President Bush in Tanzania

"DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (CNN) -- President George W. Bush signed a multi-million dollar aid deal with the government of Tanzania Sunday morning on the second stop of his five-nation tour of Africa.

The compact, agreed with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, will provide a $698 million Millennium Challenge grant to the nation. Bush's six-day tour of the continent is intended to stress U.S. initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and poverty in the region.

Billboards and dancers wearing President Bush's likeness Saturday welcomed the U.S. leader and first lady Laura Bush to Tanzania Saturday.

Enthusiastic crowds lined the road from Dar es Salaam's airport to the hotel where the Bushes are staying. Billboards along the road expressed thanks to the president for anti-AIDS efforts and other U.S. help." - read full story

No, I'm fine thank you

Overheard during breakfast ...

A server wearing rubber gloves, carrying a bucket filled with cleaning supplies, approached the folks sitting at the booth beside me and said, "I gotta go clean the restroom. Can I get ya'll anything else?"

churchsportsbook.com?

-from today's Anderson Independent Mail:

"Anderson faith leaders don't see gambling as a possibility for their churches

ANDERSON COUNTY — Some Anderson faith leaders say they are wary of the chance that churches and nonprofits soon could be able to host card and casino nights to raise money.

A state Senate subcommittee has approved legislation that would exempt the two groups from South Carolina’s 200-year-old law that prohibits dice and card games."

Some faiths teach that tithing is an "old covenant" remnant and no longer applies to believers, which has lead some cash-crunched congregations to consider "alternative income streams" ... like gambling.

Wonder what we'd see first?

Bingo baptism services? Blackjack for Baptists? Dice for Christ? Slot machines in the vestibule? Fundamentalist Football parlay cards?

Ugh, seems like we don't mind parting with money ... so long as we're having double-down FUN! doing it.

sea change at Daytona?

Toyota Steals American Thunder During Daytona Qualifying ...

"DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- On a milestone day for Toyota, NASCAR's newest manufacturer, veteran drivers stole the show Thursday at Daytona International Speedway.

With a push from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin won the second Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying race for Sunday's Daytona 500 in a green-white-checkered-flag finish that took the event four laps beyond its posted distance. The victory for Toyota was the second for a foreign manufacturer in NASCAR's top series. Jaguar driver Al Keller won a road-course race in Linden, N.J., in 1954."

Race Lineup

1.	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet
2.	Michael Waltrip	Toyota
3.	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet
4.	Denny Hamlin	Toyota
5.	Reed Sorenson	Dodge
6.	Tony Stewart	Toyota
7.	Ryan Newman	Dodge
8.	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet
9.	Casey Mears	Chevrolet
10.	Kasey Kahne	Dodge

-source

a living love letter

"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." -1 John 4:19-21


"You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

"Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." - II Corinthians 3:3-6

News that's new

Swiss bank UBS reports huge loss for 2007 after subprime debacle
"Swiss banking giant UBS said on Thursday it had suffered a net loss of 4.4 billion Swiss francs (4.0 billion dollars, 2.7 billion euros) in 2007 after losing billions in the US mortgage crisis.

The loss -- the bank's first-ever full-year loss -- compared to a profit of 12.3 billion Swiss francs in 2006 and was in line with forecasts." -source


Thai elephant at Sydney zoo pregnant
"Sydney's Taronga Zoo has officially announced the pregnancy of one its Asian elephants. The elephant is expected to give birth in June 2009.

The eight-year-old elephant, named Thong Dee, is one of four female elephants brought to Taronga Zoo from Thailand in 2005.

News of the pregnancy was leaked to the media, when Lee Rhiannon, an MP from the Greens Party, expressed concern the zoo had put the animal at risk by allowing her to get pregnant before reaching maturity.

Taronga Zoo denies the elephant is too young to reproduce, saying experts examined the female Asian elephants at the zoo last year and all were found to be healthy and fertile." - source


Saudi Arabia: Halt Woman’s Execution for ‘Witchcraft’
"(New York, February 14, 2008) – King Abdullah should halt the execution of Fawza Falih and void her conviction for “witchcraft,” Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the Saudi king.

"The religious police who arrested and interrogated Fawza Falih and the judges who tried her in the northern town of Quraiyat never gave her the opportunity to prove her innocence against absurd charges that have no basis in law.

“The fact that Saudi judges still conduct trials for unprovable crimes like ‘witchcraft’ underscores their inability to carry out objective criminal investigations,” said Joe Stork, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Fawza Falih’s case is an example of how the authorities failed to comply even with existing safeguards in the Saudi justice system.” -source


Zimbabwe's inflation surges to 66,000 per cent
"HARARE (AFP) — Zimbabwe's inflation rate, already the highest in the world, has soared to a new high of 66,212.3 percent, according to official figures obtained by AFP on Thursday.

""This means that prices as measured by the all items CPI, increased by an average 66,212.3 percent between December 2006 and December 2007." -source


Shanghaiese Symbol for LOST:

失

Gossip Hound

No one enjoys being the subject of gossip, but sometimes the dirt blows back in the most doggone directions.

Coupla years ago the girl I was dating came by after work and told me, "I ran into So-and-So today, and she said she saw you driving down Clemson Boulevard this afternoon with your daughter."

The girl I was dating continued, "When I told So-and-So you didn't have a daughter, So-and-So's eyes started bulging in their sockets.

"Well," So-and-So confided, "The girl I saw was riding in the front seat and had long blond hair so I just assumed it was Joe's daughter.'" Implying something else, of course, which is what gossips do.

A few days later, we introduced So-and-So to my "daughter" ....

Guys, avoid self-destructing on Valentine's Day

-humor

Word up, dude. You may think a woman loves reading a bunch of goo when she opens her Valentine card, but choose the words you write very carefully ... and don't scribble down the first thing that pops in your head just because it sounds romantic.

There's sweet-sounding lines that'll backfire & kill romance faster than ketchup stains a new white shirt. Some fool-hardy examples include:

- Seems like ages ago, but I remember you were hot when we first met

- I wonder what's going on inside your head. Probably nothing, but ...

- You're the one I think about spending my life with any time we're together

- Even a loser could see there's something special about you

- I've learned not to dwell on the past, and promise to quit bringing it up

- I don't know what I did to deserve this

- I hope you never catch me doing anything that makes you mistrust me

And please, avoid this next one at all possible cost:

- It's like I've known you my entire life, probably because you remind me of my mom


Hope everybody has The Valentine's Day they've been dreaming about! xxx ooo xxx, swak, etc.

It's the smallest son of arboreal pterosaur

"A tiny, toothless pterodactyl with bat-like wings, bird-like claws and a sharp, pointy beak has just been identified from a remarkably well-preserved Chinese fossil, according to a paper published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." -source

Batteries not included?

The Cheapest Car in the World

The Tata Nano

4-Door Hatchback
Distributed In India
98,094 Rupees; $2,497

The Nano is a pet project of Ratan Tata, chairman of India-based Tata Motors, who imagined a low-cost vehicle that could safely transport a family in India who otherwise couldn't afford a car. It is about 10 feet long and five feet wide. The 2-cylinder petrol engine delivers 33 horsepower and a top speed of just over 60 mph. The basic model has no radio, air-conditioning or air bags, but it does have seat belts and a catalytic converter to reduce air pollution, and it gets 50 miles to the gallon. It meets all current safety and emissions requirements in India, and will be ready for market later this year. - Forbes

it's the little things that count

Did ya know that "Something," "Wonderful Tonight" and "Layla" were all written about the same woman?

Pattie Boyd

Ok guys ... so what're you doing for your sweetie on Thursday? Say.

So true, sadly

-from Tuesday's "What's Wrong With This Guy Anyway?" Department:


I was still half-asleep this morning when I reached under my head to re-arrange the pillow. Thing is, I grabbed the back of my hoodie instead.

I figured this out after about 5 minutes.

Acts of Obedience and Reverence

-satire

Being Totally Religious: Lesson #4
How should believers act around non-believers? More importantly, how should believers act in church? Often it's easy to tell where a believer's heart is simply by how he or she acts.

Start by studying these Acting Lessons.

Acting Obedient Around Non-believers:
1. Act Stern when meeting strangers. There's no better indication of your self-righteousness than a frown to let others know "Something's wrong with you." Sneer, as required
2. Act Superior by making dagger eyes, then stare & scowl at their clothes. People who dress poorly reflect badly on the entire congregation and can only deflate how others measure your importance
3. Act Busy by ignoring church visitors: besides, they're likely to be sinners
4. Act Indignant by wincing and snorting before answering questions. This lets sinners know you're offended by their faults & weaknesses
5. Act Suspicious or Betrayed when confronting new situations and challenges. What you don't already know is obviously unimportant anyway

Reverence in Church: keeping up the act
1. Act tired and fatigued, to let others know you've been busy doing the Lord's business
2. Act generous, to make sure your voice gets heard first at Budget Meetings
3. Act reverent and morose, because no matter how hard others may try to be perfect, they can only disappoint you
4. Act as though nothing's ever good enough, but be patient before voicing your opinion; everybody knows they'll hear it eventually anyway
5. Act like you have the church's best interests at heart; it's the best way to get exactly what you want without others catching on

Going Deeper (really deeper) [fixed broken demo video link]

Come on, you know you want one ...
The VideoRay Deep Blue Submersible Robot
"The VideoRay Deep Blue is ideally suited for deep missions. The Deep Blue can easily accommodate modular instrumentation and tools such as: scanning imaging sonar for low visibility environments; manipulator for object retrieval or intervention; positioning system for exhaustive area searches; water quality sensor, metal thickness gauge, and more. The Tether Deployment System (TDS) is included for quick coiling and recoiling of the tether." $46,500

-view demo video
-VideoRay web site

Hold on tight

-from today's "Ouch, But I'm Sure It Only Looks Painful" Department:

Here's a youtube clip of several different guys firing a 577 Tyrannosaur rifle at an indoor range.

The 577 T-Rex is one of the hardest-kicking rifles around ... about like having a 160-lb weight free-fall into your shoulder ... and most of the "victims" appear to have no idea what's in store.

Enjoy :-)

My favorite Pharisee

4: 21 AM

... is the one who says "Rules and traditions define who I am and what my faith means. My religion's rules and traditions cease being man-made soon as they become important and sentimental to me."

Like, huh?

"What's the best way to make sure my faith fits all my needs?"

Breaking News

-from the "News That'll Never Happen" Department:

God Uncertain Regarding Election Outcome
Expressing concern over latest primary results, Creator calls mud-throwing, name-calling and back-room intrigue His candidate's "best chance" for victory.

Selfishness Pays ... with interest [improved & super-updated]

"We deserve ours ... and all you other people can get in line behind us and wait till we're done."

The US is the greatest country on earth, right? The rest of the world is jealous, and that's why they hate Americans. Americans enjoy the highest standard of living and are the wealthiest people in the world, right?
Wrong ... in fact, the US isn't even close.

Standard of Living
1. Norway
2. Sweden
3. Canada
4. Belgium
5. Australia
6. United States
7. Iceland
8. Netherlands
9. Japan
10. Finland
-source

Snoozing in The American Dream Land
-U.S. students scored lower on science/literacy than their peers in 16 of the other 29 OECD jurisdictions and 6 of the 27 non-OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] jurisdictions - source

-The US ranks #21 in Litericy (behind Armenia and Barbados)

-The US is the world's largest debtor nation.
"In recent years, the US trade deficit has reached roughly 6% of the GDP, a level former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker calls unsustainable." -wiki

-Every US citizen owes the federal government $$30,378.80 (babies and children are citizens, so figure about $79,000 per taxpayer). "Poor" countries like China and India are lending money to the US to service its debt)
Check out the National Debt Clock here.

-The second most expensive item in the US budget (after Defense spending) is paying interest on the national debt ... more than $1 billion per day in 2006. (NASA's annual budget is about $15 billion per year)

-Though accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world's energy -more energy info here

-The US ranks #45 in both Life Expectancy and Suicide Rates

---
I'm not crossing the line into politics, but look at today's headlines.

I hope it's not s sign of things to come that OPEC and other global oil suppliers, worried about the shrinking value of the dollar, might start asking to be paid in currencies other than dollars. Or that Great Britain is mussing with the idea of "constructive accommodation" with Islamic Shariah law.

Meanwhile Congress borrows another $168 billion to stimulate the world's greatest consumers into spending themselves even further into debt.

Don't get me wrong: Americans enjoy tremendous political freedom and have greater economic opportunity than any country in the world. Still I wonder if the US is the greatest country on earth ... or maybe just the most selfish.

I guess we'll find out when the bills come due.

"I remember a time when churches made it their business to ..."

"... make sure folks in the community behaved and started acting right. If the churches can't do that, then why on earth do we bother keeping the doors open in the first place?

"We gotta stand up right now and do something publicly to protest against liquor, adult book stores, pornography, TV programming, rock music, public health clinics, Sports Illustrated, local government, The Olson Twins, flu shots and fluoride, tight jeans and orange hair dye, the political party I disagree with, karaoke ... and especially folks who own cats should have to keep them leashed and licensed, too."



Time spent obsessing on man-made problems is time lost toward pursuing God's solution.