Change of Plans

The plan was to mow the lawn, but there are thunderstorms forming early today so I guess I'll pass.

Security Alert

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Why is it?

Why do you never hear of anyone being killed for handing out korans?

Chinese Woman Beaten to Death After Distributing Bibles

It is at least the second published killing of a Christian by Chinese police in as many months, although human rights watchdogs believe torture of Christians and dissidents is wide spread in the Communist nation.

There is a Purpose Being Worked Out Here Below

I transcribed an old radio broadcast by Herbert W. Armstrong called "The World Tomorrow". Well, one program anyway. This one is called The Purpose Being Worked Out Here Below. I don't know what year it was recorded, Mr. Armstrong died in 1986 and this has got to be at least 10 years before that, perhaps more. The message, however, is timeless. And priceless. Truth does not change.

Two booklets were offered during the program. The first was Why Were You born?

At the end of the program Mr. Armstrong offered the following book: The United States And Britian In Prophecy. It should be required reading.

Say What?

Daschle concerned about 'sobering' terror briefing

"It is absolutely essential for the U.S. Senate to turn its attention to what we can do to make America safe," Daschle said.
Of particular concern are the nation's borders and ports, Daschle said, and there are security issues unresolved as the homeland security appropriations are "hung up" in the Senate.

"The report is so sobering and so serious that I cannot bring myself to believe anyone in this administration would use this for political purposes."

I was surprised to hear Tom Daschle saying these things. I wonder what brought him into the realm of reality? I wonder what's in that report?

China in the News

China to practice Taiwan 'invasion': D-Day-style assault planned by Beijing on nearby island.

Aren't they the friendly little country. Where's the U.N.? The left? They don't care as long as the United States and Israel don't try to protect themselves. China really needs that tiny, little island of Taiwan anyway. Communism/socialism = good, Freedom = bad.

I took Irma's car to a friend who does bodywork to determine if he can bend it back in shape. He says he can. I will update as he progresses. We are on a short hold while the insurance check clears because Irma sat on the check instead of sending it to the bank right away. It's fascinating to me that this damage can be bent back to shape. This picture was taken after he aligned the doors and bent it out a little bit. Allen, James and I are reflected in the cars finish.

I had a flat tire today and James made a friend while I changed the tire.

But What Will They Do About It?

Quartet 'sick and tired' of Arafat : U.S., U.N, EU, Russia impatient with 'empty promises'

Envoys from the United States, United Nations, the European Union and Russia told Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia they have run out of patience with Arafat's "empty promises" of reform and that he is putting the so-called Palestinian cause at risk.

The E.U. and the U.N. are admitting that Arafat is a problem? That's news.

A Coming Trend?

Pastor gets prison for sermon : Sentenced to month in jail for offending homosexuals.

Robert Reich: God worse than terrorism

Because They Really Don't Know

Glimpse at Early Universe Reveals Surprisingly Mature Galaxies: Observations challenge standing view of how and when galaxies formed.

"This was the most comprehensive survey ever done covering the bulk of the galaxies that represent conditions in the early universe," Glazebrook said. "We expected to find basically zero massive galaxies beyond about 9 billion years ago, because theoretical models predict that massive galaxies form last. Instead, we found highly developed galaxies that just shouldn't have been there, but are."

They'll figure out some other way the universe was created formed without God. They'll still be wrong.

Shake It Up

Another earthquake in Israel. It was a 4.7 on the Richter Scale. Why do they always tell you it was on the Richter Scale? If we are talking about earthquakes I automatically assume it is the Richter Scale. Is there another scale for earthquakes with which we may become confused? Does Mr. Richter require you to say that every time you use his scale? Why not write it 4.7 RS?

Anyway, the Temple Mount didn't collapse yet, obviously, but it may be a few days before they report if it was damaged further.

Are They Really This Ignorant?

Congressmen without a clue. The congressmen who want U.N. observers in U.S. vote

"We are deeply concerned that the right of U.S. citizens to vote in free and fair elections is again in jeopardy," the lawmakers wrote to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The Democrats said they feared a repeat of the 2000 election, which was won by George W. Bush, a Republican, through the Electoral College count even though he lost the popular vote.

I have news for the congressmen. It could very well happen that the next president is elected by the Electoral College count even though he loses the popular vote. That is by design, that's the way our government works. The United States of America is not a strict democracy, it is a republic. I know that''s a little complicated but really, anyone taking part in the American political system should understand the difference. Anyone who has a job should know what their job is and what is required of them, is it too much to ask that of our political leaders?

Is it that they do understand the difference and don't care? Or are they trying to subvert our form of government? I have my suspicions.

Here is another take on it: Treason in Congress

These are people who have no concept of what makes America special in the world. They have no concept of the horrors perpetrated around the world by dictators and would-be dictators. They have no concept that America as a nation under God is and has been the great hope of the world.

Has Eddie Bernice Johnson ever read the Declaration of Independence? Has she ever read the Constitution? If she doesn't like our system of government here and thinks Kofi Annan and other foreigners have something better to offer, why doesn't she move out? Why does she flagrantly violate the Constitution she swore to uphold in an attempt to embarrass the country that has given her so much?

Belated Happy Birthday to America

Fireworks over New York Kids will love it.

Too Late?

The end of America

"... one cannot avoid the thought that Roman democracy had begun to die when its politicians understood that they no longer had to be serious about their principles but only needed to arrange to obtain the sympathies of those we might well call television viewers."

A Flaw?

A flaw in the E.U. constitution? In favor of Germany?

If You Hate America, Why Do You Live Here?

The Case For America Divorcing Its Haters

Why do they not renounce their citizenship, become citizens of France or Germany or Spain or Sweden, and live in nations that they believe are better than America? What do they insist on staying here, causing fights, cursing their countrymen, and creating misery and despair?

Leftists are to America what abusive wives, husbands and parents are to marriages: they are miserable, and they abuse those who live with them for all their miseries. They beat us. They insult us. They spew venom at us. They even help burglars, rapists and murderers who would try to break into our home and harm us.

Like some other bully in a family, who claims some pretext for her or for his violence and mistreatment of the rest of the family, these Leftists are the greatest and most flagrant criminals. They revel in their domestic abuse. They intimidate; they threaten; they curse; they accuse; they do everything except leave.

When one member of a family becomes so belligerent, so ungrateful, so angry, so disloyal and so unfaithful that she is no longer a real member of the family but simply a hostile stranger who uses the natural form of a home to exploit her family members, then the law allows this Potemkin relationship to be lawfully dissolved.

Are these indigenous America-haters entitled to more protection than that? When the planet is filled with people who would risk their lives for the opportunity to live in America, what right do the Sean Penn and Noam Chomsky types have to gobble up the blessings of citizenship? Why cannot the rest of us insist that they leave?

When mafioso used the privilege of living in America to hurt America, then they were deported. Why not say the sayable and think the unthinkable: Leftists, by and large, are not Americans. They are freeloaders whose rights are protected by young men whose blood is shed in the cause of liberty.

Perhaps they don't so much hate America as they love confusion and strife and causing problems. I've known people who just enjoy causing problems for other people - it's like their hobby. I don't stay around people like that very long.

Isn't It Strange

That a church can participate in U.N. sessions as a permanent observer without vote? Without vote apparently by their own choice.

In a resolution, adopted without a vote, the assembly gave the Holy See the same rights and privileges as other observers, including the Palestinians.

"We asked to refine the procedure of our status in the General Assembly ... but we stay observers," he told The Associated Press. "We have no vote because this is our choice."

The resolution gives the Holy See the right to participate in General Assembly debates without asking permission from regional groups, the right of reply, and the right to have its documents issued and circulated.

Most of the countries in the United Nations, if not all, are not Christian or are secular in nature - denying God.

But all bow to the Vatican. And only the Vatican.

Oh, one more thing:

Migliore said the Vatican shares the same goals as the United Nations - including promoting human rights and protecting the dignity of all people.

Anti-American, anti-Israeli, anti-individual rights, pro-socialist utopia, all-powerful world government that will make it a crime to think contrary to what the government tells you, pro-dictator and I won't go on. Those who know, know, those who don't refuse to believe it.

I've Been Busy

I always have a chance to get on the internet at work but lately it's been so busy I really haven't been online much. Yesterday a bus pulled up in front of the hotel and I watched a couple of guys guiding the bus as it pulled under the overhang. At first I didn't believe it would fit but it did - he pulled in about half way to let out the kids inside. They checked in, the kids got out (about 48 of them. Well,unbeknownst to us all, when the kids got out, the bus, being lighter, raised enough to get jammed into the roof. The driver backed out with a loud cruching sound as the bus pulled the side of the roof out, breaking beams and breaking his A/C, freon steaming out.

The maintenance man was in the lobby talking to me and had just gone back to his room. The kids were on the way to their rooms, making alot of noise and I was bracing for the inevitable complaints from other guests. Nobody called except him. He asked if I just checked in a herd of elephants, I told him I did and he was the only one to complain - stop being such a baby. We hung up and 5 minutes later the accident happened. I called him back and told him to come up front - their was something he had to see. He said he was already undressed but I said it would be worth it. It was, these things don't happen very often.

Then I called the local sheriff to get a police report, they called the Florida Highway Patrol, who came out and said it's not their responsibility as it happened on private property. My question was, if it's not the local sheriff's responsibility and it's not FHP's responsibility, who's supposed to take care of it? If someone drives their car into the lobby I'm supposed to just handle everything myself? He went ahead and took care of the report for me, which makes me wonder why he bothered to tell me it was not his resonsibility in the first place.

That's it, the roof didn't cave in and the lights still work, so I'm happy.

Speaking of accidents, someone hit the side of Irma's car. It tore up the front and rear door but it doesn't look like much beyond that was damaged. The other driver was at fault and his insurance company is taking care of it. They gave us a check but they don't give you enough to fix it. You're supposed to take it to a body shop and the body shop gets with the inurance company to get the rest of the money. The insurance company estimate was $2300.00. I got another estimate from someone I know who was in the business for over $7000.00. I took it to another shop to get one and they refused to do it. They said just take it to a body shop and let them deal with the insurance company. How do I know what body shop I can trust to do a good job? If you're not going to come out a look at it and talk to me about it why would I want to do business with you? Irma said someone recommended a shop to her and she took it there. They are supposed to fax an estimate today. I just don't want any problems with the body shop - my history with auto shops is not full of good memories.

I went over the estimate with my friend and looked up the cost of the parts on the internet. The doors are over $1000.00 each. That doesn't include prep, painting and assembly. The insurance company found used doors but they are not the same color so they need to be taken apart and painted so you can't tell. I wish I could just find some doors the same color in excellent condition and I would just do it myself. Maybe I'm being too picky but I've seen cars come from a body shop that look good at first glance but when you look close, open a body panel, you can see the repair was not fully done and it looks bad, especially when you sell the car. The accident was not Irma's fault and I want the car repaired properly - it was almost perfect before this happened - no dents at all and didn't look its age at all.

I wish people would just watch where they are going and not be in such a hurry. Fat chance.


P.S. Irma is OK, no one was hurt, it was a very low speed accident. She was behind a car making a right into a parking lot so she was going slow. The other driver pulled out from that lot making a left right into her side. How you don't see a car right in front of you is beyond me.

Writing in Tongues?

I write in English and it's translated to German. Cool! The internet is really amazing.