Shortarmguy's Emails That Made Me Think
On this page, I will post the most inspirational material I receive on any given day. So email shortarmguy@aol.com the best stuff you get. Life can be darn tough sometimes and every now and then you might need a little happiness booster. I'm hoping this page may accomplish that. After you read a few of these, you can push back from your keyboard, throw your arms in the air, wave them back and forth and scream "I'm glad to be alive!" If this happens to you, please send pictures and I'll post them here!
July 25, 2004
How old is Grandma?
Stay with this -- the answer is at the end -- it will blow you away...
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.
The Grandma replied,
Well, let me think a minute, I was born, before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees and the pill.
There were no credit cards, laser beams or ball-point pens.
Man had not invented pantyhose, air
conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and
the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man had yet to walk on
the moon.
Your Grandfather and I got married first and then lived together. Every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than I, "Sir"- - and after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir."
We were before gay-rights, computer-dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense. We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong, and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions. Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege. We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent. Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins. Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening breeze started.
Time-sharing! Meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends -- not purchasing condominiums.
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings. We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios.
And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out from listening to Tommy Dorsey.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan' on it, it was junk. The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam. Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 &10-cent store where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. If you wanted to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail one letter and two postcards.
You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600 but
who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon. In my day,
"grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink,
"pot" was something your mother cooked in, and "rock
music" was your grandmother's lullaby. "Aids" were helpers in
the
Principal's office, "chip" meant a piece of wood,
"hardware" was found in a hardware store, and "software"
wasn't even a word.
And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap.....and how old do you think I am ???.....
Read on to see -- Pretty scary if you think
about it, and rather sad at the same time.
Grandma is Only 58.
Born in 1946...
July 18, 2004
THE
YEAR 1904
Maybe this will boggle your mind, I know it did mine!
The year is 1904... one hundred years
ago. What a difference a century makes!
Here are some of the
The average life expectancy in the
Only 14 percent of the homes in the
Only 8 percent of the homes had a
telephone.
A three-minute call from
There were only 8,000 cars in the
The maximum speed limit in most cities
was 10 mph.
Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and
The tallest structure in the world was
the
The average wage in the
The average
A competent accountant could expect to
earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2 ,500 per year, a veterinarian between
$1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births in the
Ninety percent of all
Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs
were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a
month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
The five leading causes of death in the
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona,
Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and
The population of
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced
tea hadn't been invented.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's
Day.
Two of 10
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all
available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one
pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,
regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of
health." (Shocking!)
Eighteen percent of households in the
There were only about 230 reported
murders in the entire US
And I forwarded this from someone else without typing it myself,
and sent it to you in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what it may be
like in another 100 years ... it staggers the mind
July 11, 2004
THE BRICK
Read this line very slowly and let it sink in...
"If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. "
THE BRICK
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going
a bit too fast in his new Jaguar.
He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down
when he thought he saw something.
As his car passed, no children appeared.
Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!
He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had
been thrown.
The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed
him up against a parked car shouting,
"What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are! you
doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of
money. Why did you do it?"
The young boy was apologetic.
"Please, mister..please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,"
He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would
stop..."
With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot
just around a parked car.
"It's my brother," he said.
"He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him
up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive,
"Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and
he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his
throat
He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out
a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts.
A quick look told him everything was going to be okay..
"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the
stranger.
Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound
brother down the sidewalk toward their home
It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar.
The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the
dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message
"Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to
get your attention!"
God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts.
Sometimes when we don't have time to listen,
He has to throw a brick at us.
It's our choice to listen or not.
Thought for the Day:
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning.
Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!
Send this to every "beautiful person" you wish to
bless. God didn't promise days without
pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He
did promise strength for the day,
comfort for the tears, and light for the way
July 4, 2004
The Lotus Totus
1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as Important as any other.
3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
5. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don't judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
16. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
17. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
18. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
19. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
20. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
21. Spend some time alone.
June 27, 2004
If Earth's population was shrunk into a village of just 100 people with all the human ratios existing in the world still remaining what would this tiny, diverse village look like? That's exactly what Phillip M. Harter, a medical doctor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, attempted to figure out. This is what he found.
57
would be Asian.
21 would be European.
14 would be from the Western Hemisphere.
8 would be African.
52 would be female.
48 would be male.
70 would be nonwhite.
30 would be white.
70 would be non-Christian.
30 would be Christian.
89 would be heterosexual.
11 would be homosexual.
6 people would possess 59 percent of the entire world's wealth, and all 6
would be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing.
70 would be unable to read.
50 would suffer from malnutrition.
1 would be near death.
1 would be pregnant.
1 would have a college education.
1 would own a computer.
Think of it this way. If you live in a good home, have plenty to eat
and can read, you are a member of a very select group.
And if you have a good house, food, can read and have a computer, you are
among the very elite.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... you are more
fortunate than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of
imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are
ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest,
torture, or death...you are fortunate, more than three billion people in the
world can't.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead
and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish
someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare, even
in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly
thankful... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on shoulder,
you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that
someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass this along to remind
everyone else how blessed we all are.
June 20, 2004
Subject: WW III. You must read the catalogue
of events in this brief piece. Then, ask yourself how anyone can take the
position that all we have to do is bring our troops home from Iraq, sit back,
re-set the snooze alarm, go back to sleep, and no one will ever bother us again.
In case you missed it,
World War III began in November 1979................that alarm has been ringing
for years!
U.S. Navy Captain
Ouimette is the Executive Officer at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. Here
is a copy of the speech he gave last month. It is an accurate account of why we
are in so much trouble today and why the action we are taking now is so
necessary and critical for our future as a free society. dp
AMERICA NEEDS TO WAKE UP!
That's what we think we
heard on the 11th of September 2001 (When more than 3,000 Americans were killed)
and maybe it was, but I think it should have been "Get Out of Bed!" In
fact, I think the alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued
to hit the snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep
since then.
It was a cool fall day in
November 1979 in a country going through a religious and political upheaval when
a group of Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran.
This seizure was an outright attack on American soil; it was an attack that held
the world's most powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency. The attack
on this sovereign U. S. embassy set the stage for events to follow for the next
23 years.
America was still reeling
from the aftermath of the Vietnam experience and had a serious threat from the
Soviet Union when then, President Carter, had to do something. He chose to
conduct a clandestine raid in the desert. The ill-fated mission ended in ruin,
but stood as a symbol of America's inability to deal with terrorism.
America's military had
been decimated and downsized/right sized since the end of the Vietnam War. A
poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to
execute a complex mission that was doomed from the start.
Shortly after the Tehran
experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and killed throughout the Middle
East. America could do little to protect her citizens living and working abroad.
The attacks against US soil continued.
In April of 1983 a large
vehicle packed with high explosives was driven into the US Embassy compound in
Beirut. When it explodes, it kills 63 people. The alarm went off again and
America hit the Snooze Button once more.
Then just six short
months later a large truck heavily laden down with over 2500 pounds of TNT
smashed through the main gate of the US Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut and
241 US servicemen are killed. America mourns her dead and hit the Snooze Button
once more.
Two months later in
December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven into the US
Embassy in Kuwait, and America continues her slumber.
The following year, in
September 1984, another van was driven into the gates of the US Embassy in
Beirut and America slept.
Soon the terrorism
spreads to Europe. In April 1985 a bomb explodes in a restaurant frequented by
US soldiers in Madrid.
Then in August a
Volkswagen loaded with explosives is driven into the main gate of the US Air
Force Base at Rhein-Main; 22 are killed and the snooze alarm is buzzing louder
and louder as US interests are continually attacked.
Fifty-nine days later a
cruise ship, the Achille Lauro is hijacked and we watched as an American in a
wheelchair is singled out of the passenger list and executed.
The terrorists then shift
their tactics to bombing civilian airliners when they bomb TWA Flight 840 in
April of 1986 that killed 4 and the most tragic bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 over
Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 259.
Clinton treated these
terrorist acts as crimes; in fact we are still trying to bring these people to
trial. These are acts of war.
The wake up alarm is
getting louder and louder. The terrorists decide to bring the fight to America.
In January 1993, two CIA agents are shot and killed as they enter CIA
headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
The following month,
February 1993, a group of terrorists are arrested after a rented van packed with
explosives is driven into the underground parking garage of the World Trade
Center in New York City. Six people are killed and over 1000 are injured. Still
this is a crime and not an act of war?
The Snooze alarm is
depressed again.
Then in November 1995 a
car bomb explodes at a US military complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia killing seven
service men and women.
A few months later in
June of 1996, another truck bomb explodes only 35 yards from the US military
compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It destroys the Khobar Towers, a US Air Force
barracks, killing 19 and injuring over 500. The terrorists are getting braver
and smarter as they see that America does not respond decisively.
They move to coordinate
their attacks in a simultaneous attack on two US embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania. These attacks were planned with precision. They kill 224. America
responds with cruise missile attacks and goes back to sleep.
The USS Cole was docked
in the port of Aden, Yemen for refueling on 12 October 2000, when a small craft
pulled along side the ship and exploded killing 17 US Navy Sailors. Attacking a
US War Ship is an act of war, but we sent the FBI to investigate the crime and
went back to sleep.
And of course you know
the events of 11 September 2001. Most Americans think this was the first attack
against US soil or in America. How wrong they are. America has been under a
constant attack since 1979 and we chose to hit the snooze alarm and roll over
and go back to sleep.
In the news lately we
have seen lots of finger pointing from every high official in government over
what they knew and what they didn't know. But if you've read the papers and paid
a little attention I think you can see exactly what they knew. You don't have to
be in the FBI or CIA or on the National Security Council to see the pattern that
has been developing since 1979.
Our President is
right on when he says we are engaged in a war. I think we have been in a war for
the past 23 years and it will continue until we as a people decide enough is
enough.
America needs to
"Get out of Bed" and act decisively now. America has been changed
forever. We have to be ready to pay the price and make the sacrifice to ensure
our way of life continues. We cannot afford to keep hitting the snooze button
again and again and roll over and go back to sleep.
After the attack on Pearl
Harbor, Admiral Yamamoto said "...it seems all we have done is awakened a
sleeping giant." This is the message we need to disseminate to
terrorists around the world.
Support Our Troops and
support President Bush for having the courage, political or militarily, to
address what so many who preceded him didn't have the backbone to do, both
Democrat and Republican. This is not a political thing to be hashed over in an
election year; this is an AMERICAN thing.
This is about our Freedom and the
Freedom of our children and grandchildren in years to come.
Please forward this to as
many people as you can, especially to the young people and all those who dozed
off in history class and who seem so quick to protest such a necessary military
action
June 13, 2004
DARRELL
SCOTT TESTIMONY
Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? Darrell
Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the
"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in
the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the
seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott,
and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who
died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother
Abel out in the field The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it
the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the
reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.
"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how
quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a
member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not
here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they
are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that
they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with
Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.
"I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy-it
was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real
blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame
lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. "I wrote
a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was
written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:
Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!
"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, soul,
and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we
create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and reek
havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for
most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as
theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us
as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the
doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as
Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat
such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that
contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not
need more restrictive laws. "Eric and Dylan would not have been
stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who
spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within
our own hearts.
"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw
his two friends murdered before his very eyes-He did not hesitate to pray
in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I
challenge every young person in
My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country
will not allow that to happen!"
June 6, 2004
Assume
you have all seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist
employees who are called up? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open
and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose
benefits as a result of being called up...
Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all
benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up
reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary
corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.
Suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we
are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.
So I decided to check it out before I sent it forward. I sent the following
email to the Sears Customer Service Department:
I received this email and I would like to know if it is true. If it is, the
Internet may have just become one very good source of advertisement for your
store. I know I would go out of my way to buy products from Sears instead of
another store for a like item even if it was cheaper at the other store.
Here is their answer to my email......................
Dear Customer:
Thank you for contacting Sears.
The information is factual. We appreciate your positive feedback. Sears regards
service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can
make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time.
Bill Thorn
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358
Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they're doing for our military.
Kalat worked on this night and day for several months.
To the left of the kneeling soldier is a small Iraqi girl giving the soldier comfort as he mourns the loss of his comrade in arms.
It is currently on display outside the palace that is now home to the 4th Infantry division. It will eventually be shipped to and shown at the memorial museum in Fort Hood, Texas.
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