Dr. Wingnut

Last Monday, the 24^th, we treked down to Waterloo, IA to see Shalane (My cousin’s step-daughter) run.  She won the race as the defending champion 11½ seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.  The picture was taken after the awards ceremony.

We are rooting for you at the Olympic Trials Shalane!

You are olivedrab: #688E23

Your dominant hues are green and yellow. There’s no doubt about the fact that you think with your head, but you don’t want to be seen as boring and want people to know about your adventurous streak now and again.

Your saturation level is higher than average – You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don’t be afraid to run out and make things happen.

Your outlook on life is slightly darker than most people’s. You try to see things for what they are and face situations honestly. You’d rather get to the point than look for what’s good.

How did the spacefem.com html color quiz she know that green was my color?

The following is an excerpt from an article that ran in todays Minneapolis Star-Tribute.  The article really articulated the feelings that I have had about organized religion since I was about 14 or 15.

Allyson Leonard, 24, of Bloomfield, N.J., decries what she terms “groupthink mentality” and half-jokingly tells people she attended Roman Catholic schools for 14 years to learn she has no faith at all in organized religion.

Her doubts began at age 10 when she was told people who didn’t attend Mass were barred from heaven. She immediately thought of “Pop,” her beloved grandfather.

“You’re telling me that he’s going to hell because he doesn’t go to Mass on Sundays?” she remembers asking.

Leonard, a publicist who works in New York City, came to see religion as “death insurance.” She’s not willing to pay the premiums.

“I don’t worry about it,” she said. “I look at it and say, ‘OK, I know I’m living the best life I can here and now. If nothing happens after I die, fine.

“I just don’t see the point of planning for something I don’t know exists.”

We’ve all heard horror stories about fraud that’s committed us in your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I, the author of this piece who happens to be an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.

But here’s some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know.  As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call.  Keep those where you can find them easily.  File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here’s what is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to do this) Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#.  I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.  The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.  By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2 weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done.

There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves’ purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert.  Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in).  It seems to have stopped them in their tracks.

The numbers are:

• Equifax: +1 (800) 525-6285
• Experian (formerly TRW): +1 (888) 397-3742
• Trans Union: +1 (800) 680-7289
• Social Security Administration (fraudline): +1 (800) 269-0271

We pass along jokes; we pass along just about everything.  Do think about passing this information along.  It could really help someone.

If you want to check out the info:
Peggy Wild, PhD, CFCS, State Specialist
Family and Consumer Sciences Education(FACS)
Indiana Department of Education

A priest, a Pentecostal preacher and a rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette.  They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn’t really that hard.  A real challenge would be to preach to a bear.

One thing led to another, and they decided to do a seven-day experiment.  They would each go into the woods, find a bear, and preach to it.

A week later, they’re all together to discuss the experience.  Father O’Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages, goes first.

"Well," he says, in a fine Irish brogue, "Ey wint oot into th’ woods to find me a bear.  Oond when Ey fund him Ey began to rread to him from the Baltimorre Catechism.  Well, that bear wanted naught to do with’ me and begun to slap me aboot.  So I quick grrabbed me holy water and, THE SAINTS BE PRAISED, he became as gentle as a lamb.  The bishop is cooming oot next wik to give him fierst communion und confierrmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next.  He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts.  In his best fire and brimstone oratory he proclaimed, "WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don’t sprinkle…WE DUNK!  I went out and I FOUND me a bear.  And then I began to read to him from God’s HOOOOLY WORD!  But that bear wanted nothing to do with me.  I SAY NO!  He wanted NOTHING to do with me.  So I took HOOOLD of him and we began to rassle.  We rassled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we come to a crick.  So I quick DUNK him and BAPTIZE his hairy soul.  An’ jus like you sez, he wuz gentle as a lamb.  We spent the rest of the week in fellowship, feasting on God’s HOOOOLY word."

They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying in a hospital bed.  He’s in a body cast and traction, with IV’s and monitors running in and out of him.

The rabbi looks up and says, "Oy!  Preaching to the bear was easy, but he got a bit touchy about the circumcision."

"I support 10,000 users, all of which wake up every morning with their hair on fire."  Larry Leibrock, University of Texas at Austin, on why billing problems make it harder to depend on his SkyTel Pager as his "Umbilical Cord."  ComputerWorld, 6 Dec 1999