Natural Born Citizen

The following is a funny and true story occurring in an AP Government class at Santa Fe High School:

In one civics class, the young adults were discussing the qualifications to be president of the United States. It was pretty simple. The candidate must be a natural born citizen and at least 35 years of age.

However, one girl in the class immediately started in on how unfair was the requirement to be a natural born citizen. In short, her opinion was this requirement prevented many capable individuals from becoming president. The class was just taking it in and letting her rant, but everyone's jaw hit the floor when she wrapped up her argument by stating, "What makes a natural born citizen any more qualified to lead this country than one born by C-section?"

They walk among us and they vote.

Hat tip to Randal.

Friday cat blogging

PuddyTat rested her head on Tommie this cold morning.

Tommie and Tim gobbled down their food. Tom will eat dry food but he loves canned food. The gals will lick the moisture off the canned food but they don't eat it.

Meanwhile PT retreated to the second story of the cathouse when I put flea stuff on Tom.

She did not like Jellico's presence however and left.

Then Jellico retreated to the driveway looking for an opportunity to get up on the roof.

While Tommie returned to the heating pad in the box still keeping an eye out for Jellico.

Friday shuffle early

1. PDQ Bach: Missa Hilarious, Yriekay
2. Crazy Creek - Bill Keith
3. Ives: Psalm 90 - Westminster Choir
4. Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson
5. Satie: Les Fils Des Etoiles Act 2 Prelude - Riri Shimada
6. Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - Lang Lang
7. Moon River - Henry Mancini
8. Let's Dance - Benny Goodman
9. Burleigh: My Lord, What a Morning - Bach Choir Pittsburgh
10. Elected - Alice Cooper

A special birthday this year

At five minutes and six seconds after 4 AM on the 8th of July this year, the time and date will be 04:05:06 07/08/09.

At that time, I will be about an hour and a half short of being 69 years old.

Hat tip to Joan.

Please help a missionary visit home

Every Friday, well almost, Padre Mickey and his lovely wife Mona bring us Friday Mr. Red Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging. The latest episode, an historical look back, is here.

Padre Mickey is an Episcopal missionary in Panama. You can check out his work at his blog Padre Mickey's Dance Party. It's obvious from the faces that he is doing good work there. In April Padre Mickey and Mona hope to go on sabbatical for a few months. Unfortunately they exist on minimal missionary pay which gives them enough to exist but not do anything else. They plan to return to the US but have little or no savings with which to pay for a place to live.

The Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton (TELP) at Telling Secrets and our beloved MadPriest at OCICBW have launched another fundraising appeal. You may remember that we raised money for a church in Rio a couple of years ago. Those of us who know Padre Mickey and Mona, albeit vicariously, would appreciate a contribution. Were they to receive enough funding, they could come east and we could have another big party and all meet in person. If you would like more specific information, including what is planned for the gifts, please go to either blog.

There are Paypal buttons on both Telling Secrets and OCICBW. Or if you prefer, you may send your checks (or cheques) or money orders, made out to The Episcopal Church of St. Paul and marked "City of God Appeal" to:

The Episcopal Church of St. Paul
200 Main Street
Chatham, NJ (USA) 07928

Please help!

Pymatuning blue gill

My neighbors' trophy fish.
BTW this is not a fish tank. It is my neighbors' front window as seen from their deck.

Buzzard Day

Sigh and sorry. I missed it this year. On 15 March the buzzards return to Hinckley, Ohio. It has become a big deal locally. We learned about this annual celebration in the 60's when some of us in the office were looking for a cause to celebrate (party) and found a calendar with all sorts of offbeat holidays not recognized by the general population.

Spring will come

This morning when the neighbor leveled all the dirt and gravel plowed up with snow during this wonderful winter, he exposed a large patch of ice that had been preserving itself under the mound.

The silver maple is convinced that spring is arriving soon.

Integrity to Anaheim

Send your contributions to Integrity today:

Integrity USA - Anaheim Appeal
274 Goodman Street #B267
Rochester, NY 14607
800.462.9498