Avoid Repetitious Prayer. How to Pray. Prayer From the Heart. Jericho: Archaeological Findings. Update:

For “Scripture Sunday”:

How to Avoid Repetitious Prayer

“Jesus cautioned against praying “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). Do you find it difficult to avoid repeating the same words in your daily prayers?

Here is one idea for avoiding repetitious prayers. (Click here to download PDF.)

This is a simple, but highly effective way to avoid that frustrating experience. Emphasize a different main subject on each day of the week.

    

Early in His ministry, Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer so that they would know how to talk with the Father. It is part of the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 6:5-15).

“The Lord’s Prayer” was a teaching tool

Jesus did not want His disciples simply to recite what He told them. Obviously, the disciples would have done that, if that was all there was to praying! They perceived there was more to it by seeing Jesus’ example over the years, and they asked for additional guidance.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).

Seeing Jesus’ example prompted one disciple to ask Jesus (on behalf of them all) to review His instructions. Luke records Christ’s answer in Luke 11:2-4.

This has inappropriately come to be known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” instead of “the Lord’s model for praying.” Jesus said, “In this manner, therefore, pray” (Matthew 6:9, emphasis added throughout).

Christians still struggle with prayer today

In prefacing His instructions about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave this challenging counsel: “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

What is challenging about that? Don’t just recite Jesus’ model prayer, the prayers written by other people or the prayers written by churches for their followers. Pray original prayers.” 

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/how-to-avoid-repetitious-prayer/

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How to Pray

“It is universally understood that Christians should pray.  But what should we say to God? Do we know how to pray? How does God want us to pray?

Jesus said we should ask our Father for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done—which includes praying for the work of His Church to be done. We are also told to ask for our daily needs, for forgiveness and for deliverance from “the evil one” (Satan).

When we wonder about prayer, it should be reassuring to know that even a disciple of Jesus asked Him for instructions about how to pray.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).

Simply stated, prayer is our means of communicating with God. As with any personal relationship, interaction with God matures as we spend more time with Him.

As the Lord’s disciple indicated, prayer is something that does not come naturally to us—it is something that needs to be taught. The inspired Word of God provides the answers to some frequently asked questions about how to pray.

To whom should we pray?

Elijah and others in the Old Testament prayed to God. The apostle Paul made references to praying to God in both of the epistles he wrote to the Christians living in the pagan city of Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:13 and 2 Corinthians 13:7).

Jesus taught His disciples to pray to “our Father” (Matthew 6:6). Jesus Himself told the gang that arrested Him in the Garden of Gethsemane that He could pray to His Father right then and be rescued (Matthew 26:53).

After His resurrection, Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to cling to Him because He had not yet ascended to heaven. He told her to tell the others that He was ascending to “My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17).

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/

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Prayer From the Heart

“The Bible gives many examples of what is most important to God when we come to Him in prayer. He wants us to pray from the heart. How do we do that?

Man was created to need God. But mankind today in general has not known the true God and His revealed way of living. Man has generally failed, leading to all of the evils and suffering we see around us.

Even those who have tried to live as close to God as they could have done so imperfectly. Yet even if imperfect, the benefits of a relationship with God far exceed anything offered by this world.

Prayer

To have a relationship with God, we have to keep in constant communication with Him through prayer.

The Bible is full of examples of the people of God talking with Him. For example, many of the psalms were actually prayers, and many of those were by David, the great king of Israel. (Consider Psalms 3, 4 and 5, to mention just a few).

There are many types of prayer mentioned in the Bible, but one common factor in prayers that helped build a relationship with God is that these effective prayers were heartfelt.

The Bible records many examples of prayer from the heart. First, let’s look at one prayed by Hezekiah, king of Judah, in the Old Testament.

Hezekiah’s heartfelt prayer

The first prayer we will examine is found in 2 Kings 20:1-3. When the prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah that he would die, Hezekiah reacted to the message with a supplication found in verse 3. Hezekiah reminded God of his efforts to walk before Him with a loyal heart. It seems he might have wanted to say more to God, but emotion overcame him and he broke down in tears and cried bitterly.”

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/prayer-from-the-heart/

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Jericho

An Amazing Fact: “Archaeological findings in the Middle East sometimes reveal surprising evidence linked to biblical accounts. The ruins of the ancient city of Jericho contain collapsed brick walls, including a small section of wall still standing, which might reflect the story of Rahab!

In the 1950s, archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon conducted extensive exploration and research in the ruins of the ancient city of Jericho. She concluded that the city contained no evidence of the destruction recalled in the book of Joshua. But later researchers reexamined her work and found that her dating was incorrect. When the correct dates were applied to the findings, collapsed brick walls were found surrounding the city exactly as we would expect.

And what about the story of Rahab? The book of Joshua records that Rahab’s home and family were saved from destruction when she followed the instructions of the Israelite spies and hung a scarlet cord from her window. Interestingly, a short stretch of the city’s mud brick wall was left standing with houses positioned against it. This portion of the wall was even on the north side of the city, a short distance from the hills to which the spies escaped.

In today’s skeptical world, it can be easy to doubt the words of Scripture in the face of cynicism and doubt. But God’s Word stands true. Increasingly, the stories of the Bible have been linked with archaeological evidence, revealing that these passages are far more than stories and legends. We can trust that God Himself has spoken to us through His Word. His message for us, from stories of instruction to words of comfort and hope, has been preserved for thousands of years.”  

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. Joshua 6:5

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Update.

After lowering several of the mini-house upper kitchen cabinets, we have been adding shelves above them at the same height as the tops of the cabinets that could not be lowered, to keep continuity in the kitchen design.  On the big upper cabinet on the back wall where we had to cut the doors to accomdate the microwave and toaster oven, we just raised the doors to the top of the shelf above, and made it look like part of the cabinet. 

We did the same thing to the cabinet above the range hood.  Some of the shelves, we will just make doors to match the others.  I wish that I had caught the guy who was installing the porthole windows when he had his own ideas and raised them.  That is what made all the upper cabinets the wrong height, as the porthole was too high.  We actually found my original mark on the outside wall, where the first porthole was supposed to be.

We also added some permanent and temporary shelves under the deep window sills on the back wall of the bedroom, so that we can house some of the items that we use every day while the building is ongoing. Mostly different sizes of screws, nails and caulk on this one, so far.  Hans is still sanding on the great big 6’ tall, 17” deep, 40” wide shelf unit that will be going in between those window sills.  We should be bringing it in from the carport any day soon.  Then we will stain and polyurethane it and all the shelves and all the window sills.

Jay, my neighbor’s son, said his cold was too bad to go to church, so I went on my own again.  Not many in attendance this week because of one thing or another.  It was so cold in the chapel that my sinuses acted up, my head stopped up, and even when I donned a cardigan and a jacket, I was still cold.  I have never been able to find a place in there where the AC isn’t blowing artic air on me.  They could hang meat in there.  Why do people want it blowing on them that cold? The light company says that the economical AC temperature is 78F, so that is where I keep mine at home.  Each degree below that equals at least $10 a month, and I am on a strict budget.

This time I didn’t know what to take for the church potluck, and I had to make it on Thursday as I would be taking my neighbor to the doctor on the Friday afternoon.  That’s my usual “Preparation Day” when I cook for the potluck, wash my hair, choose and lay out my clothes, purse, shoes, all getting ready for the Sabbath. That gives me more time on Saturday, before church, to talk to my daughter on the phone.  So I cooked some organic boneless chicken thighs, added some already cooked organic potatoes, carrots, spices and called it Chicken Stew. 

I had intended to buy some 2 x 4’s for building the wall between the living room and bedroom in the mini-house when I was taking Zach to the doctor in Conroe.  Then Friday midday he comes here and calls them to postpone his appointment as he doesn’t feel well.  So that plan was dashed, as I won’t make a special trip to Conroe for just one thing, especially on a Friday.  So as Roy had spilled food and drink splotches on my carpet, Roy shampooed it so that it would be clean for the Sabbath.

The Bible readings were Num. 25:10-30:1, 1 Kings 18:36-19:21, and Rom. 11:2-32, and the Teaching was about Giving Thanks, Praise and Acknowledging the Wisdom of The Lord.

My crockpot of Chicken Stew was well received, as was my other crockpot of Rutabagas.  We also had some chicken patties, Chili Pie, pinto beans, broccoli, several salads, including green, potato, pea and cole slaw.  Pies, fruit and cookies were there for dessert.

Jay wanted to work, and Roy didn’t, so Jay and I put the new white canvas cover over the frame of the motorhome RVport today.

Harvest Day. Autumn Pronghorn. S. Sudan Migration. Elephants. Edison. Britannic. Yard Sale.

 

Britain's Harvest Day is already over, while here in the US, we are getting ready for the American version, Thanksgiving Day.

Harvest Day Around the World:

"A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world. Harvests festivals typically feature feasting, both family and public, with foods that are drawn from crops that come to maturity around the time of the festival. Ample food and freedom from the necessity to work in the fields are two central features of harvest festivals: eating, merriment, contests, music and romance are common features of harvest festivals around the world.

In North America, Canada and the US each have their own Thanksgiving celebrations in October and November. Certain religious holidays, such as Sukkot, have their roots in harvest festivals.

In Britain, thanks have been given for successful harvests since pagan times. The celebrations on this day usually include singing hymns, praying, and decorating churches with baskets of fruit and food in the festival known as Harvest Festival, Harvest Home or Harvest Thanksgiving.

In British churches, chapels and schools and in Canadian churches, people bring in food from the garden, the allotment or farm. The food is often distributed among the poor and senior citizens of the local community, or used to raise funds for the church, or charity."

More at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival

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Biblical lessons from the harvest.

"Is there any connection or correlation between the Feast of Tabernacles and Thanksgiving Day? The seventh chapter of the Gospel of John describes Jesus Christ observing the Feast of Tabernacles.

In his New Testament Commentary, for John 7:2, David Stern writes, “The festival also celebrates the harvest, coming, as it does, at summer’s end, so that it is a time of thanksgiving. (The puritans, who took the Old Testament more seriously than most Christians, modeled the American holiday of Thanksgiving after the Sukkoth [or Feast of Tabernacles]).”'

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 Much to be thankful for.

"Historians and Jewish sources point out that America's Thanksgiving holiday may not have been a totally new celebration—but that its roots may go back thousands of years to the biblical Feast of Tabernacles.

So we should not forget that Thanksgiving is a feast of giving thanks, not only for receiving God's blessings today, but also for how He founded America mostly on His biblical laws. He also poured Abraham's blessings on it, intervening time and time again from its very beginnings to turn it into a rich and powerful nation to help lift up the rest of mankind. The nation has not had a perfect record, of course, but it is still trying to defend the weak from oppressors and to provide a home for those being persecuted.

Also, we should consider that the biblical Feast of Tabernacles is an annual reminder of how we should thank God for all He has done for us. Indeed, Jesus Christ and His disciples celebrated this festival "

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Feast of the Tabernacles:

A seven-day celebration of the great fall harvest, observed by living in temporary dwellings for the duration of the Feast.   (Leviticus 23:33-43)

This year it was October 13-19.

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For "Mammal Monday."

Pronghorn, Interrupted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Each autumn, the pronghorn of Wyoming’s Grand Tetons take off for their wintering grounds in the Upper Green River Basin.

Despite being North America’s fastest land animal, these mammals face plenty of obstacles—fences, roads, and oil and gas development—that slow their 150-mile journey. In 2008, the U.S. Forest Service created the “Path of the Pronghorn,” our country’s first federally protected wildlife migration corridor. As the pronghorn migrate, WCS scientists monitor their journeys, collecting information that will help ensure safer travels for generations to come.

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We are currently in the field observing the fall migration. While this migration spectacle will occur over several weeks in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), each individual animal will average only three days to travel the entire 150 kilometer distance as they hurry south through the difficult terrain and challenging weather conditions—much as pronghorn have done along the Path for 6,000 years.  But only more recently have the animals faced the myriad threats of fences, roads, rural sprawl, energy development infrastructure, and other impediments that fragment their habitat and the passages that link them.

Julie Larsen Maher - © WCS

Increasingly, pronghorn are encountering barriers that block their migration like the fencing shown here.

"Soon, the pronghorn will get some good news as wildlife overpasses (where animals can pass over the highway) and underpasses (where animals can pass under the highway) are being installed on US Highway 191 near Trapper’s Point in western Wyoming. The structures are being built specifically to protect motorists and provide safe passage during migration for pronghorn and other wildlife in the southern GYE. Trapper’s Point has historically been a “bottleneck” problem area for the migrating pronghorn and each year, thousands of animals cross traffic lanes on US Highway 191, creating a perilous situation for humans and wildlife alike."

Courtesy WCS and NGS

"The Wyoming Department of Transportation has committed $9.7 million in an effort to reduce collisions along Highway 191, increasing both human safety and habitat connectivity for important wildlife populations. Installation of the highway crossing structures began this summer and will continue into 2012. The location of the structures were informed by five years of WCS data from our GPS collars and data from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department that identified crossing points preferred by pronghorn as they migrate across the highway."

Pronghorn at Trappers Point, Wyoming. 

Jeff Burrell – © WCS

"By virtue of six underpasses and two overpasses placed within a 13-mile stretch of Highway 191 at Trapper’s Point, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is trying to keep motorists and migrating wildlife off a collision course. The structures should be finished in 2012. As Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) scientists, we’ve taken the opportunity during this fall’s pronghorn migration to observe the animals as they encounter the highway and their reaction to the safe passages in mid- construction.

Since our last entry, we’ve observed over 1,000 migrating pronghorn coming through Trapper’s Point in groups of about 20 animals at a time. We were delighted to see several wearing radio collars.  These were animals that we had collared in previous years, had spent this summer in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), and had traveled the Path of the Pronghorn to get here.

While WCS scientists study pronghorn throughout western Wyoming, those that follow the Path are of particular interest. They have traveled farther than the others and their continued journeys to and from GTNP ensure that the park’s ecosystem remains ecologically whole and that a 6,000 year-old migration remains a part of our national heritage.

It didn’t take long to be reminded of the challenges that pronghorn face as we watched them try to cross Highway 191. Eventually, 8-foot high fences will guide the animals to the under- and overpasses. Today, both the fencing and structures are incomplete.  The animals are struggling as they have for many years in navigating the highway. The potential for collisions with passing motorists exists and it is easy to see why the structures are important.

After frantically dodging traffic and trying to find openings in ranch fencing (which will be bypassed when the safe passages are complete), many pronghorn eventually crawled under fences despite risking injury."

WCS_JBurrell_pronghorn waiting on traffic at US191

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The Wild West: A Pronghorn's Incredible Journey

Jeff Burrell

"WCS embarks on a huge study to ensure safer journeys for pronghorn through their migratory corridor in the American West.

• The pronghorn, the fastest land animal in North America, has been dashing over the lands between Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park and the Upper Green River Basin for millennia. And thanks to previous conservation efforts by WCS and our partners, this ancient “Path of the Pronghorn” was the first federally protected wildlife migration corridor in the United States.

Still, the journey along this almost 100-mile route isn’t a walk in the park. Even at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour, these antelope can’t always outrun the predators, oil and natural gas development, and other migration obstacles that they encounter. So WCS and government biologists are embarking on a huge study to evaluate how the pronghorn are faring during their seasonal travels.

“Grand Teton National Park’s pronghorn spend half the year outside the boundaries of the national park, and the threats they encounter could influence their long-term viability,” said Steve Cain, a senior wildlife biologist for the park. “The data collected in this study will provide public and private land managers with information critical for making decisions that enhance conservation of this herd, outside of the park as well as inside.”

In the early 1800s, around 35 million pronghorn roamed the West. Today, just 700,000 remain. Wyoming is home to most of them, but many also live in Idaho."

 

Completed pronghorn underpass

More at: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/tag/pronghorn/

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EcoAlert: World's Newest Nation to Emerge as Wildlife EcoTourism Hotspot

In July 2011, South Sudan became the world's newest nation. As its' population celebrates in the new capital of Juba, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is urging the newborn nation, home to the world's second largest land migration, to protect its ecosystems and rich wildlife in order to build a sustainable and forward-looking economy. South Sudan boasts an abundance of African megafauna that is becoming increasingly rare and endangered throughout much of the continent.

Every year 1.3 million antelope, including white-eared kob, tiang antelope, Mongalla gazelle, and reedbuck, migrate across savanna and wetlands in South Sudan. The migration was only discovered in 2007 after decades of civil war had kept scientists out. Wildlife experts found that much of the wildlife survived the region's political turmoil, including buffalo, giraffe, lion, bongo, chimpanzee, and some 8,000 elephants. "

"South Sudan’s wildlife treasures provide an opportunity for a diverse economy based on eco-friendly tourism in the world’s newest nation. WCS is committed to working with the government of South Sudan and USAID to help manage natural resources in a sustainable way and establish protected areas. Wildlife conservation must play a vital role in the economic future of South Sudan," Steve Sanderson, WCS President and CEO, said in a press release.

"According to WCS, the presence of African mammals in abundance could allow the nation to become a popular ecotourist destination. In 2009, nearby Kenya made $1 billion from tourism while Tanzania brought in $1.2 billion. Tourism, as opposed to large-scale resource extraction, is also sustainable over the long-term. Currently 98 percent of South Sudan's revenue comes from one thing: oil.

The new nation, writes Jeremy Hance of Mongobay.com, is facing an array of massive challenges, including ack of infrastructure, deep poverty, and the fear of continuing conflicts with the north.

 
Wildlife migrations are endangered and collapsing worldwide, especially large mammal migrations. The pronghorn migration in the US is on its last legs; the saiga antelope migration in Central Asia has collapsed over the past two decades; the caribou migration near the Arctic is plunging and even the Serengeti migration is threatened by road-building plans in Tanzania."

From:  http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2011/07/-ecoalert-worlds-newest-nation-to-emerge-as-wildlife-ecotourism-hotspot.html

 

"Dear Friend of Wildlife,     

An elephant matriarch has a remarkable memory. When she hears the call of a family member she hasn't seen for years, she recognizes it – sometimes from great distances. As her kin approaches, she trumpets with excitement and rushes forward to greet them, with a caress of her trunk.      

But those wonderful reunions are at risk of becoming just an elephant memory.

More elephants are being lost every day, illegally killed by poachers who sell their tusks on the black market. Over the last five years alone, the rate of elephant slaughter has dramatically increased, and we have to do all we can to stop it.

A U.S. government program that supports vital anti-poaching efforts is up for reauthorization – and if it's not reauthorized, crucial programs that protect elephants from slaughter face an uncertain future. If legislators are to act, they need to know that you as their constituent care about the fate of elephants.

Tell your members of Congress that elephants matter to you and this world – and that they must be protected by reauthorizing the Multinational Species Conservation Funds.

The African and Asian Elephant Conservation Funds, part of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds and administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, support programs that:

• Protect elephants from poaching by strengthening surveillance patrols and increasing local enforcement capacity to catch people who kill elephants in preserves and national parks.
• Reduce human-elephant conflict that leads to slaughtered elephants by training villagers how to safely and humanely deal with invasive elephants when they raid crops.
• Prevent habitat loss and conserve existing habitats for elephants, which simultaneously helps protect other threatened wildlife species including tigers, rhinos, and gorillas.

The Multinational Species Conservation Funds represent a miniscule part of our federal budget – but for the elephants and other threatened wildlife they support, programs like these will literally mean the difference between life and death.

Send your letter for elephants now, before one more precious elephant matriarch is killed for the ivory of her tusks.

With your help, we'll protect these incredible mammals – and make sure the U.S. continues to play a leading role in protecting our world's natural heritage.

Thank you for your support of elephants.

Sincerely,Liz Bennett
Vice President, Species Conservation
Wildlife Conservation Society

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On This Day:

Edison's first great invention. Nov 21, 1877:

"The American inventor announces his invention of the phonograph, a way to record and play back sound.

Edison stumbled on one of his great inventions--the phonograph--while working on a way to record telephone communication at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. His work led him to experiment with a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder, which, to his surprise, played back the short song he had recorded, "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB". Public demonstrations of the phonograph made the Yankee inventor world famous, and he was dubbed the "Wizard of Menlo Park."

Edison set aside this invention in 1878 to work on the incandescent light bulb, and other inventors moved forward to improve on the phonograph. In 1887, Edison resumed work on the device, using the wax-cylinder technique developed by Charles Tainter. Although initially used as a dictating machine, the phonograph proved to be a popular tool for entertainment, and in 1906 Edison unveiled a series of musical and theatrical selections to the public through his National Phonograph Company. Continuing to improve on models and cylinders over the years, the Edison Disc Phonograph debuted in 1912 with the aim of competing in the popular record market. Edison's discs offered superior sound quality but were not compatible with other popular disc players.

During the 1920s, the early record business suffered with the growth of radio, and in 1929 recording production at Edison ceased forever. Edison, who acquired an astounding 1,093 patents in his 84 years, died in 1931.

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Britannic sinks in Aegean Sea, Nov 21, 1916:

"The Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, sinks in the Aegean Sea on this day in 1916, killing 30 people. More than 1,000 others were rescued.

In the wake of the Titanic disaster on April 14, 1912, the White Star Line made several modifications in the construction of its already-planned sister ship. First, the name was changed from Gigantic to Britannic (probably because it seemed more humble) and the design of the hull was altered to make it less vulnerable to icebergs. In addition, it was mandated that there be enough lifeboats on board to accommodate all passengers, which had not been the case with the Titanic.

The nearly 50,000-ton luxury vessel, the largest in the world, was launched in 1914, but was requisitioned soon afterward by the British government to serve as a hospital ship during World War I. In this capacity, Captain Charlie Bartlett led the Britannic on five successful voyages bringing wounded British troops back to England from various ports around the world.

On November 21, the Britannic was on its way to pick up more wounded soldiers near the Gulf of Athens, when at 8:12 a.m., a violent explosion rocked the ship. Captain Bartlett ordered the closure of the watertight doors and sent out a distress signal. However, the blast had already managed to flood six whole compartments—even more extensive damage than that which had sunk the Titanic. Still, the Britannic had been prepared for such a disaster and would have stayed afloat except for two critical matters.

First, Captain Bartlett decided to try to run the Britannic aground on the nearby island of Kea. This might have been successful, but, earlier, the ship's nursing staff had opened the portholes to air out the sick wards. Water poured in through the portholes as the Britannic headed toward Kea. Second, the disaster was compounded when some of the crew attempted to launch lifeboats without orders. Since the ship was still moving as fast as it could, the boats were sucked into the propellers, killing those on board.

Less than 30 minutes later, Bartlett realized that the ship was going to sink and ordered it abandoned. The lifeboats were launched and even though the Britannic sank at 9:07, less than an hour after the explosion, nearly 1,100 people managed to make it off the ship. In fact, most of the 30 people who died were in the prematurely launched lifeboats. In 1976, famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau found the Britannic lying on its side 400 feet below the surface of the Aegean. The cause of the explosion remains unknown, but many believe that the Britannic hit a mine."

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Yesterday:

Misty and I went to get Jay, and she had a good sniffy through the fence to Muffie, and then Jay brought Maddie over to play in Muffie's yard, too.  I don't let Misty loose in that yard, as she runs into trees, the porch and things.  I just walk her outside on a leash so that I can guide her.

Jay and I took down my bedroom door, wrestled it outside, laid it on saw horses, cut a sliver off the top, sanded it, and re-hung it, so now it will close again.  The house sure has settled because of this drought. He also helped me get my electric mattress pad down from the top linen cupboard.   You never know, and I was changing the sheets anyway.

 

Then I cranked up my TranStar motor home, moved it out of it's RVport, and backed it up to the cargo trailer on the side lot.  For two reasons, or maybe three.  First, the cargo trailer needs a new end on it's vehicle umbilical cord, and the MH has a 7-pin plug as I used to tow a travel trailer with it.  With the MH there we can check it out.

Secondly, because there is so much junk stuff for sale piled up  that I can't even get to one of the clocks to change it to un-Daylight Savings Time.  Then more stuff for sale has found it's way into the RVport.  So it is time to have a yard sale in my RVport.  It takes a long time to get one ready, so I don't know when it will be yet.

Third, it is supposed to rain one day, and I need to check if the one main seam, or any of the windows in the MH leak.  All the windows have been taken out and redone with butyl putty tape, but if I ever go on a trip, I don't want any surprises.

 

We put door slabs on buckets and milk crates along the one side which is open, put vinyl table cloths on them, and moved the stuff that had accumulated on the closed-in side.  Then I pulled my van in there to hide the temporary mess.

 

Then we put plastic sheeting over everything on that open side.   Five small card tables will be brought down from the storeroom attic and set up on the closed-in side for all the electrical appliances for sale.  We haven't even got any of the long tables out yet.

 

The weather was muggy, with a high of 82, but it was pleasant working out there yesterday.

News: Yellowstone Oil Spill. Sheriff Joe. Bad Wipes. Hindu Treasure. Fire in NM. White House Pay. Chicken's Victory. Giant Hogweed.

Some news articles, in case you missed them:

 

Yellowstone Oil Spill Prompts Evacuations

 

LAUREL, Mont. — "Hundreds of barrels of crude oil spilled into Montana's Yellowstone River after an ExxonMobil pipeline beneath the riverbed ruptured, sending a plume 25 miles downstream and forcing temporary evacuations, officials said.

The break near Billings in south-central Montana fouled the riverbank and forced municipalities and irrigation districts Saturday to close intakes.

The river has no dams on its way to its confluence with the Missouri River just across the Montana border in North Dakota. It was unclear how far the plume might travel.

Cleanup crews deployed booms and absorbent material as the plume moved downstream at an estimated 5 to 7 mph.

"The parties responsible will restore the Yellowstone River," Mont. Gov. Brian Schweitzer said."     More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/02/yellowstone-oil-spill-pro_n_889363.html?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk1%7C217849

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July 8th.:  "An estimated 1,000 barrels of oil, or 42,000 gallons, have fouled areas along the scenic Yellowstone since Friday after a 12-inch pipeline operated by Exxon Mobil Corp. broke near the south-central Montana town of Laurel.
George Nilson, 69, of Billings, said the fumes from oil that washed into his neighbor's property have been overwhelming."

More at: http://news.yahoo.com/gov-cuts-ties-oil-spill-command-post-080645263.html

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Sheriff Joe Arpaio says three officers arrested for drug and human trafficking

Left to right: Marcella Hernandez, Alfredo Navarrette, Sylvia Najera

(Credit: KPHO)

(CBS/KPHO) PHOENIX - "Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced Tuesday afternoon that one of his deputies and two of his detention officers were part of a drug and human trafficking operation.

The deputy and detention officers were arrested along with nine other people, according to CBS affiliate KPHO.

Arpaio said his deputy, Alfredo Navarrette, would drive illegal immigrants to California. When deputies arrested Navarrette, he had two undocumented immigrants there, Arpaio said.

Navarrette once served on Arpaio's anti-smuggling unit. Arpaio said he supplied details of crime suppression sweeps to leaders of the trafficking operation.

The two detention officers arrested were Sylvia Najera and Marcella Hernandez, who is 8 months pregnant, Arpaio said. The father of her baby is Lorenzo Arce-Torres, who was the ringleader of the Phoenix-based trafficking operation, according to Arpaio. Hernandez had $16,000 cash on her when she was arrested.

"No one is above the law, and apparently no one is beyond the reach of drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, so we must remain ever vigilant," said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.

Deputies served 16 search warrants at various homes and businesses throughout the valley on Tuesday. They seized $200,000 in cash, 7 weapons, 10 pounds of heroin and 7 vehicles.

"We have enough problems on violence - not to have moles in my own organization to put my deputies in danger," Arpaio said. He said the investigation started a year ago after his office received a tip."

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Coverage of Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Crimesider

 

The Arizona Republic via AP /NBC News, 7/3/2011

"Chris Habetler, left, and Robert Chavez eat from cups of ice given to them to deal with the heat at the Tent City jail in Phoenix on Saturday."

 

 

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FDA probes new death, infections tied to tainted wipes

"Federal health officials are investigating whether contaminated alcohol prep products from a shuttered Wisconsin firm led to the death of a 66-year-old man who developed a bacterial infection after being treated for skin cancer and diabetes.

1. The death is among eight reports of fatalities, 11 infections and nearly 250 other problems now associated with medical products manufactured and distributed by the Triad Group and H&P Industries Inc. of Hartland, Wis., newly released records from the federal Food and Drug Administration show.

The death is the second fatal report to the FDA that specifically cites a rare infection with the bacteria Bacillus cereus in a patient who used Triad Group alcohol prep pads. Last month, the Wisconsin firm was legally barred from making or distributing the products because of potential contamination with that life-threatening bacteria." More at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43612173/ns/health/t/fda-probes-new-death-infections-tied-tainted-wipes/

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Hand Sanitizers Carry Unproven Claims to Prevent MRSA Infections

"Some hand sanitizers and antiseptic products come with claims that they can prevent MRSA infections.

Don’t believe them. These statements are unproven, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a bacterium that can cause severe — even life-threatening — infections that do not respond to standard treatment with the antibiotic methicillin.

“Staphylococcus aureus itself is a very aggressive organism,” says Edward Cox, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Office of Antimicrobial Products. “It’s often associated with patients in hospitals who have weakened immune systems, but the bacterium can also cause significant skin infections and abscesses in a normal, healthy person. And it can get into the bloodstream and, less frequently, may involve the heart valve, which is very difficult to treat.”

But this antibiotic-resistant strain is even more difficult to treat. “With MRSA, a number of the antibiotic drugs we typically used often don’t work, so we lose treatment options we used to rely upon,” says Cox.

FDA is cracking down on companies that break federal law by promoting their products as preventing MRSA infections and other diseases without agency review and approval."

http://www.everydayhealth.com/fda/hand-sanitizers-carry-unproven-claims-to-prevent-mrsa-infections.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthinCoordinationWithFDAFoodDrugandMedicalProductSafety_20110504

 

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Huge treasure has been found in a Hindu temple in southern India

"Senior police officials arrive to check the security measurements at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The inventory of the temple, maintained by the erstwhile royal family of Travancore, is being made by a seven-member Supreme Court of India, appointed panel.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India — "A huge treasure has been found in a Hindu temple in southern India — gold and silver jewelry, coins and precious stones worth billions of dollars, Indian officials said Saturday.

The AFP news agency quoted Kerala Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar as saying the find had been estimated as worth more than $11 billion.

He said archaeological officials would have to examine the discovery in detail to determine its actual value.

The treasure was found in at least five underground vaults of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, known for its sculptures, AFP reported. The temple is in southern Kerala state, near the tip of the subcontinent.

Jayakumar told AFP that one more secret chamber remained to be opened.

 According to Wikipedia, the temple was dedicated to the god Vishnu, and the foundation of the current tower was laid beginning in 1566."

More at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43621678/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/t/treasure-worth-billions-reported-hindu-temple/

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Cochiti Lake closure extended due to fire:

 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011.  "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  has extended the closure the Cochiti Lake facility through July 11 in order to continue the support of various fire suppression activities around the Las Conchas fire.

The closure includes all Cochiti Lake public use sites, including campgrounds, docks, boat ramps, picnic areas, swimming locations and the nearby golf course. It also prohibits fishing and boating on the lake.

At least four helicopters will be based in the area and will use water from Cochiti as part of fire suppression efforts. Spotter planes might use Tetilla Road as a temporary runway.

Investigators have determined that a falling tree caught fire when it came in contact with power lines, causing the Las Conchas fire, which is now the largest in New Mexico’s history."

More at: http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2011/07/05/cochiti-lake-closure-extended-due-to.html

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Bob and Judy's account of this fire near them in NM:

"In one week the fire has burned 121,248 acres and is only 11% contained. There are 18 helicopters, 4 of them have been buzzing back and forth past our living room windows sucking up water from the lake and dropping it on the south edge of the fire. There are 72 engines, 26 water tankers, 8 bulldozers and 1,995 personnel fighting this fire, the largest fire in New Mexico history. So far 63 residences, 5 commercial buildings, and 32 out-buildings have been destroyed. There have been thousands saved by the fearless firefighters that have been battling the blazes. My thanks go out to these brave firefighters."  More at:  http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-610990

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Wildlife Suffers Amid Las Conchas Fire,  Officials Put Down Female Bear Burned In Fire

 

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. -- "The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish reported its first animal casualty from the 130,000-acre Las Conchas fire.  They said a female bear was found surrounded by ash and smoke in the area where the fire started. Morgan said the animal was in shock and was euthanized Tuesday because the burns to its body were too severe to recover from."
Read more: http://www.koat.com/news/28468178/detail.html#ixzz1RWYqY5oo

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White House Salaries:

 

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Finally inhumane treatment of factory farmed chickens, and egg laying hens should end:

July 7, 2011.  "Today, The HSUS and the United Egg Producers announced
an agreement which could result in a complete makeover of the U.S. egg industry."

 

 

"I am excited to announce a historic agreement that The Humane Society of the United States reached this morning with the United Egg Producers, which could result in a complete makeover of the U.S. egg industry and improve the treatment of the 280 million laying hens used each year in U.S. egg production.

Thanks to your support over the years, through our state ballot initiatives and legislative and corporate campaigns, we now have a new pathway forward to ban barren battery cages and phase in more humane standards nationwide.

The HSUS and UEP have agreed to work together to advocate for federal legislation that would:

• Require a moratorium at the end of 2011 on new construction of unenrichable battery cages -- small, cramped, cages that nearly immobilize more than 90 percent of laying hens today -- and the nationwide elimination of barren battery cages through a phase-out period;

• Require phased in construction of new hen housing systems that provide hens nearly double the amount of space they’re currently provided;

• Require environmental enrichments so birds can engage in important natural behaviors currently denied to them in barren cages, such as perches, nesting boxes, and scratching areas;

• Mandate labeling on all egg cartons nationwide to inform consumers of the method used to produce the eggs, such as "eggs from caged hens" or "eggs from cage-free hens";

• Prohibit forced molting through starvation -- an inhumane practice that is inflicted on tens of millions of hens each year and which involves withholding all food from birds for up to two weeks in order to manipulate the laying cycle;

• Prohibit excessive ammonia levels in henhouses -- a common problem in the industry that is harmful to both hens and egg industry workers;

• Require standards for euthanasia of hens; and

• Prohibit the sale of eggs and egg products nationwide that don’t meet these above requirements.

If enacted, this would be the first federal law relating to chickens used for food, as well as the first federal law relating to the on-farm treatment of any species of farm animal. "

To take action: https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5123

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Now, maybe the abused, and ill-housed factory-farmed cows and hogs will have the same consideration.

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This NJ woman is killing herself to get into Guinness Book of Records, and ruining her little daughter's life, too:

"Donna Simpson, a single mom in New Jersey, weighs 700 pounds and is trying to gain an additional 300 pounds so that she can claim and hold the Guinness World Records' title of World's Most Obese Woman. She says that she couldn't do it without the help of her 4-year-old daughter, who shops with her, helps her prepare food, and feeds her so that she can pile on additional pounds.

 

How does someone who relies on a 4-year-old and a reinforced scooter to get around make a living? Online, of course. Simpson pays for her $580-to-$750 per week eating habit plus other expenses by, basically, being overweight. She has a website, OfficialDonnaSimpson.com, geared toward "fat admirers," where people pay to see her eat and flaunt her flab."  More at: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/07/07/700-pound-woman-makes-a-career-out-of-eating-a-lot/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk3%7C218280

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Giant Weed Can Cause Blisters, Even Blindness

 

Officials urge people to steer clear of the giant hogweed.

Do Not Touch This Plant! Giant hogweed can grow to 15 feet or more

"Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a Federally listed noxious weed. Its sap, in combination with moisture and sunlight, can cause severe skin and eye irritation, painful blistering, permanent scarring and blindness. Contact between the skin and the sap of this plant occurs either through brushing against the bristles on the stem or breaking the stem or leaves."

"Experts are urging residents of several states to beware of the "giant hogweed," a tall plant native to Central Asia with umbrella-size flowers containing toxic sap that can cause burns, blisters and, in some cases, even blindness.

"Avoid it at all cost," Jodi Holt, a professor of plant physiology at University of California, Riverside, told ABC News.

"The sap causes something called phytophotodermatitis when it touches humans," causing scars and potentially blindness if it comes into contact with the eyes, Holt said. Some cases of blindness occurred after children used the hollow stalks as telescopes.

Heracleum Mantegazzianum, as hogweed is botanically known, is already a concern in the Northeast and spreading fast. Patches of giant hogweed have also been sighted in the Pacific Northwest.

With white blossoms a foot or larger in diameter, giant hogweed towers up to 15 feet tall and thrives in wet, cool places. It is often spotted near homes, roadways, railroad beds and streams, ABC News said.

Crews in several states, including New York, have been charged with seeking out and destroying the invasive species. New York has also set up a giant hogweed hotline — 845-256-3111 — for people to identify sightings.

If you spot giant hogweed, don't try to remove it yourself, experts said. Instead, report the sighting to your state or local department of invasive species control." More at: http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/0708/giant-weed-can-cause-blisters-even-blindness.aspx?xid=aol_eh-news_4-_20110704&aolcat=hlt&icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk2%7C218317

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Yesterday:

As Ray couldn't be here to help me with the fuel pump line repair to the B+ motorhome, I was glad when Jim, the mechanic, called saying he would come up here and fix it.  He is rather portly, so he had to use a floor jack and jack stand to get underneath it to fix the line.  As soon as it was repaired, the B+ fired up right away, so I parked it in front of my workshop on Lot 2.  Now the man with the travel trailer could move it.

While we were working on it, the owner of that rented lot drove up, the man was in his trailer all the time.  So much for telling me that he would fix it for me!   She told the man that he could stay there a while longer, so I suppose he didn't care if I moved the B+ or not.   But I did, I wanted to get it on my property, not stuck out there in the cul-de-sac.

 

The lot line is at that remaining pine tree on the right, the oak is on the neighbor's lot, their Dish is set up on my lot.  The entrance to my Lot 3 is only 11 feet wide, due to a big drainage ditch, so they aren't leaving me much room.

 

With the debris from the tree felling I couldn't park the B+ in my driveway on Lot 3.   The other big pile of debris is right next to the cargo trailer.

I hope the neighbors will start cleaning it up on a cooler day.

Do You Want Meat Glue With That? "Thermal Event". B+.

Industry-Wide Use of Meat Glue Sticks Together Scraps of Meat To Sell You Prime Cuts

Picture: Three bistro tenders being joined together with Activa GS. They will set overnight before being unwrapped, sliced into portions, cooked, and served.

“The problem is that Thrombian-enhanced products look like real meat.  It is the dishonesty in it that makes us think that it is not okay.”  For example, pork tenderloin can have numerous small parts fused together to produce what will appear to be a full fillet.

 

"It creates a type of franken-meat in that it allows butchers to use the undetectable glue to piece together scraps of meat into a seamless full meat cut.

England banned use of Thrombin coagulant last year. They found it mislead consumers to think they are getting a prime cut for their money, and also the original glue was made from cow and pig blood, something they didn’t think was wise in restaurant meats.

When multiple pieces are globbed together, bacteria has a better chance of growth. “If there is a bacteria outbreak, it’s much harder to figure out the source when chunks of meat from multiple cows were combined,” said Keith Warriner who teaches food science at University of Guelph."

 

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"Is your meat made of scraps stuck together with “meat glue”? This exposé reveals how you may be being deceived about the meat you buy -- and why the dangerous practice makes food poisoning hundreds of times more likely."

More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/04/has-your-meat-been-glued-together--why-you-need-to-know-and-avoid-this-dangerous-process.aspx

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“The amount of bacteria on a steak that has been put together with meat glue is hundreds of times higher.”

More at:  http://xveganvancex.tumblr.com/post/4029723958/is-there-glue-in-your-meat

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Meat Glue Turns Scraps into Prime Cuts of Meat

"When I go to the grocery store and buy steak, I assume that what I’m buying is a prime cut piece of meat. However, a new report shows that consumers are being misled about the quality of their meats and even lied to about what it is that they are actually buying.

It’s an industry secret that meat markets and grocery stores do not want us to know about. Unfortunately, the meats that we buy at our local delis might be several smaller pieces of meat that have been glued together using meat glue.

Wait, meat glue? What is that?! Meat glue is transflutaminase, a family of enzymes that when applied to separate pieces of meat have a reaction that bonds the meat pieces together, forming one solid piece of meat. Meat scraps are sprinkled with meat glue, rolled up in Saran wrap, and refrigerated for six hours. After the six hours, the meat is unrolled and a new piece of meat is revealed.

Meat glue is currently being used on beef, chicken, and pork. It does not affect the taste of the meat once it is cooked, but it could cause some potential health risks for humans. If these meats are not fully cooked, they are much more likely to cause food poisoning for humans.

How can you avoid these glued up meats? Well, chances are, you can’t. Current labeling laws do not require that the glued pieces of meat be distinguished from non-glued pieces of meat. In order to reduce your risk of getting food poisoning from meats that have been glued together, you should make sure that all of your meats are thoroughly cooked. You can also ask your butcher if the meat you are buying contains meat glue."

From: http://www.cornucopia.org/2011/05/meat-glue-turns-scraps-into-prime-cuts-of-meat/

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Yesterday:

My desktop computer had another 'Thermal Event', so I opened it up for the first time.  I have had it cleaned at the computer place, but this was the first time I had done it.  I vacuum the back regularly, but I found out that there was one place in the front that I had been missing.  The rest of it looked pretty clean.  I sucked all that dust out, put it back together, and so far it hasn't had another 'event'. It hasn't been making those creaking noises like a computer does when the hard drive/motherboard is going out.  BTDT!

 

Ray was late as he had to take his sister-in-law to get stem cells.    It was too late to start on anything in the cargo trailer, anyway it is in the full sun since those 5 trees were felled.

As my little van, the Aerostar, was in front of the workshop in the shady 'wash area',  Ray washed it for me with some 'wash and wax' car shampoo.  It sure looks nice now. It has been covered in dust for so long with this drought.

 

We had not been able to move my big van, B+ motor home, from the cul-de-sac in front of my Lot 3, as I found out that the auxiliary fuel pump line was leaking.  So it was still parked in front of a semi-permanent travel trailer in the cul-de-sac.  The man said it wasn't bothering him.

 

We took a 'lying down pad', and some tools to the B+, and I quickly touched the auxiliary fuel pump button so that Ray underneath, could find out where it was leaking.  He tried cutting off the bad end of the fuel line, but he said it was all rotten.  It has been on there for 12-14 years, if I remember right.  I had my tape measure with me, (standard equipment in the fanny pack I wear around the place), and as the cowling was still off the motor, I extended the tape down to Ray, and we ascertained that I need 4 feet of fuel line.  Jim, the mechanic, was supposed to have been here, and he often goes to the parts house, so I was going to let him pick it up.  As Jim is having his knee replacement redone on the 18th, he is still in pain.  So that is why Ray got under the B+, as it would have been difficult for Jim right now.

 

Jim had to go to the doctor, and so he didn't show up.  Then, about 4.00 pm, the man where my B+ is parked said that he unexpectedly had to move his travel trailer.  I explained that I had to get some fuel line before I could move it.  He said that if I would get it right now, he would install it, as he is a mechanic.  So I took off work, rushed into town and bought it.   When I returned, he was nowhere to be found!  Sod him!  There was nothing moved around the trailer, so it didn't look like he was in that much of a hurry to move.

 

Ray and I planned to do it early this morning, but Shay's back was crippling her, so he had to go do her job for her.

 

If the man wants to move his trailer, he might have to help me today.

Towing. Dodge 3500 Finally Theirs!

Be careful when determining tow capacity of a vehicle

"When you are determining the tow capacity of a vehicle make sure you know what the rear axle ratio is. It's possible to have the same type and size of vehicle with the same engine, yet the tow ratings may vary by several thousand pounds. "  More at:
http://markpolk.rvtechtips.com/2009/02/be-careful-when-determining-two.html
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Last two days:

Oh! This finding the right truck, cabover camper, and getting them, has been quite an ordeal.   This would have all been eliminated if the man with the original truck and camper hadn't reneged on the deal.


As I said, I took my brother, Nigel, and sister-in-law, Pamala to Huntsville, TX, and Southwest Houston on Friday to look at trucks.  Here is a picture of the HOV lane on the way back.  Reminds me of the one in Seattle.

Friday, they put a deposit on an immaculate white 2006 Dodge 3500, Diesel 5.9, Mega cab, Dually, 4x4, Lone Star Edition, but it wasn't ready to pick up until yesterday afternoon.   It was too late, and hot, to battle the Houston traffic.

 
We couldn't pick it up then anyway, as Pamala and Nigel didn't want to insure the truck until they were sure they were getting it, so we did that yesterday afternoon.  Even that wasn't easy.
They can legally drive in the USA with their British drivers licenses for 6 months, but several insurance companies didn't understand that, or about insuring the slide-in cabover camper.  They finally bought a policy with State Farm who seemed to know what they were talking about.

We had been cooking and eating here, and Pamala and I got along great in my little kitchen.  (Unusual for 2 women!)  It is really strange that as big as Pamala is, she takes up less room than Jay does, when he gets in my kitchen.

Yesterday we had to go into town, so we ate at Bing's Chinese restaurant nearby, and I had something I haven't had for a long time, glass noodles.


Today, we got all their things out of my B+ motor home, where they had been staying while here, packed it in my van, including all the dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, teapot, sheets, blankets, pots and pans, etc, out of my vintage Class A motor home, "Pugsy", so all that could go with them, to equip the camper. I also gave them a MaxxAir for the roof vent, and bubble level for their freezer.

This morning, I drove them back to the dealer in Southwest Houston.  The paperwork there took a long time as the truck will be exported back to England when they leave the US.  Finally, after a couple of hours that was done, so we transferred all their stuff including the new plastic chests of drawers and bins, into the back seat of their new-to-them truck.

We got a bite to eat at Subway, and went our separate ways.  They went back to my daughter's house in West Colombia, TX to get the rest of their things.   I came home in really gulley-whomping, pouring rain, but the rain stopped when I got to Conroe.

They will stop back by here on their way to Ponca City, OK, where the cabover camper is.
They are getting the rest of the camper light hook-ups and tie downs done there by an RV tech friend of the seller of the camper.   The seller is also going to take them to a rodeo this weekend.  So they are very excited about that, as they have never seen one in the US. (They lived Down Under for 7 years, so they have seen Aussie rodeos.)

Then they go west along Route 66, stopping to see the Texas Grand Canyon (Palo Duro State Park), near Amarillo, TX.  Then on to Monterey, California, to see where our mother was born.   Then to the other Grand Canyon, and north to Alaska.

 You know I got them set up with Live Writer, and Blogger!

What a day!

History Channel. Prairie Dog Day. Trivia. B+ Starting!.

'America: The Story of Us' Premiere Breaks Records for History Channel. It is on again, tonight:
More at:
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/04/27/america-the-story-of-us-premiere-breaks-records-for-history/
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Bryce Canyon National Park will honor the Utah Prairie Dog on April 30 during a special, first-ever celebration of the endangered animals.

More at: http://www.nps.gov/brca/parknews/updday.htm

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A Pennsylvania woman has unearthed a 3.17-carat canary yellow diamond at Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park. The park's diamond mine is the only one in North America where the public can search and keep diamonds and other gems.

More at: http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/digging-for-diamonds/news-releases.aspx
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Actual computer tech support question
Tech support: "How may I help you?"
Customer: "I'm writing my first e-mail."
Tech support: "Okay, and what seems to be the problem?"
Customer: "Well, I have the letter 'a' in the address, but how do I get the circle around it?"
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The giant squid, the world's largest invertebrate, grabs its lunch with tentacles up to 40 feet long and gazes upon prey with eyes the size of basketballs. It lives at depths of 985 to 1,970 feet, where it's the prey of sperm whales.
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Fire Safety Tip from Mac McCoy
Invert and shake your dry powder or dry chemical extinguisher monthly to loosen the powder. The jarring of the coach while you travel down the road does not keep the powder loose; in fact, it packs the powder, which may make your extinguisher useless in fighting a fire.
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Like good against evil, there's a constant mini battle going on in your gut -- between good bacteria and bad bacteria.
“Adam and Eve ate the first vitamins, including the package.” - E.R. Squibb (American drug manufacturer)
See: http://www.realage.com/tips/balance-colon-bacteria-with-this-fruit
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Descriptions of RV Items:
Blown Fuse: Electrical device in an unknown place that shuts off everything.
Crank-up Antenna: Device to find low tree limbs.
Dip Stick: Five-foot metal device invented by a urologist.
Dump Station: Bad place to wear thongs.
Inner Dual: The one that goes flat first.
Level campsite: One where the rig doesn’t quite tip over.
Refrigerator: Slightly cool container capable of holding two cans of beer.
Spare Fuse: A blown fuse carefully kept in a small box.
Toolbox: Contains all tools except the one you need.
Tools: Everywhere except in the toolbox.
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"As more and more motorized travelers took to the growing roadways, they formed groups for camaraderie. One of the first was the Tin Can Tourists, which flourished in the 1920s and ‘30s. How they got their name is not known, but one popular thought is that they carried with them mostly tinned food that wouldn’t spoil on the road.

Another theory is that the name came from the practice at that time of tying tin cans to the trailers just above the road level. When a tire would go flat, which happened several times a day, the cans would start clinking on the roadway to alert the driver to the problem." 
From: http://www.gorving.org/customsource/NL_Display.cfm?NLID=105

Was this the first Pressure Pro?? 
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B+ is up and running:
Jay, the black wagon of pertinent tools, and I, put the starter back on the B+ TranStar this morning.

It is in such an awkward place, that you know Jay was a-bitchin'.  Finally it was installed, and the B+ roared to life just as soon as I turned the key.  Hasn't started that quickly for a long time. 
But it has an auxiliary manual electric fuel pump, and when I pushed that momentary button, I couldn't hear it clicking.  I only have to use that if it has been sitting for a long time, but it sure is handy.  (It worked like a kill-switch one time, when someone tried to steal it, and they couldn't get it started!)

Jim, the mechanic, was going to take the B+ to his shop as soon as we got it going, to fix a transmission leak, so he will track down that wire to the extra fuel pump.
Later, I was glad he took it, as Jay had the starter wires too close to the manifold, and had not put in one of the heat shields.

Lovely, "open windows", "cats on the porch", "no AC" day.