Here's Something You Don't See Everyday

This was pretty cool. Our daughter E was at some luncheon a few weeks ago where Arizona Diamondbacks leftfielder Luis Gonzales spoke. There were pictures afterwards, and so she got to meet him.

A Pretty Good Week For Our Daughters

J, our oldest daughter had an interesting conversation with her ex-husband. He apologized for what he put her through before, during, and after their divorce. Turns out his #2 wife is doing the same to him. Nonetheless, J feels vindicated. However, I don't feel vindicated; I actually pity him. My prayers go out to him.

Meanwhile, E, our younger daughter has been working as an intern for an architechtural/ engineering firm since she graduated from ASU West last May. The company she works for really seems to like her and have been doing everything they can to keep her. She had an interview on Thursday which could land her a job as an administrative assistant as early as this week. This would be a real job with benefits and everything.

E has also been part of an Irving Berlin musical review which will be playing at our church the next two weekends. Today in church, she and another cast member performed "Easter Parade" - it was pretty awesome!

Disappointing Week in Sports

Well, the Arizona Diamondbacks put up a great effort in the last couple of weeks, but it was too little, too late. They did end up in 2nd place in the NL West, 5 games behind the Padres. THere's always next year.

Meanwhile, there was a lot of hype over the ASU - USC game. As I expected, ASU did not win, but not after putting up a spectular effort against USC in the first half; USC faced its largest point deficit - 18 points - of its current winning streak. Wait till USC creams UofA next week - hee hee hee hee.

Diamondbacks: Just Not Ready To Die Yet

It's been a pretty mediocre season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. But it's been pretty mediocre for the NL West as a whole. And in spite of it all, the D-backs aren't out of it yet.

It will take a combination of two Arizona losses and/or San Diego wins to eliminate the D-backs. In fact, if Arizona sweeps its remaining games, and San Diego gets swept in its remaining games, Arizona will win the division. Looks good on paper, but I'm not counting on it.

As of now, the Diamondbacks just beat L.A., and the Padres are leading the Giants.

Remember, there's no crying in baseball.

Rising Tensions

The situation in Palestine continues to worsen. While Hamas continues to rocket Israeli civilians, the IDF has gone into the West Bank and arrested 206 suspected terrorists. There were also additional Israeli airstrikes on suspected weapons manufacturing facilities. (related story)

Whether you believe that there was an accidental explosion at a Hamas rally (as Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and other eyewitnesses contend) or that it was an Israeli airstrike (as the terrorists contend), it is blatently obvious that someone does not want this peace process to succeed.

Nice to see that Israel is not taking all this sitting down. If it comes down to it, I don't think they'll hesitate to reoccupy the territory they just gave up.

The Game is Up - Maybe

It was only a matter of time before the Palestinian appeasement process failed (see source article). After last month's pullout from Gaza and West Bank settlements, it was hoped that peace would settle in over Palestine. Right - and I've got a levee in Louisiana I'd like to sell you.

It all started Friday afternoon after an explosion during a Hamas rally killed at least 15 people. Israel denies any involvement, and the Palestinian Authority (whatever that means) blames Islamic militants for mishandling explosives during the rally. Hamas claims Israeli warplanes fired missiles into the crowd.

So Hamas retaliated against their own stupidity by firing 35 rockets into Israeli towns. Israel in turn has begun retaliation by launching airstrikes at suspected Hamas targets in Gaza. Israeli troops are now massing at the border awaiting orders for a ground incursion should it come to that. The Israeli government is putting a lot of pressure on PA President Abbas to get the militants under control - or else. A unanimous decision by the Israeli cabinet would get the IDF moving.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is in danger of losing his job as early as Monday. His most likely successor would be Benjamin Netanyahu, one who has said all along that the recent Israeli pullout would be a threat to Israel's national security.

Naturally, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is alarmed that the peace process seems to be falling apart. Like that was a surprise?

Katrina Is Just a Warning - And An Opportunity

Some people who were there at that time told Jesus about certain Galileans. Pilate had mixed their blood with their sacrifices. Jesus said, "These people from Galilee suffered greatly. Do you think they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans? I tell you, no! But unless you turn away from your sins, you will all die too. Or what about the 18 people in Siloam? They died when the tower fell on them. Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you turn away from your sins, you will all die too." [Luke 13:1-5]

I want to expand on what I shared with the choir last night in my devotion.

According to a recent story, in a sermon delivered on September 6, a Jewish rabbi said "that the devastation wrought by [Hurricane] Katrina 'was God's retribution' for pressuring Israel to relinquish Gaza and the northern West Bank to the Palestinians.."

In fact, there are some intriguing correlations between major disasters and the treatment - or rather, mistreatment - of Israel. Coincidence? Maybe.

But consider that Muslim extremists also believe that Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment against the U.S. for its evil ways and it policies in the Middle East.

Now wait a minute - if these are to be believed, then it sounds to me like we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't. How could God be punishing our nation for acting in ways that are contradictory to each other?

That's the point - He's not. Jesus tells a completely different story. I urge you to read what he had to say about the End of the Age in Matthew 24.

Jesus specifically mentions, in verses 6-8, of what would happen before the End of the Age and His coming: ^"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." [New King James Version]

Jesus also made it clear to us that the signs of his coming would be as obvious to us as the changing of the seasons. Verses 32-33 state: "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!"

By the way, the use of the fig tree as an example is no accident; it is the symbol of the nation of Israel.

Here's one last quote which describes how the Christ's return will unfold (verses 36-44): “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

The 20th Century certainly has been the bloodiest in recorded history. The things we have witnessed just in our lifetimes have to give us reason to pause. The 21st Century has not yet rendered much for our troubled world to hope for - 9/11, bombings in London, Madrid, and Bali. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. One hurricane after another stirring up devastation in Florida. A tsunami that snuck up and killed a quarter of a million people. Millions in Africa dying of AIDS and/or starvation. And Hurricane Katrina.

These disasters do not discriminate - just as the fallen tower in Siloam did not discriminate.

In my opinion, God is not punishing anybody. In my opinion, these are the "beginning of sorrows" that Jesus spoke of. These are warnings to those who have not redeemed themselves to Christ. This is an opportunity to come to Jesus.

For those who know Jesus, and the peace that surpasses all understanding, these are signs of hope - that he will soon come for us. In our lifetime? Perhaps. If things keep going the way they are (and I only see them getting worse), I'd hate to see what this world will be like in fifty years. Or ten for that matter.

To those who know Jesus, this is also an opportunity. An opportunity to testify to God's love. To give hope to those are otherwise hopeless. To bring healing where there is hurt. An opportunity to serve and show what a Christian is.

For some, this latest disaster has served to polarize race relations in this country. But I also know for a fact that we've come a long way since the Civil Rights movement of the sixties. Most of us truly believe that we can all get along - and we do get along. What a golden opportunity to let the dream that Martin Luther King, Jr. come true in its fullest glory!

Meanwhile, let me remind you that the fig tree which symbolizes Israel was thought to be long dead. Toward the end of World War I, with the Balfour Declaration, it began to sprout buds. In 1948, the fig tree was in full bloom. Surely it must be summer by now.

One Nation Under God

Well it appears that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals - you know, the one located in the Peoples' Republic of San Francisco - is at again. This time a judge there has declared that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools is unconstitutional. (story)

Can we secede from the 9th Circuit?

Why Hurricanes Always Used to Have Women's Names

It used to be that hurricanes were named after women because women were considered unpredictable. Then again, this idea was hatched in the male-chauvinist-pig era of the mid-20th Century (and now male names are included in the rotation).

But do consider the hurricane that shares the name of a character from Shakespeare's Hamlet - Ophelia. Since becoming a named storm in the waters around the Bahamas last week, Ophelia has been upgraded to a hurricane three times, then downgraded back to a tropical storm three times. Now for the fourth time, Ophelia is back to being a hurricane.

Looking at her track can literally make you dizzy. She charges at the coast, then backs off, spins around some, sits around for a little bit, then makes another charge at the coast. Her expected landfall has shifted the whole time. First it was northern Florida, then Georgia, then South Carolina, then North Carolina. Now it looks she'll make most of her trouble over the barrier islands off of North Carolina (which fortunately, they're used to). In any case, Ophelia has been taunting us just off of the coast for a whole week. Pretty ironic when you consider that in the same span of time, Katrina was born in roughly the same waters and was pretty much used up - but only after destroying a considerable part of the Gulf Coast in the process.

Pretty darned unpredictable if you ask me. But men can be that way, too.

The Governor Comes to Church

Do you remember the episode of M*A*S*H when General MacArthur was coming to inspect the camp? There was so much hoopla over the preparations and they went to a lot of trouble to keep Klinger out of sight. They went as far as rehearsing it with Radar playing the part of the general, complete with his trademark corncob pipe. When MacArthur did arrive (earlier than expected), he never got out of the jeep as it drove through the camp. In fact, he barely even looked up. Only when the general's jeep passed by Klinger - dressed like the Statue of Liberty with a sparkling torch - did he take notice and returned a crisp salute to the dogface in drag.

That's the thought that crossed my mind this morning as our church service was starting. We've known for over a month that our governor, the Honorable Janet Napolitano, was to attend today's service and deliver a message. Predictably it was a three-ring circus - there's just enough uptight people in our church to make that happen.

For starters, our choir director picked some music to perform along with a brass quintet (we don't usually have a brass quinted - just at Christmas and Easter for the most part). The anthem was a screamer. We can usually handle screamers when we're well into the season. But this was the first Sunday of the season, and speaking for the 1st Tenors, our throats aren't quite ready sing screamers.

During rehearsal this morning, I was standing between two rookie(-ish) choir members. We were struggling to find the notes in the final chord progression (it was a rather odd progression). After looking at the score, I advised them, "The brass are doubling our part - just pick one of their notes and go with it."

The service didn't start off well. Our liturgist hadn't shown up yet, so N, the lady in charge of scheduling the liturgists (and the liturgist's mother!), took over. The choir wasn't lined up for the procession. The uptight folks were even more so. I was telling some to just relax.

Even with the minor hitches (the liturgist finally showed up) it turned out to be quite a lovely service. Our anthem went very well (we hit the right notes, and I got goosebumps) and the contemporary singers (of which my stepdaughter sings with) were awesome. Then Governor Napolitano delivered a wonderful message.

She commended the efforts made in our state towards helping the victims from Hurricane Katrina. She mentioned that is hoped that all who are being sheltered in the Veteran's Coliseum would have found more permanent housing by the end of the week. She commended efforts that churches around the state have been made and challenged us to continue those efforts in dealing with our own homeless population, which is estimated at about 30,000.

Did I actually meet her? Not really. I did pass within a few feet of her as the choir processed in and again as we recessed. As a matter of fact, during the recessional hymn I ignored the fact we were in church. I turned to her and said, "Thanks for coming." She smiled back.

I don't agree with our governor's politics - in fact it's likely we're opposites. However, she has addressed some pretty sticky issues that Arizona is facing and has kept politics out of it. For that, I'm impressed with the job she's done. Her message today was at least a subtle affirmation.

While there was quite a bit of fuss over this visit, I suppose that some of it was necessary. After all, a state governor is entitled to the appropriate amount of respect. But I'm not easily impressed by celebrity or position. I figured that Governor Napolitano is otherwise a regular person like the rest of us, which is why I was telling some of those around me to relax. Through her message today, watching her as she greeted members of the congregation after the service, and through my own brief interaction with her, I was proven right. I appreciate that despite her busy schedule, she took the time to be with us for the entire service (and didn't plow through like General MacArthur did on M*A*S*H). If she wants to come to my church again, I'd gladly welcome her.

FEMA Chief Relieved of Duty

FEMA Director Michael Brown has been relieved of his duties in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Taking over is his deputy in the operation, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen. (story)

It's not a surprising move when you consider the criticism over FEMA's handling of this crisis. It's been reported that many church-based agencies were actually on the scene well before the Feds arrived (those who are critical of faith-based agencies please take note). There was even a team from Canada that arrived before FEMA did.

Is the criticism of FEMA warranted? This is the largest disaster ever to strike the U.S., after all. The logistics are too vast and complex for any one organization to handle on their own. The relief efforts going on there - and across the nation - depend on a massive group effort on the part of many people. I wonder how many people unaffected directly by the storm are or will be directly involved in the relief and recovery efforts when all is said and done. But it still doesn't explain why it appears that FEMA - whose job is to be first on the scene (after local agencies) - didn't make it until it was too late. I wonder if we'll ever know.

Perhaps it's a good thing - something that needed to happen in order to make FEMA better prepared for something that may happen in the future.

Meanwhile, the news out of New Orleans seems to indicate that perhaps not as many lives were lost as initially feared. Praise God.

If You're Bored With the Weather, Just Wait a Minute

Yesterday, for a few hours, we had three hurricanes in the Atlantic - Maria, Nate, and Ophelia. As of now, we have three tropical storms in the Atlantic - Maria, Nate, and Ophelia. It's enough to make life especially interesting to those who forecast the weather and those who thought it would be fun to track hurricanes on their blog (moi'?).

Anywho, I also think it's interesting to see where these storms are going - or not going (in Ophelia's case). Maria appears to be headed for Iceland, then Norway (I just think it's fascinating for a tropical storm to hit Iceland - gotta love that Gulf Stream, eh?). Nate was headed for the British Isles but has veered a little northward. In any case, plan on packing extra barf bags if you plan to sail the North Atlantic in the next few days. Meanwhile, Ophelia seems to be just languishing off the Florida coast. Around and around she goes; where she stops, nobody knows. She became a hurricane yesterday, now she's a tropical storm again (maximum sustained winds of 65 mph) and probably will become a hurricane again.

Current models suggest Ophelia will make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday close the South Carolina - Georgia border. But Ophelia is hard to track because she's moving so slow, so anything could happen. Oh well, what can you do?

Opportunity to Help

Our Wednesday night service this week is dedicated to discussing what we can do to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I sure hope it will be more than just talk.

Looks like we'll be getting about 1,000 evacuees here in Arizona. Looks like an opportunity to me!

The Fall of New Orleans

Everyone who hears what I say but doesn't obey it will be like a foolish person who built a house on sand. [Matthew 7:26]

What an interesting place, New Orleans. The Mississippi River has an average annual highwater level of 14 feet above sea level with a floodwall along the river that's 23 feet high - just in case. Lake Pontchartrain has a normal level of 1 foot above sea level with a levee that's 17.5 feet high - just in case. Most of New Orleans sits at or below sea level (to an elevation of 8 feet below sea level). Do the math. And remember that water flows downhill.

Several years ago I saw a program on the Discovery Channel about cataclysmic natural disasters that could occur - in fact, there was a good chance any of these could occur. The last segment of the show illustrated what a Category 5 hurricane would do if it made a direct hit on New Orleans (something that hadn't happened before). In this scenario, most of the city - being below sea level - would be swamped by the storm surge.

This is nothing that should be a surprise to anyone living in the Big Easy. FEMA has been working on how to deal with this very scenario for a couple of years now. There are public service announcements every hurricane season in New Orleans warning that "this could be the year of the Big One." Many have become desensitized to this warning.

The worst case scenario played out on the Discovery Channel did not play out this last week. Instead, Katrina had weakened into a Category 4 storm just before grazing New Orleans. (Models show that a slow-moving Category 3 hurricane could flood New Orleans - see link). But the result was the same - and perhaps even worse than anyone had foreseen.

"There's no food. There's no water. There's shooting. They're killing people," evacuee Tishia Walters told CNN. "They're robbing men in the restrooms, they're raping women trying to go to the restroom. So people have resorted to defecating on the floors. You can't walk. There's babies without Pampers, mammas without milk. It's chaos total chaos."

It's a frustrating situation to say the least. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was addressing the Federal government in an interview with radio station WWL when he said, "Now get off your asses and do something, and let's fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country." (see entire transcript)

But one has to realize it has been extremely difficult to get in and out of New Orleans. The National Guard had to literally cut their way through Mississippi down Interstate 55 with chainsaws and heavy equipment. Hurricanes tend to leave things behind on the highways - like trees and houses and God only knows what.

And here's the part that really pisses me off. Once anyone gets there, they're liable to get shot at. Let me tell you something. If I come to rescue you and some wingnut is out there taking pot shots at me, then the rescue is off. And I won't be back until I bring some friends with me who have bigger guns with a longer range. What the hell business does anyone have shooting up a medical convoy anyway?

The New Orleans Police Department has had a long reputation for its corruption. However in recent years, they've been working to try and reverse that. Certainly, some of them truly are New Orleans' finest, and this week is perhaps their finest hour. Certainly it is a trying time for them. According to CNN, "One New Orleans police sergeant compared the situation to Somalia and said officers were outnumbered and outgunned by gangs in trucks." I'm sure the criminal element of New Orleans is pretty much operating in a manner which they are accustomed to. I'm also willing to bet that many them deliberately ignored the evacuation order so they could take advantage of all the folks leaving town.

CNN reports that, "Mayor Nagin said except for a few 'knuckleheads,' the looting is the result of desperate people just trying to find food and water to survive.

"Nagin blamed the outbreak of crime and violence on drug addicts who are cut off from their drug supplies and wandering the city 'looking to take the edge off their jones.' "

I agree with both of those points. Keep in mind that one of the stores looted was a new Walmart - it was completely cleaned out of guns and ammunition. I also think there are more "knuckleheads" than Mayor Nagin realizes.

Not every citizen packing heat is bad - I think most are carrying a gun just to protect themselves from the dangers out there. Many people arriving at evacuation centers such as the Superdome are gladly surrendering their weapons as well.

But what I fear we have in New Orleans now can almost be categorized as an insurgency. But they are under martial law, are they not? Why not send in some helicopter gunships? A burst from a 50-caliber machine gun into the truckbed full of these predators should send a pretty strong message, especially if repeated against similar truckbeds across the city.

Interfering with a rescue operation? That's a capital crime as far as I'm concerned. And you don't need a judge and jury to convict. Any dope firing a weapon at a rescue operation needs to be dropped right then and there - no questions asked (the answer would be pointless anyway).

I've also heard one intriguing opinion as to another factor that may have exacerbated the situation - our welfare system. I heard this during a radio talk show this morning. One of the guests, originally from New Orleans (and who has two cousins still unaccounted for) pointed this out. He said (and sorry, I paraphrase), "Not to sound racist, but look at the faces. It's like Mogadishu." He went on to say that a lot of these people have been told all their lives that the government would take care of them and still fully expect the government to help them now. Nagin said the government was "feeding the people a line of bull." They probably didn't have the means to get out when the evacuation order came, nor did they have the means to help themselves until help arrived.

Then he asked the question, "Do you know how much a Greyhound Bus ticket from New Orleans to Baton Rouge costs? Twenty-seven dollars." He then went on to say that on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (when it was clear that Katrina was coming), those buses were mostly empty.

It also appears that there are contradictions between what was being said and what was actually happening. Mayor Nagin has every right to be angry. He should be. We have seen how Katrina has brought out the worst in people. It's time to end the pissing contest. This morning, before touring the Gulf Coast region, even President Bush was not happy with the progress of relief efforts, stating, "The results are not acceptable."

Now that the convoys are arriving to bring in supplies and evacuate the populace, perhaps we will see more of how this disaster is bringing out the best in people.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to help out, may I suggest a donation through UMCOR or the American Red Cross?

The Fall of New Orleans

Everyone who hears what I say but doesn't obey it will be like a foolish person who built a house on sand. [Matthew 7:26]

What an interesting place, New Orleans. The Mississippi River has an average annual highwater level of 14 feet above sea level with a floodwall along the river that's 23 feet high - just in case. Lake Pontchartrain has a normal level of 1 foot above sea level with a levee that's 17.5 feet high - just in case. Most of New Orleans sits at or below sea level (to an elevation of 8 feet below sea level). Do the math. And remember that water flows downhill.

Several years ago I saw a program on the Discovery Channel about cataclysmic natural disasters that could occur - in fact, there was a good chance any of these could occur. The last segment of the show illustrated what a Category 5 hurricane would do if it made a direct hit on New Orleans (something that hadn't happened before). In this scenario, most of the city - being below sea level - would be swamped by the storm surge.

This is nothing that should be a surprise to anyone living in the Big Easy. FEMA has been working on how to deal with this very scenario for a couple of years now. There are public service announcements every hurricane season in New Orleans warning that "this could be the year of the Big One." Many have become desensitized to this warning.

The worst case scenario played out on the Discovery Channel did not play out this last week. Instead, Katrina had weakened into a Category 4 storm just before grazing New Orleans. (Models show that a slow-moving Category 3 hurricane could flood New Orleans - see link). But the result was the same - and perhaps even worse than anyone had foreseen.

"There's no food. There's no water. There's shooting. They're killing people," evacuee Tishia Walters told CNN. "They're robbing men in the restrooms, they're raping women trying to go to the restroom. So people have resorted to defecating on the floors. You can't walk. There's babies without Pampers, mammas without milk. It's chaos total chaos."

It's a frustrating situation to say the least. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was addressing the Federal government in an interview with radio station WWL when he said, "Now get off your asses and do something, and let's fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country." (see entire transcript)

But one has to realize it has been extremely difficult to get in and out of New Orleans. The National Guard had to literally cut their way through Mississippi down Interstate 55 with chainsaws and heavy equipment. Hurricanes tend to leave things behind on the highways - like trees and houses and God only knows what.

And here's the part that really pisses me off. Once anyone gets there, they're liable to get shot at. Let me tell you something. If I come to rescue you and some wingnut is out there taking pot shots at me, then the rescue is off. And I won't be back until I bring some friends with me who have bigger guns with a longer range. What the hell business does anyone have shooting up a medical convoy anyway?

The New Orleans Police Department has had a long reputation for its corruption. However in recent years, they've been working to try and reverse that. Certainly, some of them truly are New Orleans' finest, and this week is perhaps their finest hour. Certainly it is a trying time for them. According to CNN, "One New Orleans police sergeant compared the situation to Somalia and said officers were outnumbered and outgunned by gangs in trucks." I'm sure the criminal element of New Orleans is pretty much operating in a manner which they are accustomed to. I'm also willing to bet that many them deliberately ignored the evacuation order so they could take advantage of all the folks leaving town.

CNN reports that, "Mayor Nagin said except for a few 'knuckleheads,' the looting is the result of desperate people just trying to find food and water to survive.

"Nagin blamed the outbreak of crime and violence on drug addicts who are cut off from their drug supplies and wandering the city 'looking to take the edge off their jones.' "

I agree with both of those points. Keep in mind that one of the stores looted was a new Walmart - it was completely cleaned out of guns and ammunition. I also think there are more "knuckleheads" than Mayor Nagin realizes.

Not every citizen packing heat is bad - I think most are carrying a gun just to protect themselves from the dangers out there. Many people arriving at evacuation centers such as the Superdome are gladly surrendering their weapons as well.

But what I fear we have in New Orleans now can almost be categorized as an insurgency. But they are under martial law, are they not? Why not send in some helicopter gunships? A burst from a 50-caliber machine gun into the truckbed full of these predators should send a pretty strong message, especially if repeated against similar truckbeds across the city.

Interfering with a rescue operation? That's a capital crime as far as I'm concerned. And you don't need a judge and jury to convict. Any dope firing a weapon at a rescue operation needs to be dropped right then and there - no questions asked (the answer would be pointless anyway).

I've also heard one intriguing opinion as to another factor that may have exacerbated the situation - our welfare system. I heard this during a radio talk show this morning. One of the guests, originally from New Orleans (and who has two cousins still unaccounted for) pointed this out. He said (and sorry, I paraphrase), "Not to sound racist, but look at the faces. It's like Mogadishu." He went on to say that a lot of these people have been told all their lives that the government would take care of them and still fully expect the government to help them now. Nagin said the government was "feeding the people a line of bull." They probably didn't have the means to get out when the evacuation order came, nor did they have the means to help themselves until help arrived.

Then he asked the question, "Do you know how much a Greyhound Bus ticket from New Orleans to Baton Rouge costs? Twenty-seven dollars." He then went on to say that on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (when it was clear that Katrina was coming), those buses were mostly empty.

It also appears that there are contradictions between what was being said and what was actually happening. Mayor Nagin has every right to be angry. He should be. We have seen how Katrina has brought out the worst in people. It's time to end the pissing contest. This morning, before touring the Gulf Coast region, even President Bush was not happy with the progress of relief efforts, stating, "The results are not acceptable."

Now that the convoys are arriving to bring in supplies and evacuate the populace, perhaps we will see more of how this disaster is bringing out the best in people.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to help out, may I suggest a donation through UMCOR or the American Red Cross?

Katrina's Aftermath: Now the Hard Part Begins

Boy, what can you say?

The high winds and torrential rains have passed. Now Hurricane Katrina is merely a tropical depression. However, the worst has yet begun.

Although New Orleans was spared a direct hit, there are still levees that have been badly breeched. The dreaded flood is still occurring - just a little slower than expected.

There's a significant health risk already. The water is contaminated by the sewer system, dead bodies, and whatever toxins have gotten into the water. There's even a chance of a cholera outbreak.

Then there's the human factor. There's been considerable looting of homes and businesses. It's just now been reported on Fox that gunmen have attacked a police station with AK-47's.

The disruption to our nation's oil supply will also be considerable. Don't be surprised to see gasoline and $3.00 per gallon.

I really don't know what else to add - it's too overwhelming. I decided to add the picture of these two dogs being rescued by their owners. The one in front looks like our dog, Princess - and that's the name of the dog in the picture!.

Just pray for all those affected by the hurricane.

New Orleans in Katrina's Sights

Unfortunately I fear that one of the biggest news stories of the year is about to happen. Katrina is now a Category-5 Hurricane which is expected to pass just east of New Orleans. This is pretty much the worst case scenario for any hurricane. Currently some 1 million residents, including the population of New Orleans itself, are evacuating. I just wonder if they'll even have a home to come back to.

Links: source article, National Hurricane Center

Computers - Ughh

My wife has a new laptop. I'll be spending time trying to get it networked on our internet connection. I started to do that last weekend, but no luck. I've got some ideas on how to make it work. Wish me luck.

Another Sleepless Night in Florida

Well, Katrina has swept across south Florida. Unfortunately she didn't lose a whole lot of punch, and now Katrina's a Category 2 hurricane.

Now that she's gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, Katrina is projected to make landfall again somewhat further west than first predicted - this time around the Mississippi - Alabama state line. If she ends up going a bit further west, she could hit New Orleans, and that would be a major disaster.

I've added a link to the National Hurricane Center on this page, as well as a new entry in the sidebar.

Meanwhile here in Arizona, we're getting a break from the monsoon (if it doesn't end outright). That means the humidity will be going down (praise God!) and the temperature will climb a bit (bummer). But all in all, we've gotten a pretty decent amount of rain despite the late start to the season.

God Is With Us: A Miracle in the Desert

I ran across this fascinating story on Fox News:

There are marshlands between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in southern Iraq which have inspired the story of the Garden of Eden.

After the Persian Gulf War of 1991, Saddam Hussein began efforts to drain these marshlands in retaliation against the Marsh Arabs who supported a Shiite rebellion. By 2002, some 90% of these marshlands disappeared and had become dry salt flats. Experts predicted the marshlands would disappear altogether by 2008.

But the wetlands are making a return. Instead of disappearing, by 2008, they could reach 80% of their original state. In the aftermath of Hussein's ouster in 2003, engineers began tearing down dikes and dams, flooding the region again. This last spring the recovery reached an astounding level of 50% before the hot summer took its toll.

If you ask me, it's a miracle in the desert.

Pat Robertson: The Human Faux Pas

Pat Robertson has some good things to say. But as surely as Jesus must of just shaken his head at some of Peter's remarks, I'm sure he does that a lot with Pat, too.

Robertson's most recent assessment about Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez may have been correct. But to suggest his assassination is a bit much.

Of course, Robertson is well-known for one faux pas after another. It will be fun to watch how he squirms out of this one.

I can be just as conservative as the next conservative. But I can't abide by Robertson's latest remarks. I just pray that God imparts his wisdom and mercy upon Pat Robertson and President Chavez.

Appeasement: A Real-Life Anatevka

The recent evacuation of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank reminds me of these words from a song in Fiddler on the Roof:

Soon I'll be stranger in a strange new place
Searching for an old familiar face
From Anatevka.
-from Anatevka, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick


Just like in the story of Fiddler on the Roof, many members of the Jewish community were forced to leave their homes. Only this happened in real life. And this time they had to leave their homeland.

In a move that looks a lot like Neville Chamberlain appeasing the Nazis in 1938, the Israeli government has betrayed their own people in the name of a false peace. While I have to admit Palestinian president Abbas has worked hard and done well so far to keep the peace, there's just too much animosity among some elements within Palestine. There's too much animosity amongst the Jewish people as well. The political ramifications of this could very well ruin Prime Minister Sharon's political career.

I fear that this real-life Anatevka will be in vain. I dare to predict that once some homicide bomber blows him- or herself up in a crowded public place in Tel Aviv - or wherever in Israel - the game is up. Everyone in Israel will realize the peace plan is but a dream. And Israel's enemies will have that much more territory from which to launch an attack. That is a situation that will not be tolerated by Israel.

Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come.

Appeasement: A Real-Life Anatevka

The recent evacuation of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank reminds me of these words from a song in Fiddler on the Roof:

Soon I'll be stranger in a strange new place
Searching for an old familiar face
From Anatevka.
-from Anatevka, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick


Just like in the story of Fiddler on the Roof, many members of the Jewish community were forced to leave their homes. Only this happened in real life. And this time they had to leave their homeland.

In a move that looks a lot like Neville Chamberlain appeasing the Nazis in 1938, the Israeli government has betrayed their own people in the name of a false peace. While I have to admit Palestinian president Abbas has worked hard and done well so far to keep the peace, there's just too much animosity among some elements within Palestine. There's too much animosity amongst the Jewish people as well. The political ramifications of this could very well ruin Prime Minister Sharon's political career.

I fear that this real-life Anatevka will be in vain. I dare to predict that once some homicide bomber blows him- or herself up in a crowded public place in Tel Aviv - or wherever in Israel - the game is up. Everyone in Israel will realize the peace plan is but a dream. And Israel's enemies will have that much more territory from which to launch an attack. That is a situation that will not be tolerated by Israel.

Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come.

Silly Animals

This almost looks like something you would have seen in Life Magazine. I couldn't have taken a better picture if I planned it.

Wars and Rumors of Wars

Boy, things are looking dicey out there. Our brave troops are still getting bloodied in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran has resumed its nuclear program, something which the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) will not tolerate as soon it becomes apparent that they have the bomb. And on top of that, it appears that Iran has been shipping weapons to Iraq. Things don't look good within Israel, either. Not everyone is too thrilled about the pullout from Jewish settlements in Gaza.

Rumors? Too many to mention and link here - I suggest you go to raptureready.com for more on these latest stories.

One rumor is that Osama bin-Laden has left or is about to leave his hideout and should arrive in Iraq sometime next month. From there he is expected to lead the battle against US and Coalition forces in the war on terrorism.

Another rumor is that the US can expect more terror attacks on or about September 11. One scenario is a coordinated attack using fuel tankers in several US cities. Another rumor is an "American Hiroshima" when the long-dreaded nuclear attack on one or several US cities occurs.

In his first inaugural address, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." Today, the context of those words are somewhat different, but the concept is the same. Wise words.

My body can be killed, but not my soul. My heart is with Jesus Christ, and I will be with him regardless. I don't fret over those who seek to destroy me - God will deal with them himself.

Meanwhile, keep the faith and, as Jesus said, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." [Matthew 24:42]