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Don’s Thoughts II

  
 
 
  • By Don Bell

    My ramblings as I move forward in my life Journey.




Planned books

Currently Reading

  • Augustine on Prayer/No.171/04 by Thomas Hand

  • The New American Bible for Catholics: With Revised New Testament and Revised Book of Psalms by Confraternity of Christian Doctrine

  • Book Reviews

    • A Listening Church: Autonomy and Communion in African Churches
      A Listening Church: Autonomy and Communion in African Churches
      Author: Elochukwu E. Uzukwu
      Rating: 5
      Review: This book looks at religion on a regional basis. The Author is one of the first African's I've read or heard from that places as much blame on slavery on his own people and Europeans as he does on the Americans. He goes into detail on how he would like to see the Catholic Church improve their presence in Africa by allowing the traditions and history of Africa show within the Liturgy of the Church. I fully agree with his concepts and feel that the Church should do so across all of it's areas!

    • Get More Referrals Now!
      Get More Referrals Now!
      Author: Bill Cates
      Rating: 3
      Review: While the book covers a great concept, I'm not sure I like how it is written. The author is way to wordy, and doesn't tell the story very well. The concept of referrals is great, and some of what he says has strong merit. Not a well written book, but a great topic to write on!

    • Saint Francis of Assisi
      Saint Francis of Assisi
      Author: G.K. Chesterton
      Rating: 2
      Review: In a book of 149 pages supposedly on the the topic of Saint Francis of Assisi, you would think that you would start hearing about the life of Saint Francis before page 94. This book was more on the Author's thoughts of the time, and less on St. Francis. From page 94 to the end he did finally start sharing some of the life of St. Francis, but it left me wondering how much of what he wrote was solid or conjecture based on his ideas of the time of St. Francis. Not a book I will recommend to anyone.


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    "Fifties and Sixties Rock and Country Music"

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    As Featured On Ezine Articles
Re-Reading.. September 24th, 2006

I just realized that I am re-reading books now. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer\'s Stone (Book 1), The Da Vinci Code , and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens : Peter and Wendy (Oxford World\'s Classics) next . All three books I’ve read before, but mostly a while ago, with Da Vinci being the most recent.

I should be reading the two books on the planning to read list that I haven’t read, but they are sitting on my desk awaiting the finishing of these three books. I guess I needed a break from business types of books? (Those last two, The Complete Idiot\'s Guide to Marketing, 2nd Edition (Complete Idiot\'s Guide to) and Marketing Genius , where hard to read, maybe that is why I’m taking a business book break?)

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Well, I’m still working on it, but it is now up and running. September 23rd, 2006

You have a new bookstore in your town, via the web.

That is the IDM, Inc. Store that is now up and running on the web.

At this store you will be able to buy the innovative digital books that read to you, show you video and allow you to interact with them.

Currently we have 7 books available to you, and 3 more due out in November.

Hope you enjoy them!

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This past two days have been great for me! September 13th, 2006

Thursday afternoon I was able to act as Navigator/Spotter on a helicopter flying from Pompano Beach Florida to St. Augustine (SP?) Florida!

Now let me give you a bit of history about me and helicopters: I have been on numerous helicopters over the years (although it has been a long time), but I have never been up front and have either repelled or jumped out of them. I’ve never been “ground to ground” in a helicopter. So, taking off and landing from the front seat was VERY exciting and fun for me. I’ve also been VERY interested in helicopters since I was about seven years old! One of my goals is to get my rotor wing pilots license!

Anyway, back to Thursday, we flew right along the beach line, looking at the beautiful water/land transitions and housing/etc. It was great! We flew about 250ft to 500ft above the ground. We landed in St. Augustine due to a major weather front in front of us and before our end destination.

Friday we went back to the bird and flew the rest of the way to Savannah Georgia, again, most of the trip following the beaches, and the last leg in land. It was VERY fun!

Add to that, I was able to fly the craft myself on Friday for a while. Was kinda funny I’m sure, moving side to side some and going up and down like a yo yo, but it was very fun. I got the side to side down, but the up and down I will have to work on a bit more.

I hope to do A LOT OF flying soon! If you ever get a chance to be in the front seat of a helicopter, TAKE IT!! You won’t be sorry you did!! It is a blast!

Have fun!

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The Keys September 13th, 2006

I just had the pleasure of finishing the reading of an advance copy of the book “The Keys” by George Hay. This is the second book in a series, the first being Agent Orange (Unabridged).

This was a VERY good book and a great followup to the first book, thirty years after the first book.
I know some of the people behind the book, which is loosely based on RL people and events (with some poetic license of course).
When this book hits the streets, I HIGHLY recommend that you get it! Be sure to get Agent Orange (Unabridged) first and read it, as you will want to know some of what is in it!

Enjoy Life!

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Education… September 7th, 2006

As you probably know by now, I run a company that is working on a new product (well the product is done, and ready for market) that we feel will revolutionize the education process here in the US and abroad.

In this job I have been doing a LOT of research this past eight months on education in the US and abroad. Today I read something that had me dazed at it’s stupidity:

Florida court ruling against vouchers came after teacher Ruth Holmes Cameron and advocacy groups brought a suit to block the program.

“To say that competition is going to improve education? It’s just not gonna work. You know competition is not for children. It’s not for human beings. It’s not for public education. It never has been, it never will be,” Holmes said.

Where does Holmes get the idea that competition is not for our children? Why is competition bad for anyone? I STRONGLY feel that competition is what made the early US much better than the rest of the world at that time, the ability to compete and make things happen is what shaped the early US into a super power!

Education needs to go back to allowing kids to be flunked out if they don’t muster up and get good grades. Competition needs to return to the classroom, gym, and in general to most aspects of life. I am sickened by what I see at schools where you can’t fail, or get an F anymore. (I’ve seen some school districts do away with the grade.) Yes, your child CAN fail, and will fail in life if they are not challenged to excel! It is, from my findings, human nature to be lazy if you can, but if you are challenged (read have competition) you will succeed.

Wake up US (and world) bring competition back into life and challenge yourselves (against others) to do better and better!

Let’s get our education back on track, get our kids learning again, don’t let them fail from lack of trying!

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