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Saturday, July 06, 2002
Create a virtual model of yourself
www.myvirtualmodel.com
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Friday, July 05, 2002
Moment of silence, please.
Ted Williams, Teddy Ballgame, The Splendid Splinter
1918 - 2002
Today the world has lost a War Hero, a World Class Fisherman, and the Greatest Hitter who Ever Lived. Black armbands for everyone.
:^(
You kids out there shouldn't grow up without knowing about Ted Williams and his era of baseball. Here's an excerpt from his autobiography, My Turn at Bat.
Any kids out there planning on a career in the major leagues when you grow up, this is the man you want to learn from. This is the man that will teach you the science of hitting.
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Thursday, July 04, 2002
Star Spangled Banner, 4th Verse
Sing along with the tune you know and love
Oh thus be it ever
When free men shall stand
Between their 'loved homes
And the war's desolation
Blessed with victory and peace
May the Heaven rescued land
Praise the power that hath made
And preserved us a nation
Then conquer we must
When our cause it is just
And this be our motto:
In God is our Trust
And the Star Spangled Banner
In Triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave.
If you ever get called upon to sing the National Anthem at some public function, sing this verse instead of the one that everyone's expecting. It will surprise them, and they will listen, instead of just mouthing the words they've known since childhood, and probably never fully understood (what's a rampart, anyway? Especially to a 10-year old). The 10th line is operative.
Cheers, and Happy 4th of July!!!
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Sometimes I have to take a break and just do something for my own amusement. Click the picture above to visit my latest "fun page". It's a virtual slot machine, just like the real thing. Just glide your mouse across the handle to spin. It's educational, too! Give it a minute to load. Hope you enjoy it. I'll get back to the news tomorrow.
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Sunday, June 30, 2002
Well, for many days now the subject of debate has been the Pledge of Allegiance and the words "under God". The whole debate is centered around Religion, and yet not once have I heard anyone debate the religious aspects of saying "the pledge". The debate I want to see is about whether or not the God in "under God" actually approves of people gathering together, putting their hands on their hearts, and vowing devotion to an inamimate object. Public officials and religious leaders are lining up to defend the God in "under God", and nobody is even asking whether or not this God actually wants people to be doing this in the first place.
Back in Moses's day, friend of the God that's presumably referred to, a group of people standing around declaring devotion to an object that stood for something else would be denounced as being idolaters. And yet religious Americans everywhere are speaking out to defend the right to publicly declare allegiance to an object and that for which it stands.
The Pledge of Allegiance has become accepted as a sacrament in this country, but up until 1892 nobody in America did it. 1892 was when it appeared in a popular family magazine, written by a Socialist Reformer . Saying the pledge was an unknown practice to our Founding Fathers. The hard workers and pioneers of Early America didn't say the pledge as they built this country into an industrious bastion of democracy. It was forced on school children of the late 19th century by a reformer with an agenda and media access, and it has evolved into what it is today, a litmus test of devotion to country and creator.
The pledge didn't even say "under God" until 1954, during the Red Scare, when people were standing on their heads to seem Patriotic and Christianly for fear of being labled a "Communist" and being black-balled from their chosen profession. Most people think of the pledge as an American Standard of both patriotism and religious devotion, but it really wasn't up until the Cold War.
At any rate, the idolatry aspect is an interesting side to this issue, and if you're watching or listening to one of those call-in talk shows this week, call in and say something about it. If nothing else it will spice up the debate some, because they are bound to keep talking about it.
Update: Here's a response from a Christian reader in the Mail Bag.
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