In Honor of Those Who Serve - 9/11

To my comrades past and present, and especially to those in the 519th MI BN...I think of you often.

Dating for Dummies

And now on a serious note...

Do Christian singles have a rough time connecting with that someone special? I have no idea (but I did date my one and only for four years before we got married and we've been happily married for 15 years).

Dwindling congregations and a lack of experience in relationships have left many churchgoers struggling to find a partner, according to clergy.

There has been a sharp rise in the number of worshippers signing up to internet dating sites, but clergy are concerned that they are losing personal skills, such as flirting and reading signals.

Now hundreds of Christians are attending courses designed to make them more successful in turning a first date into a long-term relationship.

Here's some of what they're learning:

Lessons include how to greet someone, how to hold good eye contact and how to judge whether the other person wants to be kissed at the end of the evening.

"The workshops are all about giving people the confidence to make their date a success. They go through the whole process of what is acceptable to talk about and when it is appropriate to try to take things to the next level."

Mr Spalton (Peter Spalton, known as the dating doctor) said that chat-up lines can be a good way to make someone laugh and feel relaxed, but that some Christian jokes might not be well received.

And pick-up lines to avoid:

- 'Now I know why Solomon had 700 wives. He never met you.'
- 'You float my ark.'
- 'I didn't believe in predestination until tonight.'
- 'Let me sell you an indulgence - it's a sin to look as good as you.'
- 'How many times do I have to walk around you before you fall for me?"

Perhaps we need more workshops, seminars, Sunday school lessons to help the singles out. Do they teach this at seminary? If not, they should. I know this is easy to make fun of after all, I'm married.

U.S. Army Drill Team

Discipline...

Alaska Gov. Palin to be Named as McCain Running Mate

This is some of the best news I've heard in along time reference the Republican Party.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is surprise choice to be McCain's running mate; mother of 5 is considered rising star in GOP, known for pro-life stand, fiscal conservatism. She is also a lifetime NRA member and enjoys hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling. Gov. Palin was the first female governor of Alaska and is the first woman on a national GOP ticket.

The Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, has pulled a fast one on his Democratic opponents, who spent much of the last 19 months arguing over whether they'd be the party to have a female on their 2008 presidential ticket.

For good analysis on the choice, check out Pastor T's comments here.

Russia's invasion of South Ossetia seems to have alarmed residents - of the southern US state of Georgia

More disheartening news from the Caucasus...

POTI, Georgia — Thousands of Georgians angry at the presence of Russian troops on the outskirts of the strategic Black Sea port of Poti took to the streets Saturday, waving Georgian flags and urging the Russians to leave.

The protest came as a top Russian general said his country's forces would keep patrolling Poti even though it lies outside the areas where Russia claims it has the right to station soldiers in Georgia.

"Russian military: You are not a liberating military, you are an occupying force," one man was heard shouting.

On Friday, Russia said it had pulled back forces from Georgia in accordance with a EU-brokered cease-fire agreement. Russia, though, interprets the accord as allowing it to keep a substantial military presence in Georgia — a point hotly disputed by the United States, France and Britain.

A concerned U.S. Citizen weighs in...

South Ossetia conflict: Concerned US citizen gets her Georgias confused

A concerned citizen calling herself Jessica B has written a post on the comments section of the website Yahoo, saying "I live in georegia but i dont see rusia no where not even sound but they says theres tanks should i be worrie”.

“i herd on the news that rusia has invaded but i dont see them no where wats going on," she continued.

Her mind was presumably put at ease by a fellow contributor, who reassured her with the words "You are in the state of Georgia. The nation of Georgia is on the other side of the world".

Jessica B's fears are allayed: Russia has invaded a different Georgia.

This is too good to be true; probably a hoax- nevertheless, pretty funny. I wonder how many Americans could point either Georgia out on a map, or name their capitals.

NASCAR For Dummies

NASCAR Coach Reveals Winning Strategy: 'Drive Fast'

John Jay the Reluctant

Did you know, John Jay, considered by many to be one of our country’s Founding Fathers, was first opposed to American independence. Jay was from a wealthy New York Huguenot family and had a successful law practice, which was cut short by escalation of hostilities with England. Jay was elected to the First Continental Congress and initially opposed the use of strong measures against England due, in part, to his family’s wealth and Tory connections. However, he did write Address to the People of Great Britain, which accused Parliament of “establishing a system of slavery” by denying Americans the same rights as Englishmen. During the Second Continental Congress, Jay opposed all discussion of independence. He was concerned that mob rule would prevail. Though he was absent during the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Jay became a strong supporter of the cause once independence was declared and served as president of Congress in 1778. He was appointed to write a peace treaty with England after the war and was given the role again in 1794, which resulted in the famous “Jay Treaty.”

John Jay became the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. His long political career reflected his motto “Nothing is useful except what is honorable.”