the most mundane of activities.

It's kinda been a "when it rains" month. After an initial discovery of a breast lump a couple months ago, the last month or so have been a series of tests. We now know that I officially have a tumor and we are closer to a confirmation that it's benign.

My cell phone died and then my home computer. The phone got replaced yesterday; the home computer may take a while. I was also away on a conference for a few days. So all of that being said and recognizing that I don't know when I will have a computer at home again; here I am.

Hi! =)

Ah let's see...

Unemployment is up. Economy is still in it's downward spiral. The series of natural disaster continue (I say with trembling as hurricane season is officially here). Casey Anthony got away with murder. The Space Shuttle program is over (she says as she wipes the tears away). Our government hasn't done anything about anything. The 2012 list of candidates continues to grows longer and more disappointing. The progressives continue to live in la-la land. The conservatives continue to grimace. The activists continue to raise the bar of crazy. We're still in Libya. No one still knows why.

Did I miss anything?

Ah yes, I sure did.

A Brief Appearance

2011-06-05T21:18:00.000-04:00

Blogging has been extremely light over the past month. I thought I would at least take a moment to explain the absence.

My father-in-law has been battling between this life and the next for the last 3 months. This past month, the battle became much more fierce until he finally let go of this world a few days ago.

It seems as if no matter how much you try to prepare yourself, you always think you have one more day.

Blogging will continue to be light for a while. The memorial service is in a couple of days and then we begin the process of helping his wife of 52 years empty their home one piece at a time.

A veteran, a devoted husband, a loving father and a loyal friend to those who deserved the gift of his friendship.

See ya soon Dad. See ya soon.

If You're Reading This

2011-05-30T08:01:00.003-04:00

May 21st Roll Call

2011-05-21T07:08:00.000-04:00

LOL RaptureFail

Any Questions?

2011-05-19T21:03:00.000-04:00

Zombie Apocalypse

2011-05-18T19:15:00.000-04:00

I don't even need to add anything; the jokes just write themselves.

From here

Are you prepared for the impending zombie invasion?

That's the question posed by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention in a Monday blog posting gruesomely titled, "Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse." And while it's no joke, CDC officials say it's all about emergency preparation.

"There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for," the posting reads. "Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That's right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you'll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you'll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency."

The post, written by Assistant Surgeon General Ali Khan, instructs readers how to prepare for "flesh-eating zombies" much like how they appeared in Hollywood hits like "Night of the Living Dead" and video games like Resident Evil. Perhaps surprisingly, the same steps you'd take in preparation for an onslaught of ravenous monsters are similar to those suggested in advance of a hurricane or pandemic.

"First of all, you should have an emergency kit in your house," the posting continues. "This includes things like water, food, and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp (or in the event of a natural disaster, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or utility lines are restored)."

Other items to be stashed in such a kit include medications, duct tape, a battery-powered radio, clothes, copies of important documents and first aid supplies.

"Once you've made your emergency kit, you should sit down with your family and come up with an emergency plan," the posting continues. "This includes where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your doorstep. You can also implement this plan if there is a flood, earthquake or other emergency."

The idea behind the campaign stemmed from concerns of radiation fears following the earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan in March. CDC spokesman Dave Daigle told FoxNews.com that someone had asked CDC officials if zombies would be a concern due to radiation fears in Japan and traffic spiked following that mention.

Just awesome. Somebody at the CDC has WAY too much time on their hands.

No Longer Silent

2011-05-17T13:13:00.000-04:00

That's the slogan, right?

Well, after reading Mike Rowe's testimony a couple days ago and now Adam Carolla's interview, it does seem that the silent majority isn't all that silent anymore. People are actually starting to say things out loud that the majority say in our inside voice.

Adam Carolla Sounds Off On Girly Guys, Celebrities That Do PSAs, and Why Fantasy Football is Killing America
By Hollie McKay

FOX411: Overall, are guys becoming more girly?

Adam Carolla: Well sure, we’re shaving our bodies and we’re spray tanning and putting piercings everywhere. Nobody changes their own oil. Dr. Drew showed up late to Loveline (the radio show they hosted together) one night and I asked him what the problem was and he said he had a flat tire and he had to wait for AAA. I asked him where did he get the flat tire and he said he was at home. So he called AAA to come fix his tire – at his house. That’s not a good sign.

It's true. Our house has become the house that all the kids come to with their deflated bike tires and loose handlebars. Their dads don't know how to fix them so they come to my house for my husband to fix.

FOX411: And in the book you seem very upset that schools are banning certain foods…

Carolla: The easiest sandwich to make is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, my son loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but he’s not allowed to bring them to his preschool. He cannot bring anything that resembles a nut, no cashews, no almonds, no anything and you realize as a parent if your kid likes something--and my kids like nuts---and they are healthy and there’s a lot of protein in them and you can dump them easily into a Ziploc bag that is a gift from God. But when they outlaw it on the school campus then it complicates your life. But we have crafted a society where a child cannot eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at school and I don’t call it progress.

Me either. Our kid is also a big fan of nuts (especially pistachios); I don't see why she can't bring them to school. If she cornered kids in the bathroom and shoved peanuts down their throats, then I could see the school having a problem with that. Otherwise, leave her and her pistachios alone.

FOX411: You also aren’t a fan of celebrities doing Public Service Announcements.

Carolla: I just think if you’re going to do one, do one about something that can add something to society – not one that has David Schwimmer saying ‘talk to your kids.’ Of course we’re going to talk to our kids. We have real problems, we have people driving around I guarantee that 80% of the people on the road have their tires under inflated, horrible mileage and they are wearing out their tires and it is dangerous – we should do PSA’s where David Schwimmer says ‘Hey! Put some air in your tires!’ not ‘talk to your kids’. That doesn’t even mean anything.

That just makes me laugh. I have nothing to add.

FOX411: Switching gears, you’ve said before you don’t believe, contrary to popular opinion, that America is a racist country.

Carolla: Well, it’s never going to be an issue that goes away as long as there are people who don’t want it to go away. So as long as there’s a group of folks that profit from it or believe to gain power and popularity from it or damage other people by calling them a racist, it’s never going to go away. We can have people say this is a racist nation, but we have a black president – the most powerful person. The richest person on television, Oprah, is a black woman, the second most powerful star on television or in the media is probably Will Smith, and he is a black man. The richest athlete on the planet, at least pre-divorce, is a black man – Tiger Woods. And the highest paid singer is Beyonce. At what point do we get to stop calling ourselves a racist nation? If we are [racist] we aren’t doing a very good job at it.

And a big amen. I can't remember who it was, but someone said "If you want racism to go away; stop talking about it." Not to mention the fact that we've managed to somehow allow a group of profit-seeking activists make us so afraid of being accused of racism, that we've become racists. Go ahead; think about it. You know I'm right.

Adam's new book is called "In Fifty Years We’ll All Be Chicks." I think I may just have to go buy it.

GOP vs TEA

2011-05-17T12:50:00.000-04:00

Headlines circulating in regard to Michelle Bachmann jumping into the 2012 race are talking about the GOP vs TEA battle. Terms like "battle brewing" and "face off" appear in the articles. It makes me chuckle.

Like duh.

Ask yourself, what has the GOP done for you lately and then look at their candidates; Romney, Huckebee, Gingrich... it's like they just keep regurgating the same people every 4 years and expect us to lick our lips. Look at the last 4 months; debt ceiling, inflation, printing money, Libya (what the hell are we doing there? does anyone really know?)

They're not listening. Some are patting themselves on the back for the "shellacking" last November because quite frankly, they're too arrogant to realize that the only reason they didn't get fired is because we didn't get the chance in 2010. We'll get that chance in 2012; let's see how many of them are patting themselves on the back then.

I know so many of us who wanted Christie or West thrown into the big election. I agree with their decisions to not run for prez; I think they both have jobs to finish in their present positions. That being said; if West ever does run for prez, he's got my vote.

So the TEA party crowd has been murmuring and grumbling; desperately looking for that one person to stand behind in 2012. Is Michelle the one?

Don't know. But my fellow TEA partiers, think about this for a minute...

Bachmann/Cain.

Just imagine with me the pure entertainment factor of watching the meltdowns of progressive mad-libs across the country. America's Funniest Videos would never be off the air.

Mike Rowe Nails It

2011-05-15T14:55:00.000-04:00

I have LONG wondered what happened. We used to be proud of what our hands can do. Until we (as a nation) reclaim the passion for making things and fixing things, we will remain slaves to those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty.

A big round of applause to Mike Rowe for calling it as he sees it.

Mike Rowe's Testimony Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
May 11, 2011

...Thirty years later in San Francisco when my toilet blew up again. This time, I didn't participate in the repair process. I just called my landlord, left a check on the kitchen counter, and went to work. When I got home, the mess was cleaned up and the problem was solved. As for the actual plumber who did the work, I never even met him.

It occurred to me that I had become disconnected from a lot of things that used to fascinate me. I no longer thought about where my food came from, or how my electricity worked, or who fixed my pipes, or who made my clothes. There was no reason to. I had become less interested in how things got made, and more interested in how things got bought.

At this point my grandfather was well into his 80s, and after a long visit with him one weekend, I decided to do a TV show in his honor. Today, Dirty Jobs is still on the air, and I am here before this committee, hoping to say something useful. So, here it is.

I believe we need a national PR Campaign for Skilled Labor. A big one. Something that addresses the widening skills gap head on, and reconnects the country with the most important part of our workforce.

Right now, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions. There are 450,000 openings in trades, transportation and utilities. The skills gap is real, and it's getting wider. In Alabama, a third of all skilled tradesmen are over 55. They're retiring fast, and no one is there to replace them...

...In high schools, the vocational arts have all but vanished. We've elevated the importance of "higher education" to such a lofty perch that all other forms of knowledge are now labeled "alternative." Millions of parents and kids see apprenticeships and on-the-job-training opportunities as "vocational consolation prizes," best suited for those not cut out for a four-year degree. And still, we talk about millions of "shovel ready" jobs for a society that doesn't encourage people to pick up a shovel.

In a hundred different ways, we have slowly marginalized an entire category of critical professions, reshaping our expectations of a "good job" into something that no longer looks like work. A few years from now, an hour with a good plumber (if you can find one) is going to cost more than an hour with a good psychiatrist. At which point we'll all be in need of both...

The testimony in it's entirety can be found here.

Skilled labor is not only vital to our economy, it's vital to our character development. My husband just recently took his truck engine apart, replaced the old and broken parts and put it all back together. It made him proud. It made me proud of him. And yeah, it saved us a good couple grand; icing on the cake as they say.

Skilled labor is good. It is necessary. It's who we are as a nation... or at least who we used to be. We can't afford to be afraid to teach the next generation how to use their hands instead of pointing their fingers.

Obama is the Greatest

2011-05-14T11:22:00.000-04:00

... flip-flopper since Charlie Crist

Today's "breaking news";

Obama Looks to Ramp Up U.S. Oil Production
Seeking to address mounting criticism over high gas prices, President Obama is directing his administration to ramp up U.S. oil production by extending existing leases in the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska's coast and holding more frequent lease sales in a federal petroleum reserve in Alaska.

Obama said Saturday that the measures "make good sense" and will help reduce U.S. consumption of imported oil in the long term.

Wow! What a hero! Oh wait...

The House passed the Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act Thursday, 243-179

The bill, which was condemned by the White House Wednesday, requires that the areas in the Outer Continental Shelf with the most oil and natural gas be included in the 2012-2017 leasing plan the administration is developing.

In a “Statement of Official Policy,” the Obama administration said the bill would interfere with the Department of Interior’s process and authority to determine which areas are ready for drilling.

I know there's rampant ADD in this country, but does the administration really think that every "breaking news" story erases the previous day's news?

Next thing y'know, we're gonna hear Obama say "Drill, baby, drill!"

Can You See Me Now?

2011-05-14T08:55:00.003-04:00

Message from Blogger;

Here’s what happened: during scheduled maintenance work Wednesday night, we experienced some data corruption that impacted Blogger’s behavior. Since then, bloggers and readers may have experienced a variety of anomalies including intermittent outages, disappearing posts, and arriving at unintended blogs or error pages. A small subset of Blogger users (we estimate 0.16%) may have encountered additional problems specific to their accounts. Yesterday we returned Blogger to a pre-maintenance state and placed the service in read-only mode while we worked on restoring all content: that’s why you haven’t been able to publish. We rolled back to a version of Blogger as of Wednesday May 11th, so your posts since then were temporarily removed. Those are the posts that we’re in the progress of restoring.

This is the first major crash I've experienced in my years as a Blogger user, so no complaints from me. I'm very happy that they were able to restore the program.

It does look like any comments posted between Wed & Fri are gone and some posts are out of order, but that's all minor stuff.

Welcome back, Blogger.

As the River Rises

2011-05-14T08:54:00.000-04:00

The news just gets worse every single day

Over the past week or so in the Delta, floodwaters along the rain-swollen river and its backed-up tributaries have already washed away crops, forced many to seek higher ground and closed some of the dockside casinos that are vital to the state's economy.

The state gambling industry is taking a hit: All 19 casinos along the river will be shut down by the end of the week, costing governments $12 million to $13 million in taxes per month, authorities said. That will put some 13,000 employees temporarily out of work.

Widespread flooding was expected along the Yazoo River, a tributary that is backed up because of the bloated Mississippi. Rolling Fork, home of the bluesman Muddy Waters, was also in danger of getting inundated.

Farmers built homemade levees to protect their corn, cotton, wheat and soybean crops, but many believed the crops would be lost entirely.

More than 1,500 square miles of farmland in Arkansas, which produces about half of the nation's rice, have been swamped over the past few weeks, and the economic impact will be more than $500 million, according to the state's Farm Bureau.

Coming right after the devasting tornadoes, my mind just get wrapped around how many of our fellow Americans are in crisis right now. Adding that multitude to the multitude already suffering substantial loss due to the ~~current depression~~ recession that ended in July 2009... and well, it just makes the heart ache.

Please do not let a day go by without holding our fellow Americans in prayer AND adding something to the pile of desperately needed supplies to be sent to them.

We Love Our Guns

2011-05-14T08:53:00.000-04:00

Call it a "southern thing".

Back in November, a local truck dealer launched a "buy a truck, get a gun" campaign. It ended up being a brilliant marketing strategy. His family had a really good Christmas.

Now a struggling electrical company is offering a similiar deal.

I like it and I really hope it works out for them. We lost our small business (thanks guberment) and so I will thankfully cheer for someone else to not suffer the same fate.

And hey, if it puts more guns in the hands of my fellow southerners, what's not to like?

When the Saints Go Marching

2011-05-14T08:51:00.000-04:00

I really have to tip my hat to the GAFCON group. For all the grumbling, finger-pointing, accusation throwing and drama going on within the growing tension between the liberals and conservatives of the former Anglican Communion... the GAFCON group has had nothing to do with any of it. They just say what they mean, mean what they say and carry on with their ministry with such grace that it makes me almost want to move to Africa. And with that, we have their latest communique which could very aptly be titled "We're done with you."
I will also add that GAFCON is the only group affiliated with the former Anglican Communion that has said ANYTHING about the tragedies that have affected so many people world-wide. Just sayin'.

Nairobi Statement from the GAFCON/FCA Primates Council

Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

1. We met in Nairobi from April 25th through April 28th, 2011. We gathered as the elected leaders of provinces and national churches of the Anglican Communion and as leaders of GAFCON/FCA. We rejoice in the Easter proclamation that Jesus Christ is alive and we joyfully acknowledge his love for all humanity, his Lordship over all the earth and his promise to return with power and great glory.

2. We are profoundly saddened by the many disasters that have afflicted our world in recent months and offer our prayers for those whose lives have been devastated. We take to heart the warning from our Lord that in our age there would be “wars and rumors of wars” and a season when, “nations will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and famines and earthquakes in various places.” We also remember His solemn warning that no-one can know the time for the end of this age and so we acknowledge all these events as reminders of the urgent need for repentance and reconciliation with our heavenly Father.

3. We are distressed that, in the face of these enormous challenges, we are still divided as a Communion. The fabric of our common life has been torn at its deepest level and until the presenting issues are addressed we will remain weakened at a time when the needs before us are so great. We were disappointed that those who organized the Primates meeting in Dublin not only failed to address these core concerns but decided instead to unilaterally reduce the status of the Primates’ Meeting. This action was taken with complete disregard for the resolutions of both Lambeth 1978 and 1998 that called for an enhanced role in “doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters”. We believe that they were seriously misled and their actions unacceptable.

4. We note the efforts of the Roman Catholic Church to offer support for those Anglican clergy and congregations who find themselves alienated by recent actions in the Communion. We believe that the provision of an Anglican Ordinariate is intended to be a gracious gift but sadly one that also points out that our own Communion has failed to make adequate provision for those who hold to a traditional view of the faith. We remain convinced that from within the Provinces that we represent there are creative ways by which we can support those who have been alienated so that they can remain within the Anglican family.

5. We devoted a considerable portion of our time together exploring some of the presenting issues regarding Anglican ecclesiology. We were mindful of the importance of letting scripture speak directly to the nature of the church and not simply let our current experience delimit our doctrine. While we are grateful for our history and our particular Anglican tradition we believe that there is and can only ever be one church of Jesus Christ which he has purchased with his own blood and over which he is the Head. The local church is the fundamental expression of the one true church here on earth and is bound together with other local churches by ties of love, fellowship and truth. From such networks have come denominations, national churches and global communions.

6. As members of the global Anglican Communion we delight in the particular history with which we have been blessed. We are grateful for the missionary heritage that gave birth to our global communion with its distinctive balance of reformed catholicity. Meeting in Nairobi we are especially thankful for the influence of the East African Revival with its emphasis on the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, a call to Holy living and unquestionable desire for evangelism.

7. We believe, however, that we are fully the church in our various settings, created and sustained by Word and Sacrament, and marked by obedience that results in faith, hope and love. We also recognize the Lord’s call to discipline demands from us a commitment to unity, holiness, apostolicity and catholicity. All of these are aspects of what it means to be church and we are committed to resourcing our bishops and other leaders so that we can more fully become the church that God has established.

8. We continue to be troubled by the promotion of a shadow gospel that appears to replace a traditional reading of Holy Scriptures and a robust theology of the church with an uncertain faith and a never ending listening process. This faith masquerades as a religion of tolerance and generosity and yet it is decidedly intolerant to those who hold to the “faith once and for all delivered to the saints”. We believe that the theological principles outlined in the Jerusalem Declaration offers the only way forward that holds true to our past and also gives a sure foundation for the future.

9. Confident of the power of God’s Word to renew His church we are creating a network for theologians and theological educators who embrace the Jerusalem Declaration to give further support for our seminaries and Bible Colleges. We have also reviewed and approved plans for the leadership conference now scheduled for April 2012 and the beginning preparations for an international gathering of Primates, Bishops, Clergy and Lay Leaders now scheduled for the first half of 2013 and provisionally designated “GAFCON 2”.

10. We are delighted in the election of the Most Rev’d Eliud Wabukala, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya to serve as Chairman of the Primates’ Council and also the Most Rev’d Nicholas D. Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to serve as Vice-Chairman. We were pleased to appoint Bishop Greg Venables and Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini as trustees. We also welcomed the Most Rev’d Hector Zavala, Province of the Southern Cone and the Most Rev’d Onesphore Rwaje, Anglican Church of Rwanda as new members of the Council.

11. We also recognized that if we are offer adequate support to our member provinces, sustain our various initiatives, and strengthen our communications capabilities we must add capacity to our current secretariat. Consequently it was agreed that a GAFCON/FCA Chairman’s office would be established in Nairobi, Kenya and a Global Coordination office would be established in London under the direction of the Rt. Rev’d Martyn Minns, Missionary Bishop of the Church of Nigeria, serving as Deputy Secretary and Executive Director.

12. Finally we know that it is only be God’s grace that we can accomplish anything and we call on all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord to join us in prayer for our world and especially for those who are suffering because of natural disasters as well as those who struggle to live under violent and oppressive governments. We know that our only hope is in the redeeming and transforming love of God and we pray that we will all be faithful to our call to be an instrument of God’s grace.

13. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

The Primates Council
The Most Rev’d Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Kenya, Chair
The Most Rev’d Justice Akrofi, Archbishop, Anglican Province of West Africa
The Most Rev’d Robert Duncan, Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America
The Most Rev ‘d Onesphore Rwaje, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Rwanda
The Most Rev’d Valentino Mokiwa, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Tanzania
The Most Rev’d Nicholas Okoh, Archbishop, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
The Most Rev’d Henry Orombi, Archbishop, Church of Uganda
The Most Rev’d Hector Zavala, Province of the Southern Cone
The Most Rev’d Peter Jensen, Archbishop, Diocese of Sydney, Secretary

Horror in Egypt

2011-05-10T07:09:00.000-04:00

A letter from Bishop Anis

Dear friends,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Thank you very much for your messages and prayers for us as we go through this difficult time.

With great sadness, I would like to tell you about the tragic situation in Imbaba, Giza. Imbaba is a densely populated area, a few kilometres south of Cairo. Over the past two days, there have been clashes in this area between Christians and Muslims. The outcome ofthe clashes was the death of 12 people, and more than 232 injured. Moreover, several houses and shops were burnt, cars were destroyed, and the church of st. Mary, in the same area, was completely burnt.

The clashes started because of a rumour that a Christian woman who converted to Islam was being hidden by Mar Mina Coptic Orthodox Church. As a result of this rumour, a group of Muslim fundamentalists that belong to the Salafi sect gathered around the church, and wanted to go inside to search for this woman. Young people from the church prevented them from entering, because they were afraid that they may burn the church as it happened a few weeks ago in Sole, Giza.

As a result, more Muslim people came and after praying in the street, they started to shout "Islamic, Islamic." The Christians shouted back "with our spirit and blood, we are ready to defend the cross." There were attempts from moderate Muslims and the church priests to calm down the demonstrators on both sides, but these attempts failed.

Soon after this, some of the demonstrators started shooting and throwing Molotov cocktails. The army arrived and things became quieter. However, early the next morning, some extremist Muslims came and burned several blocks of flats and shops owned by Christians. Yesterday, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar called for an emergency meeting of Beth EI-Eila (the House of the Family), a newly formed group which includes the heads of Christian denominations and several Muslim leaders and the Grand Imam. We all agreed that this incident should be taken very seriously by the authorities, and that those who caused these destructive clashes must be brought to justice. It is worth mentioning that previous clashes between Christians and Muslims have always been solved through community reconciliation. The meeting also appointed a committee to go and visit Imbaba, and report back. I was one of this committee, and we spent eight hours today visiting and listening, and then writing a report to the wider committee.

The damage we saw was indescribable. The area looked as if it was a battlefield, because of the many tanks and soldiers. I was moved by the story of one of the guards of St. Mary's Church, who refused to denounce Jesus Christ and as a result, his throat was slit. This is at least the fifth tragic incident since the first day of the year, when a church was bombed in Alexandria. There is no doubt that inter-religious tension is growing in Egypt, and this needs a real strategic plan to combat it. This is what we are trying to do through Beth El-Eila.

I very much appreciate your prayers so that the Lord may transform this difficult situation.

We all hope that Egypt will be a safe place for all Egyptians.

May the Lord bless you!

Yours in Christ,

The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt

"Everybody Lies"

2011-05-09T18:26:00.000-04:00

Anyone who watches House MD is all too familiar with his theory that everybody lies. I found myself quoting Dr House the other day.

Much to my delight, I saw Frito-Lay had expanded their "All Natural" chip line to include such lovely varieties as "Cajun Spice" and "BBQ".

I am, by nature, a very untrusting person; I always "check". So, I checked. I read the ingredients.

Much to my dismay, there it was; "corn sugar".

So much for that "made with all natural ingredients" stamp on the front of the bag.

Not cool Frito-Lay. Not cool.

Absolutely Useless Annoyance

2011-05-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

I get that the majority of you have no idea what I'm about to rant about. Feel free to take a moment and count your blessings.

They're baaaaaack. Those horrible, evil, good-for-nothing creatures aka lovebugs.

I hate them. Hate them. Hate them. Hate them.

How horrible are these things? They don't sting, they don't bite, they aren't poisonous and they are incapable of killing anything... and yet they come with their very own urban legend.

So while the rest of the country enjoys the whole "April showers bring May flowers", we Floridians will piss and moan the whole month through.

If any of you are planning a trip to Florida in the next few weeks, consider yourself warned.

That's Right; He's Dead

2011-05-02T21:16:00.000-04:00

Or is he? LOL ~ and the conspiracy theories begin.

I don't care about the timing. I don't care if it's just a distraction. I don't care which president wants to claim the credit. I don't care about those pushing for us to apologize for our cheering. I really, honestly, truly don't care.

He's dead.

Our Navy SEALS are the baddest of the bad. It's amazing just how kick ass our military is when they're allowed to do what they do best. If our military didn't always have their hands tied, every bad guy would be hiding under a rock with his blankie. To our brave men and women; thank you. You, and only you, deserve the credit for taking out America's most wanted.

To the commander-in-chief; bring them home. I don't want to hear any excuses and I certainly don't want to hear any garbage about Libya or any other crazyland where our soldiers "should" go. Bring them home.

To the House; defund Pakistan. Come to think of it, start issuing stop payments on all those checks floating out there. Same goes for Afghanistan. While you're at it, add Iraq to the list. Let them all blow themselves up for all I care. There's no reason to let them do it on our dime or with our military personnel available for target practice.

To those who think I should apologize for cheering at the news; bite me. Feel free to pretend you're a better person than I.

For far too many, there is no such thing as closure. As good as "an eye for an eye" sounds; what was lost cannot be replaced. We may find ourselves able to forgive, but we will never forget.

Americans Are Stupid

2011-04-30T13:40:00.000-04:00

At least that's what they're banking on.

Problem;

Fans of natural foods have tried for years to push the ubiquitous sweetener high fructose corn syrup off Americans' dinner tables and out of their restaurants and grocery stores.

It seems to be working.

U.S. use of the sweetener found in most soft drinks, cereals and a range of other products dropped 11 percent between 2003 and 2008. A number of companies also have stopped using corn syrup in some or all products; including Hunt's ketchup, Snapple, Gatorade and Starbucks' baked goods.

The solution;

Despite advertising campaigns which promote corn syrup as being a natural ingredient that comes from corn, sales are still poor. Hence the industry has petitioned the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for a change of name. The Corn Refiners Association would like to change the names that appear on labels with the term "corn sugar".

Clever marketing... as long as Americans really are stupid. The rest of us understand that changing the name, doesn't change this;

Researchers in the US found that much of the ~~high fructose corn syrup~~ corn sugar that is increasingly replacing sugar in processed foods is tainted with mercury, a metal that is toxic to humans.

Fortunately (and just as I expected), Americans really aren't stupid. A poll conducted by CBS showed that 87% of people who responded to this on-line poll question;

HEALTH POLL
Are makers of high fructose corn syrup trying to deceive consumers by renaming the sweetener corn sugar?

chose this answer;

Yes. High fructose corn syrup is bad for you.

What I find truly interesting is that the FDA hasn't approved the name change to date... and yet I've seen it on ingredient labels already.

And with that... let the lawsuits begin;

High fructose corn syrup is trying to rebrand itself as "corn sugar," and the sugar industry is not having it: three major sugar companies are asking a US District Court to put a stop to the ad campaign, calling it false advertising.

"This suit is about false advertising, pure and simple," said Inder Mathur, President and CEO of Western Sugar Cooperative, which represents about 1,000 American sugar beet farmers. "If consumers are concerned about your product, then you should improve it or explain its benefits, not try to deceive people about its name or distort scientific facts."

He does kinda have a point.

This is America

2011-04-29T08:58:00.000-04:00

The devastation and losses that lie in the tornado trails is simply too great for words. Thousands of people wandering the streets with no place to go, loved ones ripped away from their families and the ruins left behind should grieve us all.

In the midst of every major crisis in my memory, I have found inspiration. It never ceases to amaze me how the self-involved, racist and hateful Americans (if you wish to believe the lies) pour out their time, energy and goods so generously to strangers in need. So many Americans who desperately want to help in some way... any way... show up with helping hands.

This is America.

Remnants of a tattered last will and testament. A 1973 high school yearbook. A property deed. A paycheck stub. A photo of a girl next to a playground swing. A Valentine’s love note that reads in part, “From: My heart To: Yours.”

These are among the remnants of people's shattered lives found strewn across soggy streets, on rural farms and in back yards after the deadliest tornado outbreak to hit the U.S. in nearly four decades.

A Facebook page set up in the aftermath of the storms seeks to unite these pictures, documents and other mementos with their rightful owners — if they are still alive. More than 160 photos of lost-and-found belongings were already posted on the Pictures and Documents found after the April 27, 2011 Tornadoes page by Thursday night, a day after the destructive twisters scissored through through Alabama and five other Southern states.

“My brother and I have found seven pictures in our yards. We live in Childersburg, Alabama, which was not hit yesterday,” a woman who gave her name as Kathy L. told msnbc.com in an email describing her find. “The only thing that we can tell is that they are billfold size and in one of them is a brown headed girl in a long red dress, one is a guy and it looks like 90 is pen written on the picture. It is sad that someone lost these and I only pray that pictures are all that they lost and not their life."

One woman saw a picture posted to the Facebook page and recognized it immediately: It was her mother.

“I have emailed the wonderful woman who posted it,” she wrote. “Thank you thank you thank you and please keep posting.”

Read more...

Central Florida churches, mosques and synagogues responded Thursday to the deadly tornadoes that tore through Alabama and other Southern states, sending volunteers, supplies and money.

Northland, a Church Distributed, prepared to send a mobile kitchen to Pleasant Grove, Ala., a community of 10,000 people about 12 miles west of Birmingham that is without electricity, food or water. The mobile kitchen is equipped to serve 30,000 meals a day and will feed storm victims, emergency personnel and relief volunteers.

"The kitchen trailer is heading out in the morning. We should be there by the afternoon and start serving people. That is our priority right away," said Gretchen Kerr, who leads Northland's disaster-response teams.

Read more...

A northeast Kansas medical relief group is preparing to send help to tornado-stricken Alabama.

Heart to Heart International says a shipment of aid will leave Friday for a free clinic in Montgomery. The nonprofit has sent aid two other times to the Southeast in the past week as severe weather hit the region.

From here

Westboro Whackos Get a Whoopin'

2011-04-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

h/t to Santus for this one

Another story to put a big ole smile on your face!

You have to love the good citizens of Brandon, Mississippi.

“A couple of days before, one of them (Westboro protestors) ran his mouth at a Brandon gas station and got his arse waxed. Police were called and the beaten man could not give much of a description of who beat him. When they canvassed the station and spoke to the large crowd that had gathered around, no one seemed to remember anything about what had happened.

Rankin County handled this thing perfectly. There were many things that were put into place that most will never know about and at great expense to the county.

Most of the morons never made it out of their hotel parking lot. It seems that certain Rankin county pickup trucks were parked directly behind any car that had Kansas plates in the hotel parking lot and the drivers mysteriously disappeared until after the funeral was over. Police were called but their wrecker service was running behind and it was going to be a few hours before they could tow the trucks so the Kansas plated cars could get out.

A few made it to the funeral but were ushered away to be questioned about a crime they might have possibly been involved in. Turns out, after a few hours of questioning, that they were not involved and they were allowed to go on about their business.”

I think this story needs to be passed around; lots of good tips for the next town invaded by the Westboro whackos.