Thoughts, Theories and Ponderables
Moderator: Priests of Syrinx
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Big Blue Owl
- Posts: 7457
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:31 am
- Location: Somewhere between the darkness and the light
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Walkinghairball
- Posts: 25037
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:42 pm
- Location: In a rock an roll venue near you....as long as you are in the Pacific Northwest.
Frohe Weihnachten, Merry Christmas to All
~ A Baby's Hug ~
We were the only family with children in the restaurant.
I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and
talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat
baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his
mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment.
It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes
poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and
unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so
varicose it looked like a road map.
We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he
smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi
there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.
My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?'
Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us
and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful
baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya
patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'
Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was
obviously drunk.
My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in
silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the
admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.
We finally got through the meal and headed for the
door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking
lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of
here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I
turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing.
As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's
'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from
my arms to the man.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby
consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and
submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes
closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime,
pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two
beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.
I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled
Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a
firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'
Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that
contained a stone.
He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and
longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God
bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'
I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With
Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying
and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive
me.'
I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the
innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw
a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was
blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing
to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity.
The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me,
'To enter the Kingdom
of God , we must become
as little children.'
~ A Baby's Hug ~
We were the only family with children in the restaurant.
I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and
talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat
baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his
mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment.
It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes
poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and
unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so
varicose it looked like a road map.
We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he
smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi
there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.
My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?'
Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us
and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful
baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya
patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'
Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was
obviously drunk.
My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in
silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the
admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.
We finally got through the meal and headed for the
door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking
lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of
here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I
turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing.
As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's
'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from
my arms to the man.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby
consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and
submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes
closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime,
pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two
beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.
I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled
Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a
firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'
Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that
contained a stone.
He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and
longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God
bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'
I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With
Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying
and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive
me.'
I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the
innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw
a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was
blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing
to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity.
The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me,
'To enter the Kingdom
of God , we must become
as little children.'
Onward and Upward!
-
Big Blue Owl
- Posts: 7457
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:31 am
- Location: Somewhere between the darkness and the light
IRS Warns of Rebate Scams
Wednesday January 30, 4:10 pm ET
By Jim Abrams, Associated Press Writer
IRS Warns of Rebate Scams to Steal Personal Information
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Even before Congress passes an economic
stimulus package, identity thieves are using promises of tax
rebates to trick people into revealing financial and personal data,
the Internal Revenue Service warned Wednesday.
Under one scheme, the IRS said, people are receiving phone calls
telling them they can only receive a rebate if they provide bank
account information for a direct deposit.
The tax agency stressed that it does not collect information by
telephone, and that no legislation has been enacted that would
allow it to provide advance payments to taxpayers or that specifies
the details of those payments.
The House, last week, as part of an economic stimulus package,
approved tax rebates of $600 and $1,200 respectively for most
individuals and couples, with another $300 per child. The Senate
is now considering a slightly different version.
The IRS also repeated past warnings of e-mails, supposedly coming
from the agency, where people are asked to enter personal
information on a form needed to obtain a tax refund.
A new scam, it said, involves an e-mail notification that a person's
tax return will be audited with instructions to click on links to
complete forms with personal and account information.
Businesses and accountants are also getting e-mails with instructions
to download information on tax law changes. Clicking on these links
could download "malware" onto the recipient's computer that gives
the scammer remote access to the computer hard drive.
In another telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee
who says the taxpayer has not cashed a refund check and asks the
person to verify his or her bank account number.
On Tuesday, at a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing
for Douglas Shulman, the nominee to be IRS commissioner,
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., expressed concern that taxpayers
would be victimized by tax preparers and lenders who charge high
interest rates for short-term advances on their stimulus rebates.
The IRS advised people not to click on any link from an e-mail
purporting to come from the tax agency.
People receiving questionable e-mails can contact the IRS
through phishing@irs.gov
Wednesday January 30, 4:10 pm ET
By Jim Abrams, Associated Press Writer
IRS Warns of Rebate Scams to Steal Personal Information
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Even before Congress passes an economic
stimulus package, identity thieves are using promises of tax
rebates to trick people into revealing financial and personal data,
the Internal Revenue Service warned Wednesday.
Under one scheme, the IRS said, people are receiving phone calls
telling them they can only receive a rebate if they provide bank
account information for a direct deposit.
The tax agency stressed that it does not collect information by
telephone, and that no legislation has been enacted that would
allow it to provide advance payments to taxpayers or that specifies
the details of those payments.
The House, last week, as part of an economic stimulus package,
approved tax rebates of $600 and $1,200 respectively for most
individuals and couples, with another $300 per child. The Senate
is now considering a slightly different version.
The IRS also repeated past warnings of e-mails, supposedly coming
from the agency, where people are asked to enter personal
information on a form needed to obtain a tax refund.
A new scam, it said, involves an e-mail notification that a person's
tax return will be audited with instructions to click on links to
complete forms with personal and account information.
Businesses and accountants are also getting e-mails with instructions
to download information on tax law changes. Clicking on these links
could download "malware" onto the recipient's computer that gives
the scammer remote access to the computer hard drive.
In another telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee
who says the taxpayer has not cashed a refund check and asks the
person to verify his or her bank account number.
On Tuesday, at a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing
for Douglas Shulman, the nominee to be IRS commissioner,
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., expressed concern that taxpayers
would be victimized by tax preparers and lenders who charge high
interest rates for short-term advances on their stimulus rebates.
The IRS advised people not to click on any link from an e-mail
purporting to come from the tax agency.
People receiving questionable e-mails can contact the IRS
through phishing@irs.gov
Don't start none...won't be none.
For all my beloved whities out there:
Someone finally said it.
How many are actually paying attention to this?
There are African Americans,
Mexican Americans,
Asian Americans,
Arab Americans,
Native Americans, etc.
...And then there are just -
Americans.
You pass me on the street
and sneer in my direction.
You Call me "White boy,"
"Cracker," "Honkey,"
"Whitey," "Caveman,"
... And that's OK.
But when I call you Nigger,
Kike, Towel head,
Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey,
Beaner, Gook, or Chink
... You call me a racist.
You say that whites commit a lot
of violence against you,
so why are the ghettos the most
dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund.
You have Martin Luther King Day.
You have Black History Month.
You have Cesar Chavez Day.
You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi.
You have the NAACP.
And you have BET.
If we had WET
(White Entertainment Television)
... We'd be racists.
If we had a White Pride Day
... You would call us racists.
If we had White History Month
... We'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites
to "advance" OUR lives
... We'd be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
a Black Chamber of Commerce,
and then we just have the plain
Chamber of Commerce.
Wonder who pays for that?
If we had a college fund that only gave
white students scholarships
... You know we'd be racists.
There are over 60 openly-proclaimed
Black-only Colleges in the US ,
yet if there were "White-only Colleges"
... THAT would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March,
you believed that you were
marching for your race and rights.
If we marched for our race and rights,
... You would call us racists.
You are proud to be black,
brown, yellow and orange,
and you're not afraid to announce it.
But when we announce our white pride
... You call us racists.
You rob us,
carjack us,
and shoot at us.
But, when a white police officer
shoots a black gang member
or beats up a black drug-dealer
who is running from the LAW and
posing a threat to ALL of society
... You call him a racist.
I am proud.
... But, you call me a racist.
Why is it that only
whites
can be racists?
Someone finally said it.
How many are actually paying attention to this?
There are African Americans,
Mexican Americans,
Asian Americans,
Arab Americans,
Native Americans, etc.
...And then there are just -
Americans.
You pass me on the street
and sneer in my direction.
You Call me "White boy,"
"Cracker," "Honkey,"
"Whitey," "Caveman,"
... And that's OK.
But when I call you Nigger,
Kike, Towel head,
Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey,
Beaner, Gook, or Chink
... You call me a racist.
You say that whites commit a lot
of violence against you,
so why are the ghettos the most
dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund.
You have Martin Luther King Day.
You have Black History Month.
You have Cesar Chavez Day.
You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi.
You have the NAACP.
And you have BET.
If we had WET
(White Entertainment Television)
... We'd be racists.
If we had a White Pride Day
... You would call us racists.
If we had White History Month
... We'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites
to "advance" OUR lives
... We'd be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
a Black Chamber of Commerce,
and then we just have the plain
Chamber of Commerce.
Wonder who pays for that?
If we had a college fund that only gave
white students scholarships
... You know we'd be racists.
There are over 60 openly-proclaimed
Black-only Colleges in the US ,
yet if there were "White-only Colleges"
... THAT would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March,
you believed that you were
marching for your race and rights.
If we marched for our race and rights,
... You would call us racists.
You are proud to be black,
brown, yellow and orange,
and you're not afraid to announce it.
But when we announce our white pride
... You call us racists.
You rob us,
carjack us,
and shoot at us.
But, when a white police officer
shoots a black gang member
or beats up a black drug-dealer
who is running from the LAW and
posing a threat to ALL of society
... You call him a racist.
I am proud.
... But, you call me a racist.
Why is it that only
whites
can be racists?
Onward and Upward!
-
Big Blue Owl
- Posts: 7457
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:31 am
- Location: Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Doing a bit of research on this, it looks like the whites are still the largest group in the US (74%), although "white" includes hispanics/latinos. The hispanic part is only 8%, though, so whites who aren't hispanic or latino are still 66% of our nation.
Check out this cool chart that I found at Wikipedia:
Check out this cool chart that I found at Wikipedia:
Onward and Upward!