Awsume Sand Storm in Iraq

Just got a ton of pics from Rich. These are awsome....!!!!!



I bet they are picking sand out of everything there. that stuff gets into evey crack and crevis.



The link to the album if you prefer: Album site


I am going to post them here but at 400x400 and then set the size on
the album to 800x800 so you can get the larger pic on the album.






4-28-2005 Sand Storm from HELL in Al Asad - Taken Yesterday...





Do you remember the movie, the Mummy, no special effects here… This is REAL…



Sand Storm, 26 April 2005. Al Asad, IRAQ



It’s a wall of sand traveling at 60 mph.



RUN FOREST RUN
































At this point I’m running for cover.












This picture was taken 1 min later and its dark as night. Reporting live from Al Asad, Air Base

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Cardinal John Ratzinger of Germany was elected pope

Catholic Church has a new leader

Cardinal John Ratzinger of Germany was elected pope by the conclave of cardinals

Posted: 04/19/2005 04:32 pm

Last Updated: 04/19/2005 05:51 pm


The Catholic Church has a new leader.

Cardinal John
Ratzinger of Germany was elected pope by the conclave of cardinals.


The new pontiff, who just turned 78 on Saturday, will be known as Pope
Benedict, the 16th.



Just after 11:00 Tuesday morning, the white
smoke went up from the Sistine Chapel chimney after just a few votes.


The bells tolled, and thousands converged upon
St. Peter’s Square, with emotions boiling over.

After the call
went out, Pope Benedict, the 16th walked onto the balcony to the cheers of the
faithful.

But, some Catholics are concerned.

As the bells rang, thousands converged upon St. Peter's Square in anticipation to hear the announcement of the new pope

The new pope is a staunch conservative and as a teen, he briefly marched as a
soldier in the Nazi Army, which is a post he deserted.

"The
hallmarks of the present pope, of the previous popes, pontificate were more
collegiality and dialogue, and that doesn't seem to be the reputation of
cardinal Ratzinger's style," said Catholic Theology Teacher Chris Longhurst.


Some believe the new pope is trying to soften his image by the
choice of his papal name.

The last pope who called himself
Benedict in the early 1900's was a moderate and unifier.


Pope
Benedict's history
Pope Benedict the 16th becomes the 265th pontiff of the
Catholic Church.

The 78-year old pontiff is originally from
Bavaria, Germany.

He was one of the closest aides of the late
Pope John Paul II and long considered a leading contender to succeed him.

Since 1981, he's been responsible for maintaining the Catholic Church's
hard line on issues such as birth control, abortion and euthanasia.

Pope Benedict is the first German pontiff since the eleventh century.

He’ll officially be installed as pope during a special mass on
Sunday.


Local
Reaction
All around the world the catholic community is cheering on
the newly elected pope.

The announcement came while the
Notre Dame Basilica had their daily 11:30 mass Tuesday morning.

The announcement of a new pope came while many came to attend the 11:30 mass

The bells rang on campus, which marked the beginning of the new leadership.


“I’m very surprised and at the same time very elated,” said Notre Dame
student, Ben Currie.

As news spread quickly that a new pope
had been picked, many were unaware.

“One of my friends came up to me and
said, ‘did you hear the news’ and I was like, no,” said Clare Hadley,
another Notre Dame student.

By the time the daily 11:30 mass
started, a name was not known but people waited anxiously, until finally, it was
announced in church, and all over the world.

For students,
this will be the 2nd pope they have ever known.

“The church is so
blessed,” said Carol Schumaker, who attended the afternoon mass. “Ratzinger is
going to lead the church in the right direction.”

And,
many Catholics here say they are hopeful John Paul’s legacy will continue.

“I’m sure Benedict will follow in his footsteps in many ways,” said
Sister Mary Pius at Notre Dame. “We should be humble enough to accept that the
Holy Spirit is with the church and will guide the church.”

Bishop D’Arcy of the Fort Wayne Diocese said he believes
the new pope will be “a great teacher”.

The
President Emeritus of Notre Dame, Father Theodore Hesburgh
says the conclave “picked a great
theologian”.

And, as you
can imagine, many prayers are being said for the new pope around the world and
here in Michiana.

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Lighters on Airplanes...Oh My

Well this is the silliest news I have ever heard.
This morning the news said that lighters were banned becasue of the guy who had the shoe bomb on the plane 2 years ago. It has taken them two years to get to this brilient conclusion about lighters? also it said that by banning lighters they will make it safer if anyone tryes to get on with another shoe bomb it will be harder for them to try and light it. But in the same breath they say that "Matches" are still allowed on the airplanes.



now let me see if I get this right:
No lighters because a bomber could light a bomb on the plane
Matches allowed though. ??????

last time I checked out techknowledgey they had bombs that could be activated by a switch or button even from outside the plane on the ground.

I agree to a point about the lighters on planes. But the reasons they give for the ban just don't hold water. Why don't they just say the truth of it.

I am totally amazed at the stuff and rules that are passed and the "Reasons" that are given. They must think the American Population is "stupid" or something. Most excused for things done will not hold water when closely (or in this case not so closley) examined. Even the news media when they read the story thought the reasons and the timing were "Bull". And we know the news media is not always the brightest match in the box. LOL

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What is Happeness

I am writing this to a friend that once asked me this question and I think I can in a way answer it now.

A long time ago I had the subrubain (yupie) dream. A house of my own, a couple of cars, a great career and a child. And a young person (Jay) once asked me why with all the American Dream was I not happy and seemed to always be blue. I guess that at the time the house and place I was living was not the house or place I eventually wanted to be living. The career that I had was not what I really wanted to be doing. The material possetions that I had were not in their proper places in the home I wanted in the location I wanted to live. At least that is the reason in those days that I told my slef that I was not happy or content.


Now 20 years later I am living in the location I dreamed of. I am working on the house that I dreamed of. I have accomplished all the goals that I had set out to accomplish (found my birth mother -a whole nother book LOL, found I had a half brother, found my son of 1968 that I had given up, parasailed, visited many foregin countries, retired from my career with enough money as to not have to work for wages ever again, bought over 10 acres of PineTree wooded land and rebuilt 2 houses and have rental income, live in a well built house (still not my dream house)while working on finishing my dream house. I have God in my life, a "friend" next door, a grown son who I am so proud of, I spend most of my days on the computer desigining websites and pages, What is there not to be happy and content about. It is the ultimate Dream. With out winning the LOTO...:) or having millions of dollars. It has all been done on (what some people think is not enough) a military income. And all on my own with no assistance from anyone. What is there not to be proud of ?!..

So why am I still not Happy.???

I come to beleive that true happness is a little leanto with just enough space to get by on and your best friend or soul mate there to enjoy life with. I think material things and responsiblities tend to get in the way of happness. Doing what you really love to do seems to be the theme to "happiness" but once you are there does it really fill that "happy" hole?

What is life without someone to laff with, someone to talk to, someone to just be silent and enjoy God's world with with? And I do not mean just anyone can fill this catagory. How many times do we settle for less than we want or need in a friend or mate? I do not think that there is a "Happness" thing ever. I think it is more of a "contentment" issue. Is your heart and head at peace ?

There will always be times even in a content place that the blues or a bit of depresion will creap into. We are not Adam and Eve in the Garden. You see even they were not totally happy or content or they would have obayed God. And when they were kicked out then life took a real change and I think mankind has been looking for the garden ever since. I don't think there is total Peace, Contentment or Happness till one goes home to be with the Lord. We can not replicate the Garden down here no matter what we do or have. So in most cases we have to "Settle" for what bit or moment of Peace, Contentment and Happness we can aquire while down here.

Sometime I think that small hole in our souls are created by God to keep us moving onward and upward. For if we were in a place of total Peace and Contentment how would we learn more and advance in our lessons of the earth and become better people.

I love the Book of Job. It has so much to teach us every time we read it there are new leasons to be learned.

I guess I really have not answered the question of "What is Happness" but the only way to answer that is that "Happness is going home to be with the Lord". And after all is that not our ULTIMATTE goal on this earth? To learn all that we can here on earth and eventually go home?!!!.

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Old Best Friend Located

I am so Jazed....yesterday I spent an enormous amount of time on the WWW and on the phone and finally after 18 years located my Best Friend ever. And was able to make contact with them last night.

There has been the bigest black hole in my soul for the past 18 years and things are so much better this morning. Woke up feeling almost whole again.

What people write in little sayings about "what a friend is" is so true but the list is so much longer and deeper when it is your best, life long frined.

This is a person that:

you can tell "Everything" to and have them understand and not judge becasue probably they have gone through it to. This road runs both ways because they know and do tell you everything and you totally understand.

when you have a conversation most time you can use just a few words and each one knows exactly what you are saying and what you mean. No need to spend time trying to explain exactly how you feel or what you really mean.

you turst each other with your life more than you trust even your spouse or kids.

when you are together or even apart by many miles there is nothing that you can't do, accomplish or get through. There is support and encouragement just a phone call away.

when one or the other is in trouble there is no mountain that you won't move to help and set thing right or just listen and have a shoulder to lean on.

even though you may have major dissagrements and not speek or see each other for years there is always forgiviness and instant rebonding. We all are human and not perfect and a best friend will know this and except each other with all the good and bad.

there is never any need to repete anything said becasue you both listen and take in what is said and remember it all.

One is lucky and blessed by God if they have but One BEST FRIEND in this life time and should treasure this because it is more precious than all the money or power in this world.

I guess one would call their best friend and them "Soul Mates" .

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