Indigo Insights |
|
|
Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation 
|
Friday, April 30, 2004
If you wait for something spectacular to happen before you begin to truly live, you might be waiting a very long time. Instead, see the magic that is there in even the most ordinary moments. - - Ralph Marston >^..^< PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< Well, the Fox on the Water has done it again!! And in the process, diagnosed my condition as "recovering from laptop-ness." So today I'm doing some homework, playing catch-up. >^..^< Jeff Soyer is featuring two, COUNT 'EM, stories on self defense. Happy endings for 2 out of 4! >^..^< On the Koppel krap, Mostly Cajun says "If Koppel really wants to emphasize what the war is about, how about reading off the 3000 names from 9/11 . . ." The Cajun has a whole lot more to say, as you probably suspected. >^..^< A la new French blogger, Jack, a link to John of Argghhh!'s post on Purple Hearts. >^..^< Kevin McGehee has links and links and links covering War Crimes by Americans. >^..^< Pat Tillman is not a hero: He got what was coming to him. Link from GOC. >^..^< Major Donnie updates the above with this link on Rene Gonzalez. This one really has me upset, but it's at least comforting to know that my son already has his degree in Political Science and will not be one of the unlucky students to be "taught" - and warped - by Gonzalez when he gets his doctorate. >^..^< "We should expand, not narrow, the debate over how religious beliefs shape candidate’s public policy positions." Wampum says. Sounds reasonable to me. >^..^< SK Bubba kindly reminds his readers that the WWII Memorial has opened to the public. This is a very informative and moving article on the Memorial. Thanks for the link, Bubba. I would probably have missed this. >^..^< Baldilocks posts a current progress report on Spirit of America and shows a battlefield baptism, courtesy of Black Five. >^..^< We Did It Their Way - another thought-provoking post from Rivrdog. >^..^< The Sailor in the Desert is blogging away, sharing articles he found interesting from his military perspective. And he has Comments now. Go tell 'em somethin'. Enough linking for now. I fear I'm already in danger of being called that uncomplimentary "linker person name" so will do more reading tomorrow. I'm determined to catch up. ~~ KID STUFF ~~ Priceless Quotes From Kids - Volume I The following excerpts are actual answers given on history tests and in Sunday school quizzes by children between 5th and 6th grade, in Ohio. They were collected over a period of three years by two teachers. Read carefully for grammar, misplaced modifiers, and of course, spelling! Kids should rule the world, as it would be a laugh a minute for us adults and therefore no time to war or argue. -- D. Cathers ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ancient Egypt was old. It was inhabited by gypsies and mummies who all wrote in hydraulics. They lived in the Sarah Dessert. The climate of the Sarah is such that all the inhabitants have to live elsewhere. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients. Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandos. He died before he ever reached Canada but his commandos made it. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred porcupines. He was an actual hysterical figure as well as being in the bible. It sounds like he was sort of busy too. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn't have history. The Greeks also had myths. A myth is a young female moth. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Socrates was a famous old Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. He later died from an overdose of wedlock which is apparently poisonous. After his death, his career suffered a dramatic decline. SAYINGS BY MAXINE "It's 'One nation UNDER GOD', or bite my skinny old ass and leave." "Getting older is like visiting an all-you-can eat buffet. What should be hot is cold, what should be firm is limp, and the buns are bigger than anything else on the menu." Tuesday, April 27, 2004
If Columbus had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock. ~~Justice Arthur Goldberg >^..^< PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< Pennywit has added advertisers to his blog. Tastefully done; does not resemble the window at K-Mart. The one that immediately piqued my interest was Spirit of America. Please click over and take a look, in case there are any groups there that you are especially interested in helping. The blog competition is almost over, but I'm sure the need will be there for a while. >^..^< New to Donnie's blogroll: Intergalactic Capitalist. It's another Bomb in Blogworld!! Go there and see what I mean. Warning to 'church ladies': NOT PG!!! >^..^< Pfc. Hammer Finds a Home This is a great story from Iraq. Thanks to Dale at Mostly Cajun for the link and also for finding the blog You Big Mouth, You! >^..^< Brand new to the Blogosphere: A Sailor in the Desert. Just found it today on its first sea duty. >^..^< The uniqueness of two of my favorite reads is what makes them magnetic blogs, drawing me back again and again to get the pulse of two poles. One describes his blog as "Politically incorrect thoughts from the edge of Michael King's conservative black mind" and the other as (paraphrasing here, can't find the quote) 'one of the few remaining liberals in Utah.' Whatever -- Mike's Ramblings, and RC's Greene Thoughts keep me informed on what's bubbling in both cauldrons! >^..^< And I've been thinking I was having a tough time this past week! Just goes to prove that however stressed, anxiety-ridden, pushed for time, or tired you are, there are others with more on them, who breeze through it much better. God help you, indeed, Jack. Would that I had such aplomb and efficacy! ~~ KID STUFF ~~ KIDS SCIENCE ANSWERS Q: Name the four seasons. A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar. Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink. A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists. Q: How is dew formed? A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire. Q: How can you delay milk turning sour? A: Keep it in the cow. Q: What causes the tides in the oceans? A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight. Q: What are steroids? A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs. Q: What happens to your body as you age? A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental. Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty? A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery. Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes. A: Premature death. Q: What is artificial insemination? A: When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow. Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen). A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A,E,I,O and U. Q: What is the fibula? A: A small lie. Q: What does "varicose" mean? A: Nearby. Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section" A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome. Q: What does the word "benign" mean? A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight. Saturday, April 24, 2004
Proposal: A 40-Yard-Line Memorial to Pat Tillman Posted by Doc Farmer Saturday, April 24, 2004 ~~o~~ I’m not a football fan. Not American football, nor ''real'' football that the rest of the planet plays. It’s a game many enjoy watching, and some enjoy playing, and a very few are paid big money to do professionally. More power too them, I say. It’s just not my cup of tea. Most football players go out during the season, put on their pads and their uniforms and their golf shoes that were renamed for the game, and spend a couple of hours clobbering the hell out of themselves and their opponents, throwing, carrying, and kicking the oblate spheroid for fame and fortune. They are heroes to some. Not me, of course, because I don’t believe sports, in and of themselves, make one a real hero. Unless you’re a javelin catcher, but that’s another article right there. Some football players have been in trouble. Murder, rape, robbery drugs, ''accidental'' shootings, bribes, gambling, etc. I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sound like role model material to me. However, once in a great while, a name comes up that defines heroism. And this time it was a football player. However, his heroism wasn’t on the gridiron. It was in an Army Ranger uniform. Until the morning I wrote this, I had never heard of Pat Tillman. I don’t follow sports in general, or the Phoenix Cardinals in particular (isn’t that a baseball team name? And weren’t they in St. Louis?) Nevertheless, the radio was broadcasting the news that Pat Tillman has died in battle in Afghanistan. It was noted that Tillman had given up a multimillion dollar contract extension in order to get a job that paid about $1,500 a month to go to a foreign country and defend our freedom. My freedom. The folks on TV have been in awe about how much this man gave up – but they only seem to be focusing on the money. Or the fame. Or the football. Pat Tillman gave up no more or no less than any other soldier who serves in our military and makes the ultimate sacrifice. He gave his life for his country. He gave his life for freedom. Not just yours and mine, but the freedom of 50 million people in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served. Several hundred of America’s finest have done the same. They may have given up unemployment, or working on the family farm, or college, or a fancy office. But they all gave the same. They all gave their all. The lib/dem/soc/commies are trying to politicize the deaths. Why don't we just honor them instead? I was listening to Glenn Beck today. My nephews are always trying to get me to listen to Glenn Beck. And he’s sometimes interesting, sometimes funny, so I sometimes listen. Apparently, he’s a football fan. He was devoting a good portion of his final hour to this story. In addition, he had a gentleman on the air whose name escapes me, and they were talking about Mr. Tillman, his football years, and his decision to leave it all behind to defend freedom. Moreover, they talked about an idea. A memorial to Pat Tillman, and indeed to all of those who have died defending our nation and the rights of strangers. I wish this were my idea, but it’s not. But it’s a good one. Pat Tillman’s number was 40 when he played with the Cardinals. The memorial would not be to retire his number, but to alter the football field of all NFL teams so that the 40-yard line is red, white, and blue, instead of just plain white. Now, other football players have died in wars. Others have given the ultimate sacrifice. Why remember Pat Tillman in such a special way? Well, perhaps it would be a good idea to remember the patriotism that some groups have been trying to destroy over the past half-century or so. Giving up everything to defend one's country used to be almost routine. It used to be something for family, friends, and strangers to point to with pride as well as sadness. We lost a lot of that after Viet Nam. Military service was shunned, and soldiers were called baby-killers and spat upon by so-called ''peace'' activists. Some politically motivated folks even went before congressional committees and lied about atrocities that never happened, so they could run for office on an anti-war! wave of populism. Now, we have a war that we have no choice but to win. We’re finally re-learning that our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and guardsmen are actually decent, honorable men and women who are willing to put their own lives on the line to protect a concept. Freedom. In years gone by, a father could point to a player on the field and not be ashamed to let his child idolize him as a hero. Today, it’s much more difficult. But perhaps--just perhaps--it’s time to point to a red, white, and blue line at the 40-yard demarcations of the gridiron, and remind our children--and ourselves--of all the heroes who put on the uniform. Not the one of bright colors and large numbers, but the one of olive drab. Not the one that wins a game, but the ones who give up their very lives in order to protect our own. If you agree with this idea for a memorial, please let the folks at the NFL and your local team know. In addition, please feel free to pass this idea (and this article) along to your friends and neighbors. ~~~~~oo0oo~~~~~ To telephone the NFL Headquarters, dial 1-212-450-2000 or go to http://www.nfl.com. If you want to write to the NFL, you can send an e-mail at http://www.nfl.com/help/emailtech or you can send a letter to: Paul Tagliabue Commissioner National Football League 280 Park Avenue New York, NY 10017 Glenn Beck’s website is http://www.GlennBeck.com and he can be reached at me@GlennBeck.com for comment. This Article was first published on ChronWatch at: http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=7040 ~~~~~oo0oo~~~~~ Doc Farmer is a former resident of the Middle East, who now resides in Indiana. He doesn’t watch football, but he does receive e-mail at DocFarmer9999@yahoo.co.uk. Thursday, April 22, 2004
The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it. ~~Chinese Proverb LAWYERS One afternoon a wealthy lawyer was riding in his limousine when he saw two men along the roadside eating grass. Disturbed, he ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate. He asked one man, "Why are you eating grass?" "We don't have any money for food," the poor man replied. "We have to eat grass." "Well, then, you can come with me to my house and I'll feed you" the lawyer said. "But sir. I have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree" "Bring them along," the lawyer replied. Turning to the other poor man, he stated, "You come with us also." The second man, in a pitiful voice then said, "But sir, I also have a wife and SIX children with me!" "Bring them all, as well," the lawyer answered. They all entered the car, which was no easy task, even for a car as large as the limousine was. Once underway, one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said, "Sir, you are too kind. Thank you for taking all of us with you." The lawyer replied, "Glad to do it. You'll really love my place; the grass is almost a foot high!" [thanks to Ole Bob, Kinston, NC] ~~ KID STUFF ~~ TEACHER: "Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?" JOHNNY: "Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day, same time." TEACHER: "George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted doing it. Now do you know why his father didn't punish him?" JOHNNY: "Because George still had the ax in his hand." TEACHER: Now, Sam, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating? SAM: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook. TEACHER: Desmond, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his? DESMOND: No, teacher, it's the same dog! TEACHER: What do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested? PUPIL: A teacher. SILVIA: Dad, can you write in the dark? FATHER: I think so. What do you want me to write? SYLVIA: Your name on this report card. PUT THE GLASS DOWN A lecturer was giving a lecture to his students on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500g. "It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." "If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier." "What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again." We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can. Pick it up again later when you have rested... Rest and relax. Life is short, enjoy it!! Tuesday, April 20, 2004
BAND OF BROTHERS AFTERWORD By the end of Band of Brothers, my head was so full of flashbacks from WWII, I could have written a book about the homefront during the war. It was just a fleeting thought, though. Right now, I have neither the time nor inclination to start another book. Still, a couple of WWII memories would fill some blogging space, and I haven't written anything in a while. Somewhere, lost in the un-indexed mess that is Indigo Insights archives, are a couple of childhood war memories, but Band of Brothers brought a flood of stories to mind. Mother was very active in the Volunteer Civilian Defense Army. She served in many endeavors for the War Effort, as did most women of the time. Women organized and ran community collection drives (almost anything was needed), promoted and circulated emergency instructions, donated time to the Red Cross, and were regular volunteers in the airplane watch for the Civil Defense program. In some of these campaigns, I was her "assistant". My favorite job was airplane watch. A little one-room building had been constructed (by the townspeople) to use as the "look-out" center for air defense. It was "manned" by women during the day and the men who were still left in town covered the night shift. This was a 24-7 activity, tightly scheduled, and nobody, NOBODY, was late relieving the last watcher. The inside of the little building was "wallpapered" with posters showing pictures with identifying information of our enemies' air planes. The red circle of the Rising Sun is still in technicolor in my memory bank. Although there was little chance of a Japanese plane making it to the coast of North Carolina, the Jap planes were the most feared by us children because we knew they were the ones who had attacked Pearl Harbor. I remember some children running screaming into their houses when any plane flew overhead. There was terror in our country. There was a telephone installed in the little Air Defense building, and on several occasions, when a plane flew over, Mother called "an unknown entity of power" to report and identify it. This was a big thing in my child's mind. So there we were. Mother and I alone in the little building for hours of total silence. Talking was very limited because it could interfere with hearing an approaching plane. Mother watched the skies with binoculars; I usually brought a book along to read after I tired of studying the posters of enemy planes. This may sound amusing today, but it was dead serious stuff during the war years. It was, in fact, the nation's first line of defense. As far as I know, an enemy plane never came near the North Carolina coast. But submarines were a different matter altogether. There were sightings of German U-boats right off the coast from where I live. A few battles in which subs were sunk were watched from the shore by Carteret County inhabitants. Wreckage, oil, and bodies littered the beaches later. Of course, this information was kept secret until many years after the end of the war. No one broke the vow of silence. There are still graves of German submariners in Beaufort cemetery. When the bodies washed onto shore, they were given a decent, Christian burial. I suppose those events occurred during Operation Drumbeat. A few years ago, German relatives of the submariners came to Beaufort to visit the graves of their loved ones. I believe some of the remains were taken back to Germany to be interred in the mother soil. This was widely reported in state news media at the time, but I can find no reference to it in a Google cursory scan. On November 15, 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman, said to Atlanta : "War is Hell" - and then went on to prove his point. Having seen Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan and other such realistic war movies, this would appear to be a universally held belief. War still is hell. It is hell to lose one single life in the cause of freedom. It is happening daily now in Iraq and I hurt and pray for each and every family that is in pain. It was hell for Easy Company. It was hell on the day of the invasion of Iwo Jima when 2,421 Marines were killed or wounded that very first day. Four thousand, seventy-four Marines KIA in the three weeks it took to take the island. Was the victory worth those American lives? The rawest Marine recruit will tell you "affirmative" because they know - Freedom is not free. CALL ME PSYCHIC!!! Thursday, April 15, 2004 >^..^< Strange Cosmos has the visuals on USMC Reserve Lcpl Boudreaux. Here's the inflammatory one and here's the one that probably will not get wide circulation - the real one. Monday, April 19, 2004
We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ~~Anonymous >^..^< PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< During Sunday Surfing I stopped by Iraq War News (BrandonBlog) for more catch-up blog reading, after the last few weeks of my lethargy. How touched and honored I was to find that Patti had listed Indigo Insights under Patriotic Links. As an observer of American history since WWII, who has gratefully supported our country's military but done little tangible to thank them, I am most proudly fulfilled that Patti sees something patriotically worthwhile in Indigo Insights. >^..^< COME ON, PEOPLE NOW! SMILE ON YOUR BROTHER! Thanks to The Yorkie Lady for the reminder. >^..^< La Shawn Barber shared an interesting observation on April 15: Kerry Likes Blacks in Churches But Not In His Inner Circle. (Told you I'm catching up!) If you check this one out, don't miss the comments. >^..^< “A liberal Massachusetts Senator like John Kerry will not resonate with North Carolina voters - including many from his own party,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole. “Senator Kerry’s plans to raise taxes will not be received favorably across the South, and his voting record clearly demonstrates that he is out of touch with the values held by folks down here,” Dole added. >^..^< The Politburo Diktat has organized a directory of outstanding blogs. Some of my favorites are there. Bet yours are too. Here's the Directory. Links courtesy of Ramblings. >^..^< Military Humor - a la GOC. Funny stuff. Go get a grin. >^..^< If you can keep your sense of humor while all around you are falling down in a pile of grief. Then.You.Are.A.Man. Cancergiggles proves it. >^..^< Cute cartoon at The Smallest Minority, but for more accuracy, the cartoonist should have used "Dr" instead of "Ms" for Condi Rice. JMO. >^..^< Thanks to S-Train for the MP3s of Fantasia Barrino. Guess I'll have to give that show a look, if Fantasia is representative of the performers on American Idol. Heard a lot about it - especially when the Raleigh guy went runner-up last year - but never actually caught the show. After hearing the Fantasia Barrino voice, I'm hooked. CIVIL WAR SOLDIER'S PRAYER A prayer by an American Confederate soldier, seriously disabled in the Civil War, is a beautiful example of the depths of discovery of the gifts of suffering that a wound can bring. I asked God for strength, that I might achieve, I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health, that I might do great things, I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. I asked for riches, that I might be happy, I was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men, I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life, I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for-but everything I had hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among all men, most richly blessed. ~~ KID STUFF ~~ TEACHER: What is the chemical formula for water? SARAH: H I J K L M N O!! TEACHER: What are you talking about? SARAH: Yesterday you said it's H to O! TEACHER: George, go to the map and find North America. GEORGE: Here it is! TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America? CLASS: George! TEACHER: Willie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago. WILLIE: Me! TEACHER: Tommy, why do you always get so dirty? TOMMY: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are. TEACHER: Ellen, give me a sentence starting with "I." ELLEN: I is... TEACHER: No, Ellen..... Always say, "I am." ELLEN: All right... "I am the ninth letter of the alphabet." SENIOR MOMENTS™ An old lady was standing at the railing of the cruise ship holding her hat on tightly so that it would not blow off in the wind. A gentleman approached her and said: "Pardon me, madam. I do not intend to be forward, but did you know that your dress is blowing up in this high wind?" "Yes, I know," said the lady, "I need both hands to hold onto this hat." "But, madam, you must know that your privates are exposed!" said the gentleman in earnest. The woman looked down, then back up at the man and replied, "Sir, anything you see down there is 85 years old. I just bought this hat yesterday!" Sunday, April 18, 2004
Our Search for Religion and Spirituality New Agers are returning to church -- but keeping meditation and yoga classes on their schedules. By Jeanie Lerche Davis WebMD Feature - Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD GOD IS EVERYWHERE, LITERALLY. In America's coffee shops and train stops, people are talking about topics once reserved for Sunday school or Sunday dinner. In fact, if you haven't seen The Passion of the Christ or read The Da Vinci Code -- if you haven't at least tried meditation yet -- you're in the minority. Religion and spirituality have gone mainstream. People are hotly debating Jesus' lineage and Judeo-Christian, Buddhist, or Islamic issues -- and they're doing it in public. All this outspoken talk of religion is not typical (except for a few TV evangelists). Americans seem to be changing. A Need for Answers The Sept. 11 tragedy shook us to our core almost three years ago, that's unmistakable. Many of the fallen-away faithful went scrambling back to church or temple. But even before that tragedy, another process was unfolding. As we practiced yoga, took up tai chi, and energized our chakras, we just have not felt satisfied. We felt that something essential was missing, says Krista Tippett, host of Minnesota Public Radio's Speaking of Faith program. "The big spiritual questions -- the 'why' questions -- had not gone away," she tells WebMD. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God take a loved one so young? What is the meaning of our existence? These questions still haunted us, Tippett says. "What I'm reading, what I'm sensing, is the trend is changing," Tippett says. "It almost goes against our American mindset -- our independence, our self-sufficiency -- but people are looking for something bigger, better, to be part of. They have an essential need for that. And when they experience it, whether it's during a crisis, an illness, or a death, they want more of it." "For this -- and more -- people are returning to traditional religion and spirituality, she says. "Sometimes when we put traditional religion down, it's their dogma that we rebel against. But at their core, these traditions are where our impulses, our need for something bigger, have been honored, named." A Need to Help Others Indeed, the "feel-good, me-centered spirituality" of recent decades seems to be evaporating, says Harold Koenig, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health at Duke University Medical Center. "When we are in charge of our own ships, we fool ourselves," Koenig tells WebMD. "There's no responsibility to care for one another. You only care for yourself. There's no 'thou shalt not' -- it's all 'do what thou wishes.'" However, "self-focused, self-satisfying behavior is bad for human nature," he explains. "It is not good for us to be greedy, to overeat. It doesn't make us happy. It just increases our appetite for more. And it leaves us feeling unfulfilled. That's why religious people are healthier. They're not under so much stress. The focus is off themselves. There is accountability outside of themselves." Until you direct your attention outside yourself, life does not have meaning, says Koenig. "Poets throughout the ages have written about this," he explains. "Every religion and spiritual tradition emphasizes the need to love thy neighbor. The 'higher way' of Buddhism says that compassion is the ultimate road to Nirvana. Gandhi emphasized peace and love rather than hatred. The Koran says that the hereafter is based on good deeds here and now. The Golden Rule is all about doing good." A Need for Purpose Religion and spirituality were indeed the most common coping mechanisms after Sept. 11, says Koenig. Nine out of 10 Americans turned to religion in those dark days. For many others, cynicism launched their trek to traditional religion -- as science and medicine failed to live up to their expectations. "People are seeing the limits of medical care," Koenig tells WebMD. "People do get sick, they do die, and sometimes there's nothing medicine can do about it. Insurance costs are going up. People are worried about their jobs, the economy, whether they can pay for insurance. There is no way to make sense of it all, to derive sense and meaning from it." When you feel you're fighting these battles alone, that's when you feel great stress, he says. "But if you are part of a faith tradition, a church, if you feel like other people are supporting you, you feel that you're not in it alone. You begin to feel that God can use this crisis to create some good -- that you can turn this crisis into something good." We've become a generation of seekers -- looking for purpose and meaning in life's tragic events, says Koenig. We're also heeding advice from science itself. "Research has made an impact on people. We have data that shows that religious people do seem to cope better, do have more purpose and meaning in life, do take better care of themselves." A Need for Healing The mind-body connection has been well documented, Koenig says. "Certainly our brains are wired to be connected to health, healing. Our central nervous system and hormone system are tightly regulated by our emotions. Those two systems directly connect to our central healing systems -- the immune and cardiovascular systems." Our brain, therefore, is healing our body constantly, he explains. "It would seem that having faith is directly wired to the healing process. That is very scientifically acceptable. Is the brain connected to God? We have to be able perceive God in some way, so it has to be through the brain. It has to be some part of the brain that does that." Indeed, our lives are also enriched by the New Age movement, says Tippett. Whereas we once dabbled in many religious and spiritual practices, "the new movement is moving beyond dabbling, bringing some pieces of traditions together -- but in a way that's not so casual." Numerous studies show that meditation lowers measurable markers of stress, like cortisol (a stress hormone) and blood pressure levels. "A lot of people who are profoundly Christian, or Jewish, are doing yoga and meditation. There's now something called 'Torah yoga,'" Tippett tells WebMD. "These studies reflect the intention to connect body, mind, spirit," she says. "Meditation is one piece of 'spirit technology' that Buddhism has taken seriously, really refined over a long, long time. What's happening now is people with other traditions are looking at how Buddhism works -- rediscovering it, and adding it to their own practice." A Need for Hope But when should religion and spirituality enter into patient care? Some 80% of patients want their doctors to talk to them about spiritual issues, says Jerome Groopman, MD, chief of experimental medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, chairman of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and author of the book The Anatomy of Hope. "Patients ask me to pray with them," Groopman tells WebMD. "On one hand, I want to reach out to them. But should a patient be exposed to a doctor's religious beliefs? It's not a simple question. The doctor's beliefs may or may not coincide with the patient's. If they come from different faiths, they have different attitudes. Even if they're from the same faith, they may have a different interpretation of the role of prayer." In his book, he recalls one of his first patients -- a young woman with breast cancer. "She had a breast mass the size of a walnut. I come from a traditional Jewish background; I thought I would befriend her, find out how a smart young woman could allow a tumor grow to this size without seeking medical attention." Her story was more complicated than Groopman expected. "She was in an unhappy arranged marriage, having an affair with her boss -- who she had no illusion loved her -- but it was the only way to escape this marriage. Her interpretation of her breast cancer was that it was a punishment from God." "I was completely in over my head," he says. "With a mixture of guilt and shame, I retreated from her. The senior surgeon convinced her to be treated. But so much was her shame, ultimately, her breast cancer led to her death." When such lack of hope is explored, other feelings surface. "She felt she had no control over her world, none of her actions would make a difference," Groopman explains. "It was a profound lesson about hope and lack of hope, about having hope you can reach a better future, that the choices you make, the path you take can make a difference." "Crisis raises complex questions," he tells WebMD. He remembers another patient, a young boy with cancer, who then got HIV from a blood transfusion and died of AIDS. "His parents kept asking, 'How could God allow this?' I don't think there is an answer to that." "By making a commitment to helping children who were ill, that family found their own way to cope", says Groopman. It's more evidence that helping others is the root of religion and spirituality. Published April 8, 2004. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCES: Krista Tippett, host, Speaking of Faith, Minnesota Public Radio. Harold Koenig, MD, associate professor of psychiatry; director, Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health, Duke University Medical Center. Jerome Groopman, MD, chief of experimental medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. Friday, April 16, 2004
Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them. -- Ann Landers [Literally, ANOTHER COUNTRY HEARD FROM.] Addressing Africa's Problems By Michael King [A New Visions Commentary paper published April 2004 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 777 North Capitol Street NE #803, Washington, D.C. 20002, 202/371-1400, Fax 202/408-7773, E-Mail Project21@nationalcenter.org, Web http://www.project21.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited.] I recently talked with some old classmates about the crises facing Africa. Contrary to popular belief, the crisis isn't insurmountable once the real problems are identified. Africa's problems are legion. But the perception of Africa's problems is, in and of itself, problematic from the start. Once the root problems are identified, the African continent should begin to see a renaissance that would be welcomed across the globe. I'm not convinced, however, that there's an easy way to fix the overall situation because no one can currently come up with a solid list of the root problems. Everyone points to things like starvation, disease and poverty, but many ignore equally pressing - or even more important - problems like slavery, racial strife and socialism. First, there's the political fragmentation and a lack of authoritative government. It's like feudalism. The feudal period of world history was marked by tribal wars and skirmishes that consumed many and left deeply ingrained distrust and bolstered old ways of thought. Fueled by tribalism, feudalism must be addressed for Africa to progress. No power has yet consolidated authority in Africa into singular governmental and economic entities as had happened elsewhere in the world. This must change. Next, there's despotism. It, too, is not solely faced by Africans. Zealots, dictators and would-be tyrannical warlords rule many African nation-states - hiding behind their race and their country's perceived oppression as former European colonies. Thugs like the late Idi Amin in Uganda - who was deposed - and Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe - who is still backed by gangs (tribes in and of themselves) - rose over the past 50 years to impose their tyrannical rule. The West has ignored them. In part, warlords have been overlooked by those who feel criticism of such regimes is akin to racism. Also, the nature of these thugo-cracies is not perceived to be a threat to the West, and therefore ignored. This may be a costly flaw in judgment. With the influx of Islamist militants into Africa, we can ill-afford to ignore them much longer. Despots and tyrants have gladly given aid and comfort to terrorist groups like al Queda and other enemy elements of the new world war on terror. Who's to know how far they will forge these alliances for their own personal benefit. Xenophobia is another problem. The so-called elite of Africa believes the West is "tainted" by Anglos. They believe this alone keeps them from moving Africa forward - ignoring the problems already mentioned. By keeping an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude toward the problems facing the African continent, we are essentially poking at a hornet's nest. We must address despots and their acquiescence to radical Islam far more aggressively, lest the terrorists gain a foothold that will be hard to pry loose. Feudalism, tribalism and xenophobia simply need a change of thinking. This makes hunger, AIDS and poverty are essentially "band-aid" issues. Western charities are helping, but they must teach self-sufficiency. Biotechnology is helping to ease starvation through innovations in planting and longevity. Homegrown ideas like Uganda's abstinence policy are successfully reducing AIDS. Africa's root problems must be addressed. The West, as hated as it may be by some on the continent, can help bring about positive change directly and quickly. Africa must accept this helping hand, and even our discussions here should further the case for bringing about this positive change. # # # Michael King is a member of the National Advisory Council of the African-American leadership network Project 21 and a freelance writer and Internet consultant in Atlanta, Georgia. Comments may be sent to mhking@bellsouth.net. Note: New Visions Commentaries reflect the views of their author, and not necessarily those of Project 21. posted by Michael at 11:25 AM WHY COMPUTERS SOMETIMES CRASH! by Dr. Seuss (Read this aloud - it's great!) If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort, then the socket packet pocket has an error to report. If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash, and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash, and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn't hash, then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash! If the label on the cable on the table at your house, says the network is connected to the button on your mouse, but your packets want to tunnel to another protocol, that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall. And your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss, so your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse; then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang, 'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang. When the copy on your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk, and the macro code instructions is causing unnecessary risk, then you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM, and then quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom! Well, that certainly clears things up for me. How about you? [thanks to Jimmy, Ayden, NC] ~~ KID STUFF ~~ TEACHER: Why are you late? WEBSTER: Because of the sign. TEACHER: What sign? WEBSTER: The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow." TEACHER: Cindy, why are you doing your math multiplication On the floor? CINDY: You told me to do it without using tables! TEACHER: John, how do you spell "crocodile?" JOHN: K-R-O-K-O-D-A-I-L" TEACHER: No, that's wrong JOHN: Maybe it s wrong, but you asked me how I spell it! CHRISTIAN ONE-LINERS + God doesn't seem to call the equipped; rather, He equips the 'called.' + It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one. + Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them. + The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us. + He who angers you, controls you! + We don't change the message, the message changes us. + Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is! + The phrase that is guaranteed to wake up a congregation: "And in conclusion." Thursday, April 15, 2004
I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters. -- Frank Lloyd Wright U.S. Senator Zell Miller Floor Statement: 'A House Divided Cannot Stand' Remarks as Delivered on the Senate Floor After watching the harsh acrimony generated by the September 11 Commission – which, let me say at the outset, is made up of good and able members – I’ve come to seriously question this panel’s usefulness. I believe it will ultimately play a role in doing great harm to this country, for its unintended consequences, I fear, will be to energize our enemies and demoralize our troops. Read Senator Miller's statement in its entirety here. Two Old Men, Two Different Standards La Shawn Barber, April 13, 2004 "I deliberately waited to see what would result from Sen. Chris Dodd's remarks about Sen. Robert Byrd before blogging about it. As I suspected, not much happened. It's been 13 days since Dodd made remarks much more racially insensitive than anything Trent Lott ever said. Where is the liberal outrage and indignation of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)?" Follow this link to the entire post and don't miss any of it. Classic La Shawn. ~~ KID STUFF ~~ Lost in the Service One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Johnny standing in the foyer of the church, looking at a large plaque that hung there. After the young man of seven had stood there for some time, the pastor walked up beside him and said quietly, "Good morning, son." "Good morning, Pastor," replied the youngster, not taking his eyes off the plaque. "Can I ask you, Sir, what is this for? Why are all these names listed on here?" "Well, son, these are all the people who have died in the service," replied the pastor. Soberly, they stood together, staring up at the large plaque. Little Johnny's voice barely broke the silence when he asked quietly, "Which one, Sir, the 8:30 or the 10:30?" [thanks to Kristi, Greenville, NC] MORE FROM THE TWISTED MIND OF STEVEN WRIGHT *****I have a microwave fireplace in my house...The other night I laid down in front of the fire for the evening in two minutes. *****One night I walked home very late and fell asleep in somebody's satellite dish. My dreams were showing up on TV's all over the world. *****I was born by Caesarian section...but not so you'd notice. It's just that when I leave a house, I go out through the window. *****I bought a self learning record to learn Spanish. I turned it on and went to sleep; the record got stuck. The next day I could only stutter in Spanish. *****I put contact lenses in my dog's eyes. They had little pictures of cats on them. Then I took one out and he ran around in circles. *****I spilled spot remover on my dog. He's gone now. >^..^< PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< Strange Cosmos has the visuals on USMC Reserve Lcpl Boudreaux. Here's the inflammatory one and here's the one that probably will not get wide circulation - the real one. >^..^< Ever hear of "Operation Bojinka"? I had not until yesterday when I surfed into it here and here. Interesting. >^..^< Rivrdog states my present state of mind pretty well in his Pump Up the Volume post. >^..^<™ UPDATE >^..^< Here are some weblogs hosted by military people from all branches of the armed forces: active, retired, and/or family members. These are just a few that I came across; you can find others through the links on these sites. Visit them for their up-to-date perspectives and reactions to world news. There is much wise insight in the words of these Americans. Their words might be a bit offensive to some ears (or eyes) but they didn't learn their vocabularies at Dr. Seuss University. Most of them learned while protecting their country and YOU. Baldilocks Straight White Guy Smoke on the Water Rivrdog Bejus Pundit Mostly Cajun Deuddersun Oohrah Serenity's Journal John of Argghhh Jennifer Martinez Dog Snot Diaries Halls to the Shores DT MAN Mad Mikey Black Five Iraq Now Chaos Central Intel Dump Bloodletting Iraq War News No Quarters Wednesday, April 14, 2004
I'm looking forward to looking back on all this. -- Sandra Knell Good question from Gleeful Extremist Indian Nation Overrun With Illegal Immigrants Now this should present quite a conundrum for the lefties. An Indian nation on the Arizona border has been using all its resources to fight illegal immigration with 69 officers covering an area the size of Connecticut. Now, if you're a lefty, do you feel sorry for the noble Indians whose territory is being overrun, or do you feel more for the immigrants? SELLS, Ariz. — Each day, at least 1,500 illegal Mexican immigrants cross a makeshift border into southern Arizona’s Tohono O’odham Indian Nation Tribal Police Chief Richard Saunders is responsible for the area the size of Connecticut, and in March alone his officers and federal Border Patrol (search) agents captured more than 16,000 illegal immigrants. Zee from Politics Askew gives an introduction to herself: I'm an American. Even during my hippie days, it meant something to me. I've never had a problem with it. Apparently there are those in the world who do. I've never been a political animal, it always having been something I could comfortably ignore. Until now. My politics have become an 'a la carte' adventure, a mosaic still being created. I have much to study, much to learn. But here is what I do know. I am frigging American to the bone and, the greatest threat to western civilization that I have so far espied is the one who comes riding in on the Trojan Horse of Liberalism. The Left. So, be warned. Hell hath no fury as a woman who has found her allegiance and rediscovered her country. I'm an American. And she goes on from there into a kicking-butt-blog. Give a look and a bookmark. PERILS OF PARENTHOOD The mother of a 17-year-old girl was concerned that her daughter was having sex. Worried the girl might become pregnant and adversely impact the family's status, she consulted the family doctor. The doctor told her that teenagers today were very willful and any attempt to stop the girl would probably result in rebellion. He then told her to arrange for her daughter to be put on birth control and until then, talk to her and give her a box of condoms. Later that evening, as her daughter was preparing for a date, the woman told her about the situation and handed her a box of condoms. The girl burst out laughing and reached over to hug her mother saying: "Oh Mom! You don't have to worry about that! I'm dating Susan!" [thanks to Jimmy, Ayden, NC] COWS Is it just me or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington? Also they track her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. I think the solution is to give every illegal alien a cow. [thanks to Greg, Ayden, NC] Note to Indigo readers: Both Jimmy and Greg are life-long old buddies of mine; high school friends; football team mates of my deceased husband; Korean-era veterans. They epitomize the "old friends are the best friends" axiom, and while I admire and enjoy my new-found cyber friends, these old boys (in their 70s now) are very close to my heart. They send me e-mail frequently, but I have never known either of them to promote lies or distortions. They have certainly earned the right to a military and/or political opinion, since they were in service to our country before most bloggers were born. They don't have blogs and I give them some space here occasionally. So if I paste something from them that is in contrast to your political positions, just skip over Indigo that day, ok? I'm considering getting comments up again to give a voice to readers who must 'file a complaint' about something posted here. Then, I can send "fiskings" directly to the source and stay out of the fall-out. Reminding you again of Danny Glover's famous line. Plus, the skunk maxim from my Grandpappy. "Every religion and spiritual tradition emphasizes the need to love thy neighbor. The 'higher way' of Buddhism says that compassion is the ultimate road to Nirvana. Gandhi emphasized peace and love rather than hatred. The Koran says that the hereafter is based on good deeds here and now. The Golden Rule is all about doing good." ~~ Harold Koenig, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health at Duke University Medical Center. Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Nathan of Brain Fertilizer answers Andy Rooney My Answer to Andy The questions: 1. Do you think your country did the right thing sending you into Iraq? 2. Are you doing what America set out to do to make Iraq a democracy, or have we failed so badly that we should pack up and get out before more of you are killed? 3. Do the orders you get handed down from one headquarters to another, all far removed from the fighting, seem sensible, or do you think our highest command is out of touch with the reality of your situation? 4. If you could have a medal or a trip home, which would you take? 5. Are you encouraged by all the talk back home about how brave you are and how everyone supports you? I'm in the USAF rather than the Army, and my post is in Qatar rather than Iraq, but I'll take a swing, too. 1. Yes. I willingly and uncomplainingly gave up being at home for my 6th Wedding Anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's to work 12-hour shifts for 65 days straight (no days off) in order to support this action. It is a necessary step in the Global War on Terror. In fact, even though I just got back in January, I volunteered to go early again. This time it looks like I'll get to miss my birthday, my wife's birthday, and Independence day. But I'll be celebrating Iraq's independence, so it will be worth it. 2. Andy, simple questions are best. Within the very first line of this question, you distorted the issue. We are in Iraq for several reasons. We have already eliminated a significant source of funding for terrorism in the Levant and the world. We have eliminated multiple training locations for international terrorists. We stopped a depraved butcher from slaughtering his own people and continuing his own plans to someday attack the US on its own soil. That's now: we pulled up the weed. Now we are spending time there to bring about an environment that will prevent such a noxious weed from springing up again. We've already won the most important, quickest, and most difficult part of the battle there. Now we face a test of wills, and patience, and restraint. We are winning this phase of the war, too, but it doesn't always look like it in the middle of the battle, just like the Battle of the Bulge you took part in. 3. Another distortion. The US Military allows an unprecedented latitude to the commander in the field, the guys with boots in the dust. Nice attempt to draw a Viet Nam parallel, but while that might float in the toilet, it doesn't float here. To address the basic issue, however: yes, our leaders have made some mistakes, because no one is omniscient or omnipresent or omnipotent. They've also made some stunningly correct decisions. Despite the "unbiased" media trying to politicize the deaths of soldiers, the death toll for the entire year is still far less than was originally predicted we would lose just tring to reach Baghdad. Try to have some perspective, will you? If that's too hard, at least try to remember the cockamamie predictions of disaster you armchair generals had at the beginning, will you? You lost credibility a long time ago; sniping and carping does nothing to bring it back. 4. If you really wanted to learn anything, rather than just trying to score cheap points with a "Have you stopped beating your kids yet?" blatant cheap shot, you might ask, "Would you prefer a medal or a ticket back?" You'd be suprised at the number of guys who would rather continue fighting for the US there. Sure, there's always some who don't. Selfless Service is the military ideal, but sometimes it takes a few years for the individual to actually adopt that attitude. But we are a team. I'm going back, willingly and ahead of schedule. If confronted with the enemy, I'll fight like hell to make sure he's the one who doesn't go home again, but if fate results in my death, it is a willing sacrifice. You may spit on my grave, but my children will know who the hero is. 5. We don't do it for the glory and thanks, no. We do it for the well-being of the nation, the safety of our loved ones, and the Brotherhood of War. But we do accept thanks from anyone who can do it without a sneer. We don't need any of your false gratitude. Monday, April 12, 2004
indigoinsights[at]hotmail[dot]com Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? Didn't you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn't most of them turn out all right after all? -Dale Carnegie >^..^< PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< Received this for my birthday last week. With friends like this guy - - - - - >^..^< Thanks to all who emailed birthday wishes and 'welcome back' missives. I'm really trying to get into the swing of blogging again, but the little vacation made me soooooooooooo lazy. >^..^< Band of Brothers, Part I, was everything, and more, that I thought it would be on TV last night. Apparently, it will be continued each night until all parts are shown -- 10, I think. History Channel, 9:00, UFN. >^..^< Bon Voyage to Dear Jack. I'll miss you until you get re-established. HURRY!! Dear Indigo, et al. To all my wonderful friends - liberal and conservative alike - this is interesting! The following appeared in the Durham, NC local paper as a letter to the editor. Liberals claim President Bush shouldn't have started this war. They complain about his prosecution of it. One liberal recently claimed Bush was the worst president in U.S. history. Let's clear up one point: We didn't start the war on terror. Try to remember, it was started by terrorists on 9/11. Let's look at the "worst" president and mismanagement claims. 1. FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us: Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost, an average of 112,500 per year. 2. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea, North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost, an average of 18,333 per year. 3. John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year. 4. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent, Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions. 5. In the two years since terrorists attacked us, President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people. We lost 600 soldiers, an average of 30 a year. Bush did all this abroad while not allowing another terrorist attack at home. Worst president in history? Come on! Greg BLACK AND WHITE (Under age 40? You won't understand.) You could hardly see for all the snow, Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go. Pull a chair up to the TV set, "Good Night, David. Good Night, Chet." Depending on the channel you tuned, You got Rob and Laura - or Ward and June. It felt so good. It felt so right. Life looked better in black and white. I Love Lucy, The Real McCoys, Dennis the Menace, the Cleaver boys, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Superman, Jimmy and Lois Lane. Father Knows Best, Patty Duke, Rin Tin Tin and Lassie too, Donna Reed on Thursday night! -- Life looked better in black and white. I wanna go back to black and white. Everything always turned out right. Simple people, simple lives... Good guys always won the fights. Now nothing is the way it seems, In living color on the TV screen. Too many murders, too many fights, I wanna go back to black and white. In God they trusted, alone in bed, they slept, A promise made was a promise kept. They never cussed or broke their vows. They'd never make the network now. But if I could, I'd rather be In a TV town in '53. It felt so good. It felt so right. Life looked better in black and white. I'd trade all the channels on the satellite, If I could just turn back the clock tonight To when everybody knew wrong from right. Life was better in black and white! Saturday, April 10, 2004
BAND OF BROTHERS - Sunday, April 11 - History Channel Long ago, over 2,000 years ago, a Baby was born in a manger. The animals came to see him, including a simple tabby cat. He had influential visitors. The skies filled with music proclaiming His birth. But He was a baby. His mother was a young woman overwhelmed with the responsibilities given her by His Father. And the responsibilities of daily activity were upon her. It was a common belief of the day that in order for a newborn infant's arms and legs to grow straight and strong they needed to be tightly wrapped at birth. Babies were wrapped from their shoulders to their feet with long strips of cloth 4-5 inches wide and 15-20 feet long. The act of wrapping the child up so tightly and completely was called "swaddling" and the strips of cloth were called "swaddling clothes". Of course, the swaddling became soiled and had to be washed. As she washed the baby's swaddling, the Infant began to fuss, as all babies will do. Before the mother, Mary, could return to her son to comfort him, the tabby cat jumped into the manger and soothed the Baby and hushed His whimpers. Because the cat helped Mary, from that time on, all tabby cats have the markings of a letter "M" above and between their eyes to commemorate a single tabby cat's service to Mary and her Son. This story has two morals: Cats are very special. Yes, they certainly are. and The smallest act performed by one of God's smallest creatures can bring profound change on all. See Poof Cat to check the "M" Thursday, April 08, 2004
BAND OF BROTHERS - Sunday, April 11 - History Channel Hi Folks! Well, I'm back - sort of. Got a week of blogs to read and catch up on and nothing much to say tonight. Just that I had the Greatest Birthday Bash EVER! Meanwhile, for you who are in "paste withdrawal", here are a few. OBITUARY Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of Common Sense who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge). His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Finally, Common sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. [thanks to Kristi, Greenville, NC] EASTER QUICKIES Q. What does it mean when the Easter Bunny arrives one day late with melted candy? A. He probably had a bad hare day. Q. How does a rabbit make gold soup? A. He begins with 24 carrots (carets!) Q. What do you get when you pour boiling hot water down a rabbit hole? A. Hot cross bunnies! Q. What does it mean when you see thirty rabbits in a row and they are all marching backwards? A. What you have is a receding hareline. >^..^< PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< The nice thing about being senile is you can hide your own Easter eggs! >^..^< PUPPY, ANYONE? >^..^< Jim and I are both Aries!! April 5. HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY TO US, JIM. |