Most of you know how I feel about the war in Iraq, so I won't belabor that point. Also, many of you already read the posts by reporter Michael Yon to his online magazine, thanks to our buddy Mike . The latest post to the online magazine is about a subject that is near and dear to my heart, which is healthcare. According to Yon, Iraqi healthcare providers were using photocopied outdated medical textbooks to try to get current in their practice. A drive was started by a military medical officer to remedy that situation and it has been quite successful. The post contains an e-mail address to inquire about how to contribute. I suggest to you that this type of support is what is needed in Iraq more than anything else we can give. Go. Check it out. Now.

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What is it about a nap that can revive the soul the way that it does? Of course the body always needs rest, but going to bed on time and gettin' the required ZZZZZs sometimes just doesn't cut it. Sundays are excellent for a nice nap, and I grabbed one today. There's something downright luxurious feeling about saying to heck with the dishes and the chores and lying down to doze off with a book and the dog. I don't do it often, and when I do it feels like heaven. I woke up just in time to watch Dennis make a much less violent landfall than expected, thank goodness. I actually felt sorry for the poor guy in Mobile gettin' a little sprinkle while the other reporters were holding on to poles to stay vertical! Looks like Dennis is headed our way too, with much needed rain, and Gulf Shores stands intact to taunt me still ;)

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My good friend leaves this week for a vacation in the UK to attend the British Open with her hubby. She is pretty nervous about the whole proposition following the bombings, and understandably so. But, the very nature of terrorism is in the random and brutal nature of the attacks. The target is always where one would least expect and very rarely repeats itself in the same location. That, my friends, is why chasing violence with violence is a losing proposition. Evil is everywhere, even within our own communities. Making a difference peacefully is what it's all about.

Y'all keep the faith. ^j^