This and That

He Shot Himself Down

Ballooning

Oregon man flies 193 miles on a lawn chair and 105 balloons

Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks — and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons.

Destination: Idaho.

With instruments to measure his altitude and speed, a global positioning system device in his pocket, and about four plastic bags holding five gallons of water each to act as ballast — he could turn a spigot, release water and rise — Couch headed into the Oregon sky.

Nearly nine hours later, the 47-year-old gas station owner came back to earth in a farmer’s field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.

[…]

Couch decided to stop when he was down to a gallon of water and just eight pounds of ballast. Concerned about the rugged terrain outside La Grande, including Hells Canyon, he decided it was time to land.

He popped enough balloons to set the craft down, although he suffered rope burns. But after he jumped out, the wind grabbed his chair, with his video recorder, and the remaining balloons and swept them away. He’s hoping to get them back some day.

A Promised New Law?

H. R. 2232 (Introduced-in-House)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

In order to dispel any public confusion, Congress hereby repudiates any assertion that Federal employees are not protected from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

If you want to learn more of how “sexual orientation” is defined, read here:

34

Once upon a time, way back in my late teens, I thought I wouldn’t reach the age of 35.

I did. Almost 13 years ago.

Today some men are remembered who reached 34 and no more.

Jim Walker, who had a wife and two children.

Gregory Young, who had a wife and four children.

Scott Showalter, who had a wife and four children. Killed along with him in a farming tragedy were his wife and two oldest children as well as one employee.

So, why did I get past 34?

God alone knows.

A New Tool for Big Brother

That is one of my thoughts regarding this: New Drug Deletes Bad Memories

Do you have a really bad memory, or past heartache, that you would prefer to forget?

Researchers at Harvard and McGill University (in Montreal) are working on an amnesia drug that blocks or deletes bad memories. The technique seems to allow psychiatrists to disrupt the biochemical pathways that allow a memory to be recalled.

In a new study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the drug propranolol is used along with therapy to “dampen” memories of trauma victims. They treated 19 accident or rape victims for ten days, during which the patients were asked to describe their memories of the traumatic event that had happened 10 years earlier. Some patients were given the drug, which is also used to treat amnesia, while others were given a placebo.

A week later, they found that patients given the drug showed fewer signs of stress when recalling their trauma.

As well as a new tool in the hands of cults and cultic brainwashers.

As well as a new way to escape the reality of pain and guilt, which bears with it grave spiritual and moral and psychological peril. With eternal consequences.

Thus the progressive doping of the West continues. And the East. And the South. And the North.

Will these experimenters and researchers never learn?

Boost Bush

So many people want to boot Bush, action he may well have earned.

But I propose he be given a personal, non-political boost instead.

Alone:

To some of those invited to talk, Bush seems alone, isolated by events beyond his control, with trusted advisers taking their leave and erstwhile friends turning on him.

He needs God’s people praying for him.

He should be encouraged this week.

Maybe a nice, personal birthday wish? (He turns 61 on Friday.)

Above all, love God!