....need to challenge Democrat tighthold on state policy and budget

ALGOP CHAIRMAN MIKE HUBBARD called Republicans to challenge Democrat tighthold on state policy and the budget.......Republican Women of the South, one of the state's oldest Republican Women's clubs, listened as Representative Mike Hubbard, ALGOP Chairman, noted that for the first time in our state's history in 2008 there were more Republican votes cast in the Presidential Preference Primary than Democrat votes and he expects that through efforts by such groups as these Republican women, Alabama will remain a red state this fall. However, he warned that there could be an unprecedented turnout of Democrats in the general election; that despite holding the Governor's office, both State Senators, five out of seven US Congressmen, and numerous other offices around the state, Democrats still have a stronghold on Alabama state policy and the budget. He said this is primarily because of the control of the legislature by the education lobbyists with AEA. He told the group that ALGOP is working hard to crack this choke-hold on the Alabama Legislature by putting into place her Campaign 2010 plan. "Securing Alabama's future is the most comprehensive and ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of the Alabama Republican Party. The purpose of Campaign 2010 is simple -- to elect Republicans to public office. The Alabama Republican Party is determined to secure the resources necessary to recruit quality candidates, establish a strong grassroots program through the state, and deliver the Republican message through coordinated campaigns in strategic races." He encouraged support for the policy adopted by the majority of the State Board of Education againts double-dipping and encouraged opposition to any future efforts to reverse the double dipping ban.

Republican Women of the South isn't waiting until 2010 and is joining the fundraising efforts to elect Republicans. The club is planning a live and silent auction fundraiser for July 19th, 6-9 PM at the Vestavia Civic Center. "All money raised from the event will go to our PAC to be used to support good Republican candidates in local and statewide races this fall." said Cindy Douglas, RWOS Secretary and co-chair for the auction.

40 Days for Life Birmingham, Registration beginning

In Alabama, 5 major cities maintain 7 licensed abortion centers: Birmingham (2), Huntsville, Montgomery (2), Mobile, and Tuscaloosa. Birmingham has 2 licensed abortion centers near UAB, on Southside (at one time, it had 7 abortion centers). 40 Days for LIFE is a grassroots effort of prayer & fasting for 40 days, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with public vigil at abortion sites. You can find out background information at www.40daysforlife.com which is the NATIONAL WEBSITE. The national campaign, which will run from 24 September through 2 November, may include 300 - 500 cities this fall! This fall, there will be a 40 DAYS FOR LIFE campaign in Birmingham. If you live in the general Birmingham Metro area, or know people who do, please forward this website address to them, and encourage them to SIGN UP to be involved -- for the sake of the babies & their moms!! http://www.40daysforlifebirmingham.com/

PMCC Resident's BBQ

Last night we helped host a BBQ for the residents at Physican's Medical Center Carraway. We enjoyed meeting the people who came. They have a diverse group of professionals in training. I talked to some physicians from Morocco, Iran, India, England, South America, Asia as well as quite a few from around the US. It was fun to hear everyone's story. I enjoyed having all my children and their spouses at the party. Here's a photo of me and my 4 sons!

Monument dediated to the allies in MontFoucan, France..

Alabama men visit WWI battlefields where grandfather performed surgery
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
WALTER BRYANT
Birmingham News staff writer
Visiting World War I battlefields where his grandfather was an Army surgeon put stories of combat zone medical care in perspective for a Hoover resident and his son.
Capt. Gilbert Douglas served with the 79th Infantry Division during World War I and later shared his recollections with his grandson, Jefferson County Constable Gilbert Douglas III.
A few months ago, when Constable Douglas' son, John, informed him that one of his history teachers at Virginia Military Institute was leading a tour of European battlefields, he realized it was an opportunity to revisit family history.
Twenty students from VMI saw the trip primarily as a chance to visit some of the sites they had studied in their history class. Constable Douglas accompanied the students.
The younger Douglas, who will report for Marine Officer Candidate School in July, was impressed to find battlefields from both wars still scarred from World War I and World War II.
"You could go for miles and still see shell holes," John Douglas said.
Constable Douglas had heard his grandfather's stories of serving in aid stations several hundred yards to the rear of front lines, practicing medicine as best he could in a combat zone.
"He wasn't actually being shot at, but he used to tell me how enemy shells would blow out candles while he was performing surgery," Gilbert Douglas said.
Apparently the stress of prolonged combat led some soldiers to deliberately wound themselves.
"Granddad said he sometimes had to treat soldiers who had shot off a finger," the constable said.
Upon returning to Birmingham, Capt. Douglas began a private practice. He died at age 97 in 1985.
E-mail: wbryant@bhamnews.com

The wonders of God's design for life.........

Here's an interesting link: .....http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7447942.stm A human egg has been filmed in close-up emerging from the ovary for the first time, captured by chance during a routine operation. Fertile women release one or more eggs every month, but until now, only animal ovulation has been recorded in detail. Gynaecologist Dr Jacques Donnez spotted it in progress during a hysterectomy.....

The Wizard of Oz

Yesterday we were talking to some friends who had just watched The Wizard of Oz with their children and they commented about how "silly" and "cheesy" it was....I asked if they had watched it keeping in mind the political allegory it was portraying and they had not heard of that. Here's the wikipedia link to the political interpretation of The Wizard of Oz in case you're interested. It's a lot more interesting to watch when you consider the hidden meanings :-) of "following the yellow brick road." Here's a copy of part of the article... Historian Hugh Rockoff interprets the story of the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in the Journal of Political Economy: Dorothy: America, with its traditional valuesToto: Prohibitionist party (also called Teetotalers)Scarecrow: western farmersTin Woodsman: industrial workersCowardly Lion: William Jennings BryanMunchkins: Citizens of the EastThe Lollipop Guild: National Labor Union [Note: The Lollipop Guild does not appear in the book (see Chapter 2: The Council with Munchkins), only the 1939 movie by MGM.]Wicked Witch of the East: Grover ClevelandWicked Witch of the West: William McKinleyWizard: Marcus Alonzo HannaOz: abbreviation for ounce of silver or goldYellow Brick Road: Gold Standard, established by William McKinleyCyclone: economic panic following the Dust BowlWinged Monkeys: Plains indiansEmerald City: Washington, D.C.Emerald Palace: The White HouseSilver Slippers: The silver coin system: Free SilverMonkeys: child laborPoppy Field: Rise of the Opium trade ringAt the end of the story, Dorothy finds her way home, but it is not by just following the Yellow Brick Road. After her journey, Dorothy finds that the Wizard is incapable of helping her or her friends. In the end, she finds that the magical powers of her silver slippers help her. Since the silver slippers are the vote, she realizes that she had the power to fix the problems all along.[2] It should be noted, however, that the historian David Parker, in an article referenced in this article, cites evidence that Baum was in fact an 1896 McKinley supporter who opposed "silverism" as undermining business confidence and believed that the answer to America's economic problems lay in the Republican policy of "sound money" and protective tariffs.

discussions on the Efficacy of the Sacraments

copied from Jeff Meyers blog fyi: PCA GA Colloquium on the Efficacy of the Sacraments June 11, 2008 by Jeff Meyers Readers of the BH blog will be interested in reading or listening to the presentations made a few days ago here in Dallas at the Colloquium on the Efficacy of the Sacraments. Will Barker, Rob Rayburn, Ligon Duncan, and Jeff Meyers (me) all made 30-minute presentations. You can find the links to the papers and the audio lectures here. Posted in Baptism, Jeff Meyers, Liturgy, Reformed Tradition, The Lord's Supper No Comments »