T'was the month before Christmas

They say what happens in America happens here eventually.........oh hang on! It seems in many areas it already has!

T'was the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd!*
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
*At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
*Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me..*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and wish everyone you meet

***HAPPY CHRISTMAS***


Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! !

Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning - Ben Stein
I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! !

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you read this message, you will not tell many of your friends about it because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for drawing attention to it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Tell others about it if you think it has merit.

If not, then just disregard it... no one will know you did. But, if you disregard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

My thanks to my cousin Elfrieda in Florida for drawing my attention to this statement with much of which I fully concur!

Love & Sorrow with the Sparrows

I know this is anthropomorphic but nonetheless I liked it and hope you do as well

Here a female mate is injured and the condition is soon fatal.She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.



Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.


He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead.




He tried to move her ... a rarely-seen effort for swallows! Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again, He cries with adoring love.



He stood beside her, saddened by her death.



Finally aware she would never return to him, he stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.




Millions of people cried after seeing these photos in America, Europe, Australia, and even India. The photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to the most famous newspaper in France. All copies of that edition were sold out on the day these pictures were published.

And many people think animals don't have brains or feelings? You have just witnessed Love and Sorrow felt by God's creatures. The Bible says God knows when a sparrow falls & how much more He cares for us. Matthew 10:29 & 6:26

We WILL remember them!

The average British soldier is 19 years old…..he is a short haired, well built lad who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears and just old enough to buy a round of drinks but old enough to die for his country – and for you and for me. He’s not particularly keen on hard work but he’d rather be grafting in Afghanistan than unemployed in the UK . He recently left comprehensive school where he was probably an average student, played some form of sport, drove a ten year old rust bucket, and knew a girl that either broke up with him when he left, or swore to be waiting when he returns home. He moves easily to rock and roll or hip-hop or to the rattle of a 7.62mm machine gun.

He is about a stone lighter than when he left home because he is working or fighting from dawn to dusk and well beyond. He has trouble spelling, so letter writing is a pain for him, but he can strip a rifle in 25 seconds and reassemble it in the dark. He can recite every detail of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either effectively if he has to. He digs trenches and latrines without the aid of machines and can apply first aid like a professional paramedic. He can march until he is told to stop, or stay dead still until he is told to move.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation but he is not without a rebellious spirit or a sense of personal dignity. He is confidently self-sufficient. He has two sets of uniform with him: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his water bottle full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never forgets to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes and fix his own hurts. If you are thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food is your food. He'll even share his life-saving ammunition with you in the heat of a firefight if you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and regards his weapon as an extension of his own hands. He can save your life or he can take it, because that is his job - it's what a soldier does. He often works twice as long and hard as a civilian, draw half the pay and have nowhere to spend it, and can still find black ironic humour in it all. There's an old saying in the British Army: 'If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have joined!'



He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and he is unashamed to show it or admit it. He feels every bugle note of the 'Last Post' or 'Sunset' vibrate through his body while standing rigidly to attention. He's not afraid to 'Bollock' anyone who shows disrespect when the Regimental Colours are on display or the National Anthem is played; yet in an odd twist, he would defend anyone's right to be an individual. Just as with generations of young people before him, he is paying the price for our freedom. Clean shaven and baby faced he may be, but be prepared to defend yourself if you treat him like a kid.

He is the latest in a long thin line of British Fighting Men that have kept this country free for hundreds of years. He asks for nothing from us except our respect, friendship and understanding. We may not like what he does, but sometimes he doesn't like it either - he just has it to do.. Remember him always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

And now we even have brave young women putting themselves in harm's way, doing their part in this tradition of going to war when our nation's politicians call on us to do so.

Police Officers march for Royal Marines' charity

British Royal Marines turned cops are digging out their marching boots for charity.

More than 80 officers from around the UK are joining forces under the banner of Commando Cops to perform a half-marathon speed-march.

Nearly a third of the ex Royal Marines taking part are officers from my former force namely the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary.

The Royal Marine Association hopes to raise enough funds to send 62 Royal Marines, all of whom have suffered life-changing injuries, to the 2010 Winter Paralympics and the 2012 London Paralympics.

Originally setting a target of £40,000, the Commando Cops have already raised £60,000 with a significant proportion of the sum raised by two local officers from Devon. Detective Chief Inspector Ken Lamont and Detective Constable Peter Boorn have already raised over £6,000 between them.

Det. Chief Inspector Lamont said; "Support has been fantastic. The generosity of colleagues and local people from Devon has made us proud."

The speed-march will take place in Central London on Saturday, November 7th, the day before Remembrance Sunday.

If you would like to donate please visit; www.bmycharity.com/commandocops
and sponsor any officer's name you may choose from the list provided.

Police win data deletion appeal

My thanks to my former colleague Andy Pierce for drawing my attention to this news report and I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with his sentiments as follows; A sensible decision by the Court of Appeal which must leave some like me, who constantly and consistenly argued the toss with the Data Protection / Freedom of Information lobby, feeling quite smug.

The rules state information must be relevant, up to date and not excessive
Five police forces which challenged a ruling that they should delete records on criminal convictions from their database have won their appeal.

The court of appeal said convictions, however old and however minor, can be of value in the fight against crime.

The court said that as a result the retention of that information should not be denied to the police.

The forces said if they had lost, they may have been forced to delete details of as many as one million people.

The police added if the original ruling had been upheld, the result would have been a "liars' charter" - where people would be able to deny criminal convictions on job applications if they knew the deletion deadline had passed.

'However old or minor'

Three judges ruled that retaining information was far easier to justify than actually disclosing the information to others.

"If the police say rationally and reasonably that convictions, however old or minor, have a value in the work that they do, that should, in effect, be the end of the matter," said Lord Justice Waller, sitting with Lord Justices Carnwath and Hughes.

The appeal was made by the chief constables of the Humberside, Staffordshire, Northumbria, West Midlands and Greater Manchester forces.


"This data assists police officers in their work in preventing crime and protecting the public" Quote from ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers.

The five convicted people who had contested the case were refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) welcomed the ruling, adding that "the ramifications of losing the appeal were potentially huge".

Ian Readhead, Acpo director of information, told the BBC: "This data assists police officers in their work in preventing crime and protecting the public and the loss of such valuable information would have been detrimental to that.

"Although principally used for police purposes, these records are also critical to the courts, the Criminal Records Bureau, the Independent Safeguarding Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Home Office, who all supported this appeal."

But Anna Fairclough, a lawyer for the civil rights group Liberty, said the judgement "forgets the privacy rights of millions of people".

She said: "Exceptions to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and the net of employment vetting are being cast so wide that people will be forever haunted by the minor indiscretions of their youth.

"We need a tighter rein on the circumstances when spent convictions can be disclosed."

Held for 100 years

The original ruling came about after five people complained to the information commissioner because their criminal records showed up when they applied for jobs.

One of the cases was a record held by Humberside Police about the theft of a 99p packet of meat in 1984. The person involved, who was under 18 at the time, was fined £15.

Another, held by West Midlands Police, referred to a theft which took place more than 25 years ago, for which the individual was fined £25.

And a third, held by Staffordshire Police, related to someone under 14 who was cautioned for a minor assault.

Under current policy, criminal records remain on the police national computer for up to 100 years.

Information courtesy of http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8314032.stm

Lloyd Gardner - A remarkable young man from Devon

A good Samaritan given a £10,000 reward for helping catch a brutal rapist has handed all the money to the stunned victim.

Big-hearted Lloyd Gardner, 22, said the woman had far more need of the cash as she was left crippled by the savage attack.

The 48-year-old, who can not be named, was left for dead, unconscious and naked, in the centre of Exeter, Devon, and still uses a wheelchair over three years later.

Lloyd, a restaurant manager, gave cops vital information which helped them track down sex beast Jakub Tomczak to Poland.

The 24-year-old fugitive monster was arrested and brought back to the UK and given two life sentences in January 2008.

Lloyd responded to a TV appeal over the attack when he recognised two Polish girls spotted on CCTV with Tomczak.

He had worked with them before they returned to Poland but he told detectives where they came from and they led officers to the rapist in Poznan.

Modest Lloyd told police he wanted the victim to have all the money and said: "I didn't feel like I'd earned it.

"The fact that such a horrific thing happened to that lady, I thought it would benefit her life more than it would mine.

"I just wanted to try and improve her standard of life.

"It's a huge amount of money but I've been lucky throughout my life - she nearly died and was left in a horrendous state after the attack.

"I thought the money would go a lot further to improve her situation. I just wanted to help in any way possible and I hope this has done that."

Lloyd, of Ottery St. Mary, Devon, added: "I thought what I told police was quite minor at the time but they told me it was what they needed and had been a vital part of the case."

Lloyd has now been chosen by police in Ottery St. Mary to officially open their new station next week.

Local Sergeant Nick Harper said: "Lloyd's act of kindness was unbelievable. He is an outstanding member of the community."

Tomczak was working as a hotel night porter when he struck and left his badly injured victim under a van.

He was brought back to the UK under a European arrest warrant and convicted on DNA evidence which matched his semen with samples found at the scene.

He told the court: "I do not know the truth of what happened to her."

He was given two life sentences for rape and grievous bodily harm, to run concurrently, and was sent back to Poland to serve them.

Story courtesy of www.policeoracle.com