Phone state

I'm in Greece for a few days before going to Macedonia. I spoke to a Greek man who described the differences between the United States and Greece. He said when he was in Washington DC, a friend started to wash his car. Within minutes the police arrived. A neighbor had called the police. He said that is the same thing in Albania. Neighbors reporting on neighbors. That doesn't happen in Greece. Greek's make less money, but they enjoy life more.

Pull out of Washington

An interesting letter in the Australian Shooter Magazine this week:
"If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in
the Iraq theater of operations during the past 22 months, and a total
of 2112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000
soldiers.

The firearm death rate in Washington, DC is 80.6 per 100,000 for the
same period. That means you are about 25 per cent more likely to be
shot and killed in the US capital, which has some of the strictest gun
control laws in the US, than you are in Iraq.

Conclusion: The US should pull out of Washington."

The Oprah Winfrey Show/Kentucky Grilled Chicken Two-Piece Meal Coupon

Dear Oprah, My wife sent me your webpage with an offer for a KFC meal.
She couldn't get it to print from her computer. Not only would the
coupon not print on my computer, but it required me to download a
garbage software before making my attempt. Now I have to uninstall
the software. How many other people had a similar experience? I
wonder.
Ah, finally my wife got the coupon to print. She went to a KFC and they had posted a sign saying "no more coupons accepted." A customer who came in at the same time said he had been to three KFCs and none were honoring the coupons. This is a PR nightmare. Sometimes too much promotion doesn't work.

Support CCW on campuses

The faculty senate where I work opposes a state bill that would allow
the carrying of concealed weapons (CCW) by permit holders on campus.

I support the legislation. Even the awareness that responsible
citizens may be carrying a weapon serves as a deterrent. Otherwise we
are left unprotected from the "weirdoes and wackos" of the world.
Experience has shown that it is not possible for our security forces
to protect universities and other public facilities from attack. The
examples are legion where citizens have been able to protect
themselves and their property when they are armed. "States with the
largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest drops in
violent crimes," according to John R. Lott who has studied the
relationship between crime and gun control laws.
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/493636.html

Although I do not have a concealed weapons permit, I know many people
who do. The process of obtaining one requires training and a security
check, similar to the requirements for police to be permitted to carry
a weapon. I wouldn't think of asking the police to give up their
firearms, because of the possibility of an accident or of one
irresponsible officer in thousands. Campus safety could know who has
concealed weapons permits so a "tactical nightmare" becomes a safety
net that the police can call upon. What we should be looking at is
strengthening the requirements for obtaining a permit, if there are
legitimate concerns.

I taught for three years in a maximum security prison. I say that,
not because I draw parallels from the experience, but rather because
it shows I have been in some very dangerous situations. I understand
what it is like to be concerned about one's safety and I appreciate
the work and protection of our police forces.

Group successful in protecting family language at CSW

We were successful!!! Two weeks of concentrated negotiating,
conjoling, writing, lobbying, and supporting have come to an end. At
the conclusion of the 53rd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW),
many in the pro-family coalition had slept less than four hours during
the final 48 hours. But, it was worth it! We were able to remove the
six references to "reproductive health services" (abortion) and insert
six references to "family"!! This was a significant success! At one
point there were no references to the family at all!

The final three days were blurred into one long day as the delegates
worked until 2 a.m. on Wednesday and until 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. The
delegates, and those of us who had stayed up all night with them, had
only two hours to prepare for the final round of negotiations on
Friday. Negotiations became so intense on Thursday night that
delegates from pro-family nations would need to leave the room to get
rejuvenated by the support and nourishment brought by our small
coalition of pro-family organizations. The large International
Planned Parenthood Federation had employed a large, imposing man to
represent them. Several times United Families International
representatives had to block the door to the negotiating room so he
would not enter to influence the proceedings.

It was amazing to watch the intimidation tactics that were used in an
attempt to force small countries, who want to protect families and the
unborn child, to change their votes. It was apparent that the
European Union and the United States were attempting to use various
persuasive means to convince smaller, pro-family countries to join
them in supporting abortion language. One delegate from a small
country told us that he finally yelled at the other delegates, "I
cannot join you! It would go against the instructions from my
capital! It would go against ideals of the people in my country!
And, it would go against my own personal beliefs! I will not change
my vote!" This brave delegate continued to stand strong despite the
agonizing, tortuous attacks he was getting. At times, he came out of
the room to talk to us and to vent his feelings before going back in
to face the opposition again.

During the two weeks of CSW, we saw many delegates abandon the
principles of their country and their citizens. We saw delegates
fawning over the EU and the US in an attempt to gain favor and money
from them by supporting their ideas. We also saw delegates who came
from small countries stand up against the tidal wave of pressure that
was exerted against them.

The Commission on the Status of Women lasts for two weeks. It is hard
to believe that in two weeks so much can happen that affects families.
There were many tears shed at the conclusion. It is wonderful to know
that because a small group of pro-family organizations teamed up with
a small group of pro-family delegates, the family was protected one
more time.

Thank you for your support. It was for your family that we worked so
hard and slept so little.

Thank You,
beverlyssignature.jpg
Beverly Rice
President
United Families International

Juval Aviv correctly predicted upcoming terrorist attacks on the U.S.

Someone sent me predictions about terrorists attacks in the U.S.
(http://www.snopes.com/rumors/soapbox/juvalaviv.asp) The person said
she was afraid to take a trip because she might be in the midst of a
terrorist attack that has been predicted for the next few months.
Terrorists, government, sales people all use the fear factor to get
what they want.

I agree with Aviv (see Snopes) that airport security is a farce.
However, will there be large scale terrorist attacks in crowded places
in the U.S.? I don't think so. Maybe one or two as happened in
England and Spain. Why don't more terrorist attacks happen in England
and Spain? Terrorists don't need to do more. One attack is enough to
make the population afraid.

Sales people and advertisers learned a long time ago that fear is a
major motivator in making a sale. Alex Jones thinks governments were
complicit in the attacks in England and Spain. Governments use fear
to get what they want. Fear brought the Patriot Act. Fear has
brought government bailouts amounting to trillions of dollars.
Environmentalists and government are using fear of global warming to
push another agenda.

An informed public is best able to deal with crises. However, this
kind of misinformation doesn't help. Neither does government
disinformation.

This is what Snopes wrote about Mr. Aviv's predictions:

"More important, though, the above-quoted predictions Aviv made about
terrorists hitting the U.S. in "six, seven, or eight cities
simultaneously" sometime "within the next 90 days" are outdated, as he
issued them back in July 2005. It seems safe to say from this vantage
point that those predictions were not correct, as no such attacks
occurred."

Eagles feeding on geese

Eagles feed on geese at the National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City,
Missouri. Conservationists reported about 150 eagles among the 1.6
migratinng geese at the refuge this past weekend. Photo by John
Fisher.

The importance of being honest

Integrity is fundamental to being.... Integrity means being truthful,
but it also means accepting responsibility and honoring commitments
and covenants. President N. Eldon Tanner, a former counselor in the
First Presidency [of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]
and a man of integrity, told of someone who sought his advice:
"A young man came to me not long ago and said, 'I made an agreement
with a man that requires me to make certain payments each year. I am
in arrears, and I can't make those payments, for if I do, it is going
to cause me to lose my home. What shall I do?'
"I looked at him and said, 'Keep your agreement.'
"'Even if it costs me my home?'
"I said, 'I am not talking about your home. I am talking about your
agreement; and I think your wife would rather have a husband who would
keep his word, meet his obligations, … and have to rent a home than to
have a home with a husband who will not keep his covenants and his
pledges.'"
D. Todd Christofferson, "Let Us Be Men," Ensign, Nov 2006, 46–48

President Tanner said: "Just imagine the reversal that would take
place if full integrity were to rule in family life. There would be
complete fidelity. Husbands would be faithful to wives, and wives to
husbands. There would be no living in adulterous relationships in lieu
of marriage. Homes would abound in love, children and parents would
have respect for one another. … [How else will our children come to]
value honesty and integrity?" (Ensign, May 1977, p. 16.)

He suggests, "The choice to serve God, worthily made, does not
necessarily preclude a home or sufficient money or income, or the
things of this world which bring joy and happiness, but it does
require that we must not turn away from God and the teachings of Jesus
Christ while in the pursuit of our temporal needs." (Ensign, June
1971, p. 14.)