Noah |
Month: May 2008
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Bridge
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Mothers
MOTHERS SAID:
Funny fictional quotes from mothers in history...PAUL REVERE'S MOTHER: "I don't care where you think you have to go,
young man. Midnight is past your curfew!"
MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY'S MOTHER: "I don't mind you having a
garden, Mary, but does it have to be growing under your bed?"
MONA LISA'S MOTHER: "After all that money your father and I spent on
braces, Mona, that's the biggest smile you can give us?"
HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MOTHER: "Humpty, if I've told you once, I've told
you a hundred times not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to
me? Noooo!"
COLUMBUS' MOTHER: "I don't care what you've discovered, Christopher.
You still could have written!"
BABE RUTH'S MOTHER: "Babe, how many times have I told you--quit
playing ball in the house! That's the third broken window this
week!"
MICHELANGELO'S MOTHER: "Mike, can't you paint on walls like other
children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off
the ceiling?"
NAPOLEON'S MOTHER: "All right, Napoleon. If you aren't hiding your
report card inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and
prove it!"
CUSTER'S MOTHER: "Now, George, remember what I told you--don't go
biting off more than you can chew!"
ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S MOTHER: "Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can't
you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"
BARNEY'S MOTHER: "I realize strained plums are your favorite,
Barney, but you're starting to look a little purple."
MARY'S MOTHER: "I'm not upset that your lamb followed you to school,
Mary, but I would like to know how he got a better grade than you."
BATMAN'S MOTHER: "It's a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how
much the insurance is going to be?"
GOLDILOCKS' MOTHER: "I've got a bill here for a busted chair from
the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?"
LITTLE MISS MUFFET'S MOTHER: "Well, all I've got to say is if you
don't get off your tuffet and start cleaning your room, there'll be
a lot more spiders around here!"
ALBERT EINSTEIN'S MOTHER: "But, Albert, it's your senior picture.
Can't you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse,
something...?"
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOTHER: "The next time I catch you throwing
money across the Potomac, you can kiss your allowance good-bye!"
JONAH'S MOTHER: "That's a nice story, but now tell me where you've
really been for the last three days."
SUPERMAN'S MOTHER: "Clark, your father and I have discussed it, and
we've decided you can have your own telephone line. Now will you
quit spending so much time in all those phone booths?"
THOMAS EDISON'S MOTHER: "Of course I'm proud that you invented the
electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to
bed!" -
Technology
You've finally gotten used to carrying a smartphone. Now, Oakland start-up Livescribe wants to persuade you to also carry a smartpen. Its clever new Pulse pen makes a strong case.Pulse transforms an ordinary ballpoint into a digital quill, promising to change the way you cram for an exam, review an architect's blueprints or capture any notes.
Pulse can record what you hear or say while writing, talk back and provide visual cues of what you are doing on a tiny display (e.g., showing a timer while you record audio).
The pen's power is in letting you review written notes that are synchronized with audio. When you tap what you've scribbled or drawn on the special "dot paper" Pulse works with, you'll hear any audio you recorded while you were writing. You can search notes on your (Windows-only) PC by typing in a word and having Livescribe's software find a written match. Searching worked well despite my suspect handwriting. Pulse also functions as a basic digital audio recorder.
Pulse was first unveiled nearly a year ago, so it's taken awhile to get here. The $150 to $200 pen is available only at livescribe.com. The company says you'll have to wait a month or so for delivery.
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Grammar Lesson
Who, Which, and That
Who and that are used when referring to persons. Select who when the individual person or the individuality of a group is meant and that when a class, species, or type is meant. - She is the only one of my managers who can speak Japanese fluently.
- He is the kind of student that should take advanced basketweaving.
Which and that are used when referring to places, objects, and animals. Which is always used to introduce nonessential clauses, and that is ordinarily used to introduce essential clauses.- Laura's report on employee benefits, which I sent you last week, should be of some help. (Which introduces a nonessential clause - there is only one report.)
- The report that I sent you last week should be of some help. (That introduces an essential clause - there may have been other reports sent in other weeks.)
NOTE: Many writers now use either which or that to introduce an essential clause. Indeed, which is to be preferred to that (1) when there are two or more parallel essential clauses in the same sentence, (2) when that has already been used in the sentence, or (3) when the essential clause is introduced by an expression such as this...which, that...which, these...which, or those...which.- Vivian is taking courses which will earn her a higher salary rating in her current job and which will qualify her for a number of higher-level jobs.
- That is a movie which you must not miss.
- We need to reinforce those ideas which were presented in earlier chapters.
Which, that, and who may be used to refer to organizations. When you are referring to the organization as a single entity (in other words, as it), then use which or that. However, when you are thinking of the organization in terms of the individuals who make up the organization (in other words, when you think of the organization as they), you may use who or that.- Although you are free to choose your own doctor, medical care is also available through an HMO [a health maintenance organization] with which the company has a special contract. (Since the HMO is referred to as a single entity, use with which, not with whom.)
- Whenever we run short of computer supplies, the Brown and Weiner Company is the one that gives us the best service and the best prices.
- We really like doing business with the people at the Brown and Weiner Company. They are a customer-oriented group who give us the best service and the best prices. (That may also be used in this sentence in place of who.)
I helped my daughter with passive/active sentences the other night. I loved it. When I was young and in school I didn't like grammar lessons. When I homeschooled my children I had to learn grammar. I found out how much fun it was.
- She is the only one of my managers who can speak Japanese fluently.
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On this day in 1253, William of Ruisbroek left Constantinople, hoping to visit the court of the Great Khan Mangu in the heart of Mongolia. This trip was initiated after King Louis IX of France heard a report that the Mongol warlord Sartak was a Christian and decided that contact must be made with him. William, a Franciscan friar, was chosen for the job and sent along with a small team to Sartak's home north of the Crimean Sea.
When William arrived, he learned that although Sartak was not a Christian, there were Christians in his camp, and even his father had received some Christian influence. William and his team decided to travel north to Batu, where they were given guides and then sent further east. After traveling across difficult terrain for weeks in the depths of winter, they finally arrived in Karakoram in Mongolia in January 1254.
The team discovered other Europeans already present, as captives of war. Some of these were Christians, although their theology was suspect. William was granted the opportunity to meet the Khan, and he even shared the Christian faith with him. During William's eight-month visit there, he preached the Word and baptized some Believers. Historians George Grant and Gregory Wilbur conclude that this "11,000-mile missionary journey opened the world of Asia to the West."
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Tuesday
States are passing laws allowing women to see the pre-born child in their womb and decreasing the number of abortions in the process.
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What Cost
We were challenged yesterday in Pastor's sermon. What cost will you pay? We can have lip service, but what are we willing to sacrifice? I woke up this morning with two words on my heart - "I will". I began to give a list to God of the "I wills" for today. I started with I will seek you today.
What is your "I wills" for today?
Our graduation party for Alicia was great yesterday. It's nice having her back for the summer. Kalli, our 3 year old, really likes Alicia back.
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Born in 1469, as a young man Niccolò Machiavelli entered government service in his native Florence, Italy. He rapidly rose to prominence and became secretary of Florence's council responsible for military operations. In that position, he was assigned to negotiate delicate matters, coming face-to-face with many leaders. However, in 1512 he found himself on the wrong side of a political dispute and was removed from office, even imprisoned for a time.
Attempting to win favor, Machiavelli began writing down what he had learned about successful and unsuccessful rulers. His most famous book, The Prince, provided a blueprint and justification for gaining power through the use of expediency, deception, and even ruthlessness.
Machiavelli's writings established a model which has been emulated worldwide. Yet his words are often startling. In 1827, English historian Lord Macaulay wrote that it was impossible to read The Prince without "horror and amazement," saying it was "a display of wickedness." Today, the Encarta® World English Dictionary says that to be "Machiavellian" means to act "cunning and unscrupulous: using clever trickery, amoral methods, and expediency to achieve a desired goal." In other words, it means doing anything to get what we want.
Many people live by Machiavellian principles. However, Jesus challenged us to think not about worldly appearances or positions, but about eternal realities. He asked us to consider the eternal consequences of our actions. If we act in Machiavellian ways, we might "gain the whole world," but at what cost? Our eternal soul?
Today, what are you living for? Are you willing to compromise the Word of God for short-term gains? Are you letting the world shape your thinking? Or are you living for God and according to His Truth?
Make sure to fill your heart and mind with God's Word. Seek eternal goals, and God will give you His eternal rewards.
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We had a great time at Alicia's Graduation.
There are less than eight months until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans. To show our solidarity as Americans, let's all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice. It's time that we all came together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support Obama or Hillary, please drive with your headlights off at night.(I approve of this message.)
