The Deaf Lady

Anyone remember the Fawlty Towers episode where the deaf lady thinks her money has been stolen and Basil wins some money on Flying Tart, I mean, Dragonfly, who got off to a flying start? And then at the end it all falls apart when the vase breaks?

Well, Terry had kind of a Basil moment yesterday.

I called him in the morning and he mentioned that he had just received an unexpected, quick turn around design job that paid $500 that he could have done by the end of the day. Wow, what a blessing!

As soon as I got off the phone with him, I called Blue Cross to make sure my new hand therapist at Tria (this is a whole different blog post) was an "in-service" provider. In passing, I mentioned something about our $5,250 deductible for the year being met, and she said, "Your policy just renewed on April 1st and the deductible for the year increased to $5,750.

So, the cost of the old wrist repair increased $500 on April 1st, and we had no idea, but soon will be getting $500 more in bills.

I called Terry back and told him and he said that for one brief moment, like Basil, he was ahead. Then, someone broke the vase....or in this case, the wrist.

But I still say about the $500 in work that came in yesterday, wow, what a blessing!

Please Read This

Read this please.

Then, read this.

Thank you.

Quote I Like

I like this quote from Frank Sheed.

"Who's Frank Sheed," you ask.

"I have no idea," I reply.

But, the quote is good. I found it on the Bayly blog along with a link to a good article by Charles J. Chaput who is the Roman Catholic archbishop of Denver. Here's the Sheed quote:

"It’s incredible how long science has succeeded in keeping men’s minds off their fundamental unhappiness and its own very limited power to remedy their fundamental unhappiness. One marvel follows another—electric light, phonograph, motor car, telephone, radio, airplane, television. It’s a curious list, and very pathetic. The soul of man is crying for hope of purpose or meaning; and the scientist says, “Here is a telephone” or “Look, television!”—exactly as one tries to distract a baby crying for its mother by offering it sugar-sticks and making funny faces."

Beeper

So, why is grandma just finding out that "Beeper" has a blog?! Where have I been?

Check out "Beeper's Blog" and have a nice day!

Beep, beep!

This Just Keeps Getting Better

What would we do without Matt Drudge and The Smoking Gun.

Enjoy reading about Ms. Crow's carbon footprint.

TP and SC

As Ms. Crow is jetting all over the US of A speaking out for the environment (and burning more fossil fuel in an month than I will use in my lifetime), she has come up with some great ideas.

Here's one.

Crow said: (4/19, Springfield, Tenn.): I have spent the better part of this tour trying to come up with easy ways for us all to become a part of the solution to global warming. Although my ideas are in the earliest stages of development, they are, in my mind, worth investigating. One of my favorites is in the area of forest conservation which we heavily rely on for oxygen. I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required.

Now, before you get all angry about our Senators and Congresspersons, passing legislation on how many toilet paper squares a person could use (don't worry, I have an idea for 10 ply TP that would allow for using only one square), you need to keep in mind that one of Al Gore's legacies was the low volume flushing toilet which, you have probably noticed, can only handle one square of TP.

Mr. D., years ago, started calling our toilets the Algore. Just a little Monday morning FYI for you.

Follow up on the Crow, David, Rove thing

I just found this article on "huffingtonpost.com" (it's where you end up on a rainy afternoon after Mr. D has just made you a cup of Caribou Fireside roast French press).

It seems that "the girls" (Crow and David) put their experience in their own words.

They were just a couple of girls "excited" to have an opportunity to speak with a Bush administration person about global warming. They just asked him to take a "fresh" look at the situation and he exploded with venom.

The article reads like a paper written by a couple of freshmen running for student council president.

This is my favorite part of the article:

"In his attempt to dismiss us, Mr. Rove turned to head toward his table, but as soon as he did so, Sheryl reached out to touch his arm. Karl swung around and spat, "Don't touch me." How hardened and removed from reality must a person be to refuse to be touched by Sheryl Crow? Unphased, Sheryl abruptly responded, "You can't speak to us like that, you work for us." Karl then quipped, "I don't work for you, I work for the American people." To which Sheryl promptly reminded him, "We are the American people."

At that point Mr. Rove apparently decided he had had enough. Like a groundhog fearful of his own shadow, he scurried to his table in an attempt to hibernate for another year from his responsibility to address global warming. Drama aside, you would expect as an American citizen to be able to engage in a civil discussion with a public official. Instead, Mr. Rove was dismissive, condescending, and quite frankly a bully."

Ummmmm, whos' the bully?

All she wants to do is have some fun

The White House Press Association Dinner was last night.

I watched part of it on CSPAN.

The first thing I noticed was that "the press" is a really rude bunch.

When I tuned in, Association president Steve Scully was doing introductions. Several times as he spoke he had to say, "May I have your attention, please?" It made no difference, they just kept talking.

As students came up to claim their scholarships, the press kept chatting. It was like there was an audience of 2nd graders, with the difference being that 2nd graders would have given the speaker their attention when asked.

Keeping in mind that Steve Scully asked that politics be set aside for one night as he said, "An adversary is not the same thing as an enemy and an evening of civility does not mean we are selling out," I just read about Laurie David and Sheryl Crow.

Apparently, the two "ladies" took it upon themselves to approach Table 92 where Karl Rove was seated.

The Washington Post reports what then happened in this manner:

"I am floored by what I just experienced with Karl Rove," David reports. "I went over to him and said, 'I urge you to take a new look at global warming.' He went zero to 100 with me. . . . I've never had anyone be so rude."

Rove's version: "She came over to insult me and she succeeded."

Things got so hot that Crow stepped in to defuse the situation and then got into it with Rove herself. "You work for me," she told the presidential adviser, according to singed bystanders. "No," was his response. "I work for the American people."

News of the dust-up filtered quickly through the room. Some witnesses said David was very aggressive with Rove; a shaken Crow later said that Rove was "combative and unresponsive."

Mr. D commented on Crow's way with words when I read him the article. She said Rove was "combative" and "unresponsive". Well, which one is it Sheryl? Combative OR unresponsive?

Oh, and next time you go to a fancy schmancy dinner and the MC asks you to set aside politics for the evening, why don't you just stay away from Table 92. Or, weren't you listening?

Crazies and Wimps

I don't know anything about this book, but I do like the title.

Anyone read it?

Something to think about...

Moving on from a laugh at the expense of John Edwards, here is a more sobering article that is worth the read.

John Edwards Feeling Pretty

Hmmmm...

The package that arrived yesterday at NBC headquarters in New York was almost immediately flagged as suspicious, because it had been mailed from Blacksburg, Va., and bore the return name A. Ishmael.

Thus begins the article in the NY Times about the package sent to NBC.

Hmmmmm...

Obama

Here is a photo of Barack with his family. Fortunately, his children survived Roe v. Wade.

Barack thinks the Constitution guarantees the right to suck the brains out of unborn children and disagrees with the Supreme Court decision that upholds the law making the procedure illegal. He said:

"I strongly disagree with today’s Supreme Court ruling, which dramatically departs from previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women. As Justice Ginsburg emphasized in her dissenting opinion, this ruling signals an alarming willingness on the part of the conservative majority to disregard its prior rulings respecting a woman’s medical concerns and the very personal decisions between a doctor and patient. I am extremely concerned that this ruling will embolden state legislatures to enact further measures to restrict a woman's right to choose, and that the conservative Supreme Court justices will look for other opportunities to erode Roe v. Wade, which is established federal law and a matter of equal rights for women."

All I can say is : I hope this decision emboldens state legislatures to enact further measures to restrict a woman's right to murder her baby and that the conservative Supreme Court justices will look for other opportunities to overturn Roe v. Wade which is not a matter of equal rights for women.

Choose Life

Here is a photo of President Bush signing the partial birth abortion ban.

As we remember the tragedy of Virginia Tech, we need to remember that 4,000 unborn babies are murdered in this country each day. How can we expect post Roe v. Wade generations to value life when the weakest among us are allowed to be killed up until the moment they are born.

The Supreme Court did an amazing thing today.

I am adding a link to the National Right to Life web page where you can see just what a partial birth abortion is and read about other pro life issues.

And, speaking of the NRLC, to those of you (Dahlens) who were with our family at the big NRLC rally in DC in April of 1990 (nearly 17 years ago, yikes) all I have to say is, "Water, water, water..."

About Virginia Tech

This is a good article.

Dick Cheney vs. Nancy Pelosi: The Blink-Off

I was searching You Tube for the Pelosi interview on Leno last week. Couldn't find it, but found this and decided to post it because after I tell you what she said, you might need a good laugh. Nancy thinks the government should provide national health care, education, and jobs for everyone. Just a friendly reminder, health care, education, and jobs are all good things, but it is not the job of "The Government" to provide them. This has been a public service message from Hip-Hop Co-op.

There is such a thing as a free lunch!

Go here and read all about it.

We just got home from dinner at Chipotle. Here's the deal. Buy a burrito (other tasty Chipotle menu items work, as well) at Chipotle today or tomorrow (April 14th or 15th). When you pay, they hand you your receipt and a 2006 Burrito EZ Form. Bring your form and receipt back on Monday the 16th and you will receive a free burrito!

Guys and Dolls

Amazing! Sky Masterson or maybe it's Nathan Detroit has come to life and is now doing fundraising on Trinity Broadcasting. I saw him on the T and V set yesterday and today in a brown pinstripe suit with a pink shirt and large pink silk scarf billowing out of the front pocket. And, here's the best part, since 2007 is the year of completion (Paula White told me), all's I gotta do is send Trinity Broadcasting $77 a month, $777, or $7,777 and whatever it is in my life that I need, I will get. I didn't phone in a pledge yesterday, so I missed the hundred fold anointing of my pledge. That anointing expired at midnight. Shucks.

I'm Married to...

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: The Most Honourable Terry the Educated of Fiddlehope in the Marsh Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Second Try

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Entirely Miss Reverend Lady Linda the Pompous of Hopton Goosnargh Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

My Aristocratic Name is...

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Very Lady Linda the Antique of Colquhoun St Cahoon Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

This title came courtesy of a link from His Most Serene Highness Lord Aaron the Convincing of Bampton Underhoop.

I took the first title it gave me. I'm not sure I like the "Antique" part.

Sunday...to be continued

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, After three days I will rise. Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, He has risen from the dead, and the last fraud will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them, You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can. So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

To Be Continued...on Sunday...

From Matthew 26

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, I am the Son of God. And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, This man is calling Elijah. And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, Truly this was the Son of God! There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

Blonde Antelope

It's You Tube week. Here's another I found by random blogging.

Today anchor Meredith falls on ice with Will ferrell

Two comments.

First, Meredith Viera is 8 months older than me. She should not be on ice skates or anywhere near ice.

Second point. Look carefully like Mr. D did and you will note that Ms. Viera has a price tag dangling from her coat. Must be her tribute to the late Minnie Pearl.

Please don't wake me

Falling asleep during lunch is something I will never do!