Front Porch Fighter

Somebody up there really doesn't like you after all.

2012-02-05T19:28:00.001-08:00

Just Received this notice affecting our Charter School Teacher friends. It seems that someone does not like Charter Schools and wants all the Charter School Teachers to quit immediately. If this goes the way the IRS wants it to, states will have no say in this matter any longer.:

"Possible IRS rule change alarms charter schools.

The IRS is proposing changes to the rules for Charter Schools. You have until Monday to comment at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools website:

www.publiccharters.org/Additional-Pages/IRS-Proposed-Regulations.aspx

The issue is this: The regulation would force those charter school teachers who have chosen to be in the state retirement system and are currently contributing to their state retirement plans to quit their charter-school jobs or lose the money that has been contributed to their accounts by the state. Teachers can keep what they've put into the account, but anything the state has put in would be gone.

This is a retroactive action that is certainly unfair and should be illegal.

But apparently the proposed regulation will not be subject to a vote by Congress and is NOT legislation. Instead, the IRS is simply required to use its expertise and experience to come up with the best policies."

Here is a little more information from the Arizona Charter Schools Association:

Protect Charter Teacher's Retirement Benefits

Old and New

2012-02-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

Calling it an important part of Western culture, members of a House committee voted Monday to let schools teach the Old and New Testaments to students in public high schools.

Bill to bring Bible onto High School

I find this kind of interesting and thought I might comment on it.

It is certainly controversial. I am sure some will say something like, "How dare they teach the Bible in public schools! It smacks of establishing a religion and will open the door for those evangelicals to make more converts and send more kids to pray around the flag pole. What is going on with this legislature!"

But, here are some reasons to include a study of the Old and New Testaments:

- The legislature is correct. Without an understanding of the Bible, it is literally impossible to understand many literary references. It also has had an undeniable affect in western civilization, and is difficult to understand the foundational background of our laws, ethos and culture without an understanding of the Bible.

- It is perfectly acceptable to study the tenants of other religions, from the deep held beliefs of the ancient Greeks to the text of the Bhagavad Gita to the tenets of secular humanism. There is no reason to exclude a study of the Bible simply because it's existence makes some people unreasonably angry.

On the other hand

- It is already perfectly acceptable to study the Bible as literature, or as a foundational cultural reference or as a religion. Why does a law need to be passed to implement this? Diane (my lovely wife) attended an Arizona High School not that long ago, and she had a course on the Bible as Literature. Did something shift, besides the volume of the voices of some in the culture, that made it necessary to codify a whole new course? It seems to be a bit of someone feeling the need to make a law about something so they can say they did something. Election season is now!

And a personal bias

I am very much in favor of schools that are "Christian" in beliefs, teachings and practice. I go so far as to say that our public education system, and especially our university's, seem to work hard to indoctrinate the young people in our culture to reject Christian beliefs. So, if you are a parent that wants your kids to learn about the Bible, flee the public school system as quick as you can. Or else do what you can to teach your children what you believe is the truth. If you are otherwise, then disregard my opinion.

And here is a reasonable statement from the ACLU (and some of you find that hard to believe) about the Bible in Public Schools:
The Bible in Public Schools: a First Amendment Guide

One of our own

2012-01-31T08:22:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, we lost one of our own, helicopter pilot Loren Leonburger, in a crash on the Waterman mountains.

Our unit did have the opportunity to work with him just prior to his passing. It was an honor.

Take some time to remember him by looking at a couple of links:

Friends remember

Pima County Sheriff's Department

Hundreds gather to remember

Rest in Peace Loren, and thank you for your service!

I think I found a nice little side job

2012-01-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

I just saw that the Pima Association of Governments and the City of Tucson is ready to spend $300,000 on a consultant to do a study about the proposed streetcar plan. Here are the requirements, as reported on azstarnet:

"The consultant will prepare a "Tucson Modern Streetcar Land Use and Development Implementation Plan." There have been 11 previous planning studies of the area, according to a PAG document.

The consultant would study properties within a quarter mile of the streetcar line; the potential for streetcar-oriented development; and the city's existing land-use plans, zoning maps, and development and design standards. Then the consultant would make policy recommendations about streetscapes, parking and housing. The scope of work calls for the consultant to meet with any stakeholder affected by the project and pay special attention to the historic West University neighborhood."

The local news reports that, according to the City Manager, the "...consultant's report will validate and supplement his staff's reports."

I figure I need a staff of three to complete this project. I will be the lead consultant, since I will be the one applying, so I will take the lions share of the money. I need one person who can read, so they can look over the eleven previous studies and one person who can type and knows how to use a word processing program.

Who's with me? And where do we apply?

Overwhelmed, and I like it

2012-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

I really just meant to pick up a couple of extra books to get me through the holidays. I figured, I could spend some time reading, which I find enjoyable and relaxing, and maybe I could learn a little something.

The problem is, the library has a seeming inexhaustible supply of books, so my eyes were bigger than my holiday. I suppose that it also didn't help that we had our annual holiday movie viewing spree.

Here are some books that I have been working on or have recently read. They each had some interesting and great stuff. All of them had more to recomend in them than I could possibly put here, so I will just throw in a quote I liked from each of them and a link to a summary. So if you are looking for something to read, consider something from this list:

Seal Team Six

"The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday"

Leadership and Crisis

" A surprising number of Americans do not see the connection between the growth of government and the loss of freedom."

The Midas Touch

"It’s next to impossible to build a successful business without relationships. But you can do it without partners if you are capable of structuring deals and bringing in the right talent for specific projects."

Rin Tin Tin

"He's so tough I have to feed him manhole covers for breakfast."

The End Of Molasses Classes

"Create moments that will have a lasting impact on children's lives."

Primetime Propaganda

"...there has been no more powerful voice in our culture than television."

The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor

Ok, nothing really useful in this one. This one was just for fun. But here is something:

"No one is more shocked by Brian's actions than Brian......"

Commitment Card

2012-01-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

During the civil rights campaign in Birmingham, Dr. King required that everyone participating with him sign a pledge committing to do ten things.

Would you have stood with Dr. King and pledged to do all ten? Which ones would you not be willing to do?

Martin Luther King Jr., 1963

I hereby pledge myself—my person and body—to the nonviolent movement. Therefore I will keep the following ten commandments:

1. Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.

2. Remember always that the non—violent movement seeks justice and reconciliation — not victory.

3. Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.

4. Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.

5. Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.

6. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.

7. Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.

8. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.

9. Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.

10.Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.

I sign this pledge, having seriously considered what I do and with the determination and will to persevere.

Name____________________

Address__________________

Phone___________________

Nearest Relative___________

Address__________________

Besides demonstrations, I could also help the movement by: (Circle the proper items)

Run errands, Drive my car, Fix food for volunteers, Clerical work, Make phone calls, Answer phones, Mimeograph, Type, Print Signs, Distribute leaflets.

ALABAMA CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Birmingham Affiliate of S.C.L.C.

505 1/2 North 17th Street

F.L. Shuttlesworth, Presiden

Religious Slaughter

2012-01-12T13:46:00.001-08:00

I recently heard a lecture that, in part, was discussing the idea that most of the violent problems of the world, historically and presently, are a result of religious differences.

Here are a few of the arguments against that that the lecturer provided and which I found interesting.

For a few moments, lets put aside Islamic radical terrorist Al Quaida types. True, religion has driven them to slaughter countless adherents to other religions, or at least those who are not Islamic, or not Islamic enough.

Let's look instead at slaughter perpetuated because of Christianity, or Christianity in conflict with other religions.

We always talk about the crusades. How many were slaughtered because of religious differences? Ok, I shouldn't have brought that up. I don't know how many people Christians and Muslims slaughtered over 1,000 years ago. Let's look at some more recent infamous examples:

The Inquisition.
Specifically the Spanish Inquisition. About 2,000 were murdered as a result of that. 2,000 is a dreadful number. And while it was certainly evil, wrong and a shameful blight on those who call themselves believers, the numbers equal about 6 people a year during that time.

The Salem Witch Trials
America's own infamous massacre. If you know about it at all, you know that it was induced by ridiculous religious frenzy and superstition, leading to the death of 19 people. Evil and wrong, certainly. A shameful blight? Yes.

the Huguenot Wars
A terrible blight on religion. These wars between "Christian" groups included the infamous St. Barthalomew's Day Massacre, which the slaughter of about 3,000 Huguenots came to be known.

What about some modern examples?

Northern Ireland?
Thousand have died in the fighting between Catholics and Protestants, but a closer look reveals that the conflict has more to do with political control than it does religion.

The Isreali/Palestine conflict?
Putting aside the radical Islam thing, it has more to do with land and political control than religion.

The Hutus and Tutsis in Rawanda
Although many of these people claim to be religious, the fighting and slaughter of upwards of 1/2 a million came from class warfare rather than religion.

So it is difficult to find religious driven violence in modernity, putting aside, once again, the radical Islam thing.

Compare that with violence driven by or perpetuated by atheism or atheists in recent memory.

Consider the over 60 million killed by the atheists Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao Tse Tung.
Some will argue that the holocaust was an atheist thing too, since the many of the philosophies of the Nazi Party were Atheistic, Secular Humanistic, etc. And how many did they do away with? 6 million Jews, millions of others just for being gypsy's, black, homosexuals and others that they considered genetically less desirable. But, The Nazis didn't completely scorn religion, preferring instead to pretend to have it when it suited them and twist it for their own purposes. And many of those they killed were in a desire to run the whole world.

On the other hand:
Some of those that the atheist communists killed were because they held onto religious beliefs. So one could throw that down as an argument that religion cause their deaths too.

It seems to me that all this killing is a result of human nature, which is damaged and twisted. Religion, in my opinion, and whether or not you believe it, does provide a modicum of self control.

But, when the beliefs that provide this restraint are ignored and twisted, it can lead to tragedy,as in the historical twisting of Christian Theology that led to the Inquisition, Salem, etc.

When moral beliefs based on divine law are completely disregarded, it leads to devastating atrocity, as in the holocaust, the murderous regimes of communism, Rwanda, etc.

I will not.

2012-01-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

I will not blog about politics.

Tempting as it is.

I will tell you a little about some of my latest reads, including Bobby Jindal's book "Leadership and Crisis".

Tune back in soon.

A little late for this

2012-01-03T12:11:00.000-08:00

If you have a lot of extra time, you can listen to this message I did a few years ago at our Church:

The Cure For The Common Christmas

Seriously, plan on doing something else while you listen, because it is about 40 minutes long. It is too late to help you this year, but you can start planning an exceptional Christmas now!

Enjoy!

That'll change everything

2012-01-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Some of us make resolutions for the New Year that we hope will change our lives for the better.

Nothing wrong with that, but we probably won't keep these resolutions unless we make the corresponding changes in habit.

Like, I am going to lose X number of pounds this year.....but continuing to eat just the same.
Or , I am going to stop having every third word out of my mouth a swear word....but continue to talk just the same.
Well, you get the idea.

But, I have discovered that it is much easier to want to change a habit than it is to actually change it.

Here are some things that could help:

Spend some time with people that are living/doing/being where you want to go.

If you want to get in shape, hang out with some people who are already there, or working towards it. If you want to get closer to God (which I think you should, by the way), spend some time with some people who are trying to do the same. If you want to get your finances in order, sign up for a Financial Peace Course.

Watch what you are filling your head with.

Use your spare time to help you meet that goal by reading about, learning about and viewing things that help you make the change you are wanting to make.

Read the book: Change Anything.

It will help you understand the processes of changing habits in the following areas:

It'll also help you understand how change is not about motivation, but about how we are blinded and outnumbered by the things that make our habits hard to change. At least check out the video on the link.

That's it.

There you go. Three easy steps and you will be much more likely meet your goals and keep your resolutions this year. You're welcome.

Holiday Entertainment

2011-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

This year, I had the blessing of spending some extra time with the family during the holiday season. One of the things we did together was to enjoy some screenings of some Christmas themed films at the 6th Street Casa.

Here are the ones we took in:

It's a Wonderful Life - Operating under the assumption that attitude is one of the most important parts of life, we make a point of taking this one in every year. This year was no exception. Christmas Eve found us with some treats, a warm fire and watching George Bailey discover that his attitude about life trumps his circumstances. Especially at Christmas.

The Three Godfathers -this is a 1948 movie about three outlaws that come across a dying women and her baby while on the run in a very fake Arizona landscape at Christmas time. They movie highlights their efforts to keep a promise to her to care for the baby, despite having to survive for days from the water of three small barrel cactus and having to cross some desert. It is cheesy, campy and very improbably, but what is Christmas-time without a John Wayne movie? And it manages to throw in a Christmas theme.

Emmet Otter's Jugband Christm as - The children claim they hate this one, but somehow I got them to sit through this forty some minute of some poverty stricken puppet things that enter a talent show. I saw this on HBO when I was growing up and feel compelled to watch it at the holidays. Maybe it is like Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory with his compulsion to buy The Catcher in the Rye whenever he sees it.

The Muppet's Christmas Carol -this is a fun retelling of the Classic Tale with a major theme about how changing your attitude can change your life, and your legacy. We decided to go with this version instead of the newer version with Jim Carrey because it is more fun. And, that weird "performance capture" animation stuff is creepy. And, the two heckling judges play the ghost(s) of Marley(s). That almost made the whole movie.

We are open for suggestions for next years round of holiday entertainment.

Losing it

2011-12-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

I am usually not one to get all wrapped up in trends or to be swept along by societal norms, but I think I am stuck in one now.

Recently, I decided that it would be a healthy thing for me to lose some weight and get into better shape. with both my Dad and his Dad dying at heart disease at the age of 64, it may pay off to take care of myself.

So, like millions of others, I strapped on my running shoes, counted a few calories and cut back on all sorts of delicious foods. Not all foods that are delicious, mind you. Just some of the over processed ones that are so prevalent in our diets today.

Actually, like it is with many things, the rewards have outweighed the work. I am more energetic, I feel better about the way I look, I feel better about being a steward of what I was given and I can run faster than you.

One of my concerns has been losing strength. What if I am not strong enough to wrestle my little brother to the floor? That is an important consideration. So, I have been working hard to maintain muscle while I lose pounds. I can now actually do pullups again. Maybe it is because I am lighter.

But, it I am not strong enough to wrestle my little brother to the floor, I know that I can at least outrun him.

Let me know if you are on a similar journey. I'd be glad to throw some encouragement your way.

Retention, and a lack of it.

2011-12-15T17:46:00.000-08:00

Ethan, our youngest, recently had a bout with some sort of a stomach thing.

The bacteria/virus/bad food/24 hour flu/insert whatever else you think it might have been kept him up for most of the night emptying the contents of his stomach in a loud and dramatic fashion. Not only was this dramatic, but he managed quite a bit of his own drama as well.

But, even as the pain and discomfort overwhelmed his normal coping mechanisms and the flip - flopping of his stomach threw him into similar emotional spasms, he retained the information about anatomy that was recently pumped into his head.

"Now all that is coming out is the Yellow Bile!", He exclaimed.

Now my only concern is that he will start trying to balance all his bodily humors, like some a medieval doctor.

Greater Things

2011-12-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

I have recently been chewing through Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, which is about James Garfield, his would be assasin, Charles Giteau and the events prior to and surrounding this historical episode.

One thing that struck me was some similar, but widely divergent views the two men held.

When Garfield was 16 years old, he wanted to be at sea and took a job on a boat on the Erie canal, the closest he could come to a seafaring life. On one occasion, he plunged into the canal and faced certain death, had it not been for a rope that was hanging over the side of the boat, which he used to painstakingly haul himself to safety. When he reached the top, he discovered the rope was attached to....nothing. It should have plunged into the water when he grabbed it. Instead, a knot had temporarily hung up on something and allowed him to pull himself to safety.

Believing this event was a providential sign that he was meant for bigger and better things, he left the waterborne life and went to school. Plunging himself into his studies, he became renowned as a scholar. he also served with distinction and gathered some fame for his service in the Civil war, and was elected to congress. After years of diligent service and hard work, he won the Republican nomination in 1880 and became the 20th President.

Charles Giteau claimed that in 1873, he was on the ill-fated Steam Boat Narragansett as it collided with another vessel, caught fire and sank. Although his name was not on the list of passengers, he claimed that this brush with death left him with the distinct understanding that God had something great in mind for him.

When great things did not materialize, Giteau grew frustrated and delusional. This led to his anger being directed at the President, Garfield. He considered Garfield's victory due to s speech he gave and believed he deserved to be an ambassador, When this did not materialize, he eventually decided (or was commanded by God) to shoot the president, which he did.

The views of these two men after incidents where they believed they were clearly saved by providence struck me.

One decided that he was destined for greater things and worked hard to prepare himself, to move in that direction and to be ready for, what turned out to be a life of scholarship and service, which eventually led to the Presidency

The other, believing better things were in store for him, waited for them to happen and grew bitter when "great" opportunities did not arise and when circumstances did not happen in his favor.

Perhaps we are destined for greater things. Are we preparing for them, in spite of circumstances and setbacks, or are we waiting for them and growing angry when they do not come quick enough?

The Mighty Joint

2011-12-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

Submitted purely for your reading pleasure:

I don't like to call the police on my neighbors. It seems a little ridiculous to be reporting them for this and that all the time. The only time I have really thought about has been after several nights in a row of parties starting after the bars close several nights in a row. And the other neighbors beat me to the punch, so I didn't have to call.

But, I actually did call on some neighbors the other day.

I know smoking a joint is considered a "victimless" crime, and I wouldn't generally do a thing if I smelled ganja smoke wafting in the breeze.

But, when you live with your open carport facing the park and whenever people (like me) run by on the little path around the park you decide to look all angry at them when they smell your weed blasting into the park, you might expect that the people running by might call the cops. After all, their are children playing around there.

So, I actually called them up. Yes, I called the cops on a bunch of teens sitting around smoking weed. The call taker let me know that someone would be right out. Yeah, sure. I didn't think anyone would, but just in case, it would be nice to at least chase the pot heads back inside.

A few hours later, I got a call from the department.

Did I think the guys were still out toking it up right next to the park?

Only if their joint was something like The Mighty Joint from History of the World Part 1.

Don't worry, after they had a few more hits, I am sure they were no longer angry with me.

Tactical Timeout

2011-12-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

I spent most of the week doing a bit of tactical training.

One of the tecniques we practiced heavily was known as bounding. When I explained this to Diane, her image of us bounding out in the fields was a bit more like the picture above.

Just to be clear, we were bounding, not frolicking. I think the technical term is Bounding Overwatch.

'Tis the season

2011-11-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

I know the retailers, and many of us, keep gearing up earlier and earlier for Christmas. But, let's not forget Thanksgiving.

I like it because it reminds me to be thankful. When I am thankful, I am in a much better mood than when I am pissed off.

Selfish reason, I know, but everyone around me seems to prefer it when I am in a good mood too. those around you probably like it better as well.

So, take some time to be thankful during this season.

If my reasons aren't good enough, here is a link to the 100 times the word "Thanks" is found in the Holy Bible.

Kicked out and fired

2011-11-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

Just for fun, I thought I would fill you in on some of the places I have been kicked out of. Each one has a story of it's own, and maybe I will fill you in on them sometime. But for now, here they are:

- The grounds of the California State Capitol. Actually, it was from the very place depicted in the photo.

- The top of the tallest building in Tucson.

- The Stage coach at Old Tucson. That was more a kicked off of. Well, I guess we were kicked out of the inside.

- The Hinky Dinky grocery store in McCook, Nebraska.

- The Freshman play, "You Can't Take it With You".

That's all I can think of right now. Surely there are more.

The only job I have have been fired from was a Church job. At the Church, I told my boss I was resigning the night before. He told me not to be hasty and to think about it. Then, the next day, he told me I was being let go from the job. But, they asked me to stick around and do the same things I was doing. It was a little weird.

Oh, I think I was fired from Walmart. But only after I told them I was going on a trip. They told me I needed to find a replacement or that I should not bother coming back. I didn't find a replacement, so I never went back.

I wonder if any of you have been kicked out of anywhere good.

Two recent tomes

2011-11-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let you in on a couple of recent reads that we enjoyed.

The first:

Everything I want to do is illegal

by Joel Salatin

If have seen the movie "Food, Inc", perhaps you will recall the organic farm, Polyface Farms, highlighted in the movie.

The owner/operator of the farm wrote this book to bring to light his struggles with the bureaucracy of the food establishment and some of the reasons why locally grown natural food can be so expensive and difficult to get.

Some of his stories are downright absurd examples that, if someone has not dealt with government bureaucracy, they would have a hard time believing these things go on. Included in the stories of his struggles is how, even though his methods have been consistently shown to be more sanitary, he has been repeatedly harangued for not having the "proper" facilities.

If you are at all interested in what you eat, check out some of his material. We are now diving into his latest book, Folks, this ain't normal.

A little lighter reading Dude Perfect's Cory Cotton wrote Go Big.

Go big is the story of Dude Perfect and the steps to take your passions and dreams to the next level.

If you don't know about Dude Perfect, they are some college guys that shot some trick basketball shots in their yard, filmed it, put it on youtube and turned it into a dream job. The book talks about that journey and how you too can do some, well...BIG.

Take the time to find out more about them, put their game app on your iphone.....or just watch some of their shots. Here is their original video:

Occupy Our Thoughts

2011-11-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you with sympathies towards the occupy movement, I understand your feelings. It is difficult to look at one group of people who hold the majority of the wealth and seem to be unwilling to help out those with obvious needs.

While one group suffers, the wealthier group has plenty of food, quality education, homes filled with modern conveniences and luxuries and enough free time to take trips and enough disposable income for life's little pleasures.

However, it is my contention that those of us with this kind of wealth (see below to find out which category you and most of the protestors in the occupy movement fit into) should not be complaining that we don't have as much as another guy or about how our spending choices have made things difficult for us. Those of us with the top 2% of income in the world should be considering, not how we can get more, but how we can help those with less than us.

To help you figure out if you are on the wealthy list, check out this link:

I'm the 59,029,289 richest person on earth!

Discover how rich you are! >>

The gunfight

2011-10-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

This week marks the 130th anniversary of the "Gunfight at the OK Corral" in Tombstone.

By way of celebration (seems like the wrong word), I recently read The Last Gunfight, by Jeff Gunn.

I won't take the time to review it, but Field and Stream does a decent job of reviewing it here: Book Review: The Last Gunfight.

Mostly, I like this review because it has the sentence, "Let’s start with the title. It wasn’t the last gunfight in the Old West, and it didn’t take place at the O.K. Corral, and it didn’t change anything, but it probably is the real story of this infamous and deadly 30 seconds, or at least as close as anyone’s ever going to get to it."

I did skip a few chapters in the book so I could get to the gunfight, but it does have some interesting information about the gunfight and the lives of those involved in the years after the gunfight.

For those of us in Southern Arizona, an easier way to commemorate this relatively minor bit of gunplay that has become so famous would be to take a trip to Tombstone, billed as the Town To Tough To Die.

In Tombstone, you can see regular reenactments of varying and fanciful versions of THE gunfight, as well as see some excellent museums, and my personal favorite, the Boot Hill Cemetery, which includes a guide to the cause of death of many of it's occupants.

Unfortunately, as the reviewer said, it was far from the last gunfight out here in the west.

Taste of the Harvest Festival

2011-10-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, November 5th, I believe we will head to the Tucson Village Farm around 10:00 am for the second annual Taste of the Harvest Festival.

The farm is a program of the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona that is designed to teach urban kids about where food comes from and, as their website says, reconnect young people to a healthy food system, teach them how to grow and prepare fresh food, and empower them to make healthy life choices.

Here is the info about the Festival:

Time	05 November · 10:00 - 14:00

Location	Tucson Village Farm 4210 N. Campbell Ave.

Join us for a free event at the Tucson Village Farm, featuring live cooking demos, free food samples, farm fresh produce for purchase, gardening tips, games and activities, raffle and a petting zoo!

Anyone want to meet us there in the morning? We already have important other plans in the afternoon.

This week

2011-10-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

One of our instructors for this week plays the cop in the clip below. Just thought you would like to know.

*Warning....it has a naughty word in the clip. Do not watch if you are easily offended by the naughty word used in this video clip.*

Unmanly

2011-10-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

I have discovered that the myth of losing your man-card at marriage is just that, a myth. You still have one. However, it is now a punch card, so you need to be much more careful about how often you utilize your manly rights.

I opened with this because my computer has been down for a week. Hence the extended silence on here. Not only is it inconvenient, but it makes me feel deprived of my manly freedoms. Yes, I still have access to a computer, but it is Diane's and it is in the living room.

So, when I use it, I have to compete with four other people that want to be on it at the same time. When I finally tell them that it is my turn, everyone wants to see what I am doing, make noise, etc. etc. No, I do not have it that bad, but it is inconvenient and feels less manly than when my own computer is up and running.

So, to salve my feelings, I am remembering another activity I was involved in that others might consider unmanly:

I was in the High School Choir

(In my defense, I also played football, was in wrestling one year, ran track one year, played baseball and had a bike)

Yes, from the 9th to the 12th grade, I was in the choir. And I liked it. And here are some random references to that class -

- In the 9th and 10th grade, Mr. Philo was our teacher. Mr. Philo used to get very frustrated with us and his face would turn red. Once I remember him yelling "GOD......." and then, not wanting to swear in front of us, adding a ".....BLESS YOU ALL." But, he did a great job of introducing us to different styles of music and challenging us in our singing.

- The band teacher taught the class for one year. I liked him, but I am still not sure how that happened.

- The teacher who started during my senior year used to coach rock vocalists so they could do their thing without ruining their voices. I am not that grand of a singer, but I can still boom out some noise and not hurt my voice.

- For our senior holiday concert thingy, the teacher had some guy names Jeff Sack sing with us. I next saw him in Tucson touring with Rich Mullins, a popular "christian" recording artist at the time. I reminded him that I sang with him in McCook, but he didn't ask me on stage.

- We went to State competitions with our choir. Who even knew there was such a thing.

Diane is out shopping now, so hopefully my using this thing to make this post doesn't result in another hole punched in my man card. I will leave you with the lyrics to one of the songs we did at state (with only the males) when the band guy was the teacher:

Soldiers’ Chorus (from Faust)

Glory and love to the men of old,
Their sons may copy their virtues bold,
Courage in heart and a sword in hand,
Yes, ready to fight or ready to die for Fatherland.

Who needs bidding to dare by a trumpet blown?
Who lacks pity to spare, when the field is won?
Who would fly from a foe, if alone or last?
And boast he was true, as coward might do, when peril is past?
Glory and love to the men of old, their sons may copy their virtues bold.

Courage in heart and sword in hand,
Ready to fight for Fatherland.
Now home again, we come, the long and fiery strife of battle over.
Rest i pleasant after toil, as hard as ours beneath a stranger sun.
Many a maiden fair is waiting here to greet her truant soldier lover,
And many a heart will fail, and brow grow pale to hear the tale of peril he has seen.
We are at home

New Bling Bling

2011-10-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

I first became familiar with the work of Open Doors when I read the book "God's Smuggler" by a man named Brother Andrew. Brother Andrew used to smuggle Bibles into the former Soviet Union and then founded the organization Open Doors, which serves those persecuted for their beliefs worldwide.

I learned more about them when I was invited to join them on a trip to India to teach Church Leaders in several areas in that country. We went shortly after a pastor and his family were burned to death in their car by those that were unimpressed with the Pastor's belief system and the fact that he shared it with others.

Many of the men I met had stories of attacks on their families and fellow believers by those that were opposed to anyone freely believing what they choose to believe.

The organization has now started the One With Them initiative, to coincide with this years International Day Of Prayer. As they point out, 70% of the world lives where religious freedom is not an option. The One With Them initiative is an opportunity to show your solidarity with these people.

They are also offering, for free, the wristband pictured above. If you want to make the statement that you are One With those who share your faith, but not your freedom, you can order one up here: Get Your Wristband

You can show your solidarity with men like Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani in Iran. Originally sentenced to death in Iran for converting from Islam to Christianity, international outcry has caused Iran to rethink this verdict. Their rethinking has caused them to say that, "No, he was never sentenced to death." followed by them deciding that he was to be sentenced to death for extortion, rape and running a brothel, in spite of court records that clearly show that this was never mentioned until recently. Obviously, they want this guy dead for his beliefs. (read more about Pastor Youcef here and here).

So, I am proudly wearing my new bling bling, and you can too.

The Debt That All Men Pay

2011-09-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

The sad fact is, one day, all of us will leave this world and the life we have in it. I recently came across an interesting way to be ushered out.

If you have ever faced the death of a loved one, you know that many of the expenses involved can be shocking and ridiculous.

A group of Trappist Monks from the New Melleray Abbey near Dubuque, Iowa, came to the realization that they could help with this and help meet their values of engaging in manual labor and supporting themselves financially. In 1999, they began the Trappist Caskets Company, providing elegant handmade caskets at wholesale prices.

Much of the wood they use is from their sustainable 1200 acre forest and they also manage a fund to help families that lose a child purchase a casket.

The model I like is the premium shaped oak casket, pictured above, priced at $2500. Diane, who is much more frugal than I, and has always wondered why no-one is ever offered a simple pine box, was pleased to see the simple pine rectangular casket pictured below. Price, $1000.

I know it seems a bit morbid to pre-select a casket and I do not plan on dying anytime soon, but I am convinced that the death thing is not something anyone can put off forever. Oh, and If I end up in a different casket than the one I mentioned above, I really won't mind. I do have strong opinions about where I am buried, but I will tell you about that later.

Trappist Caskets

Courageous Review (Re-post)

2011-09-25T17:44:00.001-07:00

Here is a re-post of the review I did in June of the upcoming movie Courageous. It is in theaters this Friday.

On Thursday, Diane and I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the new Sherwood Pictures movie, "Courageous".

This movie, set to be released in September of this year, is from the creators of the movies "Fireproof" and "Facing the Giants". For those of you unfamiliar with these movies, they are produced by a Church in Georgia that believed they could reach the world from where they were. The result of this idea was Sherwood Pictures.

The last film, 'Fireproof" starred Kirk Cameron and focused on a firefighter trying to "fireproof" his failing marriage. This movie focused on cops and being a "courageous" father.

I enjoyed this movie, thought it was great that I got to be in on a special pre-screening and I thought the message was powerful and effectively presented. And, as a special treat, one of the main actors from the movie, Robert Amaya, joined us for the screening.

Since this is a review, I will throw out some criticisms of the movie first, since I am sure everyone wants to know what they are. Here ya go.

Cop Stuff

Since I am a Law Enforcement Officer, it is probably a little easier for me to be bothered by the cop stuff than other people might be. But there were a few things that rubbed me wrong. You will be happy to know that I decided to set them aside and enjoy the show, so I might have missed some things that would bug other cops. But here are a few:

-The officers decided to barge into a house while looking for two guys with warrants. This was questionable and quite possibly a fourth amendment violation, since it was unclear whose house they were entering.

-One of the deputies had his finger on the trigger at one point when they were clearing the house. this is a big no no, because it lends itself to what is called a sympathetic response. When the other hand squeezes a door knob or a loud noise is heard, the trigger finger can, unconsciously, squeeze off a round. The other cop was very good about having his finger indexed along the side of the gun.

- While they are clearing the house, another "rookie" deputy stands around like a dolt that doesn't realize they re looking for dangerous felons and is subsequently taken by surprise.

- None of these guys wear vests. I know (all too well) that it is hotter and you don't look as good on film, but if these guys really want to be good dads,they would have a better chance of being one if they weren't lung punched in a shootout.

- I did learn a new technique, called the "slingshot". When you are chasing someone on foot in your car, and then it is time for the passenger to jump out and start running after the guy you are chasing, you yell, "Slingshot!" If your partner is a veteran, he will know that when you put your car into a side-slide, he should jump out and use the momentum of the slide to help "slingshot" him into the bad guy. Even though I am a driving instructor, I have never learned this cool move. Maybe if I was a driving/foot chasing instructor.

Other Stuff

- The movie had a plethora of heavy themes. At times it seemed a bit much. The themes included Gangs, Drugs, Death of a Child, Job loss, Spending time with kids, Ethical and Moral failure, Making up for past mistakes, the Need for salvation and more.

-It was also very emotional. Dealing with the themes above all came with a very high emotional price. I know that many will say it was powerful, and it was. But, it was a little hard to keep facing one deep emotional issue after the next. If you don't usually cry at movies, or weddings, or graduations, or sporting events, or funerals, be ready to find yourself shedding a few tears. If you are a crier already, you will be done.

Ok, that is enough of the criticism. Here is some things that I liked, and maybe you will too.

The Good Stuff

- I appreciate that they are not afraid to release a major motion picture that portrays believers in a positive light, and shows them having major issues, and major mistakes, to deal with.

- They do a good job of bringing to light the fact that many of the woes we have in society have a good deal to do with children growing up without Dad.

- The acting is not so bad. Those of you that did not like Fireproof because of the acting or their brand of humor may have the same issues with this one. But they are constantly improving in their craft and, while they might be a bit over the top at times, they do a good job of making the characters believable and natural.

- They have some genuinely funny scenes. You gotta love that.

- It is not populated by just a bunch of white people. While they don't go out of their way to make sure every ethnic group is properly and politically correctly represented, they do show that their really is diversity in the ethnicity of believers.

- The message for Fathers (And parents in general) is powerful and made an impact on me as a Father. This movie really will change lives.

- I like a movie that has cops as the heroes. Sure, everyone loves firemen. They have the best show muscles, they help out everyone and they have all that cool gear and equipment. They may not look as good in calendars, but I am partial to cops.

This movie hits the screen on September 30th. In spite of my criticisms, I would definitely recommend you grab a group of friends and check it out. It will challenge you to be a better Dad, better parent, better person in general. And this can have an incredible effect on your life and the life of those around you.

Courageousthemovie.com

Misery to Ministry

2011-09-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

For people of faith, I heard from Steven Furtick today that God wants to use our misery to give us an opportunity to serve others.

What are some things that have made you miserable?

- Loss of a job
- Loss of Loved ones
- Seeing the Marriages of people you
care about crumble
- Seeing others starve
- Knowing that children are growing up
with no family

These things that make you miserable are the very areas where you can serve others.

What are some things that make me miserable?

When I think about it, many of them revolve around our decision to come here.

- The weather in the summer is harsh and miserable( ....;>]), so no-one ever seems to go outside.

- We left behind some of the best friends we have ever had and we have had difficulty making good friends here.

- I went from being the head of a successful organization that got to regularly spend time with the leaders of that organization and the leaders in the community to being the unknown low end of the organization I am with now.

- Our family no longer gets the support that comes from the position I had before, in terms of friendship, care and thoughts and prayers.

Perhaps in your eyes, our struggles seem petty. And maybe compared to yours, they are. But, they have been difficult for us.

Instead of being bitter, we are called to help others that are struggling in these areas.

To me, that has meant:
- Seeking to spend more time with my family, so they know that I am there for them, even when others are far away.
- Taking on the challenge of being a Chaplain to help others I work with with some of the unique challenges of the lifestyle our work demands.

And, I still need to discover where some of these other struggles will take me.

Where is it that you have been miserable? Can you embrace that misery and use it to bring some hope to someone else?

The Old neighborhood

2011-09-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

Photo guide for this post:

The First Picture: Bill's awesome trees, that provide shade (and leaves) for the neighborhood.

The Second Picture: Sal's Christmas Tree.

The Third Picture: Part of our former front porch

Last Monday, since we were in town to celebrate the anniversary of the Church, we stopped by the old neighborhood.

True to form, the neighbors came out to chat. It was almost as if we hadn't left. Almost.

The only one we didn't see, that we usually do, was Sal. Sadly, Sal's wife passed away this last year, so maybe he doesn't come out as much as he used to. I don't think I ever saw Sal's wife, but I heard she was made some excellent Italian dishes from Paul, who lives right next door.

We used to see Sal most every day, because he would come down to let us know that we needed to get rid of the Mulberry tree in our front yard and put in a "Christmas" Tree, like the one he had. Sal had lived in this neighborhood for at least 40 years and he was sick of raking up leaves from everyone else's trees. A "Christmas" tree is green all year long and never drops it's leaves into the neighbor's yard.

He especially doesn't like Bill's trees. Bill has two gorgeous gigantic Sycamore trees that always shaded the neighborhood from the hot afternoon sun. We loved them. They also tended to drop leaves all over the neighborhood. This drove Sal crazy.

Sal was so happy when we had a couple of guys chop down our Mulberry tree one day. His joy turned to sorrow when he caught us planting a Maple tree in the same spot. what we should have done, he told us, was put a Christmas tree, like he has, in our yard.

We miss the old neighborhood.

Re-Taxing

2011-09-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Property taxes are out again. They are higher this year, since our values are going down.

In Celebration of this, I decided to re-post last years celebration of property taxes going up as our home values plummet.

Notice that last year they went down ever so slightly. this year, since our home values went down even more, the taxes went up.

Here is that post:

Yesterday we got our bill (or statement or whatever they call it) for our property taxes in the mail from the County Assessors office.

According to however they decide property values, the value of our house went down about twenty nine thousand dollars from last year. This resulted in a reduction of our property taxes by about twenty nine dollars.

I would have to look at the numbers again to get the exact figures for this, but by extrapolating these numbers, I realized that if my house was condemned as a radioactive, zombie-infested pit that was completely destroyed and the Assessor decided the value was $0, I would still owe about $1,200 every year in property taxes.

Warrior Faith

2011-09-12T10:59:00.001-07:00

Next project concept:

A book about how warrior's can continue to survive and thrive in their spiritual lives in times of peace and war.

Including chapters on a philosophy of combat and killing, dealing with the aftermath of life and death situations, fitness and nutrition, finding focus in life, applying your warrior mindset to civilized society, finding spiritual support and strength and more.

Ok, it is in the concept phase (not the marketing phase where I actually make it sound like something you would want to read), but it sounds like fun.

In the meantime, I am enjoying cool river breezes, ocean waves and old friends in California.

Guys I am learning from these days.

2011-09-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

I have been privileged in the past to get some of my post school Churchy type learning from some guys that I think are some of the world's best teachers. And no, none of them taught me to write phrases like post-school-churchy-type-learning.

Now, through the wonders of modern technology, I can continue learning from some of the same guys I have learned from face to face in the past.

Here are the ones I have been listening to lately, from their respective Churches:

Northcoast Church
I studied leadership and group stuff from Larry Osborne of this Church. Now, I prefer listening to Chris Brown, pictured above. He is a teaching Pastor at Northcoast with the same ministry/leadership philosophies. I just think he is more fun to listen to.

Newsong Church
This multi-site Church, with it's original campus in Irvine, is led by Dave Gibbons. When I first met him, he told the fascinating story of being one of the few Asian/Caucasian-American kids at an unusual college that told him he had to decide if he was going to date Asian girls or Caucasian girls. Ever since then, I have enjoyed his honest look at what it means to live a life of faith.

Book of Life Church
I hear they stick their services online, but with this one, the technology that allows me to listen in is my automobile that drives me to the services. The Pastor, Steve, has been a friend since I did an "internship" with him after I graduated from school and he is one of the best guys I know at exposing what the bible says in a way that is both interesting and practical.

Foundation of Food

2011-08-31T11:20:00.001-07:00

The world we live in, although a beautiful place, is also a broken place. Beneath the beautiful facade, we see bits and pieces of evidence that show us that not all things are as they should be. We do what we can to keep the broken pieces from crushing us.

The more noble among us do what they can to help others from being crushed.

Our very good friends, Jason and Nichole, fall into this category.

At an very young age, their daughter was diagnosed with FPIES. Here is what that is:

Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome
is a rare, severe food allergy of the gut. Classic symptoms to this allergy are delayed following food ingestion (~2hrs or more) and include profound vomiting (often to bile), diarrhea and dehydration. These symptoms can quickly lead to lethargy, change in body temperature and blood pressure, and in severe cases, sepsis-like shock. Immediate medical attention is needed for IV hydration and monitoring.

Since FPIES is very rare, and the medical community as a whole knows very little about it, is has been life changing and crushing for them to deal with watching their daughter nearly starve to death because every food was making her violently ill.

As they have navigated through it, they have also connected with other families that are walking the same road. Together, these families have determined to start a foundation to help others that are facing this issue.

Here is what Nichole has to say about why they are a part of this:

"The unknown can be crippling for parents, as well medical professionals. We were met repeatedly with 'we just don't know' and 'there are no studies'. After nearly watching my 18 month old starve to death, I resolved that no parent should experience the pain or fear of navigating FPIES alone. There is hope, there can be healing, and you are not alone."

Here is the link to their new foundation: The FPIES Foundation

Here is Nichole's retelling of her daughter Ellie's story: Ellie's Story (from birth to GAPS)

Farewell Friend

2011-08-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

I first met my friend Andy when I was beating around Northern California. We had him play at our Church a few times then even retained him for a while as an "artist in residence."

At the time, he was the worship leader for Spirit West Coast (a Christian Music festival that also doubles as a place to wear all of your obnoxious Christian T-shirts) and an associate artist for World Vision (helping needy kids get sponsors).

When I moved out here, we were able to get him to show up a couple of times to play a couple of services at a couple of Churches. This all while he still lived in California.

A few years ago, I was pleased to hear that he was moving to Arizona. Even though we weren't able to see him and his awesome family as often as we liked, it was nice knowing that they weren't too far away. Because, besides enjoying his music, we enjoyed their company.

Recently, he announced that they are up and moving to Oceanside. Wow. Only a 7 hour or so drive, but it seems a world away.

So, Andy and Pam, we will miss you guys!

On the bright side, we do get out that way at least a few times a year (much more often than we dare to go to Phoenix), so maybe we will get to see you more often now that you are farther off.

If you are so inclined, please join me with prayers for their family.

Here is his website, if you want to know a bit more about him: Andy Allen

And here is a recent performance he did of the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor:

Not political, just pondering

2011-08-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

I recently received my primary election ballot in the mail and took the time to fill it out and send it in, since our elections this time around are strictly by mail.* Since I am in the city and I am a registered Republican, there was only one office that I was voting for in the primary, the office of the Mayor (or, Alcalde, as the ballot pointed out to non-English reading Spanish readers).

Since the only candidate the party is fielding is a write in candidate, the ballot was blank and I had to fill in the name of the write-in guy, making sure I spelled it correctly. Fortunately I was able to read either Spanish or English so I could do so. If I was an Amharic or French only reader, I would have been disenfranchised. Why the elections board does not consider that, I do not know.

I am curious why our party was only able to field a write-in candidate. Did the elections kind of sneak up on us? I am sure there is a good explanation. I just haven't heard it yet.

Of course, this is the same local party that disappointingly brought us the guy that thought we should all make a living as drug smugglers, as the party chairman.

He was in the military, has a pretty wife and and nice family.

I was in the military, I have a pretty wife and a nice family. Maybe I can be the chairman. Does it pay?

*Unless you, like everyone else, forgot to fill out your ballot and mail it in. They will still have seven different polling places around town where you can go vote. Take your ballot with you.

Just a few more and we should all be fine.

2011-08-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

A case for increasing government regulations in every area of our lives.

"It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error."
-- U.S. Supreme Court in American Communications Association v. Douds.

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpation."
President James Madison (1751-1836) speech, Virginia Convention, 1788

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government."
Thomas Paine

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first."
-- Thomas Jefferson

Wear it!

2011-08-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

A word from the wise elder to the young warrior:

Make sure you always wear your vest.
Credit to Demetri Martin for inspiring this guy's video.

I walk the line

2011-08-22T12:14:00.001-07:00

Those of us that have been to Sunday School have been told not to take the Lord's name in vain, and many have been whacked, scolded or lectured if they were heard to throw out an Oh My G--, J---- H. C----, or something like it.

It certainly borders on disrespect and a lack of reverence to throw around God's name. But here is what I think is a better definition of taking the Lord's name in vain.

It has been said that taking the Lord's name in vain is attributing something to him that he never said. An example might be God told me this or that, when God didn't really have anything to do with that particular statement.

Remember the crazy Irish guy from the movie Braveheart?

When we see him in different scenes in the movie, he is always taking a time out to talk with God. Here is a little dialog from the scene when we first meet him in the movie:

Stephen: [starts laughing] Him? That can't be William Wallace. I'm *prettier* than this man!
[to the sky]
Stephen: Alright, Father, I'll ask him.
[to William]
Stephen: If I risk my neck for you, will I get a chance to kill Englishmen?
Hamish: Is your father a ghost, or do you converse with the Almighty?
Stephen: In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God.
[to the sky]
Stephen: Yes, Father!
[to Hamish]
Stephen: The Almighty says, "Don't change the subject, just answer the ... question."

I am afraid that sometimes those of us that are believers come across a bit like the crazy Irish guy. People wonder if we are nuts if we say God told us something. And if we say he told us something that he didn't, we probably are nuts.

But, I believe God really does speak to us.

As you can see, there seems to be a fine line between following God and nuts. and both sides of the line look surprisingly similar, if you look at some of the lives of people in the Bible.

How can you know if you are following and hearing God in your life, or if you have slipped across the line?

Here's a couple of ideas:

1) Don't go it alone.
In other words, have some other people you trust hear your thoughts, ideas, especially when you think they are from the Almighty. We can get very weird when we are alone.

2) Check it out
If we believe in God and his word, we can check and see if we are rolling towards crazy or if we are in line with what he has already said. of course, it is easy to twist things to fit our own view, so please reference #1 above.

I spent the day at church, so please excuse if you think I sound too preachy today...:>).

You don't know me, but you make me so happy.

2011-08-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Music can have an odd effect on us.

When we first moved back to Tucson, I was at a meeting with a group of Church Planters (code for pastor guys who work to form up new Churches), when someone or something reminded me of the song Jenny Jenny/867-5309 by the band Tommy Tutone.

Since the meeting was going slow, and everyone tried it back in the 80's, I dialed up the number, 867-5309.

The message on the phone was something to the effect of, 'Hey you idiot. it is no longer the 80's and this is not Jenny. Try doing something else with your life and stop calling this number!"

The voice on the line was that of a young lady tho. I think it really may have been her.

The number, at least the one here, has sadly been disconnected. At least it was when I tried it the other day.

Try it in your area and let me know if she answers.

Anyone else a fan of Serenity?

2011-08-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Performance Date: 9/24/2011, 6:00 pm

Can't Stop the Serenity is a multi-national effort by fans of Joss Whedon's series Firefly and subsequent film Serenity to raise funds for Joss Whedon's favorite charity, Equality Now, a foundation dedicated to promoting equality for women throughout the world. The event here in Tucson will be hosted by the Arizona Browncoats and Fox Theater and will benefit not only Equality Now but the Southern Arizona Women's Foundation as well, serving women and children throughout southern Arizona.

The screening will start with Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog followed by Serenity.

Bribery

2011-08-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

For those that have been waiting for a true tale of a small town church, here is the first of 'em:

Disclaimer: These notes are not intended to "bash" the Church or denigrate anyone in particular. I believe in people and I believe in the Church. They are going to be shared point out how far off base our "spirituality can get, both individually and corporately, when we are left to our own devices. And so you can have a little fun. These things really happened and most of them were really funny.

I had just turned 25 when I was asked to come take the helm at a small church in a small town. So small was the Church that I was later informed by the D.S. (District Superintendent, kind of like a Bishop of an area, but more protestanty) that he was all ready to shut down the Church, but then heard that I was coming, so he thought he would just let me hang around for a while. Ask me, I will tell you all the reasons why he wanted to close it down.

My first week or so in, one of the older fellows drops by my office. I knew him, because when I was up in front talking he would let off noises if he agreed or disagreed or wanted me to say something he agreed with or noticed someone did something he didn't agree with.

He always sat in the back and we would all hear loud "haaawwww!"'s and "waaaaacks"'s coming from him at various times in the service.

So, on this day, he comes by and tells me he has a sermon he would like me to deliver. He proceeds to hand me this typed up thing talking how people were hugging in Church and he was just disgusted. He called it fondling when people would hug for more than three seconds and it was filled with all sorts of other nonsense. I think I might still have the document around somewhere, but I am not sure of that.

He then pulls out a fifty and says that he knows my family is short on money since we just moved there and all and he would like to help us out.

"I've just been bribed", I thought.

So, I graciously accepted the bill and proceeded to ignore the entire conversation. I figured he would need to throw quite a few more fifties my way before I repeated anything he said in the paper he handed me.

Before I was able to collect any more of his money, he and his wife left the Church in an angry tizzy and started attending the Baptist Church the next block over.

Since I was friends with the Pastor there, he happily shared with me how he took the time to make sure this old fellow was watching when he gave a hug to some gal in his Church. The fifty dollar fellow then shot the over the shoulder parting salvo of, "I abhor Pastor's who hug." My friend promptly jumped in front of him and said, "Then you need to find a new Church!"

He didn't, but he was quiet from then on out.

Shout Outs to My Children

2011-08-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. - Psalms 127:4

Just want to take a moment to brag about my kids. Hopefully, you will be inspired to brag a little about yours.

Here they are:

Thomas. currently deployed to Afghanistan as a Human Intel collector for an infantry unit and with a wife and young son of his own at home, Tom is shouldering some heavy burdens. We are proud of his service and glad of the years we had together. Hope to see him soon.

Emily. Like a race horse tensely pawing at the earth as it approaches the starting gates, this one eagerly waits to charge out into the world. She is creative, naturally talented and studious. We love you Em, and we enjoy your company.

Abigail. She is Always glad to have us around, which makes us glad to be around her. Not everything comes as naturally to her, but she also works more diligently than any of us to get things right. We love you Abby and we like you too.

Ethan. Stronger than he probably should be, this guy is naturally adept at mechanical things and is able to lighten the atmosphere (at least for himself) in most any situation. we are proud of you and look forward to seeing the man you are becoming.

There, be inspired.

On the Bookshelf this week, or maybe this week and next

2011-08-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

They might be right.

2011-08-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

It was frustrating for me, unbearable for his family.

2011-07-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

A book "that every cop in America should read," said one of the taglines to the book Bringing Adam Home. And they may be right.

I had intended on finishing up a few books on vacation, but I didn't get to all of them. Hey, it was vacation. But, I did get through this one, which I originally picked up for my wife, Diane.

Bringing Adam Home is the story of the investigation of the kidnapping and murder of Adam Walsh, son of John Walsh of America's Most Wanted Fame. In the book, you feel the palpable frustration of a mystery that is not solved until very recently, in spite of John's efforts to bring numerous other fugitives to justice.

The reasons that the investigation took so long involve the ego, the unsubstantiated pre-conceived notions of the investigators and the bureaucratic stonewalling of the agency.

In this fascinating story, the lead investigators had numerous confessions of a suspect that had substantial information that only the killer could have, yet this was overlooked and ignored. I still am not sure if the primary motivation was laziness or a desire to have the credit for finding the killer. But either way, the story spells out the grindingly frustrating investigation and the department's later lack of elan in working the case, due to it's concern about avoiding embarrassment regarding it's most prominent case.

The book also brings light to how the abduction of Adam Walsh led to many of the things that missing children and missing person investigators now take for granted, like Amber Alerts and Nationwide databases.

The chilling descriptions of young Adam's abduction and murder, as well as the descriptions of other murders his killer was involved with, make this book one to avoid for the faint of heart. But it holds much for anyone interested in this case, the machinations of an investigation, or those simply looking for an interesting read.

For more info about the book, go to: Bringing Adam Home

Whirling Dervishes

2011-07-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

We are off for a time in the land of Red Rocks and an odd blend of New Age and Old West, otherwise known as Sedona.

Since we are here, we decided to get all into the tourist thing and start our morning off with one of those guided hikes that the resort provides.

Another thing Sedona is known for is it's vortexes. I realize that the plural of vortex is vortices, but around here it is vortexes. If you don't know, a vortex is a place where all sorts of spiritual energy comes out of hell or something to infuse you with it's weird power and make you happy for a little while. It also helps you if you grind up gypsum weed and smoke it prior to your journey to the vortex.

Our hiking guide seems to have been a bit of a skeptic. He told us about how the vortexes, when they were identified, were all curiously placed. It seems that, among the group identifying where these anomolies were, was a rather heavy lady. Not a hiker at all. Strangely enough, all the vortexes were found to be close to roads and parking lots, even though they had been in place for thousands of years.

Actually, it is rather convenient. Especially if you are not much of a walker, but you still want all the benefits of a strange psychic journey.

Maybe tomorrow I will tell you about how we almost got Weird Cowboy Al fired after he told us about the 7 directions.

Are there more kooks in small towns, or are they just easier to spot?

2011-07-19T09:11:00.001-07:00

In 1995, I went to a small town in Arizona to take the helm for the first time as Pastor of a Church. Some of the most ridiculous antics involving people that I have ever seen happened during my tenure there and the time I spent on staff at another Church in the same town. I thought I would share some of those stories with you in the coming days.

Some of the the wild goings on include:

- How Pastor Stan got his "man crush" on Pastor Sean (not their real names).
This one has one of the Pastors screaming at the pizza lady and me riding all around town as he chased after his wife's extra-curricular lover.

- Why the Old Lady didn't need another Bible Study and what she said she needed instead.
This story includes why she thought Emily's hair looked better than all those "Mexican babies" and how I got back at their friends for secretly recording our conversations.

- The only bribe I was ever offered.
This includes the reason why the man abhors certain pastors and quacking like a duck from the back of the room where all the quilts and pillows were stacked.

Disclaimer: These notes are not intended to "bash" the Church or denigrate anyone in particular. I believe in people and I believe in the Church. They are going to be shared point out how far off base our "spirituality can get, both individually and corporately, when we are left to our own devices. And so you can have a little fun. These things really happened and most of them were really funny.

AND

The picture is of the actual building of the 1st Church where I was the Pastor. Some other group has their sign on it in this picture, but it is now of historical significance.

Used To,

2011-07-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we can feel like a collection of used to's.

Take me, for instance.

I used to SCUBA dive, but I haven't done that for years. I quit my job to go on a dive trip, and then I didn't have the money to do it any more.

I used to be a soldier, but that only lasted a few years. My enlistment time ran out, and I was interested in other things.

I used to be a student, but I got tired of always going to class and not getting paid for what I did with my time.

I used to be a preacher, but no-one has asked me to do that in a while.

I used to kayak in the whitewater, but there is no water around here, so I keep my kayak in California.

I used to regularly train at a martial arts place, but I decided I should spend my time and money on other things.

I guess it is okay to have some used to's, but I think I need a new schtick. Anyone up for some skydiving?

Brian Miller/Pima County GOP Update.

2011-07-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

I know the whole SWAT shooting thing is so two months ago (to the day, as it turns out), but repercussions are ongoing.

Do you remember the story? Our SWAT went to a house to serve a warrant, a man inside is waiting for them with a rifle and he gets shot and dies.

The Chairman of the Pima County Republican party immediately calls it a murder, says that we are all __________ ___________ (the man who was shot in the warrant) and calls for everyone to show up at a vigil at the man's house.

In recent news, the Executive Board of the Party asked Miller to resign, based on these outlandish and inflammatory statements. He refused, saying that he would have them all voted out and now the issue rests on the backs of the Precinct Committeemen.

Whatever the result of all this will be, it will be less than graceful.

Here is the latest from the Pima GOP:

Pima GOP Statement Regarding Brian Miller

The role of the Republican Party is clear: to elect candidates and support those candidates once elected. The recent statements and actions of Chairman Brian Miller have not served to further those goals, but rather the opposite. Mr. Miller’s statements regarding the SWAT raid have created serious problems for our elected officials, money raising efforts and have divided the Party. Mr. Miller was given repeated opportunities to either mend these fences or resign his position, and has chosen to do neither. Instead, he has continued to make controversial statements to the press.

As is the case with any organized governing body, no elected officer should be off in their own direction. This is especially important for the Chairman position. When the leader of an organization speaks for himself instead of the body that he was elected to, then division and chaos are the result. That is an unacceptable position for any organized body to be in and yet that is where the Pima GOP finds itself today.

Furthermore, in recent days serious questions have been raised as to the use of Party funds under Mr. Miller’s leadership. Mr. Miller has contracted for thousands of dollars of spending without proper Executive Committee oversight or approval which is in violation of the Committee bylaws.

In light of these concerns, the Pima GOP Executive Committee has chosen to strip Mr. Miller of his authority as Chairman. The Precinct Committeemen of Pima County have called a special meeting and we will be convening as soon as possible to vote on a bylaws change. If that passes the PCs will decide whether they wish to remove Mr. Miller from the board.

Running Scared

2011-07-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), closed down several of our local school facilities due to a lack of funds. They entertained offers and ideas from the community about what they could do with the facilities.

Included in these offers were proposals to purchase some of the facilities by local Charter Schools, another form of public school that we have in Arizona.

It seems that TUSD is concerned about selling the facilities to the Charter Schools. It sounds like it is because they are afraid these schools will thrive where they have not.

Here are a couple of thoughts from TUSD as reported by our local paper:

Despite the high offers, TUSD Governing Board Clerk Judy Burns isn't too keen on the idea of negotiating with charter schools.

"Personally, my feeling is if we couldn't sustain a school there, we shouldn't give someone else the opportunity to do so," Burns said. "For me, the focus is what would be to the liking of the neighborhood - what would fit with the community? Any monetary gain would be welcome, but that's not the primary reason."

TUSD Superintendent John Pedicone also is hesitant to sell property to a charter school.

"When you consider selling to an organization that may be in competition with you, that requires careful consideration because you lose that asset, and sometimes a fast dollar may not be the best investment," Pedicone said. "We have to balance the value to the district and the value to the community."

They also have some offers to lease the facilities at the rate of $1.00 a year. Perhaps, in keeping with the financial policies of the past, they should go with the $1.00 option.

Here is the link to the article:

OFFICIALS WARY OF SELLING TO COMPETITORS

Charter schools offer millions for closed TUSD buildings

Strictitude

2011-06-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

We are fairly strict around here. One way we exercise that is by not letting our teenage daughters engage socially with every Tom, Creep and Hairy Creep that is interested in getting close to them.

A while back, prior to an upcoming vacation, one of the daughters wanted to engage in a little online social networking. Here is her plea:

"Are you ever going to talk to mom about me getting a Facebook page? It would be nice if I had one before we left, that way I could cross-country communicate with people while I'm gone. Here are some of the perks of me getting one:

I could tell everyone something at once
I wouldn't have to send everyone individual emails
I could make sure __________ talked to someone other than Casey James
I could communicate with people I haven't seen in years
If I had a FB, we could be friends. I wouldn't have to tell you all my whacked up stories, I could just tell ____________, __________, and ____________, etc on FB, whether or not they read is their choice. . .

Anyhow, thank you for taking the time to read and consider this most important letter. We hope you will reply soon. Hopeful Facebook Friend"

We relented.

Bureaucracy

2011-06-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

The Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879, was the British "Little Big Horn". Like the battle where Custer met his fate, a group of soldiers with modern equipment, tactics and weaponry was defeated by a larger group of indigenous warriors largely armed with primitive weapons.

At Isandlwana, nearly 1300 British troops were slaughtered as their army invaded Zululand in South Africa.

Although several reasons are known to have caused(and a few others are debated to have caused) this remarkable defeat, here is one that is fairly well known:

The troopers on the line only had a limited supply of ammo. When they exhausted their supply, as will quickly happen when you are firing into a charging horde of spear wielding warriors screaming for your blood, re-supply was nearly impossible.

The ammo boxes were kept far from the front. When they were acquired, you had to have a special screw driver to open them. And, they were controlled by fanatical supply sergeants that required the proper procedures prior to issue. Maybe this wouldn't be a problem under normal circumstances (no, I take that back. I am sure it was tortuous), but when you and all your friends are about to be killed due to a lack of ammo, it must have been a bit frustrating.

While I have never been the head of any organization with more than a couple of hundred people running around, I have seen that larger organizations still really enjoy creating frustrating situations. It will probably never change.

So, I am not sure if you should take this as a warning to not let the organization you are involved with get bogged down in the mire of bureaucracy or as an encouragement that at least you are not facing 20,000 Zulus intent on stabbing you with a short spear, so you should lighten up and not get so frustrated with the bureaucratic bungling that you face where you work. You decide.

Courageous

2011-06-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Diane and I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the new Sherwood Pictures movie, "Courageous".

This movie, set to be released in September of this year, is from the creators of the movies "Fireproof" and "Facing the Giants". For those of you unfamiliar with these movies, they are produced by a Church in Georgia that believed they could reach the world from where they were. The result of this idea was Sherwood Pictures.

The last film, 'Fireproof" starred Kirk Cameron and focused on a firefighter trying to "fireproof" his failing marriage. This movie focused on cops and being a "courageous" father.

I enjoyed this movie, thought it was great that I got to be in on a special pre-screening and I thought the message was powerful and effectively presented. And, as a special treat, one of the main actors from the movie, Robert Amaya, joined us for the screening.

Since this is a review, I will throw out some criticisms of the movie first, since I am sure everyone wants to know what they are. Here ya go.

Cop Stuff

Other Stuff

The Good Stuff

Day of War

2011-06-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

From time to time, I will get sent things (or sent to things) so that I can check them out and spread the word among those I know. The latest thing I was sent was the book Day of War by Cliff Graham.

I have long been intrigued by the biblical accounts of David's Mighty Men, his renowned warriors recorded in a couple of different Old Testament Books. Day of War is the first in a series that fictionalizes the accounts of these men.

Those familiar with the story of King David will also be familiar with names such as Benaiah, the warrior that killed a lion in a pit and a giant Egyptian warrior, Uriah, Joab, Saul, Jonathan and others. In the book, which focuses primarily on Benaiah, the story is told of the battles that these men faced.

But, this is not an account of historical events written in a dry, scholarly way or the typical feel-good-bible-based-christian-romance-novel. This is a gritty, bloody whirlwind tale of a man fighting with David out a desire to kill certain enemies and how he faces the tragedy of war, the life of warriors and the effects of his lifestyle on the rest of his life.

If you are not up for graphic battle scenes(complete with trampled unfortunates, pools of blood, collapsed lungs and the tactics, injuries and up close frenzied fighting of ancient warfare) and realistic look into the motivations of warriors, don't pick up this book. But, if you enjoy accounts of the actions and mindsets of professional men at arms and are at all intrigued by the legendary "Mighty Men", as they were called, then this book is worth a look.

For more about the book, the author and a movie in the works, head to:

Lionofwar.com

Now that is what I call country.

2011-06-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

I think I have shared the lyrics to this song before, but I am ready to take myself touring as a country music artist. So, here is the first verse of my signature country song, "I can't believe".

Had a real bad night
Got in a fight with my lover
My truck broke down
She ran off with another.

I can't believe the things that happen to me.

My dog jumped out
Got hit by a semi
You should have seen
That poor little mutt fly

well,
I can't believe the things that happen to me.

Chorus:

They're so bad, bad bad
They're so bad.
They're so bad, bad bad
They're so bad.

Now I just need a couple more verses. And it would help if I learned to play the guitar or something. Then I'll be ready for the road. Hope to see you out there.

Holy Cosplay Batman

2011-06-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

When I visited Israel with a group from our school, I was struck by how someone seemed to have identified the precise location of every event that was ever recorded in the bible. I knew they were authentic, because they were selling trinkets that verified that this was, indeed, the place.

While I didn't come back with any pieces of the cross or bones left over from the saints, at times it seemed to be veering towards ludicrous.

Now, a tour company has let me know that we can add a few experiences on to a trip to Israel to make more of a Holy Land "Experience". I am not sure if they sound like fun, or just plain goofy.

Here are a few:

ANGEL WATCHING WITH THE SHEHERDS IN BETHLEHEM

The angels appeared to the shepherds on the first night proclaim the birth of our Savior. On shepherd’s field we will go and sit out with the sheep. We will dress the pilgrims in Shepherd’s dress, have sheep mingling with them and create a dinner that the shepherds would have eaten that night. On location, we will sing carols, and have the night sky that will put us close to that night. We will have a certificate for each pilgrim to take home as well.

JESUS INVITES US FOR BREAKFAST ON THE SEA OF GALILEE IN TIBERIAS

We will start early and have a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. The cruise will go out and have music, stop in the center of the sea where it is quiet and explain, all that Jesus did on the lake. We will have a demonstration of how they fished and hope we catch 153 fish. We disembark the ship and go to the beach where we will have a fire set, with one of the disciples cooking the fish. The group will be seated and we will make a covenant with the Lord, to “Feed My Sheep”. The breakfast is served, with a piece of Pita, and a piece of St. Peter’s fish. The pilgrim will be given the bread and then the fish.

THE EXODUS ROUTE IN EGYPT

Many of our Tour Hosts, have been to St. Katherines multiple times. As an alternative, we have created a 3 hour four wheel drive tour that takes us back into the exodus.Here is where the Israelites migrated for 40 years waiting to enter the promise land. We will stop at an oasis where we have a barbeque in the middle of the desert, awaiting us.

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

Only $25 a head. and you get to dress up for a couple of them. I am thinking of a few other things they can do. I will let you know.

The bait and switch

2011-06-04T12:00:00.001-07:00

It seems that our children's desire to help comes with some sort of weird inverse relationship to their actual ability to help.

For instance, our son. When we moved into this house, he was so excited about helping out with chores like sweeping, dusting, mopping and doing the dishes. In fact, I remember some house guests commenting on how excited they were that our three year old was standing on a stool at the sink working on the dirty dishes.

Now that he is nine, he has no interest whatever in any of the aforementioned activities.

Somehow, I do not think this phenomenon is uniquely his.

Come a little bit closer You're my kind of man.....

2011-06-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

Brian Miller.
Pima County Republican Party Chairman

Brian Miller is a good man. He really is. I have met him personally and he is a man of principle, has a great family and is polite and pleasant, sincere and straightforward.

But, I am wondering if he has any discretion whatsoever.

Last year, we took the kids to a primary debate between congressional hopefuls Jessie Kelly, Jonathon Paton and Mr. Miller. During this debate, the candidates expressed why they would be the best for the job, most likely to win and their unique views. Since they held similar views, none of them really stood out based on their particular ideologies.

One candidate, Brian Miller, did stand out, but not because of his political views. He stood out because he began to rant about how Jessie Kelly's supporters were known to have been urinating on his campaign signs. He spent a good portion of his time talking about how his supporters didn't pee on signs and so, they were better people, which was somehow supposed to convince us that we should vote for him.

Why he brought this up to begin with is beyond me. The way he was unable to let the issue drop, describing in detail how he was being mistreated by Jessie Kelly's supporters, was simply absurd. I began to think that this man had no discretion at all.

Recently, members of the Pima County Sheriff's Department served a legally authorized warrant (in accordance with the constitution, state laws and department policies). Upon service of this warrant and after identifying themselves extensively, they found an individual waiting for them inside the door. When they began to enter, he pointed a rifle at them, and the inevitable happened.

Mr. Miller, in response to this, sent out an email from the party stating that we were all "______ ______", insert name of the man who pointed the rifle at the cops. He also has stated that the SWAT team murdered the man and violated a laundry list of his constitutional rights.

I understand that Mr. Miller may not agree with the practices of the department, but it shows a complete lack of sense and understanding on his part to immediately say the things he is saying. To me, this seems to confirm the conclusions I reached during the debate.

I am a registered Republican. I have long been a supporter of the party, to include being a convention delegate, helping with campaigns and the like. But I am very disappointed that the local party, through the official communique's of the chairman, would so boldly support a criminal that threatened the police and so quickly condemn the officers that acted in a hurried moment to defend themselves and their comrades. It is embarrassing.

If you have questions about this event, here are two people, on local radio interviews, giving reasonable explanations of what happened. The first is the Deputies Association president and the second is the association attorney explaining, in detail, what happened on the day in question.

SGT Joe Cameron

Mike Storie

And, let me remind you once again, that politics is not going to "fix" our society. It is not the remedy to what ails us.

Extra Credit if you figure out the reference in the title of this post.

Religionizers

2011-06-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Religion: Mankind's attempts to get closer to God (With the notable exception of one religion, which explains itself as being designed by God to show mankind that they could never be good enough, smart enough or, doggone it, likeable enough to get to God on their own.)

Religious: Someone who practices a particular religion.

More than once in the past few weeks, I have heard myself referred to as "religious". As in, "Isn't he that religious guy?", "Oh, I forgot, you are religious." and the like.

I have always recoiled at the word religious, because the word religion has always had negative connotations for me. It has always seemed to me to be a word that implies someone who adheres to a rigid set of behaviors because they feel that it will give them favor with God and give them a standing that is superior to other people.

Yes, I am a person that has a belief in God and it my beliefs do have an impact on my life and that I really do think is right and that many other belief systems are wrong (And most people I have ever met really do feel this way about their beliefs). Externally, the beliefs I have have affected the way I treat people, what I do with my time, my priorities, etc., etc.

But I do hope that my beliefs have not led me to the place where I even think that the things I do gives me an extra boost above everyone else with God while neglecting the things that are truly important to him. Like other people.

Even Jesus, when he walked among us, he spent a good deal of his time confronting, chastising and condemning those that were considered "religious".

So, while I have been labeled as "religious", I hope that I do not really fall into that category.

I guess I need to come up with some other term that people can use to label me.

Graduation!!!

2011-05-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Congrats to all those who graduated or had kids graduate this year! Awesome on you!

I went to hear the author, Richard Peck, talk a couple of years ago at the Festival of Books. He is a former school teacher and I thought, in recognition of school and all that, that I would put one of his quotes.

Here it is:
"When I began teaching, parents feared a phone call from the school. Today, the schools fear a phone call from the parents."

Ok, that wasn't much of an education friendly post, but at least those of you that graduated now have one more reason to be glad you did. Enjoy!

*Pictured is the High School I graduated from. Although it was some time ago, if you haven't congratulated me for graduating from High School yet, then now would be an appropriate time.

The end is Near.

2011-05-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

When I was attending School in Dallas, one of my professors told us about his time in a Church he attended in New Zealand when he was young. At this Church, they were told, in no uncertain terms, that the worlds end was coming by the end of a certain day.

Knowing what the rest of the world did not, they gathered in their building and waited on the Lord to take them home. When midnight came and went, some of them became discouraged, until someone remembered that they originally found out about this from someone in another part of the world, so they only had to wait a few more hours until they were in the right time zone.

He told us this embarrassing story as a cautionary tale. While those of my faith do believe that the world will someday end and that God has made a place for those that want it, we also believe that we really can't know when all this will happen. Believers have been sure that the end was imminent since Jesus first said that he was coming back. We have also discovered that imminent could mean sooner.....or later. We just don't know.

But now, Harold Camping, the man who let the Church know that the end was coming in 1994, with his book 1994, has let us know he was wrong about that.

Not only was he wrong, but he has recently realized that the end is coming Saturday night. I plan on having a few friends over on Saturday night, so maybe we will all be called home together...if they stay late enough. Or if we are in the right time zone. Or if God feels bad enough for Harold Camping that he decides to come back on that day just to save him further embarrassment.

While i don't know for sure, my money is on probably not.

Local Turmoil

2011-05-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here's an issue that may not matter much to you, unless you live here:

On the north side of Tanque Verde, just west of Sabino Canyon Road, ATT plans to put up a cell phone tower. They did the necessary process, holding the requisite meetings for all city residents within a certain radius and drawing up all the plans, etc.

No-one seemed too concerned, as only one local resident showed up at the October meeting and everyone is in favor of being able to talk on their cell phone. So, the process began to begin prepping the site for the tower.

The problem:
Indian Ridge, a neighborhood where we first lived when we moved into town, begins within a few feet of this proposed site. Since they are just across the line into the county, no-one in the neighborhood was informed of the meetings and didn't know about the pending fencing around the tower until it was nearly time to begin building.

Indian Ridge is, as a neighborhood, on the National Registry of Historic Places due to the unusual construction of the homes. The homes in this neighborhood are primarily adobe brick from the 50's and have interesting and unusual architectural features. Residents in this community are concerned, rightfully so, that plugging a cell phone tower in front of the entrance, instead of the pleasant mesquite trees, will change the face of the neighborhood.

Another concern is that the tower will block the view of residents trying to leave the neighborhood onto the busy city street. Another issue the city did not seem to consider when issuing the permits and making the plans to put this thing right there.

The neighborhood has recently discovered the plans and has been able to get some sort of a meeting going with City and County officials. I am curious to see what will happen. As I said, this issue may not matter to you much if you don't live in this neighborhood. But if you do live there......

We almost lost him.

2011-05-10T17:15:00.001-07:00

Sooner or later, we all learn that there are things in life that we have to do whether we want to or not. From cleaning up nasty things around the house, to work assignments we don't enjoy, to putting up with people that are somehow forced into our lives and we have to deal with, we all face things that we don't like.

I suppose it is better to learn this early on and learn how to deal with it. For this very reason, we try not to let our kids off the hook whenever they are faced with things they don't like. This policy was nearly fatal to our youngest on Mother's Day.

Our daughters' piano recital was held at some Church building near the university and, since it was Mother's Day and it was his sisters' playing, we required our nine-year old to attend with us.

Granted, the old wooden pews were a bit hard and, to undiscerning ears, the classical songs could get a bit long after a while, but it was generally an enjoyable afternoon. So, I think he was over-reacting at least a little when he curled up in a ball and started to cry. At least he was quiet about it.

After just a couple minutes of this, he wrote his mom a note, letting her know that he was going to die there. I don't if she included in her reply how much she would miss him, but she did let him know that it would be a convenient place to die, what with all the pretty music and the stained glass and whatnot. Surely it wouldn't be to hard to wrangle up a preacher for the affair.

Fortunately, he made it. And hopefully, even if he didn't learn anything, he at least got some practice in putting up with things that are not so enjoyable.

Fifty Dollar Frolic

2011-05-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

What?: The Warrior Dash. A 3.4 mile run in Florence that included obstacles such as walls, cargo net climbs, mud pits, flaming pits and more.

Why?: Diane (my wife) and her sister both asked, when I announced that I wanted to participate, if this was a charity event. Why else would you do a run like this.

Here are my reasons:

I enjoy running. It is good exercise at a bargain rate. I think I pay about $100 bucks every 5 or 6 months for shoes and last year I lost a good 15 lbs with running and and other working out, so it makes me healthier. It also is a good way to relax, focus your thoughts, challenge yourself, et., etc.

I wanted to focus my training a little bit, so one of those 5K sort of races seemed like a good way to do it. You know, do one, get a decent time after working hard and get motivated to work harder for the next one. But, I could never get excited about signing up for a race where I knew many, if not most, people would outrun me and you just run a long ways and then you are done.

Then I saw some info about The Dash that a couple of friends shared on Facebook. It looked like a fun way to focus the running a bit and to be in a race that was a bit more interesting than just running around. You get to run with screaming loonies dressed in costume and slog around in mud. What could be better?

The Results:

Time-wise, I thought I would do better. I do not run fast at all. My 3 - 4 mile pace is now around 9 - 9.5 minutes a mile. Even so, I figured I would be a shoe in to finish in around 35 minutes. How could I miss that time.

What I didn't count on was the horrible wind for the first 15 minutes or so, the lines you had to wait in to hit some of the obstacle (not terribly long, but long enough to slow you down some), the extra fatigue that you get from running through mud, and my inability to not make snide comments to people on the course.

So, I finished in around 40 minutes. Not so good, putting me at around 2700th place for the day. Still, I was faster than nearly 5,000 people for the day, and a good 300 - 350 in my wave of 500, the majority of whom were clearly much younger and clearly in better condition than I.

But, I had fun, didn't get hurt and got the honor of running with marines, college kids, Gonzo the Great and Miss Piggy, men in wedding dresses and a variety of mock warrior costumes.

Next time I am taking a group with me. Who's in?

Compared to what?

2011-04-28T22:06:00.000-07:00

A short time ago, I think it must have been February, I was having some issues with my throat. What the issues were is incidental to this little tale, so I will spare you the details of my malady, but it bothered me enough that it led to my first visit to the emergency room on my own behalf since I sliced a good part of my thumb nearly off in 1998.

The staff at the ER couldn't quite locate the problem and told me to go see a specialist. They ended the encounter with something along the lines of "You don't seem crazy..."

Last month, the issue had not resolved. Fearing that I was in the throes of stage 4 (on the scale of 1-3) malignant tracheal cancer or was soon to choke to death in my sleep, I decided I would go see an ENT. An ENT in this case is not the walking tree creature from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. An ENT is an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, specializing in the aforementioned portions of one's anatomy.

His examination primarily consisted of an aide coming in and spraying some nasty stuff in my nose that she said would open up my sinus passages so the scope could go in easier. I steeled myself and was ready to go, until she aimed for my right nostril. For some reason, I was ready for things in the left nostril, but not the right.

Then she spritzed in something else that she said would not taste delicious but it would numb things up so I didn't feel the scope. It did not and it did not and I did.

It is hard to describe a feeling you really have no reference for. I am sure I have had things shoved up my nose before ( I specifically recall a frito when I was 3 or 4), but it didn't feel anything like a hose being inserted in and dragged along your nasal passage. The whole thing didn't hurt, it just felt weird.

After he was done, the doctor said, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Compared to what?", I asked.

I guess the experiences we go through help prepare us for worse ones and the experiences we have avoided, like shoving things up our nasal passage, could have been used to better prepare us to face future challenges. I guess.

No One Cares

2011-04-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

I just got this as a comment on a previous blog post I did:

There is a major error in the writing of this blog which must be corrected. Please note that Mrs. Thomas DID NOT occupy Allen's church facilities. The fact of the matter, Mrs. Thomas, nor anyone else associated with her group, ever controlled, possessed or occupied any of the A A Allen Revivals Inc property, all of which is located on the south side of Hwy 92. What Mrs. Thomas did occupy was property on the north side of Hwy 92, which was a small housing community, created by the Independent Development Co and owned by various people who resided on the property. It was not associated in any way with Allen's church facilities. Mrs. Thomas obtained the Valley View Restaurant and converted it into her church facilities. So why does the writer state that Mrs. Thomas occupied A A Allen's church facilities? No doubt to create sensationalism and create more of an interest in their blog? Let's get the facts correct before we start misinforming others.

I am not sure it was really a major error, since the property on the North side was originally owned by the Church, thus making it Church property. I think whoever posted this comment was concerned that the whole shootout thing gave the bible School facilities a bad name. I say that the shootout will always be associated with the Rev. Allen's Miracle Valley, since it was right across the street from the school.

The point of my post was not to make an issue of the school, but to highlight the events of the shootout. Not only that, how many people does the person who posted this comment (which was anonymous and disappeared quickly) think even read this blog....and especially the post that I put on in April of 2009.

With that that in mind, here is the original post:
Shootout at Miracle Valley

If you look at it, please keep in mind that the shootout was North of 92, not south of on A.A. Allen's campus.

What do you mean, "You People?'

2011-04-16T10:09:00.001-07:00

It has been said that many Churchified people don't invite their friends to their Church, not because they are embarrassed of God, Jesus or the Bible, but because they are embarrassed of
their Church.

At our Church in Sacramento, one of the strategies we used to overcome this was by having pseudo-celebrity guests join our services. We had sort of well known attorneys, scientists, musicians, pastors from other countries, local pastors, politicians and the like join us from time to time.

Having these guests would do a few things:

- It provided a kind of focal point for regular attenders to invite their friends.

- It made it easier for those who don't usually go to Church come check out ours, which led to them seeing that we did have a few normal people there, it was a good place to be, we cared about them, etc., etc.

- It gave our regulars a chance to hear from others in the Christian community and get a perspective broader than just mine.

My model for this strategy came from my friend Jon. Jon had a much larger Church ( a couple of thousand, as opposed to the approx. 150 people that was our average attendance) so he got better known people.

Some of his guests included the Little Mermaid voice girl, Smokey Robinson and others that were well enough known that you might have heard of them, even if you didn't live in Northern California.

One of the more interesting guys (although it would be hard to call Smokey Robinson anything but interesting) was Gary Busey. During his talk, in a display of evangelistic fervor, he declared, "YOU PEOPLE NEED JESUS, DAMNIT!!!"

He might be crazed and a little rough around the edges, but you can't accuse him of not having passion.

Here are a few of the locals we corralled, for those that were there and want to remember.

Jonathan McKee

Wally Magdenal

Brad Dacus

Andy Allen

Lisa Daggs

Nathan Oates

Dennis Petersen

The Stock Brothers

Ted and Lee

That is all I can think of. If I missed your fave, lemme know.

Quietude

2011-04-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

I know. It has been quiet here. I have been blog fasting.

Not really, but I thought someone might have been impressed.

But, stand by for upcoming info, to include:

The tale of the man who shoved a long flexible tube up my nose and how it could prepare you for the future of gas and gold.

Is Disneyland planning a "Homophobe" day?

The Number one rule in Church music.

See you soon.

Pests

2011-04-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

We have gotten back in the swing of things with our "organic" gardening. Instead of gardening with the community garden we are putting our own garden area into use. We have plenty of space and that was one of the reasons we decided to buy this yard.

But, we have discovered an ant hill very near our sunken amended soil garden beds. The last time we planted a garden, without the benefit of all the knowledge we gained from a year of gardening at the community garden, ants came and ate the carrots and onions before they could gain a foothold on life. But those are not the worst pests we have had.

When I was in school, the family housing apartments we lived in were infested with cockroaches. Ick. They didn't bother me too much, but Diane always considered them dirty people pests. Well, she hadn't lived with me too much at that point. Who knows, maybe I was a dirty people. But, they seemed to be in all the apartments........

We had a mouse in one of the houses we lived in. We put out those sticky traps, which we promptly picked up when our friend Howard told us about actually catching a mouse in his sticky trap. It doesn't kill the things, so they screech until you do something about it. His something was to put it outside in the middle of the night, prompting all the neighborhood dogs to howl. The next something he did was to go smash it with a rock. Our sticky traps were replaced with poison, which seemed to take care of things.

At another house, we lived right by one of those community lake type things. This was nice, except that it made a perfect home for a large colony of rats. Usually, the only indication of this was a vague movement on the rocky banks from time to time. That is, until one of them was staring at me from inside my grill when I opened it up for a spring time cookout and a a pair of big eyes was staring up at me. It ran one way and I ran the other.

We have also had:
Bats
Carpenter Bees
Honey Bees
A dead cat, which wasn't ours. The people that picked up dead animals wouldn't come get it cause it was in our yard and not in the street. Hmmmmmm. We could fix that.

I suppose these sort of things are unavoidable.

Struggles

2011-03-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of books I am taking in this week:

The first is entitled The Long Run.
It is the story of Matt Long, a firefighter, bar owner and marathoner who was in a terrible collision with a bus. The book chronicles the accident, the gruesome injuries and his struggles to recover, including a long ordeal at the New York marathon three years after the accident.

The second, Unbroken, is the story of Louie Zamperini, the Olympic runner that became a bombardier on a B-24.
I was familiar with his story, since I have read his Autobiography, Devil at My Heels, chronicling his ordeal and his later decisions to become a missionary to Japan, including his former POW camp guards. But, the new book does an excellent job of filling in many of the gaps and making even more interesting a story about a very interesting fellow.

And, included in the book is a quote by one of Louie's coaches, saying that the only one that could out run him is Seabiscuit. Zamperini must be about 95 now and you can still book him for speaking engagements and maybe even catch him skateboarding, an activity he took up when he was in his 80's.

Both books make for an interesting read, if you need something for your spring reading list, and both will help motivate you to run, if you are training for the next race.

Here is some more info:

The Long Run

Louie Zamperini

Drilling the Death Drill

2011-03-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

On board the troopship SS MENDI in late January of 1917 was more than 800 soldiers of the SANLC. Sometime before dawn, while the ship was navigating the English channel, it was nearly cut in two during a collision with the British Steamship SS DARRO.

Hundreds of men were immediately drowned in the freezing waters. Those that weren't jumped into the water or scrambled to the deck of the vessel as it began to roll over and sink.

In the midst of the chaos, a prominent tribal leader, Reverend Isaac Wauchope Dyobha (You decide how to pronounce that. I have no idea), exhorted the men with the following speech:

"Be quite and calm my countrymen, for what is taking place now is what you came here to do. We are all going to die, and that is what we came for.

Brothers, we are drilling the death drill.

I, a Zulu, say here and now that you are all my brothers... Xhosas, Swazis, Pondos, Basotho and all others, let us die like warriors.

We are the sons of Africa. Raise your war cries my brothers, for though they made us leave our assegais back in the kraals, our voices are left with our bodies..."

After this, many of these warriors kicked off their boots and stomped out their death dance on the deck of that ship and continued with their death chants after they were flung into the water until they finally silenced by hypothermia.

The book of Hebrews reminds us that each of us has an appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27). We really have no choice about that. But, we do have a choice in how we live and how we face our death.

Will we live and die with the shout of a war cry, or ..... well, or something else?

For more info about the Mendi tragedy, visit this site: SS MENDI History

Glossary:

SANLC - The soldiers of the South African Native Labor Corps. These were men recruited from the warrior tribes of South Africa (including the Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi and others) to perform heavy labor in support of the war effort. This labor included essential tasks such as building roads, unloading war supplies and clearing wooded areas.

Assegai - Technically, a spear of javelin. The Zulu's made a short version, with about a 2 foot long shaft and a 1 foot long blade. These were used from behind their shields as an effective stabbing weapon and was later copied by other tribes. Although it was a fairly primitive weapon, it did a number on those it came in contact with, including being used to nearly annihilate a contingency of just over 2,000 British at the battle of Isandlwana in 1879.

Kraal - a rural village in South Africa. usually huts surrounded by a fence. the word originally indicated a corral or livestock pen, which these villages apparently reminded the Boers of when they first saw them .

Winning...

2011-03-17T02:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Diane and Ethan went with me to a building down by the University campus to pick up the book I won from a drawing I entered at the Festival of Books over the weekend. I remember the people running the drawing giving me kind of odd looks when I explained to them that I usually won these things when I entered them. I don't think they remember me saying that to them.

I may not have the blood of a tiger, but I do have a propensity towards winning this sort of thing.

My family is starting to get annoyed by this. Oh, except for our youngest son who is very upset when he doesn't win any drawings. I try to explain to him that most people usually don't win those things because guys like me always do, but that didn't seem to be any consolation.

I even gave up on signing up for the drawing at the monthly science lectures we often attended. The prizes weren't really all that good anyway and it wasn't worth making him upset over and over again when I kept getting chosen and he did not.

Here are a few other notable prizes I have won:

- The Grand Prize at pretty much every Christmas office party I have been to for every job I have held that has had a Christmas office party.

- An American Girl brand jewelry box that I won for the girls.*

- An all expense paid trip to India with a side trip to Paris thrown in.

There are, of course, rules to winning these sort of drawings. the most important one is that I have to have an inkling that I am going to win. I also have to announce it aloud to someone else. Usually this someone else is my wife Diane, who will roll her eyes and give me that "You've got to be kidding me" look and then ask why I don't win something like the $5,000 Home Depot gift card instead of another dumb book to clutter up our house.

*The jewelry box also irritated the family, even though they were happy to win. Diane and the girls had diligently went to the store that was holding the drawing almost every day to enter the "enter as often as you like" event. The girls really wanted the box. I went in once and came home and announced that I had entered so I would probably win.

A few weeks later, when the big day had come, we received a phone call from the store letting us know that we could come collect the box. The lady who called also made a point of letting everyone know that I was the one who had won. Come to think of it, so did I.

Unusual evenings

2011-03-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

I am privileged now to have another job that is, how shall I say.....interesting.

For instance, last night. Without divulging any clandestine details, I spent the evening talking with the family members of new recruits to about what life for them will be like with the academy on the horizon. The rest of the night I spent trying to find some guys wandering around in the desert.

I also get a chance to meet a variety of people. One of the good ones is the gentleman I met last night.

He was a law enforcement officer that was involved in responding to what has become known as the "Norco Bank Robbery", or the "Norco Bank Robbery Shootout".

The bank robbery culminated in what is known as the longest gun battle/pursuit in law enforcement history, killing one officer, wounding eight others and even resulting in a helicopter being forced down from gunfire

The man I met received scars from five bullet wounds, some medals from The Riverside Sheriff's Dept and the gratitude of a hostage in the bank.

The Chinese are credited with coming up with the curse "May you live in interesting times", but meeting interesting people is no a curse at all.

Here is a brief synopsis of the Norco events:

May 9, 1980. Prolonged shootout and chase between police in Norco, California, and five heavily armed bank robbers wearing military-style fatigues and armed with assault rifles, thousands of rounds of hollow-point bullets as well as various explosive and incendiary devices. Police responded to a bank robbery call in Norco. Upon arriving the police were ambushed and outgunned. After unloading over 300 rounds at police cruisers, the officers were forced to retreat behind their cruisers or nearby obstacles, all the while being fired upon. The suspects attempted to escape in their own vehicle. During this attempt, the driver of the suspects was killed by a stray police shot. The suspects then hijacked a nearby vehicle and became involved in a prolonged chase, in which the suspects shot at police and disabled and destroyed 33 police vehicles (as well as civilian cars) with explosives thrown from the back of a truck. The suspects also disabled a police helicopter by shooting at it. Later, the suspects lay in wait for police as they chased them, and ambushed them, resulting in the death of a police officer and wounding 2 others. Heavily outgunned, the police were pinned down until one officer arrived with an AR-15. After the police engaged the suspects with the AR-15, the suspects fled. One of the suspects was killed in the shootout, one during a later standoff with the police the next day, and three were later captured. 8 officers were also wounded during the events.

Here is a page where you can find out more:
The Norco Bank Robbery

Little known local history from far away.

2011-03-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

I grew up knowing that the small town I lived in, McCook Nebraska, hosted an Army Air Base during the Second World War. this Base trained the crews of B-24's, B-17's and B-29's before they headed off to action around the world.

We used to head to this abandoned airfield when I was younger to see how fast we could get our cars rolling on the old flight line. I think I may have driven faster there than anywhere else. When I got married, I also learned that my wife's grandmother used to travel many miles to go to dances in McCook, the mecca of the mid-west.

What I didn't know about was some things that happened in another small town just a little north of where I lived. North Platte Nebraska is about 60 miles north of McCook and we would plan trips up there every once in a while to go to the mall(since we didn't have one in our town), to look at some trinkets at the Wild West Souvenir Shop and to visit Buffalo Bill's Guest Ranch, where he lived for a number of years.

During the war, 6 million servicemen passed through North Platte on the train on the way to war. During this time, every train was met by locals who had prepared donuts, cakes, sandwiches, coffee and friendship in the ten minutes they had to what was known as the North Platte Canteen. It became notorious as a place not to be missed for the frightened teenagers that knew they were going to a war they might never come back from.

Hats off to North Platte as they supported our servicemen, and to all those who have served, then and now.

Screaming

2011-03-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

It is hard to find a movie without this in it. And this video only goes up to 1999.

Some things seem like a good idea at the time.

2011-02-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

We used to have this dog named Bailey when we lived in Safford. It probably wasn't a good idea to have this dog in the house we lived in, even though it had a nice sized yard. Bailey had, among other things, learned the art of jumping over walls.

After he discovered that he could easily jump the 4 footer, we decided that something must be done. We found a brick in the alley. It wasn't just any brick. It was a huge brick, that was very heavy and we tied it to him.

I know, you are probably worried now that we hung our dog when he tried to jump over the wall into the alley, suspended above the ground by a giant brick. Not to worry, we gave the rope enough slack so he wouldn't be hung, he would make it to the ground on the other side and the weight of the brick would hold him in the alley next to our yard.

It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

However, we failed to take into account that this dog was as strong as a medium sized race horse. When he jumped over the wall the next time it suited him, in pursuit of a rabbit, cat, large child or whatever it was, the brick sailed along behind him like a kite.

I suppose we are fortunate that it just missed the head of the four or five year old neighbor girl Moriah. But somehow it didn't feel safe chasing down a dog with a giant war-hammer swinging wildly behind him.

Soon after that, we turned the dog over to some guy with horses that lived out in the country. Ask me about how that came about some other time. The events included a shovel, the dog-catcher that lived right behind us and a baby.

Here's one for you.

2011-02-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

It seems that small organizations are rife with people that have some need to be in charge of every aspect of the life of the the organization. Sometimes even Churches face this same dilemma.

This book shares the story of a family that was tormented, terrorized and finally assaulted as the result of a man who waned things to always go his way. Not only does it share this horrific story, it talks about how the author and her brother were able to find forgiveness for the man responsible for their having to see their father and mother gunned down in front of them in their own house when they were very small.

Find out more on the book's website.

It is worth the read.

Here is the Book trailer:

And here is a video of the story:

Steamy

2011-02-19T08:29:00.000-08:00

I have some friends who are into the Steampunk thing. In case you are unaware, Steampunk is, essentially, Victorian science fiction. Fans of it will dress in Victorian garb and spice it up with lasers, tech looking accessories along with a scattering of goggles, gloves and scarves.

In an effort to understand this bit of culture a bit more, I am taking in the book "The Affinity Bridge" by George Mann.

The book is classic Steampunk. A murder mystery involving weird apparitions, the crash of a crowded transcontinental dirigible, a zombie plague all set in a Victorian London complete with steam powered cabs and automatons programmed to carry our many every day tasks.

If simply reading about this sort of thing isn't enough for you, you can also head to my town, Tucson to be a part of the Wild West Con, a Steampunk Festival. Here you can put on your own Victorian costume and celebrate the era that never was with some complete strangers that you would probably avoid if you saw them elsewhere. And, with the wild west twist of being held at Old Tucson, it kind of has the feel of Doc in Back to the Future III. Kind of sounds like fun, maybe I will go.

I continue to be amazed at how many subcultures we can find to identify ourselves with today.

How long does it take?

2011-02-14T14:26:00.000-08:00

I recently read a story where the author talked about meeting a vibrant 89 year old lady that was a huge fan of the author's musician husband. As they talked, the older lady told her how, when her mother died, she stayed in bed for two or three years before getting up and getting on with her life.

This made me wonder how long it is supposed to take for us to grieve. We live in a fast paced society that barely gives us a couple of weeks when a loved one dies, let alone two or three years. When my father died, my boss told me to take all the time I needed and graciously helped me arrange time off (thanks Jim, I continue to be grateful for that), but I don't think he wanted me out of action for two or three years.

Maybe we miss out on some of the grief we need to experience in order to resume our life if we rush our grief too much. Maybe.....

Not quite enough

2011-02-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Before heading over to a friends house to watch the game, Ethan and I went for a walk to a couple of local stores. Our first stop was Barnes and Noble, where we picked up a book and a couple of drinks in the cafe. Then we headed over to Target to grab a lego he has been wanting with his birthday money.

As we were leaving Target, I realized that the amount I was charged at B & N couldn't possibly be correct. I looked over my receipt and, sure enough, it was three dollars short. Instead of charging me for the book, they had charged me for an extra drink, which was three dollars less than the book.

I had the same thoughts that anyone would have had: it is no big deal, they will never notice, I saved three bucks. Then I looked at the book, entitled Amazing Tales For Making Men Out Of Boys, and realized that, a man shouldn't try to get over on others and this would be a great teachable moment. The price of the book was three dollars more and just because they made a mistake didn't mean that I shouldn't pay them for the book.

So, we marched back over to the store, fixed the mistake and went on our way.

When the girl behind the counter thanked us and said how impressive it was that we would come back to point out the error, I mentioned that my price for putting one over on people was much higher than three dollars. Not that I wouldn't do it, I just wouldn't sell my morals for such a small amount.

I had a friend come and visit once while I was in the military. During a trip to the fast food restaurant, he let us know that, if you ask for a cup of water, you can fill it with a clear colored soda, like Sprite or 7-Up, and you would never be caught and exposed as a thief. His price was about 99 cents.

I haven't decided what my price is, but I think I would hold out for somewhere around 7 million dollars. Not for any particular reason. Just a good round number that I might be tempted to say, forget it, I am not doing what I think is right because I am getting 7 million dollars. Maybe I should make it 11 million, what with the economy like it is.

How about you? What is your price for selling out your morals? 99 cents? $3.00? $7 million?

Sodomy?

2011-02-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

Ezekial 16

Tolerance is a one way street

2011-02-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Apparently tolerance is a one way street. If you agree with certain people, you and they are considered tolerant in your views. If you disagree with them, you are intolerant, hateful and out to bring about the destruction of the natural order of the universe.

Consider the case of Chick-Fil-A:

- Banned temporarily from Indiana University South Bend because of their support of pro family groups.

- Described by change.org as partnering with a "Rabid Anti-Gay Group".

- Accused of explicitly saying "We do not like gay couples".

- Said to be supportive of words that are "hateful and destructive" by Perez Hilton.

The reason for all the publicity? Someone found out that they support groups that are in favor of a traditional definition of marriage, like Churches, Focus on the Family and The Pennsylvania Family Institute (which made the mistake of publicly announcing their views that Gay Marriage should not be legalized) and that their non-profit organization that provides marriage retreats and the like does not allow same sex couples.

It is common to describe views which do not agree with your own as "hateful and destructive" and everything possible must be done to express those views. Especially regarding the issue of gay marriage.

If you dare to express your opinion and it doesn't happen to be in support of gay marriage, then you are intolerant, hateful, destructive, anti-love and evil. On the other hand, if you are in support of it, you are so tolerant of other views that you want everyone with any other opinion to just shut up and get out out of any sort venue that lets your views be know.

I realize that this doesn't describe everyone in regards to this issue, but it does seem to be becoming more prevelant.

If you can't make it to Chick-Fil-A today, you can at least enjoy this video:

Just so you know

2011-01-28T15:01:00.000-08:00

This tells me.....nothing

2011-01-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz
The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others.
Left Brain Dominance:	(16)
Right Brain Dominance:	(16)
Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

How the Apple Lost His Color

2011-01-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

Just for fun, I thought I would share this with you. I originally wrote it in Jr. high, but I re-wrote it just for you:

How the Apple Lost His Color

A Fable

When the earth was fresh and new, the apple was, arguably, the most beautiful fruit in the whole world. When you see apples today, you see a wide variety of pretty colors, from deep reds to light greens and yellows, to pretty much everything in between. Then, it was not uncommon to see an apple with all these colors brilliantly painted across it, like the loveliest rainbow that no-one had ever seen in one little fruit.

When the good Lord was putting together the world, he gave all the fruit all a choice as to how they would be placed on earth. Some of them opted to be up on trees, so they could constantly look at the wonder of creation. Others thought they would do best in bushes where they could stick together in the cold and be shaded from the sun. Still others thought they would be most useful growing on a vine where they could easily be harvested.

The apple’s idea was a little bit different. He thought that, since he was the most beautiful, he should get the most important place in the garden. So, he asked if he could be placed on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Since no-one had any objections (other than a slight “humph” from the peach, who thought she was the most beautiful fruit in the garden) and the Good Lord had told them they could be wherever they wanted, it was decided that the apple would get the tree.

Before we put you there, I must warn you”, said the Good Lord. “I made your fruit as delicious and nutritious as any other, but the people I place here mustn’t take a bite out of you. For if they do: they will surely die.”

Undeterred, the apple took his spot as the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was proud of his position, perched high above all the other fruits, his beauty shining for all too see. But, gradually, the apple began to notice something. As Adam and Eve walked about the garden, sampling the fruits for the very first time, they always had something wonderful to say about each and every one of them.

Adam would try a pear or a pomegranate or a plum and rave to Eve about how delicious they tasted. Eve picked berries and they would extol the virtues of blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries and strawberries. The apple watched as they worked their way through the tropical fruits together, gasping in delight as they sampled the kiwis, mangos, bananas and pineapples. He started to cringe when they found the citrus fruit and the laughed delightedly at the way the sweet and tart fruits made their faces pucker. It was just too much for apple when they finally tried a peach and she grinned gleefully at him as they obviously enjoyed the fruit, lavishing it with praise and thanking the Good Lord for making a fruit like the peach.

One day, ole slew foot himself slipped up behind Eve as she was looking at how beautiful the apple was, perched up in his tree. Now to say that the apple had a hand in all that transpired immediately after this might be saying a little too much. But, when Eve was thinking about taking that fateful bite, the trees most beautiful, most delicious looking apple somehow managed to find its way to a branch that was just inches away from Eve’s tempted hand. And when Adam was thinking about what he was to do, the tastiest part of apple was facing itself right towards Adam’s salivating mouth.

After the Good Lord dealt with the skulking Adam and Eve, banishing them from the garden forever, he had a talk with apple, that was more than a little chagrined after seeing all the evil that befell mankind.

“Apple”, said the Good Lord, “I know you didn’t make them take a bite out of you, but you sure didn’t do anything to slow them down. Because of this, you will share in the curse of mankind. Through all his sorrows and troubles you will be there with him. He will harvest you only by the sweat of his brow and you will nourish him only so he has the strength to harvest you again. And you will see him die. Because you used your beauty to tempt him, with all your fantastic colors, you will only have one color on each apple tree that mankind works so hard to grow.”

And this is how the apple lost his color.

The rest of the rules

2011-01-22T08:05:00.000-08:00

And here are the remainder of Brea's school rules. Check them out, they are entertaining, informative and effective.

Stay in your chair or your square. Stay in your chair or your square!
This one is tricky. The idea is that everyone is allotted their own space and in order to avoid chaos, you should try to stay confined to that space. I respect this rule. I like to have my own spot at the dinner table, my own side of the bed, and my own desk in the office. I can be a creature of habit that way. I remember Sophomore year of high school, I entered US History class late after a doctor appointment and someone was sitting in MY seat. I could hardly focus because my chi was all off. But at the same time, I need stimulation and some of my best ideas have come while showering or running. In fact, the whole Rules song was composed in the shower. So the bottom line is, there are times that you need to be still and it’s nice to have your own protected space for that. There are also times you need to move and find inspiration. Try to be aware of which time is which and in the mean time, stay out of my personal space while I’m standing in line.

And although my toys are cool. I can’t bring them to school.
Unless it’s show and tell. Even then, no one likes a bragger.

And no running in the classroom.
Because it’s just not safe. People get hurt, coffee gets spilt, bodies are less likely to be kept to themselves.

Number eight’s no stealing. And cheating is stealing. So don’t break break number eight for goodness sake!
No stealing is also number eight of the ten commandments. I figured if I was going to create a list of rules, I might well steal one from the Creator. There is a fine line between collaboration and ripping off other’s ideas. Being a creative person, there have been many times I have seen one of my brain children running around with someone else’s clothes on. I did all the work of coming up with the idea and so and so changed the font, added glitter, and tada--made it their own. As a teacher I would experiment with various seating arrangements--rows to work on establishing independent work, pairs for partner work, and quads for group work. Each have their own place in the grown up world and should be introduced early, but don’t think I didn’t staple together file folders to make shields for the kids to have up during tests. You can only get so far in life riding on other people’s work and ideas, so figure out how to prove yourself with integrity. Also stop thieving my stuff.

Number nine’s our motto to be kind: If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.
Speaking of stealing, I did take this one from Thumper, but I changed it to make it more grammatically correct. (Come on, “don’t say nothing at all”? Isn’t that a double negative?) I also used this rule to introduce some new vocabulary to my young learners. A motto is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. In informal ways, it can be a rule or slogan someone follows or lives their life by. Establishing one’s self as the kind of person who isn’t a total idiotic jerk, or at the very least, the quiet one during a gossip session, is a pretty good way to live your life. I was once asked to write down the three most hurtful things anyone had ever said to me. Thirty seconds later I had my list. Mean things are hard to forget, even if they were said decades ago. The point of this activity was to encourage me to keep the mouth part of my body in check and make choices that wouldn’t put my name and words on someone else’s list. Words are the most powerful tool we possess; they can destroy or build up depending on how they are used. Another good motto to live by is, Be a Builder.

And number ten from beginning to end--ALWAYS TRY YOUR BEST!
The one rule philosophy followers often suggest this rule to be the end all, be all of classroom rules. Pretty much anything a child does you can direct back to these four words.

“Billy, did you do your homework?”
“No.”
“Was that trying your best?”
“Sally, did you lie about what happened at recess?”
“Yes.”
“Was that trying your best?”

“Eva, did you stab that kid with the toy you brought to school after I told you to keep your body to yourself?” I got her on four counts for that.

Not only is this rule a good universal totem for classroom management, it also is a good agreement to have with yourself. As Don Miguel Ruiz's put it in his book The Four Agreements, our best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

One of the best motivational speakers I have ever heard was an Olympic swimmer named Josh Davis. He told us this story about his goal of breaking a world record in the 2000 Olympics. He trained and trained and on the day of his event, he broke the record. It was the best he had ever swam. But that day, three other swimmers also broke the record and walked away with the gold, silver, and bronze medals. He had done his best, better than anyone have ever done before but he doesn’t have a medal to show for it. We will never have all the accolades we deserve, but we can always have pride in a job well done if we always try our best.

A final lesson from the rules--people remember songs better than lists, so next time you want someone to follow your directions (the first time) put a little tune to it.