Lifted Up

Does this mean that Neil Young muct change his name???

I think the money thing is overdone and irrelevant, but I am personally biased on this because suring my deprogramming they (deprogrammers) tried to shave that down my throat with a lot of other stuff. They tried to add up every penny I spent, gave, would have made, etc etc, and it didn't make much impression on me. Again it is only my personal view, but I think the personal losses such as Shell has mentioned ( and BTW Kristen Skedgell as well) were much more devastating.

Yea, in the 70s, even the late 70s, we hitched a few times. During my first res year at Emporia (1977-78) we hitched to HQ and back. We had a certain time to get there, was it 48 hours? Anyway, in my group of 30, 20 of us made it to HQ on time, but 10 others did not and were sent back right away. I dunno what they did to anyone who was late getting back to Emporia, where would they send them? In the fall of 1977, I think October, our bus to the Texas farm broke down shortly after leaving on the way back and we had to hitch the rest of the way back to Emporia during the night. I was so beat after I got back that morning that I worked an hour after lunch, hit the hay withough being ordered, got up just in time for dinner, and heard nothing more about it. Then of course there was LEAD, in the fall of 1979 from HQ for me. No problems getting there. On the way back, I volunteered to be the odd one out; that is the one who had to hitch back without a partner. Got back on time on a late Saturday night and pulled a solo pantry raid. Anyway, to that point I had not heard of any problems anyone had hitching, other than not making it on time. LEAD itself? Not much for me to testify about, I kind of liked it. My rock climbing test was supposed to be number 2 of 5 on the difficulty scale...it was really the hardest overall, except number one had this inverted ledge to get over that distinguished it. But the safety features were, to my untrained eye, pretty good. I do remember our main LEAD person, a Canadian named Diane someone from 9th corps I think, carried the heat around, presumably for the snakes that were supposedly around, though I never saw or heard of any while I was there.

OK, so it's been over a year since the book was published, and late last year since the last post on this thread (previous to the one I'm making now). But I think it is time to bring this to the top; once anyway. I won't rehash my thoughts on the importance of testimony versus lecture, even though it's the reason I got so much from Kristen's book. My thoughts can be found on posts I made last year on this thread. Presumably, there are a few new people who weren't around GS when the book came out. But more importantly, I don't think an account like this never gets too old. If it does, then it was old when it came out last year. But most of us know better than that. People who have suffered abuse know how long the effects can last (like a lifetime). I did not suffer the kind of abuse Kris did, though someone else (excie) who did, helped my understanding of this truth by pointing something out about my own experiences. Yet, there is a natural reaction by anyone to show less interest in an event that is long past timewise, even if the effects of the event are still around. Not having communicated with Kris about this, I don't know if that has anything in the least to do with why we didn't see the scheduled feature on Fox & Friends last year, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. Anyway, Kristen's book is of course just as relevant as ever.

Yea, some threads at GS can be derailed; this one cant't be. Not even by a former 8th corps.

Cliff Lee.... 4-6 with a 2.88 ERA after last night's shutout. His previous start he gave up 4 runs in 6 innings and left trailing 4-0. Right after he left the tribe scored 4 to tie, then the next inning 4 more.

Or back down to work with the kids as I do. I have an unusual record for tossing in my 20 years umping.

Yea, yesterday (Friday) around 4 pm. NIKA, the obvious change refers to my gender. I hope I'm never a grandma! Rocky has it right.

I don't mind, personally, getting mixed up with Rocky! Politically that may be different, though he may not know it since I don't get much into that field. How about when you get the "Grandma" title??? I always thought it was interesting that women you couldn't get close to getting their ages out of will brag to no end about being a grandma. Just thought about that, since today or tomorrow I may gain that title, with one minor obvious change.

five'll get you ten tha Fox News would make a big deal about it!

Did the prospect of being called "Doctor" play any part in your decision???

Yea, and more...happy birthday!

Perhaps. My point or question is that, I can think of quite a few examples of Christrians denouncing publically who they see as Christian extremists (right-wing, left-wing, albatross-wing, or whatever). I have not seen or heard of Muslims publically doing the same. But I would be glad to learn that this happens and that I have missed it.

I hear you and believe you. We all get more picky about creature comforts as we get older, don't we?

Thank you for your reply. I hope you are right. The statement I read about from so-called moderate Muslims may not be representative. There are a sizable number of Muslims in the United States, right? Therefore, is it that hard to find a Muslim Cleric? (footnote; anyone is welcome to educate me on the Islamic cleric system). That might be more convincing; to me, at least. I have heard about a number of Muslims who feel they have reason to fear for their lives because they renounced Islam, and not just from so-called "Islamic extremists". It boils down to this; if someone thinks I will go to hell for not believing in their god, let it be so. If someone thinks it is their job to send me there, then it seems they think their god is too weak to do the job. And if it is the official doctrine of a religion for its adherents to send me there if I believe in their god then change my mind, then they are telling me their god IS too weak...or false.

I was pretty well behaved...at least till after the first room switching!!!

Hey, there are a few of us people in the world to whom winter is where it's AT.

I don't remember well the comfort factor when I was watching the Dodgers play in the Coliseum, as I was a kid and didn't care that much.

I would be interested in his views on the matter I covered above. Although I am guessing from what you have posted about him, that if he does not believe that those who convert from Islam should be killed, he would not speak out publically against this idea because he doesn't seem to be one who speaks out on anything about his religion. The reason I mention this again, is because this idea gets to the heart of our freedom of religion. If muslims do not have the freedom to decide that what they before subscribed to is now wrong in their life, then they don't really have the freedom to decide it is right either, if there is only the one choice they are allowed to make.

Yea, but wait till you have to play a half decent team. Oh well, I have a feeling this start is a sign of things to come. :(

Same here. My school didn't quite make the big dance; they had to settle for being the best of the rest. But they would have had no chance against that blue tidal wave.

Yea, Islam hardly has the corner on extremism. And in any religion, there are those who don't consider themselves extremists who believe you will go to hell (or their equivalent) if you don't choose their religion, and in particular if you are a follower, then decide it is not right for you and convert to another faith. I have no problem with that; if their God is the true one and will do that to me, then so be it. I do have a problem with people who believe it is their job to do the sending, implying of course that their god is not the one who decides, because he is not powerful enough. Again, I think you can find at least a few of these in almost any religion. My problem is, my impression, hopefully erroneous, is that this is the prevailing view of Islam; certainly I have seen cases where so-called moderate muslims have endorsed the killing of followers of Islam who reject it in favor of Christianity or any other religion. If I knew muslims who rejected this idea publically, or of Islamic groups who rejected it (the idea that followers of Islam who reject that faith need to be killed), I would be more than happy, seriously, to state that my impression is wrong. But if individual muslims who do not believe that are forced to stay silent for fear of retribution, well, that would say something in the other direction.

I looked all over and didn't see a birthday thread yet. I can't let my first visit in over 3 months go by without wishing Groucho a happy birthday. Assuming of course that the birthday info I saw at the bottm of the page is right. A young guy, too!

I see an implication that it is all that matters, with which I disagree. But I will be glad to stand corrected. many people in public life, whether in politics, journalism, broadcasting, or whatever, have said or had printed things that were insensitive and that they have really taken heat for. I will spare you myriad examples...for now. If this were a referendum only on the President's character, maybe nothing else would matter. I have seen in many of the above referred to cases where there is a rush, not to aid those hurt by what is said, but to attack the characted of the person who said it. This is followed by an equally mad rush to defend the person, which may be natural, but the defenders also usually leave those hurt out in the cold. Pointing out that many of those in the audience laughed may do the part of defending Obama, but is also pointing out how worse the problem is. That's why I like Oenophile's post so much; I don't think he has any desire to withdraw his support of President Obama, but I am guessing he also knows how hurting to others such a remark is.

I think that's the best description of the problem anyone has posted on this thread. Better than the opening focus on the "r-word". Better than the rush from both sides to knock or defend the President. Even the last phrase is very meaningful. Geez, before I demean his personal character, I could wade through a very long list of my own defects. But it is true that the President of all the people has a higher standard to live up to. But that doesn't mean the rest of us can go to it. A few years ago, I had to really hold my peace when someone on these forums made fun of special needs people..."apologizing" for it first, then going ahead and doing it anyway. Someone who has posted on this thread. I steamed for quite a while. More recently, someone I have otherwise respected used the issue politically. I will avoid the details here but it didn't sit well with me. And yes, I have disabled kids; one physically (spina bifida), and one autistic.