Posted: March 31st, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Misc, Wonder | Tags: alligator, alligators, everglages, swamp, swamp boat, swamp buggy, swamp tour, video | No Comments »
Well, with some tweaking and playing, I’ve added internal video to my web site. I will start it off with three short clips I took from my trip to the Everglades.
The first one is of two alligators coming to check us out:
The next is an alligator eating some dog food about 5 foot from the air boat I was on:
The last one is when we were leaving the swamp going back to the loading dock:
[display_podcast]
Enjoy!
Posted: March 31st, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Religion | Tags: brothers and sisters of reconciliation, catholic, church, friar, monk, order, Religion, religious life | No Comments »
I have heard many people say now that I am a Friar I am no longer able to raise any money from working, etc, because I took a vow of poverty. This is not 100% true. I am still able to earn an income to feed myself and my Brothers, so I am able to accept donations and an income for work done. As much as you want. If it’s more than I need to “survive” I give the “overage” to the Order to keep it surviving, or if a Brother has a need, I give it to them, or if another person outside the Order is in need, I would give them some as well.
So, yes, Friar’s working in the World are able to accept money from you, and in most cases could probably use it!
Posted: March 30th, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Politics | Tags: Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Clinton, Democrat, John F Kennedy, Kennedy, McCain, Obama, Politics, Republican, Ted Kennedy | 2 Comments »
I don’t normally post much about politics, if any. But this article caught my attention and I agree with it. Now, I know that Ken Blackwell is a FAR right advocate. And I know you can find similar vein of stuff on anyone, but this echos my thoughts, and my research as well:
Wednesday, March 11, 2008 1:57 PM
by: Ken Blackwell – New York Sun
It’s an amazing time to be alive in America. We’re in a year of firsts in this presidential election: the first viable woman candidate; the first viable African-American candidate; and, a candidate who is the first front-running freedom fighter over 70. The next president of America will be a first.
We won’t truly be in an election of firsts, however, until we judge every candidate by where they stand. We won’t arrive where we should be until we no longer talk about skin color or gender. Now that Barack Obama steps to the front of the Democratic field, we need to stop talking about his race, and start talking about his policies and his politics.
The reality is this: Though the Democrats will not have a nominee until August, unless Hillary Clinton drops out, Mr. Obama is now the frontrunner, and its time America takes a closer and deeper look at him. Some pundits are calling him the next John F. Kennedy He’s not. He’s the next George McGovern. And it’s time people learned the facts.
Because the truth is that Mr. Obama is the single most liberal senator in the entire U.S. Senate. He is more liberal than Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders, or Mrs. Clinton. Never in my life have I seen a presidential frontrunner whose rhetoric is so far removed from his record. Walter Mondale promised to raise our taxes, and he lost. George McGovern promised military weakness, and he lost. Michael Dukakis promised a liberal domestic agenda, and he lost.
Yet Mr. Obama is promising all those things, and he’s not behind in the polls. Why? Because the press has dealt with him as if he were in a beauty pageant. Mr. Obama talks about getting past party, getting past red and blue, to lead the United States of America. But let’s look at the more defined strokes of who he is underneath this superficial “beauty.”
Start with national security, since the president’s most important duties are as commander-in-chief. Over the summer, Mr. Obama talked about invading Pakistan, a nation armed with nuclear weapons; meeting without preconditions with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who vows to destroy Israel and create another Holocaust; and Kim Jong II, who is murdering and starving his people, but emphasized that the nuclear option was off the table against terrorists – something no president has ever taken off the table since we created nuclear weapons in the 1940s. Even Democrats who have worked in national security condemned all of those remarks. Mr. Obama is a foreign-policy novice who would put our national security at risk.
Next, consider economic policy. For all its faults, our health care system is the strongest in the world. And free trade agreements, created by Bill Clinton as well as President Bush, have made more goods more affordable so that even people of modest means can live a life that no one imagined a generation ago. Yet Mr. Obama promises to raise taxes on “the rich.” How to fix Social Security? Raise taxes. How to fix Medicare? Raise taxes. Prescription drugs? Raise taxes. Free college? Raise taxes. Socialize medicine? Raise taxes. His solution to everything is to have government take it over. Big Brother on steroids, funded by your paycheck.
Finally, look at the social issues. Mr. Obama had the audacity to open a stadium rally by saying, “All praise and glory to God!” but says that Christian leaders speaking for life and marriage have “hijacked” – hijacked – Christianity. He is pro-partial birth abortion, and promises to appoint Supreme Court justices who will rule any restriction on it unconstitutional. He espouses the abortion views of Margaret Sanger, one of the early advocates of racial cleansing. His spiritual leaders endorse homosexual marriage, and he is moving in that direction. In Illinois, he refused to vote against a statewide ban – ban – on all handguns in the state. These are radical left, Hollywood, and San Francisco values, not Middle America values.
The real Mr. Obama is an easy target for the general election. Mrs. Clinton is a far tougher opponent. But Mr. Obama could win if people don’t start looking behind his veneer and flowery speeches. His vision of “bringing America together” means saying that those who disagree with his agenda for America are hijackers or warmongers. Uniting the country means adopting his liberal agenda and abandoning any conflicting beliefs.
But right now everyone is talking about how eloquent of a speaker he is and – yes – they’re talking about his race. Those should never be the factors on which we base our choice for president. Mr. Obama’s radical agenda sets him far outside the American mainstream, to the left of Mrs. Clinton.
It’s time to talk about the real Barack Obama. In an election of firsts, let’s first make sure we elect the person who is qualified to be our president in a nuclear age during a global civilizational war.
Subject: Kind of scary, wouldn’t you think? Remember–God is good, and is in time, on time, every time.
According to The Book of Revelations the anti-Christ is: The anti-Christ will be a man, in his 40s, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal….the prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power, will destroy everything. Is it OBAMA?? I STRONGLY URGE each one of you to repost this as many times as you can! Each opportunity that you have to send it to a friend or media outlet…do it! If you think I am crazy..I’m sorry but I refuse to take a chance on the “unknown” candidate.
—-Ken Blackwell – Columnist for the New York Sun—-
Obama scares me in many ways if he makes President. Clinton isn’t much better, but is a better choice if we must. I’m not overly impressed with anyone left in the running right now, but I do strongly feel that Obama is NOT the person we want in our Presidential Office.
Posted: March 24th, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Misc | Tags: beach, coloring, Guatemala, niece, Pompano Beach, Sarah | 2 Comments »
Nine months ago my Sister, Swamp/DSCN0076.jpg, adopted a 13 month old little girl from Guatemala by the (new) name of Sarah:
Sarah/DSCN0026.jpg
For my
confirmation this past weekend, I had the pleasure of getting to meet her for the first time. She and I took to each other rather well and we had a blast going to the beach for her first time, coloring at a restaurant, and doing many other fun things together.
Here is a slide show of some of our events together!
She is such a sweet little girl and I had a blast. I hope she did too!
Posted: March 24th, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Religion | Tags: catholic church, Easter, Easter Vigil, mass, RCIA, Religion, Roman Catholic Church, Saint Henry Catholic Church | No Comments »
This past Saturday at Easter Vigil a good thing happened. I was confirmed into the Catholic Church.
Misc/DSCN0125.jpg
The Mass was celebrated by Father Francis, the Pastor of Saint Henry Catholic Church, of the Roman Catholic Church. I was the only one from my RCIA class
Misc/DSCN0020.jpg confirmed at this church, they all got confirmed at Saint Elizabeth of Hungry Catholic Church.
Feels good!!
Posted: March 22nd, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Misc | Tags: alligator, alligators, billie's swamp safari, swamp, swamp boat, swamp buggy, swamp safari, video | 2 Comments »
For the past two years I have been wanting to go to Billie’s Swamp Safari and take an air boat ride. Well yesterday I was able to do both! I was also finally able to take a picture of a live, not captive, alligator:
Swamp/DSCN0069.jpg
I took about 60 photos, which you can see here.
I had a good time, enjoyed both the land buggy ride and the air boat ride! Next time I go, I plan on looking at the land attractions a bit more, we were a bit time constrained and didn’t have time to see it all, but I will! I will also go check out a couple of other such places and see which I like best!
*** Pictures were updated and added to on March 23, 2008!!
Posted: March 13th, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Misc, Religion | Tags: cancer, hospice, hospital, radiology, rest in peace, rip, vitas | No Comments »
Rest in Peace Jim Johnson
FriendsandFamily/JimJohnson.jpg
Several weeks ago Mr. and Mrs. James Johnson asked me to help Mr. Johnson go to and from the Radiology clinic for treatments of his Type 4b Cancer. After 8 days of treatment Jim decided that the treatment was worse than the illness and put himself on Hospice.
After about 5 weeks of helping him get around, take his medicines, etc, he passed away this past Sunday at 1140 hours. He was a great guy, had a sharp funny bone and it was my pleasure to help him through his last days!
Posted: March 8th, 2008 | Author: Don | Filed under: Religion | Tags: bible, bible verses, catholic, meme, parables, Religion, roman catholic, transitus tiber | No Comments »
Well, for the first time ever, I’ve been “Tagged” for a blog meme by Kim over at Transitus Tiber. I don’t normally do these, and I’m not aware of ever being tagged for one, and had always said I’d not “play along”, but have decided that this one I would do. I’m actually kind a honored that Kim tagged me!
So, here is the meme:
The rules:
1. You name your five favorite parables (Parable List)
2. You tag one blogger per parable.
3. It would be nice if you linked back to this post.
My response:
1. The Prodigal Son
2. The ten Virgins
3. The two debtors
4. The rich man and Lazarus
5. The mustard seed and Yeast
I won’t tag anyone, as I’m not sure who I would tag, but I’ll respond to the other two parts of the meme.
Enjoy!
