From a Romanian Newspaper :

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA

Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper.  The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title 'C'ntarea Americii, meaning 'Ode To America ') in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei 'The Daily Event' or 'News of the Day'.

~An Ode to  America ~

 

Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color!  They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.

On 9/ll, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.   Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the Army, or the Secret Service that they are only a bunch of losers.  Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts.   Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.

Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand. 

After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag.  They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing.  On every occasion, they started singing: 'God Bless  America !'

I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.

How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being?  Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes.  And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.  What on earth unites the Americans in such a way?  Their land?  Their history?  Their economic Power?  Money?   I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion... 

 

Only freedom can work such miracles.

 

Cornel Nistorescu

(This deserves to be passed around the Internet forever.) It took a person on the outside - looking in - to see what we take for granted !

 

G OD BL ES S A ME RI CA !!!

VOTE this November 2, 2010.  

It's more important than ever!!!!!

What are the top 5 Calibers?

Kevin, has created a video on this topic. I also found some of his notes on this as well. Join Kevin on his YouTube Channel here. His Channel has been viewed over 444,000 times.

Below is some of the material he wrote:  From my opinion, pistols need to serve a dual role purpose - just like rifles or shotguns. Whether its on your hip while walking around the yard, or in your hand while hog or deer hunting, be sure to pick a caliber that will get the job done.

5. 22 Long rifle - inexpensive, light weight, takes care of small pest with little or no problems. The light recoil makes the 22 a great choice for small framed adults, teenagers learning to shoot and people who do not like the recoil of the larger calibers.

One of the big bonuses of the 22 long rifle, it can be shot out of a pistol or rifle, this makes it a dual role caliber. From a stockpiling point of view, and you intend for everyone in your group to be armed, the most inexpensive route is the 22 long rifle. When a brick of 550 rounds cost between $12 - $20, its cost effective to stockpile thousands of 22 rounds. For $200 someone could probably buy more 22 long rifle then they will shoot in a 10 years - do that with 9mm, 40S&w, 45ACP or 357Sig.

4. 38 Special - less recoil then the 357 magnum, can be shot out of pistols and rifles chambered for 357 magnum, easy to reload. From my reloading experience, the 38 special can use 6 grains of unique, which is the same charge that I used for the 9mm. With 6,000 grains in a pound of powder, that means you can get around 1,000 38 special loads from 1 pound of unique.

Stockpiling the 38 special - a lot of police still use the 38 special to qualify their officers, this makes 38 special brass easy to find. If your looking for a cheap, easy to find, easy to reload round to stockpile, the 38 special is going to be difficult to beat. I remember going to gun shows and seeing 38 special brass by the5 gallon bucket load.

Its the light recoil, abundance of brass for reloading, ease of reloading and ability to shoot out of firearms chambered for 357 magnum that puts the 38 special at #4.

3. and 2. - Tied between the 9mm and 45ACP - If you think the 9mm is better then the 45ACP, thats fine. If you like the 45ACP over the 9mm, thats fine also. The 9mm and 45ACP have to share the # 2 & #3 spots for the best round for survivalist. Their both easy to reload, brass is easily available, and sometimes you can find good deals on bulk ammo.

Back when I was reloading, a buddy of mine and I, we both had a progressive reloading presses setup in the same shop. My buddy had a Lee and I had an RCBS Rock Chucker with a Piggyback. In 1 hour we could load 1,000 rounds of 9mm. Their were 2 of us working the presses - 1 person per press, and a third person was keeping the powder hoppers filled up, keeping the brass on hand and the primers ready to go. We were using 6 grains of unique, small pistol primers and Remington 115 grain round nose. We would all pitch in and buy bullets in bulk from Midway USA. Back in the mid - late 1990s Midway used to have a case of 5,000 9mm bullets - that is what we would buy. It was not uncommon to load 2,000 - 3,000 rounds of 9mm in a weekend. Then we would switch the presses over to 45ACP, 38 special or 357 magnum and keep loading.

A lot of police officers use the 9mm and 45ACP, so finding brass should not be a problem - just like the 38 special. If you know someone that works for the local police department or sheriffs department, ask them to pick up brass for you next time they qualify with their pistols. There have been a several times when friends brought me 5 gallons buckets of mixed brass from the ranges - 9mm, 45ACP, 357sig, 38 special, 357 magnum,,,,,,. It took a couple of hours to go through all of the brass and sort to the different calibers, but it was worth it.

One of the plus sides to the 9mm and 45ACP, certain companies are making rifles for them as well. Examples include the Marlin camp 9 and camp 45, and the Beretta Px4 Storm.

1. 357 Magnum - despite the "magnum" name, the recoil is manageable, the 357 is chambered in pistols and rifles, its easy to reload and its got enough power to take deer and hog size game, or be able to shoot through a car - which ever one you need to do at the time.

If you do not want a revolver, then there is the Magnum Research Desert Eagle.

If you want a rifle chambered in 357 magnum, there is the Marlin 1894 lever action.

Personally, I shoot a Smith & Wesson model 66 combat magnum.

There is just something about holding and shooting a revolver that a semi-auto can not compare to. The feel of the wooden grips is much better then the plastic grips of most semi-autos, the action of a wheel gun seems smoother then the action of most semi-autos.

Special Mentions:

40 S&W - when the 40 came out, I was one of the people that jumped on the band wagon and bought one. The pistol I owned was the Ruger P91 DC - the DC stood for "decocker." It was stainless steel, double action, 40 S&W.

After shooting a few hundred rounds of 40S&W, I can honestly say that I do not like the recoil. When compared to the 9mm and the 45ACP, the 40S&W seems to have a sharper and most unpleasant recoil. Its the harsh recoil that keep the 40 out of the top 5.

41 Magnum - the 41 magnum offers improved ballistics over the 357 magnum, but at the cost of a larger frame pistol and a little more recoil. Even though the 41 magnum has a lot to offer, it never did catch on like other calibers did.

44 Magnum - Dirty Harry and the term "hand cannon" helped push the 44 magnum to popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. If you need a handgun for bear, then the 44 magnum might be right up your alley. If you need a handgun just about anyone in the family can shoot, the 44 magnum is off the list.

With rifles like the Marlin 1894, maybe the 44 magnum should be considered more of a light rifle round then a heavy pistol cartridge.

357 Sig - for you 357 sig fans out there, here is your special mention, I hope your happy.


Final thoughts:

I'am pretty sure that a lot of people are going to disagree with the 38 special being in the top 5, while the 40S&W only gets a special mention.

When thinking about the #4 spot, there were several things I took into consideration - recoil as one of the main factors. I personally think my 14 year old daughter would be more comfortable shooting a 38 special then a 40S&W.

When reloading, the 38 special can use the same bullets as the 357 magnum. Just order a bunch of 125 grain hollow points, and use them in either the 38 special or 357 magnum.

Closed poll...

The poll is closed on the question on wither "Women should play a major role in Christian Ministry"? This poll did not seem to generate much interest or attention. There was only 2 votes. 1 for Yes and 1 for No. neither votes had a comments. My thoughts on this are the YWYH is a Loving GOD. I have found NO direct message concerning the question. I do know that Yeshua used many women in his mission while he walked on earth. See this link about women in the Bible.

Mary Magdalene led a group of women who were prominent followers of Jesus of Nazareth. They were the main witnesses of all the key events in Jesus' life:

• his ministry in Galilee and Judea
• the crucifixion
• his death
• his burial and resurrection. 

The idea of women as primary witnesses does not seem very startling to people in the 20th century, but it was a revolutionary concept at the time. The testimony of women was not given the same weight as men's, either personally or in a court of law. 

When the Christian stories described Mary Magdalene and the other women as the first witnesses of the Resurrection, they were saying something important about the status of women within Christianity. 

The story of Mary Magdalene contains four different episodes:
1 Mary Magdalene as a disciple of Jesus (Luke 8:1-3)
Mary is described as a woman whom Jesus cured of an unspecified illness. She led a group of women who provided for Jesus and his followers from their own financial resources.

2 Mary at the crucifixion (Mark 15:40-41, Luke 23:49, Matthew 27:55-56, John 19:25)
In each of the four accounts of the crucifixion Mary was present, either standing at a distance with other women, or standing near the cross.

3 Mary prepared Jesus’ body for burial (Luke 23:55-56, Matthew 27:61)
Mary watched as Jesus’ body was sealed inside the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. She could confirm that he was really dead. She and the other women prepared the spices needed for proper burial of a body.

4 Mary witnesses the resurrection (Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-11, Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:1-18).
Mary found that Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb. She received a message from an angel and was the first person to see the risen Jesus. She was thus the first witness of the resurrection.

Throughout the centuries, Mary Magdalene was incorrectly portrayed in literature and art as a reformed prostitute. This happened because

• Mary Magdalene was confused with the woman with the alabaster jar, described in Luke 7:36-50; the story of this other woman comes just before Mary Magdalene is first mentioned
• the woman with the alabaster jar is called a 'sinner', but there is no reason to think that this meant she was a prostitute; in fact, when Luke describes an actual prostitute in 15:30, he uses a different word
• Mary Magdalene is described as having a serious illness, but the nature of the illness is unspecified; later celibate male interpreters linked Mary’s illness, her ‘demons’, with her sexuality
• Mary was traditionally presented as the sinful woman, contrasting her with Mary of Nazareth, the perfect virgin/mother.
  
  
   

So as you see Mary Magdalene and many other women were in his Ministry  Continue with this study here.

Amazing Grace...

So sweet the sound, his Grace for me.

Reggie...

This story as come to me at the right time of the year. I hope it warms you hearts as much as it as warmed mine. Wendy I wish I was there to give you a "Mighty BIG Hug and a Kiss" to Thank You for this story that you send to me. I have spent as least 3 hours reading it and feeling all the love and emotions that these people and this amazing dog felt in this story. Which will bring me to the last line in this post. (Wait for it!)

They told me the big black Lab's name was Reggie, as I looked at him lying in his pen.. The shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I'd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street. But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn't hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie's advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn't look like "Lab people," whatever that meant. They must've thought I did.

But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner. See, Reggie and I didn't really hit it off when we got home.

We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too. Maybe we were too much alike. For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis balls --- he wouldn't go anywhere without two stuffed in his mouth) got tossed in with all of my other unpacked boxes. I guess I didn't really think he'd need all his old stuff, that I'd get him new things once he settled in. But it became pretty clear pretty soon that he wasn't going to.

I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he knew, ones like "sit" and "stay" and "come" and "heel," and he'd follow them - when he felt like it. He never really seemed to listen when I called his name --- sure, he'd look in my direction after the fourth or fifth time I said it, but then he'd just go back to doing whatever. When I'd ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then grudgingly obey. This just wasn't going to work.

He chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes. I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell. The friction got so bad that I couldn't wait for the two weeks to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search mode for my cell phone amid all of my unpacked stuff. I remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest room, but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the "damn dog probably hid it on me."
Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the shelter's number, I also found his pad and other toys
from the shelter...I tossed the pad in Reggie's direction and he snuffed it and wagged, some of the most enthusiasm I'd seen since bringing him home. But then I called, "Hey, Reggie, you like that? Come here and I'll give you a treat." Instead, he sort of glanced in my direction --- maybe "glared" is more accurate --- and then gave a discontented sigh and flopped down .... with his back to me.

Well, that's not going to do it either, I thought. And I punched the shelter phone number. 

But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that, too. "Okay, Reggie," I said out loud, "let's see if your previous owner has any advice."

~~~

To Whoever Gets My Dog:

Well, I can't say that I'm happy you're reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie's new owner. I'm not even happy writing it. If you're reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter. He knew something was different. I have packed up his pad and toys before and set them by the back door before a trip, but this time... it's like he knew something was wrong. And something wrong... which is why I have to go to try to make it right.
So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you. First, he loves tennis balls. The more the merrier. Sometimes I think he's part squirrel, the way he hordes them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn't done it yet. Doesn't matter where you throw them, he'll bound after it, so be careful - really don't do it by any roads. I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly.


Next, commands. Maybe the shelter staff already told you, but I'll go over them again: Reggie knows the obvious ones --- "sit, stay, come, heel." He knows hand signals: "Back" to turn around and go back when you put your hand straight up; and "Over" if you put your hand out right or left. "Shake" for shaking water off, and "Paw" for a high-five. He does "Down" when he feels like lying down --- I bet you could work on that with him some more. He knows "ball" and "food" and "bone" and "treat" like nobody's business. I trained Reggie with small food treats. Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog. Feeding schedule: twice a day once about seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening. Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand. He's up on his shots. Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with yours; they'll make sure to send you reminders for when he's due. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car. I don't know how he knows when it's time to go to the vet, but he knows. Finally, give him some time. I've never been married, so it's only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He's gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn't bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially. Which means that this transition is going to be hard, with him going to live with someone new. And that's why I need to share one more bit of info with you....  His name's not Reggie. I don't know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie. He's a smart dog, he'll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. But I just couldn't bear to give them his real name. For me to do that, it seemed so final, that handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I'd never see him again. And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it means everything's fine. But if someone else is reading it, well ... well it means that his new owner should know his real name. It'll help you bond with him. Who knows, maybe you'll even notice a change in his demeanor if he's been giving you problems. His real name is "Tank". Because that is what I drive.  Again, if you're reading this and you're from the area, maybe my name has been on the news. I told the shelter that they couldn't make "Reggie" available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could've left Tank with ... and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone.. call the shelter ... in the "event" ... to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he'd do it personally. And if you're reading this, then he made good on his word. Well, this letter is getting downright depressing, even though, frankly, I'm just writing it for my dog. I couldn't imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids and family ... but still, Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family.

And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me. That unconditional love from a dog is what I take with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect innocent people from those who would do terrible things ... and to keep those terrible people from coming over here. If I have to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have done so. He is my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.

All right, that's enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. I don't think I'll say another good-bye to Tank, though. I cried too much the first time. Maybe I'll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth. Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him "an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me."

Thank you,

Paul Mallory

~~~~

Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the "Silver Star" when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags had been at half-mast all summer. I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog.

"Hey, Tank," I said quietly.

The dog's head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright.

"C'mere boy."

He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn't heard in months.

"Tank," I whispered.

His tail swished. I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood
him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my face into his scruff and hugged him.

"It's me now, Tank, just you and me.

Your old pal gave you to me." Tank reached up and licked my cheek. "So whatdaya say we play some ball ?" Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room. And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.

If you can read this without getting a lump in your throat or a tear in your eye,

 *** Please don't let  me know..., you just ain't right. ***

Now for the rest of the story. Click here

Andy

Speeding?

SPEEDING IN Oregon 

~~~

GOOD ~ Bend ,Oregon. A policeman had a perfect spot to watch for speeders, but wasn't getting many. Then he discovered the problem--a 12-year-old boy was standing up the road with a hand painted sign, which read 'RADAR TRAP AHEAD.' The officer also found the boy had an accomplice who was down the road with a sign reading 'TIPS' and a bucket full of money. (And we used to just sell lemonade!)

BETTER ~ A motorist was mailed a picture of his car speeding through an automated radar post in Pendleton, Oregon. A $40 speeding ticket was included. Being cute, he sent the police department a picture of $40. The police responded with another mailed photo of handcuffs.

BEST ~ A young woman was pulled over for speeding. An Oregon State Trooper walked to her car window, flipping open his ticket book. She said, "I bet you are going to sell me a ticket to the State Trooper's Ball." He replied, " Oregon State Troopers don't have balls." There was a moment of silence. He then closed his book, tipped his hat, got back in his patrol car and left.

~~~

Honor our Veterans

I Like GUNS...

What Are We Laying Up?

What Are We Laying Up?

United States Marine Corps Birthday Message

The 2010 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message, from Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen James F Amos, marking the 235th birthday of the Marines. Join Marines and their supporters worldwide as they wish the Marine Corps a Happy 235th Birthday on November 10, 2010.

Semper Fi

Are you a Duck?

No one can make you serve customers well.....that's because great service is a choice. Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey ..

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card.. It said: 
Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment...

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I d prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No problem I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice..' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'  Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.' 

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.' And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of
the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?' Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always.. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. 

Don't be a duck. 

Be an eagle. 

Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd..'

'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.' 'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said. 'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I 've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting..

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us?  Smile, and the whole world smiles with you... The ball is in our hands! A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up... let us do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans. SORROW looks back, WORRY looks around, and FAITH looks UP... "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to
dance in the rain." And while in the storm, give it to God and let him handle it. 

Material presented is not mine but passed around and around on the net, I just was presented it by my Friend, Shirley Many Thanks

Why 4ft 8.5 inches?

Railroad tracks.

 

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.

Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates designed the US railroads.

Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did 'they' use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they had used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts. 

So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (including  England) for their legions. Those roads have been used ever since.

 

 

 

And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels.

 

Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.

So the next time you are handed a specification/procedure/process and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with this?', you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.)

 

 

 

 

Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah.

 

 

 

The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass. And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important? Ancient horse's asses control almost everything... and the current  Horses Asses in Washington are controlling everything else!

*** Simply Amazing ***

This data and information was sent to me by email and my Friend - Shirley. Thanks

Please be an "Angel for Animals"

Those of you that follow my blogs regularly know I love animals. I hate it when I kill a fly! Please help PETA, Watch PETA's new video and become an "Angels for Animals" sponsor today. Your help can alleviate some of the suffering of outdoor dogs who spend their lives trapped at the end of a chain or in a tiny pen. PETA builds hundreds of sturdy, straw-filled doghouses each year and delivers them to dogs in urgent need, providing these lonely animals with shelter from snow, wind, rain, and summer heat for years to come.I gladly pass this along to anyone who can help, PLEASE. As for me I wish to save a couple teacup chihuahua for life. 

Thank You  so MUCH.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Anyone...

Chocolate Pecan Pie from Ghirdelli.

• 4 ounce(s) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
• 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup(s) light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup(s) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 1/2 cup(s) pecan halves
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked piecrust, store-bought or homemade
Convert to metric link...

Directions
Heat oven to 325F. In double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate and butter. In large bowl with electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla and salt until blended; beat in chocolate mixture. Stir in pecans; pour into piecrust. Place pie on baking sheet on middle rack of oven; bake about 55 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely at room temperature. Cut pie into 8 wedges; serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
For homemade piecrust, in large bowl, stir together 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. With 2 knives or pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until it is the size of small peas. Add 2 tablespoons very cold water; stir quickly with fork until dough comes together, adding up to 2 more tablespoons water if dough looks too dry. (Be careful not to add too much water, or dough will be tough.) Form into ball, flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 14-inch circle. Line 9-inch pie pan with dough, cut away excess dough and crimp edge of piecrust. Prick bottom of piecrust all over with fork. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 day or freeze up to 1 month before using. Yield: 8 servings.

( YES if you cut me, I bleed Chocolate) 

Can you blow bubbles like this?

Amazing 

So I ask why we still allow the murder of all this beautiful souls.

Please see my blog on this.

You Fought for Me - THANK YOU

This is video titled "I Fought For You" by the Sound Tank.  First I need to thank Miss Shirley for bringing this video to my attention. I have never had the privilege to see it before. Last but not least I need to Thank Each and Every Soldier that served in our Armed Services for the beginning of the first thought, to the end of our Country's time. Many have Died, Many more have Fought and Many have served, but, Few have received the proper Thank You from this country or it's people.

I salute you ALL

This video moves me each and every time I see it. Semper Fi.  

To my Dad  

Robert Paul Hay 

a very special THANK YOU.

November 10th and 11th 2010.

Worship HIM

 I have daily emails that come in to help my studies and praise HIM. This spoke to me, as I have been seeking about "worship and praise" to Yeshua.


 ^9-10 "And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father's God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart and sees through every motive. If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he'll leave you for good. Look sharp now! God has chosen you to build his holy house. Be brave, determined! And do it!"  (1 Chronicles 28:9, The Message)

"[As we near closer to Thanksgiving, our promise this week is not about the usual themes of bounty, but the blessings found when we seek God. For it is from an intimate relationship with God that his blessings flow.]

Heart to heart, mind to mind, soul to soul — this is intimacy. There is relational intimacy, where two people become soul mates, free to openly share all their burdens, fears, and joys with each other. Then there is physical intimacy, reserved only for marriage, where a man and woman, through their sexual relationship, reach new heights of vulnerability that should allow them to communicate at the most profound level. And finally there is intimacy with God, where we learn to understand the very heart of God. As we do this, all other intimacy takes on new and even greater meaning.

from the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 1219

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Broke

You have to admit wither you Love them or Hate him, Glenn makes you THINK!. On December 2nd and 8th, Glenn Beck will will simulcast Broke: Restarting the Engine of America, LIVE from the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh to over 540 movie theaters across the country, and there’s one near you! 

Streamlined, powerful, and wildly responsive. It was the envy of all who saw it. A model often imitated but never duplicated. This was the 1965 Ford Mustang, a classic not because it was loaded with unnecessary add-ons, but because its makers understood that you get the best performance when you keep things lean, clean and uncomplicated. (Personally I just remember Beverly in her mustang, driving down the back roads to the swimming hole :D nothing complicated about that either! The same can be said about our American economy. Sadly, those in power tinkered too much under the hood using all the wrong tools, and just look at the mess we’re in now. Using a 1965 Mustang as an example, Glenn will show how our economy used to be a model of performance and efficiency. Sadly, too many in Washington have spent too much of their time and your money trying to “fix” things even though they were far from broken. Unnecessary modifications, incompatible parts and untrained mechanics have turned what used to be a classic into a clunker.

On December 2nd, Glenn will lay out how this happened, why it happened, and what we need to do in order to restore our economy so she’s running better than ever. Here is the original link. Below is a video clip on "Exposed" by Glenn. 

Check for the other links that appear after viewing this video. Enjoy

My Redeemer

Dick and Rick Hoyt
~~~
This video is so moving, somehow It reminds me of this scripture in Matthew 25, and how much more can our Heavenly Father love us. I am truly humbled by this, again I feel my purpose here on this earth is just to reach out to my follow man and do what ever I am capable of doing. All the glory and honor is his! Amen.

Thank you Shirley for sharing this video with me.

(Matt 25:31- 45 [MSG])
When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room,  I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me. Then those 'sheep' are going to say, Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you? Then the King will say, I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me. Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because— I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.  Then those 'goats' are going to say, Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help? He will answer them, I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.

Why Carry a Gun?

This piece or thought; I am sure has circled the world once or twice. The author is unknown, but the data and ideas are still very important to think about and understand. Wither you are for gun control or not this is a powerful statement that is felt throughout the world. I was and am a United States Marine so I understand the need to be ready at a moments notice. Nobody ever wins in a fight, but you do have the ability to recover and live another day, I am a child of YWYH (GOD), I believe in the two greatest commandments that was even issued in the world, but somethings you need to practice "tough" love. I'm a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment! These thoughts embellish the reasons why to carry a gun.  First I will share some important real world data, then listen to a "Grandpa" share why he carry's his gun.

~~~ *** ~~~

Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Turkey established gun control. >From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to  defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

~~~ *** ~~~

SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!

SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.

SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens. Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late! The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson. With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are 'subjects'. During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

The purpose of fighting is to win.

There is no possible victory in defense.

The sword is more important than the shield, 

and skill is more important than either.

All else is supplemental.

NOW Listen to Grandpa say it in his own words.

Why Carry a Gun?

 My old grandpa said to me... 'Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin.'

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love. 

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police protection is an oxymoron. Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime "after" it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....

Thank You Grandpa, Whom ever you are.

DON'T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.