It's a Little Low... Don't You Think?

My blog is worth $2,822.70.
How much is your blog worth?

Do you guys know about the sale of Technorati?

Well... it was for *gobs* of money. Anyway... they have come up with this calculator... which figures out how much your blog is worth... according to how much Technorati sold for... how many blogs there are... and... I forget. A few more things.

Either way... it has to do with some kind of 'geek' math. I think.

I don't know if I like having a monetary value put on my blog or not.

Well... if it were real money I probably would.

later...

Homework...

I have a lot of homework to do.

Today, I have sat in front of the computer for 13 hours now, just working on one of my class' assignments. I have got to quit for the day. I'm tired. I still have a speech to write that is due this Friday. Not only do I have to write it, but I have to present it also. *sigh*

I have been forced into a lot of research as we are learning how to write 'mechanism descriptions' and 'processes and procedures'. The research is what has taken a lot of my time. Diagrams, pictures, charts, articles... I think my vision is becoming blurred.

Those darn "Sources Cited" take a lot of my time too. I don't know why I have so much trouble getting those down.

I thought that you folks might enjoy seeing some of the places that I have been today:

Hyperphysics

All About Electric Circuits

Barometer

History of Medicine (specifically stethoscopes)

History of Stethoscopes

Rusting and the Corrosion of Metals

The Boiling Point and Latent Heat of Vaporization

Evaporation and Pressure

Vaporization

The Pregnant Bitch and Whelping

Maybe some of you will find it at least a little bit intriguing.

Of course, this is only a small sample of the piles of information that I have waded through today. I am starting on page 9 of my paper and have two more items yet to complete. This means that I have a lot more research to do before I am finished.

*gee* Have I been here too long or what?! I think I am beginning to take on some of the symptoms of that last article that I read.

I'm going to bed.

later...

Class Field Trip to the University of Oklahoma...

Today our class was required to attend a field trip to OU. The University of Oklahoma was sponsoring a two day event this week-end for speech and debate teams within the region. While the first rounds for the debate teams were held yesterday, today held a full itinerary of persuasive and informative speeches, prose, dramatic interpretation, and a few other speech related contests.

This is the first time that I have ever had the opportunity to observe a college level speech competition. I heard several very well-written and well-spoken speeches today. I was impressed.

Surprising or not, I have never been on the OU campus before today. It is a very nice campus and has interesting buildings, statues, and some nice landscaping. I have to say though that I prefer the older style of architecture as opposed to the modern on the campus.

Quick question here:


Are colleges required to have 'ivy' on their 'halls'?



I read a few of the historical markers that were in front of the buildings and enjoyed several works of art which were mostly in the form of sculptures.

All in all it was a very nice day.

And yes, I did learn something at 'school' today.

later...

A Request for Help...

I received an e-mail from Teresa at Shepherds of Love Ministries. She is asking for immediate financial help for someone in need. If anyone can help, please contact Teresa through the Shepherds of Love link in my sidebar. Below is an excerpt from the e-mail.

S____, age 41, has one 2 year old son, lost her job of 2 years in August after the family owned business went under. She began attending Radiology School pd for by the DHS but had to stop because of her unemployment checks which are $280.00 a week. DHS will no longer
pay for her schooling. DHS also removed Tanif and reduced her $250.00 food stamps to $40.00.

She wants to apply for a PELL grant to complete her training but right now has to focus on
her immediate needs. She got help for her utilities but needs OCT rent money $619.00 to
keep from being evicited on 11-06-05. Her landlord will allow her to work out payments on
the Nov. Rent as she believes she will have a part time job very soon.

We need your help if God so leads you.

Could you assist us with any part of their Rent? $619.00
We just received $300.00 from one donor and need $319.00 more.

If you can help us would you please email me back. We believe this lady truly needs a touch from Jesus.

As I have stated before, Shepherds of Love Ministry is there to help those who have nowhere else to turn.

later...

Interpreting the Law...

I have acquired an “epizootic” of some sort. I don’t know exactly what it is that I have contracted, but it seems to be very closely related to a head cold. However, I am not quite sure but that I didn’t contract two separate illnesses at the same time; thus adding to my current mixed bag of symptoms.

Irregardless, I still have multiple responsibilities to take care of.

I’m going to be required to write a couple of speeches here in the near future for one of my classes. I really need some inspiration, so I just thought I would browse the internet and see what all I would run across…

hmmm… this looks interesting:

*Real* Oklahoma Laws:

Dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate on private property in groups of three or more. If you have more than two dogs at home this means that one dog gets to stay in the house. I would want to be that one dog.

Whaling is illegal. I suggest that we let all the non-violent whale poachers in Oklahoma out of jail to help relieve the overcrowding in our state's prisons.

Females are forbidden from doing their own hair without being licensed by the state. I would say that there needs to be a special task force formed to handle the current hair problem in this state. Aren’t the bonds set higher for the juvenile violators?

People who make "ugly faces" at dogs may be fined and/or jailed. What if the dog makes the ugly face first? Does that still count?

Women may not gamble in the nude, in lingerie, or while wearing a towel. This law just proves how insightful and anticipatory our lawmakers really are. I’m fairly certain that this law was in effect before the lottery was voted in. I am not exactly sure what the real reasoning is behind this piece of legislation but I think that I might have a clue. Is it the action of the player’s scratching on the scratch off tickets that causes the problem here?

Most of us haven’t been to law school so the interpretation of most of our laws is left up to our various levels of individual capabilities. Of course, a lot of people learn what the laws are through experience due to the consequences of their various infractions.

Many folks learn about a lot of laws through their parents and family though, and most of us don’t even bother to look these laws up.

Sometimes I think parents make laws up just to keep their kids in line.

*sigh* I think that I will pursue a less serious subject for my speeches. Laws and government type things can be confusing sometimes.

later…

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The picture of the May 24, 1610, law is Virginia’s first onsite law which goes to show that most of our laws have good reasoning behind them; and are written and enforced due to necessity.

There are a lot of links with listings of odd laws throughout the 50 states. I don’t know if they are all true or not.

Here’s a few links:

Stupid Laws from Oklahoma

Dumb Laws

America’s Loony Laws (This is a British site.)

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Yes folks... This is known to all as a "SP" (Shameless Plug). This is a copy of an e-mail that I received today. There is a lot of good information here for most anyone who is interested in the movie or would like to become actively involved in promoting it.

Note: I have added a banner with a link to my sidebar.

The kids are hyped and are ready to see this movie now! It promises to be a very good film.

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Hello to all those who are interested in the up and coming film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The following is the first of many weekly newsletters that you will receive up until the film’s release. These newsletters will provide you with lots of useful information and tools to help promote the film. Whether you are simply a fan or a dedicated volunteer, you will find something of interest in these newsletters. Thank you so much for your willingness to help!

Fans

New Narnia Trailer

The new trailer for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is now available for viewing at AOL Moviefone.

http://movies.aol.com

Hallmark Presents: C.S. Lewis: Beyond Narnia

Friday, December 9 (8/7c)
Meet C.S. Lewis, famed author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Through actor portrayals and literary historians, viewers learn the remarkable life story of one of the century’s most enduring writers. Follow his path from a carefree youth whose world is suddenly turned upside-down with the death of his mother to a respected and admired Oxford educator and contemporary of the “Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien.

http://www.hallmarkchannel.com

Interactive Narnia Map Now Available

Moviefone now has an interactive Narnia map available. You can browse through the map to each of nine sites throughout the land of Narnia where you are able to see various photos and read a snyopsis of various scenes from the movie.

http://movies.aol.com

Ministry/Organizations

Sermon Contest

SermonCentral.com is sponsoring a Narnia Sermon Contest with the winningsubmission receiving a FREE trip for two to London and Oxford, the Land of C.S.Lewis. The prize includes $1,000 cash, as well.

Visit www.sermoncentral.com/narnia/sweepstakes.asp for more information, to view Narnia sermons, and tosubmit a sermon so you can win a trip to England!

Sneak Preview

Barna Films is offering a special sneak preview one day early for The Chronicles of Narnia. This offer is open to groups of 50 or more and would be a great event to hold for any church, school or other large organizations. Visit www.barnafilms.com/Narnia

Narnia Evites and Ecards

You are now able to send Narnia evites for all your events. Simply logon at Narniaresources.com and use the tools available. www.narniaresources.com/invite

Volunteers

Groundforce Network needs volunteers from EVERY state to join their street team of passionate Ambassadors of Narnia to get the word out about the filmnationwide!

Join now and be a part of history: www.narniaresources.com/ambassadors

Don't forget to pass this link along to your friends who would enjoy being an Ambassador with you!

Media Members

Retailers

A reminder to all retailers, the Inspired by soundtrack for Narnia was released September 27, 2005. The project features eleven original new recordings by Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay, David Crowder*Band, Nichole Nordeman, Jeremy Camp, Bethany Dillon, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, tobyMac, delirious?, and Rebecca St. James. Be sure to make this break through album available in your stores.





The views expressed herein do not represent those of the Walt Disney Company, Walden Media, The C.S. Lewis Estate, or the filmmakers, but are rather the views of various organizations who have created these resources specifically for leaders in the faith and family community.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, NARNIA, and all book titles, characters and locales original thereto are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte Ltd. and are used with permission. Images and movie trailer‚© Disney/Walden.




later...

Counting Puppies...

I just thought that I would give you guys one more chance to guess how many puppies there are in this x-ray.

Linda in Norman has been without a good night's sleep for a while now.

Krystal had her puppies today, starting very early this morning, and it looks like Linda is going to do without some more sleep here in the next several weeks.

So how many puppies were there?







Krystal had a total of eight puppies. One puppy didn't make it and that was sad. It was the only boy of the litter too. But there are seven very happy and healthy girls tonight and they are very, very cute!

later...

By the way, today is Carrie's birthday too. Happy Birthday, Carrie!

Grassroots Movements...

I have never had the opportunity to be a part of, much less witness, the very beginnings of a grassroots movement. I usually only know about them after they have grown to the point where it has been reported in the news; then eventually made it to my eyes and my ears.

Do you remember my October 8th post, Over One Billion Censored... I Mean "Served"...? And how about the September 27th post Free to Blog...? I thought you would.

Well, Mr. Jim Etchison had commented on the October 8th post. He's the guy who has started the "BooYahoo" campaign. He has a blog site, http://www.booyahoo.blogspot.com, with details on why and how to boycott Yahoo.

It seems that The New York Times has published an article about the internet censorship in China and Yahoo's extensive support of the Chinese government. The article mentions Mr. Etchison and his "BooYahoo" campaign and website. Isn't that neat?

I guess that now there's a couple of representatives that have gotten interested in the situation in China concerning censorship and the corporations that help. And there may be an interested congressman or two also.

Hopefully, something good will come of it. One good thing that I can think of is helping to get the journalist that Yahoo helped to apprehend, Mr. Shi Tao, out of jail.

Gee... I feel like I was part of something special.

later...

More Than a Soldier...

Our soldiers have many responsibilities and most of these responsibilities are very stressful, difficult, and taxing. In addition to their duties, our soldiers also play significant roles as humanitarians and ambassadors of goodwill within the regions they are stationed.

I don't believe that the average American understands all that the armed forces are involved in. Here is a great website that has candid shots as well as short articles concerning the many activities of our soldiers during wartime in a foreign land. You will find stories like this one: Soldiers Visit Orphanage Bearing Gifts, Medical Aid and pictures like the one here in my post. It really is amazing to say the least.

So what got me to looking for, and at, all of this information? Well, I was given a website via e-mail the other day concerning Operation: Help The Kids. According to Major Danny Davis, the commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Colonel H.R. McMaster, is gathering supplies for the local children in the Sunni Triangle region.

The supply list contains the following items:

school supplies (blank writing pads, pens, pencils, erasers, backpacks, etc.)

backpacks

toys (soccer balls, frisbee, small beanie baby type toys)

The 90 Day Prayer Campaign has posted detailed information on their website including the addresses of where to send your donated items. There is also an address for sending gifts to the soldiers.

To sum it all up, there are literally hundreds of ways that you can show your support for our troops. You can go here and choose whether to help wounded soldiers, their families, or the children of the soldiers from the extensive listings.

Of course, the biggest gift that you can give anyone is the gift of prayer. Please continue to pray for our troops, our nation, and our leadership.

later...

My 1000th Visitor...

Well... my 1000th visitor stopped by. Guess who it was?

It was Linda from Norman. HOORAY!

Congratulations Linda! You have just won a free life-time subscription to my blog!

I just love free stuff.

Who Will Be My 1000th Visitor?

I haven't been a blogger for very long. Just a few months really and I'm still learning the ropes about posting and links and all that. I didn't get a web page counter for a while. I didn't know you could get so many web things like that for free and I really like 'free stuff'. Just like this blog site. It's free free free!

Anyway... I have really enjoyed blogging so far and the visitors are a lot of fun too. Also, I like going to the visitor's web pages and looking at their blogs. Very interesting stuff out there.

So... tonight I anticipate that I will have my 1000th visitor since I started the web counter. I wonder who it will be?

later...

BTW... I was forwarded this cute
Thanksgiving e-card. I thought you guys would enjoy it.

It's My Pleasure...

I am always intrigued by the search terms that are used to access my blog. I truly hope that my visitors find what they were looking for, were entertained, or both.

What has inspired this post are the following search terms:

"the name of the real horse upon which sonador in the movie dreamer was based"

Since my post about the movie Dreamer did not have that information, I thought that I would post it here.

You can read about the screenwriter and how he developed the story. He was inspired by more than one racehorse; but the horse, Mariah's Storm, and her trainers and owners made a great impression upon him.

I hope that everyone gets to see the movie and enjoys the story behind it. As far as a biography for Sonador's character? Well, there just really isn't one. The links I have provided will get you started if you want to research it any further.

By the way... if anyone is having difficulties trying to locate information on any particular subject just let me know and I'll see if I can be of any assistance.

later...

Mariah's Storm Still an Inspiration

"Alpha" Breaks the Record...

We have now run out of letters for our storms with Hurricane Wilma yet to finish out her tyrade.

Alpha has now formed in the Caribbean and as such as been formally named. 22 storms officially are recorded now for the 2005 hurricane season. A new record. Never before has the alphabet name game been run out like a quick game of nine-ball. The letters q, u, x, y, and z are not used in the naming of tropical storms.

The National Weather Service states that our current tropical storm weather pattern could likely stay with us for the next 10 years. Some of these patterns can hang around for 50 to 60 years. The National Weather Service also states that this oceanic weather pattern is very similar to the one we had in the 1950's and 60's.

I wonder if all of these factors will affect beachfront real estate prices.

later...

Carrie's 15th Birthday Barn Party...

We had Carrie's birthday party this evening. She will be 15 in a few days.

Carrie wanted to have an outdoor party with a weiner roast, s'mores, and the rest of the fixin's. So she asked our neighbor, Sue, if she could have her party over there at her barn. Sue was very gracious and kind and said she could. Thank you so much Sue!

There were a lot of kids there. I didn't get an exact head count, but I believe that there were well over 25 that showed up. The weather was absolutely perfect. Really.

Carrie had a lot of fun and I believe that her guests did too. Here's a few candid snapshots that I took.

Do You See That Ad on My Sidebar?

Can you believe that ebay ad?

Look at it. The one that says "Puppies for Sale, Quality new and used items. Find puppies for sale now!".

"New and Used" puppies? I wonder what makes and models are available.

later...

Last Week-End...

I was downloading the pictures from my camera and remembered that I had forgotten to post about the CheerFest competition that we had ran into at Frontier City last week-end. There were school buses all over the place and tons of kids decked out with glittery make-up, extravagent hair styles, cheerleading outfits, and dance costumes. We watched several of the groups and dancers warm-up in a separate area and then watched quite a few perform. They had been there all day, so they were winding up by the time we had gotten there.

I thought, oh well, it's passe` now and I was going to delete the photos. While looking at the pictures, I was reminded how the kids and their teams in this competition have evidently spent hours upon hours practicing. I couldn't help but take into consideration the commitment that the parents must have also made with the time and money that they obviously had invested.

So I thought that I would do a little search on the internet. There's not too much out there that would give a novice much information about the subject. Additionally, I didn't see anything concerning last week-end's competition other than an online .pdf entry form. I don't know how long this link will work, but it's interesting to see the categories and competition fees.

Since I didn't find much on the internet I thought that I would go ahead and make a little post here and put the pictures up. Those kids deserve some recognition even if it is on an obscure blog.

I don't know any of the girls in the photos, but they were cute, little and very polished. It looked like the oldest kid was probably about 10 years old or so. There were several there that looked six or seven. There were teams from all ages at Frontier City at the SpiritFest competition and most of them were high school aged kids. I don't know who won all the trophies but they all looked like they had had a good time.

later...

Hurricane Wilma Satellite Imagery...

See the satellite imagery of Hurricane Wilma from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite.

Real time images.

later...

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service's Flea and Tick Info...

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service received a grant to publish an informative brochure concerning flea and tick control. The paper was written by Sue Gray, OSU's Extension Horticulturist.

As a public information and educational service the Tulsa County Extension has published this information on the internet. They are also offering free flea combs and hard copies of the brochure while supplies last. Telephone inquiries are welcomed Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at 918-746-3701.

The brochure is very informative and helpful for all pet owners. If you would like to research this subject further, additional links are provided in one of my previous posts, Please! No Fleas!.

I hope that you guys have had a great Friday. I have been called about an emergency ultrasound at work so I've gotta go. I don't think that I'll be back here until much...

later...

How Many Puppies Can You Count?

Linda from Norman is excited. She is about to have a litter of puppies. Bouvier des Flandres puppies that is.

We took a radiograph today to see if we could count how many puppies there were.

So far we have three different totals.

How many do you see?

later...

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Post your puppy count in the comments and I'll let everyone know how many there are after they've whelped!

Christian Misconceptions...

There’s a study out called the Religious Market Structure, Religious Participation and Outcomes: Is Religion Good for You?. And there’s this Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist named Jonathon Gruber who studied the report. Then there’s a journalist named Janet Kidd Stewart who is reporting on it.

In her article, Study Says Churchgoers are Wealthier, Less Likely to Divorce, Better Educated, Ms. Kidd states, “…isn't wealth frowned upon in religion?”

Evidently, this must have been a burning question for Mr. Gruber as he must have been offended that Christians in the study weren’t ignorant or destitute. After Mr. Gruber studied the report, he has concluded that he doesn’t know why churchgoers are better off economically.

Who said that God wants us to be on welfare, destitute, and illiterate? Where do people get the idea that Christians should be poor? Why do they think that?

People make this stuff up. Stuff like, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. That saying isn’t anywhere in the Bible. Neither is, “Thou shalt be poor and ignorant.”

And why do non-Christians want to see Christians poor, uneducated, and on welfare? Why would they want to see anyone in that condition? I don’t get it.

Christians should be living the abundant life, both physically and spiritually. We refer to it as being blessed.

later…

Dreamer... Movie Review

We have just returned home from the movies. We were given free tickets to see the movie Dreamer. It was a real treat for us as we don't go to see movies very often at all.

I was all geared up to write a movie review and give a critique on the acting, the photography, and even the mise` en scene. But, you know what? Listening to the kids talk about the film and say how much they enjoyed it is all that really matters. That's what it's all about isn't it?

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“Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story” tells the story of a father who, for the love of his daughter, sacrifices almost everything to save the life of an injured racehorse and bring the promising filly back to her former glory. The film stars Kurt Russell (“Miracle”), Dakota Fanning (“War of the Worlds”) and Kris Kristofferson (“Lone Star”).

Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) was once a great horseman, whose gifts as a trainer are now being wasted on making other men’s fortunes. Sonador—called Sonya—was a great horse whose promising future on the racetrack is suddenly cut short by a career-ending broken leg. Considered as good as dead to her owner, who also happens to be Ben’s boss, Sonya is given to Ben as severance pay, along with his walking papers. Now, it will take the unwavering faith and determination of Ben’s young daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning), to bring these two damaged souls together in a quest for a seemingly impossible goal: to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. However, the true miracle might be that, in helping this injured horse, what they are actually healing is their own family.

Kristofferson stars as Ben Crane’s father, whose strained relationship with his son is bridged by their mutual hopes for Sonya. The main cast also includes Oscar® nominee Elisabeth Shue (“Leaving Las Vegas”), David Morse (“The Green Mile”), Freddy Rodriguez (HBO’s “Six Feet Under”), Luis Guzman (“Traffic”) and Oded Fehr (“The Mummy”).

“Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story” was directed by John Gatins from his own screenplay, marking his directorial debut. Mike Tollin (“Radio”) and Brian Robbins (“Varsity Blues”) are the producers, with Ashok Amritraj, Jon Jashni, Bill Johnson, Stacy Cohen and Caitlin Scanlon executive producing. The film will be distributed domestically by DreamWorks Pictures, with Hyde Park Entertainment handling the international release.

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It is a good film. A movie for the family. The kids really connected with the little girl, Cale. I would like to encourage the filmmakers in America to make more films like this. Thank you for this one.

Read more about the inspiration behind the screenplay and the horse, Sonador. For those looking the biography of the real horse that "Sonya" portrayed... Mariah's Storm was the main inspiration.

later...

Mariah's Storm Still an Inspiration

The Environmental Control of Flatulence...

I have become quite concerned about the pollution that is being generated by cattle. I did a search on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website and had a difficult time trying to find information on the subject. Most of my searches resulted in zero returns. That is until I changed my query. When you type in “cattle emissions” you will get a page full of results. It was then that I realized that I would have to change my thought processes to a more politically correct point of view in order to research this subject. By the way, political correctness is not one of my strong suits.

The EPA provides several studies on “Methane Emissions from Enteric Fermentation”. It seems that in 1997, livestock contributed 19% to the overall methane emissions in the United States through enteric fermentation while landfills contributed 37%. From what I gather, decomposition, whether it is from the digestion of food or a rotting banana peel, creates over half of the methane gas in the U.S.

While the government study does recognize (wisely) that it is futile to completely stop the natural process of digestion in cattle; they have come up with some solutions to help alleviate the problem of methane gas emissions. Outlined in the report are recommendations that will reduce the production of flatulence in livestock, particularly cattle. However, it must be noted that some experts feel that livestock belching produces more methane than does the opposite end of the animal. Some of the EPA’s proposed solutions make sense such as feeding and grazing guidelines, while others are questionable. At least to me they are.

The EPA recommends exporting more cattle out of the country which would leave fewer cattle in the U.S. to generate pollution. (This seems logical and would be good for our economy.) Also, the agency suggests generating changes in price structuring which would have a market/demand effect on the production of cattle and dairy products. (interpretation: raise prices/lower quantity and quality) In addition to these, the EPA also recommends that cattlemen use injections of the FDA approved hormone rbST and anabolic steroids. These growth enhancers would decrease the time it takes to grow calves ‘out’ and would get them to the butcher more efficiently. And then there’s the use of ionosphores which is a naturally occurring antibiotic in the soil which would enhance feed digestion. And don’t forget genetics. I’ll quit at the mention of that subject. The EPA presents all of these solutions, and more, in greater detail in their reports.

While the EPA is supposed to be protecting us from this silent but deadly gas, it would seem that they are promoting the pollution of our bodies to accomplish their goals. Or do I misunderstand this report?

Of course, with any governmental study that can find the culprit to a problem there will be controls instituted and enforced. With the appropriate fees attached. California has already begun. San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District officials require dairies to get air permits. They claim that cattle are their biggest contributors to smog in their area. I wonder how much those permits cost.

Methane is a naturally occurring gas. Also, the principle component of natural gas is methane and we use it to heat our homes and to produce electricity. The environmental scientists are very concerned about the release of methane gas and ‘global warming’. I say that we are approaching this situation as a problem and not as an answer to our prayers.

It seems that the San Joaquin Valley is a natural bowl, a container if you will, for the entrapment of the bovine gases. We should encourage the growth and expansion of the dairy farms there in California. We could then develop a method to extract the methane gases from the air. If the concentration of the methane pollution is of such a problem that San Joaquin officials feel that they need to institute regulatory controls, then I say there is enough gas in that valley to be extracted and put to good use.

An easier solution to corral this elusive gas could be by the entrapment of the methane that is produced by the landfills. These prolific gas producers are more static by nature than livestock and it would be much easier to enclose and entrap the gases that the landfills produce. Maybe the already developed technology that is used to extract methane from natural gas could be used and !voila! We have cheap fuel!

You know… I have been known to, how should I say it… pollute my own space. And there’s a lot more people in this world than there are cattle. Does this pose a problem?

I do have a major concern here that I have yet to address. My question is: How far will the government go in order to control pollution that is considered a contributor to global warming?

You do realize that methane is only ranked second to what the environmentalists consider as the primary cause of ‘global warming’. (btw… I’m not so sure yet that global warming is really real.)

According to scientists, carbon dioxide is the number one contributor to global warming. And I only know of one way to eliminate the warm-blooded production of carbon dioxide.


later…

Is the Bible Out of Style?

So the Bible isn’t true.

Well, at least parts of it aren’t true.

Hmmm, maybe a few chapters and scriptures aren’t true.

Let’s see now… which part of it isn’t true again?

Ah heck.

Now they’ve got me all confused.

Is the Bible true or not?

How’s this going to affect my life?

What about your life?

How about the church listings in the Yellow Pages?

Should I tell the kids?

I can’t tell the kids!

I can’t operate in this gray stuff. I like things black and white (with a little red for Jesus’ quotes).

“appropriate to changing times, intelligible and attractive to our contemporaries”.

Maybe I can use this phrase in a court of law. Hmmm…

“We should not expect total accuracy from the Bible...”

Let’s see… how can I apply this theory to my every day life?

I’ll never hear the end of it now from the atheists.

What am I talking about? I'm talking about The Gift of Scripture which is a study book that has been written by the bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland. They state that the Bible is not the document that we all thought it was. As in… it’s not 100% true. (From their viewpoint.)

What? I’m speaking in past tense already?

Here’s their website:

England & Wales Liturgy Office

Here are a couple of articles:

Catholic Church No Longer Swears by Truth of the Bible

The Gift of Scripture – it’s an issue of authority

So, what do you think about it?

Tell ‘em!

England & Wales Liturgy Office


**********

A Christian charity is sending a film about the Christmas story to every primary school in Britain after hearing of a young boy who asked his teacher why Mary and Joseph had named their baby after a swear word. The Breakout Trust raised £200,000 to make the 30-minute animated film, It’s a Boy. Steve Legg, head of the charity, said: “There are over 12 million children in the UK and only 756,000 of them go to church regularly.
That leaves a staggering number who are probably not receiving basic Christian teaching.”

I wonder how that happened.

**********

P.S. Now folks, before you get your feathers all ruffled up... my faith hasn't been shook up by this thing.

Swiffer Wet Jet Rumor is an Urban Legend...

Once again I continue to caution everyone concerning the misinformation that is spread by e-mails. Here is the media release from the ASPCA concerning an e-mail hoax that has been circulating for several years now.



Media Contact: Dana Farbman, CVT
(217)-337-9751
napcc@aspca.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Urban Legend: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Debunks
Swiffer Wet Jet Rumor

-- Veterinary Toxicologists continue to regard allegations of liver failure
and death from household cleaner as unfounded --

(Urbana, IL) October 12, 2005 - In response to a recurrent rumor involving
the relationship between the use of Swiffer Wet Jet and liver failure in a
dog, veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center have
reasserted their position regarding the safety of Swiffer Wet Jet after the
claim made in a widely distributed email alleging that exposure to the
product's ingredients caused a dog's death.

The Swiffer Wet Jet system contains water (90-100%), propylene glycol
n-propyl ether or propylene glycol n-butyl ether and isopropyl alcohol
(1-4%). These ingredients are safe to use around pets when used according
to label directions and would not cause liver damage at product
concentrations. Propylene glycol n-butyl/propyl ether differs significantly
from ethylene glycol, the potentially toxic ingredient present in most
antifreeze products. Ethylene glycol is frequently implicated in causing
renal failure in dogs following antifreeze ingestion. Propylene glycol
n-propyl ether and propylene glycol n-butyl ether are very safe ingredients
at levels used in cleaning products and do not cause kidney or liver
failure.

"The public should be aware that not all information sent via email or
posted on the Internet is necessarily accurate," advises Dana Farbman, CVT,
spokesperson for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. "Therefore, it's
always a good idea to verify any information regarding pet health concerns
with a veterinary professional."

Please call 1-888-426-4435 if you have any questions or have a pet that you
suspect is experiencing problems, or visit us at www.apcc.aspca.org
.

# # #

For over 27 years, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has been the
premier animal poison control center in North America. The Center, an
allied agency of the University of Illinois, is the only facility of its
kind staffed by 24 veterinarians including 5 board-certified veterinary
toxicologists and 14 certified veterinary technicians. Located in Urbana,
Illinois, the specially trained staff provides assistance to pet owners and
specific analysis and treatment recommendations to veterinarians pertaining
to toxic chemicals and dangerous plants, products or substances 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. In 2004, the Center handled over 95,000 cases. In
addition, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides extensive
veterinary toxicology consulting on a wide array of subjects including legal
cases, formulation issues, product liability, regulatory reporting and bio
surveillance. To reach the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, call
1-888-426-4435. For more information on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Center visit www.apcc.aspca.org . (1/05)

Forwarded Humor...

I received a forwarded e-mail of a poem written by the cowboy poet, Perry L. Williams. I thought it was funny and just wanted to share it with you guys. I was unable to find any online works by Mr. Williams, but I did find four that are published in a book. *whew* An' it shor' wuz tuff t' find too!

"The Cook-off"
"Dinin' Out"
"It Ain't Necessarily So"
"No Contest"

Humorous Cowboy Poetry, A Knee Slappin' Gathering (HCP), edited by Dawn Valentine Hadlock and Madge Baird, Gibbs Smith, Layton, Utah, 1995

If you want to learn more about this cowboy 'art' you can start here: The Western Folklife Center

Of course, I can only hope that this e-mailed poem is intact, the way Mr. Williams had written it, since I was unable to verify its content.


"BUYIN' A BRA"
by Perry L. Williams, Cowboy Poet


I ain't much for shopping,
Or for goin' into town
Except at cattle-shipping time,
I ain't too easily found.

But the day came when I had to go -
I left the kids with Ma.
But 'fore I left, she asked me,
"Would you pick me up a bra?"

So without thinkin' I said, "Sure,"
How tough could that job be?
An' I bent down and kissed her
An' said, "I'll be back by three."

Well, I done the things I needed,
But I started to regret
Ever offering to buy that thing -
I worked me up a sweat.

I walked into the ladies shop
My hat pulled over my eyes,
I didn't want to take a chance
On bein' recognized.

I walked up to the sales clerk -
I didn't hem or haw -
I told that lady right straight out,
"I'm here to buy a bra."

From behind I heard some snickers,
So I turned around to see
Every woman in that store
Was a'gawkin' right at me!

"What kind would you be looking for?
Well, I just scratched my head.
I'd only seen one kind before,
"Thought bras was bras," I said.

She gave me a disgusted look,
"Well, sir, that's where you're wrong.
Follow me," I heard her say,
Like a dog, I tagged along.

She took me down this alley
Where bras was on display.
I thought my jaw would hit the floor
When I saw that lingerie.

They had all these different styles
That I'd never seen before
I thought I'd go plumb crazy
'fore I left that women's store.

They had bras you wear for eighteen hours
And bras that cross your heart.
There was bras that lift and separate,
And that was just the start.

They had bras that made you feel
Like you ain't wearing one at all,
And bras that you can train in
When you start off when you're small.

Well, I finally made my mind up -
Picked a black and lacy one -
I told the lady, "Bag it up,"
And figured I was done.

But then she asked me for the size
I didn't hesitate
I knew that measurement by heart,
"A six-and-seven-eighths."

"Six and seven eighths you say?
That really isn't right."
"Oh, yes, ma'am! I'm real positive -
I measured them last night!"

I thought that she'd go into shock,
Musta took her by surprise
When I told her that my wife's bust
Was the same as my hat size.

"That's what I used to measure with,
I figured it was fair,
But if I'm wrong, I'm sorry ma'am."
This drew another stare.

By now a crowd had gathered
And they all was crackin' up
When the lady asked to see my hat,
To measure for the cup.

When she finally had it figured,
I gave the gal her pay.
Then I turned to leave the store,
Tipped my hat and said, "Good day."

My wife had heard the story
'fore I ever made it home.
She'd talked to fifteen women
Who called her on the phone.

She was still a-laughin'
But by then I didn't care.
Now she don't ask and I don't shop
For women's underwear.

E-mail... The Nation's Latest High-Tech Alert System

New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, issued an alert concerning a potential terrorist threat to the city’s mass transportation system on October 6, 2005. Subsequently, security measures were enacted which included an increase in NYC’s police patrols and subway passenger searches of backpacks, briefcases, and other carry on items.

During this past week the security threat has been downgraded and is currently believed to be a hoax. Initially, officials had thought that the information source was credible; although the details of the information had not been verified before the alert had been issued. Information is still being gathered concerning the details that lead up to the issuing of the security alert.

While the events that lead up to the increase of NYC subway security is still being analyzed a key component appears to be a significant player in this recent security alert. The circulation of two e-mails from two, separate Homeland Security “connected sources” appear to be the culprits which instigated the issuance of the false alarm.

Mayor Bloomberg was faced with an extremely difficult ethical challenge. Should he issue the city-wide alert before receiving confirmation from Homeland Security stating whether the threat was indeed real or not? Probably fully aware that these two reliable e-mail sources could potentially ‘cyber-travel’ the entire city in a matter of days, Mayor Bloomberg was faced with the possibilities of a city-wide panic attack and the potential hazards associated with a possible mass hysteria of over 8 million people if an official statement, alert, or public notification was not issued to help contain the situation.

New York officials feel that it is best to err on the side of extreme caution when it comes to terrorist security. Senator Charles Schumer (D) of New York is quoted as saying: "We can't be too careful, and the precautions that New York City has taken are appropriate and make a good deal of sense. We cannot be in a situation where we don't turn over every stone. But the bottom line is that in the post-911 world, you can't be too careful." While the issuance of the alert has been deemed appropriate by city and state officials given the situation; the apparent leak of sensitive information is of a separate and an extremely important concern in and of itself.

This information leak additionally lends itself to a list of perhaps more unsettling questions concerning the ethical dilemma of the issuance of an alert of a possible terrorist attack. How can the information from the Department of Homeland Security be trusted, much less operate effectively, if it has internal security issues of its own? Thirdly, was the Department of Homeland Security aware of the e-mailed information leaks, and was a cover-up in the making when the department officials alerted New York’s state security directors in a conference call before the tipster’s story could be verified? Finally, do the children and families of government officials get preferential “safety tips” leaving the rest of the American Public out in the cold?


New York Subway System on Alert

New York City on Alert for Subway Attack

Hoax Probable in New York Subway Threat

Homeland Security Starts Internal Probe of Possible Leak of Terror Threat


Copy of the circulated e-mails:

******
I do not send out mass emails as games or jokes so PLEASE take this seriously.

As some of you know my father works for Homeland Security, at a very high position and receives security briefings on a daily basis. I received a call from him Monday Oct 3, 2005 and it was a brief call and did not contain a lot of details. The only information that I can pass on is that everyone should at all costs not ride the subway for the next 2 weeks in the major areas of NYC, that means Grand Central, Times Square, Herald Square, Union Square areas. I know that seems crazy but do take his advice if at all possible. I am not at will or able to discuss anything more than that. I was not allowed to ask him any questions but he called with grave concern for the safety of myself and Heather. He said I could tell friends exactly what I have said above and that is it.

I am sorry that I cannot give any more details. He also said that he would inform me as soon as the threat at hand has passed and when we can go back to normal life.

******

Alarming call from Washington

I have just received a most disturbing call from one of my oldest friends from growing up in Washington, who is the chief of intelligence for the US Coast Guard and the CG's liason to the Office of Homeland Security - a person I've known for 40 years and trust implicitly and who, by dint of his position, has access to the highest level of intelligence "traffic". He called with a very specific caution to not enter or use the New York City subway system from October 7 through the 10th (Friday through Monday) based on information he has received of potential terrorist activity. He was not permitted to provide further information, but did permit me to share this information with friends and family which is what I am doing.

He had no idea what, if any, information the government may make public about the situation - it could be a great deal or it could be none. And of course we will all feel like fools if we completely disrupt our normal travel patterns for four days for nothing. But knowing the source as I do, my family will be taking this advice seriously and I share it with you to act on as you see fit.

Nothing would please me more than to think of you all laughing at me next week for crying "wolf," realizing that it means nothing untoward happened. But if you have an alternate means of moving about the city above ground for those four days, I hope very much that you will consider using it.

Source

Medical Maladies...

There’s a polio outbreak in an Amish community in Minnesota. I had hoped that the disease had been totally annihilated but after a little research I have found that this isn’t the case. There are countries that still struggle with the devastating disease. I suppose that the distrust of the United States has exacerbated the problem. Some Islamic clerics believe that the vaccine is an American plot to give their people AIDS or to make them infertile.

There are vaccines available to prevent polio and the World Health Organization (WHO) puts forth a lot of effort in helping with health issues like polio around the world. Whether or not the world will see the eradication of this debilitating disease seems to be directly tied to personal choices of whether or not to receive vaccinations or socio-economic conditions.

Currently there is another looming global medical situation in the making. The H5N1 flu virus which is also referred to as the avian flu seems to be on the move. Currently this virus has not mutated yet to a human to human form of transmission and is still transmitted from bird to human. But history tells us that this is only a matter of time. All flu viruses mutate. We just don’t know when, where or what form they will take.

Tamiflu is a drug that has been proven to help treat the avian flu. A vaccine has yet to be developed for this disease which can lead to the death of the patient. One of the biggest problems with Tamiflu is its availability and expense. The drug costs about $60 for ten tablets and how many tablets a patient may need is solely determined on a case by case basis. This cost most certainly makes it unavailable for poor populations. Additionally, there are many countries that do not have the resources to provide this expensive drug to their citizens.

There’s a company in India that claims it has created a generic version of Roche’s Tamiflu. The problem is that Roche Holding AG owns the patent on Tamiflu and refuses to license generic versions of the drug. The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has requested Roche to release its patent to no avail. As we all know, generic versions of drugs help to reduce costs tremendously as well as increasing the available supplies. It has been reported that Tamiflu is currently being stockpiled in the United States.

I feel that there is an enormous ethical question here. In light of what can happen with flu pandemics, such as the possibility of millions of human lives at stake, is it ethical for a drug company to withhold information, knowledge, and patents from the world markets? It seems to me that the Roche organization could afford to share some of its wealth in such a humanitarian outreach. I would think that the publicity alone would be worth more than any generated revenue from expensive prime time television ads.

I don’t begrudge anyone making a profit and I think that it’s important for drug companies to stay in business so that they can develop new drugs that help to eradicate diseases. At least that’s what I hope drives their research. You know, the desire to find cures and to save countless lives… and not a desire to profit from human frailty.

later…

The News Edition...

What will we eat for dinner? I look in the fridge at the leftovers and the thought of 4000 year old noodles cross my mind as I gaze at my homemade chicken noodle soup. Somehow, it just doesn’t seem that tasty to me now.

Saddam didn’t vote today. Nobody seems to know why? I think I have a pretty good idea. He probably lost track of time while he was watching the corn field on the corn cam. I’d hate to be the one to tell him that there isn’t going to be much action in that corn field until next year.

Do you ever walk into a room and forget what you went in there for? Do you forget where you put things? Yeah? Me too. I just remembered today that I had accidentally flushed my $26,000 diamond ring down the toilet. Remind me to call those folks tomorrow and claim that ring.

There’s a verse in Proverbs that says “…A nagging wife is like dripping that never stops on a rainy day.” In the Netherlands a complaining mom has been banned from her daughter’s school. I wonder if she's married.

I was wondering. When they finish the orthodontic work on the gopher, who’s going to work on whitening his newly straightened teeth? They’re really brown looking. I think something should be done about it.

I have developed a newfound concern about taking the “Lord’s name in vain”. Maybe they’ll discuss it at the God Blog Convention that’s being held this weekend. With the Blogging Boom and all I’m afraid that people will start substituting favorite swear words and phrases with things like: ‘godbloggit’ and ‘bloggin jesus christ’. This would add to an already abundant and unnecessary list of curse words available in the American vocabulary today. Additionally, I think there’s a fine line to be considered with terminology like ‘blogdammit’. I have to confess though; I think I used the latter when I was having difficulty posting on my blog a few weeks ago. *sigh*

later…

Trick or Treat? Witch will it be...

Raising kids brings a lot of questions to the forefront that most of us probably wouldn’t consider… if it weren’t for our kids. For instance, if you were looking to buy a home you wouldn’t necessarily care which school district your purchase was in unless you had children. Other similar, and perhaps more serious questions, are faced constantly during the course of a parent’s struggle of trying to raise their children into adulthood.

Every October there are many families that ask questions about Halloween. Each of these families, at one time or another, ask themselves whether or not their children are going to participate in Halloween festivities. Families, such as the Happy Homemaker’s, sometimes wrestle with their own consciences, beliefs, and standards. Sometimes, issues like these are difficult for families to assess.

Lots of articles have been written on the subject from many points of view. Even Christians have differing points of views concerning Halloween. Here is an article written by an ex-witch. Researching things like this can really be very interesting.

later…

Cheapest Gas Nationwide Found in Elk City, Oklahoma!

I had to get some more gas today. Surprised? I was ecstatic that I had found regular unleaded at $2.25 a gallon. That is until I found out that I could have gotten it so much cheaper. I missed the gas rush in Lincoln, Nebraska, where premium gas sold for .29 cents a gallon. Bad thing is that I didn't know about Elk City and their cheap gas prices either. *sigh*

Guys, I need all the help I can get. Here's a nifty little link that will help all of us find the cheapest gas prices in our area. All you have to do is enter your zip code. A map is provided along with the gas stations, their addresses, and the price per gallon.

Have a great Wednesday!

later...

Rejected by Microsoft...

Did you read the subject line on the Microsoft e-mail? What's your opinion worth? How about $500? When I read that it sounded like a hoax to me or even worse... like some sort of virus, trojan, or horrible phishing scam. I almost didn't open the thing because of the subject line. But... being a true American (who could really use $500) I decided to risk it and opened the darn thing up. You can see what I found.

A survey. A lousy survey with a chance to win one of five-$500 cash prizes. What do you think the odds are? Especially if it was sent to every single Microsoft user in the world? It would be like trying to win the lottery in the People's Republic of China.

The first thing I thought when I read that e-mail was, "Dang those *cheap* Microsoft people! Don't you think they could come up with more prizes and money than that?"

Then the second thing I thought was that it could possibly be my golden opportunity to tell them what I think about their operations in China. (I hope you have been keeping up with my posts.) So I decided to fill out their survey.

Three panels later I discover that I have been rejected by Microsoft. No explanation other than I "didn't fit their profile". What?! Do I have to be of Asian decent or something?

The only thing I can figure out is that they want someone who is using their latest and greatest stuff. Or... they could have been reading my blog. hmmmm...

I have to rationalize rejection for my own personal mental health. So... I figure that the reason I was rejected was because I'm still operating off of Windows 98. Microsoft needs to reconsider and just give me that $500 so that I can upgrade my operating system. They can afford it.

later...

Click on the picture so you read what it actually says.

Reye's Syndrome...

I spoke with someone today who did not know what Reye’s syndrome was. I was surprised. I had assumed that all parents were aware of Reye’s syndrome and how to prevent it. Also, my bottle of aspirin has a warning on the label that states (in part) the following:

Warnings
Reye’s Syndrome: Children and teenagers should not use this medicine for chicken pox or flu symptoms before a doctor is consulted about Reye Syndrome, a rare but serious illness reported to be associated with aspirin.

The Food and Drug Administration has required this warning to be placed on aspirin and aspirin products since 1986.

Since there is a new batch of teenagers that are now living on their own or are off to college, I figured that they are probably self-medicating themselves too. Additionally, I also shouldn’t assume that young parents are aware of Reye’s syndrome. So I thought that I would bring up the issue here in my blog. You are welcome to research the subject further and I have provided a few links for your convenience.

Today Reyes’ syndrome is a rare occurrence. Due to the education of parents and the decline of the use of aspirin in children who have the flu, cold, or chicken pox the disease has nearly been eradicated. In 1999, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reported that the occurrence of Reye’s syndrome had been reduced dramatically. There is an inherited condition though that presents with Reye’s like symptoms but is not caused by the ingestion of salicylate.

Reye’s syndrome usually affects children up to the age of 19. There have been reports of young adults and one 90 year old person having been affected by Reye’s. The cause of the syndrome is due to the ingestion of salicylates while suffering with, or recovering from the flu, cold, or chicken pox. Salicylate is what aspirin consists of and many parents used to use aspirin as a fever reducer in their children. What some people may not be aware of is that salicylates are also in several other products such as Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, Anacin, Bufferin, Coricidin, Triaminicin, Alka-Seltzer, Aspergum and Dristan tablets. I think that this is important for people to know and remember when using these products; especially if they are administering them to their children.

While the common link of the use of aspirin with the flu, cold, or chicken pox has been determined to cause the syndrome, it is still unknown exactly how Reye’s syndrome occurs. What is known is that the liver and the brain are severely affected and if treatment is not sought quickly death will likely occur. Many of those who survive Reye’s syndrome will likely suffer from brain damage. Symptoms for Reye’s syndrome can occur up to three weeks after the occurrence of the primary illness.

With something as simple as not giving your child aspirin, or products containing aspirin, while they are suffering from a viral infection, a severe and deadly condition can easily be avoided. Hopefully, there will never be another generation of parents who are not aware of Reye’s syndrome.



Stages of Reye's Syndrome

Stage I:
Persistent or continuous vomiting
Signs of brain dysfunction:
Listlessness
Loss of pep and energy
Drowsiness

Stage II:
Personality changes:
Irritability
Aggressive behavior
Disorientation:
Confusion
Irrational behavior
Combative
Delirium, convulsions, coma


Reye’s Syndrome Foundation, Inc.

National Institutes of Health

Over One Billion Censored... I Mean "Served"...

I was wondering if Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo and their compadres could spread some of their money around over here in the United States. It seems that it only takes $10 or $15 million dollars of donated money to local schools and some free software to get “in” with the Chinese government. I’m sure that something similar could be worked out over here.

It’s hard to understand how American companies can go overseas and be gleeful about restricting human rights. Helping communists keep their citizens repressed and oppressed… well, I guess that’s a lofty goal and a noble pursuit in and of itself.

I’m a firm believer in capitalism. It just seems that freedom should somehow be intertwined with it? Something like, you can’t capitalize on a situation unless the people you are profiting from at least have some basic freedoms. Or something like that.

I know that the prospect of having 1 billion subscribers is just too much to overlook. And we can’t deny the opportunities that are afforded these companies in China to develop spyware, filtering software, and other forms of internet censorship. It’s just too good to be true. You know, the U.S. government and businesses could probably use some of this stuff too.

The People’s Republic of China… a software developer’s dream. Wow… just think about it. An entire country, with millions upon millions of people, at your disposal for the development and testing of censorship software... It’s like having your laboratory provided to you for free! Just think of all the repressive governments around the globe that will be beating your door down to buy your communistic software. I would say they have got themselves a great niche` market going on over there in China.

In all actuality, this will be a great opportunity for Microsoft in particular. They need a lot of help in developing patches for their products. In fact, with all of the people who are probably trying to crack the Chinese firewalls and censorship programs, Microsoft might develop a software program that actually has fewer vulnerabilities than ever before.

later…



Articles of interest:

World Wide (Web) Takeover

The U.N. Plan to Take Over the Internet

Tunisian Web Journalist Jailed"

China 1, Internet Freedom 0

Rights Group Slams Google, Yahoo! Self-Censorship In China

Microsoft's Compliance with Censorship Raises Alarms


Blogger:

ICE:Internet Censorship Explorer

Shepherds of Love Ministry...

Well folks it is late. I was at the hospital this evening and just got home not long ago. Zachary, who I work with, had appendicitis and just got out of surgery. Everything is ok and he is already in a room. Hopefully he will be able to go home tomorrow or the next day.

I have added a new link to my sidebar. It will take you to Shepherds of Love Ministry. Most people are very generous, have big hearts and are always looking for a good place to give. I asked Teresa if I could post a link to their web page here on my blog.

One of the questions that come with giving money to charities is: “Where will the money go?” The Better Business Bureau has a great web page that helps to answer this question and a host of others. It’s called the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. There, on their Give.org page, they have all sorts of helpful information. Also, their Wise Giving Guide breaks down how the money is spent. That’s one of my big things too: How much goes to administration costs?

All of this brings me back to Shepherds of Love Ministry. I know first hand how they help many people; people who find themselves in varied circumstances. I know that the money will be used judiciously and wisely and will be utilized to help as many people and families as possible.

So… if you are looking for a good place to put your tax deductible charity dollars… Shepherds of Love is a good place to put it to use.

later…

Congratulations to Dr. Tina Neel...

Congratulations are in order for Dr. Tina Neel. She has been named as one of three nominees to be awarded the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award from Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Tomorrow, October 7, 2005, Dr. Neel and two other nominees will be honored with a luncheon and receive their awards.

Dr. Neel has been practicing veterinary medicine for 26 years in Oklahoma City. In May, 2000, she and her husband Sam Neel opened a new facility that is open 24 hours, 365 days a year. Neel Veterinary Hospital is staffed around the clock with 10 full time doctors and over 40 support staff. It is the first veterinary hospital of its kind in the state of Oklahoma.

Dr. Neel and her husband have worked very hard to bring to Oklahoma City, and the surrounding communities, top-notch veterinary care. Congratulations to both... and thanks for allowing me to be a part of it.

later…

Class Ran Late...

Class ran really late. I have a lot of schoolwork to do now. I think that my presentation went well and I am really glad for that.

10:09pm, light drizzle to light rain, winds light, 57 degrees Fahrenheit.

I feel suddenly ill. I feel like I am going to *puke*. (Sorry for the graphics.) I'll check back with you guys...

later...

Leaving for Class...

Time now is 4:35pm. The temperature has dropped to 68 degrees. The wind is blowing hard. Will update you...

later...

P.S. I really don't like cold weather. Could you tell?

Cold Front...

It's 2:59pm and 80 degrees Fahrenheit on my porch. The cold front has just hit. *rats* Will update on the temperature drop...

later...

Flu Shots...

"Emergency hospital during 1918 influenza epidemic, Camp Funston, Kansas" Courtesy of the National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C., Image NCP

We all got our flu shots today. For the 2005 – 2006 flu season we are protected against the following viruses:

• A/New Caledonian (H1N1 like virus)
• A/California (H3N2 like virus)
• B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus

What is discouraging is how many people actually refuse to get vaccinated.

This year the CDC has begun a new methodology for flu vaccinations. Because of the vaccine shortfall of last year, and then the subsequent 1.5 million doses that weren’t sold or administered, the CDC has begun a tier approach for vaccinating different groups of people. This new approach should help prevent the panic of last year’s shortfall and ensure that all who need, or want, to be vaccinated are.

In accordance with the tier approach , it is recommended that the high-risk groups are vaccinated first and then the remainder of the population is vaccinated a few weeks later. The high-priority, or targeted, groups are given special consideration until October 24, 2005. After this date the vaccines then become widely available to all other citizens.

There’s some good news about the Avian flu H5N1. Testing began in April of this year on a new H5N1 vaccine. Hopefully that will be available soon to help prevent the spread of this virus. On the flip side here, there seems to be some difficulty in making a safe vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This coronavirus seems to be a tough one for the scientists. They are still trying to develop a safe and effective vaccine for this dangerous disease. However, there are clinical trials that are underway in China using an inactivated SARS-CoV vaccine.

The nurse who administered our vaccines today stated that she felt that there was going to be a shortage of vaccines this year. When I asked her why, she stated, “Because of the shortage from last year… there are going to be more people getting vaccinated.” She also justified this claim by saying that they had only received 44% of their flu vaccine order for this season. I cannot find any evidence of such a problem. After some, although not extensive, research I feel that maybe their order was affected by the new tiered distribution of the vaccines. It is possible that the nurse wasn’t fully informed about the situation.

Either way, my entire household is vaccinated against the flu this year. That’s a good thing. I hope that everyone else will seriously consider getting vaccinated also.

later…


The flu pandemic of 1918 killed more people than WWI. More people died in one year from the flu than the four-year duration of the Black Plague. It is estimated that 20 to 40 million people died from the flu in 1918 world-wide.