Time Magazine proclaimed him as one of our nations greatest scientist and his book Consilience brought religion and science together. He famously discovered the fire ant came to the United States through Mobile Alabama and he is a champion of diversity of species around the world. Now the Harvard scientiest and proclaimed author has turned to fiction. A reading will be held at Blakeley State Park April 15 at 5:30pm. For tickets contact Page and Pallette in Fairhope.

For immediate release – 2/16/2010

A Forum on the School Sales Tax

Citizens for Responsible Government is hosting an open forum for everyone who wants to hear what others have to say or who has something they want to say about the upcoming school “penny” sales tax tax referendum. The forum will be held the evening of February 23rd from 6:30-8:00 PM in the Fairhope City Council chambers. The forum is open to everyone who wishes to speak for a few minutes on the referendum. It will not be a debate or a question and answer session, but a lineup of people who have something to say. Issues not specific to the tax referendum will not be part of the forum. Steve Thomas will moderate the forum, giving all speakers the same opportunity to speak. Representatives of the Baldwin County Commission and Board of Education are being invited along with each of the Fairhope school principals and a representative of the one opposition group that has formed. Come to the forum and make it an enlightening and respectful session for all.

Gary Gover

President, Citizens for Responsible Government

300 Lincoln St.

Fairhope, AL 36532

(251) 990-8662

This boat runs through grass like an airboat and rides in just a few inches of water. Rare green 1998 with 60 yamaha. email southland gulf @ bellsouth.net

14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.

14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Show us the Father?

14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

14:11 Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it].

14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

14:17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

PRAYING FOR HAITI 

     It was very uplifting to read the article “Praying for Haiti ” and to hear how so many people bowed their heads in prayer to our one true God to ask for mercy to the Haitians.  I would like to say that as a Christian founded nation everyone should bow their heads in prayer for the Haitians.  I feel so sad and heart broken for the little babies and children who were in the orphanages when the earthquake occurred.  Those children are trying to get to some place where they can have food and shelter.   I want to ask everyone to deeply consider donating money to those poor children, if you have not already and to just continue praying for them.  God will answer our prayers if we all pray and if we all mean what we pray.  God will provide food, water, and shelter for them and will eventually get their country fully restored, but we must do our part to help.  In Galatians 2:10 it says “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”  If you do not feel God calling you to give to the Haitians at least remember them in your prayers as He said to.  

        AMERICANS SHOULD FEEL PROUD AND OBLIGATED TO HELP HAITI:

“…To whom much is given, from him much will be required…”  Luke 12:48.

On Sunday, January 24, 2010 , Press-Register published an article submitted by a reader in the “Your Word” column of the “Insight” section.  This article, written by Meagan Maples-Perry, and titled “Where are Third World countries in our disasters?” stated how Americans are “idiots” for providing help and financial aid to grief-stricken Haiti .  Maples-Perry also commented that Americans are “expected to run to the aid of Third World countries that have never even attempted to lift a finger for the aid of Americans.”

Luke 12:48 is a fitting verse for Americans.  God has richly blessed the United States of America since its beginning so he expects us to show our appreciation in helping others.  In her article, Maples-Perry notes how “The United States was once perceived (and still is to this day) as the largest and most powerful country in the world.  I’m sure that most Americans would agree that in this day and age we are not the most powerful.  We are in a modern-day depression.”  Although it may be true that the American economy is not as high as it should be, that is no reason why we should not lend a hand to help the hurting people of Haiti .  We should not perform acts of kindness based on what that person has or has not done for us.  We should help and bless others because God has so richly blessed us.

Although we might not feel like we live in the most powerful country in the world, our country is truly one of the finest.  God has blessed this country above and beyond what it deserves and we are obligated to share our numerous blessings with the less fortunate.  We Americans have freedoms and rights that many other countries will never see.  We have possessions and wealth that citizens in other countries would love to own.  America is exceedingly privileged and should aid in the relief effort for Haiti . 

Maples-Perry’s most harsh statements in her article are as follows, “I for one will not give a dime of my money to aid any foreign country…I also will not give a minute of my time to aid in relief work for a foreign country.”  Surprisingly, her remarks mirror the opinions of several Americans who have taken everything they have for granted.  I wonder, though, if she would not think differently if she were a Haitian looking up at The United States of America.

Maples-Perry ends her article with a question, “Do you see anyone from Third World countries here in America offering their backs or sweat to aid in your relief?”  I answer her question with one of my own; does it really matter?  

WHERE ARE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IN OUR DISASTERS?

 I write this editorial in respect to the editor’s opinion. As such, I’m referring to the column, in the Opinion section of Press-Register dated Sunday, January 24, 2010, titled ‘Where are Third World countries in our disasters?’ My first point is that I understand and in some ways agree with this statement. Secondly, I disagree with your view of not helping others in a time of need when they don’t help us. Lastly, I’d like to express my full opinion.   Your views that are displayed in this column are strong and understandable. I believe that it would be nice to have more outside help when we, as Americans, are in a time of crisis. Plus, with that extra aid, we would be able to stand back up as a nation. Yet, on the subject I’d like to state that while help would be nice, this nation has a strong foundation and we should be able to take the punch and get back up from it.

     As I may agree with some thoughts of yours, I also highly disagree with other ideas. Such as not sending help to other countries because they don’t help us. I believe, as I stated before, that this country has a strong foundation, and we should be able to assist and insist to assist. Why let other countries die and wither away just because of our ignorance. I want to stand with this country and say we helped with their needs.

     With everything stated above, I want to bring this to a conclusion. My opinion is we could use the help in our time of disaster and need. Except, we are a strong home, we are not in need of major help. While saying we are strong we can and should also be able to help other needy neighbors. Because they don’t help us doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help them. I don’t want to live with the guilt that people died because they didn’t receive any help, and we watched from the sidelines. This country was founded by Godly men, they believed in God and his teachings, and God said “Do unto others as you’d have them do to you.”

     Once again I respect your opinion and take it as knowledge for myself. While you stated that everybody has freedom of speech, I agree. I’m thankful for that, so that I may be thankful for your opinion and mine. I pray that you will be blessed in your writings to come.

                          TEXTS TO GO

With the increased popularity of text-messaging over the past few years, many citizens of Alabama often find it difficult to put the cell phone away. Some even go to the extreme of performing this incredibly distracting task while operating a motor vehicle. Although it may seem like a rather harmless activity, “texting while driving” actually stands as the culprit of many roadway catastrophes. In an attempt to counteract this daunting problem, the Alabama House of Representatives has recently voted to forbid Alabama drivers from sending text messages while controlling an automobile. If this bill does eventually become a law, Alabama will have been the twentieth state in the nation to ban text-messaging while driving.

Recent statistics clearly show the overwhelming dangers of handling a cell phone while behind the wheel. According to a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), for every six seconds of time on the road, a driver sending or receiving a text message spends 4.6 of those seconds looking at his phone. Because of this chilling fact, texting while operating a vehicle is six times more likely to result in a crash than driving while intoxicated. It comes as no surprise then that performing certain activities with a cell-phone (such as texting) while driving causes nearly 25% of all motor vehicle accidents.

As the bill on this important issue leaves the Alabama House, it enters the Senate for debate. In light of the new mind-blowing studies, however, each Senate member should view “texting while driving” as a threat to everyone on the road.

                               MOONPIE MADNESS
    We all know the beautiful, glistening crystal ball in New York City that drops at mid-night New Years Eve, well bow the redneck councilmen of Mobile are allowing 9,000 dollars to be wasted on raising a twelve foot, giant Moon Pie into the sky, each New Year’s Eve from now on. In an interview, Fred Richardson, the creator of the 600 pound Moon Pie state, “I don’t know nothing for one day that can match what’s happening here.” Maybe Richardson should spend that “one day” learning some proper grammar skills. Instead, he is taking the taxpayer’s hard earned money and raising a giant moon pie 200 feet in the air!

                           QUESTIONABLE COMMENT

I am responding to the article about Mobile restaurants banning smoking. It is very encouraging to see that people are changing the rules about smoking in public places. I cannot remember how many times my family and I have gone to a restaurant with the intention of enjoying ourselves, only to have our mealtime cut short because the asthmatic members of my family could not stand the smoke coming from the smoking section.

Smoking in public places is not only irritating; it is unhealthy for non-smokers because they inhale second hand smoke. It also could tempt the people who are trying to quit smoking to light up. I think it is great that smoking in Mobile restaurants might soon be banned. It will attract more non-smoking people, and cause the people with asthma to breathe a little easier while eating out.

The City Council will be doing a good thing if they ban smoking in all public places. It will be better for our health, and may help some people to quit smoking if they see that they cannot to do it everywhere. I hope the City Council will realize very soon that the majority of the people in Mobile do want a citywide smoking ban; and that it will help better our society in the future.

SENIOR BOWL WEIGH INS

Senior Bowl weigh-ins; most likely the least favorite part of the whole experience of

being drafted by the NFL. Senior bowl players are put into categories: quarterbacks,

receivers, linemen, linebackers, running backs, special teams…etc; and then these

players are individually viewed by hundreds of NFL personnel, scouts, coaches, and

media. Almost naked these talented individuals are viewed only in spandex shorts;

some with muscular bulky bodies and some flabby. In Tuesday’s paper the Mobile

Press Register, in the sports section Jared Macarin stated: “these players had their

heights and weights measured and walked across a stage and down an aisle in the

middle of the room.” Macarin titled his article, “A Part of the Process”, and this is

 how many soon to be NFL players feel about the weigh in. The NFL personnel not

only took note of the weights and heights but they also made comments about the

individual. The famous Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow was able to get a good

comment on his record; “bulky, but walks on water”. Some were not so fortunate to

get such good comments, Alabama’s defensive lineman Terrance Cody caused quite

a few heads to turn by his tipping of the scales at 370 lbs. The comment made for

him was “think Andrea Smith running the 40”. A few other comments about other

players ranged from “built like a fire-hydrant”, “flabby and doesn’t carry well”, to

“built like a Greek god”. Texas defensive tackle Lamar Houston says, “Its like a

fashion show for men, I guess you could say. It’s just different.” Knowing that this is

part of the NFL drafting process and that the players just have to do it. Ben Tate,

Auburns running back said, “I thought it was going to be worse, but it wasn’t too

bad. It’s a little different, but its part of the process, so you’ve got to do it.” All

players would probably agree that it is just part of the process and that there is no

feeling like that of when you know that the NFL is critiquing your body in every way

possible.

                   GAYS IN THE MILITARY

    In President Obama’s speech “the state of the union address” on january 27, 2010, he claims he plans on letting gays into the military. I think that letting gays into the military a fairly bad idea. When you think about what could go wrong in the military as personal issues… many things can be out of place and cause others to feel like others are invading there personal space and such sort.  Like if you were on a mission to alaska because it was being attacked (this isn’t real i am just stating my opinion), and you were freezing. Although you were taught to retain body heat by stripping your clothes and cuddling. Would you want to cuddle with someone who is gay? i know i wouldn’t, and many others too. Even if they are the opposite sex, it still would be creepy either way.

     Then there comes the issues of other people having a grudge against gays causing arguments betrayals and issues. Think if you are just sitting in a room talking to a gay and you just find out they are gay. Then they start flirting, and doing certain things. You might just be creeped out and want to punch them causing it to lead to bigger fights and eventually causing a law to be be passed again saying no gays in military. What i say is, if your gay keep it to yourself. we wont ask if you don’t tell.

Some old faces, some new faces, some new faces on the old faces, but a generous idea for sure.

Watch the 25 year-old version…. ( Michael had his glove, Billy had Christy, Darryl Hall was so cool, and is that Dan Aykroyd in the back? )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clZE4Wrrw_w

Joe Tiller never coached a day in the NFL, but he knows a little something about NFL quarterbacks. Next Sunday, two of his former Purdue quarterbacks — Saints star Drew Brees and Colts backup Curtis Painter — will participate in Super Bowl XLIV. A third, Kyle Orton, has started three seasons for the Bears and Broncos.But here’s the relevant part for NFL draftniks: All three played in a shotgun-passing offense.Tiller, 67, retired last season after a 12-year stint at Purdue in which he went 87-62 and earned bowl berths in all but two seasons. A bout of mediocrity toward the end of his tenure with the Boilermakers (who finished seventh or lower in the Big Ten three of his last four seasons) may have tarnished Tiller’s legacy, but it’s hard to argue with his record of producing NFL quarterbacks — particularly considering he employed an offense many pro followers consider gimmicky.So it’s worth noting that Tiller got a chuckle this week when reading the alarmist media accounts from Monday’s Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Ala., when Florida star Tim Tebow — himself a shotgun quarterback throughout his college career — fumbled several snaps under center.”I can remember NFL critics saying the same thing when Drew was a senior,” Tiller said Thursday. “‘He’s in that Purdue offense all the time. He lines up in the shotgun all the time, and our guys line up under center.’”It’s not like college football has a monopoly on the shotgun formation. Now that I’m out of coaching, I’ve watched more NFL football this year than I have the last 10 years combined. There’s hardly any team in the league that doesn’t have their quarterback in the shotgun anymore — including [Ben] Roethlisberger, JaMarcus Russell. Not small guys. The entire league is doing what Drew Brees was criticized for coming out of college.”Brees, a two-time Heisman finalist, led the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 34 years and broke the Big Ten’s career passing records. A three-year starter, Brees threw for 11,792 yards, 90 touchdowns and 45 interceptions. Initially projected as a mid-first round pick, Brees slipped to the first pick of the second round in the 2001 draft. We all know how that’s turned out.An eight-year starter for the Chargers and Saints, Brees became just the second player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in a season in 2008 and this season set the league record for completion percentage (70.6).Painter, a rookie this season, posted similar numbers to Brees’ at Purdue (11,163 yards, 67 TDs, 46 INTs) but with far less acclaim. While Mel Kiper Jr. at one time listed him as his top senior quarterback prospect, a miserable final season sent Painter spiraling to the sixth round, where Colts President Bill Polian happily snapped him up, citing his “intelligence to come in here and handle this offense [straight] out of the collegiate level.”Following veteran Jim Sorgi’s season-ending shoulder injury in December, Painter will serve as Peyton Manning’s top backup in Miami. ]]> http://www.coastalalabama.tv/senior-bowl-question-can-tebow-play-nfl-qb-sports-illustrated-says-yes/feed http://www.coastalalabama.tv/digital-age-brings-together-civilization-says-new-book-and-books-throughout-history http://www.coastalalabama.tv/digital-age-brings-together-civilization-says-new-book-and-books-throughout-history#comments Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:59:46 +0000 Admin http://www.coastalalabama.tv/?p=9979 The Empathetic Civilization traces how civilization’s capacity to love has grown over time, according to today’s PBS radio interview. First the hunter gatherer nomads used the spoken language to express empathy to each other within the sound of their voice to there own blood relatives. (Rifkin the author says we are not utilitarian and self centered by nature but empathetic desiring connection. Even infants express this desire to love others, he says, and that self centered behavior is only a secondary behavior from dysfunctional upbringing). Second he writes the written word allowed groups of common faith to connect with empathy to a larger world of their same faith community. Third he says the industrial age gave us the printing press and teletype that allowed countries to have a larger self identity and empathy with a nation of people beyond their family and there local community. Fourth he says television in the digital age and the internet has connected the world in a new forming global family of potential empathy. (This has given awareness to the common connection of a global environment and economy awareness, he writes, and the beginning of the end of the oil energy age of the industrial age and the beginning of a common economic playbook). It can be seen in something as primitive as social media as expressed in THE CHURCH OF FACEBOOK: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community. In today’s Press Register Religion News Service story he also sites the New Testament as teaching how connections of empathy are nothing new in profound importance, siting Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. It is now, the new digital age, also the largest potential force of empathic connection in history. This new reality has another age old foretelling says Kristen Campbell’s religion column in the Press Register where she sites Corinthians letters written by Paul: the body is not made up of parts but many. Hemingway For Whom The Bell Tolls says no man is an island and when the bell tolls it toll for all of us. Four books new and old express how Love, face to face, or in some new electronic form, can transform our civilization from small groups of faith to a world capable of experiencing the Holy of empathy.