Saturday, December 31, 2005

An Endorsement of a Store I Love

I own no stock.  I have no axe to grind. Peggy and I just came from a visit to one of our favorite grocery stores. 
 
We live within 5 miles of Jewel, Dominick's, Sams Club, Trader Joes, Super Wal-Mart, Super Target and Meijers.  All ok stores except for the antichrist factor at Wal-Mart and Sams.
 
The one I really enjoy simply for the adventure factor is ALDI. 
 
When we lived in Germany we didn't shop much at Aldi.  Tengelman, Z Markt, and others.  Then there were a few super stores in Heilbronn.  I liked the small form market the best.  Too many choices drove me nuts.  Besides the Hefefleks were the best.  An oat cereal kind of like cheerios except better.
 
When we came back we started shopping Aldi.  I won't kid you at the beginning it was for the price.  Then I started discovering a little secret you won't learn except by shopping there often.  They will go out into the market and buy super premium product and sell it as a loss leader.  Anything.  Computers, TV's anything.
 
Here are some of my favorite products:  The Coffee.  The German Coffee is excellent,  Nearly anything with the Grandessa private label is excellent.  The frozen individual pizzas are excellent.  I particularly like the roasted vegetable.  Sugar wafers, excellent stuff.  The honey graham crackers are better than anything you can buy at mainstream stores.  And, a recent find.  Blueberry muffin mix.  Kind of semi sweet and very good.
 
It's not that I need the food but I enjoy Aldi.  In season you can buy excellent stolon. 
 
It's just plain a good place that's full of surprises every time.  But you have to look and you have to try.
 
 
 

I don’t believe everything I read or hear

In the last week a barrage of news stories has come out of South Korea about the scientist who cloned gene specific stem cells. At first I was only mildly interested. But then, as the story got more and more involved I became suspicious.

You see, I have watched just too darn many (all of them) X-Files episodes to allow me to buy what we are fed by government or in particular the media.

I think we will now discover there is more here than meets the eye. If he isn’t assassinated by large corporate government conspirators who are trying hard to keep a lid on this breakthrough because it might halt the global plan of oppression…….. Wait, that’s another X-File plot.

But, don’t buy everything you see. This doesn’t pass the smell test. Something’s up.

Friday, December 30, 2005

2006 Prediction Post

I have been accused of having a prophetic bent.  So:

 

These are my predictions for 2006.  At the end of last year and during the year I have made other predictions.  They are linked or listed at the bottom of this post. I don’t know for sure what will or won’t happen but I know that several of these will happen for sure. 

 

So have a great 2006, It looks like it could be a great year.

 

There will be at least 2 earthquakes of significant magnitude 6+ in California.  There will be one more somewhere else in America.  There will be others on the planet but these 3 are in America.

 

The year will be one of extremes in weather.  Record hot, cold, wind, rain, storm, snow and drought.  Just one major hurricane will occur on US soil in 2006.  It will be a cat 3.

 

There will be an outbreak of bird flu that will cause significant death but it will be restricted to the Asian countries.  Even when it arrives on other shores it will be far less virulent than first predicted by many.  Fear will be great.

 

An educational implosion will begin.  The whole system will begin to dissemble.  It will not stop in 2006.

 

The inner cities in America will begin to regentrify.  Cities will begin to see resergence as people move back.  Don’t give up on Detroit.

 

The major media figures who were dishonored and disgraced in 2005 will be multiplied in 2006.  This will continue until media types start to behave.

 

General Motors will face bankruptcy.  While a shock, it’s impact will be minimal on the economy.  Less than Katrina.

 

Employment in America will remain about the same.

Nearly a 25% decrease in housing starts slows the economy a little.

Inflation concerns and tighter credit contribute to the slowing.

 

Oil prices will begin the year at $60 crude. An attempt to manipulate the market some time in 2006 crude will cause crude to breach $100.  This manipulation will fail and the price will fall to $45. 

 

A major scare in the stock market causing a significant retrenchment.  It won’t hold.  The economy will do OK in spite of it all.

 

Judge Alito will be confirmed.  There will be one more vacancy in 2006. 

 

There will be several departures from the Presidents administration.  Rove, Cheney and Rumsfeld. Condelesa Rice will become Vice President when Cheney resigns after the fall elections.

 

The fall elections will be of little consequence.  Very little change in the balance of power.  The Republicans will actually pick up a seat in the Senate.

 

Scandals in government you see are just the beginning.  The ones that will hurt are bipartisan.  This is going to shake some who have been most self righteous and pontificate the most.  They will have to learn to eat bitter words.

 

Watch these things in political events:

Patriot act – Passes but with modifications

Social Security – no change in 2006

Health Care Reform – serious talk begins

Tax Reform – will continue but still not enough

 

The long questioned WMD issue will be settled in the first quarter of 2006.  It will silence the critics.

 

Iraq will settle down.  Leaders will emerge to bring it into better days. 

soldiers in Iraq will be nearly half what they were at their peak by years end.  About 80.000.  But they won’t all come home.  Some will be in Afghanistan, Kwait and a couple other countries. Afghanistan will require new interventions by US troops in 2006.  After the fall election even the critics will have to admit Iraq is a succes.

 

An alliance of Iran and Russia’s Putin will cause great concern as it should.  Putin will distance himself from America.

 

Osama bin Laden will finally be revealed as dead. 

 

There will be an attempt to detonate a dirty bomb in New York City.  It will fail but cause panic.

 

China will undergo a great natural disaster. 

 

In Russia 2 disasters of proportions not yet seen will take place in 2006. 

 

Israel will experience a quiet time of peace.

 

Persecution of those of faith will accelerate. 

 

5 major leaders of the Church will be lost.

 

Pray for our President.

 

Links to last year’s predictions:

 

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_northerngleaner_archive.html

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2005/09/economic-fallout-from-9-11-andor.html

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2005/07/if-you-got-guts-they-got-money.html

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2005/06/short-takes.html

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2005/10/hardhearted-republicans-put-money-over.html

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2005/09/send-money-but-send-it-to-right.html

 

After the Tsunami I said:

People’s response to incredible tragedy of this nature is predictable. Find someone to blame. This will mean the political landscape of the most devastated countries will change. Some not for the better.

 

There will be significant efforts to install a response and warning system for any future such events. It’s like putting lipstick on a pig. It makes you feel better but it doesn’t really change things. In the USA everyone at top levels is convinced that somewhere sometime in a major metro area a nuclear device will be detonated for maximum neutronic pollution. (dirty bomb) Pop quiz. If you live in or near any of these areas what is your civil defense plan for this predicted event? About the same as Siri Lanka’s I’ll wager.

 

Then there will be the money thrown at the effort and no one will have done enough. It’s already begun. Much of that money will be wasted, siphoned off, graft, theft and lost. Good intentioned people will give to good intentioned NGO’s and it will be stolen. If you give, give to organizations that have the fear of God as part of their charter. Theft is less there.

 

People will ponder the if-onlys. It is delusion to live in a world that believes that things will get better if only. If only I had more money, if only I had a better job, if only I were (or weren’t) married, if only, if only, if only. Things on balance never do get better. They only change. All change is perceived as loss. ALL CHANGE!

http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/2004/12/christmas-jesus-tsunami.html

 

 

I have a long version of this set of predictions as was given in a Church on January 1, 2006.  If you would like a copy emailed to you send me a messge with the subject line FULL TEXT 2006 and I will return it promptly.  Send that to generedlin@hotmail.com

 

 

 

Terror Alerts {humor line}

I know that you my worldly readers have already seen this.  But I just did and in the off chance that you might NOT have here it is.  I was amused.





The British are feeling the pinch in relation to recent bombings and have  raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved."  Soon, though,  security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit  Cross." Londoners have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out.  Terrorists have been re-categorized from  "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.

Also, the French government announced yesterday that it has raised its  terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide."  The only two higher levels in  France are "Surrender" and "Collaborate."  The rise was precipitated by a  recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country's military capability.

It's not only the English and French that are on a heightened level of alert.

Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing."  Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."

The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs."  They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbor" and "Lose."

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.


 

Thursday, December 29, 2005

The Invasion of the Website SLOBS

I am sick and tired of poorly designed websites that have too much junk on them, take too long to load, are too cumbersome to navigate and frankly look like some amateur created them.

So, how do you spot them? They have the "look what I can do" factor in them. Lots of fancy smancy flashing things, lots of downloaded junk that does nothing except take time.

I use a dialup ISP. It’s 52.000 bps. If your website takes longer than 30 seconds to load, I’ll never see it. It’s not worth the wait.

The home page of the ISP I use, C-Faith.com takes over a minute and a half to load. I’ll never enjoy all the benefits of it. It used to take 30 seconds.

The other day a friend of mine asked me to look at his website. He had a “Professional” design it. That professional is an slob. He built a bloated website with so much gobbledygook on it they are impossible to see.

When I finally consented to look at it I waited nearly 3 (Three) minutes for this “work of art to load”. And what was it? Basically a brochure which was not made better by all the downloads.

So, if anyone anywhere who is reading this has anything at all to do with web design, do all of us a huge favor. Dial up once, see how long it takes to load with nothing in the cache. If it’s more than 30 seconds it’s TOO DARN BIG!

New Religion

I have been on a Theological tear for a while for some reason. Maybe we should all just join this fellows religion. Sounds like fun till you are arrested for nudity and hitting an officer with a trumpet.



Bizarre incident results in 6 charges

Teacher accused of attacking police
Thursday, December 29, 2005

BY REGGIE SHEFFIELD
Of The Patriot-News

A Central Dauphin School District teacher faces charges of assaulting a Lower Paxton Twp. police officer and possession of illegal drugs after being arrested earlier this month while standing naked in the snow outside of his home, police said.

Curtis Lofton, 23, of Springford Terraces, Lower Paxton Twp., was arrested early in the evening of Dec. 10 after a neighbor called police to report a disturbance, court documents say.

Lower Paxton Twp. police said that when they arrived to investigate the disturbance, they found Lofton standing stark naked in the snow.

Lofton was charged with aggravated assault involving a police officer, resisting arrest, open lewdness, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of the prescription drug oxycodone.

According to court papers, when Lofton was asked if he was okay, he responded, "No, I am ... crazy, and I need a menthol cigarette."

When asked where he lived and why he was naked, Lofton is alleged to have said that he was "Jesus Christ" and that the officer must be "God," court papers say.

A scuffle broke out between the two men during which Lofton is alleged to have hit the officer over the head with a long plastic toy trumpet which he scooped up from nearby.

The officer used his pepper spray on Lofton, at first to no avail. Then a cursing Lofton advised the officer that "'Jesus' is now blind," court papers say.

Central Dauphin School District spokeswoman Shannon Spencer said that the school would have no comment on Lofton, a second-year French teacher, and his troubles with the law.

"No comment. That's something we won't be releasing," Spencer said.

Lofton's attorney, Terrence J. McGowan, said that the school district had scheduled a meeting to discuss Lofton's future. Lofton taught in Central Dauphin High School.

"Basically, he had some mental health issues that hopefully are in remission. I don't think it affects his ability to be a French teacher and it wasn't school-related, so we're hoping we can get him back to work," McGowan said.

McGowan said that his defense of his client was somewhat complicated in that his client did not recall any of the events of Dec. 10.

McGowan said that Lofton's performance reviews have been "excellent" and that he had an "impeccable" record as a teacher.

"At this point, I don't know what the school's intentions are," he said.

Lofton is currently undergoing a psychiatric examination and has been released on $10,000 unsecured bail.

rsheffield@patriot-news.com

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Why in the world would they do this?

A major trend in media is the decline of Broadcast media. Cable is kicking butt. 

So, some dimbulb decides, yeah, this would be a great idea.  Let's feature homosexual republicans.  That'll be our salvation.

NBC, you guys are the absolute pits.

 

Read this:

NBC is promoting the network’s mid-season replacement series “The Book of Daniel” with language that implies it is a serious drama about Christian people and Christian faith. The main character is Daniel Webster, a drug-addicted Episcopal priest whose wife depends heavily on her mid-day martinis.

Webster regularly sees and talks with a very unconventional white-robed, bearded Jesus. The Webster family is rounded out by a 23-year-old homosexual Republican son, a 16-year-old daughter who is a drug dealer, and a 16-year-old adopted son who is having sex with the bishop’s daughter.

At the office, his lesbian secretary is sleeping with his sister-in-law.

Network hype – and the mainstream media – call it “edgy,” “challenging” and “courageous.” The hour-long limited drama series will debut January 6 with back-to-back episodes and will air on Friday nights. The writer for the series is a practicing homosexual.

The homosexual son will be network prime-time’s only regular male homosexual character in a drama series.

Those at NBC responsible for this program consider it a good, religiously oriented show typical of Christian families. Like your's right?  Bull Poop@!*#Q(&_)__)&Q

Let NBC Chairman Bob Wright know what you think.

 

Monday, December 26, 2005

Evangelists of Unbelief and the Fear and Loathing of Faith

20 days ago I listened to an hour with an apostate theologian by the name of Dr. Bart Ehrman. 10 days ago I heard an interview on Radio with some of the Jesus Seminar people who are from Loyola and other educational institutions. Often Martin Marty and Robert Funk and their disciples are on the radio spouting their version of the Godless Gospel. These are people who have reasoned their way out of faith in God.


They do their level best in these interviews to cast doubt and unbelief in the hearts of weak badly taught believers and of those who do not yet believe. It’s straightforward anti-Christ evangelism. Dr. Ehrman admits he is an agnostic (happily he says). He attended 2 conservative Christian institutions in Chicagoland, Moody Bible institute for 3 years and Wheaton College for 3 years. Somewhere the whole thing just triggered one day and he fell off the track.


He is now the head of the Religion department at North Carolina State. It appears that hiring people who oppose the Gospel is policy at secular educational institutions. Now Scientific American has a full page ad promoting his anti Christian teachings.


This was the case also of Paul Meilke who used to be the head of the Religion Department at Kansas University. I say used to because he became discredited and was forced to resign after taking an aggressive stand against creation teaching and filing a questionable police report about abuse.


Living in Chicagoland we have a wide breadth of religious expression. Black Churches, Hindu, Bahia, Moslem, of course Catholic, Jewish, and out in the country a few miles from me is a Buddhist Temple. So I am familiar with all expressions. We also have many of the largest Churches in America in Chicagoland. On the other hand, statistically Chicagoland is one of the least Christian cities in America. How is this possible? Read on.

The whole issue is, how do some agnostic theologians make decisions of faith and truth without the light of the Holy Spirit residing in them. The answer is, they are blind and deceived. This isn’t a surprise: "... if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
"For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God...." 2 Corinthians 4:3-6


The agenda these men try to avoid is the one that calls them to account about who they are. They sucker in intelligent men and women who like to see themselves as open minded. What they don't realize is they become victims of doctrines of demons. These attempts to discredit the Bible are a great deal like the recent court case around the Intelligent Design debate.


If one expresses a doubt about the religion of evolution the atheistic inquisitors come out of their caves and either become discounters of the questioner thru ridicule or try to pass laws or lawsuits to stop the questioning. This is pure and simple persecution of those who do not follow the prescribed dogma of faithless evolution. Secularists are so frightened of any expression of faith in schools that even the simple statement that was “"Some people do not agree with the theory of evolution" ” was to be feared and struck from all textbooks. Isn’t that sad?


There are two unintended consequences of the atheist inquisition Court in Pennsylvania and it's outcome.


First it is causing people to question what all the fuss is about. The unintended consequence is a perpetuation of the debate. An intensification of the debate will heat up as people look into the whole conflict and realize what side they are on. It’s not on the side of the atheistic elite.




The other unintended consequence is increasingly overt animosity by people of faith against public education. People of faith now see public education as and agenda of schools and educators to rob precious children of their faith in God.


Home schooling has expanded widely, now the result of this onslaught will be organized efforts to aggressively take back control of schools and their boards nationwide or abolish them altogether in favor of private schools.


It’s bad enough that good people are deluded into believing what apostate theologians have decided. It’s worse when it’s foisted on our children.


I for one will be happy when Public Education is either dissolved or reformed so that the godless agendas now taught are replaced with free exploration of thought.


I’m not against teaching evolution as I am not against teaching quantum physics. If we say, we don’t know, here is what some think, here is what others think.


To teach as if the atheist dogma is the only acceptable dogma reeks of how the Catholic Church came against Galileo or Copernicus when they began to ask questions.


The world is too quick to embrace empty theological theories or empty evolutionary theories without the capacity to ask, “"What if they aren’t right”." We still teach people to question authority don’t we? Or maybe that’s what these acedemics are most guilty of: Fear and Loathing of Faith.