The Rose

I got this beautiful rose from Lira and I wanna pass this on to everyone on my blogroll. So if you'd like to post this on your blog, you're more than welcome to grab it. Also, i'm including the following poem by Evelyn Irvin as it talks about the symbolic rose in the Bible.

The Rose of Sharon
by Evelyn Locke Irvin

I was living in an empty desert with no meaning to my life,
Then one day I found this beautiful Rose of Sharon, who is the living Christ.
And this lovely Rose forever blooms;
Its sweet fragrance has filled all my rooms.
It has no thorns; they've all been taken away,
I know this Rose is here to stay.
It brightens all my days, and is my dearest friend.
On this never changing Rose I can trust and depend.
This divine Rose of Sharon is so perfect and fair,
And it brings me peace, and love, and joy beyond compare.
Such a calm content feeling it sends,
Each heartache and pain it always mends.
I know in this life perfection I will never attain,
But since this Rose has left it's fragrance on me, I have never been the same,
And as I share this fragrance with those in need I see,
This beautiful Rose of Sharon will bloom in me.

"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." (Solomon 2:1)

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Today in History - April 30

Today is Wednesday, April 30, the 121st day of 2008. There are 245 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On April 30, 1945, as Russian troops approached his Berlin bunker, Adolf Hitler committed suicide along with his wife of one day, Eva Braun.

On this date:

In 1789, George Washington took office in New York as the first president of the United States.

In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for 60 million francs, the equivalent of about $15 million.

In 1812, Louisiana became the 18th state of the Union.

In 1948, the charter of the Organization of American States was signed in Bogota, Colombia.

In 1958, the American Association of Retired Persons (later simply AARP) was founded in Washington, D.C., by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus.

In 1958, Britain's Life Peerages Act 1958 allowed women to become members of the House of Lords.

In 1968, New York City police forcibly removed student demonstrators occupying five buildings at Columbia University.

In 1970, President Nixon announced the U.S. was sending troops into Cambodia, an action that sparked widespread protest.

In 1973, President Nixon announced the resignations of top aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, along with Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst and White House counsel John Dean.

In 1988, Gen. Manuel Noriega, waving a machete, vowed at a rally to keep fighting U.S. efforts to oust him as Panama's military ruler.

Ten years ago: President Clinton questioned the conduct of Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr and dismissed Republican challenges to his own character as "high level static." United and Delta airlines formed an alliance that would control one-third of all U.S. passenger seats. A man set himself on fire and shot himself to death on a Los Angeles area freeway in a scene captured on live television.

Five years ago: International mediators presented Israeli and Palestinian leaders with a new Middle East "road map," a U.S.-backed blueprint for ending 31 months of violence and establishing a Palestinian state. Mahmoud Abbas took office as Palestinian prime minister. The U.S. Navy withdrew from its disputed Vieques bombing range in Puerto Rico, prompting celebrations by islanders.

One year ago: A British judge sentenced five al-Qaida-linked men, all British citizens, to life in prison for plotting to attack London targets, including a nightclub, power plants and shopping mall, with bombs. An Israeli government probe faulted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for what it called "very severe failures" in Israel's war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Actor Tom Poston died in Los Angeles at age 85.

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Trust in the Lord

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A Time for Everything

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war, and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

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John and Elizabeth Freeman - Executed in India, 1857

The "Mutiny of India" in 1857 was an uprising of Muslims and Brahmins (high caste Hindus) against the British government and particularly Christianity. It took the lives of all eight American missionaries of the Mission at Futtehgurh, including John Edgar Freeman and his wife, Elizabeth.

The Mission at Futtehgurh began 20 years earlier and included an orphanage and a Christian school. As more and more Indians came to Christ over the years, the area around the mission became a Christian village.

John Freeman manage the tent-making ministry of the mission. During his first years in India, he suffered the personal loss of two daughters and soon afterwards, his first wife. A colleague writes that John's "ministering consolation and calmness" during the dark time, was to "show the excellency and power of an inner life, fed and sustained from above."

John Freeman met his second wife, Elizabeth, while on furlough in America. Her letters from India reveal a sense of humor and an exceptional ability to evangelize and teach. Elizabeth was encouraged that the orphans to whom she taught Scripture would grow up to marry and settle in the Christian village of the mission.

In the last months before their martyrdom, the Freemans heard various reports about the "Mutiny" in other parts of India; entire congregations were being massacred. They feared for their own native Christians, but constantly renewed their hopes in the Lord. At the last possible moment, the group of eight Futtehguhr missionaries fled by boat down the Ganges River, encountering hostile villagers and military on both banks. Finally, low water prevented them from travelling further, and they slid into an island at Cawnpore.

For four days, they survived on the island until they were captured by Muslims. They were then bound and marched past exhaustion to a nearby village. June 13, 1857, they were shot at 7 a.m., execution style.

Clearly, these Christians were prepared to "part with life for Christ and His cause" if necessary, and had already counted the cost. In her last letter, Elizabeth Freeman wrote, "I sometimes think our deaths would do more good than we would do in all our lives; if so, 'His will be done.' Should I be called to lay down my life, do not grieve, dear sister, that I came here, for most joyfully will I die for Him who laid down His life for me."

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God Finds Me Beautiful

How is beauty defined? Is it having straight hair, a flawless face, and being able to wear a size 4? The media typically devours women who possess the above qualities. What kind of lifestyle do these women have to live in order to maintain such standards? And what does that say to everyday typical women?

Most people think of beauty as being only a physical trait. Beauty can also come from within and radiate outward. Women spend a lot of time on their physical appearance because they want to be told they are beautiful by someone. I haven’t met a woman yet who didn’t want to feel and be told she was beautiful.

While recently reading a book by Angela Thomas entitled, "Do You Think I’m Beautiful," she talks about how God finds us (women) beautiful. I never really thought about God finding me beautiful. I’ve always known He loves me unconditionally, but it never occurred to me that God actually looks at me and thinks that I am beautiful. It was a wonderful revelation for me. He loves me even if I don’t fit into the media’s criteria. As beautifully stated by Thomas in her book, “When God looks into the eyes of a woman, He sees all the beauty He created there. He sees every potential and every gift. He sees what can be and redeems what has been. He loves the curly hair that you wish were straight. He is taken with your smile and the shape of your nose. He’s crazy about big feet and knobby knees and every curve that is particular to you. He is the One who loves the inside and the outside of you. You were all His idea, and you are physically and emotionally beautiful to Him.”

I felt a sense of fulfillment after reading that statement. All I needed was for God to find me beautiful. Once I came to that realization, I found that I wasn’t as concerned about what the world might think about me.

It is important that as women, we feel beautiful, and desired. It’s okay if we don’t fit the “standards,” because Someone greater than the media and all those silly “standards,” finds you beautiful. He finds you absolutely stunning.

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Persecuted for Christ

Note: To watch the video, please click the "pause" button on the upper right hand corner of the music box first.



This is the story of Hani, a young man who was born in a Christian family in Upper Egypt. He was proud of his Christian heritage. He was also proud of his name, which means "joyful" in Arabic. He treated people kindly; they could see joy and the love of Christ in his sparkling eyes. His Christian lamp was filled with oil and shone brightly for all to see.

During Hani's time of required military service, his commanding officer began to pressure him to convert to Islam. Though the officer and other Islamists attempted to lure him with promises of material wealth, Hani refused.

"I'll never leave the Lord, "he insisted. "I love Him. I was born a Christian, will remain a Christian and will die a Christian."

Hani was brutally murdered. His assailants may have killed him, but they didn't kill his soul...and they could not remove Jesus from his heart.

Jesus said all men would hate his followers because of Him (Matthew 10:22), but we rejoice in knowing Hani "stood firm until the end." His body was broken, he was brutally tortured, but Hani's lamp was not extinguished. His life and witness is the oil that keeps his lamp glowing now through others-- through those who hear his testimony.

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Martyrdom

"A martyr is, he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost it but found it, for he has found freedom in submission to God. The martyr no longer desires anything for himself, not even the glory of martyrdom."

T.S. ELLIOT—MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL

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Today in History - April 26

Today is Saturday, April 26, the 117th day of 2008. There are 249 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On April 26, 1607, English colonists went ashore at present-day Cape Henry, Va., on an expedition to establish the first permanent English settlement in the Western Hemisphere. (They later settled at Jamestown.)

On this date:

In 1785, American naturalist and artist John James Audubon was born in present-day Haiti.

In 1865, John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln, was surrounded by federal troops near Bowling Green, Va., and killed.

In 1937, planes from Nazi Germany raided the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.

In 1945, Marshal Henri Philippe Petain, the head of France's Vichy government during World War II, was arrested.

In 1964, the African nations of Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania.

In 1968, the United States exploded beneath the Nevada desert a 1.3 megaton nuclear device called "Boxcar."

In 1970, the Stephen Sondheim musical "Company" opened at the Alvin Theatre in New York.

In 1986, the world's worst nuclear accident occurred at the Chernobyl plant in the Soviet Union.

In 1993, Conan O'Brien was named to succeed David Letterman as host of NBC's "Late Night" program.

In 2000, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean signed the nation's first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.

Ten years ago: Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera, a leading human rights activist in Guatemala, was bludgeoned to death two days after the public release of a report he had compiled on atrocities during Guatemala's 36-year civil war.

Five years ago: A Soyuz rocket carrying American astronaut Edward Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko blasted off for the international space station. Actor Charlton Heston, diagnosed with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, made his last appearance as president of the National Rifle Association during a convention in Orlando, Fla., where he briefly thanked the membership.

One year ago: The Senate joined the House in clearing legislation calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin by Oct. 1, 2007, with a goal of a complete pullout six months later. (President Bush vetoed the measure.) Eight Democratic presidential hopefuls gathered in Orangeburg, S.C., for their first debate of the 2008 campaign, during which they heaped criticism on President Bush's Iraq policy. Former White House aide and movie industry lobbyist Jack Valenti died in Washington at age 85.


Source: AP

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God's Menagerie

Amidst the burgeoning fallout from the nation’s mortgage crisis, a new victim has recently emerged. Added to the increasing number of home owners driven into the streets, their credit in shambles as banks foreclose on their delinquent loans, are their furry, and not so furry friends.

Property inspectors and real estate brokers who enter abandoned houses sometimes find them literally trashed – lights busted, carpets ripped up and holes in the walls! Distressing as that scene must be, worse still are the turtles, rabbits and lizards found in children’s bedrooms, cats in the garage and dogs tied to trees in the backyard. Sadly, many of these animals are too far gone to save.

Other pets are just being dumped on farm lands, or wherever is convenient. Animal shelters are bursting at the seams in some areas in California and Florida where foreclosure rates are unusually high. And, even horses are being abandoned in the Arizona desert by desperate homeowners facing eviction. Over 500 steeds were found wandering homeless among the sage and cacti in 2007 alone.

I imagine God is filled with compassion for these helpless creatures and their undeserved plight. For throughout the scriptures our Creator used animals, birds and fish in unique ways, as well as, demonstrating the Lord’s special care for them.

In Numbers 22, God opened the mouth of Balaam’s donkey (Yes, he really spoke!), after the stubborn prophet struck his faithful animal three times.

In 1 Kings 17:1-7, God sent ravens to carry in their beaks bread and meat, both morning and evening, to his prophet Elijah who was camped by a brook.

When the prophet Jonah was thrown overboard into the sea after refusing to obey the Lord’s command, God prepared a great fish to swallow him. After three long days, the fish vomited up his tasty morsel onto dry land! Not surprisingly, Jonah immediately obeyed God’s second directive (Jonah 1:17 – 2:10)!

In the book of Exodus (Ch. 23), God commands a Sabbath of rest for the land every seventh year, so that the poor people and the wild animals may freely eat (vs.11). And on the seventh day, God commanded a rest from labor so that the ox and the donkey might rest (vs. 12) as well as the slaves.

Jesus manifested special care for the ravens in Luke 12:24-25. “Consider the raven: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you then birds!”

Throughout the Bible, the Almighty exhibits love, care and provision for all His creation. But even more precious than the birds and animals in the Lord’s sight, are you and I who are made in God’s image.

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WE BUY HOUSES!!!

WE BUY HOUSES
FULL VALUE
ALL CASH OR TERMS
ANY CONDITION

"...Even if...

• The property is ugly or in disrepair
• You owe more than the property's value
• The payments are seriously in arrears
• The property is in litigation or probate
• You are in or near bankruptcy
• Foreclosure is in process or imminent"
  

For more information, please EMAIL ME and i'll get back to you as soon as possible...

WE ARE A SERIOUS AND CAPABLE BUYER!

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Learning to Share

The Reuters news service reported recently that Branko Zivkov, a 76-year old farmer in Belgrade, purchased a grinder and cut all of his tools in half after a court ruling ordered him to split all his property with his ex-wife. He claimed that although he "had been ready to give his wife Vukadinka her equal share of everything earned during their 45-year marriage," he became so angry at the injunction to give away half of his farm equipment that he cut all of it—including "cattle scales, a harrow and a sowing machine"—right down the middle. He told a local paper, "I still haven't decided how to split the cow. She should just say what she wants—the part with the horns or the part with the tail."

Talk about a messy split!

Mr. Zivkov's behavior would seem to be a striking example of cutting off his nose to spite his face; he may have fulfilled the court's directive to split his property with his wife, but the halves of the bisected equipment will clearly be useless to either of them. As silly as his actions appear, however, I'm sure most of us have felt at least tempted to engage in similarly irrational or childish behavior—especially when provoked by a partner or family member!

It can be surprisingly difficult to cheerfully share—not just objects we own, but especially our time, compassion, and patience. We teach children to share their toys, but can be quite selfish when it comes to sharing of ourselves, particularly when we’re already feeling overwhelmed by work or other obligations. Truly sharing of ourselves, though—not a spiteful down-the-middle split of our possessions, but a genuine and open willingness to listen to, sit with, or simply encourage another person—is one of the best gifts we can give anyone else. Perhaps not surprisingly, when you do give in this way, you often find you’re not left with half of what you started with, but in fact much more.

Learning to share well takes practice and dedication. The investment, however, is worth it—especially if it means never having to choose between “horns” and “tail”!


Source: Reuters News, April 4 2008

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Today in History - April 25

Today is Friday, April 25, the 116th day of 2008. There are 250 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:
On April 25, 1945, during World War II, U.S. and Soviet forces linked up on the Elbe River, a meeting that dramatized the collapse of Nazi Germany's defenses.

On this date:
In 1507, German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller used the term "America" on a world map to refer to the huge land mass in the Western Hemisphere, in honor of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci.

In 1792, highwayman Nicolas Jacques Pelletier became the first person under French law to be executed by the guillotine.

In 1859, ground was broken for the Suez Canal.

In 1898, the United States formally declared war on Spain.

In 1901, New York Gov. Benjamin Barker Odell Jr. signed an automobile registration bill which imposed a 15 mph speed limit on highways.

In 1908, broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow was born in Polecat Creek, N.C.

In 1915, during World War I, Allied soldiers invaded the Gallipoli Peninsula in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Ottoman Empire out of the war.

In 1945, delegates from some 50 countries met in San Francisco to organize the United Nations.

In 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened to shipping.

In 1983, Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov invited Samantha Smith to visit his country after receiving a letter in which the Manchester, Maine, schoolgirl expressed fears about nuclear war.

Ten years ago: Whitewater prosecutors questioned First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on videotape about her work as a private lawyer for the failed savings and loan at the center of the investigation.

Five years ago: The Pentagon announced that Army Secretary Thomas White, whose tenure as civilian chief of the military's largest service was marked by tensions with his boss, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, was leaving office. Georgia lawmakers voted to scrap the Dixie cross from the state's flag.

One year ago: Brushing off a presidential veto threat, the House passed, 218-208, a $124.2 billion supplemental spending bill ordering U.S. troops to begin coming home from Iraq in the fall of 2007. Seven people were killed by a tornado in Maverick County on the Texas-Mexico border. The Dow Jones industrial average topped 13,000 for the first time, ending the day at 13,089.89. Rosie O'Donnell announced she was leaving the ABC talk show "The View" in June.

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Final Countdown: Modern Technology

The following video is a Bible Prophecy sermon by Pastor Billy Crone. This is the 2nd of a 10-part series. I am sharing this to all 'coz I believe in my heart that we are indeed in the last days...and that is something that should not be taken for granted. Watch this and you'll be amazed...



A question to ponder: IF YOU DIE TODAY, WILL YOU GO TO HEAVEN?

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Final Countdown: The Jewish People

The following video is a Bible Prophecy sermon by Pastor Billy Crone. This is the 1st of a 10-part series. I am sharing this to all 'coz I believe in my heart that we are indeed in the last days...and that is something that should not be taken for granted. Watch this and you'll be amazed...



A question to ponder: IF YOU DIE TODAY, DO YOU THINK YOU WILL GO TO HEAVEN?

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Idol Bids Farewell to Carly

I thought she was going to be in the top 3. I can't believe she got voted off AI. It should have been either Jason or Brooke. Don't get me wrong, I like them both as well but I just think Carly has more talent than the two of them. Maybe it's her tattoo. Or it could be because of her past record label. I don't really know. I think American Idol has become more like a popularity contest (as it always have in the past seasons towards the end of the show)...that's why I don't really like watching American Idol anymore.

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How Identity Theft Strikes

First, what exactly is identity theft? Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information to take over your credit accounts, open new ones, take out a loan, rent an apartment, access bank accounts, or commit many other crimes using your identity.

When it strikes, the effects can be devastating. What's more, because it frequently involves no physical theft, identity theft may not be noticed by its victims until significant damage has been done -- often, several months and thousands of dollars later.

How do thieves do it? First, they steal your personal information by…

• Going through your mail or trash, looking for bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, and tax information.
• Stealing personal information from your wallet or purse such as identification, credit, or bank cards.
• Completing change-of-address forms to redirect your mail.
• Obtaining your credit report by posing as a landlord or someone else who has a lawful right to the information.
• Acquiring personal information you share on unsecured sites on the Internet.
• Buying personal information about you from an inside source -- for example, a store employee that gets your information from a credit application or by "skimming" your credit card information when you make a purchase.
• Getting your personnel records at work.

Then they use your personal information by…

• Opening new credit card accounts using your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. When they use the credit cards and don't pay the bills, the delinquency is reported on your credit report.
• Establishing phone or cellular service in your name.
• Opening a bank account in your name and writing bad checks on the account.
• Counterfeiting checks or debit cards, and draining your bank account.
• Buying cars by taking out auto loans in your name.
• Calling your credit card issuer and, pretending to be you, changing the address on the account. Bills get sent to the new address, so you don't realize there's a problem until you check your credit report.
• Filing for bankruptcy using your name to avoid paying debts they've incurred under your name.

No Credit Card Is Necessary. Credit card fraud is just one type of identity theft. While a thief may use your information to apply for a new credit card, some types of identity theft don't involve credit cards at all. Someone with a bad credit rating may use your personal information to get a car loan, acquire phone, cellular service, or another utility service, or open a bank account in your name. Such cases can be seriously damaging, since you may not realize anything is wrong until you notice unfamiliar charges on your monthly bills or statements. Did You Know?

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft complaints are broken down as follows:

• About 50% reported that a credit card was opened in their name.
• 25% reported that the thief established new telephone, cellular, or another service in their name.
• 16% reported that a bank account was opened in their name, or unauthorized withdrawals had been made from their account.
• 9% reported that the thief obtained a loan in their name.
• 8% reported that the thief obtained a fraudulent document such as a driver's license.

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Today in History - April 24

Today is Thursday, April 24, the 115th day of 2008. There are 251 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On April 24, 1916, some 1,600 Irish nationalists launched the Easter Rising by seizing several key sites in Dublin, Ireland. (The rising was put down by British forces almost a week later.)

On this date:

In 1792, the national anthem of France, "La Marseillaise," was composed by Captain Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle.

In 1800, Congress approved a bill establishing the Library of Congress.

In 1877, federal troops were ordered out of New Orleans, ending the North's post-Civil War rule in the South.

In 1898, Spain declared war on the United States after rejecting America's ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba.

In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began the brutal mass deportation of Armenians during World War I.

In 1953, British statesman Winston Churchill was knighted by Queen Elizabeth ll.

In 1970, the People's Republic of China launched its first satellite, which kept transmitting a song, "The East is Red."

In 1980, the United States launched an unsuccessful attempt to free the American hostages in Iran, a mission that resulted in the deaths of eight U.S. servicemen.

In 1986, Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor, for whom King Edward VIII had given up the British throne, died in Paris.

In 1988, Greek cycling champion Kanellos Kanellopoulos pedaled the human-powered aircraft "Daedalus 88" over the Aegean Sea for nearly four hours.

Ten years ago: After a month of confrontation, Russian lawmakers caved in to President Boris Yeltsin, approving the acting prime minister, 35-year-old Sergei Kiriyenko, as premier. (Kiriyenko was fired just four months later.) In Edinboro, Pa., science teacher John Gillette was shot to death at a middle school graduation dance; the gunman, 14-year-old Andrew Wurst, later pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.

Five years ago: U.S. forces in Iraq took custody of Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister. China shut down a Beijing hospital as the global death toll from SARS surpassed 260. In Red Lion, Pa., 14-year-old James Sheets shot and killed principal Eugene Segro inside a crowded junior high cafeteria, then killed himself.

One year ago: In a harsh exchange, Vice President Dick Cheney accused Democratic leader Harry Reid of personally pursuing a defeatist strategy in Iraq to win votes at home _ a charge Reid dismissed as President Bush's "attack dog" lashing out. European astronomers announced they had found a potentially habitable planet outside the solar system. Warren Avis, the founder of Avis Rent A Car, died in Ann Arbor, Mich., at age 92.

Thought for Today: "I know of no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution." _ Ulysses S. Grant, U.S. President (1822-1885).

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ID Thefts: Facts and Statistics

Below are just a few recent facts and statistics about credit fraud and identity theft.

"More than 27 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years.... To deal with the problem, consumers reported nearly $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses."
-The New York Times

"Stealing someone's identity to acquire -- and use -- new credit cards has become one of the most popular white-collar crimes today, according to fraud investigators from across the country."
-Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

"This year alone more than 500,000 Americans will be robbed of their identities…with more than $4 billion stolen in their names."
-CBSnews.com

"In one notorious case of identity theft, the US Department of Justice reported that the criminal incurred over $100,000 of credit card debt, obtained a federal home loan, and bought homes, motorcycles, and hand guns in the victim's name all the while calling his victim to taunt him."
-US Department of Justice Web site

"The number of identity thefts in the U.S. has skyrocketed during the past 15 months."
-CNN.com

"According to a convicted ID thief in Denver, CO, "On a good day I could make $5,000 in cash and another $7,000 to $8,000 in merchandise..."
-CBSnews.com

"A recent report on identity theft warned that there is likely to be "mass victimization" of consumers within the next two years. The report said consumers should be extra careful to monitor all their financial transactions for unexplained account activity, withdrawals, or fund transfers."
-The Gartner Group, a technology research group

"Every 79 seconds, a thief steals someone's identity, opens accounts in the victim's name and goes on a buying spree."
-CBSnews.com

"Experts report that a victim can spend anywhere from six months to two years recovering from identity theft."
-CNNfn.com

"Most people don't find out they have been a victim of a stolen identity until they are turned down for a loan or credit card. A copy of their credit report explaining the denial may unveil weeks or months of fraud."
-CNNfn.com

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Identity Theft

Identity theft is a crime that can have enormous implications on an individual's financial situation. The criminal obtains vital information about their victim, for example the driver's license, social security number, bank accounts, etc., and uses the information to steal the identity of the victim. Using this information, the criminal then uses the stolen identity to access credit, services, money and merchandise in their victim's name. The impact to the victim can be severe, including total financial ruin. This financial ruin almost always includes an utterly destroyed credit history and credit rating. The criminal can also use the stolen identity in participating in illegal activities, leaving the victim not only in a state of financial ruin, but under criminal investigation as well.

Many individuals do not even know they've fallen victim to identity theft until they apply for credit or loans. Only then do they realize that their credit history has been severely jeopardized. How do you know if your a victim? Have a credit evaluation done.

One of the top concerns of U.S. citizens in recent times include issues of privacy. An example of such privacy risk is now being addressed by the FTC in the area of bankruptcy proceedings. Many personal details are often recorded in these proceedings, including social insurance numbers and financial information. This data is often obtainable through court documents and proceedings, creating a high risk that personal data may fall into the wrong hands.

Identity theft is on the rise in America and elsewhere. Estimates for 2001 suggest that over 700,000 American consumers were the victims of identity theft. The Inspector General of the Social Security Administration is on the record as calling identity theft a "national crisis". The FTC believes that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America today.

Don't be a victim!!

The identity theft center offers the following statistics:
- Certain government agencies estimate that identity theft cost American consumers over $945 million per year since 1997
- A Grand Jury in Florida estimates the average cost for the business community for each episode of identity theft is $17,000 per victim. (Over $11.9 billion dollars a year)
- The costs to federal agencies are enormous. Per identity theft case, the cost to the U.S. office of Attorneys is $11,443, and per financial crime investigation is $15-20,000.
- Victims of identity theft spend, on average, over 600 hours of their time working to clear their name.
- Victims of identity theft spend, on average, over $5000 to $6000 of their money working to clear their name.

It is important that all Americans understand how to minimize their risk of falling victim to identity theft, as well as what to do if they do become a victim.

Source: SCS

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On Democracy and Illegal Immigration

The following is not intended to condemn or belittle Americans who are Democrats politically: only to alert all the rest of the people to those cowardly pseudo-democrats who are constantly marching, pleading, striking, organizing, objecting and demanding the overthrow of this country through civil disobedience in direct opposition to the welfare of America. These mewling social dregs are dedicated to the empowerment of our most deadly, determined and vehement enemies who are dedicated to killing every one of us. The constant demands for healthcare and Welfare handouts, baseless pacifism and disgorgement of the country's coffers can only bring America to its knees in defeat.

It's a fact that when the original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish History professor at the University of Edinburgh, speculating on the success of the new American Democracy, had this to say about democracies with specific regard to the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government."

"A democracy can only function until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."

"From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years."

"During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. from bondage to spiritual faith;
2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
3. from courage to liberty;
4. from liberty to abundance;
5. from abundance to complacency;
6. from complacency to apathy;
7. from apathy to dependence;
8. from dependence back into bondage"

Professor Joseph Olson, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election: (Probably similar for the 2004 election.)

Number of States won by:
Gore: 19 Bush: 29

Square miles of land won by:
Gore: 580,000 Bush: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by:
Gore: 127 million Bush: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Gore: 13.2 Bush: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country. Gore's territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."

Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called “illegals” and they all become voters, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

Just think about it...when the rule of the majority determines a country's fate, and the majority wants everything for nothing, they can only vote themselves into the positions vacated by those pushed-out by popular vote, who thought of the country's welfare first, and the welfare of factional elements last. I.e., "What's good for all is good for one; but that which is only good for one, strangles the rest of us." When this country's gates are finally flung wide-open, guess which sector of the new population, the newcomers, will be in...those interested in the welfare of the country? Or those more concerned with feeding, funding and treating themselves for free: i.e., those unable to contribute equally to the Whole will, with alarming alacrity, disproportionately drain it of life.

Opening the borders to the citizens of under-developed countries without absolute rule and order and a long-term plan can only have one ultimate effect: annihilation of everything dreamed of, hoped for, and for which the rest of those who have given their lives for the sake of Freedom..

The word "illegal" means - Against the Law
"Against the Law" means - Not allowed – not legal

Something that is not allowed and patently illegal must be immediately handled with all due strength and determination!

Those who indulge in illegal acts (“illegals” and their benefactors and facilitators) are supposed to be either fined, imprisoned, rehabilitated or sent back to where they came from. In this country, after three episodes of an illegal activity (3 strikes) the law of the land is that there can be NO reprieve or leniency. So what the heck is wrong with this picture??!!

You can read all of this and smile or you can become outraged and do something…your choice.

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IF...

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who Thinks He CAN!!!!


***This is one of my most favorite poems.

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Today in History - April 23

Today is Wednesday, April 23, the 114th day of 2008. There are 252 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:
April 23, 1564, is believed to be the birthdate of English poet and dramatist William Shakespeare; he died 52 years later, also on April 23.

On this date:
In 1789, President-elect George Washington moved into the first executive mansion, the Franklin House, in New York.

In 1791, James Buchanan, the 15th president of the United States, was born in Franklin County, Pa.

In 1896, the Vitascope system for projecting movies onto a screen was publicly demonstrated in New York City.

In 1940, about 200 people died in the Rhythm Night Club Fire in Natchez, Miss.

In 1958, the film noir thriller "Touch of Evil," starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and Orson Welles, who also directed, was released.

In 1968, student protesters began occupying buildings on the campus of Columbia University in New York; police put down the protests a week later.

In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged to form the United Methodist Church.

In 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death for assassinating New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. (The sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment.)

In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company announced it was changing the secret flavor formula for Coke. (Negative public reaction forced the company to resume selling the original version).

In 1988, a federal ban on smoking during domestic airline flights of two hours or less went into effect.

Ten years ago: James Earl Ray, the ex-convict who'd confessed to assassinating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and then insisted he'd been framed, died at a Nashville, Tenn., hospital at age 70.

Five years ago: Global health officials warned travelers to avoid Beijing and Toronto, where they might get the SARS virus and export it to new locations. U.S. negotiators met with North Korean and Chinese representatives in Beijing for the first three-way meeting by the governments since the Korean War. American Airlines reported a billion-dollar first-quarter loss.

One year ago: Boris Yeltsin, the first freely elected Russian president, died in Moscow at age 76. Congressional Democratic leaders agreed on legislation requiring the first U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by Oct. 1, 2007, with a goal of a complete pullout six months later; President Bush pledged to veto such a measure. Classes at Virginia Tech resumed a week after the killings of 32 victims by a suicidal gunman. Journalist and author David Halberstam died in a car crash in Menlo Park, Calif., at age 73.

Thought for Today: "...We are such stuff/ As dreams are made on, and our little life/ Is rounded with a sleep." _ William Shakespeare (1564-1616), from "The Tempest."

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Chain Tag

I got this tag from Grace. I would like to pass this on to everyone on my blogroll. Have a blessed day everyone!


~~Begin Copy~~

This is the easy way and the fastest way to :
1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Make more new friends.

Rules :
1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog (for bloggers paste on the “compose” not the “edit html” part in posting blogs so it will be linked automatically).
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag your friends as much as you can, the more the better!

1. Picturing of Life
2. Juliana’s Site
3.Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.
4.Jeanne-The Callalily Space
5.Starz in De Sky
6. My Charmed Life
7.Denz Techtronics
8.Denz Recreational
9.Life’s Simple Pleasures
10. My Blog
11. Because Life is Fun
12. In This Game of Life
13.Scribbles of my Life
14.Changing Lanes
15. anna
16. joytoy
17.Surviving deployment
18. The Deviant
19. All I want is Everything
20. Shadows of love, fate and destiny
21.Tasteful Voyage
22.A mom’s note
23. Bittersweet Collide
24.Jackie Simplypinay
25.Jackie’s Everyday Life
26.Parisukat
27.Photographs and Memoirs
28.Undecided21
29.In-Depth Review
30.ExtremeComments
31. Traveler's Guide 101
32. Comments101
33. lovettejam
34. Learn, Love and Laugh thru BLOGGONG!
35. Filipina in Florida

YOU’RE NEXT~~ END COPY~~

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Tag Galore

I got this tag from Joy and I would like to share it to everyone on my blog list.

I was born in April so if you read the April "description", it actually seems to describe me (although I don't really believe in these kind of thing..hehe.)

Here are the rules:
1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you've done it!

The Twelve Months

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality, Sexy, Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others.Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: ACTIVE AND DYNAMIC. DECISIVE AND HASTY BUT TENDS TO REGRET. ATTRACTIVE AND AFFECTIONATE TO OTHERS. STRONG MENTALITY. Loves attention. DIPLOMATIC. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. (I don't know about that.) BRAVE AND FEARLESS. ADVENTUROUS. LOVING AND CARING (according to my husband). SUAVE AND GENEROUS (according to my husband). EMOTIONAL. AGGRESSIVE. HASTY. GOOD MEMORY. Moving. MOTIVATES ONESELF AND OTHERS. SICKNESS USUALLY OF THE HEAD AND CHEST (especially the head). SEXY IN A WAY THAT ONLY THEIR LOVER CAN SEE. (ask my husband..)

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

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Today in History - April 22

Today is Tuesday, April 22, the 113th day of 2008. There are 253 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On April 22, 1889, the Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon as thousands of homesteaders staked claims.

On this date:
In 1509, Henry VIII became king of England following the death of his father, Henry the VII.
In 1864, Congress authorized the use of the phrase "In God We Trust" on coins.
In 1938, 45 workers were killed in a coal mine explosion at Keen Mountain in Buchanan County, Va.
In 1944, during World War II, U.S. forces began invading Japanese-held New Guinea with amphibious landings at Hollandia and Aitape.
In 1954, the publicly televised sessions of the Senate Army-McCarthy hearings began.
In 1964, President Johnson opened the New York World's Fair.
In 1970, millions of Americans concerned about the environment observed the first "Earth Day."

In 1983, the West German news magazine Stern announced the discovery of 60 volumes of personal diaries purportedly written by Adolf Hitler. However, the diaries turned out to be a hoax.
In 1994, Richard M. Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, died at a New York hospital four days after suffering a stroke; he was 81.
In 2000, in a dramatic pre-dawn raid, armed immigration agents seized Elian Gonzalez from his relatives' home in Miami; Elian was reunited with his father at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington.

Ten years ago: A young woman charged along with her high school sweetheart with murdering their newborn at a Delaware motel pleaded guilty to manslaughter. (Amy Grossberg ended up serving nearly two years of a 2 1/2-year sentence; Brian Peterson served 1 1/2 years of a two-year sentence.)

Five years ago: President Bush announced he would nominate Alan Greenspan for a fifth term as Federal Reserve chairman. Songwriter Felice Bryant, who, with her late husband, Boudleaux, wrote "Bye Bye Love" and other Everly Brothers hits, died in Gatlinburg, Tenn., at age 77.

One year ago: In the first round of the French presidential election, conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist rival Segolene Royal received enough votes to advance to a runoff, which Sarkozy won.

Thought for Today: "Always remember others may hate you but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself." _ Richard M. Nixon, 37th president of the United States (1913-1994).

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