Chlorine Out

This is a recipe I found that really helps to remove chlorine from my hair. As I am usually in a highly chlorinated tank for a few hours each week, my hair gets pretty bad. This recipe also cleans dogs, bud vases, and about anything else you need to get really clean and didn't think you could.
I don't usually leave it on for thirty minutes. Maybe I should.

Chlorine out

1. Mix 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of mild shampoo together until well blended.
2. Wet hair and massage mixture into hair and scalp, making sure hair ends are coated.
3. Cover hair with a plastic bag, shower cap, or towel and leave on for 30 minutes.
4. Rinse hair well and shampoo as usual.

What became of the Trade Towers?

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 helicopters and assault craft.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into 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"

Please keep this going so everyone can see what we are made of in this country!

Dept. of Trans. email reply on gas $

Loren Marino,

The following online document from the Department of Energy (DOE) discusses how gasoline prices are established, why they fluctuate, and why they differ according to region: http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/
gasolinepricesprimer/eia1_2005primerM.html

The DOE Energy and Price Trends web site is: http://www.energy.gov/pricestrends/index.htm

For additional information or guidance, your best course of action is to contact the DOE directly.

Contact information for the DOE can be found at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/contactus.html

To report gas price-gouging in your area, use the DOE's e-mail form at http://gaswatch.energy.gov/

You may also wish to contact your elected federal or state representatives.

For contact information, please see:

Elected Federal Representatives: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/legbranch/cis.html

Elected State Representatives: http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/stategov/stategov.html

Sincerely,

Reference Services
National Transportation Library
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Research and Innovative Technology Administration
U. S. Department of Transportation

Ga$-contact your representatives. Here is how.

Gas prices are up and noone is saying much. So, we really need to start talking. We got to above $3.00 today. I have never seen that before.

These are the people you need to contact:

U.S. Congressman
U.S. Senator
Department of Transportation.

These are the websites to find your representatives:

http://www.senate.gov/
http://www.house.gov/
http://www.dot.gov/

This was my letter to my representatives:

Dear Sir,
I am dismayed to have seen today that the gas prices in my city are up above $3.00.

I am writing to request some information about this matter.

What is driving the prices so high?
What have you done to help bring the prices down?
What progress are you seeing in your efforts?

I am a 25 year old college student working steadily to provide for my present and future needs. But I need a champion. We all, as a nation, need to see that our authorities are standing up against these companies.
The news is full of stories of the oil companies making vast profits. What reason, then, would there be to raise the prices? It is disheartening, and discouraging.
Most people I talk to express distress, not anger, with the gas prices alone. We can not cut the cost out of our lives. Many can not even reduce the distances they are driving.

We need relief. Please address this issue for the good of the people you are representing.

Sincerely,
Loren Marino

mold anyone?

I was looking at a kitchen magazine and they had some lovely cheese tags. The picture reminded me of an anecdote from when I was younger.
I was at Bruno's waiting on my mother. She was having lunchmeats cut for us and I was looking at the cheeses as I always did. I liked to squeeze them trying to find out how soft they were. I liked Mozzarella far before I ever tried it simply because it was so soft.
Well, I found a cheese that was moldy. I was embarrassed to think that they were so careless as to let their cheeses go bad like that.
I brought the cheese to a baker and he took it with a knowing, amused, and puzzled look. It was as though he wanted to laugh at me with disdain. I thought he was arrogant not to be grateful I spared them from embarrassment.
I went back to the rack and found another. I returned to the baker and gave that one to him as well.
I did find more, and in irritation I wrote them off as ignorant and left the rest.
I bet the cheese was Blue Cheese, on further reflection.

Do you really 'hate'?

There is a statement a friend made that I was only recently reminded about. He said
"If I really hate someone I would be willing to kill them; and if I love them, I would die for them."
How often do we hear, or worse, say, "I hate (him/her)" What is worse, sometimes we entertain thoughts of disdain and consider ourselves justified, never realizing how wrong it is even though we did not externalize the thoughts.
I recall being upset about someone using foul language because they were angry. Then I realized that sometimes when I am upset I am cruel. There really is no difference. One says it while the other acts it out.
The Bible says in 1 John 3:15
'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.'

BJU's plea for prayer

This is the email sent out to the parents BJU students.

Dear Parent:

In chapel on Thursday, March 15, I will inform our students that a gay/lesbian/bisexual/ transgender advocacy group called Soulforce Equality Riders intends to visitBob Jones University’s campus April 4. I want to summarize for you what we will be telling the students about the background and goals of this group and about the University’s position and plans for managing the event.

Founded in 1998, Soulforce initially protested religious groups holding policies on the issue of homosexuality. It first targeted educational institutions in 2005, and in 2006 organized a group called Equality Riders which traveled to 19 colleges and universities. Reaction at those schools was mixed; some schools set up forums for dialogue and others refused them access to their campuses. Knowing BJU could be a likely future target, we tracked those visits closely.

This spring, two groups of Equality Riders are targeting 33 colleges. Their stated purposes are to dialogue with administrators, faculty, and students; to make clear that the belief that homosexuality is a sickness and a sin is harmful; and to convince administrators to change policies at their institutions. The group first communicated with BJU last fall and early this year informed us they will visit BJU April 4.

Please be assured that BJU did not invite Soulforce to our campus. The reality is just the opposite. We have repeatedly told them that “given our belief that the teaching of Scripture on this subject is clear and our sense of responsibility to our students and their parents, we could not participate in any discussions or allow any access to our campus or student body.” They have informed us they are coming anyway.

There are a number of reasons we cannot give Soulforce access to our campus and students. First, as Bible-believing Christians, our faith and practice is based on Scripture, which speaks clearly and consistently about God’s boundaries for sexual expression. Second, BJU follows biblical principles for living—not singling out homosexuality in our policies but following the Bible’s teaching on the whole matter of sexuality. Third, granting access would violate a trust between you and the University. We cannot allow a group antithetical to your expectations or to the clear teaching of Scripture to come onto our campus with the expressed purpose of undermining Scripture. Finally, Soulforce’s stated goals make true dialogue impossible. It is clear that their goal is not dialogue, but one-sided arguments aimed at changing our policies.

While our objective is to keep the Equality Riders off campus, we will respond to them in a manner consistent with our stated beliefs. Our approach will be a clear and biblical statement of our position without inflammatory words or tone. As we have opportunity, we will present the Gospel and demonstrate the love of Christ.

Let me assure you that we have adequate plans and resources in place to manage the event and that your young people will be safe and secure. We will provide students logistical instructions the day before the event, and they will know what to do and how to react.

In addition, we will also use this occasion as a teaching opportunity—to make sure our students thoroughly understand what Scripture teaches about homosexuality and a biblical response to it. This generation of students will face this issue for many years to come, and they need to be grounded in the biblical perspective. And we want to help any who may be struggling with the issue in their own personal lives.

Please pray earnestly for the university family as April 4 approaches. We need the Lord’s wisdom and grace.

Sincerely,

Stephen Jones
President

President Bush's kindness

This is the story of President Bush's visit to Enterprise Alabama after a tornado hit a school only a few weeks ago.

Subject: President Bush

This e-mail was written by someone in Enterprise. She is relaying a message told by an ABI officer who attends Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Enterprise. The officer was with President Bush when he visited.

There is a man at Ridgecrest Baptist Church who is an ABI officer. He got up last night and told us about having the honor of being paired with one of the secret service men who were with President Bush Saturday in Enterprise. He said when they started walking through the rubble at the school they came upon four students waiting for the President. They were in an area where on the floor there was a emblem that read EHS Class of 65. When the President approached the students he asked which one of you is the president (I assume president of the student body)? One of the girls kind of raised her hand and said I am then she hung her head and started to cry. President Bush wrapped his arms around her and the other three joined them. Barry, the ABI officer said President Bush started to cry and said "It's tough being the president isn't it." Barry said he talked with them a little longer. He said he was very close to the President but couldn't hear every word that was spoken, but he could tell that the President was quoting scripture. After a while the President started walking again and said he wanted the emblem preserved whatever it took. The Mayor then spoke up and said they would take care of it and President Bush turned to him and said "I was speaking to the President." I bet that the Mayor closed his mouth then!!! and then President Bush said "by the way where are my children"? The four students who were lagging behind came running up to him and walked the rest of the way over to the church with him. The media were sent to a different area Barry said. When President Bush got inside the church to meet with the families of those that had been killed the secret serviceman turned to Barry an d said this is as far as we go. This is his time with them. Barry then asked him if the President was protected and the secret servicemen said yes, he is protected, but not by us. Barry could hardly contain himself as he was telling us this last night. He said he told the secret service man that he wished everyone could witness what he just did then they could see that the most powerful man in the United States was just another human being, a father, a comforter, a friend and had true compassion for these people. However the media does not portrait that, big surprise!

Exitus Acta Probat
"The end proves the deed." ~ Geo. Washington

Arsenic and Old Lace

We watched Arsenic and Old Lace two nights ago. Sorry, Jon, but it just isn't one of my favorites. I slept through most of it this time. I was so exhausted, I couldn't make it. It reminded me of the last time I watched the movie.
I was in the lounge of the ladies dorm on friday night when I got to see it for the first time. Well, at the end, it was ten minutes to lights out and I got up to make the trip across the campus and looked outside. It was dark and still. Yep. Dark, still, and Jonathan had frightened me. And I wasn't going to make that trip all by myself. You remember Jonathan, right? He was Mortimer's spooky brother.
I made quick work of finding alternative accommodations. Rachel Beaton? Can I sleep in your room? So, with a quick call to my trailer leader I was headed to Rachel's spare mattress. Do you remember that, Rae?
I must have been 22 then. Scared. Of a black and white comedy. And I hold my head high.

I don't know what to put here...

I am sitting at the kitchen counter at 11:00 pm. I am supposed to be writing a lab report for Organic Chemistry. So, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to find something else to do.
Yes, lab reports: Just one more way to prove that I don't know what is going on.
The report is on Synthesis of Styrene. It didn't work. We figure the Trimethalchloride was not fully distilled. Guess that would do it. Yeah, that stuff... wow. Fume hoods are necessary when working with TMC. It'll wreck you.
My first lab report wasn't well accepted. I patterned it after the scientific paper in my technical writing class but I guess it wasn't what the TA was looking for. Frankly, I really don't know how else to do it, so it will be the same way this time and I will talk it over with her.
This report was due last week but I was so sick. I couldn't think of breathing in any kinds of fumes. Had some kind of respiratory mess that is sweeping the south and has the CDC on edge. It still isn't gone, but I can function very well again. Besides that, the lab last week was canceled and I was so glad. It is one of the longest labs of the semester and I didn't want to have to make it up. Apparently some dichloromethane was spilled and the Huntsville Fire Dept had to be involved some way. I will find out tomorrow what happened. Always something going on in the Wilson Hall labs!

I've been pretty busy at home. Started my spring cleaning early. I guess when I get into cleaning I just go crazy. Good thing it doesn't happen very often, aye? It all started because I noticed a tabletop was a little dusty.
Right now my room is torn to shreds. I emptied my closet and some drawers because I want to reorganize. I was cleaning my room last week and stepped back and looked at it. Though it was clean it seemed very cluttered. It just didn't LOOK clean. So, whenever that happens I know I have to tear everything up and rearrange.
I also like to get rid of the random stuff that collects in the empty spots of my room. So, in order to do that, everything needs to get pulled out in the open.
So, I've been camping out on the floor for a while because my bed is missing. I recall taking all the sheets off to be washed before it disappeared. I hope to find it soon.
Guess I better get going back to work! Don't expect any pictures with this entry, that would just be too embarrassing!

Snow day!

So we had snow. I am so glad because it has been at least a year since we had some. Well, I can't say that it lasted very long in most areas, but it was pretty while it was here.
For those of you who were pulling for me, no UAH did not close and I did take the test. But it is okay because I figured out free radical stability.
I did slide on my driveway. But besides that, the roads were very clear as you can tell by my pictures. The roadways were just too warm for anything substantial to happen.
About ten years ago we had an ice storm so heavy we were stuck in our house for about five days. The ice on the streets and our driveway was so thick it couldn't be dealt with. We had to go out and chip the entire driveway off because the ice was about an inch thick on it. Infact, everything was covered in ice; our trees and bushes, grill, lawn furniture- it was like a faerie garden.
This year we got a dusting. Maybe we will get more. This can't be it. There is still some snow hanging out in random places. Infact, our snowman's body only just melted.

He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
He sendeth out His word, and melteth them: He causeth His wind to blow, and the waters to flow. Psalm 147:16-18

O nata lux de limine,
Jesu redemptor saeculi,
dignare clemens supplicum
laudes preces que sumere.
Qui carne quondam contegi
dignatus es pro perditis.
Nos membra confer effici,
tui beati corporis

O born light of light,
Jesus, redeemer of the world,
mercifully deem worthy and accept
the praises and prayers of your supplicants.
Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh
for the sake of the lost ones,
grant us to be made members
or your holy body.

Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna

Donald Trump's flag

What do you think?
Donald Trump is being sued over an American flag he is flying in front of his club. That sounds so unpatriotic on first understanding, but I went and read up on the matter. Seems he has violated zoning regulations by having a pole almost twice as tall as is allowable, and not having a building permit for the structure. Okay, I can swallow that. A righteous citizen is a law abiding citizen.
I don't know if this is a publicity stunt, but I really can not justify his actions.
If something is to be done for a good cause, it needs to be done properly as well or risk damaging the message.
This reminds me as a Christian that my God's name is at stake in my actions as well. If I am going to make a statement for Christ's sake I need to be aware of the situation. In my Geology class my teacher has made mention of the big bang theory and pangaea and a few other evolutionary theories. I have wanted to make debate over these topics but knew that it would be unruly and poorly timed. What, then, would I be accomplishing for Christ? Would others be able to respect my position? Not likely. I would probably be marked as a trouble maker- and then what of my testimony?
Prudence is wise.
What do you think?

Home-Making

Highly Recommended!
I am reading a book called Home-Making. It is a guide for the family, not about domestic skills. It goes through the biblical duties of each family member and their positions in the family.
This is one quote added into the book about a test of character:

I would not enter on my list of friends,
Though graced with manners and fine sense,
(Yet wanting sensibility), the man,
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.

Such a simple thought, but I have once made a choice about a man's character who was senslessly cruel to animals. It is true.

new blog

hey, guys!
I got a new blog for my bird pictures.
We have a feeder right beside our kitchen window where I can watch the birds. I love taking pictures of them and am overwhelmed with bird pics. Now I know how I can get all of my friends to see them! Go take a look! I will gradually get them up.

Hey, guys!
I never put up a picture of my new car! This is my very first car. Here I am at 24 (close to 25) just buying my first car. Ah well. I am so pleased with it. I had to get something soon and realized that this would be a reliable car that would last me a long time. I wanted four doors. I have always had issues with two door cars with back seats. What if you get in a wreck? I also realized that it was a car that could transition from a college transportation car to a family car very easily. See? An investment into the future too!

Okay, so this is a test because I can't get a big long blog that I wrote to publish so I want to see if this one will first. Hmm.
Hey, by the way. If you check out my blog spot please get my email address and email me. I set this up so that I could get in touch with my old friends, but I have been having trouble getting email addresses.

Hey, Guys! It has been so long since I have posted, actually. Guess now would be a good time to get up to date.
Well, this past semester almost killed me. I promise this is true. There is a class I am considering retaking for my benefit and the benefit of my GPA. *Blush* But we won't talk about that.
I have been pretty NOT busy with work and am on the verge of seriously looking for a new job. I always have my eyes and ears open, but this may start taking on some serious energy.
Christmas was wonderful with all of my family home.
My younger brother Ryan just got accepted into Navy Flight school. We are all extremely excited. This is something he has wanted for most of his life. And now here it is!
Ron is going to be interning in Ohio with GE's aeronautical division. Ron will make them and Ryan will fly them.
I am the odd man out. Starting this spring semester I will be doing a survey with my advisor in the Walls of Jericho wildlife reserve. We are going to be studying the reproductive cycle of the telescope shiner. It is a stream minnow. We are going to be taking several trips up there on Saturdays to collect the fish and keep them at the University. Through the season we will be dissecting them to record gonad development. This will be a great experience for my future knowledge and for my resume.
Besides that, I am collecting data on the birds that visit our backyard feeders throughout the winter months to help Cornell University track bird migration. Along with that I am surveying the number of birds with illnesses and abnormalities. The big issue is Mycoplasmal Conjunctivitis. It is affecting finches on a very large scale and they are trying to track the patterns to see if we have an epidemic starting. I have seen three House Finches with it at our feeders. All have been males. I have also recorded a couple of bald birds. This is usually from an extreme form of molting and is temporary. Today I got a picture of an albino Starling. This is considered an unusual bird, not a rare bird. I hope I find a rare bird soon!
Guess that will do. I am posting a picture of the albino Starling.

my recent catastrophies

So, yesterday I was on my way to class. I was coming from the Sprocket and headed down Sparkman past technology drive (where dad works). As I was trying to get into the far right lane I noticed a package or something in the far left turning lane. On second glance I discovered that it was a duck. He was just sitting there in the turning lane. I figured the duck must have been hit since they don't just sit in traffic. Since there was no traffic directly behind me and the turning lane was stopped at a red light, I pulled across and stopped the car across the two far left lanes, put it in park and hopped out to get him. He just sat there watching me. So I walked over, grabbed him and he squirmed out. He was smart enough not to walk into oncoming traffic, but he walked under the back side of the van in front of me. I watched and realized that I could shoo him out and grab him. Taking note that it would be better to get a good hold of him and forget about trying not to hurt him, I lunged and grabbed him by the throat and wing and bear hugged him over to the car. After unsuccessfully trying th back door I just opened the front and threw him in. He and I were both noticably shaken, but I think the lady in the black car behind me enjoyed it tremendously. He sat on the front seat all fallen over and panting while I drove, on my new diverted route, to class. The whole way I was trying to decide where to get a box and how to explain to mom and dad why we had a new pet for a while. I really wanted to keep him- Dad, let's move to the country. So, as I was nearing the school, he started standing up. I had rubbed his neck and back at a stop light and it didn't feel as though he were unsound. He walked about the seat for a while and about the time I got to the building I take the class in, I felt free to rub his head as he had been standing staring at me for a fairly long time. This did not bide well with him and he turned and flew up against the passenger window. Feathers everywhere. I reached over and pushed him down, turned to look into my left hand turn and noticed a blond haired girl laughing at me and my teacher staring blankely. Great. So, I decided if he was so strong and sound enough to flap his wings like that then he could go back to the lake where he came from in the first place. When I finally got him to the lake, I opened the door and expected him to rush out. Instead he sat there. Large amounts of coaxing did not move him, so I eventually had to just scoop him out. He ran for a few paces and then walked in a dignified way on his way to the lake. His only symptoms were a bloody face, so I think he is fine. It might have been worse.
Well, this morning it got worse.
I got in the car after my Microbio class and lab and was alarmed by the atrocious smell that had ousted the usual semi-pleasant airfreshener smell I am used to. Something had fermented. Didn't take very long to place the smell. It was apple cider in my Coast Guard bottle (semper paratus). Three days old. I found out that the top of the bottle leaks when I tried to shake it night a while back. It leaked in the car too. Alot. The day before it had fallen into the container under the armrest up front. I think there is a law that if you have something that is really disgusting, you have to dump it in the hardest to clean spot in the smallest enclosure you will spend extended time in; like a Ford Taurus. So I spent about an hour cleaning out all kinds of nasty things that have been hanging out there for a very long time I think. All were now soaked in fermented apple cider. On top of that, the center seat belt was wrapped in that container and was soaked too. And there is a fake carpet material in the bottom of the container to catch and grow any stuff that you drop down there. Yuck. I really Really REALLY wanted to throw up. I was lucky and found that the container is removeable and spent at least twenty minutes in the bathroom soaking and soaping and scrubbing it and it just refused to come clean. But eventually the water came out kindof clear and I still have a future appointment to further scrub the seat belt, but it is looking better. I sprayed Bruce's two air fresheners to try and aleviate the pain of the smell. One is mountain fresh scent. I used to aspire to mountain climbing. The other is new car smell. It smells like a public restroom. I am serious, too. At least it does to me! SO right now the car is sitting with the windows down. I think it is getting better in there. But I still have to vaccuum out all the feathers.
I'm blaming the duck for all this.