BEGINNING FALL

I am finally getting around to writing another blog, there is no excuse for the delay except for my lack of motivation. I am motivated now to alert all of my correspondents that the lady who has been maintaining the “Baghdad Burning” blog for all of these years has now made a new posting in September!! See the link in my Sidebar. She and her family have emigrated to Syria. Even tho they are now “displaced persons” she notes that now there are no labels of Sunni, Shiite, Kurd and the associated fears for living in Baghdad and all of that is just short drive away. It is all hard to comprehend. I had feared that she may have been a victim of the continued violence in Iraq, as her previous posting had been back in April. General Petraeus has made his report to the Congress. I have just finished reading “The Glorious Cause—a novel of the American Revolution 1776 to1783” by Jeff Shaara. Establishing a new government was a

very difficult job and seems almost impossible in Iraq.

An interesting book was highlighted last Sunday in the afterwords segment of booktv on cspan2--After Words: Raymond Ibrahim, editor and translator of "The Al Qaeda Reader"

This is a translation of Ben Laden’s and his henchman’s writings. There is a podcast and it can be seen on www.booktv.org.

A new resident here in Drury place is an artist and she has been using colored pencils. I am very interested in the effects she has been able to get. We may be able to get a group together and learn something about using that medium. It willl be fun to try. It is simpler and does not require so much stuff, such as a mixing palette, water, etc. Also one can combine the pencil with watercolor.

The symphony season will start in October. We are looking forward to that.

Richard was here for a couple of days last week. He is getting together with some of his old buddies in Topeka and will have a good time and do a little sailing. The GE merger previously mentioned fell through.

Healthwise, we are still plugging along. I will have a cataract removed in Oct.

The presidential election’s drums are increasing in tempo and volume—we will have to get ear plugs before it is all over!!

I am trying to learn how to use a cell phone. We are on Philip’s family plan so are gradually moving into the 21 century. I am still trying to get some of the residents here at Drury to learn something about using the computer—so far, not very much success.

Well I will close for this posting and hope that it finds all well with all of you—

HAF; AKA HAPPY DOC

JULY

Title: INDEPENDENCE DAY

“Self-evident truths…all men are created equal---freedom…liberty and the pursuit of happiness…”. Noble sentimentsbut not existent in much of the world today. We think of dear Bich and her family who enriched our lives in 1975, but what a travail for them to leave their home and friends in Viet Nam. And we have compassion for the author ot “Baghdad Burning” blog whose last posting in April was of the trials and concern of finally deciding the need to leave their home in Baghdad for an uncertain future.—see the link in the side-bar—“Baghdad Burning”.

----and then there is DAFUR---!

Summertime is the time to see some of the family. Richard was here for a couple of days last month—his branch at Abbott is being purchased by General Electric. John and Gail were here for a couple of days. Bill and Peggy will be visiting sometime in September. Phil and Jane as always a big help. Lynn keeps in touch with regular phone calls.

The 2008 presidential election is heating up. We should have something like England and have only about 6 weeks of campaigning before the election instead of 18 or so months as we are having. I did hear a talk by a Rep. Hunter of san Diego and he sounded very good, but he wont get anywhere probably. The amount of mony that is spent is almost indecent. The money would be better spent to help out some of the troubled areas of the world.

The annual tennis highlight of the year –Wimbledon—is playing out this week and Venus Williams is back to her old form and won the ladies title for the third time. There are no American men in contention for the mens title.

We are doing fine here at Drury Place. Mary will have a repeat CAT scan the last of this month. I will have a cataract evaluation the last of Aug. We probably eat too much and do not get enough exercise.

I read an interesting book recently. “THE SECRETE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE.—economic hit men, jackals, and the truth about global corruption.” By John Perkins. It is about the excessive power and control of the corporatocrasy. There is need to develop corporate accountability.

The unifying principle is to create a stable sustainable, and peaceful world for all people everywhere.

BIKER TALKS TO GOD! A little levity

A man riding his Harley was riding along a California beach when suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish.

The biker pulled over and said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want." The Lord said, "Your request is materialistic, think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking; the supports required reaching the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust several natural resources. I can do it , but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that could possibly help mankind."

The biker thought about it for a long time. Finally, he said, "Lord, I
wish that I and all men could understand women; I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing's wrong, and how I can
make a Woman truly happy.

The Lord replied, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?

__________________________________

Hope that this finds everything going well with all of you.

HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!

May was the wettest month on record for this area and as of the first of June we are 11 inches above the normal! The wheat prod8cton appears to be hurt, first with a late freeze and then there have been some fields which have been drowned.

We are doing well. Mary saw the oncologist and he said that sometimes the best thing to do is to just stand still. So, we are standing still and will get a CAT scan in 3 months. The important thing is that we are still doing well—both of us. We are hoping to have some company this summer; visits from Rich, John and Gail and later Bill. Phil and Jane have been a great help. Lynn keeps in touch with the telephone.

The theaters last production of the season is this month, ANYTHING GOES with Cole Porter’s music. It should be fun. The symphony season has been really great this year.

As usual we enjoy the library. Currently I am getting a history lesson. The book is POWER, FAITH AND FANTASY; America in the Middle East from 1776 to the present. This is a 700 page book but is well written and enlightening. It is of interest that one of the major reasons for the founding fathers to call the constitution convention and establish a federal government is that the Barbary Muslim Pirates were capturing our ships, imprisoning and selling our people a slaves etc and demanding ransom etc. At one time 20% of the gross national product was paid to the powers of N. Africa. It was necessary to have a central government and to develop a Navy to protect the ships and commerce.

I thought that this was worth passing on.

Here SHE is, the USS New York

[]

USS New York

It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.

It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopers and assault craft.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry and Amite, LA , to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured in the molds on Sept. 9, 2003, "those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence," recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. "It was a spiritual moment for everybody there."

Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the "hair on my neck stood up." It had a big meaning to it for all of us," he said. "They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back."

The ship's motto? "Never Forget"

Also, this URL which was sent to me as an attachment was worth sharing.

http://www.terrorismawareness.org/know-about-jihad/

I hope that this finds all of you in good health and happy.

HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

APRIL SHOWERS

Spring has come, in fact it may have almost gone! We are having some very warm temperatures this week.

In my March posting, I made note of the book by Newt Gingrich. This posting for April will be mostly about that book.

TITLE: WINNING THE FUTURE: a21st century contract with America. AUTHOR: Newt Gingrich. internet web page. www.newt.org

21st Century Contract with America

Gingrich Communications

Newt Gingrich

We are committed to a safe, healthy, prosperous, and free America. We believe our children and grandchildren deserve the opportunities our parents and grandparents gave us.

In a rapidly changing world with new threats and new competitors, we must implement policies that will ensure America’s leadership, safety, and prosperity. And we must reinvigorate the core values that have made an exceptional civilization.

We do not believe the traditional instruments of government will reform themselves fast enough and thoroughly enough for the twenty-first century.

The entrenched lobbyists and entrenched bureaucracies will do all they can to minimize the changes no matter how vital those changes are to America’s future. Self interest will dominate national interest if the normal political system operates with business as usual. The pressure of daily events will keep both the news media and most politicians focused on the immediate and the trivial rather than the long-term and the profoundly important.

Only a grassroots citizens’ movement can insist on the level of change that is needed for our children and grandchildren to have a successful future.

Such a citizens’ movement would have to be focused on goals rather than on interest groups. The goals define the America we want our children and grandchildren to have.

To achieve this future we will:

I.

Defend America and our allies from those who would destroy us. To achieve security, we will develop the intelligence, diplomatic, information, defense, and homeland security systems and resources for success.

II.

Transform the Social Security system into personal savings accounts that will enable every worker to have higher retirement incomes from their own work and avoid the need for financial support from their children.

III.

Recenter on the Creator from Whom all our liberties come. We will insist on a judiciary that understands the centrality of God in American history and reasserts the legitimacy of recognizing the Creator in public life.

IV.

Establish patriotic education for our children and patriotic immigration for new Americans. To achieve this, we will renew our commitment to education about American citizenship based on American history and an understanding of the Founding Fathers and the core values of American civilization. We will insist that both our children and immigrants learn the key values and key facts of American history as the foundation of their growth as citizens.

V.

Meet the triple economic challenges of an explosion in scientific and technological knowledge, an increasingly competitive world market, and the rise of China and India by implementing:

1. A new system of civil justice to reduce the burden of lawsuits and to incentivize young people to go into professions other than the law.

2. A dramatically simplified tax code that favors savings, entrepreneurship, investment, and constant modernization of equipment and technology.

3. Math and science learning equal to any in the world and educating enough young Americans to both discover the science of the future and to compete successfully in national security and the economy with other well-educated societies.

4. Investing in the scientific revolutions that are going to transform our world—particularly in energy, space, and the environment.

5. Transforming health care into a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that improves our health while lowering costs dramatically. In the process, American health care will become our highest value export and foreign exchange earning sector.

VI.

Work to include every American in a system of patriotic stewardship so every person has a real opportunity to pursue happiness as their Creator endowed. Prepare for the aging of the baby boomers and their children so we can have active healthy aging with the best quality of life, the longest period of independent living, and the greatest prosperity. We will:

1. Develop a system in which those who wish to stay economically active are encouraged and incentivized to do so because active people live longer and healthier, have a greater opportunity to pursue happiness, and are less of a burden on their fellow citizens;

2. Develop a system of independent living and assisted living that increases the years in which people can be on their own and in most cases enables people to live their entire lives with freedom and dignity;

3. Develop a new model of quality long-term care in which both the care and the quality of life are compatible with a twenty-first century American expectation of progress and innovation;

4. Use the new technologies and new scientific knowledge to turn disabilities into capabilities and change government regulations and programs to help every American achieve the fullest possible ability to pursue happiness.

VII.

Change the mindset of big government in Washington by replacing bureaucratic public administration with Entrepreneurial Public Management so government can operate with the speed, effectiveness, and efficiency of the information age.

VIII.

Balance the federal budget and insist on a lean government, low tax, low interest rate economy to maximize growth in a competitive world.

IX.

Insist on congressional reform to make the legislative branch responsive to the needs of the 21st century.

X.

Ensure an election process that is honest, accountable, accurate, and free from the threat of illegal votes or subsequent litigation.

If we insist on these goals and insist on electing leaders at all levels dedicated to these goals, we will be able to leave our children and grandchildren an America of safety, health, prosperity, and freedom that would make our parents and grandparents proud. We too will have done our duty to our country and our achievements as citizens will be worthy of the America we inherited.

The run-up to election will be interesting. I am sure that we all will be tired of it before it is over.

We are doing fairly well here. We still have not determined the course of action, if any, regards the tumor found on Mary's pancreas. The recent CAT scan did not show it! We will see an oncologist May 9th.

This isenough for this posting. Wishing all the very best

HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

VERNAL EQUINOX

The vernal equinox has come and the flowering

trees are busting into bloom and the jonquels are

blooming, so I think that we can definitely say that

Spring has sprung.
Cleo has almost become a lap cat now. The first

thing in the morning she gets up on the arm of the

love seat, next to my chair, and says "comb my fur".

Then she crawls onto my lap and gets her "hair"

dressed for the day. Afterall, a lady can not start

the day all frousy!
We enjoyed the youth symphony performance this

month. There are two orchestras- the junior high

and the highschool- when they played combined

peformance the stage was really full with over a

100 musicians. Both groups really performed very

well. It is good to see the young folks becoming

involved with something other than "rap" .
____________________
The last "Atlantic" magazine had an interesting

article regarding global warming. The web page:

www.theatlantic.com has also an interview with

the author.


Global Warming: Who Loses—and Who Wins?
Climate change in the next century (and beyond)

could be enormously disruptive, spreading disease

and sparking wars. It could also be a windfall for

some people, businesses, and nations. A guide to

how we all might get along in a warming world
by Gregg Easterbrook

INTERVIEWS As the World Warms
Gregg Easterbrook talks about his cover story,

"Global Warming: Who Loses—and Who Wins?," and

the unexpected by-products of climate change.
by Timothy Lavin [Web only]
_________________________
I have read a really great book.

TITLE: NOW THEY CALL ME INFIDEL, Why I renounced jihad for America, Israel and the war on terror. Author: Nonie Darwish-A muslim Shahdid's daughter.
library #- 962.054 DARWISH
The book is an autobiography of an Egyptian lady who spent the first 30 years living in a restrictive muslim society and then came to America and was totally amazed at the freedom, especially for the women and many things that we take for granted. Her father was a high military person in the Gaza. He was assasinated when the author was 8 yr old. He was declared a martyr or a Shahdid. She draws a good picture of the muslim life especially for the family and women. Being upper middle class she did get a good education but she questioned many of the Islam doctrines.

EXCERPTS FROM “NOW THEY CALL ME INFIDEL”
The author lectures at universities now in the US regarding the dangers of Islam. She warns that the young people are being indoctrinated by the mosques into the fundamental beliefs.
“My life has been a journey from hatred to love, from a culture that stifled joy and creativity to a life of freedom and endless possibilities. Because I love my adopted country, I have a duty to alert my fellow Americans to a real and present danger.
“Radical Islam has declared war on America and on the West and the majority of Muslims either support or make excuses for the terrorism”
…….not all Muslims are terrorist, but the fear, defensiveness and silence of the majority is “heard” loud and clear as agreement by the radicals…….religion is the game the radical leadership plays as a camouflage to greed..
“Most moderate Muslims choose to blend with American society and do not want to be associated with radical clerics or mosques imported from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and paid for by a wealthy Saudi government. But they cannot simply look the other way and ignore what is happening to radical mosques across this country. It is time to reject the politicization of Islam, the subverting of the call to prayer into calls for jihad, and changing American’s Constitution to the Koran. Having thrived financially in the United States for decades, American Muslims can well afford to pay the salaries of their religious leaders and maintain their own mosques. They need to choose preachers who are more in tune to the value system of the society they have chosen to call home, values such as compassion and tolerance and responsible freedom of speech. We owe it to America to return back its generosity and kindness.”
__________________________
Newt Gingrich has a new book out but it was checked out. I have my name on the reerve list so I should be able to have read it by the time of my next posting next month. The name of the book is "Winning the Future".
____________________
I have my new hearing aids --Mary likes them as now I do not have the TV volume turned up so loud!! I do think that they will be ok but it will take some getting used to them.
I send best wishes to all and I hope that you enjoy the blog. It is a way to keep in contact.
HAF AKA HAPPYDOC

TRANSITION TO SPRING

BLOG FEB.

Title Transition to spring

February is the month for transition to spring. Mother Nature however does not make the change sedately. She rustles her skits and stomps her heels. We had a long spell of cold and snow, but now we are having some spring like days with warmer temperatures and the snow has melted. We were very fortunate however in that we did not get the brunt of storms like they did in the north-east part of the country. Here, we have seen a few robins and the early bulbs are poking some green shoots out of the ground.

The political climate is also heating up. It would be nice if Washington politicos could concentrate on some important issues rather that re-election. It will be a long nearly two years. In a way it will be interesting, but the people will get tired of it before it is over.

The Iraq situation does not seem to get any better. The report from inside by the author of the “BAGHDAD BURNING” blog (see link in the side-bar) is totally discouraged. Many of the people who could be the backbone for rebuilding are fleeing (and they can not be blamed). The current government does not prosecute rapists, women are second class citizens. And then, there is Iran, Israel/Palestine, Sudan, Somalia etc. The last ATLANTIC magazine had an article giving the details of the trials of the Burnhams who were kidnapped and held for over a year in the Philippines. It almost makes one

feel guilty to complain about the weather—but we will!

We are enjoying the Symphony season and it is the highlight of each month. In March the Youth symphony will perform and that is always very interesting. In Feb we had the Classical 3B’s—Beethoven, Bach and Brahms. The guest soloist was a virtuoso violinist from Dallas.

February is the month of love and valentines and Mary and I were honored to be chosen Valentine king and queen at the valentine party here at Drury Place. It was fun. The main card game that they play here is Pitch, which we have never played. So, we have taken our first lesson and will learn how and perhaps enter into the game on card night. They seem to have a lot of fun and pitch is not very taxing mentally, which may or not be good. Relaxing fun however is good. That is like reading “fluff” books which we do part of the time. I have read a couple of Danielle Steel’s books this month. I have the book “BLINK” checked out but have not progressed very far. The concept of “adaptive unconscious” is interesting.

The mainstream media publishes a lot about the gangs and the problems of the youth of this country but the good things that they do get little attention. The project of the Overlake school in Redmond Wash. deserves publishing.

PAILIN, Cambodia, Feb. 1, 2007 — In an extremely poor town in Cambodia, children are being robbed of their childhood by poverty, illiteracy, sex trafficking and AIDS.

Yet, down one dirt road, lines of neatly dressed children are now marching into a school with new chalk boards, books, computers and a connection to the Internet.

The Overlake School students raised $15,000 through bake sales, talent shows and raffles to build the Cambodian school. Once the school was built, they kept raising funds for teachers, books and the computers.

Kun Sokkea, 13, said she's in school for the first time and can finally dream of a better future.

She lives in a one-room shack and her mother is dying of AIDS, but she is now e-mailing her American friends to update them on her studies and progress as she learns English.

"What I want to take away is the knowledge that one person, a high school student, can make this huge difference in someone's life," said 11th grader Nathan Cocanour.

And in a remote corner of Cambodia, the students of the Overlake School have certainly done just that.

_____________________

This school was built through "American assistance for Cambodia", which is the organization that we established the "Pearl and Mary Flanders " school in Cambodia.

www.camnet.com.kh/cambodiaschools/schools_map/school_139.

I will close with best wishes for a happy Spring.

HAF AKA HAPPYDOC

NEW YEAR

TITLE: NEW YEAR & NEW TIMES

A new year has started. A new congress has begun with the democrats in the driver’s seat and with the associated responsibility. The leaders wanting to be president are beating the drums for 2008. A new approach is in progress in Iraq with a new commander and with hopes that the Iraqis will be able to control the violence and the internecine killing.

2007 may be a watershed year not only politically, but also personally. I am back to where I was as far as any evidence of heart failure, Mary still has some unresolved issues, but we are doing well. We are glad that we are living in Drury Place, especially with the cold weather and the snow that we have had. We are also glad that we did not have the snow that Denver had!

The weather is conducive to spending time reading. Books that I have read – The end of Faith, by Sam Harris; The truth about Mohammad, by Robert Spencer; The Creation, by Edward O Wilson; a couple of “cat who” books by Lillian Jackson Braun, and I have started another book by Edward Wilson—The diversity of life.

Wilson is a biologist at Harvard University. Following is my notes on the book “The Creation”.

THE CREATION:An appeal to save life on earth

Author: Edward O. Wilson Library 331.951 WILSON

The author is a biologist at Harvard U. He has written several books he is an entomologist.

"More respect is due the little things that run the world" (insects)

"the more biologists learn about the biosphere in its full richness, the more rewarding the image. Similarly, the more psychologists learn of the development of the human mind the more they understand the gravitational pull of the natural world on our spirit, and on our souls"

we have a long way to go to make peace with this planet and with each other.

"Life on this planet can stand no more plundering. Quite apart from obedience to the universal moral imperative of saving the Creation, based upon religion and science alike, conserving biodiversity is the best economic deal humanity has had placed before it since the invention of agriculture. the time to act is now."

The earth has had 5 cataclysmic destruction of life, due to cosmic actions. The sixth is now beginning but due to human activity. Causes: habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, over population, and over harvesting, gathering.

Next week our grandson, Zach is going to Europe to spend a semester in Germany. He has set up a blog in which he will post some of his experiences. For those of you interested, the address is.

www.zachflanders.blogspot.com

It will be interesting to see how the blogosphere and the internet will be used in the political climate the next two years. It is getting pretty hot already and it is just beginning. An example is the false report the Obama attended a Madrassa school as a child. So we can expect spurious information. The next question is what is Iran going to do in the next 2 years. At least we can joke and laugh at our leaders and not worry about being shot or throats cut! I think that I should set up a blog or page for Cleo. She would probably have some interesting things to say.

I hope that all of you have a great 2007.

HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

THE MONTH THAT WAS

About Nov 3 Alden began to have symptoms of an Upper Respiratory infection. It was elected to treat with symptomatic medication as anti-biotics are not effective against virus infection. By Nov 15 there was shortness of breath and some swelling of the feet and ankles. There proved to be fluid in the chest and there was an elevated sed rate and decreased ventricular ejection fraction so the diagnosis of viral myocarditis with congestive heart failure was made.
With lasix and rest and restricted activities there has been continued improvement.
On Nov. 23—thanksgiving day—Mary had abdominal pain and some chest pain. With home treatment there was improvement but there was noted also weakness and she fell several times in the next days. She was able to see the Dr on Wednesday and found that she was very anemic and was admitted to the hospital. Blood tests indicated the diagnosis of pancreatitis. Scan of the abdomen found a mass in the head of the pancreas and a needle biopsy performed on Friday which was reported out on Tues was a diagnosis of a neuro-endocrine tumor or a carcinoid which is the same category of tumor that she had removed at Mayo’s 10 years ago which had been in her anterior mediastinum. Mary was really sick and anemic and her protime was way out of bounds so after 4 units of blood and 2 of plasma and IV feeding she improved and the blood enzymes and liver function parameters turned toward normal and she got on solid food and came home Sat AM—Dec 9. At present, we are in the recuperating mode and also waiting to decide regarding the tumor in the pancreas. Enough for the medical organ recital. Future blogs will include our progress.
The elections are over and there will be a shake up in the government and the future progress of the conflict in the middle-east. It is easier to “wage war” than it is to “wage peace”. Thomas P M Barnett’s blog of Dec. 9 is worth reading. [click the link in the side-bar of my blog and then to his Dec 9 blog—title “despite failures in Iraq, nation-building on our plate—the Scripps Howard site has the complete column.]
One paragraph: The problem is that bad guys get smarter, shifting their efforts from a "first half" (war) they cannot win against our world-class forces to a "second half" (postwar) where they can prevail against our rather mediocre nation-builders. Simply put, insurgents avoid our Leviathan force during war, waiting until the follow-on peace can be sabotaged by terrorism and the battered populace co-opted by their superior forms of tribe-building.

I just purchased the book, “”the Truth about Muhammad” by Robert Spencer. It is a documented biography which is not flattering. Were I Spencer, I think that I would wear a bullet-proof vest. In 1988, Salman Rushdie wrote “Satanic Verses” and a fatwah was issued against his life. The bounty eventually reached into the millions and he had to go into hiding for several years. Book stores were bombed, translators were assassinated and even possession of the book carried a fine --how can such fanaticism exist? Today the president of Iran states that the holocaust in Germany did not happen!
Best wishes are sent to you and yours for a happy Christmas and for a new year which makes significant steps toward peace for all.

HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

NOVEMBER BLOG

TITLE: OPEN LOVE LETTER/THANKS/PRESCRIPTION

One of the statements on the foil wrapper of the Dove Chocolates is to “write a love letter today”. This is today so this is a letter to my bride of 63 years. Dear Heart, Mary did you think that on the pleasant evening on the Missouri river on a riverboat moseying on that starlit night, that all of the events that would follow from that blind date—yes, children there is love at first sight! The love glow from you face these 63 plus years later, lights the infinite love in my heart. How could we be so lucky, and to have such a wonderful family to continue the legacy? Now, at this stage of life’s continuum, the eyes want more light, the ears miss things and aids do not always help, neuromuscular controls make a walker feel comfortable, however love does not diminish and like the universe, expands.

My love Always Alden

We have received notice that we will be getting a new “sister” thru the women for Women program, as Rasma in Afghanistan will be completing her year of training. A little help and love can do a lot and so it behooves one to do what one can do. At this time of year it makes us be so very thankful to be Americans, regardless what the rest of the world is thinking. We are all citizens of the world and have a role to play not only for the peoples of the world but also for the care of the planet, our home. The recent growth of interest of NGO—non government organizations are encouraging as the government frequently gets things messed up. Sudan for example.

The guest on Brian Lamb’s program last Sunday, Q and A, was the Saudi ambassador to the US. He was asked what he thought of Bin Laden—his terse and categorical answer was “He wants to rule the world.” This took me back to the time when another evil (the little corporal) had the same ambition. Now the president of Iran states the holocaust did not happen and that Israel should be blasted from the planet. Evil is Evil wherever it is found, changing the color does not make it a rose. To combat evil may take sacrifices and in fact the battle needs to be felt. Remember: gas coupons, food coupons, office of price control, victory gardens, gold star mothers, no nylons! Rosie the riveter built airplanes, steel workers built ships, young boys left the pasture and in a few months were flying multi engine planes! A friend in Hays who was a member of the famed Flying Tigers has just died.

American Volunteer Group, a fighter unit that trained in Burma and China, during the year prior to the United States entry into World War II, to fight against Japanese forces. The AVG's first fight against the Japanese was December 20, 1941 (approximately three weeks after Pearl Harbor). The Flying Tigers had great success against the forces of Japan during the lowest period of the war for American forces, and gave hope to Americans that they would eventually succeed against the Japanese. The Flying Tigers were credited for destroying almost 300 aircraft with a loss of only twelve of their own in combat.

The world trade center location should not be smoothed over and planted to grass. The stark black steel reaching into the sky should be there to enable all to feel and not forget. There is time for the planting of grass after the war is won!

HAF SENIORGEEK AKA:HAPPYDOC

DLST

DLST

This coming Sunday at 2 AM we will fall back for daylight saving time. All, except for the more sensible folks in Arizona, who will continue on the normal time. According to Wikipedia; DST has been tried in various forms for some time, but was installed in US in 1942 during the war years to save energy. It is questionable if it accomplishes that. The farmers always operated on sun time. We will adapt!

The trees are definitely changing color and before long will be losing their leaves. This year we will not have to be concerned about raking the leaves, or I might add, shoveling snow a little later. This is another advantage of living in Drury Place apartment.

I have been putting together a collection of games to put on the community machines. I have put together everything from jacks to chess. I hope that games will be a good way to get the residents introduced to the computer and also they are good for hand-eye coordination, entertainment and mental stimulation. We will see what happens. Next month I will be putting on some demonstrations and instruction.

I enrolled in 3 courses thru Virtual University. www.vu.org You can enroll in 4 classes for the 20 dollar fee. But I can not keep up with one let alone 4. But, one does get some good information and can either print it out or copy to a disk. I enrolled in 35 days to better writing

The truth about Islam

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I think that I am a “drop out”. I have not done any of the homework for the writing class and I have not been able to get Thunderbird installed on my computer. The Islam class will be interesting. It is put out by 2 practicing Muslims. I had put together information, and led a class on Islam, about 3 years ago. I am curious what this class will bring out about their beliefs.

Robert Spencer who maintains “Jihad watch” on the internet, recently authored the book “The Truth about Mohammad”. This is his blog

My Invitation From al-Qaeda

By Robert Spencer

FrontPageMagazine.com | September 6, 2006

In American al-Qaeda operative Adam Gadahn’s convert-to-Islam-or-die message to America released last Saturday, he extends a special invitation to the President, as well as to Daniel Pipes, Michael Scheuer, Steve Emerson – and me:

If the Zionist crusader missionaries of hate and counter-Islam consultants like Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Michael Scheuer, Steven Emerson, and yes, even the crusader-in-chief George W. Bush were to abandon their unbelief and repent and enter into the light of Islam and turn their swords against the enemies of God, it would be accepted of them and they would be our brothers in Islam. And we send a special invitation to all of you fighting Bush’s crusader pipe dream in Afghanistan, Iraq, and wherever else W. has sent you to die.

Gadahn also praises Western leftist sycophants and apologists for the global jihad, and invites them to become Muslims as well:

Why not surrender to the truth? Escape from the unbelieving army and join the winning side. As for those who have expressed their respect and admiration for Islam, and acknowledged that it is the truth and

It is important to note that Gadahn’s “invitation” to Islam is coupled with a threat of violence: “To Americans and the rest of Christendom we say, either repent (your) misguided ways and enter into the light of truth or keep your poison to yourself and suffer the consequences in this world and the next….” In this, Gadahn is following the example of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, who told his followers:

“When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action…Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them…If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya [the tax on non-Muslims specified in Qur’an 9:29]. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them” (Sahih Muslim 4294).

Muhammad’s directions here to extend an invitation to Islam and follow it with a threat were also followed recently by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For his part, Gadahn calls the Islamic prophet Muhammad “the chief and master of Adam’s children, and the embodiment of high morals and good character.”

The thuggishness of Gadahn and the supremacist creed for which he has become a salesman was evident in other parts of his message. “Islam,” he explained, “is the only religion acceptable to God and came with the revealed book, the Koran, which abrogates all previous revelations, like the Torah and Evangel [Gospel]... God recognizes no separation between religion and state.” In this he makes an expression of the Islamic supremacism that delegitimizes the religious traditions of Jews and Christians. In line with the Qur’an (3:67), Gadahn says, “Abraham was neither a Jew or a Christian, but was a Muslim hanif.” (A “hanif” is a pre-Islamic monotheist.) In other words, Judaism and Christianity as practiced today have no legitimacy, but are merely renegade corruptions of the true religion, Islam.

Maybe Adam Gadahn is angry with me for describing him a couple of years ago as he appears in an old photo: as a “pudgy, long-haired American kid who appears to be locked in a desperate, losing struggle to grow a beard.” Adam, I see from more recent photos that you have won that struggle, for which I congratulate you. In your larger struggles, however, you will not prevail. Thank you for your invitation to me to become a Muslim and wield my sword against the enemies of Allah. But I’m afraid I must decline. While I appreciate the fact that becoming your “brother in Islam” might afford me a measure of personal security that I do not enjoy today, some things are more important than that. I cannot and will not give in to violent intimidation, come what may, and I do not want to live in a society that bows to such intimidation.

I believe that societies that respect the equality of rights before the law of all people, including women and religious minorities, as well as the freedom of conscience, are superior to those that do not. I hope that such societies will be able to summon the will to resist you and your “invitation” in all its implications before it is too late.

Meanwhile, Adam, I have an invitation of my own for you: I invite you to accept the Bill of Rights, and enter into the brotherhood of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. My invitation does not focus on my religion, although I invite you to that also, but rather on a framework within which people of differing faiths can live in peace, harmony, and mutual respect – provided that none of the groups involved cherishes supremacist ambitions to subjugate the others.

I hope you will consider my invitation carefully.

A recent time magazine article “The disappeared”, relates the experience of an Iraqi who was kidnapped and held hostage for 5 weeks. The family finally had to pay 40000 dollars to get his release. The kidnapping is big business.

And this from Australia.

Imam justifies rape of unveiled women

Australian cleric compares victims to 'uncovered meat' that attracts cats

Posted: October 26, 2006

1:40 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Australia's top Muslim cleric rationalized a series of gang rapes by Arab men, blaming women who "sway suggestively," wear make-up and don't cover themselves in the tradition of Islam.

Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly's comments in a Ramadan sermon in a Sydney mosque have stirred a furor in the country with even Prime Minister John Howard weighing in with condemnation.

The cleric also said the judge in the case, who sentenced the rapists, had "no mercy."

"But the problem, but the problem all began with who?" he said, referring to the women victims – whom he said were "weapons used by Satan."

One bit of good news, in a way, the young lady in Baghdad who has been able to be our eyes of life there, has made a posting to her blog-BAGHDAD BURNING-, so she is still alive though very discouraged, which was the reason she had not posted since Aug.

We will very soon have an election—what will the future bring? Be sure to vote, it is a privilege!

Always, HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

BOOO

October 2, 2006
Autumn is here and the trees are beginning to change color. The goblins are trying their wings in readiness for Halloween. We see geese flying south and when Bill and Peggy were here they went to the waterfowl refuge near Great Bend and got pictures of the Canadian geese and also the white pelicans. Also, we note fewer birds at our feeders.
September was my natal month and October is our anniversary month (63 Years). I should probably change the personal information on my blog. September slipped by without a posting. We are very happy to have had a visit from each of the clans this summer and we were able to move along some of the extra stuff, with instructions to not bring it back!
We are starting back on our vitaband exercise class this week. The instructor is back after being out of commission for most of the summer due to a motorcycle accident.
We are really into the political drumbeat season. It is important to be able to express a choice and this off-year election is more importent than some. Not only for this election but it is laying the ground work for the coming general election in 2 years.
I wonder if the Middle East will ever be able to develop a ballet rather than bullet governance. I just finished the book “Future Jihad” by Walid Phares. It is a good book and explains the nature of the concept of Jihad. The last paragraph of the book:
“In trying to warn, understand, and propose the best possible policies to avoid the rise of future jihads, I seek to contribute to an effort of reasoning so that the future Earth will be more peaceful than ever. It is going to take the hard work of many courageous people to ensure a happy ending to this millennial quest for conflict. Many visionary people in the West and many more brave people in the Muslim world will contribute. This will decide if future jihads end up with mushroom clouds around the world, or if peace, democracy and freedom mushroom worldwide.”

I am concerned about the author of the BAGHDAD BURNING blog. Her last posting was Aug 5 and she doesn’t go 2 months without posting, even when there is little electricity etc. She is very discouraged as she wrote in her last post “Is it time to wash our hands of the country and try to find a stable life somewhere else?”
Over the years she has been able to give insight into the life and living conditions which is not available through the main-stream media. You can access her blog using the hyperlink in the side bar of my blog.
The theatre and the symphony seasons are starting and we will enjoy those. We continue to enjoy the library. Mary is more independent with her new walker. I purchased a new Sony micro stereo outfit with CD and cassette drives. We enjoy the music on it and also I can send music and podcasts to it from my laptop computer. So we are all set to enjoy the winter. I am still trying to stimulate interest in computing here at Drury place.
Trust that this finds everything well with you and yours----until the next time, HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

BACK TO SCHOOL

The last of August is the time when school terms begin again. The teachers in our family are getting ready and here in Salina the classes have begun or will Monday. We have teachers in our family in both the elementary and highschool level and we are proud of all of them. Education is as important as the basic needs of food, clothes and shelter, and I guess that in this time of turmoil around the world ond should also add security.

An excerpt from the “BAGHDAD BURNING” blog

Since the beginning of July, the men in our area have been patrolling the streets. Some of them patrol the rooftops and others sit quietly by the homemade road blocks we have on the major roads leading into the area. You cannot in any way rely on Americans or the government. You can only hope your family and friends will remain alive- not safe, not secure- just alive. That’s good enough.

In the Israel- Hezbolla fighting there is a cease-fire and at least the possibility of a plan to cool or resolve the conflict. The UN and the Europe forces may fill the vacuum and eparate the two sids and the Lebanon army become active in the region—time will tell. Poor Lebanon was pulverized and will take years and a lot of money to recover. In the mean-time Hezbollah is making more converts by dispensing money from Iran. Also Iran has test fired several short range missiles! This is to let the region that Iran is the emerging power. Fanatics require and enemy.

The last two weeks CSPAN’S Q and A progams showed the opposite ends of Islam—Akbar Ahmed stating the Islam is peaceful but admits that there is great need within the community to combat the radical elements, Robert Spencer on the other hand arguing that Islam is inherently warlike and to hate the west etc is a requirement. Pod casts are available but it is evident that there will have to be a change within the Islamic community. We can not do it from the outside. In the meantime we will have to hope that the plots like the one to blow up airliners from UK to US will continue to be thwarted.

I just finished reading “Founding Mothers”. Bless the ladies! We would never have founded this country, a beacon to freedom and liberty, without them.

We are doing quite well here at DRURY PLACE. Mary got a 4 wheeled walker with a seat and this makes it a lot easier for getting around. She feels more secure and if she does get tired she can rest on the seat. Yesterday, we made a test run to take it to the library with us and it just barely fits in the trunk of our little Escort Ford car. She has taken it and walked up the grocery store. She feels more independent. I picked up a book at the library “Julie and Romeo Get Lucky” by Jeanne Ray. It is a fun read.

I notice that the Blogger blog program has been updated with more bells and whistles I have not made the switch yet but will probably do so before the next posting.

I hope that this finds all well with all of you.

Til next time---HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

DOG DAYS

DOG DAYS

I always wondered why this time of the year was called the "dog days" of the year. So, using the trusty GOOGLE, we googled it. It is the 20 days before and 20 days after the star Serius, the dog star, is in alignment with the sun. Now the mystery is gone. I do not know if I feel better or worse. It was nice to think, " why is it called dog days?"

What a difference a day makes! War breaks out in the middle east. Or rather, it spread out or over with a vengance. It is hoped that it is not the fore-runner of WWIII. However in one way we were or are in WWIII, as the radical muslim movement is world-wide and it will persist until there is a change within the muslim world. As long as hate is preached, hate will be returned.

Dalai Lama quotes:

“Freedom is the real source of human happiness and creativity. Irrespective of whether you are a believer or nonbeliever, whether Buddhist, Christian, or Jew, the important thing is to be a good human being.”

“I believe in humanity and its level in a person is more important than his or her belief or faith.”

“My message is the practice of compassion, love, and kindness. Compassion can be put into practice if one recognizes the fact that every human being is a member of humanity and the human family regardless of differences in religion, culture, color and creed. Deep down there is no difference.”

Well, that is enough for “deep stuff”. For some levity a friend sent some jokes in the email.

This ought to make you feel better about your computer skills!
===============
Customer: Hi, this is Celine. I can't get my diskette out.
Tech support: Have you tried pushing the Button?
Customer: Yes, sure, it's really stuck.
Tech support: That doesn't sound good; I'll make a note.
Customer: No, wait a minute... I hadn't inserted it yet...
it's stil on my desk...sorry....

===============

Tech support: Click on the 'my computer' icon on to the left
of the screen.
Customer: Your left or my left?

===============

Tech support: Good day. How may I help you?
Male customer: Hello.. I can't print.
Tech support: Would you click on "start" for me and...
Customer: Listen pal; don't start getting technical on me!
I'm not Bill Gates.

===============

Customer: Hi, good afternoon, this is Martha, I can't print
Every time I try, it says 'Can't find printer'. I've even lifted the printer
and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer still says he
can't find it...

===============

Customer: I have problems printing in red..
Tech support: Do you have a color printer?
Customer: Aaaah..................thank you.

===============
Tech support: What's on your monitor now, ma'am?
Customer: A teddy bear my boyfriend bought for me at the
7-11.

===============

Customer: My keyboard is not working anymore.
Tech support: Are you sure it's plugged into the computer?
Customer: No. I can't get behind the computer.
Tech support: Pick up your keyboard and walk 10 paces back.
Customer: OK
Tech support: Did the keyboard come with you?
Customer: Yes
Tech support: That means the keyboard is not plugged in. Is
there another keyboard?
Customer: Yes, there's another one here. Ah...that one does
work...

===============

Tech support: Your password is the small letter "a" as in
apple, a
capital letter V as in Victor, the number 7.
Customer: Is that 7 in capital letters?

===============

Customer: can't get on the Internet.
Tech support: Are you sure you used the right password?
Customer: Yes, I'm sure. I saw my colleague do it.
Tech support: Can you tell me what the password was?
Customer: Five stars

===============

Tech support: What anti-virus program do you use?
Customer: Netscape
Tech support: That's not an anti-virus program
Customer: Oh, sorry...Internet Explorer.

===============

Customer: I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a
screen saver on my computer, but every time I move the mouse, it disappears.

===============

Tech support: How may I help you?
Customer: I'm writing my first e-mail.
Tech support: OK, and what seems to be the problem?
Customer: Well, I have the letter 'a' in the address, but
how do I get the circle around it?

===============

A woman customer called the Canon help desk with a problem
with her printer.
Tech support: Are you running it under windows?
Customer: "No, my desk is next to the door, but that is a
good point.
The man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window, and
his printer is working fine."

===============

And last but not least...

Tech support: "Okay Bob, let's press the control and escape
keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the
screen. Now type the letter "P" to bring up the Program Manager."
Customer: I don't have a P.
Tech support: On your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: What do you mean?
Tech support: "P".....on your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT!

Hope that this finds all going well with all of you, as it is with us here in Salina, where it is hot, but not too hot; dry, but not too dry and the people are friendly.

HAF aka HAPPY DOC