For those following the Michael Jackson trial
In case anyone is following the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, here is a link to a flash video explaining the entire defense.

I chuckled quite a bit at this
I found this photo taken at a feminist rally. I just kept chuckling after seeing it. Look at the sign in the background.

I don't feel soooo bad, anymore
Mood:  cheeky
I just saw this photo online comparing the young Arnold Schwarzenegger from his body building days to present day as Governor of California. He still looks better than I do, but I feel just a teensy bit better about it.

Posted by troylaplante at 11:08 PM EST

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I trashed my plans for today
Mood:  irritated
I guess the mood of "irritated" was the closest thing I could find, although I am not as annoyed as the term irritated would indicate.

I was able to sleep in a bit today, with it being a day off. The mail had already arrived. I found a few bills and our latest auto insurance policy renewal. My rate went up about $120 a year with no notice or explanation. I called the insurance company and was told that there was a state wide rate hike. $120 per year from just me...because the CAN. I have been paying for years on a policy I haven't used, we now both have clean records. The only accident on my record was one from October of 2003 when I was rear ended while in a company vehicle and was obviously not at fault. And the insurance company can't charge for that. According to "Sabrina" from Progressive Insurance, our rate hike was not individual but state wide. Legalized theft, in my opinion. Then again, I got a refund for a few hundred dollars a while back from rate hikes unapproved by the N.C. Insurance Commissioner. Maybe I will get another soon. At least there will no longer be a lien holder on my policy beginning in about two weeks.

I was going to pick up a lot of limbs in the back yard and put them at the street curb today. However, it is cold outside and looks like we are about to get rained on. I may just wait on that. The rain was expected overnight tonight, but looks like we may get hit a little earlier.

I guess that I will work on listing books for sale, instead. We have about recovered the cost of the books we purchased last week.

I know I have neglected to write in my blog recently. I have tried to keep myself busy with work and other activities.

Last Saturday, we bought a truck load and a full station wagon load of books at a local library book sale, as we do twice a year. I have been busy listing books for sale all last weekend and throughout this week.

Recently, I got my Collector of Curio and Relics federal firearms license. It took about eight weeks for processing. It allows me to purchase old firearms and have them shipped directly to me rather than going through a licensed dealer. Today, I bought my first C&R gun. Here is the description on the dealer's web site: Mosin-Nagant last model developed during WWII. Similar to M38, it features a slightly longer barrel and permanently fixed folding bayonet. Tangent rear sight and hooded front sight, 5-round fixed magazine. Barrel length: 20”, Overall length: 40”

This was on a local message board
Mood:  suave
The following exchange was on a message board on 4042.com today. I love the reply to the original post.
-------------

For the members of 4042.com:

The Light of Christ International Outreach Center in Smithfield, NC
is hosting the 2005 END-TIMES PROPHETIC WORSHIP CONFERENCE
at the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium in Smithfield.

This conference will focus on revealing Bible Prophecy and entering into
the manifest presence of God through prophetic worship.

Internationally recognized authors, J.R. Church and Michael D. Evans will teach on Bible Prophecy. Well known worship leaders, Kent Henry (Integrity's Hosanna! Music) and Keith Duncan (INSP Network) will teach and lead the awesome praise and worship!

For more details and/or to register, please visit www.thelightofchrist.org

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And the reply from a member of the 4042.com message board community:

First, instead of "going to a church", try BEING the church. Grow up in Christ and you will not need to keep going to conferences. The early Church met in homes daily, not at conferences. Secondly, there is no such thing as "end times prophetic worship". That is just plain bunk. There is worship or the absensce thereof. If you know what worship really is, you won't have anything to do with conferences.

In looking at the itinerary for the conference, most of the topics listed there can be found on TBN. Yet, you will be charged $65 to attend ($55 if you pre-register). What ever happend to "freely you have received, freely give"? Oh, that's right, we have to have some "experts" come in to speak, give them an honorarium, plus take up an offering beyond the money charged to attend. Yeah, I read a lot about the apostle Paul doing that in the scriptures.

There are local people who will gladly teach such topics FREE OF CHARGE and with the anointing of the Spirit. I personally know peoople who are well versed in the topics shown on the web site, and I guarantee some who know more than some imported "expert". But, in order to lend credibility to the man made conference, we need to import someone. Forget letting the local body be the body.

Yes, the guest speakers are part of the body of Christ and are necessary in the body. But they are handy to sustain an agenda if you bring them in for the right conference.

ALSO, all readers beware of ANYTHING to do with the Light of Christ and their pastor. Avoid that congregation. If y'all knew all that I know, you would STAY AWAY!

People, wake up. Grow up. Get off the milk and get on meat. Sorry to pontificate, but I am REAL tired of the the body of Christ being taken advantaqge of and kept immature. Get to know Christ for yourself. Know his ways and heart for yourselves instead of what some televangelist, pastor, visiting minister, or some teacher says.

I know this sounds rough, but Jesus was roughest on the religious leaders of his day. He dealt with them harshly for they were harsh on his people. They led people astray, taught contrary to his ways, and therefore will have a greater judgement. Matthew 23 dealt with leadership and hypocrisy. He says the same today as he did then.

I stopped going to conferences years ago. I gather with saints, instead. There is a HUGE difference.
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Here is the link to the message board thread. I was going to put more here, but the thread has grown more than I figured it would.

I got real tired of not being able to shoot my .22 pistol at the gun range every time I take Teresa with me. So I have been shopping for another .22 pistol for her use. I found several that interested me, including a Beretta Neos, Ruger Mark II, Smith and Wesson model 22, and other Buckmarks. I visited gun shops and pawn shops and thought I had found what I wanted until today.

I had been wanting a Ruger Mark II for a while. It was my intention for that to be the first target pistol I bought until I found such a good deal on the Buckmark, I couldn't pass that one up, considerin that I was in the market for one at the time. Today was very similar.

I had been comparing the Ruger 22/45 with the Mark II 512 with bull barrel. I had intended to purchase one I was at a gun store in Raleigh. Today, I ended up traveling some and stopped by a gun shop I had visisted before and that has a good selection. I found a Ruger 22/45 for sale on consignment at a great price. It had little or no wear and looked to have been fired little or not at all. It is in immaculate condition, much like the Buckmark I purchased.

The problem with the Buckmark is that Teresa was having problems chambering the first round. the slide is too tight for her to pull back. The 22/45 has a better grip for her to pull back on, but is still stiff. I bought some dummy .22 rounds for her to practice with. She can do the chambering just fine. Soon, we will see how the pistol shoots.

Here is a picture.

The Maytag Repairman Lives
Mood:  caffeinated
I thought I would write another entry since I am sitting here enjoying a cup of coffee, I am on call for work this weekend but everything is going well, and I am pondering what to do next.

On February 15th, we had to replace our washing machine, as I had written in my blog. I have not yet posted the picture I took. The Maytag Repairman does indeed still live. I know that many of you think that Gordon Jump (the second Maytag Repairman) died some year and a half ago. No, he seems to still be around and made a visit to our house. I have pictures to prove it.

Here he is giving me an "I told you so" look while standing over my now dead General Electric clothes washer. Don't tell Gordon, but we bought a Roper to replace it.

Dinner with my brothers
Last night, I had the pleasure of dining with two friends of mine, Cedric Credle and Kenny Parker. Cedric and I have known each other for years. We both got to know Kenny about five or six years ago at the same Christian fellowship group we attended. For a few years, both Cedric and I were out of touch with Kenny, since we both ended up leaving that fellowship within about a year of each other. Some time later, Kenny eventually left, as well.

I have been hoping for the chance to get together with people I once knew in that fellowship, knowing what would have to happen first, ie, their forsaking that group. Many people have come and gone at that fellowship. Ironically, Cedric and I were two of the three men who started that group.

Anyway, Cedric and I have both been blessed to be able to renew our friendship with Kenny recently. We got together at the new Buffalo Wild Wings last night in Garner. I really enjoyed their company.

At first, I had intended to not discuss the fellowship we were all in. However, considering the different circumstances we all left under, we cleared the air for a while, compared notes, learning experiences, and caught up on old times.

I thank God for being able to renew old friendships and continue in others. Here is a picture of my two brothers that I snapped while we were in the parking lot after dinner.

The Shooting Range
I took Teresa to the shooting range again today. I offered that as a possibility for today and she wanted to go. She has taken a real liking to my Buckmark .22 target pistol. I am afraid that I may not be able to shoot it any more, since she has pretty much taken it over. I guess that I will just have to go and buy another pistol.

Teresa did some shooting at anywhere from 3 to 25 yards today and did really well. We snapped a few photos after getting back from the range. Unfortunately, the bullet holes don't show up real well in these photos. The entire center ring is just about shot out. She did great.

Posted by troylaplante at 3:16 PM EST

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