Got bad news this morning. Seems that my mother had to go to the hospital this morning. The doctors have determined that she has a blood clot in her lung and think she has had a small bleed in her brain. They induced heavy sedation to protect her brain from any further damge than may have already occurred.

The doctors believe that she came in to the hospital before any truly serious damage has occurred, but they don't know just what the extent of damage is as yet.

My parents live three hours away, and I don't have a vehicle dependable enough to make the trip, so, for now I just have to wait by the phone and glean information as I can. They may be transferring her to a hospital here in Indianapolis for treatment as soon as they determine just what they are dealing with. They are concerned, as she's been dealing with congestive heart failure for several years. It's been controlled with drugs and a pacemaker, but it does make treatment of her current conditions more problematic.

It's tough getting old, every body system just seems to fall apart a piece at a time. If you would, please add Josephine Meyer to your prayers tonight. It means a lot to us. I'm an Agnostic, but I do believe that prayers do help. That may be contradictory to you, but... call it a focusing of energy to help heal,
or a meditation of the mind..or just a comfort in time of stress.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 03:42 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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As an update on THIS POST, I found this little tid-bit at Odysseus..lets see, an analyst predicts a major terrorist attempt in the US within the next thirty days...and now we have a story about men of ME extraction attempting to buy disposable cell phones in bulk...in two widely separate locations, one of them, the President's hometown...All of a sudden the urgency of tapping those conversations seems just a little more urgent, doesn't it?

As Odysseus noted, these basicly untraceable phones (roughly 230 of them?!?) were being bought two days after the New York Slimes revealed the wiretapping program of foreign origin based communications.... Around here that's called strong circumstantial evidence.

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There is an interesting artical about Hal Lindsey at World Net Daily that posits that the more a Muslim reads the Quran, the more likely he will become a "radical".

You may dismaiss Hal Lindsey as a "radical/Fundementalist" Christian, but I do believe that his theory should be looked into more closely. And if the correlation can be demonstrated, it should put to rest all the assertions by apologists that "Islam is a peaceful religion".

The fact that 95% of all conflicts in the world today involve Islam as one of the primary antagonists seems to me to lend credence to Mr. Lindsey's theory.

And yes, I'm aware that ANY religion can be used as a basis for launching aggression against non-adherants to that religion, but seemingly, in the last two centurys or so, Islam is the only one to do so.

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Could there be a major terrorist attack in the US in the next thirty days?

Christopher Brown, an analyst with the CIA, believes so.

He believes that he's discerned a pattern between the release of video statements by Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al Quida's number two leader, and major terorist activity. Mr. Brown posits that the videos are a trigger mechanism to start the countdown on planned terrorist operations.

As he puts it:
Regarding the video release pattern, "once can be an interesting anomaly, twice could be a coincidence, but three times is a pattern,"

This is even more aprepo, when you see the reaction that has ensued since it was revealed that President Bush authorized warrantless wiretapping of communications originating from known associates of terrorism in other countries into the US. These are the methods by which information can be gathered to discover and block a terror attack, yet it seems that many would rather rant about Bush as a Naziesque violater of privacy than to do the things needed to actually try to stop attacks before they occur.

These communications are by their nature ephemeral and not conducive to legalistic manuevers. That great care in effective oversight of such operations to ensure that they don't go past the line is obvious, but the argument has reached hysterical proportions, with partisianship being the base motivator, forgetting that while they argue legalisms, the enemy within is moving, preparing to kill as many of our citizens as possible.

President Bush SHOULD be faulted by allowing our borders to remain as porous to infiltration as they sadly are, but not for doing what was necessary to trying to halt the actions of the infiltrators once here.

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There are civilian heroes here at home, as well as the usual servicemen doing their turn in the Sandbox. Mr. Kim fits the true definition of a hero, one who risks his own life in the defense of others.

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Yeah, the Left and their "experts" say that Saddam would never have worked with Al Qiada and vice versa.
One group were religious fanatics and Saddam was a secularist, after all....Too bad that the documentation found in Iraq on three Terrorist training camps run by Saddams Elite Republican Guard belie that meme....facts have such a bad habit of ruining a perfectly good meme to use against President Bush..

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 03:20 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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They released my Father in Law from the hospital. The treatments worked to relieve the stress on the heart, and they determined that the heart had sustained no lasting damage.

Wesley's still weak and having trouble breathing, but that's to be expected with his COPD. It's just a matter of (not much) time until that condition takes him, but at least he's home for now. We only hope he survives untill his 50 wedding anniversary in May.

THANK YOU ALL for your thoughts and prayers in this time, it's meant a lot to both Mamamontezz and I.

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I'm sure everyone's aware that those miners, with one exception, in W.Virginia didn't survive their ordeal. All I can do is offor my heartfelt condolences to the families. I hope that the one surviver, who was still in critical condition the last I heard, continues to recover.

We all take it for granted that we will have power at the flick of a switch, and that the fuel needed to generate that power will be there, but we forget that that fuel carries a price. Mining has always been, and IS, a dangerous profession. We need to remember those brave souls that toil within the bowels of the earth to help provide a better life for us all.

I've been in a coal mine ONCE, and it scared the hell out of me. I've been a cave rat since I was 11 years old, and I'm not claustrophobic, so it wasn't the dark or the close spaces that bothered me. It was the knowledge that it wasn't a natural space I was in, but one torn out by man and inherently unstable without constant vigilence and shoring. In other words, it's a space held open by the technology and will of man, and we know all too well the flaws of anything done by man.

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A while back I was engaged in a lively debate about same sex marriage with a person that could see o problems with it whatsoever, I on the other hand, while believing that there must be some sort of provision made to protect the assets of same sex couples in inheritence and health decisions, felt that allowing same sex "marriage" was the wrong way to go. One of my arguments was that, once the gates were opened, under any sort of legal language allowing it, all sorts of "marriages would have to be allowed. Adults with children, humans with animals, humans with inanimate items...my partner in the debate poh-poohed thes ideas as "paranoia" and "extremist extrapolations that couldn't possibly occur".

Well Chelle, I TOLD YOU SO! Granted, it didn't happen here in the States, but in an even STRICTER society when it comes to marriage..., even you would have to agree that you wouldn't think that it would be the normal course for her to take...

I'm just waiting for the story about a woman wanting to marry her Miata....

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 08:15 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Well, we got good news and bad news today. The doctors have determined the root cause of his current distress and will be able to treat it. It seems that he has type A Influenza.
What, you say, we got all upset over a bad case of the Flue?!?

Well it's a VERY serious thing in Wesley's case, because it seems that he's also entered the end stage period of his COPD. The infection had caused his already overscarred lungs to fill with fluid and reduced his renal capabilities, leading to congestive heart failure. The doctors say that if he had waited another couple hours prior to coming to the hospital, he wouldn't have survived.

They have placed him in a "reverse (air) flow" isolation room and begun supportive treatment to ease the symptoms, with the thinking that it will take approximarely a week to get him well enough to spend another two or three days in an regular room for observation to ensure he can return home, along with a new regimen of pulmonary rehabilitation excercises to try to keep him stable as long as possible in the last progression of the COPD. He will survive this bout of illness, but it's doubtful that he will the next. Brings a whole new light on having a "Killer" Cold!...

Lila and I were aware of what the COPD diagnosis five years ago meant, but Lila's mother Hazel is still unaware that "End Stage" means that every hour is another small triump of life over death. Wesley and Hazel are supposed to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversery in May. Lila and I only pray that the pulmonary excercises allow him to see that day. Wesley has always been one to buck the odds and overcome, so we will have to have faith that he will this time also.

Thank you all for your support and prayers, they are a great comfort to us both.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 02:59 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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We all know teenagers have more enthusiasm than common sense. They are the bulletproof immortals that, hopefully, survive their missteps long enough to actually become real people that can be reasoned with.

There was a teenager that was really interested in journalism. His class was studying "immersion journalism" wherein the reporter "lives" the subject of his story.

So what does he do? Unlike his movie namesake, Ferris Bueler, who only took the day off, Ferris Hassan took off the entire week before Christmas break...

He took money he had saved from past birthdays and Christmases, ditched the last week of classes before the holiday break, and flew to the Middle East to experience Iraq for himself.

Thanks to plain dumb luck, a fortuitouse confluance of events that prevented his passing through the Kuwati/Iraqi border, and the 101 Airborne, Ferris is on his way home to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ...hopefully a little less unsure of his own immortality and with a new propensity to consider ALL factors when he plans his vacations...

H/T to Jack for the link

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I probably won't be blogging anything today, we just got a call from MamaMontezz's mother with the news that her father was in the CICU unit of the hospital. The initial diagonosis is congestive heart failure....bad enough in itself, but her father is a COPD patient that has been on O2 for at least the last 4 years, so CHF is a grim prognosis.

We're off to go lend our support to her mom. I would ask all of you to put in a special word with the Big Man upstairs. Wesley Albert is one of those special men that you just don't want to ever go, but if it is to be, I just hope that it will be an easy passing.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 12:06 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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What if Jesus had been born yesterday?

Kathy at Thoughts and Musings has the story under the headline as it might have been in this morning's newspaper:

INFANT DISCOVERED IN BARN, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES LAUNCH PROBE

Funny? yes; but stop and consider....is it really too over the top to think that this is the story exactly as it would be reported today?

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So it's the day after Christmas. The presents have all been presented and admired; the leftovers have been distributed to help feed all the gluttons partcipants for the rest of the week, and the relatives have all gone home.

As every year, the warm glow of good cheer and fellowship with people you love lingers on, yet there is that creeping sense of "is that all there is"? starting to invade the idylle.

The anticipation is always better than the realization, and it's bitter human nature to dwell on what isn't rather on what was for some all too brief shining moments.

Friends, hold that shining dream for as long as you can, and realize that the best thing that can exist is a warm and caring circle of friends and family. The presents are meaningless except that they are physical reminders of that bond you share with some other human beings.

That said, I made out like a bandit! LOL I got two new shirts, a new pair of Dockers and a really beautiful sweater, and Mama and I share a brand new coffee brewer, that brews the coffee right into the cups. Erin and my Ex bought me a massage/heat pad that I'm certain will be worn out in short order due to overuse .

Mama and Anna bought me a full sized bull hide...a perfect Brindle, no less! I haven't quite figured out where I'm going to put it, but it is GORGEOUS! (damn, now they got me using Metrosexual terms; can a penchant for Starbucks Latte's be far behind?)

I "got" Mama the digital camera she's been wanting (she bought it before I knew WHAT she really wanted...at least I don't have to worry that she won't like her gift! LOL) an 8MP with Leica lenses...She also got a Zen Creative MP3 player (salesman said it was a better buy than the I-Pod) with a 4GB capacity.

The Princess Anna got a 1GB MP-3, a portable DVD player with a 7" screen, and a Gameboy Advance, along with enough clothes to last her a weeks worth of laundry. And she received the most fabulous present of all from our friend
Liz in Kansas City, an heirloom necklace that she had received from her mother when she was roughly Anna's age. The kindness, trust, and dare I say it, love, that was represented by that gift outshone all the others combined. It still brings tears to my eyes to think of it.

Yes, I made out like a bandit, I have people that truly care about me and each other, and what better Christmas gift can there be but that? It's the embodiment of Christ's message to care for one another. I hope I can keep that feeling close as the depths of winter brings it's cold and harsh winds to bear on the spirit of my soul. With that core to heat me, let Winter do her worst, for I have the strength to persevere until that joyous new spring.

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 05:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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What are you doing here? You should be celebrating this occassion with your family, not surfing the Net.

OK, consider me part of your Virtual on-line family. I wish you to have the Merriest Christmas ever, and a better New year than the last one has been.

Remember the true spirit of Christmas and try to hold it in your heart throughout the year.

Remember those that are putting everything on the line for YOU.

here is my gift to you (yeah, I know, it's regifting, but Wild Thing just is SO darned good at the keyboard! Her talent just NEEDS to be shared.)

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 11:59 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Wild Thing has a treat for anyone that loves the Christmas spirit. She may be WILD, but can that lady PLAY!! Just click on the holly and be regaled by a true artiste.

And when you're done being beguiled by the sweet tones of her piano, carry that spirit on to THIS POST, and do YOUR bit for Jack and kis fellow patriots.

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I got a christmas present today. It was unexpected, even though the sender had mentioned it in passing in an IM conversation.

All I can say is THANK YOU, DK. You made excellant choices.

Now where is that pancake mix....

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 06:20 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I'm a sucker for all the sappy Christmas "miracle" stories. I just wish we could all keep that spirit all through the year. I don't think Liz will mind that I reposted this one here.

Remember that He is always watching, and everything you do for good or ill is noted. Even if your not a person of faith, I think thats a good credo to live by.

Let "Him" be your conscience, even if He's only a constuct in your own mind; He will never steer you wrong.

Now go below the fold, and have a good cry from observing true faith in action.
I know I did, and I thank you for that Liz. It was a wonderful Christmas gift. more...

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 10:42 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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THIS IS A MUST READ.

Connie du Toit, in her own incomperable manner, weaves together the themes of how the actions we take have a ripple effect on the greater world around us; and how, if we have an adult form of self respect, we will take actions to protect ourselves, and the weaker around us. This is a post about courage, and compassion; of going that extra mile; of doing something NOT for recompense, but because it is the right thing to do, and of improving a life that was on a downward path.

If you you don't have at least a tear in your eye by the end of the post, I don't think you are someone I want to know

Posted by: Delftsman3 at 02:47 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Lady of the Citidal, Mamamontezz, hasn't been posting too much in the last several months; and thats a real shame, because she has a rare talent for writing and/or finding really great subjects to post about (discounting when she is in her Domme mode).

She had a discussion with the Princess last night about Santa Clause. The Princess is one of those rare 11 year olds that still have a fervent belief in Santa Clause; MamaM tried to tell her how Santa is the ideal in all of us, and that we are each Santa to someone else.

The princess still isn't sure about all of this existential thinking, and still harbors a belief in a jolly old elf with an elven factory and reindeer housing facility in one of the colder regions of the world.

When Mamamontezz got to work, she found an e-mail in her inbox that demonstrates the reality of Santa from one of her friends, and promptly added it as a post on her blog. Please go there now and read it...just be sure to have a hankie ready.

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